Week 21: There can be miracles if you believe

Hola everyone! I hope you all are doing super well. this week, I have seen SO MANY miracles and I just wanna tell ya about some of them so here we go: 

• We had zone conference this week! My mission president talked a lot about faith, and the faith we have as missionaries. It made me think about my own faith as a a missionary right now, and it made me think "did I have enough faith in my last area to see changes in these people? Do I have enough faith to see changes in this area?" It made me a little discouraged about my missionary efforts, and especially about this area, since there aren't very many non-members in my area, just a lot of less actives. Well, on a lesson we had a few days later with one of our less actives, she said something that really stuck with me. She mentioned, back when she was way more less active than she is now, an elder pretty much told her that as missionaries our main agenda is to find and teach investigators, not really help with the less actives. She told us that really hurt her and made her think "is my own salvation and conversion to the gospel not as important in the eyes of the Lord as for someone who isn't already a member of the church?" When she said that, it made me think of the missionary purpose, which says that we need to "invite others to come unto Christ". That doesn't say "invite those who aren't already members", it says to invite others, which, could also mean to invite ALL to come unto Christ. It made me feel a lot better about my own missionary efforts and that I am here to help people, no matter who they are of what their background is.
• We went visiting teaching to these two cute older ladies, Jacky and Liesel and they are both less active and best friends. The purpose of this visiting teaching appointment was so that Jacky could learn how to lead the music so that she could lead in Relief Society. Sister Smith told me that when she first got to this area, she tried to go visit Jacky and she pretty much told them that they were welcome to come over whenever, but there was no way that she was ever going back to church. Since I have been here, Jacky has come to church TWICE and is now asking for a calling?? It's amazing. also, Liesel is the funniest little German lady you have ever seen. At the end she was like "okay, this has been nice, and I don't want to be rude, but can everyone leave now." 
• So the other day we got to help with Winterfest, which is this giant fundraising thing the city puts on where people pretty much pay money to go jump into Bear Lake??? But all the money goes towards charity, so I guess it is fine. Usually they have to cut a hole out of the ice in the lake, but the lake didn't freeze over this year! It was snowing the whole time though, so it was pretty chilly. But we met lots of cool people and saw 100 people jump into the lake so it was all fun ​​​​​​​​​​​​

Winterfest

There are more miracles but I'm just going to invite you now to go see the miracles in your own life. Also, go read Mosiah 4:9!!!! I love you guys, and I love being a missionary!! Have a good week! 

-Hna Peterson 

Zone Conference

The lake and a canyon we found. This place is so beautiful.

Week 20: Je m'appelle Soeur Peterson

Hola! Or should I say bonjour, because I have been TRANSFERRED to lovely Paris, Idaho! When I got my mission call I remember I opened up my mission packet to the map of my mission and noticed that Paris was a place here in my mission and I thought "really Heavenly Father??" I guess that just shows you what a sense of humor God has haha. This week has been absolutely crazy. I had to go around and say goodbye to all my good pals in Blackfoot, and I had to pack up all my stuff. But now I am here in my new area, and I already love it so much! 

We all got matching shirts! And, to quote Sister Medina, "I need to be in the middle, because I am short and brown"

Some awesome things about my new area: 

• So, I guess I lied earlier, even though my area is called the Paris area, I technically serve in Garden City and in Laketown which are both in UTAH. That's right, I somehow made my way back to Utah haha. In my mission, we are the only companionship to be serving here in Utah! How crazy is that! Also, I live right next to Bear Lake, which is the prettiest li'l lake you have ever seen. I have heard some people call it "the Caribbean of the West" which is actually not even an exaggeration, the water of the lake is SO turquoise, and apparently it is way more turquoise in the summer when the sun is actually shining - also the whole lake is covered by snowy mountains. This place is just so beautiful!! 
• So, compared to Blackfoot and Pocatello, my area and all the other surrounding areas are kind of the middle of nowhere. At transfers the mission president literally told me i was being banished uhhhhh 
• Since this is a very touristy place, there are a lot of houses, but most of them are empty right now, since people just come up for the summer. Don't worry though, we are still finding lots of people to teach! 
• Bear Lake is famous for it's raspberries so everything here tastes like raspberries and it's actually the best. This place is literally like a dream. 
• So my companion, or should I say my companions, because I am now in a trio!! I am with the lovely Hermana Smith and Hermana Medina, who are both from Texas. I am also killing both of them off, which means this is their last transfer in the mission! I'm already very sad to see both of them leave.
• So, my area is technically a bilingual area, which means I get to teach people in both Spanish and English here, as opposed to when I was in Blackfoot and just taught people in Spanish. All the Spanish people go to - not a branch, not a ward, but a group, which means they are still part of the other ward, but have their own sacrament meeting and gospel principles class. It's so tiny; the podium doesn't even have a microphone! I love it though, and according to my companions, all these people came who they haven't seen at church for a long time! I just got here and I am already seeing miracles. 

Some cool things that have happened this week in my new area!!

• I went to this really interesting fireside yesterday that was held by one of the students who was involved in the Cokeville Miracle. It was just so crazy to see how much God is involved in our lives and in the lives of our families. Also, that whole situation just seems super scary and I don't know if I want to go watch that movie now (yes, I have not watched it, don't judge me) 
• Yesterday in the group, they invited someone who can't speak Spanish to speak, so one of the group leader's counselors was translating, and the speaker just turns to him and was like, "hey, is there a Spanish word for bromance, because that's what I want to talk about right now"
• Had this really awesome lesson with this cool family! They are the M_______ and they are a part member family. Everyone in the family is a member except for the mom and for the son. It was a really good lesson. I feel like they will soon agree to be baptized. Their goal as a family is to eventually get sealed in the temple, so we will see what happens!!! 
• Me and Sister Smith are super super similar in personality - the other day, we were driving home from visiting the other Paris sisters (which is a 40 minute drive away), and we just spent the whole time talking about Gilmore Girls lol 

I hope everyone is doing super well. I love you all and I love being a missionary! Have an awesome week! 

- Hna Peterson 

Last district pics from Blackfoot

Week 19: Goodbye until tomorrow

Hola everyone! So this week was very interesting.... we got transfer calls! and... I am leaving tiny little Blackfoot for an even smaller town down by Bear Lake! I have really loved it here in Blackfoot and all the amazing experiences and miracles I was able to see, and I am sad to leave, but I am excited to take a new step forward with my life and to see all the amazing work I will do in my next area!! I just feel so blessed that I got to serve in this amazing area and serve so many wonderful people. (And, I will probably be back in Blackfoot again-once you come here you never really leave.)

Some disappointments this week: Enrique unfortunately did not get baptized this past week, but we are still working very hard on him and he still has that desire, so i hope he is able to get baptized soon after i leave. And, with Rebecca and Guillermo... we were going to ask them to be baptized again, but our last lesson with them got so off topic and the Spirit could not even reside in their home when we were trying to teach. Something I have really had to learn on my mission is how to deal with other people's agency!!  It's so obvious, the gospel is right there in front of you and it is so easy, but people still don't want to listen or do the commitments we leave with them. I have learned that, even though this is frustrating, agency was a gift given to us by God, and they are using that gift how they want to, even though it makes us upset and frustrated. The ability to choose is why we are all here, and, even though lots of people will not listen to our message, it really is okay. 

Ok so I gotta go pack up for transfers but I love you all to pieces and I hope you all have a wonderful week this week!! Les amo muchisiomo! 

-Hna Peterson

Bruja?? Donde esta?? (I have never seen the witch here and i am actually so disappointed)

Adventures with some cows we found 

Week 18: I got Panera this week and that's all that matters

Hola! Before I begin my weekly email, I'd like to start out by expressing my gratitude and love for our dear prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I always cherish the time when I got to be in the cultural celebration for the KC Temple and I got to be in the presence of our prophet. His counsel and words always stick clear in my mind and, even with his passing, I feel so lucky that we always have a prophet to lead us and guide us in our lives. 

Us, tracting!

Some chistes y milagros that happened this week: 

• So we try to visit this less active lady a lot in our area, and her son is literally always watching tv when we go over. This week, we actually saw him look at us through the window and ignore us when we knocked on the door, and, a few days later when his sister answered the door, he told us that he didn't want to turn off the tv so that's why he didn't let us in. And, a few days ago, we noticed one of the windows in their living room was broken, and it was because he smashed it with his head! He was so proud of the fact that he broke a window. He was like "wow, i'm so strong!" Hispanic kids are usually the cutest things ever or the scariest things ever. 
• So, my grandpa is a convert, and this week I got to meet the guy who taught him and baptized him!! That was a really neat experience, and it has really shown to me that, even if you only teach and baptize a few people on your mission, it really means the whole world to that one person and their family to come. 
• We got a whole bunch of referrals this week, and they all lived right by each other, so me and my comp went tracting for the first time ever on our missions lol. It was good fun and this dog started following us around, so we decided it's our familiar now lol. 
• So my back has been trying to actually kill me my whole mish and so the members we live with took me to their physical therapy friend and she gave me the most awesome massage!! Also it reminded me of when I worked at a pt office so that was nice and reminiscent. 
• There was MLC this week and my STL's got me PANERA from Pokey and I actually feel so blessed. 
• So, for exercise time me and my comp go to the stake center that is 2 minutes away from our house and play soccer, and, I don't even know, while we were playing I created some type of magical, sporty, d&d type world?? Please don't ask me how I thought this up. I really don't know. Please respond to this email and tell me what kind of wizard you would be (football wizard, soccer wizard, gold wizard, ski wizard, etc)

The man that taught and baptized my grandpa

Pues, I hope you all know how much I love you and how much I miss you. I also hope you guys know how much I love being a missionary! Have a good week everybody!!

Con amor, 

Hna Peterson

MY PANERA

Week 17: Feliz Año Nuevo

Hola everyone! I hope you all had a good New Years. Me, I went to bed at 9:30 and fell asleep right away. I hope you all had a good past year. This year I feel like I really learned how to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and my Savior, and, even though I am far from perfect, I am trying my best to be so that I can be with them again someday. I also have learned how to be more kind, charitable, and loving to the people around me, even when sometimes it is very, very difficult. Look at it this way, I could spend my short time on this earth holding grudges and only caring about myself, or I could have the patience and the humility to spend my entire life trying to love people. Sure, it might take me my entire life, but, by the end if it, it will all be worth it, because I got the opportunity to have one more friend and to love one more person. I just want to let you all know that I love my Savior, and all of you so, so much. I hope you all have a wonderful, wonderful year this year. 

If I will invite you to do anything this week, I invite all of you to go read the talk "Knowing the Godhead" by Elder Holland!! It's so good, and it helps us all to know our relationship with our Heavenly Father better. Van leerlo!! 

Love,

Hermana Peterson

I have no new pics from this week, but here are some slightly embarrassing ones from when I tried to make a snow angel on exchanges a couple weeks ago. Enjoy!!