Week 29: Jimmy Timmy Power Hour: Garden City Edition

Hola a todos! This week was a very crazy week. We were super busy trying to find all the less-active ladies in the area so that we could invite them to the Relief Society birthday party!! There are two wards here in Garden City, and the wards decided to have a combined party this year, so that all the ladies in Garden City could get to know each other better. It was so fun to see all my favorite people from each ward interact with one another - it was like a crossover episode of your favorite tv show. Not that many less-active ladies ended up showing up, which was kind of a bummer, but you know who did show up?? MARIBEL. That's right, our investigator who barely knows any English (and who kind of fell off the face of the earth for a few weeks) came to the party and had so much fun!! Milagros all around.

Having a blast at the RS party

That was on Thurday, and Imma just say right now, Thursday was a crazy day. Our poor truck got a flat tire? Thankfully the Elder's quorum president drove by and noticed and changed it for us! Also, we were sick and tired of doing weekly planning in our house, so we just went to the local gas station and did it there. haha 

Baby had her first Bear Lake raspberry shake awww 

This week we also found a lady who was very, very Catholic and described to us in detail what Lent is and how Catholics celebrate Easter?? I was a little sad she didn't want to listen to our message. But I also felt more informed, so I guess it was all good. This lady was probably the first non-member lady I have met (other than our investigators) the whole time I have been in this area. I never thought that having TOO many members of the church living in one place and finding new people would be a problem I would ever face on my mission, but it is, and it's actually kind of funny if you really think about it. lol 

Yesterday, we were both assigned to speak in the Spanish group, and there were like, 3 people there! Awesome. I guess during my talk, I started to speak a little too fast, because I saw Carolina (the group leader's wife) in the back making very huge motions for me to slow down. Hey, Hispanic people like to talk very fast. I was just trying to blend in.

 I wasn't kidding about the addresses look at how many stamps I have! Please send me your addresses! 

Okay, so for a spiritual note for this email, i just wanna talk about the priesthood for a second. Have you ever gotten a blessing from your mission president? It's probably one of the most spiritual experiences you can have while on your mission. The priesthood isn't just this fictional, made up thing; it is the power of God on the earth. Isn't that the coolest? Our all-knowing, all-powerful Father in heaven has given us access to the power that he holds. I am so so grateful that, through Joseph Smith, the priesthood authority has been restored and we can be properly led and guided. Okay that is all for this week. I love you all so so much. byeeee 

-Hna Peterson 

p.s. Hey hey hey please send me your addresses because i want to send you all letters?? Please this is actually not a joke letter writing has become my new favorite hobby as a missionary.

p.p.s. Go listen to the talk "Come unto Christ" by my pal John Bytheway. It'll change your life 

p.p.p.s. GENERAL CONFERENCE IS THIS WEEKEND GO WATCH IT 

We got the prettiest area in the mission hands down yo

Week 28: Adventures With the Refrigerator

So, to explain my email title: our refrigerator broke this week. Like, completely stopped working. We woke up one morning to notice that our house smelled kind of funny, only to open the fridge and see that all our food had rotted and the fridge was no longer cold. We tried everything we could to get it working again, but nothing seemed to work (my comp's dad fixes fridges for a living so she felt like she let him down lol). We called the mission housing office, who called our landlady, who sent some guy over to check it out. Turns out, our fridge actually DIED out on us, and it was time for us to get a brand new one. Since Bear Lake is a pretty popular tourist spot, there are a lot of condo rental places, and that guy brought us a loaner fridge from one of those condos  to have for a few days while they got us a new one. And then a few short days later, this giant Lowe's truck pulled into our driveway, and now we have a nice brand new fridge! Okay halfway through typing out this story I realized it was actually super boring so I am sorry you all had to read that.

Lake adventures! 

This week was pretty crazy, but pretty funny as well: here are just a few highlights: 

- A 12 year old girl told me she wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader when she grew up and I think I found my new dream job.

- We saw this guy feeding the wild turkeys that live here in Garden City?? We also went up and talked to him and he was talking a lot about the church, and science, and how the Book of Mormon is either "a scam or the real deal". You guys, this guy is a member and he's been through the TEMPLE but thinks we evolved from alien microbes coming to space. He was super nice though I will not lie!!!!! 

- Okay, we've started a new tactic: since Hermana Gutierrez is brand new to the mish, and there are lots of less-active members in our area, we've been going around and asking them if we could "practice" teaching them, and most of them have accepted! One I am super excited for is tomorrow. It's this couple who got baptized a few years ago, but the dad had a accident that left him in a wheelchair, and they have not been back to church since. But they are super nice and wonderful, and their 15 year old son is not a member, and he said he wanted to listen to our lesson too!!! Wish us luck!

-We had our first mutual where we taught the kids about being a missionary through social media! It actually went super well, and we helped them get over their fear (and the leader's fear) of sharing the gospel with their friends. It's SO easy you guys, just go share a video or a scripture with one of your friends. They will love, it, i promise! 

-I went to the dentist this week. Don't worry, I am fine!! My teeth are still good!! (for now at least.) 

Cuties

I've been thinking a lot about trials this week. Trials in our lives sure aren't fun, and I'm sure we all have experience with trials in our lives. Even though they may stink, and we might even want to give up, I will tell you, right now, don't! Keep going! Doctrine and Covenants 122:7 says,"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."  Everything will be alright in the end, I promise. Life is hard, but it was meant to be hard. How could we progress and learn and grow if our lives were meant to be easy?? I hope you all are able to take the trials you face this week with confidence and the remembrance that the Lord is on your side. I love you all! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Hermana Peterson 

The truck in our driveway delivering our new fridge!! 

This little girl is literally like the Hispanic version of my sister no joke

Turkeys? 

 So, this is the old Relief Society building in Laketown. Back during the pioneer days the RS ladies spent a lot of time and efforts trying to raise money to build this building so they could have a little space of their own!! Now, the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, which is just this giant organization of older ladies (kind of like Daughters of the American Revolution, that thing Rory's grandma was in in Gilmore Girls) meet here! History! It's neat!

Week 27: At the feet of the Savior

Holaaaa!! 

So this week we had zone conference!! We talked a lot about using our phones and about using Facebook, and how they are still just another tool that we get to use as missionaries. Sister Gutierrez actually had the awesome idea of going around and helping the youth in our wards learn how to use social media for missionary work too!! So stay tuned for those mutuals that we are going to plan. haha

This week, I feel like I have really learned on how to put my trust in the Savior and fully rely on him. I have been a li'l stressed recently about a lot of things that have been going on in my life lately (missions can be stressful sometimes! who knew!!). But, I can promise to you guys that as we lay our problems at the feet of the Savior, he will help us and he will ALWAYS be there lead us and guide us. We were not meant to come to this earth to suffer. Yes, we are supposed to go through hard things, but this life is meant to be a happy one. All we need to do is trust in the Lord, and He will help us make it through. When I have learned to rely on the Savior, my life never got easier, but it did get better. 

A random goat

ps Go read the talks "Trust in the Lord and Lean Not" by Bonnie H. Cordon and "We Never Walk Alone" by President Monson!! They are both so good and will bless your life!!!!

Love, Hermana Peterson 

Zone conference

Mountains

They sent me the wrong tag again!

A pretty sweet sign 

Week 26: Two birds with one stone

Two birds: So, Sister Smith and Sister Medina left this week. To my fellow missionary friends, I hope you never have to kill off one of your companions, and I pray that you don't have to kill off two at the same time!! It's so rough. On our last day together, we all went over to Claudia's house for breakfast and she made us huevos rancheros AND waffles with Mexican caramel. Her whole family was there (minus Mama Vicki, who desired to take a quick trip to Mexico??), and it was just so fun and special. A few hours later, they had to drop me off so I could stay with the other sisters while they went to the mission home. It was hard to see them go, but I love them a lot and I know that we will all see each other again someday.

One stone: So my new companion (or daughter, I guess you could call her), is Sister Gutierrez!! She's cute and short and is from Springville, Utah - and now she is serving her mission in Utah, pobrecita. But, she was born in Mexico and lived there until she was 10, so she already knows Spanish and English, so that is super good! We've already gone on so many fun adventures, such as: 

- Eating pizza for like, every meal this week. (People love to give missionaries free pizza here.) 

- Trying to drive to Pocatello for a meeting, and then getting caught in a blizzard!! That was super scary. I thought we were going to die for a little bit, especially while driving through Soda Springs. But, we made it there safely and then we got Costa Vida for lunch after and then it wasn't even snowing when we drove home!!! Miracles 

- Yesterday, we had stake conference, and we got to go the the very famous, highly esteemed, Paris Tabernacle. No but for real, the Paris Tabernacle is super pretty and has a lot of cool church history behind it. Well we were there for stake conference, and it was special because it was actually a broadcast from President Nelson to the entire Idaho area. Just like in his talk this past General Conference, he talked about the Book of Mormon, and the role it plays in our lives. It made me really reflect on my work as a missionary and how I can make a bigger focus on the Book of Mormon in my daily proselyting efforts. 

- This morning, we were driving to email, and I forgot something at home, so we went to go flip around in this cul-de-sac that wasn't plowed and I got stuck!!! Thankfully some nice people who had a big tractor were able to pull us out.

Yo y mi nueva compaaaa

This week, I've been thinking a lot about change. I feel like, in my own life, I've been super bad about dealing with change. I've tried to get better at it on my mission, but it is still been hard, especially this week. Job 23:10 days, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."  Heavenly Father has led me and guided me through my whole life and especially on my mission; just because I may have a change or a trial in my life doesn't mean that something good won't come from it down the road. Welp, that is about it for this week, I love being a missionary, and I love all of YOU! Have a wonderful week this week!! 

-Hermana Peterson

Before Medina left she made us flautas but we didn't have anything to put on top of them so we had to eat them with our hands! They were still good though.

Us with Lesha!!!

Some pics from the Paris Tabernacle