Hey Family,
It was so good to talk to you this last Saturday! I love you all so very much and I miss y'all alot, but I know this is where the Lord wants me. I hope the spirit of Christ was present with y'all this Christmas as it was with me and Elder Christensen. The magic of Christmas is not in the Presents but in his Presence!!!! Thanks KJ........I am excited to tell you about my week and the great things that lay ahead and how we spent Christmas in PINE WHAT? PINEHURST!!!!!

Mon-
Happiness is now, Elder Christensen got a little home sick, but I took care of that real quick!! All his family was at home visiting, and we talked about the Joy from missionary service and I really think I needed that talk more then he did. I feel like I always have an answer for everything, like a pretty good profound answer but I need to use them and put them into action, and that is what I am trying to apply as I share the gospel with others and in my own path, while trying to become that Son the my Heaven Father expects me to become. My main man Nate Kirk picked us up and took us to breakfast then we went and helped him clean Kirk Tour Vans!!!! It was cool , I love the Kirks they are such great people. That night a woman we taught a couple times called us and asked for our help, said she needed us to pray for her. We taught her over the phone about prayer and fasting and it was really neat; at first I didn't think she was prepared but she still is. We went out with Tim to teach Sister Cameron it was so cool to see Tim, who hasn't been baptised, yet testify to Sister Cameron of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and truthfulness of the Gospel it was so cool! He was neat to watch! Afterwards he said being on the other end is so neat!!!!

Tues-
NCRM deep clean day baby!!! It is so crazy to me how you can feel the spirit more in your life in a clean environment! Thank you so much mom for always keeping our home clean and orderly and just for all you did to strive to have the spirit their! And Billy thanks for supervising!!!!! We had dinner that night with the Doolittle's they are the bomb and their little Daughter is getting a Chin Chilla for Christmas....It is like a bunny thing. I am so excited for Christmas it was a really good day! We stopped by to see some people that evening and sung Christmas carols and all is well in tinsel town! Have you all watched the LDS video called, Look to the Light!!! I love it!!!!

Wed-
We had District meeting, it was really good, it was on Revelation through Prayer, we had our Senior couple there, Elder and Sister Burris, they are both converts and from Texas, they are a great asset to our District. We really were able to use them which created an environment where the Holy Ghost could teach and help us understand what is truth. We all learned alot, that when we teach these people and we run out of time and have to go to our next appointment, it is just crazy and we just say will you read and pray about the Book of Mormon and not teach them prayer and why we pray, that we really can't expect to go back with them having received revelation!!!! We went to Pizza Hut afterwards and the Burris's paid for it all! Bless their HEART!!!! I got a letter from Lyssa and Pres. Wheeler!!!! I went on an exchange with Elder Johnson everything fell apart, our dinner was an hour late so we ate deer burgers in a truck, we went to our appointment, they weren't there and we had no ride back, so we went knocking doors, everyone was upset, they said it was to late!

Thurs-
We went out that morning and were on fire. Elder Johnson is a good elder he lifts me up alot and I love that feeling!!!!!! Today is Joseph Smith's b-day and is the same day Tim got baptised! So the baptism was awesome, like it just worked out so well. Tim's parents were there. His mom was emotional from the very beginning!!!! I talked to her afterwards and asked her about what she felt and if she would want to feel it again!!! I love asking those no brainer questions, and we set an appointment it was neat and really exciting. A good day to be a missionary!!!!!

Fri-
I was able to drive down to Laurinburg and interview Bro William Gessler, it was so neat I was able to apologize to him and his wife express to them my love to them and how I have been praying and fasting for them. They told me that they loved me and it was all good. That felt so good, like a load was lifted! We had cookout and played Monopoly at the Laurinburg Elder's apartment!!!!! And I won!!!!!!! We came back and went to have a lesson with Sis Fox in the Bayless home and she was a no show!!!! So we went to the Bishop's house it was really good, it was like a Christmas back home. They gave us a cool BOP IT where one of the steps is to shout it, then we left and the Security Guard at the gate looked like life was awful, so we went in and talked to him gave him the Christmas Orange story and a copy of the Book of Mormon so we will see where that goes!!!!!

Sat-
We were at the Kirk's, we did a white elephant exchange, they got us some gifts, we had a really nice lunch and watched them shoot their AK 47, we then went over to the Joyner's, their son in-law went to the Harvard of Culinary schools and man was that true, it was such good food, then we called y'all! I always hate the night after that phone call home! Your mind wanders to much!!!!

Sun-
No church!! I have cabin fever! I have been stuck in here to long. We built a snowman and then I was kind of depressed and missing home, wondering why we were out here cause we couldn't find anyone to go with us to our appointment! And while on the pot being selfish I said a prayer, and I was like if you even want me out here, help us find an exchange and the moment I said that the phone buzzed and I heard Elder Christensen answer, and it was an exchange!!!! We taught Sister Cameron and her and her daughter are prepared for baptism!!!!

Mon-
We went shopping and Bro. Seaquist bought all our groceries, he is a really nice man! From Grantsville crazy huh!!!! So we had all this candy, 1 giant box of Pot of Gold chocolate and 4 king size Hersey bars, I made Elder Christensen eat them all and then drink a huge glass of milk!!!! He almost threw up, it was so funny we then went out and taught a lesson with a crazy amazing member it was so neat!!!!


I love you all, I love my call, I love the gospel, and I am so thankful to be a part of it!

Love and Respect,


Elder Taylor Petersen

So, my boy Nate Kirk took us to breakfast this morning and that is why we are a little late emailing. I'd love to talk to Kels! But especially my main man BILLY and my main WOMAN WILLMEETA! So I am so excited to tell you all about this week, but I do not have alot of time. So I will just tell it to you all when I call home on Sat. I am not sure of a time, we will call you like Friday night to confirm a time because I have to go redeem myself Christmas day and drive up to Laurinburg and interview that man again for baptism so he can receive the O so many blessings! Tim is set to jet, he is prepared everyone always says he prays like a member and it is cool so this Thursday at 7 o'clock Timothy will go UNDER!!!!!! Sis Cameron is amazing, she is so hard on herself, but yet she is learning so well. She has alot of stress in her life right now and it is so neat to see her turn to the gospel for peace. Her and her daughter will be baptised on the first good new years resolution, right!!!!!! We taught a cool couple, new families this week, we invited one to be baptised she politely declined. But when she feels the converting power of the BOOK OF MORMON nothing will stop her! So, saturday we had a ward Christmas party, the Guevaras were their, all 9 of them it was so neat and then the next Sunday they came to church all 9 of them! The Christmas program was wonderful their was an Angel their visiting from USU! Go AGGIES. We had a great week we were able to go out with Bishop Houseman and talk about missionary efforts in the ward, then on Sunday we had an incredible talk with the MAN, President Brock he is a missionary minded fella! Speaking of which Billy, I need you to share some more light to me on your missionary program, I think next transfer we might get it up and running, but I don't fully understand it! At Church we had 7 investigators! IT has been so neat to look at myself and see who I have become in the span of a year. I feel like I truly know my Savior and I owe it all to this, and what I have been doing out here! I wouldn't exchange this time for anything in the world, I know this is where I am suppose to be! We found a part member family we are working with that is way cool too! I have been starting to feel a little sick but nothing some wheat grass can't fix! I can't wait to talk to you, pray for the Guevars they are ready! Just need to figure out how to invite them! Thanks for the love and support you all show to me, I hope you have a wonderful week and I can't wait to talk to you on Saturday! It will be a blast a good old time for only 10 minutes is what President is saying now!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA OH my main man BK sent me a way nice Christmas gift! The members in the ward are hooking us up with GIFT CARDS!!!!!!! PIZZA HUT 5 DOLLAR BUFFET BABY!!!!! ELder CHristensen is doing great, I love him to death. Sorry this email is probably lame, but I gotta go love y'all!

With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

Family,
OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE Y'ALL! Christmas is almost here! I hit the one year MARK, I honestly didn't think I would have made it this long! I thought I would have gotten eaten by a dog or hit by a car or I am not sure what, but here I am, and I am so thankful for the relationship I have gained with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this past year! It has been crazy to look back and see where I have come! Seriously, it was just yesterday, that we were all loaded in the Armada, Dad got pulled over and told the cop someone stole our license plate, Mom got worked up and said to Dad, what a great example of Honesty before your son enters the MTC! Then to spend time with you guys at Temple Square, faking that night that I was sick so I could post pone leaving, and have one of the most Spiritual experiences of my life giving each of you a blessing, so great to think how powerful the spirit of the Lord was in that tiny hotel room! Entering into the MTC!! I love this gospel, I am so thankful for those memories and for all of you, I love you all so very much and so excited to tell y'all about my week!

Mon-
We went out with Bro. Harris that night and had a crazy powerful lesson on Faith and how it is an ACTion word, so therefore we must ACT!!!!!! It was so neat to see the Holy Ghost working through Sis. Cameron and Bro. Harris, the spirit was so strong and everyone was made better because of it. It was so neat to ask Sis. Cameron to consider what she thought she could do, to come to church on a more regular basis, she said, that you mean how could I act, to come to church more regularly! She is such a neat lady and has been prepared by the Lord! The Lord's Kingdom needs more African Americans, they have such a rich History and background of FAITH and ENDURING!

Tues-
The man wrote me a letter Bishop Tibbitts! He is a great man of faith and has just a complete trust in the Lord! I love our BISHOP! I'll never forget the text he sent me asking me if I was excited to enter the MTC, and I told him NO!!!!! He said that it may be tough but just like each brick must under go high temperatures to be strong to add to a solid foundation, so must we go through high temperatures so that we will build a foundation on which the Lord can depend on us! It was bitter cold today! We biked to our appointment and got their and he had to leave with a wrecker because his car broke down! Bad luck for him, He was missing out on the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ! So we had dinner at the NEW RS Pres. Sis Kratzer; after dinner they asked if we would go with them to deliver some goodies, like a door bell ditch one, and then they pass it on! Well we did and Bro. Kratzer was flying in reverse down their long driveway and plowed over their mail box and got wedged between a tree and the mailbox, it was so funny and we GOT CAUGHT! We went out later that night with Bro. Chandler the new counselor in the Bishopric and it was a good time! We taught Tim and he is set to jet for the 23rd and also taught a guy named Marcus black, he is what you call Good FOLK, his wives family is all members and he is interested but from a distance, but we were so thankful for Bro. Chandler who was able to literally teach to this mans needs! I am so thankful for the exchange program!

WEd-
For the first time in my life since eighth grade, I saw a 1 on the scale for the first number! 199.2!!!! Crazy huh, I am getting deathly skinny!!!!! JK, but running everywhere makes the difference! We went tracting and were able to set 2 return appointments all with middle aged single African American women with at least four kids, but they live in a pretty decent neighborhood! We had a great lesson with Doug that night. He moved out, and he is such a good guy, like I think he is going to come back and his girlfriend will get baptised in the process. He just has natural leadership skills and if he is choosing righteousness people with just naturally flock to him and follow his example and he writes awesome country music! But after the lesson his girlfriend said "I going to read my scriptures tonight" things just feel good and they invited us over for dinner for a good southern MEAL!!!!!! WOOT WOOT

Thurs-
One year MARK today, oh my oh my oh my! I was thinking alot about it today and like I used to think that Elder Christensen hindered me from being successful, that his differentness or oddness slowed me down. But I realized, like I am my biggest barrier, like I slow myself down, I limit myself and create walls that don't even need to be their! If you can learn to control your mind, your thoughts, your fears and trust in God, I think you can master alot! My main man, Jared Kirk who is just like Uncle Andrew went out with us last night on a short moments notice and we had a great lesson, we taught Sis. Cameron, she asked why their aren't more blacks in the church, she asked why so many people are opposed to the LDS faith and then she told us she acted and asked her supervisor and got every other Sunday off possibly 3 Sundays off a month! Our prayers and fasting were answered it was so incredible! We saw this woman named Selemia and her 4 kids we taught them and had a great lesson with them, her son Peanut is a basketball all star for the freshman team and like 2 members are on the b-ball team and after the lesson he was like Connor George is always like Peanut, you are such a Mormon, he then said that he is so excited to finally become a Mormon and he gave us a big hug! Such a neat respectful kid!

Fri-
Interview with the BOSS! President Cotterell is the man. We had a great interview and then had a neat district meeting following. I think member missionary work just keeps President Cotterell up at night , I was looking at this study journal and that is like seriously his main focus, but it is really the only way we will be successful here in north cacalacky! WE went to Andy's you will have to get online and look up my companion, Elder Trevor Christensen, he did the BIG A challenge and ate like a 4lb burger and his photo is online, I was so proud of my boy! I went on an exchange with Elder Foster and he is like literally part Indian and he is figuratively as well, because he tells so many stories! We taught Tim the commandments and he committed, then we went to a less active members, we were out with a member who has this new crazy nice JAG like he is filthy rich! And nobody truly understands what he does!

Sat-
Elder Foster was taking a poop, I don't know if y'all remember, Viva La Bam but when his dad is pooping they pull his shirt over his head and just slap him and stuff, I did that to Elder Foster and he flipped, he is 250 and a really large kid it was so funny, but we had a great study he told me how he died! We went to Laurinburg exchanged back and went and did service on a horse farm with this RM from MASSACHUSETTS! He is the man but is kind of Less Active. IT was scary, man you have all these spiritual experiences and you still can fall away! I don't want that to be me. But I am afraid because it happens to anybody! But daily scripture study makes the difference. We had a lesson that night with Sister Cameron and she had read the whole Ensign she had a lot of good questions, she is ready January 1st baby!!!!!

SUN-
I am a firm believer in the quote in Preach my Gospel, under Christlike attributes speaking on diligence! Their is no cure to missionary work except work! The Cameron's came to church, they loved it! She is awesome! Then we had dinner at the Winkley's, we had a great time their, there is such a pure spirit in their home! We biked out to the lady from England that bought us our reflective gear gave her a Christmas card, a copy of the Book of Mormon, and Joy to the World! She just got married, we didn't know that they were leaving for their honeymoon tomorrow, I think we might have rained on their parade! But hey at least they were doing it in the statues which God has established! They both just did the iron man and do triathlons all the time! They are some fit people, hopefully they want to learn more, they didn't that night, they would have rather gotten back to the parade and didn't know of another time that would work, but she works with a member so it is all good!

I love y'all, Hope you have a great week!!! Merry Christmas.

With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

No Longer a Teenager!!!

Taylor and Elder Weston -Nice lights

Elder Petersen & Christensen at a Nativity in NC

I am 20 y'all! That is so crazy, I feel old, like I can finally be mature and make correct decisions because I am not a TEENAGER! What a week, Birthdays in the mission are weird, I won't lie! But wow, this Gospel has never been more true! I love Christmas, I love the spirit that this seasons contains. Some big changes in the Pinehurst ward this week! But it has been an eventful week with Sister Carla Cameron, Danielle, Deja and also with William Walters, it is awesome! It snowed! Just a good week to serve the Lord, ya know never again on my birthday except next year would i get to serve the Lord on my Birthday, what a great gift that has been for this period of my life! But here we go! I Love you Mom and Dad and Kenz and Drake and Sophie and even KELS.....pretty goofy Christmas card y'all sent, I loved it! Tell Kelsi I write her faithful every week, just like Old Faithful goes off every hour! OH, I have the coolest family and FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!

Mon-
So this older single woman in our ward, her mother died and she took a train to Florida; well she left her dog Bosco who she had never left before in her entire life and she was nervous about it, but who could she call......who could she trust..........THE ELDERS. So for 2 days we were on dog duty....well this dog freaked out that her mommy was gone and did some dirty work to that house! So I think Pinehurst might be short one member but we pray and hope not! But it actually went fairly well, she was grateful. We had dinner with the Kirks.......they remind me of Andrew and Courtney it was fun going out with them to dinner, they have a brand new baby and she was crying in the back seat so they made me sing songs to her.......BUT IT JUST MADE HER CRY HARDER! I guess it was some birth control for myself and Elder Christensen! But to be honest, I am so pumped to have a LITTLE PETE! But why am I talking about that, it is so far away!!!!!!!! Or is IT?????HAHAHA Just kidding!!! Later that night at dinner, Bro Kirk just being nice asked is their anything else y'all want. I said no, and they had free chips and Salsa.....like we had three baskets and had alot, Elder Christensen eats like a horse though. So Sis Kirk got there baby all ready to go, we get all bundled up and Elder Christensen was like I want another basket of Chips and some more salsa. Bro Kirk starts laughing as did I....but Elder Christensen was toally serious, but then I straightened him out, told him he needed to worry about his girlish figure and finally got him to leave. We went and tried to catch up with some potential investigators but not much success. Time is a delicacy here in Pinehurst and none if it is available to Mormon missionary's..

Tues-
Elder Miller went Zone Leader in Fayetteville and Elder Pierre-Louis my African American brother went Assistant to the President! GO MINICO SPARTANS!!!!!!!!!!! Get some Flavor in the office! We went out with Bro. Stovall he is 82 and still works as a realtor! We went to go see William Walter, we had a great lesson with him where I testified my heart out to him and just pleaded with him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, they are so prepared they just don't know it. His wife doesn't sit in but she is really smart and I am pretty confident she sits in the back room and listens. But he said he would and we could stop by to follow up with him! We biked around alot and finally got to go see Rod Anderson.......he was the man we met at the Chevy dealership and he talked to us, he told us his neighbors were Mormon and his nephew, I felt prompted to give him a new pass along card with an older couple asking what happens to their marriage after they die. But I chickened out. That night we went out with his neighbor who said his wife died a few weeks ago. So I knew I had to give him the card. So, we finally got to the doorstep, it was emotional. The spirit was so strong and he and I were crying and I told him of the plan of happiness that he could know where his wife is. But he said it was still to hard to meet with us, but that he would call his neighbors when he was ready. It was so sad and hard for me. But I did it for myself, I can do nothing except in the strength of the Lord, I can do all things! We went out with the Stake Presidents son, Jeremy Brock he is the man. We saw Sis. Cameron where we had a great lesson, we taught her the Word of Wisdom and she was like, really! Then she got a pen and paper out and said if the Lord commands it, I better write them down they must be important....so she did and she is awesome. We saw a less active woman.....that was interesting but it was a good night teaching!

Wed-
We had district meeting. We got a new Elder, Elder Ringamoto from Fiji by way of Hawaii by way of Provo! He is huge! District meeting was really good, it was on Faith to Find 2 new investigators each week. It was a really spiritual experience preparing for that! The Lord wants us to be successful....but it is just like Chaydo told me, how can we expect missionary work to be easy when the Savior had to go through the atonement! I miss Chaydo, we went to pizzahut afterwards and Elder Christensen has not limits when it comes to a buffet! He ate them out of house and home. I went on an exchange with Elder Weston to Laurinburg.....It was good, we did some tracting, I had a baptismal interview with a girl named Keri who was 29 days older then Sophie and had the same birthday as Kelsi! It was so neat, like I was just thinking of myself interviewing Sophie and the covenant she made when I baptised her! It was really emotional for me with all of that in my mind but it was really neat, her family coming back into activity and she was leading them!

Thurs-
The elders in Pembroke met with a young man who is going to UNC at Pembroke, that is from Smithfield, and he said he knew me, it was way cool. The Lord works in mysterious ways! In the North Carolina Raleigh mission 90% of the baptisms are part member families except in the Fayetteville West Stake! So we looked on our roster and their were 115 part member families. So we have alot of in house work to do and as President Cotterell said, get more bang for our buck! I just think in part member families the spouse protects their spouse way to much it is odd. I got 7 letters, Chaydo, Dealba, Patrick, (who is dating Alyssa) that is so cool, and mom I got 2 from you, and Monica and Tarha and Noel, so cool. We had a great lesson with the Cameron's in the Gilmore's home they are so awesome she is our teaching coordinator! But the spirit was present and Sister Cameron is ready! Elder Christensen really is trying hard just has no people skills at all, but he is trying and is obedient and that is all we can ask for!

Fri-
This lady said something that shook me up! We contacted her and she said she knows what we are all about her best friend in Washington is a member and she isn't interested, and I asked if we could come share a Christmas message with her and her kids and she politely declined. But as we walked away her son said mommy why were they here, and what she said to him shook my world, She said "they just were coming by to make sure we know Jesus." IT killed me, like our message is so much more than that, like how do I not convey that message to somebody, that I am here not to just help them know Jesus loves them but to let them feel that he loves them. Our message is so much more than that! Ladder Golf Tourney, I took 2nd, Sis Cameron came and loved it a brother approached her and said, hi I am Jared and she said I am Sister Cameron; so do I call you Bro. Jared and he said, no I apologize I am Bro Young! It was so cool!

Sat-
BIRTHDAY-----------WOWOW 20 years old that is crazy! A member invited us to a breakfast for the Kiwanis Club, it was good stuff, it was snowing, we biked everywhere. We met with the Walters, Bro Walters hadn't read the scriptures, but Sis Walters came out and was like "if I read in the book and pray I can know the message is true, and she was like really, and then she went off asking all these questions about the church, it was so cool, she was on fire. She said, "well, where do I read and I will read it to Bill and we'll both pray about it!" We told her page 429 and when we were leaving she said,"so 429 right" and I was confused, but then I got it!!! It was so neat, they are so prepared! We taught Sis Cameron; Bro Young came with us. After the lesson he was said, I see Sister Cameron in the temple like that is where she is going, it is awesome, she is so prepared! We taught her daughter Danielle, she has a cognitive learning disability and she kind of gets it! It is freezing cold, I seriously can't handle it but the warmth of our message warms me from the inside out!

Sun-
NOBODY AT CHURCH AGAIN, WE STRUCK OUT!!!!!!!! Elder Hervy said in his letter to me or Patrick said when he was AP that in the Pinehurst area, everyone was pessimistic about it. I always get sent to those areas, but I just keep reminding myself of the quote Chaydo told me in his letter. If I had Elder Miller we could tear it up! We could bring anything out! The Pot was stirred in the Pinehurst Ward, New Bishopric, new Relief Society president, a couple left on special assignment to preside over the Rockingham Branch, so it was funny everyone was really sad about the Relief Society president leaving, but the new one seems awesome and she has a daughter on a mission so that will help our case. We went to the nativity scene lighting, Sis Cameron came....it was awesome, we rode our bikes their in our cool reflective gear! The devotional was awesome! It made me think of what I remember of Christmas and to be honest, I don't remember what I got last year or the year before that! But I always love and look forward to and remember Christmas eve, I love the spirit that is in our home. I remember one year dad set up an extra chair for the Savior to be present, just the spirit that comes into our home that evening is amazing! I love this season. I love you all and can't wait to spend it with you in 2012 because I am getting an extension! So don't count on Dec 9th! IT would be the 14 anyways! You always come home 5 days after your reporting date! I love you all and Wish you all a Merry CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Petersen

Taylor's Posterity - Elder Miller (son) Elder Fisher (grandson)

Not sure here (Inspector)

Peace of Mind

Familia-
I am thankful for Billy, for Mom, and Kenz, and Drake, and Sophie, and Sadie, and Murphy, and Rusty, R.I.P and for Ammon, and for Autumnwood Dr., I am thankful for May 15th and for Oct 4th and for July 11th and for Sept 3rd and for Aug 30th and for AUG 1ST, I am thankful for a Home, for a car, for a boat R.I.P, For Lake Powell, for Elder Croft (now Alan), For Elder Morrell, for Elder Worthen, for Elder Thriller Miller, for Elder Christensen, for President Cotterell, for Smithfield, Chapel Thrill, and Pinehurst. I am thankful for NC, for ID, for the Book of Mormon for country Music (that i can't listen too), for my Big Toe that keeps me balanced! For my Membership in the church, for all my extended family! So basically the Whole World cause we are all brothers and sisters. For my Specialized Hard Rock Peddle bike that gets me around town, and for holding me up for 1 year! For a Church building, for Donna Raye a woman who nearly hit us and felt if she didn't purchase reflector vests and blinking lights for us that God would send her to hell. Thankful for AUG 1st 1992, to be a 2008 State Champ! To have played for THEE DARIN OWENS, Thankful for the coolest family ever thankful for my friends and for my Grandparents! They RULE!!!! Also for MyLDSMail.net and that they converted to Gmail, thankful for the Internet, and for my hands to type and write you letters, thankful for toilet paper, for FOOD, for a cell phone, for the Atonement, for the chance to serve the Master, for God's love, for the doctrine of Jesus Christ. I am thankful for Jared Kirk who is feeding us tonight! For our ward mission leader, Dave Thaxton, for my MOM and her unconditional love, for BILLY telling me how it is even when the truth hurt! Grateful for music and those who are talented. I am grateful for the MISSION! Because when push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of you might bend till you break cause its all you can take, on your knees you look, decide you've had enough then you stand! Thankful for the Priesthood and also for prayer.

Mon-
This is where the healing begins on P-day! We had a great dinner that even at this awesome family. We got them all pumped on missionary work, he is giving copies of the Book of Mormon to his co workers and it is awesome to be a part of. His wife's co worker gave us these blinking Vests because she almost hit us and felt bad for us; those poor Mormon missionaries! Those boys are trying to bike to Heaven! But it was so nice of her we are going to go thank her tonight! Then we went and had two awesome lessons that evening with Sis Cameron, she is the bomb and prepared I'll tell ya'll what! She is having such a spiritual experience with the Book of Mormon and we just gotta figure her out with work, they crack the whip there. I officially hate GOLF those people golf everyday of the year except Christmas! We went and saw the Wilson family they are less active and his wife is a recent convert they have a couple of kids, we gave them all blessings, it was pretty neat. Elder Christensen had never gave a blessing before so it was a good time to learn! I am thankful you Billy, gave me that opportunity in the Hotel room in SLC, even though I wanted to spend one more day with Kels, it was worth it! The spiritual experience was priceless!

Tues-
We woke at 3 am and drove to Fayetteville got there and freaked out the elders there. Then I crawled in their bed while they got ready and slept! We left for Raleigh at like 6 am and we had to prepare to sing a song for Elder Alan F Packer, it was pretty neat, he is an awesome man. He picks his dad up in front of everyone when they go into church head quarters! How cool is that! Then 2 things he said stuck out to me! (Elder Christensen was really tired it was pretty funny he was passing out on the front row.....THAT IS MY BOY!) He talked about how we need to strive to rely on the Holy Ghost not always go to our leaders because we hinder ourselves from that personal revelation. So I have been trying that a lot lately! Then Sis Packer said something that just was the bomb, she said that we often here great talks and sermons we have wonderful stake conferences and wonderful General Conferences or a zone conference or whatever it may be, then we just leave and don't set up a plan of action to apply what we have learned. She and the General Young Mens president used to say after a meeting "So therefore what?" It has been really neat just applying that even with my studies, what I am going to do! I went on an exchange with Elder Casper he is from Basin City Washington and won 10 grand on jeopardy. He is in Pembroke and is kinda negative about his area but I think on the exchange we fixed it then we then spent the whole evening in Fayetteville we had dinner there on Fort Bragg with some members and then I had to conduct a baptismal interview that was a SUCCESS! Great day!!!

Wed-
Boy!!! Did we see some miracles today; so we went out this morning and were just on fire contacting and chasing down everyone in sight it was so awesome! We set so many appointments and I truly think the difference was that Elder Casper was actively engaged; like the beloved children of our Father in Heaven could tell that both me and Elder Casper loved them and cared for them and wanted what was best for them. IT was awesome then Elder Casper treated me to Ruby Tuesdays, he had a coupon! That was good we went back and exchanged back, had wrap up and I reunited with Elder Christensen, I got to talk to president that night about Sis Cameron and he gave me some good ideas, be we both decided that she and US needed to pray about it and seek after that revelation!

Thurs-
Happy T-day!!! We had dinner with the Chandler family at their home, also with the Crawford family and their neighbor Phyliss who we kind of got to teach a little bit. But we just did a lot of planning, we didn't get to play in any turkey bowl, that was sad, but we keep on keeping on! President put the Veto on Turkey Bowl. The members were mad. They were like their are 10 investigators here!

Fri-
Finding Day baby, the biggest one of the year, everyone has to be home or at Wal-Mart right! So, I made some dinner and I tried to make some rice, fried rice and I thought I would get creative and treat myself nicely with a egg in there ya know like stir fried rice! But it destroyed the rice! So then we went over to go see a lot of people and a lot of people were nice but nobody wanted to talk to us and it is just hard, like I feel we contact people, and they feel like Elder Christensen doesn't want to be there. I felt bad, I told him to go contact 3 people and all three just walked away from him but he is the man and will come around. We went out with A-DUB and had a wonderful lesson with Sister Cameron and set up what she is going to do to get work off it was super spiritual, then we went and stopped by some people. We were in the sticks and dogs were chasing us, I was so scared, I had brass knuckles in my pocket in case I needed to hit a dog or some crazy hilly billy. We found Lisa Black from Cheyenne, Wyoming and her mother is a member and she has been prepared by the Lord! Gotta follow the spirit and drop all logic!

Sat-
I got presents from you all it was so awesome, thank you so much, those shoes are so nice and the GPS is the bomb. That is the coolest stocking I have ever seen and Grandma, thank you so much for the book!!! Grandma thank you so much for the treats and money Everything was so awesome. "Mom, you really think I can wait till Christmas to open all those presents?" Maybe, when I turn 20, because I will be mature, but I am still a teenager! HA HA!!!! We did a lot of finding today and then had dinner at the Kirks' their daughter who attends the singles ward was their it was cool, we had a good time, we had a "man challenge" to see who could cut these huge logs! I took 2nd or maybe 3rd, depends who you ask! HAHA!!! Had a good dinner after that, we had deer steak! The Kirk family is the bomb!

Sun-
NOTTA bad day with nobody at church turned into an incredible day! So after church Nate Kirk went out with us, we drove him because he has no car and lost his license, but he is the man, he turned his life around and got the Melchizedek Priesthood and we are going to go Elk hunting after the mission. We went to our lesson with Lisa Black and got there and she had to leave to go and buy some boards and break the sabbath, so Nate started singing "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel Push Along!" And we did, he said, where are we going boys, I have till 6. So we went to see some members and found to crucial members, we went to this one house we thought the member lived at and she didn't, so we all felt prompted to go to this other one so we did and she lived their and she got baptised when she was 18, she said she doesn't really get it and wants to be taught again, but her husband, he truly felt the spirit of our calling so we are teaching them this week and they are coming to all the ward activities! Then we went and had dinner and Elder Christensen almost threw up again at the same place where he did it last time I fell back in my chair in laughter! Then we picked up Hawk George and went and tore it up. We had a great lesson with Sis Cameron and her daughter, who is special needs and then we went to see Doug! I really have to get focused their because I just want him to jam for me the whole time but we got focused and got the spirit into the home and his girlfriend Shae is ready. Man, this is going to bless the life of her and her son so much and I can't wait to see it! They are awesome people, that was an awesome rest of our day!

I love you all!!! I literally have the coolest family ever!!! That stocking is so cool I love it. I hope you all had a a Happy Thanksgiving, and I pray that you all are safe. I miss you, but I am so grateful to be here in Pinehurst and no matter what trials or struggles I have I can over come them with the help of the Savior!! I love you guys!! Eat a cake for me on my birthday, I don't know if I will get one, we will see!

Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Petersen

Taylor's District - left to right (Elders Casper,
Weston, Christensen, Lopez, Petersen, Foster)

Hey Familia!

I received 3 of the coolest letters today! One from Alan Taylor Croft of San Diego California, what I would do to have him as my companion again! Probably give up my first born! Kelsi wrote me, that is always a treat. The mission office always makes fun of Kelsi's stamps, I just tell them they don't know what it is like to be in love! And then I got a card from my FAMILY, oh I love them. It has been a good week full of challenges and trials and faith building experiences! But it is all worth it from a quote of a good girl I once knew, "If you aren't uncomfortable, you aren't learning."

Mon-
Dev and J-town are getiing married.,.......say WHAT? We go running every morning it is awesome. I think Elder Christensen hates it but he is starting to loose weight and looks good! A lady at wal-mart boought us a gallon of milk and 2 snickers but she payed for them seperatly and only gave us the receipt for the milk! We got accused for trying to steal snickers! We had dinner at a neat family, an older couple who adopted a son when all their kids left home, it kinda reminded me of Blindside, he is an athlete. WE had family home evening with a funny family but it was a good day!

Tues-
"Ah ah ah ah You have a Tie Dye shirt............thats neat" A classic line from my boy Elder Christensen, We went out finding today and didn't find very much, you know when you are in a suit and on a bike and it is pouring rain and you still keep riding and most people are going in for cover but you keep going out, you think people would want to hear what you have to share....not exactly but it is so worth it and the Savior went through it too! We had our young mens pres. as the exchange he is the man, he is from Boise! We had a great lesson with Tim, he is changing so much it is crazy what the gospel is doing for him and he is solid, I hope he stays with it he could do some great things for the Lord! I really wanna be like Moroni, like I think that is obtainable, like he is a man with great faith and we are told that hell would shake if all men were as Moroni! Besides my main man Billy, Moroni is my hero! We have so much going on right now, just trying to stay on top of it and remembering it, it is hard because Elder Christensen can't remember what he had for breakfast at 12 o'clock. But we just keep finding these miracles that the Lord has prepared!

Wed-
So we had district meeting, it was funny I was role playing with Elder Lopez that Philipeno in my district and we were practicing begining teaching and he was like, even though we may not speak the language as well, I was like dude we both speak English. But that is one of the bullets in preach my gospel that is for elders speaking foreign languages. IDK it was funny maybe you just had to be there! We went to Olive Garden for district Lunch and Elder Christensen did some damage to that place he got all our moneys worth with just what he ate! All you can eat soup, salad, and bread sticks! He couldn't say when! I went on an exhcange with Elder Weston he is dating a girl named Savannah.............He is from providence ask Nick if he knows his dad he says they sell all their saff flower to wheatland. Their farm is in Snowville, Weston farms ask nick! HE is a good missionary, just is pretty evident that he goes home in a transfer! We had some mexican food then went and taught Sis. Cameron , she is incredible, a single mom of 2 special needs children, she works everyday and she loves the Book of Mormon. We went to the church for a corelation meeting and the Bayless family had done it! They invited their neighbors to receive the restored gospel and they accepted! The members are so awesome here!

Thurs-
We just planned all day and cleaned the apartment. Then we went out and taught this man that we had to drop, it was a sad day!

Fri-
We went to go see this less active family and this dog chased Elder Christensen and he booted the dog and like broke its neck or something it was the scariest but yet funniest thing I have ever seen. We got our car door lock changed and like this man started talking to us, I felt prompted to give him a new pass along card with a picture of an older couple saying like, "can our marriage continue after I die and I didn't, then that night we went out with his neighbor and he said his wife recently passed away and it has been hard on him. Seriously the scripture in Luke 2 when Christ talked about his fathers business brought a tear to my eye how serious he is about it. So we are in search for that man at the Chevy lot.

Sat-
So Elder Christensen is like a fridge, he is huge and he said that he beat the quarter back at Box Elder his sophomore year, so I said whatever lets race, so we raced and the kid is a fast fridge! he is a horse man! We biked around and saw a lot of members, got some referals it was an awesome day. While biking back for an exchange I lost Elder Christensen and we were lost for like 45 min that was probably the scariest time of my mission! We had a great lesson that night with Sis Cameron she said she read our reading assignment and then was stressed at work prayed and open the Book of Mormon and read Lehi's vision and talked about how much it mean't in her life and then she held up the Book of Mormon and said this is the iron rod! .....My fathers business, that was powerful.

Sun-
Church was good Sis Cameron loved it. We are finally starting to get to know the ward we went to go teach a lesson after church and he canceled when we pulled up, he called us, that breaks my heart when it happens. Then we went and studied and went over to see the former Shea King her boyfriend is a memeber and like is a country star! His name is Doug Joyner! Like he plays some good country music and I hope we can start teaching his girlfriend, she knows it all to be true! Their in lies happiness! It seems like days I am stressed the most is when I am not loosing myself in his work, but when I am that is when I find myself.

I love ya'll and I am so thankful for my Family, at the dinner table on Turkey day say I am thankful for a Journal! To record my sacred spiritual experiences and record how much I love my family!


With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen

Elder Young & Elder Petersen - UNC Institute

Elder Young with Taylor - Elder Young is the
Son of Ryan Young, a good friend of mine from
High School! Pretty Cool..... Good old Emery High!

Taylor at the institute at UNC

Family, how are you doing? Pinehurst is awesome!! I love it, I love you guys! What have you all been up to, how is life, and Sadie and Murphy? There is a guy in our ward named Pedar! Believe it or not. I can't wait to tell you all about my week.

Mon-
So we went fishing, it was so much fun we didn't catch a single thing but it was beautiful to be apart of nature. We had dinner with Andrew and Courtney, no joke! It was cool, I felt like I was home, I started thinking of the funny memories of Andrew when him and Courtney were in the bathroom at the same time, in my bathroom and he tackled me on my bed and my shelf fell off the wall and broke the heads on my trophys! When we were in the celestial room in the Idaho Falls temple and he told me how proud he was that I was the first in 4 generations on moms side to go on a mission! He is the man!!! I love our family we are all so weird, and we have all our problems and some how we still survive; might I add only because of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST!

Tues-
11 months to the day...wow this is such a long time on a mission, but I love it so much! We were biking this morning and on the way, I saw the craziest thing that I have ever seen, it was a CD, but as I drove past I saw the title it was "Taylor Swift Speak Now". Ya'll have no idea how bad I want to listen to it! I mean I picked it up because I always pick up litter but man I don't know if that was a tender mercy of the Lord and he was like listen to it, or if it was a lets see how faithful you are Elder Pete. So I didn't listen to it and will just send it to Kelsi! But we knocked on this man who was a referral from his daughter. He answered the door and was like I would love to hear more and his mom was so scared to give us the referral and I don't know people just need to be bold and realize that everyone needs this message! We taught Tim it was a good lesson, we had 4 appointments in the evening so we had to go on splits! I LOVE IT

Wed-
Me and my comp had an argument but it was good it lit that flame under his bum bum like Willy used to always say! WE saw sister Betty Thompson she is 80 years old! Referrals are running like water here, man the ward members are awesome! WE had our 7o'clock appointment cancel and we still headed over, this girl called us out and we biked over their and with her was her friend who wasn't a member and she was totally interested and all you have to do is invite, that is all you can control! We then had correlation meeting it was great!

Thurs-
I went on an exchange with the Pembroke elders, crazy place man, Indians everywhere and it is just a crazy place we went and raked leaves for this Indian family and we lit them all on fire and all the kids have like Jedi rat tails and it is sweet they taught me a tribal dance called me CHIEF PETE. We had 2 appointments and 30 min before, our exchange cancelled. After a heartfelt prayer we called someone who was able to come, it was a miracle! A less active member who is coming back to church so that he can bring a friend! SO COOL! Elder Lopez is the man.

Fri-
We had a great zone conference! The whole time I was trying to talk Elder Young into going to BYU-I, he is the man, so funny, I love him! We have 2 senior couples and one from Idaho! Elder Foster and Elder Weston picked us up! President Cotterell taught us how to work with members, he is the man then we taught with Bro Leach a great lesson to Sis Cameron a miracle we found from someone giving us her address and then Tim his baptism has been post poned to the 4th! A Good night of teaching.

Sat-
We did service for a family that their father passed away, it is a sad deal and then we did weekly planning and did some finding kinda of a slow day.

Sun-
We rode with Tim to church it was awesome and stake conference was great, we were able to do some great things and Tim loved it and met President Cotterell, we then came back and studied and had dinner at the Bayless family they are the bomb seriously had a great time in their home. We set them up to invite their neighbors to take the missionary lessons it was awesome then we had a lesson with Sis Cameron she is a single mom with 2 disabled children and believes we were sent from God to make her life and house in order, she just works on Sundays so we have to figure something out but the spirit of the Lord was so strong in her house!

I love you all, and I love my calling!! I know this is the greatest work I have ever been apart of even greater then the 08 state champs!
--
With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

Shea gets Baptised!

Elder Christensen, Shea, his mom and Elder Petersen




FAMILIA, Wow-- is the SPIRIT OF THE LORD present in Pinehurst, so many great and incredible things happened this week and I can't wait to tell you all about them! I hope all is going well for you, I am going to give you a number mom, that you can call, her name is Sis. Lucy Allen, she is as southern as they get she is in Smithfield and ask her for her pecan pie recipe it is the best , and you can give it to Grandma. I can't give my Address Bill (Dad) their is just to much on the line here, I have to be exactly obedient! We have a family with seven kids! And they are normal! And yeah I just have to be exactly obedient, I am sorry but I LOVE YOU! Christmas/Birthday ideas-GPS(very helpful), Square Toed Lace Up Shoes 12 Ecco or Rockport (they last), Under Armour leggings! (It is freezing cold I am dying), 10th Avenue North (Christian CD at Walmart), Nixon watch with Metal band. SOME SUGAR COOKIES PLEASE! OR AT LEAST THE RECIPE.

Mon- So our Cashier at Walmart was super interested in the church, we got her information and she told us to stop by in the evening it was awesome! We taught Shea it was really good he is set to Jet (get baptised) and Elder Dealba called me with a Referral he said her name was Holly May Taylor and as soon as I heard her name he knew I had to go see her, it was so good talking to that kid I love him and miss him so much! We literally like made each other be the best we could be, we knew how to push each other! I also called with a Referral to Elder Miller. He is doing great training my grandson and all! He said the area is stressful, everyone is falling off the face of the earth! But he said Tara is doing Great! Her conversion was the neatest thing I have ever been apart of!

Tues- Elder Christensen and I had our first argument, I am not even sure what it was about but I am sure it was dumb! He can be kind of prideful sometimes but I love him. We went to go see Holly May Taylor. I was so excited and she told me to go somewhere ELSE! We had dinner that evening with Tim and we were able to set a baptismal date for Nov 20th WHOOT WHOOT EH EH! It was awesome! The spirit was so strong in his house! Then we went and taught Shea again with Bro Berg, this filthy rich retired executive for GE who has been on like 5 missions and is the man!

Wed-Drove all the way to Laurinburg. I think they should give missionaries the ability to Jump like on Jumpers, we could be so much more effective! District meeting was great, the spirit was really strong it was on Teaching People, Not Lessons. A great reminder which truly prepared us for the week to come! I went on an exchange to Fayetteville, military town, I don't think the military is for me unless I want to be a doctor, everyone is depressed and it is just a sad environment, strip clubs everywhere! It is just not for me! I was with Elder Hughes my nephew and he is a good Elder, kinda goofy, but a really good guy from Hurricane!

Thurs-So we got this Referral, Bro Newman. We were able to teach a lesson and it was powerful. He is a big wig for IBM. He just went through a divorce and has 2 kids and we invited him to be baptised. He said let me take a rain check and we will meet on Saturday at 6 for dinner. I will have the whole Book of Mormon read and we will talk about my answer! His kids are young he is the bomb. We are pumped and on fire! That night I pleaded with my Father in Heaven to find a family that we could teach that would go to the temple, because as missionaries we can go with them when they go through. We taught Tim that night and invited him to live the Law of Chasity and the Word of Wisdom. It was a lot for him, I think he can do it!

Fri-We had a lesson with Mr Walters. We worked on his shop and had lunch with him and had a lesson. He is the coach Gleave of NC. I love him but at the same time hate him! We met a member who gave us 20 bones(dollars) for dinner! So we went to Chili's, chips and salsa BILLY What IS UP! We taught this man named Tommy Burns I had never felt the spirit so strong I knew exactly what he was thinking and I still couldn't get through to him! It was breaking my heart!

Sat-BAPTISM Shea was baptised! It was awesome! We did some finding earlier in the day but the HIGHLIGHT was the baptism! Everyone was so happy and proud of him! We biked to see this guy Rasheed. He gave us a fake address but the woman who did live their, Danielle, she was prepared! We went out with a member to teach Bro. Newman, we go their and he shows a seminary graduate certificate! He lived in Utah his senior year and was on the USA ski team and we found out he was baptised while he was there. But he knows this is where he needs to be so hopefully he starts coming back! We got a call from the wife of the brother we were out with, and she was like my friend with Seven Children the Guevara family are coming to church and a checker at Walmart, said she would come when you guys go to her house! It was the same checker we talked to, so we ran over their and invited her to church. It was awesome.

Sun-Guevara family came to church. He is an orthopedic surgeon. They have seven kids 6 of the seven are adopted and all have another their same age! She does home school and had a bad experience at a church last Sunday; they called their family up and started praying over them in tongues! We are meeting with them next Thursday my prayer was answered a FAMILY. Sister Campbell the checker came to church and we taught her later that evening! Shea was confirmed we got the ward all fired up on missionary work and I am going to apply Billy's program now!


I love you guys. Pray for the Guevara and Tim and that we can find more FAMILIES! I love this church and I am so thankful for my membership in it! I know Jesus Christ lives and that Thomas S. Monson communes with Jehovah!

LOVE YOUR FAVORITE MISSIONARY,
ELDER TAYLOR BLAINE PETERSEN

Hey Familia,
Man, I should had been a spanish missionary! Ha Ha Just Kidding, I love this English Work! I hope all is going well. I hope you emailed Dolly for me and I hope you all are being blessed and had a Happy Halloween!

Mon-
ODD DAY, no where to email, We went shopping and their is a WAL-MART in PINEHURST one stop SHOP! YEAH BOY! Kelsi didn't get my letter, man that was tough! We taught Shea and had a really good lesson with him, he asked if his baptism could be moved up to the 6th and we said yes. We had the Deacons President with us and he is a sharp kid and bore a powerful testimony, this ward is so awesome. After that we went to see a referral. His name was Sir William Walters. He was a media referral. At first he thought we were JW"S but we told him and gave him his Bible and asked if we could come back to share a lesson with him, he was very skeptical but accepted it was neat their are miracles everywhere in Pinehurst!

Tues-
We biked out to go see Mr. William Walters a 63 retired P.E teacher, imagine coach Gleave and this is that MAN! Rough on the outside but has a nice heart! Well in our lesson we touched that heart and it caused a mighty change! This man has been prepared by the Lord he wouldn't have let us in, but because we brought gifts he felt obligated which prepared the way for him to receive the restored gospel. He is from Long Island and had never grown up with religion and his wife has always been active and he joined her church but is still confused and he wants his daughters to sincerely find truth! IT was incredible the preparation that the Lord went into with this man! We had an awesome day, we taught all day long we taught Tim, the miracle man whose girlfriend is a member. Just an awesome day!

Wed-
Had a good district meeting and we went on an exchange with Laurinburg a small branch where they have had 13 baptisms this year. Saw some miracles their tracting and that night a guy just called and said he was ready to be baptized. I guess that is how it works in branches, I went with Elder Foster he is from Nor Cal and is a convert he is a Seminole Indian. His Comp Elder Weston is from Providence Utah and has a girlfriend that he is going to marry because he is going home in a transfer, Her name is SAVANNAH! It was a good exchange and I got to correct a missionary!

Thurs-
We exchanged back it was good we all learned alot from each other! Elder Christensen was like the other elders are more layed back but, I don't learn as much it was funny! We went on an exchange with Bro. Harris he has made 4000 jumps from airplanes he is the man, he bore such a powerful testimony at our lesson and he was like I will go with you to the next one he is a real good guy had a great lesson with Shea that night!

Fri-
Rough day!!! We had a Zl/DL counsel which was really neat where they put up every ones numbers and goals and they say what they want to do with them and it is intense and makes you want to work hard. Learned alot of neat stuff, we are having a mission tour and Elder Alan F. Packer is coming so we are pumped about that. We got back and gave a blessing to a young sister in the ward.

Sat-
Service at the Smith's, this guy in our ward he was at Myrtle Beach and a tide sucked him in, he saved his kids and died he was 36 and had 4 kids one on the way the oldest is 8. So we helped remodel their home it is sad!!! We had a Halloween party and met President Brock, he is the man! The Stake president owns Brock cabinets he is filthy rich!

Sun-
Church was great!! I was so excited to take the sacrament and then we had 2 investigators at church it was way neat then we went to do some tracting and saw a few good people, there was a childs baptism after church it was neat, we had dinner at the Gather's, an older black couple they are so funny! They cooked a really good southern dish and Elder Christensen loved it, he ate it so fast that he threw up everywhere it was so funny. We had to stay in that night and study because of Halloween. I love you all and I hope you all are having a good week! I love you all so much!!!!

With Love and Respect,


Elder Taylor Petersen

Hey Family,

So I am in Pinehurst, I swear I get sent to clean up areas. I have been here and there was nothing going on, literally no investigators no nothing. But we have done some amazing things this week with Elder Christensen's Greene fire! I can't wait to tell you about them.

Mon-
So, we went and picked up a DVD from Tara, it was really hard to say goodbye, she is the bomb the Lord has big plans for her and she is going to do some amazing things in the church and for the Lord. We played football at the intramural fields. We taught a lesson to a girl named Christina, it was was cool we were all on fire and there were inspired questions. Everyone was on fire, Zach was with us and he was on fire! We went to have a cookout with our ward mission leader, I have some cool pictures to show you but at this library they won't let us load our pictures! We taught Lauren that night and she believes in the Book of Mormon, she bore such a powerful testimony of it. When we got back, a member called me and was said, Elder Petersen, I gotta give you props their was nothing at all going on in this ward and their hasn't been anything going on for awhile, but you got the ward fired up Elder Petersen on missionary work and you did alot of good things and I just wanted to thank you! It was really neat it came from the person I would have least expected it to come from.

Tues-
W.O.E... Week of Ending, man leaving Chapel Hill was tough. D-Rock the EQP picked us up, we said our goodbyes and took some pictures. I was sad but super excited. So I don't know if you all remember the big monster on the Goonies! But that is what my new comp looks like and he sounds just like that monster. He is from Perry a really nice kid, really quiet. It was a sad day at transfer meeting 4 missionary's 4 really great missionary's left our mission and headed for the Charlotte mission it was sad. There was alot of great missionary's going home this transfer too. It was a rough transfer meeting. Bro. Bayless gave us a ride to Pinehurst. That is where my new area is, I guessed right!. President Bayless is the EQP he took us to his home and we shared a thought it was neat, the spirit that a family brings is incredible. We had dinner with a really LOADED family, gated community's everywhere but the Scribner's, he is a pharmaceutical consultant! Loaded and living on the course! Not the life for me!

Wed-
We had district meeting it was on Revelation through church attendance. This district is incredible! I love every Elder! Elder Foster a convert from Nor CAL and a Seminole Indian! And Elder Lopez my main man from Nor CAL he has missionary trader cards! He is probably my favorite he has such a love for the gospel and is so positive and is so fun to be around! We toured and biked the area all day it was a crazy nice area, met a lot of people set up some appointments, just following the spirit! I love how I get sent to fire up area's I've never gone to an area where work was moving along. I've never gone to an area where their was even one investigator not even one! But the gospel is true, the spirit guides. We are in the middle of nowhere, around no missionary's.

Thurs-
I got a letter from Elder Dealba man, I love that kid, I got this amazing package from my family with some apples, THANKS GRANDPA!!! Some Amazon TIES they are beautiful, dad you have good taste. And full of other tasty things but most importantly a good LETTER. I got a funny letter from Alyssa Ball and an RM from this mission! It thought they were getting married when I first got it! But mom one thing I am missing, is your sugar cookies! OH boy probably good I am not around those! I would do some damage! So we had dinner with this young man named Shea, his mom is a member but his mom wasn't at dinner, but we had an exchange Bro. Phillip who his wife introduced him to the church, but she never joined; but he is loaded as well, drives a sweet JAG but we had a powerful lesson it was the first time he had met with missionaries and we were able to extend the baptismal invitation! He committed for Nov 13th! Elder Christensen asked some incredible inspired questions.

Fri-
We were completely lost and looking for our bishops house, we went like 7 miles the wrong direction and we pulled into this neighborhood to look at a map and this guy pulls up and is like are you alright, and we said we are lost, and he was like oh well where are you going and what organization are you with, that you have to ride a bike in that! We told him who we were and his girlfriend was a member and he is looking and always asked her about the Church but she doesn't say much and invited us to come teach him more! We met an awesome FAMILY yeah back in the business of finding families but they are the Burns and they are excited for us to come back this week so it will be neat. I will keep you posted! We found the bishops and had a good talk with him, he is from Soda Springs. We also made some fish and is was bad and we both got super sick!

Sat-
We went to Sanford and stole some other elders car! Our district is huge so we got a car President said. We ate at Golden Corral a member owns it, in Sanford and had some missionary moments it is neat! We came back and Elder Christensen asked if I would help him not be so quiet. So that is the plan! There is so much money in this town I don't like the money it is intimidating!

Sun-
We had 4 investigators at church, Shea ran up and said I read what you told me to and it was awesome! A family came that were looking for a church! The ward is awesome alot of good people. We had dinner with the Doolittle family! It is because of families like that to why this gospel is so real! We biked all the way out to the Stake Presidents home and it was forever away and we couldn't get in because it was a gated community and the guard MR SINCLAIR, wouldn't let me in but I didn't leave empty handed, well I did actually, but I didn't leave him empty handed, I left him with a Book of Mormon in his hands! THE CHURCH is TRUE.

I love you guys, I hope you all have a good week! Pray for me!

Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Petersen

Awesome Day! Tara's Baptism

No horsing around Elder Petersen

Taylor with a member of the Stake Presidency


Preacher Pete

Hey Familia,
It has been an awesome week here in the Durham 3rd ward! I love every bit of this place! It was rough at first but it really helped me appreciate the good times! I am so excited to tell you about this week it has been good, filled with Spiritual experiences and trial and faith. It is put on the line moments and miracles and a BAPTISM! I love you all, I hope everyone is doing great! And that you are having a good week and life is good in IDAHO, that is a good place to be! Not as good as North Carolina, seriously, my main goal besides my really main goal to BAPTIZE, is to develop a "SOUTHERN ACCENT" I love "YA'LL"!

Mon-
We played football with a bunch of Elders on the intramural fields, it was so much fun! You can fly on that turf! We played this game that I have never played before called Mafia. It is so much fun, like it is so lame from the outside looking in but it is so much fun! Zach took us to dinner and it was LATINO night at the Dining Hall, so we were apart of the FIESTA! They had a nacho cheese fountain! But don't worry I stayed healthy and stuck to the beans and rice. Lauren came to FHE they carved pumpkins, she is trying to find some good friends that won't make fun of her for going to church events. This ward is awesome and they invite them to all their little parties and lunches and game nights and stuff! I have come to realize that the singles ward is like its own little Frat or sorority it is neat! They all have such powerful testimonies!

Tues-
Today was UNC's 217th birthday, we got free cake. A member in our ward is part of this dance crew called KAMAKAZI!. We were just on fire, like when we as missionaries strive to understand our purpose that fires us up! Like their is a difference when you are just contacting because you know you should and when you are contacting because you understand your purpose to baptize, and I felt that, that day we understood our purpose and like were on fire! We were setting return appointments left and right it was so awesome! It just changes missionary work completely, it is so awesome! We went to Duke to see a member and help him with his missionary work. This girl was talking about awful things and she did it just because we walked up, it was sad. But we rode the bus back and we left our cell phone on the bus. But at this moment we didn't know it yet so we went to go get dinner with a member at the Dining hall and then went to our appointment with Zaire and she wasn't their and we went to go call her and NO PHONE!!!! Elder Miller got sick to his stomach because he knew he lost it on the bus! But that is why you write all the numbers down in your planner, we called her from a members phone. So we went to the bus stop waited for the bus and their was our phone! We were lucky! Then we bounced over to R.U.F this girl on campus that we are trying to share the restored gospel with invited us to! It was like a praise jam session and a pastor got up and said a few words! It was good, he talked how because of the fall we are all imperfect, but he just left it at that. So thankful for the knowledge of the atonement and that I know what I need to do to return to live with GOD.

Wed-
Last District meeting it was good, hard saying goodbye to everyone and all that jazz, but I had a real spiritual experience. I was role playing with an Elder and something was wrong. So I felt prompted to stop and talk about his situation. We did and he started crying explaining to me the struggles in his area, and his companion and it was neat we said a prayer the spirit was really strong and we worked everything out it was neat the promptings of the holy spirit! We went to Bojangles afterwards they have this thing that was created in HEAVEN called a Bo berry biscuit it is incredible covered in icing and contains about 800 calories in every bite! We did some service at the community garden that was great, I love that place we talked about the gospel alot with students that would volunteer! One girl said I think the only reasons Mormons want to get married so young is just because they want to have sex and that is for all the wrong reasons! It was funny! Those are the kind of questions we deal with on the COLLEGE CAMPUS, I love it! We were on exchanges today and I went with Elder Pirere-Louis from Rupert Idaho. We went on a split with Tyler Ellison, Kenz's orthos son! He is going to UNC to be a dentist he is the man he was like I remember hanging out with Shane, Kelsi's brother and he was like how cool is that tree house they have, I was like it is way cool! Then he started screaming, "REPENT ELDER" I am sorry, I brought it up, now I know you are thinking about cuddling with Kelsi in that tree house I am a bad member, I am sorry I brought it up!!! REPENT. It was so funny he is a good guy! Elder Pierre-Louis taught me alot! That as leaders we are more effective when we praise missionaries for what they do that is right! Then they respect you when you correct them!

Thurs-
We taught this young woman we found on our own efforts named Anna and the spirit was strong. First it was just to learn more about Mormons now it is to find out for her self! She just said she wants to know more then ever that their is a God and she feels like we could let her know if their was! That hit me hard man...we are changing these peoples lifes it is crazy but she is such an awesome girl. She supports us and is funny. I hope she gets answers about God and the Book of Mormon! Actually I know she will cause she is sincerely looking! Elder Pierre-Louis is so funny he is a trip! We taught Zaire and last time she said she wasn't looking to get converted but now she said she needs truth more then ever! It is weird how the Lord works through rough experiences! The humble accept though! We went to a members home and talked about the restoration like it is incredible. We don't talk about that in our home and what a powerful moment in the history of time that was! Makes them want to share with their friends!

Fri-
I saw Elder Beechum on Campus he served in Dolly's mission but came home for medical purposes! He was with Dolls like 2 months ago I gave him a huge HUG! We saw this crazy guy named Gary Birdsong look him up he is the Pit Preacher and he hates Mormons we went and listened to him and he just tells everyone they are going to Hell! But he was talking about homo's and he liked us I think because of President Packer's talk! HAHA We went to Friday forum it was awesome they talked about God is no respecter of persons. She talked about her mission and she said all your pep peevs about people can be wrapped up into one person called your companion. She is an African American and is a convert and was muslim and it is crazy her husband is from Herriman! Natalie! Did Erica get married that is weird! We went to the mall to get Tara a baptismal suit from a member! He hooked us up with Chick fil a. I love that place their shakes are amazing! Then we taught Lauren! It was an incredible lesson she came to stake conference and to Tara's baptism and had such a special experience. These college kids are smart! They know if they tell us they haven't got an answer that we can't really move on. So they pretend that they haven't gotten an answer, but we got it out of her. She is super scared to tell her parents! WE had dinner with Tara she is super pumped and excited this gospel is so TRUE

Sat-
Pres called and I am being transfered to the Charlotte mission: HAHA ( Tara's baptism was aweseome, (see the pictures) as you can tell it was incredible it was a blast! She is a solid member, she is calling us about missionary work! The Lord has big plans for her she is going to build up his kingdom! Her mom came the spirit pricked her heart I know it did, it was awesome! We went to the dairy to celebrate! I talked to this guy about grandpas pershon horses forever it was cool! The elder who was struggling at distrit meeting got called to be a zone leader! d+c 1:24 "when we are at our weakest the Lord calls us to do the greatest work!

Sun-
Boundary changes, lost 4 elders, I am one of them! President grilled Lauren at Stake conference, our Bishop the white guy out of the 2 old guys in the picture he was called and put in the Stake Presidency, and the one guy they released was called in the Mission Presidency, he is the man, him and his wife ran up to me and Elder Miller and were like we are so excited to be in this work and we will help you with whatever you need it was cool! He was talking about being released at Stake Conference and then talked about his new calling, and put on his Tag like he just signed with the Dallas Cowboys; it was neat! This mission is CRAZY!!!! I love President he is bold!
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With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

(This is a email written on Oct. 12, Yeah we are finally caught up)

Hey Family is has been an awesome humbling week! I have learned that humility truly is not thinking less of your self but thinking less about yourself!

Mon-
HAPPY BDAY MOM I hope you had a great day. It was an awkward day, I got a haircut and the lady was asking for counsel about her relationship! Then at FHE one of the girls in the ward started asking me about it! I mean DL stands for District Leader not Doctor Love. I wasn't set apart to do that! We had an Octoberfest with some other missionaries and cooked some BRATS, it was awesome! A good day!

Tues-
We had a leaderhip training meeting. I had a really spiritual experience role playing with another missionary. We taught this girl Zaire, it was really good, this guy she lives with is gay and he watched conference and the only talk he watched was Elder Packer's kinda funny!

Wed-
We went running, wake up at six then you hit the snooze button till 6:30, and you get like a half hour of guilt free sleep it feels like. District meeting was really good. We talked about the role of the holy ghost in missionary work! We did serve at the community garden We found this less active and taught a good lesson to her and gave her a blessing!

Thurs-
Went to Durham and got stoodup we biked back, and taught Kole we had to drop him he isn't looking for an answer, we dropped him the Lords way we still invite him to church and it was cool. We taught Tara and showed her the font she is so excited THIS SATURDAY!!!

Fri-
This guy named Vincent on campus called us out and he is a phd in religious studies with a focus on religious video games and he said mormons are the most like Nephi's quest! I asked him what they thought about the church, he said our claim to a living prophet is huge and if people could understand that. I asked him if he would want to understand it and he said no! But it was cool. Friday forum, God is the same yesterday today and forever and that he doesn't change but he grows with us. We taught this girl named Anna it was cool she did all this research, big things might happen with her!

Sat-
We went to Duke, but they were on fall break wrong move.

SUN-
Church was amazing, breaking the fast was awesome, we found some people, it was good day.

Sorry this is short, but I don't have much time I will write you a good letter!

Elder Petersen!

This email was writtten on October 4th!!! We are late getting posted.

Hey FAMILIA! Wow what a neat Conference that was to be uplifted and edified by the Holy Spirit! And how blessed we are to have that 3rd member of the God head the Holy Spirit as our comforter and teacher and personal revelatory. It has been an exciting week and I am so excited to tell you all about it! I hope all is going well for you all.

Mon-
We had what is called Zone-Day Preparation-Day. It was so much fun most all of the missionaries from Chapel Hill came down and we played football and soccer and it was a blast, just a really good experience to be around those that are doing the same thing you are doing! We played this cool card game called Were Wolf it was a blast! We went to FHE that night it was neat, no investigators there. Looking from the outside, in the church is pretty demanding, I mean getting baptised isn't a big deal you just say goodbye to all your free time and 10% of your income. But I then thought about it and what is going on at the campus and there is not another place that the Lord would want these students to be then FHE a place where they can lift and comfort one another! Just another Testimony of revelation in this CHURCH!

Tues-President Cotterell said something that stuck out to me. He said wonder why we don't have progressing investigators? We don't follow the program established by the brethren in preach my gospel. So at first I thought he was meaning by like teaching like robots, but I studied it and there is a program that the brethren have established. It is like a body of instruction and provides more of a way for the spirit to work so we may discern these needs of our beloved Father in Heavens children. Little things that make all the difference. Like daily contact and different things. Like the very important things that are in red in the back of preach my gospel. So Sunday we tracted into this guy named Greg and he set a return appointment then he called us this morning and asked if we could come at 4. Then we saw him in Chapel Hill and he said, I am excited to see you all at four so we were like okay this guy must be for real, but he was older and was in the family ward so we brought the other elders on an exchange and he wasn't there. He even shut his phone off. It was devastating! But the Lord knows how precious his time is. So I was with Elder Pierre-Louis and we were like alright principle one why does the Lord want us here. I was like I don't know we have tracted out this whole area, I just don't know then we walked around and there was this girl who plays on the club b-ball team and they are undefeated and she is looking for the church and we are meeting with her it was amazing! The Lord will never still us "Be still, and know that I am God." So simple of a scripture but so true! We have these new investigators we were teaching, her name is Zaire and she is a 5th grade teacher and she is searching and we followed the program and it was incredible she cried, the spirit was strong as she was bearing testimony of the love that God had for her!

Wed-
District meeting was good. It was incredible on the doctrine of Christ! We went to this amazing Mexican restaurant and they had amazing chips and salsa (btw will you send me some salsa mix PLEASE)! We taught Lauren it was an incredible lesson we had 2 amazing exchanges with us that both bore powerful witness and it was just such a neat thing to be a part of we invited her to be baptized and she declined but it is okay because we know what we need to teach her and truly find out her need and she knows we mean business (but really not business, but we mean salvation) and understands why she is meeting with us. This ward is amazing there testimonies are incredible! It was raining all day, I think Elder Miller might hate me since we had to bike in the rain. So we had dinner with some sisters in our ward! Myself and Elder Miller learned three valuable tips in life! #1)Don't Blood dope! #2)When being an RM don't date girls that are in High school #3)Don't let your wife get bullied by other women to have a natural or an at home birth let her do what she wants and fully support her. Now I do not understand what value those tips have to me now and they said these things may mean nothing to you now. But one day they will be of great importance! I don't even know what it means to dope BLOOD, I guess my HERO Lance Armstrong did it! We could not find our exchange that was supposed to go to a lesson with us so we biked there and it was raining, we got there and it is this Asian kid who is really coming from no where it was a good lesson but at the end he dropped us! But even though we found disappointment we did not find it in ourselves and were very thankful for the opportunity we had to teach Eric.

Thurs-
I got a letter from Elder Cahoon, Elder Dealba, and Elder Stanfield! The NCRM the greatest mission ever! We had a lesson with Kole it was really good, Zach was there and he bore a powerful testimony that the spirit was present cause it was, just so plain and just TRUTH and that is what the spirit will testify of! So we had dinner with Tara! It was so cool SHE PRAYED! And we were talking about her baptism and like talking about the details and again one of the members said something that changed my mission forever! "Tara, it will be taken care of you don't need to worry you just need to come and smile and make covenants with your Father in Heaven." That is what this work is all about, helping people make promises so they can receive the blessings from keeping the promise! Trust, that is what our father is all about! It is weird how Heavenly Father gives you Little reminders as a missionaries! Little tender mercies!

Fri-
October! Wow, to be honest I didn't think I would make it to the month of October on my mission! Didn't know I had it in me, but everything is possible with the spirit of the Lord! We went to Friday forum with Fatimah! It was incredible a super spiritual experiecne! We donated blood and time to the red cross! I donated double then like passed out biking after that, it was bad! But all is good! We went to Duke and met this lady Ann, who is ready for the restored truth is was awesome! We came back and Elder Miller nearly lost his testimony! We saw in a Bar the USU-BYU game and saw BYU loosing 17-3 it was awful! He said his testimony hadn't been that shaken in awhile it was funny!

Sat-
Conference was incredible! I just wanna thank you, Mom and Dad, like I was listening to Elder Hollands talk and thinking of all the sacrifices you have made for me and I am so grateful for the many blessings you all have given me! Like you guys are great and have done some amazing things. You both are great parents and are just what I needed, thanks for helping me develop a pattern of covenant keeping!

Sun-
Was another great session of conference! We had a potluck between sessions it was really good! I really felt like I was suppose to learn about the Holy Ghost, like how to have that listening ear for that still small voice like President Monson has! I love you all and am so thankful for all the blessings you have given me and have been there for me to receive. I just love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!

Love,

Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen

FAMILIA Ahhh, Just when I thought this GOSPEL couldn't get any truer!

Hope you all have had a great week, mine was wonderful I can't wait till conference!

Mon-
Wow!! So crazy that one year ago Brycen died. He was seriously the man. Like I am not just saying that. And I think since I have been on a mission I have realized that I learned alot from him! Like he loved everyone. He gave everyone a fair shot. He really strived to bring that light out in everyone! He was a true Christian! We saw Kole on campus and talked to him for awhile! We saw Warren also the kid who was taught by Elders in Korea and we are supposed to meet with him asap! At FHE there is this guy who was from Ucon! He wasn't very nice like most IDAHOANS, but it is okay forgive and forget!

Tues-
I contacted this guy who looked like the last avatar air bender thing it was so funny. A member gave a giant roast so we went up to the institute and had a big feast up there with a bunch of missionary's! I went on exchanges with Elder Smart to Durham 1st the investigator we went to teach went off about her incest story and was crying and then I got her to calm down and told her how the gospel could bless her life and she was like God doesn't care! So then I was like well my mom used to tell me that I better never ever make a girl cry because Heavenly Father counts there tears! And she ran up and hugged me and it was crazy and I was like I have never felt that good in so long we had to leave right after that it was a little weird! Met this cool Lady from Africa named Beauty who gave this super cool hand shake it was intense! We went and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant it was good we saw Blake and his mom there it was crazy! We got in that night and Elder Smart lost his wallet and it was crazy, I think he was swearing under his breathe, I asked him to say a prayer but he wouldn't so I said I would say it for him. We went to the Mexican restaurant and a business card was laying on there saying looking for a wallet call this number! It was cool!

Wed-
That morning we went to get the wallet, it was such a blessing that he found it! It was crazy thinking about how powerful Satan is, his Temple Recommend was in there, I guess he didn't want him to go! He is powerful! The Temple was incredible the spirit there is awesome! The Ensign this week was cool on the temple! The MANTI is the most BEAUTIFUL! I won't wreck the tradition! I am a PETERSEN through and through! I read my patriarchal blessing in the Celestial room that was way NEAT! We had a lesson with Lauren it was incredible! Like the exchanges with us were on fire! The members in this ward are so amazing there testimony's blow my mind and how in tune with the spirit they are! More then me and Elder Miller they always say the right thing at the right time! Like it used to be when you had an exchange it was some high priest that we would have to cut off, that was going into deep doctrine but the exchanges in D3 are incredible! We let them take over! Blake's mom put our name into the temple that was very nice of her, all of our members homes are getting broken into it is weird maybe a conspiracy!

Thurs-
We taught Kole the Plan of Salvation, Zach was there and he is the man it was all making sense to him then at that end he started going off about if we have the bible we all have authority! It is crazy we don't know what to do with him! He is the man, I love him so much and I know more then anything else that this gospel could bless his life! We taught Gabrielle that night and once again we had a brother and a sister in the ward on exchanges it was incredible there testimonies blow my mind like they are able to say things and it means so much more coming from them! MEMBERS ARE KEY! They are all so willing to, we just have to invite them and they commit! That is what the gospel is all about INVITING THEM!

Fri-
Interviews with the big man! I love President he is so humble and is just the man! He told me my time in Durham third is coming to an end! It was sad I won't lie! It was really good. District meeting was good, that is cool Sister Cotterell emailed you! It is true what they say the mission presidents wife makes the mission president, she is incredible and has a sincere testimony! We ran up to meet Warren that guy from Korea and he was up there, we were playing ping pong talking about the church and he was like talking to some rm from Korea and was like yeah I got baptized in Korea cause the missionary's told me I would get half off at BYU, it was so sad. And then he was like 6 months later I was baptized into the baptist church! It was really sad cause our potential investigator ended up being a less active but it is good we are going to teach him again and help him understand it all! We had an incredible lesson with Tara once again our 2 exchanges, oh my gosh it blows my mind! They were on fire and she said she would pray about baptism and come to us with a date! It was awesome, the spirit was working through Tara she was answering questions! Questions are KEY! The worst thing a missionary could do is teach!

Sat-
Biking extravaganza! Tell Kelsi she better get her ruby back in Rexburg, cause we BIKE ALOT! We went to help our bishop move a table he is the man! Like we biked 50 miles it felt like and only set one return appointment it was a little sad! But we went to the institute the Elders put on a dinner for the Relief Society and Tara was like Elders, I need to talk to you and she said she prayed and is getting baptized on 0ct 16th no matter what! It was so cool she was so excited she had set her mom up with the link to watch the broadcast! BSU WON!

Sun-
Tara is amazing she is going to do incredible things in the gospel! We had 6 people at church! The restored Gospel is incredible! Gospel principles was weird they were teaching from this different bible and it was crazy like the deepest class I have ever been in! We went tracting in the pouring rain! I think when you are smiling and waving to people when you are walking into the pouring rain people either think we are sick! Or the plan of salvation must really work!

I love this gospel family it is incredible and so true, I love this gospel and to represent the Savior!
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With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen