January 11th email

Dear Family,

First things first! Send me some Salsa MIX!!!!!

Mom thanks so much for your letter! Truly was a lift on my week! I barely got it! Sounds like you wrote it New Years Eve! But it really helped me through the week! I sent my new address so send stuff there, it will get here quicker!

Elder Taylor Petersen
117 Henly Place
Smithfield, NC 27557

So to explain myself a little better now that I have time! So the first night in the mission home was a little depressing. I was all alone, everyone had a companion except me. But we had interviews and ate dinner, which was so good to get some normal food! President Cotterell is truly called of GOD! He is the man! a Spiritual Giant, just talking with him brought tears to my eyes! We prayed for you guys, my family and then talked and ended with a prayer and he gave me a hug. Then we all slept in there basement! Woke up had breakfast and he interviewed us. We found out who our companion were and our area. Everyone was hoping to get Elder Croft, the just released AP, some how I banked on HIM!

We were being sent to an area that hadn't had missionaries for 3 months and it had not been to good before that! I am suppose to learn everything I can from Elder Croft. President Cotterell said he is the best Elder in the Field and he goes home in March. I have 3 months to learn everything I can in a area we are both completely new to and in a ward that doesn't trust missionaries! But, he never said it would be easy, only said it would be worth it! And it is worth it!

We are slowly building up ward trust! Getting referrals. Elder Croft is so good with people, so smooth and so well rounded. I am learning so much! He is from San Diego, Surfer and Scuba diver boy! But a Spiritual POWER HOUSE! People in Smithfield are really nice! I've ate some southern food! Like Back FAT so gross, Hush Puppies and CHICKEN and pulled PORK everywhere! A guy in the ward, Brother Gandolf, owns a Gandolfos here so we get hooked up!

It is so cold here, like bitter to the bone cold, can't wrap up enough! But I've been wearing that coat Ms. J bought me under by big coat and it fights off the WIND! It was suppose to snow half an inch one night and the whole town shut down! The town is kinda segregated like the railroads splits the blacks and the whites. It is really sad and people say our church is the white mans church! Everyone here is SAVED! All you do is accept Jesus and you are heaven bound, no effort required! Some lady just told me i was going to Hell probably 5 times and that i didn't have to work my way back to Jesus that all I needed to do was be saved!

The ward is great. We are doing a fireside and great things are going to happen here! Bishop Gellenthin is the man and so many great members. We just need all of them on board and we will convert all of Smithfield! I love you all,write me often! IDK where the truck keys are but if you exercise faith and pray many miracles can happen! Maybe even lost keys found!With SO much LOVE being sent from 2500 miles away!Elder Taylor B. Petersen

P.S.
We bike everywhere I've dropped a few pounds! Elder Croft doesn't believe in driving and either do I! We did a greenie exchange and me and Elder Cahoon from the MTC were here alone together in the Smithfield area. I was in charge, we drove back from Smithfield to Goldsboro and tracted and contacted and taught a discussion. It was so sweet, greenie exchange!