Wednesday, February 24, 2010

February 22nd email

Hey FAM how is life in the great state of IDAHO, it is raining here today go figure!!!!

Tues,

We had the most amazing lesson with Mary and Quincy after i got done emailing you. We talked about the Plan of Salvation, but mostly about the Spirit world. He has lost a brother who he really wanted to see again. We explained that he is having his chance right now. He read Alma 40 and he started crying, we all did it was so neat to feel the spirit through that passage of scripture and how much meaning it had to him! That evening we went to Wal-greens and bought magnesium citrate, and tried to see who could hold it in the longest. We had a correlation meaning, I've never felt more sick in my entire life!!!!!!

Wed,

Elder Walker came on an exchange with Elder Bradshaw he is from Rexburg,ID he is so HUGE! Really nice guy, a gentle giant. We had a really neat lesson with some recent converts, we challenged them to read the Book of Mormon by Jun 15th, 2 chapters a day, they want to go to the temple June 30th (their wedding anniversary). The spirit was really strong, we were with Devon the bishops son he is the man he is 20 and just a real neat kid. He is really good with people and has a great testimony.

Thurs,

We had district meeting in Goldsboro with 2 districts, and interviews with President. Sis Cotterell fixed all my ripped pants. She is an amazing woman though small in stature a giant testimony. We have a Tar heel it comes out every month, like a news letter Elder Croft's letter to the president made it in the Tar Heel about how we got soaking wet, biked out to a members house, and realized we had marked on our ward roster they had moved, but in that process we were seen by a woman in our wards friend, and they talked about the church because of it and it is who she wanted to share the gospel with! No matter what you are doing as long as you are doing, doors will be opened. President Cotterell shared a message about Alma 8 as he enters the city another way and met amulek, how we have to change up our game and our attitude and enter in another state of mind. I went on an exchange with Elder Cahoon to Goldsboro. BTW President Cotterell said one, of mom's friends cleans Presidents Cotterell's moms house!

Fri,
The Toilet in Goldsboro is broken so we had to go poo and pee in the woods, across the street at 6:30 in the morning, it was SO SWEET, i felt like i was at LAKE Powell made me think of Uncle Steve. When i got back to Smithfield aka ZION we went out to rip apart Bro. Lints deck. He bought some New York style pizza, it was so amazing i was more then happy to help that man out, he is a stud. We had dinner at the Drennans, he is this large man in a scooter that is the kindest best home teacher in the world, I LOVE him as well. This ward is full of so many great people!!

Sat,

We went to the hospital and saw Bro. Williams, he is not a member but does the scouting program in Dunn, for the church. We are working with him. He is having some heart issues. Hhe said, he has met with missionaries but never connected with them like he has with us.. "BAPTISM." We went and saw Dee, he is coming to church he said, i am so pumped it has been awhile since we have had someone come to church! We had our fireside, it was a huge success. President Cotterell, killed it at the end with the spirit!!!! Oh how powerful that MAN is! It was great, the members loved it, President said that there is danger in procrastination i liked that. It would be good for our family also. They had name tags for everyone, really nice ones. We did role plays, it was so cool, so neat. You have no idea, I was stressing over it, but it went so well, and all the members wear there member missionary tags when they go out with us on exchanges. Sis. Allen the ward greeter shared the first vision in her own words in one of our break out sessions (in role plays) it is so important to explain things how you see them, to make them sincere. They may not hear what you say but they will feel that spirit behind it and know that it is good.

SUN,

So we planned for 11 at church today and got 2, DEE man, he cleans up nice, in a suit and stuff, he was only going to stay for sacrament and was like "yeah i think i might just stay till 12." Idk why that sacrament meeting was so boring but he must of felt the spirit, cause he stayed for all 3 hrs. Then we had Sharlene, I can't figure out if she is looking for a hand out or for truth, she stayed at church, said she loved it, says yes to everything we teach her, but idk she doesn't have a car and needs a ride to work all the time. But she came and found us and set up an appointment. She said the spirit directed her to us when she was at her weakest moment. We went to the hospital again to see Bro. Williams, and there was like this 12 foot creature there, and it was so huge i couldn't tell if it was a man or woman like it had boobs and like a size 24 shoe it was the largest thing I've ever seen in my entire life. Elder Croft tackled Elder Dealba into the wall and BOOM a huge hole! I was so glad for ONCE in my life that something went wrong and something broke and i had nothing to do with it! I know.... hard to believe, huh!
Well, all is well. I love you all, tell Green to write me a letter and hook me up with Matt's email address. I love you all to death!!! That is so funny about the pig, every class trying to out do the other class. The gospel is so true and i love the blessings it has given us in our lives, and so blessed to be out here sharing it with others and i love the support you all show me! I love you all so much, never forget that!!!!!



--
With Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

February 16th email

Hey Family,

So sorry about the parking ticket, it was in Rexburg that day me and Matt worked up there. I must have forgotten. They can't get me here in NC. So if I may request for my scriptures I would like the Split Compact preferably in blue leather with tabs if possible and a blue leather small case kinda like dads. They are the really small ones but they are split the bible and then the book of Mormon and d&c and the pearl! They would be really nice in my study cause I could use both books and also in my new rainbow marking technique. I hope you like my v-day gift from the Dealbas that is neat they will be stopping by! They seem like a really nice family.

Mon
We hung out with the Spanish Zone Leaders, Elder Ellis goes home this next transfer with Elder Croft he is from Blackfoot and went to snake river super stud Elder. Elder Bradshaw got made Spanish district leader! This was the first day of the new transfer. We went to the Dyers, a family of four we are teaching. Single mom and three kids, her 15 almost 16 year old son is struggling with Joseph smith, we watched the Prophet of the restoration, really think it opened his eyes, we had a neat time there

Tues.
We biked clear out to Buffalo rd and got wet, soaking wet, every time I am on that road I get wet, but my scriptures were in a bag so even though they are all swollen up from before they stayed dry. We tracted into a lady that was naked and still wanted to talk with us, she was like 60 so we thought we could pass that moment up and come back at another time, like NEVER! 2 months I've been out!

Wed.
We really are focusing on member work, it is crazy and so time consuming. We had a great district meeting. Elder croft is the man I am so sad I only have 5 weeks left with him and then he goes home. We helped clean this ladies house, her name was Jeanette, older lady she said she prayed for angels and we showed up! We called this stud older man in our ward Bro Lint, he has been married a few times and is married this time to a missionary baptist lady, really nice lady. But we called him and ask if he could help us move her with his truck, he was more then willing. He is why I know the gospel is true, cause he is so willing and so HAPPY I love this man. We are having a fireside next Saturday and we got our mission calls for that fireside it was neat

Thurs.
Weekly planning takes like 3 hours and I swear Thursdays are the nicest days of the week and it is the days we plan! That night we went to this family who there son has heart problems and like we really want to teach them but can't cause of germs. They are so neat. He wants to be apart of something good, not just at Sunday but for 24/7 I said one word I said the church of Jesus Christ for me has been a LIFESTYLE after that he was committed he wants a lifestyle. He is that man I pray for their little boy! He throws up all the time and needs 1 more surgery and can't have it till he is 30 pounds. Great potential there just waiting on time.

Fri.
Mail day! Letter from Kels which explained her whole package before I got it! That was funny. Then a package from the Brians (they are such a great nice family) Then letter from my best MOTHER and from my awesome grandparents. Then a package from Kels with the COOOOOOOLLEst picture of Christ, and a really neat story she wrote for school I think. It was such a neat day. Okay so all of are investigators work at Applebees, so we are just going to go start preaching there! We met this lady that was so worried about us as missionaries and our belief on Christ that we didn't at all. BUT YET HIS NAME IS ON MY BADGE ON MY CHEST! So weird, I heard this talk by J. Golden, President of the 70's, he served here in the south, he said the only hope for the south is to burn it up and do baptisms for the dead. Look his talk by J Golden Kimball it is so funny. We met this lady Delphinia who had a dream about our message before we shared it. I found her but her husband only speaks Spanish so I had to pass it off.

Sat
So I had a great personal study which lead to a great companionship study which lead to a great apartment ship study which lead to a whole day studying and preparing for our fireside. It should be so cool. Elder Croft is such a leader, like he is the man, he never tells anyone what to do he just counsels and meshes everyones ideas together he is the man. We are meeting with this guy Dee, he is 20 and has a daughter 3 months old that hasn't grown an inch since birth. He is scared and is looking for comfort. We had a great lesson and he prayed at the end. It was the most humble, most pure, most sincere prayer I've ever heard OH MY GOSH I love my MISSION!!!!

Sun.
Church was great as usual. I taught gospel principles. I pretty much sucked it up! It was Ashley Gandolfs farewell, that was real neat. We had dinner there that night and Bro Gandolf went out with us. He told me I was doing great and told Elder Croft that he studders when he talks but when he talks about the gospel he does with such Authority. So I gave this girl a blessing. I did it right except for the end, but I did say by the authority!!!!

Mon.
Presidents Day.. no email but that morning the phrase with and eye single to the glory of God was in my head. I looked where that was at, it was in d&c 4:5 an answer to prayer another tender mercy of the lord about teaching with authority. It says have love charity hope and faith. I feel like I have those I feel like I have the spirit when I teach but how do I speak with confidence with authority!!!! DING DING DING I must be focused with an eye singled to the glory of God. So that is my goal this week to be focused. We went to Goldsboro, played some b-ball and ultimate Frisbee with a bunch of Elders. There is a new one from Weiser, ID his name is ELder Tolman. That night we had a real neat lesson at the Dyers home again Bro Lint (THE MAN) went out with us and we read alma 17, the story of Ammon with Charlie. He is in the ROTC program and wants to be an army ranger. He is such a nice kid, good values just needs the gospel. After me, his mom, Elder Croft and Bro Lint pleading and begging he committed to coming to church this week. That is a family that could surely benefit from the gospel, a single mom with 3 kids they will be baptised. Bro lint is that man though he pushed that kid Charlie and he committed!


Well I love you all and really would love to have those scriptures if possible. Split, Compact. I love you all. I pray for you all the time and am so blessed to have a great family. This gospel has done so much for us.
Love Elder Taylor BLAINE Petersen

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

February 8 email

We went to a members house last night and I saw that the colts were up 10 to 0 then we left he turned it back on I saw 3 to 10, still the colts, but that is sweet.
Well over all I love the mission, the gospel is still true, but it has been a slow week and coming off a week with no church is terrible. About the cd, idk what to tell you they both had pictures on them and idk I am sorry what should I do? Tell Whit and BIG J congrats and how much I wish I could of witnessed my first temple sealing with them!

Mon-
So Rob Ingram, that is so sweet tell him the east coast area is the bomb digity. So when does he enter the MTC? How does he feel about OHIO? I think he wanted to come over this way. P-day was great we watched prophet of the restoration, man how the spirit punches in that movie

Tues-
Alex HAPPY B-DAY How is big AL doing? We left early in the morning to make this appointment. We biked all through the rain getting soaking wet. We called her the night before to confirm, we get there and she has to go buy milk for her grandma and couldn't meet us today. Man was I depressed but I found this really neat horse barn!!!/House with tons of horses and there dog followed me almost home. I wanted to keep it. I named it Der. This family we are teaching, the mom Mary just came out today and said, Monday I am quiting smoking and coffee and WHAT all by herself we didn't even challenge her to do it. Then for their 1 year wedding anniversary we gave them a Family Proclamation in a nice frame. Pray for them, Mary and Quincy there is so much potential with them.

Wed-
Temple day? Did you guys go too? I hope you did so we could go through at the same time. We had a neat time, I loved the temple, oh it just recharged me. We filled that little bity temple and President Cotterell, the man, hugged us all as we entered the Celestial room. I love that man. We had a neat lesson with less actives that night and they are inviting there friends this week who aren't members.

Thurs-
New Scriptures it rained and rained and rained. I've never seen so much in my life. My scriptures swelled right up, but I put them in the dryer, then ironed every individual page, but they work... still share the same message. I just look homeless. I wish I could read the Book of Mormon as fast as I ironed it, but now it smells funny! I went on splits with a stud BREThren Bro. Eatmon. We had a neat talk with a single sister. One appointment fell through. We ate at the Deavers. he and she are both the man. She is from a little town by Eureka Utah idk she knows where Tooele is.

Fri-
Letter from KJ that was so cool. This woman with 3 kids keeps rescheduling on us it is so frustrating and AKDFDAGDSFKJLDKAJF I just want to share this message with her. She knows it is so true. We had dinner at the Wells. Their son that is Sophie's age got real tight with me. He gave me his mission money but I respectively declined. They fed us so good. Ethan brought me cookie after cookie.

Sat-
I got sweet letters from the best family in the world and a cool package for my teeth from DR. EOJ, he hooked me up. Thanks so much for all your letters they were all so neat. Sounds like craziness in IF from what Kenz said. I truly have the coolest family I look at the pictures of you all on the calendar. We are such goofs but so sweet and I love you all. We had dinner at a less fortunate families home, but they were so willing to give. A real humbling experience for me.

Sun.
Church was amazing! Bro. Gandolph showed this sweet movie in Sunday school of Noah's ark and such. It was sweet about preparing. Testimony meeting was so neat. Everyone talked on missionary work, it was so cool and so was every other class on missionary work the sabbath was great. We then went to a members home and tried to do the faith to invite with the 5 steps it worked great as I hope it is working for you.

Well I love you all so much. I hope this week we do better, the weather should help but i truly am lucky to be serving in such a blessed area. I love going to church when all week I've been preaching how the gospel blesses families and to see it in full affect. I have the neatest funniest family, especially Drake, Sophie and Kenz. We are all so different and unique and weird, but i love it so much. FAMILY IS THE BEST! Can I live with you guys till I am 40? JK but maybe who knows. I love you all so much. ps I need new scripts I'll explain more in my letter but I need split compacts with a leather case so I can put them in this water proof bag! Don't be cheap hook me up! I heard the message is more clear in those scriptures. Jk but I'll explain more in my letter. I love you all
Elder TAylor BLAINE Petersen
I love you all alot and the gospel is true SHARE WITH EVERYONE

(This is an quick note we got from a member of the ward in Smithfield where Taylor is serving)

This letter is going to seem very random I am sure. I just received my mission call so I was looking up facebook groups of different lds missions to see pictures of sister missionaries (i have no idea what sister missionaries wear). Because I live in the Raleigh NC mission I searched for a group for them and saw that you posted that your son is serving in Smithfield.

Your son is currently serving in my ward. Today a sister in my ward bore her testimony and said... "The missionaries came over for dinner last night. Elder Peterson made me cry." She spoke about a special spirit that he brought into the home and how spiritual he is. I just thought you might like to know. The people here in Smithfield love him. Next week Elder Croft and him are coming over for dinner. If I remember I will take a picture of him and send it to you if you send me your email.

Ashley

Monday, February 8, 2010

February 1st email

Hey fam gotta email quick I am on a timed computer, PS move to Smithfield!!!!

Mon. Just a great p-day dinner a bishops and went and had a good lesson with a family that has been studying with the JW's, they have some false doctrine but all is well.

Tues. We drove out to Clayton area, are area is huge we tracted into some people like 20 doors and rejection, we have been studying and focusing on member work and getting them more involved we stopped by a members home talked about the atonement and how that truly is the greatest gift of all, like Lehi desired to share the fruit we should want to share the joy of that with others, she gave us a referral and boom we talked to this atheist guy for an hour and a half and are going back this week to give him a b.o.m! The lil tender mercies of god are every where!

WED. We went on splits I went with Bro Holzhauer we taught Bro Gardner the last lesson and it was neat then went to this single lady with three kids and I answered all her sons questions in Joseph Smith at first he said he doesn't see how he could be a prophet but after I testified to him he said he gets it. They had baptismal dates one year ago and fell off the records but me and Elder Croft found them and are DOING WORK but I did it all by myself, I know it is the spirit talking through me cause I get so nervous talking to people about the gospel I just plead every morning for my tongue to be loosed.

BILLY THANKS FOR THE TIES. CAN'T WAIT TO GET THEM I miss you, you are my BEST FRIEND

Thurs. Zone Conference the sweetest but we aren't supposed to use that word but the neatest thing I've been to. I love President and SISTER Cotterell, there is such a spirit about them indescribable when they bear witness it is so strong and powerful I think we should all strive to be mission Presidents and live our life accordingly to have that CALLING. It was in Kinston the Allen's drove us and bought us groceries. She is the nicest lady and hugs everyone that walks into church except us cause we have to give her a missionary hug "a two handed hand shake" she is so nice we have dinner there tonight, they are true southerns and have a neat conversion story.

Fri. Everyone in Smithfield is prophesying about this storm but it was like 75 and clear. This ladies car died so we were pushing her car right in the middle of this intersection, she was pushing to the car also. We got going to fast and she fell, Elder Croft threw her out of the way of the car and sprinted up to the driver seat, slammed on the brakes before it hit a sign, that I came out with that had baptisms. I was so down on myself, but Elder cCroft told me not to worry that they all walked into those and didn't put forth much effort. So then I remembered we had a baptism that night with a man I taught my first Sunday here all the way through and I was going to be helping in the baptism. Me and Elder Croft both were able to get in our whites in the font together to lift him in the font, it was such a spiritual baptism. And then the storm started.

Sat. The town shut down we did nothing, cleaned the apartment, studied, listened to talks. Then we got the crazy idea to go sledding so we did. We got 2 ironing boards and sledded down the road by our house so cool.

Sun. No church, but we taught this lesson I was feeling to spirit so strong. Mary and Quincy, just a real nice couple and yeah so I was feeling it the spirit was there and then boom their friend walked in, a pastors son, the spirit of contention entered and the spirit left. I was so nervous he was talking about Kolob, about polygamy and about Christ already came, about all sorts of anti. But then the spirit prompted me and I said we aren't here to convince people, but to just stir their curiosity and to have them ask God with real intent for themselves and Quincy loved it and told his friend to shut up and quit being hostile. They are a solid family.

I love you all so much and I am running out of time gotta email the Pres!Love Elder Pete.

(2nd Email)

I met that picture lady at ZC she was so nice, super funny, said she was going to hook you all up. She took tons of pictures of me I think. But how are you all didn't hear from anyone this week except my girl DJ! I have 7 more mins. so I thought I'd write again. I am glad though you guys aren't always writing me, like Elder Dealbas mom writes him everyday and kisses his letter and tells him home is where you hang your heart. He is screwed, he cries everyday he doesn't get mail. Y'all are just the perfect parents. He really wants to write Mckenzie but wants her permission. I love you guys, y'all are so blessed to be in a Mormon populated area but in another was it is good to be here cause people truly appreciate the gospel and don't take it for granite especially the youth, like early morning seminary I couldn't but they do everyday and have such strong testimonies all their friends respect the fact they are Mormons and don't tempt them and Mormon or not everyone does drugs or drinks back home. There are so many good families here the Elder Quorum Pres is a High Preist and his wife is the Relief Society Pres, it is funny people have multiple callings. The Bishop went to Provo this week, today actually, to see his son at BYU He is literally the MAN. But you guys are blessed and have provided such a great life for PETE please move to Smithfield and I'll put you guys to work! Members are like the shepards and we are the search and rescue, read the talk bring souls unto me by L Tom Perry you will get what I am saying.

Well love you so much your faithful servant of the LORD ELDER Taylor BLAINE Petersen