Hey Family,
So the transfer starts today and I am not going anywhere. I am still here in good old Smithfield! I got a letter from Drake and Sophie, but that is it! I haven't gotten a letter from you in forever! I think I'll just call Dad's cell phone. I am not sure what time would work best for you all! I am kinda nervous to call, I really don't want to, to be honest, like it is going to mess with my head, I am afraid! Oh well just continue on! So the plan is, I'll call Dad's cell phone, you guys are still with Verizon right, and I will call at 7 o'clock our time, so 5 o'clock your time! I hope that works for you all! It has been a great week nobody is leaving Smithfield, another transfer with Elder Morrell, Dealba, and Naylor. After this next 6 weeks it'll be 6 months I've been with Elder Dealba. I LOVE THAT KID!

Mon,
Played some b-ball with Casey and Alex, some members in our ward and Gilbert, Charlene's son in-law was there as well.They are investigating the church right now. It was real neat to see him with members and to finally get him in the church!

Their is this older couple in our ward the Harper's! They work at the temple and he has no teeth and it is so hard to understand him! He and his wife sang in church last Sunday it was so funny, but so neat at the same time! He was wearing a Flaming Gorge hat, he said that they go their every year! He was like I was wearing it hoping one of you would recognize it!

We had a lesson that evening with a single guy named Bill. He is a professor at the local community college! He is a family history buff and knows a lot about the church! He said he is baptist and got so mad when his pastor told the little kids that the God Head is the same in one! I was like they aren't but isn't that what your church teaches! He said yeah but that just isn't right!

Bro Williams is getting baptized the 8Th he was blessed with a large tax refund and had it and then went to his mailbox with his kids in the car and some how lost $4000 he was sick and is in the hospital with heart problems but he came to church and is still getting baptized! I guess just a trail of our faith, it was weird he said he had the money long enough to pay for the needs of his family then when he went to go buy a luxury, it was gone!

Tues,
I went to Goldsboro with Elder Hafen! That kid is literally the man! Right on Seymore Johnson Air Force Base! Planes flying over all day! We did some service for an investigator and cleaned out some gutters it was neat. Then went and did service for a member. I told him I was from Idaho Falls and he was like, oh buddy I can see the Snake River by the temple now, and give me some of that Reeds Dairy ice cream! His mother was a seamstress and her car broke down and she got a ride from a sewing machine mechanic and he asked her what she knew about the Mormon's and if she'd like to know more! Now 108 have joined because of it and 25 have served missions far and wide! We had a lesson with a 500lb black man in the hospital. and one with their main investigator who dropped them but we were able to bring him back!

Wed,
Elder Hafen is the man, he is way bold we had district meeting it was great. Then went back to Smithfield and had dinner with my favorite man, Bro Holzhauer. We had a lesson with a less active family the Gonzalez they have been coming to church again and we asked when we could come back the mom was hesitant and her son was like next Friday! My best friend is sleeping over and I want him to hear this! Miracles! We are working with alot of slacking less active and recent converts that don't care we have to drag them by the hand. I didn't know that was missionary work!

Thurs,
Studied Alma 8, I love that chapter! You aren't being guided by the spirit if you aren't being rebuked by it. The Spanish elders got a man who has been investigating the church 5 years. Finally married, a huge step towards baptism! Had a lesson with the Ciampas they are nice recent converts preparing for the temple, then I forgot to call Mike Wilkins to see if we could still come over that is our family of 8, so I still went over and they weren't there I was devastated!

Fri,
I went to this sister in our ward who isn't a member, and her husband basically got her to bear her testimony to me but she struggles with Joseph Smith she said that is what we focus on more then Jesus Christ! But that is something we can fix. Had a lesson with this great old man Bro Howell, who has horses and has been offended by the church! But I read to him Elder Bednars talk and non shall offend them it opened his eyes, he doesn't understand the concept of tithing and an old bishop told him if you can't afford to pay the Lord you can't afford to enter his house! We gave a book of Mormon to Gilbert Natasha and Jasmine, Charlene's family and sang a song and gave them the Proclamation to the Family it was really neat!

Sat,
The day we find out who is getting transfered! We went to the ham and yam festival! I got pulled aside and interviewed by Southern Living Magazine! She said it was a pretty big magazine. I hope I represented the Savior well! I saw my first hog race and got invited to go noodling or where you put your arm in a hole and and cat fish suck on your arm and your rip them out like 40lbs catfish I love the red necks these are my people. Elder Dealba got invited to play soccer he called and ask president and president rebuked him and was like Elder Dealba what do you think! The old man in the picture is my friend Bro Gardner, he is from Blackfoot! President changed the whole mission and combined spanish and english together everything is changing this transfer. We saw the Wilkins tonight they are amazing they couldn't make it to church but they are gold!

Sun,
Testimony meeting was great! Jasmine, Charlene's granddaughter was there. It was really neat. Bro Williams our baptismal canidate! He went into the hospital right after church he is pretty stressed and his heart is beating irregularly! Had dinner at the Cecils and they are such great people and then had a lesson with Brittney Bro Williams daughter. I hope she gets baptized soon! I set a soft date with her for the 29Th. I set some transfer goals for myself! My focus will determine my reality!
Pray for the Wilkins, Malatesta, Gilbert, Natasha, and Jasmine and Bro Williams! Love you all and can't wait for Sunday! Hopefully we aren't to busy that day and still can call! Hope all is well.

Love and Respect,

Elder Taylor Petersen