Monday, June 21, 2010

Hey Family!

What a week! Wow I miss Smithfield. I miss a family ward but am excited to make some changes and get things rolling in the Durham 3rd ysa! (Young Single Adult Ward)

Mon.
We played soccer it was the bomb, it sucked saying goodbye to everyone! We had dinner with the Hamilton's they are amazing, he has taught me so much! We had a lesson with a part-member family and they should start teaching him the non member discussions and prepare them for baptism!

Tues-
So Tyler Carey, Bishop's son picked me up in their big van, it was way weird saying goodbye to my buddies in Smithfield, we went to Bishop's office in Raleigh, Bishop took me to dinner and said some nice things to me about how I am not somebodies missionary and it was neat! Then I said goodbye to him and went to transfer meeting and was sent to Durham. I thought, but really it is Chapel Hill. I guess the covet ward everyone in the mission called it, but I was way depressed because I set transfer goals for myself and one of my goals was to find and baptize a family in my new area! Not happening in a singles ward! DUKE AND UNC CRAZY HUH!

WED-
So today I contacted this beautiful girl, I didn't think there were beautiful girls in North Carolina, but I was mistaken! None of them are as cute as Kels of course, but like I contacted her and I didn't know what to say! My companion is Elder Worthen from Syracuse, Utah and my Zone Leader is Elder Stanfield from Skyline, he played ball at SVU. He is like Tonga or Hawaiian! Elder Worthen has no immune system so he sleeps in every morning, he has been out three months, he is a great kid, kinda goofy, super tiny, but a nice kid. Just weird no more families!

Thurs-
Zone Conference our area doctor was their Dr. Liljeniquist and he is from IF and gave me my physical before I left on my mission, he is the man! Zone Conference was good it was on finding people, the importance of members! As a District Leader, President calls on you a lot, it was crazy. I'm in Elder Bradshaw's zone and a few kids I came out with. I really miss Elder Dealba.

Fri-
We ride buses everywhere and this guy Dale contacted us and asked if we really convert people and I was like, YEAH and then he said that as Mormons you can only enter the temple if you are born into the church, and I was like no way jose; and he was like oh sweet and got off the bus and I chased him down and asked if we can teach him! He said yes! I got yelled some crazy stuff walking back to our apartment, it is crazy in the city.

Sat-
Got lost on a bus, it is super slow on Saturday, everyone is recovering from the night before. We had weekly planning, it was good, we tracted and found nothing! There is nothing here, they have no investigators! They blame it on summer but it is sad, I mean nothing going on, I don't get it! They are'nt teaching anybody, Elder Worthen has been here for 3 months and hasn't seen one person at church!

SUN-
MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!! So, we are tracting and we are striking out, actually hold on I gotta tell you about church, it is weird, like going to church in a singles branch is like going to church with a bunch of your homeys. Mike Crapo's daughter just moved here, she is at grad school becoming a doctor! There is a senior couple here, but they leave tomorrow. They are from Blackfoot, Rigby and Madison all their kids went to Madison, he knows Grandpa and the Baldwin's. They asked for your address, really nice people, I wish I could of spent more time with them! So back to the miracle so we are tracting striking out, then boom we find a girl, Alexis who is interested, then we knock into this girl named Tara, she is like yeah i worked in Alaska and have a lot of friends that are members, I have like 5 copies of the Book of Mormon with testimonies in them; and then she said she has never been taught by missionaries, but believes the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, but disagrees with our view on the Godhead and I straightened that up with her iPhone, which she had the Book of Mormon, D&C, and the Pearl of Great Price already on it and she is ready I hope, so we are going their this week hopeful, to get things rolling here in Happy Chappy!

I LOVE YOU FAMILY!!! I THINK I'M COMING TO UNC AFTER THE MISSION!

Love and Respect

Elder Taylor Petersen



Taylor is covering UNC & Duke's campus


UNC Football Stadium


Pic from either UNC or Duke


Elder Hayes from Idaho Falls - Brand new Missionary





Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Hey Family, it has been a week of UPS and DOWNS!

MON-
I almost missed Kels's letter! We didn't have a dinner tonight so we were getting ready to go out for the evening and Brittany called and said do you guys have a dinner tonight and we said no and she was like good cause you are coming over here! So we had a great dinner with the Williams family and we taught them afterwards, and Zachary asked me to read him the baptismal interview questions that I read to Brittany, I said ok and the last one is will you be baptized and take upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ, and Zachary goes yeah and I said Zachary do you know what you just said and he was like no and I was said listen closely and I'll read it again and I did and he said he wanted to be baptized on July 17th his 15th b-day!

TUES-
Kyle is going to LDS BC. He wants to go boating with you. Him and Oran, they are the men! I got the coolest letter from Kels with an awesome CD. Grandma Dj sent me a card and it was like talking about me loosing my hair and my girl! COME ON GRANDMA PETE! We had Peanut Butter Bombs that night my request at the BARTLEYS, I love them ,it was so good!

WED-
1/4 of the way done I woke up at midnight and started jumping on Elder Dealba, screaming we are 1/4 the way their! District Meeting was on the atonement. My dear friend Bro. Holzhauer lost his wife at 61 years of age to cancer they have been married for 35 years, it was sad and hard for me. Sis Landgren had a Book of Mormon experience in her sleep, a voice woke her up saying, by their fruits ye shall know them. She is being baptized on June 27th! Jordan Hayen's a youth in the ward was our exchange and he showed up in his karate clothes, it was so sweet.

THURS-
Elder Dealba snapped today. Elder Naylor kept running his mouth and boom he snapped it was over lights out, Elder Dealba hit the wall put a hole in it and put Elder Naylor up against the wall I for once in my life, was the peacemaker and calmed Elder Dealba down, Elder Naylor ran up stairs for the phone to call the District Leader! We had 3 appointments tonight, it was amazing, we had an amazing exchange and a few new investigators!

FRI-
4 mans (he is referring to four elders living together) are so hard to focus, you have to be so disciplined all the time or you waste so much time! We had a lesson at noon, Bro Jones was our exchange. We came back and BOOM IT HAPPENED, President Cotterell called me and told me I was being transferred, and I was going to another four man, and that it would be 4 english elders, but it would only be for a transfer and that it would be living with leadership zone leaders I think, and that I would be a DISTRICT LEADER! I pooed my pants, I can't even lead myself, I am so nervous, I have been waking up at 5 everyday with diarreha. I think the area I am going to will have sister missionaries in it, but I guess you guys will have to find out next week! HAHA. WE had dinner with the Cecils. We took 2 couches to a sister who was less fortunate! I really think Bro. Cecil will be bishop someday!

SAT-
Bro. Holzhaurs wife's funeral was sad and hard! We biked 15 miles in 115 degree weather! Heat stroke, but we found some people. Elder Dealba baptized a Mexican that night it was neat, I was so happy for him.

SUN-
Elder Naylor confirmed that same Mexican! Some trucker from Tooele that said he was in our ward when dad was bishop drove through Smithfield, and went to church. His name is Samuel! Bro Landgren's announced in church his 10 year prayer was answered with Sister Landgren getting baptized! Bro Holzhauer went out with us, he asked if he could go with us to keep busy. We won back Dennis and Bessie's hearts. We then came back to the apartment, I felt prompted to ask Bro. Holzhauer if he had a blessing of comfort, since all this had happened, he said no why do you ask, and I said I feel really prompted to ask you if you want one; he didn't say anything and walked into the house sat down and I gave him a blessing. It was so neat the priesthood is so real and the spirit was so strong, it was a neat experience. I will forever love that man!


Love,


Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

HEllO Family!!!! Wow what a spiritual week. I can't wait to tell you all the things that happened!

Tues-
Elder Dealba's surprise birthday party was a success! I went on an exchange to Albertson, everytime I have gone down their it has been really weird. Last time I went down an elder was sick! This time a missionary just couldn't handle it, his girlfriend got engaged and he is going home! I feel so bad for his companion who is his trainer! A member in the Albertson ward owns a sweet LDS book store, so I scored a sweet marking PEN! My scriptures are getting marked up and I love it! Albertson is in the country and they love country music out there! I love country music so much, I miss it alot! The Joseph Smith Nashville tribute is where it is at though! Albertson has a great ward mission leader he is pretty amazing! Smithfield's Ward Mission Leader is really amazing too, he is just in Yemin! I had to comfort the Elder who was leaving his area, he was born in! He found out at 5:30 that night and was picked up at 7:45 the next morning he was way depressed he didn't get to say goodbye or anything! We didn't get to bed till like 1 cause they were packing all night!

WED-
I am so tired, there are four elders and 1 shower so we had to wake up early to make it to Goldsboro by 7:45! I slept on the couch at the Stake Center as soon as we got there! I got a letter from Lex and Tahra today. District meeting was good I loved it! So Natalie Moore got married and Erica is engaged. Wow I leave and IF changes over night! 6 months is not that long! This Wednesday I hit my 6 month mark, not like I am counting or anything! We set a date with an amazing couple Dennis and Bessie!

Thurs-
I love Elder Morrell. It is crazy, I only spent time with Kels for 8 months but yet I have 2 years worth of memories! We gave a blessing to a member it was pretty neat, it is crazy how dependent the people out here are on the missionaries because the church is not as big.

FRI-
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!!!!! A lady at the mission office called me and said, do you know a Doug Tibbitts! And I was like SISTER LASSEN, look closely is it Doug or Dough! I was like that is from my bestie Chay-dough! She was like who would name there son Chay-dough, it was super funny! I got a letter from SWIM FAN! We set a date with a five year investigator it was super crazy her husband is so pumped for her. I just layed it on her thick and said Sis. what have ye againsnt baptism or entering into the fold of God and I backed it up with scripture in Mosiah and BOOM!!!! She excepted! Our members have some sweet ring back tones is that disobedient!

SAT-
wowowowowow, so I got to go to Chappell Hill to UNC campus and I didn't think there were any pretty girls in NC but boy was I mistaken, but I just kept saying what Bro. Krupa said that his son Nick said to him! Girls poop, girls poop!!! It was so fun we got down there early and took some pictures! Elder Bednar was amazing, holy cow like I thought we would listen but we had a three hour discussion with an apostle of the Lord it blew my mind and we were all over the place, I learned so much. One thing I learned is not to complicate missionary work or get to stressed about it, when really all I need to do, like Elder Bednar said, is be a good boy press forward and don't beat myself up! He taught us everthing about misionary work and about life it was crazy. I just try to do my best and be teachable and moldable! Then we flew back from Chappel Hill, got back at 8 and had a baptism at 9. it was so spiritual to see a convert of a month exercise his priesthood and baptize his daughter! Wow I was pretty emotional. I fasted for her mom to coome but she still didn't come. I fasted twice in 2 days, but I don't know, press forward don't look back, the baptism was amazing!

SUN-
I confirmed Brittany, that was neat, I have never done that before! The spirit is so real we just need to listen to it apply this pattern to your life, to your learning and teaching. Observe, Listen, Discern, and you'll know what to say it has been so neat since we have been able to apply it! We biked a ton today and met some nice people and set some return appointments, so I'll find out if I am getting transferred this Saturday, and then won't know till Tuesday at transfer meeting where I am going. Then I won't be able to tell you till the next monday! But I truly don't know where I am going, but there is potential up the wazoo here, and I am thankful for Elder Croft setting it up!

Well I love you all. I hope all is well, and I pray for you oft! Elder Bednar said, "your life will change when you realize it is not what I want but what the Lord wants!" I hope all is well for you all!!!!! Don't have fun boating with out me!


Love and Respect,


Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen

Monday, June 7, 2010

FAB 5


Watch out Duke, NC and NC State.... There is a new Fab 5 in town!

Good NC watermelon...

Thumbs up!!!!


This is a cake made for Elder Dealba's Birthday...(OK he bought it)


The Smithfield Soccer Team.....


Baptism....Yes

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Worst to First huh! That ought to be sweet! I can't wait to see that movie it'll be super cool I suppose!
So it has been a good week we had an amazing week with member support, but all in all the Lord loves this work! Dad I will write to you next week after we meet with the Apostle, David A Bednar, on how Raleigh, NC mission is the best and how you can become more like it, I guess!

Wow they are really making a movie!

MON-
So we had planned to play ball today in Goldsboro but our ride up there, his wife who is prego, got in a car accident. He still took us up, it was just a little later. It is fun to get together with a bunch of missionaries and play ball! We had dinner at the Bishops parents. He told us some neat experiences he has had with the priesthood. That power is so real and is only of God! We had a lesson with Brittany and the YW Pres. was there it was neat. She had a bunch of anti-mormon material her mom had printed up for her, but we were able to over come it and pray about it and she is excited for the 5th!

TUES-
We had 4 members present for a LESSON thanks to my boy, Kyle James Patrick! He is coming out to Utah to go to LDS Business College. I told him to go visit you all and you would take him wake boarding. He is such a good kid and it is so neat to watch him as he prepares for a mission. We had dinner at the Allens she is the Visiting Teaching Coordinator and is amazing. She had her less active grandson there and his girlfriend who isn't a member. I got way offended though, he walks in before her and goes hey ya'll, there will be no discussion tonight with Kym. I got so depressed I was so excited to teach her! We had a lesson with this man named Travis. He is a Mason and is pretty neat. Bro Williams taught with us and bore a powerful testimony!

WED-
We learned of Presidents hardest day on his mission, he sent home three missionarys! And Elder Dealba found out that 2 of them were Elders that lived by him and that he went to high school with, he was pretty upset! District meeting was on love and charity, that evening we had a great lesson with the Whites our exchange walked outside and goes you have two baptisms on your hands Elders!

THURS-
We had a great lesson with my main man Bro Holzhaurer he just found out last night (5-30) he called and told me his wife had been admitted into Wake Med and has terminal cancer! But he was our exchange and we had an amazing lesson with Dennis and Bessie, both prepared by the Lord! She told me that she knows we have something she needs! We helped move the Cecils, a family moving to Knightdale a bad family to move out of your ward! And then that night we had an amazing lesson prepared by the Lord for Brittany our exchange speaks english but his wife is from Mexico. He served his mission there, he is an older man and a Patriarch. I knew nothing of him he usually works with the spanish, but he shared with Brittany, how hard it was for him to get converted when his parents were so against it! Lord prepared that one!

FRI-
Moved the Cecils again but they are a good family it is worth it! Had a lesson with a 75 year old man and it was super neat it would be so cool to baptize someone old! We tricked a less active member into going on an exchange with us and it was so neat to see his testimony questioned and he answered it! He came to church this Sunday too!

SAT-
We got picked up by this less active man and I threw 70 bales of hay for him it was so cool! And then went and helped another gentleman with his garden! We had a lesson with Kyle, for this Lady Georgia, she is gettting baptised on the 26th. whoever gets transferred here is going to run into alot of baptisms! We had another lessson with Bessie and Dennis and another with Travis. They are all progressing so well!!

SUN-
We had four investigators at church our part member family investigator had read 8 chapters in the Book of Mormon her husband was so pumped for her! We finally had a lesson with Gilbert and Natasha and Jasmine we watched the Testaments, they loved it and bore a strong testimony after. Then Gilbert called out Elder Morrell and was like do you believe in this stuff man, why don't you ever talk about how it is true for you, it was crazy, he got way depressed!

MON-
We played soccer with the whole ward it was so cool tommorrow is Elder Dealba's b-day party. I bought him a cake and set up a surprise b-day party with 8 other Elders and some members at Gandolfos, so it should be good the cake is funny. He is 20 years old. KENZ WRITE HIM PLEASE! That night we talked with Brittany, she said a prayer that her mom would except her being baptized on the 5th. She text her right after the prayer; her mom text back and said I love and support you baby! so we are good for the 5th at 9pm! IT is at 9 because we won't get back from meeting with Elder Bednar till 8 from Raleigh, Durham area!
LOVE YOU ALL, AND I HOPE ALL IS WELL. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!!!

Love and Respect

Elder Taylor Blaine Petersen