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