I am so excited for General Conference!!! I hope you all are too. We get to hear from our Prophet and the Apostles and others who the Lord has chosen and prepared through Revelation! I hope I come prepared to learn what the spirit is going to teach me!!

Elder Clinger and I had a falling out this week. We settled our argument with a scripture, we read in Mosiah 3:18 that the natural man just wants us to fight and not agree with each other. It was a real neat experience. We set a goal as a companionship this transfer to kill the natural man! Actually to SLAY it. We don't want to torture it just put it out. We don't want him to win. The more he wins in the little things the easier it will be when a big thing comes up.

There is this older woman Ms. Jane. She lives near the Jacksons, she is a single retired school teacher whose daughter has cancer. She had this old shed in the back of her yard that is all beat up. We offered one Sunday on our way home to clean it up, and she with great thanks accepted our invitation. We cleaned it all up and hauled it to the street and Bro. Jackson said he would have it all hauled off. After serving her we talked to her about the church. She talked about how at ECU the head of the athletic department was a member and how great his kids were. We talked about the Savior about how she has drawn strength from him at this time of trial with her daughter. Then we talked about the Book of Mormon how she could learn more about the Savior from it and she kind of shut her listening off (spiritually at least) We asked her if she knew what the book was and she had no clue. We offered her a copy and are going to invite her to let us share with her in the Jacksons home the significance that book can be to her in her life. Keep Jane in your prayers.

We taught the Varney family this week. We couldn’t find an exchange so we had to ride our bikes out there. We had a great lesson. Parker has read so much in the Book of Mormon and is such a great kid we just have to get that family to church. Sister Varney works every other weekend in Kinston. She is the life of that family. I guess last week they were all ready to go ,then Parker got sick. We taught Parker the commandments. Sis Varney is so funny she was like "dang you boys are hitting the hard ones tonight." On our way back we saw a high school football game going. We stopped by and watched for 10 minutes. So I didn't feel guilty we contacted a few people and put probably 100 pass along cards on parked cars. Eastern Wayne was getting blown out 48 to 0 at half to North Johnston. But please keep the Varneys in your prayers. The Ward needs them back and they need the ward back!

Elder Hintze is leaving, I miss him already. He has blessed so many peoples lives and I think the Goldsboro 1st ward is sad about the loss of him. We have some Spanish missionaries coming in this transfer. I am not sure if it will be a companionship of Spanish Elders or if President will do a Zebra companionship with Elder Davies. I have a hunch that Elder Dealba is coming back to the Goldsboro Zone.. I hope and PRAY!!!

I have a few questions, one I haven't gotten a letter from you guys in ages.(I, his Mom, mail him a letter every week, I am not sure why he doesn't get them) The Jacksons got there letter and Sis J is such a sweet woman. You guys need to either write me a letter each week or a good email each week to let me know what is going on over there!!! Also I was wondering if I could buy some shoes. My shoes I bought at the beginning of my mission I have only wore them to run in and they are about worn out. I have put a lot of miles on those shoes. Is Kelsi still around? I haven't heard from her in awhile like 3 weeks. I am sure she has been busy with School and the wedding and California. But still just wondering how she is doing? Also I was wondering if you could send me some stamps! Bro Jackson is obsessed with the stamps with pictures on them and he is getting a bunch of them! Sister Rouse came up to me at church and was like Elder your mom emailed me and told me to tell you Hello! She is such an incredible Sister! Just a soft sweet spirit!

Bro Breen Smith is probably the richest man in Goldsboro and also probably the most Christ-like. His son goes to BYU-I and is here for the summer with his wife. He picked us up and we went and did service for his neighbor MR. Gordon who just had a stroke. He doesn't talk much and is kind of a hermit. We cleaned up a lot of fallen trees for this man and went to the door to introduce ourselves he just smiled and said thanks. Bro Smith was so happy we did it, he said all I want is for that man to feel the love of God and he did. We went to this place called the Tasty Shoppe afterwards. Bro. Smith has an open tab, we ate our hearts out! He said that we are more then welcome to stay in his home if me and my family ever come back to visit. He is leaving to go on a deer hunt in Malad I believe!

This week in companionship study the focus was on recognizing the spirit and also the role of prayer. We taught this Bro. and he has been just a miracle. We role played that day inviting him to offer the kneeling prayer. We taught the doctrine behind the principle and Elder Clinger invited him. He prayed to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. As he stood up after the prayer and said he has never felt that before but he knows that it is true. It was the spirit of the Lord that touched this mans heart!

Bro Dubois is a hard man to catch. He is a car salesman at Frema Motors here in Goldsboro. He works about 69 hours a week and doesn't get home till 9 or 10 most nights. We called, asked if he could meet with us and he said he wanted to take us to lunch. We went to Andy's this Saturday had lunch and a miracle happened this girl who is in a part-member family that worked at Andy's was like Elders, we were talking about you guys the other day and our family was saying how we are ready for you all to come over. So we received all her info and then the conversation was lead to us talking about how the Lord knows where we are going and has miracles prepared for us. We went to his home afterwards. He said before we talk or you guys ask questions. He said Elders I am closer then I have ever been. I have been praying to the Lord asking for him to help me understand my two hang ups. Now I am just praying for peace and the Lord slowly but surely is giving it to me. He said I went to my mothers home the other day I told her that there is this Elder with his eyes on me, and I let her know that I am going to get baptized a member of the church. She was happy for him!! We invited him to be baptized and he would'nt set a specific date. We asked questions, like what we thought he needed to do to get 100% of the way there. He said that he was doing it and that he won't set a date because he fears failure but he will let us know soon when he was ready. I am just not sure what to do. I love this Brother so much and I just don't know what to do. Keep Bro Dubois in your prayers.

I went on an exchange with Elder Miller this last week. I love him so much. He has such a natural talent of just making you want to be the best You! Some leaders have talents to help you be the best they think you should be. But Elder Miller has a talent of finding your talent and lifting and inspiring you to be your very best at it. They have a lot of great things going on in there area. I am grateful for a great leader.





In my personal study I have been trying once again to answer the question of how can we create an environment where a person can notice there is a hole in there heart and the gospel can fill it or that they are on a journey and the gospel is what they are looking for. I really like what Elder Holland says that if we listen with Love it will be given to us be the spirit and by our friends. I think that is so true, about the friends...meaning those we are teaching if they recognize us as servants of the Lord and feel of our spirit. They will say something in which will highlight a gospel truth in which we can testify and offer more. I love the spirit in this work it truly makes all the difference as I strive to be worthy exactly obedient and try my best.

I love you guys so much. Please pray for me, to finish strong, with a strong desire to always have the spirit with me. I only have two more transfers it is crazy! I love you guys so much. I hope you all have a great week and always strive to feel the spirit of the Lord!

Love,

Elder Taylor Petersen