Monday, November 27, 2017

Choose your love, love your choice.

Three thanksgiving dinners. Five dessert stops. One exchange later. The freshman fifteen came a little later in the game for me. 

Friends I just want you all to know who you are. You are a child of God. He loves you. I am so grateful for my knowledge of the restored gospel. I promise you it blesses lives. Be grateful for all things. 

This week I had the opportunity to go to Saraland after Thanksgiving. As we were driving up to their apartment, Sister Larsen realized we didn't have the key and it was on it's way to Fairhope with Sister Nielsen and Sister Hulstine. She felt really bad for not remembering and at first I was annoyed that we had to waste our miles to go back, and we wouldn't get in on time. Then, I remembered who I was representing to this new sister, and I frankly forgave the situation. Later as I was writing in my journal, I remembered an exchange many months ago when the exact same situation happened with a key mishap and I was that younger new missionary. That exchange changed my mission. To this day the only person who maybe knows how much it touched me was my dear Sister Training Leader.

I have changed so much the past 11 months. I now know who I am, why I'm here, and who sent me here. I will forever and always love my choice to serve a full-time mission. I love my choice to love. I love my choice to be exactly who I am. My dear friends, you are exactly where He needs and wants you to be. Stop wishing away your life. Stop throwing away all the chocolate bars looking for the golden ticket. Roll down the windows every now and then. Smile at strangers. Forgive and forget. Have seconds. Be late. Don't make your bed. Laugh at the awkwardness. Don't delete the bad picture. I promise you when you look back over your shoulder, you will love your life.

That is my simple invitation to you: Love your life. 

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n☀

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Momma I made it!

.. y'all don't even know what's about to hit this zone
SISTER HULSTINE OF THE HULSTINE FAMILY OF THE SANTA MARIA CALIFORNIA PROVIDENCE IS PLEASED TO JOIN ME IN THE WORK OF SALVATION.

Picked up this Sister who was hitch hiking down the road and needed a ride back to Fairhope. Sister Hulstine is sweet. Like suuuuuwweeeet! She is from California and she actually came out on her mission the transfer right before me! We served in the Fort Walton Zone together and basically she doesn't know this but I've had an undying desire to be her companion for 11 months. (: So I'm excited!

The most exciting thing in the mission right now is that we made it on the news! HEYO! Basically there was a big lighting of the trees in Downtown Fairhope, and we went to talk about Hashtag Light the World with people, and this guy was like hey do you wanna do an interview and we were like, yeah. So now I'm famous! I've made it. I've arrived. I might as well just pack up and go home now because I've peaked getting that black tag to all of the the Mobile Tri-State area 
 (: .. my 15 mins of fame - link -   News - Fairhope Christmas Tree Lighting #lighttheworld

Elder Beheshti from the seventy came to our stake conference and it was awesome! He was so powerful as he testified about repentance. It really all begins with one choice. Who do you want to be in one yearIn five years? In thirty? It had a huge impact on me. 

 all my beautiful sisters from the Mobile Zone
Yesterday wasn't Pday so we could have a Zone Conference. Friends, there's a lot I don't know. There's a lot I am imperfect at. But I know President Smith is called of God to be here and to lead out this mission, and in knowing that, I know even more deeply that this work is true. I am beyond grateful for the knowledge I have of this restored gospel. I take it for granted far too often. I have such a deep love for my Savior. He truly is the Master Healer, the Great Physician. Please, come and join in His redeeming love. 

.. the one and only Sister Nielsen, she brings life to my soul
HAPPY THANKSTURKEYGIVINGGUMBODAY

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n☀











Monday, November 13, 2017

Can you hear my voice this time?

We're gathered here today to remember our dear loved one Sister Evensen, who is graduating from this period of her mortal life. She was a fighter. Her name will always be engraved on the hearts of many in Bama including for starters my own. This soldier has changed my life and impacted the history of the world. Tallahassee 6 is gaining the best of the best of the best SIR. I truly had the time of my life fighting dragons with her. Only Jesus Christ and probably Mama Suz truly understand how much I adore and love Liz Evensen from Alpine Utah. I thank my Heavenly Father every day that she is a soul I have in this life to call my friend.

On another note, this week changed my mission. We have some really incredible people we're working with. One of our bff members Sister Schuerman (Nikos aka Dumbledore's mom) referred us to her neighbor and Katrina is SO COOL. She loved the Restoration and when we taught her about Joseph Smith she was like "whoa, I have chills." It was cool. But there were a lot of distractions so even though she got a lot out of it we didn't really feel the spirit, it was weird haha. 

Thursday the RS threw a baby shower for Marina Ramos at Olive Garden! Oh it was such a blast! I love this woman with all my heart she is so great! Her mom was visiting from Moldova and only speaks Russian. Well when we were leaving her mom grabbed my bag of leftovers and would not give it back because she thought it was hers.. I was anxious. I wanted my leftovers woman. I EAT CANNED SOUP, GIVE ME MY RAVIOLI! Long story short through an awkward broken conversation I got my food.... I'll spare you the details...



Friday we had a mission wide no car day and it was supposed to be really faith promoting and seeing a bunch of miracles but we just got stranded and had to walk and waste a bunch of time...... I guess it built our character or something. HAHAH

Saturday my testimony got wrecked. We visited a family who hasn't come to church in a while and apparently they converted to Catholicism. He was so nicely and cunningly vicious. Like he would compliment us and then just stab doctrine and testimony and he liked completely ripped apart the character of Joseph Smith. We left on a good note but all that night my spirit was hurting so bad. The next day at church was not a fix. In Sunday School our class very quickly got into deep doctrine and the elders were scrambling like turkeys because their investigator was there for the first time and she was SO FREAKED OUT! So basically it was like a million stress levels and a half. 
By the end of the block I was drained. The elders had a baptism for these two kids right after church and that's when God lifted all my burdens off my back. President Jurgens over our stake, pulled me and Sister Evensen out to ask us about something and we ended up debriefing our work with him. He gave us so much good advice about being a missionary for Jesus Christ and truly understanding what we are offering people. He told us that the "darkest night is just before the dawn." It changed my mission. I felt so powerful walking out of that divinely appointed meeting. The rest of the day went seamlessly. And the most piercing miracle of my full-time service occurred. 

Two days previous we met a kid named Damelle who was home early from school. Because of time this was the only house we knocked on in this huge cul-de-sac. When we came back to see him Sunday night I felt a special presence of something about to take place that I would forever be a witness to. His mother then answered the door. Damelle was attending a night session at their church but we told her who we were and Danyka invited us in. We sat five feet away from her small, humble, living room and we answered questions she had about God. We explained to her how important our message of the Restoration of Jesus Christ's gospel is and the spirit shielded the entire room. Every word that we spoke was not from us but it pierced her heart with truth. Danyka heard, for the first time in her life, two ordained ministers of Jesus Christ. She is getting baptized December 9th and I plead with each person reading this to pray for her family. Pray that they will not forget that night.

Sometimes being a missionary is rough. But Jesus Christ never had it easy, so why should we? He will shape our backs to carry our load. He is working through us at every turn. Brothers and Sisters, I testify to you that this truly is the fullness of times. God has a prophet on this earth. Now is the time to arise and bring our families back with us. 

"It doesn't matter how hard you hit, it matters how hard you get hit and get up and keep going."
-SISTER  p e t e r s e n ☀


Monday, November 6, 2017

Because He Lives

My baby brother turned 18 years old. Whenever I think about God not being real and life just taking me here and there, I reflect on what has happened to me in the past two years since I turned 18. Since I turned 18 I have graduated high school, survived jumping out of a plane, gone through breakups, lost friends, gained friends, seen loved ones pass away, received blessings in the temple, watched my family hurt, felt alone, got my associates degree, left my family, cried myself to sleep, had a witness from the Holy Ghost that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and served as a full-time missionary for 10 months in the Southern United States. All of that since I was 18.

When I think that God is not around, I am reminded of all the things God has helped me conquer. I know that without a doubt He is in the details of my life. But how is this possible? Because "God so loved the world, He gave His Only Begotten Son." Jesus Christ has carried me through grace by grace, day by day to where I am now. I might not recognize that He's in every morning, giving me the strength to kneel down next to my bed at 6:30 am, just following a long hot day of tracting. I might not realize that He sends His comforter to my heart after every vile encounter we have. I might not realize in the moment that all things work together for my good. But when we look back at what He has carried us through, there is no doubt in my mind that God is real. And Jesus Christ is my Redeemer.

I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives.

-the field is white already to harvest..
The blessing it is to carry this testimony day to day and minute by minute to the hearts of my brothers and sisters here in Alabama is indescribable. Jesus Christ is real. He lives and He knows you by name. "If I were and angel" I would stand on the rooftops of Fairhope and pierce every heart within the sound of my voice. Friends, I can only do so much as a missionary. I can only knock on so many doors a day. I can only stay awake during so many study prayers. I can only laugh at the same gospel jokes so many times. But I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I love each one of you so very much, but I am so grateful I get to spend this time away from you to serve my Father in Heaven. Live everyday to serve others and you will feel the power of Jesus Christ change you.

- SISTER  p e t e r s e n☀

-live in Fairhope Library (:
oh, ps, because this was a serious email..... we're getting smartphones in January WOOOT WOOOOOOOO. And I ate crab legs this week. And I got more ant bites. And I slept on the floor. And I made Sister Evensen laugh so hard she spit out her water everywhere. And we spent a whole dinner hour walking around the Disneyland of all grocery stores. And I had a nerf war with kid Boxx. And we made homemade pizzas on Halloween and the only thing that makes me happier than little kids who really believe they are Elsa and Ninjas is pizza.