Carry On!

- Last car selfie, but look it's 3 of my companions in one car!
 LOL (LOT'S of love)

This week was insane! So, Sunday night we got the anticipated phone call from President Smith with Transfer news. LO AND BEHOLD Sister Smario got moved to FORT WALTON BEACH. You can bet your apples I was crying! I was dang excited! Sister Mifflin is pretty awesome. What can I say I actually have the coolest companions in the south. Just Sayin. She's from Bakersfield, California and I served with her when I was in Fort Walton! Back in the day, Sister Evensen trained my fierce little companion! She is stellar! I am really excited to serve with her again!

- This is how Sister Smario left my desk.
Little notes and I love her and miss her so much!

- Sister Viola is leaving the field and I love this sister with all my heart.
She changed my mission!

Well, transfer week kind of shot our week but that's ok. Just a lot of craziness. We got to invite the new missionaries into our mission home and I love seeing them so much! Just their excitement and passion for the work! Friends, this is not a fairytale. We are doing important stuff and even though my home and my family and my cat seem like a distant dream, I feel the sacrifice that my fellow servants make and it reminds me of my own and that we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, do not sacrifice and follow Him in vain. Decide now what you're willing to do to endure to the end. 

I had the opportunity to go to a small fireside here where a church administrative, smart history byu professor, of sorts, came and spoke. His name is Robert Millet or something (; anyway it was really inspiring. He talked to us about deep conversion. Having pure understanding and knowledge of simple truths creates a deeper devotion to the Savior and the commandments and blessings He promises us. This coming week in conference we will be invited to do the small and simple things. We will be reminded and chastised by the spirit what we can improve on and we will be guided to light. If we are but willing to act on that light, our testimonies of the truthfulness of the restored gospel will burn within us. I have an unshakable testimony that I am an instrument in the hands of God for the salvation of His children, and guess what, so are you. Accept that in your heart. You are influencing the people around you and they are influencing you. Surround yourself with goodness and fellow saints and stay on the path that leads to eternal happiness! I love each of you so deeply and it is because of all the simple reasons that I love you that I can love you so deeply. When you mess up once or twice, I cannot throw away our entire relationship, this is how you need to be in developing your of the Prophet Joseph Smith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Joseph was an instrument, a prophet of God. We have prophets on the earth today and we have the glorious opportunity to hear the voice of the Lord this coming week. Let us build upon our testimonies and the testimonies of those who have come before us. I love you all!

1. — Firm as the mountains around us,

Stalwart and brave we stand

On the rock our fathers planted

For us in this goodly land—

The rock of honor and virtue,

Of faith in the living God.

They raised his banner triumphant—

Over the desert sod.

2. We’ll build on the rock they planted

A palace to the King.

Into its shining corridors

Our songs of praise we’ll bring,

For the heritage they left us,

Not of gold or of worldly wealth,

But a blessing everlasting

Of love and joy and health.

And we hear the desert singing:

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Hills and vales and mountains ringing:

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

Holding aloft our colors,

We march in the glorious dawn.

O youth of the noble birthright,

Carry on, carry on, carry on!

(ps you can sing the last line in the voice of Nate Ruess) 

-SISTER p e t e r s e n

oh oh oh it's glorious....FOOD glorious FOOD!

friends and friends of friends, we had some FOOD MIRACLES this week. That's right. Everyone is happier when food is involved. The following events are based upon true stories. . . . .

1- Two weeks ago we discovered under a hidden rock a gem by the name of MOMO's..... wherrrrre's momo? IT'S AROUND THE CORNER PEOPLE! Well, Momo's is known for having PIZZA THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD. Basically it's named after me for a reason. Well alas we over indulged in our new discovery and we found ourselves in a pickle of sorts. All the sisters who hadn't eaten there before still wanted to eat there, but we were kind of tired of it but didn't want to miss out on the fun. So I decided I would get a Firehouse Sub and bring it into Momo's pizza. While eating my Firehouse, the waitress brought out everyone's slices. I was starting to regret my sandwich decision, but I doubted too soon because right when I was contemplating throwing away my hook and ladder............. the waitress brought me a slice of pizza because they messed up and fired too many!!!!!!!!!!!! MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord never gives us one or the other, our joy shall be FULL. and I was stuffed like a bird on Thanksgiving after that dinner. (:

2- On our way to Dothan, Alabama this week for an exchange my heart was yearning if you will for the companionship of a chocolate chip cookie from the home of the chosen chicken. When we got to Chick-fil-A, although we were in a rush we both felt we needed to go inside and not just through the drive-through. I went straight to the register because I knew what I wanted and I was on a munchie mission. The girl behind the counter asked for my name and I went to point to my nametag and before I could say "Petersen" I said "Pe..." She interrupted me and said "Are you on FAMU campus??" Raven went on to tell me that the sisters found her and she lost contact with them and she wants to take the lessons and come to church and, she's gonna get baptized she just doesn't know it yet but it was like love at first sight, but missionary and investigator, in a celestially timed interaction over the counter of my favorite place to spend money on food. MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord blesses those who keep the Sabbath Day Holy, like Chick-fil-A workers because they're closed on Sundays. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain

3- This is a tribute to Sister Blume. The Bluminator. Baby Blume if you will. What a champ. This sister has served valiantly on FAMU campus since November. Through rain and snow. Buses and booths. She has stuck it out til the end. And now.. Heavenly Father has taken our little girl to Dothan. AKA our personal chef is now gonzo and I won't gain any more calories from her deliciousness...... MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord gives you a good thing but He sometimes takes it away to help you fully appreciate what you had!

4- We walked into a cafe called "Kool Beanz Cafe" and the menu turned out to be on average 27$ meals with wine on the table so we discretely walked back out and had to just embrace the awkwardnessssssssssss MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord gave us the confidence to get up and walk out so that we didn't waste precious tithing funds.... (;

5- After Mathedrick's baptism, (TCC Sisters) we went to 50 CENT CORNDOG DAY AT SONIC!!!!! BECAUSE TODAY IS NATIONAL CORNDOG DAY AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY WEEK AND I AM SO SATISFIED WITH HOW I SPENT THAT MONEY. MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!! The Lord gave me a blue card for a reason.

Moral of the story kids, today marks 12 weeks to my last Pday and the Lord blessed me to enjoy this last week! I am actually so grateful for all my memories with the sisters here. Especially, Sister Smario. She is so wonderful and beautiful and amazing. I am so grateful she was my companion at this point in my mission and she will forever be one of my best friends! *doo doo doo dooo (Hunger Games finger kiss)

Remember to enjoy the little things of life and just let your soul delight in fatness. PS- God loves all his children, even the chubby ones (; No but really who doesn't love food. We all need to be more like food in other people's lives. We need to help people feel loved and important, we should be as excited for others' success as we are when we get free samples at Costco. We need to remember to share our sweet fruits of the gospel with all those Heavenly Father has placed in our paths! 

-SISTER p e t e r s e n

F-O-O-D is how you spell love!

also, literally just look at my companion like hot dang. Boys she comes home May 4th! AND SHE'S SINGLE! I can put in a good word for you because this Sister has it going on! Mmmph I love her!

Work iT.

~FWB that's where I wanna be, livin in Fort Walton Beeeach

Hello one and all. I would just like to thank you for taking the time to read this short story of my awesome week. We went to me home land of the Fort Walton Isles and we had a splendid time kickin it with our sisters! Taught a crazy wild Family History lesson and the spirit of Elijah was tangible! 

Next Chapter. My dear old Fairhope Sisters came to this neck of the woods and we had a grand old day reminiscing about Daphne, Alabama. 

~Pizza the size of your head,
um yes, I was a happy little girl

As I was walking in the sunny sunlight on FSU campus preaching repentance to Seminoles, aka Native American Indians, aka Lamanites, if you will, I was reminded of my good friend Ammon in Alma 26. I've been pondering on the beauty of work lately. Ammon was directed to return to his brethren and bare with patience his afflictions "with the intent that perhaps they might save some few of their souls". I can testify that salvation doesn't come easy. The Savior never had it easy. This is hard work but if we are willing to submit ourselves and do it the Lord will, just like in his promise to Ammon, "give unto us success."

Wednesday, as we were driving home from Fort Walton, this song by Nashville Tribute came on called "Work". And man, I have become a softie, because, that song really hit the feels. Working cannot be done without the mercy and grace of the Redeemer. But that work IS worth it. This past week we got to teach one of my dearest friends in Marianna over skype and the spirit was so strong. I know that God numbers his children just like my mom would number her sea salt caramel dark chocolate Ghirardelli squares, He knows if even just ONE is missing! HE KNOWS YOU. Let that really sink in, that He sees everything you are doing and all your dreams and efforts and He is doing everything He can to help you reach your fullest potential. And, He's called each of us to the WORK, to reach it.

~this is the best we could come up with on our budget
for a camera tripod for our iCarly show

All we gotta do is get out there and Work iT.

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n

~Saucy is the new sentiment

Parts of a letter 'Just for Ya'll'

yeah so no weekly this week but honestly nothing really happened. Yesterday in my interview with my mission president he said that my assignment is really difficult and stressful and he's transferring Sister Smario. :(  Sister Smario is just so awesome. She's gonna be one of my bridesmaids when I get home. Like hands down one of the top ten people in my life. I can't wait for you to meet her! Her personality is very, very similar to Emma's! I love her sooooooo much! 

Well, that's all folks! I love you and I am so grateful for you! 

I trained at MLC this week and we used Sister Oscarson's talk as our platform.

"The Needs Before As as a Mission."

It was super good. Really spirit led! Starting Sunday President Smith asked us to do Weekly Leadership Webinars every Sunday night that all the sisters in the mission are going to watch. I am just so excited to see what happens. 

Campus is really really awesome! We walk all day and talk to students all day. We're teaching some really awesome girls right now! Will you put their names on the prayer roll? I love them so much! 

I love being a missionary and I can't wait to share this home with y'all one day when we come back to visit! 

Send some pictures of Oskar! (PROM)

I love you!!! Have a good week (: