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