Adventures of Miff & Petey: Pt 1

There's this episode of The Office when Michael drops Holly off and the whole way home he sings/cries "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts. I don't know why but this week has kind of reminded me of that scene. IT'S BEEN A TRIP MY FRIENDS!

We had back to back, to back, to back, to back, exchanges. LIKE A BILLION AND A HALF. But it was actually bumpin. We're going up to Troy, Alabama tomorrow after church and I actually couldn't be more excited to see my favorite Troy sistas! MMMph I love them! 

So I just have one quicky, quick story to tell you! Basically I thought my tooth was having a seizure because all week it has been hurting so bad! Well I went to the dentist and my dear friend Dr. Dransfield told me that my tooth WAS having a seizure and I need to get it pulled out real quick! Sorry buddy but I can't be toothless, I'm a MISSIONARY! Well in the midst of all these back and forth dentist appointments, and exchanges with sisters, and praying really hard that Katy will understand the gospel and get an answer to prayers, and trying to preach the restored gospel, I was so lost with the noise of life.

Finally, I sat back. I sat still and I waited. I waited a long minute to just hear from my Father in Heaven and feel His peace. And it came.

As we went home one evening I had 6 letters from my mission buddies, and suddenly Sister Smith was calling us on one phone, and President was calling on the other, and Dr. Dransfield was calling us from his personal phone!  Everyone started reaching out to make sure that I was being taken care of. The love of Heaven was overwhelming. I know that angels are real on this side of the veil. I know that God hears His child. He knows me by name. He knows our pains and our struggles and He is the constant comfort. I know that God works through His children to work miracles! 

I was reading Alma chapter 26 and it's good and all about not being discouraged, but even better it's about being worthy to be an instrument in God's hands. 

ALMA 26:11- I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12- Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I love you all so much and I am so overwhelmingly grateful for your prayers and your love! I know God because I know you!!! <3

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n

 

                         

Nailed it.

"Sisters you have a flat tire" said the Fairhope Sisters' Scottish neighbor, as we were pulling out to drive back to Tallahassee.

TWO DAYS EARLIER . . .

I was sitting in Institute learning about Celestial Marriage, trying to take good notes ;), and suddenly MY TOOTH FALLS OUT OF MY MOUTH! Needless to say I was very, very calm, as I always am when my teeth fall out of my mouth, and I called a dentist and they scheduled me and appointment 3 days later on Friday morning.

-some of my favs

With my aching jaw, we ventured onward to the Mobile Zone Wednesday morning for our exchange. This isn't really important to the story but I love Sister Hart and Sister Johnson like they were my own. THEY ARE GOD SENT PEOPLE! Anyway, we have a wonderful exchange in my sweet home in Alabama and we depart at 2:00 pm Central, Thursday afternoon to make it home at 7:00 pm, Eastern, with two hours to spare for curfew and we would be in Tallahassee for my dentist appointment the following morning. This is when Ms. Rose informed us of our tire. Trying to be calm and practical we figured it might just be low so we went to the gas station and put air in the tire. Obviously, two sister missionaries who are stressed and totally know how cars work, looked completely calm with the raging wind storm while we tried to pump our tire with air.

-Bishop Boxx was not amused. HAHAHA

Thankfully the spirit told me we did not do a sufficient job at filling the tire. So I pulled in a favor from a long time friend. Bishop Boxx answered the phone and with a long deep sigh he said "Sister Petersen? I thought we got rid of you" HAHAHAHA he acts like we're not best buds! So he meets us at the gas station to inspect our tire and SURE ENOUGH WE HAD A NAIL! WELL THAT JUST WASN'T GONNA WORK BECAUSE BY THIS TIME IT WAS ALREADY 4 PM AND WE WOULDN'T MAKE IT BACK TO TALLAHASSEE BY 9 PM AND THEIR WAS A TROPICAL STORM ROLLING IN AND WE NEEDED A NEW TIRE AND I NEEDED TO GET TO MY DENTIST APPOINTMENT. But don't worry I was totally calm cool and collected through this entire saga. 

Well, we get to PepBoys. They change our tire. We share the gospel in the waiting room with Hasten. He's gonna get baptized. Then we ate dinner at the Boxx's because they missed me, then we drove 2 hours to Crestview. Then we got up at 5 AM to drive 3 more hours to Tallahassee. We ran inside, changed into proselyting clothes, ran to the dentist, got my teeth drilled, ran to the institute for a lesson and at this point it was 1:00pm on Friday and the only thing we had eaten was a McDonald's hashbrown and a Krispy Kreme donut! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - We get to the institute and BAM, I got to be a part of one of the most spiritual lessons in my whole mission.

-probs how I broke my tooth.
But MMMMM I love me some crawdads hahaha

Right now we are teaching a girl named Katy and she is the elect. She was chosen to hear the gospel. I love her so much. We talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ and about our pre-mortal existence and I know without a doubt I knew this sister before this life. I know that I was sent here specifically for her. Please, please keep her in your prayers. She is so ready for the healing of the Savior. After our lesson, Katy told us she couldn't make it to General Conference because she would be out of town, but because this is the Lord's work we set her up with the missionaries for Saturday morning session where she would be. It just so happened that Katy ended up hearing the words of the prophet sitting with Sister Evensen and Sister Smith in Fox Run, Florida. This is a mighty work and a wonder. This is not a fairy tale.

-Members made all the missionaries in our district
cinnamon rolls for conference, that's what I call ministering!

I know this was a long drawn out story. We made some crazy memories this week. But, I couldn't help but reflect on our lesson with Katy all throughout conference. So many people think that the Savior simply "died for our sins", but there's so much more. Jesus Christ suffered everything. His crucifixion was only one element of His atoning sacrifice. And with nail scarred hands, He rose again. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is coming. I know that the work of the salvation of souls is rolling forth and one day soon each of us will feel the prints of His hands and feet from the merciless nails that scarred them. He is life eternal and I promise you can know that for yourself. Listen, hearken, to the counsel of the Prophet and your days will be brighter and brighter even until that perfect day. 

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n