Hurricane Nate: Forecast for disappointment.

I'll cut to chase, I'm still alive. Nate hit over in Mississippi. It's always a sad day when they tell you you're gonna get a hurricane and then it never happens..(Irma, Jose, Nate) Quit playin with my heart Al Roker.

Tuesday- Embarked on a man hunt for people to teach. We biked. We walked. We danced. We sang. We knocked. We worked our little butts off. And as it turns out, the Lord is very mindful of His servants. We were led straight to Missy and Sophie's front porch! Missy was raised all hell fire damnation, and demonic crap, which has caused her to become somewhat agnostic. We testified of the Plan of Happiness and just seeing the light and love that filled their home. Wow. Sophie is 10 and she is the cutest girl in my life. Pretty much a miracle if I ever did see one.

Wednesday- 9 MONTH MARK BABY! We had to spend the day at Transfer Spot in Pensacola.. it was hot, hot, hot. BUT, I got to see our Elders from the MTC so that was super fun! Oh man at Chick-fil-A I couldn't decide what to order so I let ONE person go in front of me and he turned out to be the 100th customer of the day so he got free food and cookies!!! UGH I WAS SO SO SO ANGRY AGHHHHH. Still mad just thinking about it. Lesson learned.

SHOUT OUT~ Tiff birthed my new baby niece!!!!! <3 

family is forever, that's what's up.

Thursday- In the car for 6 hours to be at Mission Leadership Council, but don't worry I told the whole story of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat to Sister Evensen with music included. MLC was hilarious but turns out I'm the only person in the mission who understands quality humor, so yes I was the only one laughing basically the whole time. HAHAH!

Friday- Zone Conference in our building. It was craziness. Basically, Thursday night we drove straight to the church, set up tables, drove home, slept, came back to the church. So my little tush was sitting for almost two days! It was a good conference but the energy level was low. We did everything we could to pump it up, BUT THEN we got word of the hurricane coming in!!! Dang that was super exciting! 

Ok best part of the whole day, Sister Evensen was a champ and got her flu shot!! We supported her the whole way, she never would have got there without us. (; but fo reals she was a flippin baller getting the needle plunged into her arm!

Saturday- We wake up to texts and phone calls from the Zone Leaders that they are evacuating us! HAHAHAH We were SO EXCITED. Throughout the day we got assigned and reassigned to other missionaries/members homes. We finally ended up staying at our Stake President's home with his family. Then a miracle happened inside my soul...

The Jurgens made their kids get our stuff from the car, now that's quality service.

This whole week I was having somewhat of a pity party being a little pooper. I was really missing home. I was sick and tired of my leadership role. I felt like we didn't get to work much. My head and body have been throbbing (because of the drastic changes in air pressure), I was basically done. Friday night I prayed to God and I told Him I just can't do it. I cannot be the missionary He expects of me. I received a spiritual confirmation "hold on til tomorrow". Saturday we spent literally from about 3:30 until 10:30 playing games and eating and laughing and telling stories with the Jurgens family through the storm. They had a bedroom set up for us. We mentioned caramel popcorn and they made it. I had homemade waffles with Mrs. Buttersworth Syrup! CHECKMATE ATHEISTS!!! They treated us like royalty! We had permission to watch Aladdin. For the first time in my mission I felt like a normal person. This was probably one of the funnest nights I've had this year. 

Sister Evensen's first time watching Aladdin, obviously converted her.

As I was writing in my journal that night I realized that my true favorite part of the whole day was teaching Ben the Word of Wisdom. I found so much joy teaching him about the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. And that's when I understood true happiness. Don't misunderstand me, Saturday was beyond fun on so many levels, but nothing will ever compare to the pure joy I feel when I find, teach, and baptize God's children. Nothing compares to the pain this burden is. Nothing compares to the happiness that enters my soul to look into someone's eyes and proclaim to them a God who created them and loves them. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sent Hurricane Nate, which ps never even touched our area just some intense thunderstorms, to let my see first hand the contrast of my normal life and what I'm doing now. Commandments, mission rules, standards, promises, covenants, they are not restrictive, I promise they create the perfect and only path for true undying joy. I know that God wants me here. I know that we are making a difference in His kingdom.

I know that God answers prayers.

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

Permanently moving to Alabama just for the sunsets.

If we don't find Tommy or Gina this week I'll be highly disappointed.

Halfway baby. How did that happen? Couldn't tell ya. State the obvious, this week was not a perfect fantasy. I'll be honest with you, we're hardcore on the struggle bus to find new investigators right now. Fairhope is a really fun, artsy city, kind of like Park City, therefore people don't recognize anything missing from their lives. BUT that's ok! We're still searching. 

​Sis Asberry made me caramel popcorn for General Conference <3

General Conference was fab. Like totes ma goats the realist. I could get very deep with you and share all my personal insights, but it would take me years to write that. I loved hearing from God. Read the Book of Mormon daily. It is true. There are no coincidences. Show your love for others by putting your phone down long enough to serve them. Yes, that applies to you who are reading this thinking that doesn't apply to you.

Just a note on my favorite humans in Fairhope (:

Marina and Byron Ramos~ Marina is taking the lessons right now and we're taking things very slow with her. She is from Moldova and her foundation of Jesus Christ is really shaky, unlike every soul in the south, she really isn't Christian. The sisters have been teaching her for a long time, helping her know about Jesus Christ enough to come to know Him. Also she's pregnant and she is the cutest lady in my life! Brother Ramos is a convert himself and he absolutely loves the gospel. Yesterday they had us over for dinner and she made me BORCHT (Spence, I don't know if that's how you spell it). It was the kindest thing in my life. She made it because I mentioned how I wanted to try it one day! The spiritual highlight of the night was when we asked about their experiences watching conference. Brother Ramos told us his only goal in life is to have his priesthood restored so he can be worthy to give his children father's blessings. I almost fell out of my chair the spirit was so raw and powerful.

I've never thought about how blessed I have been in my life until I served a mission. 

Sister Evensen is stuck with me another six weeks and we have our work cut out. It is our reaction to the hard situation that we're in that will distinguish us from the world. Also, I love her more than peanut butter so it's gonna stay bumpin.

Sis Evensen sent this...She
s determined to teach Sister Petersen the Splits!

Mid-Mission Crisis: A milestone that one reaches halfway through serving a Full-Time LDS mission (typically 9-12 month mark), when said missionary reaches the capacity to handle emotional, physical, spiritual stress and starts to question or doubt the effectiveness of the past several months. Usually resulting in a state of panic causing much stress and self criticism, while recognizing desired improvements and goals that may or may not be reached by the time they are released.

Antidote: "Take my hand, we'll make it I swear, we're livin' on a prayer."

SISTER  p e t e r s e n