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

 

                         

ROACHstoration

durelo.. it's too hard to sleep. I got a cockroach on my pillow, yes I screamed. Sister Viola had a rude awakening the day before we had to leave early for transfers. SIS P DOESN'T SHARE HER PILLOW WITH ROACHES! Bed bugs.. you're killin me Marianna.

SISTER ANDERSON! My new comp. What a cutie. Love her. Love the dress. Love her. She's super awesome! She's from Texas and she's been out for quite some time, yeah she's just way awesome! We were in the same zone in Fort Walton so luckily we didn't have that awkward "I-have-no-idea-who-my-companion-is-I'll-just-try-to-read-their-nametag-really-fast-when-they-get-off-the-van" situation. 

We are having just some awesome times here in Jackson County. I'll share a couple quickies that stood out this week.

HELL. Just had to grab your attention there. Our Sunday School teacher Bro. Wimberly walks into the room, and he gets really quiet and serious. So we all quiet down and turn towards him and he goes, "I'm sure y'all noticed this obscene word on the board." And on the board behind him the word HELL is written pretty big, and then he erases it and says "I wrote it up there to get your attention, now that I have it......" And then he began teaching. HAHAAHAHAHAAH IT WAS SO FUNNY. I had real tears coming down my face because it was so stinking random!! Gotta love it.

TRISH THE WISH COME TRUE- A few weeks ago we stopped by this potential's home and she talks..... A LOT. She shared her whole life story with us and honestly would not let us leave. So I was a little hesitant to go back but she kept coming to mind as we often pass her home in this town. We stopped by her home and, it was one of the most powerful restoration lessons I have experienced on my mission. When we started talking about prophets she stopped us and asked if we believed there were prophets on the earth today. We testified throughout the lesson. She had genuine questions. Trish is searching for the truth. There was a huge power that enveloped her living room. I know she felt the spirit. At the beginning we invited her to pray and she declined and at the end of the lesson she offered a heartfelt plea to our Father in Heaven. It was so powerful. One of those moments when everything is so clear why Heavenly Father calls us weak, and simple kids, on missions. I love her!

Stay classy my dears. Don't miss out on the moments.

-sister  P E T E R S E N

pic of the district, so long. 
and... me feeding a gator.. it got intense.. but it was on a dock.. not in a tent.. just to clarify.

Mind your y'alls and all y'alls

Elder Uceda visited our mission this week and that was really amazing. He gave us great insight on how to go about the Lord's work. He is from Peru and we had the opportunity to hear from his wife as well. Sister Uceda speaks Spanish so one of our Spanish elders had to translate for her. She talked about what mothers hope for their children to gain on a mission. Her whole topic was very moving as each of us thought about the people we want to become and the missionaries our families back home pray that we are being. I was particularly touched by the thought of sacrifice by all the missionaries and their families that are serving the Lord as best as we can. The spirit was very overwhelming. Afterward, I ran up to Elder Uceda and talked to him for a moment. In the fall he actually spoke at USU and I had the opportunity to listen to him in the crowded Spectrum. We talked about his talk he gave on prayer and he shook my hand and looked me in the eyes and the spirit was very piercing. I am very grateful for the servants of God that I get to work with. 

So the funniest experience happened! We went to visit a less active, and boy are southerners TALKERS! Phew.. ok so we go up to her porch and the moment we get out of the car, mosquitoes ATTACK! We try and make the conversation short but this lady, not even inviting us in, just keeps gabbing on and on about her life. Finally Sister Viola cuts her off and offers a prayer before we leave and she agrees....... Sis V- "Our dear Heavenly Father," "Wait one more thing I need you to pray for! (Followed by a long list of things to pray for)" Hahaha we didn't even know how to stop this one! 20 mins later we were back in the car with more bug bites than I've ever had in my life. But it was totally worth it that this sister was able to have the spirit on her porch. 

Ok, so tonight we went to a member's home for dinner. They have a few kids and man I just love the south! We talked about accents and all the kids giggled telling me I have an accent! The one daughter about 9 goes, "Yeah, you sound like you're talkin out of your nose!..........Ma'am!" Hahah I love how respectful everyone is here! Even little kids makin fun of how I talk! 

I've joined in a lot of street prayers with people and we commonly join hands in a circle because that's typical here for group prayers. This isn't something we normally did in my family and sometimes it can be kind of weird. But the more I do it, the more I love being connected spiritually and physically with my brothers and sisters. I am constantly reminded that our prayer language is very important. Mind your thee's and thou's, we gotta respect and love God the same way my cute friend respected me even when she was laughing at my voice (; God is always listening!

Also last thing, Marianna has some DANG HUGE hills. I'm talking San Francisco stuff here. Yeah I biked up a super steep one and needless to say I'm gonna have thunder thighs pretty soon. Hahahaha.

Y'all have a good day. (: (: (: (: (: (: (: (: 

-sister  P E T E R S E N