Man, I feel like a Woman.

CAN WE ALL JUST AGREE HOW AWESOME IT FEELS TO BE A SISTER IN THE CHURCH AND A WOMAN IN THE WORLD?!?!

~We deserve Donuts

Okie doke smokes. Tuesday morning we had interviews with President Smith and that's always fun. Then I had to train at District Meeting on contacting people/HTBT. It was funny because I'm not used to teaching solo haha so every time I said something I'd look at Sister Evensen to chime in. HAHA. She did, like a champ. 

We hunted down Tracy at her work because she has not been answering any texts or anything. When she saw us come in she just started crying. Tracy is probably one of the most solid people I have ever met on my mission and basically her boyfriend is an alcoholic and very abusive and he's anti-ing her hardcore. She's in a very sticky situation. But she assured us that it had nothing to do with us or her testimony of this gospel. She just needs to figure some stuff out because he won't even let her see us. It was heartbreaking. I've never left Pizza Hut sad until that day. 

~ Our cute Buddy Bella (: (:

Later that night, we had a few minutes before we left to go to the ward Relief Society activity. We decided to go find a recent convert of 4 years that we've never met before. As we were driving, we were both a little down because of all the events of the day, and then we couldn't find the address anywhere! Alex Boye did a cover of "Have I Done Any Good" and it came on in the car. We were kind of laughing trying to get pumped and this line pierced me, "Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?" Just then, I looked up and saw two older gentlemen, one in a wheelchair, who both looked homeless. I told Sister Evensen to pull over! Bruce and Charles were NOT interested to hear about the gospel and they made that known as soon as they saw us. But, as we talked with them, they invited us inside into the Rehab Center they were in front of.

The next day we went back to the facilit,y to talk to the activity director to volunteer in the week, where we met Antonica, a young mom from Jamaica, who recognized us because she's seen missionaries a lot back home on their bike! And while we were talking to Antonica, a woman rolled her chair to Sister Evensen and in a very hard to understand pleading voice she said, "Are you Mormon?" Sister Evensen said, "Yes, I am!" And the woman replied, "Me too." We didn't discover until later, that Debbie was the recent convert we were originally searching for!!!! She had a stroke shortly after her baptism and she's been in this rehabilitation center ever since.

How marvelous are the workings of God? I know I did my best to explain this story in words but it's impossible to explain how miraculous it was to meet Debbie. And her tender spirit is just hungering to be close to the Savior. Everyone we told this story to didn't realize the magnitude of what had happened, but we know it, and we know that God knows it. "To God each good work will be known."

~ DEBBIE!

Ok, ok, ok, I know that was heavy stuff but I can't control the miracles that we saw this week. This is a quick one. A few weeks ago I wrote about my bee sting story.  🐝 So on an exchange with Sister Whatcott, we went back to go see John, the old man with the bee cream. Well, his wife was not warm and fuzzy to say the least, and she turned us away. So we went across the street to knock some doors and the neighbor we went to was also quite uninterested. But right as she was shutting the door, Sister Whatcott asked if any of her neighbors had recently moved in, and she directed us to their other neighbor. When we went and knocked on the newly moved in neighbors, we woke Ashley up from a nap. She was pretty groggy but really nice. She told us we were more than welcome to come back it was just a bad time.

This initial contact with Ashley happened about a month ago. Wednesday, during our daily planning, we looked at our whiteboard of names and we both zeroed in on Ashley. When we went to her house later that day her husband Blake answered. He was so, so nice. He explained how he grew up Jehovah's Witness and he left that organization because he felt like he didn't really know God. He believes in God but he wants to know the God of justice AND mercy. He wants to know the God of commandments AND love. We had a really great conversation with him and we hope to teach their family very shortly. Send prayers because they are searchers of the truth. There is too many things that have led to them being found, God does not design coincidences!

~Sister Viola at Sister's Conf (:

Also we had a mission wide Sister's Conference on Friday, and I'm pretty sure President Smith saw that me and Sister Evensen are getting along way too well, so with transfers coming up next week, extra prayers are welcome to the #SaveSistersEvetersen companionship! HAHAHA

~A little piece of home (Cafe Rio Salads) 

                                   My soul cannot wait to hear the words of our prophets this week at General Conference. Friends, the true and living church of Jesus Christ is on the Earth today. I know it. And I know that God is working miracles through His servants to bring to pass His children's happiness. It's like when a loving parent fills your car with gas without you asking, or folds your laundry, or has your dinner ready on a plate when you are running in and out of the house, or gives you their gloves when you're at a soccer game in a blizzard. Yes my parents did all these things because they love me, and you don't realize it until you look back how much the Lord loves us and he is cheering us on every step of the way. (: I love you all so much!                                                                            SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

Don't let the fear of not being Slash, keep you from playing guitar

Short and sweet, just like my pinky toe. We did back-to-back exchanges this week. We went up to Atmore and then drove over to Semmes. It was way fun but truly exhausting. I've never felt more excited to come back to my own bed. Which isn't actually my bed.... but still. It gets the job done. 

ATMORE: We stopped and got some dinner at Subway and when we walked in the worker was like, "Those name tags look familiar." AHH. We flipped. Bethany turned out to be a less active member who has really been struggling. She bought us dinner and then sat down and joined us. It was really cool because we could talk very boldly and openly with her because we don't even know her. She is so amazing and we were so excited that we ran through her path that day!

SEMMES: My dad always threatened that we would have to live in a "double-wide down by the river" if he ever lost his job. Well I'll have you know, double-wide trailers are actually quite cozy. The Semmes sisters sleep in a trailer. In the middle of nowhere. On a farm. Needless to say, I will no longer be complaining about the weird smell in our study room. Whilst in Semmes, me and Sister Wall were walking and started talking to a lady sitting in her front yard. I asked her what she's looking for in a church and she said she just wants a church that's focused on families. We walked away because we didn't know how to help her. JUST KIDDING BECAUSE THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST HAS THE PROMISED BLESSING THAT FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER THAT'S WHAT'S UP. Yeah Kristen and her family will be baptized in the near future, I guarantee it.

Other than that, we have been searching for the elect. We sadly did not reach our five goals, but the Lord is still helping us out. Please pray for our investigator Tracy, she was supposed to be baptized this week and she has a lot going on in her life. We love her so much and she is very prepared, Satan is just working his hardest. 

Last note, no pun intended. At Zone Conference last week President Smith asked us if we're happy with the person we're becoming. Then I had a vision for not only myself but all my brothers and sisters around me. Are they happy when they look into the future? Do they have hope? Not the way we do. They don't know their Savior to the full extent as we do. I read a talk that explained how Jesus Christ knew what he had to do before he preformed the atonement, but he had never actually experienced the true exacting exquisite pain of it. And his submissiveness to being our savior, being who our Heavenly Father appointed him to be, change the course of human existence through the eternities. In our primary program the children sang "Gethsemane." At the climax of the song, each little child sang powerfully, "The fight was won by Jesus." 

So if Jesus Christ can be a pivot point, why can't we. I decided I want to be someone that I am proud of becoming. I wear my glasses now, I'm applying to BYU, post-mish, and I'm picked up playing guitar. Who knows what the Lord has in store for every single person on this earth. But I do know we have the divine gift to choose which direction we go because of the beautiful gift of our great Redeemer's sacrifice.

Decisions determine destiny, choose your course and then run as fast as you can towards God.

-SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

ps. my nails are only blue because my bff Addy who's getting baptized in October painted them today. (:

Hide yo wife, hide yo kids, IRMA is here

My lovelies. How are you beautiful souls doing around the world?

IRMA- I'll cut to the chase and tell you what you really want to know, Hurricane Irma is not going to hit Fairhope, sadly.....but the East half of the mission is on total lock down! It's been so exciting here! Wow. Last Monday Elder Southway went on and on about how the hurricane was coming this way and we needed to be prepared, me and Sister Evensen were like "yeah yeah". Well the next day President Smith orders a mission wide conference call and he very strictly instructs us to get water cases, top our gas, and have a go bag ready if we needed to leave within a half hour. WHAT.

Now, I'm not your average Joe who goes into panic mode, but I'll tell you how foolish we felt not having any water and having to run to Walmart and all the water was completely SOLD OUT! WE HAD TO BUY RICH PEOPLE WATER (dasani). Lesson of the 10 Virgins I'm tellin ya. #calledtorepentance

-Sis E preppin for IRMA

Basically this week has been like the funnest week of my whole mission. Nobody is keeping their return apts because of hurricane prep but literally ANYBODY will talk to us if you use the word Irma in your approach. Blessings in disguise! We debated whether or not to make cardboard signs that say "REPENT NOW- IRMA IS HERE" and stand on the street corners preachin. 😉

Alright alright. Thursday we went back to my homeland of Fort Walton, what a celestial area, and we had Mission Leadership Council with President and Sister Smith. Whoa talk about some spiritual giants. I couldn't even soak in all their inspiration. Basically it's just this meeting where we talk about moving the work forward across the mission. It was AWESOME. But this is SO EMBARRASSING, I'm in this room with crazy good missionaries and we had to take a vote on what we thought needed improvement, and for the first option I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT RAISED MY HAND. HAHAHAHAHA Me and Sister Evensen could not stop laughing!!!

.

Straight from there I went and stayed the night in Mobile with Sister Polanco on an exchange. Dang straight Mobile was intense. HAHA. We went and proselyted all day in a town called Pritchard. (If you've ever seen that meme "hide yo kids, hide yo wife" that was made there) Met some AMAZING people! It was so awesome! Then we went back to Fairhope for Zone conference the next day.

-My Zone Sistas

At 8:30 at night me and Sister Evensen find out that because of the storm situation our neighboring zone would be combined with us.... what. So we had to train a whole bunch of missionaries, like 60 something. You can feel the power of other missionaries. I made a fool of myself multiple times but all is well. Moral of the story is, me and Sister Evensen are basically best buds with President because we laugh at all his jokes! HAHAHA, We're like his personal audience.

-President and his lackeys

Sunday rolls around and we go to this appointment, they don't answer. But while we're standing on his porch 3 police cars slowly round the corner to a house. 🚓 We both kind of agree that it's a little sketch, but we wear tags, we're fine. Next we walk over to their neighbor and this really creepy car with completely tinted windows rolls right next to us and stops.. Then this really drunk guy standing outside tells us that someone down the street just got shot! THE SPIRIT BASICALLY YELLED AT US TO GET OUTTA DODGE. We thank him and quickly make our way back to our car. I will neither confirm nor deny that Sister Evensen held my hand because she was so scared. Isn't that so cool that Heavenly Father kept us safe. (:

Tracy is in a tough situation so please please pray for her! And this coming week we're focusing on 5's. 5 BCDs, 5 Friends at Sacrament Mtg, 5 New Friends. (: Pray for 5's.

Well friends, I want you to know that God loves His children. Straight up. No if's, and's, or but's. Reach out and spread the love. Don't wait until a hurricane is on it's way to be your best self. We experienced a lot of miracles this week and if I wrote them all you'd have to get a life long subscription. Just know that God is working miracles here. We are messengers of truth. And like I've been saying since one year ago September, the Florida Tallahassee Mission has a big storm coming. 

I have just begun to fight.

SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

I say, that what you say, is what I SAY

Put it on the books, you heard it here first, miracles are straight going down in Bama. WARNING: Please properly secure your surroundings before continuing the following email, in the words of Mitchell Mosher, it's gonna get "lit."

Dumping tea like she's a Yankee

Tracy- What a wonderful human being. On Monday night we committed her to live the Word of Wisdom. I promised her I would run a mile every single day until she gets baptized. We went back on Wednesday and she confessed that she had been drinking the rest of her jug of sweet tea trying to finish it off. We were devastated. So one thing led to another and the spirit did it's thing, and we were standing in her kitchen cheering her on as she poured every last drop of the sweet tea down the drain!!!! SHE IS SUCH A MIRACLE!

I've ran 26.2 in the pouring rain, what's 1.3 more?

.....then I got super super sick on wednesday and thursday because there's actually a hurricane outside and we wanted to keep our promise about running so we still ran in the pouring rain...... don't try this one at home kids.

Later in the week we had exchanges with some sisters and it was SO FUN! I was like "okie doke Sister Whatcott, I have no idea what I'm doing so let's just go for it." And then MIRACLES! We happened to go to the library and while we were there, this guy walks straight past us, turns around, and then introduces himself! As we talk with him, we find out that he has been friends with all the missionaries that have come through this area for the past couple years or so. Turns out he's been kind of out of contact with them but he was so nice! And get this, his last name is "Moormen" LIKE WHAT. That's not even a joke. He ended up coming to our volleyball shin dig that night. Well it was good at first, but then we quickly got into a soft bible bash, LIKE WHAT. The Elders, just like walked away, HAHA. So me and Sister Evensen held our ground, invited, testified, showed charity, welcomed him to stay and play volleyball. It was crazy. But I felt like the spirit was actually able to be in that convo because we were standing in the church! MIRACLE.

(SAUCES)

So basically me and Sis E have the most unified companionship with the spirit and we were able to testify and back each other and it was beautiful. The next day at church our lesson was on witnesses and double edged swords. The gospel will pierce souls when the testimonies of two or three (spirit) witnesses bear it. Whenever I have no idea what to do, I look at my companion, we look up, and we say that what He says, is what we say. Because we're the ultimate Newsies, spreading the GOOD NEWS OF THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL.

SEIZE THE DAY, SEIZE THE MOMENT. And for all you humans in the world not living in Alabama.... Ezekiel 20:29, my heart goes out to ya.

It's a birthday present.... from ME

Welp. Nothing new for the new kids on the block. Oh except one small thing.... HAPPY 8 MONTHS TO ME AND SIS E         

 SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

the sad story of my life

Sweet Home ALABAMA. Cliche? Get over it.

ALABAMA BABY!!!!! I LITERALLY MADE IT. I AM LIVING THE DREAM!

This past week has been such a bizarre dream. Monday/Tuesday was complete chaos getting ready to leave Marianna. We went to appointments and said goodbye to people and just ran around like chickens with their heads chopped off! BUT I'll have y'all know, I did manage to pack all my things into my 3 suitcases...... with a laundry basket for my shoes hahaha. BUT THAT'S REALLY GOOD FOR A SISTER! After the ward party Tuesday night (they were celebrating P. Monson's birthday HAHAHA),                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             we drove to Tallahassee and spent the night with some sisters there. Which was such a tender mercy because one of the sisters served in Marianna and Fairhope so I got the goodbye and hello! 

Transfer Day: GOLLY. So exhausting. I helped people pack up stuff all morning and geez louise Florida is a warm little bugger I'll tell you. We sweat a lot that day. So I rode the Hasselhough! I drove on the transfer 15 seater van on the longest stretch, Tallahassee to Mobile! It wasn't that bad but I was so tired after being energetic and upbeat all day long to please the fans. But I did see all my comps leaving like Sis Ramadhar and Sis Saunders (: When I got to Mobile stop you already know Sis E greeted me like a long lost puppy that finally returned home. We were flippin. And basically we haven't stopped talking and laughing and straight up preaching the gospel since that moment. I literally love serving. I just love my calling. I love scattering sunshine into people's souls.

this random dude gave us free donuts because we're missionaries. Legit I love Alabama

Fairhope. what. THIS IS THE CUTEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. I mean seriously. This place is like so perfect. Everything here just ignites my soul. I love being in Alabama, I love the people. Fairhope is like "small town" but it's like classy southern. Not just run down old time southern. IT'S SO CHARMING. And we are working with amazing investigators. AHHHHHH. We had a lesson with Tracy about the Plan of Salvation and she was so excited and just loved everything we taught her. It's lessons like that when I know that this is so true. There's no way something false could bring so much happiness and joy into a conversation. She is getting baptized September 23rd, send prayers (:

dun dunna dun dun dun ~STORY TIME WITH SISTA P~ 

We knocked on someone's door who wasn't home and I get stung by a bee, 🐝 so I was a little grumpy. Then Sister Evensen was like, "Why did the Lord want us to be in this neighborhood today? Who do we need to talk to?" Right then some guy pulls up next door and gets out of his car. So we speed walk trying to get to him but he goes inside and we knock on the door and he's totally not interested, no worries thank you for your time sir! We look across the street and this older gentleman is washing his car. So to break the ice I say hello and ask if he has any cream for my bee stung finger! He was very alarmed and he directed us firmly to take a seat on his front porch while he went inside to get something. John came back out with a pharmacy in his arms and his front shirt pocket was stuffed full of creams and ointments. HAHAHAH. It was so kind! He was so so cute! He then proceeded to cake my finger in antibiotic ointment just to be sure. He was so cute! We started talking about our purpose as missionaries and he got really emotional. He told us a story of a young man that was in the Navy with him many many years ago who was a Mormon. John told us how much he always loved his example of the Savior and just being so Christlike. It was such a miracle that we got to talk to John and that he had the opportunity to serve us with my finger. We are going back to teach John and his wife Marilyn later this week. 

I know this is not just a coincidence. I know we are on the Lord's errand and He is working miracles all around us every single day. Open your eyes to His miracles. They are everywhere and they are not just limited to His missionaries. The day of miracles has not ceased. 

Well that's about it for the weekly. Sister Evensen is all of my wildest dreams come true. I swear it shouldn't be allowed for us to be companions because we basically are like best friends and we have way to much fun for this to feel like work. We talk to everyone. We even parked our car on the side of the road and ran down this girl walking! Take advantage of every blessing God weaves into your daily life. 

SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

TOTAL ECLIPSE of the HEART

classic pics

Boy, do I have a treat for you..... The last 72 hours have been the most emotionally exhausting in my entire life. More than my breakups, my makeups, death, life, high school, mtc, my soul is spent. But I mean, every now and then I fall apart ya know? Here's the gist.... Thursday evening President Smith swung up here to the boonies and we had a good quick interview. His love and piercing eyes just spoke to my spirit so closely. I got an overwhelming feeling like something was about to change. I laughed and kind of started bawling and told him I did not want to leave Marianna. He nodded and said, "I wouldn't be moving you Sister Petersen." Well obvi, I was uber on edge the next couple of days in anticipation for our Zone Leaders to call about transfers. 

eclipse I legit took this pic

For 72 hours my heart felt as though it was being ripped apart. I cried like 28 times. Well I was studying, and in my papers I found Elder Bednar's last address about serving as a missionary and being assigned to labor in a certain area of the world. This scripture pierced my very soul.

“Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss.”

I suddenly became completely aligned with God's will no matter what it might be.

Sunday afternoon as we were driving through some back roads we got a phone call from President Smith himself. What. I pulled over because my whole body was shaking. He informed us that Sister Anderson is going to be training a new missionary here in Marianna, yep the tears started rolling. Well what happened next changed my life. President got very quiet and said, "Sister Petersen are you there?" Through a little voice cracking I answered. Next he said, "You will be serving in Fairhope, Alabama, with Sister Evensen."

Sister Evensen. 

SISTER EVENSEN.

SISTER EVENSEN.

!!!!!SISTER EVENSEN!!!!!

I sat completely shocked. I didn't even answer. And then I said, "Are you pullin my leg President??" HAHAHAHAHAAHAH SO EMBARRASSING. OH MY GOSH THEN THE CHEERING SCREAMING AND JUMPING UP AND DOWN TOOK PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE ON SOME ABANDONED DIRT ROAD. I think President was very inspired because God knew I would go kicking and screaming unless in some way he could top the miracles I have been experiencing in Marianna. He knew I need her now tonight, I need her more than ever! We will be holdin on forever. He knew this is the only was I would truly react all in, cheerful, about my assignment!!!! HE IS SO WONDERFUL. Literally I am full of wonder and awe that He thinks the Mobile Zone can handle what me and my best buddy are about to hit it with. BOIIIIII

yours truly with all that Southern Charm

So in my farewell to Marianna.. My heart has been Total Eclipsed. This is a very very BITTER SWEET move. But I love my dear friends I have here with all my heart. We will meet again one day, I know it. This morning we stopped by one of my dearest friends Ms. Mary Ellen and she told me I'll always be her missionary, then she pinky promised me that she is going to take the lessons from the missionaries so I can come back and baptize her. <3 This week we worked hard. We started a Book of Mormon class that we had many people come to, we saw a lot of people and our group of investigators truly is God's elect. I love my friends and family here and I know God has a plan for them.

Other sheep I have which are not of this fold...in Fairhope Alabama. (: So turn around bright eyes because the Mobile Zone's gotta big storm a comin'

Ms. Mary Ellen and us with our gnarly shades

Go do something amazing while the Fire Nation is at it's weakest! GOD SPEED KIDS

SISTER  p e t e r s e n 

Long Live the #MaryHadALittleLambDistrict