1/27/14 LONG letter

 "Correction is vital if we would conform our lives “unto a perfect man, [that is,] unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Paul said of divine correction or chastening, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” (Hebrews 12:6). Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct. Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.

I listened to this talk “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten,” By D. Todd Christofferson Sunday morning  and everything became clear!   Past events that happened about month ago truly brought to my knees and wanted to be better. This was a way of god telling me  "i need to cut u down so you can  want to change and be the better  then u are!"  President Rowe said "in this Mission just being good is not enough for these countries, we need miracles.. we need more" so we  really  have to go above and beyond!  As i have taken that to heart i thought how can i be better how can i be who the lord wants me to be. How can my mission truly change me!  then i read about desire and a quote saying" Being who u are is great, but as a leader we have to be something else."  As i have tried applying all this in my life i have truly seen the hand of the lord come forth before me and bless me.   the biggest thing i have done to start off the new year is listen to a conference talk day and have fasted every week for the work and with prayer the lord has seen my efforts! 

As i am writing this to you my heart is full joy and compassion for our savior who is all mighty! my whole time in Rijeka  things have been going way slow but this past 2 weeks the heavens  windows have been opened  and  there is not enough room to receive them all! Malachi 3 :10.  we gained a member referral (which is like unheard of here!) and she loved Church how she just felt like a family! so we met with her and we had two members on the lesson and the spirit was so strong! the members were just the best!  she just felt so light and happy  like heaven on earth, so i asked her the question (ps boys should not be nervous to ask girl to get married cause asking the baptismal question i think really prepares them!) "If u find out the book of Mormon is true will you get baptized?" She said, "Of course! I feel it its true!"  WOW! ON THE SECOND LESSON! She lives with with her boyfriend and has 4 kids and one of hers children just pasted away. she is the sweet thing i have ever met!  so now we just have to talk to the boyfriend- but he said we could come back!  

Then on Friday we had a huge aktivnost! soo many people came like 30 people! then on sunday we  get around 20 people at church, but we had 52 there! we had 3 investigator and 3 potential investigator who we invited!  we got a new senior couple who are from Hawaii who are Asian and the babbles felt! so sad. then president Rowe was there! We were in shock. Right before president row interview me, Antonija (our baptism), said, "My friend will be here in 5 min TO MEET Y'ALL i just want u to give her a book of Mormon and meet people  so she can feel like how i was feeling!" so we met her friend and wow she was like ok here is my number and see me this week so i can talk about the church! WHAT THE HECK ARE U KIDDING ME?  IT WAS THE BEST THING OF MY LIFE! I JUST DID NT KNOW WHAT TO DO!  i ran down the streets of EUROPE DOING LEAPS SCREAMING !I LOVE MY LIFE I LOVE MY LIFE!!!  

Then president Rowe wanted to have a interview and when i told him what i have told u he had tears in his eyes and just said you are an amazing missionary and know that i love u!  he said i could tell something has changed about u!  i feel a different spirit, a stronger spirit about u then i have before.  it was just so nice to hear that hard work is paying off and people can see it!

After the lesson and i had really fish!!!! white fish from the sea!!! i was nervous but it was really good and didn't smell!   and then our investigator was life forcing me to drink wine and just said, look here is a spoon, just try it! so we gave them the word of wisdom! i have never been pressured so much in my life! shoot if i didn't beak it in college or high school there was not way i was breaking it on my mission!   but then after last night we went to a Catholic church with one of our potential investigator and then she texted us this morning saying " i am so grateful to have met u, u make me want to be better and i feel a light around you! so now we are going to ask her if she wants the lesson! 

Then this morning i was reading some blessings and as i was reading i was brought to my knees to thank our Father in Heaven for all he as given me and as then i felt this joy fill my whole body as i almost had tears in my eyes as i felt this peace saying "Yes, this is who i want u to be, you are on the right path!" i have only felt like this only a few times in my life! Just remember we one day it will all  be made clear why we have the challenges we do but they are for the better to bring us closer to our savior and get to know him more!  I love it here and the work and the people! and my district and my companion! 

xoxxo

sister peterson!

missions are the best as you really find out who u are! 

1/20/14 Letter

“Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.

President Monson

SHOOT IT IS RAINING CATS And DOGS HERE EVERYDAY!! i have never seen so much rain in my life, but its fun=)

I love it here! i live next to the sea, i have a great companion and i really like the people i have met. right when the transfer is about to be over i finally feel like i know how to do missionary work in this city! 

Well this week  was a little slow in start but i had a lot of goals to reach! my goals were to just listen to motab for a week and see if i felt the spirit more then EFY, but after the trial run to be honest i didn't feel a difference. Well I have also started listening to a conference talk every single day as that is one of my new goals for the new year. I love it! Two talks are only about 15 min long and i just listen to them when i get ready! It makes a big difference in one's life i promise you this. 

In zone conference we talked about how in the morning when u first wake up those first few hours really make or break your day so do what ever u can to really be in tune with the spirit!  We have so many talks for us so USE THEM!  I have seen how it really makes my day ten times better!

This week started slow as everyone cancelled on us!  so it was off to tracking a tone cause we had like to one to teach, but then came Sunday!  in Sunday i gave my FIRST TALK IN CROATIAN , and man i was so nervous but i think it went really well, and then the missionaries all sang! We had a student from English class there and she was like "Oh i love the way i feel in this church." Then this member who brought a friend, and she has for 4 children and we are going to start teaching her! Then  we took the bus cause the senior couple feeds us every Sunday.  On the bus i gave this girl some glow stick and then it stated a conversation with her father and then i let my comp talk to this dad while i contacted  this other lady on the bus and we totally got her number! I was just like "Can i have it, can i have it?" ahha and turnes out she lives really close to us!

Then we were tracting and this one guy like opened the door like half way then closed it in our face, and then i was no lets just wait... then we knocked again and he was just like come on in!  so we gave him a lesson then his wife walked in the door with there 15 daughter!!!  we totally gave them a lesson and  were so nice and want us to come back!  then we sang for them cause my comp likes to sing to!  i have never sang more in my life then on my mission every where i go i am asked to sing which i love!  Me and my comp came out screaming cause we felt so good!!!! When u have things happen like that your world is on fire and its the best feeling in the world! the we were contacting up a storm and we contacted this model who has a Italian model boyfriend! She is awesome and we are going to hang out and then we are going! She said she is different cause is she not one of those model who is going to be used  she has better values then that! 

I LOVE IT HERE!

WOW  Sunday was just golden as it was raining so hard but i prayed that people would still come and it was a miracle that people still came!   There is no better joy that when u share the gospel, I have never felt this kind of joy before! this gospel is so true and I'm loving doing the work and sharing it with the people here! 

love y'all lots and have a great day! 

xoxo

sister peterson 

01/06/14 letter

WOW CAN U BELIEVE THAT NEW YEARS WAS THIS WEEK! WHAT THE HECK?  

The days have been flying by here like i am living in a dream! Well lets just say i have never hates holidays but it really slows down the work as no one wants to meet, but today was the last of it so I'm really ready to spring up and start! As Sister Frampton would say "NEVER STOP STARTING."  

Well on Monday, on our way home we saw our first African here!!! so we hunted him down and followed him cause we have to talk to him!  shoot i am training to be an agent or something we liked walked passed him and we didn't have a conversation so  we walked into two other stores and just like waited and then walked passed him and talked to him! he is from Niagara and it gets better as he and 5 others play for the city team here in rijeka!   So we totally met up with them in the church and played in the church!! if they can be baptized my life would be complete! then on news years we woke up at 12( well u really could not sleep) to see the million of fireworks over here and  ever second it sounded like bombs going off! i have never heard anything like it! we got out sparkling cider and took lots of videos! then the senior couple made us a great breakfast! Well then i found out that the cops have been hunting me down in varažđin  as they came to the house there cause i need my visa, then as we were tracking i said hi to a cop and then he started question, so that's my life haha.  

So who wants to hear an amazing story!  Well on new years we had this impression to visit less active  and so we did. now we have tried to see this person like 10 time but she was not home, and to our surprise this poor girl answered with tears in her eyes! it was her birthday and no one saw here, new years, and she just found out that her grandpa had cancer!  the spirit can work in small ways to bring forth big blessings to others. we sang to her and the elders gave her a blessing. the lord truly cares about all his children.  well i love my ward and this week we had 32 people at church! they were amazed! we had 1 investigator and 1 less active!  

Then yesterday we were walking in the rain for like  2 hours and it led us to his less active house and his non member wife house so we fave her a lesson and she had chills when we were talking about the BOM she knows its true and she is excited for us to come again!  I think i felt the spirit the most then i have on any other lesson! 

i love it here and the people and the branch! I'm am excited for this new  year and to fulfill new goals!

love y'all lots

123 sister peterson

12/30/13 Letter

Wow it's it really over and gone! Holy cow time is flying!!!! Happy New Years Eve and New Years! 

Well Christmas was amazing cause i got to talk to y'all! It broke my heart when i heard Kai Kai (that's how they spell it in Croatian) said " i missed u when u left, when are u coming back!" My heart!!! i just want to give all the little kids the biggest hug in the world!!! 

On Christmas eve or badnjak we made cookies and delivered them to peoples houses! them at the church we got together and made gingerbread house! lets just say mine looked the best from all the years of experience i have =)  well then we went in the center of the town and the night before Christmas i was about to go "but then i thought..umm... better not!"  lots of bands are out playing and everyone is drinking then church service starts at like 12 at night! 

On Christmas i had to keep the tradition alive as i hid me companion gifts from her family as we made pancakes and muffins!  then after our Christmas morning was over we went to the amazing family house where they cooked this amazing meal of Croatians special meat with amazing cabbage(like they make it all hear and its so good!)  but first we always start with soup  then we potatoes bread and  about 5 desserts! it was so good!  then she asked for me to sing for her as a Christmas gift! so i did that and after i learned how to play chess..... I'm not well.... the best, but i try ahah. then i talked to my amazing family and after that the Senior couple made an amazing Texas chill as they lived in Austin! it a first that we have a district with no people from Utah in it, and everyone is so surprised cause everyone that served here is from Utah!  well then we went out and Christmas caroled to more people! that was my Christmas! it was good!  

Here people put up the Christmas tree the night before Christmas and leaves it up till the 6 we three kings day!  and here the 26 is also a holiday too!  So the one 26 we went to look in this beautiful catholic church. It's had these amazing shells filled with holy water and this beautiful nativity set! As the service was going on  and people were chanting and holding the beads with the cross i had the biggest confirmation that the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS  is the true church on the earth.  Though crossed my mind our savior Jesus did not give his sermons in these big beautiful buildings but in a peaceful humble place like around nature. It made me think that the churches here are small but the people are humble and u get a totally different feel when u walk into our church as it is simple but beautiful and u can feel a light happy feeling when u enter. How lucky are we!  

Then on Sunday we taught the preacher and he is very smart about the bible, but like how William Tyndale said, 

"If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture, than he doest." (Talking about the king of England.)

That statement is so true that as boys and girls, we go out and preach this Gospel about the the bible and book of Mormon how they go together and how not one is great but equal. As I was talking with this 65 year old man who write books on the bible, I could quote Scripture right back with him. He said I study the bible an hour a day, and i think he was surprised when I said, Good me too!  he said he has a lot of respect for us that was are so bold to do this in a different. And i just said we have the same God, same savior same bible and that the bible and now Christ church is restored on the earth just when Christ walked on the earth as we have 12 apostles, revelation and priesthood!  how lucky are we. well we prayed for him and then he was like oh you are in trouble i am going to start praying for u know hahaa! i said good i would like that please ahah! and he said we will so who's faith is stronger hahahah! I think he think i am going to H---. hahah. oh man fun stuff!  

Well other then that we got a ticket on our car cause we parked in the spot! European parking!!! Well don't worry i am still the same as i ran into a mail box and my head started bleeding! then as i touched my hair! i chunk of hair fell out of my head!!! my worst fear was happening before my eyes!!! ahhhhh!!!! like a chunk!!!! well as my shirt was covered in hair i realized it a day later that the mail box edge cut my hair!!! so now i have like a bald spot in my hair!!! what the freak!!! other than that i love it here and it is beautiful! i gave my first talk, but i forgot like half of it haha! 

hope all is well! 

123

 sestra peterson!

12/23/2013 Letter

Wow, it felt like Christmas in varaždin but here by the sea its not that cold so i don't feel like it's Christmas! Well dobro došli to me to rijeka! this place is much bigger -I felt like i was living in New York or something! i just can't imagine the shock i will get when i come back to America! I really like it here- people are still up and about past 7pm!  it rains everyday here but i look out my window and see islands. And the water is really clear! how lucky am i? everything is on hills so i get a work out in!  I have never been to San Fran but i heard  its kind of like that there with the hills and the sea!

 

My week has been crazy with parties, packing, preaching! My bags weigh about 70 pounds each so my shoulder almost broke off and then the next day it was so soar! Well all this week i was saying good bye to people and having my last lessons with them.  it was so sad! On Wednesday we had a English good bye party and we played the reindeer game that i learned from Briana and we had a magic show! wow the magician was amazing (our English student ) so crazy! and then it got better and i got the best surprise of my life!!!! Santa cause to the good bye party!!!! my mouth dropped to the floor!  i had not clue who it was but i loved it so much!  then after that we had the missionary Christmas party the next day! it was so fun to have everyone from 5 countries be together again! when we sang song we a new person serving in a different country came up and leaded us in Christmas carols right now Croatia has the most missionaries in it! well i was having a fun time dancing in my seat when this old senior sister pulled me up from the crowed and made me sing and dance and lead one of the song... so embarrassing!!! my face was as red as Santa suit!  

It was way fun as for the white elephant give mine made the top 7 best gifts as i have a hot pink sparkle tie with some negro candy!  then we played this really fun game where all the girls had scarfs and boys had ties and ever time in the Christmas story it said right or left we had to pass our scarf that way! then we played the candy bar game ex you put on the gloves and hat! it was snowing in Zagreb! then we had a devotional and dinner and i was off with my new companion to rijeka! 

On the bus i talked to this one girl who is 19 and she was like "wow you have so much positive energy and i love how you care to much!" i started talking about the church and when our 2 hour bus ride was over i gave her a book of Mormon and she was like, "What up love this booki cant have it?"  She took it and we are planning to meet up with her soon!  Friday i met the member and it was amazing to have kids in a ward! it was so weird!  and then they said "Sister Peterson u are singing on Sunday in two days!" hello ok? Sure why not? Anything for Jesus right?

On Sunday we had a Christmas sacrament and a great dinner after with the members as on member is a chef! sooo good! the branch president is a senior couple so i hear understand the meeting again haha! well also played basketball on Saturday with 2  investigators and 1 less active and then on Sunday they came to church!  it felt so good to play again!  well i am happy to say i found the next apostle! i can feel it! we traced into a preacher who is writing all these bible book and we were quoting scripture in the bible back and forth how the bible talks about the coming forth of the book of Mormon and it made me so happy as like every verse in his bible was highlighted! so we said he would read and we are going to meet with him again! I'm so excited to be teaching him! 

well marry Christmas friends and family!

talk to you soon

xoxo

 sestra peterson