9/29 Letter

Hey Ya'll! 

This morning was the best every as a watched the best videos from the family!  I was laughing so hard!

Another week has flown by  as we were running back and worth. 

This week we found 6 new investigators but sadly we had no investigators at church. But less actives are starting to come back so that great!  This week we met a girl from Wisconsin who is living here for 9 months and it was really fun being around her. Then as we were running everywhere we finally had a free day where we just contacted all day.  It was amazing as we said ok we are going to have a 20  min conversation this this guy. Next thing you know we totally did! Then we saw another lady right after and said ok lets go round 2 go big or go home baby as we were going to have another 20 min conversation with his mom and her 2 kids! Ask and ye shall receive-as we totally did!  

We gave out 2 books of Mormon in a part of town where before it was impossible to even talk to people for 5 min! the Lord is truly working miracles here! Then we had a lesson with this lady who is really poor and it was so humbling as we played soccer with her 10 year old  son who crushed up paper and tape for a ball. Then we truly met this woman on the street and her daughter and started talking to them. I felt that I needed to tell her that she is a daughter of God. Her her eyes became glossy as she was about to cry! She said, " Please come to my house anytime!" She is so prepared! I cant wait to meet with her!! 

So funny story for the week! I was late and i i was just not really feeling contacting cause we were doing it all day so we were walking by our investigators house... but she just moves cause her parents are moving into that house now. so being the person i am...  i was like lets go meet here parents! And i kind of had to go to the bathroom so i was like lets just go and ask to use to bathroom. So i totally knocked on there door and was like "I'm a friend of your daughter ... can I use the bathroom?" I bet that's a new door one liner for some people haha! Her father was so nice and was like come back anytime and his wife was not there so we had to leave but we will come back another time ha it was so funny!  

This week because i am presidents little experiment, cause we have gotten the most investigators in the mission.

He is looking forward to an energetic presentation from Sisters Peterson and Marlow. So pray for us because we don't exactly have 30 yet. I think we have hit a record in the mission for investigator in a month. I'm trying to work my big Texas heart! 

I'm so grateful for the opportunities God had given me everyday. I praise His name and love him so much-he is so great!

Love y'all lots,
setra peterson

9/22 Letter

IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT!   BEING A MISSIONARY IS TRULY THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD!  

This week we were running around with our heads cut of like chickens getting things ready but in the end it was it was a very spiritual calm peaceful event! Let's start with an out line of this week. On Tuesday we surprised Elder Davison (senior couple) and I decorated the church for this birthday... we used colored toilet paper cause we do not have streamers here.. and then then we said one more good bye to President Rowe. 

After that we had a ton of new students come for English class.  We taught English at the children's  hospital Tuesday and wed. I love this opportunity to serve in the hospitals, like in Rijeka we taught English to the mental handicap, and in Banja Luka we teach every Tuesday and Wednesday English and play games with them. The children are 6-17 years old! I love just being with them-it's really made me think about what I truly want to do after my mission. 

Then the parties and festivities really started as we got on the bus to pic up sister Marks for the baptism! We woke up at 4:30 and didn't come home to about 2 from traveling.  I just feel like dad-as we always travel now and from country to country or for exchanges, which are like 3 or 4 hours always. But its really fun. It was amazing seeing sister Marks!!! She is my best Texas friend who i have not seen in forever! We have never had a sleep over or exchange  or served in the same area or country really so it was a great!  Sister Rankin, Marks,  and i are best friends-aka three musketeers but we have never all been together and our dreams came true!  And it just got betting as it was sister Rankin's  birthday! She turned 21 so we threw her a surprise party! The Balkans is like the worlds best keep secret but is funny how thy don't really know how to keep a secret. everyone was like ..oh the party tomorrow... haha but we covered it up really well so she was surprised! 

The next day we were getting everything ready for the baptism as it was just us and the elders putting it all together cause the senior(branch president)  was out of town till 2. Can I just say it was such a humbling experience as you will never guess where we had the baptism .... IN the KITCHEN!  IT WAS THIS LITTLE POOL AND A SMALL LITTLE KITCHEN.  Let me just tell you about Marija is the owner of the building for the church and and the the first one to be baptized in it ( just sounds to perfect)  she is the start  and a key puzzle piece to a work here in Banja luka.  she is going to be the glue to hold this branch together. Sister marks and sister Rankin gave a talk and i sang the john the Baptist song.  the spirit was so strong as tears were flooding her eyes.  she looked like a princess dressed in white as she was just glowing. Then the senior couple baptized her  and she was so happy! she said i just feel so clean! I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PERSON SO RADIANT BEFORE!  

 I don't think you realize how amazing it was how these people who have dark eyes over here ad have been effected by so much pain and how this gospel truly has not only a spiritual effect on someone but a physical effect on someone as well. Even from when i met her she had oped up and she is so much more happy! this is only the true thing that matters in life that truly has a life time effect on us. She kept on say I feel so happy   I have never felt this happy in my whole life!  I think that is also who we get baptized when we are 8 or older cause god wants us remember this amazing feeling  cause its the best in the world!  So i made her a lemon scripture cake like i had a my baptism..

 I'm not no Wendy Peterson but it didn't turn out to bad!  Then On Sunday president grant came down with and she was confirmed. IT was a great/ sad Sunday as sister Rankine said she good bye talk and it just hit me that im going to be a reck when i have to say good by cause i love it here. i honestly think i might come and live here in these countries cause i cant  leave. There is so much work to do the gospel is needed so badly here. So now we have about 7 active members in Banja Luka.

Then we a lunch after church and just tracked  for about an hour with sister Rankin and my new companion she is a ginger haha. She is just a only been out one transfer and very different from me but it will be great, she is great, I'm excited to learn alot this transfer  have more baptisms  and just work my heart out! It was so sad as we were just tracking we tracked into this lady who is very sick, (I think she has Parkinson or something), but i just sat there looking at her just thinking I just wish Christ would came and heal you right now. One day she will have a perfect body!  God is great and he has a great plan which is fair to everyone. I could not be happier right now and This is truly what life is about, serving other and bringing them closer to Christ.  

с лјубавју 

сестра питерсон 

9/13 Letter

This week was the best week on my whole mission! Miracles do happen!!! When I first came to Banja Luka I was told that we were just trying to be friends here. This is because people had some bad persecution over here. So I have been really trying to figure out how to do the work over here and then we had a great interview with president Grant and he was just so amazing as he gave us some great ideas to  build the work and talked alot about faith and trusting in boldness! Don't be scared just go up to talk to people no matter what have nothing weaving. Don't use English class but go straight in to the gospel the people are prepared here! 

So this on Friday we were really feeling the spirit, being positive trusting, and being bold. We had faith no matter what! Shoot I felt like a new missionary again. These past 3 days the Lord prepared 7 new investigators for  us we gave out 11 book of Mormons! We will need a new case of books soon! Sister Rankins told us last Saturday that there's a investigator who has been investigating for 8 months is going to get baptized. So we fast and prayed so hard for her to be prepared -because she has been asked so many times. With this who new being bold and trusting in the Lord and his timing- He is truly bound when he is bound! 

Sunday we walked into church and guess who was there? PRESIDENT ROWE! HE HAD BUSINESS HE HAS TO DO HERE SO HE WILL BE HERE FOR ABOUT 6 DAY! So he spoke then we sang, and the spirit was so strong!! We had 2 investigators at church and we invited 2 students from English who are going to be our investigators came to church and really loved it! So then this lady who we were going to ask to get baptized, we had president Rowe on the lesson with us, and we asked her and she said, "One day." and then we were bold and she said, "Yes!" So THIS WEEK MARIJA IS GETTING BAPTIZED SO PLEASE KEEP HER IN YOUR PRAYERS!!! ON SATURDAY WE ARE HAVING A BAPTISM!!!!! IT WAS THE BEST AS WE LOVED TEACHING WITH PRESIDENT ROWE AND THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG!!! HE SAID THAT WAS THE PERFECT LESSON THAT WE TAUGHT! 

Miracles do happen if we have faith. That means faith in the Lords timing. Faith in repentance seeing with a different vision trying to see what god wants us to see! His timing is perfect!  So for the past two day we have been with with President Rowe- but now he has to go back to work here! gosh i could listen to his wisdom all day! Then we just found out for transfers I am staying here as sister training leader but  will have a new sister who has been only out for 9 weeks so im so excited to finish her training her name is Sister Marlow.  Between a baptism, President Rowe, more investigators then ever before, giving out more Book of Mormons then ever before,all because of faith, boldness and trusting in the Lord more so then ever before! God is great!!! Let's get the work moving!  Love my life.

xoxo 

sestra peterson 

   

A Letter from President Rowe

Being from a sports fan of the family-this is how I found out about the game ... President Rowe emailed me and told me about it! I love him so much!!! he is like the best person alive! I though it would be funny four our family to read!     Dear Sr. Peterson, I thought you would want to know that BYU crushed the Longhorns on Saturday. It was nice that Texas was able to score a touchdown in the final quarter of the game to prevent being shut out at home in Austin. This means that you are banned from wearing Texas orange for one month. And that the colors at your wedding must be blue and white. On a more serious note, we were excited to hear that you were serving in Banja Luka. What a great assignment! You are such an exceptional extraordinary faith and desire. Please know that we pray for you and all the missionaries morning and night. We know you continue to do such great work on behalf of our heavenly father.  Please give our love to everyone there.  With much love,  Your former mission president.  Go Cougars! Brianne's responding letter: PRowe! I was so excited to get a letter from you, cause you have been on my email list for about 2 weeks now,  and well now.. I'm just  shocked and ashamed as my team failed me! Lets just say... maybe it's a good thing I'm not in Texas right now, or my Texas pride would have been more hurt haha. I thought you can't ban me from doing things anymore haha? Well, we have one problem, if I can't wear any Texas orange that  means I  lose half my wardrobe!  Goran came back to church  and i definitely taught him how to say hook'em horns.   And I still have one more transfer before I can think about wedding color =)  I love serving here in Banja Luka! I truly feel so honored to serve here as there is so much work that needs to be done here. I  meant to email you telling that the 3 oldest Tadić have been great at coming to church. Before Viki left she was really happy and she saw us at a restaurant with one of her friends which then led her to give her friend to a min gospel lesson who took it really well.   Vanja and I have become great friends.  The work was slow at first but now it's starting to really pick up as we have a ton of great potentials and this week we found a new investigator.  Because of the rain we have had here about everyday, we have had the opportunity to help out with the floods. Because of that, we were on the news and the people were calling us their angles.  People are truly having a change of heart here and the lord is working miracles. The other day a man saw our tags and said "hey your church gave the wheel chairs to the hospital" and then told other people who we were next to us  about it!  Hope you like the update and hope all is well with your family. How are the girls doing in America. Are they getting used to the big wards?  Thanks for being the best example,  Sestra Peterson   PS We all talk about the great day when we walk into church here in Banja Luka and see you there... if you can try to do it before I leave=)

9/3 Letter

Hello from the wet and raining Balkans- loving the balking life! The days keep on flying bye faster then ever here and I'm not sure how much i like it?

This Sunday was good! A typical Sunday here consists of two hours of church, Sacrament meeting and then Sunday School. All six missionaries come, as well as hopefully at least four members. Elder Fisher plays the piano, and I'm like the only one that sing. We either watch general conference, or missionaries speak, or a member speaks. I really like church here though. Last Sunday one of our less actives came back to church finally! Goran! He is a really cool guy. His favorite city is El Paso, Texas. We are not sure why? I mean we are just best friends now! Sister Rankin says it's because I  just exemplify Texas Pride?

This week we met with one of our awesome investigators Leila. It is SO hard to meet with her, but we always have great lessons with her. Leila lived in Salt Lake for 6 months or something. She just has tons of questions about the church. 

This week we are going to Sarajevo for my last zone conference! Oh joy! And we don't have a car, but whenever we need to travel we borrow the Davidson's car. We had a goodbye party for Viktorija on Monday. That was a lot of fun. I'm gonna miss that girl! We played a ton of games, (like the candy bar game) and in the midst of it all our awesome senior couple started dancing together. Gosh I just love the Davidsons. Then 3 other people, and the missionaries started dancing. (Kind of felt like I was back at a stake dance again.) I love the mission life.

Then we had a big volleyball games for our English class so that was way fun and then we went bowling with another English class student, these are our finding activities  and i love them. things are starting to pic up here which is so great! People over here don't hate the church anymore well not like they used to to that is great. We are becoming friends with a lot of people and now people are starting to asked about the church!  God's hand is in all things here!

I REALLY love living here and being a missionary. 

This is a favorite quote of mine from President Uchtdorf, "In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings. Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny. The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful. How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings."

AMEN! 

I love you all so much, and I am thankful for all you do to support me. Love. Love. love.

Then this lady we stopped on the street  took us out to lunch and we gave her a book of Mormon. She told us it was so nice to see happy people cause she is dealing with an alcoholic husband and she was just so happy we met her. She was the best.

 xoxox 

Texas Love! 

sestra  peterson
 

Oh here's a funny story:

My shoe broke when we were walking. I looked like a bull getting ready to attack, or looked like a bird with a broken foot, (we're not sure?) as i way trying to walk. Then then I walked into this market, which you will never see a Balkin with out shoes, I just looked like the crazy American! Haha! We finally found some shoes.