End of My First Transfer!
I made it everyone! You heard me. I made it 6 weeks through my time here in Florida. Now I just have to do 12 more of those hahah. Overall, the area is growing on me. Though this ward can never replace the special place my ward has in my heart back home, I am starting to really love them. The members are so fun and they respond well to my sassy blunt side. (It's a weird southern thing).
No exciting news about transfers - my companion and I are still here together and the elders in are ward are also staying. We do however get a new district leader as ours will be flying home on Thursday.
Sorry about how short my email was last week. The computer must have been possessed or something. I loved conference though. I always have, but I feel like it meant just that much more to me with the extra spirit I have on the mission. I have already ponderized a scripture too! (All of you seem excited about that). Heleman 5:12 was my scripture. I will let you decide what I could have gathered. I will tell you though that I read it, pausing at each comma with a passionate tone. It means more when you do that.
Monday: "In the Good and the Bad Times" We had a fun zone activity where we all played volleyball. I really needed that socializing time. I guess you could say I am a social butterfly. We sadly had hardly any time to email before our appointments and then the computer was you know, possessed.
Tuesday: "Dare to Be Bold. Dare to Be Old" I learned a lot at district meeting about being bold in our approaches and how to approach less active members we have never met before. I feel that I have forgotten something very important about my personality as I have conformed to my companion's style. I am a bold, and generally fearless person (socially). I need to get back into that frame of mind so that we can be effective in our efforts. It has been working so far. That night we also had dinner with the Roswold family. Sister Roswold is just so sassy in her old age. ( I believe they are in their 80's). She doesn't let anything stop her, and if she gets bored of what her husband says, she starts talking about something random to me because she knows I will listen. Oh man hahah.
Wednesday: "Am I Being Trained?" Sometimes, we aren't sure who is training who. My goal currently is to learn how to follow. I have always been a leader and I am pretty comfortable with that. What I need to learn to be a better leader though, is how to follow a leader.
Thursday: "Leaders Need to Know how to Follow" So, again, I need to learn this haha. My exchange follow up with our STL's was a lot about this. Sister Wood is struggling to figure out how to lead, but it would be a lot easier if I would let her take the initiative to first. Woops. We all live and learn though! This day, though, we met with a sweet less active member. We truly were impressed to visit her. She needed to hear that God loved her personally and that she can do the things He asks of her. I see a lot of success with her in the future. The spirit was just so powerful in that lesson and I really felt His love for her. Those are the sweeter parts of missionary work.
Friday: "Seek The Fruits" We visited this less active member who turns out to be super involved in the youth program of her church. It appears they had this terrible idea that Mormons are super judgmental and all they want is for you to get baptized in their church. Well, we showed her that wasn't true by how genuinely interested we were in her personal faith. Her husband shared some really personal trials with us. I can tell we were the answer to their prayers for help. I can't wait for them to see that.
Saturday: "The Spirit Works Even When I am Asleep" This was a typical day. Ermilisa, our investigator with a baptismal date, met basically her church twin. They got along. We then visited my favorite southern black lady, Sister Knight. Problem is, her house is a million degrees and dark, and we always get there about 3pm. It was hard to stay alert, but we made it and we made some great spiritual headway with her!
Sunday: "Sleep or Strengthen Comp Unity?" We chose to 'strengthen comp unity' until 1:30 last night. We shared all these great secrets and personal stories. I felt good about it, minus how disobedient it was to stay up talking... I will try better from now on, I promise! We had a great day though and dinner with the Kanupke family was so fun. We are doing in home MTC with them and they are great because they just want to share the gospel! We always have tons of fun at their house.
Well, I hope you all enjoy your week. Please, go over a conference talk a week. It will change your life as you see the great words of our modern day prophet and apostles affect your life. I love you all and am so grateful for your love and support!
Sorry, I haven't sent pictures in a while!
Enjoy!
-Sister Peterson
There are some 'pine trees'
Sister wood and I driving places,
what we missionaries call 'celestial parking'
the goods you know.
