New Pictures

This last week was super hard. Everything was against us, it seemed. We got changes though today and things are good. I got transferred to Atawalpa. That's in Quito still and I have a new companion. He's my first companion from the United States. I spent the day unpacking. Then we just hung out in the terminal for a while talking to other missionaries because everyone has changes. I have had 4 baptisms. Some of the people I've found and taught later got baptized. Hopefully this new sector will be good. They dont have many people here, but we will see what happens. The weather is good, it rains a lot.  ummm..... there is almost nothing to report. I have no idea what to write this week. Here's some pictures.

Homeless and hungry

Mom,

This week was good. We found two new families and two other investigators. This week is the last week before changes. I like something my mission President told me, "If you pray for patience, you will be given opportunities to develop patience; God gives us what we need not what we want." I wish I would of thought about that before I prayed for patience. No, just kidding.

This week I've started studying Jesus the Christ at night. I'm in chapter 5. It's a great book! In the New Testament, I'm in Luke right now. It's been pretty hot this week. It started to rain again today. Nothing terribly intersting to report, I'm afraid. We knock doors here and contact in the street when we see families. Today we cleaned the house super good then went to the mall to eat lunch. I bought a mat to do exercises on and we ate at some taco burrito place, which was okay. I'll send a picture. I didn't eat the fries because two little girls probably around 6 and 3 years old came by begging for food. I'm not even sure if they had parents, but they looked homeless and hungry and I couldn't say no, so I gave them my fries. Always be grateful for what you have is the lesson I learned. We were invited to a birthday of a members little boy. They had cupcakes and some really good food which they gave us. I will send a picture... ummm. That's about it. For exercises, I am doing 100 pushups every night and we run in the mornings and do situps. Cheer loud at the wrestling matches for me. Let me now how everything goes, and for Austins rugby games too.

Love you all. The gospel is true. Jesus is the Christ. Seek for knowledge and study the scriptures and make good memories, those are the only things youll carry with you into the next life. Have a great week!

Elder Peterson

Local fruit called granadia

Mountains outside his apartment

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Mom,

I know you want a long letter, but I have no idea what to write this week. It was a normal week. We had a family come to church yesterday with a baptismal date for the 15th of November. We found some new people this week as well, which was good. My Spanish is pretty dang good. I usually can't hold a super great conversation in English and writing seems to be much easier. I've learned a lot this week. I've thought a lot about love. 1 John 4 is a great chapter. I wish I knew how to love God better. There a song that says "Learn to love Thee" or something like that. Perfect love gets rid of fear. He loved us so much that he gave his life for everyone. Even those who hated Him, who will never accept him. We can't even turn the other cheek half the time. God is merciful though, He gave us everything we need to become like him. Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world. There's a Mormon message called " Wise Men Still Seek Him". It's super good.  You should watch it. Why don't the people hear our message and just feel that its not just a message, it life eternal? 

This sector is okay. There are parts that are pretty poor. We get wet a lot. It pours every day here. It's just me and my companion in this sector. This ward is actually really rough. Hardly any support from the members, or the bishopric, the church in this country is a lot different than our country, I imagine it's like that around the world. There isn't support here like the states. If someone is sick or pregnant they are on their own. In the states they don't have to cook a meal. But whatever, we just do the best we can.

 

Love,

 

Elder Peterson 

Baptisms and Volcanos

Press Forward

Mom,

Well, this week was one of the harder weeks I've had in the mission. And to make it worse, dad and my brothers are doing my favorite thing in the world, hunting! Anyway, I press forward.
We had 7 people this week with baptismal dates and only 1 made it to church. They all had legit problems, so it was hard because there was nothing we could do. But I am looking forward to the coming week and finding new people. There are people here prepared and I will find them.
 
The mission is full of good and difficult times, but without the difficult times we don't get better and we cant develop Christlike attributes. I'm sure the Lord put me here for a reason. We are going to have a good change here, I can feel it. The other day my companion and I were able to set good goals. 100% obedience, consecrated missionaries is all the goals put together. It was good. Our sector is pretty dang big. It starts at the bottom of the mountain and goes all the way up.

Anyway, this week should be better. I hope your week is good. You will have to send me some deer jerky it sounds like. Make sure dad sends me pictures. Love and miss you. You are always in my prayers!

Elder Peterson

change

Oct 6

Mom,

Sounds like the week was good. Read D&C 121:43. Also do not stop scripture studies. We've started so many times, just to stop. There's a scripture in Matthew that say he who has put his shoulder to the plow and looks back isn't worthy of the kingdom of God. You can interpret that many ways but simply, when you start something, don't stop. I need to apply that better in my life. Sometimes things are difficult, reading scriptures daily, prayers, getting up on time, but some obstacles we just have to face straight up and climb over. I like something Elder Richard G. Scott said, that daily scripture study and prayer is more important than sleep, food, work, or school. There were a lot of talks that talked about being an example, in deed not just in word. Something for parents is that kids will remember things for the rest of the life, things that affected them, and those things will help them become great people. Something I remember and something that we always did good is keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. I remember complaining that other families watch sports and do other things so why couldn't we? Now that I see and understand better that example and rule will always stick with me, the importance of the Sabbath. 

Anyway, things have been good. The mission is awesome, I wouldn't leave it for the world. We got changes today as you know. I'm in a different sector now with a different companion from Chile. He's good.

Conference was great! I don't even know what to say, it was all so good. I liked the talk about Joseph Smith that his name would be had for worse and worse as we approach the second coming. I liked all the talks about the Prophet and the importance of following him. An impression I got is that we are heading into hard times. I thought a lot about my patriarticle blessing which talks a lot about hard times. I also like a talk by Elder Jorg something. One of the 70 that was called last conference. It was super good. Hope you heard the part about exercise ;). 

Have a great week and know you are always in my prayers! Love your son,

Elder Peterson