8/24/15

Sounds like everyone is having a blast on vacation. Take lots of pictures of the hikes you guys do!! The riots were to get rid of the government. Lots of people are unhappy with the President. It is not normal but no one is super worried. The training with president was great. We didn't have as much time as we wanted to but it was still really good. My companion and I trained about what Elder Wadell taught us.

As far as our week went, it was good. We started teaching a new family. They are super good! They seem to have been prepared to receive the gospel. It is a mom and her two daughters. The mom and her oldest daughter came to church. E got the priesthood this Sunday and this Saturday he is going to baptize his daughter!! He is a really good convert! The problem is that he has a lot of shows on Saturday nights. For example this Saturday he had a show in Quito at the Marriott hotel and he got back to Ambato at 6 in the morning, but he still went to all hours of church! For the rest of the week we visited a lot of other people. We were waiting for a lot more people to come to church but they didn't come.

I have been thinking about what Elder Wadell taught us about keeping our covenants. A few things he said that really effected me are: "The Father requires from us what he required from His Son.", "We cant do what Jesus Christ did, but we can do how he did". "A disobedient missionary is a coward, a liar and prideful."- He talked a lot about the Atonement. A scripture that I liked was Moses 7:55,56. When Christ was suffering for our sins we were most likely present and watching and we cried! He was obedient to His covenant. It was not easy, in fact He asked if there was another way, and the Father, in answered and said no, the conditions are set, you have to obey. He even explains His own suffering in D&C 19:18,19. It wasn't easy. Something we didn't talk about, but that came to me as I finished the Book of Mormon today is that the Father also has made covenants, one I believe was to send His son, and he did it. Covenant making is a principle that has existed before we came here to this earth. It is a principle that must be understood in this earth because if we can't keep our covenants here if we cant live the celestial law, we can't support a celestial glory (D&C 88:22). So I have been thinking a lot about this and it has helped me these last weeks to be a better missionary and a better disciple.

Some other scriptures he shared with us were: D&C 97:8,9 and D&C 98:12-15.

Have a great week! The church is true! The TRUE knowledge we have of the Atonement and the Restoration of the gospel is the most precious knowledge we posses. We should share it with everyone. Love you so much!

Elder Peterson