The Flying Seagull and Go Carts of Eugene

Things always seem to look up when you put your trust in God. This week was busy and amazing!! 

Tuesday we did service and had lessons with amazing people! Including L. And we also had a lesson with P which was so spiritual. Like I've said before she is so in-tune with the spirit and at the end of our lesson she just says " you two sacrifice so much and because of that you're letting this mission change you and help you to grow. I feel like I needed to say that" it was so sweet and also I know the spirit was speaking to her. She's AMAZING! We taught her about tithing and fasting. I could see her faith grow right in front of my eyes as she accepted the commandments. I love her! 

 Wednesday to Thursday we went on exchanges with the Chinese sisters. They also serve in the ysa with us so we were pretty much in our area as usual! I went with sister Chen and we walked campus all day! We met a lot of really cool people and even met some Chinese sisters for them to teach! There was one point where it started to rain and then stop and then rain and then stop and that's when we met J! We said hi! And he was so enthusiastic and said hi! Then he told us he's never met Mormon missionaries before but he has some friends who are out on missions right now and he read their weekly emails every week! And he mentioned how he noticed that they changed because of the gospel. We asked him what he's studying and he's minoring Native American studies and found out he is Native American! We talked about the Book of Mormon and how it talks about his people which he found to be really cool! Then he said " wait. I have met missionaries before one time! They came to my door and gave us a video called the restoration and I really liked it!" Wooo! So we pulled out our restoration pamphlet and explained it and talked about the priesthood and when we told him that with the proper priesthood authority we can bind what we do here on earth to heaven and he looks so amazed and says "that makes so much sense! You just answered so many questions I've had!" It was the most amazing experience!!! We said a prayer with him and set up a time to meet and he was so grateful we stopped him. He said "I haven't ran into missionaries before and I guess I was just waiting for you to run into me!" 

Thursday P and L were interviewed before their baptisms this weekend! We are all so excited!! 

Friday we had a fantastic district meeting and talked about the Christlike attributes in preach my gospel. We talked about patients, humility, and diligence. I love reading about how humble and amazing our savior is and I found a scripture from my studies that I LOVE its 2 Corinthians 8:7-9 and what I love it that it first talks about how we need to be diligent and faithful and full of love in all things. So no matter if it's a church calling, or work or school when we are doing what's important we will be blessed. And then in verse 9 it talks about how Jesus Christ humbled himself to be here. He had a thrown in heaven and yet he sacrificed so much and left his heavenly home to come here and sacrifice himself for us. He is the perfect example of all things. And in this verse is humble enough to do it all for us. That's always eye opening to me. 

After district meeting we went on exchanges with the first Ward sisters. I was with sister Broadhead and we went on campus to OYM everyone! We saw another guy with a dog and we wanted to talk to him, but he was on the phone so that would be rude and we kept walking not expecting to run into him again and GUESS WHAT! We saw him again! Took that as a sign to talk to him. His name is M. C. jr and get this! His dad played NBA for the clippers! He is red shirted for the ducks basketball team, but is injured right now. Regardless he was still cool! We talked to him about the restoration and he told us he has a faith in Christ but wants to keep growing it. When we told him what time church was he said that would work perfect with his sport schedule! We even said a prayer with him on the sidewalk! Some might say we earned some street cred that day.  

We had a lesson with L and taught her about the priesthood and every lesson with her she just can't stop smiling because of the spirit and she loves everything we have to teach! I was able to share with her about the blessings that have been in my life growing up because my dad has the priesthood and he was able to give me blessings when I needed them most. We explained that these blessings come straight from god and the priesthood authority is used to serve others. She talked about how she's excited to have a priesthood holder in her home one day. 

Saturday morning sister Chen and I went to talk to people on campus and we met this guy who thought we worshiped seagulls because his friend read it online. Oh my... don't worry we told him not to believe everything he reads online. Then Saturday night we had a lesson with Sa. and L. We watched Joseph smith: peripheral of the restoration. We also watched the short Mormon message of elder hollands testimony of the Book of Mormon. We each bore our testimony and we were literally engulfed in the spirit! I am so grateful to everyone who has ever sacrificed anything to bring me the gospel. I know that Joseph smith was a prophet of god and restored Christ's church to the earth. I have read the Book of Mormon and each time the words come alive and I know it's true! I am so grateful that Jesus Christ gave his life for me so that I can live with him and my family and my Heavenly Father again. So many sacrifices were made to make sure that I received the fullness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't even express how grateful I am. But I will show it by working hard to bring others to the joy that I have received. 

Sunday P, J, L and S came to church! Everything that we learned about was so perfect. One of the ysa speakers got up to give his talk during sacrament and he felt impressed to talk based on elder hollands talk "like a broken vessel" from October 2013 general conference. I know he was following the spirit on what to speak on and I believe there were many people who needed to hear that they are NOT alone. God is always with them. It's comforting to be reminded of that. 

I hope you all can remember that and have the strength every day to know that there are always people rooting for you! Me included. I love you all. Have the best week! 

Love, 

Sister Peterson