The Snow Must Go On!

Glorious things have been happening here in Eugene. And I don't mean the snow! Sunday morning when sister Udall and I opened the door to head to a church meeting we took one look outside and paused in the doorway. It was snowing so bad! The good thing is that it didn't stick, but that's how you can tell that it's not a thing here to predict the weather. 

At the beginning of the week President Russell invited me to study about the atonement of Christ, and as I've been doing it each day I continue to be reminded that he paid it all. It is one of my favorite things to teach as a missionary because it gives people another chance, and not even a second chance but unlimited chances! Christ brings me hope and that's the word I would describe as I talk about the atonement. I am very grateful for my savior. 

Monday we taught a girl that we recently invited to baptism while we were on exchanges. And we taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ and shared the story about Christ healing the woman with the issue of blood. It was her faith that healed her and Christ made her whole again. I love those worlds. "Thy faith hath made thee whole." Again with the atonement we can be made whole! 

We had zone conference on Wednesday in Corvallis which is where the ducks rivals are!! We talked all about the Book of Mormon and how it truly is the keystone of our religion. There is so much power in one Book of scriptures. You can know that Joseph smith was a prophet and that our church is true and that Jesus is the savior of the whole world! It's amazing how much joy and knowledge this book brings in to our lives, I know it's because of the Book of Mormon that our investigators have stayed so strong in their testimonies. 

We also had a lesson with a guy named J and he said the closing prayer and it was a miracle because he hasn't prayed in so long! 

Friday we went oyming on campus and met this guy named Pr. We stopped him near the bike rack and we talked to him all about the Book of Mormon. To everything that we said he would stop and say "that's amazing!!" He was so cool and we gave him a Book of Mormon read and he was so excited! He made my day with his enthusiasm!

Saturday was L's baptism! Her friend and his mom drive all the way from Southern California to speak at her baptism. She was so happy and you could see her true beauty as she came out of the water. This was a huge decision for L because her parents were against it. She grew up Catholic and when she was in high school she dated a boy who is a member and his family took her to church and had scripture study with her. She's from Southern California and came to the U.Of.O for school. When she got here she felt homesick so this boys mom told L to find the church. She showed up to church one day before I got to Eugene and the sisters talked to her and tried to meet up with her, but she never could. Months later she met the elders while they were oyming on campus (the elders forgot about the whole situation until L told us a few weeks ago) then after her winter break the sisters got in contact with her to see if she could meet up for her birthday. They met for ice cream and talked about the nature of God and committed her to baptism. That was the Saturday before I got to Eugene. Tuesday January 31 I met L for the first time and we taught her the restoration. From the time she committed to be baptized to the day she was baptized and then confirmed she has never had any doubt. She even moved the date she got baptized up two weeks from the original date set! I've heard her testimony every day for the past two weeks and she knows this is where god needs her to be. She's amazing! At the end of the baptismal service she bore her testimony and she talked about how she knows this is the true church and that she's never felt more right about something. She was confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Sunday and received the gift of the Holy Ghost! 

Sunday P got baptized! The sisters met P one night on campus. She was walking around getting some fresh air and she said that it was pretty foggy and there was no one around her. She looked down and looked back up and saw two sister missionaries coming out of the fog. They talked to her and showed her the light the world video. She felt the spirit so strong and they taught her a couple times and then I came to the area. When I met P on Wednesday February 1 and we taught her the second half of the plan of salvation and committed her to be baptized on march 5. There was not once where she had doubts and changed her mind. There are multiple times where she's expressed to us that she has never felt like she belonged anywhere but since she started meeting with us and going to church here she finally feels accepted. She had sister Udall and I gave the two talks. Sister Udall talked about baptism and I talked about the gift of the Holy Ghost. While I was giving my talk I was reminded about all the roles that the Holy Ghost plays in our lives. P got up at the end of her baptism after telling us twice that she didn't want to say anything and she shared her testimony with everyone. It was simple and sweet.  

These two girls have become some of my best friends and now they are my sisters in the gospel. I am so blessed! 

Have the best week!! I love you all and encourage you to also take President Russell's invitation to me and study the atonement daily. Thanks for your support to me! 

Love, 

Sister Peterson