Walk Week and Sock Tans

It was a walking kind of week! President Russell told the mission to park the car for the week and walk whenever we could. The last time I did one was a year ago in Grants Pass! But my whole mission has been a compilation of walk weeks so it was good for me! The first few days it was cool and rainy and then the sun decided to come out and summer has began! The season for awkward tan lines and sweaty door approaches has started and we are ready for it. 

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads and father figures out there! Thank you for making life a little easier and for teaching us how to be better people. I know I am grateful for my dad and his example that he's always been to me. I'm excited for him and my mom as they move on to their new phase of life. They are going to be so amazing because of their love and dedication to the Lord. 

Last Monday we taught a family who recently was baptized in October. And when I was here for a few days last September I taught them about temples and eternal marriage! As we talked the spirit told us to talk about how Christ knows everything that we go through and if we are ever having a challenge with anything he is there to strengthen us. That's something they needed to hear, and  I know that's true and I'm grateful for the spirit telling us what to say because we all need that message. 

Tuesday we did service at meals on wheels and talked to some nice people! 

Wednesday we had a lesson with a woman named K. The sisters found her before I got here and we went with a member to her house for a lesson. K is a young mom and lives with her two daughters and her husband. They are both so kind and she wants to strengthen her faith in Christ. The member we brought connected so well with her! and told her so much about how the church helped her and her husband when they were new members. We are going to have a lesson and dinner with K and her husband in the members home this week. So excited! And K has been reading the Book of Mormon. 

Thursday we had our last zone conference with the Russell's. It was sooo good. In preparation for it we had to study the parables and miracles that Christ taught and preformed and we had to come with 5 summaries of each to share. The meeting was centered on Christ. We were taught by the assistants to president about real progression and related it to growing a seed. You need to make sure you plant it in good soil meaning teach the doctrine and do all steps necessary for it to grow. That means we need to help those we teach know all that they should and give them commitments that will help them grow, and fellowship so they feel loved! Then we talked about the Importance of listening. I've come to see how Important listening is throughout my life and especially on my mission. I was told a quote before and it goes " people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." It's so true! That is one reason why we need to truly listen, and also listen by the spirit to discern the needs of others. 

We also learned about being an eyewitness from President Cropper and talked about Joseph smith and how he saw god and Jesus Christ. President lowary talked on habits and making sure we are developing good habits and relating it back to habits that bring us closer to Christ. Sister Russell talked about discipline and how we need to make decisions way before an event happens so that when a situation comes up we have already made up our mind whether or not we want to join in. She shared a quote that said "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything." I know I have the strength of the Lord with me to help me with all of my decision making and even more so when I take the time now to decide how I want to live so when the time comes to chose I will have already chosen the best path with my savior. 

After that about 12 missionaries that were asked to, got up and shared a couple of miracles and parables of Jesus Christ. I learned SO MUCH from them and my studies. I am so grateful for the Bible and the records about Christ's ministry. He is such a genuine and loving savior. I love the story of when He feeds the 5,000 and what I love is how Christ was so sad because John the Baptist was just killed and he went to be alone with his disciples but a bunch of people followed him and instead of turning them away he taught them and it says He had compassion on them. He was so selfless  and he put himself aside to help others. 

President Russell talked to us about our savior and he told us the best way to strengthen our testimony is to share it with others. We did some role plays of us passing out a card with Christ on the front. He talked about how we need to keep going no matter what. Just remember that we are following Christ and his team wins! It was such a great meeting and so amazing. The spirit was so strong and it was also a little sad because it was their last meeting with us. We sang the EFY medley for President and Sister Russell which is a song we always sing to the new missionaries and it was amazing! I love them so much. 

After zone conference we had a really good lesson with J about who god is and we Invites him to be baptized and he said yes! He doesn't quite understand the priesthood yet but he will! Then after his lesson we met a man named Tom and he was so interested to talk about what we believed. He said he's heard some things about our church but wants to hear the truth because you never know what people make up! We taught him about Joseph smith and about Christ's church on the earth today and how we can know where it is through prayer. We invited him to be baptized when he came to know it's true. He said yes! We meet with him this week! 

Friday we walked everywhere. We had a lesson with a family from the ward. Their children are not members and we taught them about going to church she how we need to build our foundation on Christ. Then we sang the wise man and the foolish man for the kids. We walked home and stopped a guy that was running to talk with him. We talked a little but he wasn't interested. Then we talked to a girl at the bus stop and she was very hesitant, but by listening we realized she is a member of the church who hasn't come in years. We talked with her for a while and gave her a new copy of the Book of Mormon. She told us that we made her night better. 

Saturday we also walked everywhere and we met this woman named P at her garage sale. At first she told us she already had a church she was going through, but then we told her where our church was and she said that was a lot closer she would be more convenient. We taught her about the history of our church and how we meet with people to have lessons. Then she said words that missionaries dream of hearing. She said " can we meet when my family is all together. I want it to be a family thing." YESSSS!! We played it cool and told her we would love to get her number and set something up when everyone is together. I think we did a good job at keeping it together. She told us about her day and how it was pretty bad until we showed up, and she thanked us for making her day a little brighter. That's always nice to hear. She's so amazing and I'm excited to teach her! 

We even met a guy and walked around with him from crosswalks to the bus station. He just moved here a little while ago and he said that sometimes he feels alone but we told him that with Christ and god you never have to feel alone because He is always there. We got his number and he hopped on his bus and rode away! The look in his eyes told us he wanted to come to have that relationship with his savior. 

Sunday was a day. Sister Rhees and I walked to church. While we were walking we ran in to some people that didn't seem to like us and that seemed to happen the whole way. We got yelled at multiple times and heard some hurting words, but fortunately God is watching out for us and right before we got to church we met a really nice man and his kind smile alone helped. It was a rough morning but I am so grateful we were able to take the sacrament and be surrounded by people who love you. And I am so grateful for my saviors love and his atonement which made it possible for me to feel of him there saying "I feel this too Sister Peterson." Church was amazing though. I really love this ward. Then we walked home and had dinner with such nice members! It was a good end to the sabbath. I'm just so grateful that God is always watching over us and will help us to be happy when things start to get hard. 

Yesterday we had our last interview with President Russell. It was so good and there is so much love in that man. I know that he was called by god and I'm grateful to have served with him and Sister Russell in the best mission! 

Overall it was a great week! I feel so blessed to be a part of Christ's church and to be his missionary.  His teachings are true and the only way to return to live with god is by following Christ's example and keeping the commandments. I know this is the true and only way. I'm grateful for a savior who can be there for me to comfort me and tell me it'll be ok, and I'm grateful for the joy this gospel brings me. I hope you can all feel of His love and know that you are divine children of God. I love you all! 

Love, 

Sister Peterson