Hey you guys!

This week was pretty sweet. We had a lot happen and we were super
busy. I already had an email typed out but it froze or something and
it got deleted :( So, Im going to type out my email again to the best
of my recollection.

So, this week we did a lot of tracting and street contacting which is
hardly ever successful. People in New York are just kinda hard to talk
to especially in the winter when its cold out. They get all grumpy and
dont wanna talk to you. Which is kinda understandable because if i was
home, I dont think i would wanna talk to two younguns that approach my
door in big black coats. They must think we are salesmen. But we are
salesmen! WE ARE SELLING ETERNAL LIFE PEOPLE!!! Sheesh. I know. I
gotta keep my cool. I gotta be nice. And its nice to talk to people
that actually want to talk to us or are courteous enough to talk to us
about their religion or act like they care. It is way more fun talking
to them and have them tell us respectfully that they arent very
interested than someone who says, "Not interested" and slams the door.
But hey. I just gotta smile and go find someone else to talk to. Its
all good. I love the people here.

This Saturday, there was a baptism! Her name was Yasmeen. She is super
nice and has two little boys who are 6 and 2. The 2 year old is named
Oscar and he is so cool haha. No one was watching him after the
baptism and they found him over by the cookies having eaten a whole
row of oreos i swear haha. The baptismal service was pretty sweet.
President Francis and the Assistants came down because Elder Detlor
had been teaching her and just recently got transferred. The Spirit
was super strong. Everyone was crying. And I got to say the closing
prayer. We almost had more missionaries there than members haha. I
think we did actually.

This Sunday, I got to be part of the circle when Elder Rushton gave
the Aaronic Priesthood to a new deacon! It was way cool.

So this week I have been decorating our apartment with Christmas
lights and such. Our room has Christmas lights all around the ceiling
and it looks pretty cool at night. But the coolest thing i think is
our Christmas tree. We got our presents from family (thanks Mom and
Fam) and needed a tree to put them under so we went and tried to find
a tree at like Walmart and a couple other places. But, we didnt really
want to spend money so we went and found a pine tree and broke off a
couple branches for our tree. We threw our presents underneath and put
up some lights and it was pretty sweet. It made me think of one of my
old pickup lines: Girl you must be an interior decorator because when
you walked in the room, the room became beautiful ;) Okay well, our
apartment isnt that beautiful, but you gotta admit its pretty good for
a couple guys haha.

Oh and also, we made cookies and went caroling to our investigators.
It was pretty cool. I taught the other elders how to sing We Wish You
A Merry Christmas in Samoan but we didnt really get to sing to anyone
because by the time they had it down, it was the last house and the
person didnt answer :( oh well we will get another opportunity to sing
it this week. (Yes Mom. I said I made cookies. #MissionsChangeYou)

I miss and love you all. With it being a special time of year, I just
wanted to bear my testimony on the Savior. He is the light and the
life of the world. If you go to Him, He will guide and protect you. No
matter your past, present, or future life. He is there for you and
will always be there for you. He is always there for you. All you have
to do is reach out to Him and grab His hand that is already stretched
out toward you. He will lead the way.

I love you guys. Thanks for the love and support. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Elder Peters

Sent from my iPad

Hey you guys!

This week was a pretty good one! I had two meetings where we had to
drive for a while to get to. One in Pittsford and one in Palmyra.
Palmyra is the place where Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ if you didn't already know. The Palmyra meeting was super fun
cuz we got to go to the Palmyra temple!

You guys have all got to come here some day. It's such an awesome
place. I love getting to serve. It is pretty hard when you miss your
family and friends back home but it gets easier when you know that
they are behind you and they've got you're back. Thank you all for
that.

This week we had planned to go to the church history sites with Marge
but she was sick so that got cancelled. We went to pizza and wings
instead with the guy that was gonna drive us up there. The pizza was
huge and yummy and so were the wings! But I was kinda thinking they
were kinda spicy with the NY buffalo sauce on em. Then, George pipes
in and tells me that they aren't even spicy at all. I was telling
myself to man up and act like they're not even spicy. It was good.
Despite the fact that my burps smelt like buffalo sauce for the rest
of the day haha.

The work is hastening here in Batavia. Little by little. We are slowly
starting to meet new people. We are praying everyday that we see
success in our efforts and it's paying off! Prayer is such an amazing
thing that we have in our lives here on earth to help us. Don't take
it for granted. It's the best. I know that our Heavenly Father truly
does hear us and He cares about us and He answers our prayers.

This week was also our church Christmas party! And I got asked if I
wanted to play piano with Elder Detlor as he sang Silent Night. So
this whole week I stressed out about practicing and finally it all
payed off. I think someone video Taped the performance so I can
probably send it to you later mom haha. Oh! And the missionaries did
lots of things. I taught them how to sing We Wish You A Merry
Christmas in Samoan but they didn't feel comfortable singing that in
format of everyone so we sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing instead.
People acted like they liked which was nice of them haha.

Still no snow. It was 67 degrees today for cryin out loud! Weird
weather. But I've lived in "weird weather" all my life haha (Shoutout
to The Northwest and The Midwest). My comp keeps tryin to tell me that
the weather is weird here but I'm used to it.

Also, i am grateful for being able to grow up a country boy in Ozark
and then live in Seattle too because we often are going into country
areas and then city areas and I can relate well with both. It's pretty
cool.

Well, I think that's all for this week! Thank you for all of your
email and letters! It's the best feeling to get mail as a missionary.
I love and miss you all! Take care and have a great week! I'll talk to
you next week!

Love you all so much!

Elder Peters


Sent from my iPad

Hey y'all!

I lived in Missouri for 7 years so yes I can say "y'all". I miss you
so much! I hope you are all doing well. This week was totally rad. We
did a lot and taught some more lessons and did a lot of service. I
loved it.

We served this Lady in our branch this week by helping her hang up
lights on her house. Probably wasn't the safest service project I've
done before but it all worked out and I'm here emailing now so I guess
I made it. We got there and we took her neighbors 30 foot ladder
(that's how long it was when it was collapsed) and it fell on me and I
caught it (#buffstuff). But the tricky part was there were so many low
hanging telephone wires and we couldn't touch the wires because the
ladder was metal so we eventually found a safe place to lean the
ladder up against the house. But then she told us we had to take a
smaller ladder onto the roof of her porch so we could hang the lights
the way she wanted them so we did it. But the roof was slanted and the
ladder was kinda shaky but all is well because we got the job done and
the house looks extra pretty now.

This week we went to the big parade downtown called Christmas in the
City with Marge one of our investigators. We ate chili, cookies, and
drank hot cocoa, watched the big Christmas parade, went to tour a
house full of all these differently decorated Christmas trees. Despite
being cold, we had a fantastic time. We loved it. And we ran into so
many people we knew. Marge kept saying, "Ive been here all my life and
you've been here 3 weeks and you already know more people than me!" I
just shrugged every time she said that cuz I didn't know what to say
haha.

This coming week is so exciting because not only is it Christmas time,
but we get to go to Palmyra twice this week! Once Thursday and then
once Friday. Thursday we have a meeting for new missionaries to check
up on them and how we are doing. And then Friday we are taking one of
our investigators to all the sights! It's gonna be so cool. We are
going to see the Hill Cummorah, the Grandon Building (where the Book
of Mormon was first printed), and then we will go to the Smith Family
Farm and the Sacred Grove. I'm so excited for Marge to go there it's
gonna be so sick.

Both Joellen and Marge were sick this Sunday and couldn't come to
church which is a bummer but at the same time, I have to remember that
it's not in my time but in the Lords time. All I can do is trust in
Him and He will direct me in where to go, what to do, and what to say.

We got to share the Christmas video with people this week. We might
kinda look like drug dealers on the corner of the street wearing big
black coats. But if Salvation is a drug, then we are sellin that all
day everyday. So, some people aren't very open to talk into us but
that's okay. All I can do is my part. If any of you haven't seen it
yet, go check it out! christmas.mormon.org

Welp, that's all I've got for this week, I miss all of you and love
you even more! Have a great week! Happy Holidays!

Much Love,
   Elder Peters




Sent from my iPad

This week was pretty good! Thanksgiving was great! We got fed real
well. (So no need to worry mom haha) we had a lot more success this
week compared to last week! Lots of tracking and street contacting but
we are finally beginning to get more lessons scheduled! It's exciting
the work is hastening!

Most of our investigators are older Ladies. I guess I just attract the
older ladies haha. One is named Marge and another is named Joellen.
They are both very sweet. I think they get lonely a lot and wnjoy our
company when we go over to talk to them. I love teaching them because
they are so nice and we can just talk about whatever and always relate
it to the gospel. Both Marge and Joellen are widows and I am so
excited to teach them about the Plan of Salvation and eternal
families. Ah can't wait.

It's that time of year! Christmas lights are lighting the streets and
bringing the holiday cheer! Wow that sounds like it could be lyrics
from a Christmas song. Anyways, yeah! The Christmas lights are getting
pretty populous here. It gets dark real early so we get to see the
lights a lot. And we are getting to set them up too! For the people in
our branch who aren't the most physically apt to do it. So Wednesday
I'm excited because Sister Long needs help to set up her Christmas
lights and she told us that it has to be perfect or she will get upset
haha. She has won awards in the past for the best Christmas light
display. I'm excited to see her house when it gets dark! It'll be a
fun experience and service all at the same time.

It's good to hear about all of your lives. I miss being home and being
part of your everyday lives but this too shall pass and "i'll be home
for Christmas" (not this one or the next but two years from now!) I'm
just so excited! It's the Christmas Spirit! I heard Mariah Carey's All
I Want For Christmas Is You the last Monday in Walmart and I've just
been humming Christmas songs ever since. I love it.

Anyways I love you all and am so happy to hear that you are doing
well! Talk to ya next week!

Elder Peters

HARRAH for Israel!

P.s. Even Santa needs to hear the gospel. 🎅

Sent from my iPad

Hey you there! 

Greeting from the MTC! I absolutely love it here! My district is like my new family. we all look out for eachother and always are together its so wonderful. 

This week flew by! I had in-field orientation yesterday and it was 9 hours long!!! but i lasted and here i am emailing you! 

It snowed this week for like three days but none of it stuck. its just been really cold but i kinda like it. 

On sunday, the sisters, elder matos and i persuaded our district to do the MTC choir for the tuesday devotional! so we went to practice on sunday and then we performed on tuesday. we sang Nearer My God to Thee and boy was it powerful! we sang so powerfully. 

elder Hugo Montoya from the first quorum of the seventy spoke and it was such a cool experience. even though all my comps and i were telling everyone that it was gonna be Elder Holland haha. 

This week was so awesome there is so much to tell you but not enough time haha. I met with one of our investigators from the TRC. The first time we met with her, she told us how "cruel" God was to her and went off on how He has never been there no matter what we said. So, i guess you could say that my comps and i were pretty sad. but the next day during class, i was prompted to share Job 19 with her and talk about how much trial and tribulation that he endured and always testified of the Savior. But, she took it a whole different direction. She noticed that God had "trusted" Job to be tempted and that changed her perspective on God. It truly was a miracle and its hard to tell the experience in an email. 

Anyways, I fly to NY on Monday morning! Wish me luck! and thank you for all the emails, love and support! Harrah for Israel!

Love you all!

Elder Peters

​Hey you guys!

Can I just start by saying that I dont want to go home! This is such an amazing experience being here at the MTC with all of the hundreds of other missionaries. The Spirit is so strong. 

My companions are sweet! Yes I said companions with an s. Both of them are ballers which is awesome cuz we kind of made a quick connection through basketball and sports. Okay so the first comp I met was Elder Brown. He is 18 and from Salt Lake City and is sadly a Ute fan. Thats basically the only thing we disagree on is when i say that BYU is better than Utah. Next, is Elder Matos. He is 19 and from Montreal in Canada! I love my comps and they strengthen me. We just got called as the new Zone Leaders for Branch 3! which is kind of overwhelming but i know we can do it (check out Phillipians 4:13). My Branch Pres is totally awesome. He is way energetic and basically has the whole BoM memorized. 

Okay so my district is pictured here. Starting from the left to the right, we have Elder Woolf (our District Leader) from Orem, Utah, Elder Packer from West Bountiful, Utah, Me, Elder Matos, Elder Brown, Sister Kwasney from Alberta, Canada (she is a hooper by the way), and Sister Thorson from Riverdale or Riverton?, Utah. We are all super close like a family and ive only been here for a couple days! 

I am learning so much so fast! The Spirit truly is the best teacher. 

Ive given two blessings so far and have been part of 3! The unity that is found here is so special. We are all set apart for one purpose. To help others to come unto Christ. As we prepare, we are blessed to know by the Spirit what our investigators need to know.

Cool story. So on my first day here, we went to these classes where there was an investigator and they told us a little about themselves and then we tried to find ways to share the gospel so that it would touch their hearts. One meeting with a Japanese man named Junichi who believed in the Shinto religion and was trying to understand about God and why we were put here on earth, I felt prompted to sing I am A Child of God. so, i raised my hand and shared the song with him and he asked if i was going to sing it for him! in a panic, not wanting to share these wonderful vocals in front of 50-60 elders and sisters, I said no! but im sure all of these missionaries would like to sing it with me. so everyone laughed and i counted to three and we all began to sing it. The Spirit entered the room and we all sang with voices of angels. it was amazing. 

Well thats it for now, Ill talk to you all soon! Thanks for all the love and support! 

I love and miss you all!

Elder Peters

Oh! and P.S. Mom! I saw Sister Underly today! She was telling her comp all about how shes known me since i was 5 it was fun. okay! see ya!

!

Hey you guys! The time has come! It's time for me to go serve the Lord and the people of New York. Thank you all for the help in preparing me to serve I will miss you all. Before I leave, I want to share my testimony with you. Jesus Christ lives. He lives to comfort and guide us. He atoned for our sins so that we may become like Him and live with Him again. He is my best friend, He is my Savior. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that he was called to help restore the truth to the earth. Thomas S Monson is a true prophet called of God. I know that families can be together forever. I'm thankful for my family and for all my friends and teachers and leaders. Thank you for all the love and support you've given me! I'll see you in a quick 2!