Things are going well here. There is a lot of snow on the sidewalks and on the roads. But that's how it's gonna be for a couple more months! I've gotten a couple emails from some people asking if I'm okay because they saw a bunch of bad weather on the weather in New York. We are fine! That's New York City that is struggling with all that haha. New York City isn't in our mission haha. Anyways, we walked around a lot at the beginning of the week Tracting and street contacting. But when we realized that it was too cold and no one was out walking around like we were, we decided to drive places rather than trudge through the snow all day. Driving was fun. I am still getting used to driving in the snow haha. My companion is from Utah and sometimes gets a little antsy when I take a turn too fast or something. But hey. I'm learning :)
The work here is going well. We taught a couple investigators this week and a lot of less active members. The lessons all went well. The people we teach are coming closer to Christ and it's a wonderful thing to see. I love being a missionary and devoting all of my time and efforts to help other people. It's such a blessing.
Transfers are coming up and Elder Rushton and I are weirded out about how fast time flies when your on a mission. These 2 years really will be quick! But in my district it's me and my companion and the zone leaders (Elders Scott and Gibby). Elder Scott is going home in like 12 days and Elder Rushton is probably getting transferred. It's crazy to think that Elder Gibby and I (the newest guys in the area) are gonna be taking over this area soon. We will know the area better than our new comps will. It's weird to think about. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. But I know the Lord will provide and He will guide me.
This week I've been thinking a lot about faith. Faith is awesome. Faith is an action word. You can't have faith without acting upon your beliefs. In my personal study this week, I studied out of the Book of Mormon in the Book of Alma. In Alma chapters 14 and 15 there are two guys named Alma and Amulek. They go around teaching the people about Christ and about the redemption which he would make for his people. When they taught, some believed and most did not. Anyone who believed was persecuted, hurt, and even killed! Alma and Amulek were put in prison, mocked, spit upon, and much more. The whole time they were being treated poorly, they believed in God. They believed that he had a plan for them. One day when the wicked people came to mock them and hurt them again, Alma was prompted to stand and they had the power to break the chords with which they were bound and the wicked people ran away because they were scared. The prison crumbled to the earth and smashed all of them. All of them except for Alma and Amulek. Alma and Amulek were protected because they believed in God and knew that He would deliver them. How many times in our lives do we struggle to see beyond the wicked and understand that God has a plan for us? It's hard to do. But I know that as we try to keep an eternal perspective and trust in God and lean not unto our own understandings (Proverbs 3:5-6), we will be blessed. Faith is so vital in our lives. Blessings come AFTER the trial of your faith. Remember that.
Anyways, that's it for this week! Thank you for all your prayers and love and support! I wouldn't be able to be out here if it wasn't for you guys and my Savior! You guys are the best! Thanks again! Until next week.
Tofa Soifua!
Elder Peters
Sent from my iPad
Monday, January 18, 2016
Talofa lava!
How are you all doing? How was your week? I hope you had a great one! I know there is a lot of sadness in Seattle right now because of the Seahawks' loss yesterday. I didn't watch it but there are a lot of Panthers fans here in Batavia for some reason. All the old guys were walking up to me in church "offering their condolences". What? I can't even watch the game and you're gonna make me talk smack?! It was fun. I wore my Seahawks jersey during studies. My comp was making fun of me. But I didn't care #HawkNation. But it's all good. Maybe I just need to be home before the Lord blesses us with another Super Bowl ;)
It snowed a lot this week! Pretty much all week there were snowflakes falling. Even when it was warmer than usual out, there were still a couple of flurries. Early in the week, we were in the library looking up service opportunities and it was snowing so hard that I couldn't even look up when we were outside. It was nuts! The librarian kept telling everyone, "they call this thundersnow." It was wild. But due to the snow, there were a lot of service opportunities. We threw our snow shovels in the back of the truck and shoveled a couple people's driveways. It was cool. Last night it snowed and we currently have a couple inches on the ground. The wind still cuts you like a knife and chills you to the bone. It's beyond cold out there and it's gonna keep getting colder.
This week it was hard not to get discouraged. The people we get to visit are usually not there or cancel on us. It's rough. We taught a guy this week who is super well versed in the Bible and he talks a mile a minute but it's going well. He is studying the Book of Mormon and is super interested in it.
It's hard to see any progress up here. But this week our prayers were answered because George (the less active guy we have been teaching) has been having us over to teach him and to help him with overcoming his addiction. He's a great guy. But was cool and what answered our prayers was what he said at the end. He was talking about how he is going to be interviewed soon for the Aaronic Priesthood and how he has his eyes set on the Temple because he is working hard on his family history and he wants to take his family names to the Temple. But anyways, he told us that we should be happy because we have been able to help him with his struggles and that is success even though we aren't baptizing. He is progressing and he is thankful for that.
Well, thanks for everything you guys! I hope all is well! Until next time!
Tofa soifua
Elder Peters
Sent from my iPad
Monday, January 11, 2016
Hey you guys!
How are you? How was your week? This week we saw a lot of success! It's been a lot of work but I'm glad we are getting to teach a lot more now.
This week I got to speak in Sacrament Meeting! It was my first talk on my mission and Elder Scott's last talk on his mission! We both spoke on the Holy Ghost. He spoke first and I was the concluding speaker. That was a first. I was so nervous holy smokes. But when I got up there, I was totally calm. I spoke and shared some cool experiences that I have had with feeling the Spirit in my life and shared a couple scriptures and before I knew it, I had spoken for 20 minutes! I had to wrap up my talk before I had shared everything that I had prepared! Pretty cool. And everyone loves saying "Talofa" when I get up to speak.
The weather here is getting colder and colder. This morning it was -3 with windchill! So stinking cold. My companion and I and the zone leaders skate to our cars. It's pretty fun.... Unless you fall of course. It is supposed to snow quite a bit this week. So hopefully there are lots of opportunities for service. We got to serve a lot this week just like last week. The guy that had us helping him paint last week had us over again and we did a lot. I learned how to install a fridge and the water/ice maker and a stove! It's cool cuz I got to serve while learning things that I can and will use in the future.
Three years ago, the 10th of January (yesterday), I lost my mentor, my best friend, my Grandpa. He was such a great example of a true follower of Christ. He showed everyone he met Christlike love and served them the best he could. I know this is where he would want me to be. He was the best Grandpa anyone could ever ask for. He raised his family in a righteous home and always made sure that his kids walked in righteousness. He sacrificed so much all the time for the ones he loved and that's what I want to do. Thanks Grandpa. I love you man.
There are some crazy things going on in the world right now. I just heard that on New Years Eve there was a terrorist threat that was stopped in Rochester! Just 20 miles away from Batavia! That's nuts! But I know that the Lord will protect me. He always has, always will.
I have been reading in Mosiah lately (a book in the Book of Mormon). I love how they plead with the Lord to protect them and ease their burdens. The Lord helps them out according to their faith. That can be applied to all of our lives. No matter where we are, we are always going to have some kind of trial. But, with the help of the Lord, we can see that those trials are given to us to help us grow and become more like our Father in Heaven. We can also see His hand in our lives everyday helping us and lifting us up.
I hope all is well back home. I love you all so much!
Elder Preston Peters
Sent from my iPad
Monday, January 4, 2016
Hey you guys!
How are you? I hope all of you are doing well. This week was fun!
We worked a lot and it snowed a lot. It looked like a blizzard outside during our studies! It's so stinking cold here. It doesn't matter how many layers I have on it seems like I can't ever get warm. It's super cold. We went to an investigators house for New Years and that was fun. But we had to go at 8 and we went to the zone leaders house to have pina coladas and play games. but we were still in bed at 10:30. I didn't even stay up to see the fireworks or anything. I was super tired.
Elder Rushton got sick this week. He was throwing up and everything. It was rough. But I helped him out. We went and got a Gatorade and he felt better after. Then, the next day he felt a lot better!
We painted a house this week. We spent a lot of time doing service this week. We helped paint, wash walls, move dry wall, replace Windows, etc. we were super tired after. But it was all good cuz they had country music playing and there was this guy that offered to take us out to burgers next weekend! So there's that!
Yesterday we got to teach gospel doctrine. The lesson went real well. We didn't have to teach till the end. We challenged everyone there to take a Book of Mormon and pass it out during the week. They were pretty enthusiastic about it too! So we will see how it goes. We are working a lot with the members right now. The stake president told them that his vision is for the missionaries to not have to tract anymore! So they would be doing all the missionary work and we would be there basically to teach. So sweet. But it's gonna take a lot of work to get there but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Today is zone p day so sorry my email is all over the place. We've been ballin and ballin and ballin some more. Super fun. But now I am out of time :( so I'll talk to you all next week! I'll be better next week I promise!