ONE WEEK!!!

Just let it all out mom!!! It’s okay you can finally do it! ha-ha I’m so excited too, whenever I think about home or being with the family I just get so gitty and excited inside that I can’t control myself!! I just got done doing my last grocery shopping spree and it’s crazy to think that everything I do this week will be the last here in Chile as a missionary. I have onces (dinners) planned out this week with a couple of families, I have family home evenings with certain families as well, I haven’t even talked to president Wright yet, but tomorrow I will see him because we have a get to know president meeting, then a zone leader meeting with him on Friday and I have my big farewell on Sunday!! I’m pretty stoked. Of course including the baptism of my investigator on Sunday with her two kids. We are praying too that she stops smoking. It’s awesome because the kids are young but we have been teaching them as a family now and we can totally see the desire growing in them to continue in this, we can see changes coming along and friends being made in the church so we are happy about their progress. I cannot believe that Johnathon is getting his call this week!!! That’s ridicules, I’m way excited for the call he will receive!

Question, so I won’t be speaking with Jordan or will I? That’s kind of lame if we don’t but if we can’t its whatever.
I’m not sure if this will be my last time writing to everyone but I think it will be because I will have to be at the office at like 2 or 3. I might be able to squeeze some time in their to write but we will see.

Also about the whole boating thing, I think I will want to do it but I don’t know, actually I say let’s do it! I’m down to do it; it would only be for a day right? It’s just that there is so much I want to do that I’m just not sure when to do it all or the best time. But yeah I would be fine to do it.

Also I know it’s random but I was talking about something with my companion and I realized something that I really wanted that sounded good to me. 7 layer bean dip and clam dip lol weird huh? But it just sounds so good to me ha-ha.

oh, I almost forgot to talk about it but the farewell of president Laycock and sister Laycock was so amazing and seriously the spirit was their so strong and president talked about love and it was so amazing. It was so sad cause in the end we all sang the mission song before they left and it was so hard not to cry just seeing them tear up. I will admit I teared up a bit but I think it was just a mix of the fact that it was all coming to an end and that it was the last time I would see them as my president and it was sad thinking that I was leaving the mission. It was such an emotional and spiritual farewell for them.

Well I don’t know if this will be my last time writing to you but I’m so excited to see you in a week!!      Wow it makes me want to scream with excitement!! But really my mission means everything to me and I’m so thankful for the help and support from family and friends through my time here, really your prayers have been felt every step of the way. This work it true, I have gained a great testimony on how important this work is. Always take advantage of every moment to teach the gospel.

Love you guys so much,
See you soon at the end of the terminal!

Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen

P.s. sorry dad for having to put more money in my account but

This last week almost all lunches fell through, I bought some souvenirs but

Also food to get me through recently. It’s more expensive here than you think.

Last tour of Santiago with President Laycock..2 WEEKS!

I'm so jealous of the fact that you all went to see Chanelle dance and go to Big Judd's! But its okay it gets me all the more excited to see you all and have fun like that. It's so weird when I hear all you have done in Idaho this past weekend, it's a reminder of how fast time has flown by. I totally remember when I went their right before I left on the mission and it sometimes feels like a dream with all that has happened in these past two years.

By the way there is really nothing trunkier or nothing said that puts it into perspective that you're going home soon than when your mom asks you what you want her to cook for you when you get home. Lol                

I think that I just truly miss a good steak and also just some good breakfast food with a cold glass of milk. Ha-ha weird huh? But that's really what sticks out to me in the little bit of food that I can remember from the states. Mom, I think just any food made by you will do and be loved.

By the way, thank you mom for signing me up for my classes cause I was kind of worried about that and so I hope that everything goes well. Thank you for the, I can't imagine the two annoying hours of talking on the phone to get my classes all figured out.

This week was when all the trunky things happened. I first made all my invitations and sent them off to people that I want to see before I leave, and on Friday I went with my group to take a tour of Santiago and it was pretty cool but since President is leaving and doesn't usually do them 2 weeks early like he did with our group, they tried not to make the trip or tour very trunky for us and so it was a little different but it was cool to be able to see some stuff that I hadn't seen before in Santiago. I think the coolest part was when we went through the temple for the last time with president (which yes means that Skyler and I won't be able to see each other before I leave because I didn't know it would happen so soon) and so at the end president gave us all a huge hug and just cried. But it was funny because they couldn't tell us yet that we were done and tell us that we had done a good job but he still cried like always. Ha-ha. The spirit was really strong there.
After that I had my last exit interview with President that I will tell more in detail when I get home. But it was a really spiritual experience where the spirit was so strong and I felt while he gave me the blessing, (that he gives to everyone) that God was really pleased with the decision that I have made to come on a mission and that he is as well pleased with what I have done and that my mission has become what the Lord wanted it to be for me. It was a really comforting blessing.

Tomorrow we have a family home evening with President and sister Laycock. It's going to, I think be an emotional rollercoaster for President and Sister Laycock as well for us missionaries, but I'm excited. It's basically all night.

Also I think we will be pushing the baptism of my investigators to my last Sunday because she has to stop smoking and it has become hard for her to do it. But I hope and pray that she will be able to stop so I can be here for her baptism.

Well I almost can't hold it in any more or contain myself about how excited I am to be able to see everybody. It's hard to do it though without making those I live with the same way. I'm kind of scared at the same time, I kind of have mixed feelings but I know that all I have learned here in the mission will be a crutch to lean on for me when I get home. I'm excited you can say for the real mission to start after the mission and to be able to put into practice all that I have learned. I now have direction in my life of where I want to go and how to be able to become the person I want to be.
I know the church is true and that we have the one and only authority in this church and that we have a living prophet that leads and guides us today who is called of God. Of this I have no doubt.

I love you all. Que Aferran a la barra de hierro siempre

Con Amor,
Su Eíder favorito,
Eíder Pedersen

This was an excerpt from Sister Laycock:

On July 9 and 10, these wonderful missionaries are scheduled to complete their mission service in the Chile, Santiago East Mission. President and Sister Laycock wanted to have a special day with them to celebrate their successful missions. We went to the Temple together. Then we had a wonderful meal of mashed potatoes, gravy, avacado salad, turkey, and flaun for dessert. It was wonderful in every way. We talked about what the Lord expects from these faithful men and women after they return home.

After lunch, we took a little tour to see the important land marks of Santiago. We ended at Los Dominicos, the church that is pictured on the 2 mil peso bill. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with these missionaries. Not just on this special day, but on every day in which they served with us in the Chile, Santiago Mission. We will always have a special place in our hearts for these fine young servants of our Heavenly Father. They really are remarkable in every way. We love them all so much.

Happy Father's Day and 27th Anniversary

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD! And happy 27th Anniversary!!


I'm so glad that you both had a great Anniversary. I'm glad it went perfect. It seems like the activity of the stake went well, I got to hear a little part of the song that Daniel sang. It's so crazy how his voice has changed! It sounded awesome. It was kind of funny how they just randomly started swaying back and forth lol. It was good.
By the way Mom I didn't get your letter until this week because you didn't send it in time and so it was good to get two e-mails from mom in one week lol. And it was fun hanging out with Skyler and I didn't mention much cause we didn't do much than just sit and walk around and talk but it was way awesome to be able to see him, it was a lot of fun. He totally shaved his head and so it kind of caught me off guard when I saw him. We just exchanged stories and just talked about after the mission. It seemed like he didn't want to flat out say that he is a little trunky with me going home but I could tell that he was kind of sad that all his friends in his mission are going home and so am I here soon. And I was going to ask about the whole CD thing because I didn't understand that you wanted me to send a CD of something. I don't want o send anything cause I will get home before the package does. Also about my major, I wanted to go into exercise science because I hear from Elders that want to be orthodontists and they said that's what is recommended to take to get you prepared for the test to get into dental school. But just let me know how my classes are set up so I know what's going on and what my schedule is. I didn't get the pictures of last week either and so you should send them again.
Well this week was a good one. We didn't have many lessons but we have put baptismal dates on a family and so we are stoked and so excited for them. I have been teaching them for a long time and since the husband was in the states and had been baptized there we kind of have been teaching her with the thought that she with her kids would be baptized when her husband comes home and so we had been teaching and teaching her with her kids and recently we talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and I felt I should talk to her about baptism even though she had already told us that she was going to be baptized when her husband comes home. So I mentioned something about baptism and she said that she was talking to her husband and that he told her to be baptized as soon as possible even though he's not here and so she had been told that but she just never told us until we mentioned it and so she got really excited and we asked her to be baptized the 1st of July and her two kids as well have expressed their desire to be baptized. So we are praying that everything goes right and that also she can stop smoking easily like she told us it would be.
Thank you mom and dad for your motivating letters that help and remind me to be better and bring home the fire. I keep thinking that this change will just keep going just like a regular change in the mission and that I will continue being a missionary for a while longer. This week it was wired cause I made invitations for my farewell when I leave my last Sunday in Chile for all those I want to see before I leave and I couldn't believe that I was actually doing it and that this week I will have the big tour with president and my last interview with him before he leaves. It still hasn't hit me yet but with the arrival of president and sister Wright and with my farewell I think it will hit me really hard but as for now I want to like you said bring the fire and take it home with me.
Well, while you're in Idaho give Chanelle hugs and kisses for me and take lots of pictures.
I love you all so much and I can't hide the excitement that I have to see you all. I'm so happy to see everyone progressing so much in the gospel. I feel like God blesses our family so much. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for the family that I have. Thank you for your prayers and testimonies.
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen

Trunky?

Querida familia,

Well right now Elder blue and I are sitting next to each other writing our fams, it's pretty awesome! We were super excited. I will send you all some pictures of us. It was funny cause you will see him with regular clothes on, we meant to both go in regular street clothes and so in the pictures it may makes him look bad ha-ha.

Well I'm totally stoked for coming home but it's like mixed feelings, but there's no doubt that I'm excited to see the family! The time is going by so fast and I can't believe it, I feel like sometimes it's a dream that it's all coming to a close, but I still can't imagine not being a missionary.

This week wasn't the best week for success. It's getting hard in this sector and it's even harder with the fact that there's a trunky missionary in it. Lol

We actually taught all of our investigators this week but they are all at a point where they either won't or cannot progress and be baptized before I get home. Its weird thinking that I have so little time left in the mission that even if I found someone golden they couldn't even be baptized before I leave even if they wanted to.

We taught our investigator this week and he goes to church and mutual every week and we put a baptismal date on him and we ended up talking to his mom about it and she is totally opposed to it and so its kind of hard. She doesn't want him to get baptized right now, because the husband doesn't want it at all cause he does not like our religion and so it's frustrating cause we were thinking of what to say to them but there was nothing cause it all comes down to the parents decision and so he said he will keep coming to church and participate but can't be baptized until he is 18.

I can't believe that Kenny is graduated! I and Skyler were talking about how crazy it is that they are all growing up and graduating! It seems like so long ago when that happened for us. I hope the party they had was awesome and that a lot of people went to support them. You have to send some pictures if you can.

This week I had another meeting with President Laycock and I love the fact that I get to work so close to him and learn from him and see how he leads and guides the mission.

He took my companion and I home in his car (new mission car for pres. Wright) and we talked about his son in the mission and about what they will be doing when returning home and we got talking about his big homecoming when he speaks in church and he said it's the 29th of July and he asked if I would be in town for it. So I'm wondering if we are doing anything during that time.

Well I love you all tons and I know this work of which I'm doing is true!

Que tangan una buena semana!

Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen

Happy Birthday Mom...

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

I hope you were able to have a good birthday.

I'm not going to lie but it was disappointing to not receive any letter last week from anyone. It was I think the first time that that has happened in my mission but it's all good. After a couple of tears I was fine lol jk.

I cannot believe that Kenny is already graduating from high school. We can definitely say that he looks a lot older than I looked when I graduated ha-ha. I'm excited for him though and for his future and where he will go now.

By the way it has been way too long that I really have no idea where it is even if I thought really hard I wouldn't be able to tell you. Sorry.

Well this week wasn't that great of a week, my companion and I get along really well and we are having fun, we are not finding more people to teach or even having many lessons to teach but we are doing good and even though sometimes it can be very easy to get lazy, I realize that I'm leaving in a little bit and I want to look back with peace of mind knowing that I ended great.

This week we were able to have a meeting for all the Zone Leaders in the mission, but this time we had it at the Presidents house, and it was really awesome. He opened his heart to us and taught us the things that leaders do and taught us how to be persuasive. He also gave each one of us one of his favorite ties and he signed it saying con amor, he also said that the ties represented the love he has for each one of us and that there will always be a TIE between us.

By the way mom I always am writing things down for the most part, well at least better than the majority of the elders and so I consider myself doing well with that.

Well I love you all and I'm excited to see you all but for now I will be working hard so the blessings will be sent home. Pray for our investigators.

CON AMOR,

Elder Pedersen

Last Change

Today was change day and yes Mom your wish came true, My companion was transferred and I stayed, so we wont be leaving together, now you don't have to worry about me getting trunky. . I actually was happy that I stayed because I already know the ward and even though the sector isn't that great I believe that I will be able to see even more miracles than I have already seen here.


Well my companions name is Elder Grillone and is from New Jersey, he is really cool and we are getting along great already. He's pretty excited to be able to kill me but holding back a little saying it because he knows that he will be pretty trunky by the time I leave because he only has two changes less than I do. I'm excited for this change as well because we will be able to give it full throttle because we both have sufficient time here in the mission that we don't have to train or tell each other how to do things and so we both are excited and I know it will be a great change. I'm kind of scared that it s coming so fast that I'm leaving and I don't think that I will even feel ready but at least I can try and do my best this last change.
Today pure sister missionaries went home and while listening to their testimonies made me want to cry just thinking that I will have to leave all those that I have taught and come to love here. But that's enough talking about my leaving home. Lol
This week has been a good week, not for numbers because it wasn't that great in that aspect. ha-ha This week we were teaching the kid that we had found that went to church and participated in everything, and we went over this week and his dad was there and he saw us and realized we were teaching his 15 year old and he told us that he didn't authorize that fact that we were there and so he told us to leave and the kid told his dad that he had already talked to his mom and that it was fine with her, but he insisted and so there was nothing we could do and so we left really disappointed and sad. But on Thursday we went to mutual and he was there with the rest of the young men and so we were shocked and he said that his mom I guess doesn't care that he listens to us and so we were really excited but we have to teach him now in the house of a young man. So we taught him and he had said that he had felt something different at the baptism that he attended and he also told us that he was in 2 Nephi 18! And we had only taught him like 3 times, so it was a miracle that he still came and that his dad somewhat let his son go to the church and mutual. So I'm hoping that we can see progress up to baptism there.
Well I'm not sure if you sent a letter to me because I didn't get anything from you or dad today. I'm pretty sure there is a reason why because you both usually write.
Well I love you all a tons and hope and pray that everybody is staying strong and choosing the best
Have a great week!
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
P.S. I have new pictures on shutterfly just in case that you're not looking

Last Zone Conference!! SAD

Thank you for the pictures and the scriptures and your favorite stories! And don't worry about the favorite scriptures of the kid's cause there are some things that I want to buy but its fine I can do without them.

I seriously cannot believe that McKenna has had another birthday again! I feel like it was not too long ago when she turned 8. That so insane, she's not allowed to grow up so fast! Ha-ha

Well I'm supper excited about the whole car thing! That's going to be awesome! But let me know what kind of car you're going to buy yourself ha-ha. I'm so stoked for college! Don't worry I'm not getting too trunky. Lol Me and my companion are still working hard.

Actually this week we have been so busy with other stuff that there was really not much time this week to be able to work in the sector much because we had temple, Zone conference and we had to do little things here and there as zone leaders.

Well this week you remember when I told you that we had found a kid who is totally legit and has real intention to know the truth but his grandparents don't like us and always come in the lesson to bash with us about things that don't really make sense? Problem not but he is really awesome! He came to mutual Thursday by himself in spite of not knowing anybody and when he got their they said that they were going to practice for a beauty and the beast play that they were going to do for a stake thing and he participated even though it was totally boring for him and he came to church on Sunday with his book of Mormon and stay all four hours until the baptismal service was over and he even sang with the young men in the musical number that they did for our investigator that got baptized! Awesome right? So we are excited for the progression of him.

SO yes we had a baptism and it went really good except for the fact that the gas ran out to heat up the water for the baptismal font and so it was pretty funny watching them enter into the font with freezing water. That's why electric heaters are better; you don't have to worry about any of that. the mom was also there as well and what is cool is that we had given her a book of Mormon and she told her husband that she wants to read it all before we leave home and so we are stoked, I not sure how far she will progress but she loves the book of Mormon and she had never read it before in spite that her husband had given her one before!

It was funny because in Zone Conference President told everyone about the Wrights and how dad works with him again and he said that the previous night you both had eaten dinner with them and so I'm guessing that president has been talking to President Wright.

During the conference as well he answered all the questions that we could think of about what's going to happen before the Wrights get here and so it was pretty cool to learn it all. They answered all the questions because that was the last zone conference that we would ever have with him. Sad huh? It's all coming so soon.

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week


Con Amor,

Elder Pedersen