Great Christmas!!!!

This Christmas was a great one. It was so much better being able to see each of you. I felt like I was there and I didn't need anything else but to see you all on Christmas, I was glad for the chance to do that. I don't remember the things we talked about but I remember just smiling the whole time and after as well.

Sorry by the way if the connection was terrible or that I couldn't hear half the time, I could tell it was kind of irritating not being able to be heard.lol I really wish that I could of had some privacy as well, I just didn't feel like I could say all the things I wanted to, but it was worth it.

I'm not nearly as nervous to talk to people as I was when I got here, I didn't feel nervous talking to you guys at all but it was just hard when everybody was watching. My Spanish is fine I just wanted to speak and say what I wanted to say without everybody listening. I will have to send my testimony recorded to you all.

But I really enjoyed talking with everybody and seeing that everyone is doing great. I'm not going to lie I got a little emotional. When Dad left and said he is glad I'm a missionary I got a little choked up too. But other than that I felt great. It really stunk not being able to see or talk to Chanelle, I wanted to know how her Christmas was in the mission and all. But at least I heard her say she loves me so it's all good.

The house also has changed a lot, it looks way good! I was really glad I could see everything on the laptop, I actually felt like I was their!

I'm so glad you guys had a great Christmas and you loved talking to all of us. It really made my Christmas being able to talk to my family. I love you all and I'm trying out here to give the lord my all and put all my trust in his hands without fear.

I love being a missionary!
Have a great new year!
I love you all !!!
- Your Elder Pedersen

Here are some pictures....

P.S. I was totally shocked that Nancy is getting baptized!
That is such a miracle; I bet Scott is super happy about that.
I'm way happy for them!!!

Merry Christmas!!! Talk to you in Five days...

Hey family!

Sorry it took me so long to write back today, I really had tons to do.

Mom, to answer your question about the whole Skype thing, I actually found out during the day that we are allowed to Skype, lol but I'm not sure if I want to do that. I might cry or something lol. I don't know, I will have to think about it. But about the phone call. I think I will be calling around 2 or 3 because I have lunch with a family and so after we will have to book it to the pension to be able to call on time. So I will try to call at 10 your time. And yes I will be using the calling card. And I can only talk for 30 to 40 min. hour max. yeah it kinda stinks but have your questions ready and what not. I'm way excited!!!

I'm glad everybody is doing really well; Kenny seems to be doing really awesome! And same with all the other boys. Tell Kellin I said happy birthday!!! And that I love that stud! I actually have a package that I sent home today, it won't get their before Christmas but it has a birthday present for Kellin, and some other stuff for the family, it's a little taste of Chile lol.

This Christmas is going to be weird but exciting and memorable one. It's totally weird being out here without the family, traditions, food, movies, but I'm loving the work and trying to make this Christmas a special one. So my companion and I during Christmas week are going from house to house, members and singing songs and giving them home made treats from the United States and sharing a Christmas thought about Christmas and the significance of the birth of our Savior and the three wise men, So I hope it all turns out great.

This week I have really been thinking about the birth of Jesus and taking a look at the importance of why I am here. People tell us all the time how hard it must be away from family during this time. And it's true it is a little hard but we tell them that's why our message is so important. I always think of the quote that day told me that a mission president said, we are here on missions away from our families so other families can be together forever, and it's true. I love my family so much and I'm glad that I have day after day to share this wonderful message with people. That there is a way that families can be together forever and that is through our savior Jesus Christ. It makes me so happy to know that through the priceless gift of the savior, we can all be together forever. There is no greater gift from our Heavenly Father to mankind, And some people go throughout their whole lives without knowing that they can receive all these blessings from our Heavenly Father through the atonement of his son Jesus Christ.

Now I know since being out here that one of the greatest gifts I could give to my Savior is to share this knowledge that I have and the goodness of God with all those who will receive me.

I love you all and I want you all to know that I know this gospel is true with all my heart. There is not and never will be a doubt in my heart about the truth of this gospel. I know that because our Savior broke the bands of death and was resurrected the 3rd day, we can all live and be together forever. I know and I testify that the holy seplicure is still empty. Just like his disciples saw on that day. Sometimes I ask myself why I was born into the world, into the gospel of Jesus Christ, with loving parents. All I can do now is give all I have to my father in heaven who blesses me each and every day of my life.

I hope you all have a great Christmas week as we ponder and celebrate the gift that was given so long ago and keeps on giving.

Merry Christmas! Keep Chanelle and I in your thoughts as you walk down the stairs that Christmas morning.

Love-

Your Elder Pedersen

It's A Wonderful Life!!

I'm really glad everybody is doing great! The boy's new room looks so different, it looks really good. And yes I received the package! I was way excited, I wasn't sure whether to open it up or not, so I opened it but not the actual packages. Its way awesome though, I thought it was very cleaver with the scriptures and everything. Yeah sorry if I'm writing a little late today, it's because we went to a huge feria and went to some sites. And I got permission because it is out of the mission. I'm sending you pictures. It was way cool.

Well this week we had the mission activity and it was really fun. We drove clear up in the mountains and played tons of games and also soccer, which I was definitely not great at, but we played that for a while since everybody here loves soccer. After that we got dressed at the church and ate a huge lunch, then took a mission picture. Then we heard from the president speak about the life of Jesus Christ as he related it to the mission. Man it was powerful! I can see him being the next Jeffery R. Holland, I felt the spirit throughout the entire thing. He also told us something I didn't realize before, that we are the only mission in the world that is small enough to meet all together. He said he received special permission to be all together. Then afterwards it was so awesome, We ate popcorn and watched "It's a Wonderful Life." When I saw that we were watching that, I freaked out, I felt like I was home because we always watch it every year. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard while watching that movie before as I did with the mission. It made me kinda miss home, but it was okay I totally loved it. It was actually funny because after the movie all the missionary's eyes were killing them because we have not sat and watched a movie and just stared at a screen for such a long time. And it didn't help that we had all been out in the sun all day, we were all fried. It was a really good day though.

This week has been a hard one though; we are not finding a lot of people to teach, and all day walking around in the blazing hot sun totally takes the energy right out of you. It is really hard sometimes. I am trying to give it all I have though. One of the worst things that I hate is wasting time; I feel like if I'm sitting down for 45 min. and not doing something or if we can't find anybody to teach through the whole day like what happened this week, I feel like such a slacker and I'm wasting the Lord's time. I absolutely hate it. And it's so hard sometimes, but I have set goals and am going to carry them out. I want to always be able to find someone a day and to teach and testify as many times as I can each day, because when I testify and teach I feel the spirit and feeling the spirit is what keeps me going, so I'm trying to give it all I got, because this time is going by fast. I already hit my 6 months in the mission in two weeks. It's crazy how much I'm learning though, I'm really finding that there is such deeper meaning to the scriptures than I have ever thought before. D&C has so much doctrine I'm finding beneath every section. Also I'm learning things from every missionary, like when I went on divisions with my district leader and in the morning we started a conversation and we couldn't stop talking about deep doctrine all morning long. I love talking about the gospel; it's one of my favorite things.

I hope everybody continues to do great. I love you all. By the way dad that picture of the food, not the cinnamon rolls but the other photo that I sent; It's funny that you said it made you hungry because that's one of the worst things I have had so far in Chile.lol Its like soggy bread, so if you're wondering what is the worst thing I have eaten; that would be it. lol

Oh and yeah I might just call between one and two. I'm really excited to talk to you all, I can't wait. The only thing I'm debating is what to call on because I have heard it's better to call at a member's house because on a cell phone it gets kind of staticy. Will the phone card work on a house phone too? Also I'm not as spoiled as Chanelle and get to talk for 3 hours with you all. lol I only get an hour to an hour and a half. It really stinks, so have questions prepared. I actually have a lot I want to talk about but I will probably forget. But just get questions ready.

Well I love you all and tell the Coffman's that I got their letters from like 2 months ago, but tell them thank you for me for being so consistent and writing me even though I haven't written them yet.

I pray for every one of you each day, stay safe, work hard and choose the right!

Con Amor,
Your Elder Pedersen

It's Beginning to look a lot like Summer!!!

Alright this week was a really fantastic week. But to start thank you for the letters, Dad your letter was awesome! That's totally how I feel sometimes, we all have our own garden and we take care of it the best we can each day, and its difficult sometimes to help it grow, but as we do it, it grows into something beautiful. And like you said some people don't want a garden, they don't want to take the time. I'm really glad that everyone is doing really good, I couldn't believe that Kenny cut his hair. Wow!

Seems like everyone is doing great. I'm really excited to call the family on Christmas day! Except that I really don't know when to call and I only have like an hour is what I heard which is crazy cause I didn't know it was only going to be that long because Chanelle definitely talked longer than that. So I guess we will just have to see.

I'm totally losing track of time, not ever realizing what day is what, and the days fly by. It's insane! Before I know it, it will be Christmas. It's been a lot of fun to open the packages, I love them all. It's just a little piece of home in the pension. I'm going to miss home this Christmas but it's okay because I have a sister who is going to go through the same thing. And also the people here love the missionaries and there is a big family that is in our ward and we might go over there for Christmas and they do everything how we do it in the United States. So I'm excited, they are an awesome family, super loud which I love because it reminds me of our family. But yes we are having a big mission activity this Thursday and I'm not sure what we are doing but I heard it's going to be good. I will have to let you know how it goes. I'm way excited though.

Alright so this week was good because all this week we were preparing for two baptisms and so Sunday was awesome. I confirmed Fernanda who was baptized last week and I baptized Fernando. It was definitely a spiritual experience for me. I was really nervous so I definitely had a prayer in my heart the whole time. It went good though. The baptism was kinda funny because I had to baptize him 3 times! lol the first time I got everything right but he didn't go all the way under and the 2nd time I didn't say it right, but it was all good, but what was really cool was that when we were changing I asked him how he felt and he said that this was the feeling that he has been looking for for a long time and now he has it. This guy lives with his parents, is kinda shy, his parents told us he has never done wrong. And it was so awesome because all his life he has been doing everything right but has never tasted or felt the goodness of the gospel. It was a really cool experience.

Also what I forgot to tell you was that before elder Johnston left, he and I and another member from the ward sang I know my Redeemer lives in sacrament meeting, it went really well, people said that they really felt the spirit, and they loved it. It was fun too because it was a different version.

I'm really loving it here, I will try and take tons of pictures this week of the Christmas activity also. It's seriously so hot here, I'm not used to it at all. I'm always sweating, So it's a good thing you sent me those t-shirts. I'm definitely using them. Also those family home evenings are great too. We used one this week and it went really well. They loved it. Well I love you all and tell the Coffman's I love them too and tell them sorry for not being able to write them. I never have time.

Keep working hard and I love you all!
The church is True!
Con Amor,
Your Elder Pedersen