To A Great Week!!!!

The picture of the one little kid totally looks like me I thought.

This week was way cool. I went on divisions for a day with an elder from a different sector and we went up in the mountains because it's in my sector; which I didn't realize before and so we went up there and went through the poorest area that I have ever seen. The houses look like the house in the picture that I was knocking at and their was trash everywhere! So I was kind of scared that someone would do something to us so we left their and went into the mountains and it was so awesome. The sight was awesome as well and I felt like a missionary in Africa or somthing.lol It was way cool and on the way up we talked with a bunch of people and actually taught the first lesson with a group of people and we said a prayer with them and I could really feel the spirit as we taught them and answered their questions that they had for us. It was cool because I had more time out in the mission than he did but we felt like the spirit guide us in what to say. It was way fun.

 

Wow, its seems like you all had a great time in Portland this week. I saw the pictures but for some reason or another I couldn't see all of it. I saw Kenny's shoe and that was it. Lol I was jealous to hear that you all went to go eat sushi, seems like you all pigged out. I miss those awesome drives as a family and just talking and laughing and talking about the gospel. I bet Kenny is loving all the attention and being spoiled. Lol I think I would actually like it too.

Thank you for the letters that I got. I loved them. It's so true what you said that Satan is all about addiction and that God is all about freedom.  I see it here in families and all around the place. And they just tell themselves that they are happy and they don't need help but I see the members of the church and how happy they all are (true happiness) and it's hard to find that in a world like this.

This week we were trying to work on a mom of a recent convert because she loves us and really respects us so we tried to teach her, but in the end she told us that she feels that God has blessed her through the happiness that her son has found because of us and the gospel and that she feels that she has the love of god in her life enough that she doesn't feel the need to go. It made me upset when I heard that, I was so close to asking her if God needs to take away that happiness or have something significant happen for you to feel you need God and to go to church? It made me frustrated because too many people think that here. God is all about freedom, in the end it's a better path to take, and it always leads to happiness.

I was so excited to hear that Devin was starting his papers. Man I'm so excited for him to leave, he is really going to learn a lot and God will work miracles with him. I'm so excited to hear all of the people receiving their mission call.

I received the package that you sent me by the way for the living Christ. I'm on week 7; I'm not sure really what we are supposed to be on right now. I was cracking up when I got the letter from Kellin. Tell him thank you for the letter. He always makes me laugh.

We definitely are seeing miracles here even though they are not miracles such as someone running up to us saying they want to be baptized but we definitely see the hand of the lord in this work and in our safety. Sometimes I wonder how I and my companion are kept so safe, people yell at us and cuss at us and other stuff but I actually feel safe. It's truly a miracle walking around the streets here in Santiago.

And yes mom you hit it right on the dot, next week is transfers which is totally weird because I feel like I just started this change like a week ago. I'm pretty much leaving. I learned a lot from this change and now like Chanelle told me, I have a family to go back to now. Even though I was here for the last general conference, it's so weird to think about that. Time has flown and I'm excited for the experiences that lie ahead for me. I'm so stoked for general conference this next week. Seriously it's like Christmas for me. We teach lessons after lessons testifying that there is a prophet and apostles that lead and guide the church and now I get to here form them and receive revelation from their words. I can hardly wait and all I want to do this week is invite people to it because there is truly power to their words that carry the spirit into the hearts of those who hear.

And yes Mom I got the flu shot, I didn't pansy out lol.

Love you all; sorry this letter is kind of short. I also want to send some pictures.

Love Elder Pedersen

How blessed I am...

Sorry for the short E-mails that I have been sending. Skyler told me that you were upset that I don’t write more and then I checked my E-mail after I read that and didn’t have anything from you so I thought you were just trying to get me back. Lol But of course both of my parents write me every week.

Thank You Dad and Mom for your letters, which every week that I receive them is the perfect thing that I need to hear at that time. I know that there is always room for improvement and I know that there are times that are just super hard, but I have to always think of my Savior and do what he would do. I want to walk away from these sacred two years that I have set aside with gaining as much as I can by giving the Lord all of my strength, even in the hard times.

Wow I can't believe that everybody is gone doing something fun this week. I can just imagine how weird it is only being Kenny and McKenna in the house. Lol It must feel really peaceful. lol

Yeah I agree on the part when you said my mission president and his wife are amazing. We as missionaries talk to them more than you think. He is someone that I want to become. Some mission presidents don’t talk to their missionaries that much. But in this mission he is always doing interviews with us and always having meetings with us. For example this month he is doing capacitations (I am not sure if this is suppose to be a Spanish word he is using, so I do not know what this is.) every Thursday, and it really helps us get super excited for the work. He is truly a man of dedication and gives up everything for us missionaries. I could go on and on about him and amazing stories that he has told us. I’m so glad to have him and his wife as mission president and mother of our mission.

That is way awesome that Neal had already got his call to go on a mission to Brazil. I thought he would be too young to even go already. Wow time is flying.

No, I’m not training yet. You usually get to train here after the year mark cause that is when you know the language really well and have had a lot of experiences.

This week was kind of hard for us even though we were obedient and tried hard to teach. Sometimes it’s so hard walking in the sun and everybody is closing their doors on us and even sometimes our investigators don’t want to progress. When that happens, I try and think of what Chanelle said on how Satan hates us doing this work and doesn’t want god’s children to find the gospel and then it gives me that excitement on those hard days to want to push forward with all my might and even be bold with people. Something that I have learned here is that if you’re not persistent to get in their doors, then they won’t  let you in. I have noticed that I have to be bold with people. Also what president wants us to focus on for right now is to flood Santiago with the book of Mormon as much as we can and always testify of it and get them to read. Because if they don’t read they will not gain a testimony. So that is what our focus is this week.

It was cool this week too cause I got to stay long enough to see one of my converts go to the temple before I left. So I was way excited about that because that is the main goal. To get them through those doors.

Also this week we went with a member to go see a lady who had cancer who wasn’t a member or her family. And me and my trainer gave her a blessing my first change. It wasn’t the lords will that she be healed but we went over there and sang with her and read a scripture while her family was their crying because she was going to die soon. It was cool experience for me to think how blessed I am and how loving the lord is to let me know these truths and know they are true trough the Holy Ghost. Things like death really put life into perspective and makes you really think how short this time here on earth is but also how important it is as well.

I like what you said dad on how I shouldn’t look at people and judge them but instead look at them as brothers and sisters who made this choice to come down here as well.

I love this gospel and I’m always growing here as I put my confidence in the lord and try my hardest even when things get hard. Those are the times when we grow the most. The more trials we go through, the more we enjoy the other side.

I love you all and I’m thankfull for all your prayers

Love,
-Elder Pedersen

Tsunami!!

That's so awesome that you were able to sing in the concert. I was able to hear the one that Dad sent me, it really sounded like it went well. I know my mom can do anything! Never gives up on anything!

This week was a pretty good one. We were able to find many people. I just really hope that things happen with them. We are really content with the work were are doing in this sector, but it just stinks cause none of them are progressing very much, but we are praying that the people we find now will progress more.

It's been so crazy because of the tsunami that happened in Japan. We have been hearing about it everywhere and when we go in someone's house, they turn on the TV so we can see it. So we know what has been going on. They also say that we are expecting a tsunami in the south of Chile. But thank heavens that I am in Santiago where I don't think anything would reach unless there was an earthquake. But it has been sad to hear about it. But actually it's been good for the people here because yesterday we went knocking as a sector. And we were able to find tons of people home because of all the things that are going on around in the world. It has really made them open themselves up to hear the gospel and give us a chance and listen to us.

I hope that everyone is doing great at home. McKenna seems like she is getting cuter and cuter. She's so funny. I love the picture that you sent me. I hope she is excited to be baptized!

I don't have much time today. But I'm glad everyone is doing great. How is school going for everyone? And where is the letter from Chanelle. Well I guess I could just look on her blog. lol I keep thinking about her. I bet she is so trunkey right now. I can't believe how close she is to going home.

I love you all!!  Could you let me know how much is on my card and which account to take it out of?

Love you, Work hard!
Elder Pedersen

What? Skyler is coming to Chile!!!!

Holy cow. I was definitely fed full of information this week. I was freaking out when I opened the letter from Skyler!! I couldn't believe that he was going to Chile! I told the elders I was with and they said that some of the sectors that are in my mission, border the one Skyler will be going to. I will for sure see him here. I'm so stoked I can hardly stand it. Man I almost started crying just watching him open his letter. I'm so excited for him and cannot wait for him to start this journey.

And yes I am still trying to memorize the living Christ. How far are you all btw?

Man I still cannot stop thinking about skyler.lol It's so awesome because I can tell him all about Chile and about the weird language that they use. I love the language and yes I'm learning tons and it took a while, but I can understand it great now and are be able to communicate with people just fine, even though there will always be new things to learn, but it's definitely been a roller coaster trying to learn this language. And a lot of humbling experiences, but I love the fact that I can speak a second language and I know it all because of the Lord.

I can't believe that Kayla in engaged. Is she in Medford? Tell her or her mom that she needs to write me. Man that's crazy. It's insane to hear about all the stuff that goes on while I'm on the mission.

That's funny about Jordan thinking he is getting fat. It happens to most missionaries, but it is having the opposite affect on me, I'm losing my muscle and getting skinny. I definitely hate it. But the work is more important than worrying about working out all the time and how I will look when I get back. Lol. It's all good.

By the way. Can you give me Jordan's E-mail? I don't have it.

Sorry this is so short, but I have to go.
Love you all,

Elder Pedersen