New Vision...

Hey family! I'm so glad to hear that Kenny was able to baptize McKenna. How awesome, I wonder how everything went and all the talks and how McKenna felt about it all. When I saw the picture of them I just wanted to give McKenna a big kiss. I'm so proud of her, she is such a peace maker in the house and I'm proud of Kenny too. What a stud was he nervous?

This past Sunday we had a ward baptism and her older brother baptized her. I couldn't help but think of my sister and brother I even told them that my little sister was being baptized the same day. I was also way happy to hear that Josh was re baptized. I wanted to cry hearing that and just thinking of all the things that he went through and now it's like the prodigal son coming back into the arms of the father. I'm way happy for him and I'm sure he probably feels so much better and amazing now.

This week was a little bit of a hard one because our sector is big and all of our investigators live far apart from each other. So it's hard and frustrating when we go to one lesson and they are not there. But it's all good because we are progressing and getting more investigators and working the sector more efficiently.

This week I also feel like I have given more blessings than I have ever in my entire life or if not that we are blessing houses. It happens allot and this week was a week where we gave more than usual. I'm getting used to everything that is going on. My companion and I are getting along and are doing great together. My love is growing for him all the time and it's such a good feeling to know that you and your companion are on the level where you know that you will support each other in whatever you need to do. I don't know what it is but this week I have just been praying for more love with my companion and I was actually glad I have the companion that I have. It's weird because he still does the same weird things but I have a love for him now that I didn't before and I was wondering what changed. I think what might have changed it was that I was thinking this last week about the reason that I'm here with this companion even though I looked at it as I was being punished at first, but after I realized that God placed me here by revelation. I said to myself, get over it and learn. And that has changed everything, because if I keep having that same attitude then I won't learn what God wants me to learn and my attitude would have clouded this change.

I'm learning a lot on how to be a better teacher, leader, and a better instrument in the Lords hands and the necessity of having the spirit with me and I know there is still so much more to learn even if it is through the trials I go through.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Sorry for the short E-mail but thanks for the pictures.
Keep working hard and do your best!

Elder Pedersen

Greater Love and Leadership skills

Thank you for the letter from Steven card, I wish that I could write him back but I have no time. I will have to do it another day. Thank you also for the talk from Skyler, I was really happy to hear it. It turned out to be way awesome and I had to listen to all of it.

I love what you said about the atonement. It's so true about how we sometimes only use it when we have fallen into sin but little do we know that its powers reaches out to other things as well. How did Daniel like his first dance? I couldn't believe that Daniel finally is to that age. I wonder what he thought of it.
Thank you for all your prayer and support. I love you Dad and I'm thankful to have had such a great example through all my years of growing up.

It seems like everybody is doing fantastic. I'm super happy to hear that. Well this week has yes been a little rough with everything that went on last week. The first few days were very hard and when I thought about all the things I had to do and all the responsibility that I had, I was definitely a little discouraged and didn't want to do it. But I gave myself to much prayer and I took it just one day at a time with the help of the lord and I got through the week doing everything that I had to get done. I feel a lot more comfortable and the lord really calmed my fears. I really have learned a lot in this past week of the change, and I now I will look back and say that I really learned from this experience at this time in my mission. I'm really learning to have greater love and work harder and be a great leader, I feel myself growing more than ever and it's worth the hardships. Thank you for all your prayers, they were definitely felt.

This week was great as well because we found some golden investigators and we were able to teach many lessons. I also feel like my Spanish Is getting even better because I'm talking and teaching a lot more so that is a great thing. This next week will be even better because we have set many appointments and I really have the desire to make this a better sector than when I left it. I think sometimes the lord gives us trials to see how we handle each one, so I want to look at the bright side of things and work like it doesn't matter who my companion is. Also he gives us hardships because we become humble and so we give ourselves to him so he can mold us.

I'm super excited for McKenna to be baptized. I can't believe it's happening so soon! I hope you take a bunch of pictures.

Yeah mom I would love to have object lessons if you have any cool ideas.
You also didn't tell me what you think about getting a suit.
 Sorry that this letter is short but I don't have much time.

Love you all! Pray like it all depends on the Lord
And work like it all depends on you!

Elder Pedersen

Also, what I forgot to tell you is that this week I was able to baptize a way awesome couple. I have to do an interview for them to be baptized and after a couple of days the hermanas called me and told me that they wanted me to baptize them. It was so cool and the water was freezing. Lol It was a cool experience and I was surprised and honored to be able to do it. They were both super nervous to do it but felt better that it wasn't my first time baptizing someone.

Just a little side note

Changes...

I love my family so much, thank you mom for the uplifting letter you sent me. I got a little teary eyed reading the letter. I love hearing from the family, it always brightens up my day in every way. And it was something that I really needed because today was changes and last night I found out that everybody in my pension was leaving except for me. My companion went to work in the church office and the other two elders who I lived with were taken right out of the sector and so it is just me and my new companion whose name is Elder Mortensen from Arizona and he is in his 5th change and I'm basically his mom in the mission and he is definitely a different one. And on top of that I'm now district leader! I'm not going to lie but I'm a little scared. I was praying so hard to my Heavenly Father for strength to be able to do the things which he wants me to do. I feel when I get comfortable with what I'm doing, the lord makes it to where I am uncomfortable again.

When I was thinking about this, it made me think about life and how we can get through a trial thinking that wow, if I can just get through this trial it will all be good and then I can just sit back and relax. But it's not like that. We through a trial only to find out we have to keep struggling and the Lord pushes us and moves us and forms us even though in the moment of the trial we feel like life is so dark and unbearable but we soon find out that true happiness comes from it and we become molded to the person we ought to be. This is a lifelong calling. I want to be the # 5 missionary to my companion who does not get depressed when realizing that the gospel is full of difficulties, it's just a testimony that the gospel is true cause if it weren't true then it wouldn't be hard and because it's hard it's worth it. Right now it's hard and I know this change will be a difficult one but I know as I take it slow day by day with the help of the lord, he will resolve the doubts or fears that I have. I need to look for the spirit and find joy in the small things. And I know that I will find out why I'm here. I hope that all makes sense.

I'm so excited for Skyler, I'm not surprised at all to hear that his talk went really well because he has always been good at speaking and he is a stud. He is definitely prepared to leave and preach the gospel. Thank you dad so much for sending me his talk, it seems like it went really well. I'm ecstatic for him.

This last week was great. We met a high goal for baptisms this last month and so last Monday the whole mission got together and president spoke to us and after we all watched The Other Side of Heaven. I love movies! I felt like I hadn't watched one in forever lol and what was cool is that the brother of John Groberg off the movie was their too watching it with us, so it was really cool. The movie really inspired me watching it on the mission even though I had watched it many times before. Lol

We also had stake conference Sunday and it was weird cause a lot of people there spoke English and I can now say that I had Stake Conference in the most gringo or richest part of Chile. President was there with his wife and they bore their testimony which was powerful as well and their son Landon who will be leaving on the mission in a couple of weeks.

That is so awesome that McKenna is sharing that gospel with her friends and having them come to church. She is so cute and I'm so excited for her to be baptized! I love that little girl. Whenever I think about her it makes me want to pick her up and give her a big hug and a kiss! Lol

Mom if you want you could give me some ideas for what I should teach for class if you have cool ideas. And I got the package from the Grows, tell them I said thank you and that I will write them back. Also I'm thinking about buying a fitted suit here from a guy who makes nice suits fitted to you for cheap. All the missionaries into the mission buy one cause of how good they are. But yeah just a little side note. Let me know what you think.
I love you all and I'm Thankful for each one of you. Keep me in your prayers.

Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen

AMAZING Mother's Day!!

Amazing, is what I thought of the phone call, lol I loved every bit of it and it was so perfect when I got to see my sister in Florida and family in Oregon and here I am in Chile and we are all being able to see and talk to each other! It was perfect. It was so much better than the last call at Christmas time and no mom I didn't feel trunky in the least bit afterwards. It was so much better being able to see my family.

The family that you saw said that the family is so exciting and full of energy and so she couldn't stop laughing because afterwards I just couldn't stop smiling. It was like a injection of energy and happiness afterwards to work hard.

It was way awesome to have Skyler there as well because it gives him a little taste of what he will be doing next Christmas. I loved it!

Thank you for all your support and excitement for me I loved being able to see every one of you all and hear everyone!

You're the best ever! I love you all and don't forget to do your best!!

Con Amor
-Elder Pedersen

Thanks dad for the letter. I couldn't believe what I was reading, I was so disappointed. There is so much I want to say to him because something big had to happen for him to do this. Wow I guess you will have to explain to me what happened when he gets home.

Thank you for reminding me that the Savior suffered so much more. We have to always take heart and be comforted in our trials because it has been the same for every great person who has walked this earth. I have learned that trials come but it's how we handle each one that matters.

I will push my hardest because I will never have this opportunity in my life like this again, and I will push hard because it's exactly what Satan doesn't want. How great a blessing I have to preach repentance to these people to prepare them for the second coming! I am truly the key like what you said because only through me having the spirit can others be touched with the spirit to want to change. I love this gospel more everyday!

Love you dad, thank you for everything!
Elder Pedersen

When the Spirit teaches...

  
I'm so excited to talk to everyone on Sunday! I'm going to call by the way at like 6 or 7 my time and like 1, 2, or 3 your time lol. So you will be anticipating the call for about 2 and half hours. But this call I'm going to use Skype even though it wasn't that great last time with people running around and everything and not being able to say everything I wanted to say. Bu this time I will be in a room by myself with a faster computer that hopefully will not cut out a bunch. SO I can't wait!

That is hilarious that you all saw the video that the member put on facebook, we were laughing so hard that we decided to record it because my companion was translating it so funny.

I love what you said mom about service, being out here is so amazing and I'm trying hard daily to look for opportunities to serve the people around me cause when I serve I truly feel the savior working through me and I feel like I'm doing what I have been called here to do. It's so true what you said about the adversary. Now days the only control is self control, it's too easy for the youth of the church to get sucked into that crap but the great thing is that we can truly ask our loving Heavenly Father for us to be strengthened through the atonement of Jesus Christ and throw off the chains of hell and become stronger by living the gospel of Jesus Christ which has such great power even the power unto salvation. Memorizing the living Christ really makes me realize that Jesus Christ was truly someone amazing as opposed to how some people think that he was just a good person. I feel the spirit whenever I read the part when Joseph smith testifies that He Lives!

I can't believe all the babies that our popping out and I'm not there to see them. I can't believe that Tim just had a baby as well; you need to send me pictures of him or her that would be awesome and thank you for the pictures of Becky's baby. She looks so cute just like the rest of her kids.

By the way, I love my companion even though in the beginning it was hard and still some things are difficult but I love him and am learning to serve even when it's hard. I am learning from him just as I do from each of my companions.

I love the insight that Chanelle gave on when Jesus was resurrected. I read that same thing and was wondering about that. I love reading Jesus the Christ and the materials that I have to study. Being on the mission opened my eyes to new things and has given me a thirst for knowledge which before the mission just wasn't there.

This week was awesome and it was something that I needed as well. We have been teaching a girl and her mom who is less active and we invited her daughter to get baptized.  I think I told you this but the reason why the mom was less active was because the husband would not let her go to church, so one day we passed by to teach the mom and the daughter like we had scheduled and they weren't their but the dad came out to talk to us so I thought he was going to tell us to leave and not come back but instead he said that he wanted to listen to us. We then made an appointment and came back and he wasn't their but we were told he would come in a bit so we then started talking to the wife and she asked us what her husband said and we told her and she couldn't believe us, it looked like she was about to cry so she called her husband to make sure he was coming and I was just praying so hard that we could make this lesson good that we could be guided by the spirit. He came in and he was really nice and the wife left so we could focus on him while she was listening in the other room. The lesson we taught was so amazing and the sprit was so strong and he felt it too. We ended up being their without knowing it for 2 and a half hours answering questions. He told us he has always had the question of knowing who God and Jesus were as well as knowing who he was praying to. We then told him and he understood and accepted it. He told us after everything that he feels something different and a desire to learn more. We told him it was the spirit. So every week he wants us to come back. The thing that is so amazing is that two guys around 20 years old can come in and teach what we know and they accept it and change their lives. That just shows that the sprit was their because only the sprit can do that. We were so happy even though he said he wants to listen without any promises. I know the more we teach him he will be converted. We were so happy after and God truly answered my prayers.

I love this gospel and I'm thankful for it in my life. I don't know what I did to deserve all these wonderful blessings that I have in my life.

Be ready with questions and yes I will talk to you guys in Spanish this time lol.
Tell McKenna I love her and Kenny and all the boys that they are studs and I love them all.

Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen