This week has been way good and I love my companion Elder Vergara, he is hilarious and we are always laughing our heads off. I thought it would take a little time to get used to a Latin companion because of all the things you hear about them on the mission but they were wrong and I also thought it would be hard to always be speaking in Spanish but I love it and I'm learning a lot. It basically just comes now and it's a blast. Now when I get home I won't be able to speak well with Mexicans because I speak Chilean. Ha-ha it's definitely a lot different than the last change and it's a lot more relieving.
This week we also were able to place a baptismal date with Edith and Elias, finally! This sector is kind of hard to get baptisms at times because the ward really doesn't want to do anything and there is a lot of back biting that goes in the church and it seems like the investigators don't find it very warm their but we went over to their house on Saturday and had a big discussion about baptism and they finally were convinced, we just now have to help them on that road to baptism because they feel a little timid to do so but I know they feel that this church is true and they even said that but they just get scared at times but when we pass by and we carry the spirit with us in the lesson that fear goes away.
I cannot wait until general conference, it's so exciting and I know I have said it before but it's seriously like Christmas. It's going to be super exciting to have our investigators go and watch it because that will be a pivotal moment for them and they will really feel the spirit.
Well I only have a couple of minutes to write today because we have a mission activity today at 4 to celebrate the 18th of September and so we barely have any time to do anything but it is going to be fun and we will get a chance to see the whole mission.
I have been praying super hard for Shanna too that the whole pregnancy will go great because Shanna already told me and I was freaking out! I'm super excited for her and can't wait, I have a feeling that everything will go just right because it will be in Gods timing.
Well I love you all and sorry for the short letter but I will try to take more pictures this week and send them to you this next Monday.
Love you all and be diligent in all things.
- Elder Pedersen
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Thankful for this call to represent the Lord....
Don't worry about not sending me letters last week and my feet don't kill me but still I would love the foot insoles so I can feel more like I'm walking on clouds.lol
I'm so thankful for this calling that I have to be a missionary and to represent the greatest person to ever walk this earth. There is so much that I want to accomplish and there is so much I am already accomplishing here in the mission and it scares me to think my time is quickly passing away. I want to always become the best I can be especially while I'm here in the service of the Lord where it's like the President describes as the University of Life. I love my mission and love being here and I hope and pray that I can grow to love these people and Chile even more as I'm here serving the lord.
I'm so thankful for this calling that I have to be a missionary and to represent the greatest person to ever walk this earth. There is so much that I want to accomplish and there is so much I am already accomplishing here in the mission and it scares me to think my time is quickly passing away. I want to always become the best I can be especially while I'm here in the service of the Lord where it's like the President describes as the University of Life. I love my mission and love being here and I hope and pray that I can grow to love these people and Chile even more as I'm here serving the lord.
What I have learned most on my mission among so many things that it's hard to say only one but I think that I have learned most is that the Lord is in charge and that he knows his children. The moment you trust Him is when you start to sprout more than you ever would have thought.
I think what best prepared me for my mission was reading the scriptures because that is where I gained my testimony and even though I didn't know everything I knew I had a testimony and that is where it all started. Once you get your roots planted deeply you will never waver but sprout straight up.
The most enriching experience that I have had being in the mission is answering or following the sprit and realizing that it was either and answer to a prayer or just the right thing that was needed to be said to that person. I have gained such a great testimony of the spirit, those feelings of the spirit are indescribable and so amazing, it's so awesome to speak and be totally guided be the spirit and realizing afterwards wow that was not me at all saying that. I learned that the moment you doubt the spirit withdraws. SO don't ever doubt because faith does not exist in the presence of doubt. whether its accepting a mission call or giving a talk or teaching a lesson don't doubt so the lord can help you. Also the most enriching experience is to teach someone the gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing them apply it and seeing everything about them change. I feel honored to see God take place in someone and seeing what he does with them after they open their hearts and their minds. I love being an instrument in the hands of God!
What I would advise the boys to do is to read the book of Mormon and gain a testimony of these things because that's what will save you from a world full of evil beckoning you to join. That's exactly what saved me; I knew that the world doesn't bring true happiness like it says it does. Maybe for only a moment but it's not the true happiness that God gives. gain your own testimony of these things and plant your roots deep down and start now to prepare for your mission to be a chosen worthy vessel of the Lord because the Lord doesn't choose everybody to partake in this work, only those that have pure hands and pure hearts that have not set their heart upon the things of the world. Build your weaknesses that so easily beset you so God can strengthen them for you so you can assist him in his work, fast if you have to. All you boys are chosen, now live up to that promise.
So changes came and I stayed but my companion actually left and I'm not going to lie but it was almost like a breath of fresh air because I really don't think he could have lasted much longer here and I don't think I could last much longer as trainer. I felt like I seriously couldn't do much more with him, he was like a tree that would not move. But overall when he was packing up we talked about how much fun we actually had together and I realized how much I actually learned.
So this morning we got up and went to change counsels and it was super small because President said for some reason that there was not going to be many changes and when I got their I was super nervous. SO they called me up and introduced me to my new companion who is Latin! I was super nervous but excited at the same time because I had always wanted a Latin companion so I could speak and learn the language better. At first he was kind of quiet, I think he was scared to go into his second sector of the mission so he didn't talk much, but then we got to the pension and we talked and he seems like a really hard worker who wants to help and baptize so I was ecstatic. We will definitely do work in this sector, it's going to feel so different to be able to put some of the load on my companion instead of it only being me. SO even though he doesn't know a lick of English it will be fun and I'm going to be speaking better by the end of this change. He is Chilean which is way cool cause he is 1 out of three Chileans in the mission. So here comes pure Spanish.
I was super glad that I was staying because we are teaching two people that are super close to getting baptized and we have another on their way and so it's going to be pretty cool.
I'm not sure if I told you but I'm in the same stake and zone that I was in when I first got to Chile, so over all I have been in the stake of Puente alto or I will be In the stake of Puente for a year total and this will be my third Stake Conference in this same stake. It's so crazy but it's cool cause we had stake conference a couple of weeks ago and I got to see and talk to tons of members from my first ward that remembered me and it was cool because elders in that ward are teaching people that my trainer and I found that will be getting ready to be baptized and I got to see him at Stake Conference so it was cool to see the fruits of my labors in that ward.
The temperatures here are crazy but yes that Is pretty much normal and also this past week there was an earth quake and it was like a 6 on the scale but I didn't feel it cause I was sleeping but a lot of missionaries felt it and president wants us to prepare as much as possible just in case something happens and some people think that it might.
I think what best prepared me for my mission was reading the scriptures because that is where I gained my testimony and even though I didn't know everything I knew I had a testimony and that is where it all started. Once you get your roots planted deeply you will never waver but sprout straight up.
The most enriching experience that I have had being in the mission is answering or following the sprit and realizing that it was either and answer to a prayer or just the right thing that was needed to be said to that person. I have gained such a great testimony of the spirit, those feelings of the spirit are indescribable and so amazing, it's so awesome to speak and be totally guided be the spirit and realizing afterwards wow that was not me at all saying that. I learned that the moment you doubt the spirit withdraws. SO don't ever doubt because faith does not exist in the presence of doubt. whether its accepting a mission call or giving a talk or teaching a lesson don't doubt so the lord can help you. Also the most enriching experience is to teach someone the gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing them apply it and seeing everything about them change. I feel honored to see God take place in someone and seeing what he does with them after they open their hearts and their minds. I love being an instrument in the hands of God!
What I would advise the boys to do is to read the book of Mormon and gain a testimony of these things because that's what will save you from a world full of evil beckoning you to join. That's exactly what saved me; I knew that the world doesn't bring true happiness like it says it does. Maybe for only a moment but it's not the true happiness that God gives. gain your own testimony of these things and plant your roots deep down and start now to prepare for your mission to be a chosen worthy vessel of the Lord because the Lord doesn't choose everybody to partake in this work, only those that have pure hands and pure hearts that have not set their heart upon the things of the world. Build your weaknesses that so easily beset you so God can strengthen them for you so you can assist him in his work, fast if you have to. All you boys are chosen, now live up to that promise.
So changes came and I stayed but my companion actually left and I'm not going to lie but it was almost like a breath of fresh air because I really don't think he could have lasted much longer here and I don't think I could last much longer as trainer. I felt like I seriously couldn't do much more with him, he was like a tree that would not move. But overall when he was packing up we talked about how much fun we actually had together and I realized how much I actually learned.
So this morning we got up and went to change counsels and it was super small because President said for some reason that there was not going to be many changes and when I got their I was super nervous. SO they called me up and introduced me to my new companion who is Latin! I was super nervous but excited at the same time because I had always wanted a Latin companion so I could speak and learn the language better. At first he was kind of quiet, I think he was scared to go into his second sector of the mission so he didn't talk much, but then we got to the pension and we talked and he seems like a really hard worker who wants to help and baptize so I was ecstatic. We will definitely do work in this sector, it's going to feel so different to be able to put some of the load on my companion instead of it only being me. SO even though he doesn't know a lick of English it will be fun and I'm going to be speaking better by the end of this change. He is Chilean which is way cool cause he is 1 out of three Chileans in the mission. So here comes pure Spanish.
I was super glad that I was staying because we are teaching two people that are super close to getting baptized and we have another on their way and so it's going to be pretty cool.
I'm not sure if I told you but I'm in the same stake and zone that I was in when I first got to Chile, so over all I have been in the stake of Puente alto or I will be In the stake of Puente for a year total and this will be my third Stake Conference in this same stake. It's so crazy but it's cool cause we had stake conference a couple of weeks ago and I got to see and talk to tons of members from my first ward that remembered me and it was cool because elders in that ward are teaching people that my trainer and I found that will be getting ready to be baptized and I got to see him at Stake Conference so it was cool to see the fruits of my labors in that ward.
The temperatures here are crazy but yes that Is pretty much normal and also this past week there was an earth quake and it was like a 6 on the scale but I didn't feel it cause I was sleeping but a lot of missionaries felt it and president wants us to prepare as much as possible just in case something happens and some people think that it might.
That's cool that there's a new movie about Joseph Smith, I want to see it. It's been pretty cool to have DVD players in the pension to watch church movies like that. I love it.
No I didn't get any pictures in the mail yet, but hopefully I get some this Wednesday. Did you get my pictures that I sent you? Do you want more?
Also I'm SUPER excited that Chanelle isn't graduating this year! Now I can go with her to college! How come she can't graduate in July? Whatever I'm just glad I will be with her at school which reminds me, when do I start signing up?
Well I love you all and hope you have a great family home evening.
Love,
Elder Pedersen
No I didn't get any pictures in the mail yet, but hopefully I get some this Wednesday. Did you get my pictures that I sent you? Do you want more?
Also I'm SUPER excited that Chanelle isn't graduating this year! Now I can go with her to college! How come she can't graduate in July? Whatever I'm just glad I will be with her at school which reminds me, when do I start signing up?
Well I love you all and hope you have a great family home evening.
Love,
Elder Pedersen
Monday, September 12, 2011
No letters?
I also loved the talk that Chanelle gave me, I love it and it makes me realize how much faith is involved in this work and how much I need to work to improve mine, as well the talk of the catholic priest was amazing! Man it was like watching some intense movie. Ha-ha thank you also for the other packages as well; a super inspiring package.
Well this week was a good week and we finally got two of our investigators to church! Man I was so happy even though they only stayed for the first meeting. It was also fast and testimony meeting and so I was just praying that the testimonies would reach them and they did, they will totally get baptized but the bad part is that next week is changes and I feel I'm leaving. But we have been teaching a bunch of people and the hard part has always been to get them to church, but this last week I have realized how important the spirit is to bring to our lessons because our words don't do anything unless the spirit is there backing up and affirming the words we say to them.
Anyways, this week was crazy we had to return to the house at like six pm cause of the protests and this next week will be full of parties because it's the big Fourth of July celebration here. So we will see how many homes we are able to get into. It shall be fun.
Well I love you all even though I didn't get a letter this week ha-ha and I hope you like the photos that I sent.
Be your best self!!
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
Monday, September 5, 2011
I LOVE MY FAMILY!!
Man I love my family, Man that video was hilarious!! I miss goofing around like that and McKenna has gotten so big it seems like! She's turning into a young woman but she is still cute and funny so it's okay. lol.
Also I saw Dads new present to himself and couldn't believe it! I thought Mom hated motorcycles? So dad how did that one play out with mom? lol By the way I thought I might add that in that picture of you two on the bike, you guys look pretty young, people say that all the time here too when I show them pictures.
That's way cool that Brother Bragg was called as the new ward mission leader, He will do great. The Lord truly puts us in positions to grow especially if we don't want them. It's funny how you told me his story cause even me at times as a missionary get scared to talk to people even though I shouldn't but I have definitely improved, I think the fear sometimes falls on all of us at one time or another which is why we always need to trust in the Lord and look for his guidance in those times because I have learned that the moment that we fear, the spirit isn't their because fear is the opposite of faith. God never gave any man fear.
Well this week was a good one because we had meetings with the President and they were very uplifting and he also came to our stake conference and he spoke in the middle which woke up all those who were sleeping. The man is truly amazing and you cannot know him without loving him. We also had zone conference and learned about how to make our studies better and why they are so important. You would think a topic like that would be boring but president was their so it ended up being really good. Our investigators are good but it's so hard to get people to church here. The most frustrating part is they say Sunday is their only day of rest for them but I'm becoming more blunt with that kind of stuff and so for sure our investigators will be coming. It's just hard sometimes in this ward because there are not many members who are here or there with the missionary work and the members hate the ward and always tell us of why they don't like the ward and half the time I'm sick of it because they get offended from the dumbest things from the past, but we are working through it even if they don't like each other. So I just hope when our investigators go this next week they are fellowshipped.
I too heard stuff from the problems that Skyler was having with his companion because he wrote me about it all and I couldn't believe it, Skyler is definitely with him for a reason.
But me and my companion are doing great together now, we realized certain things and learned to laugh over the small stuff except when I'm sarcastic, he hates that .lol But we are working good together and I'm trying not to get on his back about certain rules, I realized that I just need to let him know and explain to him clearly the rules and let him make his own choices cause forcing him will and just makes him mad.
I love being out here and I know as long as we feel the power of the spirit guiding us in whatever we may be doing, we won't have to ever wonder if we are really accomplishing what the Lord wants us to do. I have come to know that the spirit is the key to everything.
I love you all and stay safe, especially you Dad on your crazy motercycle.lol
Work hard and be good,
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
Also I saw Dads new present to himself and couldn't believe it! I thought Mom hated motorcycles? So dad how did that one play out with mom? lol By the way I thought I might add that in that picture of you two on the bike, you guys look pretty young, people say that all the time here too when I show them pictures.
That's way cool that Brother Bragg was called as the new ward mission leader, He will do great. The Lord truly puts us in positions to grow especially if we don't want them. It's funny how you told me his story cause even me at times as a missionary get scared to talk to people even though I shouldn't but I have definitely improved, I think the fear sometimes falls on all of us at one time or another which is why we always need to trust in the Lord and look for his guidance in those times because I have learned that the moment that we fear, the spirit isn't their because fear is the opposite of faith. God never gave any man fear.
Well this week was a good one because we had meetings with the President and they were very uplifting and he also came to our stake conference and he spoke in the middle which woke up all those who were sleeping. The man is truly amazing and you cannot know him without loving him. We also had zone conference and learned about how to make our studies better and why they are so important. You would think a topic like that would be boring but president was their so it ended up being really good. Our investigators are good but it's so hard to get people to church here. The most frustrating part is they say Sunday is their only day of rest for them but I'm becoming more blunt with that kind of stuff and so for sure our investigators will be coming. It's just hard sometimes in this ward because there are not many members who are here or there with the missionary work and the members hate the ward and always tell us of why they don't like the ward and half the time I'm sick of it because they get offended from the dumbest things from the past, but we are working through it even if they don't like each other. So I just hope when our investigators go this next week they are fellowshipped.
I too heard stuff from the problems that Skyler was having with his companion because he wrote me about it all and I couldn't believe it, Skyler is definitely with him for a reason.
But me and my companion are doing great together now, we realized certain things and learned to laugh over the small stuff except when I'm sarcastic, he hates that .lol But we are working good together and I'm trying not to get on his back about certain rules, I realized that I just need to let him know and explain to him clearly the rules and let him make his own choices cause forcing him will and just makes him mad.
I love being out here and I know as long as we feel the power of the spirit guiding us in whatever we may be doing, we won't have to ever wonder if we are really accomplishing what the Lord wants us to do. I have come to know that the spirit is the key to everything.
I love you all and stay safe, especially you Dad on your crazy motercycle.lol
Work hard and be good,
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
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