Querida familial,
I'm glad that you talked about gratitude because this week I have to try and look for the bright side of things and I hope you're in that mood too because as of Monday when I was on internet I plugged my card in to send you more pictures but what happened is there was a virus in the computer and it got on my card that goes in my camera and erased many pictures and videos, about 300 and something and so I was freaking out and after looking for a while for a place to fix this problem to see if somebody could get my pictures back because when that happens the virus only hides the pictures but doesn't erase them, we found a guy who is an engineer in computers and he knew his stuff, but after about an hour he told me that he couldn't get my pictures back because the virus was so bad and had already damaged the pictures. And so I was so frustrated and the funny thing is that the spirit told me several times before to make a back up but I never had the chance to do it but it was a lesson learned.
This has happened to so many missionaries except that some of them had their camera stolen too. I'm glad this happened now than at the end of my mission because now I'm going to take more pictures and always make a back up of everything. Yeah lame huh and yeah me too for not making a back up. I'm pretty irritated because I had many videos but yeah don't kill me.
I was wondering if I could send the card to you guys and try and get some videos and pictures back. But it's your call if you think it's worth it or do you think that I should just format everything? Think about it.
Well on to something happier lol. This week was a good week because the two girls that we are teaching want to get baptized and so we are super happy about that. It's all working out because their grandparents are members and help a lot. Members really are the key.
The big family that I have told you about didn't come to church again because they have meetings as fireman this month and so I was kind of sad cause that means the I won't be here if they get baptized if I get changed out because we have changes in two weeks and they won't be able to go to church until January, but we went over for lunch yesterday after they invited us over and we had a lot of fun. I'm going to call that my Thanksgiving dinner because I actually forgot that it was Thanksgiving this past week because we didn't do anything and they obviously don't celebrate it here or in Mexico so we did nothing. But anyways the family really loves me and they know we have changes in two weeks so they said that they don't want to meet other Elders cause they are already used to me, but I know that they will be o.k. cause I want to commit them to baptism before I leave so they keep listening to the elders and preparing themselves. But I really love that family they are so awesome and I want this gospel in their life so bad because I know it will do miracles for them.
Yesterday we had a sector slam in my first sector which is when all the elders go and help knock doors to find people for that sector. And since I'm in the same stake and have been for a year in total I went there to knock doors and I had an impression to go to the house of one of my converts that I baptized in that ward. I went their kind of nervous because he doesn't go to church much, but when I showed up there, we were both super happy to see each other and it was so good to see how he was and so I taught him and it was a great lesson and the spirit was there and it was felt that I loved him and the Lord as well and wanted him to go back to church and he listened to everything I said and told me he was going to go to church and told me he was super happy I passed by. He just needed a little nudge or push back to church and who better to do it then the one who baptized him! I was so happy to have received revelation to go and give him that push.
I really love this ward and this sector. I'm not going to lie but when I first got here I just couldn't wait to leave because I had heard so many bad things about this ward but I love it and we are doing a great work here and seeing miracles. Which speaking of miracles the one about Mary Bennion was incredible; I was in shock when I read it. But yeah I love it and the people seem to love me here too, lol. I wonder what will happen this next change.
Also I got the package you sent me. Thank you so much for being on top of getting me my card and everything and the shirt was hilarious! I love it. Only if it was in Spanish so I could wear it around. Lol I'll let you know when I get the next one.
I have learned so much these past changes more than I ever thought I would. I am really coming to love these people and the people that come from other countries, I'm learning a lot, the mission is going by fast and I may not remember all that I did on the mission but I will cherish the things I have learned forever. I know and testify that God knows us and gives us the challenges that we need to progress. We are here to progress, that was the reason we chose to come here, now we need to give God our will because that's the only thing he doesn't have from us. I'm learning to be a true disciple of Christ and stand by him even when it is hard.
I can't believe all that is going on at home I'm so happy that Shanna is doing good with the baby, it's also crazy to think that Kenny has a license let alone Kellin driving, so crazy!
Well I love you all and I love hearing the blessings that are being poured out over you all while I am here serving the Lord, I can see it and feel it. Thank you for your prayers and your thoughts.
Con amor infinito,
Elder Pedersen
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Well I was kind of disappointed for not having received a letter from mom today. Something must have happened and not sent. (He ended up receiving my letter!! Phew)
Well on to a new subject, I cannot believe Kenny's voice!! Good job Kenny. I would never think that he would do something like that in front of people, at least before my mission, because he is obviously changed. I didn't even recognize his voice when I heard it. That song by the way is awesome and made me want to cry hearing it, especially because Kenny was singing it. Man I miss my brothers! Did someone assign him to sing it? How did Stake conference go?
Well this week has been a great one for me. I and my companion are doing really great and we had a baptism yesterday and it was way awesome. We have been waiting for that day forever and it finally came. We made programs that on the back members could write their testimonies and give it to him to remember them. He was super nervous and I got the change to baptize him so I was super grateful for that opportunity. There were a couple things that didn't go exactly right like when the little kids were running around blowing whistles and throwing grass into the baptismal font lol but other than that it was great and he felt the cleansing of his sins.
We also gave talks yesterday and I talked about the power of the Book of Mormon and my companion talked about finding joy in making others happy through the gospel and after we put books of Mormons and folletos outside the sacrament room we were happy to see that they were all gone and people were actually asking us for more but we didn't have any more and so we were super happy cause people felt the spirit and wanted to be part of the work. People came up to us and gave us compliments. It's going good in the ward and we are getting to know the ward more and more each day. Truly you can make a difference in someone's life from the love that is shown to them.
I'm learning a lot from Elder Lugo and we are having fun in the work trying to be obedient because we have realized that the little things count and make all the difference. The small and simple things bring about the great things. Never be a slacker and do a half a job because laziness is the biggest tool that Satan uses, he tries to convince people to do it the easy way.
Also earlier this week we had a lesson with a guy and we were feeling that even though we taught him everything, we felt like he wasn't progressing. We wanted to ask him to be baptized, so we were going to ask him and if he said no we would stop passing by for a while. It's hard because we love him and want him to have this joy in his life. Well, we passed by and his 15 year old son was with him and we taught them and the spirit was there and we instead of directing the lesson only to the dad we did more so to the son because we found out he is looking for the true church as well as the dad is a little shy.
I then felt impressed to ask them to come to the church to do a tour and the same day we did the tour there was a ward activity and the ward members got to know the family and they felt really comfortable. We were so happy for them and felt the joy from helping bring one soul to God. It was strange, but we didn't even feel impressed to asked him to be baptized and we were happy about that cause it showed that God had other things planned for him to prepare him to accept the gospel.
We have many other people we are teaching as well. I'm not sure if you remember but we are teaching a family that the dad doesn't or didn't like gringos and his wife died not too long ago. But anyways I have seriously come to love the family and we have been praying for all of our investigators so much especially this family because I know that his wife wants him and his family to accept this gospel because she was a member. So we passed by yesterday with the hermana that gave us the reference and we watched the Joseph Smith movie and they felt the spirit really strong and the hermana gave testimony as well as my companion and I. She started to cry and at the end the dad and the wife of his son were crying too. I know they felt the spirit. That night we also gave their daughter a blessing cause she was really sick throwing up and after we did she fell right asleep, so they were able to see the power of the priesthood. I really love the family and hope they get baptized while I'm in this sector because they have come so far. They say that I'm spoiled in their family. It's funny because I have to try hard to get in that house and to convince them to listen to me, because I am a gringo.
Well I love you all and I hope to get the letter from mom next week or something because dad cut his short so mom could talk about everything.
Thank you so much for your prayers.
Con amor,
Elder Pedersen
Well on to a new subject, I cannot believe Kenny's voice!! Good job Kenny. I would never think that he would do something like that in front of people, at least before my mission, because he is obviously changed. I didn't even recognize his voice when I heard it. That song by the way is awesome and made me want to cry hearing it, especially because Kenny was singing it. Man I miss my brothers! Did someone assign him to sing it? How did Stake conference go?
Well this week has been a great one for me. I and my companion are doing really great and we had a baptism yesterday and it was way awesome. We have been waiting for that day forever and it finally came. We made programs that on the back members could write their testimonies and give it to him to remember them. He was super nervous and I got the change to baptize him so I was super grateful for that opportunity. There were a couple things that didn't go exactly right like when the little kids were running around blowing whistles and throwing grass into the baptismal font lol but other than that it was great and he felt the cleansing of his sins.
We also gave talks yesterday and I talked about the power of the Book of Mormon and my companion talked about finding joy in making others happy through the gospel and after we put books of Mormons and folletos outside the sacrament room we were happy to see that they were all gone and people were actually asking us for more but we didn't have any more and so we were super happy cause people felt the spirit and wanted to be part of the work. People came up to us and gave us compliments. It's going good in the ward and we are getting to know the ward more and more each day. Truly you can make a difference in someone's life from the love that is shown to them.
I'm learning a lot from Elder Lugo and we are having fun in the work trying to be obedient because we have realized that the little things count and make all the difference. The small and simple things bring about the great things. Never be a slacker and do a half a job because laziness is the biggest tool that Satan uses, he tries to convince people to do it the easy way.
Also earlier this week we had a lesson with a guy and we were feeling that even though we taught him everything, we felt like he wasn't progressing. We wanted to ask him to be baptized, so we were going to ask him and if he said no we would stop passing by for a while. It's hard because we love him and want him to have this joy in his life. Well, we passed by and his 15 year old son was with him and we taught them and the spirit was there and we instead of directing the lesson only to the dad we did more so to the son because we found out he is looking for the true church as well as the dad is a little shy.
I then felt impressed to ask them to come to the church to do a tour and the same day we did the tour there was a ward activity and the ward members got to know the family and they felt really comfortable. We were so happy for them and felt the joy from helping bring one soul to God. It was strange, but we didn't even feel impressed to asked him to be baptized and we were happy about that cause it showed that God had other things planned for him to prepare him to accept the gospel.
We have many other people we are teaching as well. I'm not sure if you remember but we are teaching a family that the dad doesn't or didn't like gringos and his wife died not too long ago. But anyways I have seriously come to love the family and we have been praying for all of our investigators so much especially this family because I know that his wife wants him and his family to accept this gospel because she was a member. So we passed by yesterday with the hermana that gave us the reference and we watched the Joseph Smith movie and they felt the spirit really strong and the hermana gave testimony as well as my companion and I. She started to cry and at the end the dad and the wife of his son were crying too. I know they felt the spirit. That night we also gave their daughter a blessing cause she was really sick throwing up and after we did she fell right asleep, so they were able to see the power of the priesthood. I really love the family and hope they get baptized while I'm in this sector because they have come so far. They say that I'm spoiled in their family. It's funny because I have to try hard to get in that house and to convince them to listen to me, because I am a gringo.
Well I love you all and I hope to get the letter from mom next week or something because dad cut his short so mom could talk about everything.
Thank you so much for your prayers.
Con amor,
Elder Pedersen
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!
I miss times and days like those where we just have our day with either mom or dad. I'm thankful for parents who take the time throughout their busy life to spend time and play games and do things with us and to dedicate certain days to each child. My parents are awesome! Just a side note.lol
I got the video of dad in the mountains but for some reason I couldn't hear anything. But the pictures are beautiful.
I loved the lesson about cleaning the inner vessel. I love teaching with visual things like that. I have made some stuff like that to teach better but especially now I like having lessons like that because right now we are teaching little kids around the age of 9 to 13 and sometimes its hard cause they get distracted very easily and sometimes it's hard cause we usually are teaching adults and so when we teach kids I sometimes forget to simplify everything so they understand and so I think it's good that you teach with objects.
Well this week was a little different. We passed by a kid whose parents wanted us to come by and get his kid to believe in God and so we passed by and passed by and we tried teaching the dad the gospel as well but he only believes in God not organized religion and so we are trying to get him to understand that there is more than just believing in God. But we focused more on the kid and we talked about all the reasons why God exists ( by the way he is 15) and after we told him that he doesn't need to believe us but ask his Heavenly Father if he really is there and so he accepted and he did it. So the next time we passed by he said he did it and received an answer and that he felt a peace and so we were super excited and so we started teaching him about the restored church and he accepted everything. So then we pass by a week later and his dad was there and we started teaching him, but his dad said that we basically did are job and so we should feel satisfied with that. So I kind of got frustrated cause we started having an influence on his son and so I got kind of angry even though I shouldn't have and told them that faith without works is dead and so it doesn't matter if you believe in God until you do something with it. But overall it was frustrating and I hope that they will let us come back into their house because it's just sad to see people that believe that they will get into the kingdom of heaven by saying they believe in God. But it seems hard at times for people to believe that they have to live the gospel and do the things Christ has taught us to do so they can be together with their families forever and receive not only a fullness of joy in the next life but in this life a well.
We are also teaching two granddaughters of a member and so we are way excited to see them progress and help them increase their faith in Jesus Christ and take all the steps to return to God and it's been an awesome experience to hear testimony's of the members. Having members in a lesson is the key because it gives the member a chance to bear their testimony and to have it grow, plus the investigator can hear another persons testimony of things rather than from two youngens in dress cloths and a plaque.
I just hope we don't loose any of our investigators cause we have come so far with them and I really have come to love them. Huh (Maybe I need to tell them that so they know) but really that's one of the hardest parts about missionary work, is to leave someone behind because they can't believe.
So anyway, thank you for your prayers and I love you all to pieces and pray for you every day. I can't believe that Kenny is already taking senior pictures; I was shocked to hear that! Man time fly's by, so take hold of it and make the best out of it while you got the chance.
Les Amo y espero que todo les vaya bien esta semana!
Elder Pedersen
I got the video of dad in the mountains but for some reason I couldn't hear anything. But the pictures are beautiful.
I loved the lesson about cleaning the inner vessel. I love teaching with visual things like that. I have made some stuff like that to teach better but especially now I like having lessons like that because right now we are teaching little kids around the age of 9 to 13 and sometimes its hard cause they get distracted very easily and sometimes it's hard cause we usually are teaching adults and so when we teach kids I sometimes forget to simplify everything so they understand and so I think it's good that you teach with objects.
Well this week was a little different. We passed by a kid whose parents wanted us to come by and get his kid to believe in God and so we passed by and passed by and we tried teaching the dad the gospel as well but he only believes in God not organized religion and so we are trying to get him to understand that there is more than just believing in God. But we focused more on the kid and we talked about all the reasons why God exists ( by the way he is 15) and after we told him that he doesn't need to believe us but ask his Heavenly Father if he really is there and so he accepted and he did it. So the next time we passed by he said he did it and received an answer and that he felt a peace and so we were super excited and so we started teaching him about the restored church and he accepted everything. So then we pass by a week later and his dad was there and we started teaching him, but his dad said that we basically did are job and so we should feel satisfied with that. So I kind of got frustrated cause we started having an influence on his son and so I got kind of angry even though I shouldn't have and told them that faith without works is dead and so it doesn't matter if you believe in God until you do something with it. But overall it was frustrating and I hope that they will let us come back into their house because it's just sad to see people that believe that they will get into the kingdom of heaven by saying they believe in God. But it seems hard at times for people to believe that they have to live the gospel and do the things Christ has taught us to do so they can be together with their families forever and receive not only a fullness of joy in the next life but in this life a well.
We are also teaching two granddaughters of a member and so we are way excited to see them progress and help them increase their faith in Jesus Christ and take all the steps to return to God and it's been an awesome experience to hear testimony's of the members. Having members in a lesson is the key because it gives the member a chance to bear their testimony and to have it grow, plus the investigator can hear another persons testimony of things rather than from two youngens in dress cloths and a plaque.
I just hope we don't loose any of our investigators cause we have come so far with them and I really have come to love them. Huh (Maybe I need to tell them that so they know) but really that's one of the hardest parts about missionary work, is to leave someone behind because they can't believe.
So anyway, thank you for your prayers and I love you all to pieces and pray for you every day. I can't believe that Kenny is already taking senior pictures; I was shocked to hear that! Man time fly's by, so take hold of it and make the best out of it while you got the chance.
Les Amo y espero que todo les vaya bien esta semana!
Elder Pedersen
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Querida Familia!!
Querida Familia,
This week seemed like a great week for you all. I can't believe that the holidays are already coming so fast it's crazy! This week was a little crazy and awesome for me and the mission because on Saturday we got to see an apostle!! We all knew that someone would come because the north mission was there and president was supper excited. So well you probably all guessed it but elder cook came! I knew he would be the one to come because dads said that when he went to stake conference he was going to come here in November and so when he first walked in he wanted to shake all our hands and so I got to shake his hand but it was supper fast because there was so many people. I wanted to talk to him about when he went to Medford but I obviously couldn't. So he spoke to us but it seemed really short the whole thing and he had a translator so I was glad I got to understand him in English because in Spanish it was just different.
He talked to us about thrusting in our sickle and establishing the church here in Chile through the Lords help instead of only baptizing we need to reactivate people through going over things that important because the first vision and the plan of salvation are the two things that people generally remember but they need to remember for example the apostasy and need to know the Joseph Smith was called as prophet to restore the new and last dispensation and he talked about how bishops and even apostles don't know why they are called to the position that they are but they adapt and move on and change and get outside the box and think about the people they serve. He said that sometimes as apostles they don't feel adequate enough to be an apostle. He said every Thursday Elder Packer tells the brethren that he still doesn't know why he's here and so they say if he doesn't then how are we to know. Lol
He then answered questions and I liked when he said that we will never be the missionaries that we want to be, we will never be a perfect missionaries but we will become great missionaries if we live by what is set before us (rules). He also said that once we understand that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ not only gets us salvation but also gets rids us of all the (un) fairness in the world and come to know Him, then we can and will be able to testify of Jesus Christ just as any other person in the church. He then left us a blessing that future generations will be blessed and will remember our service that we gave here in Chile and that we will be blessed and he said some other stuff as well but it was really great. Like Dad said he is not as outgoing as some of the other apostles and he may only be a man but I felt he really is a special witness of Jesus Christ and a chosen servant of the Lord.
So also I got the package from the family! I'm not sure if everything was in their when I got it but I received the foot soles, some candy and picture book with a card. It looked like it was opened when I got it so I hope everything was in their but thank you for the pictures. They are awesome and everybody looks so great and holy cow Kellin and McKenna look so big! Gosh that's crazy no wonder Kellin has been getting the girls.lol Gosh everything seems so different back at home. But thank you for the pictures, they are way awesome oh and the foot soles. They are way awesome!
Me and my companion are doing really great and are finding so many people and the members are giving us references and me and my companion are growing together. And we are continuing teaching a family and its going really good, I was scared that they wouldn't accept without the Chilean but they said they are ready to go to the church and so we were really excited but they forgot but they are going to go next week. I really see the desire in the family to know these things especially the Dad because his wife died 2 years ago and so I think he wants these things to be true and so we pray that we can help these investigators that God has given us to baptize and come to Christ.
So pray for our investigators.
This week seemed like a great week for you all. I can't believe that the holidays are already coming so fast it's crazy! This week was a little crazy and awesome for me and the mission because on Saturday we got to see an apostle!! We all knew that someone would come because the north mission was there and president was supper excited. So well you probably all guessed it but elder cook came! I knew he would be the one to come because dads said that when he went to stake conference he was going to come here in November and so when he first walked in he wanted to shake all our hands and so I got to shake his hand but it was supper fast because there was so many people. I wanted to talk to him about when he went to Medford but I obviously couldn't. So he spoke to us but it seemed really short the whole thing and he had a translator so I was glad I got to understand him in English because in Spanish it was just different.
He talked to us about thrusting in our sickle and establishing the church here in Chile through the Lords help instead of only baptizing we need to reactivate people through going over things that important because the first vision and the plan of salvation are the two things that people generally remember but they need to remember for example the apostasy and need to know the Joseph Smith was called as prophet to restore the new and last dispensation and he talked about how bishops and even apostles don't know why they are called to the position that they are but they adapt and move on and change and get outside the box and think about the people they serve. He said that sometimes as apostles they don't feel adequate enough to be an apostle. He said every Thursday Elder Packer tells the brethren that he still doesn't know why he's here and so they say if he doesn't then how are we to know. Lol
He then answered questions and I liked when he said that we will never be the missionaries that we want to be, we will never be a perfect missionaries but we will become great missionaries if we live by what is set before us (rules). He also said that once we understand that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ not only gets us salvation but also gets rids us of all the (un) fairness in the world and come to know Him, then we can and will be able to testify of Jesus Christ just as any other person in the church. He then left us a blessing that future generations will be blessed and will remember our service that we gave here in Chile and that we will be blessed and he said some other stuff as well but it was really great. Like Dad said he is not as outgoing as some of the other apostles and he may only be a man but I felt he really is a special witness of Jesus Christ and a chosen servant of the Lord.
So also I got the package from the family! I'm not sure if everything was in their when I got it but I received the foot soles, some candy and picture book with a card. It looked like it was opened when I got it so I hope everything was in their but thank you for the pictures. They are awesome and everybody looks so great and holy cow Kellin and McKenna look so big! Gosh that's crazy no wonder Kellin has been getting the girls.lol Gosh everything seems so different back at home. But thank you for the pictures, they are way awesome oh and the foot soles. They are way awesome!
Me and my companion are doing really great and are finding so many people and the members are giving us references and me and my companion are growing together. And we are continuing teaching a family and its going really good, I was scared that they wouldn't accept without the Chilean but they said they are ready to go to the church and so we were really excited but they forgot but they are going to go next week. I really see the desire in the family to know these things especially the Dad because his wife died 2 years ago and so I think he wants these things to be true and so we pray that we can help these investigators that God has given us to baptize and come to Christ.
So pray for our investigators.
Les amo y siempre están en mis oraciones
Elder Pedersen
Elder Pedersen
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!!
Well to start off this week has been a good week and the more Elder Vergara and I get along the more we both want to stay together cause we know we are going to see success this next change and so I was nervous because I already have 4 and a half months in this sector and so I really didn't know what is going to happen but if there is one thing I have learned it is to trust in God cause he knows what I need and he knows what will make me better and I prayed that whatever happens I just want to be happy.
So we got the call and I found out that elder Vergara was leaving and I was staying again! I couldn't believe it and I'm not going to lie but I was kind of irritated because we had gained confidence with all investigators. But I prayed to feel comfortable about what happened and I felt that everything was going to be alright.
So I was thinking there is something else God wants me to learn in this sector because even though I feel I learned a lot already and even though I didn't want elder Vergara to go I felt like I learned what God wanted me to learn and most of all I learned to have greater love for the Chilean people, but I guess there is still to learn.
I received my new companion at the change counsels and he is a Mexican named Elder Lugo I'm his mom and he is super nice and he is a way happy guy. I feel good that this change will be a great one. I'm excited.
SO we went to change counsels and president had told us some things and one of those things was that every single missionary will do the training program which includes 2 hours of studying as companions and he also told us that he has been praying hard for someone to come here and inspire the mission and he said this Saturday we will definitely be inspired and the north mission will be joining us and so it will definitely be an apostle so I'm way excited! I can't wait, their hasn't been an apostle here in this mission for 3 years and so I'm super excited!
I cannot believe that Chanelle is dating someone that she likes. I'm not surprised to know that she is going on dates but with someone that she likes? Dang it lol I hope they don't rush things lol.
That's so awesome to hear that Daniel is becoming a great teacher, that's awesome that he has already mastered it because I'm still working on it. It's definitely a gift that only comes from heaven.
By the way I haven't got your package yet. Hopefully it will come this next week or something and I don't think I need anything else but thank you for taking care of the card thing. I think I just need foot soles but that's about it.
Wow it's so crazy to see how fast the time is flying by its insane. I remember when you sent me those pictures form last years Halloween. It seriously feels like it was a month ago. Also today a huge group left to return home. Elder Fiscuss and many other awesome elders went home today. It was kind of sad but tells me how fast my time will run out.
By the way has Shanna already gone to the doctors to see what's going on?
Love you all and keep safe. I'm glad to be a missionary, there's no other place to be and to grow as much as I'm growing now.
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
Monday, October 24, 2011
Love my mission!!
Thank you Mom and Dad for the letters. I honestly don't feel that special, but if you say so...I love you both and couldn't ask for better parents.
I can't believe you didn't send any pictures of home coming of Kenny and them or is it next week? I can't remember if you told me or not. I'm so glad Kenny is doing awesome. He and I are going to be hanging out a bunch when I get back, I love that guy.
It was an awesome experience with Skyler that I will never forget and it was awesome to see how much we have grown. Skyler is a great leader like he has always been and we are just growing together while being here. We talked so much about what we want to do when coming back and things like that and it's so crazy because it just kicked me back into reality and I realized I only have 8 months left, and Christmas its already coming up and people are starting to tell me that I have no time left and it just puts it into perspective on how fast the time is flying by and I can't believe it!
Well this week was a great week. Me and Elder Vergara (which no not elder Perez) are doing awesome together and are working the sector and finding more people. And by the way I have about 4 months in this sector but I actually really like it now because the people you form relationships with motivate you to stay and in every lesson or at lunch we are always laughing our heads off. We have a great time together.
And I'm not sure if I told you but about 2 months ago I got a reference from a member in the ward who is from a big family that recently had their mom die. So Elder Perez and I went over there and the Dad first came out and said he doesn't really like associating with gringos (Americans) And so I tired persuading him to listen to us but he said you believe in agency right and so I don't really want to listen. And so I was looking for the spirit to direct me on what to say and so I said if you believe in agency then how about you use it by listening to us and then after you can choose if our message is true or not and so he was convinced and let us in and we talked about families and had a great lesson but we only taught a part of the family and so after he said he liked the lesson but he said he would call me and he seemed kind of hard to teach so I don't know why, but we didn't go over again. So like a month passed and I got my new companion and I was praying really hard for a family to be able to find and the next Sunday the hermana came up to us and said, "Elders what is happing with that family? I have had them on my mind all this week. And so we passed by again last week and just talked to the dad just to get his confidence in us and he seemed nice to us but still doesn't like the states but we set up an appointment and went in and watched the movie together forever and this time more of his family was present and they all loved the movie and so we set another appointment up for yesterday (Sunday) and so we passed by and taught them the plan of salvation and the spirit was so strong and the love that God has for that family was present and they told us they have never invited someone into their house before and so they said we got lucky cause he felt different with us and he is warming up to me and in no time his heart will be opened towards me and he will love me ha-ha. So they accepted to pray and read and so Elder vergara and I were super happy so now this next coming week for changes I hope that I stay because I want to be able to be here to see the people I have been teaching be baptized. We have other people progressing too but I was super happy to find this family cause president encouraged the mission to pray to find a family so the mission can have a ¨White Christmas¨. Cool huh?
Well I'm happy that everything is going great for the family and especially grateful that Shanna is strong and is able to carry the baby.
I can't believe that Kellin has a girlfriend and to top it off being a ladies' man! That's hilarious! I think it's funny that he's also dating the daughter of the mom that Dad dated before. Ha-ha I guess that's the price you pay for living in the same place your whole life.
My Spanish is great and I'm loving have a Latin for a companion, elder Vergara is the other reason I want to stay in this sector because he is awesome and we get along great and were doing work.
Wish me good luck and pray for me this week. I love you and the gospel is true!
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
I can't believe you didn't send any pictures of home coming of Kenny and them or is it next week? I can't remember if you told me or not. I'm so glad Kenny is doing awesome. He and I are going to be hanging out a bunch when I get back, I love that guy.
It was an awesome experience with Skyler that I will never forget and it was awesome to see how much we have grown. Skyler is a great leader like he has always been and we are just growing together while being here. We talked so much about what we want to do when coming back and things like that and it's so crazy because it just kicked me back into reality and I realized I only have 8 months left, and Christmas its already coming up and people are starting to tell me that I have no time left and it just puts it into perspective on how fast the time is flying by and I can't believe it!
Well this week was a great week. Me and Elder Vergara (which no not elder Perez) are doing awesome together and are working the sector and finding more people. And by the way I have about 4 months in this sector but I actually really like it now because the people you form relationships with motivate you to stay and in every lesson or at lunch we are always laughing our heads off. We have a great time together.
And I'm not sure if I told you but about 2 months ago I got a reference from a member in the ward who is from a big family that recently had their mom die. So Elder Perez and I went over there and the Dad first came out and said he doesn't really like associating with gringos (Americans) And so I tired persuading him to listen to us but he said you believe in agency right and so I don't really want to listen. And so I was looking for the spirit to direct me on what to say and so I said if you believe in agency then how about you use it by listening to us and then after you can choose if our message is true or not and so he was convinced and let us in and we talked about families and had a great lesson but we only taught a part of the family and so after he said he liked the lesson but he said he would call me and he seemed kind of hard to teach so I don't know why, but we didn't go over again. So like a month passed and I got my new companion and I was praying really hard for a family to be able to find and the next Sunday the hermana came up to us and said, "Elders what is happing with that family? I have had them on my mind all this week. And so we passed by again last week and just talked to the dad just to get his confidence in us and he seemed nice to us but still doesn't like the states but we set up an appointment and went in and watched the movie together forever and this time more of his family was present and they all loved the movie and so we set another appointment up for yesterday (Sunday) and so we passed by and taught them the plan of salvation and the spirit was so strong and the love that God has for that family was present and they told us they have never invited someone into their house before and so they said we got lucky cause he felt different with us and he is warming up to me and in no time his heart will be opened towards me and he will love me ha-ha. So they accepted to pray and read and so Elder vergara and I were super happy so now this next coming week for changes I hope that I stay because I want to be able to be here to see the people I have been teaching be baptized. We have other people progressing too but I was super happy to find this family cause president encouraged the mission to pray to find a family so the mission can have a ¨White Christmas¨. Cool huh?
Well I'm happy that everything is going great for the family and especially grateful that Shanna is strong and is able to carry the baby.
I can't believe that Kellin has a girlfriend and to top it off being a ladies' man! That's hilarious! I think it's funny that he's also dating the daughter of the mom that Dad dated before. Ha-ha I guess that's the price you pay for living in the same place your whole life.
My Spanish is great and I'm loving have a Latin for a companion, elder Vergara is the other reason I want to stay in this sector because he is awesome and we get along great and were doing work.
Wish me good luck and pray for me this week. I love you and the gospel is true!
Con Amor,
Elder Pedersen
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
50th Celebration!!!! I saw SKYLER!!!!
The celebration was awesome! The four missions that were there sang a song and many seemed to love it. But I first got their on Saturday knowing that for sure I was going to see Skyler but scared at the same time that I wasn't going to be able to find him but when I got their I couldn't find him and so I was thinking in the back of my head, what will my parents think when I don't find him and then someone in my zone was like elder Pedersen I think that's him and I was like no way and so we started freaking out and ran and gave each other a huge hug and we were just in shock that we were in Chile together and so we sat down together and talked for the entire celebration and no not one Apostle came but it didn't really matter to us cause we paid enough attention to say amen at the end of each talk. ha-ha but I was seriously in shock and every time we looked at each other we would just be reminded that 6 months earlier I was talking to him on Skype for Mother's day. It was so awesome and we both were just in awe thinking how amazing God is, It was definitely a little tender mercy of the Lord thinking that God put two best buddies just 30 min away from each other and the only time we would be able to see each other was at this celebration!
We talked about everything and we watched the dances that the youth prepared of different cultures all around the world and it was way cool and at the end we ran out on the field with everybody jumping and screaming. Lol it was so fun.
Ha-ha I'm still in shock that we were able to see each other! I will send you some pictures that we took together. We actually realized how close our missions really are from one another.
It was an awesome experience that I will never forget that we were able to see each other as missionaries serving the same people in the same country and to be able to see how much both of us has grown (spiritually). We also found out that I have actually grown physically, I'm actually as tall or taller than Skyler so I didn't feel like such a little person like before.
It's weird that you say that you have only gotten like 25 pictures from me because every time I send pictures I send you that much so I'm wondering if you are not getting all the photos that I send you guys. And I cant send videos over internet and so I will try to make some copies on a CD sometime And I still haven't got the package that you sent but hopefully when the mail comes tomorrow I will get it.
You should go on the church website to see the video of the celebration because they said they would put it up there and you'll be able to see us singing and stuff.
Well this week has been a little different with having to travel so much during the week to practice for the celebration. But our investigators are doing good but it's kind of lame cause I have found out that people here in this part are super slow to progress like our investigator that want to get baptized told us he put his own date for the 18th of November to be baptized so I'm kind of disappointed if i'm not here for the next change, but if I'm not it's what Gods wants. But overall we are finding more and more people to teach and so part of me wants to stay in this same area but the other part of me wouldn't mind leaving, but we are doing good.
Well I love you all and thank you for all the love and
Support and I hope to hear from the boys soon!
Les Amo Muchísimo
Elder Pedersen
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