Week 81: THE LAST EMAIL!!!!!!!

MY TRANSFER MOTTO:

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. ...but watch thou in all things, endure afflictions...For I am

now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing"

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS IS MY LAST EMAIL HOME....I SURE CAN'T...

 Well this last week of my mission has been crazy...but great. I prayed so hard this week that I would push through all my weaknesses and just give it my all. I prayed specifically to have Heavenly Father "throw it all at me" I told him I'm ready to take on any challenge and work so hard.Well come Thursday...I GOT SO SICK! It's like the worst flu/cold I've ever had. I came to two conclusions 1) Satan is working really hard 2) This is exactly what I prayed for and Heavenly Father is trying to teach me a life lesson before I depart. So I worked as hard as I could! I tried every method possible every trick in the book to alleviate my symptoms so I could at least not sound like a dying frog as I taught the gospel. Nothing has worked and I am still so sick! Saturday was the worst. Everything was going wrong...I didn't feel good...I spilled my boiling hot tea all over me in the car and burned

myself...the only good thing was that the sun was out to dry my shirt and lots of people were out walking around! I tried so hard to just stay positive and not think about myself. I was on the verge of just mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally breaking down. I had reached my max...We were walking up a super steep hill and I just told myself JUST BREATHE (even though I can't breathe hahah) and I told Sister Amat to hold on and I just stopped on the hill...I took some deep breaths and I offered one of the most heartfelt and submissive prayers I've ever said. I told Heavenly Father that I literally couldn't do this....I couldn't breathe, I couldn't walk, I couldn't talk...WHY AM I ENDING MY MISSION LIKE THIS!!! But I told him that I knew there was a reason and I was going to be positive, but I really really really needed his help right now and I needed it now. After that I felt so much better, I had so much strength to continue. Later that day I got a blessing from our Ward Mission leader and he blessed me with so many things I needed to hear. It was a great experience! He blessed me that I would find the meaning in this sickness, that I would be able to get the rest I needed and also be so proud of what I've done on my mission. He said even the Savior rested during his ministry. He also blessed me that I would go home with pride, not unrighteous pride, but pride knowing that what I've done is worthy and good!!! IT WAS TRULY AN ANSWER TO PRAYERS!!! Ever since then I've just been pushing along and trying my best to ENDURE TO THE END!!!! One of the members in our ward studies reflexology and she offered to give me a foot massage and she promised that it would help me get better by Wednesday. 

She taught me all sorts of things about how the foot is a map of the body and by the end I felt so much better!!!!! It didn't take all my sickness away, but all the tension and anxiousness was gone! Alice came to church again on Sunday and she loved it!!! She texted us this morning and wants to meet up tonight!! Woohooo!!!! Today at 2pm I have my Exit Interview with President Burt...things are getting so real now....Tomorrow I have to have all my things packed and we are attending the temple at 12pm and then we have a dinner and testimony meeting at President and Sister Burt's house that night. Then we go to a hotel for the night and then Wednesday morning....I FLY TO LAS VEGAS!!! I can't believe it's coming to an end! I have learned so much!! I wanted to just leave you with my testimony and some spiritual thoughts :) I love you all and I am so grateful for all the prayers and support for me! I am so blessed to have so many people cheering me on during my mission! 

See you on Wednesday!!

Love,

Sister Peterson

MY TESTIMONY:

I know God is real and is aware of us. I know He has a perfect plan. I'm so grateful that I have felt of his love on my mission. I am in awe of God's great plan, that he provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, for us. I know Christ lives and that he lives in me whenever I exercise my faith, seek to do better, or testify of him. I have felt Christ supporting me through my hardest times on my mission. He gives me the motivation, strength, and courage to just go one step forward. I know I have developed a stronger relationship with him and my Heavenly Father through my personal prayers, scripture study,

and partaking of the sacrament. I feel the spirit testify to me of their love each time I simply do the basics. I know that blessings come, most of the time way later than I wanted, but I know that they come. I have had so many tender mercies on my mission that have deepened my love for my Heavenly Father and my Savior. I know they care for me and will do anything to help me. I know that it's only through Jesus Christ that I can truly be happy. My life has become so much better as I've followed His gospel. I know that we have prophets today that continue to help us live that same gospel. I know the scriptures are true and living. I have found so much comfort in the Book of Mormon. I love that book and I know it has brought me closer to Christ and better prepared me for life and to meet God. These are only a few of the things I've learned and come to know are true on my mission. My mission has been so special to me. It has pushed me and helped me accomplish things spiritually that I never thought were possible. The biggest blessing is that I have learned...finally ...to trust in the Lord. I need him and I know when I just trust in him it will all work out. I know I have been so blessed and my family and I will continue to be blessed for my service as a missionary. My mission has brought my family closer spiritually and I know God needed me to be on my mission so we could accomplish that. I am so grateful to have learned the gospel from my parents. I know the influence of the gospel in all our lives is so important. I've seen God's love and the Savior's gospel change people's lives. I have loved having a front row seat as I've seen the power of the Atonement in other's lives. My mission has changed everything and I am so grateful I was called to serve in the Canada Vancouver Mission. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.

Sister Shelby Peterson

Week 80: I CAN DO IT

This will have to be short! We are sight-seeing in Vancouver today so I don't have as much time to email :)

Monday- we were driving with the STL's to go get our car that got stuck on the hill the night before and they got in an accident...we are all okay but the other ladies car is messed up....the STL's car is brand new and looked fine... still sad though :( Once we got our car we went and had dinner with Russ and Rachel my relatives that live in Port

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Moody! They are so nice and we made plans to meet and have dinner and stuff when I come back with my family in May!!! So cool!!! Later that night we helped a couple in our ward sign up for family history and I realized 1) I'm so grateful I have family that has already done so much work! 2) I love family history so much Tuesday-We met with Rose! We taught her a little before but let her "reflect" for a little bit. We did an overview of the Book of Mormon and she finally realized she needed to read on her own and be more committed! Super cool! Our member Sister Howitt took us out to lunch! She recently lost her husband and she needed to get out of the house. While we were there she started pointing and freaking out... "IT'S THE PREMIER OF BC!!!!!" I was like...what in the world is that...well apparently it's like the Governor or President of BC. She came over and talked with us...I think her name was Christy Clark. She talked to us about how we were missionaries and how we were doing a great job :) We talked a little about the church it was really cool! She was with Steve Darling who's a sports broadcaster I think and he's a candidate or

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something...anyway it was super cool. The photographer was snapping pictures of us left and right while we talked to her and we made sure our name tags were shown hahahahah Wednesday- I woke up and just had a strong desire to bear my testimony to someone who was bashing me! I didn't pray for it, but I thought about it. Well later that day we met some people who were just bashing us so bad!!!! They were manipulative and so rude!!! It was crazy!!!!!! But I just kept calm and bore my testimony and at the end we agreed to agree on our belief in Christ and it was all good :) I now have a testimony that God knows our desires and answers our unspoken prayers!!! He is so aware of us!!! We had a really great district meeting I learned so much!!! I LOVE MISSIONS!!! Thursday- We met with our recent convert Duean and she is doing great! She has such a strong testimony and she is just wonderful!  We had dinner with the Dortons and she signed up to feed us 2 more times before I go home!!! She is so great! She is so excited to feed me my "Last Supper" hahahah She said ANYTHING YOU WANT!!! I love them!!! They are going straight to the

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Celestial Kingdom!! Friday was good until I remembered later that night... oh yeah I'm going home...then I cried and Sister Amat had to help me....I feel like a 2 yr old....It's ridiculous. Don't get me wrong I'm super excited to go home and see my family but leaving the mission is the hardest thing.  Saturday- We met with Alice at the library to talk about family history and she said, "I read somewhere in the Bible that there will be more prophets and scripture, I wonder when that will happen..." I WAS LIKE UM.......WE NEED TO TEACH THE RESTORATION!!! So we did and she is so excited to pray about it and see it's true!!!  We walked all over the place today and it was so fun!!! I was asked to give a talk on Sunday too, so I had to plead with members to print me off some talks and quotes hahahah It was crazy!! Sunday- I gave my talk on Oaths. It was interesting. Sister Amat said it was good, but I know she's just being a good companion hahahah. Alice came to church which was AWESOME!!!!! Church was just so good!!!  In Relief Society we talked a lot about what I've been struggling with lately, giving credit to myself for the good things I'm doing and forgiving myself for my mistakes. One sister asked, "How do you not feel bad for the things you didn't accomplish...I know we can't be perfect but...?" The old ladies in our ward are just SO comical and one said, "Honey, yes you can be perfect....you'll be dead!" hahahhahahah Then another one said when you're having a bad day...look in the mirror and PUT YOUR LIPSTICK ON!!!" HAHAHHAHAHAHA  They

Mission Accomplished ;)

talked a lot about positive affirmations and it was just so good! Something we all needed to hear! They said, "Don't get buried!" Take one task at a time or one day at a time. Sometimes we think we can get everything done but we can't. We just do our best...good advice for home! We ended our night with coordination meeting and I t felt so good to present our week and all the things we got done! We worked hard this week!!! Overall it's been great :) I've starting doing something new where I put little smiley face stickers in my planner whenever I feel super happy, a miracle happened...etc. It's really helped me to see that I am doing good and that good things are happening!!

This week is going to be great! Lot of things to do and lots of miracles to find!!!

Love you,

Sister Peterson

Week 79: Finally....A Week of Miracles

Wow...this week was packed full of so much stuff....

Monday was a great p-day!! Sister Steele helped me go shopping so I could buy some "going home clothes" Well We decided halfway through that one of my dresses is just too fabulous and I should just buy some shoes! hahahha So she took me to go get shoes and I found the cutest pair!!! I am so excited!!!! Later Monday night we had Family Home Evening at Bishop's house! His wife made yummy Korean food and our recent converts Duean and Hamid came!!! Our lesson was legit! We taught about

scripture study and we had a Book of Mormon in English, Korean, Thai, and Farsi!!!! IT'S AMAZING THAT WE CAN ALL READ THE BOOK OF MORMON IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE WE UNDERSTAND!!! SO COOL!!! Later we had an appointment with a member family. At the end, the son came out and his mom said, "They are just leaving." and he took that as we are going HOME, like ending our mission. Well apparently he has a crush on Sister Amat because he asked for her email so he could "keep in contact with her" hahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahahhahhahahahh I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW AWKWARD IT WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHH Then we had to tell him, "we're just leaving your house actually." Anyway we laughed all the way home!!! Tuesday we did some service! IT WAS SO GREAT!!! I LOVE IT!!!! We had a lesson set up with a potential, but she cancelled last minute :( bummer! We had a great day of finding though!  Wednesday we drove to Burnaby for District Meeting and I wore my fancy new shoes. They are so fabulous! I was asked to bear my testimony about working with members (very fitting since that's what I've been focusing on this week!) I shared a story from Kelowna and I just remembered how awesome my mission has been! How I have seen the hand of the Lord everyday! Later we stopped by a former investigator and when we got there Sister Amat said this is where Maliheh a recent convert lives. Turns out the former is her daughter. From what we've heard Maliheh has decided to go to a different church and is not interested in coming back :( SO we decided to just

go and talk to the daughter. Well the daughter moved, but Maliheh was home and invited us in! She's from Iran and speaks Farsi and her English is so much better now than it was when she first started investigating! We talked about the Book of Mormon and she said she knows it's true and she feels so good at church and that she wanted to start coming again!!!!!!! So we set up a ride for her, a translator for sacrament. IT WAS SO GOOD!!!! Then, it snowed on Sunday so only a few people came :( Anyway...funny story...we were walking through the mall and I was just looking around and BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I RAN SMACK INTO A HUGE PILLAR IN THE MALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS LIKE "WHAT THE HECK!!! I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sister Amat said no one saw, but I'm pretty sure they did hahahahahha I was dying it was so funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thursday we had a great visit with one of our members! She wants to come contacting with us at the bus loops!!! So we role played with her about how we can refer to the Restoration simply and it was so good!!!!! I asked her to pretend she was an investigator "if the missionaries came to your door what would you expect of them?" She said "I would want them to answer my questions" So now when I talk to people I tell them that we're out today answering people's questions and we've gotten some good conversations started!!! Friday we tried the bus loops and we talked to a couple people and they knew exactly who we were!! It was cool! One lady had the cutest umbrella! It was clear and had high heels printed on the vinyl around the trim. I commented on it and we started talking she noticed my badge and we had a good chat and then she walked away...then I hear "Sister Peterson..." I turn around "Let's swap...she closed her umbrella and wanted to give it to

me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I said oh my goodness I can't take your umbrella!!!! I told her that we travel a lot as missionaries and it would have to fit in my carry on bag so I couldn't take it...she said "thank you so much for the good work your doing!!". Oh my goodness! It was so awesome!!!!! Later that day we had a great lesson with Sister Chen and her baby :) We brought one of our fav members Sis. Dorton!! THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG IN OUR LESSON!!!!!!!!! Super powerful! It reassured me of my testimony of the restoration! THEN....man I am writing a ton this week but that's good right??? WE WENT ON EXCHANGES FRIDAY NIGHT!!!! I went with Sister Steele and since neither of our companions drive I had to drive to North Vancouver....I FINALLY SAW THE VANCOUVER SKY LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO PRETTY!!!!!! Sister Steele and I had a blast in Port Moody!!! WE "tore it up!!" We worked a lot on our area book  and we found 5 formers that are still interested in learning!!!!! We even set up appointments for saturday and I was finally able to teach some investigators!!!! yay!!!!!!!!!! We had way too much fun and we got so much work done too!!!! So many miracles happened this weekend!!! At the end of our exchange Sister Steele was talking about how I go home soon...and she asked me for some advice. I literally started bawling...GOING HOME IS NOT FUN PEOPLE!! It's so hard :( I feel like I'm dying or something!!! Like I'm being thrown into the front lines of life...It's so bittersweet. I told Sister Steele to just make sure she's fulfilling her purpose everyday! She is literally the most dedicated missionary I know so I don't know why she asked me for advice!! hahah But yeah the struggle is real...I am so emotional about

going home! It's really weird and not at all what I expected! but everytime I tear up and cry it reminds me that my mission is so special to me and that It really has changed me and meant the world to me!!! I'm excited to see what the next 2 1/2 weeks have in store!!!!! Sunday we woke up and it had snowed...when it snows here everyone freaks out so we were just waiting for the call that church was cancelled....then they called and said we would only be having sacrament today! yay!!! AT LEAST WE COULD TAKE THE SACRAMENT!! I've come to LOVE sundays and I find that I desperately need to take the sacrament each week in order to feel normal! So we went and there was about 20 people there! hahah It was testimony meeting and we filled up all the time despite there being low numbers. I of course got up and bore my testimony...I really didn't know what to say but then it came to me...I had read this week the visiting teaching message in the ensign and it's all about Nephi and the enabling power of the atonement! I realized when I read that, that I had been praying for God to just help me and bless me with what I wanted...but I should actually be praying to be strengthened by him so that I, Sister Peterson, can go out and do the will of the Lord. It talked about how Nephi was bound with the cords and they didn't just magically fall off...Nephi was blessed with the strength to break the bands himself. Later that night it started snowing bad again....we left our member appointment at 8:45 and we realized quick that our little car wasn't going to make it up the hill plus there was an accident blocking the road...so we tried the other way..it was a steep hill so we coudln't make it down. Our tires were so bad that I didn't want to chance getting in an accident. So we called President Burt and we started calling around the ward to see if people could come get us. No one wanted to drive up there because it was so bad...so we decided we would take everything out of our car and leave it there all night and hike down to the main road (wasn't

that far) so we got to the main road and there were two member families out there looking for us! They finally found us and we were able to get a ride home! We didn't get home untill about 11pm!!!!!! crazy!!!!!! It was like a rescue operation. Bro and Sis. Tolman called President Burt and said "President, We got em!" it was like in the movies where it's super "high stress situation" and then everyone celebrates once the people are saved hahahahahhahahahahhaha so funny!!!! Anyway! Crazy night!!! So we're car-less today so the sisters are driving us around until we can go back!! hahah Anyway...that was my week...full of adventures and craziness and TEACHING!!!!! I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM THAT I WAS ABLE TO TEACH SOME INVESTIGATORS THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! 

Thanks for all your prayers and for reading my emails each week :) 

love you guys!

Sister Peterson

***this week I hit my 18 month mark so we went to RED ROBIN TO CELEBRATE!!! I TOOK A BALLOON!!!! HAHHAHA It was really cool because I was able to pray to Heavenly Father and say...I have dedicated exactly 18 months to you and this work and that's what I promised him I would do! I'm super stoked I have 2-3 more weeks left though so I can just work so hard and see even more miracles!!!!!!!!!!

Week 78: REAL TALK

Our week was good! We were able to go to the temple which was much needed!!!! I loved it!!! 

Tuesday night we were able to meet with Russ and Rachel! My mom found them through ancestry.com and found

out they live in Port Moody and they are related to me!! So I got permission from President Burt and we got to visit them!!! IT WAS SO COOL!!!! They showed us old photos, told us stories, and we got to tell them a little bit about the church! IT WAS LITERALLY THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!!!!  Wednesday we went to District Meeting is Burnaby!! Afterwards they surprised us and we had to do our own car inspections :) After we had lunch with the Chinese Sisters and The New West sisters! It was fun! Funny Story: So we were tracting Wednesday and this lady has asked us to pray for her and I didn't have my planner, so I wrote it down on the mormon.org card with all the details, then I wrote another return appointment on the card. Well somewhere along that street I had accidentally put the card in someone's door. I REALIZED THIS AT THE END OF THE STREET HAHAHAHAHAH So we went back to every house and looked at every card hahahahahha WE COULDN'T FIND IT!!! I was freaking out!!! hahaha It had something written like "pray for dale's sore back...1425 Ross rd 10 pm..." hahahhaha super awkward if someone was to find our card and read it hahahahah Finally we found it...we

had put it on the trailer door instead of the house door....phew!!! IT WAS SO FUNNY!!! Thursday, I was told I had an accent!!! MY LIFE DREAM!!! Hopefully it sounds good. We picked up a Young Woman from the Port Coquitlam ward who is preparing to serve a mission and took her to a lesson with our former investigator! The lesson was interesting, somehow she thought that we were going to help her be a prophet....um....no. We told her we just help people to build a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. We'll meet her 1 more time but It was VERY interesting. Sister Amat and I would just look at each other like "What in the world do we say?????" hahha I just kept saying "I Know Jesus Christ can help you..." Oh my goodness!! So funny!! But I was sincere :) I know Christ can help anyone!!!!!! Well Alexa works at a Bubble Tea place and she convinced us to try it! See pictures :) Friday was my brother's birthday!!!!! YAY!!!! We had a good day of tracting and finding! We talked to some really cool people! Later that night we met with the Bennington's in our ward! They are in their 90's and true examples of Enduring to the End! They are so cool!! 

Saturday we went to a potentials house and as we were getting out and walking up we saw this car stopped behind us with people dressed similar to us...they were just staring at us! We went and knocked the door and then they drove away! When our potential answered the door he said, "Oh yeah your the Jehovah's!" We said no, we're the Mormons. HE WAS EXPECTING THEM TO COME AND VISIT HIM. IT WAS THEM IN THE CAR...BUT WE SHOWED UP SO THEY LEFT! Oh my goodness! We were dying! We taught him the Restoration though and he is very intrigued. He meets with all religions and is trying to find one for himself! We told him we'll stop by next week! Hopefully not when the Jehovah's Witnesses come! We also stopped by another potential and it turns out her husband is a member!!! She's super interested and we are going to meet with her in 2 weeks! Her little boy started crying at the end because he wanted to come with us!!! hahaha Sunday was good! It was Ward Conference and I sang! Later while we were tracting there was a cat that followed us the whole way! Like 2 k's hahah He was so obedient and would just wait on the step for us to finish, and then walk with us down the street hahahahhah We named him Nephi G. Moody (the G stands

for Gidgiddoni) We had a great rest of the night!  This week was really good!!!! Here's the real talk part of it all though: So we currently have no new investigators to teach. It's rough.  Yesterday we were talking to our Ward Mission Leader about our teaching pool and he asked how our spirits were. Honestly, my spirits are high one day and a little low the next day. I'm just trying to make sure I'm doing my best and succeeding this last transfer before my mission ends. He said, "The Spirit really prompted me to tell you that right now the best work you can do is to grow the ward." I thought about that, and in the recent Missionary Broadcast Dallin H. Oaks talked about how establishing the church is a HUGE part of our missionary purpose. Brother Saunderson said that maybe our purpose right now is to help the ward...not find a ton of people. He shared with us a quote by Elder Holland: "We can all have what we want or something better. I think that's the way God see's it. The only time you wouldn't get what you want (for me it's new investigators and to teach) is if He has something better. And as a good parent, would overrule for your good. I believe everyone can have what they

 want or something better." That resonated with me. I want something that is SO RIGHTEOUS!!! I JUST WANT TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH PEOPLE AND HELP THEM COME CLOSER TO CHRIST, but I'm not getting it. GOD MUST HAVE A BETTER PLAN!!! If I look at the work I'm doing with the ward I'm being so successful! Members are having faith repenting! They are getting excited about the gospel! They are feeling the Spirit!!! But if I measure myself based off of the work I'm doing on my own efforts I would rate myself as not as successful SIMPLY because people are using their own free agency and saying no. Yes I am going out and pushing through the rain, snow, anti, and other things in order to share the gospel. I'm trying my best to share my testimony of the Savior each day and trying to learn and improve. WHY DO I EVEN HAVE THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT THAT I'M NOT DOING GOOD ENOUGH??? It's literally the craziest thing. I know it is totally the adversary. I pray every night to Heavenly Father to help me feel successful, like I've done enough each day.  Sister Steele told me this week: "The biggest thing I learned from you was to make the best of your situation. You are so good at that. You're so good at just being happy!!! So keep doing it!" That really helped me!  So since then I've been determined that I'm going to make the best of it! Enjoy everyday! It has really helped!!!!  I'm going to continue to pray and seek those promptings! I know God has a better plan and right now all I want is new investigators and people to teach, but God knows what's better. He knows what I really need and maybe it's just to grow the ward  and help the ward members :)  To be honest, I'm grateful that the past two weeks have been a little shaky. It's helped me grow and realize that I just have to keep going, keep doing what I know I need to do, try to improve, and rely on the Lord. The Basics of Life :)

Keep praying for us!!!

Love,

Sister Peterson

Week 77: Beware the Ides of March

Yup...it happened people....I got to sit down and read pages and pages about when I'm going home MARCH 22ND. How to pack my bags, what and what not to do, write your testimony, send in this, do this do that, but also this.....it was a really emotional week. One minute I'd be super happy about the day and then the next minute

someone would remind me about my "expiration date" and I would get so sad and cry!!! Ugh...it's literally the worst! I have felt like Heavenly Father is testing me. We have no one to teach right now. None. It's like I'm being re-trained. I have to start from the beginning (door approaches, study, prayers, teaching....) and try to adjust some of the things I did in Kelowna because it doesn't work here in Port Moody. I'm having a mini identity crisis. What kind of missionary am I???? I want to make sure I become the best missionary I can be by the time I leave....am I even close???? THERE IS SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT!!!  So I've been having this internal battle, but on Wednesday we had Zone Conference with President and Sister Burt and it was such a big answer to my prayers!  President's opening remarks answered all of the questions I had come prepared with!!!!  It was amazing!!! The whole Zone Conference was about how we can better testify of Jesus Christ and focus on our missionary purpose! The whole meeting I just kept thinking...do I have a powerful enough testimony??? We all kind of think that at one time in our lives...or maybe multiple times...do we really have a testimony???? I was worrying about this, then Sweet Sister Macaso one of my past companions commented and brought up an experience we had in Surrey where she felt the Spirit so strong from my testimony of Jesus Christ our Savior. During this

experience I almost passed out on the door step because I was so exhausted from bearing my testimony of the Savior. It was such a powerful moment in my mission that I am so glad she brought up! I remember talking to those Bible Bashers! (I think I called them Mormon Doctrine Slayers in my journal hahahah) I remember they were attacking all aspects of the gospel and I, with literally all the energy of my heart, mind, might and strength, and soul, testified that I knew this was true and that Christ was the center of my life and of God's plan. All those emotions came rushing back as Sister Macaso talked about it in Zone Conference and how that built her testimony at that time and has stuck with her. It was a tender mercy and answered my question and silenced my doubting about whether I had a good testimony or not. I cried because the Spirit was so strong. The Spirit was confirming Heavenly Father's love for me and my testimony :) At the end of Zone Conference President stood up and asked Me, Sister Graver and Sister Yang to give our testimonies. This is a "mission tradition" in our last meetings we give our testimony. I was really grateful for this opportunity because I had just had my testimony validated by the Spirit and now I had the opportunity to share it...now....whether that

testimony was audible or not.....I'm not entirely sure...I was A WRECK!!!!!!!!!!!! I CRIED LIKE CRAZY!!!!!!! MY MISSION HAS MEANT SO MUCH TO ME!!!!! JUST THINKING ABOUT LEAVING IS REALLY HEART BREAKING. I tried so hard to get some good words out. One of the Elders said, "Thanks for being real." Hopefully that's a good thing! hahahahah Anyway, we had some great lessons this week with members!!! Because we don't have anyone to teach we are practicing with our members. We learned at Zone Conference how to use silence in our lessons and let me tell you it's super powerful!!!!!!! Saturday was walking day and I'm pretty sure I walked up every hill in Coquitlam ahahahhaha OUR LEGS HURT SO BAD WE COULDN'T EVEN GET OUR LEGS IN THE CAR AT THE END OF THE DAY!!!! HAHAHHA I ALMOST FELL DOWN THE HILL BACKWARDS BECAUSE THE HILL WAS SO STEEP HHHAHAHAHAHHA Sunday is wonderful as always :) Yesterday we were working because today (Tuesday) we are going to the temple!! We stopped by our potentials John and Donna an old couple that said we could come back. They invited us in and we chatted and they were telling

us about their family. Donna said that her son lives in West Kelowna and he has adopted 8...yup 8...kids from Haiti!!!! Most of them have special needs! Bless his heart! As she spoke it sounded familiar to me. The Spirit brought to my remembrance a family I tracted into before. Then John grabbed a photo from the mantle. I took one look and I recognized one of the daughters Kendall who is severely handicapped. I immediately said I KNOW THEM!!!! When I was with Sister Hoffman and Sister Steele we were tracting in West Bank (I only tracted about 3 streets in West Bank while I was with them) and we knocked on the door of this family and talked with them for quite a while! The daughter Kendall is a teenager and can't walk. When we were at the door she crawled out of her room so she could see us!!!! I TOLD JOHN AND DONNA ABOUT IT AND WE BOTH WERE AMAZED!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so cool!!! What are the chances!!!!!!! We taught John and Donna the Restoration but they weren't interested :( but it was good! I got to testify of Christ :) Here's another miracle! So my mom has been doing a lot of genealogy since I've been gone and almost every place I go she finds someone that is related to me that lives there! Well she found a man who lives here in Port Moody!!! I talked to President Burt

and got permission to meet him and his family!!! SOOOOO...... I called him last night. What in the world do I say! "Hi this is Sister Peterson....I'm a missionary here in Port Moody...we're related....somehow...uh..." Well that's basically how it went hahahaha He said, "OH YES! YOUR MOM TALKED TO ME!!" So we set up a time for TONIGHT to meet and talk about our family and stuff!!!! SUPER COOL!!!!! It will be him, his wife, and hopefully his daughter!!! I'm so excited!!!! What are the chances that I would live 10 min away from a long lost relative!!!  Heavenly Father definitely works in mysterious ways! I know that he is guiding each one of my footsteps these last weeks! He is crafting me into the missionary I need to be and the person I need to be for the rest of my life.  I know lots of blessings are going to come. All my blessings come as tender mercies....so I'm just here in Port Moody...trying my best to work my very hardest...testifying of Jesus Christ...and having fun...waiting for those blessings to come!! I know they will!!! Today we were able to go to the temple! That was a big blessing!!!!! I haven't been in almost a year and a half!! I saw some members in the temple that I knew!! It was great!!!! I received so much revelation today!!! About school, life after mission, and what I need to do these last few weeks to make it the best!!!

Love you all so much!!!

Things are going so good!!!

Love,

Sister Peterson

Week 76: Culture Shock

This week has been an emotional roller coaster! Leaving Kelowna was pretty much the hardest thing EVER!! 

I left my <3 in Kelowna

Monday I went and said goodbye to people and cried!!! Uh...it's the worst! We met with Sandra M. briefly! At the end of our little chat we were leaving and I felt really prompted to give her an Articles of Faith card that has a picture on it that really helped me through this last week in Kelowna. It's called Security Blanket. I just found it in the supplies one day and I love it! Anyway so Sandra is going through some really hard things right now and I just felt like she could use it. I really loved it so I wrote down the name in hopes that I would find that picture again. She really liked it and put it on display in her entry way next to all her Las Vegas pictures hahaha  Tuesday we left for the airport at 5:50am.....SUPER EARLY!! We dropped Sister Hoffman off for her flight and then we went to go get my stuff to check me in..."where's my purse???" Oh my goodness...I left my purse
on the seat of our car which was back at the chapel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 20 min drive both ways!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE ONLY DONE THIS ONCE IN MY LIFE WITH CAMBRIA AND IT WAS SO STRESSFUL!!! SO WE GOT IN THE CAR SUPER FAST AND DROVE OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THROUGH THE HILLS....FINALLY GOT THE PURSE....AND WE MADE IT BACK TO THE

AIRPORT WITH 50 MIN TILL MY FLIGHT. So I go to check in....the kiosk isn't working....so I had to wait in line and by that time...I missed the 45 min deadline and I couldn't check in...so I MISSED MY FLIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told the lady what happened and she ended up giving me another flight for free!!!! IT WAS A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I ended up waiting in the airport for 3 hours until my flight left!!! I read SO MUCH of the Book of Mormon it was quite wonderful! I talked to some cool people too!! Anyway when I got to Vancouver Sister Tripp and Sister Pitts picked me up and we rocked out to "The Circle of Life" MoTab version on the way to the mission office. Those sisters are crazy!! hahaha They were blasting it with the windows down.. Everyone was like...THESE GIRLS MUST BE BONKERS!!! I met my new companion, Sister Amat, at the mission office and we got to Port Moody later that day!!! IT IS SO BUSY HERE!!!! driving a different car through the streets of Vancouver and the lower mainland was not my favorite part of the day! It's so different here! So many cultures! Especially Chinese and Korean people! It snowed so everyone is driving like crazy because they aren't used to it! Anyway we stopped at DQ for some lunch and I look out the window and behold ....IKEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY HEART WAS SO FULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHH I WAS SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The rest of the week was good!  We don't have a ton of people to teach right now,

so we are doing a lot of finding!!! We taught one investigator this week though Rose and she has been baptized 3 times before in different churches so convincing her of why she needs to baptized again was kind of difficult. She finally said, "Are you saying the ones who baptized me are not qualified???" YES!!!!!!! Your baptisms were great acts of faith and spiritual moments in your life but we need the proper priesthood authority!!!!! IT WAS A GREAT BREAKTHROUGH!! She said that she will pray and ask God if she needs to be baptized for the 4th time!!  Thursday we met with a returning less active Sister Chen and her husband is taking the lessons! They just had a baby and she is SO CUTE!!!! Then we had coordination! This ward just got a new ward mission leader and he is AWESOME!!! So on top of things and he has a degree similar to mine, so he always ties everything that happens in the ward back to social work, family structures, or psychology...IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!! HAHAHAH We all had to go around and introduce ourselves which was awkward because the Elders were there.We try not to tell the Elders things about our lives...it's kind of like

a secret. So it was really awkward, but I learned that one of the Elders that's new to the ward is a Japanese rock star and was on the front of the Japanese Rolling Stones magazine!!!!!!! hahahha I learned that Sister Amat was an accountant back in Malaysia. And I learned that the rest of the people there like basketball hahah Friday was good! IT RAINED ALL DAY!!!!! CRAZY!!! I learned about a condition here called "SAD". It's seasonal depression and a lot of people get it here because it's so gloomy. I'm taking some Vitamin D as soon as I can!!! Basically this is all so new to me...so different! I'm having a hard time understanding people. I thought this young man said he couldn't speak English, so I continued to make a fool of myself trying to communicate, but he actually asked if we knew each other....he then ran away from us....FAIL.  Sister Amat is great though! She is helping me out so much! She's teaching me her Malaysian ways. I've learned how to call a chicken and a pig if you want to feed them. I've learned how to speak some Malay, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and all sorts of stuff! Sister Amat cracks me up! She is still learning English and sometimes she'll mix up words and says the funniest things!!! 

                                

Example: "Today I'm going to teach people to pray in the dark" hahahhahaha

"Wait I mean how to pray when we're on the street!!" hahahahhaha 

Sunday was good! The ward is interesting! They love to take care of missionaries!! I'm so surprised at how much I'm remembering about the area! The Spirit has quickened my mind and I am remembering people's names, addresses, areas, all sorts of stuff! It's really a blessing!! Yesterday was family day and it was so fun! IT WAS SO SUNNY!!!!!!!! SO WARM!!!!!!!!! We talked to so many people about the church, and I felt so successful!!! Today we are going to go to Metro Town which is in Vancouver!!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!! Also we were told this week that WE ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVEN'T BEEN SINCE I WAS IN THE MTC SO I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all your prayers and continuously praying...I need a lot of help hahahah

I'm loving it here and I'm so excited for this transfer!!!

Love,

Sister Peterson!

Also HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 75: Peterson Tears it up in Port Moody

Welp....I am getting transferred!!

I'm going to Port Moody, BC!!! It's East of Vancouver and Burnaby! To be honest when I first got the call...I was heart broken. I

literally felt so SAD to leave Kelowna!! Sunday was really hard for me! I bore my testimony and I'm not even sure if it was audible....I was a WRECK!! After sacrament I had a receiving line hahaha  People were coming to give me hugs and I was trying my best to write down people's emails through my tears!! I literally have given my heart and soul to Kelowna and I am going to miss it so much! I call Kelowna my "Refiners Fire." I have changed and repented and become so refined since I've been here. It's been SO HARD but SO GOOD at the same time. I have learned to trust Heavenly Father more than anything. I've learned how to use the Atonement appropriately in my life (I know I can always learn more and will!). I've learned that people are soooo different from on another and I've learned what I want in my eternal companion and what I don't want!! Lol I've learned how to help others, how to comfort those that need comfort, and how to recognize the Holy Ghost.....oh my goodness the list goes on. All of these things came about because of trials. They were all tender mercies. I've been promised many times in my life that the

majority of my blessings in life will come as tender mercies. I know that when I think I can't continue, when I think all hope is lost....THE BLESSING COMES. And it really is a tender mercy!!! Ah...Kelowna!! I've learned so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's so special to me!!! Anyway.....it's time to move on and I know that there is a really good reason I'm being sent to Port Moody for my last 6 weeks!!! God needs me to do great things! President Burt called me this morning to "pump me up" for transfers Lol He's so in tune with the Spirit!!! He told me "GO TEAR IT UP!!!" He told me that I need to just work so hard and that there are so many miracles awaiting me there!!! NOW I'M EXCITED  HAHAHAHAHA So today is just crazy!! We have so much to get done!!!! I'm kinda stressing out! Staying 6 months in an area makes it hard to pack because you've accumulated tons of stuff!! So I have 3 piles "donate because I never wore it/never will," "send home because it's too heavy," and "to

pack...the bare minimums." I've never been good at packing light....my overnight backpack usually weighs 50 pounds. Hahahaha Today I get to start something called MY PLAN! It was introduced like 2 years ago or something to help missionaries transition from mission to home. It is like little online tutorial things and then you have to make goals for home like scripture study every day, temple attendance, service, school, dating {oh heavens}, and all sorts of things! At the end of the 6 weeks we share "My Plan" with President Burt and he gives us commitments for our LIFE and helps us, so we can stick to the plan that we have set. I'm excited but this is all so surreal. I can't believe this is happening....here I go...I'm going to cry again. TIME FLIES BY SO FAST!!! I am just going to try and make my last weeks here THE BEST EVER!!  I know that I can ENDURE TO THE END and that I will see great things happen in Port Moody!!!!  As for other things that happened this week....IT HAS SNOWED SO MUCH LIKE 2-3 FEET OF SNOW!!! SO CRAZY!! IT'S GOES PAST MY BOOTS SOME TIMES!!! On Tuesday we had

specialized training with President and Sister Burt! I love them so much!! My interview with President was great! He gave me such good advice and dropped some hints about transfers...but I still was holding on that I would stay in Kelowna hahahah We also had Zone Meeting on Friday and I got to sing a musical number! Whenever there's a musical number...I get transferred.....it's like an omen hahahaha Zone Meeting was so good! We learned about teaching about the Doctrine of Christ and how we can incorporate it into our lessons!! Everything we do is centered on Christ and when we focus on his Doctrine (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End) OUR LESSONS GO SO MUCH BETTER!!!!! We spend the whole time focusing on teaching them how they can gain that personal relationship with Christ instead of just focused on teaching the facts. I love it! That's the way it was supposed to be the whole time, but we need to be reminded of these things sometimes!! Repetition is important!! Saturday we had lots of things happen!! It snowed a ton so it was really slippery!! We walked out in the morning and our car was cleared off....we could see the foot prints around our car! It was either the Elders or our British friend that lives in our apartment that keeps me updated on Football. Then later that day I shoveled a drive way!!! It was a less active and they weren't home, and their shovel was right there. I've never shoveled a full drive way, so I just decided

Peterson's SuperBowl Sunday Salutation to their Missionary!

to have that experience. MY BACK HURT SO BAD!!! LOL IT WAS SO MUCH FUN THOUGH!!!! Later We were walking down a street and we hear "ahh!!!" We look behind us and this old lady had fallen in the street!!!!! I STARTED RUNNING THROUGH THE SNOW!!! "I'M COMING I'M COMING!!!" We got over to her, and she was so weak she couldn't get herself up. We tried so hard and she kept slipping!! Finally we got her up!! She was shaking like a leaf and she clung to me as we walked across the road! Oh my goodness!! I made sure she wasn't hurting or had anything wrong! She was so sweet!!!! As we were making sure she was okay this man came up to us and asked if we were okay. He saw what ha happened, then he said "YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THE GIRL SCOUTS!!" HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHA I DIED LAUGHING!!! WE AIN'T GIRL SCOUTS....WE ARE MISSIONARIES!!!!! HAHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAH He said we were girl scouts like 5 times hahahahahhah She did read our tags though, so she knew who we really were!!!! It was such a scary, but sweet moment! I know we were in the right place at the right time!! No one was close to her and she would have been there in the road with no way to get up!! Miracles!! Anyway!!! That was my week :) It was really great! Lots of changes, but I'm ready to embrace them!

Pray for me :)

Love you lots,

Sister Peterson