A Missionary's Work: Serving In All Sorts Of Ways

From his Mission president's blog- http://clarksangelesmission.blogspot.com/

Hi everyone,

It's good to be alive and you can feel it almost everyday with hard, sad, happy, ecstatic times. How's it going at home with winter being over? It's still hot here and getting hotter, yay (sarcastic). We are doing great, working hard, teaching lots of people about Christ, and learning everyday. I ate blood pork soup the other day and worked in the bukid cutting onions and rode a caribou. Oh, and a giant cockroach the size of 3-4 quarters side by side decided to chill on my arm yesterday, which I didn't notice until a member told me by freaking out. Apparently they bit, but my flicking finger must've been faster, ha! Pretty sweet, but the service is the best part.

This week has been an interesting one with helping investigators. we have an investigator and she's had a hard life and is still always smiling which is great. She lives with her grandma who supports her in everything, but her mom has been gone since she was 1 and her did is always gone also. Last time we taught her, her dad was there and he was so so drunk. She has some hard feelings against him and was in tears. one of our purposes as missionaries is to help her out any way we can. so as we taught her and tried to help her emotionally too, her dad entered and so we continued to teach, but she was very bothered and so having a thought come to my mind, I helped him up and conversed with him in the other room. I tried to convince him to sleep actually, because he was really drunk and needed to just sleep it off. Though when we left, I could tell that she felt a lot better from what my companion had taught her. It lifter her up spiritually and emotionally. Sometimes we need to be willing to do something we don't necessarily want to do to help someone out. Like a small sacrifice to help someone come out of their low place and make it to a little higher of a place in their life. I wouldn't recommend doing what I did to help out, but we can all do something that takes a little more of us to help someone else out a lot more. Maybe that's my invitation to you all, be ready and willing to do all you can to help someone else.

Love you all,
Keep me updated on life, and keep smiling. :)

I'll send pics next time, the connection here sucks.

A Missionary's Work: Learning To Stretch... In Life

3/13/2017

Hey all the wonderful poging tao out there! Even though it's like 100 degrees out here, it's great. We're sweating up like usual. It's still my kind of place (for all those Mexicans and such, haha ;) ). Though I just saw a great picture of the apartment of my old companion and they found a tarantula the size of my entire hand or so, like a beefy foot in all directions, freak that's crazy (in my opinion, they should keep it as a pet named Jim). Though this week has been a good week, we have worked hard and my companion sings even harder, haha (he loves to sing about anything and everything)!

I really don't know what happened in Solon wrestling, but I hope it all went well, still miss wrestling a lot! Anyhow, I ate a new dish that is pig intestines in a soup of the pig's own blood... yep as it sounds, it tastes really good, it's on my top list but hasn't hit my number one, Bicol express.

But here's my spiritual thought now. So my thought now is about how sometimes life is very hard, but we can smile on anyway. So to be sort-of direct, ama sa langit (God; or translated directly, Father in Heaven), has a plan for us to become someone more than we, on our own, can be. But how do we become that person? We are stretched, we are given obstacles and trials in our lives to overcome them and like a muscle, get stronger. He doesn't give us anything we can't handle. No matter what happens, in Him we will be able to come out of it stronger and better. But of course, like a loving father, he will always be there for us. I like this analogy used earlier. It's like a child learning to ride a bike without training wheels. The father is there and starts by pushing the bike and after a minute, he gives one final push and lets go. that doesn't mean he leaves the child, but is always there ready and watching. So when we fall or succeed, he is there to support us and help us. If you have time, look up this scripture in the Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 3:7. It's about how God doesn't give us what he knows we can't handle. You can use www.lds.org for that. But I know that it is true, I have been there in many times in my life and know it's true. You can test it out if you want, like the scripture says in the Bible, all things are possible in Christ.

Love you all, have a great and marvelous week, and stay pogi!

Elder Peterson

A Missionary's Work: Faces

3/6/2017

Magandang hapon mga awesome tao!

Ya this week was kinda crazy from transfers and teaching and traveling. So in transfers (I felt it coming) I lost Elder Dela Cruz and now have Elder Jaena (like HI-na). He's pretty darn cool and way different from my last companion. I always think of it as we're each assigned a specific companion, that we will learn something from their strengths and weaknesses and can grow and change from them.

Though besides that craziness, it's all good here in Bongabon, Philippines. The people are still freakin' awesome and it's about to be super hot fire here, summer is coming. We will be working hard here and sweating it up, ha! I am considered by all (by "all", that means only me, ha) to be the fix-it-up man. I fix everything especially if I'm stressed or need to take a break.

So the cool part of this week was today actually. We went way up in the mountains to take some pictures. It was great. We saw waterfalls and rivers. I also got to see an area of people where there was little of anything, just a few shacks and at least 1-2 hours from anything. You know how you can see how someone is doing in their eyes. Yea, I saw in one 19ish guy with 2 kids in a small, falling apart shack, the wear and tear of life. I could see he felt like he was at a dead end and needed help. Then I thought about the gospel of Jesus Christ, something that has changed my life in such a huge way. I am serving 2 years in a foreign land teaching people, and it isn't even close to a sacrifice, but a privilege. I have seen the change, the hope gained, the faith build, that has happened to people through his gospel.

So that's my cool experience for this week, love you all, stay Pogi!

Elder Peterson

A Missionary's Work: Give A Little and Take A Little

2/27/2017

Hey guys (and girls), how's just coming out of winter? Because it's summer here year round, ha!

It's been a good week for sure and it's also super close to transfer announcements and day (which means either one of us could go to a new area). so we have been working harder than before, which was already hardworking. though the highlights were 3 baptisms on Saturday and finding some very willing and interested people to listen to a message about Christ's gospel returning to earth. The most sad part was one of my friends, Elder Farish just went home, finishing his 2 years serving the people, and how tomorrow they may be somewhere else and I may never see him again. Just sort of, do we forsake the time we have with those we love, kind of deal. (sort of grim-ish).

So to lighten the mood, I'll tell you about the culture. Every bathroom is a two-in-one, toilet and shower and a drain. Also the kids love to try to use an American accent when they see you and it's funny none the less. Anyway, along with hearing some Billy Joel today, it's continued to be a good day. Oh, and Filipinos hate black licorice (yep, I have some here in the Philippines #MansCandy).

Morgan loves animals

Anyhow, the best part began last Monday after emailing. One family we have visited since I have been in Bongabon, and they are great, but I could tell there was some kind of contention between the parents always, and if you can't teach with the spirit, you shouldn't. So we would check up on them and see if anything would change every now and then. Last Monday we taught them again and could feel no contention and actually a lot of peace. They had a change of heart. It wasn't like they saw an angel and then decided to change something in their lives, but they decided to give a little and take a little. The entire lesson I felt so happy and I could tell they were too. Sometimes when we have a problem, we turn to someone else and say, "it's your fault", when we should, like earlier "give a little and take a little". Like forgiving, serving, or when you know you're right but your sister insists you are still wrong and you let it go. I guess it's sort-of like a balance we need to find in life. Something that feels quite impossible but really it is possible. We become more of who God wants us to be. I know God has a plan for us and that he helps us become so much more than we are now. And I know that balance in life is important and hard and possible.

I love you all, see ya next time!

Elder Peterson
Here's some more randomly awesome pictures.

Happy belated Birthday! He makes treats to share with people but has no oven

 

A Missionary's Work: Another Day, Another Moment

2/2/2017

Well this week was great and busy. We had exchanges one day and were in Gabaldon then another day in Kalikid for a baptism interview, having a district leader as a companion can be crazy. I may  not have his responsibilities but I do have to go everywhere with him and take most of the responsibility of our area, a two person job, so sometimes it's a little stressful but we are happy and work hard still! Lovin' it up (or rather down here, I think, ha) here! Though transfer day is close we are working hard to help these people.

Today was awesome, we had a district activity and went on a manly hike with a lot of water falls to take pictures of. For some reason, the pictures aren't uploading so I'll have to send them another time, saya!

Anyhow, I heard a great song the other day called, "If tomorrow never comes" by Garth Brooks (weird to have heard that here, but I can say I have heard way weirder things in this country). I love the meaning of this song and if you have a chance to listen to it, do it, and read the lyrics, they're really good. It says, "If tomorrow never comes, will she (his wife) know how much I loved her". It makes me think about time now, would we be ready if we died tomorrow? Did we say sorry? Did we help someone out in time of need? Do we show those we love that we really love them, or in this case, do they know it? Of course we have the high long-term goals, that take time and money and strength, but are we putting what's important first, like God, family and those precious memories and moments? We shouldn't miss a moment, each one is important and a blessing! We can show our love in many ways, like service. We can put those important things first, and we can make and keep the memories made each day and make the most of them. For me that means even when I'm tired and don't feel like talking to people (especially here in another language), I force myself to be happy and talk to them, trying to show God's love for them. These are the moments that count and mean the world to people, especially if out of sacrifice. Of course doing those crazy things with your good 'ol pals are the best (like the good 'ol days jumping bikes off the big hill next to jimmy's house, ha!). Well, love you all and hope your week is great and remember make some memories.

Elder Peterson
Song Link with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhLRNqFRrKc

A Missionary's Work: Unity in the Family

2/13/2017

Hoy everybody, kumusta?!

Here we're fine and working hard! Every day is a great day, even when sometimes it's hard to get up and get going. I will say I miss you all, but these two years are worth the wait (sorry guys, ha). So one thing about culture that is so different is self-image. Everyone here loves to look in the mirror constantly and wants to be not too skinny and not too fat, some kind of meridian that doesn't even exist. But at the same time, that's where they are the most direct. It's not weird to have met someone and say, "wow, you're fat!" or "You need to gain some weight!", but they could get offended if they were not invited to that birthday party of a friend of a friend sort of thing. To me kinda weird, but okay lang I love them just the way they are (for those Bruno Mars fans out there).

Anyhow, this week was great and today I finally got my Philippines driver's license, sweet! After two days and hours waiting in line, I have a paper! Gotta love it. Though this week was actually really great, we are teaching a lot of people and trying to help them come closer to Christ, what more of a calling could you ask for?! It is truly a blessing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and my favorite is the plan of happiness. Through this plan, we have the ability to be with our families again and have the opportunity to be in our Father in Heaven and his son's presence again. What a blessing! But specifically, my favorite part in this plan is how God loves us so much, he give us this 2nd chance for all those people who don't know about the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is, after death on this earth, we have the opportunity to be taught the gospel, use our agency or choice and choose to accept it or not. An opportunity to have all those who never knew of Christ and his sacrifices to learn and choose to follow him. I know we have those in life who are dear and near to us, for me it is my Dad. He died years ago, but this plan of happiness gives us the hope and faith, and him the opportunity. Man how I absolutely love our Savior and Redeemer and his mercy. I love you all and if you want to learn more about the Plan of Happiness, even to just understand what "Those darn Mormons" believe in, just contact your nearest Mormon friend (I know Coach D is cracking up right now, haha!) or check out www.lds.org or www.mormon.org.

Love you all and have a Happy week!

Elder Peterson