A Missionary's Work: Full Heart

12/11/17

This week was interesting we went on exchanges in a city called San Jose where we got to go teach some cool people one of them is this old guy who told us this cool story of how he woke up and wrestled a cobra and killed it and let his neighbors eat it; a small town hero, ha. 

 

We also had some crazy drunks ask us to bless a new tractor they had bought, so we said a little prayer with them and went on our way, still kinda wonder how they got home on their scooter, haha. 

 

Anyway I only have a little bit of time so I'll share this cool learning experience this week. So I read this article called, "The fourth Missionary", and it goes on saying how change is important in life. It says it towards the end, but its pretty much about when we do whats right, but if its for the right reason. Sometimes we know we need to do something because it's good and maybe a responsibility, but we fail to do it for the right reason. When we do our responsibility without heart, it's more of a "grit the teeth " unto the end situation, so at the end you can do the things you want. Now, if we do those responsibilities with full purpose of heart, we're doing more than a responsibility, and we're learning, we're growing, and changing. When we do things for not only the right reasons but to become more, we do just that when we learn to use our full purpose of heart or our real intent. 

 

Well Love ya'll stay Pogi!!

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!​

 

A Missionary's Work: G-Tude!

11/27/17

So hey guys! 

 

This week was crazy - actually maybe just last night and today. So last night we had planned to go hiking in this cool jungle area so we had borrowed some machetes (yep probably see where this is going ha) and long story short while our Australian friend tried to balance one on his finger, throw it up, and catch it (I was damayan) it glanced off my arm. So now I'm missing like 3 and 1/2 fingers... haha nope just made this little hole cut that looks like I used a large syringe. But its nothing. We super glued it closed and its healing great! 

Then today we went through the jungle hiking and it was Epic! We didn't see an monkeys but it was absolutely beautiful and I loved it! Other than that we're working hard and loving the people through service as much as possible. 

 

Anyway I don't know why (but maybe a little bit), but a lot of things have come to me about being grateful. To be honest, life isn't easy,never was, and never will be. The best part is that we can choose to see life as the half full or half empty. Now one way to get out of the half empty and into the half full is gratitude. Now in gratitude we need to look at all the good in a situation no matter the situation. The best part of gratitude is that it's a choice. Now here's a quote about it from my mission President, 

 

"We can always come up with excuses for our behavior, but the way we choose to act and treat others is really just a choice we make. We all decide who we are and who we will be by the choices we make each and every day. There really is no justification for choosing contention of any kind." 

 

Now when we feel really unhappy about something someone did or the way someone treated you, you can CHOOSE to look at them as they really are, love them, then look at the things that your grateful for in them, or you could choose to look at the good and be grateful while late in traffic or when you grumpily get up at five am to bring your sister to some event. No matter what our life trials or things going on are we can look at the good and be grateful for something in all those situations. After all, we have been given much... 

 

Well that's my challenge to you all, find one place, person, or situation that you would usually get mad in and look at the Good and be GRATEFUL! 

 

Love you all take care this week seeya next time.

-- 

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!

A Missionary's Work: Comfort

11/20/17

Hey guys so here's a little from this week... 

Well, we taught some members how to play fun family card games and if you lose everyone playing gets to put a mark on your face with lipstick. Its really fun. I have an American companion if I didn't say that all ready, kinda weird honestly, but fun too! 

I had the first taste of dark chocolate yesterday and it blew my mind ang sarap!!! And I'm pretty much eating tons right now because I'm dieting in January- oh man that'll be fun...ha! 

Anyway my spiritual thought for you guys is about the comfort of the spirit. This week I had so many things going on that I feel like if I didn't have some help I'd be under a huge pile of stuff that I'd just stress over and break down over. But I didn't feel like that at all. I felt comforted and that all of it was going to be alright. I can't explain it, but think about a bunch of situations that are close to your heart, but you have no control over, then feeling that its ok it'll work out and for the better. It's amazing! That's called a tender mercy for sure or a small self miracle. So that's what I strive for, is to have the spirit with me and to help others feel that (feel God's love). I know he helps us in our trials so our burdens are lightened. 

Well love you all and have a great week!

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!

A Missionary's Work: Loving Example

11/13/2017

Hey guys this week has been kinda crazy after transfers. After staying 7 months in my area, my companion left and I am here still with ... an American companion! After over a year I now have an American, it's kinda crazy and now my tagolog is going downhill (I gotta study again), and i'm the district leader which doesn't mean much except I'll be doing the serving and teaching for the five other elders in this district. I'm excited to really get to help these Elders love the Filipino people and serve them better. 

 

This week is still working through my head but it's been a fast good one. I want to let you guys know I love you guys and hope these letters help you out. Well before half of my old district got transferred my old district leader told me that being a district leader is the best because you get to love, serve, and help change other elders so they can help other people more. Well he's right! one thing that I've noticed so far in life is that the best way to help someone change is to love them. I've seen people change from really rebellious to wanting to help others as much as possible, simply from a good example and feeling the love of that person. If you really think about it, it's what Christ did for us. Just anything and everything out of pure love for us. He felt all of our sins and trials or hard times, then he loved the people even when he was being put to death. We're lucky to have such a great example who showed tons of love for us, now we just have to decide to change from that. It's how we can help others change and how we change still. 

 

My invitation for you guys is to be the good example and show that kind of love to others then watch them change. love ya'll and have a great week! 

-- 

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!

A Missionary's Work: Fears Man

11/6/2017

This week was great we got to help some people sack their rice Palay and had a sweet baptism in the river instead of at the font at the church. 

 

I saw some people from my last area here and got to ride in the back of their truck to our appointment. It's cool here because you can just straight up hitchhike if you want and its all cool. Also I've been here for so long I pretty much know everyone so it's like asking a bunch of friends if I can get a quick ride down the road, haha! 

 

We've been working on overcoming fears this week and I promise it's hard but you change more and become so much better. My companion is shy in talking to people so we talk to as many people we can and it's helped him a ton. I remember one person who told me that's the point of life is to face fears. I don't agree on it's the point of life but it sure is important, because how do we become our better selves if we don't? I remember something that one of my coaches told me long ago, he said, " become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Because when changes come that are uncomfortable you're ready and can take it on." I agree wholeheartedly. We need to do things that are hard to become stronger, like muscle, if you work it out you'll get stronger, but if you don't it weakens. Let's try facing some fears and grow this week guys! I  know you can do it and you'll love yourself afterwards (1Nephi3:7), He doesn't give anything to us we can't do! Love you guys keep up the good work! 

-- 

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!

 

A Missionary's Work: Frustration or Learning?

10/30/2017

Hey guys this week was fun, packed and great! 

We talked to so many people this week and are way ready for Nov 1. Nov 1st is like the day of the dead, but no costumes. So everyone's at the local cemetery (which is above ground, just a bunch concrete boxes with remains inside ha) and its way ok to just hang out on top of them or play poker, or even use the coffin as a table (kinda weird). But it's awesome and I would love to talk to them about family history and the plan of happiness. Then we also found some people to teach in a Kamalig or a rice storage facility that also has a bunch of pigs that are like the size of two or three people (man they're fat!). 

I also have the best mission shoes ever. I'm takin' them home cause they're sweet, which means next week I'm getting new shoes yay! 

The highlight this week was Tatay Pasito's baptism. He's just this really fit, little, 60 year old tatay who works in the bukid or farm and is super humble. One of our lessons was about how families can be together forever in God's plan of Happiness/salvation, which he just teared up. Because over his years he's lost three of six children and his wife while he's still trying to even provide for himself (he's very poor). I love that man a lot he's helped me see a lot of things better like how precious family really is and how to be more loving and humble, great guy! 

This week I remembered a huge thing I learned back when about frustration and learning. I will say I don't have the best "Cool head" sometimes, so when I get frustrated I hate it a lot. Someone taught me that When I am frustrated its impossible to learn, but if you let frustration go (or anger) you can learn and grow and progress. I learned this in the wrestling room too ha. When this one move that some guy from like Iowa or something kept doing and destroying me with, I just couldn't stop it! So afterwards, I practiced and practiced to defend it but just could not defend the stupid move, and my frustration showed. Coach then told me that if I actually wanted to be able to defend this move I would have to learn and that wouldn't work if I was angry. Well the awesome part is I can defend that move and I can use that in my life. Well we all have times that we feel as such, Angry, Frustrated, or sad, but those only stop our progress personally. So maybe we need to look a little bit bigger and look at how much we want to actually progress then decide if we'll let go of the bad and learn, or hold on and never get any better. It's all up to us. We our the deciders of our lives. 

Well, love you guys and hope you'll try this out this week, its my challenge.

-- 

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little!