A Missionary's Work: See the Potential...

3/26/2018

So this week was crazy with lots of changes. First my companion got emergency transferred, second this is now my third hiligaynon companion (a different language in the Philippines) Elder Lasmarias, and third it's been one of the happiest times of the mission. Tomorrow is exciting too, we're going to a member's house and surprising them with a celebration cake. It's the last day of radiation for the mom there. So it's a surprise party and I know it's important for them so it'll be good. And I think it'll be good for the moral of the family, it's been a hard one for them lately. Amazing people though.

So this week form y spiritual thought it's about identity, or rather who we are. I was listening to this talk the other day about seeing people as they can be, and as thinking about this I tried to put myself in different situations and still see other people as their mom would see them, because we all know moms see all the good and great and positive in their children. So what if we saw others through their eyes, wouldn't all those times that you're in traffic and that one guy is angrily honking at you moment change to a more patient and love-filled experience. Wouldn't helping others change from sometimes being a burden to a lifting experience. Wouldn't that one guy in your office that seems a little over the top on how awesome his life is change to feeling good for him. God loves us a lot and knows where we are and where we can go or in other words who we can become. When we start seeing people not as what or who they are right now but see them by their potential in becoming something more, I know we'll come to love them more gain better patience, and learn compassion for others. We'll be more like that person God knows and sees us becoming. I love you all and hope this will help change our perspective on others/our weaknesses. Seeya all next week!

-- 

Elder Peterson 

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

A Missionary's Work: Divine Design

3/19/2018

​Hey guys! how are you all doing?! This week we caught Timmy he's a ROUS (Rodents of unusual size [Shout out to princess bride fans haha]) and its pretty inconceivably large haha! I also ate this like super spicy Korean noodles that's "all the rage lately. " They weren't that spicy for me so next time its X4 next time oh yaa! We also made corn with mayonnaise and Mexican chili powder which brought back such good memories ohhh ya... Anyways I heard Jake got 3rd in state, congrats Man!!! So this week I listened to this great talk about Divine Design. It's about how there is no coincidence in God's plan, kinda like there's a purpose for everything. For an example there's a reason why trials happen in our lives or when we're given specific responsibilities. In everything there's a purpose in God's plan so that we can learn, grow , and become more. Like a muscle we exercise and go farther and do more and push to farther limits each time to become stronger. Also like life we are given harder trials or other uncomfortable positions so that WE can become stronger and better. God's plan is designed for each one of us individually to help us Become who he see's us being able to become. I know he loves us that's why life isn't all "butter cups and flowers" but it's difficult at times on purpose for us. So I just want to leave these things in Jesus's name and will talk to you all next time. Love ya'll!!

-- 

Elder Peterson 

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

A Missionary's Work: Understanding

3/5/2018

Hey guys sorry I wasn't feeling good last week so I didn't email. Though I did hear that Jake got to state oh ya I'm pumped for Solon wrestling! Speaking about wrestling I got to wrestle one of the missionary's today who's a 6'7" giant and It was a blast wrestling again, ya I miss it a lot!!! So this week was cool because of some of the super cool people we get to teach. We're teaching one family who the mom is half blind and the super kind family. Even though they have very little they still give us food and their time. We also have a cool old nanay who understands our Tagalog but speaks in Ilocano a different dialect here, which is super hard to understand ha. This week was a hard and good week, I really learned a lot this week. I learned a lot about understanding this week. Sometimes, as I have come to know, we expect more than we get. We expect super high expectations and then we get super sad that we didn't achieve or get close to something. What I have found this week is that understanding is very important for expectations. We can't expect someone who idols Michael Jordan to be exactly like him because he's so athletic. First we need to understand the person, as we understand him we come to find he doesn't like bball anymore, he's since burned out of the sport and love instruments with a passion. Sometimes we want to help someone, maybe because we want them to change, but we don't fully understand them. I had a hard time with, "helping" some people lately by just pushing something that has helped me and expecting it to help them too. But as I realized that it wasn't helping them I found that its also not what they needed to change, to feel love from God, to become who God knows they can become. And so I haven't become an expert at understanding others but I am starting to learn more. I love you all and hope your week is spectacular!!!

-- 

Elder Peterson 

remember stay Pogi, smile on, and laugh a little

​!​

A Missionary's Work: Change

2/19/2018

Hey guys its another week and another small adventure! So I don't know if I told you guys but back then when I had my bday one of the people we were teaching had their baby girl on my bday and I got to name her haha #coolexperiencesinaforeignland (name is Alexandra). Just a cool thing I remembered the other day ha, we also caught a rat the size of forearm and that was crazy haha! 

     

So this weeks spiritual thought comes from my talk last Sunday about the ability to Choose change/progress. We want to become something more right!? Well that's good cause that's what God wants too. That's why he gave us the power of Choice. He loves us dearly and wants us to come home to him again, but that means we have to want that too. It also means if we look at ourselves today are we as we think we should when we return to Him? if not that means there is change to be made of course as being imperfect people that means we also need to change. The thing I have seen a lot lately is a ton of people who say, "this who I am, I can't change." That's when I think of a quote by a rehabilitation worker who would help bad people turn their lives around. One interviewer once told him, "don't you know cheetahs cannot change their spots?!" and he replied, " well I'll have you know I don't work with cheetahs I work with people and people change everyday." We can choose to change which will be step by step, lil' by lil' but we can! I remember one time here in the mission, I and my companion were on bad terms with each other and it was rough times. I eventually had to step back and look at myself and evaluate. I wasn't who I wanted to be or who I thought God would want me to be. So I decided it was my turn to change and not make things so hard for me or my companion. Not instantly but little by little I changed my attitude and things worked out. Now that missionary (I already apologized for my hard headed-ness ) is one of my close friends. Maybe that's what we need is a self evaluation, but what I do know is if we want to become like Christ we need to continually change. I know its part of His plan for us. I love you all and hope you all have a great week!

-- 

Elder Peterson 

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

A Missionary's Work: The Change From Routine to a Meaningful Lesson

2/12/2018

Hey guys this week flew by once again haha! It just goes faster everyday even when its a hard day. Kinda like what people told me when I was a kid that its just flies by... totoo its true! We played some bball this morning with about 16 missionaries and I got to practice my wresting with a 6'7" Missionary that was fun haha I need a real wrestler haha! then this week we also saw a little girl at a birthday party take a takila shot mixed with juice (#keepoutofreachofchildrenorbetterdon'tdrink) then a drunk guy kissed our hands after our visit to a members house. Those are our adventures this week haha! This week I had a cool experience. We went on splits (going and working with members, so my companion was with one member and I with another doing missionary work) and Me and one member went to a members house to share with him. We started and it felt kinda like a routine for him and me in teaching, then I thought about what these messages are for, to help people or help come closer to our savior. So I then thought about what he needs to feel loved and thats when the lesson changed it wasn't just a routine thing it was now for a real person with a life, concerns, and as a child of God. the message turned around because of how we were able to love that person and really see them as he really is... a child of God. Thats how important each person is, level...very important. If God loves us a ton then shouldn't we do the same and love others? yes we should and I know it'll really help them and not just end up being words in and out ears but feeling from one to  another. Well love you guys and hopefully this little experience is cool or uplifting for you guys as much as it was for me. seeya'll next week!

-- 

Elder Peterson 

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

A Missionary's Work: Charity 1

2/5/2018

Hey guys this week has been really crazy! I left my old area after 10and 1/2 months there its crazy leaving, but its an interesting experience. We're in an open area which is kinda crazy (open area means no missionaries were there for a while and we have to start over in finding people to teach and getting to know members) But so far it's amazing here and the people are so nice (like it'd change, still in the same country haha). So Idk whats going on in wrestling but let me know guys haha! Anyway I have been thinking about learning charity and the other day I read something on my quotes board made a long time ago from my grandpa and it said how compassion is one of the pre-requirments to learn charity and then I added to it that gratitude is also required. So to clarify what charity is, its more than what we think of as giving stuff to poor people. What it really is, is loving people over ones self, its serving selflessly because we love them, its less about us and more about help others out and become more. Its "The pure love of Christ". So to gain charity or become more like Christ we need to be more Gratful and more compassionate towards others. I just think about becoming more like Christ and he loves us all so much now imagine loving people even a little bit like that. You'd change lives and help others overcome hard things, you'd truly be in the service of |God's children and that means we'd be serving God. Well its just some thoughts i've been thinking about of recent. Love you guys keep up in serving and loving others which will change lives.

seeya next time! ​

Elder Peterson 

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

A Missionary's Work: Be Felt

1/29/2018

Hey Guys! Is it burning up or what, oh ya only here haha! This week was still just filled with teaching people, Drunk people who hug you, and Dogs with skin diseases and feel bent weirdly because of motorcycle accidents. I also Found if you get your body used to one culture food then immediately switch to another your body like dies haha, it sucks.

So I was thinking of how to help people this week and I remember a story that a leader in the church ahs said a long time ago and as the main point what is the best way to help others choose the right. Well there are ways of fear to do so, but Almost always you get rebellion. But when you use love to help them, even if they at first go astray, will always feel welcome back, come to stay. Well As I thought about this and how to really help my investigators come closer to Christ I realized I need to Show more love. I've always loved them but I struggle at showing it. I think of some of my best examples like my parents who while enforcing consequences never did it by fear but by love in which I never sought to rebel but learn and do what's right, even in days I went a stray I ended back where I started because of love. It's really a powerful thing if you think about those closest to you. It's how we change. It's how we come closer to God. I invite you all to be more loving and show your love more even in simple ways just so those you love will know it a little more.

well love you all and have a great week!

P.s.- a great song that (If I remember correctly) talks about this is Tomorrow by Garth Brooks

P.P.S.- funny how I remember weird things like this but not any of the math at school ahaha​