Okay, so I had this really good email all typed up, but for some reason the dumb Internet deleted it. So sorry ya'll, but you get the super short readers digest version, and I'll try and catch ya'll up next week.
Transfers are this week; I'm staying here in Prairieville with Sister Horan. This week was good, but crazy---zone conference was incredible, and I sang at the funeral of our ward mission leader's son. The Spirit was so strong there, and I got to bear my testimony through the song, "Be Still, My Soul." We had an awesome lesson with our investigator, Nita, and she's committed to pray about baptism for April 25th, so PLEASE keep her in your prayers. Also, any prayers you can spare for Honor and Becky would be MOST helpful; we need all the help we can get with them.
I love you all, and I'm really sorry this is so short, but I am completely out of time, and I promise to try and get out a good long epistle next week.
Your Friend in the Faith,
Sister Pedersen
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Only two weeks left in this transfer? You've GOT to be kidding me!
As you can tell by the subject line of this email, time is moving way too FREAKING fast. :) Just in case ya'll were wondering.
Not much to report on this week. We called in reinforcments with Honor and Damian---and the office elders came to the rescue! Our district leader, Elder Jamsa, is AMAZING. He is an incredible missionary, and a great example of obedience and faith in Jesus Christ. We had a joint lesson with them on Friday, and would have had another on Saturday, but I got sick, and was confined to my apartment all weekend. (Boo hiss!) So they went over and taught Honor and Damian some more Saturday night, and lo and behold, they both came to church on Sunday and stayed for almost all three meetings! That is most definitely a step in the right direction.
I also was blessed to have a very humbling experience this week. We were teaching an older couple, Mr. Freddy and Miss Audrey, and because they'd told us they believed everything we'd taught them, we extended the commitment to be baptized. Freddy told us that he couldn't do that, because he'd already been baptized once, and that being baptized again would be saying that his first one wasn't valid, and he couldn't do that. So I tried to explain about proper authority, and how Christ didn't go to Simon down the street, but He'd gone to John the Baptist because John had the priesthood authority to baptize. Freddy and I talked in circles for probably about twenty minutes before I stopped and took a step back to look at the situation. That was the closest to bashing I had ever been, and that realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt awful. I let Freddy finish talking, and then we thanked them for the time they'd spent with us, and we left. I thought a lot about that this weekend, and I realized that I had been trying to convince him on my own. Obviously, that doesn't work. I'm very grateful that I was able to stop just for a second so I could hear the Holy Ghost telling me that this wasn't working. It was a lesson that I needed badly to learn, and now that I have, I don't plan on forgetting it.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, but I feel like I'm cheating out here; I'm supposed to be teaching people, and instead it feels like I'm the one doing all the learning! Oh well---God lets it work this way, so it must be okay by Him. :)
That's all for me. Love ya'll!
Your Friend in the Faith,
Sister P.
Not much to report on this week. We called in reinforcments with Honor and Damian---and the office elders came to the rescue! Our district leader, Elder Jamsa, is AMAZING. He is an incredible missionary, and a great example of obedience and faith in Jesus Christ. We had a joint lesson with them on Friday, and would have had another on Saturday, but I got sick, and was confined to my apartment all weekend. (Boo hiss!) So they went over and taught Honor and Damian some more Saturday night, and lo and behold, they both came to church on Sunday and stayed for almost all three meetings! That is most definitely a step in the right direction.
I also was blessed to have a very humbling experience this week. We were teaching an older couple, Mr. Freddy and Miss Audrey, and because they'd told us they believed everything we'd taught them, we extended the commitment to be baptized. Freddy told us that he couldn't do that, because he'd already been baptized once, and that being baptized again would be saying that his first one wasn't valid, and he couldn't do that. So I tried to explain about proper authority, and how Christ didn't go to Simon down the street, but He'd gone to John the Baptist because John had the priesthood authority to baptize. Freddy and I talked in circles for probably about twenty minutes before I stopped and took a step back to look at the situation. That was the closest to bashing I had ever been, and that realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt awful. I let Freddy finish talking, and then we thanked them for the time they'd spent with us, and we left. I thought a lot about that this weekend, and I realized that I had been trying to convince him on my own. Obviously, that doesn't work. I'm very grateful that I was able to stop just for a second so I could hear the Holy Ghost telling me that this wasn't working. It was a lesson that I needed badly to learn, and now that I have, I don't plan on forgetting it.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, but I feel like I'm cheating out here; I'm supposed to be teaching people, and instead it feels like I'm the one doing all the learning! Oh well---God lets it work this way, so it must be okay by Him. :)
That's all for me. Love ya'll!
Your Friend in the Faith,
Sister P.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Goodbye week 2, onto week 3!
Hey ya'll!
So, I've survived my first full week of training. More importantly, Sister Horan has survived my first full week of training! HOORAY! ;)
This last week was a really good one, even if it was insane. Because of Mardi Gras on Tuesday, everything got turned topsy-turvy. Monday, which is normally P-day, was district meeting; however, because the assistants and the office elders had a office staff meeting (and they ARE our district), our district meeting was moved to Wednesday, which made Monday a normal proselyting day, which was very odd.
Then we had New Missionary Training on Friday, which took up most of our day. That part I didn't mind; I needed New Missionary Training! We had instructions from the assistants, as well as President and Sister Woods. I even got to have a mini-reunion with half of my MTC district! I got to see Elders Winlow and Cook, because they were both training too. I hadn't seen Elder Cook since I was the new missionary at NMT! That was fun, getting to catch up with them. I also got to see Elders Snow, Zollinger, and Richins, who are all my good buddies too. They split us up into trainees and trainers, and as trainers, we got to sit and have a personal pow-wow with President and Sister Woods. They gave us advice and counsel, and we got to be very open about how we were feeling and getting along with our companions. It was comforting to know that I wasn't the only young trainer there. In fact, the oldest---who had been in the mission field the longest---missionary there had just hit his 8 month mark. Elder Cook, Elder Winlow and I hit our 4 1/2 month mark the end of February, and Elder Richins and Zollinger came out one transfer after we did! President told us that he felt inspired to call young trainers, and that he knew we all would be fine. He is an amazing man, and I love him dearly! He gave us all a lot of comfort that day.
Sister Horan and I found a couple of sweet new investigators this week too! Mr. Freddy and Ms. Audry are an older couple, and they invited us right in, and we all sat and talked for half an hour about angels and the Holy Ghost, and there was such a peaceful feeling in their little apartment! We're going to try and see them again either tonight or tomorrow. I'm super stoked!
Well, that's all for me! Oh, wait...one last thing. I had my first boiled crawfish this last week, and it was SO GOOD! And yes, for all ya'll who have ever had boiled crawfish before, I did suck the head. And I have pictures to prove it. :) One of our investigators, Becky, got a entire feast for us to try! We had seafood gumbo (SO YUMMY!), fried shrimp poboy (SO YUMMY!), king cake (SO SO SO YUMMY!!!), boudin (pretty good), and cracklin. Honestly, the only thing I didn't like out of the entire meal was the cracklin. I'm sorry, it must be an acquired taste thing or something, because deep fried pig skin and leftovers? NASTY. Blech. And I've been warned about hogshead cheese....*shudder!* That might be the only exception I make to my rule of trying everything at least once.
Okay, now I'm outta time! 'Til next week---
Your Friend in the Faith,
Sister P.
So...I meant to post this last week, but ran outta time...my bad!
Hey y'all!
This week has been CRAZY! Transfers came and went, and Sister Pennock is now home. Sister Horan is my "greenie," and she is so sweet! She grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, and her family is now living in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She is very quiet and sweet to everyone, and I already am growing to love her.
This week has been a little hectic; transfer week usually is. We found ourselves a new investigator, thanks to Brother Joffrion! His home-health nurse lady, Mary, wanted to know a little more about what he believed. So he invited us over to teach her, and she said she'd like to hear more. This was just proof to me that the Lord is keeping an eye on us here in Prairieville.
We got to go to an INCREDIBLE concert on Thursday, and the Spirit was so strong! Alex Boye, of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Freddie Ashby, and Clyde Bawden came to here to share their talents with us as the final hoorah for the Reflections of Christ exhibit. It was amazing. And then, because as missionaries, we like to socialize and clean up at the same time, we were helping put stuff away when President Woods asked all the missionaries to come into the chapel and sit in the first three rows of the chapel. So we filed in, and Freddie had us all stand up, and Clyde began to play a beautifully arranged version of "Called to Serve." Freddie directed us, had us all stand up, and it was like I was in the MTC again! The room was filled with big bass and tenor voices, and I loved it! Then Alex sang a hymn and bore his testimony about missionary work, and shared some amazing stories about his mission. Then we had a closing prayer by Elder Hall, who had just been released, and the Spirit was so strong, and my heart went out to him. He was crying as he prayed, and you could just tell that he loved his mission and was so sad to be leaving. It was an AMAZING night, and I will never forget it.
The last bit of fun news I have just happened last night. We were over talking to Honor, and she told us straight up that SHE WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!!! Halleluah! Blessings from heaven! There are still some wrinkles to be ironed out, but we know where she stands, and she knows that we are behind her 100%. I love her with all my heart.
And now, I'm outta here. I love y'all!
Love,
Sister P.
This week has been CRAZY! Transfers came and went, and Sister Pennock is now home. Sister Horan is my "greenie," and she is so sweet! She grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, and her family is now living in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She is very quiet and sweet to everyone, and I already am growing to love her.
This week has been a little hectic; transfer week usually is. We found ourselves a new investigator, thanks to Brother Joffrion! His home-health nurse lady, Mary, wanted to know a little more about what he believed. So he invited us over to teach her, and she said she'd like to hear more. This was just proof to me that the Lord is keeping an eye on us here in Prairieville.
We got to go to an INCREDIBLE concert on Thursday, and the Spirit was so strong! Alex Boye, of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Freddie Ashby, and Clyde Bawden came to here to share their talents with us as the final hoorah for the Reflections of Christ exhibit. It was amazing. And then, because as missionaries, we like to socialize and clean up at the same time, we were helping put stuff away when President Woods asked all the missionaries to come into the chapel and sit in the first three rows of the chapel. So we filed in, and Freddie had us all stand up, and Clyde began to play a beautifully arranged version of "Called to Serve." Freddie directed us, had us all stand up, and it was like I was in the MTC again! The room was filled with big bass and tenor voices, and I loved it! Then Alex sang a hymn and bore his testimony about missionary work, and shared some amazing stories about his mission. Then we had a closing prayer by Elder Hall, who had just been released, and the Spirit was so strong, and my heart went out to him. He was crying as he prayed, and you could just tell that he loved his mission and was so sad to be leaving. It was an AMAZING night, and I will never forget it.
The last bit of fun news I have just happened last night. We were over talking to Honor, and she told us straight up that SHE WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED!!! Halleluah! Blessings from heaven! There are still some wrinkles to be ironed out, but we know where she stands, and she knows that we are behind her 100%. I love her with all my heart.
And now, I'm outta here. I love y'all!
Love,
Sister P.
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