Onto week 4...

I promised myself today that I wouldn't say the same things that I always say in this email. So here it goes...

This week was normal. We did normal missionary things, we taught some lessons which were normal, and we met some normal people.

Okay, that's enough of that. That is proof that 'normal' is BORING. :)

This week was AWESOME! Sister McKay and I worked our butts off. We walked a good bit, and somehow survived the INSANE heat. We talked to some CRAZY people, who told us some very INTERESTING stories. We also taught some INCREDIBLE lessons, thanks to the Spirit.

I think my highlight of the week was sacrament meeting yesterday. As we sat in PEC, there was an enormous BANG. A transformer had blown, and we were left in a pickle---no power for the building. And yet, these faithful Saints just went forward. They made phonecalls and got ahold of generators, lights, flashlights, and determined that we'd just have sacrament meeting this week. They posted us missionaries by the doors to inform people, and they even got ahold of a big fan to keep the chapel at a decent temperature.

But that's not the reason why sacrament touched me so much this week---well, not entirely anyway. They could have just cancelled church; they could have just made some phonecalls, and no one would have really blamed them because there was nothing they could do to remedy the situation. But they recognized that the sacrament is so important, so they made sure that all who wanted to come and partake would still have that opportunity. There was just this feeling of peace there, more so than usual. I watched as the sacrament was passed, and was reminded of why I came to church. It wasn't for the classes, or the social aspect, though those are two benefits I enjoy about church. But the reason I go is to partake of the sacrament, and to renew those sacred, holy covenants that I made when I had more pure faith than I do now. I'm not saying I don't have faith; but when I was eight, and chose to be baptized, I had no doubts. My faith was truly that of a little child's, and it was as clean and pure as I became that day. I was reminded that my faith can become that clean and pure if I am really focusing on what the sacrament is and why we take it.

I'm out of time, so I'll end with that. But just know that the sacrament it more important than we sometimes realize, and I challenge everyone to do some digging and find out why it's important---why it's REALLY important---to them.

Love y'all!

Your Friend in the Faith,
Sister Pedersen