Monday Dec. 5, 2011- Baptism

First off had our very first baptism on Saturday it went way way well it couldn't have gone smoother the funny thing though was my companion almost went under with sam when he was baptisming him because sam is 6'6" and Elder Rawlins is 5'6" haha so just a little bit of a difference between them but it was a great day then i confirmed him the next day so that was a really neat experience. then that night we went over to the Scouts. Chris the husband of a member and he has been investigating for a while he just isn't baptized he practically is a member in every other way possible. but anyway we start talking about work and various things and how he afraid of making a commitment then not being able to keep it. so then Elder Rawlins made him one of the craziest promises ever. that if he would set a baptismal date with us then his work for this month would go FLAWLESS. he is the manager of FedEx here in Cadillac so the Christmas time is the busiest part of the year for him.  he set a date for Jan 28th so he can see this happen which it will. we were taught to be bold and as Elder Rawlins said it he was thinking "this is crazy this is crazy." and then i backed it up with my second witness. so we just made a bold promise which will turn into a miracle so i'll keep you posted on the whole deal if i don't get transfered before then since calls come this friday. but it was a very good week along with the christmas devotional which was amazing i loved every minute especially president Utchdorfs talk about the flames thats totally something i would do too :) haha oh and i made mention last week i know about my little accident. i'm to lazy to type it out and i don't exactly have time but i wrote it in a letter to my Parents and Bri so they have the full story. long story short i got my driving privillages revoked for 60 days which isn't near as bad as i thought it'd be. remember the true meaning of Christmas in this season and know the Lord loves each and everyone of you. the Book ofMormon is true! take care oh p.s i heard you guys didn't get to see my favorite pig picture thats in a separate email to my parents if you want to see it i thought it had sent the first time but i don't want to gross this letter out too haha love you all

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Love Elder Peterson

New Mission Home Address

Michigan Lansing Mission
1400 Abbott Road, Suite 310
East Lansing, MI 48823

Monday November 7, 2011

alright so first off pig processing is a pretty intense process and a lot of work but its actually really fun as long as your not super squemish and don't mind getting your hands dirty with fat and blood. it was insane we got there at 10:30 am and didn't leave till about 3 pm it took 4 1/2 hours to do just one of their two pigs and there was six people working on them. i took some pictures and fyi some of the pictures are a little bloody so parents might want to check them before their kids see them haha. anyways the one pig we did his name was ernie he weighted 350 pounds. they hooked him to this holder thing then lifted it up with a tractor loader. the pig's weight bent the holder thing that was suppose to hold up to five hundred pounds but it bent it almost in half.  i learned how to skin pigs feet and the rest of the body. and kinda of have an idea of where the bacon, ham, pork chops come from. now i'm not a pro at it but wow that was pretty intense especially since we had to use a sawza on it and had to sharpen all the knifes ever 10-15 mins. and walmarts and meijers rip you off on the size of a ham haha the ones we were cutting up each weighted about 45 pounds. all i got to say is that was one intense day. this week overall was pretty slow we had nothing going for us until sunday when we had five investigators at church 2 of which we didn't know about and techincally weren't even real investigators until they showed up that day because we had heard about them from some members who were going to refer us to them at some point but we didn't know when because the investigators drove truck and were gone a lot of the time but then they were just there and very accepting, they've been reading the Book of Mormon and various other church books while out on the road and its just pretty much amazing. also this week i've been read more in depth the book "Jesus the Christ" by Elder Talmage. amazing book but you need a dictionary to read it. at least i do anyways, i encourage anyone who has the time to read it, it gives an amazing aspect on our Beloved Savior's life. also it helps you understand alot of his parables in more depth. like the parable of the Sower in Matt. 3:3-9 you glime a lot more out of it when you cross reference it with "Jesus the Christ." anyways thats all i have for right now the Church is true, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and he loves each and every one of us and knows how to help us. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and will Bring the spirit into your life in greater adundance if you read it everyday. 


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Love Elder Peterson

Pig Slaughtering Pictures - Not for those with weak stomachs :-)

October 31, 2011 Start of transfer three. mudding, processing, committing.

so first off pretty awesome start of the week. so we had been challenged by the zone leaders to have a baptismal date with someone by oct.26 and well everyone we could even consider committing fell through and we didn't see them. so then 24th of oct. we go see the Weavers which is a part member family. really awesome people. Alice is a recent convert and it was actually the year mark from when she was confirmed a member. anyways we were talking to Sam her husband about various things and we went over the intro to the Book of Mormon and various things and i asked him to read Moroni 10:3-5 and pray about the Book of Mormon. then Elder Rawlins asked him that if he recieved an answer would he be baptized. and he was like "I think i already have my answer" we were like what the crap and just stared blankly for a second jaws dropped. then Elder Rawlins quickly asked if he would on Dec. 3rd  and he accepted. which was amazing. but the reason we were so shocked was because he always sensitive i guess you could say. didn't liked to be pushed and we didn't feel he was going anywhere. if someone had told me that morning before it happened that Sam would accept i would have told him he was smoking something. which is bad but it just was crazy. then the next day we went over to a members house to meet with this referral she gave us. first time meeting with him. we went over the first lesson and he just accepted everything we said and then i committed him to be baptized on Dec 3rd as well so it was amazing. we had no idea how we were going to reach that Goal with only two days before it and no one to see. but we accepted it was in the Lords hand and he blessed us with not one but two dates. so we doubled our goal. but then we were like crap transfers are friday neither one of us wanted to leave before these. but amazingly we are both staying in Cadillac so we both get to be here for the Baptisms. then on friday we were down in Tustintalking to a less Active and he invited us next Saturday to help Process two Pigs haha i don't think many missionaries can say they have processed a pig on their mission so that will be pretty exciting. haha then we learned that it is possible to go Mudding in a Chevy Malibu haha we were using a backroad to get somewhere and we knew it was slowly getting bad to drive on but we figured it hadn't rained for a day and a half it'd be fine to go on. haha wow we were pretty much going at a 45 degree angle down the road with mud over our tires and mud flying over the car but we made it through about the mile and a half of road like that. haha so proven fact you can go mudding in a malibu but i don't recommend it. then saturday and sunday we spent up in traverse city for district conference which is just stake conference but for a district and that was really good. but i don't think i like the big city much anymore after all my time down in cadillac i mean traverse city still is smaller then draper but it just felt weird haha. anyways now my scripture thought. i was reading in the New Testament in Matt 9:37-38 which says" Then he saith unto his disciples the harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few. pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest will send forth labourers into his harvest." the point about "the labourers are few" this is directed more towards the Boy cousins and thoses mission age and premission age. the Lord needs you, we need you out here. there are so many wonderful people around the world waiting for the gospel and only you can touch there hearts. they are being prepared specifically for you to teach. if you are able to do a mission in any form do it. your making the one of the biggest mistakes of your life. a mission allows you to reach a spiritual point you can't reach any other way. 2 years where you focus solely upon the Lord and his Gospel. you can't get anymore spiritual. don't choose not to go trust me you will regret it.  but those who don't go on missions or are past that point. you still can be a missionary through talking to your friends. we are the guys in white shirts and ties with tags on random peoples doorsteps and we are freaks to them. they usually don't want to talk to us about religion. but you, your their friend a normal person like them i guess you could say. member referrals have the highest rate of baptism and conversion at least in Michigan. those are the solid ones that really convert people, really bring them unto Christ. those are just my thoughts at the moment. hopefully they made sense. Know the Lord loves you and is watching over you. thank you for all your prayers and support .

-- 
Love Elder Peterson

Alex's latest talk

                Repentance/Atonement

I’ve been asked to speak on what I learned from General Conference. So I would like to talk about repentance and the Atonement since they co-exist with each other. Elder Christofferson said something that really stood out to me. “Repentance is a cause for celebration. Have a smile on your face when you speak the word.” That is an interesting way to look at repentance since the need to repent comes from the cause of first doing wrong in the sight of God. True to the faith says,  “Repentance is one of the first principles of the Gospel. It is essential to your happiness in this life and throughout eternity.” As I read that line and started to ponder that, I started to realize more fully what Elder Christofferson had meant.

The last part of Alma 41:10 came to mind, “Wickedness never was happiness.” As we go through life to experience it, we all see things that the world finds acceptable, even though God does not. And at times it even seems like they all are still happy, we wonder, “why can’t I do that.” Satan tries to have us make big mistakes. But most of us just wonder then accept what God commands and moves on. But some of us wonder and keep wondering till we give in and do whatever it is that God has commanded us not to do. And for a while it seems like all is good and we’re still happy. But soon, as we continue to live this lifestyle contrary to what God has told us we slowly or sometimes rapidly see the decline of our life. We start to feel the shame, the guilt, and the pains that come from our choices. Eventually we usually hit what we refer to as “Rock bottom.”

That point when we realize how good we’ve had it and what we’ve lost. A few of us even reach points where we feel lost. Beyond belief, everything we do seems to lead to more problems and suffering for us. Nothing works. We can’t seem to climb out of this hole we’re in. We might even feel that God himself has forsaken us. That he is done wasting his time on us. This is where the Atonement and Repentance comes in and we truly begin to understand what Elder Christofferson means by “Repentance is a cause for celebration.” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the Atonement knows EXACTLY how we feel at this point. He is standing by waiting to pour out his Love and Comfort on us. He gives us our agency and lets us choose what we choose and doesn’t step in until we turn towards him.

As we begin the Repentance process and rely on our Saviors Atonement, it truly becomes a celebration as we work through it. As President Monson also said, “Repentance isn’t easy, but it is possible.” To be honest it truly can be one of the hardest things for us to do. We have to admit that we need help, that we cannot do it alone. We have to have sorrow for what we’ve done, realize that we’ve slipped up. We need to forsake our sins. We can’t just say we’ve repented then do it again. It doesn’t work. And we must confess them to God and if needed the proper priesthood authorities. The Gospel Principles manual explains this in more details and a few other steps. 

But, what I’ve listed off is the basics. Repentance can seem like a lot of work, which it is. But, Elder Christofferson said this,”whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joys of forgiveness.” Alma 36:12-14, 17-21 explains it well. In this, Alma the younger relates his experience to his son Helaman. (Read the scriptures.) Alma was suffering in such mighty pain and guilt, but as he turned towards the Lord he began to witness his pains being swept away and joy overcoming him. He felt the Joys of Forgiveness, and began to smile at the thought of repentance. We all can experience that joy of forgiveness that comes from repentance. We don’t have to commit great and grievous sins to experience it.

We don’t have to hit rock bottom to know that there is hope through the Atonement. We all need to repent for small sins. As it says in 2 Nephi 9:23, “…He commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name…”  It is something for all of us and we all should want to repent so we might experience the joys from it. As Elder Christofferson also said, “the divine gift of repentance is the key to happiness here and in the life to come.” As we repent here and find happiness in God’s ways, we experience it in the life to come. Because through our repentance here and the happiness that comes, we can experience the joys of living in our Heavenly Father’s presence in the life to come. That truly is a cause for celebration for that means we don’t have to settle for anything less than the highest kingdom as long as we truly repent and rely on our saviors Atonement.

 It’s amazing to know that I can make it all the way back to my Heavenly Father no matter what I’ve done, because of Gods plan for me and because my redeemer paid the price for my mistakes here. It helps me to have a “seriousness in purpose” like Elder Christofferson said. I try not to take that divine gift of repentance for granted and I know I can rely on it and my Saviors’s atonement as I go through various struggles that life presents me. He knows what help I need and how to administer it to me. I changed stuff and added to it while I was talking but I don’t remember what I said.

Here’s my testimony, though it is a little different.

I’d like to close with my testimony. Turn towards the Atonement. I don’t care what you’ve done, what your struggling with, what pains, fears, or doubt you have. As you turn towards our Savior and his atonement, he can and will help you because of that great and eternal sacrifice. He knows in the flesh, exactly how you feel and he can help you overcome it. I know he loves you and that anything is possible. I’ve seen and felt it in my own life and I know it will bless your life as you truly use and understand it and I promise you these things, in the name of our Great Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, Amen.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Haha so first off i finally got my driving privelleges which was pretty sweet! (they are crazy to give them to me :) just kidding) its nice being able to drive after three months of nothing and you all you should wish me happy birthday i'm turning 3 in 3 days haha. sorry mission lingo stuff. this week was an interesting one. we'll start off with trades with the zone leaders. so me and elder seely went out to lake city to teach Ashly and Bro Elliot and those went well enough we never know what ashly is going to say though so its always an adventure but nothing new from her just kinda helpped elder seely understand by what we meant on how we aren't sure how best to work with her. haha then we saw bro Elliot and that was good he is a funny old man best way to put it. then we went doorknocking for three hours. so i told Elder Seely we were shooting for 3 QGCs. (quality gospel conversations) haha and he was like thats easy so i just laugh and we start going. so Elder seely has been out for almost 21 months and they get a lot of sucess in doorknocking up in traverse city so he thought it'd be nothing here. haha by the end he was getting frustrated he was like " i want to quit but i know that we can't" haha just a little bit of humor for me. because i think they thought we were joking about our luck. but we feel pretty confident about this coming week so we will see what happens. then we had trade backs/ district meeting which was an amazing meeting i must say we talked about the Atonement and you could really feel the spirit. then came Interview time with president Hess because we do that every three months and it that point. i hate interviews thats all there is to it i mean i don't have problems or anything i just don't like the whole thing of being interogated and stuff to much probing haha but it went good. don't have any clue about transfers here in a few weeks but i get the feeling i'm staying but we'll see what goes down. then sunday we were at the church for over 9 hours about. 730am to 430pm very long day. we had meetings then church/primary program, then i taught gospel principles, then we presented the branch mission plan. then it was linger longer pot luck then choir practice for branch conference, then clerk work till we were done. long day haha i was so so brain dead by the end. thats all there was to it. but overall good day then we went to dinner at the mattzelas and talked about a bunch of potential referrals that they might have so we will see where that goes. love you all!