My Last Email

  My last email. 

The past two weeks have been great, our mission has had a big push on sacrament attendance, and our zone was able to get 70 people to church in-person over the past two weeks, which is really high, typically in 2 weeks we would get half that.

We also got to participate in a real cool service project this past weekend handing out care packages to those that are less fortunate in Birmingham, the day before this we prepared the 1600 care packages to hand out. It was a really good service project and went great!

Over the past two years I've learned so much, I've seen other change I've seen myself change in so many ways. But the most important thing I've learned and gained from my mission is a greater understanding and knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. It is through him that we can return to our Father in Heaven and ultimately be with our families for eternity. I am eternally grateful for this knowledge, for my mission and all the experiences I've had, and I'm grateful for each and everyone of you supporting me while I've been out here, I felt each prayer and they carried me when it was hard. I thank each of you.

Well I guess this is it🤷‍♂️

-(for not much longer) Elder Peterson 

The Final Countdown

 Hey everyone! 

This past month has been great! I will give y'all a quick rundown. 

Earlier in July we found out that Elder Berry would be getting transferred out and would be serving as an assistant to the President, he also only got transferred about 5 miles away in a neighboring ward. The day after we found out he was getting transferred we headed down to Prattville (one of my previous areas) for transfers, it's always fun seeing a ton of missionaries that you've come to know and love! My new companion is Elder Ryser, and he has been out for about 9 months, a few transfers ago he was actually companions with Elder Batman, one of my old companions. Elder Ryser and I have gotten along great and are having a good time in BHAM. A few days after transfers we had in-person MLC (Mission Leadership Council) the first in-person MLC that they have done since March of 2020, so it was a party to say the least, it was the best and last MLC of my mission. Also! Two of our investigators were baptized!! On July 3rd Heather ( I mentioned her in my last email) got baptized!! and on July 10th Lakeysha was baptized!! They were both great programs and have been doing great since!

We had a funny little experience earlier this month. It was right after Elder Ryser pulled up to a neighborhood and we were sitting in our car praying before we got out and a homeless man knocked on the window asking if we could play some basketball with him (we were parked next to a little court). We got out of the car and he passed us the ball and said "we are going to play a game called O U T . " Which essentially was the game "Horse" but with different letters and a period added at the end. We played and every time we would make a shot he'd yell "sweeeet daddy" in a high pitched raspy voice, it was pretty funny.

Oh I also gave my departing testimony at zone conference this month, that was weird. 

Well that's been the last few weeks, it's been a good time! I have about 2 weeks left being a representative of Jesus Christ, and that makes me pretty sad, my mission has been an amazing experience and I've loved it.

 And with the next two p-days being my last I figured I would gift you all and make sure to send a weekly letter, so stay tuned. 

Love y'all! 

Elder Peterson 

The Big City

 

Life has been pretty good here in Birmingham. Elder Berry and I have been working hard and trying to find the elect. A few weeks ago we found an amazing person named Heather, she was so prepared and loves the gospel, the first lesson we put her on date to be baptized and she is getting baptized this Saturday. 

We have also been able to put 6 other people on date the past few weeks, one in 2 weeks, and the rest for later in July and early August. 

Earlier last week we found a dog and named it Talmage Joseph Brigham the III, we wanted to give it to our mission president but apparently he's not supposed to have pets either🤷‍♂️

I've been having a grand Ole time here in Birmingham. Hope y'all had a great last little bit!

 

BHAM

Happy Memorial Day!

Well I got transferred up to Vestavia Hills, AL, it's a little suburb of Birmingham, and the ward actually covers downtown Birmingham so that's pretty cool. My new companion is Elder Berry, he and I actually came out together, so that's super fun. Umm I don't have much to say other that I'm having a great time and I'm soaking up my last few months of being a representative of Jesus Christ!

I hope y'all have a great week!

Elder Peterson

Fishers Of Men

This past month has been pretty good! We've been finding a lot of people to teach. Elder Dailey and I have been finding about 17 people a week this past month. And the zone has been doing great as well. Universal success is a good feeling. 

This past week we went to Selma to do an exchange and we went and explored a bit, for those of you who don't know Selma was one of the cities that had a lot of civil rights activity in the 60's. We saw the bridge that they marched over and some other cool things. It was a good time 

About a week ago a big storm came through and apparently it was a tornado and it went right down the road our apartment is on so that's kind of crazy. It was only an F-1 so just a bunch of trees came down.

3 weeks ago our zone found 135 and so Elder Dailey and I got it approved to have a zone activity to "celebrate our labors" so that was a great time haha. 

Yeah not much else other than the normal grind has been happening, the other day I hit 21 months, it's sad to think I only have 3 months left here in the south, so I'll have to soak as much of it up as I can

I hope everyone has had a great month! 

Here are some pictures

April 2021- Prattville, AL

 Hey everyone! 

The past few weeks have been good! Transfers were last week and Elder Johnson got transferred to Pensacola but I stayed here in Prattville and Elder Dailey came up! Elder Dailey and I had served around each other once before so I already knew him, so it's been a pretty easy transition. He and I have done some good work and we were able to put someone on date to be baptized! And we also were able to find 9 new people to teach this week which typically is a pretty high number to find in one week! 

In a couple days I hit 20 months which is pretty crazy, it doesn't feel like I only have 4 months left, but I guess the numbers don't lie.

We that has been my week hope everyone had a good week!

Elder Peterson

Fun times in Prattville

These past few weeks have been great! Elder Johnson and I are still here in Prattville having a grand ole time! The past few weeks haven't been too crazy, just normal missionary work and some exchanges with the district leaders in our zones, exchanges are always fun, we get to learn from other missionaries and also get to experience different areas!

We also have been out visiting people a lot more which is so nice, especially since the weather is warming up, yesterday it was 85°!

We have been having some good success with the people we have been working with, it's exciting to see the growth that comes when they come closer to Jesus Christ.

A few days ago I hit 19 months in the mission field, which is CRAZY!! I can't believe I only have 5 months left, so I'm trying to make the most out of them!

Well I hope everyone has had a great few weeks, until next time!