I Just Love Ya All

Hey it's me, Sista P.  

Things are going alright here in Langley! last week was just so-so.  We had a lot of miracles and blessings come our way, but there is always room for improvement on my part!  We had a Mini Missionary stay with us this weekend! She is 17 and lives about half hour away in a town called Delta.  She is the cousin of my last Mini Missionary so it was really fun! On Saturday we went to the Stake building in Abbotsford and watched the General Relief Society Broadcast and dang it was good.  I love, love, love meetings.  I don't know if I just never paid attention before or if I just didn't know what they were ever talking about in the past, but as I sat and listened, I noticed how often they referenced the Book of Mormon.  I love that book with all my heart.  It is my favorite book in the world! I learn something every time I read it! It is taking me so long to get through, because I can get so much just out of one single verse. This is good and bad if ya know what I'm saying! Lately I've been color coding this Book of Mormon based on topics and it takes me forever.  It's worth it though.

So there is this guy sitting right by me talking really loud on his phone and I can't concentrate at all.  Honestly I'm not in a good mood right now.  I'm really frustrated and annoyed with some different things..  I don't think I should say that kind of stuff to you because it's negative, but I am.  I'm bugged that I feel this way the one time I get to email you guys.  I don't want to just sit here and complain so I guess I'll change subjects.  

Tonight we get transfer calls and I really don't know what is going to happen.  I don't want to jinx it, but I am kind of leaning more to the leaving side... I've been here for a really long time.  I am totally ok with staying longer because I love this area, but I feel like something is going to change. whether it be my companion or my area or what.  I'm not sure.  One thing I do know though, is that I know this area like the back of my hand.  I know where every single ward member lives and I know where I can park and I know what streets I can take that gets me to places the fastest and I know where the dead ends are and I know everyone's names and I know where all our potential&former investigators live.  I can get to a place without even looking at a map.  Just give me the address and I'm there.  If we are in area and don't know what to do, well I know exactly who lives around there that we can drop by.  I know exactly where I've tracted and I even know and can remember who was nice at doors and who was not.  I remember peoples faces and I remember little details about themselves.  I know almost all of the members work schedules and who is available when.  I know our members so well. like even if they don't really know me which is creepy.  I know about their families and I know about their struggles.  I know their pets names and can recite their answering machines to a Tee.  I pray and think about these people constantly.  So yeah, I feel like I have a predisposition about my area lots and so I'm constantly striving for new insights and revelation on how to strengthen it and help it grow.  So in some ways I think it is my time to leave and I could even see them white washing this area (taking us both out and putting two new sisters in) Yes, I do know this area and these people very well, but There is absolutely no way this would even be considerably possible without the Lord.  There is no way on earth that I would be able to remember everything if it were not for Him.  He helps me soooooo much.  The Spirit is constantly bringing things to my remembrance and constantly reminding me of the small and simple things that I overlook.  As to my own strength, I am SO embarrassingly weak.  I don't know what I would do without the Lord.  He has helped me through so much.  I would be lost without him.  I have so much I can work on though and I'm not saying that I don't forget stuff because I do! TRUST ME! but more often than not, the Lord in his merciful way, helps me remember to do things.  I love him for that and so much more.  I just love my Savior and I have such a strong testimony of him and everything that he has done for me in my life.  I feel so humbled to be his daughter.  I feel so blessed to be numbered among his sheep.  I feel so honored that I am in the position to share the gospel and I feel so incredibly blessed for my knowledge of his plan.  I don't know what I ever did to deserve so much grace from Him, but I am truly in awe of the Atonement.  It has played such a huge role in my life and I know that serving a mission has helped me understand it so much more.  Honestly, serving a mission has forever changed my life.  I get it now ya know? I see the big picture.  I understand my purpose.  Can I just say that I love you all so much.  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. If you only knew how I was feeling right now.. you would then understand how great my love for you really is.  Thank you for everything.  I have the most incredible family in the world.  Words can not express how much happiness you have brought into my life.  I miss you a lot and when I'm struggling, like right now, I want nothing more than to call you and talk. Just vent. Just let it out. But I can't. I know that. And that is ok.  That is when I can access and rely On the Atonement and Our Savior Jesus Christ.  At the end of the day He is my rock.  I can't wait until I get to hug Him and tell Him how much I love Him and thank Him for giving me Mollie and Oskar and Mom and Dad and Trevor and Spencer and Abbie and Jeremy and Ellie and Tara and Jessica and the First Ward and just everyone.  I was placed in the most amazing family ever.  I feel your love and support so strong and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you.  There are days when I'm really tired and days when I don't know how much more I can handle, but then I think of you.  I think about how much each of you are cheering me on.  I don't want to let you down.  I don't want to be a disappointment to you or the Lord.  When I think of all your love, I can't help but think how much greater the Savior's love is for me and it pierces me to the very core.  I scarce can take it in.  I don't deserve it.  I mean I am so imperfect ya know? and yet He just loves me and my flaws and my imperfections.  One of the hardest things I've had to overcome and still have to overcome and think about sometimes is not feeling guilty for my weaknesses and doing this self pity dance.  I know that discouragement is selfish and I've seen it completely control some people out here.  So whenever the 'poor me' thought creeps in, I stop it and think of how I can do better next time and improve.  I just am so humbled to be a member of this church.  I love it with everything I have.  I love being a missionary. I love Jesus Christ.  I love so many things that I could really sit here forever, but I won't do that to you.  Just know that I love you.  I have a testimony of this Gospel.  I know that it is true.  Ellie, I too would give everything up for the Plan of Salvation. I know that my family will be together forever.  I know that God knows me and he knows the desires of my heart.  So I will go where ever he wants me to go and I will be whatever he wants me to be.  I owe him EVERYTHING! well my time is up.  I love you.  Please know that I pray for you everyday.

Be strong and of Good Courage.  keep it small and Simple. Long live. keep calm and carry on. truth will Prevail. please just Work iT!! 1-10-15. five amazing stars.

                      -LOVE YOUR MISSIONARY SISTER JAYNANNE PETERSEN!! :]

Work iT!!

Well Hello there! :)  AHH! So much has happened this weekend! I don't know where to begin! 

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHITNEY!!!! :] ahh.  I remember last year I think I made ya a bouquet of candy! ha that was fun..

So, on Saturday our wards helped with the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive and it was so fun! I love doing service projects! I haven't done that many on my mission, but this was really neat.  I just feel soo good helping ya know? I love it when everyone comes together for a good cause.  Like the peach orchard story..incredible. Well, Sister Galbraith was with me on exchanges and we went around with Sister Towns and did a couple routes where we picked up bags of food on peoples steps! We then went to the church where they had people boxing it and organizing, and we helped out there! I loved organizing.  There ended up being so much food!  We filled this huge truck full!  Brad and Loretta were in charge and they nailed it.  The Mayor of Langley was there and he was so impressed with our church.  It was cool, so there were some non-members there and of course I'm like, "oh hello:)"  So, Sis Galbraith and I talked to these two korean non-member volunteers and gave them a tour of the outside of the temple and they became new investigators!  boom baby.  That's how it is done.  :)

Yesterday, at church our Ward Mission Leader gave a talk and he started and ended it by saying, "if you are happy and you know it, refer a friend!" ha.  Classic.  Let's just say i'm gonna be singing that lots this week to members! ;) cuz ya know.. we are the only people in the entire world who know where true happiness comes from.  Also yesterday, we had a fireside on Prayer at our Templeview Chapel.  Oh my heck! It was sooooooo good.  

So storytime, last week I was sitting by this lady in sacrament who was in charge of the musical number for last night and I accidentally, sort of, came up with this idea and then volunteered all the missionaries in our stake, to sing at this fireside. oops.  So I called up a couple leaders in the Missh and thirty of us missionaries and about 15 little kids sang "A Childs Prayer" and it was so powerful.  President Tilleman was supposed to be the main speaker, but when it started, he was flying over head on his way from Prince George! What?! The thing started at 7 and he arrived at 8:25, and he felt so bad!  He was only going to talk for five minutes, but then he ended up speaking for like a half hour and dang it was good.  I have never seen him so emotional.  Afterwards, I was talking to him and his eyes were so red, and with tears streaming down his face, he told me how proud he was of me and asked me to find someone else that he can baptize for October.  I promised him I would. 

Our teaching pool is just a puddle right now.  It took us SEVERAL MONTHS to prepare the people we did for baptism.  I know as to my own strength and ability, I AM SO WEAK! There is no way on earth I can find someone who will be prepared to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the Priesthood Authority... if I do this alone.  But, the beautiful thing is that I am NOT alone. In fact, I am NEVER alone!  Not in the slightest.  I am a Daughter of God who loves me and I love him and I know that as I put my faith and trust in him, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! I will stop at nothing to find someone to teach and baptize.  But not just one, SEVERAL! I am determined to baptize as many people as the Lord puts in my path.  I am nervous and scared and I want to have success and do well.  I know that as I try my best, the Lord will help me find a way to fulfill my promise to him and my Mission President.  But only if I try my very best.  The Lord blesses us by virtue of our Obedience to his laws and commandments.  This I know to be true.  So, how am I going to baptize in October? BY WORKIN iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! duh.  Plus, by being exactly obedient! I'll Work iT like it all depends on me and pray like it all depends on the Lord. 

Yesterday, Brad spoke at the fireside, as a recent convert, and shared his experience with prayer.  He said and I quote, "There is this famous quote that a certian Sister Missionary ALWAYS says which I quite love and that is to, 'Work iT'.  I know we all must do this.  Hey look at that, I quoted her all without saying Sister Petersen's Name!" haha he's a punk. But I truly know that if we Work iT, the blessings will come.  They may come now or they may come late.. they might not even come till heaven, but I can promise you that they will come.  So don't you give up.  You hold fast to what you already know to be true and you WORK at IT. 

Anyways, after the fireside was over and the crowds died down, the missionaries sang for President and Sister Tilleman.  We sang "A Child's Prayer," "We'll Bring the World His Truth," and "Called to Serve." It was special to sing to just the two of them.  President gave us permission to go have refreshments, aka stay awhile, so we didn't get home till after 10:00! What? That NEVER happens! miracle. 

Oh also, yesterday this guy in our ward made us these necklaces and it was just one piece of stone that he polished from the TEMPLE! cool huh.  So now I have a piece of the Temple from the mission where I served. Love it. 

Man all last week and still, I have a killer headache.  It's the worst. AND, I keep waking up with charlie horses! What?! I don't even know what that means..! random fact: there are spider webs everywhere! pretty much on every porch you find a spider web and they are huge spider webs and they have huge spiders too! It's disgusting and guess who always walks into them? me. gah. So basically I need to stop taking charge and let Sister Gale go first.  I can't help it though! I am just a fast walker! 

Oh, hey I was gonna tell you to go on lds.org and check out the Canada page.  There are a couple stories about our mission and Moroni's Quest.  The lady who does the Website is in our ward. Surprise, surprise.  Well anyway, I love you all so much!!! Thank you for all the love and support! You have no idea how much it mean to me that you think of me.  Hope I don't bore ya! I just know that this church is true and that Jesus Christ is at the head of it and that He lives.
Did you hear that? HE LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love my Savior and I am so grateful for the Atonement!  

Well please remember to keep things small and simple! Be strong and of good courage! keep calm and carry on! <<long live>> 1-10-15! five stars! and hey, Work iT!! :] I Love You!
LOVE YOUR SISTER MISSIONARY! JAYNANNE PETERSEN!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

Little Victories

Hey Everyone! Kay real quick, I don't even remember what I said last week, so if you said something about my used-to-be investigator Merle well then Good On Ya.  Sorry If I sounded angry.  Breathe everyone.  Just Breathe.

OK SO!  This past week was pretty good! Marion and Karen were baptized on Saturday! It went so, so, so well.  This is a new Karen obviously, and she was actually baptized by my kinda Recent Convert Brad!! It was really cool.  Brad was just baptized in May and this was his first time baptizing someone else.  President Tilleman baptized Marion and he could have baptized Karen too, but all week long I felt like maybe Brad should do it so I asked him the day before and he humbly agreed.  It was really cool and ended up being exactly how the Lord wanted it to be.  When Marion came up out of the Water, She put her fist up in the air and exclaimed, "YaY! I did it!" haha it was funny.  You could not find two more opposite people though.  Let me tell you what!  The Spirit was really strong and I was so pleased how well it turned out. 

Yesterday, church was amazing.  It actually felt like a real Sunday at church. Like how it is back home. Even skipped sunday school;)  Usually church is crazy busy.  Like, last week we taught Gospel Principles and Young Women's, and had meetings, and certain people to talk to, and all this other craziness.  This week was a lot more calm, and My two friends received the Gift of The Holy Ghost which is amazing. 

Oh, so I got Abbie's Letter the other day! THANK YOU SO MUCH! just keep on sending them! :) Also, tell Whitney and Parker Congrats on the Engagement! I just love it! YAY! :) :)  AND PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TELL MY BEST FRIEND FOREVER, MISS JOSIE JUNE STOWERS HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY FROM ME! JAYNANNE! (on Friday) ahhhh. I just can't believe it.  she is so big. I miss her. oh goodness. Work iT!!

Time sure does fly.  Saturday is my 7 month mark.  I forgot to tell you I think, that Sister Cho left last transfer and it was so sad! I talked to her on the phone when she was driving to the airport and we were both just crying.  When it's my time I probably won't die.  I'll just lie down and close my eyes and think about stuff..  It's been a crazy couple of months!  I think I've changed a lot, but in good ways hopefully. I was reading all my month marks in my journal the other day and you can just see how much I've grown.  Kinda fun.  Sometimes I have to stop and remember who I am though.  Just like, remember the good stuff and the happy stuff because lately I've been strugglin' with my stress levels.  So I try to be my old self again, but I'm still tryin' to find it! I guess what it boils down too is that I've had struggles with my companions.  Especially now.  Not like fighting or anything like that, but just the little stuff that gets to ya every now and then.  For example, I like talkin' about her, her, her, her usually, but occasionally! I want to talk about me!  I go on exchanges and I think it's strange that they think I'm funny cuz she never does.  Plus I feel the pressure of responsibility weighing down heavy on my shoulders because right now I am in a position where my comp struggles with lots and so one of us needs to be strong, ya know??  In times like these, I turn my thoughts and attention to the Lord.  He's here.  That's all I need to know!  He will keep me safe.. and He will keep me warm.  I love our Savior SO much.  He is my rock and my salvation and without Him, I am nothing.  He is my light.  I am very grateful for all the many wonderful things He has given me.  HE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME!  Like the other day, one of our investigators dropped their baptism date.  It was such a bummer.  They called us up again just to break us, like a promise. So casually, and cruel in the name of being honest.  I felt like a crumpled up piece of paper lying there.  Oh I remember it all to well.  BUT! what doesn't kill you makes ya stronger and I know this to be true.  It's those type of experiences that strengthens my testimony.  Or like, when some one tells us how wrong we are, the Spirit is right there with me confirming that all the things the person is saying are false.  I love that.  It works like magic.  Serving a mission has been such a blessing in my life.  I have never felt so close to the Lord in my whole life or understood so much about His gospel.  Yeah, I have hard times, yeah, I struggle, but you got to celebrate and remember the little victories.  Focus on the positive.  I've been spending the last seven months thinkin' all work ever does is break, and burn, and end, but on a Saturday at a baptism service, I watched it begin again.  So, I need to hold on to that moment when Marion shouted for joy in the baptism font or the time that Karen's baby was blessed or when Merle told us that he wants to be with Babs forever.  That is what it is all about.  My purpose as a missionary is to Invite others to come unto Christ and I want to humbly say I have done that and will continue to do that and be happy with my little victories. After knowing that, this little drop of Canada rain can hardly hurt me now.  Thank you so much for all the love and support.  Each of you give me the energy everyday to labor in a part of the Lord's vineyard. 

  

I think about you all the time! The moment I wake up.. before I put on my make up! 

I say a little prayer for you! :) I just love you guys! 

Remember to keep it small and simple and be strong and of good courage! 

Long live the walls ya crashed through!<--

That's a victory! keep calm and carry on! 1-10-15.  

and hey, please WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :] five stars. 

LOVE YOUR SISTER MISSIONARY JAYNANNE PETERSEN!!!!!! :) :) :) :)                

The Church is True. Nuff Said.

Hey HEy HEY!!!  what a week! pysch.  Nothing all that exciting happened! like so seriously.  Just a typical week for a missionary.  It finally started raining again so I got to wear my new raincoat that I love! but then it stopped raining. lame.  I can't believe it.. none of you even mentioned Merle's baptism last week in your emails! like what the heck?! do you know how hard I worked for that?! how many prayers were said!? how many hours spent thinking about him!? how many lessons were taught?!  LOTS!!!!!!  I was so excited to tell you.. ahh well. say la vie. 

Well, this Saturday we are having two baptisms for two completely different women.  We just happen to be doing it on the same day! They have both had their interviews and everything so hopefully the baptisms go through! President Tilleman will be preforming the baptisms and I honestly don't know how this keeps happening!  He is just about the busiest man in the Whole earth and yet every time I need him, he just happens to be in town or free.  That, my friends, is a miracle. Our investigators our Marion and Karen.  I have been teaching Karen for about four months, I think, and Marion for about two months, I believe.  It's been a long time coming.  The process of just one baptism is huge.  The process of just getting one persons temple work done is huge!  Just learned more about that and it is insane.  I definitely have a stronger testimony about how important it is to do temple work.  SO GO TO THE TEMPLE EVERYONE! every little bit counts.  Plus they are real people and we made promises with them before this life that we would help them out.  That is one of the reasons why we are living in this day and age where we have temples everywhere! 

Oh that kid Jason, yeah, well he went to the Santa Rosa, California mission and it is officially the first mission in the world to launch Facebook and have iPads and all that as of last week! pretty cool.

On Saturday, I was with Sis Galbraith in YSA and there was this car show going on in downtown Langley and her and I both love old cars, so it was just meant to be, and we walked all around looking at them!  We couldn't take pictures cuz of mission rules, unfortunately.  Like, everyone up here fixes up really old cars and they drive them everywhere! It's like a thing.  I love it.  I want one real, real bad. I just looked over and noticed that our zone leaders were on the computers by us! Acko Taco.  I didn't even see them come in.

Oh man, something else awkward, kay so the other day, Sister Gale and I are street contacting and we see this lady sitting all alone on a bench so we go over and I offer her a card and asked if she was religious or whatever, and then she just went crazy on us! She started swearing and saying we Judge Jesus and all this other crap ya don't need to hear about.  Well, I just turned and walked away and that made her more mad so she screamed bad stuff at the top of her lungs at us until we turned the corner 100 yards away! I think she was having a bad day.. haha I didn't look back though.  That really doesn't happen too much to us.  Generally, people are pretty nice or they just aren't interested to hear what we have to say, but they never really yell at us.. they just don't listen.
Anyway..  I just realized this morning that Wednesday is 9/11 and I started getting all choked up.  I can't even think about it too much cuz it breaks my heart.  It's pure awful.  I just know that God has a plan for all of us despite what goes on in the world and despite all the evil and temptations from today's society.  I know that if we just put Jesus Christ at the center of our lives and look to him for the light, then happiness and peace and love will come.  We must just hold on and live the commandments of God.  

I am so grateful to be a member of His Church.  I love calling myself a Latter-Day Saint. I LOVE IT!!  The Church is true and I know and love that we have living day Prophets who lead and guide His church.  I love and enjoy the scriptures so much! The stories in the Book Of Mormon are so meaningful and real, and I know they were written for us.  I love being a missionary.  I love being apart of God's army.  I know that I am fighting for truth and Righteousness.  Thank you so much for all the love and support! It Truly means so much to me.  I kind of had a hard couple of days and seeing all your emails today helped me know that I am being thought of, and loved, and I really appreciate it.  Sometimes I really need you and this is one of those times.  Wish me luck with this next week.  It's gonna be stressful and overwhelming and I probably could use the prayers! haha Well I love you all!

Work iT!!!!!!!!!!!! Be Strong and of Good Courage! Remember the Small and Simple things! long live.  keep it classy.  5 stars.  ctr. keep calm and carry on! God be with you till we meet again! :) I love you guys! :)

Love, SISTER Jaynanne PETERSEN!!!!!!!!! 

Good On Ya!

Well Hello Everyone! :) So I just jump right in.  

Yesterday was a very very very special day because my recent convert Karen had her baby Hannah blessed!  It was such a good blessing and President Tilleman actually came and gave it! :) It was so cute..  he held her up at the end and he just looked like a proud Grandpa or Something! ha I loved it.  I am so grateful that I got to be here to witness it all.  I feel so humbled and blessed to be a part of her Story.  President told me that in May, I could be Karen's Escort at the Temple.  How cool is that?! I just am like overcome with love for it all.  I Stand all Amazed at the love Jesus Offers me.. Confused by his grace that so fully he proffers me..  So the blessing was really a moment to remember.  

President Tilleman also interviewed one of our investigators for baptism in two weeks and all is looking well, but please, please, please pray that everything will work out. please.  Satan is powerful.  

Sis Gale, Ruth, Brad, Loretta, Diane, Breanne

Yesterday, we also had dinner and Brad and Loretta's, and I love them like crazy.  Brad was baptized a week before Karen.  He is just about the funniest man ever.  I love going over there.  So Sister Gale eats extremely slow, and Brad loves food and eats super fast, so when ever we go over there for dinner, I look over at Brad, who is all done with his third helping and he will just be staring at Sister Gale's plate with such a look of confusion and concern.  hahahaha yesterday he commented like 9 times that he could eat it for her or she doesn't have to finish or how is she not done or what's taking so long or is everything alright?  It's so funny. Anyway, I love them!

So this week this kid in our ward, Jason, left on his mission.. We went and visited the night before he left and he got very choked up and again thanked me.  It was tender.  He'll be a great missionary.  

On Friday I went to the YSA on an exchange with Sister Weller and so of course it was super fun.  We went on Exchanges like two weeks ago and one the way back to the church, to exchange back, sis Weller and I decided to get a doughnut super, super fast at this restaurant that is everywhere called 'Tim Hortons' So we go and the line up in the drive thru is way backed up so we parked the car super fast and jump out and run to the entrance and we take one look at the huge line inside and without even saying anything, we just turned around and ran straight back to the car haha and than we went to another one up the street and went through the drive thru and quickly ate our doughnuts and got rid of the evidence.  I know, we live on the edge.  The other day, I said the phrase, "Good on Ya" to Sister Gale, like how Australians say that you know?? Well anyway, she was so confused and she was like, "is that Korean?" hahaha um what? no it's english! haha she makes it into one word like goodonya.  So now me and Sis Weller say it for everything.  If we are happy, or sad, or just whatever. it's funny ok.  We aren't making fun, I say it all the time now.  pretty cool I know.  

Just because it's cool :)

Hey if you want to send me some music, mom, I would much appreciate that.  Like for a Christmas present or something.. maybe like songs that are churchy and spiritual but not hymns. like the Spectacular songs or Be Strong or You Raise Me Up or Bring Him Home... ya know! those songs! 

Well, I love you all so much! I hope all is going well! We are up at the church emailing because of the holiday.  It is kinda out of our way, but awh well.  Chill everyone.  I know Spencer's correct email.  I email him every week too.   Well thank you for all the love and support! I know I don't comment on your letters much, but I read every single one.  So thank you very much! I wish I could chat longer but I gotta go! 

I know this church is true and I Love being a missionary.  

There is nothing else I want to do in my life right now than devote all my time and energy to serving the Lord.  I owe him everything!! :) I love his plan soooo much. like so much. 

Work iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep it fresh.  

remember the small and simple things. 

Be strong and of Good Courage. 

long live.  stay classy.  keep calm and carry on.  

1-10-15. five stars. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!

LOVE SISTER JAYNANNE PETERSEN!!!!!!! :)