Life is Full of Miracles! All day everyday BABY! :]

HAPPY 19TH BiRTHDAY SPENCER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.  that is so crazy. like I can't even think about it because it's just so wild ya know?? 

So yesterday was the confirmations of my three Recent Converts and it was awesome! The Holy Ghost is cool. 

This weekend we had a Mini Missionary come stay with us and it was so much fun! She is sixteen and we saw SO many miracles while we were searching for new investigators! Like you want these things to go well because it builds their faith and strengthens their testimony so witnessing miracles was our highest priority! no pressure right? The first person she talked to was a new investigator.  Pretty awesome.  this one time we had like ten minutes left to find people to teach and we hadn't reached our goal for the day yet so we said a prayer and the next thing we knew, we were talking to a person and then he went in the house and got his two friends and all three of them became new investigators! Are you kidding me?!  God's awesome like that. 

Sometimes being a missionary is overwhelming because just when you think nothing is happening, that's when everything is happening!!!! You look back and realize just how much God's hand was in the details of it all and it's pretty killer.  Well I don't know what to really say this week.  So much happened and guess what!?! Spiritual stuff makes ya tired. I've received a lot of revelation this weekend as well as inspiration and my mind has been enlightened concerning God's Plan of Happiness!  I know His plan is true!  I know that God is my Father in Heaven and that I have the potential to become like Him!  I know he provided me a Savior to help me achieve exaltation!  I know Jesus Christ is that Savior and the only way back to the Father.  I can not wait to be with my Family forever in the Kingdom of God! I know God Loves me and that I am his Daughter! I hope you're all doing fabulous! If you didn't have the best week last week, well then this is your week! :)

Be Strong and of a Good Courage! Remember that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. Haters gonna hate. Aligators gonna aligate! Choose the right! Keep calm and Carry on cuz truth will prevail baby  1-10-15 & 3-2-1 five stars! long live the walls we crashed through! WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOUR MISSIONARY! -Sister Petersen 

True Happiness:]

Dear Family!  So much happened this past week and describing it to you in an email just does not give it justice!  You'll have to wait till I get home for me to better share my spiritual experiences, but for now, I will try my best!

Merle & Babs

On Tuesday, I had the Honor and Privilege of driving with My Mission President and Wife (President and Sister Tilleman) out to the Temple View Chapel in Langley (which is where Brookswood is) and we got to visit with My Recent Convert Merle and his Wife Babs (who are preparing to be endowed and sealed in the Temple in August!!!!) Along with Bishop and Sister Towns and it was a meeting I will never forget!  The Spirit was so strong and I was SO happy!

After that, We went across the parking lot to the Temple and watched My Friend Brad get Endowed!!!

Brad - Endowment

His Baptism was the first one I saw on my mission one year ago last Sunday!  Being in there with all my Brookswood Friends was such an indescribable blessing and experience!  I didn't even focus the entire time because I was just so happy to be with all those people I love! It was like coming home:)  The drive back to Richmond that night was one I will never forget! I love The Tilleman's more than words could ever express! They changed my life forever.

On Wednesday, they joined us for Emily and her son Brad's final lesson/interview before their baptism and it was great!

Thursday, We had an incredible Zone Conference with the Tilleman's and I know the church is true because of them.

Friday was a very special day... After visiting one of my other converts in Brookswood, we had the opportunity to go back to the Temple and watch Brad, who was just endowed, and his Wife Loretta, get Sealed for Time and ALL Eternity!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brad & Loretta - Temple Sealing

It was A-MAZ-ING! I've never witnessed a sealing before and the fact that my first one got to be those two... Well it's something I'm gonna cherish for a very, very long time! I gave Brad a tie when he got endowed and he wore it after the Sealing! :) Just sayin.. All my Brookswood Family was there and afterward I got to hang out with them for a bit and I LOVE them!

Brookswood Friends

They are some of the best Saints I've ever met. I feel so humbled that I can call them mine haha:) I just feel love when I'm with them and they emulate Christ to a tee. They make me want to be better and they make me happy! :]

Just when you think the week couldn't get any better, Yesterday three of our friends got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maricel was baptized by her husband and Emily&Brad were baptized by President Tilleman! We taught and prepared each of these incredible souls over the last several weeks and I was SOOOO excited for them! They are different from each other and that is what makes them unique.  Emily wore all these white pearls when she got baptized and it was so pretty! ha we are talking, earing, rings, necklaces, headbands, bracelets, heels! The whole Sha-Bang and it was so cute! Brad swam to the stair after he was baptized... haha so funny!  I love hearing about what they think and how they feel after they're baptized.. for example, Maricel said that she felt all clean and fresh and pure and that is what Emily Said too! it's almost the best part of the whole thing! Just to see how happy they are.. plus the way you feel Spirit so strong during the service.. well it's just the best!

Tillemans, Emily & Brad, Maricel

This was most likely the best week of my entire mission and my heart is full of gratitude towards My Savior Jesus Christ.  I know He Lives and I know that it's only through Him that we can be cleansed from sin.  I know that each ordinance I witnessed this week is from God and vital for our Salvation.  I know God's plan is real. I know He loves His Children! Everything I Witnessed this past week is evidence of that.  I know that I am a member of the only true church on the face of the planet.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that we are all family.  It was one year ago TODAY that I had my first baptism (who was my dear friend Karen) and my testimony of The Atonement, God's Plan, His Church, The Book of Mormon, My Redeemer, and all the Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel have grown so much since then.  I am so happy I chose to serve a mission.  I am so happy I am a Daughter of God.  I am so happy for everything! The good outweighs the bad and it is worth it! It is worth it to go through the trials and pains and sufferings and afflictions!  It is worth it to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places! It is worth it to be a Latter-Day Saint! The life you are given is worth it to find true happiness!

Always Taking Care of Me :)

So Hold On! Be Strong and of Good Courage! Remember the Small and Simple things! Do the 1-10-15 and 3-2-1! Keep Calm and Carry on because truth will prevail! 

get 5 stars and WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three of my Canada Moms - Sis Towns, Loretta, & Sis Tilleman!! :)

Best Relief Society President Ever!! - Mother Teressa right there! :)

I love you all so much! Remember who you are! :) Long Live <3
-LOVE SiSTER PETERSEN!!!!!!! :]  

Stand Ye in Holy Places!

Oh Hey! :) I LOVED TALKING TO YOU GUYS ON THE PHONE YESTERDAY! :] so awesome. 

Well things are going pretty well here in Richmond! I want to tell you about a few of my Investigators! Ok so first there is Maracell.  She is the Cutest little Filipino Lady ever! Oh my heck I love her.  She married This member in our Ward two years ago in the Philippines and it has taken her that long to get over here to Canada! Well She got here about a month ago and we have been teaching her ever since! She is extremely shy, but she understands everything we teach and she is getting baptized!!!!! YaY! Next there is Emily and her nine year old son Brad. They are from Taiwan and investigated the church over a year ago, but than changed their mind.  Well just recently, they have come back to the church (because of the on going fellowship of some very beloved members) and this time they have an even greater desire to learn and understand the Gospel! Last week we had a lesson with them and the Tilleman's, and it was such an awesome lesson. Words could never describe.  When President Tilleman asked Brad about baptism, He threw his fists in the air and enthusiastically said, "It Sounds Exciting!" hahah they are getting baptized too:) We went to the Park yesterday with them and had a picnic and played frizbee and it was so great!  

 I just love my investigators.  They are all SO different from each other and they each have different concerns and needs and there is no way we could help them without the Spirit.  I rely on that thing like you wouldn't believe!  One of my favorite things to do is go over the baptism questions with people.  So before anyone becomes a member of the church, he or she is interviewed by a worthy Priesthood Holder.  There are Six questions asked to make sure they understand and are prepared to make and keep those sacred covenants with the Lord!  This Past Week We reviewed the questions with a couple different people and their responses were priceless.  One person Took a picture of the questions in my planner and than wrote down all the answers and said she would study for the interview. haha it's not a test! I was dying and she was serious.  Another person was super confused at this one question ans was like, "Why would I be getting baptized if I was committing a serious crime!?" hahaha and then she just started laughing so hard. Then one of My favorite Investigators from Jamacia, read the first question which is, "Do you believe that God is Our Eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?" and as sassy as can be she responded, "OBVIOUSLY!" hahah you just had to be there.. and then when asked about abortion or a homsexual relationship she was so so annoyed and disgusted with the very thought and was like, "ABSOLUTELY NOT."  again, you had to be there. so funny.  The Baptism questions are inspired and they help us know where people are at.  Sometimes even after someone has passed the interview they still don't get baptized.  This was a case just a couple months ago.  Usually being taught long enough to actually have the interview in the first place is a big deal, but after one of our investigators was interviewed and ready to go, three days before her baptism, she calls us and goes, "I completely forgot! I don't believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and I don't believe he died on the cross." ha I guess it slipped her mind every single time we taught her or something.. ha anyway,  

I am so happy I am baptized.  I am so happy I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!! I know this is the only true and living church on the face of the planet.  I am so grateful it was restored and that I have the Privilege to be a missionary and tell people the good news!  

I hope you all remember your baptism covenants this week and try a little harder to do a little better by doing those small and simple things! Be strong and of good courage! get five stars! do the 1-10-15 & 3-2-1 Be you and only you! Keep on Keepin on! WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Long live baby! I love you all so much!!!!!!

Sister Petersen

CrAaZzZY WeeK!!

AHH!!!!!! I had a cCcRRrrrAAZZZzzZZyyYYYYYY week!
First off, if you have any questions about my Mother's Day Call, Then just ask Dad-E-o! He's your guy!  So Last week was transfer week and Sister Struempler and I are both staying in Richmond, but we are basically the taxi/housing service for missionaries because we live so close!  SO, Monday night we Picked up Sister Byam and Sister MacMillan from the Mission Office because they were completing their mission.   They stayed with us and Tuesday morning we drove them back to the Mission Office and then that night we Picked them up from the Mission Home and they stayed with us again.  Wednesday Morning we drove them to the Airport and we helped them get their tickets and luggage tags.  (such a tender mercy from the Lord that I was with Sister Byam!)  In the late afternoon, we went back to the airport and picked up the Prince George Sisters (Nelson, Tague, and Neubert) who were coming in for transfers and staying the night with us.  Wednesday Evening, We drove to the Mission Home and Picked up the two new Sister Missionaries, (Soram&Han) and they also stayed the night with us! Yep.. seven sisters... one apartment...I was the oldest... just saying.  Thursday Morning, Sister Nelson and I brought all the suitcases to the Mission Office and then stayed the night and went back and picked up the Sisters for Transfer meeting!  After the Meeting, We drove the Prince George Sisters back to the airport (Nelson&Kindlespire) and then drove back to the Mission Office and picked up the Nechako Sisters (Fredrickson&Jones) who were staying the night with us!  We Also get to have Sister Li (who is Richmond Chinese) be with us until Wednesday because she is training and her Companion is still in the MTC.  Friday Morning we drove the Nechako Sisters back to the  Mission Office and then Picked them up that evening and they stayed with us a second night.  Saturday Morning We drove them to the Airport and dropped them off and then late Sunday Afternoon the Vernon Sisters(Dean&Flinders)  came and stayed with us! This Morning at five O'clock in the A.M. We drove them to the Greyhound Bus Stop in Downtown Vancouver and Now here we are!  Yeeeeaaaaahhhhh.  This whole time I have had an awful cold which hasn't been pleasant at all on top of other things! haha in spite of how crazy hectic it was, and my poor-zombie-like-health, by the grace of God we were still able to... reach and exceed our High Mission Standard of Excellence, have incredible lessons, be interviewed by our Mission President, talk to everyone, connect with our fellow missionary friends, learn more Chinese and Tagalog words,  witness miracles, get blessings,  and gain revelation!  It was a long week and I am tired! :P  I love being a missionary.  I cherish every single moment I have to be a representative of The Lord, Jesus Christ.  I love being busy and I love this Gospel.  I have seen it change lives and I know it is true.  I know I am preaching the Word of God and I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I know that  The Priesthood is the only Authority on earth to perform sacred ordinances and I am grateful  for the blessings I receive in my life because of the Priesthood.  I am SO grateful I have a Savior and I know that he is my Redeemer and that he Lives!  I love him and I am grateful I chose to serve a mission so that I could get to know him better.  The Atonement is real and I feel it in my life every hour of everyday.  I love being in the Canada Vancouver Mission and I love my Mission President and his Wife! I hope you are all doing awesome and I hope you are reading your scriptures every day and studying from Preach My Gospel.  They were all written by Prophets and Apostles through revelation and I have a deep love for the words contained in those books!  You've got my recommendation so act on it! :)

Be Strong and of Good Courage! Remember the Small and Simple things that God does for you day in and day out, keep calm and carry on and be still.  Trust in the Lord and make 1-10-15&3-2-1 real.  LONG LIVE! five stars baby! WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Love Sister Petersen! :]