Just Enjoy the Moments! :)

Hi Guys! :) I honestly do not even know where to begin...

This past week was one I will never forget!  There were so many Spiritual and Sacred experiences that happened and I feel very humbled and blessed to be a full-time missionary and to be serving in the Canada Vancouver Mission.  I love my mission more than words could ever express.  On Saturday My entire mission and I had the blessed opportunity to be in the midst with an Apostle of the Lord for several hours.  Elder D Todd Christofferson along with Elder Aidukitus, Elder Christensen, Bishop Causse, and President and Sister Tilleman, Shook each of our hands and bore powerful testimonies to us of the Restored Gospel, The Book of Mormon, Charity, God's Love, Jesus Christ and much more.  It was so sacred and real and I know that each of these people are men of God.  I know that God has called prophets once again to the earth and that he leads and guides us. I know that the Book of Mormon is the convincing evidence that we have prophets and I know this book is the word of God.  I know and believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior and I know that he lives.  I know that families can and will be together forever in God's Presence by virtue of our Obedience and I know that we can all achieve exaltation. 

Thank you so much for all the love and support you show to me each and every week.  I have the best friends and family in the world! :) As incredible as this week was, I was really, really, really, really sick! such a bummer! Don't worry, I don't think anyone cared that I was carrying around a throw-up bucket to all my meetings and looked like a zombie! haha my pride wouldn't let me throw-up thank goodness.  Luckily I am going to the Doctors and am starting to go to physio Therapy and all the lovely stuff! I am very cared for out here so don't you fret.

Ummmmmmm......... I'm not sure what to share... What do you want to know? two weeks ago one of my investigators took two sacrament cups cuz she was hot and then she was like, "Am I allowed to have two?" I told her not really and she just shrugged and said, "awh well double the blessings!"  hahaha she's crazy! ummm.... We have a GPS and We represent this bird.. I hate that bird. It's always freaking out and I always get mad at it! We named it Apa. haha yip yip. 

oh so like you know how everyone and their dog is Asian here in Richmond? yeah well trying to help them understand what we are saying is such a joke so the other day we were at this Chinese person's door and she obviously could not speak a lick of English so I just held up this picture of Jesus and for like one whole minute we just stood there smiling and then she finally understood and we gave her the card. haha story of my life. it was funny. had to be there

Ok, so at my phyiso the doctor told me to pretend my head was like a scoop of ice cream and I was like, "what flavor?" and he was like "Rum Raisin" and than I told him that was disgusting and then he told this huge long story about how it's good and it had nothing to do with anything haha the point was that my head is like the ice cream and my neck is like the ice cream cone and I can't let the Ice cream fall off the Cone so I have to stand straight. ha well that is all I have time for.... 

Be strong and of Good courage! remember the small and simple things! Work iT!!! 1-10-15 & 3-2-1 be you and only you! keep calm and carry on! five starts! Long LiVe.

LOVE YOUR CANADIAN SISTER MISSIONARY FOREVER!!!!!! Sister Jaynanne Petersen!! :) :) 

LONG LIVE BROOKSWOOD.

NA NA NA NA! NA NA NA NA! HEy Hey hey Goodbye......! That's right. I'm outta here!

So I am being transferred to Penticton in the Okanogan Valley, and my Companion is Sister Allen who was one of Sister Gales Companions in the MTC!  I'm Going to be the District Leader up there and Sister Byam and Sister Willmore are both in my district! WHAT?! I AM SO EXCITED! :] we are going to PAR-TAY!  While respecting the dignity of our calling of course! ;)  

I am so sorry that I didn't email yesterday! We had a Mission Conference because Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy came and toured our Mission.  Yesterday was a wild day..   We drove to Richmond with the YSA Sisters and got some hot chocolate at Tim Horton's, then we went to our Conference which was amazing, then we did FHE with the Ward Mission Leader's family as well as a family that we are teaching, then we had a lesson fall through. 

Well it is a miracle the lesson fell through because we get this crazy call from the sisters at the same time and so basically, really weird stuff has been going on and we thought their apt got broken into and so we rushed to their aid (but we had to wait for a stupid train and I was TICKED) and the Bishop from the Willoughby Ward came with this huge guy and the Elders showed up to go check it out! Meanwhile, It's Transfer Call night So I was like ah crap!  Turned out everything was ok and their apt was fine, But in the midst of all of this, The Assistants call me with Transfer Updates! haha.. I was like, NOW IS NOT THE TIME PEOPLE! ha so.. not even excited Because we were in the middle of this intense situation and I had to stop and find out where I was going! haha We had the Sisters stay with us last night which was a tender Mercy from the Lord because I am going to miss them so much! gah. So that was our night and now here we are.  

I am really going to miss being called a Brookswood Sister:(  I have loved serving for this Ward.  They are incredible.  Our phone has been buzzing nonstop all morning from the members in regards to transfers.. it's just like I could tell them to drop everything now and meet me in the pouring rain and they wouldn't even hesitate!  They have been so good to me and I just don't know how to repay them.  I feel like I don't have enough time or energy to tell them how much I love them and how much each of them has played a role in my life.  Even if some members don't even know me that well, I love them! These next couple days are going to be wild.  I have to run around telling everyone that it was enchanting to meet them and I have to pack! I'm gonna lose my mind! ..pray for me!  :/  I just hope and pray that I was able to strengthen this area.. I know I have and  I know there have been so many miracles, but you always wonder if you did enough.  Like yesterday when were in our conference, I was sitting there thinking, Oh my heck I need to do better at this, oh I gotta go back and do that, oh I gotta tell our Bishop all this stuff and I was just like! AHH! I can't leave yet! I have so much I need to improve on here! I trust the Lord though.  I know he has a plan for me and I will go where ever he wants me to go and be whoever he wants me to be and do whatever ever he wants me to do! This is his work and his glory to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man and I just want to help in any way I can.   Lately I have been feeling really overwhelmed in the fact that there are so many people who don't even know God, let alone about the Restored Gospel.  It causes me great anxiety and stress actually.. SO every little bit of what we as members do counts and matters. Never forget that.  I am going to be sad that I won't be in the Lower-Mainland anymore!

Last week, all the missionaries who aren't in the Lower-Mainland came in and went to the same mission conference but on a different day and one companionship stayed with us for two nights which was fun! Well while they were here, Sister Byam actually came and her and I got to go see My first Karen and her Baby Hannah! :) it was so fun!!! When We got back to my Apt, there were like 9 sisters there! I walk in and one of the sisters said it was like the parents had got home and found them partying! ha.. it's cuz it's my place and I've been out the longest! It's weird that I am starting to become one of the older ones in the mission! Just Saying.  

Well anyway.. I love you all so much! I hope you had a great week! It was Remembrance Day here in Canada yesterday and it made me think of home.  Man, I miss the Veteran's Dinner we always had! Not to mention Grandma Summer's Jello! ;) haha Well, keep it classy and remember the small and simple things! Be strong and of Good Courage and Keep Calm and Preach the Gospel gosh dang it!
1-10-15 five stars 3-2-1. The church is True. 

This is what I want to tell Brookswood:)-->  If you take a moment.. promise me this, that you'll stand by me forever, but if God forbid fate should step in.. and force us into a Goodbye.. if you have converts someday.. when they point to the pictures.. please tell them my name.  Tell them how the church went Wild. Tell them how I hope they Shine.... Long Long live the walls The Lord and I crashed through!  I had the time of my life here too!  Long long live all the Magic We made.. and Bring on all the Pretenders in Penticton, I'M NOT AFRAID!.... 

One day.. We will be remembered! :)  WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOUR SISTER MISSIONARY FOR LIFE, SISTER JAYNANNE PETERSEN! :] :] :]
ps. Thank YOU for standing by me forever:)   

The Good Kind of Busy

SOOOOOOO many things to talk about this week! for starters, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) I JUST LOVE YA! I hope you are having the best birthday ever! you deserve it! go on girl! have your cake and eat it too! ha what? i donno.. anywho You're the greatest Mom ever! :) Work iT! from Jaynie.  

So I got your package! oh happy day! :) I LOVED LOVED LOVED my rain coat! ahhh it is just sooo dang cute. that is like my new favorite color by the way! :) THANK YOU SO MUCH! I loved the skirt too! kinda big, but it works! Also I was just in need of a new journal so that worked out perfectly! :) thank you!!!!!!! 

So I didn't get transferred, thankfully.  I had a feeling I would stay cuz Trevor told me once that he stayed in an area for seven and a half months, so I just assumed that would happen to me too, I guess.   Oh, last week I think I forgot to mention that the kid who gave his farewell talk wasn't worthy to serve so after he had the desire to serve that night, he then had to go through all the repentance process and he knows that is why the Lord gave him four months to prepare. cool huh?

So Saturday was the craziest day ever.  

So let's see, we had a primary activity, Merle's Baptism, Jason's Endowment,  

a random Wedding Reception, 

and the Mission Conference thing 

all happening pretty much at the same time! 

It was the busiest day ever.  

But what great things to stress over ya know?  

Love it.  

Bab's, Merle, Me, Sis Gale

So My investigator Merle was baptized on Saturday the 24th! :)  I love him SOOOO much. About a month or so ago when we invited him to be baptized, he said he would be going RV'ing so he wouldn't be in town, well we all decided to pray about it and the next time we met, he said that every single RV he tried to rent, had to be returned no later than the 23rd! ha. So he said yes to the 24th!  So we were not able to talk to him or even have contact for a week before he was baptized.  This stressed our zone leaders out, but I felt good.  We called President Tilleman last Friday and we told him that he would be out of town, but we knew his baptism was going to happen and asked if he would do the honors of performing the baptism.  President liked how bold we were and was like, "how could I say no to that?!" haha, so it all worked out just like I knew it would.  Merle and his wife Babs are soooooo cute together! They are the ones that are doing this so that they can be together forever!  ahhh.  That means they can get sealed right before I leave in one year.  I could and am going to their sealing! I love them.  They love each other sooo much! They just got married in June and the RV trip down the Oregon coast was like their getaway.  I can just picture his sweet disposition and her wide eyed gaze... reading the Book of Mormon getting lost upstate! ahhh. precious.  The baptism went really well.  President Tilleman loved the story about the RV having to be returned by the 23rd.  Elder Aidukitis couldn't make it in time, but the meeting with him was sooooooo good.

Basically, we went straight from the baptism into the chapel where we sat with like 100 other missionaries from the lower mainland. It was a spiritual feast of a day.  The meeting was broadcast to all the other missionaries in the mission.  When President Tilleman spoke, he told the RV story about Merle.  He also talked about HOW PROUD he was of his, "two little humble, pure, and hard working Brookswood Sisters!"  He used us as an example for being bold and he also talked about how I received personal revelation for the 24th because at zone conference I had talked to him and I originally wanted it to be on the 17th, So we said a prayer together and he gave me a blessing to know what to do. He said we need ask, and act, in regards for personal revelation.  He was pleased that I went to the Lord and chose the 24th.  It was cool.  I donno.. whenever I hear stuff about myself.. like compliments.. I feel like I just have to immediately disregard it cuz I don't want to get prideful.  So yeah.  It was pretty exciting.

Elder Aidukitis is So funny! ha he was just cracking me up with his accent.  I love it.  He talked about how we should be New Era missionaries! Not Old Era ones.  It was really motivating.  Our Bishop even went over it in Ward Council.

Last week we took one of our Investigators Coffee Machine and Coffee! That was pretty awesome.  I've never done that.  I loved throwing away the coffee! haha  Other than that, not much to report on.

Going in for transfers is always fun because you get to see everyone! I like that! Good things are happening here in Brookswood.  I love my ward more than ever.  They are so good about getting us food and making sure our needs are met.  We have a couple sisters who come out with us a lot and it's great! So all in all, things are pretty good.  We just need to have more baptisms dang it!

We are teaching this family right now from Burma and they don't speak a lick of English.  Jk. the kids sorta do, so they translate for the parents in Karen.  It's kinda fun and different.  They came to our baptism which was cool.  I really hope they will follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized.

Well everyone, I want you to know that I know the church is true and that it is the very exact same church that Jesus Christ taught and led while He was on the earth.  This past week, my understanding of the Plan of Salvation was enhanced.  I love everything about it.  It is perfect.  It is beautiful, and incredible, and amazing, and it is so real, and so true.  I often find myself thinking about the pre-earth life.  I just know with all my heart that I lived with all of you and God before I came to this earth.  I get really worked up with excitement and awesome wonder when I think about the council in heaven.  How crazy must that have been?! I wish I could just call you all and talk about it.  Writing it just doesn't give it justice.  I love it though.  Sometimes I picture it like the first Lord of the Rings when they are counciling about what to do with the ring. Then Frodo volunteers to take it and Gandoff's face is just like ahh.  I picture that is what it was like when Jesus Volunteered...  Heavenly Father must have been like ahh. Why? is there no other way? it is kind of sad but beautiful at the same time.  heart wrenching really.  I am very grateful that you all chose to follow Jesus Christ's plan.  I know that is why we are here.  I know that I did things before this life that led and permitted me to where I am now.  I know I am a daughter of God and I know he loves me.  I know that I was placed in my family and my country by virtue of my obedience in the pre-earth life.  I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will bring others so much happiness.  My heart aches for those who don't know or reject this plan.  How awful that must be.  I am very humbled and grateful for the knowledge I have.  I love being a part of God's Army.  I know the church is true. I know that we have living day prophets on the earth to help lead and guide us back to our Savior and Loving Heavenly Father. 

 I know the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God.  

I know it. I live it. I love it. 

 Thank you for all the love and support.  You don't know how much it means to me to hear from each of you.  It's like a piece of heaven.  I'm surprised I haven't heard from some people, but I wouldn't hold it against them and it is never too late.  Well, I love you all.  Please remember to be strong and of good courage.  Be not afraid. Stand firm in the faith.  For the Lord will be with us where ever we go. Be His. Be One. Be Strong.  

1-10-15. 

remember the small and simple things.  

                                              5 stars! WORK iT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I love you.
                         LOVE YOUR SISTER MISSIONARY! JAYNANNE PETERSEN! :]