TRANSFERS!

man oh man. where on earth do i begin.
first off.

A HUGE thank you and LOVE YOU to my FK's/BEST girl friends EVER! i love you girls and your package MADE MY DAY/WEEK!! thank you all for your sweet letters and for the goodies. i cried. and laughed. man i love you all.

Mom! thank you for the package as well! the timing of it was impeccable. i got it the day of transfers, and it was exactly what i needed to calm my nerves haha so thanks! i love you.
So should i tell you what happened?? haha

Transfers. talk about a whirlwind of emotions. I honestly havent cried since being out here, but this week i broke that trend haha. This has been the most humbling week of my life. for sure.
Tuesday and Wednesday this week were incredible. We worked at the trail center, and also had so much fun with the sisters! we bought snuggies as a house, haha and took pictures and ate goodies and acted like we were never going to see each other again. it was awesome, and so fun. we got home that night and sister bowles and sister harris (the sisters who lived with us) had stuffed my snuggie full of newspaper and made a dummy out of it haha. it brought me back to provo, and it was so fun. :)

On wednesday we visited the Lakes, and oh my goodness. it was a RIOT. they were yelling and hollering about how schools need to teach respect, how kids these days are crazy, and they sang some jamaican songs for Sister Whittaker and i.. ah i was on the ground laughing it was so funny! we have been teaching Brother Lake, Desmond, and he is going to be baptized. we havent set a date for him yet, but he will be baptized. He is incredible. I love that family.

We visited a woman named cheryl and her son named thomas this week, and i was so overcome with how grateful i am to have the gospel. The gospel changes lives. They live in a run down house, they both have diabetes, they smoke, they drink, they struggle. It is so sad. But, they are wanting to come closer to Christ and i KNOW that Christ can heal them. It is amazing to see how even in the past week since teaching them, they already have a desire to change and be baptized. this work is so great. i love it.

Wednesday night sis bowles and sister harris moved their beds into our room, and we had a sleepover since it could be our last night together. It was so fun to remember the experiences and miracles that i have already seen on my mission.

Thursday morning we got up, and we got a call from president telling us about transfers. Sister Whittaker was called to be the new Trail Center Leader and to be proselyting in the Florence area. Splitting up with sister whittaker has been so hard. she is so incredible and we have become best friends. but change is good and it is what helps us grow! I was asked to stay in Rockbrook and my new companion is named Sister Tulley. She has been out for about 5 months.

Ever since i got out on my mission, president has asked the new sisters if they would be ready to train after 6 weeks. that overwhelmed me, but i knew that through the Lord's help i could do it. all the sisters in the mission placed bets (not with money ha) on who would train, and i was put down by everyone. Every one of the sisters i came out with 6 weeks ago are training new sisters, except for me. This week has been humbling. and i am not telling you this to have a pity party haha, but it truly shows that the Lord is in charge. i know that without a doubt i am supposed to be with Sister Tulley, even though i may have thought i should be or do something else, or everyone else thought i needed to be somewhere else. I remembered my setting apart, and how it talked about me being a strength to other missionaries, and i know that the Lord has a much bigger plan than i have for myself. i am so grateful that for atleast a year and a half i dont have to worry about where i go or what i do. the Lord is in charge.

D&C 50:40 "Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my father hath given me".

I am a child of God, and He, and only He realizes and knows my heart and what is best for me. I am so incredible grateful for Him.

On Sundays we work at the trail center all day and it was the most incredible day. i realized that i havent been writing home about my experiences at the trail center, but know that i still love it! that place is sacred ground. So on Sunday, the spirit was so strong and i was able to give some amazing tours. a couple came in that was not LDS, but they were so willing to learn and were so touched by the lives of the pioneers. It was such a great experience for me to bear testimony of the reality of God, and see their hearts softened. I love the trail center. ALSO. i was sitting in the front waiting for the next tour to come in, and guess who walks in? Elder Perkins and Elder Deschler from the 70! and guess who was outside of the Trail center?? ELDER L. TOM PERRY. There were only 6 sisters on shift, so we got to talk to him for a good 10 minutes. ah. it was awesome.

i love being a missionary. it is so hard. that is why i love it. i have seen myself grow and i am learning so much every day. I know that God is our Heavenly Father. i KNOW that Christ suffered for each of our pains and weaknesses. i love Him.

thank you for being so supportive. i love you all, and i love my savior.

Fun Fact:
1. i get to CALL HOME/SKYPE THIS WEEK!!! Sunday at 5 is when i will be calling. 3 YOUR TIME!! so pick up the phone, k? :) CAN'T WAIT!!!

Sister Peterson.