Hello fam!
We've got some big plans (as in get groceries, fix car, get sister Unferdorfer's hair cut, and go to Good Will) today! Because little Vernonia is hidden up in the mountains it takes a while to find civilization, so it's going to be a shorter email today.
I hope all is well with you wherever you are because it truly is a beautiful world and Gods love shines over it all!
It's been a good week here in our little broken Vernonia. We have come to the conclusion that everyone who lives here is hiding from something. And as missionaries who's job it is to find people it's not always the easiest mix.
But as was taught in our Zone conference this week, God is preparing people to hear the gospel, our job is to act in faith and as we follow the promptings of The Holy Ghost we will be lead to those who are ready.
We had some cool experiences with this is week. Nothing crazy, just simply feeling peace that some people are ready and some people are not, but we need to talk to everyone to give them that opportunity.
We were walking along the street going to an appointment when we passed a lady who was across a parking lot from us. As we walked past her and she was blocked from view by a building I immediately was pulled back and started walking back and to her. As a missionary we walk up to strangers all the time but I have never had the experience of being pulled towards someone until now. As we walked towards her she actually walked towards us as well, which is big haha. We talked and by the end she accepted a pamphlet and gave us her number. Nothing huge, but who knows where it might lead.
We were walking back from an appointment and decided to take a slightly different route. This took us past an investigators house who we hadn't planned on visiting. In seeing her house we both felt like we needed to go see her. She was having a really bad day and needed a listening ear. So we talked and listened and shared a comforting scripture or two from the Bible. She then opened up to us that she was struggling putting together her chicken coup so we were able to call a member and they immediately came over to help!
... Yup that's it! OK on to this week!
This week flew by! Seriously it was crazy fast, even though it was snowing all week and we had to walk a lot more because of the icy road. They even canceled the last two hours of church, not this Sunday but the Sunday before because of the snow. But we NEED those church hours! Seriously those three hours get me through the week! So we stayed at the chruch, along with the branch presidents family and played the piano and sung hymns it was very peaceful, and very needed.
Highlights of the week! 🤣😄😂
-Late night (as in 8:30pm) Snowball fight with our neighbors! I slipped, but I also got a few headshots so it's all good haha!
-Having a "Studio C" service lesson with the little boys we teach. We've come to realize that sitting still is not an option, and they love to perform for us, so we played service themed charades or as they call it "Studio C".
-Finnally getting back at a member who always trys to scare us when we are at the chruch. We got him good!
-a less-active member calling us and asking questions he has about the chapter he is reading in the Book of Mormon!
-talking to a lady outside one of the bars. When she saw us she immediately said "oh great it's the Mormons!" then gave us both huge hugs... She told us she is a member who has been inactive for 27 years. Her father was a bishop, her husband then walked out of the bar saw us and walked back inside, she explaining that he is avoiding us... I mean that happens a lot and we all knowit but it's good to have someone just come out and say it. She was an interesting lady. She ended up taking a pamphlet and told us that it's been long enough she needs to revisit it again. It was a very interesting exchange...
-Oh big highlight! Our lesson with David this week was really good! He has a very different way of thinking and speaking, but for some reason I can understand and connect with him. I think it's the gift of tongues haha!! Well we tried giving the first couple lessons but they really just went over his head, example: He thinks Joseph Smith saw future halogram versions of himself appear... So we decided to come back to the actual lessons later and just focus on reading the book of Mormon for now. He really likes it, and this last time we talked about the Holy Ghost as we read and he told us... "I believe - no I know that the spirit is here!" you have to understand that when we first started meeting with David, he was very much about personal "interpretation", anything can be right or wrong it's just what you personally believe that matters. To hear him say he knows something is true, is a big sign that he is progressing in his own unique way! It was awesome!
We found out that next week is transfers ahhhwhwwhww!!!!! We thought we had two weeks until transfers but nope! So we are going to start preparing ourselves for the inevitable! Most likely I will be staying and sister Unferdorfer will be leaving :( but nothing is set in stone until Saturday! Eep!
Spiritual thought😇
I made it to Alma!! Yay!! I just love the Book of Mormon! There is something new to be found every time you read it, and it's perfectly tailored to what you need in the moment! A verse that stood out to me as I read this time was Mosiah 29:20.
"But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him."
I have been working this week on better being able to put my trust in God. I tend to want to do things my way, but I'm learning that God knows best and as I humble myself and seek His will and His plan then things will go much more smoothly, and ultimately work out for the best in the end.
Well have a lovely week my beautiful fam! I hope this email gets to you this time! I hope you will never forget how special you each are! Love you all so much!
-Sister Peterson😁
Guess you get a double dose of pictures this week!
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