Anna's Mission: Learning to Dance in the Rain: Opening Eyes 💙

Hello lovely people! It's been a good week here in West Salem. The week started out warm and sunny, but slowly changed into gray and dismal. But thats OK because there is sunshine in my soul today!

West Salem is very hilly. We often do big laps around our area in attempts to find people to talk to. It's a great workout as well haha!

One fun thing that happened this week was I got to see Sister Unferdorfer again!! She came here on exchanges with the STL's so it was a great happy MTC reunion. In case you don't remember, Sister Johnson and Sister Unferdorfer were the other sisters with me at the MTC who came to this mission, and I've been companions with them both!

One of the best things about being a missionary is you get to see people's eyes truly open for the first time as you answer their long held questions and introduce to them the gospel of Jesus Christ! I have also frequently had experiences where my eyes are opened to my Savior's love, the beauty of this gospel, and just realizations about myself and the world.

So last P-day we donated our apartment keys to Goodwill... not on purpose of course but after we noticed they were missing it was the only logical conclusion, that we accidentally dropped them into one of the bags we had donated earlier that day... woops! Goodwill is still looking for them but they are most likely lost in the vortex of discarded goods for eternity.

With no key to our apartment and it being too late for the mission office to bring us a new key we ended up spending the night with the other sisters. Who says you can't have sleepovers on your mission?!

This was actually one of those experiences that really opened my eyes to how much we take for granted. I rely so much on stuff! Whether that be a toothbrush, a change of clothing, a bed, a charger, my journal... and when I don't have my stuff I'm helpless relying totally on the hospitality of others. It's crazy how many many people don't ever have the comfort of having their own stuff. I am so grateful, and so humbled. It definitely puts perspective into "relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save." (2 Nephi 31:19)

Another humbling, eye opening, and interesting situation was our surprise lesson with our investigator Bob. We actually had two surprise lessons with him this week. He is a brand new investigator and we had, up to this point, simply been trying to set up a time to meet. Well because it has gotten rainy again we asked if we could do a video chat or message lesson instead of meeting in person. Well he immediately called us and we were so unprepared! He is an interesting fellow... Part of his current religion is to smoke weed every day and he was just a little high at the moment.... So Ya... but he is very willing to listen and learn.

Later in the week we ran into each other on the street. He saw us walking and said "just the ladies I was looking for." He had come down from cloud nine and we were able to have a much better lesson. We walked with him and talked for a long time. I have the horrible habit of categorizing people, and honestly they become like a character in my weird life story. But as we walked and he talked about his life and the trials of when he was living on the streets he slowly became real to me, and my heart breaks at the reality of what he has experienced in his 19 years of life.

He told us life is like falling down a hill, he has found different tools to help him hang on to the cliff but he says he is looking for that one tool. We introduced to him the Book of Mormon and explained that it is that tool he is looking for. He feels as if God doesn't care. He has asked God for help but feels as though he never answered. We shared Alma 7:11-12. He has many questions of the soul and is very humbled and prepared. It will be slow going with him but he definitely needs this gospel and is in a position to start receiving it.

(Editor’s insert: Alma 7: 11-12 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.)

Our lesson ended abruptly because one of his friends needed help, and without a moment of hesitation he ran off to litterally chase down an ambulance. It was a very interesting lesson and experience. I will keep you updated on his progress. I know it's going to be slow and rocky but both Sister Johnson and I feel so strongly that there is something here. It's an amazing, and heart breaking experience when you are able to see someone in even the tiniest sliver of how Christ sees them.

I am so grateful for my mission and how it has truly opened my eyes. I know there is still so much about the world and real life and so forth that I still don't know, but I am learning charity. Charity is the most important thing to learn, and it is the light in which all other learning should be done. (Moroni 7:45-48)

(Editor’s insert: Moroni 7:45-48 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.)

I hope you all have a wonderful week and don't forget we are all family ❤️

Love you bunches!!

-Sister Anna Peterson

Picture time! (I will try to make sure they are attached this time...)

1. Surprise Sleepover!