Jan 2 , 2012 Bergerac

Family

Well, it was a great year! Happy New Years!!! When I read the weekly mission newsletter letter this morning, I was sad a bit, because President Murdock told us that he will only be our Mission President for 6 more months... It then hit me that I will be going home not long after him! I won't be a missionary at the end of the year! 

So that I can become the missionary the Lord would have me be before I go home, I have made some goals for this transfer but also the year! I find it important to have year goals too, because I need to keep that missionary spirit with me long after I am no longer a full-time missionary! 

My goals are these:
1- 100 percent OBEDIENCE!
2- I want to have a good morning every morning!
3- I want to prioritize my time appropriately. 
4- I am not going to COMPLAIN, just work.
5- Be positive
6- I'm not going to worry about dumb stuff that has nothing to do with our investigators salvation and mine own. 
7- Pray for patience and continue to use experiences of difficulty to gain it! 
8- I also want to become PMG/PME missionary! I'm going to study from it every day! 
9- I also want to read the "Livre de Mormon" from cover to cover again before I go home. I also want to read all of the standard works before my mission is up. (D&A, Perle de Grand Prix)
10- Speak the language of my mission at every opportunity!

Goals for this transfer in Bergerac:
1- Gain Members confidence
2- Activate Johan Banthoud
3- Strengthen the youth of the Branch
4- Plan efficiently in 30 minutes each night
5- Become best friends with Elder Willett!
6- Do something fun on Jour de Preparation :) Don't be boring ha ha
7- Keep our rendez-vous to 30-45 minutes and Invite our investigators to keep commitments, and end our rendez-vous when the spirit would have us do it! 
8- We are going to spiritual create each morning!

This week, we didn't get to see much of our investigators :( We did see Mme. Foucaud with Elder and Sr. Johnston! It was a great lesson on the Law of Chastity. She has no problem with keeping it :) and she says her husband will be 100 percent in arrogance, but she still is hesitant to talk to him about it. She told us he MIGHT  feel threatened the church will replace him as her support... Mme. Foucaud has no self confidence at all, he is always strong for her. But the thing is, she hasn't really openly talked with him about it, so we can't really know for sure. She just doesn't want to lose her husband. We invited her to make a plan to strengthen her marriage so that her husband will see that the church is only going to bring good things into their lives!

Muamba came home from Paris today, but he is still in Bordeaux. He will be home tonight, and we will see him tomorrow. We visited with Sr. Francoise Cattheuw, and Sr. Drouit this week.  We also seen Sr. Drouit's daughter Christine. Sr. Cattheuw is just tired of all the injustice, and wants to give up on life... we invited her to find her faith again in the Book of Mormon, and she accepted. Christine said she would try to read the Book of Mormon again(she is a less active too). She just feels that the members aren't nice and welcoming enough. It all comes right back down to the keystone of our religion, the Book of Mormon! If it is true, we should have no doubt in what to do :)

We passed our miracle family on Monday and gave them cookies :) We fixed a rdv for Friday, but they cancelled at the last moment :( There is always hope!) We have had a lot of success with porte à porte lately too! I love it!

I did an exchange with Elder Cushing as well; he is a great missionary! I'm happy to have him in my district! I interviewed one of their baptismal candidates as well. Sadly, he wasn't ready for baptism on Saturday, but in a couple weeks he may be ready! We have a lot of hope! It rained a lot during our exchange, but we talked with a lot of cool people! Lots of miracles :) 

It has been raining a lot this last week! It even hailed today! We tried to go see the catholic cathedral today to take some photos, but there was a funeral going on.... not a good day to visit. I bought a cool little black coin purse today. Every french person has one ha ha, might as well get one too! We visited a cool farm for Christmas lights too this last week! I'll send you a picture! It was intense, the kiddos would have loved it!

I love Elder Willett! I'm so happy that we are together for another transfer! oh yeah transfers have come and gone and I am staying with Elder Willett in Bergerac as District leader. Woop Woop! It is true that we have some differences, and sometimes bug each other, but we have always talked openly and come up with solutions to have unity! I find it ironic actually, we are a lot a like as well. I feel so blessed to have him as my companion. He wants a lot more confidence this transfer, and I'm sure that means I'm going to have to tone it down on talking in contacts and lessons ha ha. 

Elder Prunin and Elder Caldwell are still in Brive!! Elder Caldwells 5th transfer! And There is an Elder coming in to replace Elder Williams at Perigueux!... Oh and I got the package slip today, I'll pick up the package tomorrow! Well gotta go for now!


Love,
 Elder Petersen