May 7, 2012

Family,

  I would just like you tell you what a pleasure it was to work with Elder Puairau! It was very hard to say good bye, but I know that it is the Lord's will! That's right, Elder Puairau left this morning for Martini, which is in Switzerland. I received my new companion, Elder Coenen. He us Belge, I met him already when i was at Gap! He was in my zone. It all happened so fast... my mission is going by too fast! 

 This week was full of exchanges! As a district leader I need to do an exchange with every member of the district... however It arranged that I needed to do two exchanges this last week, and the on top of that, the zone leaders needed to do theirs with me too!!!! My first Exchange was with Elder Stanford. It's kind of weird, because we are in the same apartment ha ha. I don't even feel like Elder Stanford is a blue! He is very mature and works hard! He has fun too:)Today it was fun to see him meet up with his sister at the train station, it made me appreciate my sisters a little bit more. Yeah, his sister is in our same mission :) I did my exchange with Elder Harel (frenchy) as well! He is a good missionary He is a great teacher as well! He Really knows the Doctrine! I love exchanges, they are a such a crucial point in missionary work! We get to learn from each other, but we also have SO MUCH FUN!!! ha ha. It is a lot more interesting as a district leader as well, because you have a relationship with each member, that other missionaries in the district don't! 
   I received my second dead letter the other day! I am very excited to take on this last stretch! President counseled to sprint the final stretch and finish strong! He even asked us (all of my group of missionaries finishing in july which is like 30 missionaries!) He told us that the way we finish our mission will be ripple of what happens in the rest of our life... that echos what my best friend Blake Walton said, "The way you finish your mission, is the way you will finish in life" 
   It is interesting, because in football our coaches taught us a similar principal. They said that if we let up before the whistle, we were only cheating ourselves. In practice, if we didn't play each play to the whistle, he got on us. In conditioning, if he seen that we were letting up before the finish line, he made us run more.... I learned pretty darn quick to finish through the finish line. This simple lesson has blessed me immensely in my life, and I have given my all in everything I do since. 
   
   We had two investigators at church this week :) Antonio, an italian, and Paul, who is Bangla. Antonio told us he felt the difference between our church and the catholic church... we express our love more for the Savior Jesus Christ. 
   Miracle for ya! This week one of our members bore his testimony about prayer and missionary work. We visited his family a month ago, and invited them to pray for someone in their life. We invited them to pray specifically for an opportunity to share the Gospel with this person. Well, the next day at work, the father went to work and his meetings were cancelled... Then he  was asked by a colleague from work to eat with him.. which never happens. Then the friend asked him about reincarnation and his view on the subject!!! Yes this is the friend for who he prayed! This has also grown my testimony of prayer and its power to call upon the powers of heaven to do this work.
   Revelation! From my studies this week, I could sum it up in one word... Consecration. When we understand our calling as missionaries, we understand that it requires consecration! 
   Thank you so much for fixing up my classes for me ;) I feel like it is all going to come together very well!!! So about hotels! In Toulouse, there is a hotel called Novotel that President stays at when he comes to town. It is located at Compans Caffarelli, just next to the street 4 rue Alaric 2 Compans Caffarelli (the old mission office ) That would be perfect for Toulouse.... I don't think I have other things to tell you! I love you so much and... oh yeah I will have to do my call at 9 or 10, because here in France it is 5 PM or 6PM... if I do it after church, it will be too late :/ sorry. It's just like that! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!!!! Oh be expecting a package soon :) Also I got my hardrive a few weeks ago, thanks :)

Love, Elder Petersen