Jour de Preparation is always a great day ha ha!! Thank you for your prayers, I have reaped the blessings in great abundance! First things first, about the Famille Créquit.... there baptism is cancelled. I know that you are probably very upset and as distraught as I am, so I'll explain.
We had a wonderful lesson the other night, followed up with engagements, planned the baptism, and taught some important laws and principles we needed to! It was perfect! The daughter even picked me to confirm her! That was a lot to take in at the moment, you would have laughed to see me fumble to say "yes"! The daughter, Marie-Ocean has so many questions!!! I love seeing how excited she and her mother are to learn the Gospel! She asks some pretty deep questions though... like where does God come from?..... yeah, never thought would get that question. Anyways there eagerness is heartwarming. The end of the night came, and we had one more thing that we needed to take care of, in fact, it was a pivotil question for the baptism. Maryline(mother) is in the middle of a divorce right now, and we weren't sure what the situation was. At first we' assumed that this happened a while ago, but we were tipped off by the member family that the divorce wasn't final. That presents a legality problem, and the church has counselled that the mother ask permission for herself and her children who are under 18 to ask the husband for permission. You can see why we saved this for last. We asked and she told us, the divorce process is beginning on the 20th of this month.... and we told her what she would have to do if she and her daughter wanted to be baptized, and I felt like we dropped a bomb.
She responded in a fluster of words, and was very upset. She told us it was impossible, there was no way he would ever approve. She is afraid of him, he had warned her what would happen if she or their kids entered an LDS Church, or any church for that matter. He isn't religious and is violent. We told her that because of the situation we would have to cancel the baptism and wait for the divorce process to be complete. She told us that could take weeks to even months. She just wept. Here is a family already torn by discord, has found the Gospel that can heal their wounds, yet the thorn continues to sting. I was very upset and distraught as well, I began to swell in tears. I have taught this family from the beginning, and finally have seen what desire they have to be baptized, in the depths of sorrow and pain. The daughter began to cry because I was crying and her mother was crying. Although this situation was a sad one, caused by a stumbling block placed in the path of baptism, I felt hope enter my heart.
I seen their desire to be baptized, to enter into that sacred covenant with our Heavenly Father, and nothing could bring more joy than that. Life is full of disappointments and trials, but it is thanks to Faith in Jesus Christ that we can overcome them. Indeed this is the trial of the Family's faith, and as they continue to learn and grow in the Gospel, one day they will have endured it well, and the fruits of baptism will be sweeter than they ever imagined. They have intergrated themselves very well into the ward, and their relationships will be huge in this period of delay. Patience will be big, but so will faith, hope, charity and Love! I know that they will be baptized, there is no doubt in my mind. I will probably not be here to see it, but that doesn't get me down.
34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the awill of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the afields; for they are white already to bharvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth awages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may brejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One asoweth, and another reapeth.
38I sent you to areap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: bother men laboured, and ye are entered into their labors.
Another may reap the rewards of my work, but we will rejoice together in our kingdom on high. That is missionary work; it isn't about having the opportunity to personally baptize or confirm, it is to rejoice in the salvation of humain souls!
We will continue to work with the family, and help them grow in the Gospel. This will be a blessing for the Son, he can have the opportunity to learn and be baptized with his family in time, when he finds his testimony! We will continue to find the elect of God's children to teach as well! We have one investigator right now who has a lot of potential, and another who has stopped smoking. We also have the Famille Lescure that we will begin to work on as well. Satan will never stop afflicting the hearts of man, so neither must this work stop!
Each and every day we deal with trial and upset, but it is because of Faith in Jesus Christ that we can rise each morning to a hope that we will meet our Savior and he will call us home! That is my testimony, and I leave it with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I also received a sweet package from your friend dad; Steve Tucker. That is so cool he does that, I absolutely love the puzzle, and will use it soon!!! Uncle Steve also sent me a package with socks and a tie, and some goodies! Jill sent me an wooden ornament she got on her mission!!! How cool is that?! I'll keep that close and never forget it!
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| Cooky Moment |
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| Tummy Treats from Home |
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| Yummy |
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| One of Dustys favorite families and Elder |
Nicholas
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| The Sunset in Brive |
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| Dusty in the Sunset in Brive |
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| New Styling Shoes for Pday |
I included a few pictures, I think you will like them. Some are just me being cooky again, but there is a beautiful picture of a sunset I took a couple days ago. I forgot to put myself in it, so Elder Nicholes just hurry and snapped another, we were on our way to a rendez-vous.
I'm being fed very will, and sleep like a baby! We pray everyday before leaving the apartement, so I think safety will not be an issue! I love how you care so much Mother! I miss your motherness ha ha. Its mostly good weather but you have the rainy and foggy days; that's winter! You should be getting a package soon, sent it around Christmas. Dad I knows its your BIRTHDAY next week too. I will be sending a few things home ;) I love you all, and can't wait to hear from you next week!!!!!
Love Elder Petersen
