Nos Quedamos

So much happened this week!  Hermana Salas left us for Perù and with 54 new missionaries that arrived this transfer there were changes all over the place to accommodate until transfers, which were this morning.  I was with Hermana Alley, an adorable new missionary from Utah, for two days.  Her feet were worn raw within the first few hours and she was suffering but she didn't complain one bit and persevered all the way through.  She will make a wonderful addition to the mission.

Hermana Zamora and I are now working as a companionship, still in Aldo Bonzi.  I love my area.  This will be an excellent tranfser and we are ready to keep working with all diligence.

You will all be thrilled to know that Justa made it to her baptism on Friday and yesterday received the gift of the Holy Ghost!!!  I love Justa so much and I have pictures to send but this computer wont connect to my camera so you will have to wait until next week. I know, the suspense!  Justa is all smiles these days.  She makes me quite felìz. And she always giving us un montòn de nìsperos.  I think that is how you spell it. Delicious.

We were walking down the street one day this week when we heard someone behind saying, "Ey! Chicas!"  We turned around and there was a woman walking up to us.  She asked if we were from a church and we told her yes.  she said she always sees us and we are always happy, and she was curious about who we were.  We asked if we could pass by her house to tell her about why we are happy and she said, "Yeah, let me show you where I live."  Woah!  So she showed us her door and we set up an appointment for later that day.  Milagros.  God is always preparing people to hear the gospel.  He leads them to us and us to them.  

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior.  I know that we are all brothers and sisters.  I know that we are required to love all men and treat them like what they are- our family. :)  Everyone you see and meet and know is important to Heavenly Father.  Let them be important to you as well.  

Family, I really love you with all my heart.  Also, I love Argentina. :)

Hermana Peterson

Justa

Justa is a wonderful woman.  We found her one day sitting outside her house watching the cars go by, about a month ago.  We sat down with her and began talking.  She is from the province of Jujuy and is very timid.  People from Buenos Aires LOVE to talk, generally speaking, but oftentimes people from the provinces are more reserved.  This day Justa was very quiet and she told us she felt very sad.  Her husband passed away two years ago and she lives alone, never had any children.  She is 75 years old.  She wouldn't let us into her home to have a lesson but we had a little lesson, there sitting on the cement.  She said she didn't know if we could come back for another lesson because sometimes she goes out and she never knows when she will be home.  We eventually found a good time for the both of us and she said it was fine.  We had been passing by every few days and one day Hermana Salas needed a bathroom and Justa was hesitant to let us in.  Hermana Salas put on her "pretty please" face and Justa let us in.  

Her walls are covered with artwork.  She has a collection of padlocks on one wall.  A picture of her husband sits on her kitchen table, with his long white beard and kind eyes.  She began to tell us about how she and her husband were artists, she likes to paint nature and he likes to paint people.  One day he didnt feel very well and they went to the doctor.  The doctor told her he needed some therapy, and he died the next day.  It was very sudden and she misses him terribly.  She wants to be with him again, and we shared with her the plan of salvation.  The next Sunday she went to Church, all three hours.

She is leaving behind the traditions of her fathers and entering into the waters of baptism and it is so happy.  Now that we have her trust she is such a crack-up.  She is quiet by nature but she is always making little jokes and she is so much happier than when we first found her.  When we taught her the law of chastity and asked if she had a novio she asked, "Why? Do you want me to find one?"  She goes to church by herself and just smiles and listens all the while.  I love Justa.

ALSO, we received a new companion this week!  Her name is Hermana Zamora, from México!!  She is fresh from the MTC, plus a few weeks waiting for her visa.  She is all smiles and full of energy for the work of the Lord.  She arrived on Wednesday and she has made a wonderful addition to our companionship.  The Hermana Salas leaves us for her blessed Perú this weekend and I can hardly believe it.  She has taught me more in these weeks than I have learned in years of schooling.  She will be missed.  We have transfers next Monday and we are not sure what will happen.  

Yesterday was El Día de la Madre in Argentina, entonces, Felíz Día, Mamá! La quiero un montón.  Good timing for your birthday as well. :)  Felíz Cumpleaños!!  You are the most amazing woman I know.

This gospel is so true.  The power of prayer and the scriptures and the ability to change and act are beautiful blessings.  Be humble and accept the will of God with patience and charity and you will be miracles.  Always be available for the work of the Lord.  I love you, family.  You are so righteous.  And so beautiful. :)

Loves and besitos,

Hermana Peterson

Gabriel se bautizo!

And it was hermoso.  We passed by the day before his baptism and he told us he was anxious for the day of his baptism to arrive. :)  His mom, Juana, and brother went to the baptism.  We are hopeful that Juana can follow his example soon and be baptized as well.  They are a special family, one I have come to love very much.  Gabriel and his brother go to a special needs school.  Juana´s house what burned a few months ago and she lost everything but she just keeps on keepin´ on with incredible faith in Jesus Christ.  

Hermana Salas has given me the reigns to lead to area so that I will be prepared for this coming transfer when she leaves me for her home in Perú.  I make a lot of mistakes.  But I am learning a lot in a short amount of time, and I'm learning more about what it means to be a focused, diligent missionary.  It is intense!  What a privilege to care for the children of God that He has blessed to know.  I am trying to give them all I've got and to let Jesus Christ change my heart into how He wants it to be.  It is a process.

I want to have time to send pictures so I am going to keep this one short!  It was also the birthday of Hermana Castillo and we had a good time with that. :)  I love this ward so much. Everyone is so full of love.

I love you all!!! Thanks for your love and support and powerful examples. You are beautiful.

Loves,

Hermana Peterson

                                                                  bautismo

                                       el barrio, the ones I love so much

                                            An Argentine dessert...sweet potato jello on top and mozzarella cheese on the bottom.  It was the first time I had it. Delicious. Sits a little heavy on the stomach. but really good.

                                                      More birthday fun

the two in the back sitting down are Antonio y Martita and we love them very much.  They were converts of hermana Castillo four months ago and they are the greatest.  Some of my favorite people. :) and the old man, Roman, is the cutest old man you could ever meet.

The family that was sealed

Come hear a Prophet!

At the end of the last transfer Hermana Davis and I were companions for a day, on exchanges.  That day we found a woman, Mari, with her kids in the park and we sat down and had a lesson with her.  She was very receptive and said she wanted to be baptized.  We noted her address and phone number and set a date for our next lesson.  Well when we went to go to the appointment we discovered that her address didn't
                                           

 exist.  Major bummer!  She was so sincere and yet she gave us a false address. We were sad.  Then this week happened.

We were walking, Hermana Salas y yo, when Mari approached me and said, "Hey! How are you? I still remember about my baptism for the 12th, viste?"  What a happy moment.  So we wrote her address again and invited her to General Conference for the next day.  We went to talk with her the next morning only to discover that once again, the address didnt exist!  We asked around and eventually found her door, she opened, we had a lesson and she went to Conference later that day.  She is now planning on being baptized the 26th. :)  Maybe I need to do some practices with writing down numbers in castellano or something... :)  It wont happen again.

We worked hard this week to have as many investigators as possible in General Conference. It is a wonderful opportunity for people that usually work Sundays or need a boost to their testimonies or for EVERYONE!  We take the Randy Murray approach in this mission to help people get to church, and we were running en todos lados to go with investigators!  In the end we had six lovely people listening to the word of God in General Conference.  And what a Conference it was!!  What power and love.  The Church is true.

Hermana Salas making pan de banana con amor!

Gabriel is preparing to be baptized this Saturday.  We are praying and working hard to help him make this important first step.  What an exciting time to be alive.  The Lord is hastening His work.  And we all get to be a part of it!  No one can walk this path alone.  We all need a friend, a lot of support, people that can empathize and love, and people that never give up in the work of the Lord.  The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.

The peace that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings is incredible.  Even though I am far from my family I feel their presence in a deep and very real way.  I miss Grandma Joyce.  It is hard to not be there to share in this moment with everyone, but The Lord doesnt have the same boundaries that we do, and through Him we can feel a comfort and unity that you just cant find anywhere else.  And we know Grandma Joyce is smiling a fresh smile and busily working to help bring more souls to Christ.  What a grandma. :)  What a family.  I really love my family.  I really love Jesus Christ.  And now it is time to get to work!

Loves,

Hermana Peterson

                               We are cute!

Gauchos

We set out on our morning run this Tuesday to find horse carriage after horse carriage passing through the streets!  There is a yearly festival for all the gauchos at the end of September and they travel from all over Argentina.  My companion was all excited because last year at this time she was in Lujan, where the festival takes place.  It was exciting to see all the families going, with their horses all pretty, everyone in gaucho-gear. I love Argentina.

Perks of being with a missionary in their last transfer: (Lets be honest, the list is endless because if they have worked hard the whole time to become the best missionary they can be, they are awesome missionaries- such is the case with Hermana Salas- but this is one of the BEST perks-)  We got to go the sealing of a family she taught!!!  It was heavenly.  The office called on Friday night and told us they were getting sealed and that they had called Preisdent and told him they wanted Hermana Salas to be there.  So special.  So happy.  Families really can be forever.  It is want God wants for each family.  It requires work and diligence and humility and cooperation and a whole lot of faith, and it is beautiful.

This week we focused more on sticking to the plans we make each night and the Lord showed us that He is leading us to where He wants us to be.  We found a lot of new people who were ready to listen and we are excited to help them progress in this journey towards Christ.  One family is from the Dominican Republic and they have the cutest little baby boy, Mateo.  Precioso.

I love this work.  And I love you!  Be well, keep smiling.

Hermana Peterson

Roadbumps

We don't see many stop signs here, but the road bumps are endless.  

This week was not as peachy as the last, I hate to say.  Our investigators are hitting some road bumps that are causing them to wobble.  This is a hard fight we are in, to fight for our salvation.  Just when we think we are about to find safety the adversary comes and clotheslines us!  But Jesus Christ is always stronger and He is always there to reach out a hand and help us up, or carry us the rest of the way.  That is the beauty of it all.  No matter what happens, Jesus Christ is our Savior and we can always turn to Him.  That is the lesson of the week, my friends.

Saturday was Felíz Día de Primavera!!  And it rained all the day!  So spring is here but the cold spouts are not over.  Some days it feels like we are in an oven and some days we are all decked out in our winter wear.  Today it is nice, the sky a lovely celestial blue. :)

The other hermanas in the ward had a beautiful baptism this week.  A man of 83 years entered into the waters of baptism, leaving his cane on the stairs.  After he came up out of the water his wispy hairs were all askew and as he ascended the stairs he turned to the ward mission leader, who is bald, and said, "Che, hermano, do you have a brush?"  Well we had a good laugh at that.  He is so prepared.  After a lifetime of smoking and a month of trying with all his might to quit, he was ready for that baptism and the whole ward rejoiced.  I love baptisms.

Well family, the work is always moving forward and we are working, working, working!  I am excited for all the good that the gospel brings to the world.  There is nothing better than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It can turn frowns into smiles.  We see it day by day.  I send my love!!

Hermana Peterson

Amor

This place is full of it.  There is love everywhere.  And this week I really felt it.  Hermanita Henao se fue a otro barrio and the big surprise was that Hermana Salas, who left on Monday, returned with me on Wednesday!  So now we are working together, just us two, and it was weird for the first day or two.  We are learning well together and we had a wonderful week.

We worked hard to have daily contact with our investigators this week and the results were miraculous.  Juana and Gabriel have told us that they have no doubt that this is the truth and are excited for their baptisms this month.  They came to Church and everyone welcomed them with open, loving arms.  Jonathan and Angie are living la Palabra de Sabiduría and Jonathan began praying for a new job so he can keep the Sabbath Day holy.  They came to Church and Jonathan told us he has a new job in a bakery, Monday-Saturday. :)  Silvia, who has been meeting with missionaries off and on for months, read Alma 34 four times this week and came to Church for the first time.  The hand of the Lord is undeniable in the lives of these wonderful people.  We were all smiles at Church yesterday.

The Lord really prepares people to receive the truth.  I love watching Him work in the hearts of people as they put it all on the line and trust in Him.  The blessings that come from going to Church are incredible.  I dont think I noticed the blessings from church attendance much before, but here I can see it clearly.  In our District Meeting this week we talked about the blessings of church attendance and how we can help people to attend.  The truth is that the Lord promises us the fulness of the earth if we sanctify this holy day, which basically means He promises us everything if we will take this time to worship Him.  I love it.

I am happy.  I am learning. I am seeing that we are all children of God and that He has so much more for us than we can imagine.  In a world of darkness He offers us light.

Family, I love you.  You are the greatest blessing in my life.  Be well.