Old area to New Area

My last day with my companions in Kirtland, sad day....but ready for new adventures!!

Elder Moreland, Elder Peterson and Elder Stephenson

I made some great friends in Kirtland. That is why I am friends with them on Facebook.

Do you know Rebecca Thornton? I confirmed her as your friend on your facebook?

Actually I know her really well I absolutely love her Husband Kane Thornton. He is an extremely awesome guy. I told him if he wanted to stay in contact then ask his wife to be friends with me on Facebook.

Elder Peterson and Elder Betzold

I am in an area called New Castle West. It's in the Youngstown zone.

My new address is

611 Creed St 
Struthers, OH 44471 

My Companions name is Elder Betzold (nickname is Elder Pretzel). He is the one who gave himself that nickname because everyone has a problem remembering his last name.

I am in an apartment with only us two Elders and it seems to be really nice that way. The area is definitely warmer then my last area. because I am not even close to the lake anymore and I definitely feel a difference in the weather.

I am totally excited and love my new area. I do have to admit though that living by Kirtland definitely has a lot of perks like the spirit always there. But this area is just as nice.

 II am still in a car using zone. The car we drive is a Subaru Legacy. I actually really love this car and would not mind getting that kind of car to drive when I get home

 We do not have any baptism dates set, but a ton of soon to be baptism dates. Mercedes baptism can happen as soon as she is done with her surgeries. that is the only thing holding her back. She is all set and ready and now just needs to be baptized.

Mom: What are your plans for today?

Elder Peterson: Not much going shopping for three hours enjoying ourself. Being back in a city has been really nice and now I can save money instead of going to just Walmart (which was really expensive). Then my companion and I are going to clean the apartment because my companions old companion was a real messy guy. So we are going to make it tip top shape.

Also I forgot to tell you Jeffrey R Holland is coming to my mission on May 21st along with a person from the quorum of the Seventy. Really excited!!

                           My trainer (Elder Schmidt) is my Zone Leader now and he is in Youngstown.
            I will get to say hi and talk to him every week, so it is going to be a blast having him as a Zone leader.

Love you,

Elder Peterson

Thought for the day: "Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "If you sow a thought, you reap an action. Sow an action and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny."

(Mom saw it on someone's facebook)

I'm leaving.....to ????

Yes I am getting transfered. hahaha How about that. I am really excited but really sad. Elder Stephenson is getting transfered also. Here is a picture of my district:

Bottom Row: Elder Peterson, Elder Moreland, Elder Stephenson.

Top Row: Sister Harrison, Sister Derrick, Sister Oliver, Sister Tietjen, Sister Frankenberry, Sister Esplin. 

 Love you, until next week...

Love, Elder Peterson

Road Block...returning investigator...letter from a member

March 6

Well it has been a great week, I can tell you that much. Katherine who is our investigator has hit a road block with her husband. He right now is not okay with her being baptized. So we are praying to have his heart softened enough to let her be baptized because she really wants to be.
Then we picked up Eddy again. Which is a complete miracle because he just disappeared. So that was great. We are working to achieve 25 lessons and still just trying to get over twenty.
The weather has been cold, cold, and more cold. Actually is has been the most ridiculous weather ever.

Love Ya,

Elder Peterson

Update: March 1

Well the week actully went well, we found the investigator that I was saying was golden in January. He called back and is in a Health care Facility. So great to be teaching him (Eddy) again. The funny thing the Husband of that Sister is now okay with her getting baptized. But now the problem is the Ex-Husband (Well lets just say that He is keeping her busy and she just doesnt know how to say no). Grr Satan loves to get in the way. But on the Brighter side is that another investigator is up to par on Baptism. He stopped smoking and drinking coffee cold turkey now for eight days. Which is awesome. Transfers are next week so that means next Tuesday I will be writing. I give up on trying to know if I am leaving or staying if the Lord wants me here I will stay if I am needed else where then I will leave for else where.
The weather has been so nice, it has been incredible. I can't believe how warm it has got for being forty degrees.

Love,  Elder Peterson


Dear Brother and Sister Peterson.

I am from the Perry ward were your son serves his mission. My husband and I have spent a lot of time with your son and his companion. Your son is very quiet but he has a very strong testimony. He has a kindness and a sincerity about him that the spirit radiates off him. We have been so blessed to have him serving in our ward. When the time comes for him to get married he will make one lucky young woman a wonderful husband. Thank you for trusting in the Lord and sharing your son in the Cleveland, Ohio mission. I would like to let you know that my husband and I love your son and are taking care of him while he's in the Perry ward. We have him and his companion over often. You have raised one wonderful son. I just wanted to share that with you.

Your friend.

(It sure makes a parent feel good when people let you know how much they appreciate your son and how well he is doing. I am grateful to know that he is being taken care of. Thank you for the sweet letter).

Elder Anderson and Elder Peterson

He was my temporary companion for a week and a half. I got to be a temporary Zone leader with him.
We played basketball against each other in High School.
Skyline/Hunter
Sport enemies and Missionary friends

Temporary move....

First of the week has been  full of hospitals, Doctors appointments, and well more hospitals and Doctors appointments.  My companion Elder Moreland has not been doing well and sadly is in a ton of pain and the mission president was worrying about me and Elder Moreland so he made an emergency exchange with the Zone leaders.  I only had 15 minutes to pack so I am now companions with Elder Anderson.

Also President made me a temporary Zone leader. I have been in the area of Solon for four days and it will be a week on Wednesday. The area is just plain cold, there is nothing more or less then that. I am using computers at the Church in Solon because they have them and well its awesome. I also have been doing Zone leader stuff too.

I did get the Firemen Patches I am so sorry that has been the last thing on my mind right now. When she sent them I just have been extremely busy. The member absolutely loved them and thought it was cool and the winter Olympics patch. Sorry I am just really busy.

I have another Baptismal date that is scheduled and it is in full force. So I have just one thing after another, after another. I am not ungrateful just busy and more busy. I also love the letters Grandma sends me too. I also love the letters the family sends me.

I did get my patriarchal blessing in the mail but I have not been able to read it because it is at the other apartment right now, sad face. 

So I am going to have to get off. I love you all and I hope that you have a great day and a great week. Keep up the great work.

Love you all and hope to get a response from you next week.

Love Elder Peterson

Artic Blast is back.....the work is progressing

Dear Family,

Having a wonderful cold time here in Ohio. We are having another Artic blast...another below freezing week (next week too). It's been crazy weather. But the work here has been progressing so much that it is awesome. Now that the holidays are over people are starting to let us back in. We in fact as a district have 14 new investigators, which is huge for our week. Two of which are ours and they are extremely interested so we are excited. Even though it is another artic blast our goal is still thirty lessons this week. So work hard and get the benefits, that's what we want.
We are getting people to church slowly, it will come can't force people to do things, which at times you feel something like Grrrr. But the work will move on!

Love, Elder Peterson

January 4, 2014

So I am not transferred and well I am staying here. My companions are not being transferred. But I will have a new companion. awesome huh. The investigators are still going strong and well, we do not have a date for them yet but that is on the agenda. 

My district picture:

                   1st row: Sister Smith, Sister Harrison, Sister Derrick, Sister Smith, Sister Frankenberry

                                       2nd row: Sister Oliver, Me, Elder Richins, Elder Stephenson

Freezing...Frozen!!!

 I will say that it has been absolutely freezing here and we are getting tons of snow I am putting pictures up and you will see them. I am the assigned driver which is awesome. I also drove in my first absolute white out which was totally awesome. I could not see two feet in front of me. I tried to take a picture but it doesnt look that bad haha It was not scary at all driving in the blizzard. I in fact enjoyed it.

Elder Stephenson, Me, Judi, Elder
 Richins, Bro Green. 

               Are you Cold yet?











Everything is going great. We had a baptism this past week. So as a grand total (of what I know) we as a family have helped baptize seven people (don't know about Moms mission), but that's seven people our family has blessed. So great to think about that. We taught this week a grand total of 18 lessons, We have a new family (husband and wife) investigators, we actually just got them from some sisters in the area. They are both nonmember and they are really receptive. We were about to ask when we could come back, when they asked, so wait are you going to come back? haha So awesome when you lose investigators you gain them just as fast (when you work to get them).  And guess what we made a goal as a district of 55 lessons and we exceeded that. We got 61 which is awesome. This week we have a goal of thirty lessons that we want to reach. 
We have three weeks left before transfers. I hope I dont get transferred but I have grown to love the area and that usually means bye bye. The Lord never leaves you in a place to long when you start getting attached to the people.
Today we are going bowling, a ward member is taking us and well I am excited. The Volleyball game was a huge success. Everybody that went enjoyed the whole experience and hopefully it opened a few doors. Also we hope to get at least five lessons today. So excited and we can totally do it. Yes I can do it!!!!  The way is through the Lord. He's the one who guides us to people and the one who touches the hearts of men.

Love, Elder Peterson

Ohio people are awesome!!!

Letter from first week of January

I have been getting a lot of letters and questions on how are the people in Argentina haha, whoops, reading Grandma Petersons letter. Ohio people are awesome because they have treated me like family.
For New Years all I did was sleep. Which is one of the most favorite things to do as a missionary, because of how exhausting the work is. But no complaints. With all the holidays,work has been really slow. We tend to track a lot, which is quite miserable. Snow and cold does not mix well. But thankfully everything has been warmer will all the articles of clothing (gained possesions of gifts given during Christmas) they help so much. So I am truly grateful.
We have a baptism in two weeks. Because I gained one when they combined the areas. So excited for that. Our ward is growing every week. But I do have advice for all....Do your hometeaching and visiting teaching. Because less actives would come back if they had a friend coming to come back with. It's ridiculous, there is now excuse. You should do it more then once a month, otherwise it's not doing what God ask. Then we fail our covenant with God. So no excuses DO IT.

E-mail from last week

 I am doing great. The weather has been a heat storm and well I don't now just a warm 30 degrees (actually mom it got as low as -35 with windchill). So a sixty degree difference sure feels great.  
We have lost contact with Eddy. His roommates said he went out and never came back. So who knows. We actually have had a lot of success in the Spanish side of my area and well I am no help, but we have an investigator there and we also have like five potentials. 
 Transfers are a month away and I am probably for sure being transferred. So excited.  Being in a trio is okay but I don't really like it as much. It's to hard to track and do things like that.As I always say, there is to much spirit on a doorstep when they answer and say no hehe. But I have been here the longest. So that means I will most likely be transferred.  But I truly feel that I am leaving because the work is turning another way for me. I feel it and I know it. I can't explain it, but I know. 

Yarn from a Christmas present

What are you serious, two new films at the temple? And now they make me have to wait for the end of my mission to see them. That is dumb. But if there is one thing that I do regret, is not going to the temple as much as I should have. Man do I miss being around a temple. It's like having a void that can never be filled. I miss it truly. The youth went to the temple this past week and they did not get back tell 10 at night so thats probably why we don't get to go here. For some members it takes two hours to get to church. I definitely will not take for granted what we have in Utah.  Just as home teaching, I regret not doing that as much and complaining. I now see why it is so important. I was being so selfish. Man do I have a lot of regrets at home. I could have done so much more and I didn't. So dumb on my part. I notice all that I didn't do and now I need to change it for the better. I see that now too haha. But I need to go.

                      LOVE,

                      ELDER PETERSON