SNOW!!!

Email sent 7 February 2011

Guess what happened this week in Laredo Texas?! It snowed! Yes that is right. We had a very cold cold front come through and everyone was going crazy here. Wednesday it got really cold. We were so bundled up. They started canceling everything. Because it was cold they canceled school for Thursday and Friday. They canceled mutual on Wednesday night because of the cold. Nobody wanted to go outside. Granted it was cold, but it was only like 28 degrees or something. Not really super cold. But way colder than Laredo ever gets. So nobody wants to leave their houses.

Ok so on Thursday we bundled up a ton. I was wearing 2 skirts, nylons, basketball shorts, socks, shoes, two shirts, a sweater, jacket, scarf and gloves. The other sisters bundled up even more than us, Sister Platt was wearing like 4 skirts, nylons, big thik socks-2pairs, 2 pairs of pajama pants, jeans, 3 shirts, 4 sweaters, and a jacket and scarf. It was super cold. And we just had to contact and no one would let us in because they wouldn't open their doors because it was cold. It was kinda funny how the whole city shut down just because it was cold. But then finally thursday evening, the snow started to fall. It just snowed tiny little flakes and didn't do enough to coat anything, but it was snowing. And it was awesome. I thought I wouldn't see snow for the whole year and a half of my mission, but guess what, I did! The last time that it snowed here was on Dec. 25, 2004. And before that it hadn't snowed for 30 years. So it is pretty rare and I got to experience it. It was fun. Take that global warming.

Let's see, what else. Sister Salan actually doesn't ahve to use crutches anymore. They told her now that she just can use them if it hurts. Dr. Gibson ( chiropractor in their area) is really helping her knee out a lot. It is getting better really fast.

Thanks for the piano stuff. I don't really know how to conduct group piano lessons. Last week there were only four people there and they were either young women or adults. Some have some experience, some have none. So it is going to be interesting teaching them all. I think the book is a really good thing, even though I would never teach people to play by finger number in real life. But it will help them get started fast. And they can just get stuff off of online, so if they don't have their own they can just look online.

This weekend we had a district conference. Actually it was a mulit stake/district conference broadcasted from Salt Lake. It was 76 stakes and 3 districts in Texas Oklahoma and New Mexico. President Monson and Elder Nelson spoke and 2 other people. It was super good. President Monson talked about rescuing the less actives and magnifying our callings. They are really pushing to get activity up in this region so that we can get a temple soon. it seems plans are in the works to make Laredo a stake. It holds the record or something for one of the longest places to be a district and not become a stake. Laredo is a very unique place and has unique challenges, but the leaders and working miracles here with the members and soon we will see the blessings.

We have had a bit of a struggle finding new people, awesome people to teach lately. But it's ok. We'll just keep working. There are people who are ready and we are hear to find them. As we exercise our faith we wil be instruments in teh hands of the Lord and bring his children back unto him.

I'm glad basketball is fun mom, wish I could play some with y'all. How is the snow in Utah? How is the home doing without Cookie?

Well Thanks for your email. Hope you have a great week adn enjoy the snow!

Love,

Sister Petersen

also, it was so cold that night that it snowed, the next morning we had to scrape our windshield off with our name tags because we don't have ice scrapers. But my car windshield was covered in a solid sheet of ice like nothing i've ever had before. it was funny