Instead of Graduating I will be baptizing... (not me personally, don't worry)

Email sent Monday 18 April 2011

So I guess this week I would be graduating from BYU if I was home. That is super weird to think about and I am super glad that I am not graduating right now. I am not ready to be done with school. But instead of going to my graduation, you can pretend that you could come to our baptism this Easter Sunday. J... will be getting baptized on Sunday. She is the sweetest woman ever. She is so humble and so excited to be baptized. She knows that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that only in this church can she be baptized by someone who has the authority of God so that she can be clean of her sins. I have loved teaching her and being able to help her recieve answers to her prayers, We have seen her progress so much. Sister Salan and I found her knocking doors a month or two ago. Originally we had talked to and taught her daughter, but now her daughter wants nothing to do with church, but J... is so awesome. She was looking for a church and God sent us to her through her daughter. J... is willing to do whatever it takes to get to church. She even walks to church with her little grandchildren because she wants them to be able to learn as well. Her baptism will be a very special day.

Updates on a couple of our other recent converts: L... who got baptized back in December is a primary teacher of the 7-8 year olds. She is doing awesome and reading the book of mormon. She is probably in Mosiah or so. R..., after being baptized in January and going kind of inactive for about a month is coming back. He should be going on the youth temple trip next weekend to do baptisms for the dead. He is also now the secretary in the priests quorum here. V... is also doing great! She is so sweet and I know has a very strong testimony. Her goal is a temple marriage one day. She is on the Relief Society Meeting Committee and helps plan those fun RS activities. She also should be going on the temple trip next week.

This week we saw a miracle when we were able to set a baptismal date with F... and J...' mom. F... and j... were baptized and taught last May by Sister Morrill (my old companion). They are 16 and 17 years old. They are two of my favorite people. They will both serve missions in the future. Their mom has been taught off and on for the missionaries for the past year. She knows this church is true. She has known all along that she needs to get baptized. We had a very spiritual lesson with her this week in which the spirit prompted us to invite her to be baptized. She accepted! She said that she knows she needs to take this very important step so that the Lord can bless her. Her sons are going to be SO happy. And more importantly God is going to be so happy.

We had interviews this week with President and he hinted that I may never leave Laredo. I don't know if that means that is for real, or if that is a sign that I will be out of here REALLY soon. President likes to throw people blindsides. I don't want to leave. I have to stay here for C... and L..., and F..., and J...'s baptisms. So I hope he leaves me here for a bit more.

Well mom, I'm glad that taxes and Fafsa's are done. Those are always stressful, well I guess I wouldn't know, since you always do it, but I would imagine that they are stressful. Thanks for being so awesome and doing all of that for all of us. :)

Alex Bingham and Nick are going into the military? Wow.  Matt is home? Wow can't believe it. Time flies so fast. Dad, you lost in pingpong to a teenager. What a shame. You better practice up. Brandy, make sure you take and send me pictures of all of your fancy pots in the art show.

I got Sister Green's letter. She's too cute. Tell her thanks. I'll write back soon.

Hope you still do an easter egg hunt for easter. that is a must. But more importantly remember the true meaning of Easter. This week is la semana santa. Podemos recordar la vida de nuestro salvador Jesucristo y la ulitma semana de su vida que termina con la resurecion y la esperanza que nos dio. Let's remember the life of our Savior and the last week of his life that culminates with his resurrection and hope that he gave us to be able to return to live with our heavenly Father again. He is the reason for the season. Don't forget it.

Well thats all for now. I love you all!

Love,

Sister Petersen

random question. Are we going to get another dog someday?

I want to be there if we have a puppy.  We can get one in december when I come home.  I'll be there for like a month.  Sort of.  And I will train it all the way, and then you will have company when you are an empty nester.  :)  I miss Cookie too.  I still think that when I come home she will be there.

My (Laurie's) answer:  Funny you should ask, but right now, NO. Brandy and we were talking about that yesterday. They are a lot of work and you need to be home for them. It is hard to leave for very long if you have a dog. Not that we go that many places. We do miss Cookie.