It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas!

Email sent Monday 5 December 2011

Happy December,

It is sure feeling like December here in Port Isabel. Though we don't have any snow, we have frio, or cold, and lots of wind lately as I guess you all have had. We are being blown away, and wearing a skirt makes the wind kinda difficult. haha. But somehow we manage.

This week was great! Sister Mazey and I had done a special fast last week, and we have been really working hard on looking for prepared people, and more importantly FAMILIES. And this week we found a bunch! It was the best finding week that I've had in awhile. It was such a huge blessing. The families that we have found are awesome, and though I won't be here to see them get baptized it's ok, I am so grateful to have been here and guided to find them. This one that we found is A.... She is a single mom with 5 kids ages 8 to 8 months. And she is 26. She has a lot on her plate. She was taught by elders about 10 years ago and went to church a lot, but was never baptized because of her mom. But now she feels like this is what she needs to help her kids to learn and behave better. Her girls are so sweet. They were hugging us from the very first day. Yesterday actually, when we went over, A... hadn't been able to find her phone all day long. So Sister Mazey suggested to the kids that we pray and ask God for help. It was a great teaching moment. One of hte girls got on her knees right away and said, I'll pray. She said the prayer all by herself and asked God to help us find the phone. After the prayer all of us started looking through their little cluttered apartment in search of the phone. And out of nowhere it appeared on the floor under a pillow that A... couldn't remember being there before. She was amazed, and the kids were surprised that the prayer worked so fast. So then we said another prayer to thank Heavenly Father for his help. What a great teaching opportunity we had wtih them. We were only at the house for about 15-20 minutes, but they have now learned a very strong lesson about prayer from personal experience.

G... is still doing awesome. We are still just waiting and praying for a Dec 11th miracle. At least I am.

This week I got a letter from an "investigator" of mine in Laredo. Really she was just the wife of a member, that I had found and visited multiple times to try to get her ready to recieve the gospel. At the time we would "go over to teach the kids" and just make her sit in on the lessons and participate since she wasn't very keen on being taught herself to prepare for baptism. But little by little we developed a relationship with her and trust. I loved her, and could see that some day this family could all be faithful active members, but that time did not come while I was there. But in the letter I recieved yesterday it brought me to tears to here that 2 months after I left Laredo the son was baptized and a week later the mom. J... is now Sister D... and she wrote thanking me for my visits, and saying that she thinks of me often. It was such a blessing to see that even when we don't think our efforts bear fruits, somewhere down the line other missionaries harvest our seeds. I look forward to the day the D... family will be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple. She ended by saying, "Just keep in mind, your mission was accomplished." I just love missionary work!

This week lots of emotions are starting to fill my mind. I am completely focused, but in the back of my head I just get sad to think that it is all ending. I am excited to see you all, but the mission has just been such an amazing experience. I am so grateful to have been able to serve here in Texas.

Well I hope you all have a great week. Don't get blown away by the wind. I love you all!

Love,

Sister Petersen