Elder Holland is a boss!

Elder Petersen didn't write much of anything for a letter this week. We mostly just chatted back and forth. I love catching him when he is online. :) 

Request from me to you:

-- Could you find a way to make a large detailed map of Chilchinbito so we can mark where people live? The church website has the boundries so maybe dad could figure out how to get all of the close up pictures and you could piece all of them together into one big map... I am thinking this will more effectively mark who has been visited and how to get there so that future generations of missionaries can continue the work where we have left off.

-- Could you also print off an epic picture of Christ with Helaman 5:12 quoted on it? A sister in our ward wants to hang that scripture in her home but we don't have the means to print.

-- Also, Elder Acaylar my last companion had a birthday last Sunday and has 0% family support because they are not members of the church. I want to send him something so he feels loved haha. He loves zelda and Minecraft so maybe you could send him those funny pictures/cartoons you have been sending me of Minecraft and such. He also has been missing those real pretzels you get at carnivals or sams club so maybe you could include one of those big ones. Anyways, If you are okay with it he could use a happy birthday, even if it is late. I will have the Napierski's send you his address tomorrow, with a note from me to him, while we are working out there.

much appreciated :) Please only do this if you can. I don't want you to stress out too much about it. These are things I cant do on my own

I am almost out of time so I will have to update you on this last week, next week instead. Simple summary is that Elder Holland is a boss! :D and Chilchinbito is continuing to be supper awesome! Bye Love You!

So I started working on the maps for Josh and I've been pulling it from the church website and then just piecing it together and i thought - there has to be an easier way, so i looked for maps online and found a several road atlas' on ebay and have been asking the sellers if it includes a map of both cities. this one seller replied it did so i asked her to send a picture and how big it was in inches. this is what she sent back..... 

hahahaha!!!!!!!!! um, no, that wont work, thanks though! :) 

so for his next request of an epic picture of christ for Helaman 5:12 which is;  And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."  I found this picture by Scott Sumner. how's that for epic? :) I called the guy and he's going to print the scripture on it for me.

we love spoiling missionaries so the next request was easy :)

Elder Petersen did tell me last week that Elder Holland was visiting: "We get to see Elder Holland on Saturday at a missionary fireside! but you cant tell anyone. It's low key so no one knows he will be there. but they gave us a list of rules and this was one of them...

(7) Absolutely no pictures are to be taken in the chapel (this is church policy). No voice recording of this fireside is allowed. Please limit your picture taking to enable you to return home as early as possible. If you take pictures, do it quickly....in the cultural hall or outside."

this is what his companion Elder Winborg said about Elder Holland's visit: "

Then on Saturday was the greatest thing that has ever happen to me up to this point in my life! I not

only got to listen to Elder Holland, but Elder Petersen and I got to shake his
hand!!!! We had to be at the fireside early because Elder Petersen was singing
in the musical number for the fireside. We were there a bit early and was just
talking to some people in the chapel when Elder Holland walked by. He stopped
and shook our hands, asked us how we were doing, and told us to keep up the
good work. During his talked it really opened my eyes and made me remember why I
am on a mission!"

"...at the moment four people are committed to be baptized in the next month and a half so we are exited!"

Ya'at'eeh!

  Hello ha. Things are going well here and this past week has been a good one! Monday we had interviews with our Mission President and that was good! I  like talking to President Batt and his wife :) We also got to practice teaching the plan of salvation with Sister Batt and she told me I did very well so I'm going to take her word for it haha. It's always fun teaching in a "practice" setting, different, but fun. Tuesday we worked in Dennehotso for the day and that was good. There is an investigator there who has been going with her kids for two months now and this week we invited her to be baptized and she committed so at the moment four people are committed to be baptized in the next month and a half so we are exited! Wednesday we taught three investigators and one less active member and they were all really good lessons. One of the lessons was with the two kids who will be baptized on the 20th of September and they are really coming along! Thursday we had a really good District meeting with some helpful teachings from our District Leader. The end of the meeting was a little scary though because Elder  Coulson asked me to talk about being a diligent missionary for 5 to 10 minutes. I prepared all last week and it went alright. I definitely learned from studying it so overall it wasn't too bad. The rest of the day we went on exchanges and Elder Coulson went with me to Chilchinbito for the day. We did some service but unfortunately three of our appointments canceled and all we were able to do is set up appointments with people for other days so we didnt teach that day. Friday we switched back to our normal companionships and Elder coulson went back to Monument Valley while Elder Winborg and I went to Chilchinbito. The day was really good and we were able to meet with three people. One of the lessons was with a member family that we committed to give away two copies of the Book of Mormon. Their still working on it haha. Saturday we took down a shade house at a less active members home and that took two hours. Hard work but it was fun. We also had a much needed lesson with a part member family that we have not seen since Elder Winborg got here. They are done working out in Durango Colorado so they are home more. We are going to see them again later this week. Sunday was good because the whole chapel was full! more than 35 people came so it was a good turn out! All three of the investigators on baptism date showed up so that was even better! We finished the day with another three lessons and had dinner at a members home so it was a good week. Thats pretty much it so I will have to talk to you all next Monday. Talk to you then.

--Elder Petersen

I don't know what I did to deserve this area but it is Awesome and I like it a lot!

Ya'at'eeh Shima do Shizhe'e!

    This week has been GOOD! Probably my favorite part was when an Investigator (Marlana)  told us she caries the Book of Mormon around with her everywhere she goes and isn't afraid to tell people about it! She is a single mom and her and her two kids came to church Yesterday. She is scheduled to be baptized September 27th. Also two kids, Carlial (brother) and Carleas (sister), who are scheduled to be baptized on September 20th came to church as well! They are super cool and are getting their parents active through their example! We asked the members to take them to church and it was great to see their support. The whole branch welcomed them and all Three Investigators have fellowship here already! Last Monday we went to the Temple and it was Amazing! Got to see some new stuff and had the chance to talk with Elder Nicholson my trainer! He is a Zone leader in Page with my first District leader Elder Beck! Elders Beck and Nicholson lived with me in Many Farms so it was funny that they are now companions! haha Elder Winborg is doing Amazing! In just 4 weeks he is already taking charge in lessons and teaching with the spirit. I love letting him teach because he is very humble about it and he means what he says. It's also very simple teaching so it is perfect for some of these people who are new to the gospel. We keep having days where it might not say we did well on our numbers but we both agree that it was still an amazing day! So many people tell us that we come at the right time and that they were looking for what we told them and they didn't even know it! We are being led to the people who truly need us! The ward members are gung-ho about helping us now and we have been challenging the members to give a Book of Mormon to their friends and family. Five of them are currently writing their testimonies in the Book and will be giving them to those who need them this week! I don't know what I did to deserve this area but it is Awesome and I like it a lot! haha. Yesterday we spent the whole day finding the lost sheep and that was very cool. We thought of all the people that we have been neglecting to see and sure enough, all of them were home and all of them needed us! We are going to be very busy this week because almost every day is booked with appointments already! It's a good thing and at least it makes planing easier so I wont complain. =P Thank you for your letters and emails this week! Have a good 7 days and I will talk to you next Monday!

--Elder Petersen

Jared saw a tv show with Navajos eating sheep intestines so he asked Elder Petersen if he's tried it yet.... 

Elder Petersen:

Jared, yes I have tried sheep intestine here before. They call it Aachee' which is Navajo for sheep intestine. It tastes ok but probably not my favorite. Its like eating soggy bacon that tastes like old noodles. It's a little bland but the people here love it! Sounds like life is good! Keep being Awesome!

Your brother,

--Elder Petersen

Side note from me (Ruth):

So this week Sister Biser in our ward called me and said she was going on a trip and will be near the mission home and wanted to know if she could take anything down for us. I told her of course! Because I didn't have to worry about shipping weight or size I went a little crazy on the goodies and ended up with 2 small boxes of stuff. I didn't want the mission president to think I was spoiling my son (which I was!) so I searched through Josh's emails to find the name of his current companion and put his name on the boxes too. That following Saturday, we took our missionaries and another set of missionaries that used to be in our ward (Elder Hern) out to dinner and I asked the new missionary what his name was. He told me and I said, wow - that sounds really familiar!?! Do you have a missionary relative in Arizona right now? He said, I think so. So i checked Elder Petersen's mission blog to see if I could find that name and sure enough! it was the name I had written on the boxes!!! They are cousins! We took a few pictures and I was able to email them to his mom which in turn got me in touch with Josh's companion's mom! Yay!! I loved staying in touch with his first companions mom, sharing pictures and stories and I was hoping I could do the same with his current companion and now I can! :) 

From Elder Petersen:

Elder Winborg logged in to his email and pulled up this picture. I asked him why he had a picture of my dad and he said, "Why is your dad with my cousin?" haha That's freaking Cool! Tell him his cousin is the bomb.com and is leading the work out here in Airizona! Good companion :)

It's hard to believe he's been gone a whole year!!!! :D time flies!

I'm so bad about getting Elder Petersen's emails out the last couple of weeks. There really wasn't much anyway :)




last week:

Ya'at'eeh! Things are going super smooth now here in "Chilly Burrito"  and Elder Winborg have already hit it off pretty well! We get along and he has already started taking the lead in teaching situations so it wont be long till its just a regular and equal companionship without hiccups or bumps in teaching. He has a really powerful testimony too. Its great to hear him teach and testify as a new missionary with conviction and with the spirit. Proof that anyone can be a missionary and that all you need is the spirit to teach. We aren't the ones talking, its the Lord talking through us! That's what I am beginning to understand more fully this new transfer and it is great! Last Monday we met with a couple recent converts to try and review what they were thought before baptism but it turned into them asking Elder Winborg a bunch of questions so it was pretty hectic haha. Once everyone has met my new companion then maybe we will be able to teach.. But its good. Tuesday we worked in Dennehotso and helped the senior couple out there build a porch and pour concrete so that was fun! Wednesday we saw a few people we needed to visit so that was good. Thursday was pretty regular. Friday we met with a super cool guy named Mickey! He went to school in Utah as a kid and was baptized as a teenager but since he got home he has never been back to church. We found him earlier in the week and got to share the Plan of salvation with him. He is super exited to come back to church, especially since it has been 40 years! great guy and I am glad we were led to find him! Saturday we took apart a shed that had blown over at a members home and that was cool. we also meet with a Family who is committed to coming back to church because they know it will strengthen their family. The wife is not a member so we will be inviting her to baptism soon. Yesterday we Invited a brother and sister to baptism and they gladly excepted. We have been teaching them for a week now and they are all for it. They remember what we teach them and they read every day! We have 3 other people that we will be inviting to baptism this week so there are more on the way! Things are going good and I love this place more than ever. The people here are what make it good. Thank you for your letters and emails this week, talk to you next Monday!

--Elder Petersen

This week's emails - he's not much of a talker!:

email 1: The MRI shows nothing is wrong with my brain so I will be fine. Sister Batt just thinks its stress and that there is nothing too crazy to be worried about. I haven't had a headache for a week now so It's going away.

email 2: By the way, my camera broke... Last Monday right after I emailed I turned it on and the lens jammed up. It is stuck half way out and I cant do anything to fix it. I think the motor in the camera went out. I'll send it home on Thursday. You should see if that make and model of camera is common for lens problems and see if you can talk to Panasonic about covering it under warranty. This is the 3rd camera that has had the same problem...

email 3: I was very exited when I found out brother Newby is the Bishop. I freaked out and told my companion that my Priest quorum adviser is now my bishop!

email 4: So... To make this short...

I need you to contact this number for me (gives the number)

It's the Ahasteen's in Many Farms and they left me a treat with a note saying call them on our door step Saturday night. I cant call them to say thank you so could you or Sister Logan do it for me? Tell them thank you soo much!

email 5: Bye! Love You Mom! Talk to you next Monday!

Call from the mission home - and a Josh laugh in the background :)

I got a phone call from the mission home Monday. The secretary asked me for Josh's social security number so he could go to the Dr's. I asked what for and I could hear her ask him and he laughed and said tell her not to worry about it. (good to hear his laugh!). She said, he'll write you about it today I'm sure. Here's his email.....

Hey mom, thanks for my social security number. I need to memorize but thanks for giving it to Sister Garett. I want you to know that I am doing fine and that going to the doctor was just a precaution. Two weeks ago during my morning studies I got a headache, my left arm went numb and I couldn't feel my fingers for 20 minutes. This morning it happened again so Sister Batt insisted that I see a doctor just to make sure its nothing serious. Do you remember that one morning when Rachel and I were going to school and my left hand went numb? It was kinda like that and just like before it went away quickly. I just got back from seeing an LDS doctor here in Farmington and he said its nothing to worry about but he does want me to come back in a week or two to get an MRI. He said that It could be a pinched nerve but he's not sure until we get the results from the scan. I feel 100% so I'm not worried. Whats new with you?

*it was fun chatting back and forth with Josh this week - funny conversation:

          me:      i bought a new kitchen table and chairs, do you want me to keep the old
                     set for when you get married?

          Josh:   I don't like the thought of getting married! It's too early to be thinking
                    about that! haha  Um.. I don't know. It sure would be nice.. I'll let you
                    decide. I like free stuff

          Me:     And um – my brothers were married within a year of them getting 
                            home! I have a  feeling  you wont last too long!

                            

          Josh:   When I get home I'll hide from girls and avoid romantic situations 
                     like the plague lol I can hardly talk to people about Jesus... It's 
                     going to be impossible for me to talk to girls xP

          me:     Rachel says that’s not going to work because girls can smell 
                           hot-ness and RM-ness!

             Josh:    "   *ignored*   "

The Farari is Elder James' car (Mission Housing Coordinator) and he took us to lunch two Farmington trips ago. I took the picture from Elder Acaylar's Camera before he left. My new companions name is Elder Winborg and he is from Logan Utah. He worked on a farm and likes country music. He played Hockey and loves sports... But there are some things here and there that we have been able to talk about that we have in common. I like him as a companion already because he is very motivated and works hard. He also is very obedient and listens to what I share with hem in training. Willing to learn basically and it has made this past week very good!  

(I told Josh he's going to have a lot of people mixing him and his companion up - they look A LOT alike!)

Ya'at'eeh! This week has been very good with lots of nice finds! We had lessons with 5 new people and met a total of 18 new people who we can see later this week! My new Companion Elder Winborg is a very good companion and is good at working hard. He is from a farm back in Logan Utah and loves the Reservation already! We have been every where in the area just about so he has seen most of it. Now our goal is to knock on everyone's door before the end of his training. Tuesday i picked him up in Farmington and we drove back to Dennehotso to work out there for the rest of the day. He got to meet the Napierski's and meet the 12 year old kid who was baptized two months ago. Wednesday we had a very busy day and ended up with five lessons and a whole bunch of new contacts. We also painted the inside of the modulars at the school with a less active member so that was cool. We were beat by the time we came home that night. Thursday We went to district meeting in Kayenta and met our new District leader. He stepped down from a Zone Leader position to Train a new missionary and open up Monument Valley as a new mission area. He is a legend in the mission so it is a privilege to have him as a district leader! The rest of the day we visited two people and were able to do two hours of finding in the housing's here in Chilchinbito. Friday was a tad slow but still good. Saw one person and met five new people. Saturday we drove so much we hit the daily limit for miles and started walking the rest of the day. Met 6 new people doing that! And Sunday we had an investigator at church and watched two Recent Converts bear their testimony. Pretty cool! It was a good day as well. Things are looking up for this area and I can see this branch becoming a Ward soon if the work continues to pick up like it has. I love being on a mission and wouldn't give it up for anything! Thank you for your letters and emails. Cya!

--Elder Petersen

Chilchinbito is the best area in the mission, just sayin. ... Love you all, stay cool, stay crispy! Hagonee'!

Ya'at'eeh! Wow! I didn't think this would happen again but President Batt assures me this is for reals.. I am Training a new missionary in Chilchinbito this new transfer. I am driving up to Farmington tonight to pick up my new companion in the morning. President called us a day early so that was even scarier! He told me I am training and then told Elder Acaylar his new area. He told Elder Acaylar he was being sent to the Mesa Mission and then after a few screams from my companion and a chuckle from President Batt he told him his real new area. Our mission president has a since of humor! He is going to Steam boat, Az and now I am taking over the missionary work here in Chilchinbito. I'm going to miss Elder Acaylar though, he was a good companion. The smallest communities are the best places to be a missionary by the way! The Chilchinbito branch had a unit dinner last night to say goodbye to my companion. It was really special. Every member of the branch took turns standing and saying what they liked most about Elder Acaylar and how they are going to miss him when he's gone! As you can clearly see, he is a very good missionary! It was a privilege being his companion. Well, our week was a good one to end on. We did even more service and finding and now we have a decent potential teaching list for me and my new companion to work with. The branch members have been fully supporting the work and have been driving the investigators to church so that has been a real blessing. I have seen a lot of progress since I have been here and lately it has been sky rocketing with tons of potential! Whoever is my new companion is going to love the next couple of transfers because it's going to be fun! Chilchinbito is the best area in the mission, just sayin. Well not much to report this week but I will have plenty to talk about next Monday. Love you all, stay cool, stay crispy! Hagonee'!

--Elder Petersen

me in a fararii in Farmington. It's Elder James' car :D

bob the dog

me with first four zone leaders

a little native girl named Kissy Bear riding a dog named Phil.

Me with companion Elder Acaylar

Elder Acaylar and I have never herded cattle before so the family was laughing at us...We had to rope the cows and then tie them up while pulling from all sides with ropes. That's when the guy in charge would come over and brand the cattle. I felt like a straight up cowboy. It was Awesome!

Ya'at'eeh! This week has been the coolest week for service ever in the history of missionary work! We worked with so many different people it was amazing how much we got done! Probably the best part is the fact that we now have two new families to teach from service. Last Monday we drove to Farmington to get our new/old truck aligned and serviced but we should be getting a new one soon to replace the one we have now so that's good. Elder James the Housing coordinator in the mission office took us to lunch while we were waiting so that was nice. Later in the evening we had a branch cook out and had burgers and hotdogs with grilled corn and some other stuff and it was a good turn out. Everyone had fun and the Branch president was able to share a spiritual thought on missionary work! Tuesday we drove to Dennehotso and helped a recent convert family pull weeds in their front yard. The recent convert is the 12 year old kid who was baptized a month and a half ago and unfortunately he was out of town with his grandma so we didn't get to see him. The good news is that night he got home and he called us to invited us to his home tomorrow evening for a lesson because he misses us haha! He is a really cool kid! The rest of our Tuesday we spent helping the Senior couple there in Dennehotso work on some little things here and there that they needed help with. They are super cool too! Wednesday, we helped build a shade house/ shed thing for and older couple that needed help and were able to get most of the walls built. We had some really good lessons with less active members and had a really good lesson with a new investigator family that shows some promise. Thursday we had an epic district meeting. Elder Moser is our district leader and he is going home in a week so he taught us everything he has learned on his mission, which was very helpful. Sad to see him go though, good guy. We then went back to the older couple's home with the shade house and helped them finish the walls and part of the roof. While helping them with that they started herding their cattle into their coral for branding. Its that time of year so they needed to get them all in one place. Elder Acaylar and I have never herded cattle before so the family was laughing at us. There were a few times where we were able to get them to the coral but half of the herd would slip past and run away from us. It took 4 tries before we got all of them into the coral. It was amazing and actually really fun to work with their ranch. That evening we noticed their were tents out front of the Chilchinbito school and went to go see what was going on. Turns out it was a group of students on a Tour De Rez bike cross country trip. They were super cool and nice. They even asked if we wanted to ride bikes the next morning with them. We rode 11 miles with some bikes they lent us and were able to talk to the leaders about the church. Almost half of them were members so it was cool. Friday was slow but worth it. We had one super important lesson with an investigator we haven't seen in a few weeks and they are looking to back into it so we are exited! We finished the roof of the shade house that day too. Saturday we helped brand cattle at a different home further out in the boonies for a new family who wants to take the lessons! It was the coolest thing ever because they handed us ropes and said "alright go for it." We had to rope the cows and then tie them up while pulling from all sides with ropes. That's when the guy in charge would come over and brand the cattle. I felt like a straight up cowboy. It was Awesome! Now I can say I have roped cows and helped brand. They had a huge lunch afterwords where we got to talk to all of their family about the church! Almost all of them lived close by and wanted us to share our message with them! They were laughing and telling jokes with us so it was fantastic! Really cool Family! Sunday we had a really good sacrament meeting. Branch president asked a family to give a talk and during the week they had a huge fiasco thing go down with one of their relative going to prison but despite the huge distraction they still prepared and gave talks! That's a lot of commitment. Very proud of them, and good talks. The rest of the day we visited everyone we could to make up for all the service we did that week and it was decent because we managed to see 4 families. Things are doing really well here in Chilchinbito and I am exited to see how next week is. Thank you for listening and I hope you have a great week. Talk to you next Monday! Hagonee'!

--Elder Petersen


*this is a picture he sent a while ago but i thought it matched what he did this week :)