Sister Peterson Week 10

I AM IN JAPAN

*Meant to send this last week but did not get the chance*

I made it!! After the longest day of traveling, I have made it to Japan. BUT this week was all mainly MTC so some updates on that...

I had to say bye to my most favorite teachers and half of the most amazing sistrict out there. (4 others are in Nagoya with me... well we are waiting for 1 to get her visa then she will be here) It was a rough because the goodbyes stretched over a span of like 3 days, but we made it through!

On monday our girls took on the challenge of clearing 1 collum of the cereal dispenser. 1 was so easy so then we ended up clearing 2 before the angsty cafeteria workers refilled them. I think I ate the most and I am hesitate to share how much I ate because I am not sure if I should be super proud of it or a little embarrassed. Oh well, I ate a total of about 4.5 bowls. (Picture below) The top of my mouth was literally scratched up and took about 3 days for it to fully recover. And I was on the verge of vomiting for the next hour, but I had to carry my team!!!! No regrets.

Another highlight of the week: We combined with the Thai and Vietnamese district and sang the EFY medley to the new missionaries. It was very fun and spiritual especially singing "Armies of Helaman" (picture below) as a missionary, very cool. 

Tuesday night we had a devotional by Clark G Gilbert and it felt like the perfect last devotional and that it was just for me. He served his mission in Japan AND he mentioned Captain Crunch cereal (I think our whole disctrict gagged when he did)! His wife also talked and she focused on Christ-like attributes. Something she said was that "what matters most is who you are and who you are becoming." Your mistakes from the past don't matter, what matters is how you choose to learn from them. The Lord blesses those who want to improve. I think a theme of life is that the Lod loves effort. The outcome doesn't matter so much but how and what you are working towards. 

Moroni 10:32 says

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him"

As you work to become like Christ and adopt his attributes, you will come to know Him and be perfected in Him and I know that to be true.

I love you all and guess what GOD DOES TOO! Have a good week 

<3 Sister Peterson

05/13/24

Defense MVP

Kefford and I went with Ryle to her end of season Lacrosse Banquet. I signed up to make cupcakes and the frosting did not turn out like I hoped, they looked pretty bad and I was really disappointed in them. I saw a couple of people eating them which was good but they were not the hit I was hoping them to be. 

After a yummy dinner the Coaches started handing out awards. Rylee got her Varsity bars to add to her letter which was pretty fun. She got awarded with all of the Juniors on the team which was a lot of them. The coaches are going to need to find a lot more players to replace these girls when they graduate next year, they are a big majority on the team. 

Rylee is back row far right

After all of the Varsity letter awards were handed out the Coaches handed out some individual awards. Rylee told us going into the night that she was not going to get any awards so don't expect her name to be called. When they announced Defense MVP and started describing the player that won that award for the year it was pretty evident that it was Rylee they were talking about. They talked about what a great season this player has had and how she very quickly established herself as a leader on the defense. They talked about how much energy the player has/had and how they made up a position to harness that energy and use it for the team. As the coaches were talking I could see and hear the girls all whispering Rylee's name and I saw Rylee starting to blush. I was super proud of her when her name was indeed announced as Defense MVP and was so happy for her to receive the award.

The entire team plus coaches

Coach Abby, Rylee and Coach Meg

Kefford, Rylee and Elizabeth

That weekend was Dance Connection Dance recital and it was held at Meridian Middle School. The School just had some new construction done and I was in the new Lobby looking at the mural they had put up when I spotted one of my favorite cheerleaders. They had a picture of Avynlea up on their mural and I loved seeing it!

 

Sister Peterson Week 9

Hello everyone!

Can you believe it? Because I cannot. About this time next week I will either be on a plane headed to Japan or will be in Japan. WHATTT. Even though I do feel like I have lived here my whole life, it has also flown by. I am still not processing or letting myself think about saying goodbye yet, because that is going to very hard. 

This week was very Japanese heavy. We spoke a lot in class and out. We did a soft launch of SYL (speak your language) which means you commit to speaking Japanese outside of class too. Our soft launch was that we would do half days, and I'll just say I tried my best. The hard thing for me was not necessarily forming sentences (grammer),  but not knowing words I wanted to say (vocab). I feel like there is just so much to learn that I don't know where to start which means in some cases I don't start. It's frustrating but I have found the times I throw myself in a random spot I learn lots. So I gotta keep doing that.

Me and Sister Merrill also did our last Helping Others (Fake Teaching) in 100% Japanese and it went well. I understood our "investigator" about 70% which is pretty cool. There was one question she asked that I had no idea what she said, but Sister Merrill knew and answered her!! I was so so proud.

OH BOY! Sister Merrill and I had quit the adventure this week. Including 3 trips to the doctors and 2 to the pharmacy. I won't go into too much detail but one of us (not me) had a minor toe procedure, the other had a sinus infection and stress induced rash on her arm. HA! The 3 day span this took over was a total fever dream but we did get a total of 5 prescribed medications (only 1 was hers) and a party size bag of cheeto puffs! SCORE! Overall, a pretty memorable experience.

Here is my thought for the week. Jesus Christ is everywhere. He is always there to reach out His hand to you, you just have to grab it. I wrote this down in my notebook from a talk President Holland gave to the missionaries. It was from a long time ago and I just saw a little clip of it from a video so I do not know what it is from. "We are never alone, we are always going to be standing next to the most perfect missionary, Jesus Christ. Struggled, cast out, spit on, rejected, ignored". This does not just apply to missionary work! In life we maybe feel cast out or will struggle etc. He felt that too, He knows you and wants to help. SO PRAY AND READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!

I love you all and so does God! SEE YOU IN JAPAN AHHHHH

<3 Sister Peterson

 Hot Goss of the week: an elder got sent home because he was SECRETLY MARRIED AHAHHA WHATTTT HE HAS A WHOLE WIFE AT HOME crazy town

-Emma Nissen! Listen to her music! I predict she's gonna get famous

-a little taste of mine and Sister Merrills adventure this week (NOT my foot!) HA

-We <3 apples 

-RAT TAT PHT PHT

-sprite and bananas (did not end well)

Cinco de Mayo

 This quilt I call my Strawberry Shortcake Quilt. I call it that because the colors reminded me of the 80's Strawberry Shortcake doll. Stephanie gave me the jelly roll she had sitting in her garage for years when she found out I like to quilt and I found this cool triangle pattern that was perfect for using jellyrolls. I think it turned out so cute.

With her busy temple schedule it was hard for Alison to find a time to come watch Rylee play Lacrosse. She was finally able to make it to the last game of the season and the two of us along with Bodi were able to watch Rylee play in her final game of Junior year. The team did not win but Rylee did a great job on defense, no surprise there. 

Spooky Halloween Quilt

Sister Peterson Week 8

Another week down!

I feel like I do not have much to report from this week because we are doing the same things each day. Filled with classes and meal times. 

I did forget to mention last week that me and Sister Merrill did our second Helping Others (fake investigator lessons) in full Japanese and we are so proud of ourselves. It was a 15 minute lesson and she asked questions that I partly understood!! It was very exciting. Most of the time she talked though, we just smiled and nodded at her. She is very kind and patient with us!

We have been here for about 6.5 weeks now and have seen so many people come and go. The stateside missionaries are only here for 2 weeks which is absolutely wild to me. 2 weeks was right when I got past the hard adjustment and started liking this place. Which is weird to say that I will be very sad to leave. But we do not have to worry about that right now.

Visas! Half of us got ours and half got reassignments. We got girls going to West Virginia, North Dakota, Virginia, Canada, and England (The last 2 are from around those places). Such lucky people these girls are going to bless in those places! We are all very excited for them.

I gave a talk on Sunday! I will attach a link to it! My district sang Love at Home in Japanese in Sacrament meeting too! The spirit was real strong that meeting;)

Here is a thought that has been on my mind a lot this past week. I am a firm believer in the importance of trials. Something that I love to think about is that God gives us trials according to our spirits. He gives us trials that He knows we can overcome (with His help of course) and that He knows will strengthen us into a better person. When you are going through something hard remember that it is for your benefit and your benefit only. God trusts you with this trial and He trusts you to get through it the right way. Through HIM! Remember that He loves you! And I do too!!!

Have a great week :)

<3 Peterson

Good morning!

Growing up I knew the Book of Mormon was important so I read it every night. I cannot tell you one thing I learned from all those years because I was just doing the motion, checking the box off. It was only until I really understood how important the Book of Mormon really is that I actually started to get things from it. Instead of just hurrying through a chapter or a page every night, I now go into the Book of Mormon looking to take something out of it. My life has been blessed so much since this mindset change and I have been more excited to read it and share about it. 

Starting my first semester at Byui Last September, I signed up for a Book of Mormon class. My professor challenged us to take 30 min out of each day to study the Book of Mormon. Not in a particular order, wherever we wanted at the time, and to heavily record our thoughts and feelings. 

I started out really strong at the beginning of the semester and absolutely loved the challenge. I was filling up pages of my notebook every study and sharing all the cool things I found with my roommates. After a few weeks the craziness of 1st semester at college got in the way and I was back to hurrying through a chapter each night. I found myself missing those 30 minutes of pure revelation, and i am glad to say i have reconnected with thay habit since being here.

One night before coming here me and my dad were talking and I had some realizations. I also recently found Preach my Gospel talks a bit about this too. When we strengthen our testimony of the Book of Mormon we can't help but strengthen our testimonies of almost every other category in the gospel. For example, Joseph Smith. If we believe this book was true, we naturally believe that Jesus Christ used Joseph Smith to translate it. We then naturally believe that we have modern day prophets who are God's mouthpieces. When you put it like that it really makes sense on why it is considered the keystone of our religion. Joseph Smith once said, "take away the Book of Mormon and the revelations, and where is our religion?"

Since being here at the MTC I have heard almost everyday that the Spirit first of all but second the Book of Mormon are our most important tools as missionaries. I always believed in the Book of Mormon but I was confused on why it is so important. I started to dive deeper into and and read chapters, applying them to my life. One of my favorites was talked a lot about last week during fast and testimony meeting and that was Jacob 5, the story of the lord of the vineyard. While I read it I thought of my mission. I found so many truths and comfort through this chapter. I highly encourage each of you to read that story and apply it to you. 

The reason the Book of Mormon is such an important tool is because it is a source that the spirit can talk to us easily. When we are fervently studying this book the spirit will teach us and help us feel exactly what God needs us to. I can testify that it will be the exact same for our friends that we invite to read it. 

As we strengthen our testimony of the Book of Mormon, we will become better missionaries! In PMG chapter 5 it says

 "Your own testimony of the Book of Mormon can lead to a deep and abiding faith in its power to help others become converted. Help the people you teach recognize the enlightenment they feel as they read it sincerely. Emphasize its powerful witness of Jesus Christ. Encourage them to pray to receive their own witness that the book is true."

Our friends can receive their own personal conversion through this book, but it is most important to first gain your own firm testimony of its truths. As individual missionaries we need to recognize the Book's enlightenment, the powerful witness of Jesus Christ, and pray to know of its truth.

 I can promise that as we strengthen our own testimony of the Book of Mormon, our power to help others strengthen theirs will be unbeatable. I know this Book of Mormon is true and it has been so neat to dive into it and listen closely to what Heavenly Father needs me to hear out of it. 

I know this church is true and I know we are doing God's work. We are right where he needs us to be, so we need to be prepared for what he needs us to do. Remember God loves you and is proud of you!

I will end on one of my favorite scriptures that comes out of the Book of Mormon. 

Jacob 3: 1-2

1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and apray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will bconsole you in your cafflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down djustice upon those who seek your destruction.

2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his alove; for ye may, if your bminds are cfirm, forever.

In the name of Jesus Christ amen!

Benson Boone

 Rylee had another Lacrosse game and it was a bring your own chair type of seating and so I had good seat to take some action shots of Rylee (number 7). Bodi came with me and after the Varsity game the girls had to stay and cheer on the JV girls. It started raining after the Varsity game so Bodi and I hung out in the car during the JV game. Luckily the JV game goes much quicker and we didn't have to wait too long.

Ty got Kenedy two tickets to the Benson Boone concert in Salt Lake City and told her she could take anyone she wanted and she wanted to take Rylee who is a big fan. Rylee needed a ride to Utah but I really did not want to drive to Utah again so I drover her to Burley early Friday morning where we met Ty who drove her the rest of the way to Utah while I headed back home. Rylee had a lot of fun being with Kenedy and at the concert. I got up early Sunday morning to meet Kenedy and Rylee in Burley so I could take Rylee back home. It was a lot of exhausting driving but Rylee had a really fun time at the concert with Kenedy and I am happy that I was able to help her get there.

I took pictures of some quilts I have made the last year...

Strawberry Jam Quilt

Holiday House Quilt

Bodi has been going to church with us and meeting with the missionaries. It has been fun having him with us at church, he was at church the day Kefford wasp in as Bishop and that meeting blew his mind. This Sunday was his Birthday and he had plans with his family after church but I made him a cake and got him some Strawberry Lemonade which Avynlea said was his favorite. he was able to stop by after church real quick to get his treats and for a picture.

Bishop Kefford

Our Stake Conference was in March and during the Stake Conference our Stake was split and we got a new Stake Presidency. Brother Bond and Brother Winter from our ward were put in as counselors and the new Stake president is President Bennett. About a week later Kefford got a text from President Bennett asking if he could come over and meet our family. He came that night and we had a nice visit and that was that. I assumed it was because Kefford is in a Bishopric and President Bennett was trying to meet people serving in the Stake. About another week later we get another text asking if he could come back to meet with us and I knew what it was going to be about. Kefford knew as well though he tried to deny it, we knew it had to be a new calling for Kefford and he mentioned several callings within the Stake it could be though we both deep down knew what the calling was going to be. What I liked about this visit and the previous one was he sent the text to us in the morning to meet with us that evening. I always disliked the habit of being called in to meet with someone about a new calling and the meeting being days away, too much time to stress and speculate. So I liked that he is a get it done quick kind of guy. When the doorbell rang that night I went to answer it and found not just President Bennett at the door but President Bond and President Winter as well. I was a little taken aback and just said "Hi guys" in a surprised voice. They chuckled about the surprise and we invited them all in. They wanted to meet with all of us including Rylee which was unusual but I really liked that she was part of the meeting. After some small talk they got down to business and called Kefford to be the new Bishop of the Bainbridge Ward. Like I said deep down we all knew what was coming but it was still a shock for Kefford and he looked a little over-whelmed as they were talking to him. It honestly was a really good meeting with the men in our Stake Presidency and as they talked to Kefford and expressed their confidence in and love for him I felt the Spirit and felt a love for them. They are good men and I am really excited about them being the leaders of our Stake and know that they will do so much good. I also know that Kefford will be an amazing Bishop and I am excited to see him lead our Ward and be a source of good for the members.

President Bennett told Kefford to pray about who he wanted as counselors and to let him know when he has decided. After a couple of days of watching General Conference, praying and going to the Temple Kefford felt good about Jeff Johnson as his first counselor and Rod Givens as his second counselor. Jeff was going to be out of town the next Sunday so we had to wait two weeks for the new Bishopric to be announced. It was a bit of a hard secret to keep especially because the Ward knew that Bishop Eberhards time as Bishop was about up and there was a lot of speculating going on. I walk a two times a week with my friend Erika Lish and the week following President Bennett issuing the call to Kefford she was naming names of who she thought would be the next Bishop. She said that Kefford would be so good but didn't think he would be called because he was just in a Bishopric. The entire time she was talking I was dyeing inside and just had to remain quiet, it was rough. 

I was pretty anxious the Sunday that Kefford was being put in, I was happy for it to finally be out there and done but I also was told I was going to be asked to bare my testimony and I was not excited. I do not like public speaking and was really nervous all through the meeting. Of course I went next to last and I was a sweaty mess by the time I got up there. I told my family I would be baring my testimony so a lot of them were able to tune in which I like but I was still so nervous. I got a new dress a couple of weeks prior and I decided to save it to wear on this day to give me some confidence, I don't know that it worked but maybe it helped me a little bit.I was on the phone with Heather that morning and she wanted to see my dress so I sent her a picture.  I bore my testimony and then got down as fast as I could. Bob and Alison came and were sitting with Rylee and I during the meeting and when I got up I saw that Jeremy was there with Michael Hartley(Kefford's childhood friend) and Brit and Kelsey were also there with their kids. It was nice for Kefford to have the support but it just made me more nervous, ugh.

After the meeting we went to the stage where Kefford and his counselors were set apart. All three men were emotional and received really neat blessings,  I am really excited for our ward and for these men who are willing to serve. I know they will do such a great job and be so good for the members in our ward. After sacrament meeting and after church I received nothing but support and love for me being the new Bishops wife and I heard nothing but positive feedback about this new Bishopric, it is nice to feel so much support for Kefford and his counselors.

Kefford met briefly with his new Counselors after church but was told to not have any serious meetings this first day. We were able to spend the rest of the day relaxing and chilling as a family of three.

Bodi is friends with Rylee and wanted to come watch her play lacrosse whenever he could and he was able to come and watch a good handful of her games. he missed seeing the games the week they won every game and this game they did not win but it was still fun to watch Rylee play. I like being able to hear her boss around the other girls on defense. She is not doing in a bossy I am in charge  type of way just helping her teammates know where to be and who to defend. 

On Wednesday Class 14 met at my house for a night of Blind, deaf and mute baking. The girl who is mute has to communicate the baking directions to the deaf girl who then had to tell the one blindfolded what to do. I have cookies, muffins and cupcakes for the girls to bake with and we had three groups of three. It honestly was a fun night, messy and chaotic but really fun.

Adele Williams, Casha Shoemaker and Claire Eaton

Alexa Lish, Sophie Hansen and Avery Ham

Claire Eaton, Casha Shoemaker and a friend