Sister Peterson Week 70

I picked up human bones with chopsticks 

I'm not even lying. Let me tell you about this little funeral we went to.

 Our friend Nobue's, who as we all know has been getting taught for a while, mother passed away. Since she doesn't have a whole lot of family or friends to attend, we went to support her. 4 missionaries, our branch president, and 2 members. She also had 2 family members there with her. 

In Japan what they do is bring the body straight to the crematorium. We all viewed her mom in her casket, which I had mixed feelings about, and then Brother Takei said a nice prayer for her. After a lot of bowing they wheeled her off to be cremated.

We waited about an hour then they called us back in and what was left was a bunch of remains from her bones. Everyone took turns, with chopsticks, picking up the bones and placing them in a box. And that was it. It wasn't as dramatic as I anticipated, but it was still very interesting. An experience I will probably never have again. That is, unless I marry into a Japanese family mwahahhaha. Then my bones would be picked up with chopsticks. I think thats a pretty good way to go out... :/

 We got transfer news and everyon in my zone is staying, except they are trading one person out. Pretty crazy, but I am really excited to be working with this zone for my last transfer! I love these people and especially my district! We have become pretty tight.

 GOD BLESS AMERICA!

I don't think I will every get over how much I love my country and how grateful I am for it and it's freedom. We celebrated the 4th of July with our Eikaiwa class and made a yummy dessert. It looks a little messy, but boy was it delish. 

 I do not remember if I have talked about this before, but every morning at 6:30am we get together with a bunch of neighborhood old people and do what is called Radio Taiso. It's like a stretch routine type thing. Just look it up online, everyone in Japan knows and does it. Tuesday was the 4 year anniversary of this neighborhood getting together to do it, so we celebrated with a nice dinner. I love Japanese people. 

 Okay, 1 more miracle than I will be done. After trying to street in the blazing heat, we were walking to the train station to head home. We hear a honk and a car pulls over next to us. It was one of our Eikaiwa friends who we call Uncle Morio!! He was with his friend and they were going to lunch and asked us to join. Well, OKAY! We drove about 30 minutes into the mountains, then had an amazing lunch by this super pretty lake. The view and greenery was sooo pretty. It made me want to go swimming SO BAD but it's okay, my time will come. Yay for Uncle Morio!

 I think what might be fitting for this email is sharing my testimony about the Plan of Salvation. I loveee the Plan of Salvation. I know that this earth life isn't all there is. After we die, we have the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and our family for eternity. It breaks my heart to know that a lot of people think it's the end, and they will never see their loved ones again. But noooo, God loves us too much to just send us to earth for nothing. 

I wish you could have all seen Nobue's face as we were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation. Her face when we told her the good news that her mom's spirit still lives. Her pointing to the spirit world on the little map and saying my mom is here right now, learning. Her finding out about the things we do in the temple for the dead and saying I want to go there! This is what Jesus Christ's gospel brings. Hope and Joy.

I know that our good works on this earth will be rewarded and the hard things we go through are not for no reason. I am thankful for this knowledge to to be able to teach people about it. I think it is one of the happiest truths I get to teach! 

God loves you all!

I love you! Thank you always for the support and emails! It always means a lot and makes me so happy!

Make it a good week!

Oh and God bless America fr!

<3 Sister Peterson

07/06/2025

My Radio Taiso people! 

My Zone Leader and District Leader... ft my bike! 

Beautiful Nagano

Bestie District! Together for another 6 weeks 

Paddle Boats

 We were looking for something to do while everyone was in town and one thing I thought of was to go to downtown Boise and go on the paddleboats. we got three boats, Kefford and I were on one, Kenedy and Ty were on one and Ryker, Anna and Rylee were on one. Rylee started out in the middle on the Ryker boat because Ryker thought it would be funny but we bullied him into having Anna get in the middle.

Tyler and Kenedy

Rylee, Anna and Ryker

The ducks were following our boats around because typically I think people buy popcorn and throw it to them. I am assuming that because there was popcorn the floors of our boats. We had one duck that got "caught" between the floaters o our boat and it looked like it was help[ing us by leading the way. Kenedy and Ty had the same thing happen on theirs. Silly Ducks

Kefford and Elizabeth

After doing the paddleboats we walked over to the botanical rose garden to look at the beautiful flowers.

I got some cutesy pictures of Ryker and Anna

and Kenedy and Ty

Of course Rylee found a statue to climb on and take pictures with, good ol Abe Lincoln

I found the prettiest rose in the rose garden to take a picture with

and I had Kenedy pose for a picture in front of the blue water fountain because I remembered taking a picture of her in this spot when she was little and I was trying to recreate it. 

We went to church and then Kenedy and Ty and Ryker and Anna were leaving after sacrament meeting so we snagged Kefford really quick for a picture and goodbyes.

4th of July

While I was still up at girls camp the last night Rylee sent Kefford and I a text that Joshua and his family had arrived. Mallory had sent me a text letting me know that they wanted t stop by on their way to visit her sister in Oregon. I told her I would be at girls camp and wouldn't be able to see them but since I decided to go home this night before I was excited that I would be able to see them in the morning before they left to continue their drive. Right after Rylee sent the message she let us know that within 10 minutes of being at our house that Fredrick had got o the trampoline fell off and broke his arm. When I got home with Kefford it was very late but Mallory was at the hospital with Fredrick and Joshua and his kids were in  bed. Mallory got home with Fredrick I the wee hours of the morning and they decided to stay another night with us for Fredricks comfort. I was sad that Fred had injured himself but happy I got to spend a little more time with their family.

Before she and Tyler left to come home for the 4th Kenedy sent me a picture with the baby she nannies for. 

With Joshuas family we read stories, played barbies, went to the park and had pizza. It was a good day and on the 4th they came with us to our Wards pancake breakfast before they left to continue their drive.

Mallory and Leona

Amos, Leona and Rylee

Leona

Fredrick being a trooper

Elizabeth and Leona

Kenedy and Tyler and Ryker and Anna came for the 4th and after the Lutes's left we went to the farm for food, games and fireworks. 

Qiana, Kenedy and Rylee

Anna and Ryker

playing baseball is always a fun Peterson activity

Kefford and Rylee

I made my traditional 4th of July cake and I love the strawberries and blueberries I used to decorate it this year.

We had planned on going boating with Whitney and her family but the weather was cooler and the sky was super gray and looked like it could get stormy so we did not do that. We did go to visit Grandma June where Ryker showed off a magic card trick.

I had a lot of fun sitting with Anna and talking with her. I am so glad she married Ryker and is a part of our family

Elizabeth and Anna

Jace, Ally, Rylee and Sophie

Girls Camp

For the first time in 4 years I was able to go to Girls Camp just as a Leader and not as the one in charge. I really enjoyed not having the responsibility, I got to spend more time with the girls and more time with my bestie Erica. Instead of sleeping in a tent I chose to sleep in my car with Erica in her car right next to mine. I was excited to sleep in my car but it was not as great as I thought, it was not very comfortable, it was cold and it was really tight. It was ok but changing in my car was very difficult. The theme for the camp was CandyLand which I have been wanting to do for years and the YCL'S did a really good job with the decorations. The adults had to help with devotionals and Keri Shoemaker, Camp Director, had us put on our camp shirts, candy land glasses and carry a lollipop at the beginning of camp to introduce what our devos would be. I was tasked with talking about scripture reading and journal keeping. I am not. fan of camp shirts and after the little "skit" was done I took it off and lost sight of it. I was more then fine to not bring it home with me so it would sit in a box for the rest of its life.

 

On one of the mornings we went on a hike and I was put as the leader at the front which is where I like to be. When I hike or exercise I like to just get it done with and I do not like stopping so being in the front meant I could just go and get done. The hike ended at a little creek and I did get a little sad at this point watching all of the other leaders take pictures with their daughters. I was the only leader there without a daughter in the group and that was hard. 

I did a picture with Brynn Givens one of my favorite Young women and Chelsea Ham who is was assistant Camp Director. I also made Erica take a picture with me.

I did not have any opportunity to do my video workouts so I would get up every morning and go walking. On the second night of camp Erica and I got invited to stay the night at the Givens cabin which was so nice. We were able to shower and sleep in beds and in the morning I walked around their golf course which was beautiful and felt more safe then walking around the roads.

The last bright was the night the Bishopric comes up and we had skits and testimony that night. The Leaders did a skit to an SNL skit about Jorts and we did pretty good. The YCLs had the bishopric do TikTok dances with them and the girls loved it. I know Kefford hates stuff like this but he knows it is good for the girls to see him as relatable and he was a good sport and willingly participated. They did such a good job, it was entertaining and so funny. In the pictures Kefford is wearing the green wig.

After skits Kefford led everyone off for Testimony meeting and it was a great start to a spiritual night. 

I took a picture of my dirty feet and was able to then go home with Kefford that night and I am so grateful for it. I helped clean up as much as I could that night so that I did my part and was very happy to say goodbye to the girls and go home to shower and sleep in my own bed.