TRACES OF TIME... {For last week: Scroll to end and click "Older Posts" at bottom right.}
This week
march 29 to april 4, 2021
Saratoga Springs Utah Stake 28 March 2021
Stake Presidency
President Jordan Erickson
President Dayne Petersen, First Counselor
President Ryan Woodbury, Second Counselor
I'm Back!
Just like that I'm Back in Brazil! After 4 flights and just over 30 hours of travel I made it back to Brazil! Out of my 4 flights I think the 10 hour tonight from Atlanta to São Paulo was my favorite haha. My seat was supposed to be by a guy name Josiah who is from São Paulo. When we started talking i assumed he only spoke Portuguese and then he was asking where I was from and I told him I was an American and then he was like oh I speak English if that’s easier for you I think he could tell I was struggling with Portuguese. His parents are from America and he's been studying in New Jersey. So he was fluent in Portuguese and English. We got talking and of course me being dressed in church clothes and a black tag he knew I was a "Mormon". I got him talking and come to find out he is a Baptist but only claims to be a Baptist because that's the religion he was born in and agrees with some of their beliefs. He was definitely searching for something and was super interested in what we believe. I had a super special experience and started teaching him the restoration because like it says in, Preach My Gospel it is our unique message to the world. I was able to recite the first vision in Portuguese from memory thanks to my trainer about a year ago when he helped me memorize it. The spirit was strong and then I invited him to check out the Book of Mormon and explained how much that book has changed my life.
Before our flight took off they moved us to different seats and I had 4 seats to myself so I slept like a baby!
We had 3 lessons my first day I got here and although I didn't teach a whole ton when I taught I knew the gift of tongues was working! I was saying things I didn't know I knew how to say! if that makes sense. When we're in a lesson is when I can understand and speak my language the best which isn't a coincidence. Other than that I can't understand a whole lot but it's getting better a little bit each day.
Elder Boaventura also started his mission in Poções my first area here in Brazil it's good to know I'm not the only one with not so fond memories of that place.
Park city: My new area is called Parque da Cidade, (Park of the City) or in other words Park City!! It definitely ain't no Utah Park City but it is a cool area. I can see the ocean from our window which is pretty cool except there's a rule in our mission you have to stay one street away from the beach. I was asking my companion why and he said "Tem muito mulheres sem roupas..." (there is a lot of women without clothes). So that's good we don’t go there.
I guess our apartment has been vacant for a little bit so we have quite a few little friends crawling around. I can't even imagine what it was like in apartment in Poções when they finally went back.
Caramba it's humid here especially being right by the ocean. The transition may be difficult but I know God has a plan for each of us and I wouldn't be back here if that weren't true.
In the video he was saying you're going to experience difficulties in your mission. He was saying we might ask why do we have to go through some of the things we do? Why does it have to be so hard? He said It's going to be hard but this is to strengthen your faith. It's to make you a strong person for the rest of your life. Make you a strong father/mother, a strong spouse. The things you learn on your mission are irreplaceable. This hit pretty hard for me. I was pretty comfortable serving in Pocatello.
Not that it was easy in all aspects but it was pretty easy. Now being here I look at that time and think maybe I was getting too complacent with everything. Maybe the Lord knew I needed to be a stretched a little bit more the last 6 months of my mission.
I am grateful for this opportunity to finish my mission here I truly am but I'm also not going to lie and say everything is sunshine and rainbows here though there is quite a bit of sun;) .
I know we're here on earth to be tested and tried and to become the personHeavenly Father knows we can become. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how simple it is. Yet, if we follow it we truly find pure joy.
Amo vocês tchauuuu Elder Petersen
My reply back to Carter: Mar 29, 2021 6:30
p.m.
But he had to fly it 3 more times during our mission there to accompany sick missionaries home. And then we did fly back home in Mar 2010.
Carter, I don't remember if I've told you what we would say to our missionaries often: "You've heard that we are a "chosen people," to which I would add: "We are a 'chosen people.' Chosen to work!"
Please feel all the love and prayers for you!~
He is Risen, as He said! And because He has, we all have the hope of being Resurrected! And you are teaching that marvelous message. Happy Easter. Love, Grama Petersen
Pharaoh
Description
Here's our fun Easter Dinner at Steve and Natalie's home...Ham 'n Turkey and lots of good food: Cheesy Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, Tossed Salad, Fruit, Monkey Bread and Julie's home-made freezer strawberry jam, Deviled Eggs, and for dessert: Strawberry Shortcake and/or Tuxedo Chocolate Cake from Costco. Thanks, Steve, Natalie, Julie, Gary for all the delicious food. Oh, and Gary had a taste test of 3 different kinds of blueberries. Which one won...the Chile, Mexico or...can't remember the third one?
TEMPLES ANNOUNCED – 2021 April 4, 2021 Easter Sunday … Among the 20
is the
Burley Idaho Temple – 2021 Apr
[takes about 3 yrs to build = approx 2024 Apr]
“We want to bring the house of the Lord even closer to our
members, that they may have the sacred privilege of attending the temple as
often as their circumstances allow,” President Nelson said.
The 20 new temples will be built in the following locations: Today this is how I heard it:
- Oslo,
Norway
- Brussels,
Belgium
- Vienna,
Austria
- Kumasi,
Ghana
- Beira,
Mozambique
- Cape
Town, South Africa
- Singapore,
Republic of Singapore
- Belo
Horizonte, Brazil
- Cali,
Colombia
- Querétaro,
México
- Torreón,
México
- Helena,
Montana
- Casper,
Wyoming
- Grand
Junction, Colorado
- Farmington,
New Mexico
- Burley,
Idaho
- Eugene,
Oregon
- Elko,
Nevada
- Yorba
Linda, California
- Smithfield, Utah
- It is like a miracle that Burley, Idaho is going to have a temple within three years!
- General Conference has been inspirational and uplifting to be instructed and counseled by the Anointed Brethren of the Lord: The First Presidency, The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Seventy, and the General Presidencies. They testify of God, the Eternal Father, of His Beloved Son and of His Atonement for each one of us, that He died on the Cross for us, then in three days was the First Fruits of the Resurrection. Because He has risen as He said, we have all been given the gift to be Resurrected, too! What hope this gives us in this life. There is life to come! I bear my witness to this, also.
*** *** *** I am so thankful for The Plan of Salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ that makes this Great Plan operational.
