Hui hi Hawaii

Aloha everyone! Hope your not expecting another email because sadly this is my last one. Sorry I've been bad at writing emails I figured I better do one last email. This final transfer has been INSANE! 

It started with me, Elder Payne, and Elder Reed then Elder Payne went to his original assignment in Tanzania Africa! It was sad to see him go I'm glad he made it to his mission. Then a week later an Elder in my district Elder Anderson, his companion went home so we were in a trio again and cover Kaneohe 3rd and Kahaluu again! We were having such a fun time with the three of us, working hard. Then a week we were together we get another call telling us an Elder in our zone got called as Zone Leader mid transfer so they had Elder Anderson replace him. So things were a bit hectic. It really helped me understand that things are not guaranteed how God always has a better plan, even though in the moment it may seem crazy things will all work out in the end. 

With all this craziness it's one of my favorite transfers. It's really taught me to live in the moment and enjoy where you are. This week we prayed that we would see a miracle before I leave. The next day we get a call from a member asking if we could teach his grandkids! Super cool there names were Aiden, Sia, and Trinity. Get there it was kinda funny their grandpa locked them outside to force them to have a lesson. Nonetheless it was still a great lesson. Trinity wasn't interested which was sad but Aiden and Sia were Interested, I'm glad Elder Reed and his new companion will continue teaching them. 

With my mission as a whole I've learned many lesson and have deepened my faith in Jesus Christ. The most important lesson I have learned is how real and powerful the Atonement of Jesus Christ is! Without His Atonement we would all be lost but because God loves us so much he sent his only Begotten that through him we can change and become new and better people. 

It's so wild to think that I've finished my mission I can't wait to see you all! My homecoming is March 14th I would love to see you all there. Shoot me message for the address or for zoom. Love you all and hope to see you soon!

Elder Peterson 

1.Trio with me, Payne and Reed

2.Trio with Reed, me, and Anderson.

I'm Alive!

 Aloha everyone. Things have been crazy over here. We recently had our transfer. I was thinking since I've been here for 3 transfers and my companion has only been here for 1 I was going to leave Kaneohe and Elder Reed was going to stay since this upcoming transfer is my second to last transfer it would be a reasonable time to leave. We got transfer news and found out I was the one staying and Elder Reed is going to Honolulu. It was quite the shock to the both of us. As we know the Lord knows what's best. My new companion is Elder Payne! He's an awesome  guy, he's been out for 3 months from Cache Valley, Utah. 'a reassigned missionary, he was supposed to go to Tanzania, Africa, he is Swahili speaking. It's been awesome being with him, I haven't picked up much Swahili he got a call right before he got transferred from our mission president telling him his mission is opening January 27 which is middle of my final transfer so it's pretty likely I'll finish my mission in Kaneohe.

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Tuesday we had a crazy experience. We just got out of district council and we went to the mall to eat lunch like we normally do. Out of nowhere an older lady comes up to us and ask if we could give her friend a blessing. I was thinking we were going to go someplace private and give a blessing we walk over and this older lady was coughing really bad I was thinking where are we going to blessing they asked if she could get the blessing immediately. I thought what in the middle of the food court? All the elders I was with asked me to give the blessing I was nervous at first to give a blessing with everyone watching me but as I gave the blessing it was crazy almost as if no one was watching. Once I ended I looked up and if course everyone was watching but the old aunty coughing stopped when they keep tried to take her to the hospital she kept on telling them she was fine and felt good. That day taught me an important lesson to always give a blessing when someone is in need regardless the situation.

Something awesome our stake has done is they organized a drive through Nativity. When I first heard about it I thought it was some Christmas lights at the chapel people would drive through and see. I was impressed they had made different scenes from Christ birth and made them into stages with actors it was super cool. We had the awesome opportunity to help. We only did it for 4 days the first two were good had steady amount of people but the last two nights were packed and with people all around the island we had tons of non-members come. I wish I had pictures of it but sadly I don't. 

Hope everyone had a great week. I love and miss you all. Aloha 

Elder Peterson 

Pic of me and Elder Payne

Halloween Shenanigans

 Hey everyone. It's been a while my bad. Things here in Kaneohe have been great. Me and Elder Reed no long cover Kahaluu ward. It was a big bummer since that was our favorite ward but everything happens for a reason. So now we only cover Kaneohe 3rd ward.

For the past two weeks have had two quarantined missionaries living at our pad. Before they flew in they had to take Covid test to make sure they didn't have it. When they got here the airport said they dont accept it front thr company they did it with so they made them quarantine for two weeks. It's been fun living with them, they kept things entertaining. 

We had an awesome miracle this past week. We have been teaching this Investigator named Reyna. I've only had one lesson  with her we went to teach her we weren't too sure what to teach her. We were thinking reading 3 Nephi 11 with her or even reading a conference talk with her. We sit and start talking with her I strongly felt we needed to read 3 Nephi 11 with her. We read it with her and we asked her what she liked about the chapter we read we with her. She told us she really liked how it talked about baptism and how she wants to be baptized. This blew us away we were not expecting this at all. It's been amazing seeing how the spirit works with her. She's told us she struggles with depression as we were teaching her without us telling her at the end of a lesson she's told us how she feels she should pray when she gets depressed have God help her more in her trials. 

Wednesday night was awesome. Our ward did a drive through Trunk or Treat! It was super fun. Cars drove through and we threw some candy into their car. It was pretty fun it was jam packed at first then the rain came and everyone vanished. It's super cool we got a teaching opportunity because if it! A less active family wants us to teach their 8 year old daughter which is an awesome opportunity to reactivate the family. Halloween was great. In the morning we had a car wash which was fun, not very many people came but we had a fun water fight during it. One of the members in another ward invited our entire zone to have a Halloween party we carved pineapples. Then at 6pm we had to stay inside so us and the quarantined missionaries messed around and had fun. That's what's about it for this week. Hope everyone had a great Halloween. Love and miss you all. Aloha.

Machete's and Homeless People

 Aloha everyone. The past two weeks have been pretty great. Last was a somewhat normal week. We had our usual service projects Friday was pretty crazy. Me and a bunch of missionaries were helping our member with her garden. I was minding my own business pulling weeds then out of nowhere a machete hits my hand! I freaked out at first looked and at my hand and it was super swollen. I was lucky the flat edge of the blade hit my hand. Get up to grab some water then out of nowhere I passed out. Once I woke up they rushed me to the hospital. Doctor told me everything was fine I just went into shock and my hand is just bruised. The best part was seeing the zone get together its probably been the most united the zones been.

This week we had a mini transfer for all the missionaries getting out of quarantine. Elder Teerlink got transferred. He is now an office Elder in Honolulu. My new companion is Elder Reed. He's from Clearfield, UT awesome guy. This Sunday was awesome, we had sacrament here in Kaneohe! It was awesome going back and getting to meet the ward members. It's funny how I've been here for 3 months and now I'm getting to know somewhat most of the members. What made Sunday really special is we went with our ward mission leaders family and fed the homeless! It was super cool, we went around town and found some people. Most of them were super stand-offish at first. I felt super sympathetic for them once I got to know them and hear there story. Almost every single homeless person we talked to was a parent and there kids live somewhere on Island. It really was a humbling experience for me to hear them and the trials they go through. That's been my week. I love and miss you all. Aloha 

Elder Peterson 

Week of Service

 Aloha everyone! Hope your all doing great. Its been an exhausting week. Almost everyday this week we have had service projects. Tuesday we helped out at the food pantry giving food to people in need. It was super fun we were running with a shopping cart putting food in people's cars. 

Wednesday nothing exciting happened. Thursday we went with one of our members Aunty Emma and helped her friend clean his yard. Coolest part was it was in my last zone one of my past companions Elder Quitola was there. It was super cool reconnecting with him. 

Friday we went back to the house with the jungle yard but this time we had a lot more help. Funny we still didn't get it finished but we are making progress. 

Saturday we helped our member Aunty Emma on her farm. It's pretty cool what happening on her farm. She has farm hands that help her they are involved with life 360 which is a program that helps people change there lives not only that they bring in kids that live in rough areas around the island to get out and help on the farm. It's always fun helping out, we've cleared a little spot we planted banana trees, coconut trees, and we going to plant ginger soon its really cool they gave us a little spot for us to plant take care of. 

The scripture that summarizes this week is Mosiah 2:17 "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God". Serving and helping others is crazy how many doors it opens to teach people, although we arent teaching anyone from the services we've done it helps open the door for others in the future. Hope everyone has great week I love and miss you all. Aloha!

Elder Peterson 

1. Most of our zone clearing the jungle

2. Our little garden in Aunty Emma's farm (work in progress)

Miracles in Kanaluu

Aloha everyone! Sorry it's been a while since I've sent an email. Last week we had a baptism! It was a crazy miracle. Our mission fasted for this September that we would see many miracles this month. After we closed our fast we get call from a member telling us that his friend Steven that used to be taught by the missionaries wants to take the lessons again! Before we started our lesson he told us that he wants to be baptized and go to the temple, we were blown away little did we know during the gap we stopped meeting with Steven the Lord was preparing him. The following Saturday he was baptized, after the baptis he told us how he wants his kids baptized and his brother in law in is less-active wants his kid baptized now! All it takes is one peron to open the door for others. We were talking to our ward mission Leader made a great statement he told us how right now so many things are closed or locked down how with our church the temples are closed, and even the churches but the one thing that still hasn't stopped is missionary work. Right now is the time to be focusing on missionary work. 

This week we've been doing a lot of service projects. We've been helping an Investigator named Kimo help build a room for his grandkids. We found a new person named brenda we are helping her clean her jungle yard. Man time has been flying by. Yesterday marked 19 months on my mission. Hope everyone has a great week. Aloha 

Elder Peterson

New transfer, New shenanigans!

Aloha everyone. Ya I know it's been a while not much has happened over here. Things have been picking up more. Since we can visit members if we pre arrange the visit we've  been to a few members homes which has been so nice getting out of the house. 

We just had transfers I'm staying in Aiea and Halawa. Now I'm no longer with the Zone Leaders covering 3 wards. My new companion is Elder Oldham. I served with him when I was in Kona. Hes from Portland Oregon. Hes a super smart guy. Hes also the tech guy for the mission which is pretty cool. 

Everything is going good. Quarantine is almost over which I cannot wait for, things are slowly opening up. Hope everyone has a great week, love and miss you all. Aloha.

Elder Peterson