Lauro de Freitas: Vol 1 Chpt 3

 1. Did you get your Easter package finally?  If so, what sort of condition was the bread in?  I hope you enjoyed it.
I did!  Thanks so much!  Everything was great... except for the bread =( it went moldy, which I am really sad about.  (I tried an experiment, I vacuum sealed a small loaf of homemade bread, obviously it still took too long to get to  her)

2. Have you made plans yet for us to visit on Mother's Day?  Our church is still from 9-12noon.  It appears that we are once again 2 hours different, so our church is from 11-2pm your time.
 Ok, yeah, we are going to skype at an investigators house.... and probably at about 230 or 30.  I need my password for one of my gmails so that I can talk to you through that - so you NEED to send it to me next week!

3. You asked me to update you blog, do you want the stuff in your emails put on it about your anxiety and such?  I wasn't sure if you would want that posted.
Yeah, I dont have a problem with you putting it up there.  Who knows?  Maybe it will help someone out someday

4. How are you doing, better, worse, the same? Have you been put on medication?  How often are you scheduled to see the psychiatrist?
Medication is a hassle - I still havent been because the mission wont allow me to use the one that was prescribed.  They are trying to talk to the doctor about that and get me on a differnt one.  Still, Sister Stull talked to me and told me that it will take about 3 weeks for the medication to take affect, which I think I knew but at the same time... it was a rough day.  I really just want to feel better.  I am scheduled to see the doctor about every 15 days, so its coming up again.  I am just kind of feeling... numb, and trying to keep myself going.  Talk to Sister Stull helps, because she lets me know that how I am feeling is normal.  But at the same time its no fun not feeling like myself.

Sister Nascimento is great - really really great.  She is really understanding, really upbeat, and really proactive - all things that I need right now.  It makes me wish I was feeling better at times, because I know how great we would work together.  Now its just a little frustrating, and I am trying not to get frustrated about it, because we make plans and goals and I dont feel like I am helping because there is absolutly nothing in my head.  I cant remember people that we have talked to or what we talked about...  And I am very thankful for Elder Malloy, because he has been helping me out because he isnt stressed about numbers and he already knew me, too. And that always helps.

This week Elder Clayton of the 70 visisted - so we all went to Salvador to listen to him.  And Sister Cornwall, Elder MacDonald and Elder Higley and I sang "Come thou Fount" for him, and it was soooo beautiful.  Not to mention that I had a prayer answered, too.  About two weeks ago I was really craving tacos.  Yes, crazy I know.  When Sister Cornwall and I went to practice the song the morning of the serão Presidente Vecchi had a council with the ZL and they always have lunch afterwards.  Guess what they had for lunch.  Yes.  Tacos.  And guess who was invited to eat with them.  Us!  It was pretty great.

I think thats about everything for now.  Oh!  I am going to need to buy shoes, and I have no idea how much they are going to be... I havent looked at how much I have on my card yet but I will.  If you could look and if you think I might need more just put it on that would be wonderful.

Love you all!  Hope Emma feels better soon!

Amo vocês!

Sister Petersen

Lauro de Freitas: Vol 1 Chpt 2

Yes!  I am here in Salvador!  Actually I am in Lauro de Freitas, but it is a city right outside of Salvador, and it is soooo good!  Its a lot hotter - more like Itabuna - and the mosquitos have found me again... I had forgotten about the mosquitos.  Sister Nascimento is my new companion, and Sister Petersen has finally become a senior companion!  Not that that really means much - I have no idea what to do here still because the area is huge and the ward has a lot of people in it, but they all seem really nice and really helpful.  And Sister Nascimento is great - she is really up beat and on top of things and I am really excited to work with her.  She also told me that one of the people that I found on an exchange in Ilhéus was baptized and he is preparing to serve a mission!  That was amazing to hear.  I already knew that he had been baptized, but to know that he is getting ready to serve a mission.... that is so amazing.  Also, I dont know if you remember Elder Malloy from the MTC, but he is my district leader!  Oh the tender mercies of the Lord....  He really does love his children and know whats best for them.

Lets see... we had a sisters conference again, and it was really good.  I dont know if they exist in the USA, but here they have short time missionaries who are called to serve in the same mission that they are from and usually for only a few transfers.  We have 6 of them right now, which brings the number of sister missionaries up to 21!  There are a lot of us, and we are doing good work.

I went to see the psyciatrist... that was a little interesting just because of the language barrier - I think he thought that I understood less than I did.  But it was good.  We are getting things all figured out.  At one point he said to me "So, tell me about your childhood..." and I thought of Silly Songs with Larry.  Who would have thought that Veggie Tales was helping me prepare for my life?

It appears that Matheus understood your email just fine - he wrote me a little today and shared some things that helped a lot.  But I wouldnt have a problem with someone translated for him.

Well, I should write to Presidente - love you!!!  Glad you are all safe!!! Update my blog!!! =]

até mais -

Sister Petersen

Lauro de Freitas: Vol 1 Chap 1

I wanted to send a bunch of pictures, but for some reason it wont let me attatch files... you'll have to do without.  Again.  Sorry about that.

I thought I would fill you in on a few things that have happened that I have forgotten to mention.  I have officially fufilled two of the things that I wanted to do while on my mission. Number One:  I helped someone move!  I am not sure why, but I always think of missionaries helping people move.  Sister Andrade and I were working one afternoon and we saw a family moving in so we offered to help.  We stayed there a good hour moving things out of the truck and into the house.  Afterwards guess what we found out?  The people were less active members of the Church!  Who would have thought?  Oh the Lord works in mysterious ways.... they didnt seem too excited about the invitation to come to church, but we have their address and we will go back and see how things are soon.

Number Two: I washed clothes by hand.  Yessiree, I learned how.  And I learned that I didnt know how to wring water out of clothes the right way.  Who knew that their was a right way to get the water out?  Well, I know now.  I also discovered some muscles that I didnt know existed... they hurt a little bit the next day.

Also, something else you asked last week was about Easter traditions here.  There arent many, but one thing that everyone does is they get chocolate easter eggs, and some of them are huuuuge.  They are hollow and are usually filled with other little chocolates or sweets.  Sister Andrade and I received a few, and lets just say that I am a little sick of chocolate at the moment.

We had Zone Conference this past week, and afterward the Zone went out to eat and I got açaí e cupuaçu - you are going to have to look that second one up, because I dont have a clue how to describe it, other than the fact that its delicious!

As for how I am feeling, I am doing pretty good.  Presidente told me to relax and I am doing my best. Our numbers werent great this week, but I felt wonderful when I passed them to my district lider because I know I did what the Lord wanted me to do.

As for transfers, I am pretty sure I am still going to Salvador, but we havent heard anything officially yet, which is a little strange...  But Presidente told me that they are setting up appointments for me and such and that I would be transfered there, so I am just waiting to hear what area.

I love you all!  I hope youre doing great!  Give Nicholas a hug for me!  I wish I could be there.... take a lot of pictures!!!

Love you!  Até logo -

Sister Petersen

A Conquista da Conquista: Vol 4. Chpt 6

This week Erin just answered questions for me that I had about her anxiety.  Pres. Vecchi called us on from Zone conference and I got to talk with Erin for about an hour.  It was wonderful to hear her voice and get to hear from her how she was doing.  Pres. Vecchi told her that she would be transferred to Salvador the following week when transfers came.  That would put her closer to the mission home and give her the opportunity to visit with the psychiatrist.  Erin was fine with the transfer, she had had the impression several weeks before that she would be transferred to Salvador soon.

I am so proud of Erin, she is an amazing woman and missionary.  She is dealing so well with this situation and sees the hand of the Lord everyday in some little thing so she knows he is aware of her and watching over her.  She is such an example to me.

Here is a short note she wrote to me, you can see from it the difficulties she is having:


And I dont have much time to write this week.  It was a really rough week.  Sister Andrade and I are both really really worn out physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and there were just so many things that happened this week that I have no idea what to do with - I have no idea why it happened right now, why it happened in the first place... and I am just really tired.  Really tired.  And really tired of being tired.  And really tired of not being able to think straight and feeling bad (and trying not to feel bad) that it looks like we have done so little, and trying to make myself feel better and trying to make her feel better about what we have/havent done in the week.  And I am tried of it.  I am really tired of feeling like I cant trust what it is that I am thinking.  Its completely and utterly frustrating.
But the Lord has also done wonderful things for me this week to remind me of his love for me and to remind me that I am doing useful work here and that He still thinks that what I am doing is worthwhile.
I love you - thanks for everything

A Conquista da Conquista: Vol 4. Chpt 5

Conference was incredible!  I liked it soooo much, and it really saved me this week.  We were also able to have three of our investagators come to conference, and I know that it helped a LOT, especially with one of them.  She really felt the spirit when Sister Beck spoke and when President Monson spoke, too, and she finally accepted a baptism date!  I am so excited for her.  She understands the gospel so well.

We also had the chance to clean the church this last week - do a real deep cleaning.  Let me say that cleaning here in Brazil is much more fun than it is at home.  I will send you some pictures next week so that you will understand a little better =]

This week was kind of a mess.  I havent been lying to you when I said that I have been doing good (or at least better) because when I write to you guys, I really do feel better.  But I was talking to the psycologist this week and she is worried about me because of a couple of different things and she wants me to talk to a psyciatrist (I give up on spelling!) because she thinks that I do have either anxiety or bipolar.  That news kind of screwed up my week a bit.  I talked the the bishop here (whom I love and is a wonderful support) and he gave me a blessing and I felt better, but I don't think I am getting better.  Not really.  I don't really know how to explain it, but hearing her say that I should talk to a psyciatrist has made me worry about a lot of things that I am really trying not to worry about.  Especially because when I was watching conference I had the impression that I should stay here until September.  And so I think I will.  But I need to get some things figured out.  I still haven't talked to a psyciatrist, but I will get there.

Thank you thank you thank you for your support, for your love, and for your prayers!

até mais!

Sister Petersen