Week 3 - HolaaaaAhhhh!!!!

hola mi famila y mi amigos!! This week has flown by. Elder Todd has a great saying, the days feel slow, but the week is fast. I feel like that is very accurate. I feel like I just started the MTC, but my last class at 6:15 seems like it lasts for many moons. 

Also, Hermana Francis comes home today!! Yayyy!! So exciting!! She is probably not Hermana Francis by the time I send this email.

This week marks the start of Spanish only classes. So my classes are only in Spanish, and I’m STRONGLY SUGGESTED to only speak in Spanish as well, only using English as a last resort. All I can say is "ay yai yai !!!" I am so grateful for my teachers, Hermano Nixon, Hermana Howells, Hermana Garcia, Hermano Atkinson for being extremely patient with all of my district and my lack of Spanish speaking skills. It really is a great environment, they are pushing us in the just the right way that we are learning, but if we keep a positive mindset and a good attitude, then we won't get stressed or nervous about learning a completely new language. Alma 36:3 says: "for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." So I'm thinking that I will not feel comfortable speaking Spanish until the last day of the MTC. As for my Spanish, I can constantly say a pretty simple prayer from the top of my head. It’s simple but it gets the job done. I can have a simple conversation about someone's interests, their family. I was able to write and start practicing my testimony in the wonderful language of Spanish. It's not exactly how I would say things, and it's simple, but it's still my testimony and it's still powerful. I love how simple the gospel is. Its truths and messages are not complicated and no matter how I mess up or say slightly incorrect things, the spirit still conveys the love and the happiness that the gospel poses. I am very grateful for everything I have learned so far with the gospel and with Spanish. 

This P-day was a wild one that's for sure. My district got around 12 or so elders and we played dunk ball down in Olympus holiday area. This was the first time I've seen my district in person and not on my computer screen. Elder Kotter was talking smack but for someone that's 6' 5" he gets dunked on a lot. The whole squad was full of missionaries from loads of different places, holiday, Layton, Farmington, South Ogden, and the list goes on. I think we all got a little too into it but it was so fun. I think playing on an 8 and a half foot rim is a little cheeky for the tall people, but they must have had an off day because they let my 5' 7" body push them around a little bit. Elder Kotter had some of his rugby buddies come that were missionaries, and they were so sick, and they kept it lively. One of them twisted his ankle when he landed after a particularly saucy dunk. He took it like a champ, and he's doing better now.

After that I sped home and realized once I got home that I was kinda scraped up. I had two blood blisters on my left hand that popped, my right thumb as well as a toe on my right foot is jammed. My feet are kinda tired, my elbows are scraped, and my back is killing me from having to carry my teammates. My family thinks my thumb may be worse, but I’ll keep you all updated. I did have a little throwback when I taped my thumb in the 3 minutes I was home. After that I went and played soccer in the heat of the day for another solid 3 hours. There is a picture of us after, rip Mason and Kevin. They showed up Tuesday when we played, but didn't take the Saturday picture. Kevin’s foot is also swollen after he tripped after almost getting scored on. Hope he gets better.   

It's crazy to me that some people my age are moving down to college this week!! That is so cool!! I want to hear all about it. It really is so nice when I get even the smallest text or email from you guys. Thank you guys so much!! Keep it up!

I put together some scriptures that give me and some of the people in my district comfort. most of them are from Elder Nichols Haha: Helaman 3:35, Alma 37: 48+ more , 2 Nephi 10:23, D&C 123:17, Moses 6:31-33, D&C 64:33-34, Luke 1:37, Romans 8:31, Romans 8:38-39, Moroni 7:33, 2 Nephi 2:11, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Ether 12:27, 1 Nephi 3:7, 1 Nephi 11:16-17. Psalm 27:14, D&C 6:34, Alma 36:27, John 14:18, D&C 122:9, Psalm 27:14, Exodus 14:13, Philippians 4:7, John 14:27, D&C 100:15, Psalm 27:1, D&C 101:36, D&C 98:1, D&C 78:19, D&C 112:10, D&C 6:33, Alma 36:3, Deuteronomy 31:6,Mosiah 18:8-9   

Te amo -Elder Petersen     

Here are some pics it’s the soccer photo, basketball photo, and another just random picture of my district