Nick in the MTC

Hey everyone! I'm too lazy to create a whole new blog for Nick's mission and his emails are too long to post on Facebook for all of his friends to see, so I've decided to just post a link to his email updates (which will be on my personal blog) using his Facebook so everyone can come and read about how he's doing!

With that out of the way, here's Nick's first two emails! They are slightly edited because there were some family things in the emails that aren't important, (i.e. painting rooms in the house and putting in new carpet) haha

This first email was in Portuguese, so I'll translate/paraphrase.

MTC email -- November 21st, 2014

Hi everyone! How's it going? The MTC is pretty different for me, but I'm getting used to it. I've already been changed to my second group of companions, and the funny thing is, is that I am the only person from the US in my entire zone! All the others are from different countries like Samoa, France, New Caledonia, and they're all learning English. Yesterday I was made zone leader, which is so strange for me, I'm so new I have no idea what I'm doing. It's hard when they're all learning English because I have to help them with their talks and lessons.

I wanted to tell you about how on my first day at the MTC Elder Magallanes got a nerve infection. At night, he asked me to give him a blessing and I did for the very first time! When we woke up the next morning, his pain was gone, It is amazing what the Spirit can do!

This is for mom, she'll be happy to hear that I play the piano for each of our classes and on Sundays as well! On top of all that, I was asked to play the piano for a musical number with two missionaries who leave on Monday. I'm starting to think I shouldn't tell people I play the piano! haha

Good luck with all that you do!

Elder Petersen

 

 

And here is Nick's second Email:

MTC email -- November 29th, 2014

I'll email in English while in the MTC because they only give us half an hour to write, and I'm a little slow with the Portuguese writing...in the field we get an hour so at that point I'll begin Portuguese if that's ok. I don't seem to have time to email all family in friends in half an hour when the biggest part of it is in Portuguese.

This past week has been tiring for me, but to put it in perspective it's only been a week and a half and I got 102 and a half more weeks to go on my mission haha! so I can't be complaining about the tiring days. Even with being tired, I go to bed every night satisfied with the daily improvements on my teaching abilities and especially for the Holy Ghost that has been guiding every lesson we've taught to our investigators.

For Thanksgiving, we had an amazing schedule! to start off the day, David A Bednar came and spoke to us. He did a huge questionnaire and they gave out 100 cell phones randomly to missionaries and we sent in texts about certain questions that we had, and he would read through them and pick important ones and answer them for us! The rest of the day was a huge humanitarian project, which I was involved in leading because I am a Zone Leader. We packed over 350,000 meals for a humanitarian aid project, and it was an amazing experience to participate in.

I also saw my cousin Katie! she is on her third week here with I think six more to go.

I was told that within the next few days I would be receiving my temporary reassignment and that I am supposed to be leaving the MTC by next Thursday, but they weren't 100 percent sure about it. Lets pray I go somewhere hot so I can adjust to the weather in Brazil.

Anything on my visa yet? I'm worrying a lot about it, and I know I shouldn't but that's something I can improve on I guess.

Hope all is going well back at home!

Elder Petersen

PS our p day was pushed back one day because of thanksgiving, but only for this week so that's why my email was a day late!

If you want to send Nick an email (which you totally should) you can email him at nicholas.petersen@myldsmail.net