As scheduled (finally)

Hey everyone!


So, I was finally able to get this E-mail out on my scheduled P-Day, as I had previously promised. However, that still required a bit of scheduling and compromise - the mission had it's senior missionary mission conference today (Why does the mission always schedule these things on Wednesdays!!), and I was involved in the choir. I was originally planning on forgoing the choir for that single day in favor of P-Day, but the director of the number we were doing, Sister Crowl (you may remember her name - she was formerly one of the zone leaders of this zone), had convinced me to make the performance. So, I did that, and I immediately attended a zone meeting to discuss important happenings in the zone. We had been meaning to meet together for a while, and I had reminded everyone once more yesterday that we needed to do this. I am glad that I did, because we needed this meeting. Once this was done with, I had began my actual P-Day. Our original destinations were Smith's and Wal-Mart, but we also ended up going to a watch repair shop as Elder Perkins was with us, and needed his watch fixed (not that I'm complaining - he was our driver this time anyway). And so, once all that was done, I stopped at the apartment for a quick lunch, and now here I am!

As for the rest of the week, it remained quite interesting, especially yesterday. Yesterday began with me helping working with a telephone company getting in to the apartment complex by looking up their number for him. You'd think that they would have been waiting expectantly for him... I then went off to zone, and soon left for a zone luncheon. The luncheon was nice and all; the only problem is that our supervisor was not informed at all of this luncheon; therefore, he was not able to inform anyone else of this, or make our department unavailable, which caused some issues. Later in the day, I had left the library a bit early to grab mail for my district. I had heard my name called out when I left the library - my first name. I was a bit confused at first, but I then saw Maydie, my mom's friend from home. Apparently, my mom was in the city too - in fact, she had dropped Maydie off at the library and was driving around the block, meaning that she had just barely missed me. Maydie had with her a care package form home, as well as a case of Bear Lake raspberries; she gave these to me, and had some pix taken with and of me (one of which I have attached), then she advised me to leave as soon as possible lest I run into my mother. So, I went on with these and checked the mail (unfortunately, there was none for the district). When we had returned to zone that evening, we were surprised to see more people there than usual. We were informed that FamilySearch was experiencing major issues, and we were getting absolutely slammed with calls. We had all available hands on deck helping to answer the patrons contacting us all, including Elder Evans, who hasn't even been in the zone for over a year, but was visiting us with Elder Buers (I can't remember why). So, all in all, it was a hectic night, and a notable day.

Aside from this, the zone work has been going well for me. I do kind of wonder if I will be transferred out soon; I have been in the zone for a year now, which has been a while; then again, I think that the mission leadership still wants me to train other elders into the zone. I will happily stay here for as long as I am needed to be here, I am not yet desperate to leave the basement. I would not mind leaving the zone either though. But, while I am here, I will work the best I can, and see what I can improve for others any myself.

So, aside from this all, I had an interesting experience at Smith's today. I was waiting for the rest of my district, whom I had gone shopping with, in the check-out area of the store after I had done my own shopping. Another lady was there also. We had gotten to talking, and she had said that she had once been quite active in the church; she had since fallen away, but was working on coming back. She had said that she was reading a bit from her Bible each day, which she had previously not read from before. I had asked if she had a Book of Mormon; she replied that she did not. I then gave her the one which I carried with me in my suit pocket, for which she was very grateful. There are few opportunities which are quite as great as being able to help others come unto Christ like this, which is one of the reasons why missionary work is so rewarding in it's own sense. I cherish opportunities which I occasionally have to touch other peoples' lives like this, and I do believe that I will do this more often when I return home.

Anyway, such is my week. It was a bit of a special week due to some of the events which have gone on in its duration. I am glad to be able to share my weekly thoughts with you all, and I appreciate your support for me. Have a great week!

From,

Elder Bryce Petersen



Challenge: For my recent district meeting last Monday, I had decided to choose the subject of humility for my district leader instruction. To me, humility is one of the most important Christlike attributes which one can develop. Why is this? Well, there are a few reasons for this. First and foremost, we must remember that the opposite of humility is pride; the Book of Mormon paints a crystal clear picture of the dangers of this grievous transgression, especially in the book of 4th Nephi - it was this sin which had made the Nephites eventually more wicked than the Lamanites. At this point, prophets had cried unto the people to repent, but they would not do so because of this pride - they all knew the Gospel, it had been taught to them from the beginning; however, they had convinced themselves that they did not need to change their ways, and that those who said otherwise were the ones actually at fault. Such is a phenomenon which I have noticed in this day and age. Though we do not exactly stone people who offend us in this day, we still sometimes convince ourselves that the commandments, proclaimed by God through prophets ancient and modern, somehow do not apply to us. This is why pride is described as a stumbling block in the scriptures (2nd Nephi 26:20) - President Nelson could proclaim all day long a detailed description of all that we need to improve on, but if we are not humble, then it will avail us nothing, for we cannot fix that which we do not believe to be broken. So, my challenge this week is to take a look at your life, and see what feel you need to improve on - and do it honestly, and with a humble heart. Identify what needs to change, and then humble yourselves to actually make the changes. If you will do this, then you will be able to make necessary changes to your life and receive the related blessings, and the Lord promises that He will lift you up (see James 4:10).