Mom!
     Okay well I'll give you the scariest thing that has happened to me since i have arrived on my mission. Yesterday, after we finished watching conference, we were walking home to take a little break. At the top of our street my companion stopped to talk to four big guys. Three of them standing in the street and one was in a BMW that they were all standing around. I noticed that each one had a gun and the biggest of them had two. But my Dear Companion was oblivious to such things. He talked to them for about a half hour and I just stood there awkwardly because I realized that they were part of the Mafia. One of our members also walked by and stopped to talk with us. She wouldn't speak directly to them though. after a while they pretty much said get out of here, so we left and walked the 10 yards to our apartment. The member who was with us said "Elder Ferwerda, did you know that those guys were part of the Mafia?" Of course he didn't. He actually asked them a few times what they were doing, and they just kept saying oh nothing! it was pretty scary.
     Other than that we went on an excursion up Vitosha Mountain. it took all day and it was pretty awesome! I took tons of pictures and actually filled up my card so I have to buy a new one now. I'll send you as many as I can! At the top there is a bus to get back down, but when all of the Members who were with us got in, it was filled up. So the missionaries had to RUN down the mountain. Me and 2 others made it down in 35 minutes what took us 4 hours to climb up. It was pretty awesome! But now my calves are pretty sore!
     Well I'm pretty short on things to say other than that, but I will send lots of pictures!
Love,
Elder Petersen

The whole gang! We are just starting!

We saw about 100 of these guys! They are everywhere!

Our excursion group! There are about 5 missing from the picture :(

Yep thats me! Oh yeah I got a hair cut

River of rocks! Super cool

Standing on top of the waterfall!

That water tasted yummy!

Also yummy water!

I can take underwater pictures! This is Elder Gardner

My companion fell in a little!

2012 Zone Conference

Elder Petersen & Elder Ferwerda

Zone Conference 2012 Zone 1

Mom,
     Sorry i didn't tell you last week, but my p-day got switched to Tuesday just this week. We had Zone Conference on Monday! It was great of course! The mission president really tightened down the rules so we don't have anymore people like my trainer. We should have a lot more success in the mission now! We did get to listen to conference but only the Saturday stuff! We will get to see the Sunday sessions on next Sunday! They have to translate it you know! That is so crazy about the missionary age changes! So many more people will have an opportunity to serve now!
     We have a great investigator named Stoyan (стоян). He tells us that every time he comes to the lessons he can feel the light of Christ! It is a great feeling to be able to convey that to people! What a wonderful opportunity to be the carrier of the Holy Ghost and be able to share it with the world! He has told us that he knows that the things we teach him are true. Multiple times he has pounded on the table and said this! We believe he will be baptized before the end of the year! Also he usually brings friends with him who are also interested in learning! It is wonderful what the Lord has planned for His children!
     The mission right now is better than it has ever been! We are on track to have about 70 new members in the church by the end of the year! It's so exciting to see the change in happiness and countenance of all these wonderful people!
     What else to tell you... Transfers are coming up on Friday the 19th we will receive our calls then on the 22nd we will transfer. That's the day after your birthday! Cool! So, I'll know if I'm staying or where I'm going! They are opening 4 new small small cities so I may get to open a new area! How cool would that be???
                                                                                                                                                                                           Love, Elder Petersen

The Mission Home

Sweet Jedi Companion

"Yummy" Peppermint Drink

Children don't have brakes!

10/1/12

Mom,

Not a very exciting week! That happens every now and then. We just had some lessons and looked for some people. We didn't have much success and we only had a few lessons. I'm sorry to say this letter will probably be pretty boring! We had 5 investigators show up for church and we had about 70 people present! That's pretty good! Like really, really good! I'm really lucky to get to see the church grow here in Bulgaria! It is really awesome! Today our Mission President challenged us to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover before the end of the year. Easy. I'm going to get that and the D&C half way before Christmas! :)

Well Mom I'm really terribly sorry but I don't have much else to tell you this week :(                                                 LOVE, Elder Petersen

A nice looking church

The National Cultural Center!

Don't forget your umbrella!