A MISSIONARY CHRISTMAS
(author unknown)

I skipped the sales after Thanksgiving. The thrill just wasn't there.
No pictures taken with Santa Claus, my decorating has no flair.
His presents are shoes, shirts, and ties, two suits and socks...no fun. I've bought him all white clothes because...
This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I've spent more time in the temple, my testimony stirred.
I've reread November's Ensign, Felt strength come from His words.
Our family prays more frequently. My tears are quick to run.
Abraham seems closer because,
This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I wonder how those Lamanite mothers gave their sons to war?
Or how the pioneers chose Zion, their sacrifice was so much more.
My loss will be his presence, I'll miss his smile a ton.  For two years we will pray for him,
I'm giving Christ my son.

I stare at his face when he's not looking. I memorize his eyes, their shine.
He's always hungered for the part of him that makes his soul divine.
The stories and lessons he always heard, His choice and mine are one. I'll put my faith in God's hand, This year,
I'm giving Him my son.

Past gifts have lost their glitter; I think I finally understand Christ's birth should be celebrated by giving Him a hand.
It's because I know Christ lives and reigns that all his packing's done. My gift has taken years to make, This year...
I'm giving Christ my son.

I know there's One who understands, the sacrifice I'm making.
Who knows the gift I willingly give, The toll it will be taking.
For He has done it all before; Greater love - there could be none.
For years ago God gave to me, His only begotten Son.

The hands I washed, the hands I held, the hands I taught to pray
Now knock on doors to find the ones who will listen to what he'll say.
Because I know Christ needs him until all the gathering's done, my gift has taken years to make. This year...
I'm giving Christ my son. —

December 3, 2012

Mom,
     So, we don't have any snow yet. It does snow here but in Burgas we will be one of the last to get snow I guess. Transfers are on the 18th so I will have a new companion and maybe a new city right before Christmas! Hopefully I stay in Burgas though. I really really like it here!
     This week we didn't do a whole lot of exciting things! Mostly you know just looking for people! We had to go to Sliven to get the baptism font though! It was really really not fun. We had to take a bus and then we got the 3 huge bags with the font in it and carried them to the bus station, then we had to take another bus back. The bags wouldn't fit though so we had to stuff them in the aisles and I pretty much was sitting on top of it because it was so crowded! So that was fun!
     I got that package! It was really great! My favorite part was definitely the letters! Which, makes me think about my birthday! I DON'T want a package with candy and other stuff! What I would really like is just an envelope with letters from as many people as you can! Like everyone in the family, The Keplers, My friends, anyone in the ward that is willing, and just lots of people! Maybe you could put it on Facebook or something! that’s all I want is letters and pictures! I love pictures!!! I did love everything else in the package though! Mostly the tobasco! mmmmm buffalo....
     Other than that, I really need to get Karl to get on Skype and tell me what e-mail I used I’m excited to see y'all!
Love, Elder Petersen

November 26, 2012

Mom,
     JD ALREADY HAS HIS MISSION CALL???? That is soooo crazy!!! give him my best of wishes! We also have our first 18 year old called to our mission! Turns out he was born in Pazerjik Bulgaria! it’s crazy how young they are! Also you should become great friends with the sister missionaries! That way when I get home, I can help them? :) Ha-ha but really that is cool that you are working with them!
     Our thanksgiving was great! All the missionaries got together and decided different foods we would make. We had a honey glazed turkey, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, KRAFT mac-n-cheese, Deviled eggs, funeral potatoes, and root beer! We served it to the branch and we had a great gathering! It felt almost like home!
     George is doing really great! He has stopped his smoking for about a full week now! We are getting him an interview this week! And he will be baptized on the 8th! My companion will baptize him. Other than that we are teaching another man, he is very religious but we need to get him to realize that Jesus Christ is our savior. We have our work cut out for us. But he has lived in Bulgaria for 12 years and he is a very, very good man.
    I’ll try to send you some pictures but other than that I’m bout out of junk to say! So tell everyone I love them!
Love, Elder Petersen

All Our Hard Work

Our Thanksgiving Gathering

Nov 19, 2012

Mom!
    Well we will be celebrating the day of thankfulness in our branch! They love American holidays here! And there are only 4 out of about 70 missionaries who are not American, and they like having holidays anyway! And soon I will call you on Skype for Christmas!  
George is good! He is only smoking one a day and sometimes none! But last night he called us and said he had failed. He smoked 2 or 3. Also his entire family is not supporting him. He feels like he should just be an investigator forever. I still have faith in him and I feel like he has really made progress and that he will be baptized. Please pray for him!
     We also have gotten a few new people to meet with. They should be pretty cool! And they seem promising! But other than that everything is about the same!
     I'm not having much to say this week. Not a lot happened because we traveled to Varna for a missionary conference! I hope everything is well at home! I love you all!
Love, Elder Petersen

Nov. 5, 2012

Mom,
     Sounds like Wood Badge was a great experience for you! Sorry if there are a lot of spelling mistakes today, I am really trying to hurry because we have a lot of stuff to get done! It’s great to hear that you were able to have the spirit there! It can really change the lives of people who feel it strongly!
     It really is terrible that that hurricane hit the coast. I am proud to know that most likely my father will help to restore power to those people and to help them in any way he can. What a great blessing to have such an amazing example for a father.
     Not too much happened this week, it seemed like it passed very quickly for me! The weeks seem to go faster and faster! The less I have to wonder what people are saying to me the faster the weeks go by! :)
     George our investigator is still very active in coming to EVERY activity! And he is smoking less and less but it is very difficult for him to quit. I have faith that he can get it! He came to our Halloween party and he had a pretty sweet mask on! He had made it that night and I am pretty jealous of it!
     Oh yeah, we had a Halloween party on Wednesday! It was a great success and about 25 people showed up. We played some little games and craved pumpkins. Then we had a dinner together and it felt like we were one big family. It was really great! The members here are more like a tight family than a branch! It really is great!
     This week also my companion got a phone call from one of the members who is having a trouble with smoking again. He handed me the phone and said talk to her because he was going to get a haircut. She was very upset and thought that she might never be worthy or clean again. I couldn't understand everything she was saying through her tears, but I knew all I could do was testify about the atonement. After about half an hour of talking with her and reassuring her of the power of Christ's forgiveness, she was calm. What a great power is the Holy Ghost!
     Well that’s all I have for this week! I’ll try to send you some pictures though!
Love,
Elder Petersen

Most of our party group! the one with the blue mask is our investigator!

Really foggy!

It was really foggy and my companion had a lazzzzzzer.

The sea

Oct 29, 2012

Mom,
     For some weird reason when I told you I would be serving in Burgas I didn't tell you that it is on the coast! My bad! Well yeah I live about 10 minutes’ walk from the beach, and we really enjoy playing beach volleyball in the mornings! Maybe I'll be as good as you one day! I live in an apartment that could fit into the living room of the apartment I was in last transfer, but it's okay because I can clean the whole thing in about 30 minutes!
     It's too bad that Highland isn't doing so hot this year. I thought they might have a chance! Karl needs to keep working hard anyway! He can be the greatest in the world! And hopefully one day we could go and do DCI together because it is pretty awesome!
     We have some really cool investigators here in Burgas! George is my favorite; he is the most patient man I have ever met, which is really good because I'm still not fluent in Bulgarian. He smokes, but he is making a lot of progress to quitting, and then he will be baptized! We have another whose name I can't pronounce, he is from Pakistan and he is super smart! The members here are also really great! There is an 86 year old lady who we call Bobche it means little grandma. She is the sweetest little old lady in the world! I’ll have to get some pictures with her! I couldn't help but love her when I first met her! She is truly great!
     I had my first opportunity to bless the sacrament in Bulgarian this week. I haven't really practiced the prayers before, but I said it pretty perfectly, and I didn't have to say it again! Also we took the sacrament to an older lady who can't come to church anymore. It was heart breaking to see this lady, who wants to come but doesn't have the strength.
     Well I’m out of things to tell you about this week, but I’ll send some pictures if this computer will let me!
Love,
Elder Petersen

Man i am glad to get out of Sofia! that air is gross!

Oh yeah i forgot to tell you that on our way to Burgas the tire of the bus exploded. The bus almost fell off a bridge, but the driver managed to react fast enough to save us. No big deal.

Elder Van here in burgas is from Florida and he wrestles, so we had few matches on the beach. I won, but not without a battle scar.

Oct. 22, 2012

Mom
     You would be surprised how many BMW's there are here. I have never seen so many in my life actually. Like tons and tons. Everyone says that the country is poor but there seems to be a lot of rich people for so poor a country.
     I did end up getting transferred. I will be serving in Бъргас, Burgas I think is how it is written in English. My companion will be Elder Dropla. He is about 6 months out from going home, so he is nearing the end.
     So as of this transfer we opened up 4 more cities. so NOW there are 2 branches in Sofia and 1 in Plevin 1 in Blagov grad 1 in Plovdiv 1 in Pazardjeek 1 in Veliko Turnavo 1 in Sliven 1 in Haskavo 1 in Shumen 1 in Ruce 1 in Varna 1 in Burgas and 1 in Stara Zagora. Maiking a total of 14 branches 0 wards 0 stakes and some groups in random cities. People who are baptized seem either to go inactive after a while or move to the U.S. We have about 500 active members in the country. With the new President we plan to have much, more growth however. Everything is only looking up from here.
     Packages seem to be fine here. They are usually big enought hat they won't get lost. I have seen people put Jesus stickers or Mother Mary stickers on packages. I don't know if it really helps that much. Most people don't though. They all seem to get here just fine. Normal mail is not super great however, but it seems that it is better than it used to be.
     Sounds like everyone is staying pretty busy,that's always good! Idleness is of the devil, or something like that. I hope Karl keeps up the practicing after he finishes, and maybe he can do the winter drum-line with ISU. That would be a lot of fun for him. Scott is pretty much already married it sounds like. They have already been to the temple together! :P Hopefully he goes to school first though.
     This week was kind of hard, we didn't have to many great things happen. It was kind of hard with everyone being sick and everything. Oh I guess I should tell you that yesterday I woke up with a little bit of a fever and some chills. I was out for all the day and just lied around. I guess my fever at the highest was like... 103.1, but I got over it. Well I hope you guys have a good week! I know I will, because in Burgas for exercise every morning they play volleyball on the beach!
 Love, Elder Petersen
P.S. Happy Birthday!