I love sending packages to my missionary! They are just as important for me to make them for him as they are for him to get them. I love a good theme and I try hard to make them fun and spiritual. I send one a month because he is in the states. I look around for special things every month when I decided on what the theme is!! His MTC package was Minions so Minionaries worked out perfectly. I am constantly looking for fun stuff.

 I sent a greenie package for his first package out in Oregon but I forgot to get a picture. Everything was green. I sent a ton of food items because he was brand new to his apartment.
This 3rd package was a MUSTACHE package I included fun things to decorate his fridge and his place with uplifting sayings.

 This is a picture with Elder Peterson and Elder Thompson having fun with some of the package stuff!! LOL

 His next package I was obsessed with finding Star Wars things...Build a bear used to make a missionary outfits but I just found out they discontinued it! What??? So I found his older brothers missionary bear and washed the clothes and bought a Chewie to put the clothes on. It makes it that much more special because now those clothes have been on 2 missions. This package included things for his desk and treats. I also found vitamins because he had been sick. I always included doubles of fun things so both Elder P. and his companion feel special. I feel a light saber fight coming on.

It's all fun and games

On Friday we played wheel of fortune with the ladies at the assisted living! I sat with Elizabeth (left)  and Shirley (Right) and Harriet! Shirley told me that I have pretty teeth and that my girlfriend better watch out because she's gonna steal me! Harriet wasn't in the picture because she fell asleep while we were playing!

week 3 email from Oregon

Hello everyone! Portland is great! It has been very very hot here and surprisingly it hasn't rained yet! Our apartment is always roasting so we always have the box fans on! I have never eaten so many vegetables in my life! Everyone has their own little garden! Just the other day we had cabbage soup which was pretty good! Lots of people have dogs here and they are all inside dogs! A lady in our ward has 9 shitzus! It is ridiculous! Most of the people we teach are elderly. All of the young people are too busy partying! Last week we tracted into a women named L she is in her 40's, is married, and has two daughters! We had our second lesson on Friday and I committed her to be baptized!!!! It was amazing! We still have to teach her the rest of the lessons but she already has a powerful testimony! We have an amazing zone and we all get along very well! We play zone sports in the morning at 5:30 and it is so fun! 
Love, Elder Peterson

2nd week email from Oregon

On Thursday we were tracting and met a lady named L. She told us that she had been praying to find out what church to join! Her family is all lds so she knows about the church! We gave her a Book of Mormon and had another lesson with her on Friday. After our lesson on Friday about the restoration and prophets she told us that she believes the Book of Mormon to be true and Joseph smith to be a true prophet!! It was so amazing! She is married and has 2 little girls! We are going to invite her to come to church with us and see if she will stop working on Sundays!  She said that is the only thing holding her back! So far Portland is awesome! There a totally some weird people here though... A guy today wore baby blue cupries to church and a tie to match haha. There are a group of kids in our apartment complex that never wear shirts and we call them "the crew" they are always riding bikes or skateboards around! Today our investigator D came to church and we only met her one time last week while tracting! Elder Thompson and I ended up teaching the class and she was crying so hard! It was such a good lesson. I had to say the opening prayer in sacrament and a prayer in about every class! In elder ballads talk on Friday before he even started speaking he called his wife up to the stand and kissed her and then looked at all of us and said "that's what it's all about right there, family" and he talked about missionary work and I got to shake his hand! It was awesome!! My first week out here was great and I hope yours was too!! 

Love Elder Peterson 

First email from Oregon

Oregon is awesome! My trainer's name is elder Thompson. He is so cool! He is from Logan and has been out a year. We went tracting today and it went alright! There is no a/c in our apartment so it is so so hot! But it's okay! We are in a half bike half car area right now. We switch off every week! I met work president and sister Ballard today and she said that she knows you and she wants me to tell you she's gonna take good care of me! I love you guys! Today is our p day because we didn't get one yesterday! Oh and I got an iPad!! Love, Elder Peterson

Portland Oregon Mission

Elder P landed in Portland on July 13th in the morning and went to the mission home met President and Sister Ballard. Then got his new companion Elder Thompson from Logan Utah! After that they went straight to work. His area is Milwaulkie and the ward is called Oatfield. It;s such a blessing having a missionary again.

                         President and Sister Ballard                 Elder Peterson and Elder Thompson

if you haven't guess by now President Ballard's dad is Elder Ballard

                                                             new incoming missionaries

                                                              Portland Oregon Temple

MTC

Elder Peterson entered the MTC on July 1st 2015. His companions name was Elder Gonzales from Houston Texas! They both became zone leaders the 2 day they were there. Elder P loves his companion and the MTC life is busy there but wonderful. In the picture below Elder Gonzales is in the middle next to Elder P.

some of his district

                                                                     some of his zone

elders 

Garrett's Busy Making Plans

Garrett graduated from SSHS filled out in his mission papers got his call and left July 1st 2015 to serve in the Oregon Portland Mission.

Dane's on the Move

Dane got home from his mission went to Snow College for 2 years and now lives in Provo and works for Questar. He is loving his new surroundings and living on his own without roommates!

Mr. & Mrs. Hamlin

Brynn and Austin were married on November 14,2014 in the Manti Temple. It was a wonderful weekend with 2 receptions one in Monroe at the Carol Theather and one in St. George at the Falls! It was a wonderful time for our family and we loved getting another son. They now are living happily ever after.

Where has time gone?

Wow How time flies. Where have I been? Well Dane returned Home from his Mission from Houston Texas, Brynn got married to Austin!!!  Garrett graduated high school and left on his Mission to Portland Oregon. Crazy life right!! Well I now find myself wanting to blog again so I am jumping in with both feet!!

Elder P's 2nd area Katy

Elder Peterson was transfered to Katy on 1/26/12. He is now a TRAINER!!! YEAH!! He is training Elder Bell who is from Ogden Utah. Plus today is Elder Peterson 6 month mark!!! Yea he has been out for 1/2 a year!

A giant cupcake from a member:)

Their apartment...but they can't swim but its pretty to look at:)

inside the apartment

the room they share Dane has the quilt on I made him!

Temple day

Leddy and her family on her baptism day:) Elder P's 2nd convert to the church