CALLED TO SERVE

Last Emails as a Full-Time Missionary

2011-04-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Elder Petersen wrote one last email to us, his six siblings that has touched our hearts immensely. So excited to see this man in TWO DAYS!

SO...

IM GOING TO BE VERY LAME AND DO A MASS E-MAIL TO YOU GUYS FOR MY LAST ONE. WELL EXCEPT FOR THE "MEAT AND POTATOES" EMAIL THAT IM GOING TO SEND TO MOM AND DAD. :)

WELL, ITS OVER. I STILL HAVE TODAY AND TOMORROW, BUT TODAY IS P-DAY, THEN SAYING GOODBYE TO PEOPLE HERE IN LETHBRIDGE. THEN TOMORROW IS SPENT DRIVING TO CALGARY AND IN THE MISSION HOME. THEN..... YOU GUESSED IT.... FLY INTO CALI!!!!

THIS HAS BEEN THE SINGLE MOST GREATEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I HAVE LEARNED AND LOVED SO MUCH. FROM ALL THAT I KNEW, TO ALL THAT I THOUGHT I KNEW, NOW IT HAS CHANGED INTO A SOLIDIFIED DECLARATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. I AM VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT, I KNOW THIS GOSPEL TO BE TRUTH. IN THE LAST 2 YEARS A LOT HAS HAPPENED, THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT WOULD OR EVER COULD. BUT I AM VERY GLAD TO SAY THAT THE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED BY BEING BLESSED TO EXPERIENCE WHAT I HAVE ARE ONES I WILL HOLD TO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. IT IS TRUE THAT WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE TAUGHT, HEAVENLY FATHER WILL SHOW US GREAT MIRACLES TO BLESS OUR LIVES. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MISSION HAS DONE FOR MY LIFE. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE 6 OF YOU HAVE DONE FOR MY LIFE. THE FEELING THAT I GET WHEN I THINK OF MY ENTIRE FAMILY BEING ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THIS CHURCH, IS ONE I GIVE THANKS UNTO MY GOD EVERY NIGHT FOR. SO MANY MISSIONARIES OUT HERE HAVE SPLIT FAMILIES, BROKEN FAMILIES, SEMI ACTIVE FAMILIES AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE GONE ASTRAY. BUT THE BLESSING OF HAVING ALL 7 OF US KIDS, MOM AND DAD, AND NOW THE GROWTH THROUGH MARRIAGE AND BIRTH, ACTIVE TRUE BELIEVING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST IS ONE I CANNOT BEGIN TO EXPRESS MY THANKS FOR. THE JOY OF KNOWING WE ARE A FOREVER FAMILY SEALED IN THE TEMPLE IS SOMETHING THAT KEPT ME GOING IN MY DARKEST AND HARDEST TIMES. YOU 6 MEAN THE WORLD TO ME!!! FROM ONE BROTHER TO MY 6 AMAZING SIBLINGS.... I LOVE YOU!!! IM SORRY FOR THE TIME I NEVER SPENT WITH YOU BECAUSE OF WHAT AND WHO I THOUGHT WAS MORE IMPORTANT. I MAKE YOU THIS PROMISE, YOU SENT OUT LOGAN PETERSEN, A SCARED19 YEAR OLD KID WHO DIDNT KNOW MUCH AND HAD MIXED UP PRIORITES, AND IM COMING BACK AS ELDER PETERSEN, A MAN WHO KNOWS WHO AND WHY HE LIVES AND LOVES! I WILL NEVER PUT ANYONE ASIDE FROM MY SAVIOR AND FATHER IN HEAVEN BEFORE YOU GUYS AGAIN. I LOVE YOU!!!

SEE YOU IN 2 DAYS!!! REMEMBER, WE ARE STOPPING AT IN-N-OUT FOR LUNCH, AND I AINT BUYING....LOL

LOVE

ELDER LOGAN NEIL PETERSEN

CANADA CALGARY MISSION

And here is his final email to my parents- I love his testimony at the end:

WELL, WHERE TO START. SO BY SAYING I NEVER SAW THIS DAY COMING IS A VERY BIG UNDERSTATEMENT. YOU DREAM OF BEING IN THIS POSITION YOUR WHOLE MISSION. NOT REALLY WANTING TO GO HOME BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING THE DESIRE TO SEE THE ONES YOU LOVE AND LING FOR THE MOST. BUT KNOW THAT DREAM IS A REALITY. AND WITH THAT REALITY I WANT THIS ONE TO BE KNOWN AS WELL. I HAVE A TRUE UNDYING TESTIMONY OF THIS GOSPEL! IT HAS CONVERTED ME TO LIVING THE GOSPEL IN A WAY THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD. THE SINGLE MOST GREATEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AS A SERVANT OF THE LORD, IS MY OWN CONVERSION TO HIS GOSPEL. A CONVERSION THAT WOULD HAVE NEVER COME WITHOUT THE CONSTANT LOVE AND SUPPORT OF A RIGHTEOUS FAMILY! I WILL NOT SUGAR COAT THINGS AND SAY IT WAS AN AMAZING 2 YEARS, EVERYDAY BEING EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FILLED WITH ONLY JOY AND NO DISAPPOINTMENT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT EVERY DAY IN THESE PAST 2 YEARS HAS MADE ME INTO THE MAN I AM TODAY. A MISSION IS SOMETHING I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD AND KNEW WHAT I WAS IN STORE FOR, BUT IT HAS TURNED INTO A PERIOD IN MY LIFE THAT I WILL LOOK BACK TO FOR THE REST OF MY ETERNAL EXISTENCE. I WISH I HAD THE VOCABULARY AND SPEAKING ABILITY TO CONVEY MY FEELINGS ABOUT A MISSION AND THE TIME YOU SERVE, BUT THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT IS BY THE MEMORIES I HAVE AND THE EXPERIENCE I HAVE GAINED. I HAVE SO MUCH TO TELL YOU ALL AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT THE OLD LOGAN... IS A BIT DIFFERENT. I STILL TELL STORIES I PROMISE YOU THAT... BUT THEY ARE STRETCHED NOT NEAR AS MUCH...LOL. I WAS SENT OUT A BOY WHO DIDNT KNOW MUCH, AND IM COMING BACK A FROZEN POP-SICKLE FROM CANADA WHO STILL DOESNT KNOW MUCH...LOL. IM KIDDING! BUT IN ALL REALITY, THE TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE I HAVE COME TO KNOW IS ONE I CAN NEVER FORGET OR GIVE AWAY! I LOVE IT AND IT WILL ALWAYS HOLD A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

NOW AS PROMISED, DAD ASKED ME TO TELL YOU WHAT THINGS I LEARNED FROM CONFERENCE. NOW I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU , BUT I THINK I HAVE TO GET MARRIED...LOL. THAT ONE GOT BEAT INTO THE GROUND EH? BUT REALLY... THE LESSONS I LEARNED ARE NOT JUST A FEW SPECIFIC ONES. SO MANY OF THE SPEAKERS SPOKE TO ME ON A LEVEL THAT I NEEDED. ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITES WAS THE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES OF "DOING" AND "BEING". I CAN DO SO MANY THINGS IN THIS LIFE, BUT THE ONLY THING I CAN TAKE WITH ME WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER IS WHO I HAVE BECOME! THE TRUTH THAT WAS SPOKEN IN THIS CONFERENCE IS GUIDANCE THAT I NEEDED RIGHT BEFORE I BEGIN THE NEXT STAGE OF MY LIFE. I WISH I COULD JUST PHOTOCOPY THE NOTES I TOOK DURYING ALL 5 SESSIONS AND TELL YOU ALL I LEARNED. HOWEVER THE LOVE I HAVE FOR THE LIVING PROPHET AND APOSTLES OF THIS CHURCH AND THE TRUTH THEY BEAR IS A LOVE THAT I WILL NEVER LOSE. FROM THE MESSAGES OF HOW TO OBTAIN AN ETERNAL FAMILY AND MARRIAGE TO THE ELOQUENTLY PLANTED SEEDS OF REPENTANCE AND SALVATION. THIS GENERAL CONFERENCE IS ONE THAT WILL PATTERN THE WAY I MAKE SOME VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN THE YEARS TO COME.

WELL, I THINK LOTS HAVE BEEN SAID OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS, AND TO BE HONEST... IM TIRED OF TYPING...LOL. BUT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THE TRUTH I HAVE COME TO LOVE.

I BEAR YOU MY SOLEM WITNESS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, AND THE REALITY OF OUR LIVING FATHER IN HEAVEN. I TESTIFY TO YOU THAT THE ONLY WAY ONE CAN COME CLOSER TO GOD IS BY STRICT AND DILIGENT OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS. THE SAME OBEDIENCE THAT WAS EXECUTED BY THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH. THAT SAME MAN WHO USHERED IN THE LAST DISPENSATION OF TIME! I WISH TO TESTIFY TO YOU ALL, SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW AS I DO, THAT JOSEPH SMITH WAS AND IS A PROPHET OF THE ONE TRUE GOD. AND BY WHAT HE DID WE CAN COME TO A KNOWLEDGE OF THIS GOSPEL FOR OURSELVES AND HAVE A FIRM TESTIMONY THAT OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN STILL SPEAKS THROUGH HIS CHOSEN MOUTH PIECE, THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, AND THAT THIS GOSPEL IS 100% TRUTH, THERE IS NO GREY AREA. I PROMISE YOU IN A WAY SIMILAR TO THE WAY ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON DID TO US, BUT IN THE AUTHORITY OF MY CALLING AS A MISSIONARY, ONE WHO IS CALLED TO TEACH AND TESTIFY OF THE SAVIOR, THAT HE LIVES AND LOVES! I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM, I HAVE NEVER FELT THE MARKS IN HIS HANDS, BUT I PROMISE YOU IN HIS HOLY NAME THAT HE IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE ONLY BEGOTTEN LIVING SON OF THE ETERNAL FATHER.

I LOVE YOU ALL MORE THEN YOU KNOW! I CANNOT WAIT TO HUG YOU ALL AND BUG OVER AND OVER AGAIN! 2 DAYS AND COUNTING... I LOVE YOU!

LOVE,

ELDER LOGAN NEIL PETERSEN

CANADA CALGARY MISSION

A WEEK FROM TOMORROW!!!

2011-03-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Elder Petersen at a District Breakfast this week:

A little over a week people, and this guy will be back in the states! We absolutely cannot wait!

And with single digit days left- has hasn't slowed down the missionary work on bit! :)

WELL,

THIS IS GONNA BE A SHORT ONE, SORRY!

SO JUST YESTERDAY WAS MY VERY LAST SACRAMENT MEETING, LET ALONE MY LAST FAST AND TESTIMONY MEETING. SO I GOT UP AND BORE MY TESTIMONY AND YOU CAN GUESS I CRIED... NOT SOBBED LIKE I DID IN THE TEMPLE, BUT JUST A CHOKED UP WHIMPER...LOL. I NEVER THOUGHT THESE DAYS WOULD COME, AND AS MUCH AS I COUNT THEM DOWN AT TIMES, AND DREAMED OF THEM AS A GREENIE... SOME DAYS I WANT TO HIT RESET! I KNOW THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO SERVED A MISSION WILL KNOW WHAT YOUR MISSION MEANT TO YOU, BUT I DONT THINK YOU WILL EVER UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH MINE HAS DONE FOR ME! I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL MY OLD AREAS TO INVITE MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS TO MY MISSION FAREWELL, AND ITS SO NICE TO SEE THOSE WHO HAVE PROGRESSED, AND A BIT HARD TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVEN'T. BUT THE FEELING OF KNOWING THAT IM A DIFFERENT PERSON FOR THE BETTER THEN WHEN I LEFT HOME MAKES ME WHAT TO CRY. I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD BE THE PERSON I AM NOW. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO STAND ON MY OWN TWO FEET AND TESTIFY TO SOME ONE OF THE LIVING CHRIST! I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE THE ONE SOMEONE WOULD CALL TO HAVE A QUESTION ANSWERED ABOUT THE GOSPEL. AND THE GRATITUDE I FEEL TOWARDS MY FATHER IN HEAVEN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY CANNOT BE MATCHED! I HAVE LOVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOVE MY MISSION! I LOVE CANADA AND I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR THE PEOPLE HERE! (EVEN IF THEY DO SOUND FUNNY WHEN THEY TALK...LOL)

I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW MUCH I TRULY LOVE YOU! YOU MEAN THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING TO ME. IT IS SO COOL TO HEAR ABOUT ALL MY BUDDIES GETTING HOME, AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE FOR NOW THE HAPPINESS THAT IS FELT (AND RELIEF FOR A MOM AND DAD THAT WE'RE ALIVE...LOL) WHEN A MISSIONARY WALKS OFF THE PLANE TO HUG THEIR FAMILY! THAT FEELING HAS BEEN A DREAM FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOW THAT ITS ONLY 10 DAYS AWAY, I CANNOT HELP BUT GET EXCITED! I LOVE YOU GUYS, BUT PLEASE DO NOT WORRY, ALL IS WELL, AND IM DOING WHAT I NEED AND WANT TO BE DOING! NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT MY TIME AS A MISSIONARY AND NOTHING CAN EVER CHANGE THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT THIS GOSPEL AND THE TRUTH IT BARES!

I LOVE YOU!

LOVE,

ELDER LOGAN NEIL PETERSEN

BAD Blog Administrator...

2011-03-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, this blog administrator (slash older sister), has stunk at keeping up Elder Petersen's mission blog. But instead of boring you with a bunch of lame excuses, lets talk about more exciting things!

The major countdown is officially on- a little under 23 days to be exact. Holy moly.... so exciting. As his family, we can do nothing but talk of his return and get so excited to be reunited with our Logey boy.

However, as we communicate via email with our Elder, we realize while he is extremely excited, this boy...(ahem, MAN I should say), is really fearing the end of his mission. He has loved his mission so much and does not want this amazing journey of serving the Lord 24/7 to end. And as much as we all admire that, I think if he tried to stay, there would be a clan of us traipsing up to Canada to bring him back. We've missed him oh so much.

We cannot wait for all of the mission stories. Man, can Logan tell a story- this is an excerpt from a recent email : THE NEXT 4 WEEKS EMAILS ARE GONNA BE A BIT SHORTER JUST CUZ I WANT TO SAVE THE GOOD STUFF FOR WHEN I GET HOME, BUT ALSO I HAVE A FEW EMAILS I HAVE TO WRITE THE THE MISSION PRESIDENT AND THE ASSISTANTS ABOUT MYSELF AND DEPARTING FROM THE MISSION. SO THATS GONNA TAKE A BIT OF TIME. BUT IM NOT MAKING EXCUSES, ITS ALSO JUST THE THOUGHT OF ACTUALLY SEEING AND TALKING TO YOU IN PERSON IN A FEW WEEKS MAKES EMAILING SEEM WAY LESS EXCITING. PLUS I CAN EMBELLISH SO MUCH BETTER IN PERSON THEN OVER EMAIL...LOL. HAHAHA I'M KIDDING! OR AM I? :)

Honestly, if the stories aren't completely over the top and dramatic- I would be nervous that he's changed TOO much. :) Logan is our story teller and we love him for it.

He's going to miss the people of Canada immensely. He cares oh so much for the members there and SO much for the investigators he has worked with.

THESE LAST FEW WEEKS FOR ME HAVE BEEN AND ARE GOING TO BE WEIRD. I NEVER THOUGH I WOULD BE AT THIS POINT. AND TO ADD TO IT... I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE GOING AS FAST AS IT IS! I KNOW I AM BEING KIND OF REPETITIVE AS FAR AS MY EMAILS... BUT IT IS WHAT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND ALOT LATELY! I HAVE LOVED THIS OPPORTUNITY AND NOW IT IS COMING TO A CLOSE AND IT IS SCARING ME! I LOVE THIS WORK, AND I LOVE CANADA AND THE POEPLE HERE. AND THE TESTIMONY I HAVE GAINED OUT HERE IS ONE THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE SUPPORT AND LOVE YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THESE PAST 2 YEARS. IT HAS HELPED ME THROUGH SOME OF MY DARKEST DAYS. I PROMISE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT HE LIVES AND THAT THIS IS HIS CHURCH HERE ON THE EARTH!

More than anything we have been blown away by the growth that we've seen in Elder Petersen. His testimony strengthens all of ours on a weekly basis. Here are some excerpts from recent emails:

I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW OF THE TESTIMONY THAT I HAVE GAINED.... I KNOW THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST AND THAT BECAUSE OF HIS EVERLASTING LOVE SHOWN BY HIS ATONING SACRIFICE, THE CHURCH WAS RESTORED BY THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH! A 14 YEAR OLD BOY HAD A QUESTION FOR THE GREAT BEING IN THE UNIVERSE AND IT WAS ANSWERED THROUGH DIVINE REVELATION! I KNOW HE SAW WHAT HE SAID HE SAW AND THAT BECAUSE OF THAT MIRACULOUS VISITATION OF GOD THE ETERNAL FATHER AND HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WE TOO CAN HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN HERE ON EARTH AND THE ETERNITIES TO COME! I HAVE NO IDEA WHO, WHERE OR HOW I WOULD BE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS GOSPEL. BUT I KNOW I HAVE HAD THIS BLESSING GIVEN TO ME IN THIS LIFE FOR A REASON AND WHO AM I TO HOLD IF FROM ANYONE! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. THE THOUGHT OF BEING LED BY THE TRUE LIVING PROPHET OF GOD BRINGS A SENSE OF COMFORT AND SECURITY THAT CANNOT BE FOUND ELSEWHERE! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU! DONT WORRY ABOUT ME, IM DOING JUST FINE!

Regarding being able to listen to Elder Christoffersen of the 12 Apostles that came to his mission:

SO BY SAYING THAT ELDER CHRISTOFFERSEN'S TALK WAS GOOD WOULD BE A CRAZY BIG UNDERSTATEMENT! I FEEL LIKE AT TIMES HE SPOKE RIGHT TO ME AND TO BE HONEST HE SAID SOME VERY SPECIFIC THINGS AS TO WHAT MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ABOUT. IT WAS A VERY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE FOR ME. BUT ONE OF THE COOLEST PARTS WAS WHEN HE SAID AT THE END " I BLESS YOU IN THE AUTHORITY OF MY CALLING...." IT WAS AMAZING THE THINGS THAT HE SAID AND THE FEELINGS OF THE SPIRIT THAT ACCOMPANIED THEM CANNOT BE EXPLAINED! BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES WE GOT TO ALL SHAKE HIS HAND AND TALK FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH HIM. BUT HE WAS THE 4TH APOSTLE I HAVE MET ON MY MISSION, AND ONE OF ABOUT 8 OR SO GENERAL AUTHORITIES. IT REALLY STRENGTHENS MY OWN PERSONAL TESTIMONY TO HEAR AN APOSTLE OF THE LORD TESTIFY OF THE TRUTHFULNESS AND REALITY OF THE LIVING CHRIST! I LOVE TO HEAR THE TESTIMONIES OF GENERAL AUTHORITIES, ESPECIALLY APOSTLES!

And another snippet of his testimony:

I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW STRONG MY TESTIMONY HAS GOTTEN AS I HAVE SERVED OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN! I CANNOT WAIT TO TELL YOU FACE TO FACE, BUT AS FOR NOW JUST KNOW THAT THIS GOSPEL HAS CHNAGED MY LIFE. FROM A BOY FOLLOWING THE TESTIMONIES OF HIS FAMILY, TO A MISSIONARY WHO CAN STAND ON HIS OWN FEET AND TESTIFY OF THE REALITY OF THE LIVING CHRIST! (WITH HIS HELP OF COURSE :) I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! YOU MEAN THE WORLD ANd SO MUCH MORE TO ME! IM SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU, BUT AS FOR NOW I STILL HAVE TIME LEFT THAT I NEED TO GIVE 100% TO THE LORD!

So he has about 22 days left- and I know he is giving at LEAST 100%, if not more. Please pray for Elder Petersen during this transitionary time- he is so excited to come home and start moving forward in his life as a member missionary in the real world, but as is with most returning missionaries, there is a sadness for leaving the mission. Pray that the Lord will help him give his all in these final days and that he will have a safe return home to us.

Thank you all for your continued love and support....

....and for your patience with the blog administrator. :)

Week of November 1st

2010-11-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

BOO!!!..

WELL, HALLOWEEN IS NOT AS FUN WHEN YOU ARE A MISSIONARY, BUT I DID STILL CARVE A PUMPKIN! SO THATS ALL GOOD, OH AND WE ALSO WENT TO THE TRUNK-OR-TREAT AS SPARWOOD HILLBILLIES! I'LL HAVE TO SEND YOU THE PICTURE NEXT WEEK! BUT ANYWAYS IT WAS FUN! BUT LETS SEE, THIS WEEK WAS FUN AS USUAL SERVING WITH ELDER BASS! WE GET ALONG GREAT AND ARE ONLY INCHES AWAY FROM A FEW PEOPLE BEING BAPTIZED! OUR WARD OUT HERE IS HAVING A SPECIAL MISSIONARY FAST TOO AND THANKS TO OUR AWESOME WARD MISSION LEADER THE WARD IS GETTING THEIR BUTTS IN GEAR TO DO SOME MISSIONARY WORK AGAIN! I GUESS THE SPARWOOD WARD GOES THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS WITH MISSIONARY WORK! THEY HAD A HUGE RUN A FEW MONTHS BACK WHERE LIKE 4 PEOPLE WERE BAPTIZED WITHIN WEEKS, AND THEN GOT INTO A BIT OF A RUT. BUT THANKS TO BROTHER PINCHACK OUR WARD MISSION LEADER THEY HAVE NO ROOM FOR GETTING INTO THE RUT RIGHT NOW, ONLY ENOUGH ROOM TO CLIMB OUT OF IT! SO KEEP THEM IN YOUR PRAYERS TO BRING UP THE MEMBER WORK! AND I'LL TELL YOU GUYS THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT WE CAN DO AS MEMBERS, ASIDE FROM RAISE OUR FAMILIES, THEN TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL! I KNOW IT SOUNDS CLICHE BUT ITS TRUE! THE JOY THAT COMES FROM LIVING AND SHARING THE GOSPEL CANT BE MATCHED! ITS STARTING TO GET A BIT SCARY THAT TIME KEEPS TICKING. ITS EXCITING BUT SCARY! ONLY 5 MONTHS LEFT, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN. ONLY THAT I KNOW IT CAN ONLY BE BETTER THEN THE PAST 19. BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS YOU LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY! WHETHER IT BE TO SAY "EH" AFTER EVERY QUESTION OR TO HITCH UP A DOG SLED TEAM, ITS GONNA HELP YOU FOR THE FUTURE.... IN CANADA AT LEAST! LOL... BUT IN ALL REALITY THIS HAS CHANGED MY ETERNAL NATURE AND WHO I THOUGH I WOULD BE ONE DAY. I NO LONGER THINK.... I KNOW WHAT I CAN BE, AND I NEED TO HAVE THE SELF DISCIPLINE AND MOTIVATION TO GET THERE. AND I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT MISTAKES I MAKE OR SHORTCOMINGS I HAVE, THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST IS THERE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE. SPEAKING OF THE ATONEMENT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH GOSPEL PRINCIPLES YESTERDAY, AND WE HAVE A WAY GOOD CLASS... ANYWAYS. I CHOSE TO TEACH THE ATONEMENT.... ITS ALWAYS GOOD FOR A FEW TEARS! :) BUT WE HAD MARIAH RAASCH THERE, ONE OF OUR INVESTIGATORS. SHE IS 18 AND HAS BEEN SHOWING REAL INTEREST IN THE CHURCH AGAIN AND MORE SO IN WHAT THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST CAN DO FOR HER AND HER FAMILY! BUT ANYWAYS... SHE WAS THERE AND I PUT HER ON THE SPOT IN THE CLASS AND ASKED HER WHAT THE ATONEMENT MEANS TO HER IN HER LIFE AND SHE SAYS.... " CAN YOU ASK SOME ONE ELSE? " CUZ LATER SHE HIT ME IN THE SHOULDER AND SAID, "YOU WERE MAKING ME CRY IN THAT CLASS AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CRY WHEN I ANSWERED THAT QUESTION!" I GUESS THATS A GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE EH? LOL. BUT ANYWAYS. I LOVER SERVING IN SPARWOOD, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE ALOT OF GOOD TALKS WITH INVESTIGATORS AND A LOT HAVE HELPED ME TO LEARN THINGS ABOUT MY OWN LIFE! THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING RIDE FOR ME, AND IM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT LOOPS AND TURNS COME AROUND THE CORNER... BUT YOU ALL KNOW ME... NO MATTER WHAT THIS "ROLLER COASTER" OF A MISSION THROWS AT ME... IM STILL GONNA MAKE A STUPID FACE FOR THE CAMERA AT THE END! :) I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND I CANT WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE FUN STUFF NEXT WEEK! KNOW THAT YOUR ALL IN MY PRAYERS ALWAYS! AND ALL THE SPECIFIC THINGS WE TALK ABOUT ARE TOO! WORK HARD, PLAY SMART AND LOVE LIKE CRAZY! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

LOVE

ELDER LOGAN PETERSEN

Week of Oct. 25th email

2010-10-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

(In response to Logan's younger sister Whitney taking first place with her marketing team at FFA Nationals)" FIRST OFF I GOTTA SAY I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN! THAT IS SO AWESOME THAT SHE AND HER TEAM TOOK THE TITLE. LEAVE IT TO A PETERSEN TO GO BIG OR GO HOME! :) BUT HONESTLY IM WAY PROUD OF HER! SO LET ME SEE WHAT CAN I TELL YOU ALL? WELL TRANSFERS HAVE PASSED AND LIKE I SAID I HAVE A NEW COMPANION. HIS NAME IS ELDER RYAN BASS FROM GET THIS.... OKOTOKS! LOL... I SERVED IN HIS WARD AND TOOK HIM ON SPLITS BEFORE HIS MISSION. HE IS WAITING ON HIS VISA TO GO TO PITTSBURG, SO AS FOR NOW HE AND I ARE SERVING TOGETHER. HE IS A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART... RED NECK WANNA-BE, LOVES COUNTRY MUSIC, 4X4 AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN! SO NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT! AND ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE A MILLION AND A HALF THINGS TO DO OUT HERE! ITS LIKE AS SOON AS HE CAME INTO THE AREA THAT EVERYTHING WAS THAT MUCH MORE APPARENT. IT WAS A LITTLE SAD THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WE WERE AND STILL ARE WORKING WITH FROM LAST TRANSFER DIDNT GET BAPTIZED, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE ON THE PATH THEY JUST HAVE A FEW BIG HURDLES TO JUMP... SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE KEEP THEM IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT! WELL YOU GUYS HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT WITH MY ANKLE, YEAH IT HURTS A BIT AND IS SORE EVERY MORNING, BUT IM WALKING JUST FINE, AND TAKING IT EASY ON P-DAY STUFF. BUT IM PRETTY EXCITED CUZ WE ARE PLAYIN HOCKEY TODAY.... NOTHING LIKE CANADA EH? BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE FIRST SNOW IN SPARWOOD THIS WEEK... ALL THE MOUNTAINS ARE GETTING WHITE CAPS, BUT ITS NOT STICKING MUCH. IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PRAYING FOR NO SNOW IN CANADA THIS WINTER, I WOULD NOT ARGUE....LOL BUT ANYWAYS... LIVING TRUE TO THE PETERSEN NAME, I HAD A TALK THIS LAST SUNDAY AND I CRIED A BIT, NOT FULL ON BLUBBERING, BUT JUST CHOKED UP A BIT.... I DONT THINK I REALIZE HOW MUCH MY TESTIMONY REALLY MEANS TO ME UNTIL I BEAR IT OUT LOUD. I HAVE ALWAYS KNOW THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, BUT IT JUST MEANS SOMETHING TOTALY DIFFERENT NOW! ITS MORE OF A SURE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS ALL TRUE INSTEAD OF A HOPE FOR IT TO BE! GRANTED I DONT KNOW EVERYTHING AND I NEVER WILL BUT WHAT I DO KNOW ALLOWS ME TO KNOW THAT IT ALL IS TRUE BY ASSOCIATION! IT IS EITHER THE WORLD GREATEST LIE AND FAIRYTALE EVER TOLD OR IT IS 100% TRUTH, THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND! AND I CAN TELL YOU... ITS NO FAIRYTALE! I LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY I HAVE HAD SO FAR IN 19 MONTHS TO SHARE WHAT I KNOW AND CHANGE A FEW PEOPLES LIVES! YEAH I HAVENT BAPTIZED ALL OF CANADA AND YEAH IM NOT A "HIGH BAPTIZING" MISSIONARY AS FAR AS OUR MISSION IS CONCERNED BUT I KNOW THAT FATHER IN HEAVEN HAS A PLAN FOR ME AND I'M FOLLOWING IT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN I STEP OFF THAT PLANE IN 5 OR SO MONTHS THAT I HAVE LOVED EVERY SECOND OF MY MISSION. YES TIMES HAVE BEEN HARD AND CAN GET ME DOWN, BUT IT IS ALL EXPERIENCE TO BENEFIT MY LIFE AND THOSE I SERVE! I LOVE YOU!!!

LOVE

ELDER LOGAN PETERSEN

In the process of updating...

2010-10-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Attention: The author of this blog would like to apologize to Elder Petersen himself, as well as to any that may have had an interest in checking this blog the past year. The author, also known as Logan's older sister, got side tracked by pregnancy, a new born and all that comes a long with a baby. Which is why this blog was neglected for nearly a year.

I just sat this week and started going through all of Logan's emails and copying and pasting them (and editing for spelling, because well, Logan is a GREAT missionary, handsome man, funny as all get out, and just a sweetheart, but let's be honest, the kid won't win any spelling bee's in his lifetime), and after a few hours of work, I've gone back to see that they have been lost into the deep abyss of cyber space, never to be found again.

AHHH... I hate that. So, I still have plans to back date, update this blog. Like, since last December. However, until then, I wanted to give you all an update on my brother currently.

He is serving in beautiful British Columbia, Canada right now.

Our slimmed down missionary can often be found trapsing through the woods with his companion coming home from appointments, or making out with Bucks in his backyard...

No, seriously. This happened. Logan has always been quite the story teller, and upon reading this story, I must admit there was a sliver of doubt as to the exact validity of this story. But, the proof is in the pudding---or should I say cracker, that my crazy brother put into his mouth and fed to a huge BUCK! My dad posted this picture on his Facebook with this heading, "Logan's Kissing Booth- Cost, 1 Buck!".

He also busted an ankle playing basketball...he says its twisted...it looks a little more than that to me. Join us in praying for a speedy recovery, for Elder Petersen!

He was serving with Elder Evans until this morning, when he was transferred to be a trainer! Yay, Elder Evan's . Logan's new companion is Elder Bass, and he's excited to get to know him and have his help in the area, because according to Logan, "IM EXCITED TO STAY HERE CUZ OF ALL THE WORK WE STILL HAVE TO DO! NO BAPTISMS JUST YET, BUT WE HAVE A FLOOD OF THEM TO COME!"

We are grateful for his testimony weekly! Here is an excerpt from today, "KNOW THAT YOU GUYS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ABOUT ETERNAL FAMILES IN OUR GOSPEL PRINCIPLES CLASS THIS SUNDAY AND OF COURSE I CRIED A BIT WHEN I TALKED ABOUT YOU GUYS, I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU! I CANT BELIEVE THAT IM ONLY 5 1/2 MONTHS AWAY FROM SEEING YOU ALL AGAIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH THIS OPPORTUNITY I HAVE TO SERVE HAS CHANGED ME AND HOW IT HAS SHAPED THE REST OF MY LIFE! I KNOW THE LORD CALLS US IN OUR WEAKNESS SO THAT WE CAN FIND THE STRENGTH WE NEED TO LIFT OURSELVES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THOSE WE SERVE! I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE WHAT THIS MISSION HAS DONE FOR MY LIFE AND THE LIFE I WILL HAVE LATER! YES, WE SOMETIMES FIND OURSELVES IN A LOW SPOT OR A RUT, BUT ONLY TO LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE LIFTED BY THE LORD BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL! I KNOW THIS IS THE TRUTH! THERE IS NO ONE ASIDE FROM HIM WHO REDEEMED US THAT CAN HELP US REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL OF PERFECTION IN THE ETERNITIES TO COME! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND CANNOT WAIT TO SEE MY ETERNAL FAMILY AGAIN!"

We love and miss our missionary! We are all so incredibly proud of him and all the progress he's made. Especially in the last few months, he's matured into a wise and focused man and we are lucky to have him in our life!

Here are a few more pictures he sent the past few weeks...

WEEKLY EMAIL- Week 30

2009-11-28T20:25:00.001-08:00

OH MY GOSH I ABOUT THREW THIS COMPUTER... I WROTE A HUGE EMAIL AND THEN IT JUST WENT POOF!!! AND IT WAS GONE!!! IM SO SORRY, I WISH I COULD HAVE REMEMBERED EVERYTHING I WROTE, BUT NOW THIS ONE IS GOING TO BE LAME AND SHORT CUZ I HAVE TO RE WRITE IT...GRRR!!! BUT I WILL HAVE TO SKIP THE UN IMPORTANT STUFF AND KINDA JUST GIVE YOU THE MEAT...LOL... WELL FIRST, WHITNEY, DRINK MILK...LOL.. AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE THAT IM GOING TO KICK THAT KIDS BUTT WHEN I GET HOME...LOL... BUT ANYWAYS, SO SADLY OLLIE DOGGED US ON SATURDAY, AND I ABOUT FLIPPED OUT, I WAS SO UPSET. BUT IT OCCURED TO ME THAT MAYBE I WAS PUTTING THE LORDS WILL AHEAD OF MINE. I WAS TRYING TO DO WHAT I WANTED OVER WHAT THE LORD SEES NECESSARY AT THIS TIME! I HAVE TO SAY HEAVENLY FATHER HAS A VERY GOOD WAY OF HUMBLING YOU AS A MISSIONARY... ITS NOT LIKE " GOOD JOB DUMMY. " ITS LIKE A " HOLD ON A MINUTE AND THINK ABOUT THIS" :) I HAVE TO SAY, I NEVER KNEW YOU COULD BE SO CLOSE TO THE SPIRIT! AND I DEFFINETLY DO NOT LIKE IT WHEN HE LEAVES! CUZ IM NOT THE ONE CONVERTING PEOPLE, HE IS, IM AM SIMPLY ACTING AS A TEACHER AND A CONDUIT OF LIGHT THAT I WAS CALLED TO BE! IM SO HAPPY AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO CALL MYSELF A DECIPLE OF CHRIST AND THAT HE HAS TRUSTED ME WITH A FRACTION OF HIS GREAT WORK! IM SO SORRY THIS IS LAME AND SHORT, BUT IM DOING THE BEST I CAN AFTER THIS DUMB COMPUTER DELETED MY EMAIL. BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND YES MOM, I GOT ALL MY WINTER STUFF AND ITS WORKING OUT GREAT. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND IM SO SORRY IM LAME AGAIN THIS WEEK, IM JUST NOT TO GREAT ON COMPUTERS...LOL.. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND REMEMBER TO STAY CLOSE TO THE LORD! I LOVE YOU ALL! OH AND TIFFANY AND NICOLE!.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! TEENAGERS!!!! BE WAITING FOR A LITTLE SOMETHIN IN THE MAIL FROM YOUR CANADIAN BROTHER! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! UNTIL NEXT WEEK! :)

LOVE,
ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 29

2009-11-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

HEY HEY EH?

WELL, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT i'M ABOUT TO HIT THE 7 MONTH MARK!!! ITS GOING CRAZY FAST!!! BUT ANYWAYS, TO KIND A NSWER SOME QUESTIONS FIRST. AS FAR AS CHRISTMAS GOES, AS A MISSIONARY, I COULD ALWAYS USE TIES! :) AND ITS SWEET THAT THAT PRESIDENT ARCHIBALD IS NOT STRICT WHEN IT COMES TO TIE PATTERNS AND COLORS, AND SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE "CONSERVATIVE" LIKE SO ITS ALL GOOD...LOL. ANYWAYS, UM LETS SEE, OH SO I'M SUPER EXCITED, REMEMBER HOW I TOLD YOU ALL THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO DROP OLLIE? WELL WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO OFFICIALLY DROP HIM, I DECIDED TO TRY ONE LAST TIME AND I CALLED HIM AND HE ANSWERED HIS CELL PHONE!!! tHEN AFTER THAT IT WAS ALL GOOD. HE CAME TO CHURCH, AND WAS TELLING ME HE STILL WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED, HE HAS JUST BEEN SWAMPED BY SCHOOL, WORK AND FOOTBALL. PLUS HE IS A TEENAGER SO I CAN RELATE TO HIM NOT HAVING MISSIONARIES ON HIS TOP PRIORITY LIST...LOL BUT ANYWAYS, WE WILL BE EXTENDING A BAPTISMAL COMMITMENT TO HIM ON SATURDAY, AND I KNOW HE WILL ACCEPT IT...SO BE READY FOR SOME WAY GOOD NEWS NEXT WEEK! I'M GLAD YOU ALL ENJOYED THE PICTURES! AND YES MOM, I AM ENJOYING MYSELF. :) I'M HAVING TONS OF FUN BUT AT THE SAME TIME I'M STILL WORKING! :) BUT ANYWAYS THIS NEXT LITTLE BIT IS FROR WHITNEY...DRINK MILK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU WON'T BREAK YOUR FINGER EVERY YEAR IF YOU DID...LOL! SERIOUSLY ITS LIKE A QUOTA FOR YOU, OH ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN...CRACK! LOL...SOMEONE PUT HER IN A BUBBLE! BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU ROCKIN THE 70 AND PETEY!!! AND A CAPTAIN TOO! tHATS A PETERSEN IF I HAVE EVER SEEN ONE! bUT ANYWAYS, SAM SAYS YOU'RE ALL TRUCKIN UP TO VISIT THE U-TARDS SOON, THAT SHOULD BE FUN! SO LETS SEE. UM WHAT ELSE CAN I TELL YUO ALL. OH SO TOMORROW IS ZONE CONFERENCE AND I FIND OUT IF WE GET THE TRUCK OR NOT! I'M REALLY HOPING WE DO, CUZ IT WOULD MAKE THOSE ACCIDENTAL SPIN OUTS SO MUCH MORE FUN, PLUS IT HAS 4 WHEEL DRIVE AND I MIGHT JUST HAVE TO TO TEST IT OUT A BIT...LOL...DON'T WORRY MOM...I'LL SEND PICTURES! LOL. BUT REALLY I'LL BE CAREFUL, I PROMISE! MAYBE! DAVID WOULD DO THE SAME THING AND YOU KNOW IT! OH SO YOU ALL SHOULD SEE WHAT CANADIANS DO FOR FUN WHEN THE SNOW ON THE ROAD MELTS DURING THE DAY, THEN REFREEZES TO ICE AT NIGHT. WELL..THEY HOLD ON TO THE BUMPERS OF TRUCKS AND WELL SKI OFF THE BACK...I MIGHT HAVE TO TRY IT, BUT I WOULDN'T TELL YOU IF I DID THOUGH...LOL. I'M KIDDING, LIKE COURTNEY SAID, I'M ONLY PROTECTED SO MUCH ON MY MISSION. I FEEL I'M PROTECTED FROM THE WORLD, BTU NOT MY OWN STUPIDITY! ... LOL NO BUT REALL MOM, I'M NOT MEANING TO GIVE YOU AND DAD A HEART ATTACK. I'M BEING SAFE, I PROMISE! BUT ANYWAYS, AS FAR AS THE WORK GOES, WE HAVE 3 INVESTIGATORS RIGHT NOW, OLLIE OF COURSE ON HIS WAY TO BAPTISM, AND THE OTHER 2 ARE GETTING THERE! BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. AND I CAN'T DESCRIBE HOW STRONG THE SPIRIT IS WHEN I TEACH ABOUT ETERNAL FAMILIES, AND I TELL THE STORY OF US ALL EBING SEALTED TO THE TWINS! IT IS THE RECOGNITIONS OF THE SPIRIT THAT I COULD NEVER DENY! I KNOW THAT NOW IS THE TIME THAT HEAVENLY FATHER NEEDS ME MOST, AND I KNOW THAT I WAS CALELD FOR A REASON! I'M NEVER GIVING UP, PETERSEN'T AREN'T QUITTERS RIGHT? :) I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I CAN'T TAHNK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ME! YOU'RE ALL ON MY MIND AND IN MY PRAYERS EVERYDAY! I LOVE YOU ALL, BE STRONG AND RELY ON THE LORD!

LOVE,

ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 28

2009-11-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

WOW, YOU WEREN'T KIDDING. FUN FUN WEEK EH? WELL WHAT KINDA OF PETERSEN EVENT WOULD IT BE IF SOMETHING DIDNT GO WRONG? :) BUT AS MUCH AS DAVID WILL HATE TO HEAR IT, IM STILL HIS BROTHER AND I HAVE TEASING RIGHTS NO MATTER HOW BAD THE PROBLEM....CHEVY IS BETTER!!! LOL... F. O. R. D. F.ound O.n R.oad D.ead.... SORRY, I HAD TOO. BUT REALLY IM SAD TO HEAR THAT ITS GOING TO BE THAT EXPENSIVE TO FIX. BUT THE LORD GIVES US OUR TRIALS, AS MUCH AS WE HATE THEM, IT HAPPENS, AND IT WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE TRIALS THAT SHOWS WHO WE ARE. BUT ANYWAYS, TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS, CUZ IM RUNNIN LOW ON TIME, I DID GET ALL I NEEDED FOR WINTER, I SHOULD BE PRETTY WARM, WELL THAT IS AS WARM AS I CAN GET...LOL BUT ILL LET YOU KNOW IF I NEED ANYTHING ELSE! AND MOM, I WONT TELL YOU ABOUT THE ACCIDENTAL, AND NOT SO ACCIDENTAL SPIN OUTS...LOL BUT DONT WORRY, IM DOING GOOD ON THE ICY ROADS. AND LUCKILY THE WEATHER IS PRETTY DECENT THIS WEEK, JUST A BIT COLD AND SOME RAIN. ANYWAYS, IM SUPER HAPPY TO HEAR ALL WAS FUN AT THE WEDDING! IM WAY SAD I MISSED IT, AND SATURDAY FOR ME WAS A BIT HARD, WE DID ALOT OF SERVICE, AND I COULDNT KEEP MY MIND FROM MAKING ME TRUNKY. BUT I KNOW THE LORD NEEDS ME NOW! BUT ANYWAYS, THIS WEEK WE GOT A NEW INVESTIGATOR. HER NAME IS SUSAN, SHE WAS A SELF REFFERAL AND SHE REQUESTED A MISSIONARY VISIT, SO WE ARE SHOOTING FOR THE STARS ON THIS ONE. :) BUT SADLY AS FAR AS OLLIE GOES, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DROP HIM CUZ WE HAVENT HAD ANY LESSONS WITH HIM FOR A LONG TIME. ITS SUCKS TO SEE SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO BAPTISM SLIP AND FALL AWAY. BUT IM NOT GIVING UP THAT EASILY, ILL LET YOU ALL KNOW HOW IT WENT. SO LETS SEE, WELL THIS PAST SUNDAY ELDER GREENWELL WAS SICK SO WE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LIMITED ON GOIN OUT CUZ HE HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH CLOSE TO DEATH...LOL... BUT I HAVENT CAUGHT IT...YET...I HOPE. ANYWAYS, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH, I WISH I COULD SIT FOR HOURS AND WRITE YOU ALL! BUT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I CANT WAIT FOR ALL THE PICTURES AND DETAILS ON THE WEDDING! :) STAY STRONG YOU GUYS AND REMEMBER HE IS LISTENING! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE,
ELDER OGEN
P.S. MOM... WORRYING IS LIKE A ROCKING CHAIR. IT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO DO BUT DOESN'T GET YOU ANYWHERE! ...LOL

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 27

2009-11-17T06:31:00.000-08:00

SO FIRST OFF, YES IT IS VERY COLD. YESTERDAY MORNING THE CAR SAID -17 AND WITH WIND CHILL IT WAS AT LEAST -23! WAY COLD. BUT WE GOT ALOT OF SNOW LAST NIGHT TOO, AND IT STILL HASN'T LET UP. BUT THE BAD THING IS UP HERE THEY ONLY PLOW THE MAIN ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. EVERYWHERE ELSE IS LEFT ALONE. BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO DRIVE ON THEM IF YOU WANT TO GET ANYWERE. AND LET ME TELL YOU, ICE ON THE ROAD IS SCARY STUFF, YOU CAN HIT THE BRAKES AND STILL SLIDE IF YOU DONT SLOW DOWN ENOUGH BEFORE THE STOP. BUT I GUESS THATS JUST CANADA FOR YOU! SO THE BURB GOT BUSTED INTO?! DANG CRAP HAPPENS WITH ME GONE! LOL... WE ALL KNOW THAT IF IT WERE ME THERE AT WAL MART WHEN IT HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE STRETCHED THE TRUTH AND CAME BACK SAYING I RAN THE GUY DOWN AND BEAT HIM UP AND THEN ON THE DRIVE HOME THE SUBURBAN WAS MISTAKEN FOR A STOLE ESCALADE...LOL.. WELL I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT EVERYTHING IS FALLING INTO PLACE FOR THIS WEEKEND! GOSH I CANT BELIEVE ITS HERE ALREADY. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD COME THIS FAST! AND TO THINK ALSO THAT I GET TO CALL YOU ALL IN 2 MONTHS! I REMEMBER THINKING THAT THE 7 MONTH STRETCH WAS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER! CRAZY! ANYWAYS, YES I AM WAY GLAD TO HAVE THE CAR BACK, AND YES PRESIDENT FOUND OUT WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THAT GAMBLING THING, A FEW GOT SENT HOME, BUT THERE WAS ABOUT 20 OR SO GUYS INVOLVED! IT WAS PRETTY BAD, PRESIDENT ARCHIBLAD IS PRETTY DISAPPOINTED. AND I CAN SEE WHY. BUT IM JUST GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO TEL PRES. THAT I WASNT INVOLED! PLUS, DO I SEEM LIKE THE KINDA GUY WHO WOULD WIN BIG AT ALL! LOL.. SO ANYWAYS. LETS SEE, WELL, IM SUPER STUFFED CUZ THESE LAST FEW DAYS WE HAVE BEEN INVITED OVER FORE LIKE 4 CANADIAN THANKSGIVING DINNERS AND LUNCH. AND OF COURSE I WENT TO THEM ALL! LOL... YOU KNOW ME! WHY HAVE ONE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE 4!!! I THINK I WILL ADOPT CANADIAN THANKSGIVING EVEN WHEN IM HOME! BUT WE PASS A CALENDER AROUND ON SUNDAYS TO GET FILLED FOR THE WEEK, AND WITH TWO WARDS WE SOMETIMES GET DUEL APPOINTMENTS. :) SO MOM NO WORRIES, IM GETTING FED JUST FINE. BUT LIKE I HAVE SAID BEFORE, I THINK YOU WOULD ALL BE SHOCKED AT HOW LITTLE I EAT NOW, AND I EVEN PASS UP DESSERTS.... WELL A FEW TIMES...LOL! BUT ALSO DONT THINK I DIDNT PLAY FOOTBALL YESTERDAY MORNING, ITS THANKSGIVING.... DUH! WE HAD A BIG ZONE GAME, AND WE HAVE A GUY IN OUR ZONE ELDER TAFA WHO WAS ON THE TONGAN NATIONAL RUGBY TEAM... OUCH IS ALL I CAN SAY TO DESCRIBE THAT GAME! LOL... BUT ANYWAYS. ALL IS GOOD HERE, AND IM SURE NOT ALL MY TOES ARE GOING TO FALL OFF IN THIS COLD! :) BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND EVEN THOUGH THE WORK OUT HERE MIGHT NOT BE THE HIGHEST BAPTIZING OR THE MOST CONVERTS, IF I WALK AWAY HAVING HELPED ONE PERSON, ILL KNOW THAT IS WHAT I WAS MENT TO DO! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND IM THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ME! I WOULD BE SO LOST ON THIS WORLD... OR AS SAM LIKE TO SAY, LOST IN THE SNOW... WITHOUGHT YOU ALL! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND I PRAY FOR YOU EVERY DAY. FREQUENTLY!!! :) TAKE CARE AND ENJOY THE NICE WEATHER FOR ME! I LOVE YOU!
LOVE,
ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 26

2009-11-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

WELL... ARE YOU GUYS READY.... TRANSFERS?.... WELL IM STAYING HERE IN OKOTOKS! IM PRETTY EXCITED, ITS WHAT I WANTED TO HAPPEN! AND I'M STAYING WITH ELDER GREENWELL! WE ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT! I KNOW THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM HIM, AND THERE IS SOMETHING AS A COMPANIONSHIP WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH! BUT IT WILL BE 6 MONTHS IN THIS ONE AREA, I LIKE LONGER AREAS! :) SPEAKING OF 6 MONTHS, I BURNT MY 6 MONTH MARK TIE THE OTHER DAY, DONT WORRY MOM IT WASNT A GOOD ONE, JUST A CRAP ONE I FOUND! :) BUT ANYWAYS, I HAVENT GOTTEN THE PACKAGE YET, BUT IM SURE ITS GOING TO BE BE HERE TODAY! SO ANYWAYS, LIKE I SAID, IT SNOWED ON SUNDAY MORNING! LIKE SIX INCHES! I KNOW ITS NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT HEY IM FROM CALIFORNIA, UM ME AND SNOW ARE NOT THE BEST OF FRIENDS! EVERYONE HERE HAS LIKE THE SAME REACTION WHEN I SAY THAT I HAVENT HAD WINTER UP HERE YET.... "OH, YOUR GONNA DIE! " LOL... GEE THANKS FOR THE POSITIVE REENFORCEMENT! ANYWAYS SO CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING! ESPECIALLY WHEN JEFFERY R. HOLLAND FLOORED EVERYONE WITH HIS AMAZING TALK ON THE BOOK OF MORMON! I WAS JUST IN AMAZEMENT THROUGH HIS WHOLE TALK! IT BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES FROM WHEN HE SPOKE TO US IN THE MTC. HAHAHA I CAN SAY STUFF LIKE THAT NOW CUZ IM OVER THE 6 MONTH MARK...LOL.. SO, IM SORRY TO HEAR THAT THE KREEPIN CRUD IS GETTIN PASSED AROUND THE HOUSE, LEAVE IT TO WHITNEY TO GIVE PEOPLE HER CRAP...LOL.. SO ITS AWESOME TO HEAR THAT DAVID IS HOME FOR A BIT, AND MAKING BANK APPARENTLY! LOL... WELL LETS SEE, OH SO VERNA AND LEE WATCHED ALL FOUR SESSIONS AND IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE FOR THEM! WE ACTUALLY WATCHED THE SUNDAY MORNING SESSION AT THEIR HOUSE, AND VERNA MADE US PROMISE TO COME IN OUR PJS...LOL.. AND WE DID, AND WE HAD HOT CHOCOLATE WHILE THE SNOW WAS FALLING OUTSIDE! IT WAS PRETTY COOL, WE HAD A FIRE GOING, AND GOT TO WATCH CONFERENCE! VERNA AND LEE ARE AMAZING PEOPLE, AND LEE TOLD US LAST NIGHT THAT THE DOUBTS HE HAD ABOUT THE CHURCH ARE COMPLETELY GONE WITH LISTENING TO CONFERENCE! ANYWAYS, SORRY THAT I DONT HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO WRITE ABOUT THIS WEEK, WE HAVE BEEN HELPING WITH ALOT OF SERVICE BEFORE THE WINTER COMES. BUT ANYWAYS, I WANT YOU GUYS TO ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! TO LISTEN TO CONFERENCE AND HEAR THE WORDS MADE ME HAPPY TO KNOW THAT IM APART OF THIS RESTORED GOSPEL WERE I CAN BE WITH MY FAMILY FOREVER! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! IM ALWAYS PRAYING FOR YOU!
LOVE,
ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 25-- SIX MONTH MARK

2009-10-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

6 MONTHS ALREADY, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! I MEAN ITS NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT ITS A WHOLE 1/4 OF MY MISSION GONE, NEVER TO RETURN. HOLY COW, I MEAN I KNEW ONE DAY I WOULD BE A MISSIONARY AND TICKING AWAY THE DAYS, BUT I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD COME THIS FAST. OH MAN I REALLY CANT LET ONE DAY SLIP AWAY! AS SAM SAID, I NEED TO MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT. CRAZY EH, LITTLE LOGAN ALREADY PAST A BIG MARK OF HIS MISSION! ANYWAYS, WELL THE WORK HERE SEEMS TO HAVE HIT A WALL A BIT. WE DONT HAVE ANY NEW INVESTIGATORS, WE HAVE BEEN MOSTLY WORKING WITH LESS ACTIVES AND RECENT CONVERTS, WE CALL THEM " LARC'S" L.A.R.C, GET IT, ANYWAYS, SO THERE IS THE ONE LADY I TOLD YOU ABOUT, SHE HAS A BIT OF A HEAD INJURY, AND SHE IS NEVER PREDICTABLE IN WHAT SHE WILL SAY, SO WE HAVE BROUGHT HER BACK INTO FULL ACTIVITY, SHE EVEN WENT TO THE RELIEF SOCIETY BROADCAST. WELL, THIS LAST SUNDAY WAS FAST AND TESTIMONY MEETING, AND SHE GOT UP RIGHT AWAY AND I WAS A BIT NERVOUS IN WHAT SHE MIGHT SAY. BUT IT WAS AN AMAZING TESTIMONY, AND IT SET AN AMAZING SPIRIT ABOUT THE WHOLE CHAPEL FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING. BUT THE FUNNY PART IS WHEN SHE BASICALLY CALLED ME OUT OVER THE PULPIT. SHE SAID... " IF IT WERE NOT FOR THOSE TWO HANDSOME BOYS IN THE SUITS I WOULDNT BE HERE. BUT THAT DARN ELDER PETERSEN NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN WHEN HE PRAYS, HE SAY THE END SO FAST YOU CAN BARELY HEAR CHRIST'S NAME, SOME PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW HIM YET! " ... AND OF COURSE THE WARD LAUGHED, AND I HAD TO GO REDEEM MYSELF. SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS WARD FOR OVER 4 MONTHS NOW, THEY ALL KNOW ME PRETTY GOOD. BUT I GOT UP AND SAID. "APPARENTLY IM THE FAST TALKING MISSIONARY" LOL... SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD MEETING. BUT BEFORE I FORGET, TRANSFERS ARE NEXT WEEK, SO THAT MEANS A TUESDAY P-DAY NEXT WEEK. SO PLEASE DONT FORGET. ITS CRAZY THE TRANSFER IS OVER. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO STAY IN OKOTOKS THO, SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WEEK. SO LETS SEE, UM ITS STARTING TO GET A BIT CHILLY, FIRT SNOW IS FORECASTED FOR THIS WEEKEND. CRAZY EH? I KNOW IM NOT READY FOR IT EITHER, BUT ILL LOOK FOR THE THINGS I STILL NEED FOR WINTER, AND I'LL FIND OUT HOW MUCH THEY COST THEN LET YOU KNOW. ANYWAYS, IM GLAD ALL IS GOING GOOD BACK HOME, AND HEARING THAT WHITNEY IS STILL TOUGH AS EVER. I HAVENT HEARD FROM THE TWINS IN A WHILE, THAT WOULD BE NICE. BUT ANYWAYS, OH MOM, VERNA, A.K.A. " MY CANADIAN MOTHER" (SHE CALLS HERSELF THAT TO ALL THE MISSIONARIES ...LOL... WANTS TO CALL YOU AND TALK TO YOU A BIT. SO SHE BASICALLY WANTS TO TELL YOU IM DOING WELL, AND WHAT I MEAN TO HER, SO BE READY AND BE READY TO BE ON THE PHONE FOR A GOOD CHUNK OF TIME. :) OH AND I HAVENT GOTTEN THE PACKAGE YET, BUT I MIGHT TODAY. ANYWAYS, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH! NOTHING IN THIS WORLD CAN COME BETWEEN AN ETERNAL FAMILY, AND THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE OF FAMILIES THROUGH THIS GOSPEL IS INDESCRIBABLE. I LOVE BEING ABLE TO SHARE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TEMPLE AS A FAMILY WHEN WERE WERE SEALED TO THE TWINS WITH PEOPLE. IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES EVERY TIME, AND I GET A FRYING PAN IN THE FACE OF A RECOGNITION FROM THE HOLY GHOST THAT WHAT IM SAYING IS TRUE! I LOVE THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY AM I HELPING PEOPLE BECOME CONVERTED TO THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, BUT THAT IM ALSO MOVING FORWARD IN MY OWN CONTUNIED CONVERSION. THIS GOSPEL IS FOR EVERY ONE, AND I HAVE A STRONG TESTIMONY OF THAT! IM SO HAPPY AND HONORED TO HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE OF SERVING THE LORD AND THE PEOPLE OF CANADA! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND I THINK AND PRAY FOR YOU ALL EACH DAY! PLEASE DONT FORGET THE TUESDAY PDAY NEXT WEEK! I LOVE YOU ALL! STAY STRONG, THE LORD IS ALWAY WATCHING OVER HIS FLOCK! AND IM SO HAPPY TO BE APART OF THE ONES WHO FIND HIS SCATTERED SHEEP! I LOVE YOU ALL!
LOVE, ELDER OGEN
P.S. HELP THE MISSIONARIES IN ELK GROVE! THEY NEED IT, WE ALL DO! :)

WEEKLY EMAIL- Week 24

2009-09-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

HELLO FAM! WOW, SOUNDS LIKE A LOT IS GOING ON, YEP SAME OLD PETERSENS, ALWAYS RUNNING AROUND WITH STUFF TO DO! ANYWAYS, TO ANSWER MOST OF YOUR QUESTIONS, NO WE DONT HAVE THE CAR BACK YET, WE GET IT BACK ON THE 1ST OF OCTOBER, AND FOR NOW WE ARE RIDING THE BIKES EVERYDAY. THEY ARE LIKE A COMMUNAL SET OF BIKES FOR OUR ZONE FOR WHOEVER NEEDS THEM. AND LET ME TELL YOU BIKING OUT TO ACRAGES STINKS...LOL.. WE GET MEMBER RIDES SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS. ITS LIKE ME RIDING FORM OUR HOUSE OUT TO WILTON SOME TIMES, NO JOKE. THATS BASICALLY HOW OKOTOKS IS. ELK GROVE AND WILTON, OKOTOKS AND DeWINTON. LIKE ITS FUNNY HOW PARTS OF TOWN AND THE ACREAGES REMIND ME OF HOME. OKOTOKS HAS A LITTLE " OLD TOWN" LIKE ELK GROVE, AND ITS FUNNY TO WALK DOWN CUZ IT KINDA LOOKS LIKE OURS. ANYWAYS, IVE ACTUALLY LOST ABOUT 8 POUNDS ON THOSE DANG BIKES. WE HAVE BEEN RIDING THEM FOR ALMOST A MONTH, AND ITS STARTING TO SHOW ON BOTH OF US, BUT HEY NO COMPLAINTS HERE! :) AND IM LIKING THE RIDING ACTUALLY, I JUMP CURBS AND HAVE GOTTEN PRETTY COMFORTABLE ON THEM AND DO RIDING WHEELIES FOR A FEW FEET AND IT GETS PEOPLES ATTENTION AND THEY LOOK AND SMILE AND SOMETIMES LAUGH CUZ IT LOOKS KINDA FUNNY TO SEE A GUY IN A SHIRT AND TIES DOING TRICKS ON A BIKE I GUESS.. AND I MIGHT DO THEM ON PURPOSE NOW...LOL... ITS BETTER TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AND SMILE THEN YELL AT US. LOL... SO ALL IS GOING GOOD, AND IM GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE TWINS ARE USING THE BUNK BEDS WE BUILT...LOL... FUN TIMES. AND SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT ENOUGH PORK TO LAST A WHILE TOO. LOL... I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH I PUT LOL IN MY LETTERS. I MUST BE HAVING TEXT SEPARATION ISSUES! :) BUT SO SINCE YOU'RE SENDING OUT THE PACKAGE, CAN YOU REMEMBER TO PUT AIR MAIL ON IT IF ITS NOT TOO EXPENSIVE, CUZ IT WILL TAKE LIKE A MONTH OR TWO BY GROUND. BUT NO WORRIES IF ITS ALREADY ON ITS WAY! :) SO LETS SEE, WELL ALL IS GOING GOOD OUT HERE, I THOUGHT OLLIE HAD LIKE FALLEN OFF THE EARTH, BUT HE JUST HAS BEEN GOING TO CHURCH AT A DIFFERENT TIME, AND HE STILL WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED, SO THAT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. I WISH WE COULD HOLD ON TO HIM LONG ENOUGH TO THROW HIM IN THE WATER THOUGH. HE IS LIKE TRYING TO CATCH A GREASED PIG...LOL... TUFF EH WHITNEY? :) BUT I KNOW THE LORD HAS PREPARED HIM, AND THAT HE HAS A PLAN FOR ALL OF US, AND HIS PLAN FOR OLLIE IS JUST TAKING A BIT OF TIME. OLLIE HAS BEEN PREPARED, AND I NEED TO BE SURE I AM PREPARED FOR HIM. IT CAN BE DISCOURAGING SOMETIMES, BUT I KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, IF I GIVE MY ALL AND PUSH UNTIL I HAVE TO CRAWL, CHRIST WILL PICK UP THE REST AND HELP ME TO ENDURE TO THE END. IM SO THANKFUL FOR THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE OF THIS GOSPEL. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR THE WORLD! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW THANKFUL I AM TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE DRIVING FORCE YOU ALL GAVE ME TO ACCEPT THE HONOR IT IS TO BE CALLED AS A PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST! NOTHING, AND I MEAN NOTHING, CAN STAND IN MY WAY WITH CHRIST AS MY CRUTCH TO LEAN ON WHEN TIMES GET HARD. I KNOW THAT HE HAS BEEN THERE BEFORE, AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN MY LIFE THAT HE HAS NOT FELT THE PAIN OF, AND THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD THINGS GET, THAT I WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL, AND I LOVE MY ETERNAL FAMILY! IM PRAYING FOR YOU ALL EACH AND EVERYDAY! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND MORE! I LOVE YOU!
LOVE, ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 23

2009-09-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

HEY FAM! :)
I NEVER LOOKED AT TIME THE WAY I DO NOW, IT'S AS IF ITS MUCH, MUCH SHORTER NOW THEN IT WAS BEFORE. IT REALLY PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR ME ON THE IMPORTANCE OF USING MY TIME WISELY AND SPENDING THESE TWO YEARS AS A PART OF GODS ARMY TO PUSH FORWARD THE WORK UNTIL I CAN'T PUSH ANY MORE! ITS CRAZY TO THINK OF HOW INVOLVED YOU BECOME WHEN YOUR SET APART AS A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST. HOW EMOTIONAL YOU GET WHEN YOU TEACH ABOUT HIS GOSPEL, AND HOW MUCH IT REALLY MEANS TO YOU. I TRULY KNOW THE MEANING OF THE "WANT" TO SHARE THE MESSAGE, BECAUSE OF ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS IT BRINGS TO ME IN MY LIFE! AND ALSO ALL THE AMAZING EXPERIENCES THE MISSION BRINGS. LIKE THIS PAST THURSDAY WE HAD A MISSION TOUR. ELDER KENT F. RICHARDS OF THE 2ND QUORUM OF THE 70 CAME AND SPOKE TO US. ITS WAS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT ONLY TEACHING BY FAITH, BUT ALSO OF LEARNING BY FAITH! IT WAS A WAY POWERFUL MEETING, AND SOMETHING I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER, IT HELPED ME TO REALIZE SOMETHINGS, AND PUT THINGS INTO BETTER PERSPECTIVE. BUT THE MOST AMAZING AND KIND OF TRIPPY EXPERIENCE WAS WHEN WE GOT TO ALL MEET AND SHAKE HIS HAND. HE WAS ASKING EVERYONE WHERE WE WERE FROM AND HOW OUR FAMILY WAS DOING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. HE ASKED WERE I WAS FROM, AND I TOLD HIM SACRAMENTO, CUZ ITS BETTER KNOWN THEN ELK GROVE. AND THEN HE ASKED HOW MY FAMILY IS DOING, AND I SAID, "STILL GROWING" AND YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT HE SAID NEXT. HE STILL HAD MY HAND IN HIS GRIP, AND HE LOOKED ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYES AND SAID, " ELDER, IM SORRY YOUR MISSING THE WEDDING." AND THEN .... WELL... I STARTED CRYING. LOL.. IT DIDNT HIT ME AT THAT POINT THAT HE KNEW WITHOUT ME SAYING A WORD, BUT IT WAS THAT HE WAS SINCERELY AND TRULY SORRY FOR ME. THAT HE SOMEHOW KNEW HOW IMPORTANT AND HARD IT IS FOR ME TO MISS THE WEDDING. AND THEN AS I WALKED AWAY I WAS COMFORTED,BY THE THOUGHT OF THE OPPORTUNITY I HAD TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE WHO IS SO IN TUNE WITH THE SPIRIT! IT WAS A LITTLE CREEPY IN A WAY IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, BUT ITS NOT CREEPY AT ALL! IT WAS... WELL... AWESOME! THAT WAS A DAY FULL OF EMOTIONS THAT WERE COMING FROM ALL SIDES, BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE BUILT UP MY TESTIMONY! WOW, THAT IS SOMETHING I CAN NEVER FORGET. OH MOM, DONT WORRY ABOUT THE PICTURE SLEEVES IF YOU CANT FIND THEM, ITS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. I CAN PROBABLY FIND SOME SOMEWHERE, BUT WHAT I WOULD APPRECIATE, IS SOME OF THOSE LIGHT BLUE ENVELOPES I GOT BEFORE I CAME OUT, THE ONES FROM STAPLES? PLEASE. THANKS! SO LETS SEE, WELL IM LOVING BEING SR. ITS A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU KIND OF GET TO MAKE THE DECISIONS, I MEAN WE BOTH TALK THINGS OUT, BUT UTIMATLY ITS WHAT I FEEL IS BEST FOR OUR COMPANIONSHIP. AND WE GOT BIKES THE OTHER DAY, AND LET ME TELL YOU. GOSH IM TIRED...LOL... I HIT THE PILLOW EVERY NIGHT AND PASS OUT. I REALIZE HOW SPOILED WE ARE WITH A CAR, BUT WE GET IT BACK SOON. ANYWAYS, LETS SEE, OH SO I TOLD YOU ALL ABOUT VERNA AND LEE, THE LESS ACTIVE COUPLE WE SEE ALL THE TIME, WELL THEY WERE BAPTIZED A YEAR AGO, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TO CHURCH ONLY ABOUT 4 TIMES. AND I HAVE BEEN ALMOST PLEADING WITH THEM TO COME AND THEN THIS LAST SUNDAY, AS WE WERE SINGING THE OPENING HYMN, VERNA PLOPS DOWN RIGHT NEXT TO ME!!! IT LITERALLY MADE MY DAY! ITS CRAZY HOW YOUR FEELINGS TOWARDS THE WORK AND THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE, REALLY TURN TO LOVE! WE ARE SEEING REAL PROGRESS WITH THEM, AND DAVID AND HIS WIFE SHOULD BE HOME NOW, SO WORK SHOULD BE GOING FORWARD CONTINUALLY! I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT MY TESTIMONY IS GROWING EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND I COULD NEVER DENY THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THIS GOSPEL! I WITNESS THE MIRACLES OF IT EVERYDAY! NOT ONLY HERE, BUT AT HOME AS WELL! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH AND I LOVE HEARING OF ALL THAT HAPPENS AT HOME! IM SORRY I CANT BE THERE TO BE THE BIG BROTHER TO BEAT UP THE MEAN TEACHERS, BUT HEAVENLY FATHER AND JESUS NEED ME FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIR TEAM RIGHT NOW! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I CAN NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU GIVE ME AND HELPING ME TO SERVE A MISSION! STAY STRONG, AND REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU!!!
LOVE,ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 22

2009-09-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

***Be sure you don't miss the post below with the latest pictures sent home by Elder Petersen***

HELLO EVERYONE,
SO FIRST OFF, I FEEL BAD, CUZ I DONT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO EMAIL DAVID, COURT AND STACY BACK, I MIGHT BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHEN I GET DONE WRITING TO THE FAM! SO THE MYLDSMAIL.NET WAS HAVING TROUBLE FOR LIKE 30 TO 45 MINUTES TODAY. SO THATS WHY IM A LITTLE RUSHED FOR TIME, BUT I KNOW THAT EVERYONE GETS THIS EMAIL, SO IT WILL BE BEST TO JUST SEND THE BIG ONE FOR THIS WEEK. BUT I'LL TRY TO EMAIL THE GIRLS AND DAVID. BUT ANYWAYS, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS DAD, MY COMPANION HAS BEEN OUT FOR ABOUT 7 MONTHS, AND NO WE ARENT CO-SR. AND IT IS DEFINETLY STARTING TO GET A BIT CHILLY OUT HERE...LOL. BUT I HAVE ACCUMULATED TWO NICE BIG WINTER JACKETS AND 2 NICE PAIRS OF GLOVES, SO ALL I'LL NEED TO GET IN A MONTH OR SO IS A BEENIE, SCARF AND SOME EAR MUFFS. BUT NO WORRIES YET. SO GET THIS GUYS, ITS PRETTY IRONIC. SO NOW THAT I FINALLY GOT TO DRIVE, AND BE FULL TIME DRIVER, I WAS LOVING IT, AND THEN I WANTED THE TRUCK SO WE CLEANED OUR CAR LIKE CRAZY FOR THE CAR AWARD. SO WE WERE GOING TO FIND OUT WHO WINS TOMORROW, BUT I THINK ITS OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR ME TO WIN NOW WITH OUT EVEN HAVING A CAR ANYMORE.... SO THE REASON I DONT HAVE A CAR ANYMORE, IS WELL... DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CHURCH DOESN'T APPRECIATE IT IF YOU JUMP THE MISSION CARS AND TEAR THE FRONT BUMBLER AND GRILL OFF? WELL THEY DONT... AND ITS A GOOD THING I DIDNT DO THAT...LOL... BUT REALLY, WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUT OF KILOMETERS WE CAN DRIVE EACH MONTH, AND ELDER WILSON WENT WAY OVER THAT, SO THEY CALCULATED IT OUT TO WHERE ELDER GREENWELL AND I HAVE TO WALK THE REST OF THE MONTH TO BREAK EVEN, BUT WE GET IT BACK IN OCTOBER. NO BIGGIE, IT JUST STINKS THAT AS SOON AS I GET TO DRIVE, IT GETS RIPPED AWAY FROM ME. BUT ITS EXERCISE, SO IM NOT COMPLAINING. SO ITS IS JUST A BIT IRONIC. ANYWAYS, THINGS ARE STILL TOUGH WITH OLLIE, I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY, BUT I KNOW THAT HEAVENLY FATHER IS LOOKING OVER HIM, AND HE WILL COME AROUND SOON. WE ALSO MIGHT HAVE A NEW INVESTIGATOR THAT THE OTHER GUYS IN MY DISTRICT FOUND, SO THAT WILL BE NICE TO HAVE A NEW FACE. AND DAVID, OUR OTHER INVESTIGATOR SHOULD BE BACK FROM HIS VACATION HERE IN A WEEK, SO THAT WILL BE GOOD, TO PICK THINGS BACK UP. GOSH, I NEVER THOUGHT LOOKING BACK THAT I WOULD GET SO EXCITED FOR MISSIONARY WORK, I KNOW THAT ADJUSTING TO MISSIONARY LIFE HELPS TOTALLY, AND KEEPING THE SPIRIT WITH YOU ALWAYS. BUT I JUST NEVER LOOKED AT IT THE WAY I DO KNOW. I COULD NEVER DOUBT THE THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE NOW! MY MISSION MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, AND EVEN THOUGH TIMES GET HARD, I KNOW THAT HEAVENLY FATHER DOESNT GIVE US THINGS HE KNOWS WE CANT ACCOMPLISH! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY, AND IF I COME HOME A LITTLE MISSIONARY AWKWARD, THATS OK, AT LEAST YOU'LL KNOW I WAS WORKIN HARD...LOL.. BUT REALLY, THE WORK IS HARD, BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT. JUST TO FEEL THE SPIRIT TESTIFY TO ME AS I TESTIFY OF WHAT I KNOW TO ANOTHER OF HEAVENLY FATHERS CHILDREN! I KNOW THIS CHURCH IS TRUE, AND I KNOW THAT I'M CALLED OF GOD TO FIND HIS LOST SHEEP! I LOVE THIS WORK. GUYS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND THAT IM ALWAYS PRAYING FOR YOU! SORRY THAT I CANT ANSWER EVERYONE TODAY, BUT I LOVE THE SUPPORT I GET FROM YOU ALL EACH AND EVERY DAY! KEEP 'EM COMIN', I'LL ANSWER! :) IM SO HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THAT HAPPENS, WITH ALL THE LITTLE ONES AND SCHOOL, AND SOCCER, AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND BABIES ON THE WAY AND THE BABIES EATING BRICK...LOL. POOR RYAN! BUT ANYWAYS I GOT TO RUN, SORRY ABOUT THE SHORT EMAIL THIS WEEK, BUT IT HAPPENS I GUESS. BUT THROUGH ALL THAT HAPPENS, KNOW THAT I LOVE AND PRAY FOR EACH ONE OF YOU EVERYDAY! NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK ME TO PRAY ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, BECAUSE AS DAVID PUTS IT, MISSIONARIES ARE RIGHT UNDER THE GENERAL AUTHORITIES WHEN IT COMES TO ANSWERED PRAYERS...LOL.. WELL WE'LL SEE, EH? ANYWAYS, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EACH WEDNESDAY! I CANT WAIT FOR THE PACKAGES, I THINK IM GOOD, WELL I CANT FIND ANY MELATONIN UP HERE, BUT THATS ABOUT IT. :) BUT I GOT TO RUN, I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! STAY STRONG, AND REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS!
LOVE,ELDER OGEN

Latest Pics

2009-09-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest batch of photo's Elder Petersen sent home---in no particular order.
Some pictures have a comment or caption on the back-some don't. His captions will be in quotations. Get ready...you may "LOL" a lot...he sure did! :) Enjoy!

Our missionary...

"E. Eberly"

"GQ-ing in Okotoks" & "Okotok's View"

"Sheep River"

"My 'Petey Pop' LOL" & "My Makeshift Soda" (for those of you who don't know-he's given up soda since out in the field) & "The Making of..."

"E. Smith"

"Safety Officer Petersen"

"Parade help...we were blocking off traffic"

"Goodbye to Pridays" (Mission President & his wife)

"My MTC comp. at Zone Conference"

"My Flag"

"E. Dopp...LOL"

"Canada Day"

"E. Madsen burning his one year shirt"

"E. Smith. LOL"

"I was soaked from the rain storm" & "Don't ask...LOL"

"They are everywhere...LOL"

Verna & Lee

"The 'No Name' products are really No Name. LOL"

"My driver...E.Wilson"

"Foothills Zone"

"E. Wilson"

"E.Wilson, AKA Bubbls" & "E. Pearce"

"Goodbye to E. Stevenson"

"E. Snell & Holcombe"

"Black Diamond and Turner Valley"

"E.Stevenson 2 year suit burn. He's from Granite Bay, CA"

"E. Dickson and Smith" & "E. Stevenson & Whitt"

"Stampede Breakfast"

"Their REAL! LOL"

"Magnetic Silverware"

"TRANSFORMER!!!"

"Me and E. Barry"

"I WANT ONE!"

Hope you all enjoyed!!! We know he is having fun doing the Lord's work! :)

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 21

2009-09-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

HELLO EVERYBODY!
I CANT BELIEVE ITS SEPTEMBER! AND THAT WHITNEY IS 16. YEAH I DONT THINK SHE IS ALOUD BE THAT OLD YET... AND TIFFANY AND NICOLE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL?? GOSH THIS IS CRAZY. OH AND DAVID IS OUT OFF THE HOUSE FOR GOOD, WELL THAT MIGHT BE A PLUS...LOL.. KIDDING. BUT ANYWAYS ITS HARD TO THINK THAT TIME IS JUST TRUCKIN ALONG. IM ALMOST 1/4 DONE WITH MY MISSION, AND ITS ONLY GOING FASTER AS TIME GOES ON. BUT IM WORKIN HARD TO USE EVERY MINUTE I CAN. BUT BEFORE I GET STARTED, MOM, ITS BEST TO SEND ANY MAIL WHATSOEVER TO THE MISSION OFFICE ADDRESS JUST SO IT'S SURE TO GET TO ME AND NOT SHOW UP AT THE MISSIONARY PAD AFTER I LEAVE IT, AND IT NEVER GETS TO ME. BUT ALSO, AIR MAIL IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH MAIL AND PACKAGES, CUZ PACKAGES THAT DONT HAVE AIRMAIL CAN TAKE UP TO 3 MONTHS TO COME THROUGH. CRAZY EH? WELL ITS SAD BUT TRUE. ANYWAYS, SO I MUST SAY BEING SR. COMP DEFINITELY STRETCHES YOU AND FORCES YOU TO GROW. IT HAS BEEN A BIT STRESSFUL, BUT IM GETTING USED TO IT. ELDER GREEWELL IS MY NEW COMP. OUR INTERESTS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. HE LIKES A LOT OF COMPUTER GAMES AND TECHNOLOGY STUFF AND HE TALKS ABOUT COMPUTER STUFF AND IM LOST, AND VICE VERSA WITH ME WHEN I TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL AND TRUCKS...LOL. BUT WE ARE FINDING COMMON GROUND. SO ABOUT MY "GATORS" :) WELL I GUESS OLLIE FELL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I CALL HIM ALL THE TIME AND HE NEVER ANSWERS, HE WASNT AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY, IT HAS SCARED ME A BIT. HE IS SO CLOSE TO BAPTISM IT SCARES ME TO THINK HE MIGHT BE BACKING AWAY. BUT I HAVE FAITH THAT HE KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND WILL BE BAPTIZED WHEN IT IS HIS TIME! THE WORK IS TOUGH, OUR MISSION IS NOT SO "EASY" SO TO SPEAK WHEN IT COME TO BAPTISMAL NUMBERS, BUT ITS NOT ABOUT HOW MANY WE WANT TO BAPTIZE, ITS HOW MANY WE HAVE THAT IS IMPORTANT. THE WORTH OF A SINGLE SOUL IS GREAT IN THE EYES OF GOD! I KNOW THAT IS WORK MUST GO ON NO MATTER HOW HARD IT CAN BE! I KNOW I WAS SENT HERE FOR A REASON, AND IM WORKING TOWARDS IT EVERYDAY! SO LETS SEE, WHAT ELSE CAN I TELL YOU, OH SO WE HAD OUR INTERVIEWS YESTERDAY, AND OUR CAR INSPECTIONS, AND I MUST SAY, OUR CAR WAS SUPER SUPER CLEAN. SERIOUSLY WE SHINED THE ENGINE...LOL... WE HAVE A WAY GOOD CHANCE AT WINNING, AND IF WE DO IM SO TAKING THE TRUCK. BUT DONT WORRY I WONT LIFT A MISSION TRUCK AND PUT BIGGER TIRES ON IT. IT IS FOUR WHEEL DRIVE THOUGH, SO I CANT MAKE ANY PROMISES THERE...LOL WE DO HAVE A LOT OF OPEN FIELDS IN OKOTOKS...LOL... JUST KIDDING. I LOVE PRESIDENT ARCHIBALD. MOST MISSIONARIES SAY THEY FEAR THEIR MISSION PRESIDENT, BUT WHEN ITS ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS, I FEEL SO AT EASE WITH HIM WHERE I KNOW THAT I CAN OPEN UP WITH ALL MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, AND HE CAN GIVE ME THE ANSWERS I NEED OR WHERE I NEED TO TURN TO WITH HEAVENLY FATHER IN MY PRAYERS. AND SISTER ARCHIBALD, WELL, SHE IS TOTALLY LIKE A MOTHER TO ALL OF US OUT HERE. MOM DONT WORRY, NO ONE COULD EVER EVER EVER REPLACE YOU! BUT JUST KNOW IM IN GOOD HANDS, SHE HAS A BOY ON A MISSION RIGHT NOW TOO, SO SHE KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL! :) BUT I WANT YOU GUYS ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU! AND THAT MY MISSION IS TURNING ME INTO THE MAN I NEED AND WANT TO BE! MY TESTIMONY GROWS EACH DAY, AND GROWS EVEN AS I BEAR IT! I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND WILL BE ALWAYS FASTING AND PRAYING FOR YOU! YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! I LOVE YOU!
LOVE ELDER OGEN
P.S. THERE SHOULD BE SOME MAIL FROM ME THERE IN A DAY OR SO.

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 20

2009-08-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

WELL TRANSFERS ARE HERE,ITS CRAZY HOW FAST THEY COME UP. SO THERE WAS A BIT OF A CHANGE.... ELDER WILSON IS BEING TRANSFERED, AND IM STAYING HERE. BUT IM WAY EXCITED, CUZ ILL BE SR. COMP AND DRIVER!!! MY NEW COMPANION IS ELDER GREENWELL, I HAVE NEVER MET HIM, BUT I'LL DEFFINETLY LET YOU KNOW HOW ITS GOING NEXT WEEK. BUT GOING SR. COMPANION WILL BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, BUT IM READY FOR IT! :) ITS CRAZY HOW FAST TIME IS FLYING. TRANSFERS HAVE ONLY BEEN GOING FASTER AND FASTER SINCE I HAVE BEEN OUT. AND BEFORE I KNOW IT I WILL BE IN MY LAST ONE ABOUT TO COME HOME! ITS CRAZY. BUT WHAT IS WAY CRAZY IS WE HAVE 23 NEW MISSIONARIES COMING TO OUR MISSION TOMORROW. AND ONLY 8 ARE GOING HOME. SALT LAKE IS EXPANDING OUR MISSION GRADUALLY OVER THEN NEXT FEW MONTHS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT ABOUT 170 MISSIONARIES, AND BY JANUARY WE ARE GOING TO BE A BIT OVER 200. SO LOTS OF TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MISSIONARIES. WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT. SO, WHITNEY DID AWESOME, AND IM GLAD TO HEAR THAT! AND THAT SHE DIDNT BREAK ANYTHING BY NOT PLAYING...LOL.. SO QUESTION, KURTIS IS STILL AT HOME? IF HE IS TELL HIM I WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM.:) ANYWAYS, HOW ARE THE GIRLS LIKING SCHOOL? IM SURE THEY ARENT LOVING IT, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, IT IS DEFFINETLY EASIER THEN HAVING TO BE AN ADULT. WHICH I'M NO WHERE NEAR. STILL JUST A KID. LOL... A FORMER MISSION PRESIDENT SAID IT LIKE BEING IN CHARGE OF 150 BOY SCOUTS, BUT THESE BOY SCOUTS HAVE CARS. VERY TRUE STATEMENT. SO LETS SEE, NOT MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE LAST WEDNESDAY, JUST WITH SHORT TIME IN BETWEEN P-DAYS, AND TRANSFERS, IT JUST HAS BEEN A BIT SLOW. BUT NO WORRIES IM STILL WORKIN HARD. WE DID GET TO GO VISIT ASHLEY, WE HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE SHE WAS BAPTIZED. SHE AND THE FAMILY SHE LIVES WITH MOVED AND HAPPEN TO BE IN THE OTHER MISSIONARIES WARD NOW, SO WE HAD TO GET PERMISSION TO GO SAY BYE JUST IN CASE ONE OF US LEFT. SO THAT WAS NICE TO SEE HER. WELL AS YOU CAN CAN PROBABLY GUESS, IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO KNOW YOUR STILL SEEING SAM AND HAVING HER COME OVER. :) AND I CANT BELIEVE THAT DAVID AND ASHLEY ARE ALMOST HITCHED...LOL.. CRAZY STUFF! OH, UM YOU ASKED IF I WAS STILL DROPPING WEIGHT, I HAVE HIT A BIT OF A FLAT LINE, AND HAVENT DROPPED LIKE I DID IN THE MTC, BUT IM NOT GAINING, IM HOPPING THE JUMP ROPE WILL HELP ME MORE ALONG THE WAY. BUT IM DEFINETLY LOSING STILL. MY CLOTHES ARE BIGGER ON ME, AND I HAD TO POKE A HOLE IN MY BELT. I DONT KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL VERY WELL IN MY PICTURES, BUT I HAVE LOST...LOL. ANYWAYS, LETS SEE, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EXCITING STUFF THIS WEEK, JUST THE LIFE OF A MISSIONARY! THE STUFF I FIND EXCITING IS DIFFERENT FROM MOST PEOPLE. LIKE WHO ELSE DO YOU KNOW WHO GETS SUPER EXCITED WHEN SOME ONE TAKES A BOOK OF MORMON FROM YOU? HAHAH. A MISSIONARY! BUT THATS OK, THATS WHAT IM HERE TO DO. BUT THE EXPERIENCES IM HAVING OUT HERE ARE AMAZING. THE OTHER NIGHT I WAS HAVING A BIT OF A HARD TIME AND AS I WAS PRAYING I GOT MY ANSWER. I WAS SAYING I FEEL SO LOST, BUT YET IM RIGHT WERE I NEED TO BE. AND THATS WHEN IT HIT ME. AT TIMES ITS HARD AND I WANT TO COME HOME, AND IT HURTS TO BE REJECTED. BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS I'M DOING WHAT IM SUPPOSE TO BE, AND THERE IS NO WHERE ELSE I SHOULD BE. I KNOW PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED, AND I KNOW HE IS LISTENING! I LOVE MY MISSION! AND I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH! YOU ALL MEAN SO MUCH TO ME! I COULD NEVER DO THIS WITHOUT YOU! I LOVE YOU!

LOVE,

ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 19

2009-08-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

***Note from the editor- When I post Elder Petersen's emails, I try to fix typos here and there but I try not to detract from the "Logan-ness" of them. So, just so you mix the funny and randomness with the spiritual, wonderful, testimony building thoughts that he has, the spiritual messages of his emails will now be in BOLD lettering.***

SO BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ELSE, TRANSFERS ARE NEXT WEEK, AND WE HAVE TUESDAY P-DAY, SO JUST REMEMBER THAT PLEASE(WHEN YOU EMAIL). SO GUYS, PLEASE DONT BE MAD, BUT MY PRACTICE ON SATURDAY (FOR SINGING IN CHURCH) DIDN'T HAPPEN CUZ OF AN INTERVIEW ELDER WILSON HAD WITH PRESIDENT ARCHIBALD, SO I HAD TO BE THERE TOO, BUT ANYWAYS. I WASNT ABLE TO RECORD IT, AND WE ALL KNOW WE DONT RECORD IN THE CHAPEL. SO IM SORRY! :( BUT DONT WORRY IT ALL WENT REALLY GOOD. AND ALSO, IT WONT BE THE LAST ONE I DO, WE HAVE MUSICAL NUMBERS EVERY ZONE CONFERENCE SO I'LL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO RECORD SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL. SPEAKING OF TAPES, HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN ABLE TO RECORD ONE AND SEND IT BACK YET? NOT TO SOUND NEEDY, BUT I WOULD SURE LOVE IT IF YOU GUYS DID! OH AND I HAVE A QUESTION, SO AS WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE THINGS HERE IN THE FROZEN NORTH THAT ARE NOT THE SAME IN THE STATES. SO I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE YOU GUYS COULD SEND SOME AMERICAN OREOS... I KNOW IT SOUNDS WEIRD, AND I HATE TO ASK, BUT THE ONES UP HERE TASTE LIKE OREOS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OPEN ON THE COUNTER FOR A WEEK...LOL AND SEEING THAT IN ABOUT A MONTH OR 2 IT WILL BE TOO COLD OUT SIDE TO RUN OR JOG, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COLD SEND MY JUMP ROPE FROM FOOTBALL. OR ONE LIKE IT... YOU KNOW THE RED AND WHITE ONE? ANYWAYS, IF YOU COULD IT WOULD BE GREAT! SO THIS WEEK HAS BEEN GOOD, WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH DAVID, AND HE IS MOVING RIGHT ALONG, BUT WILL BE GONE FOR A BIT, SO IT IS ON HOLD RIGHT NOW. AND OLLIE, IT IS THE SAME STORY WITH HIM, HE HAS A HARD TIME KEEPING APPOINTMENTS. BUT HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED SOON, HE JUST NEEDS TO PICK A DATE... THAT IS IF WE CAN EVER SEE HIM...LOL WOW I CANT BELIEVE THAT WHIT IS A JR. AND THE TWINS ARE IN JR HIGH!!! WEIRD!!! BUT I KNOW THEY ARE ALL GOING TO DO GREAT! GOSH IT MAKES ME FEEL SO DANG OLD! AND CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT ITS ALMOST BEEN 5 MONTHS! HOLY CRAP IT'S STARTING TO FLY BY! HMM.. LETS SEE, SO MY BUDGETING IS GOING WELL, AS YO CAN SEE, FROM TIME TO TIME, I MIGHT GET A FEW THINGS FROM THE GAS STATION, BUT NO WHERE NEAR WHAT I WAS DOING. AND YOU WILL BE GETTING PICTURES SOON, I JUST HAVE TO WRITE ON THE BACKS OF THEM. OH THATS WHAT ELSE I WAS ASKIN ABOUT.... I CANT FIND THOSE PICTURE SLEEVES FOR BINDERS ANYWHERE, AND I AM STARTING TO ACCUMULATE PICTURES THAT I WANT TO PUT IN A BINDER, BUT ANYWAYS, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT IM DOING JUST FINE! MY STUDIES ARE GOING GREAT. I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM THE SCRIPTURES ALONE! THIS GOSPEL MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME AND I COULDN'T IMAGINE NOT BEING OUT HERE. I KNOW THAT ALL IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF WHILE I AM AWAY, AND I KNOW THAT THE LORD ANSWERS PRAYERS. HE MIGHT NOT ANSWER THEM RIGHT AWAY, BUT I KNOW THAT HE ANSWERS EVERY SINGLE PRAYER! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I LOVE THE FACT KNOWING I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! EVEN IF I DIDNT GET TO PICK YOU GUYS! LOL... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I PRAY FOR YOU ALL EACH DAY! REMEMBER... TUESDAY P-DAY! :) I LOVE YOU!

LOVE ELDER OGEN

Faith in Every Footstep

2009-08-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

So, if you read this last email from Logan, you'd have caught that he sang a solo in church yesterday. If any of you know him, you'd know that this seems very out of character for "Logan"...but apparently not for Elder Petersen...

...as his sister, who LOVES to sing, I am thrilled to think I may have a brother returning home with a new found love of singing that I can sing duets with! :)

Below is a video of the MTC choir in 2008, singing "Faith in Every Footstep", which is the song Elder Petersen sang yesterday in Sacrament meeting. Wish we could've been there to hear him, but we are hoping to receive a recorded tape version of a practice with his pianist soon. If there is a way to post it (and with Elder Petersen's permission) I will try and post it here on this blog.

FAITH IN EVERY FOOTSTEP

WEEKLY EMAIL-Week 18

2009-08-17T08:46:00.000-07:00

SO BEFORE I GET STARTED, DAD I WANTED TO ASK IF I COULD US MY CARD TO DEVELOP PICTURES AND GET SOME HAIR GEL? ANYWAYS, SO, I WILL BE SINGING THIS SUNDAY IN CHURCH, I'LL BE SINGING "FAITH IN EVERY FOOTSTEP" ITS A WAY GOOD SONG, AND I'LL TRY TO RECORD IT AT PRACTICE THIS WEEK, CUZ I KNOW YOU SHOULDN'T IN THE CHAPEL! BUT ANYWAYS, I KNOW WHAT YOUR ALL THINKING, LOGAN SOLO... YEAH RIGHT! WELL I GUESS THAT I SOUNDED GOOD TO THE SISTER IN FRONT OF ME WHO IS OR USED TO BE THE WARD CHORISTER, SO SHE TOLD THE BISHOPRIC I WOULD BEFORE ASKING ME. SO THIS SHOULD BE FUN I GUESS...LOL... BUT IM SORRY MOM, I KNOW YOU WISHED I WOULD HAVE SANG IN CHURCH BEFORE, BUT LIKE DAD SAID, ITS AMAZING WHAT YOU END UP DOING ON THE MISSION. I CANT BELIEVE THAT THE GIRLS ARE ALL STARTING SCHOOL THIS WEEK...SUCKERS...LOL... IM KIDDING! :) WOW SUMMER IS FLYIN BY. WINTER IS LITERALLY AROUND THE CORNER HERE...LOL... SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES. ITS CRAZY HOW FAST TIME IS GOING! WOW I CANT BELIEVE THAT WHIT IS DOING SO WELL IN SOCCER! WELL I GUESS I CAN! :) SO UPDATES FOR YOU GUYS. SO LAST THURSDAY I ATE CRAP AND SLIPPED DOWN A HILL LIKE 10 FEET AFTER A RAIN STORM AND GOT WAY MUDDY... BUT I TOTALLY FORGOT MY CAMERA! LOL... ELDER WILSON COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING AT ME. SO IF PEOPLE DONT ALREADY STARE AT US ENOUGH, NOW ONE OF US WAS COVERED IN MUD. BUT DONT WORRY MOM, IT WASHED RIGHT OUT. :) SO IT WAS WAY FUNNY! SO OLLIE THE YOUNGER GUY WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH WENT TO EFY LAST WEEK AND HAD AN AMAZING TIME, AND IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED! WE DONT HAVE A DATE YET, BUT HE IS DEFFINETLY GOING TO BE DUNKED HERE SOON! LOL... DAVID AND HIS WIFE ARE STILL TAKING THE LESSONS, BUT ARE NOT SO CLOSE TO BAPTISM... WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM TOMORROW, SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES! AS FOR THAT, NO NEW INVESTIGATORS THIS WEEK, BUT WE HAVE BEEN GETTING ALOT OF NEW TRAINING OUR NEW MISSION PRESIDENT FEELS INSPIRED TO GIVE US. SO THAT HAS BEEN GOOD. ITS CRAZY, TRANSFERS ARE ON THE 26 THIS MONTH, AND ITS GOING TO BE HERE SOONER THEN I KNOW. IM PRETTY SURE THAT IM STAYING HERE, AND ELDER WILSON WILL BE TRANSFERED. BY THE TIME TRANSFERS HIT HE WILL HAVE BEEN IN OKOTOKS FOR 6 MONTHS, AND ME FOR 3. THATS WEIRD TO THINK. OUT HERE WEEKS TURN ITO DAYS, AND MONTHS TURN INTO WEEKS! IT'S LIKE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND IT'S SUNDAY...LOL... BUT IM NOT COMPLAINING! :) SO OTHER THEN THAT, NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXCITING STUFF THIS WEEK! WE HAVE HAD SOME BETTER WEATHER, SO TODAY WE ARE GOING TO FISH CREEK PARK TO CATCH THE SUN WHILE ITS HERE! :) BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT IM WORKIN MY BUTT OFF, AND I CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH I LEARN EACH TIME I CRACK OPEN MY SCRIPTURES! I LOVE TO LEARN ABOUT THE GOSPEL AS I TEACH IT, AND I CANT IMAGINE NOT HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH THAT I HAVE! MY TESTIMONY HAS GROWN SO MUCH, AND IT WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GET STRONGER! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY, AND GIVING ALL THAT I HAVE TO CHRIST AND HIS WORK! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I KEEP ALL OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS EVERY NIGHT AND DAY! AND I HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR DAVID TO SELL HIS TOYS! :) I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND IM SO HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND I NOTHING CAN EVER COME BETWEEN OUR FAMILY! REMEMBER TO ALWAYS PRAY!

LOVE ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 17

2009-08-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

SO GUYS JUST SO START OFF... MY "U" KEY IS MESSED UP, SO IF A WORD LOOKS WEIRD... ADD A "U". ANYWAYS. BEFORE I GET GOING, I WANTED TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. SO FAR I HAVE HAD A CAR IN BOTH OF MY AREAS, AND THE SR. COMP. NORMALLY IS THE DRIVER 100% OF THE TIME. SO, IM STILL JUST SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FOR NOW. AND MY STUDIES ARE GOING PRETTY GOOD. RIGHT NOW I HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE BOOK OF JOB A LOT. I REALIZE THAT FROM READING JOB THAT NO MATTER WHAT CRAP WE GET INTO IN OUR LIVES, THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND NEVER DOUBT THAT HE HAS A PLAN FOR ALL OF US, EVEN IF ITS A PLAN THAT MIGHT NOT ALWAYS MAKE US THE HAPPIEST. I MEAN JOB LOSES EVERYTHING, AND JUST KEEPS GETTING HIT WITH PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM, AND HE NEVER FOR ONE SECOND CURSES GOD OR LOSES FAITH. SORRY THAT WAS THE MISSIONARY COMING OUT... I JUST START TO GO OFF SOMETIMES, CUZ WHEN WE TALK SOMETIMES OUT HERE, YOU GET ALL EXCITED TALKING ABOUT SCRIPTURES...LOL SO ANYWAYS, MY HAND IS FEELING FINE,IT DOESNT HURT AT ALL ANYMORE SO IM GOOD. SO ON WITH THE WEEK, WELL IT WAS KINDA SLOW JUST CUZ WE HAD A TON OF MEETINGS. PLUS WE HAVE GOTTEN QUITE A BIT OF RAIN SO THAT ALWAYS SLOWS THINGS DOWN A BIT.... WOW A GUY JUST WALKED UP TO THE 4 OF US EMAILING JUST NOW AND SAID WE ARE GOING TO HELL...THAT WAS NICE OF HIM... GOSH YOU WONDER WHERE SOME PEOPLE GET OFF FEELING THEY NEED TO BE RUDE TO SOMEONE WHO IS DIFFERENT. WOW I JUST TAUGHT MYSELF A LESSON...LOL... IM A HYPOCRITE...LOL... ANYWAYS, WE ARE STILL WORKING WITH THE 3 PEOPLE I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, AND WE HAVE AN APPT. WITH THEM ON FRIDAY,OR TOMORROW. ANYWAYS, ALL IS GOING GOOD HERE, SORRY I DONT HAVE MUCH TO TELL YOU, LIKE I SAID THIS WEEK IS A LITTLE SLOW SO FAR. BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO ALL KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND THAT I PRAY FOR YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY AND NIGHT! OH AND I CANT BELIEVE THAT WHITNEY... WELL ACTUALLY I CAN BELIEVE IT, BUT THAT THEY WON THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT! THATS AWESOME! I KNOW WHITNEY WILL BE AND STILL IS A STAR IN SOCCER! AND IT WAS FUN TO HEAR OF THE FAMILY REUNION TOO! GOSH I CANT BELIEVE THAT WHEN I GO ON A MISSION THAT THEY DECIDE TO HAVE ONE...LOL... ANYWAYS! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT ALL IS WELL, AND THAT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! NOTHING CAN STOP ME FROM DOING THE LORDS WORK! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU!
LOVE
ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 16

2009-08-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

WELL HELLO FAMILY. FIRST OFF, ALL IS GOING GOOD THIS WEEK. WE HAD OUR FIRST INTERVIEWS WITH PRESIDENT ARCHIBALD, AND IT WENT REALLY WELL. ITS AMAZING HOW YOU CAN TELL HE IS AN INSPIRED MAN. SO, TO ANSWER MOM'S QUESTIONS, YES ITS WARMING UP A BIT IT WAS ABOUT 34 OR 35 CELCIUS LAST WEEK WHICH IS LIKE 80'S OR 90'S IN FARENHEIT (IM NOT TOO SURE) BUT IT WONT LAST TOO LONG. AND YES WE ARE IN A CAR AREA RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A NEWER MALIBU, ITS PRETTY NICE. ANYWAYS, ABOUT THIS WEEK, FIRST ITS ALWAYS FUN TO HEAR HOW EVERYTHING IS GOING BACK HOME, AND ALL THE FUN INFO! BUT ITS CRAZY TO HEAR ABOUT CASEY GROW! IM SO PROUD OF THAT GUY! I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE WITH HIM ON THE MISSION! SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 3 INVESTIGATORS... "GATORS"... OLLIE WHO I TOLD YOU ABOUT LAST WEEK, RIGHT NOW HE IS AT EFY, WHICH WILL BE REALLY GOOD FOR HIM. AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE. WE JUST TAUGHT THEM YESTERDAY, AND EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING! WE BROUGHT ONE OF THE PRIEST AGE BOYS FROM OUR WARD WITH US AND IT REALLY HELPS TO BRING THE SPIRIT IN SO MUCH STRONGER! TO HAVE THE ADDED TESTIMONY OF A YOUNG GUY OF WHAT HE KNOWS TO BE TRUE IS AMAZING! SO I HAVE HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS, I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A TESTIMONY OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, AND THE TRUTH OF IT. BUT THE OTHER DAY WHEN ELDER WILSON AND I WERE TEACHING A MEMBER LESSON, I ASKED THAT THEY CONTINUE TO READ AND PRAY ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON. AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, I SHOULD BE CONTINUING TO DO THE SAME. AND AFTER MY PRAYERS THE OTHER NIGHT AND ASKING, I HAD THE CLEAREST ANSWER IN MY LIFE! I WAS THINKING OF THE BOOK OF MORMON, AND HOW MUCH I LOVE TO READ AND STUDY IT, AND HOW MY PATRIARCHAL BLESSING SAYS I WILL HAVE A STRONG DESIRE TO STUDY THE SCRIPTURES,THAT IS WHEN MY ANSWER CAME: IF IT WASN'T TRUE, I WOULDN'T CONTINUE TO READ AND STUDY IT! I KNOW THAT EVERY ONE RECEIVES ANSWERS DIFFERENTLY, AND I KNOW THAT MY TESTIMONY, IS NOW SO MUCH STRONGER OF THE TRUTH OF THE BOOK OF MORMON! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL, AND THE TRUTH OF IT WHICH I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY HEART TO BE TRUE! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU SHOW ME EACH AND EVERY DAY! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, AND I LOVE THE THOUGHT OF KNOWING I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN FROM ME! I LOVE THIS WORK, AND I LOVE MY MISSION! I COULDN'T IMAGINE NOT BEING OUT HERE! I LOVE YOU ALL! LOVE
ELDER OGEN

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 15

2009-07-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

SO, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A LITTLE WARM. BUT NOTHING CLOSE TO YOU GUYS. SO,ELDER WILSON AND I ARE WORKING WITH A YOUNGER GUY WHO MOST LIKELY WILL BE BAPTIZED. HE HAD A DATE SET A WHILE AGO, BUT HIS PARENTS SAID NO, BUT NOW HE IS 18 AND ITS HIS CHOICE. SO WE WILL HOPFULLY BE HAVING SUCCESS WITH HIM SOON. HIS NAME IS OLLIE! HE IS A WAY COOL GUY AND IS WAY BIG INTO FOOTBALL, BUT GOOD NEWS IS RIGHT NOW HE IS AT EFY WITH HIS FRIENDS, AND THAT IS WAY WAY GOOD! HE WILL HAVE AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE! SO THATS GOOD. OTHER THEN THAT ITS A BIT SLOW, WITH THE WARMER WEATHER, LIKE ALL OF OKOTOKS IS CAMPING OR ON VACATION.... OUR WARDS NUMBERS RIGHT NOW ARE LIKE CLOSE TO HALF WITH ALL THE MEMBERS ON VACATION...LOL.. BUT WE ARE STAYING BUSY ENOUGH! BUT SO YOU KNOW, I SHUT MY HAND IN THE CAR DOOR AND MIGHT HAVE BROKE IT IM NOT SURE, BUT AIRBORNE CLEARED IT RIGHT UP...LOL... IM KIDDING, I DID SHUT IT IN THE DOOR, BUT IT WAS JUST A BRUISE. SO NO WORRIES . ANYWAYS. I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND IM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING GOOD BACK HOME. ALWAYS ON THE GO WITH SOCCER, PIG STUFF, AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND I PRAY FOR YOU EACH DAY. AND YES MOM I WROTE JOHNNY! :) I LOVE YOU ALL, AND IM SO HAPPY TO KNOW I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU GUYS!
LOVE,ELDER OGEN

Weekly Email-Week 14

2009-07-23T11:03:00.001-07:00

I haven't been on the ball with this blog--this is last weeks email home. Also, to preface this email, Joey was one of the family dogs who had severe allergies and was given up to a home where he could be better taken care of. You'll get what I mean when you read ahead...

HEY THERE EVERYONE, FIRST OFF I'M NOT GOING TO LIE IT WAS HARD TO READ ABOUT JOEY , BUT I KNEW HE NEEDED TO BE HELPED! IM SORRY FOR ANY TROUBLE THAT I CAUSED ABOUT HIM, I WAS VERY SELFISH, CUZ AS YOU ALL KNOW I AM VERY ATTACHED TO MY PUPPIES! :) I KNOW WHAT YOU DID WAS THE BEST, AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THE EMAILS BACK AND FORTH (from the new owner)! I KNOW HE IS DOING GOOD, AND IT CRACKED ME UP TO HEAR THAT LADY TALK ABOUT HOW HE SITS ON THE DESK AND BASICALLY SLEEPS ON TOP OF HER...LOL... SAME OLD STINKY JOEY! BUT THANK YOU, AND ALSO I ALWAYS COULD TELL MACIE FELT A LITTLE IN THE BACK, BUT I CANT WAIT TO BE AT HOME AGAIN WITH HER. WOW I FEEL LIKE A BABY, I CRIED ABOUT MY DOGS! LOL... ANYWAYS THANK YOU AGAIN! BUT ONTO MISSION NEWS, SO WE FOUND OUT TODAY HOW TRANSFERS ARE GOING, AND ELDER WILSON AND I ARE STAYING ANOTHER IN OKOTOKS TOGETHER! IT's A RELIEF CUZ I HAVE FOUND TRANSFERS TO BE A BIT STRESSFUL NOT KNOWING WhERE YOU MIGHT BE GOING OR WHO WITH, AND AFTER THIS TRANSFER I WILL PROBABLY STAY AND ELDER WILSON WILL GO! ITS CRAZY HOW FAST THIS TRANSFER WENT. AND ITS ONLY GOING TO GO FASTER! SO IM GLAD TO HEAR EVERY ONE had FUN THESE PAST WEEKS, AT GIRLS CAMP AND DAD GOING TO NEW MEXICO! SO, WE HAD A STAMPEDE BREAKFAST IN OKOTOKS ON SATURDAY, AND IT WAS AWESOME! I GOT TO PLAY A DRUM SOLO FOR THE CROWD OF PEOPLE THERE. I KNEW THE KID PLAYING THE DRUMS, AND HE CALLED ME UP OUT OF NOWHERE TO PLAY AND I HAVE TO SAY I WENT CRAZY AND PLAYED MY HEART OUT!!!LOL.. AND GET THIS, SO BROTHER CARL, A SUPER RICH RANCHER IN OUR WARD HERE BROUGHT HIS NEWEST TOY TO SHOW OFF, IT WAS THE BIG BLACK TRUCK FROM TRANSFORMERS, IRONHIDE! HE BOUGHT ONE OF SEVEN FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES!!! I GOT PICTURES WITH IT AND LET ME TELL YOU I WAS FREAKING OUT I WAS SO EXCITED. WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET BROTHER CARL TO TAKE US FOR A RIDE. IT IS PRETTY MUCH THE COOLEST THING! BUTI STILL THINK J.P.'S BAPTISM ON SUNDAY TOPPED IT! IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME TO SUPPORT HIM! AND I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE JOY I FEEL WHEN I SEE THE SMILES OF PEOPLE AS THEY ARE LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER! I CANT IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW BESIDES HELPING PEOPLE COME UNTO CHRIST! I CANT TELL YOU ALL ENOUGH HOW MUCH I LOVE AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ME SO THAT I CAN BE OUT HERE DOING THE LORDS WORK! I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF OKOTOKS! YOU GUYS ALL MEAN THE WORD TO ME AND I CANT EXPLAIN IN WORDS THE JOY IT BRINGS TO MY HEART KNOWING I HAVE AN ETERNAL FAMILY! AS MUCH AS WE ALL GET ON EACH OTHERS NERVES...LOL YOUR ALL STUCK WITH ME FOREVER....HAHAHA! :) I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU AND I PRAY FOR YOU ALL EACH DAY! I CANT TELL YOU ENOUGHT THAT I LOVE YOU! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS, AND HEAVENLY FATHER IS ALWAYS LISTENING! I LOVE YOU GUYS! LOVE,ELDER OGEN
P.S. ITS NOT GETTING WARMER HERE...:( lol

Weekly Email-Week 13

2009-07-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

HEY THERE EVERYONE! WOW, ITS CRAZY THATS IT JULY, I KNOW ITS ALREADY A WEEK OR SO IN, BUT TIME PASSES PRETTY FAST WHEN YOUR BUSY! BUT LIKE I SAID J.P.'S BAPTISM IS THIS SUNDAY AND IM PRETTY EXCITED FOR THAT! AND WE ARE STILL LIKE BOUNTY HUNTERS TRYING TO FIND SOME PEOPLE, BUT ITS PRETTY TOUGH CUZ EVERYONE IS EITHER CAMPING CUZ OF THE NICE WEATHER, OR OFF TO THE CALGARY SAMPEDE!ITS CRAZY HOW ON A NICE DAY, EVERYTHING IS LIKE DEAD...LOL.. CUZ EVERY ONE IS OFF DOING STUFF.. ANYWAYS, IM GLAD TO HEAR GIRLS CAMP WAS AWESOME AS ALWAYS. BUT ITS CRAZY TO THINK THAT I WASNT AROUND FOR THE 4TH, I HAVE TO SAY, IT DEFINETLY WASN'T THE SAME UP HERE...LOL... EVEN CANADA DAY,NO FIREWORKS OR ANYTHING. I MISS BEING A PYRO MANIAC ON THE 4TH... AND WATCHING ALL THE FIREWORKS FROM THE PARK. BUT IT WILL BE FASTER THEN WE KNOW IT WHEN I'LL BE HOME AGAIN SO I GOT TO KEEP IN GEAR AND STAY BUSY. SO WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY TODAY, OH YEAH, SO WE MET PRESIDENT ANS SISTER ARCHIBALDON MONDAY, I CAN TELL I'M REALLY GOING TO LIKE THEM! PRESIDENT AND SISTER PRIDAY WERE AWESOME, BUT I'M ALSO EXCITED TO GET TO KNOW THE ARCHIBALDS THROUGHOUT MY MISSION! OH AND YOU GUYS SHOULD READ THE LITTLE BIOGRAPHY ABOUT HIM AND HIS WIFE.HE OWNS LIKE 5 CAR DEALERSHIPS IN ST.GEORGE UTAH. ANYWAYS, HE IS A "TO THE POINT" KIND OF GUY, AND HE SAID HE WOULD RATHER WORK WITH US THEN HAVE TO BE OUR LEADER. AND I KNOW HE PROBABLY MEANS IT TOO! HE AND HIS WIFE ARE VERY SWEET, AND I KNOW THEY WILL DO AMAZING! I KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THEY WERE CALLED OF GOD, AS I AM, TO SERVE AS MY MISSION PRESIDENT AND HIS WIFE! ITS GREAT TO KNOW THE THINGS WE DO ABOUT THE GOSPEL, AND HOW IT BLESSES OUR LIVES! I CANT IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THIS GOSPEL! OH OK SO FUNNY STORY, SO ONE OF THE MISSIONARIES GOING HOME TOLD ME A MEMBER GOOGLED "CANADA CALGARY MISSION" AND I GUESS MY BLOG CAME UP AS A SITE TO VISIT...LOL... GREAT...LOL... PEOPLE WILL KNOW ME BEFORE I MEET THEM.:) BUT ITS NO BIGGIE. BUT I HAVE TO SAY ITS A SUPER SWEET BLOG, AND THAT WHOEVER THAT MISSIONARY IS ON IT IS SURE A GOOD LOOKING GUY! BUT GLAD TO HEAR ALL IS STILL GOOD AT HOME AND THAT EVERY ONE IS STAYING BUSY! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I KNOW IM DOING THE WORK HEAVENLY FATHER WANTS ME TO DO, AND THAT IM STANDING IN THE PLACE OF CHRIST DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD BE DOING! I CANT EXPRESS HOW HUMBLING IT IS TO BE HONORED TO CARRY HIS NAME AND BE ENTRUSTED WITH HIS PRIESTHOOD! I LOVE THIS WORK, AND I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF CANADA! BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART, AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS EACH WEEK! I CANT WAIT FOR THE DAY TO STAND AND SAY I AM A RETURNED MISSIONARY AND HOLD MY HEAD HIGH KNOWING I DID MY BEST! I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND THINK OF YOU EVERYDAY! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS!
I LOVE YOU!
LOVE ELDER OGEN

I Love To See The Temple

2009-07-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share this beautiful picture Logan drew and sent home of the Sacramento Temple. Between his poetry, sketches and magnetic personality, he's only talented guy. We are proud of him and the missionary he is becoming.

Weekly Email-Week 12

2009-06-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

This email is a day earlier due to a closed library (a.k.a. no computer access to email) because of Canada Day tomorrow, July 1. I usually post Logan's email to our parents and the kids still at home on the blog--this email is only to Dad, because Mom and the girls are all at Girls Camp. It's really sweet to read the touching things a young missionary says to his father that I know had to make my Dad's heart melt. Such amazing men in our family---we are blessed. And now, Elder Petersen:

YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW WE HAVE A BAPTISM ON JULY 12! HIS NAME IS .P. AND HE IS A GREAT GUY! HE IS SUPER READY TO BE BAPTIZED, AND ALREADY KNOWS A TON ABOUT THE GOSPEL! ITS CRAZY, ITS LIKE WE TEACH HIM AND HE ALREADY KNOWS EVERYTHING! HE HAS A OT OF FRIENDS THAT ARE MEMBERS THAT HE HAS BEEN STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES WITH SO THAT HAS HELPED HIM ALOT! BUT OTHER THEN THAT THE WORK IS A LITTLE SLOW, BUT ITS NOT DEAD! :) WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH A OT OF LESS ACTIVE MEMBERS AS WELL! LIKE THAT COUPLE I TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, BUT THEY ARENT GETTING AWAY FROM US JUST YET...LOL AND ELDER WILSON AND I ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT, AND WE ARE REALLY LEARNING HOW TO TEACH GREAT TOGETHER! HE IS BY FAR A COMPANION I WILL REMEMBER FOR MY LIFE! OH ALSO PRESIDENT AND SISTER PRIDAY ARE OFFICIALY ON THEIR WAY HOME! AND PRESIDENT AND SISTER ARCHEBALD ARE HERE NOW! WE HAD A SURPRISE FAREWELL FIRESIDE ON SUNDAY FOR THEM AND IT WAS AN AMAZING MEETING! THE SPIRIT FILLED THE ROOM LIKE YOU WOULDNT BELIEVE. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ONLY MY MISSION PRESIDENT FOR A SHORT TIME, HE STILL MADE ME A BETTER MISSIONARY! BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO PRESIDENT ARCHEBALD! I WANT YOU TO KNOW IM WORKING HARD OUT HERE. IM PREPARING NOW FOR THE STORIES I WILL TELL MY CHILDREN! :) DAD I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE TO ME! I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU! I LOVE YOU DAD AND I MISS YOU ALL LIKE YOU WONT BELIEVE! BUT IM STAYING ON TRACK AND I CANT WAIT TO SEND PICTURES FROM THE BAPTISM! I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU! 3 DOWN 21 TO GO! :) I LOVE YOU POP!:) REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS, AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS IN MINE!

LOVE YOUR SON

ELDER OGEN

P.S. YOUR STILL MY HERO AND BEST FRIEND! :)

The past 3 months of pictures...

2009-06-26T14:34:00.001-07:00

These are out of sequence. But there are too many to move around. He wrote captions on some of the pictures when he sent them, which I will put in quotations above the picture. I am going to caption those he sent without a description, as best I can.

Just being the Logan we all know and love.

"First off the plane."

"Presidency shot" (I'm pretty sure this is a joke.)

"To the mission home"

His bunk in Downtown Calgary.

"Everything has to say Canada on it...LOL"

"Monolopy Money...LOL" (I think he's saying here that Canadian money looks like monopoly money.

"Candy sorting service project...talk about temptation...LOL"

"Hide & Seek"

"Last shot for 2 years..." (Logan and Jonathan Carli- they've been friends since they were probably 5 or 6).

"My MTC Distric Homies: Elder Malagamalil, Me, Elder Hass. We all got to stay together in our first area."

"I'm so strong!"

Hoping for mail! :)

"Big eyes...he and I and Elder Hass all stayed together our first transfer." :)

"Elder Heder my trainer."

"I'm a good teacher! LOL"

"'Last Supper' OUr Last night in the MTC"

"Food Bank Service"

"California baby! :) It was my goal weight shirt...and I already fit into it...LOL...my XXL's are big on me now...LOL"

"Back...(of his name tag)...Got to stay true to the USA...(Don't worry I found it all ripped up)".

"Light Sabers! LOL"...This looks like his basement apartment in Downtown Calgary.

"My wall...I need a picture of Montana!" (Note from the editor--oops, this just reminded me I haven't sent him a picture of her. I need to get on that ASAP!)

"My district last night of class in the MTC. My teacher is Bro. Bradshaw. (No coat)".

"They stole our bikes"

I think Logan got a little spoiled in the MTC with all of his care packages!

"Me and Elder Lealoa. His Grandma is in Sam's Home Ward"

No caption on who the guy in the middle is (maybe someone else knows??)

Elk Grove Area Elders Petersen, Hogge and Carli.

Elder Petersen ,Elder Hogge and Elder Carli mapping out their mission.

Downtown Calgary-and his closet in his first area. They lived in the basement of a members house. (I think he sent a picture of his closet because of how clean it was- which, if you'd ever been in Logan's room at home, you'd know that this is a changed boy!)

"Do you want some?...LOL"

"Grrr..."

"Harlow family (Ashley lives with them).

"Hard core...LOL"

"After her baptism"

Just our sweet Elder Logan Petersen makin a face.

"All packed up"

"Elder Wilson, my new companion."

"Goodbye to Elder Heder"

"Elder McClure"

"Representin' Cali wtih Elder 'M'"

"Elder Larson"

"Calgary Zone- 06-09"

"Pocket Book"

"Open House" and "New Pad" (I believe this is his second area in Okatoks.)

Here is the suitcase that Courtney started on her mission in Kentucky, went through two years with David in Brazil and finally broke down in Canada.

"Oops..LOL"

"One down...23 to go...LOL" and "2 Months"

"Packin up"

"I'm a good goalie"

Elder Petersen, have you been workin' out?? :) He's working so hard he's losing weight!

Weekly Email-Week 11

2009-06-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

WELL FAM, SO DAD GOT AN I POD TOUCH EH?!?!?! THAT's CRAZY COOL! I WISH I HAD ONE, MY MISSION PRESIDENT SAID WE CAN HAVE THEM IF WE HAVE APPROPRIATE MUSIC.. SO I MIGHT HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT ON BOXING DAY UP HERE WHEN THE SALES HAPPEN, BUT ITS NO BIGGIE. ANYWAYS, IM HAPPY TO HEAR FATHERS DAY WAS A GOOD TIME, AND ALL THE OTHER FUN STUFF LIKE DAVID DENTING HIS TAIL GATE AND WHITNEY DRIVING! THAT STILL FREAKS ME OUT AND MAKES ME FEEL OLD...LOL. BUT DAVID YOU WOULD FIT RIGHT IN UP HERE WITH A DENTED TAIL GATE DIESEL. MOST PEOPLE JUST TAKE THEM OFF...LOL.. BUT SAD NEWS, WE DIDNT GET TO GO CATTLE BRANDING, A DIFFERENT SERVICE PROJECT CAME UP. LIKE 16 OF US WERE PARADE MARSHALS...LOL... CRAZY RIGHT? WE DIRECTED TRAFFIC WITH THE RCMP (ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE) IT WAS PRETTY COOL. BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITES TO BRAND COWS HERE... WELL CUZ THEY ARE EVERYWHERE! BUT ANYWAYS BEFORE I FORGET, NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY IT IS CANADA DAY SO THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED SO WE HAVE TO EMAIL ON TUESDAY AGAIN, SO IF YOU GUYS COULD REMEMBER TO DO THAT I WOULD LOVE IT! :) BUT DAD, IM GLAD YOU LIKED MY CARD AND POEM, AND WE CALL THEM (INVESTIGATORS) GATORS TOO...LOL... THERE ARE A LOT OF UNIVERSAL NAMES MISSIONARIES HAVE THAT I'M REALLY HAVING TO GET USED TOO...LOL.. BUT I'LL GET IT SOONEER OR LATER. BUT OUR GATOR POOL IS KINDA LOW. ELDER WILSON AND I FEEL LIKE DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER...LOL.. WE MIGHT INVEST IN A NET GUN...LOL.. BUT SOME SAD NEWS, THERE IS A LESS ACTIVE OLDER COUPLE THAT WAS BAPTIZED LAST SEPTEMBER, AND WE GO SEE THEM A FEW TIMES A WEEK. BUT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEM, VERNA AND LEE BOTH HAVE SOME HEALTH ISSUES, AND VERNA HAS ALOT OF BRAIN DAMAGE, SO THEY ARE A COUPLE OF CHARACTERS, BUT ANYWAYS, THE OTHER NIGHT THEY TOLD US THEY WANT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE RECORDS. THAT WAS A DAY KILLER, MORE LIKE A WEEK KILLER. FROM THE THINGS THEY WERE SAYING WE THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ANTI-ED. BUT WE ARE NOT LETTING THEM GO. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A HARD TIME, IT REALLY BUILT MY TESTIMONY, OF ALL THE THINGS THEY WERE SAYING CANT BE TRUE OR THAT THEY JUST CAN'T BELEIVE, MY HEART WAS PUONDING AND ITHE SPIRIT WAS COMFORTING ME LETTING ME KNOW THAT IT ALL IS TRUE! IT WAS HARD, BUT IT ONLY BUILT ME UP IN THE WHOLE OF IT! BUT ITS NOT GOING TO JUST END WITH THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE A TESTIMONY OF THIS GOSPEL, AND THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO END! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I LOVE YOU AND I THINK ABOUT YOU ALWAYS, BUT I'M NOT LETTING MY HOME SICKNESS GET THE BEST OF ME! :) I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH, AND I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I KNOW I'M WHERE I NEED TO BE! SERVING THE PEOPLE OF OKOTOKS CANADA! I CANT WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL NEXT WEEK, AND I HOPE ALL YOU GIRLS HAVE FUN AT CAMP! :) HAPPY ANNIVERSRY MOM AND DAD!!! I ONLY HOPE THAT MY MARRIGE ONE DAY CAN BE AS STRONG AS YOURS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS!

LOVE,
ELDER OGEN

PICTURES-COMING SOON!

2009-06-18T12:28:00.001-07:00

I finally got some of the pictures that Logan has sent home to the family. Now I just need to scan them and upload them. Look forward to those fun pictures of Elder Petersen coming soon!!!

Weekly Email-Week 11

2009-06-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

SO FIRST TO START OFF, WE ARE BRANDING CATTLE FOR A SERVICE PROJECT ON SATURDAY! I KNOW COOL RIGHT! THIS PO-DUNK TOWN IS NO JOKE!!! I CANT- WAIT I'M SUPER EXCITED! IM GLAD TO HEAR IT'S ALL GOING GOOD BACK HOME, AND ITS SAD AT THE SAME TIME TO KNOW IM MISSING ALL THE FUNNY WEDDING STUFF... I WOULD LOVE TO BREAK IT DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR AT THE RECEPTION LIKE I DID AT SAM'S BROTHERS...LOL... I'M HAPPY YOU ALL LIKE THE PICTUES I SENT! I TAKE PICTURES AND THEN THINK WHAT YOU ALL WOULD SAY ABOUT THEM...LOL.. IT SOUNDS LIKE LOTS IS HAPPENING BACK HOME, LIKE SUDDENLY EVERY ONE IS SEEING MOVIES NOW THAT IM GONE...LOL.. AND I STILL CANT BELIEVE THAT MARISSA IS GETTING MARRIED. OH AND MIKE NELSON LEAVING, THAT'S SWEET! SO WORK OUT HERE IS GREAT, THE NEW MISSIONARY PROGRAM THE 12 PUT OUT A WHILE AGO FINALY GOT TO OUR MISSION, AND ITS REALLY STARTING TO KICK THE MEMBERS BUTTS INTO GEAR. THIS NEW MISSIONARY PLAN MAKES THE MEMBERS MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR BEING THE FINDERS AND MAKES THE MISSIONARIES MORE TEACHERS THEN ANYTHING. SO WE CAN SEE THAT WORKING A LITTLE ALREADY. WE HAD OUR REGULAR LITTLE TEACHING POOL, BUT WITH 2 WARDS WORTH OF MEMBERS, IT GOING TO GET A LOT DEEPER...LOL... YOU LIKE MY POOL PUN...LOL... I DID! BUT ANYWAYS, I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE DOING THE SAME BACK HOME, AS A MISSIONARY ITS SUPER EXCITING TO GET A REFFERAL FROM A MEMBER, CUZ NOT ONLY IS IT A POTENTIAL INVESTIGATOR, BUT ALSO ITS LIKE RECIEVING THE FRUITS OF OUR LABORS. SO GUYS, KEEP IT UP AND KEEP THE MISSIONARIES BUSY! :) SO I HAVE TO SAY, ELDER WILSON AND I ARE LIKE BEST BUDS ALREADY. THERE ISNT ANY WEIRD QUIET TIMES LIKE, GREAT I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS GUY FOR ANOTHER MONTH...LOL. BUT ITS FUNNY, SOMETIMES WE LAY IN OUR BEDS AND HAVE FUNNY AND EVEN DEEP CONVERSATIONS... ITS A LITTLE FRUITY...LOL. BUT ANYWAYS, HE SAYS HE THINKS COULD TELL MY LIFE STORY TO ME... AND THAT HE KNOWS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT SAM AS DO...LOL. THAT IS TRUE THE OTHER WAY AROUND WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY. BUT WE ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT! OH AND MOM I DID GIVE MY BIG BLUE SUITCASE A PROPER BURIAL...ITS ACTUALY REALLY FUNNY... WE WENT TO A FLAG STORE AND GOT THREE LITTLE FLAGS, AN AMERICAN FLAG, A BRAZILIAN FLAG, AND A CANADIAN FLAG, AND WROTE THE THREE MISSIONS AND OUR THREE MISSIONARIES NAME ON THE FLAGS AND PUT THEM IN THE BAG AND PUT IT IN THE DUMPSTER...LOL... AND ELDER HEDER GAVE THE EULOGY. IT WAS GREAT...LOL... BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT IM WORKING MY HARDEST OUT HERE, AND THAT I'M TRYING EVERY DAY TO DO WHAT IS ASKED OF ME! I LOVE THE CHANCE I HAVE TO BE A SERVANT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE HONOR I HAVE OF CARRYNG HIS NAME ON MY CHEST! I LOVE THIS WORK, AND ALL OF YOU VERY MUCH! I THINK AND PRAY FOR YOU ALL EVERY DAY!THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU GIVE ME EACH AND EVERYDAY!REMEMBER TO STAY STRONG AND PRAY ALWAYS!
LOVE ELDER OGEN
P.S. YES KURTIS YOU CAN USE MY BODY WASH...LOL..

Weekly Email-Week 10

2009-06-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

HEY THERE EVERY ONE! ITS AWESOME TO HEAR ALL THATS GOING ON BACK HOME. ITS NO JOKE, OKOTOKS IS REALLY A COW TOWN IN PARTS, AND YES YOU CAN SEE SOME PEOPLE ON A HORSE FROM TIME TO TIME...LOL... ITS SO BEAUTIFUL OUT HERE TOO. SO MY NEW COMPANION IS ELDER AUSTIN WILSON, AND HE IS FROM SALT LAKE. HE HAS BEEN OUT A LITTLE OVER 9 MONTHS. WE GET ALONG SO GOOD, ITS LIKE HAVING A GOOD FRIEND AS A COMPANION. :) BUT LIKE YOU HAVE ALL HEARD BY NOW, WE DID HAVE A BAPTISM THIS PAST SATURDAY!!! IT WAS AMAZING! THIS AREA IS ALREADY SO MUCH BETTER THEN THE LAST. NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE A BAPTISM, BUT WE HAVE OTHER INVESTIGATORS AND LESS ACTIVE MEMBERS WE ARE WORKING WITH. OH, THE GIRL WE BAPTIZED IS ASHLEY , IM SENDING SOME PICTURES THIS WEEK, BUT SHE IS 18 AND SHE LIVES WITH THE HARLOWS, THEY ARE A FAMILY IN ONE OF THE 2 WARDS WE COVER. SHE WAS RAISED IN A NAZI CHRISTIAN FAMILY BEFORE, THAT SHE RAN AWAY FROM. SO, SHE HAS A SAD PAST LIFE, BUT ITS ALL GOOD NOW THAT WE DUNKED HER...LOL.. BUT SHE HAD ONE OF HER FRIENDS FROM CHURCH BAPTIZE HER, AND I SPOKE DURING THE WAITING PERIOD WHILE SHE WAS CHANGING. IT WAS A BIT SHAKY, BUT ILL GET BETTER AT IT..:) BUT WE ARE STILL TEACHING HER, WE WILL BE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, CUZ EVERYTHING IS STILL PRETTY NEW FOR HER. BUT OTHER THEN THAT, WE HAVE A PRETTY FULL DAY EVERYDAY. WE MOSTLY GET OUT TRACTING OR PROSELYTING DURING THE DAY, THEN HAVING LESSONS EVERY NIGHT. I AM SO HAPPY MY PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED, I WENT FROM HAVING ALMOST ZERO WORK AT ALL TO ALWAYS BUSY! :) I LOVE IT, I'M TOTALLY GETTING LOST IN THE WORK. SO LIKE YOU ALL HEARD, WE HAD SNOW LAST WEEK, THAT'S TOTALLY CRAZY! I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF COLD DAYS ON MY MISSION...LOL. SO WHITNEY GOT HER PERMIT?!?!?! OH NO! LOL. WATCH OUT ELK GROVE!!! HOLY COW THAT MAKES ME FEEL OLD... OH AND MOM, DONT BE SURPRISED IF YOU GET SOME MORE CALLS FROM MEMBERS HERE, I GUESS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OKOTOKS LIKE TO DO THAT. I WAS SO JEALOUS OF HER THOUGH. :) SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DAD, YOU SEND SNAIL MAIL TO THE MISSION OFFICE AT, (7044 FARRELL RD. SE. CALGARY AB, T2H OT2) THAT WAY CUZ OUR AREAS CAN BE SO SPREAD OUT THAT IF IT ALL GOES TO THE OFFICE IT ALWAYS GETS TO THE RIGHT MISSIONARY, AND IT DOESNT GET SENT TO A WRONG PLACE IF YOU GET TRANSFERED. OH AND IF YOU GUYS CAN GET YOUR HAND ON AIR MAIL ENVELOPES OR STICKERS, IT GETS HERE IN LIKE A WEEK. NOT LIKE THE 3 WEEKS IT WOULD NORMAL TAKE CUZ CANADIAN MAIL IS A JOKE...LOL WELL I HOPE IT MAKE YOU ALL HAPPY TO KNOW IM REALLY LEARNING AS MUCH AS IM TEACHING! I FEEL SO HAPPY WHEN I STUDY AND PRAY! I HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING THE SAME! I FEEL THE SPIRIT SO STRONG WHEN IT TESTIFIES TO ME OF THE TRUTH I AM LEARNING! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU ARE ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS! I COULD NEVER HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER FAMILY! THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU ALL SHOW ME MAKES ME REMEMBER WHY I AM OUT HERE DOING THE LORDS WORK! I WANT YOU TESTIFY TO YOU ALL THE POWER OF TESTIMONIES. WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON BERING THEM OUT HERE, AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO THIS WEEK TO BARE YOUR TESTIMONY OF A TRUTH YOU KNOW TO SOME ONE. IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE A FORMAL...I WANT TO BARE YOU MY TESTIMONY.... WAY, MAYBE JUST TELL SOMEONE DURING AS CONVERSATION OF THE TRUTH YOU KNOW. PLEASE TRY GUYS. :) I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I'M WORKING VERY HARD AND I AM GIVING THE LORD HIS TIME FROM ME! I CANT WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT WEEK! I LOVE YOU ALL! LOVE ELDER OGEN P.S. KEEP THE MAIL COMIN' :)

Updates

2009-06-08T09:55:00.001-07:00

I have been waiting on some pictures to update on Elder Petersen, but keep forgetting to get them from my parents to scan in, so I thought I'd just update with some excerpts from his weekly emails (from most recent down to first email home.)

9th week-(funny in bold-neat story in blue)
HEY FAMILY, I WAS WRONG ABOUT TRANSFERS, SO FIRST I GUESS THE SET UP THAT PRESIDENT PRIDAY HAD GOT MESSED UP BECAUSE OF THE SWINE FLU THAT BROKE OUT AT THE MTC, SO OUR NEW MISSIONARIES ARE DELAYED 2 WEEKS. SO INSTEAD OF ME STAYING HERE WITH ELDER HEDER, I GO TO A CITY JUST 20 MINUTES SOUTH OF CALGARY CALLED OKATOKES WITH ELDER WILLSON. I HEAR HE IS A COOL GUY BUT IM SAD TO SAY, THAT IM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT BIG BLUE ( THE SUITCASE) OUT OF ITS MISERY. I GOT ANOTHER BIG ONE FOR FREE FROM ELDER HEDER, SO NO WORRIES THERE, BUT THAT BLUE ONE JUST RIPPED ON ALOT OF SEAMS, FROM BEING TOsSED AROUND IM GUESSING AT THE AIRPORT. OH AND ALSO I GOT A WINTEr PARKA FROM ANOTHER MISSIONARY HERE, ITS A NICE BILLABONG ONE! SO WHEN WINTER COMES I ONLY NEED TO GET BOOTS, GLOVES, A SCARF, AND A TUKE ( THATS WHAT THEY CALL BEENIES) LOL. BUT WINTER WONT BE HERe TILL TOMORROW...LOL JK. BUT I WOULDNT BE SURPRISED IF IT DID. SO ITS JUNE NOW AND WE OFFICALLY DONT HAVE TO WEAR SUIT COATS, SO ITS IS GETTING A LITTLE WARMER. BUT BEFORE I FORGET... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!! DANG IM MISSING BIRTHDAY DINNERS ALREADY! BUT IM NOT GOING TO LIE EVERY DAY FEELS LIKE YOUR BIRTHDAY ON YOUR MISSION CUZ YOU GET DESSERT AFTER DINNER LIKE EVERY NIGHT..LOL.. ITS NOT A TREAT ANY MORE...LOL... BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I WOULD RATHER HAVE A BOWL OF FRUIT AFTER DINNER FOR DESSERT THEN ICE CREAM...LOL.. I KNOW WHAT YOUR ALL THINKING "WHO IS THIS AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH LOGAN?!?!?! FRUIT FOR DESSERT? YOUR CRAZY!" WELL ITS TRUE... BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS THIS CRAZY EXPERIENCE I HAD ON FIRDAY! SO THERE IS A GUY IN OUR WARD WHO HAS BRAIN DAMAGE AND HE HAS SEISURES, AND WE ATE DINNER WITH HIM ON FRIDAY. HE HAS TO WEAR A HELMET CUZ HE SAID HE HAS LITTLE SEISURES AND FALLS, BUT HIS BIG ONES ARE NOT THAT COMMON. SO THROUGHOUT DINNER YOU COULD TELL HE WAS HAVVING LITTLE TINY SEISURES AND HE WAS SAYING THEY ARE NO BIGGIE I GUESS. BUT ALL THE SUDDEN A GLARE FROM THE SUN HIT HIS EYES AND HE STARTED HAVING A REALLY BAD SEISURE, AND I MEAN REALLY BAD, HE FELL OUT OF HIS CHAIR AND WAS GAGGING, SO I INSTANTLY THOUGHT OF THAT SCENE FROM GODS ARMY AND HAD ELDER HEDER GRAB A SPOON TO KEEP HIM FROM CHOKING ON HIS TOUNGE. AND I WAS SO GLAD I CARRY MY OIL WITH ME EVERYWHERE CUZ I TORE OFF HIS HELMET AND GAVE HIM A BLESSING! I COULDNT CHANCE HAVING ELDER HEDER HELP ME CUZ HE WAS HOLDING HIS TOUNGE, BUT I DONT KNOW WHERE THE WORDS I SAID CAME FROM! I DONT EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I SAD ENTIRELY, I WAS SO SCARED, BUT I FELT THAT WAS WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN. AND I FELT THE PROMPTING TO TELL HIS BODY TO STOP...AND IT DID!!! HE SIMPLY STOPPED THEN TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND LAYED THERE! I CANT TEEL YOU HOW MUCH MY TESTIMONY SHOT UP RIGHT THERE. AND I LOOKED AT ELDER HEDER AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND SAID WOW. I CANT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HADNT BEEN THERE! BUT THATS THE FIRST TIME I ACTUALY GAVE A BLESSING AND I KNOW IT HELPED ME AS IT DID SAMUEL! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I HAVE A STRONG TRUE TESTIMONY OF THIS WORK AND THE PRIESTHOOD! I HAVE SEEN NOT ONLY HOW IT HAS BLESSED MY LIFE, BUT HOW I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BLESS OTHERS BY HOLDING THE PRIESTHOOD! I KNOW THIS CHURCH IS THE TRUE CHURCH ON THE EARTH! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW IM SO BLESSED, AS ALL OF YOU ARE THAT I AM OUT HERE. AND I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO WORRY, MY LIFE IS IN THE LORDS HANDS, AND HE IS PROTECTING ME WHILE I DO HIS WORK! AND I KNOW HE ANSWERS MY PRAYES BY KEEPING ALL WHO I LOVE SAFE AND FAITHFUL! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND I CANT WAIT TO KEEP COUNTING DOWN THE MONTHS WITH YOU ALL! 2 DOWN, 22 TO GO...LOL! BUT I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS. YOU ARE ALWASY IN MY PRAYERS! I LOVE YOU! LOVE ELDER OGEN

8th week excerpts- HEY THERE EVERY ONE! WOW YOU ALL WERE BUSY THIS WEEK, WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME...NOT LOL. IM WORKING HARD BELIEVE ME! SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS, MY INVESTIGATOR POOL I S A LITTLE SHALLOW. I WISH IT WERE DEEP ENOUGH FOR A DIVING BOARD. HAHAHA LIKE THAT ONE? I TOTALLY JUST MADE IT UP...LOL BUT ANYWAYS, ITS HARD, WE HAVE A FEW GUYS STILL THAT ARE ON THE EDGE OF LETTING US START TO ACTUALLY TEACH, BUT WE FIND THEM NOT GIVING US SURE SET TIMES TO GET TO THEM, BROCK AND GUY ARE STILL PRETTY PROMISING LOOKING THOUGH! SO I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT! AS FAR AS BEING COMFORTABLE AND SLEEPING GOOD, I HAVE TO SAY I HAVE IT PRETTY GOOD. THAT GETTING A FULL 8 HOURS EVERY NIGHT IS NOT ANYTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT...AND IM FINDING THAT MY BODY IS LIKE... 6:30 AM WAKE UP AND 10:30 PM GO TO SLEEP.. LOL. SO ALL IS GOOD, AND YES MOM I WOULD TELL YOU IF ANY THING WAS WRONG, WELL MAYBE.. LOL IM KIDDING. BUT I'M HAPPY TO HEAR ALL IS GOING GOOD AT HOME AND THAT YOU ALL HAD FUN THIS WEEK! CAN YOU BELIEVE MY FIRST TRANSFER IS JUST ABOUT UP? IM SURE IM STAYING HERE IN THE 1ST WARD, BUT STILL ITS BEEN JUST ABOUT 2 MONTHS. IT FEEL'S FAST TO ME, I HOPE THE SAME FOR YOU ALL! ONLY 22 MONTHS LEFT TO GO RIGHT...LOL. BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND THAT I THINK AND PRAY FOR YOU EACH EVERY DAY! I CANT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU SHOW ME! I WISH I HAD MORE TIME TO WRITE, BUT THIS GUY NEXT TO ME WANTED TO KNOW WHY I WAS WRITING A BOOK OF AN E MAIL, SO I TALKED TO HIM TELLING WHY IM OUT HERE AND THAT E MAILS ARE MY WAY OF TALKING TO EVERY ONE AT HOME. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH IT THINKING I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A MESSAGE TO HIM, BUT NOPE HE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE IT WHEN HE HEARD MORMON, AND HE GOT UP AND LEFT. SO, IM SORRY I WASTED MY PRECIOUS E MAIL TIME! BUT I PROMISE MORE NEXT WEEK! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! KEEP STRONG IN ALL THAT YOU DO AND REMEMBER YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I LOVE THIS GOSPEL AND IM REALLY LEARNING A LOT ABOUT IT! I NEVER KNEW I COULD HAVE THIS MUCH KNOWLEDGE BECAUSE OF MY OWN STUDYING! I CANT WAIT TO TEACH ALL THAT I KNOW! I LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU KNOW I DON'T FEEL IM WASTING TIME OUT HERE! I KNOW THERE IS AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAITING FOR ME TO TEACH THEM! LOVE YOU GUYS! LOVE ELDER OGEN

7th week excerpts... (funny story in bold)HEY THERE EVERYONE! IM SO HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THATS GOING ON AT HOME! AND SERIOUSLY...102 0N SUNDAY?!?!?! NO FAIR!...LOL THE WEATHER HERE IS LIKE A 16 YEAR OLD GIRL. IT CANT MAKE UP ITS MIND...LOL THE OTHER DAY IT WAS 25 CELCIUS AND THAT WHEN WE GET TO TAKE OUR JAKETS OFF...THATS LIKE 70 DEGREES F. BUT TODAY IT ONLY 5 DEGREES CELCIUS...LOL OH BUT SOMETHING NEW FOR ME IS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS HERE IT DOESNT GET DARK UNTIL WAY LATE... THE SUN DOESNT GO DOWN TILL JUST BEFORE TEN NOW... SO WE GO TO BED WITH LIGHT COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW..LOL CRAZY HUH? IM HAPPY TO HEAR YOU ALL LIKE THE PICTURES I SENT! ITS PRETTY CHEAP TO PRINT THEM SO ILL JUST DO THAT WHEN EVER A GET A GOOD AMOUNT TO SEND. BUT OTHER THEN THAT JUST YOUR REGULAR MISSIONARY WORK. THEY GUY I TOLD YOU GUYS ABOUT LAST WEEK... BROCK... WELL GUESS WHAT.... HES GETTING BAPTIZED....JUST KIDDING... LOL WE STILL HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO CATCH HIM AT HOME, BUT THERE IS THIS OTHER GUY WHO HAS BEEN TAKING THE LESSONS THAT JUST MOVED TO OUR AREA, HIS MAN IS GUY BUT ITS PRENOUNCED LIKE GEE. BUT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE OVER HIS TEACHING AND HE IS REALLY INTERESTED SO HE WILL MOST LIKELY BE MY FIRST BAPTIZM :)!!! I CANT WAIT! SO YOU GUYS WILL NEVER GUESS WHAT HAPPENED... SO ELDER HEDER AND I WERE WALKING JUST TRYING TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND THIS GUY WAS WALKING TOWARDS US SO I TRIED TO TALK TO HIM BUT HE SAID HE WAS BUSY. SO I ASKED IF WE COULD WALK WITH HIM FOR A BIT TO TALK...HAHAHA. YOU CANT OUT RUN MISSIONARIES ON FOOT..BUT SO WE WALKED FOR A MIN WITH HIM AND WE FOUND OUT HE WAS GOING TO THE MUSIC STORE DOWN THE ROAD, ITS LIKE SKIPS MUSIC, AND HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO LOOK AT DRUMS!!! I INSTANTLY BEGAN TALKING ABOUT DRUMS TELLING HIM I PLAY AND EVERYTHING, WE TALKED FOR A MIN ABOUT THEM THEN A WENT BACK TO ASKING IF HE WOULD TAKE A BOOK OF MORMON, HE SAID NO THANKS ALOT. SO I SAID TO HIM " ALRIGHT, ILL MAKE YOU A DEAL. IF I CAN BEAT YOU AT A DRUM OFF THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BOOK AND LET US STOP BY YOU HOUSE SOME TIME." (I KNOW SHOT IN THE DARK RIGHT?) WELL HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID "YOUR ON!" SO WE GOT TO THE MUSIC SHOP AND I WISHED I HAD MY CAMARA SO ELDER HEDER COULD HAVE TAKEN A VIDEO. :) HE WAS PRETTY GOOD.. A FEW PEOPLE WERE WATCHING THEN SUDDENLY THE WHOLE STORE WAS...LOL...SO IT TURNS OUT HE IS GOOD, BUT I TOTALLY KICKED HIS BUTT. :) I DONT THINK HE EXPECTED A GUY IN A SUIT WITHA A TAG ON TO BEAT HIM. IT WAS SO NICE TO PLAY I WOULD HAVE STAYED THERE ALL DAY OF I COULD. BUT AFTER THAT HE TOOK THE BOOK AND GAVE US HIS PHONE NUMBER AND HIS NAME. TURNS OUT DEXTER ISNT REAL! HE GAVE US A FAKE NAME AND NUMBER! I GUESS I COULD HAVE GONE ABOUT TEACHING HIM A BETTER WAY...BUT I HAD FUN...LOL SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS... DONT MAKE BETS WITH INVESTIGATORS... HAHAHA! I REALLY CANT WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO BE REALLY TRULY INTERESTED. I HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR GUY! BUT I WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW BESIDES THE FUNNY TIMES I HAVE I STILL AM WORKING HARD AND STUDYING MY BUTT OFF. I HAVE DEVELOPED WAYS THAT WORK GOOD FOR ME, FUN OBJECT LESSONS FOR DINNER APPTS. WAYS OF MARKING MY SCRIPTURES, AND LOADS OF OTHER STUFF ILL HAVE TO SHOW YOU ALL WHEN I GET HOME. :) OH AND REAL QUICK BEFORE IFINISH. SO I LOOKED AT MY BIG BLUE SUIT CASE THE OTHER DAY AND YOU CAN REALLY TELL THAT THING HAS BEEN TO KENTUCKY, BRAZIL AND NOW CANADA, BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? IT RIPPED AT THE ZIPPER SEAM. BUT DONT WORRY ELDER HEDER WAS TELLING ME HE HAS CLOSE TO NOTHING TO TAKE HOME CUZ HE MAILED A BIG HOCKEY BAG HOME ALREDY, SO HE IS GOING TO GIVE ME HIS BIG SUIT CASE. SO NO WORRIES JUST THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT SUIT CASE HAS SEEN ITS LAST MISSION..LOL. SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH IT. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH AND I MISS YOU MORE THEN YOU KNOW! THESE WEEKS REALLY DO PASS QUICKLY AND I DONT WANT TO MISS AN OPPERTUNITY OUT HERE! IN THE LONG RUN IT LOOKS LIKE I WILL NEVER HIT THAT 2 YEAR MARK, BUT IT GROWS CLOSER EVERYDAY AND FASTER THEN I THOUGHT. IM NEARING THE END OF MY FIRST TRANSFER. ITS CRAZY! I HAVE ALMOST BEEN GONE 2 MONTHS ALREADY. I LOVE YOU GUYS! KEEP STRONG IN ALL YOU DO! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS AND THAT THE SPIRIT IS ALWAYS WITH YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL AND YOUR IN MY PRAYERS! LOVE ELDER OGEN

6th week excerpts-
HEY THEY'RE FAMILY! FIRST I WANTED TO START OFF TELLING YOU HOW HAPPY IT MADE ME TO TALK TO YOU ALL ON MOTHERS DAY! :) IT IS KINDA HARD TO GO FROM HAVING A CELL PHONE CALLING WHO EVER I WANTED WHEN EVER I WANTED AND TEXTING AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, TO TWO PHONE CALLS A YEAR AND AN EMAIL ONCE A WEEK...LOL. BUT IM GETTING USED TO IT, I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIMES I DO GET. I PRAY FOR YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY EVERY NIGHT AND ITS REALLY MAKING MY TESTIMONY GROW! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! SOO YOU WILL ALL BE GLAD TO HEAR I QUITE POSSIBLY HAVE FOUND MY FIRST REAL INVESTIGATOR! HIS NAME IS BROCK AND IS A YOUNGER GUY IN HIS TWENTIES. HE WAS A MISSIONARY REFERRAL WE VISTED YESTERDAY. WE WERE IN MEMBER SPLITS SO I AND A MEMBER WENT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE REFERRAL. AND IT TURNS OUT HE HAS READ SOME OF THE BOOK OF MORMON HE WAS GIVEN AND WANTS TO HEAR MORE THIS WEEK! UNFORTUNATELY I CAUGHT HIM AS HE WAS LEAVING LAST NIGHT BUT WANTS US TO COME BACK THIS WEEK TO TALK TO HIM!!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED THET MADE ME! I REALLY REALLY HOPE THIS GOES SOMEWHERE! I WILL HAVE LOADS OF STORIES FOR YOU GUYS WHEN WE START TEACHING HIM! THERE WAS SOME OTHER REFERRALS THAT DIDNT GO ANYWHERE, BUT ONE OTHER THAT COULD TURN INTO SOMETHING WITH A GIRL NAMED NIKKI, I DIDNT MEET HER BUT THE GUY SHE LIVES WITH SAID SHE HAS BEEN WAITING TO HEAR FROM US! WOW YESTERDAY WAS GREAT! :) OTHER THEN THAT JUST REGULAR MISSIONARY WORK, TRACKING, GQ'ING, AND FOLLOW UPS. BUT NOT ALOT OF SUCCESS! BUT IM NOT WASTING MY TIME I KNOW IT! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW HAPPY I AM TO BE SERVING THE LORD! I KNOW HE IS ALWAYS AT MY SIDE AS I DO HIS WORK. AND I KNOW HE BLESSES NOT ONLY ME BUT ALL OF YOU AND THE SUPPORT YOU GIVE ME! WE HAVE A QUOTE WE RECITE IN THE MISSION BY BRUCE R. MC CONKIE ITS CALLED "MY MISSION COMISSION" AND IN IT TALKS ABOUT HOW MY AUTHORITY IS ABOVE THAT OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH AND THAT IM DOING AND SAYING THE THINGS THE LORD WOULD DO AND SAY IF HE WERE MINISTERING TO THE VERY PEOPLE HE SENT ME. I KNOW THAT TO BE SO TRUE! THAT IM HERE IN CANADA FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON! I DONT CARE HOW MANY PEOPLE I BAPTIZE! IF I WORK MY HARDEST AND DO ALL THAT I CAN AND ONLY BRING ONE PERSON OR A HUNDRED CLOSER TO CHRIST THEN I KNOW THAT IS WHAT I WAS SENT HERE FOR. I KNOW HEAVENLY FATHER HAS A PLAN FOR ALL OF US AND IM SO HAPPY TO BE CALLED ONE OF HIS WARRIORS IN THIS FINAL BATTLE! WITH THE SPIRIT AS MY ARMOR AND MY WORDS AS MY SWORD! I PROMISE TO YOU ALL IM DOING MY BEST AND WILL GIVE MY ALL TILL THE END! I LOVE YOU ALL AND WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS! IM SO HUMBLED TO KNOW THAT AS A MISSIONARY IM PRAYED FOR AS MUCH OR CLOSE TO THE PROPHET. I TRULY DO FEEL THOSE PRAYERS! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS AND STAY CLOSE TO THE LORD! NEVER LET YOUR SCRIPTURES GET DUSTY! :) I DONT LET MINE. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN. :) LOVE ELDER OGEN

5th week excerpts-
(FUNNY STORY IN BOLD) HEY FAM! LUCKILY HERE ITS STARTING TO WARM UP A LITTLE. WE GET THESE WEIRD WEATHER THINGS HERE CALLD CHINOOKS, ITS LIKE THIS OCEAN BREEZE THAT COMES OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND WARMS UP THE WEATHER LIKE 20 DEGREES..ITS CRAZY. SOON IT WILL BE WARM ENOUGH HERE WHERE WE DONT HAVE TO WEAR OUR JACKETS. IM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT! SO THINGS HERE ARE GREAT, STILL A LITTLE SLOW, BUT IT WILL DEFINITELY BE PICKING UP NEXT WEEK CUZ WE GOT A LOT OF NEW REFFERALS YESTERDAY. ONE THING I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS, IS MISSIONARIES ARE TEACHERS, NOT FINDERS. WE NEED TO HARVEST MORE THEN WE PLANT! PLANTING THE SEEDS ARE GOOD BUT ITS NOT OUR MAIN JOB! I KNOW YOU ARE ALL TRYING YOUR BEST TO HELP THE MISSIONARIES OUT AT HOME. SO MISSION LIFE IS PRETTY BOOT CAMP-ISH. SAME THING EVERY DAY, DONT GET ME WRONG, I LIKE IT. WAKE UP, WORK OUT, GET READY, PERSONAL STUDY, COMP STUDY, PLAN, THEN ITS OUT THE DOOR. IM GONNA BE LOST WHEN I GET HOME..LOL I'LL BE WAKING UP AND NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO TILL I GET A JOB..LOL BUT THATS A LITTLE WAYS AWAY:) MY MISSION IS CRAZY I ALREADY HAVE HAD SOME FUNNY EXPERIENCES. ONE WE GET MONEY IN OUR ACCOUNTS ON THE 30TH OF EVERY MONTH, AND THE 30TH OF APRIL WAS THE DAY AFTER P-DAY, SO WE HAD TO SHOP AFTER P-DAY, THATS ONE BROKEN RULE, AND TUE WE DID SOME SERVICE THAT THURSDAY AND WENT SHOPPING IN OUR STREET CLOTHS CUZ IT WAS CONVIENENT, THATS TWO BROKEN RULES, AND THREE I FORGOT MY TAG WHEN WE WENT OUT IN OUT STREET CLOTHES, THATS THREE BROKEN RULES. SO THEY WERENT THAT BAD OF RULES TO BREAK, IT WAS JUST A NECCESITY TO SHOP CUZ WE HAD NO FOOD, BUT GUESS WHO HAPPENS TO BE AT THE STORE AS WE ARE CHECKING OUT? YEP MY MISSION PRESIDENT! IM PRETTY SURE I PEEDED MY PANTS WHEN I SAW HIM. LOL. HE WASNT MAD, HE TOTALLY WAS COOL WITH IT CUZ HE REALIZED THE SITUATION, BUT I WAS SO SCARED. BUT I CAN STILL PULL THE INNOCENT GREENIE CARD.LOL. SO ITS ALL GOOD! :) MAN I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA GET IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, BUT PRESIDENT PRIDAY IS THE NICEST GUY EVER! BUT THATS THE LAST TIME I EVER JUST SKIP ON THE STUPID LITTLE RULES, CUZ I SWEAR HE CAN SEE RIGHT INTO YOUR SOUL...LOL. SO THATS THE STORY FOR THIS WEEK..LOL BUT I WILL HAVE MUCH MORE TO COME, ONES ABOUT ACTUAL MISSIONARY WORK I PROMISE..:) IM GLAD TO HEAR ALL IS WELL AT HOME AND CANT WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL ON SUNDAY! I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW MY TESTIMONY IS REALLY GROWING AND I HAVE A NEW LOVE FOR THIS GOSPEL! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! IM DOING MY BEST I PROMISE, AND I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! I LOVE YOU GUYS! KEEP STRONG IN THE FAITH AND PRAYERS! LOVE,ELDER OGEN

4th week excerpts... WOW WHERE TO START? WELL FIRST OFF MY TRAINER IS A GREAT GUY ELDER HEDER.. ITS PROUNCED LIKE HEATER BUT WITH A D...LOL. BUT LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK HE IS A GOOD GUY WE ARE GETTING ALONG GREAT. WE ARE IN THE CALGARY 1STWARD AND WE HAVE A CHEVY MALIBU. THE WHOLE MISSION IS CHEVY'S! THATS THE WAY TO GO! NO AVALANCHES THO. THEY ARE THE MALIBUS AND THE COLORADOS LIKE SAM'S BROTHERS TRUCK. ALL THE CARS ARE NEW THO SO THEY ARE GREAT. THE WARD IS GREAT. WE HAVE A DINNER EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK, AND YES MOM IM EATING WAY GOOD. LIKE I SAID IM CUTTING BACK SO IM EVEN REFUSING SOME FOOD...LOL. BUT I LOVE BEING OUT HERE ITS GREAT. RIGHT NOW WE DONT HAVE ANY FOR SURE INVESTIGATORS BUT WE ARE HAVING SOME MEMBERS BRING SOME INTERESTED FRIENDS WE CAN TALK TO. I CANT WAIT TO GET SOME ONE REALLY EXCITED. WELL ELDER HEDER HAS TIL JULY AND LIKE I SAID LAST WEEK I MIGHT BE WITH HIM TILL HE "DIES"BUT HE HAS 7 BAPTISMS AND I TOLD HIM HE SHOULD HAVE A SOLID 10 TO GO HOME WITH, SO THATS OUR LONG TERM GOAL. BRING 3 MORE PEOPLE UNTO CHRIST BEFOR HE GOES HOME. THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE. :) BUT OTHER THEN THAT ITS IS STILL PRETTY COLD HERE. SO MUCH FOR SPRING RIGHT NOW. ITS ABOUT -3 CELCIUS ALL DAY WITH SNOW WHICH IS ABOUT 26 DEGREES. BUT IM ALREADY GETTING USED TO IT. THE HIGHS RIGHT NOW IS LIKE THE WINTER LOWS IN ELK GROVE...LOL. SO BRING ON THE -40 WINTER. OH YEAH AND IN THE TAPE I SENT HOME I TALKED ABOUT ELDER HOLLAND VISITING THE MTC! OH MY GOSH IT WAS AMAZING! WE SAW A WHOLE NEW SIDE OF AN APOSTLE. HE IS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT MISSIONARY WORK. I TOOK LIKE 5 PAGES OF NOTES I WILL KEEP FOREVER SO I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS WHEN I GET HOME. BUT HIS TALK CHANGED MY VIEW OF A MISSION FOR THE BETTER. MOM IM DOING JUST FINE I'M STAYING WARM AND THE MEMBERS WE LIVE WITH ARE GREAT. YOU WOULD LIKE THEM. SHE IS A MOTHER OF A FEW MISSIONARIES SO SHE SAID SHE KNOWS HOW YOU FEEL. :) ALL IS WELL HERE. I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW I LOVE YOU ALLSO MUCH! THAT MY OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A MISSION IS A BLESSING NOT ONLY MY LIFE BUT YOURS AS WELL! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! KEEP THE EMAILS AND LETTERS COMMING! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! I LOVE YOU! LOVE ELDER OGEN

3rd week excerpts (now in Calgary)... HEY FAMILY. WELL I'M IN CALGARY! WEDNESDAYS ARE P-DAYS SO YOU KNOW. WE FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT WHILE STAYING IN THE MISSION HOME WHERE OUR FIRST AREAS WILL BE AND OUR TRAINERS. MY AREA IS 1ST WARD IN DOWNTOWN CALGARY! AND MY TRAINER IS ELDER HEEDER! HE IS A PRETTY COOL GUY! HE GOES HOME IN JULY SO I MIGHT BEWITH HIM TILL HE "DIES" LOL. BUT I GUESS WHEN YOU GET YOUR TRAINER THEY CALL HIM YOUR DAD I GUESS...LOL. BUT ALL IS GOOD IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY HERE! OH AND THE PLANE WE FLEW IN ON WAS SO FREAKIN SMALL, AND THE GUY I SAT NEXT TO FELL ASLEEP SO I GUESS IM BORING:) BUT IM EXCITED TO GET WORKING. IM SO GLAD TO HEAR ALL IS GOOD AT HOME. AND THAT THOSE LITTLE BABIES ARE FEELING BETTER. IT WAS SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR AND TALK TO YOU ALL YESTERDAY, OH AND I GET TO CALL IN ANOTHER 3 WEEKS,THEN A HUGE 7 MONTH SPAN...LOL. IT WILL BE GREAT THOUGH. I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE E-MAILS AND LETTERS, I DON'T HAVE A TIME LIMIT FOR E-MAIL SO I CAN REALLY TALK AND NOT JUST SPEED WRITE LIKE THE MTC. OH AND LETTERS, THEY ASK THAT EVERYTHING BE SENT TO THE MISSION OFFICE BECAUSE OF THE WIDE SPREAD OUT AREAS IF ELDERS GET IT SENT TO WHERE THEY LIVE IT COULD GET THERE AFTER YOU LEAVE THEN YOU WOULD NEVER GET IT. AND IN SOME AREAS IT TAKES A LITTLE EXTRA TIME FOR THEM TO GET IT TO YOU. BUT ALL IS GOOD JUST KEEP IT COMING AND I WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING! IM SO EXCITED TO GET OUT AND START WORKING.I WANT TO TELL YOU ALL HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU AND THAT IM SO THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR ME! I KNOW I'M WHERE I NEED TO BE AND THAT THE LORD IS WATCHING OVER YOU AND ME ALL AT HOME! THE BLESSINGS FROM THIS MISSION WILL BE INDESCRIBABLE! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR LOVE! REMEMBER TO PRAY ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! LOVE ELDER OGEN

2nd week excerpts... WELL LIKE YOU ALL SAID, I DONT HAVE MUCH TIME (for emailing) WHILE IM HERE IN THE MTC. I WISH I COULD GO THROUGH AND ANSWER EACH QUESTION AND EVERY COMMENT. BUT UNTIL I GET INTO CANADA NEXT WEEK I ONLY HAVE 30 MIN AND THAT INCLUDES READING TOO. BUT THE MTC IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, I LOVE THE SPIRIT HERE. BUT IM NOT GOING TO LIE, I REALLY WANT TO GET OUT THERE. IM TIRED OF SITTING IN CLASS...LOL. I WISH I COULD WRITE EVERY ONE BACK PERSONALLY, BUT DAD WILL JUST HAVE TO FORWARD FROM WORK. I CANT TELL YOU ALL HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU! YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE REALLY HELPS. I REALLY WISH I COULD TYPE FASTER AND READ FASTER. LOL I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT! KEEP THE LETTERS COMING. I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH! PRAY ALWAYS!

Excerpts from his 1st email home from the MTC- ...THINGS ARE GOOD HERE, MY COMPANION IS ELDER GARDNER FROM BEAR RIVER CITY UTAH. WE LOOK LIKE WE COULD BE COUSINS...LOL... THE FOOD HERE ISNT BAD, I GOT THE DEAR ELDER LETTERS LAST NIGHT. IT WAS SO NICE TO HERE FROM HOME. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING IS THE RIGHT THING. I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH. PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS. I KNOW FOR ME THIS MISSION WILL BLOW BY. MY DAYS ARE FULL AND JAM PACKED WITH LITTLE DOWN TIME, YOU ALL KNOW THAT.:) BUT I ASK THAT YOU ALL KEEP BUSY, AND TAKE THE CHALLENGE ASKED OF YOU AT THE MTC. I KNOW YOU WILL. CONFERENCE WAS GREAT. IM NOT USED TO SITTING IN A HARD CHAIR IN A SUIT FOR ALL THE SESSIONS BUT IM GLAD I DID. D AD IM SURE YOU CAUGHT IN PRIESTHOOD MEETING, I THINK IT WAS PRIESTHOOD, PRESIDENT MONSON TALK ABOUT CALGARY? ALL OF US GOING TO CALGARY WERE SMILING WHEN HE SAID THAT. DAD I COULDN'T HELP BUT TO HAVE YOU ON MY MIND THROUGH OUT ALL OF PRIESTHOOD MEETING. THE LITTLE TRADITION WE HAD REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME, AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WITHOUT YOU THERE TO SIT NEXT TO ME. IT WAS HARD FOR ME AND I KNOW FOR YOU. WE HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH "JOSEPH SMITH- THE RESTORATION" WOW! WATCH IT PLEASE! I CANT WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! I LOVE YOU!...

We love our missionary and are so proud of his progress in two short months. We know he is doing and will continue to do amazing things through the Spirit of the Lord. We will try to keep updates on his blog with his weekly emails and plan to upload some of the pictures he's sent home as soon as possible.

The MTC

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Elder Petersen entered the MTC on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009.

The classic picture...

He ran into his two hometown friends also in the MTC at the time, Elder Carli and Elder Hogge.
All who accompanied Logan to the MTC...

Entering through the missionary door...`

Checkin' in...

And getting his new missionary dot...

Some quick last pictures with the kiddos-who were not happy to see him go...

One last picture snapped...ready for the meeting.

Elder Petersen said his goodbyes and honorably walked out the opposite door from his family and into his new role as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are so proud.
Ryan is proud too-one day he, too, hopes to be called on a mission!

The Temple

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Logan was able to go through the Sacramento Temple on March 7, 2009. Much of his endowed family and friends were able to share this special experience with him. Here are some of the pictures of this wonderful day. Note: Dad, a weekly temple worker, had to attend to a shift immediately following Logan's endowment session, thus, he is not in any of the pictures.

Here Logan is pictured with his brother David, a close friend, Kurtis and two of his friends Adam and Johnny who are currently serving missions and all are in the Provo MTC together.

On the same evening, Logan's singles ward took a temple trip to do baptism's. Logan and his girlfriend Sam attended together and were able to share in his special temple day as well.

The Call

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The call arrived in the mail Saturday, December 20, 2008, six days after Logan's 19th birthday. As is Petersen style, the celebration was announced with a household of people who came to share and celebrate with him. Little did we know how quickly three and a half months would fly by!

Funny story-we all did a poll on where we thought Logan would be called on his mission. The only one who guessed Canada..... LOGAN. He was inspired, the call was inspired and he knows there are people in Canada waiting for him to share with them his testimony.

Welcome!

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Welcome to the blog for Elder Logan Neil Petersen. This site will be updated by close family and friends on behalf of Logan as he serves the Lord in the Canada Calgary Mission. We know there are many that love Logan and will want to hear of his successes and stories from his experiences in the mission field...because, we all know he loves to tell a story-and we LOVE to hear them! We are all so incredibly proud of Logan and his brave and faithful decision to serve the Lord on a full time mission. He is an example to all who know and love him and we look forward to sharing the light and love that he is in our lives with you, through this blog.

*CALLED TO SERVE*

Last Emails as a Full-Time Missionary

A WEEK FROM TOMORROW!!!

BAD Blog Administrator...

Week of November 1st

Week of Oct. 25th email

In the process of updating...

WEEKLY EMAIL- Week 30

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 29

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 28

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 27

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 26

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 25-- SIX MONTH MARK

WEEKLY EMAIL- Week 24

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 23

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 22

Latest Pics

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 21

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 20

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 19

Faith in Every Footstep

WEEKLY EMAIL-Week 18

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 17

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 16

WEEKLY EMAIL-WEEK 15

Weekly Email-Week 14

Weekly Email-Week 13

I Love To See The Temple

Weekly Email-Week 12

The past 3 months of pictures...

Weekly Email-Week 11

PICTURES-COMING SOON!

Weekly Email-Week 11

Weekly Email-Week 10

Updates

The MTC

The Temple

The Call

Welcome!

CALLED TO SERVE