Week of November 1st

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

(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...

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...