Last Emails as a Full-Time Missionary

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!!!

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...

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. :)