Week 22 - This week was another week of miracles!

This week was another week of miracles!

Thursday we got a text from our zone leaders saying for our zone goal each companion ship was challenged to find three new investigators that day. And who ever succeeded would get to pie someone. Well with the Visitor Center Schedule we are lucky to get 1 new investigator in a week. However we both really were praying for our key indicators and to make our goals with this challenge becoming one of them. So after our Visitors Center shift we headed out into our area. We first stopped by a referral from a member couple that just moved back to Utah. It was their neighbor that they referred and when we stopped by the 24yr old son answered and we were able to share our purpose, pray, sing a song, and set a return appointment! It was great! Then we went a couple streets down to try to contact Jasmine a girl we had contacted a couple weeks ago that didn't seem very interested but said we could come back. And when we did, she was so much more receptive so we were able to do the same thing with her and set a return appointment as well. Then, we went to Sister Manoogian's home for dinner and she had invited her neighbor Chenchen as well. We were able to introduce ourselves and our purpose during dinner then afterwards she was very interested in learning more so we were able to give her the first lesson and set another time to meet with her again as well! That's three new investigators in one night! AND we were able to contact and share a message with an AWESOME less active that we have been trying to get in contact with for months!!!! BLESSINGS!

Plus the next day after District meeting we were the only companionship that met the challenge so we received two pies. However Sis. Merciales doesn't like to pie people so we gave it to Sis. Barney to pie someone. So we were conspiring on which to lucky Elders to pie and couldn't decide so we had all of them line up against the wall and close there eyes as we chose. So she started at one side and I started on the other and we pied all of them! Haha it was so funny! Except they get me back when I wasn't paying attention. Which I would have been completely okay with, except that half of it ended up in my hair. They will learn soon not to mess with the hair. :p

As far as other investigators go, Ben is awesome but he is going up to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert this weekend... So he will be gone for a week then need time to recuperate  for sure.. but we did help him decorate his bike. Lets just say you can definitely tell that two girls decorated it! haha he likes it though so that's what matters! (I'll attach a pic)

Our Bishop, Bishop Marsh, who is awesome, him and his family are moving this week so we got a new bishop on Sunday! Crazy! but exciting!

Also, the Visitors Center is such an incredible place where the spirit truly testifies and softens hearts. Whether it be in person or calling in the teaching center. One of the 13 mission baptisms this weekend was Diego who we transitioned from the VC to the LA YSA sisters and I have continued to encourage through the Teaching center! From where he was a year ago to when we took him on the tour a month ago until now has been an incredible blessing to witness and be a part of! The Teaching Center is the neatest place! There is going to be a baptism in two weeks in Missouri of a guy that I transitioned to the missionaries there from a Mormon.org chat we received. There are so many other miracles but this past week has truly been enlightening to me and the spirit has testified to me so strongly of this work and my purpose here. I am so grateful to be blessed to serve in this mission at this time!

RAP OF THE WEEK:

OUT IN THE SUN TRACTING ALL DAY
WHY IS IT STILL HARD TO KEEP THE CREEPERS AWAY?

LOOKIN SO FRESH WITH OUR TAGS AND OUR SKIRTS 

THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SHINES LOOKIN OUR BEST AND OUR WORST

KEEPIN OUR EYES AND OUR HEARTS FOCUSED ON HIS NAME 

DAY AND NIGHT ITS HIM I WILL PRAISE!

My new quote

"3 pages (or prayers) a day keep the temptations away!"

P.S.
hint* hint" I love mail and pictures.. just throwing that out there

(more postage stamps are appreciated too;)  ... )

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Jordyn Petersen

jordyn.petersen@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordyn Kealoha Lani Petersen
California Los Angeles Mission
1591 E. Temple Way
Los Angeles, CA 90024-5801

Week 21 - It has been such a great week and drum roll........

Sister Petersen and her wonderful artwork

It has been such a great week and drum roll........ Sister Merciales and I are staying together in West Wood! YAY!!! 

At first it was looking down because non of our investigators are progressing and we only have about 3 investigators anyways. But with lots of prayer and fasting we received 2 incredible new investigators that we have appointments with this week and we also were able to meet with a former who is more interested and we were able to receive and contact some referrals. Plus a member called us yesterday and she wants us to come over this week because she has a couple referrals for us as well! 

 One of our new investigators, Miss Jackie, was so excited when we knocked on her door! (MIRACLE) She had the lessons back when she was a teenager in Argentina and that is how she learned her English. We were able to have a little lesson with her and her daughter, who is visiting for the week from college, and they are very interested in continuing to learn more!

Sister Salina Cortez we have been trying to get a hold of ALL transfer we were able to contact! We went to her house but she wasn't there. However, while walking to the next house she walked in to us while walking her dog and invited us inside! She hasn't been attending our ward because she doesn't have many friends there but she does attend one of the other wards with another MSA once in a while which is better than not at all. We told her of how so many people are moving into our ward and are encouraging her to come back! We were able to share an uplifting message with her about prayer and she was just so grateful that we were able to get in contact. She wants to start meeting with us more (about once a week) to help strengthen her testimony and for our support in coming back to church. She was so happy she referred her neighbor, our other new investigator, who for identity purposes I will leave unnamed in my general email but if you want to know email me and I will tell you personally.. We stopped by her home the next day and and she was so nice! They were getting ready to leave but we were able to give her a Finding Faith in Christ DVD. We have a return appointment for this Friday! 

We also had zone temple service on Thursday. It was my first time being able to do Temple Service and it was INCREDIBLE! Sister Merciales and I were able to work inside the temple for the first part and it was really special. We dusted and cleaned all the floral arrangements in the Celestial Room. Working and feeling the spirit so strongly, it was like being on the receiving end of being in a lesson.  Very special. Then we went outside and laid sod. We stayed with part of our zone a little longer to help the workers finish it. Afterwards the head of the temple staff who was helping thanked all of us and said that our zone worked so well together and in unity to accomplish a job faster than he had seen it done before so that was a special boost to us as well. We're doing the Lord's work. We are doing our best to do it with perfection, haste, and precision. As individuals, as companionships, as districts, zones, and as a mission! :)

Last night was just really fun! We went and helped do service at Sister Manoogin's and afterwards guess what! She had Chinese floating lanterns! YES! LIKE the ones in TANGLED <--- LOVE THIS MOVIE! We went on her roof with her and let one off! It was so cool! Seriously like a dream come true. I don't care how silly it sounds it was so awesome!!!! 

This week I also:

-ate at a Los Angeles taco truck for the first time (and didnt get sick)

-Received more referrals from the visitors center than I ever had before

-went to El Chollos with our zone (last lunch together before transfers

-Lots of pictures that will be sent later! 

GREAT WEEK!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE AS THE SKY IS BLUE

WITH THE BOOK OF MORMON AT HAND FOR HIM I'LL STAND

WALKING THESE STREETS AND KNOCKING ON DOORS

TEACHING THE WORD IS WHAT I LIVE FOR!

(I now rap: fun fact of the week!)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Love,

Sister Jordyn Petersen

jordyn.petersen@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordyn Kealoha Lani Petersen
California Los Angeles Mission
1591 E. Temple Way
Los Angeles, CA 90024-5801

Transfer Pictures

Transfer Pictures

Transfer Pictures 

Transfer Pictures

Week 20 - 20 Weeks already?!?! Time goes by so fast!!!!

20 Weeks already?!?! Time goes by so fast!!!!

This week has been quite interesting!

Irmagard went to Las Vegas and got married spontaneously! She is really excited to meet with us again once she gets back though!

Luckily our other investigator is now progressing. His name is Ben and he is genuinely interested in knowing more about his purpose in life. This week he even prayed the Heavenly Father, "the Great Spirit", AND ended in the name of Jesus Christ! This is a huge step for him recognizing Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ more than just as possible figures. 

We are trying to get more members involved in our lessons which is great when they can, but 98% of the time they are busy. We do have some more families and couples moving into the ward despite how many are moving so I'm praying that we will get at least one member who is free enough to join us in lessons. 

I have truly seen the blessings and difference it makes with the investigators when a member is present to not only support and testify what we are saying but to be their friend and share their testimonies as well. I love when a member can confirm to the investigator what he or she is feeling for them. It's like a light bulb goes off for the investigator. "If we abide in Him, He abides in us"

I also had a very special experience for me this week. I don't know it was like my own personal light bulb went off. I have truly been able to see on my mission how certain people are placed in our life for a purpose and how we are placed individually in other peoples lives as well. However, I was able to see this week that it is not just on our mission that this happens. 

A friend from BYU Hawaii came to the visitors center this week and we were able give him a little tour of the Visitors Center.  I didn't know Eric very well while we were there. However, one day I didn't have class and was at the beach just walking by myself and he was there and talked to me for a little while. He gave me some advice and council that I have never forgotten and have been able to apply in my life to help me go on a mission and on my mission as well. Before he left the Visitor's Center I was able to thank him for that council over a year ago. He remembered it as well. It was then that it hit me that he made a change in my life over a year ago and it was not a coincidence but a blessing. Afterwards I was able to think back at all (or a lot of ) the people I have come in contact with. It was amazing to see how many I didn't know very well but made an influence in my life. It is such a blessing to know that Heavenly Father is ALWAYS watching out for us and helping us even when we don't realize it.

My companion Sister Merciales is so inspiring as well! I love her so much! She is incredible!. We are really being unified. Last night we were able to give a brief tour to Sister Weidman (President Weidman's wife) and her son Danny. I think it was the best Sister Merciales and I have ever worked together teaching in a tour. It was natural transitioning and the Spirit was very strong.

OH! I got pied in the face for District Meeting! :) We have fun like that! lol A set of Elder's made all their goals so they got to pie someone and lucky me I was chosen... BUT we made our goals and the AP's were at our meeting that day so I was able to pie Elder Black. haha It was fun. 

Today for P-day our zone activity was sand volleyball at the park so finally got a little bit of sun! It has been cloudy and we dont get out in the middle of the day a lot being at the Visitors Center. 

I want a perm. Just sayin. I rock me some curls. 

I LOVE this mission so much! It is such a blessing to be working in West Wood right now, it is hard work in this area but so rewarding and I know I am being a hand in these members and investigators lives as well as them in mine!

 Ether 12:27 "27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

Love,

Sister Jordyn Petersen

jordyn.petersen@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordyn Kealoha Lani Petersen 
California Los Angeles Mission
1591 E. Temple Way
Los Angeles, CA 90024-5801

Week 19 - This week has been exciting, stressful, and strait up CRAZY!!!!!

This week has been exciting, stressful, and strait up CRAZY!!!!!

On so many different levels and for different reasons.

To start off the week Heavenly Father humbled me.

That is an understatement. Don't get me wrong its not like I was super prideful, He just has a way of answering prayers in a very unique way.

 Well last week I mentioned that I had gotten a parking ticket. And it wasn't a lot thank goodness. It was $68. However for a missionary that is a lot. So I used the rest of my "emergency" funds to pay it. Which would have been fine except July was a five week month and I had some additional expenses come up which used the rest of my monthly allotment given by the mission. 

This was a problem because I was going to buy food for this past week with my now non-existent emergency funds. So last P-day I wasn't able to buy groceries. Any other week this would have been fine. Except this week my side of the fridge was literally completely empty except for one bell-pepper, a half of a cucumber, two slices of bread and juice. Luckily in the cupboard I had one pack of top-roman and a couple snack packs of cheese crackers a member had given me from Culver city... basically a mini meal and a snack for the week.. yeahhhh...

I was like okay I'm just going to be VERY "healthy" this week and fast a lot. So I prayed to Heavenly Father for a way to let me find a way to have meals this week since our members in our ward are super busy and don't usually have time to have us over. 

Tuesday morning we miraculously had a member meal for lunch and I was like yes! A meal for the day! (Thank you Sister Anderson) And for dinner I had my cucumber and Sister Merciales had made some extra rice and shared with me so that was fine. 

But then Tuesday night it was 9:30 and we were finishing daily planning and we got a knock on the door. It was Sister Lago and Sister Foutz and they came in carrying bags of groceries and gave them to me. I was so confused. They knew I was low on food for the week but it wasn't a huge deal or anything. Then it hit me that it wasn't P-day so it couldn't have been them that got the food. At there meal that night with la familia Olivarez, a family from the sister's Spanish ward, they were given some extra tamales and said something along the lines of oh great we can give these to Sis. Petersen. And when they asked why they said I was running low on food and so they gave them some extra tamales for me. But then to go even further that night the Olivarez's showed up at the visitors center with groceries for them to give to me. I was speechless to hear this. I had never even met Sister Olivarez and had only met Brother Olivarez briefly a couple times at the visitors center and wasn't really able to communicate much because of my poor Spanish. I was overcome with gratitude and humility. Tears of so many emotions came over me and all I could do was pray in thanks for this miracle. I knew that this wonderful family didn't have a lot, yet they were willing to give what they didn't have to someone they didn't now but knew was in need. Heavenly Father truly takes care of His children and answers our prayers in incredible ways. The next night The Olivarez family came to the Visitors Center and I just hugged Sister Olivarez and tearfully thanked her. Miracles happen.

Then Thursday was the most stressful, exciting, overwhelming, yet way fun night I will probably EVER have on my mission. I hope so anyways. So we went to dinner with our investigator Irmagard, but it ended up being SO much more. Irmgard is incredible, super fun and exciting and we just love her. Take into consideration that we have to be home at 9:00pm okay. We met her at her house in Beverly Hills at 7pm so she could drive. We rode with her (in her super cute cherry red Mercedes Benz convertible) to go to dinner. 

However, instead of taking us strait to dinner as planned, she drove us downtown Los Angeles for an hour and a half being our "personal tour guide" and explaining EVERYTHING to us. Which would have been great except it wasnt in our area boundaries and when we said this she was just like "girls girls, this is Los Angeles you have to see the beautiful Architecture and beauty of the city!" Then she headed back so we could all go eat dinner. 

But she took us the The Saddle Ranch Restraunt in Holly Wood that is famous for its fun atmosphere and mechanical bull and right across from The House of Blues (where she wants to take us for dinner next time). All of this would have been AWESOME except none of it was in our area and we had the Malibu Sisters car parked at Irmgard's house that they needed to have by 9pm too. 

So this entire time I am trying to be happy and stay positive yet on the inside I am freaking out and we're texting our zone leaders letting them know we aren't going to be home until later and trying to call sisters in the bathroom to figure out a car for Malibu but there wasn't any service in there so we had to text a million people to find a car for them. I got to the point where we were just like ok we have to enjoy this or we're going to explode from stressing out. So we ordered and my meal could have paid for my groceries for two weeks which we were also like AH! about but Irmgard just said "girls girls enjoy! I come for good food not for prices!" So we did. I had the best dinner I have had on my mission. We enjoyed and we were right in front of the mechanical bull so we got dinner and a show!  Yeah be home at 9pm right? ha. We kept saying we needed to leave because they would close the gate and she kept saying "girls girls dont worry! you'll be home on time!" (thats an hour after we're already supposed to be home) We ended up getting home at 11:30 pm! I was exhausted! And we still weekly planned for the next day! SO CRAZY!!!!! But SO FUN! Post mission I'm coming back and riding the bull! ;) for reals though!

Friday we had district meeting which is always great! I love our Westwood Zone! We have a new zone goal for August and its Harry Potter themed, which is fun but it was the theme my first transfer in my old zone but they're doing it way different so it'll be cool to see. If we reach our lesson goals for the week we get to pie someone in the face, but if we dont.. we get pied in the face... not happening! They're the best! 

Then we had a lesson with Irmgard at the VC that night and it was actually our best and most productive lesson we have ever had with her. We went over the Doctrine of Christ and restated our purpose. we explained to her again about our area boundaries and if she would like to take us out of our area (not the mission boundaries, just our area) that we would have to do it on a P-day and plan it ahead. She was happy with that and said that she was excited for the next time we could go out! haha oh we love her! 

Saturday I had a baptism! in South Carolina! 18 year old Meredith came to the VC in May with her Aunt who is the only member in the family and we gave her a tour. I have kept in touch with her via the Teaching Center and she got baptized on Saturday!!!!!

We have really been trying to make our key indicators this week and so praying to do so. At the start of yesterday by looking at what we had so far for the week you would have said there was no way to make our goals but we did! We've been praying to make them and fasted for it yesterday too. 

Yesterday Irmgard and Ben came to church for the first time! Ben only came because his naighbor and recent convert Ernie's car broke down and needed a ride. But he still came! He only stayed for the first part of sacrament but that is still so much progress for him. 

Testimony meeting was so special. The Spirit was so strong! I bore my testimony. We decided to call and text some members yesterday afternoon and go on splits for two hours to see if we could miraculously make our lesson goals and not get pied in the face this week and we did! We found two young awesome couples that could go with us. Divide and conquer! I had two member present lessons with our investigators Sarah and Ben. And Sister Merciales had a lesson with a referrals son who is interested now and now had a baptismal date for August 25th! Miracles!!!

Today Irmgard took us out to The Grove for lunch at guess where... Cheesecake Factory! I had the salmon and shrimp. SO good! Ya'll know cheesecake is my favorite! :) I had the white chocolate Red Velvet cream cheese cheesecake of course. <3 Best lunch and dessert so far on the mission!!! Irmgard is so awesome!!! Love her! 

Yes this week was one of a kind that's for sure! People think it would get "boring" doing the "same" thing everyday. But it is FAR from the same. It is just incredible how the Lord works and ho no matter what we are doing or where we are He is here for us to help us through it! 

THANK YOU YOUNG WOMEN FROM THE DAPHNE, ALABAMA WARD!!!!!!!! I OPENED YOUR PACKAGE THIS MORNING AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE! IT SERIOUSLY MADE MY WEEK! I LOVEEEEEEEE IT! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Love,

Sister Jordyn Petersen

jordyn.petersen@myldsmail.net

Sister Jordyn Kealoha Lani Petersen 

California Los Angeles Mission

1591 E. Temple Way

Los Angeles, CA 90024-5801