Live worthy of Christ's Atonement

First off, Happy Valentines day!! Mine was great. I made pink cheesecake brownies and pink heart shaped waffles. I do anything and everything I can to make holidays special in the mission:) That's what Sister Slade taught me anyway. We also went around and heart attacked people's doors. When I was heart attacking, our ward missionary, Karla, she like walked out of her house...it was so awkward haha. I just ran away and hopped in the car where Sister Ogles was waiting for me so we could drive off. It was all way too much fun. I swear, the mission just makes weird things much funnier than they actually are.

We ate district lunch at this restaurant in Pampa...and it was so Texas. I don't think I truly understand what it means for things to be Texan, but this was definitely it. The cook came out with grease all over and explained his special for the day, which had this apparently crazy terribly spicy salsa...so of course we had to try it. I don't know how, but apparently Portales had a huge effect on my taste buds, because it wasn't spicy AT ALL. I mean, all the other people were dying, but it was like your average salsa...AMATEURS. Try serving in a Spanish branch and then you'll know spicy food:)

Anyway, this week had some of the worst nights, best nights, and weirdest days I've had so far on the mission. Lets just say my heart was on a dang ROLLER-COASTER. But all is well and I am loving Borger (officially.) Friday Sister Ogles was sick, so I did weekly planning basically by myself, and then we stayed in for the night.  I cleaned and listened to Elder Holland chastise me for about 2 hours. Oh my goodness, that was fun. An Elder gave me a bunch of music and talks on a flash drive, so I had like 5 talks in a row to listen to by him. It was wonderful. Pumped me up for missionary work!

We also have a Book of Mormon class every Thursday night and it was so good this week.We had the highest attendance ever there! And many people were in tears. We really don't even do anything either. All we do is go in a circle reading the Book of Mormon, and then we stop every once in a while when people feel the spirit teach them something. It is cool. I love it, because it shows me how the most effective teaching is when I'm not the real teacher! Because I'm not at all qualified to actually convert these people, but the spirit does wonders when it comes to that work:)

I also translated at church again! Not sacrament, because our investigator's son did it for her, but I translated through all of relief society and taught Sunday school in Spanish. I felt bad in relief society because I seriously just talked through the entire lesson, but it was fun. Our investigator right now is amazing! I love her dearly. She's like our only Spanish investigator right now, so I love teaching her so much. And she makes us such good Hispanic food when we come over:) I was spoiled in Portales with all the Mexican food I got...It was soooo good.

Anyway, this week was good. I love being a missionary so much! I had more I wanted to write, but I have no time. Just know that this gospel is true! Today I learned that no matter what we do, we cannot actually do anything to save ourselves. We just have to live worthy of Christ's Atonement so that he can save us!

I love you all!

Hermana Peck

Always got to have a favorite dog in the town! meet Blacky:)

Thanks for the package!! They always make my life!
P.S. Dad you're getting really good at shopping these days:) 

Valentine's day! I made pink heart (kinda) waffles! 

Remember last week how I was so happy to have sunshine?
Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Welcome to the Panhandle

Translated Stake Conference. Thanks Lindsey for the Awesome Package!

The sun has officially returned, and I am so dang happy about it. No boots, no coat, no gloves, not hats, no scarves-it's so freeing! I feel like I can finally breathe. So if a cold patch is on it's way, don't tell me. Just let me bask in the joy that comes from the current sunshine. It makes getting out and street contacting so much better! People are actually outside to talk to and people actually open the doors of the houses we knock. It amazes me how 30ish degree weather turns this entire town into hibernating bears.

This area is truly great, but I'm starting to notice that we have slim to none Spanish teaching opportunities. When we do get them, they aren't willing to come to a church with translation. It's a little hard because all finding efforts only find potential English investigators, but I'm praying for creative ways to find the ones we need. I know they'll come soon as long as we keep getting out there and seeking the spirit! I just REALLY want to keep teaching in Spanish. We have plenty of Spanish members, they are just all less involved, because they don't like translation either. And who can blame them, I'm HORRIBLE at translating. Having to keep track of everything that is said in English and then repeat it in Spanish...let's just say I have no idea what was said in stake conference this weekend even though I repeated it all:)

Our family that is getting baptized had to move their date, so no Valentines day baptism:( BUT they are still amazing and progressing. We just want to be sure that they're converts, not just investigators! I just really love this gospel so much. I have seen so clearly that it blesses families. It is so true that by following all that God asks us, we will see miracles in our home. I hope I can help even just one person realize that while I'm here!

This week, we were talking to a very depressed member who has lost all faith. I was reading with him from Alma 32, and he just kept questioning everything I said. I almost reached tears, because I was so frustrated with him, but at the same time I was so sad for him.  In those couple minutes, I have no idea what I said, but I know the spirit was guiding me, because I truly wanted to help him. It was one of the few times in my mission that I've been 100% sure that my words were the spirit's. And it was truly amazing! I was so exhausted by the end of the lesson, and just about died working the rest of the night, but I learned so much in that lesson, and I really hope our member did as well. 

Saturday night we got to go to Amarillo for stake conference! I ran into our cousin there. [Jenifer Kunz, daughter of Phillip and Joyce Sheffield Kunz] She introduced herself; it was so fun. She gave me my hug from you mom, so thanks:) love you too! 

I love going to meetings like that these days. It is such an opportunity to listen to what the spirit teaches. I've stopped writing the things said from the pulpit, and now I just try to write what I think about as I listen, and I get SO MUCH MORE out of meetings. It's so cool how much God is willing to talk to us! He's pretty awesome:)

On our way home, the member driving us scared us so bad. We were already late for curfew, but she wanted to show us this service project she has, so she pulled off the side of the road and it looked like she was about to drive into a HUGE ditch! My companion basically dropped to the floor of the car and covered her eyes. Totally random and unnecessary story, but I forgot to write it in my journal, and I wanted to remember it, so I'm writing it here:)

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week! Thanks for all the letters this week:) Love ya!

Hermana Peck

First time translating into Spanish!

Pretty sure only about 5% of what was said actually made sense to them...

Braums!!

Thanks Lindsey:)
Missionaries love mail, especially mail full of chocolate and good smelling things

WELCOME TO BORGER, TX

Borger, Texas

  Well, I'm here in Borger, TX all safe and sound! I cannot believe it. This town is way different than Portales. I miss it so much. I've learned since coming on my mission how terrible I am at change, but I'm getting used to it. 

  Our house here is crazy nice. It's apparently the nicest in the entire mission. I feel like we are living in a mansion. 

   This town is big on oil. There are random oil rigs all through the town. It's the craziest thing I've ever seen! We'll just be walking through a neighborhood and BOOM oil rig right by a person's house. From what I've noticed there are about 3 main oil refineries here. That's what their called, right? One of them looks like this huge evil castle. My companion said it's like Lord of the Rings.

   Anyway, my new companion is Sister Ogles. She's like 22 and from Nevada. Super sweet girl, we're way different, but she has helped me make the transfer super well. The first night I went into our room to get a tissue and she thought I was crying so she came and gave me a hug...it was just super awkward. All I needed was a tissue haha.

   The people here are big into the bible. I'm definitely in Texas. They seem to want to bible bash, but besides that, they are all so nice! We've been doing a lot of walking in the cold, and about one person every half hour pulls over to give us a ride. And people always want to feed us. It's making this whole healthy thing go down hill, but I still love them for it! Also, a ton of people here suffer from major depression and other mental problems. It's super sad, but I understand. 

   We don't have a Spanish branch here. Just a small English ward with about 3 Spanish speakers that come. And we're only allowed to teach Spanish speakers, so it makes the work way hard. No one wants to come to a church not in their preferred language! But there was a promise made to this ward a while back when the building was dedicated that one day it would be a stake, so I am stoked to be a part of that!

   We have one family here that we are teaching who will be baptized on the 14th! They are so amazing and so prepared. They are English, but they preferred sisters over elders, so that's why we are teaching them. I'm really excited for them, and the ward loves them so much! When it comes to missionary work, it's all about the ward accepting our investigators. We as missionaries can't stick around, so I love when I see investigators become part of the ward family! It's seriously the best.

   I love this area so much already and now that the weird transition phase is over, I'm so excited to dive into all the work. I know miracles are on their way here and I really want to help them happen.

   I miss you all a ton! I think about you and pray for you everyday. But I've got to be honest, I love being a missionary. It's all just way too much fun.

   Have a good week!

Love ya,

Hermana Peck

P.S. I'm on my way to Braum's after this. SO EXCITED. It's been too long.

Last day in Portales!

Celebrating Sister Laparra's birthday

 saying my goodbyes 

4 bedroom, 2 bath, super nice kitchen. Sometimes, it's nice being a sister:)