the smell of oil, the country life--it's way too perfect out here

Canyon exchange

Wow, I am seriously amazed at how time is picking up. It is just sliding through my fingers and I just want it to slow down! Pray for that for me, please:) I need to soak up every last second I have out here. And can I just say how happy I am that I actually get to stay in Pampa for the end. SUCH A BLESSING. Oh man, I love it here so much! We got to go visit with the bishop's family last night and I was just in heaven! The members, the people we teach, the smell of oil, the country life--it's way too perfect out here! [Gary worked at an oil refinery for five years after his mission. He LOVES the awful smell of crude oil!! Funny kids!]

Aaanyway, this week was crazy busy and crazy fun. We had zone training in Amarillo on Tuesday. It SNOWED the entire drive down there. But don't worry, it's nice and sunny again! I love the Panhandle for that reason. All sorts of weather in just like 2 days! That training was fun. The zone leaders for the Amarillo zone were pumped about the work and we all left ready to work! This work is exciting and I just love it so much! Sister Harvey and I got to instruct together at that training. SO MUCH FUN. I'm just much better at teaching when I have a companion:) And then at the end they had me share my farewell testimony AGAIN, luckily I didn't cry this time, but boy did I want to! The next day we had Zone Training in Borger. It is fun to me that I get to go back there some days:) And that training was fun too! I just love every second that I get as a missionary! 

Tuesday to Wednesday we were with the Canyon sisters on an exchange in Pampa! That was busy and fun! I was with Sister Camadeco and she is a hoot! And of course Baby Perez was there too and it is always amazing to catch up with her and see who she has become since her training days!

So, we have made a goal to do a lot more finding. We want everyone in Pampa to know about this glorious gospel! And by doing so, we have been able to find a ton more people, especially Spanish speakers. I LOVE TEACHING THE GOSPEL IN SPANISH. The gospel is true in English, but it feels even more true in Spanish. That doesn't even make sense, but I just love sharing it in Spanish! And it helps me remember how to be the kind of missionary the Lord wants me to be.

I love you all! I love this gospel. I love Pampa and I love this work! The people here are doing amazing. I wish I had more time to tell you all the miracles. But one is Jessica--she is inspired and ready! Pray for her!

Love y'all!!

Hermana Peck

Our investigator's pet goat!

Hermana Peck shot by an arrow in LuLaRoe dress with arrow designs.

Wow, there is like no time today and today I actually have so much to say! But I am so grateful for all the amazing emails I get from so many people that I love! Y'all are the best for still writing. Anyway, this week was packed and so amazing. I will keep it really brief though. 

Sad news though on Tuesday, I never talked about them much in emails, but the Bolt family moved from our ward this week. It was so sad! My first transfer in Pampa I moved them into their apartment, and now my last they had to leave. It broke my heart having to send them off, they were such an amazing part of my mission and we're definitely a big reason of why I came to Pampa! It was so cool how they were here basically the same time I was. The Lord works in really amazing ways y'all!

Then, amazing things happened with the work. So, a few weeks back, I saw some people outside a house doing yard work, and even though it was a little stalker-ish in they way we approached it, we parked our car, got out and asked if we could help...and they let us! A little later, we asked if we could teach them, and they accepted. This week we taught the mom and her 2 daughters and it was amazing! They were so open and I am so pumped to work with them more! The Lord truly blessed us when we follow His direction, especially when it is waaaayy out of our comfort zone! And also, there is this amazing less active couple we have been helping since I got to pampa. Pam, the wife has done so well!! She went with us to the temple last transfer and this week she came with us to a lesson!! Oh myyy it was so amazing! She is just flourishing and her husband is coming along too! I love seeing them come back to their peace and happiness they once knew, and now watching her share it with others too! The Lord is so smart. He has us all just help each other, and it helps us too....His plan is perfect!

Friday we had our Mission Leadership Conference in Lubbock. It was amazing. I know I say this all the time, but I am blessed to have such amazing leaders! They are inspired and love us so much. I just beam with excitement as I listen and participate in the plans they have for the work in the Texas Lubbock Mission. I'm just sad I don't get to stay....it's getting so good!! 

I also got to see Sister Wilkins when I was there! Pray for her heath please, the poor girl is going through so much right now. It was just such a happy day at MLC and then of course I had to ball my eyes out at the end when they had me share my departing testimony...again! There were like 6 of us who shared them, and I was the only one who cried...so awkward, but I've accepted that I am a total crier! This gospel is just too amazing to not cry about it!

Wow, I have so much more, but I am out of time. I love you all and I love this work!

Have a a wonderful week!!

Love, Hermana Peck

Bye to the Bolts!  

Historical Sites of Pampaland! 

Saddest day ever... 

The missionaries I came to the field with at MLC 

Happy days with sis wilk!

Love my compa at the temple after MLC 

More compa temple pictures! 

We went to the bishop youth discussion last night 
and talked about preparing for missions.

I had waayyy too much fun!

Feb. 8, 2016 - Heavenly Father wants us all back

LAST TRANSFER. AH. I bet y'all want to know where I'm going right? Not sure if I should even tell you. It's probably the BEST transfer call I have ever gotten. So perfect and so cool!! You ready???....I get to stay in Pampa with Sister Harvey for my last 7 weeks!!! I am so PUMPED! Sorry for the cheesy build up, but I cannot even express to y'all how much I wanted to stay in Pampa with Sister Harvey! I love it so much here and the work is just amazing. I have been BEAMING ever since they told us on Saturday night. AHH. So fun to me!

It was a good week! We got so much done, and somehow, finished really strong. It was such a productive week! Probably one of my favorite things this week was knocking into a Spanish speaking family! We normally don't find too many Spanish speakers, because they are all in the elder's side of Pampa. We only go there when we have set appointments with the people in their area that speak Spanish, but we decided to knock a house that stood out to us, and we met Myra! She is Catholic, faithful and amazing. We talked to her about temples and she loved it. We're going back tonight to teach more to her whole family and I cannot wait! Pampa is in desperate need of a Spanish branch and I am determined to help make that happen! I cannot even express how much I love teaching the gospel in Spanish. It's the same message, but it just fills my heart to share it with people in the language they best understand. 

Speaking of Spanish, we are also helping a family right now, and we had some great lessons this week with them! Normally when we go by, we only teach the mom, who was baptized 5 years ago. Her husband grew up in the church, so he's a member, but none of her kids are baptized yet. I really didn't realize that until this week.  This week things really started to turn around. We have begun teaching her 2 daughters that are old enough for baptism!! Plus, Sister Ortega really began to open up. Our lesson with her this week was a mess and it just seemed like anything we said wasn't making sense or a connection. I was so sad, and the only thing I could think of to say by that point, was my personal testimony of God's love and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The spirit came back so quickly as I bore my poorly worded, Spanish testimony, and all of our eyes all filled with tears. We're not quite sure yet how Sister Ortega needs to be helped to come back, but I do know that our Heavenly Father wants her back. He wants us all back! And it was such a sweet and special experience to feel His love coming through me to reach His daughter.

As for the rest of our investigators, keep praying for them! For Tim, Linda, Tricia, and the Sheltons! They are all making their slow progression, but they need a whole lot more than what I know what to do. That's one thing I have learned a ton about this transfer. I really never know what to do, but somehow, with constant effort and faith, He shows me what to do, and it is always better than anything I could think of or do on my own!

Last but not least, I wanted to share a few things I love with it being valentines week:)

I love my mission and what it is doing for me

I love Pampa and all the people here

I love this gospel

I love to share the joy that fills my heart from the peace of the spirit

I love my family who supports me in a my craziness

I love my companion, my sisters, and those the Lord has called to lead me

I love the temple

I love my Heavenly Father 

I love chocolate and Braums...way too much:)

I love letters in the mail

and most importantly, I love my Savior, Jesus Christ!

Feb. 15, 2016 - Service makes life much more fulfilling

Hellooooo family again! I hope y'all had an amazing valentines day! I know I sure did. I loved all the gifts and they all made me so happy! 

Anyway, I can just say....the Lord loves me A LOT. Somehow, we're having weird weather for the Panhandle and it's actually warm!!! I love it. Bike days are nice, we can go outside to work out in the morning, and people are actually outside so street contacting actually happens!! I love it so much! Plus, I don't have to live in tights everyday now, which is a grand blessing. Man, it's so funny how excited we get over simple things as missionaries! But it sure makes life so much more fun!

This week was full of service! We went to all the places, because we are really trying to do the 10 hours of service a week that has been asked of us. It's pretty hard to fit in, but we did it! We were at Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, a senior center, a food/clothing pantry, with a member family that has to move, and even cleaning up at the church! It was so much fun and I know so well after all this service in my mission, that it just makes life and everyday so much more fulfilling and happier! 

I think that's another one of my favorite things about this gospel, it just makes everything better. We may know Christ, but when we receive His restored gospel, we know Him even better. We may feel the Spirit, but when we keep our covenants, we feel Him even stronger. We may have a loving family, but when we put Christ at the center of our homes, were even closer. It truly is amazing!

The work with a lot of our investigators was hard this week. But I know, as we continue to follow the spirit in teaching them and work to find more people and families to teach, things will continue to progress. Some days, it's hard to convince myself of that, but that's why endurance and patience and perseverance are asked of us. Sister Harvey and the Lord, through a whole lot of prayers, help me to keep working my best and invite and help every person I meet come unto Christ through His restored gospel! 

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ, whether with or without a name tag, will never be easy, but it is the best path we can ever walk. It's full of growth, peace, and hope! It truly is the path to eternal life. This gospel is true. Never let anyone tell you it's not or that it's too hard to keep living. It's true!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Hermana Peck