August 31, 2015 in Pampa, Texas

Goodbyes in Carlsbad, New Mexico

Hello family from good ol' Pampa, TX! I love being back in Texas so much. It just has a different feel:) So this week has been crazy between transfers and learning the new area, but I have loved it. 

Monday was full of packing and goodbyes. It is so sad to leave, but once all the goodbyes have been said, and you're officially assigned to a new area, there's complete closure and you can head out off to your new adventure. Tuesday was pretty sad though. Sister Perez and I drove to Hobbs together where a member came to pick me up. I was so sad to leave her! I remember when Sister Slade left me after my first transfer in the mission to get a new trainer and I was TERRIFIED. I felt so bad doing that to Sister Perez. But luckily, that sister is so much more amazing than I was and she will do so well back in Carlsbad! So after I was picked up by a member in Hobbs, we drove to Lamesa, then another member took me to Lubbock, another member took me to Amarillo, where I FINALLY met my new companion:) Then, it was even more driving (while also getting lost in Amarillo) to Pampa! After about 9 hours of transfers, I made it from the south half of the mission, way back up to the North. And I love it here! The panhandle is seriously one of my favorite places! The hills, the wind, the people, the sky, it is all so amazing!

So, when President Heap called me to tell me I was transferring to Pampa, the only thing he told me about why I was being called there was that they needed Spanish. And boy was he right! Seriously, the first night, we taught a Spanish lesson, and I have been speaking Spanish every day since! It's kinda hard, because Sister Wilkins can't speak Spanish, so I feel like I am taking over the lesson, but we are working on it! She can now pray and say the first vision in Spanish:) Plus, she prays for me and helps me with what to say when I get stuck. She is so patient with me and I love her for that! But seriously, I love that I am speaking Spanish again. And the ward is so excited about it too. They all greeted me as Hermana instead of sister and were telling us about all these people we need to start visiting. I feel so blessed to have been able to learn Spanish and now use this skill to help other people! It is so much fun.

Also, I got to go to Borger on Thursday! I was so happy to be there:) I felt like I was home! I didn't get to go visit anyone, because we were there for a District conference with President and Sister Heap and the APs. That was an amazing conference. We talked all about the Fall and the Atonement. It opened my eyes so much to the importance of the work we are doing out here. It made me realize how there really isn't much difference between me and all the people I teach. No unclean thing can be with God, no matter what. We are all in desperate need of Christ and His Atoning sacrifice. I learned to show my weaknesses to the people that I teach, not just my strengths, just as Christ did when He came to visit the people in the Americas. He showed His willingness to help. I am out here working to help others be able to return to live with their Father in Heaven and their family for eternity, but at the same time, that's what I want too. We truly are here to help each other get there, because we all need the help so badly! And it's our job as members of Christ's church to make sure that everyone know how they can make it back. This gospel is true, it is Christ's teaching, and it is the only way to true happiness!

As for the new calling as an STL, I haven't noticed much difference yet. I still just do the work! I just have a few extra sisters to learn from and love lots:) Tomorrow I get to go on exchanges to Borger, TX! I am so PUMPED! And this Friday will be Missionary Leadership Council in Lubbock. My favorite part about this calling is that I have a baggilion more opportunities to learn from other people! I am loving this work, my companion, my area, and my calling. It truly is amazing!

Love you all and have a great week!

Hermana Peck

Goodbyes with Hermana Perez 

Hellos with Sister Wilkins!

205 North Sumner Pampa, TX 79065

Hello AGAIN! Another week come and gone, I cannot believe this transfer is already gone. It went by so quickly! I have loved being Sister Perez's trainer for her first 6 weeks, and I have seriously learned so much from her! So, I'll start with transfer news. Saturday, we were CONVINCED we were both staying. We had no reason to think that anything would happen. But as it goes with me and companions, I never get to stay with someone too long! So at like 10:03 we were 99.9% sure that we would get a call saying we were both staying. But the heart attack came as President's ringtone went off and we knew something was going to happen. I have been called to serve in Pampa, TX as an STL. I am seriously so sad to leave Carlsbad. It has been amazing here and I have learned so much. Two transfers in an area is way too short! But super fun news, I get to be back in the panhandle! I will be taking sisters in Canyon, Dalhart, Childress, and BORGER on exchanges!!! I am so excited! I get to go back to Borger and visit all the people I love so much up there. This transfer is going to be packed full with amazing adventures.

My new address is:

205 North Sumner

Pampa, TX 79065

As for our last week in Carlsbad, it has been amazing! We have been packed with stuff to do. I don't know how this happened, because last transfer was so slow and we had very few people to teach, but we have been so blessed this transfer. And we found so many amazing people to teach! I am sad to leave them all, but I am so glad I am leaving this area much better than I found it. And I am leaving it good for Sister Perez and her new trainer. They are going to have such a good next transfer.

So, as for amazing miracle experiences this week, let's just say Sister Perez is amazing. She will out of the blue say, "So today I've been thinking about this gospel principle, and I really think that doing this will help us see more success..." but more specifically, obviously. But seriously, she is always working so hard to help us improve, it inspires me! This week she brought up more specific and faithful prayers, which I had been thinking about a ton. We set some plans and said one of the most sincere prayers. We headed out, and on our way to an investigator's house, Sister Perez suggested visiting a different investigator that I was thinking about right then. We drove right over and she let us right in. Her friend was there, all distressed about some huge drama in her life, and Mary asked us to share a message. As we did, Mary added her own testimony to our teachings, and you could just see how prepared she was! It was amazing. We were able to give her friend a Book of Mormon and hopefully one day she will read from it! It was amazing to see how the Lord guided us so clearly.

Saturday we were able to go to the temple! That was so fun! We had an amazing trip and I learned so much about how I can improve as a disciple of Jesus Christ this next transfer. I cannot wait to see all that is to come. My main focus this transfer will be serving with all my heart. I've been serving with my mind, might, and strength, but not all my heart. I know that as I do so, I will gain a greater love for the people, for my Savior, and for my Heavenly Father. That's what the essence of the gospel truly is, as President Monson said--Love. It's what this whole plan is about. I love you all so much and I love being out here as a missionary! I hope you all have an amazing week and I'll be writing y'all from Texas next week!

xoxoxo,

Hermana Peck

August 17

Holy cow what a crazy week! It was AMAZING! But Satan was not happy with us at all, we were at war. I don't think I've ever had to fight him so hard! But we won, which is the best part!

So, I'll go day by day just to fully explain all that went down. First, monday, we had a baptismal interview scheduled with Gilly, but she couldn't make it. We tried everything! I was so frustrated, but we rescheduled for Wednesday, so there was still a glimmer of hope of the baptism happening on Friday. We were so sad though, so we went to go get ice cream and eat away our feeling, but it was CLOSED. Made the night even more depressing.

Tuesday, early morning knock on our door-the elders showed up with ice cream for us! They felt REALLY bad about the interview not happening. They are the best. Then, all day tuesday were exhanges. I was with Sister Affleck-round 3 of exchanges with here! She is the best, we always have such a blast together! And we always see miracles and do crazy stuff. Miracle this time: Joe said he will be baptized! Crazy: we knocked a bunch of semis trying to contact a referral...at like 8:30pm. 

Wednesday, We made the exchange swap back and me and Sister Perez jumped right into the work! We couldn't find anyone to give Gilly a ride to her interview and she wasn;t answering our calls. Man, it was so stressful. BUT we went over there with a present and balloons for her birthday and before going in, we prayed that if it was the will of Heavenly Father that she be baptized that she would answer the door and be ready to go. And that's exactly what happened! But we still didn't have a ride for her...but then a member texted us back and asked if she still needed one. MIRACLE. So she brought her to the church, and she passed! 

Thursday, oh my gosh thursday was exhausting! We had so many lessons and we were biking in the HEAT of the day. But it was so good! Sad news, Joe is back to doubting if he should be baptized, but he is still coming to church, reading, and praying, so we refuse to give up! But good news, we stopped by Dezires, and we set a baptismal date with her! We asked her to pray about when she should be baptized, and she didn't want to, so we testified of having faith and acting upon the will of God. She looked right at me and said "don't get all excited, because when you do, then I don and then I start crying, but as you were talking the spirit came in the room and told me when I need to be baptized". AUGUST 28th! Next week! I was so excited!! She was crying and had the biggest smile on her face. I was so pumped for her! We also had a lesson with Gilly just to prep her for her baptism! 

Friday. Oh man, friday was war day. We woke up both so worried about if Gilly was ready or not. We were praying so hard, and just feeling nothing but worry. Right as we were talking about it, we got a call from our WML that said that Gilly thinks she won't be baptized today, because her step-dad was trying to talk her out of it. We were so worried! So we made a plan for it, and as we did, she called us and asked for our advice and we set a time to go over and talk to her and her parents. It was such a blessing, because in that lesson, I knew 100% she was ready. She just kept saying how she didn't care what anyone said, she was excited, she know it was right, and she was going to be baptized to give herself a chance at a happier life. I was PUMPED. And it was so nice having that peace in knowing she really was ready. We were running around town all day friday getting everything ready! We even had to fight off a flying cocroach that was in the baptismal font...ew. So, everything was perfect and so beautiful. Gilly was there early and got in white! It was so perfect. Then, her mom called and asked us to wait for them, because they would be late. After 30 minutes, they came, and her dad walked right in and sat by her and started anti-ing her. It was awful, when I saw it, I just wanted to cry, si I ran to the member of the bisporic who was conducting and got him to start the meeting. Even through the hymns he was trying to talk her out of it, telling her so many lies. But right when they annouced the baptism, she stood right up and got in the water. She was so excited and she wasn't going to let anything stop her. It was so sad, and I really hope they're all okay. The weird thing is that her dad kept thanking us for helping her so much. So fake, it was heartbreaking. But she was so happy! After cleaning, we headed home and sat in the car and just sang at the top of our lungs. We didn't know how else to get all the stress out.

Saturday was back to work! We've got to find our next person who will accept our message:) And Sunday went perfect! She was scared to go up in front of everyone, but she went and was confirmed! She sat back down next to me and I asked how she felt and she look at me, smiled, and said, "I don't know. Weird. Different." It was so sweet! It is different. It's a peace we never feel until we choose to be baptized and God gives us one of His most precious gifts-the Holy Ghost. 

It was a crazy week. I cannot bvelieve how hard it was to get where we are, but we acted in faith, worked diligently, and the Lord blessed us so abundantly! And He will do the same for all of you! Love you!!!

Hermana Peck

missionmaries

Hello everyone! How are y'all? This week was great. Somehow every week is great as a missionary. Even when we're out on bikes in the 108 degree weather and everyone cancels their appointments, it still makes for a good week! Because we survive, we keep working, and we see miracles! And boy have we been blessed so greatly this week. I never understand how it happens, but everyone seems to progress the same week! 

First, Gilly's baptism is set for this Friday! I am so excited for her. As long as the interview goes well tonight, then she will be baptized this week! I am so pumped. She really needs the gospel, and she sees how much she needs it. I just really hope the ward holds on tight to her and loves her Because she deserves all the love in the world.  She has had one of the hardest lives I have ever seen and instead of turning and ruining her life, she is seeking out what is good. It is truly amazing. Just pray that the interviews go well and that no trial comes up this week.  No trial will be too hard with the Lord's help.

Okay, now for Dezire. She is the one who was going to be baptized a while back, but it didn't happen. She has been investigating for about a year now, maybe more, and she plans on being baptized. She talks all the time about how she wants her daughter to serve a mission and grow up in the church. She knows all the basic doctrines and just loves everything about it! We literally cannot figure out why she won't just take the step of faith and be baptized. This last week, we met with her and we were talking about why she hadn't been baptized yet and she kept using phrases like "well, I want to be baptized, but what if...", and so we helped her see that all those "what ifs" and "buts" were simply fear coming from Satan. She literally was shocked when she heard that. She was like, "oh my goodness, that is so true! I always say that you have to either choose fear or faith, and I've been choosing fear for so long" (or something along those lines). It made me think of mom who always says that we can worry, or we can trust in the Lord, but we can't do both at the same time. It is so true! So, she is now praying about the day that she needs to be baptized, so hopefully she acts in faith and takes that next step! Because she does everything else!

Also, just as a funny side note: we went to teach our investigators Tristen and Melissa this last week. They weren't answering our calls/texts and we hadn't been able to catch them in a while. When we talked with them, they were creating every excuse to not meet with us, but finally we figured out the problem! Anti. Man, I really don't like anti. But luckily, we got to answer all their questions. And I heard a new one that I had never heard before...they asked if we truly believed in a man named Jospeh Stallin...Ampparently they thought we believed he was god. Who knows, stuff out here for anti is so ridiculous. But, now that it's all cleared up, we get to keep teaching them!

I truly just wish that everyone would listen to the amazing message we have to share! It is pure, it is true, and it is straight from our Heavenly Father! I know with all my heart that the gospel has been restored to the earth and I love having the calling to share it with the world. Being a missionary is the best and I am glad that the work doesn't have to stop after I'm home! This work is an eternal work, because it truly is the Lord's work.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Have a glorious week!

Hermana Peck

P.S. My investigator, Mario, from Borger got baptized this last week!!! And my other investigator from Borger, Lourdes, went to Mario's baptism and now she is planning to be baptized as well! It made me SO happy to know that some seeds that I planted are now sprouting thanks to the continuing work of amazing missionmaries up there in Borger!

First comes work, then comes the blessing

Preach the gospel to every creature, right?

It has been an amazing week! At the beginning of the transfer, Sister Perez and I set some goals for what we wanted to get accomplished. It was so fun to have her come out with her greenie excitement, so we took hold of it and prepped ourselves to work hard, pray hard, and see the blessed fruits of our efforts. The night we set the goals, I was laying in bed and had a thought to open up my scriptures. I opened right to Enos 1:12.

 12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

I was PUMPED! I knew right then that God told me straight up that I would get everything I had set a goal for if I worked my hardest, kept Him involved with constant prayer, and had faith even when the goals started to seem impossible. It had been a couple weeks a beating down on our hope. We were having great success, but it just didn't seem like we were on track to hit our goals. However, we kept following as the scripture had said, and went forward in faith that we would achieve what we had planned and set. 

Our goal is still not reached, HOWEVER this week was the week of hope that we needed! Heavenly Father placed so many amazing blessings right in our lap. It was amazing. 

Friday, we were able to teach a recently reactived member's grandson. He wanted to know how he could be saved. It was a great lesson, he is so ready and prepared! And she was pumped to have a family member be joining the truth, she is the only active member right now. I am so excited for her.

We also have an investigator who is 16 preparing to be baptized on the 15th! We hope she will be ready, she wants it so bad, and the mountains we thought we had to climb before she would be ready, just turned into little hills this week. It was perfect!

Thursday night, we taught a woman named Mary, going into the lesson, I had no idea what to expect. In all honesty, I didn't expect much of it. But it was the most spiritual lesson I have ever taught in my life. Within the first 3 minutes we were all in tears. There was no doubting that the message we had shared was true. She expressed a lot of concern of people who had passed in her life, and normally we would share the Plan of Salvation, but the spirit prompted both of us to share the Restoration. It was so pure and true and obvious that was what we needed to share. And as we did, it wasn't about the Book of Mormon, it wasn't about Joseph Smith, it was about how the message we were sharing could bring the Savior so strongly into her life, that her pain could be healed, and her family could be eternal. I believe that with all my heart.

Anyway, I have to go, but I love it so much out here! There is so much potential here in Carlsbad, just keep the prayers headed this way! I love you all so much. Have a great week. 

I am so eternally grateful for the flatness that is New Mexico.
It makes biking in to 106 degree heat so much less...burning hot.

We may just be young girls with a badge, but we carry Christ's name,

Oh man, it has been a wonderful week! I don't know why I am so happy, because literally I am so exhausted but I am just so happy and want to keep moving every second! Literally, I never knew how much I could get done in a day until I came on a mission. It is such a blessing! We have seen so many blessings I can't even believe it!

First off, our schedule has been PACKED. I love it! We are literally bouncing all over Carlsbad, sharing the sweet message of the restored gospel with so many prepared people! This week we had a zone conference and we talked all about our teaching skills. And ever since then, I have set a goal and it has changed the work completely. My new goal is to "actively work to teach with greater power". Ever since I have started, I have seen people progress and the spirit is truly the real teacher in lessons. People can feel the power and authority that Sister Perez and I carry and we are truly so blessed to see it help people change. We may just be young girls with a badge, but we carry Christ's name, and we bring His message, and as I remember that, I remember what this work is all about. The Savior truly gives us power!

When it came to finding this week, the Lord was guiding us the entire way. It's funny to watch Sister Perez learn how to street contact; she loves it so much, but the second they get mean or pushy, she just looks to me for help. It makes me laugh, simply because I have no idea what to say! Training is weird, because I feel so inadequate in leading, but somehow, the spirit gives me the words and we are able to touch peoples hearts. We were biking one day, and we saw 2 older woman talking. I had 0 desire to talk to them, because most of the older population out here is set in their ways and always rejects us. But I went ahead and introduced us, and boy was I glad I did! They were a mother and daughter who used to investigate the church. They went for about 2 years, because they mom's husband was a less-active member working on coming back. They went to Salt Lake to see the temple and loved it! The only reason they stopped, was because of one dumb comment one person said. But they are so open to hearing more and coming back to church! We were able to teach them right then a bit of the restoration and help them feel the spirit it carries. They were so much fun! And I was so glad I followed the spirit in following them. It truly has been just experience after experience like that this week, and I love it! The Lord truly guides every step we take, no matter where we are.

Real quick, last night, we taught some potentials. We were so excited to teach them, but that was the 4th time we've been over, and the dad just gets drunk and blabbers on the whole time so we can't even talk, but the rest of the family really wants to hear the message! So as we sat there just being totally ignored, Sister Perez finally got them to be quiet for a second and bore one of the most powerful testimonies I've ever heard. They spirit was unavoidable and made the entire family quite. I know that truth always rings the most powerful. And being able to share my second witness too, it helped my testimony grow even stronger. It was truly amazing.

I love you all and hope you have an amazing week! This gospel is true, so go share it with everyone!

Hermana Peck

I am 100% exhausted, and it feels amazing!

Our investigator had us match with her and her daughter at church

We tried.

Hello! What a wonderful week it has been! I am 100% exhausted, and it feels amazing. When I get home at night, I love the feeling like I really earned my pillow. It is so FULFILLING. 

We have been so busy! Tuesday was transfer day. We drove out to Odessa, TX to drop off Sister Blyel and then pick up Sister Perez, my new trainee. She is amazing. She's from Sacramento, CA. She's the youngest of 5 kids, and she actually isn't fluent in Spanish. But she is determined to learn it and I love it! She is just determined in general. She came out prepared and ready. She is already re-training me. I am so blessed to be able to serve with her! She has already taught me so much and she is snapping me right back into the basics. I am more aware of everything I do and say, because I want to train her right and help her become who Heavenly Father wants her to be. It is so much fun!

This week was super hectic though. It was crazy trying to balance getting Sister Perez adjusted, moving to a new apartment, and taking care of all the people we are teaching, but somehow we did it! And we did it well! If that isn't grace and mercy in action, I don't know what is. But we are officially moved, and it is nice! We have amazing people we live around. We are smack in the middle of our area. There are no cockroaches, and the AC works! I love it so much:) It makes finding time to bike and walk so much easier, because we don't have to fit in the extra time of traveling in and out of our area. And we have been blessed because of it! We were walking home from our last appointment and met a man named Tristen. He and his wife are a teen couple, just married, with a one year old son. They are just seeking for help and they have opened up to us a ton. We have been so excited to teach them, and we can already see the glimmer of hope in their eyes even with only meeting with them once. We get to meet with them again tonight, so pray that they can feel the spirit and that their family won't hold them back from accepting the gospel! After our first lesson with them, Tristen told us that he didn't know why, but he trusted us and knew we were there to help, and that he was desperately needing it. I am so blessed to be a representative of Jesus Christ. I love when people notice it. It was so cute: as we walked away, Sister Perez just hugged me and smiled so huge. She was so excited to feel that missionary spirit! It truly is a wonderful thing to be a part of.

This week we (well, the amazing Sister Perez took the lead in doing it) set 2 baptismal dates! People are progressing so much, and we are working our hardest to be spiritually prepared to teach them according to their needs. I don't know how, but all of a sudden, we are jam packed with things to do and people to see! The Lord is putting so many people in our path to share this gospel and I am so eternally grateful! I have learned that all we can do is be diligent in keeping the Lord's will, and pray fervently  for forgiveness when we don't, and then trust in whatever the Lord has in store. Eventually, our will lines up and we are the happiest we could ever be!

Our investigator told us this week that whenever she goes to church, she actually feels pretty! It was so cute. That is truth people, the spirit 100% makes you feel pretty, because we are worth so much! 

I hope you all have an amazing week! Love you!

Peace Out

Hermana Peck

Rejoicing when the moving out was done!

Sunday night Spanish movie nights