August 31, 2015
Hello family,

First off Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!! I am so very grateful for you both, for your example of true love, everlasting love. I hope one day to be able to have a marriage like you both have :)

This week was incredible :) we were able to go on visits with Hermana Laboriel which was great! i learned a lot from her :) When we were with her we found a young man named Alvaro. He is the uncle of a member and when we went over to visit this member, he was there. So we invited him to listen too and he was really interested. He accepted a baptism date right then and there and was super happy. But the thing that was soo cool was the next day we went over again and he had already read the whole pamphlet that we left and on a piece of paper had written down all the man points and things that he learned. I love it when people want to listen to us. 

Also we had the baptism of Allison and Axel and it was a miracle. We were soo happy that they wanted to do it and were prepared to make this covenant. The bishop had an interview with the whole family yesterday which was really good because i know that Jose and Jenny will get baptized one day too, espeically if they can feel the love and support from the ward. :) so the baptism was great and i am happy for them!

 i love you all so much and am soo grateful for your prayers. Mom you said that you`d been praying more this week for me and i know that it was because i needed help. i love it so much here, and if i could, i would stay here forever, but i have more things that i need to do with my life, and i know that God has big plans for me. 

LOVE YOU ALL :)

Love,

Hermana Peters

Allison and Axel:)

August 24, 2015
Okay family, i am going to try and be better this week and give you details about every single day :) mostly this is for mom, but i hope you all enjoy it :)

Monday: We were helping with transfers for a big part of the day and then by the time we knew it, it was time to work again, so we went off to a family night we had planned with the family of Jenny and Jose. We helped the kids get ready for the baptism interviews and ate really yummy food! Jenny made us a ton and wanted us to just keep on eating and eating and eating... so we did :) haha i was so full that i had to roll out of the house.. haha just kidding but my stomach was very happy :) 

Tuesday: We had a bunch of missionaries with us on Tuesday, the missionaries that were finishing their missions, the missionaries that were starting and Hermana Holmes who was waiting to receive her companion. Since Hermana Holmes was here in Escazu before, we sent her off with one of the missionaries that was finishing her mission to go visit her converts and members. My companion went with other missionaries that were finishing, and i went off with the new missionaries. That is one of my favorite things because the first day of your mission is a day that you will never forget, and also the newbies come with sooo much energy and faith, and are just so excited to get their missions started. And these newbies got a little bit of everything. So the first thing i had them do was contact a bus of about 40 people. They were sooo scared, but they did it and i was sooo proud of them :) We got some pretty crazy rejections, but also people who wanted to listen. Like a Jehovah Witness that we didn't even ask if we could come in, she just told us to come in and started to talk to us all friendly. That doesn't happen very much.. haha but it was amazing :) Also we had everything set up to have Allison and Axel`s interviews and then there day had a freak out and said they cant get baptized. I`ll be honest, i was crushed, but i didn't loose the faith.

Wednesday: On Wednesday it was way hot, and i just keep thinking about poor Hermana Fowler in Guanacaste.. haha i`m sure it`s even worse there! We went to visit Franchesca who right now is not only taking care of her baby, but also the baby of her cousin, So she`s been really busy, which has also made it harder to go to church and everything.. but we are trying to help her as much as we can. We also visited a couple other families that we are tying to help progress.

Thursday: So jenny told us that Jose wanted to talk to us one on one on Thursday. And so we that we wanted to be able to talk to him and be completely guided by the spirit, so we had a fast, and had all of our studies focused on him, scriptures we could share with him for whatever reason he was going to throw at us that his kids shouldn't be baptized. We got there and he wasn't home..... he had left and wouldn't be back til 9. i was pretty upset, but just kept moving forward with faith. 

Also on Thursday we had a huge miracle. It`s a man named Ezequel. He`s the brother of a member, and is like 50 or 60 yes old. A ton of missionaries in the past tried to share with him and help change him, but he was set on his way of life. Drinking and smoking. But about a month ago that all changed because he got really really sick, and was in the hospital for 13 days, and was close to dying several times. So he just got out like last week and when we went over to visit this member, he was sitting waiting for us. He asked us if he could listen and so we said yes of course. He started to tell us his whole story and with tears in his eyes told us that he knows that God has given him a second chance, and new life and that he is going to live it the way he should. He said that he wants to come to church with us, and that he wants us to help him change. I was almost in tears just listening to him. Listening to someone who had such a huge change of heart, who was really hungry to learn more. Also we challenge his to be baptized and accepted faster than anyone else i`ve ever seen. He`s incredible. :)

Friday: So the power of the fast sometimes doesn't come when you fast, but comes after. On Friday night Jenny called us and asked us to come to the park, that she was with the whole family. So we went there and sat down and Jose came down and sat by us. We asked him what`s on his mind and he said "ya know what, i think it`d be really good for my kids to get baptized." WHAT? he had a few doubts too, but answered them himself. I really now have such a stronger testimony of the fast. So Allison and Axel will be getting baptized next Sunday :)

Saturday: was incredible. :) in the morning we had a video broadcast of a conference that President Nelson gave to all the missionaries in Central America. It was the most amazing thing, and i felt the spirit sooo strong and learned soooo much. I don't have time to tell you all, but just know that it was super amazing. After the conference we went, my companion and i with the sisters in Pavas. They are sister that are in our zone that have been struggling lately. So usually we do divisions and one stays, the other goes. But we decided to both stay and help them in their area. So with us there for just a few hours we found 11 new investigators, and 8 of them accepted to be baptized! it was amazing!!

Sunday: okay i am now like out of time but yesterday we had 7 investigators in church!! it was great!! 

I am happy and love my mission sooo much! i know the lord knows what he`s doing with me, and is helping me change :)

Have a wonderful week and enjoy school :)

Love,

Hermana Peters :)

Newbies contact a bus!

Soley one of their investigators that i love :)

   Hermana Yoc, i was with her all day :)

Aug. 17, 2015
Hola familia, como están?

This past week was great! I dont even know where to start... well okay first off on Tuesday Jennifer came with us all day to all of our appointments :) it was such a joy for me to be able to watch someone i teached, teach and testify to someone else. Her testimony is already so strong, and she beams when she talks about the gospel. So that was such a great reward for me.

 While we were with her we went and visited a young man named Albero. We found him last week and asked if we could come visit him and he said yes so we went over and stated to teach him. His famly didnt want to listen at that moment, but he did. As we began to teach i could tell that there was something going on inside of him, and that he was not happy with his life. He said he didnt know the purpose to his life, and that is kinda just going throught he movements everyday because that`s what we do as humans sometimes. The spirit was so strong as we testified to him of the Plan of Happiness. That he is a son of God, and that God has a purpose for him. we ended the lesson by giving him a Book of Mormon and telling him that if he reads it, he will find a purpose for his life. As he took it in his hands he started to cry and just thanked us for the book. Yesterday he came to church. It was such a miracle. I can already see a change in his eyes!

Also we have been working a lot with  Jenny and her family. They are the best people ever and i love them sooo much, and am soo happy with there progressing. We went with them on Monday and they were all just soo happy to sit down and learn. Jenny and Jose are very exicted for their kids to get baptized this week, and we are so happy to help them. 

Franchesca is home!!!!!! She came home on Thursday and when i saw her i literlly screamed and ran into her arms!! i am soooo happy that she is finally home safe and happy! and she is still progressing, and we are working right now to plan out her baptism :) 

Saturday here was Mother`s day so we went and did stuff for the moms here in escazu :) Like you saw in my picture we gave flowers to our cook because she is like our mom here, she cooks us food and washes our clothes. We love her so much! also on Friday night we had a big activity in the church for all the moms and it was super fun!

Sorry it`s kinda short this week, i dont have a lot of time! But just know that i love you all so much :)

Love,

Hermana Peters

this is hermana garcia :) she`s the best!!

i love hermana fowler so much and am sooo sad that she is leaving the zone... but she`s going to kill is in Guanacaste!! :)

Hermana Peters and Fowler!  Best Friends and Sisters!

just because Costa Rica is the most beautiful place on earth. :)

the birthday of our ward missionary leader, and don't worry i was on division that day so the sister didn't want to be in the picture, i still have a companion :)

 Hermana Garcia :)

divisions with Hermana Camacho :)

sheylin :)

this past week here was mother`s day so for our cook we bought her flowers and made her lunch :)

hermana camacho :)

August 10, 2015
Hello family,

Well here we are again, another week has come and gone super fast. i cant believe how fast time goes here in the mission. And i really just want it to all slow down..

This past week we saw sooo many miracles, but now just us, all the sisters here in the zone!! Hermana Garcia and I were so happy to see all the sisters having so much success. They were all finding a lot of people to teach, but people that actually want to listen. It is really cool for me to be able to talk to the sisters every night, and to hear their miracles. I love it!! And i really am learning more from them every single day. 

This past week i got to be companions with my best friend again :):) HERMANA FOWLER IS THE BEST MISSIONAY I KNOW. That´s about all i can say. Haha i LOVE working with her because eveytime i learn so much from her. I really think that President should just put us together as companions because we´d probably baptize all of Costa Rica.. ;) haha but i am grateful to at least have had the chance to be with her once more because we´re pretty sure she´s going to have transfers the next week... :( so i had to make sure we were together once more :) but really when i was with her we were able to see so many miracles, plus it was nice to be able to talk to her. We both were talking about how we can really feel a change inside of us, and that when we go back home, we dont want to go back to the way we were before. So ya we were trunky for a little bit, but were able to set some goals together to help one another stay strong when we get home. It was great!

Also this last week we went with a family that we haven´t been able to visit for a while. They came to church that day i had 11 investigators at church, and they all loved it except the dad... and for that, they have all kinda stopped. But we were able to go see them on Monday, and we caught the dad before he ran off to his room. We just said that we were going to be quick and asked him to stay. So he did!! And we had a great lesson :) And we now understand what happened with him, his name is Jose the dad. He told us that he liked the church, but that all he sees is everything he is doing wrong, and he feels like he has way too much to change in his life. I feel that even as members of the church we feel that way. We told him that that is normal, and that if he just starts, little by little he will see a big change, and he will be able to become what he wants. He agreed to start trying more, but says he still doesnt want to go to church. But then he told us that he wants us to help his two kids get baptized because he really does like the church, i think he is honestly just scared of change. So now we will be preparing his two kids to get baptized at the end of the month, and i know that him and his wife will soon follow after. We just have to be patient with the Lord´s time. So Jose is going to be harder, but Jenny Allison and Axel are really progressing. And yesterday they came to church. :):) 

Also we are still waiting for Franchesca ... But i am pretty sure she´ll be coming back on Wedensday :) so pray for her!!

Well i love you all so much, and i really love my time as a missionary. This was the best decision i have ever made in my whole life, and i know that it was directed by God.

Have a wonderful week!! 

Love,

Hermana Peters  

sorry i will send pictures next week :)

and THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE!!! 

August 3, 2015
Hello Family,

This past week was crazy. So many things happened that were not planned. To start off, on Tuesday morning we had a sister that came to stay the day with us because her companion had to go home early so she didnt have a companion. So she was with us all day and at the end of the night we got a call from the APs. I answered, getting ready to hand this sister the phone so they could tell her who her new companion is but then they asked for my companion. So i hand her the phone and they start talking and she just covers her face. They told her that she has emergency transfers, and that she will be going with this sister to her area.. We were all way shocked. So she talked to them for a bit then hands me the phone. They tell me that Hermana Garcia will be my new companion, and that i know how the responsibility to train her on being a Sister Training Leader, that President have a lot of confidence in me, and that now i have a bigger responsibility. That night we went home, and i helped Hermana Gallegos pack up all her stuff, (which we had just unpacked the other day since we moved on Monday) She was really sad, crying all night and i felt sad for her too. 

The next day we went off to get my new companion. She is from Guatemala, and has 10 months in the mission. She is a super hard worker, and already is like my best friend here. We have a lot in common and i love working with her. So it was a crazy change, but i feel really good to have her as my companion. Really God has his hand in everything. :)

Then on Wednesday night the APs called us again. They told us to make some good plans for the next day because the mission president´s wife will be with us tomorrow. So me with only about a month and a half in the area, and my brand new companion.. were a bit nervous. But it ended up being great. We had her with us for just a few hours, but her testimony really helped a lot of our investigators. I also now feel a lot closer to Hermana Laboriel, which helps to know that my mom her in Costa Rica really has my back. Also just so everyone knows, after the visits, President came to get his wife and we were talking and he told me that i will be coming home in January, i thought it was going to be earlier, but God has another plan for me. So i will just trust in the Lord. :) my mission scripture has really become the theme to my mission. Proverbs 3:5&6. <3

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

On Friday we had a Leadership Meeting, which are always great, but also a little stressful. Me and my companion spent a lot of time making sure we knew all the articles of faith, the prophets and books in the book of mormon in order because President will walk up and point and you and say "Fifth Book in the Book of Mormon" or "Twelth Prophet" or "Tenth article of faith" and he likes his answers quick and correct. Haha so we did a lot of studying, i felt like i was studying for a big test or something, haha. but i passed :) everything he asked me i knew :) So the meeting was great, i learned a ton from President, and also from the APs. President is raising all of our standards of excellence, which i know will help us, and push us to become better. I really can feel that President Laboriel is a man who is called from God, and that he is going to push me, work me, and change me into the person and women that i need to be. He is an amazing President. 

I also got letters this week :) thank you mom and sarah and nick for my one year letter and also grandma and grandpa peters for your letters! i always love hearing about everyone :) 

Oh and if you all were wondering, Jennifer and Cristina are both doing great. They are loving the church, and aww i just love them both soo much. Wanna hear something crazy? Jennifer´s last name is Lopez. I baptized Jennifer Lopez :) hahaha also i have GREAT news. Franchesca gets home on thursday!!!! Yes i am soooo excited :) :) :) i will be sure to send lots of pictures :) 

So ya it was a crazy week, but i am so grateful for the chance i have to learn and grow, to really understand how i can trust in the Lord :) Love you all :) 

Love,

Hermana Peters

July 27, 2015
Hello Family,

How are you all doing? Sounds like the 24th was fun. To be honest, i forgot.. completely forgot. Until Hermana Fowler said something that night... haha but looks like it was lots of fun scooping poo and eating snow cones :) 

So this week was AMAZING. We saw miracle upon miracle upon miracle. Every night as i was praying all i could say was "thank you" a million times to my Heavenly Father, thanking him for all the many blessings He´s blessing me with. So to start off, Jennifer and Cristina both got baptized on Saturday!! As you all know, Jennifer from the very start was a miracle, and kept on showing us more and more miracles. She had her interview on Tuesday and after was just soo happy. She kept telling us how we are the answer to her prayers, and that she feels soo good taking this step in her life. She is really mature for her age and understands everything so well. When we teach her you can just see it in her eyes that she is soaking it all in, wanting to learn everything she can. After her interview we were talking with her and the Elder, and he asked her if she wanted to go on a mission, which we haven't even asked her. Without even thinking she said, "Yes of course." That night we went over to see her and she asked us a bunch of questions of what she needs to do to prepare and everything. it made me soo happy :) so she´s INCREDIBLE: 

And Cristina is the best. We finally got to hear her whole story this week. She told us that a few years ago she got hit by a car. From this accident she lost all of her memory, with that losing her ability to read and to write. So she had to start all over again learning how to do things, like a baby, but now can do almost everything on her own. So now she is 84 :) and her memory doesn't have any effect on her being able to learn the gospel. She remembers everything!! and she has such a strong testimony. She told us that she will be going to church until the day she dies.. who knows how long that´ll be, but i feel so blessed to have helped her make this important covenant with our Heavenly Father :) So she is such a testimony that you are never too old to change, never too old to repent, and that there are no excuses to not be going to church, because this 84 year old women that has a hard time walking, comes to church every week :)

Also we had divisions and I went to an area called Pavas this past week which i really liked :) the hermanas have only been there for 3 weeks, because they are opening the area, and well i love looking for new investigators. so we went crazy talking to everyone and helping her to get her area going :)

LOVE YOU ALL SOO MUCH :)

Love, Hermana Peters

This is my new apartment

My little friend!

Every time I come she wants to jump with me!

My companion, yep, stuck on her phone:)

This is Jennifer, our miracle girl!

Cristina!  You are never too old to accept the gospel!

My twin for the day!