The Last Email from Dad! Week 72 in Thailand.

My dear, wonderful, sweet, incredible Daughter:

 

This is it!  You are now facing one of the hardest tasks you will have to ever face in your life.  You have given your TIME, your FAITH, your LOVE, your EVERYTHING to the people and land of Thailand.  You love the people and country with every cell in your body.  You ache when you think about moving on to a different life.  You have and you will cry.  A lot of people will cry.  For you, with you!  Me included.

 

I remember when the plane took off from the Auckland, New Zealand airport.  It was night and they dimmed the cabin lights for take off.  I buried my head in the window, yearning for one last look of the country I loved.  I cried some real hard tears…I was not as driven as you.  I couldn’t see myself going back to visit because it cost so much.  I can now.

 

You.  YOU!  You are another story.  You are one of the most amazing young women I know.  You are so driven, so focused.  You are caring and nurturing.  You have some incredible goals for your life and I know you will achieve them.  You have in the past and you will in the future.

 

I am SO Proud to call you my daughter.  I AM SO PROUD that I was able to choose you for an incredible daughter.  I have made some choices in my life that I wish I could re-do, but let me tell you something, you are not on that list.  YOU are the best choice I have ever made.  The second and third best choices I have ever made were making sure I had two beautiful daughters and a handsome brother/son.  Evan, couldn’t do much about him!  LOL

I am sure all parents are proud of their children.  We need to say it more often!  We need to shout it to them every month, week, day, second!  Knowing that someone is on your side, has your back, loves you unconditionally is a wonderful thing.  I do love you!

 

I love YOU Elizabeth.  I am so proud of you.  You have taken things into your own control and are making them yours.  Amazing.

Logan:  I am proud of you!  You don’t hear it…but I am.  You are such a smart, loving, caring guy!  I want all the world has to give, just for you!

Evan:  You still have so much to show us.  You will accomplish everything you set your heart to!  Love you. 

So Marina, this will be the last email I will send to you in Thailand.  See you on Friday!  FRIDAY can you believe it!?!

Love Dad.

Week 71 in Thailand, 22 Feb 2015

Well this week went faster than the last but we saw even more miracles.  Our investigators Den and Eek accepted baptismal dates which was so exciting!

Other that that, the biggest news is that we had two big rainstorms this week which came out of nowhere.  Rain storm in Thailand means, like a 30 min downpour / monsoon which like floods the town. "-) 

On Saturday, we had just finished cleaning the church grounds from such a flood earlier in the week, taught some lessons, and were heading out to do some contacting before going home. Sister Witawee and I biked to a night market, locked our bikes together, and it started sprinkling.  We decided to bag contacting and just grab food and go home and make phone calls. 

 

Before we could get food, the monsoon came and we could barely see to get to our bikes.  We had nothing in the form of an umbrella, which the wind would have destroyed anyways.  So we were instantly soaked. 

 

As the street started filling up with water, my companion got out her key to unlock the bikes and as she put the key in the hole, it broke in half.  LOL  We waded through the now flooded street with our attached bikes and took shelter at a school for a few hours until the rain stopped and a member could come help us with the lock...

I'm going to miss Thailand.

 

Love, Sister Marina A. Peterson.

Week 70 in Thailand, 15 Feb 2015

We just spent the email time finalizing our visit to Thailand.  All set!

Week 69 in Thailand, 08 Feb 2015

A picture is worth a thousand words...or a lazy Missionary not wanting to write her blog?

Week 68 in Thailand, 01 Feb 2015

This week will have to be summed up in pictures, but the highlight was definitely going to Roi Et for Zone Training and preparing a play for Book of Mormon class. 

This week we were studying in Mosiah about Abinidai and King Noah.  Also we got a new sister at the end of the week so...dum dum dum duuuum............... I'm living in a Khon Thai house!   Whooo.  My language skills are going to sky rocket!!!! 

 

FYI   Khon Thai house means: everyone but me are Native Thais.

Hope you all have a good week and find joy in the journey!

 

25 Jan 2015 Email w/Dad

Dale Peterson peterson.dale.a@gmail.com

Sun, Jan 25, 2015 at 9:13 PM

To: Marina Peterson marina.peterson@myldsmail.net

 

I had a visitor.  Sister Stevenson!  I was busy and couldn't talk much but what a surprise.

I then just finished talking to her tonight on the phone.  She is excited for you to come home.  Excited for me to go get you.

 

Marina Peterson marina.peterson@myldsmail.net

Sun, Jan 25, 2015 at 10:59 PM

 To: Dale Peterson <peterson.dale.a@gmail.com>

 

Yeah she sent me a picture! I was so excited and seeing the store made me a little home sick but ... not too much :)  You look really good Dad

To: Megan Peterson

High heels will probably only work at Church, but they are necessary!   :-)

Week 67 in Thailand, 25 Jan 2015

This week I got the best news of my life, (that’s an exaggeration).  ว่า   I’m finishing my mission in

MahaSarakam!!!  With Sister Wittawee!!!!   We are both excited to take this transfer by storm and work work work. 

 

 

This week is the 150th Anniversary of the township of Mahasarakam.  Right now there is a big market blocking off two of the three main roads and every night there are some sort of concert going on, which you can hear very clearly from our house.  LOL  It makes sleeping harder for about five minutes until exhaustion seals the deal.  LOL  It is mostly fun to have a constant soundtrack of  Lam and Isan music with you.  :)  The markets been good for inviting also!

Our investigator Nai got confirmed this Sunday and we had a new investigator at church too.  It was a pretty good week work wise.  I can't believe Sister Wittawee is already on week 4 of training already.  It is hard to believe.  She amazes me everyday with how sincere and powerfully she teaches.  I feel like I've never felt the spirit more.  A lot of our lessons this week were about the family history work and helping all our RC's get started, makes me really excited to get home and work on mine some more.  I really miss the temple...like, a lot.  Being on a mission in Thailand has made me appreciate the temple that much more.  Can't wait for the day Thailand gets its own temple.  I will be here to celebrate with the members when that happens.

Funny story of the week:  We had a mouse in the house, which I discovered as I went to open the cupboard and it leaped out at me!  I screamed a seriously genuine scream of sheer terror and probably freaked out my companion...a lot.  The mouse then scurried under the sink, which is more like a vanity.  We immediately went to the “oh so big market” and bought a mouse trap (which by the way, was my word of the day).  Still no trapped mouse!  I'm thinking it scurried out the window or something because we've since done extensive cleaning and no trace of mouse. I almost made it my whole mission with out seeing a mouse in the house...almost.  LOL  Definitely had my share of street rats though.  Ewww!

Anyways, I hope you have good, mouse free week and I love you all!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

Week 66 in Thailand, Jan 18, 2015

This week our investigator Nai got baptized.  We've been teaching him for a few months and this was, maybe the most exciting day of the transfer!  My companion and I have been working really hard and have faced some disappointments also.  This transfer, we've both felt God pouring the blessings upon us.  In His own ways and on His own time!

This transfer has been the best opportunity to align our will with Heavenly Father's and find joy in serving and teaching. I can't believe it's the last week of the transfers already and I'm heading on transfer “sud thai” (the last).  Being a missionary goes by way too fast and I'm determined to make this the best transfer yet!  So everyone keep praying for me!! 

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

Email to me, asking about her new companion:  She actually sooo cute!!!!  We have a lot of fun.  The work has its ups and downs but our investigator Nai got baptized yesterday, which was really exciting for us and the branch.  We've been teaching him since we got to Mahasarakam.  I actually love being a missionary sooo much.

Week 65 in Thailand, 11 Jan 2015

Well, were going tiawing today so I don't have email time but I LOVE you and see you next week! 

 

Week 64 in Thailand. A NEW YEAR

This week we rang in the New Year with a bang! 

Day one:  I got a new companion, fresh from the MTC Philippines.  Her name is Sister Wittawee and she is from Bangkapi.  I was sooo excited to learn that I would be training her!!!  Pretty sure I prayed for that, like for a month straight, back when I was leaving Bangkapi.  Even though I forgot about my request, Heavenly Father didn't and here we are, five months later!

The rest of our week went a lot like this:  Invite, teach, eat, sleep, repeat.  By Sunday, we were exhausted, but as always, Sunday is when the Lord pours our his blessings the most.  We had a baptism for our investigator Garfield.  Garfield is the younger sister to Sister Nanne, so it was a really exciting day.  Sister Nanne was the speaker at the baptism, so on Saturday, we helped her write her first talk and then practice giving it, so she wouldn't be nervous. It was the most rewarding day of the transfer so far.   Never be afraid to pray for blessing!!!! 

Well I hope that you all had a wonderful New Year's Day and I'm sending out a bunch of letters today so keep your eye out!

All my love, Sister Marina A. Peterson  

 

 

Week 63 in Thailand 31 Dec 2014

I hope everyone is having a great New Year and that your Christmas was fantastic!  I love you all!

Week 62 in Thailand. 21 Dec Christmas week.

My email reply.  No blog.

This week was crazy in that we had transfers and I’m now in a trio with Sister Smith and Sister Sawangwong.  Sister Smith was actually really worried because she was in a trio in the MTC and it was hard, but so far it’s been really fun.  This has been a week of translating for me as I’m now the area translator.  Because Sister Sawangwong doesn't speak English and S. Smith is in the process of learning Thai and can't.  So that is kind of stressful but at the same time it’s nice to serve.

It’s most stressful when I have to translate thing Sister Smith says to Sister Sawangwong and vise versa.  But that goes back to the serving thing.  Also, I got called as STL Sister Training Leader and cried for the last time at transfer meeting...because now my group is the oldest in the mission and I won't have to say goodbye to anymore people that I love LOL.  I feel like I’m getting a lot of responsibility that would normally freak me out but God has already shown me that he’s going to help so I’m not too worried :)

Tell everyone I love them :)

Week 61 in Thailand, 14 Dec 2014

No blog, just some pictures.

 

My trainer came to Thailand!!!!!!!!!!!!! Best day ever...she swung by transfers to see how we, her two remaining companions were.  :-)

Also got to reunite with my peeps in Bangkapi :-)  seriously best transfers day ever!

Christmas in Bangkok :)

 

With Sister Sawangwong and Sister Smith

 

 

Week 60 in Thailand 7 Dec 2014

This week was a bit crazy because we had a Zone Conference Christmas party…which actually included everyone in the Isan.  It was really fun.  The four of us found some pretty awesome Christmas sweaters at a market here in the area.  We were probably both the most festive and tacky Missionaries there, but it was fun!

It sort of had a dramatic ending when, as they were bringing the meeting to a close, President Senior announced that my group would be giving the end of your Mission testimonies.  I still feel like I just got here, so that kind of came as a surprise.  I don't remember what I said, just that I had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the experiences I have had and for the fact that I still have a few more months to teach people about my Savior. Grateful for all the challenges that have made me grow, and all the people that I've met and grown to love.

It was also Father’s Day in Thailand which was fun because in all of our inviting spots, there were live music festivals going on.  :-)  All the streets were decked out in Christmas lights.  It was really pretty!  So Happy Fathers Day, Dad and Grandpas.  Here's to another week of finding joy in the work!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Thanksgiving Week, 59 in Thai 11/30/14

This was a week of eating good food and sharing the gospel.  LOL  There was a big market/festival this week in my area, filled with good food and tons of people.  So we did a lot of inviting and eating.  LOL  But we saw a lot of success in inviting and even got a new investigator from it!

 

Wednesday:  We went on a switch off so I went to Roi Et and got to spend some time with Sister Ong.  She has been out for six weeks.  I had a lot of fun just teaching so many people and I was so impressed with sister Ong.  She is a great missionary and is so good at Thai.  I love sharing about the commandments.

Sunday was probably the best day of the week...as always.  Nanne, our investigator got baptized this week, which was so awesome.  She was such a miracle.  We met her contacting a few weeks ago and over the past few weeks we’ve been able to see her faith grown and it was awesome.  It was about when we'd finished teaching her all the lessons and she had a desire to be baptized, that we talked about the youth programs of the church including primary.  She told us that she had actually come to primary at our church for two years when she was 8 to 10.  And it just hit me that God has been preparing her, looking after her for years.  How miraculous this day was for Him to see a daughter of God receive the gift of Baptism.  I love this gospel and this opportunity to share it with so many people!

We finished off Sunday in Roi Et.  The Stokers (Senior Missionary couple) invited our zone over for Thanksgiving Dinner.  IT was so perfect!  Smelled like home.  Had fun with my mission family and got to take a moment to be grateful for the scriptures and how much help and blessings I've received from them.  Never take them for granted.  So many people have sacrificed that we may know to what source we can look for a remission of our sins.

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

 

 

Week 58 in Thailand

Time
Too fast
Immeasurable
Memorable
Everlasting

Quote of the week: ไม่ต้องเครียด ชิวิตนี้ก็สุดยอดมาก

(You don't have to stress life is so awesome)

 

Wow!  Why are the my blogs starting out all the same...because I’m running out of time.  LOL

Things I remember from the blur that was my week:

Serving others:  Sister Smith and I got to help one our recent converts, Noi package and sell vegetables at a market.  Service is awesome and always a learning experience.

Sharing the Gospel:  Taught some amazing lessons today with our investigator, Nanne.  She has changed so much in the few weeks I've known her and it’s been such a great experience to watch her faith grow.

Saw the countryside:  Went to help a member harvest rice and she gave us a tour of her grounds afterwards.  It was like a garden of plenty.  It had everything from papaya trees, fish, rice, Thai vegetables.  So beautiful.  So fun!

Sorry no pictures.  I left my SD card at home.  :-(

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 57, 16 Nov 2014 FARM LIFE!

Whew, another week flew by.  I literally have fallen asleep at like 9:30 everyday this week.  LOL 

This week was filled with awesome experiences that only happen when your a missionary!  Such as working with a group of people to accomplish something amazing.  We worked a lot with members this week.  We visited some members that are struggling and it was such an awesome experience. Service is sooooo awesome it’s addictive.  

This week was also faced with trials of long hours and disappointments, but this week my companion and I really just decided that trials come and we can still have faith ต่อไป. So while trials came they weren't really memorable.

What I remember most from this week was:

Helping members harvest rice.

Teaching people about our Heavenly Father.

 Forming Friendship for life.

Experiencing firsts with Sister Smith.

  

Loving Life.

Love to all.

Sister Marina A. Peterson

I miss snow!

11/15/14  I wrote:  I am visiting CO this weekend.  Got snowed in.  Quiet, cold, bored.

 

11/16/2014  Marina wrote:  “Okay…I said this would never happen but…I’m going to say it…I Miss Snow!

 

Week 56 in Thailand, 09 Nov 2014

This week we worked sooo hard but like always, when our efforts fell short, God sent us some miracles.  Yah!  Faith!

So Monday we went on an excursion to the dinosaur town of Thailand.  Not as cool as Utah but definitely an adventure.

 

 

 

Thursday was the Lantern Festival in Thailand.  For FHE, the ward took us to go celebrate.  I have been waiting to send off a lantern since last year and relive my Tangled dreams!!!!

Saturday, I went to my first Thai wedding for a member named Joy.  Thai weddings consist of a lot of food (good thing I love eating) and are really
Hi-So. #grewupwithweddingsinchurchgyms.

My comments of the week:  Be believing, do your part,  be committed and pray.  Expect trials of your Faith but expect the Lord to act.   Sunday was a miracle day.  We had five investigators at church and got two new investigators!  For a missionary, that’s better than Christmas and the best part was, it was all the work of the Lord!

Love you all!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Week 55 in Thailand, Nov 2, 2014

Email question, how is your hand?

Which hand was it?

It was the left hand.  It’s completely healed.  Got my stitches out on the 28th.  Doing yoga once again.   :-)

Remainder of the email:  Yeah got the call Tuesday night that I was training.  Scary…and now I’m in Mahasarahakam with the new Sister Smith.  I feel like my last companion helped prepare me for this.  God always has everything planned.  So I actually am not that nervous.  Last transfer was good and I feel like this one will be as well.  We've already had a baptism.  I'm in the boonies but this place is booming as far as the work goes.  Also were in a 4 sister house which I love.  So much fun!   Well I will write more about that in my blog.

Loves

 

BLOG

Well I survived another Transfer meeting with a new area and New Companion, Sister Smith!  She just came from the MTC and is so excited to be here, which is awesome!  I'm more than nervous to be training someone on a language I’m still learning myself but I fell like this transfer is going to be awesome!

 

So I’m back in the rural part of Thailand living the dream!  It’s weird to be out of the city.  I forgot how many bugs there were.  LOL  Our first four days here have been an adventure.  We went bike shopping on Friday for Sister Smith.  Met a lot of the members and got settled in our house. This area has four sisters and we all whitewashed.  That mean we replaced all the previous missionaries, which were Elders.  Friday was kind of a unpack and explore day. 

 

The branch here is smaller, about 70 people at church, but the members are all amazing and very rooted in the gospel. The previous missionaries did some awesome work and we were able to come in and teach/prepare one of the areas investigators on Saturday, which was such a miracle. 

 

Her name is Jong and she is a sweet old lady that lives a humble life out here.  She has a truly amazing understanding of prayer and we were so blessed to meet her and be there for her baptism.  Like every Khon, Thai over the age of 50, she wouldn't smile in any of her pictures, which is sad because she has a pretty smile.  But just know she's a sweet Khun Yai from the Isan.

Sunday was full of miracles as the Sisters had three baptisms!  The ward was so excited because they had put just as much love and care into teaching these people as the missionaries had.  Everyone of the people getting baptized bore there testimony, not only of the gospel, but of the genuine love of the members.  We finished the day with a funeral for one of the members mother.  It was sad in the way that all funerals are but sweet in the understanding we all have of the plan of salvation.  My first Thai funeral.

Well I love you all and I hope your week is wonderful!

Love Sister Marina A. Peterson

Email worth sharing...Oct 26

Email Answers:

Hi Dad:  Well it’s the last p-day of the transfer so we’re all just waiting to see if we move.  I have no preference because I love it here but...I also miss serving in Thai wards...so just leaving it up to God.

(Questions about my trip)  I'm really excited to take you around Thailand because I love it here sooo much, which just makes me want to share it with everyone!!!   Oi okay I’m getting teary eyed so moving on....

The Bishop in my Ward says he's sees me on TV all the time at his office because they keep airing the English video.  I guess I’m a little famous.  LOL  Other than that, not much news.  Working hard.  Not getting trunkie.  Sharing the gospel that has brought me so much joy.

 

Love Sister Marina Peterson

 

 

It just amazes me how much we fall in love with the country and the people.  I feel the same way about New Zealand.   - Dale Peterson

Miracle Week 53, One year in Thailand Oct 19, 2014

This week can pretty much be summed in two stories :-)

Tuesday:  I officially have lived in Thailand for a Year and I celebrated it by getting a cyst taken out of my hand.  It was kind of just like getting a mole removed but from your bone???  Okay, that doesn't sound any better, LOL  but it’s healed up quite nicely and next week I get my stitches out and everything will go back to normal.  :-) 

Being at the doctors gave me time to reflect on my mission so far and what I want to accomplish personally for the next five months. I came to the conclusion that what I need to work on the most is charity and patience.  I feel like these two Christ-like attributes go hand in hand.  

Something I learned from Conference was:  We can all forget ourselves a little more often and spend our efforts helping and strengthening others. In doing this, I believe we can not only expound our capacity to love but develop a greater understanding for the love that Our Father in Heaven has for us.  That love is patient, longsuffering and unselfish.

Sunday:  Sunday was miracle day จริงๆ.  We got a new investigator from, Sri Lanka, with an amazing story.  He moved into the area recently and found himself in one of those questions of the soul moments.  He said and un-specified prayer in his heart asking if there was a deity, whom ever it may be.  He spent the rest of his night cleaning his new apartment and getting settled. Then, he crawled into bed.

He woke up the next morning and look out the window.  Near the window seal, there was a pass along card from our church about baptism.  He got really excited.  He said, he just new it was his answer.  The problem was he recognized the picture but the rest of the card was in Thai, which he can't read.  He decided he would call the number on the card when he got home that evening. 

When he got home, the card was gone.  He couldn't remember where he put it or something.  The only thing he remembered was the word Mormon.  A few weeks later he was finishing a job that he'd been working on, when the person he was working for brought up the Book of Mormon in a conversation of beliefs.  He instantly remembered the card!  :-)  That member brought him to church this week, answering not only his prayers but the pleadings of both my companion and I for a prepared person/walk-in at church.

Prayer is real. God is always listening.  No matter your question, great or small, he will answer.  As we follow his teachings and ask for miracles in our lives, we will see miracles.  For every righteous desire will be given in the timing of the Lord.

I love you all!  I hope you have a week full of miracles!  Ask for them and you will receive miracles in your life!

Sister Marina A. Peterson

Me celebrating my year in country mark with a pumpkin-frappe!