Families are FOREVER!

September 14, 2015

What a great first week of a new transfer. 

We spent the first few days in a tri-companionship (?) with one of our sisters, Sister Caruso! She was super sweet, it was a blast to hang out with her for a couple days. We got to see a lot of neat things happen together! We got to teach our investigator, C. It was a fantastic lesson. C. is 17, and I love her so much. One of my favorite things to teach people as a missionary is who God is and how much he loves them. Sooooo many people are missing this basic truth in their lives, and it's no wonder it's so hard to live in the world without the gospel. C. is feeling the spirit for the first time in her life, and she is changing so much! 

We also got to pick up G. H. as a new investigator, and it was AWESOME. She was super hesitant to talk to us at first, but as we testified of the gospel, the spirit was unmistakable in the room, and she was excited to read the Book of Mormon and have us come back for another lesson! She had been to so many different churches and was beginning to give up on finding the right one, and it was so wonderful to be able to share with her that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been restored on the earth, and that she can find all the truth there! I think the best part was that we brought S. A. with us (her son X. just got baptized) and she got to share her powerful testimony of the gospel. It's neat because she's felt those blessings of the gospel in her family so recently!

I LOVE this family!

Highlight of the week: G's baptism!!! SO so so so amazing. The coolest thing about the L. Family is that J. has several active members of the church in her family, and they all love each other so much. So G. getting baptized was a big deal to his family, and the room was FILLED with so many of the people that loved and supported him! Also, B. got to baptize him, and B. has only been a member for a couple months! It was amazing. The gospel brings families together, I have no doubt. Also, families are not meant to have endings :) They are forever and ever, and that love and loyalty just gets stronger. It's amazing. 

G's friends and family. This picture is my favorite, EVER.

Oh and we got a new bishop this week! Bishop P.. He is on FIRE for missionary work and we are so so SO excited to work with him and see some miracles coming up! YES!

I love you all, this gospel is true :)

How they showed up to the baptism :) :)

Giant Spider!

 September 7, 2015

It's a little crazy to think the transfer has ended! Transfer calls came in on Saturday, and both Sister Hayden and I are staying in the area!! We are pretty happy about that. It was pretty neat to be able to give transfer calls to our sisters as well. Some transfer calls are hard, some are exciting, but you just feel that each companionship in each area is inspired by Heavenly Father, and it's neat to be able to testify of that to the sisters. 

The classic name tag/St Louis Arch shot! :)

We are setting some awesome goals for next transfer! It will be Sister Hayden's last transfer, so we are expecting Heavenly Father to really bless and guide her in this area :) Can we just talk about how awesome goals are? I LOVE setting goals!! They stretch me and change me and help me rely on Christ and his Atonement.

It's been a great week. We've had some incredible miracles! Let's see if I can fit it all in this email.

We've been praying to be led to those who are prepared for the gospel (always) and on Tuesday, we got to start teaching a family, the H's! They had requested a Bible online, but when we went to deliver it, the let us right in and were happy to talk and talk about what we believed. We shared a Book of Mormon, and we're going back to see them tomorrow! I'm so excited about them.

Later that day we went to teach the L. family. We love them!! J. has been a member all her life, B. (the husband) got baptized right before I got here, and now we are teaching the 11 year old son, G.! He's getting baptized this Saturday :) We were able to have a really spirit-filled lesson. G. is so adorable, he calls us "my missionaries". He is so humble. I have loved teaching all of these younger kids! Anyway, short story. That night we had been joking around with B., he's a huge 6 foot tall biker and we found out he is terrified of spiders! So the whole night we were teasing him about his fear of spiders. Then, right after we say the closing prayer, this HUGE spider drops from the ceiling and hits the floor (you could hear the thud, it was seriously huge). Needless to say, all chaos breaks out. The kids are screaming, B. jumps up yelling and RUNS out of the room, J. is screaming, "Get me a boot! I need a boot!" The spider runs underneath the couch we're sitting on, so we're scrambling out of the way, tripping over each other. B. gets the courage to come and lift up the couch, the spider runs out, then J. and I team-killed it, she threw the boot and stunned it, and I smashed it with my shoe! (I've included a picture :))

Giant Spider

Hahaha anyway, so then we were all relieved and laughing hysterically and joking around, it was just one of those bonding experiences I'll always remember! Surviving giant spiders seriously brings people together. I LOVE the Little family, they are so special and the spirit in their home is incredible. We are all excited for G.'s baptism this weekend.

Another miracle is J. Oohhhhh man I am just so so so excited about her! I get chills thinking about her story. So originally, J. was a Bible referral for the sisters in this area. They dropped off a Bible and a Book of Mormon and she was DEFINITELY not interested, very closed off and unreceptive. While they were talking though, her Hispanic husband G. came out and started talking to the sisters, asking them if they could help him learn how to forgive. So they referred him to the Spanish Elders in the area, and they started teaching him. To make a long story short, this weekend we attended and did a musical number at G.'s baptism!! They day before, we went over to meet J. and answer any questions she had. Her attitude had COMPLETELY changed, she was humble and open. As we taught her about the Restoration and about the healing that comes from Jesus Christ's Atonement, the spirit was amazing. She cried as she told us about how the gospel in G.'s life had basically saved their marriage. Apparently it was really very rocky, and ever since the missionaries came he has been sending her cute little texts from work, buying her flowers, and just little acts of kindness. SO ADORABLE! Anyway she was there at his baptism, and while he was in the font, I watched her get the biggest smile on her face. It may take some time, but I definitely see her following his example in the near future! The gospel truly blesses families and brings them together. I love it!

One more awesome miracle was N. she is a young woman from Kenya who just walked into our sacrament meeting yesterday! She felt the spirit during fast and testimony meeting, and wants to learn more about the gospel. We'll go see her later this week. 

Hanging out by the arch! LOVE these sisters!

Anyway, sorry about the marathon email. I do love this area, I love these people, I love my sisters! I'm so grateful that God has blessed me with this opportunity. The gospel is absolutely true, and it is powerful and will change us!

Love you all!

Sister Petrie

Shoutout to my wonderful, amazing trainer who goes home TODAY :) Love you Sister Biddle!

Paint Louis! It's a 3 mile long wall of graffiti downtown

Fabulous week!

August 31, 2015

I don't have too much time today, we've decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and the fact that we're in the city and spend the day in St Louis!

It was a fabulous week. I've felt so much relief from stress this week. I've had moment after moment where I've felt over and over that this gospel really is true, and the Atonement really is real!

E. got baptized this week! It was so perfect, and like half of the ward showed up to the baptism! We also had 5 or 6 non-members/investigators there to feel the incredible spirit. I love E., she is the sweetest girl ever! She has a really special spirit, and I'm so grateful she had the chance to learn and accept the gospel. Her mom and brother will follow her, I'm sure!

E's baptism

Church was also fabulous, we got to watch all of our recent converts walk in the door, and one received a calling! These people's lives are really changing!

I also got to go on an exchange with a brand new missionary this week, Sister Favero. She is the sweetest human alive, and she reminded me SO much of myself just about a year ago! So excited and so diligent and full of faith. We had a great exchange, and got to set a baptism date with P.! I'm so excited about P., he is really wanting to change his life at this point. We taught him about the power of fasting to overcome addictions, and he was like, "alright. I'm doing that tonight!" Way to apply what he learns :)

Hope you all have a fantastic week, I love you all so much!

Sister Petrie

It's Been A Good Week!

August 24, 2015

It's been a good week! There are good things happening in the O'Fallon ward, and I am really starting to love the people here. 

Exchanges with Sister Lynch!

I'll just share a couple of personal miracles that really meant a lot to me this week.

First, one morning this week I had a really neat personal study where I studied Lesson 1, the Restoration! I felt the spirit so strongly as I studied and really saw how the Restoration fits in the big picture of everything, and also felt such a strong spirit that it was TRUE. So I prayed and asked Heavenly Father if it was ok, could he let us teach a restoration lesson today? We had a few semi-flaky appointments set up for that day, but just the right things went through and we were able to teach the Restoration...TWICE! :) It was a little miracle. Especially V's restoration lesson. She was so open and said she would be baptized when she knows the Book of Mormon is true! It was just a picture perfect lesson, with an amazing spirit, and I know it was a little reminder from Heavenly Father that this is true!

I also had a very needed tender mercy in my missionary work this week. It was right after another exchange we had this week, and I felt it hadn't gone very well. I realized I don't really know the area, and I felt a lot of stress and my inadequacies were really showing! Being a leader is hard sometimes, and the stress was really taking it's toll, and I felt like I just couldn't beat Satan! Sister Hayden asked me if I wanted a blessing, and I realized that was exactly what I needed. Brother R., one of the ward missionaries, gave me a blessing that afternoon, and it was one of the most powerful blessings I've ever received! It was as if the Savior himself was talking straight to me. Brother R. said exactly what I needed to hear, he even used some of the exact wording that has been going through my head to comfort and bless me. There was no possible way he could have done that, except that he truly holds the priesthood of God! Needless to say I was quite a mess by the end of that, but I also felt more peace than I have in a long time! Then on top of all that, when we were driving home for the evening, Sister Hayden felt prompted to check the mail. There were probably 5 or 6 letters (that NEVER happens!), all from my past companions, converts from my other areas, and of course from you, family <3. The letters were a reminder that I have made a difference, that I am loved, and that this year and a half is WORTH IT! Whoever is reading this, if you were one of the ones that sent a letter this week, THANK YOU, you were inspired by the spirit and you truly uplifted me this week!

I KNOW, I am 100 percent sure that this gospel is true true true. There is nothing sweeter than this work. There is nothing more powerful than Jesus Christ. He's my friend, the one person I never have to say goodbye to, the one person that will always be there, every day! He's never left any of us. I just know this is true!

I love you all, and have a great week!

Sister Petrie

Sister Gadi :) She is super cool.
Got to hang out with her while our companions went to the temple! 

Coconut Popsicle :) Have I mentioned how cool Sister Hayden is? :)

First Exchanges!

August 17, 2015

It's been a great week. So great. I have been learning so much about what it really means to rely on Christ and access an infinite atonement that has REAL power. Missions aren't easy. But the atonement is real, Christ is so ready to make up the difference of our imperfections.

The happiest moment of the week was X.'s baptism! I just can't believe how strong and in tune with the spirit that kid is. He is truly close to his Savior. I think the biggest miracle of the whole baptism was X.'s dad. When I got to the area, X. already wanted to be baptized, but he needed permission from his father to join the church. S. (X.'s mom) didn't think he'd ever let X. be baptized, but in a moment of faith we set a baptism date and prayed it would all work out. What gave his dad a change of heart was X.'s testimony! S. told us that X. would talk to his dad all about the missionaries and church and what he was learning. He told him this was something he really wanted, and after a little bit X.'s dad gave his permission! he even ended up coming to the baptism and we could tell he really felt the spirit of it. i think it's so special that X. is being an example to his whole family. He has a light in him that I love. I love them all so much!

X.'s baptism!

My first exchanges were this week! I have a goal to learn to LOVE and look forward to exchanges :) I love these sisters, I'm grateful to get to be their friends! Tuesday I went to Union with Sister Madsen (she came out with me!) and Thursday I went with Sister Walker to the St Louis YSA branch. I learned so much from them! For one, I learned it's ok to be an imperfect leader :) The Lord really is merciful, and he calls us for a reason. 

Exchange with Union!

Sis.Walker and Me

We had some really solid lessons this week. Sister Hayden and I are getting to a point where we really teach well together. She is an incredible teacher, and I admire that she loves the people we teach so much. A couple lessons stand out this week, one was a church tour with our investigator S.. The spirit we felt in the chapel was so powerful, it felt like the temple! I'm so grateful for the spirit. Another was a lesson with two investigators we found this week, P. and P.. They didn't really want to talk to us at first, but as we taught the spirit opened their hearts and they came to church on Sunday! What a miracle. 

It's going to be a good week. I'm excited for this area, we have good things coming!

A Young Woman in the ward with a great name!!!

Crazy, Amazing Week!

August 10, 2015

I can't believe it's only been one week. What a crazy, amazing, life-changing week! I'm still working on getting used to this area and to lots of different things, and it's been easy sometimes to feel overwhelmed. But more than ever, I know that the Atonement is a real power. It's been carrying me, and I am so so grateful.

We gave a training in two different zones this week as part of Zone Leader Training. One thing I LOVE is working with the zone leaders to really uplift and serve the missionaries in the zone. We get to see the spirit really work. The trainings went well, I really felt the spirit as we presented them! And each time, it seemed to be exactly what the missionaries needed. The spirit of revelation is so real!

Let me tell you about the people I love in this area :)

So the A. family is amazing. S. is a member of the church, and just moved into the O'Fallon ward 2 months ago. She had fallen away a bit, but when she got here she felt impressed to call the ward, and ask if the missionaries could come teach her 10-year-old son X.. X. is amazing, he is my favorite!! We set a baptism date with him for the 15th, this Saturday! He is so excited. We taught him about tithing this week and asked him about his Book of Mormon reading. He turns to his mom and asks, "Mom, after the sisters leave can we please read the Book of Mormon together?" So perfect. I know S. has been going through some really difficult things lately and to see her son so full of the spirit is really carrying her. I love them!

K. He is 20 (ish) and is amazing! We've taught him twice and he wants to be baptized, probably at the end of September! Miracle! It's so interesting when we meet someone who is really prepared for the gospel. They always have an experience or feeling or trial that has prepared them for the gospel! K. says he feels like he has been searching. He feels lost in in his life, and knows he needs God, but wasn't sure how to get where he wants to be. We've invited him to be baptized 2 or three times, and every time he gets this little smile on his face, like he KNOWS that's the answer! It's amazing. The spirit really has been working on him.

I love Sister Hayden. She has this amazing gift to connect with anyone and everyone. She's had so many experiences on her mission that prepared her to help people--and especially to help me through this part of my mission. I seriously love her, soooooo much. Heavenly Father puts people in our lives for a reason!

We struggled at taking pictures this week...next week will be better! Here's a library selfie. 

Me and Sister Hayden

Love you all. Keep writing! :)

Sister Petrie

Hello from O'Fallon!

August 3, 2015

Hello from O'Fallon, MO!

So this week has been a little overwhelming. But I honestly have also had a lot of fun, and learned so much!

Tuesday was full of a lot of goodbyes to my favorite people. I already miss them all!

Wednesday was transfer meeting, and ever since then it's been crazy :) We had a new leadership meeting on Wednesday, and it was very helpful! My new companion is Sister Hayden, and she's another one from Washington! She is a hard worker and a very committed missionary. We get along great and we are so excited to see miracles together this transfer!

O'Fallon is a great area, it feels a little like serving in my home ward in New Hampshire! Big ward, lots of youth, very missionary minded people. Dinners every night, and lots of member support. So far, I love it! It was a slight culture shock, it's WAY different than Danville and Centralia. But I'm excited to figure out missionary work here and see some awesome things happen. This is His work!

Needless to say I was thrown right into it! Friday, all day, we had what's called Mission Leadership Council with President Morgan, the AP's, and all the Zone Leaders and STL's. We discussed the state of the mission and had some awesome trainings from the AP's (One of them is Elder Fa, my Centralia District Leader!) and also President and Sister Morgan. I was really able to catch the vision of being a leader in that meeting. I really felt a lot of peace and comfort realizing that this is HIS work, and I am only called to yoke myself with the other sisters and work smarter as a leader. Also I had to do a last-minute musical number...thank goodness for pianos. 

Saw Sister Biddle for the last time at MLC!

Saturday we did an hour and a half long training for the youth in another ward who are preparing to go on missions. We trained on our purpose as a missionary, and I think it went well! It made me excited all over again to be a missionary. Sunday we taught the gospel principles class and now are working on preparing for two trainings we are giving this Wednesday and Thursday at North and St Louis zone's ZLT. Also, last minute our investigator E. decided to be baptized this Saturday, so we are planning a baptism! hahaha it'll be a great few next weeks, I'm excited.

Here's one really meaningful moment this week. T., a less-active recently baptized member that we teach has a really hard time opening up to us. He'd been struggling and we had no idea why. in our lesson on Saturday, the spirit touched him and he told us some things he's really been struggling with and asked for help. It was such a sweet moment to bear testimony of the Savior, of the Book of Mormon, of these basic things I know and cherish and that are so familiar to me. I guess I really need that moment. Amidst everything that is so new and unfamiliar, I always know that my savior is constant, and that my message is constant. This gospel can be lived and taught in O'Fallon just like in Centralia and Danville, and that's an assurance I really needed to feel. Miracles follow faith, here, other areas, and everywhere in the world. This is His work, and we are doing it His way. I can't wait to see more of these things happen! 

Sister Hayden and I, eating ice cream to celebrate S.'s baptism :)

S. got baptized on Saturday in Centralia! Just missed it, but I got loads of pictures. He is truly a miracle of my mission.

S. getting baptized!

Thanks for the letters this week! My new address is:
7103 Huzzah Dr
Lake St Louis, MO 63367

I love getting letters! :) Thanks for that support, it really means a lot.