10-01-12

October 1, 2012

I'm a daddy!

Hey there everyone! :)

Well, this'll be one of the few subject lines that I'll really explain I think. We were all anticipating transfers this past week and they generally call us on say Thursday or Friday so that we have time to pack, buy tickets etc... but for whatever reason this cycle the Assistants decided that they'd call at about 9:30 on Saturday night. I got a transfer, and it's pretty crazy. I'm gonna be training a brand new missionary and opening up a new area in the city of Orenburg. Woah snap! I didn't anticipate that one at all and didn't really have too much time to think about it since I had to pack that night and early the next morning to hop on a bus right after Church to get to the bus station in Saratov. I'm here in Samara right now and I'll be picking up my new trainee on Wednesday and hoping [hopping] on a train that night to Orenburg (that'll be a fun, both of us alone with all our luggage and other stuff like a fax machine...ack!). Gosh, this is pretty crazy, but I'm way excited to be training and going to Orenburg of all places. It's the east most city in our mission, has a 2 hour time change from everyone else and has a border with the continent of Asia (the famous saying throughout the mission is that you can go to Asia and back in one day from Orenburg). You'll have to check it out, it sounds like a blast :)

Sunday was a pretty sad day though. There's a member in Marks who loves to feed us and she cries everytime that missionaries go. Usually, like I mentioned earlier, they call on a Thursday or Friday so there's time to warn our dear member that someone is going. I was really touched on Sunday by the members in Marks. Because of how the schedule worked out I had to learn [leave] in the middle of 3rd hour, which was combined since it's the fifth sunday of the month, to make my bus to Saratov. When I got up to say goodbye and kinda just rip the bandaid really quick, all the members stood up to shake my hand before I left. It was pretty emotional, because they started getting teary eyed and that made me teary eyed...gosh. I really hope that after my mission I can visit Russia again and travel to Marks. Marks always reminded me of White Rock since it's such a small town and everyone seems to know each other. I'm really gonna miss Marks, and it'll be good to see my friends from there again, whenever that may be :)

I had a quick question for my family about the Book of Mormon. I've been going through the Isaiah chapters in 2nd Nephi and reading it along with the KJV and the footnotes there and it's make it about a hundred times more understandable, which is way cool. I remember a question I had back at the MTC was as to why the Book of Mormon is called the stick of Ephraim because Lehi and his family are from Manassah, but then I was reading today about how the 10 tribes of Isreal were all called under the name of Ephraim (I guess because the kings were always called from that tribe), so is that why the Book of Mormon is called the Stick of Ephraim? Or I guess the other way it's said is that it's the Stick of Joseph in the hand of Ephraim, which makes sense too since Jospeh Smith was from Ephraim. Anyways, am I right, or is there another right answer? Thanks :)

That's pretty odd to hear about all them younger kiddos going off on their missions like Charles and Alan. Who all has mission calls now from that age group and where to? Anyone going to Russia? :D

Anyways, that's about it for this week. Next week I'll give you all the details on my new companion and the area. Thanks for your thoughts, letters and prayers. You're the best :)

С любовью, раз и навсегда

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Elder Peterson

P.S. Happy October!