...And the results are in!: September 28, 2005

From the beautiful town of Ladispoli, there is a bit of news that will change the world! ...Transfers have come and gone and we are unscathed. I guess they are a bit like Hurricane Katrina and Rita for our family - they rip apart other companionships, cause tears and goodbyes all over the world, but we didn't even get a phone call. Meno male. I thought I would try typing a bit in Italian, and then those of you who speak Spanish could determine if you can understand any of it. Sounds interesting, no?
Ciao! Come state voi? Sono ancora a Ladispoli e il mio collega e ancora qua. Lui viene da Colorado e questo è il nostro secondo transferimento insieme. Ladispoli è un posto bellissimo - in verità, non ho mai visto un posto così nella mia vita. Va bene. Siamo insieme e stiamo preparando per alcune attività nel futuro. Faremo un attività di magazzinamento di cibo e preparazione per le emergenze, e poi un altro della genealogia. Poi, 26 Novembre, faremo un incontro con tutto Ladispoli! Uau! Comunque, vi voglio bene, e so che Gesù è il Cristo e che La Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni è la Chiesa di Gesù Cristo stabilita di nuovo sulla terra. Ciao!
That was fun. I'm not sure what a Google translate would do for those of you who don't speak Italian or Spanish... but I still love it.
A contact has decided to play with our emotions. She is going to be baptized on the 8th still, but almost threw her salvation away for a cake pan! We met with her Sunday and called her Monday morning to remind her to bring a cake pan that Sorella Alicino had given her. She became very angry with us and with the cake pan (long story... and I probably shouldn't tell you) and almost told us never to come back. She spent so much time arguing with us that we missed an appointment with a member that we are trying to activate. She then called us later in the night, still angry (even more) with me because I had tried to help with her computer at her business. She told me I was running away her customers, that I was a liar (that hurt the most - really, that was the lowest blow she could have ever fatto), and that she was very angry with me. Of course, we had been on our way to an appointment with Roberto. We spent a long time with her, and she argued (about numbers - you don't argue about numbers with someone that aced the numbers portion of the SAT) for a while, and finally realized I was right. She calmed down and realized she had been wrong the whole time... and that we really had only loved her the whole time. She had hurt us, and we still loved her. She realized that we really cared about her and apologized (even if she doesn't understand the numbers still). I will never help someone with problems in their business again while a missionary. We went by this morning and she left to argue with an African outside for 20 minutes. It's Preparation Day and we don't have time to waste, so we left. She called just a little while ago and felt really bad. She should. If we have time we'll go back later, but I am not for anything missing our set and fixed and confirmed with his mom and family appointment with Roberto. Non mi sarebbe mancato per niente!
I love to get letters from everyone. I love to know that our family and friends stretch out so far across the world - we have a huge power as a family to do missionary work, and when we understand what it is, we can actually perform miracles for the Lord.
In reality, the first step to do missionary work is a desire. I'm sure all of you have at least some of that, but don't know how to use it. You don't have a ton of time, and you're not sure how to approach people or give a pass-along card or anything at all. That's ok. The first step is actually to sincerely pray and fast for missionary opportunities. Be specific - ask the Lord to direct your friends to ask you about the Gospel. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to testify about your family. Ask the Lord to help you, and then be willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit when He uses you to bring a son or daughter home. Will you do this? This is really a commitment - to pray every prayer, at meals, in the morning, at night, as a family, as couples, as singles, at Church, everything but the sacrament for missionary opportunities. There is an amazing quote in Preach my Gospel by President Hinckley - when the members of the Church all around the world pray for the strength and opportunity to help the missionaries serving in their own wards and branches instead of only the missionaries far away, there will be many miracles... or something like that. I can promise you that it happens. Pray always, and then I'll tell you the next step this next week. We'll work together to train the best group of family missionaries that this world has ever seen!
No, I have never found a place that prints 6 x 6 foot artwork (I've never looked)... and it would probably be difficult to ship anyway (except on a ship... laugh).
We're getting ready for a bunch of branch activities these coming weeks, and I am going to pray and fast that our boundaries are changed (or that the Lord sends a bunch of members to move in, or that we have a bunch of baptisms - any way to get more priesthood holders to augment the 2 active we have now). I love you all! Vi voglio tantissimo bene!
Anziano David Peterson

p.s. - I love you. Really.