Tuesday, August 23, 2011

PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!!! OCTOBER 3rd

Hello Everyone!

Sister Peck is officially coming home on October 3rd at 2:18PM. She's flying Delta into Vegas.

We will all be meeting at baggage claim to greet her home. Bring posters!! :)

Later that night we will be having a small dessert open house at the Leavitt's home where you can come say hi. More details to come.

HOPE YOU ALL CAN JOIN US.

Out of the Box- August 8

Hi Everyone.


Wow time is flying by. We had so many things happen this week. First next week we are taking our P-day on Friday to attend the temple. Our week has too many appointments that are standing to be able to go earlier in the week and on Tuesday the entire mission is gathering at Spokane Temple to hear Elder L. Tom Perry. It will be an amazing experience. We have invited Rubie to take us. We are hoping she'll be able too. =) Also tomorrow keep Rich, Rubie's husband in your prayers. He's having an operation done.




Miracles of the week- Mary didn't cancel even though she thought about it after her son had confronted her about meeting with us and wasting our time. We explained that we understand her expectations and that the Spirit is so strong there and the Lord is taking her on a journey to come back. I still am blown away at the power that comes as we all kneel in prayer together. It brings me to tears every time at closing.



Judy and John got a strong dose of us this last week but Judy's reception of us has totally changed. Where she use to object she now nods her head. We did service for them and she feed us dinner. Speaking of eating Brother Bares stuffed us Tuesday had to call in the Elders to help us eat all the food he prepared. It was ridiculous. But fun to spend time with him. We brought back the meal calendar and two families signed up for last night. We ate two back to back dinners. Good thing it was fast Sunday and we had room.


John prayed for us. It was beautiful at our Thursday lesson. I was blown away by his sincerity. Funny thing was getting a referral from the Church for him while we were at his house. Just had to laugh.



Ione was amazing. We had some break through with some of the members and I am sad we weren't there for testimony meeting. Donna came and bore her testimony. Bro. Divis said it was strong and brought the tears. I am thrilled for her and Sister Carmen bore her testimony even though she told us she wouldn't be doing that two months in a row. She spoke of how touched she was that we came to her home. We had fun with her kids and there truly is a power that comes from having the missionaries come into your home. Sis. Ervin opened up to us. I just gave her a big hug. I am so grateful to know that the atonement can mend our past and make us whole.



P.E.C. was an intersting experience. We got a lot out on the table. It was productive and several of the members asked me if I was upset afterwards, I responded no and made sure we were good. There were a lot of concerns and the ward felt distant from us. We had a good response to bringing back the meal calendar and having a member visit sign up sheet.



Just love it here and the people. Looking for miracles this week. Hope you are too.



Love always Sister Peck




Monday, August 1, 2011

Summer May Have Begun and it’s Huckleberry Season- August 1, 2011

Hi Everyone,


We had a crazy week. Lots of out of the ordinary. Rich, Rubie's husband, joined in our lesson. He even went and got his Bible and shared a scripture out of Isaiah. You never know the response you'll get from doing an object lesson. Mary kept her lesson with us even though she had a bad day. The Spirit was there so strong and she prayed. She wanted all of us to pray so we all took turns. My eyes filled with tears. It was amazing. After that lesson I missed place the truck key and it took us 20 minutes to find it. The miracle was how calm I was about the whole situation. Judy's church tour was a home run. She felt the Spirit but is not ready to accept feelings as an answer. We are still waiting to figure out how to arrange for her to come to church on Sunday. So remember that in your prayers. Sister Hilton is growing in leaps and bounds. It thrills me. This is the second time as senior companion that I feel this great responsibility to foster growth. Wow. She invited Judy to be baptized. So Judy is praying about Sept. 24!


We gutted Sister Angel's house. It felt so good to help her out. Sister Morton died but in reality it didn't that threw us into an emotional yoyo. It just shows how prayers are answered. And we have been able to see miracles with her daughter being here. Jennifer has been super impressed by how much we love her mom.


Lone was intense. They had down river days and i found myself filled with fear to talk to people. Crazy. It's been too long to get that way. So just said a prayer and started talking to people. Some more receptive than others but we did it. We spoke in Lone on Sunday about missionary work. After 5 minutes Sister Hilton was out of material but she lasted 10. I was proud. It was the first time I didn't feel nervous or worried about being prepared. A few scriptures and a talk and the Spirit and I were set. It was amazing. Only 5 in attendance were from Lone and the other 30 were visitors. One man came up and told me the man, Gary Boarders, in the article was his relative. Small world. Brother Collins, the High Councilmen over missionary work, shared his conversion story. He was converted in Las Vegas because of his girlfriend's dad's example over 35 years ago. It was an incredible Church service. Meet a lot of Canadian’s on vaction. Brother Divis, our new Branch Mission Leader and his sweet wife, spent Sunday with us going around meeting the members there in Lone and inviting them to read one page of PMG a day! It was incredible. The Taylor family was looking for an invitation back. They got one with a powerful promise. That if the dad will start reading one page a day of PMG and coming to church that the change he is looking for in his family will happen. It was great. 6 months and he is marking his calender.


I love the gospel. No where can you see the hand of the Lord more than in His work to assist His Children in coming home.


Almost forgot. I have an official release date. Oct. 3rd. Interviews were a highlight from last week. I was me. President and I had a great experience and I was challenged to decide for myself but his impression was Oct. 3rd and as I pondered and talked it over I was reminded of the blessing Elder Burrel gave me that the Lord was pleased with my service. It came in a small voice from Sister Hilton and I realized that I could do it my way or the Lord's and I let go of my pride and called President that night and told him I would go then. I felt peace after that. Pride can get in our way and all He asks is for a willing heart and an attitude of Go and Do.


Love you all.


Love


Sister Peck


A Week to Remember- July 25

Hi Everyone,


So this last week P-day was spent on the Templetin property with the Pugh's and the Elders. It was an adventure and learning how some respond to being in nature. Sister Hilton was so at home and picked up a snake and Elder Close was showed up and decided he better do it to. President Pugh took refuge and I took the pictures. Elder Grantham's second week was filled with firsts. District Meeting went into a spiral. Unfortunately, there are no out of the box experience. Tried but what can you do. Guess there is a first time for everything.


Tuesday morning got a call from sister Olson, the traveling sister, that we were going to do exchanges. She got to go to Ione with me and Sister Hilton and Sister Maxfield, of 1 week out in the field, covered Liberty Lake. It was a great opportunity and it was fun to teach with someone else and get an intake on our area. It went really well and Sister Hilton has really opened up since coming home. It seems it was exactly what the Lord needed to happen.


Tyler's baptism was amazing. It was fitting to him. It was weird no unplanned things occurred. It felt serial. Felt the Spirit so sweet as Sister Peper sang the baptism song. It took 8 priesthood holders and two sisters to arrange the people in the font but it all went well. Tyler just has the biggest smile. He said, "I feel clean inside and out." It was truly a great night. Sunday's confirmation was sweet and smile and Tyler was ordained to the priesthood. He'll be going on the youth temple trip this Saturday!


We had an out of the box experience with Sister Harp last night. She invited us over to feed us at church and we finally got to focus on her. It was amazing. Finally filled in those blank spots about the temple and what we do to go. She was in tears. The Lord truly does love each of us. She said she wished she could have me for a daughter in law. Not going to happen but it was really sweet.


The work is going well here. I love you all. I am grateful to hear that Laurel and the kids are doing well after their car accident. God truly does watch over us and there are angels.


Keep seeking to share the gospel. It is true. I did word study on the word true. It really made it stand out to me why we always say that. It because this His gospel as he wants it. It's our willingness to act on it.


Love you all heaps.


Love Sister Peck


July Showers Brings Miracles- July 18

Aloha!


So on bikes was fun and people do not know how to yield to a bike. But it was an adventure. We enjoyed the bike riding and the rain waited till we got the truck back. It was beautiful. All waxed and cleaned. Meet Bro. Anderson from CA and he took a picture of the Sisters with their truck to send to his son on his mission in Texas on his bike.


Tyler is getting baptized this week. Delaney made us dinner. It was her first company dinner. It was really good. She just got online and found a recipe of food that I could eat. Then at the end of the lesson Tyler asked if he could be baptized before the 30th because he wants certain people to be there. Yes! We were thrilled. So we are having a baptism this Friday so it does not conflict with the ward activity on Saturday. Everything is in place. During his run through of the interview questions he asked, "What makes you guys so awesome?" It is just an exciting time. He is excited and it should be a good spiritual experience for all.


Judy's lesson, John allowed us to play the Restoration DVD. I have never felt the Spirit more intense during that duration of the film as it was there. Judy fought it. She still has a lot of concerns that we just can't answer for her. It will only come through study, prayer, and personal revelation. Assured her that the answers will come just hold out. We made her a scripture chain about the questions she has. It's a chapter a day for a month. Sometimes its not as easy as we expect the answer to be.



Micheal's lesson was amazing. We did the combination of the commandments with an object lesson. He got it. The Spirit began teaching him during the lesson and he was telling us what he needed to do and how we could help him. He is finally in control of his conversion process. We discovered his hesitation for not wanting to chose a date. He doesn't want to leave his son behind by moving forward himself. He's praying about August 20th and has us calling him every morning to help wake him up so he can read his scriptures before work so the Spirit can help him overcome his smoking addiction. He was excited again and still is.


Friday we were suppose to go to Lone but I just felt uneasy about it. We finally decided not to go and the whole day just felt assured that we had made the right choice. The Spirit is such an amazing gift.


We got back in contact with Ann. That was a miracle. Sister Michael is doing her missionary work and we got to meet Gloria. She grew up with LDS friends and had her boys baptized into the Church but has never joined. She is now 71 and is thinking about baptism for herself. We have a follow up/lesson tomorrow. We are thrilled.


It seemed like the week was just escaping to fast but as we accounted last night we had 22 lessons. We are working hard and loving it.


Hope everyone is well and knows that I love them. Have a great week and look for how the Lord blesses you and thank Him. We have been truly blessed.


Love Sister Peck



I don't have to pack my bags!!!- July 11

Hi Everyone,
I made it through another transfer. Man! How time winds down. I realized I only have a couple more times waiting for the phone call to know if it's time to dejunk. :) Sister Hilton and I are both staying here in Colville. I am stoked because we have some amazing people we are working with. Tyler's first lesson was different but really good. It felt like a panel, except for the seating arrangement was backwards. He accepted a baptismal date but Sunday after the lesson was finished, he said he got his answer the night before after his reading and praying. He knows he should be baptized on the 30th and Church confirmed it for him! Just couldn't help but smile.

Mary, that we found, finally had a lesson and it was amazing. You could feel the goodness and all her concerns were answered. By the end, she wanted her boys to listen. We'll see tonight what happens. It seems to be all in good timing. that's what we have to remember. God has his own ways and we have to be able to recognize the time and be willing to act. Mary was willing to read the Book of Mormon by the end even though at the beginning she was not willing to accept it as scripture. The spirit can work with each of us if we are truly seeking.

Kina from Cheney is in Lone and we found her. It was a sweet reunion. Her new husband invited us to stay for dinner. We are hoping to help them finish building their new house up the river. I love service! The Branch is on board to help with a few small projects that are left. Love willing hands.

Rubie is amazing and finally proved to herself that the Church is true! Agency and the atonement. We are the only ones who profess that. Cool thing was at the time her discussion was going on I felt prompted at our district meeting to add her to our prayer list. Miracles happen and the Lord is aware of each of us. She is on her way back and I couldn't be happier for her and her family. Please keep them in your prayers. Rich just found out he will need dialysis.

In Lone on Sunday, one of the summer members brought his architect to church. He was from Hawaii. It made me so excited to give him his own Book of Mormon. He was so thrilled to be give the book. At the request of the member, Sister Hilton and I write in the front cover. I wrote this is how God links Ohana to Him through us taking acts of faith. It had my testimony but that has really just stuck with me. I love the Book. It's true.

We are ready for another week of miracles. even if it means chasing down people through the Church grass (Michael this Sunday escaping).

Love this work. While the truck is in the shop we will be on bikes the next couple of days. That's if i can fix my tire. Prayer and some air should work. Love you all and hope you are recognizing the Lord's hand in your lives.

Love
Sister Peck