"It's a MANS mission!" -Elder Herrod

Dear Friends & Family,

So much happens in a missionary's week and a lot of it isn't very fun or exciting. Every time Elder Herrod and I would catch each other complaining about something or making a negative comment, we would quote something one of his uncles sent him in an email. “It's a man's mission!” So I’ve started it with Elder Miller as well. he usually says, "It’s not easy", then I say "It’s a MANS mission!" its not legitimate complaining, but its when little things happen like the rainstorm that blasted in through our open windows in the middle of the night and soaked a bunch of our stuff. It’s at times like that where it’s not easy, but it's a man's mission. Yeah!

Today I cleaned our freezer really well, so now when I come home for lunch I can stick my head in the freezer comfortably. That feels really nice

Our ward building is probably one of the nicest ones in Ghana and it has an electric organ. I got to play the organ for sacrament meeting this past week. I can sight read the simplified hymnbook really well so I can play any song that’s in there. Thought a lot about Grandpa Satchwell doing that, it was really cool. 

I also got to go and interview one of Elder Perry's baptismal candidates on April 9. It was crazy because we realized that that was the exact day a year ago that we were opening our mission calls, wondering where on earth we would be, literally. Never thought that a year ago we would be kickin around the town of Mamponse together. It was a really cool experience.

This Sunday we were planning on baptizing some kids in this part member family that are in their teenage years. Things just went wrong that morning. we called a water truck the night before and he was super late, the family didn't show up for church so we went there to see where they were and we showed up and all the kids were running around, the mom was sweeping the floor in her wrap on her way to bath, and the dad was fixing their TV and when we asked him if he could come to the baptism he said he had to be to work by 8-9:30 even though it was already 10:20 when we asked him. As we thought about it we decided that we needed to wait for the baptism. Not that the kids weren't ready, but that the family needed to be ready. After all salvation is a process, not an event. And the covenants that are made as a part of it shouldn't be treated as an after-thought, or a chore that needs to be done, but an entrance to a life of change and improvement. Later two of the kids showed up at church. Then as we were talking with our ward mission leader after Sunday school Joseph (an investigator that was taught by missionaries several months ago but traveled and we started to teach him again this week) came to us and demanded that he be baptized. At first we were like whoa! Wait a minute, hold your horses, let think about this for a minute. Our ward mission leader (who served his mission in Nigeria where this happens like every Sunday) said why not? As we thought about it we all said, ya why not? He knows the lessons, he's kept commitments, his aunt comes to church every week with him while he's here, so we decided to ask elder Friday to interview him and see if he is ready. He passed the interview and we were able to get complete baptismal record information for him so we baptized him that Sunday. Its interesting how even though he has only been in contact with us for a week (even though he was taught for about 1 1/2 months with other missionaries before) he was SO prepared and excited to be baptized. It was a cool experience.

On a mission I have realized so many things about the life I want to lead, both as a missionary and when I return home. I have learned so much from studying in the morning and it always goes to fast. When you look back on your mission you think back and say to yourself, dang I wish I would have done that better, or if only I knew that then I would have done this different, or even what was I thinking? I was so stupid! Why did I do that? it was really starting to get me down one day, but I realized that if I am recognizing flaws I had, that I no longer am dealing with, I’m improving and really that’s what the plan of salvation is all about, progressing to become like our heavenly father. When we look at our past of course there will be times and things that we wish we would have done different, maybe even regret, but as long as we aren't making those same mistakes, we are improving.

Mom, I’m healthy and doing really well.


A lesson I learned this week is to never postpone you happiness or work for something you think will make you happy! Especially on your missions. Elder Herrod would also say a lot, its only two years, in an eternal perspective, that is such a small fraction of time, any moment of it you waste, you will regret forever. Be inspired by strong missionaries, and people.

I’m sorry for the passing of Tim Wangsgard. I send my condolences to their whole family. I think that that is awesome that the ward is pulling together to help each other so much. We have been working really close with our Elder's Quorum president to reactivate and strengthen our ward members. He is a super super cool guy. We went to his house after church and watched part of the Joseph Smith movie that you sent me and celebrated his 5 year old daughter's birthday. It’s kinda funny how the missionaries are like the cool kids that everybody wants to invite over to their stuff. We went to a baby naming ceremony, which is a big deal here. Everyone gets all dressed up. We’ve had to turn down a lot of invitations to parties, weddings, funerals, and all kinds of other stuff because we just don't have time for partying. Were here to work. We had a really good discussion with bro Archibald, (our QP) while we were there. Keep up the good work. Say hi to Kib for me, I miss using his 4 wheeler to shovel snow, and gut elk in his shed in the backyard ;)

I went on a run with Elder Miller this week to get Kosae (its kinda like a chicken nugget) and it felt awesome!

Good luck to everyone who is getting mission calls, I know you guys will do awesome! Just study PMG and practice using your time super wisely. Time yourself to see how fast you can get ready for church on Sunday morning. If you can do it in 10-15 minutes (that includes a shower and shave) it will give you a lot more time to do stuff in the morning before personal study, or even get more study in.

I love you guys a ton! Love, Elder Peters