Utah Truffles Are A Big Thing Here

These last two weeks have been crazy! I have had a lot of homesickness this week. I hope it doesn't get too bad but I'm trying to keep it out of my head still. I got your letter today loved it thank you so much! i have been pretty busy this week knocking on doors like crazy but haven't had a lot of new people this week, just a lot of people that will listen but they won't tell us to come back or anything. They hate Mormons haha not even kidding. It's seriously so hard to study as hard as we do and then get the door slammed in are face, I hate it. But we fought two new part member families this week which was way awesome! We went to dinner with the bishop this week he took us out to eat. We didn't have a lot of success this week but were trying our hardest.
I really hope my home sickness goes away soon. This week has been tough, no one wants to talk to the Mormons like always. So we talked to like 7 people this week that were actually interested. W are going to keep working hard. Utah Truffles are a big thing here!

Felt the Holy Ghost Do It's Magic

I have been doing really good. I have been working hard. I'm almost two
months in. So crazy this is going pretty fast! So far I have been working my
butt off by knocking on as many doors as we can and teaching non member families. There is A LOT of non members.
There are so many different churches here. It's crazy how many
there are! So there is a lot of work to do here. I have my first baptism
March 8th.  I am so excited about that.Her name is Britany Maxfield, she is really cool and totally ready to get the Holy Ghost. I have felt the Holy Ghost do its magic. It was
awesome! I gave my first blessing and I was just opening my mouth and the
Holy Ghost did the rest! I have handed out like 7 Books of Mormon, taught
12 families and knocked on like on thousand doors! haha I have shaken so many
hands, I think I'm growing a mold on my hand haha. I have had a pretty fun week, we got so many new people to talk to this week.  There are a lot more people wanting to hear what we have to say lately.  It is super nice to actually have people want to hear what we want to say.  We do a lot better at night, we do this thing called the spirit walk.
It is where we go and walk and we don't knock on any doors, just walk and get
people to talk to us when they are already outside. It is so much easier that
way because they can't close the door on us haha. But we have had a pretty
busy week. We are teaching a new investigator, his family is Mormon but he's not. We told him to pray and read the Book of Mormon and he said he would, but every time we go back he tells us he doesn't feel anything and that he would rather just go to the Baptist church. He did say he wants to know more about our church and we were teaching him the Plan of Salvation last night. He was so in to it. It was awesome, he just kept
asking questions and wanting to know more so sweet! It was an awesome night!

I love every one and I am doing pretty good!!!

Ps  I got my tie and the package from the young woman that was awesome. I wore the pink tie to church, IT IS SOOO PINK haha. People were like "Wow Elder Peterson not a lot of people can pull a pink tie off but you look good" haha. But thanks for the tie i love it!

First Commitment for Baptism

Hi,

Oh my gosh this week has been so crazy!  Yea I'm eating really good.  Yes, I need more ties.  Yes I'll wear pink. I don't have a lot of ties.  I miss you guys like crazy!  I have been working so hard this week.  I have taught the restoration to like 15 families now and taught it to like 45 people on the streets.  I have given out like 12 Books of Mormon.  Oh and best of all I HAVE MY FIRST BAPTISM ON MARCH 8th.  She is a mom with 4 kids and married.  She's been fighting it all her life but then we started giving her the lessons and she's doing it.  I can't wait! So awesome!  My first baptism.

I have been studying like crazy. My brain is going to die I swear. ha  But doing good and working hard.  I went one my first exchanges a couple days ago. It was crazy.  I got bit by 3 dogs, we said Hi to this guy and his dogs were like protecting him and then they attacked me. haha It was so scary, I was trying to kick them off me.  haha Bakersfield is crazy.  MISS YOU ALL!!!!  Elder Peterson

We Knocked on like a Thousand Doors/Spirit Walks

So I have had a pretty crazy week, we went and knocked on like a thousand doors and went on these things we call spirit walks. And oh my gosh soooo scary . . . these guys were like yelling at us and calling us the F word and like following us.  I thought we were going to have to throw down right then and there. My companion was just like don't worry about it, this happens all the time. I was like are you crazy, they are going to kill us and he was like just keep walking haha. It's sooo ghetto here haha but we have had lessons with a total of 13 families now I think.  So I'm getting use to teaching and bearing my testimony like every 5 seconds! ha On our spirit walks where we pretty much just walk without knocking on any doors, we run in to the funniest people but there like all drunk haha.  But I think the freakiest thing about this place is at night when your outside you can here gunshots! So we have to be inside at 9 o'clock no later!  We hear them from our apartment too and at our apartment everyone that lives around us are always having parties.  They are so loud and yelling at each other at 3 in the morning. It's really hard to sleep with them partying all the time!

I am proud to announce I have gained 20 pounds, yes yes it is a miracle sent from the Gods haha. I have been praying a lot and I get the best feeling in the world that He is really there and listening. I love it, I have been studying like crazy and I feel like I'm going to explode. Oh and yes it was Bednar who spoke in the MTC.  It was a very good talk, I got to sing in the choir so cool!
Trasen love you bro miss you so much man you have no idea. I hope your having fun with football. Kassi hows dance, you look so old already in the pics your growing up so fast haha, keep those boys away!!! Miss you mom, I'm doing a lot better with my home sickness but still miss you so much, I miss your cooking so much haha. I'm eating pretty good but not really cooking but that's okay to lazy haha. I miss and LOVE YOU.  I'm just out here working hard. I cant believe its already a couple of days away from a month. Sorry I only get to write a little it stinks but here's some pics love you allllll!!!!

Tag Picture

I Gave My First Blessing

My companion is Elder Brady.  He is so funny.  He's a really good guy and very smart!  The only thing that bothers me about him is he expects me to know a lot and I don't. But we get along really well.  He is from American Fork.  Haha small world.  It is just the two of us in an apartment.  So far I have been soooo busy running around like crazy.  No one is Mormon here so there is a lot to do.  But no ones listening.  We study like crazy. Ugh so much stress.  

This place is just like Delta . . . everything about this place is Delta haha, even the people.  This whole week we have been tracking and knocking on so many doors.  I got yelled at by a black lady the first day I was here haha.  She thought we were stalking her daughter when she wanted to learn about the Book of Mormon haha. So far I have taught 3 lessons.  I'm getting better at teaching. I have had to bare my testimony to like everyone I see. Ha I have gained 15 pounds! haha yessss!  

We got to teach this guy named Dakota.  He is very strange with his church and so we got in to a Bible bash.  Its something were not supposed to do but we didn't know how to get out of it.  He got way mad and so that was scary.  My new companion and I were so scared so we just said okay goodbye ha.
My new companion is so awesome. haha I'll send pics.  I'm doing pretty good so far, learning a lot and working hard. We have just been super busy knocking on doors trying to get people to come to Christ. Haha my feet are so sore. 

I can't wait to start teaching non members. I'm sick of teaching members ha they already know everything.  There are like no Mormons here anywhere it really stinks.  We have taught a lot of people about the restoration.  I already feel so different.  It's so weird how the spirit works through you.  I gave my first blessing the other day one of the sisters in are mission needed one and called me out and asked me to do it.  I was shacking so bad and sooo scared and I can't remember what I said.  It was amazing, I just opened my mouth and kept my mind blank and the things I said in the blessing were amazing things I would never just say! It was way cool!  It's so crazy all the people that haven't heard about the gospel yet and Jesus Christ and all of His miracles and all He did for us like the Atonement.  The thing we teach the most out here is the 3rd lesson out of preach my gospel about the restoration!

Write me!

Elder Tavin Peterson

8333 white squall lane apt #1 bakersfield,CA 93308

im doing good on cash doing fine on money they gave me a card that has money on it. my companion is elder braidy is so funny hes a really good guy very smart! the only thing that bothers me about him is he expects me to know a lot and i dont but we get get along really well he is from American fork haha small world its just us 2 to a apartment. yea i got all my beding no im doing good on supplier so. so far i have been soooo busy running around like crazy no one is mormon here so there is a lot to do. but no ones listening we study like crazy ugh so much stress yes this place is just like delta everything about this place is delta haha even the people this whole week we have been trackting knocking on so many doors i got yelled at by a black lady the first day i was here haha she thought we were stalking her daughter. when she wanted to learn about the book of Mormon haha so far i have taught 3 lessons. im getting better at teaching i have had to bare my testimony to like everyone i see. ha i have gained 15 pounds! haha yessss we got to teach this guy named docota and he is very stronge with his church and so we got in to a bible bash its something were not supposed to do but we didn't know how to get out of it. its where both of you are saying that your church is wrong because we have this or something like that and he got way mad and so that was scary. me and my new companion were so scared so we just said okay goodbye ha my new companion is so awesome but he smells so bad and hes kinda fat haha ill send pics but doing pretty good so far learning a lot working hard just been super busy knocking on doors trying to get people to come to Christ haha my feet are so sore and legs my feet like peals every night its so grows. im sleeping really well we stay up pretty late laughing its pretty fun. sorry if this is all spelled wrong im typing so fast. i cant wait to start teaching non members im sick of teaching members ha they already know everything theirs like no Mormons here anywhere it really stinks we have tought a lot of people about the restoration i already feel so different its so weird how the spirit works through you i gave my first blessing the other day one of the sisters in are mission needed one and called me out and asked me to do it i was shacking so bad and sooo scared but i cant remember what i said it was amazing i just opened my mouth and kept my mind blank and the things i said in the blessing were amazing things i would never just say! it was way cool write me! its so crazy all the people that haven't heard about the gospel yet and Jesus Christ and all of his medicals and all he did for us like the atonment the thing we teach the most out here is the 3 lesson out of preach my gospel about the restoration! talen i miss you man get off that x box and start getting ready for a mission it will come so fast start reading your scriptures now i wish i studied so much more kassi i love and miss you i miss my knickle arcade buddy ill take you when i get bach for sure it fills like i havent been there forever hope your loving life and enjoying dance! trasen i miss you little man i wish i could be there plowing you over in football haha i miss playing sports with you! love you man! dad i read your letter that you sent me every day ha its so good it made me want to go on my mission and not give up. and now im here love you! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! 8333 white squall lane apt #1 bakersfield,CA 93308

Flying to the Field - My first time on an Airplane

I love you guys and miss you!  I get to send this one email to tell you that I'm calling tomorrow at either 5 or later in the morning.  Miss you!!! Talk to you tomorrow!!!