It's a Boy! - 07/27/15 (Belleville, IL)

Dear family and Friends,

Well another week has passed, along with another transfer. Elder Julian and Elder Dorland left for the mission home this morning at 7:30am and will both be home safe with their families by this evening. It has been a little weird "killing off" a companion, it was fun.. But let's just say that he was ready to go home... We'll leave it at that.

So Monday for P-day we went into the city and saw "Paint Louis" which is basically a giant retaining wall along the Mississippi river that extends for several miles where people have done graffiti and art work all along the whole thing. It was really cool, but nothing too spectacular. after that we had a dinner appointment on base. while we were there we walked out and saw some of the aircraft they have on display, so that was cool.

Wednesday morning as I was getting out of the shower and Elder Julian knocked on the door and said "petey... I need you to come here" "well.... I am kind of busy at the moment." " I just need you to come here" So i finish getting changed and step out of the bathroom, and he asked if I could give him a blessing.. He was complaining of some pretty bad pain in his right side. But the pain continued to get worse, to the point that he was almost in Tears.. I think we both knew that something wasn't right So i told him, "get in the car, we are going to the hospital right now." So we get him there and they immediately take him in and give him an IV, some heavy pain killers, and they start testing. They thought he might have a kidney stone and would have to keep him a few days. But after getting a CT scan it showed that he had colonitis. he had gotten some bad bacteria which caused an infection in his colon. So there's that... 

anyways, the Doctor put him on 2 different anti-biotic meds, a pro Biotic, and 24-36 hours of bed rest. All he could eat for the next week was rice, yogurt, and just bland things, but home boy didn't do so well following doctors instructions, which in turn lead to several "accidents"... but anyways..

So Saturday night we got transfer calls, we got some pretty crazy stuff happening this transfer. Turns out I will be leaving the waterloo District.. I will be staying in Belleville and switching to the O'Fallon district. Also my new companion will be coming in Fresh off the airplane Tuesday morning, because I am now being made a trainer! That is right.. IN MISSION TERMS I am Pregnant.. going to be a father, and will now have a son on the mission. 

I am pretty excited to train, but also kind of nervous.. I feel good about my ability to train, but since we are moving districts we are now going to be in a car share with the Shiloh elders so i will be learning the Bus system by myself with a new greenie, something I most certainly have never done before... But i am looking forward to having my first born in the wilderness! haha!

Looking forward to spending another 3 months here in Beleville.. 

Well that is pretty much all I have to report for this week, wish me luck that everything goes well. I'm sure I will have plenty to report for next week and starting the new transfer! I love and miss you all, take care and God Bless us everyone! 

Peace on the streets,

Elder Chase Peterson

Busy Week - 07/20/15 (Belleville, IL)

Dear People I care about,

It has been quite a busy week here for us in Belleville. Elder Julian and I have just been all over the place, and I feel like all I have done this week is drive a car! 

To start out the week on Monday, we went to St Louis to Visit the Gateway Arch and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. It was an absolutely beautiful day, which made it so much better! Between us and the East St Louis Elders I am the only person who had been there before, even though the other 3 Elders are getting ready to go home! But it was a great P-Day indeed!

Tuesday we had District meeting down in waterloo, we had some great trainings and a generally good meeting. We have such a great district, it is hard to believe that the transfer is almost over. This Saturday we are going to be getting transfer calls to see what is happening to everyone. We also went to the East River Front that evening with the East St Louis Elders.. It was so beautiful and so much fun. Just wait till you see the pictures! ;)

Wednesday was probably the most tiring day and the most time I've spent driving while I have been out here. Elder Julian had a doctors appointment on St. Charles Missouri which is Northwest of St Louis.. We drive North to visit and drive around a little in Glen Carbon, then went down to Granite City and I got to stop by and see my old investigator Lupie! She was so excited, as soon as she saw me she burst into tears. that visit was such a blessing for both of us.. After that we got on the freeway and drive into St Louis then north across the Missouri River and into St Charles. It was a pretty good drive. The whole trip took us most of the day! After the drive back we got caught in Rush hour traffic coming back through St Louis... Which is not good. We were stuck forever trying to get back across the river! But we got back to pick up the East St Louis Elders and drive North to O'Fallon for Julian, and Dorland's end of the mission Exit interviews... We were pretty late, but I don't think President Morgan minded that much. After that we had to drive by the Air Force base to pick up dinner from a member, take it back to eat at our apartment, then we had to drive East all the way back to their apartment in West Belleville. I was so tired of driving that day... and tired of listening to the same Mormon Tab Choir CD 100 times!

Thursday Elder Julian and Elder Dorland went to the Temple in St Louis, So Elder Reynolds and I spent the day together. Since they took the car, Reynolds and I just walked and took the bus! But that was alright since I didn't really want to drive after the day we had Wednesday. All we had time to do was contact a few referrals and try and see a few people, then we had a good dinner with the Tilton family who live on the Air Force base. 

Friday we had exchanges, I went down to Waterloo with Elder Fa'anunu and we just had a great time! We worked our butts off, and got some good work done! We just had a great time working with each other and tracting in the 113 degree humid muggy weather. The next morning we got up at 6am to play tennis and run, then he gave me a Haircut. Afterwards we met up with Elder Julian and Suchomel to exchange back in Millstadt. 

All the craziness of this week sure made it go by fast! This week will be Elder Julian's last week in the Mission field, since next Monday he will be flying home to Spokane Washington. We are going to have fun and work hard this week. I will do my best stop him from being to trunky. I will Go ahead and end this letter till next week, get ready for some epic and awesome pictures!

Elder Chase Peterson

Atonement and New Gators - 07/13/15 (Belleville, IL)

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a nice hot and moist week here in the Missouri St Louis Mission.. Some days as we are walking around in the hot sun and humidity I feel like I am swimming or just breathing in water. It is so different than the dry heat out in Utah. But this week has gone by relatively uneventful, but we were able to see a lot of success.

I forgot to mention that last week we had our usual district meeting down in Waterloo, but we joined together with the O'fallon District and combined our meeting. So Elder Julian and I, we get ready to leave to go get the East St Louis Elders. We get in the car, and I start it up... except it wouldn't start. We had a neighbor come and try to jump it, but it wouldn't even take a jump. We had to call our district leader, Zone leaders to help us out. Finally we ended up having to get a ride from the O'fallon Elders and the Shiloh Elders. After our meeting we had exchanges and Elder Suchomel and I had to get back to Belleville to fix the batter. A member drove us to an auto zone close by and they tried testing the battery. They informed us that the batter was to low to even test! So we left it with them to charge it. 

After the battery charged up, we got it back in the car and it worked great. Then This Week we had District meeting on tuesday. We get all ready and get in the car. I try and start it, and of course it doesn't start! But luckily the members who live across the street from us where able to come and jump it for us, but got it started and we were going to take it to a Chevy dealership in waterloo before our meeting. The only problem was that when we got there, there was no dealership! So we went to District Meeting, and after the meeting of course our car wouldn't start... We had to wait almost an extra hour for a member down there to come and jump it for us. We got back up to Belleville and to a dealership, they told us that we had a bad battery, but they were able to replace it for free.

Luckily everything worked out, but it completely took us out a whole day of working, which stunk..

This week our District was challenged by the Edwardsville District of who could get the most New Investigators. Here in Belleville we were able to pick up 3 new!

Thursday we went down to Mascoutah and saw a young lady named Alexis Bird, she was been a member for a few years now, and she goes to the YSA ward. We were able to stop by and talk with her and teach her a lesson, along with her Mom. Her Mom is from Panama and works at a convenience store on Scott Air Force base. We were able to teach her about Joseph Smith and the restortation, and next week we are taking her a Spanish Book of Mormon so she can start reading it. 

Our next new investigator we picked up on Friday.. We were out trying to see a few of our old referrals and potential investigators. We were gonna go home and eat lunch, but I noticed we were pretty close to this one lady that Elder Jones and I tracted into last month. We had tried stopping by like a hundred times, but never could catch her again. We've stopped seeing her now. But Elder Julian and I decided to stop by before we headed home. To our surpirse, she was home! Her name is Barb, and she let us right in and we were able to sit down and talk with her. As soon as I started off talking she started gettting all choked up and teary eyed. You could tell through the whole lesson that she felt the spirit! We committed to pray and read the Book of Mormon, and to ask God if it's true and if Joseph Smith truly was a prophet. She said she would.

Our 3ed investigator we picked up on Saturday.. We got a call from a lady who just joined the church in October and just moved from Mt. Vernon to Swansea/Belleville. She called us and told us she wants to start going to church again. So we went to Visit her. Her name is Kodie Martinez! She is super funnny and awesome. She has two kids and a husband who is from Mexico. She had a friend there named Amber and we were able to teach them and pick Amber up as a new investigator. 

we had a great day at church on Sunday! Kodie and Amber showed up, and so did Jermain, so we had 2 investigators and one recent convert there. We had a less active there, David Hampl, our rugged manly Air Force Fire Fighter guy! It was his first time at church in a long time, and his first time to Belleville ward. During our Gospel Doctrine class, we had a great lesson on the atonement, and I looked over and I could see him getting all teary eyed. It was just great! Truly amazing to see how the atonement effect each and every one of us and how it can change us! 

This week at church we also had a great opportunity of seeing and participating in giving The Priesthood to our Recent convert Logan who got baptized last week! It was a very special experience! 

I think that is all I have to report for this week! I just feel like I have been able to see a lot of miracles this week through the Holy Ghost testifying if things that are true. I am so grateful for the Gospel and the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ! It is through him that everything is made perfectly right, we can change our very nature, we can grow and live, and love those around us! The Atonement doesn't only allow us to be forgiven, but gives us purpose and the ability to reach our great potential! I will just end with these scriptures..

ALMA 26:13 - "Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

ALMA 26:35 - "Now have we not reason to rejoice? yea, I say into you, there never were people that had so great reason to rejoice as WE! and my joy is carried away, even unto the boasting in my God; For he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; He comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name."

Until next week,

Elder Chase Peterson

B.O.M.'s and Baptisms - 07/06/15 (Belleville, IL)

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope that Everyone had a safe and Enjoyable 4th of July.. We had a nice one here in St Louis. We were planning on going to hang out at the East River front in East St Louis to watch Fire Works at The Arch from across the river. But we got word that they weren't having them there this year because of some re-modeling going on. Instead they had them at Forest Park, farther west into the city. We weren't able to do that. 

For our Fourth we spent the morning at the church in Fairview Heights, we had a big ward breakfast! We even brought the East St Louis Elders with us, since they never get fed or have any members to help them out. The branch down there are all mostly implants from other wards. Anyway, the breakfast was great! 

After the Breakfast we had a baptism! Our 12 year old investigator Logan Wilson got baptized! He has been waiting for so long and has been so ready. It was such a great opportunity to see him be baptized. I am also looking forward to see him get the priesthood next Sunday. Logan's Mom and sister are so humbled and excited to know that for the first time they are going to have the priesthood in their home! That will be such a great blessing for them! 

We spent the rest of the holiday with the Meinhart family! They are such a great family, and they make such a big difference for us as missionaries. We had a lot of good food, good company, and some pretty good Fireworks! 

This month all of the Districts in the zone have challenged each other to different competitions! This last week O'Fallon District challenged us (Waterloo District) to see who could pass out the most copies of The Book of Mormon. Elder Julian and I passed out 26 copies and picked up a lot of potential investigators from it, and two new investigators! In the end Waterloo beat O'Fallon 146 copies to about 60 copies! 

This last P-day we went with the East St Louis Elders and most of the Meinhart family to visit The St Louis Zoo! it was so much fun! It was also free so it made it that much better! Most of the animals were pretty active and lively. We got to see Elephants eat some grass, Sea Lions dance around, and a huge polar bear cannon ball into the water. It was a pretty epic day!

We've got a lot to do this week, and we are being challenged by the Edwardsville District to see who can get the most investigators this week. So hopefully we can use some of those potentials we got to contribute. Just gonna be working hard this week in the heat and humidity! Just gotta keep Elder Julian from getting too trunky. Everyone have a great week!

Church is true!

Elder Chase Peterson