Feeling the Spirit and loving it!

THANKS FOR DISTRIBUTING THE PACKAGE! Did the monkey hand and face make it?? If so! Have Dad treat them! He can hang it in his truck for the time being if he wants hahahah ;) I'm glad you all enjoyed the stuff! Just know that those things are a symbol of who I am now and part of me.....hahahahahahaha just kidding! It's just cool African stuff!

So this week was nice...on P day we went to braai (BBQ), a goat we slaughtered, but we also had some trouble with the police. The other Elders car did not have proof of insurance (though it was insured), so the police "arrested the Elder driving hahahah it was super funny cause I was talking with the Police in Sesotho the whole time :P hahaha We got things figured out...I was super glad I put our registration up though I was a little jealous of the Elder that got "arrested" haha The driving here is terrible all around though so I was surprised that they made a huge deal about all the stuff...

This week we were able to watch General Conference and it was SUPER amazing. So someone special attended! A sister we have been teaching that has been having dreams and stuff has finally come to church and what better time to come then conference!!! WOW! hahah It was sweet! She stayed and even watched some of the Priesthood session and members welcomed her and she LOVED IT! We saw her later that evening and we asked how she liked it. She started quoting from the conference and said it answered questions that she had been troubled about in her life and it was just TRUE! She is soooooo amazing! We asked about the Book of Mormon reading and it turns out she has been reading at least 2-3 pages a day and when she is at work...(she is a General Manager) she has everyone come and start the day with a prayer and end with a prayer!!!! WOWOWOWOWOW! So we let her set her own B date! :) I love this work! I have seen so many countless miracles that I have not mentioned and I will treasure them always as I will always treasure these people. I love them with all my heart! (The manly kind) :P haha Elder Allen is the perfect companion to be here with. We both have been trying to exercise our trust in the Lord more and le bona? The work just goes amazingly!!!

Well I love this work everyone :) Have a great week and I will talk to you in 2 weeks ish (less than that!) haha and also Elder Allen’s family!!! Thanks for the birthday letter! That was awesome!!! We got mail while we were waiting at the "jail" (not really looking like a jail but a farm.) and it brightened what seemed like a wasted p day.  Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Petrie

Nine Months in Africa!

Hello!!!! Easter was nice but nothing too special happened besides what seemed like an added measure of the spirit.

So to answer your question, the last lesson we taught was to a recent convert and we taught him about the temple.

We just had a zone conference about becoming a completely consecrated missionary and to tell you the truth...I have to repent. I have to change. I have to give it my ALL and not just the time that we are required but really EVERYTHING! Every ounce of energy I have is to be used for the work.  WOW! That’s a big thing! :P Haha    

Our boarding is nice. Its right next to the other missionaries so there are 4 of us. We have to fetch water from their boarding though, cause ours is terrible. Haha

In answer to your question of what we eat, we have meat sometimes and we have rice and we have bread and peanut butter. It's nice :) We make most the food ourselves.

I’m sorry I can't send any pictures home because the flash drive I had is lost and I can't send any from my card because the internet and places here are also bad…soooo maybe wait till I am in South Africa? Sorry :(....Here....it's a problem sometimes.

So this week we didn't have much time. We went to South Africa for a zone conference and I got to see many of my friends and we were able to sit at our Presidents feet and listen to the words he taught. This conference really has helped me to change. AND! We got McDonalds!!!!!!! It was great!!! :) We also helped a man and his family this week. They needed us to plow with them using our spades...but when we got there he said change of plans....I need to work in my fields so we went to his fields and cut grass, etc...in a very primitive way haha literally....African. Along with us not having much time this week, many people were gone visiting families for the Holiday.

Well, I can't wait to hear you all soon on Mother’s day!  Love you all! Have a nice week!

Love,

Elder Petrie

Happy 20th Birthday Elder Petrie!

Hello!! :)

I think I am going to get myself another Basotho blanket for my birthday :P BUT HEY!!!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE BIRTHDAY SONG!!!! I love you! :)

I know Elder Goodwin!!! I like that guy! He was a good guy!

No you don't need to send anything for the water....I am used to it now and I can get around. hahaha  

Soooo this week was very nice besides the fact that I'm OLD…20!

We just helped out doing some service, then Elder Allen chased a goat...hahah oh man. How we amuse ourselves in Lesotho...But I will say, it was the most amusing thing I've seen in a while haha.

We actually have had some AMAZING experiences! The Lord realized we were having some of those “Missionary lows,” so he sent us some amazing experiences!!! This week we went to see a lady that we hadn’t seen for a while and when we were teaching she asked if we could interpret dreams....we answered sure, we’ll try! haha So she explained that her parents were telling her in her dream to "come on, let’s go!" She said her Dad in a previous dream was dressed in white....I can tell you I was so happy when I heard this I couldn't speak! We eventually were able to explain it to her. Wow....It just opened her eyes. And then another investigator we have been teaching randomly came to church and said she felt something inside of her that was so strong! Like she couldn't contain it...We explained we have been waiting for her to feel of the Spirit! She was soooooo happy!

This week we have also enjoyed many great laughs and jokes......Mister Elder Allen is the coolest guy around these here parts. We practice our deep southern accents every once in a while cause we both sound weird with our not American but not African accents. Though here we are often mistaken for South Africans...But in the small world of Lesotho...if you aren't from here....you're South African ;) hahaha I love it here and the work. We have been working with the young single adults lately and even hosted an activity for them using flour bombs, egg toss, and 3 legged races and all that jazz.... :P haha Guess who had to buy the panty hose used for making flour bombs........Elder ALLEN! :) hahaha He did it without ANY fear and the women at the checkout were laughing as he explained what we were going to do with it :P hahaha Yep! Well, have a good week everyone! I love you!

Love,

A 20 year old Elder Petrie

The Plan of Salvation is Real!

Wow! I hope we get to watch all that stuff about hastening the work in Africa also!   Eish! I get to watch General Conference on the 26th of April. I can't believe you all got to share in a part of the work we are doing here!!! (He’s responding to the report I told him I watched  in between General Conference about Africa being one of the largest growing area’s in the church). The area I'm in is crazy...(church) groups are forming and we're trying to visit all of them and get them in order and organized. It's crazy!!!

Wow, I wish I could mourn with the Johnson family....I love that family. They were always happy and I'm sure they will still be. Joseph Smith once said that it is required of us to mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort but that we should be happy because the Plan of Salvation is REAL and we WILL all be together again and we will live with our Father in Heaven once again! THAT is the message we are spreading. The messages that go with it are only appendages and that wonderful Plan our God has made for us is the "good news" the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I wish I could have been there with the family to say goodbye but I am happy that someday I can share the stories of how much I learned and then I can sit at her feet and have her teach me all the things I have missed. She was a wonderful women and I really will miss her. I will always remember the talk she gave in stake conference.

So, this week has been ROUGH! People have just been gone or if they're home they just don't want to hear the message :P Elder Allen and I have been a little bit discouraged but I'm sure the Lord is just trying us and wants to see if we are willing to endure to see the miracles to come.. :) I can't wait :) At least it's better than enduring as Job did or Alma and Amulek :P They had it BAD! haha

So, Not much to tell this week  other than a lot of mission low going on over here but I do want to give a shout out to Elder Allen’s Mom and Dad cause I think they read the blog! HEY! You have one of the coolest sons and I am so happy that we get to be companions! He is the man and I can't wait to meet you all in person cause I've heard so much about you! Alright y'all well have a nice week :) Love you guys! And I hope that both our weeks can pick up! I hope everyone is getting better at home and someone better give me Jons contacts because I want to talk to him! Tell him I said sorry man! That sucks! Wish we could have been stuck in the same airport then we could have done something fun.....like sleep...don't get enough of that :P haha Love you all!

Love,

Elder Petrie