Week 51: How Did You Get Your Testimony?

Hello everyone!

Well, this week we had a lot of ups and downs. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. The C family I told you about last week let us know they are no longer interested in hearing about the gospel. I guess the father looked up some anti material online and decided to call the whole thing off. It was so frustrating. I wish people would go to the correct source when having questions instead of looking for answers on anti websites. And that goes with any religion.

We also spent more of the week trying to go through our area book and narrow it down for future missionaries so they can see who is actually willing to change rather than waste valuable time speaking to investigators.

Speaking of investigators, L is struggling to keep his commitments. Will you please pray for him to have the desire to change? We’re having a hard time setting up return appointments with him as well. We know he isn’t trying to ignore us but it’s still discouraging because we want to teach him.

Yesterday was stake conference! It was a special conference because they just released and then called a brand new stake presidency. President Howell was called to be the new stake president in the Rochester Stake. He is a good man and wants to accomplish everything the Lord asks of him. We had two members of the seventy at the meeting, Elder Bennett & Elder Gerard. They both gave wonderful talks. It felt like it was a 4th session of general conference. I shook hands with them after the meeting. They were so nice! The whole meeting made me think about dad and when he was called to be the stake president. I’m grateful he accepted the calling and chose to serve the Lord.

This week I studied Moroni’s promise in Moroni 10:3-5 . . .

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if
it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember
how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the
creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these
things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye
would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these
things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with
real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it
unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Notice how it says the only way to KNOW if the Book of Mormon is true is if you have a sincere heart with real intent. I love that. You must have a desire to want to know. You can read the book all the time but get nothing out of it if you aren’t careful. That is why it’s so important to have a sincere heart with real intent.

While studying this scripture it made me realize I’ve never asked you guys how you first knew that the Book of Mormon is true. How did you obtain your testimony of the church? I would love to hear how you got your answer.

I love and miss you all very much!

Love,

Elder Peterson

P.S. Thank you so much for sending me all of the awesome care packages and for the Buffalo Bills hat too!