He's Home!

Hey,

Elder Brian Peck came home on Tuesday, April 8.  He has made a great transition and is getting back into life as a non-missionary.

Final Week

hi.

We had some progress with our investigators, but the planned baptisms were unable to happen. If not next week, then the week after, FOR SURE.

I'm kinda sad that I wont see them get baptized, but I'll keep in touch with my comps so they can send pictures or something. That is, if they're not transferred out as well. We have a few really good potentials and I can picture them being baptized in April or May.

At this point, I'm trying not to feel counterproductive. How can I spend my time the way God wants me to? I ask myself that question, and then I try to do it. Even a week in California is room for miracles. It's hard sometimes to continue because we all want to see immediate results. Even if we did find more people to baptize, I wouldn't see them get baptized. That thought has tempted me to hold back and to not try so hard. But I feel like I've done well enough. I've had a lot of really good teaching opportunities and I haven't lost a desire to teach. Finding...I've kinda lost the desire for that. When I approach someone, I can feel an insincerity in myself that I'm sure others recognize, too. I honestly would like to see someone become interested in the church and want to learn. Experience tells me that it's so uncommon, that the chances of finding someone who's actually interested, is very low. So it would make sense that giving up crosses ones mind. I press on either way. I have a duty to God and I want Him to be proud of me. I can at least try my best. That's all He asks. And when I do a little bit more, He blesses me a little bit more! 

I don't know if I'll email next week, 

So if not, see you at the airport. 

Elder Peck

Monday, March 24

Hey.

So, Miranda's Aunt has not allowed Miranda to come to church the past 2 weeks...but she should be getting baptized this Sunday for sure! Blake's baptismal date has to be pushed back, too. He will be out of town that weekend. If we can, he will be baptized April 6th. 

We have a few other really good potentials. London, Diane, Melissa, Guillermo, and some others. 

I'm excited to see how far they progress before I leave. 

Elder Peck

 

 

hey

Hi!

 

Yikes! 3 weeks! What has my life even come to? haha jk.

Um so Miranda is doing well I think...I guess her member boyfriend broke up with her...so it's a little awkward for us to teach her. Yeah. She should still be getting baptized this Sunday. And the following week, there will be another baptism. His name is Blake. I don't know if I already mentioned him before. He's 9. He's really cool. Just needs to come to church more consistently. So yeah...I sent a bunch of stuff home with Riley and Trevor. They'll probably show you the video, too. Mom, if you really want to do anything to my room, make it just like I left it. hahaha good luck. I don't know how much it's changed since then. About my clothes, I will probably go through them on my own time. Thanks for thinking of that, though. I'm sad that I'll miss Chan's homecoming. The deal was that I'll see his farewell and he'll see my homecoming. Sounds fair enough. I haven't been taking many pictures lately. Elder Felix always brings his camera with him, so when I see something I want to take a picture of, I'll use his camera. So when I'm home, I can look up my email and save all the pictures from there. I have a few on my camera, but they're boring.

 

I really don't know what else to say.

 

K bye!

 

Elder Peck

Hello!

Um...so this week was good. We taught Maranda again. She's very elect. She accepted all the commandments and should be getting baptized this Sunday. Cha-ching! Just kidding.

Sorry, I don't really have much else to say. 

see you in 4 weeks I guess.

Hey,

 

So this week we didn't get standard...but it was still good. Saturday was very eventful. We had a meeting in the morning with the Ward Mission Leader, and when the other Ward Missionaries got there, they said that our investigators had a huge branch blocking their door. It has been raining for the past two days pretty hard, so that probably knocked the branch off some tree and it fell right on their front porch. So, we stopped our meeting and drove to our investigators house and with a little effort, cut down this giant branch and made a pile of sticks on the side of their house. They came out of the house and caught us secretly helping them. How embarrassing! They were very thankful. We actually had an appointment with them for a few hours later...so we saw them again. 

 

Anyway, as we were driving around in the rain, trying to contact some part member families and less actives, we came across an older lady and her daughter standing outside looking at their car, scratching their heads and frowning. We got out of the car and approached them, "Hey how are you guys?" The old lady replied "I've had better days" "What's wrong?" we asked. "Flat tire..." I rubbed my hands together and said "Well let's get this show on the road!" We changed the tire and the daughter gave us her number so we could call and set an appointment for next week. I'm pretty sure she's not a member. We never mentioned anything about the church while we were there...but she has a good impression of the Mormons, I'm sure.

 

 Later, we were driving down the road and saw about 5 Mexicans trying to push an SUV backward up a driveway - in the mud. I pulled over and we got out to help them. We didn't say anything, we just started pushing. Three young men is all they needed. After a little struggle, and slipping in my classy shoes...We got the SUV back to level ground. Then, to our surprise, they started the engine and backed up, and then drove away. I am still puzzled...? 

 

Anyway, for Dinner, we went to the church for a chili cook off. I was put in charge of taste testing the pies. There was an apple pie that did not do so well...but the strawberry rhubarb was amazing. There was also a silent auction for Girl's Camp. I spotted an old clarinet...starting at 20 bucks. I placed my bid at 25$. Nobody else ever showed interest in it. So I won it. So I have a clarinet now. I don't want to try playing it until I know a little more about clarinets. 

 

So all that happened on Saturday, but the best thing was teaching a new investigator for the first time. We sat in the Primary room with TJ (young man in the ward) and his friend Maranda. She asked us questions about the Book of Mormon. We taught the Restoration. I asked her about her baptism. (She was baptized as an infant) I said "Do you remember how you felt when you were baptized?" She said "...no, I was a baby" I said "Did you choose to be baptized?" She said "...no, I was a baby" I explained that little children are alive in Christ and how they are innocent and cannot sin, therefore they need not baptism. She understood. I said "Will you choose to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized by the proper priesthood authority?" She said that she would. 

I shared my testimony and reassured her that this is the right path. And that by being baptized, she would be doing exactly what God wants her to do right now. She smiled and said "OK" Then we gave her a Book of Mormon and asked her to read. Last night, she called us and asked us more questions about what she was reading. She had read 2 chapters in Alma (30-32) and didn't understand some words and phrases. So we taught her more and she just kept reading. Pretty neat huh? 

 

Anyway, that was another highlight of our Saturday. We finished the day by coming home to a sweet 16 birthday party for our homeshare's granddaughter. There was loud music blasting through the house and we did everything we could to avoid it. But we took about..oh I don't know...an hour or so and danced the night away. Then we tried sleeping and the music continued for about 30 minutes before everyone went home. My back was in pain after a few moves I haven't tried in a long time. So I stopped early. hahahahaha.....yeah.

 

k bye

 

Elder Peck

transfers

hello!

So Saturday night, I was really not feeling too well, so I went to bed around 9:30. We were expecting calls from the Zone Leaders to let us know about transfers. I wasn't too caught up in finding out what would happen. I just wanted to rest. Finally, at 10:30pm.... the Zone Leaders called and let us know what would be happening. Elder Felix and Elder Jackson and I will be staying as a trio, covering Woodcrest and the Deaf Branch. It was surprising to me because I thought that we were only a trio because Elder Felix's companion went home for surgery and it would go back to normal after the transfer...but seeing the progress we've had the past several weeks, I can see why we are staying together. It's good. I'm happy with it.

 

The confirmations were good. I was only there for Mick's. He cried as he stood and shook hands of those who stood in the circle. It was also Branch Conference...so the Stake President spoke. It was good. Of course he had an interpreter the whole time because I don't think he knows any ASL...Anyway, after church, we were talking (signing) with Mick and his girlfriend Edith. They told us about how they have some friends who are interested in learning about the church and getting baptized. So we are waiting to hear from them and when we can meet up. In Woodcrest, Maryann (baptized last week) has been bringing her older sister to YW and other things. She's already registered for girls camp and youth conference and other things! She'll probably be next to get baptized if their dad doesn't get their first. We're hoping he does, so he can be the one to baptize her and the rest of his family.

 

Um...I don't really have any other stories. . . OH! So last night, we came home and the Salem's (homeshare) had a guest over. His name is Tarek. He's from Cairo.Yeah! Egypt. So we said hi and went to bed. This morning, I woke up and put a pot on the stove so I could breathe in the steam and help my coughing problem. Tarek was sitting outside smoking. He came in and sat down. I finished breathing steam and sat across the room from him. We talked about life and religion and had a good conversation. I was able to share Joseph Smith's first vision as well as a lot of the Book of Mormon with him. He's Muslim as are most Egyptians, and shared with me a lot of their main beliefs and things. He asked questions like "How are Mormons different from Christians?" Which is the same question that Corey Bobryk asked which started the lessons which led to his baptism! Anyway, I thought I explained myself pretty clearly. His response was basically that "That's your belief, and you have the right to believe whatever you want, as long as you believe in God" He made mention that "all roads lead to Rome" implying that all forms of religion lead to God or to Heaven. So I just let him continue talking for a while, and sharing some of his life stories and so forth. Then he went out to smoke again.

 

Kind of a weird story, but I enjoyed it. anyway...bye!

 

Elder Peck