WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!

And, Colorado is know to be called the 'Mile High City'. And we finally found the step that says it :) Pretty awesome. It's on the 13th step of the State Capitol building, pretty sweet!

Ok, so we actually didn't have a white christmas, but it snowed yesterday :) close enough!

This week was full of fun and surprises, and I was glad to have been able to enjoy them all! These last few weeks have been pretty miserable health wise, but incredible in the work of the Lord! :) We were trying to get some appointments scheduled for this week because I spent most of last week in bed. I completely forgot that the injections kinda make you into a zombie for awhile. Yeah...not fun. But, we got out to work!

Miracles for Christmas! So, Amanda and I have been planning to skype each other since she left on her mission. But, I was over at a less-active's home all day helping her to move and didn't get the chance to get on to our emails. We went home late and I had no idea that my little sister had gone through all the trouble to get in contact with my family to let them know she was skyping christmas eve! We got up Christmas Eve and looked over our plans for the next two days. We were going to do some service that morning before our District Meeting when I had a feeling to call mom and see when Amanda would be skyping. We were going to go to the library later that day around 230pm, but I felt like I needed to find out right then. When I found out Amanda would be skyping in an hour, I freaked out! I got permission from President, then called some other missionaries to cover us at service, and then called our member's dad to ask permission if I could use their computer. Good thing we live with one of the only members in the ward that actually has a computer and internet! Miracles! and when it finally got connected, I got to see Amanda!!! I couldn't see the rest of the family for awhile, and when i finally could, it was upside down, but hey, i'm not complaining! God really does work in mysterious ways to make simple things happen so His children will be happy. :)

So Christmas Eve here is when they have all the big celebrations and Santa comes and everything happens. It's pretty awesome actually. We decided to go visit a few people that day and everywhere we went, they were so excited we showed up! We had a fun dinner with the bishop and his wife with all the other missionaries in the ward- there are 9 of us! We had a great Mexican dinner-tamales :) Yum! And then had fun singing and reading stories of Christmas and opening stockings. It was a blast. After, we went to the Salinas'. We have been there a lot trying to reactivate the husband who finally stayed for all 3 hours yesterday! Woohoo! They had bought us christmas presents for helping them out so much! They had gotten us onesies with Hello Kitty on them. They are ridiculous! But so comfy! haha so, you might get a picture of them....haha

Christmas morning, we had Axel (the 10 year old son of the family we live with) come into our room and yell MERRY CHRISTMAS. And then for the next 10 minutes while everyone woke up...at 630am....he was yelling trying to get everyone to come downstairs faster to open gifts. haha It was fun to be in a house for Christmas and be able to share that time as a family. They really do treat us a part of their family at times like that. It's incredible the influence that the gospel really does have on a family. we got to share a special Christmas message with the Garcia's later that afternoon (the family we live with). He is an active member in the church now and has a calling in the Elders quorum presidency! Amazing! His wife Monse isn't a member of the church, but she still comes every week and is now working with the cub scouts. When we shared a message of Christ with them, the spirit was so strong there in their home. It was amazing to see how strong the spirit can be as each member of the home really invites him in. We have seen so many miracles as we help their family, and hopefully we can continue to see those miracles come to pass :)

So, we had this strong impression to go and see one of our investigators the other day. We were in the middle of some things, but we followed the impression anyway. To our surprise, we walked up the stairs to their apartment and Pati walked out!! The mom, Tonancy, had left a few weeks ago and taken the 4 younger kids and her sister Pati with her and went to live with their aunt. They were having a lot of problems and one day we had called and she was in tears with her bags in the van ready to leave. We hadn't seen them since. When we showed up, they had just barely pulled in and began unpacking their bags. We still don't know what brought them back together, but it truly was a miracle. We helped them bring things in and then left them to enjoy the time as a family. This week we are going to go visit them again :)

We found out Thursday morning that one of the elders was in the hospital with a skull fracture. So, after some service, we went over to see him and lift his spirits. He got to the hospital Christmas morning after not sleeping from the pain the night before. Not quite the Christmas I would have enjoyed. We decided to give him a fun Christmas, so Friday morning, we went back with some fun candies and Spiderman cards to keep him company while he recovers for the next few weeks. It's amazing how the missionaries really do come together and become more of a family everyday as someone is in need. 

The christmas spirit has really brought to pass Christmas miracles. It's amazing what happens when we decide to be disciples of Christ. It doesn't matter how awful we are feeling, God gives us the strength to be strong and to be an example to those that need our help. There is a family in our ward that has been having a lot of trouble recently, and every few days we just have this strong feeling to call them, but they never answer. I didn't realize why we were prompted to continue calling until yesterday at church. She walked in with the kids right before sacrament started and i sat with her. She began crying and I could tell that she really needed the comfort of someone else. I asked the bishop to give her a blessing of comfort after church and he made plans to visit their family and see if he could help with anything that evening. I know that God really does put us in the placed He needs us in.

Sunday morning, we got a call from a recent convert, Hermana Ocampo. She wanted to come to church, but didn't have a ride. We called the bishop's wife who was more than happy to pick her up. We found out later that her kids were at home sick, but she felt like she needed to be at church today. We talked to the Elder's quorum president who happened to be sitting by her too and he offered to find another brother in the ward to take and give them blessings after church. Everything worked out perfectly! Hna Jones wasn't feeling well yesterday at all, so after sacrament, she passed out in one of the rooms at church and i studied the gospel principles manual for an hour. When the next bell rang, she was still miserable. We borrowed the keys for the sister's apt and then got Hna Jones a blessing before going to the apt for her to sleep. God really does want His children to be successful when we are trying everything we can to be His tools. :)

This week has been a struggle, but through that struggle, there is always hope shining. We may be sick, but that doesn't change our devotion to the gospel and to finding those that need our help. Others depend on us each and everyday to do those things that are necessary. We need to simply find ways to succeed and to bring about the change in ourselves first as we find ways to help others. 

I have been reading the book "Our Heritage" this past week, and then the talks in church yesterday were on Joseph and Emma Smith. It is truly amazing to remember of their sacrifice as well at this time of year. The pioneers sacrificed their lives so that we could have ours. It is our decision to live up to our ancestors and the examples they left behind. I have learned to have a greater appreciation for all those people who really changed the world in the midst of so many struggles. I know i can have the strength to continue on and be strong no matter what happens in my life. I know you can do the same!

I wish you all an amazing New Year! Make sure to make it the very best yet :)
Love you all! 

Hermana Jessica Peterson

Wandering around downtown one morning after a doctor's apt while we waited for the library to open! yup, this is a giant broom and dust pan. I'm pretty sure colorado is known for their weird statues..they are everywhere!

19792 E 49th Ave

Denver, CO 80249

Mission Home Address:

Colorado Denver North Mission

Hermana Jessica Peterson

1250 Main St.

Broomfield, CO 80020