Elder Peterson, Matt's companion is getting transferred. Matt really loves him and will miss him.

Elder Peterson and Elder Vogel

March 14th - 21st

Monday - Same as last week, we enjoyed our p day and we went to FHE (Family Home Evening). Not much more than that haha

Tuesday - We went and saw Melissa B. and went with Vinnie and shared a message that my brother told me about, it's called forgiveness, it was an awesome video and got her to cry.. BONUS! Means the spirit was working hard. That was about it. Dinner got canceled and everyone else fell through, oh well that's life of a missionary.

Wednesday - We had zone conference all day in Exeter. I loved seeing elders from my last area! I saw Elders Wattenburger, Iverson, Pace, Pemberton, Bonosconi, Lane, Miller, Williams and Johnson!! So awesome, loved seeing how much they love their mission and how much we all have changed. The talks where amazing, the lessons shared where inspired and I really felt the spirit work hard when Pres. Stoker was talking about the new mission president, president Blair. Can't wait to meet them and have the chance to serve with them, but we will miss the whole office staff and the Stokers dearly. We had a "Man Talk" with all the Elders and men who were there, it's classified so I won't share it, haha, but afterwards we had a lunch and Elder Pace and Pemberton and I all hung out and laughed at each other and caught up with Elders Wattenburger and Iverson. After that we went to our own zone meeting and heard wonderful talks prepared by Sisters Pankratz and Evans about the ward and members. After that Elders Johnson and Young shared about the spirit. After that Elders Pace and Pemberton (assistants to president) gave us a training on hope to make effective lesson plans for people and ourselves. Awesome. After zone conference, the drive home with the sisters was awesome, sure gonna miss them haha, we talked about zone conference, how trunky they are about going home and what we learned on our missions haha, then we drove to Lee, just outside of Durham New Hampshire for our dinner appointment. I love Durham! It's so thick and dense full of trees and forest! If I where to live in New England, I'd live in Durham. Horses, fields, trees, space, everything you could imagine accept mountains... I kinda want those haha but we had a great dinner with the Johnson's then we called it a day. Busy busy busy.

Thursday - Today we had the whole day booked!! It felt awesome!! Didn't need to do a lot of planning today or anything!!! But suddenly!!!!!! One by one they each canceled...... WOW!! Heart broken! We only where able to see Vinnie for bout 45 min then go all the way to Durham for the broadbents dinner, where, their 3 year old daughter Briar was shirtless and climbing all over everyone and everything haha she's a cute, funny and super energetic girl!! After that, we went to the Gogans with the sisters and had a great close to our night! So, our day was mostly planning and street contacting.. Or trying to haha




Friday - During planning session today, we heard a knock on our door and what we beheld was awesome!!! We where tracted into by JW'S !! (Jehovah witnesses) there wasn't much talking, when we opened the door with a Book of Mormon in our hands, they just stopped, looked at us, we kinda smiled and gave them each a Book of Mormon, winked at them, smiled and told them to have a lovely day! Hahahah!!! Good grief that was awesome!! After that we went and saw Shelly and shared with her the Easter video and she loved it!! After that, we went home the rest of the day looking for Elder Peterson's crown for his tooth!!! Haha silly goose. It fell out and he thought he threw it away so we went dumpster diving to find it.. Still haven't found it, poor guy. After that we went to Derry for exchange and I'm with Elder Reed! He's on the more timid side, so we will see what happens! He's a cool elder, love him.




Saturday - Exchange was a lot of fun! We went and shared the Easter message with a family and then we went and sanded a desk! That was fun because I got to use my carpenter skills from my dad! Haha afterwards, we went to Applebee's and that was way good!! Loved it! We where in P-Day clothes too because we where dirty!! Haha it was great!! After that, we went to the Brown family and shared the video and they loved it! Brother Brown plays guitar so next time I'm in Derry, we're gonna jam! Later we stopped by Keith, he was asleep so we didn't bother him for to long. Next we went to a couple other families and no luck there. For dinner, us missionaries went to the Derry Ward lasagna bake off! It was way good! So many awesome people there, so many stories and different cultures, way cool. The Simpsons where there (Senior Couple) and it was way awesome to see them and talk to Elder Simpson a little bit and also sister Simpson about how to take care of myself haha she's awesome! Then we headed back to Portsmouth for the night, a long and exhausting day but it was well worth it.




Sunday - We got a foot of snow... BUT!! President and Sister Stoker spoke in church about member missionary work! It was way awesome! I loved hearing their thoughts of the work, their stories and how the members can better themselves. It was truly inspiring. Second hour we had a meeting, Bro Gogan, us Elders and Sisters and the Stokers, and Brother Gogan expressed that us 4 missionaries in just 6 weeks has brought a new light in the Portsmouth Ward. He expressed that the missionary work wasn't great when he was first called to be ward mission leader and he said trust was long gone. He says that us 4 have made huge impacts on the members, they love us, they trust us and they are willing to try and get out of their comfort zones. He never thought it would happen this fast or effective. Amazing, I never thought I'd have such a huge impact on people, especially people I don't know very well. The trick is to love them, love them so much as if they where your own family. Once we do that, everything else falls into place. Never lose the love for yourself and put trust and faith in Christ and His Atonement. Third hour, the adults of the ward where all gathered to hear a more in depth discussion about missionary work from President Stoker, he also got the ward to commit to share the new Easter video on Facebook and role play inviting someone to church! A ton of feedback!! Wow!! Brother Reagan, I role played with him, expressed that it was difficult because he didn't want rejection and I was able to explain how that's not a Godly thought. Even though we want to and we desire it, something gets in the way and we are fearful of a "no" and potentially losing a friend when actually, a simple "will you come to church with me?" Can have everlasting affects and still keep friends, if they go crazy about it, they are not your friends. It was awesome, after church we went into choir and listened to people talk about the Stokers, they are thinking of people to invite, it's gonna go great!! We went and saw Larry B. and read a verse out of the scriptures and talked about it and he shared a couple cool thoughts and tested my geography... I failed and he said "you need to go back to school or read a book" haha I don't need much of that in my mission because what I'm doing is so simple, but obviously I will go back to school when I get home and hopefully I will develop habits out here that will help me for school, such a study habits haha. After that we came back home and studied and had dinner.  I have personally made it a goal to go through the addiction recover booklet because I was told by my trainer "don't teach, commit or even bring something up if you don't do it yourself" so that's what I'm doing. I'm going through it honestly, heartfelt and I will share it with people who need it.

Step 1 was honesty. To admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addiction and that your life has become unmanageable.

Even though I don't have an "addiction", I am relating it to not being very obedient and not being the missionary I want to be. Already, it's getting intense, so much honesty and self reflecting that I already want to hardcore repent! I have 11 steps to go and hopefully by the end of it, I will be exactly obedient and start growing even more as a missionary and as a individual.


This week I have felt God's love for me closer than I have recently on my mission. I thought back and was like "I'm a missionary, shouldn't He always be with me ?" But He's not if I don't let Him. The littlest disobedience, the spirit is gone from me and I can't do anything about it. Once I'm disobedient, I'm no longer a missionary and that's not what I want. I want to be worthy to wear my tag and to learn and grow and help others along the way through my example. If I want to change, I have to do something about it. If I want a faith promoting experience, I have to go do something that requires faith, honesty and full heartedly otherwise, it's not going to come. I wanted to know if the Book of Mormon was for sure true, so on my mission, I read it in a month, prayed and now I kick myself for not doing it sooner because I know it's true!! I know that I have been specifically called to New England for something, for someone, for something that will change who I am and something that will be with me for eternity. Something that will prepare me for my career, my wife, my family, everything. I haven't found it and I won't know what it is until I'm on the plane flying home and "thanking God in the most sincere prayer I've ever prayed" (Nashville tribute band - hardest thing I've ever loved to do) and when that time comes, I will know without a shadow of a doubt that I have completed what God wanted me to do. I've still got a long way before that day, but it's rapidly coming close and I have to make each day something I won't ever forget, a day that when I go to bed I can say I did my best and wake up saying I've got to try harder. That's when progress and faith are out to the test, that's when you have a faith promoting experience.




Story time, as I was looking at my friends mission area in Europe (France), I came across England and recognized almost every single city there.. New England is almost a complete mirror of England and a lot of parts in France like Montpellier and Lafayette, pretty awesome!!.. I realize some of you are thinking "You kidding me? This kid's stupid, how did he not know that?" But I will assume you all didn't know and that I just made your day haha but it was pretty cool to see that.
As a missionary you tend to ponder your past from time to time, what home was like, what you could have done differently, the person you use to be, and honestly, it's scary where I was before. I don't recognize myself anymore, this gospel has definitely changed my life. Because I have engulfed myself in something that I believe it's true, it's changed how I act, talk, think and how I want my future to go. It's with anything in life, if you like playing the guitar a lot, you will change your lifestyle to it, if you like horses, same thing. I'm so happy I made the choice to serve a mission, even though it's driving some people who I thought where friends away from my life, even if I felt I made the biggest sacrifice in the world, which I didn't, the one thing I know without a doubt is that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. Because of Him, I have eternal goals, life goals, excitement for what lies ahead and no shame, hurt, guilt, confusion or wonder. I know my purpose in life. The Easter video talks about seeing your loved ones again someday. I honestly can't wait for that day, I can't wait to see my grandfather, uncle, cousins, brother Aurich, everyone who sacrificed so much for me and I never even knew. Family history has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father more than it ever has before, words can't even begin to describe how I feel in Portsmouth, it just can't. I try everyday, but I can't describe this feeling from the spirit other than I know this is true and I made the best choice I could have made to this point in my life.


Can't wait for what lies ahead!! Love you all! I hope to hear from you!!