January 5th, 2015

Well Happy New Year! Happy anniversary Mom and Dad!

This week was good, as always, I guess there is always good in a week.

Time is just flying by, I can't believe it's already 2015!!

I bore my testimony in Church yesterday, and I was amazed at how good it felt... I mean it always feels good to bear your testimony but this time especially was great.

I was reading in my Journal from before my mission and some thing that I wrote was that I was searching for peace and joy, and that I had found that in the gospel.
This last week I realized how little time I have left on my mission which caused me to contemplate the last two years of my life. Two years ago today was the day before I recieved my mission call.
I think that above all else I have learned that true happiness comes from living the principles that are taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. By abiding by these standards of living we are happier in the long run. We may have to forego some momentary pleasures and experience riddicule from our coleages, and even our close friends, but at the end of the day. Truth is Truth. 2+2 equals 4 no matter how many people say that it equals 5.

Another great thing that I have learned from my mission is that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. Of course the principles make us happy and lead to productive happy lives, but it is also great to know that God really does exsist. That Jesus Christ his son also lives and that he died for us all so that we could return to live together as families for eternity.
I don't pretend to know or understand all the intricacies of the gospel, but I know enough to say this much: God LOVES YOU, he may be quiet a lot of the time but something I learned from one of my dearest companions while walking the streets of Stockholm in the dark and cold is that:
 "Life is a test, God is the teacher... how many times did your teacher talk during a test in school?"
so really from this perspective our father in heaven is rather chatty, or at least he is to me.
I love you all and I hope that 2015 with be the best year ever.
Love,
Elder Peterson