Peter is Home in 24 Hours!!!

Hey Mom and Dad,                2-11-12
Everything’s looking good for my flight home, thank you for your letters, cannot write.  I'll SEE you guys TOMORROW at 9:20. I Love you!

Elder Williams

P.S. From "mom": Peter is returning at 9:20PM (2-12-13) @ Medford Airport...All are invited to see him home! 

Peter: "Well done though good and faithful servant" ...Welcome back into the arms of your family!  We have been blessed from your unselfish service and the Lord is proud of you! 

Peter's Last Letter Before Returning to Oregon?

Hey Mom and Fam,                          2-4-13

Thanks for the email! It was cool to hear about your missionary experiences mom. I totally know how you were feeling, in the self worth and desire to do more of it. I think  that's one thing that I'm going to miss the most. We'll do some practices when I get home to help get you guys prepared for your mission next year. I can see you guys' prayers working here. I bore my testimony in my last fast/testimony meeting yesterday. It was really cool and emotional. I talked about something other than what I was thinking of talking about.  It was about the importance of missionary work and a member's value in the work.

Anyways I can feel like I’m wrapping up the mission just fine. I've seen a lot of people from my old areas and I’m ready to just 'die'. I need to finish up a lot of “stuff” in my own area now. I need to say goodbye to some baptisms and the members. They're all great people here.

Anyways, I'm excited to see my new phone. I've heard a lot about it these past couple of months since it came out.

Yesterday I was talking with some guy on the bus, he was a drunk guy, but was too well dressed to be a hobo, so anyway he started talking with us.  He wasn't too far gone so we were still able to talk to him a little bit. He seemed to be a guy that had fallen a lot. He didn't want to say too much about his life, but I used some kid-psychology on him (which works like a charm on drunk people) and he started spilling the beans. He had read the bible several times and was an ex-missionary from another church and knew a lot about the plan of salvation. It was kind of freaky, he was talking a lot about the 1/3 that had been thrust out of heaven and how he now feels like one of them.  And that he didn’t  have any more chances to repent. It was kind of a creepy conversation, we couldn't finish the conversation because we had to get off the bus, but it was very interesting. It made me think about the 1/3 and if they can come and have conversations with missionaries, the only thing that helped me believe that he was an actually physical body was the smell of the beer that he was drinking. Anyway, I know that this email is short but I'll talk to you guys a week from now face to face. Love you all, see you soon!

Elder Williams

 

Hey Dad,   2-4-13

No problem on the challenge (bearing testimony to 50 people this week), hey I didn't know that Br. Woods was now the Medford Stake Patriarch.  When did he get called? So I’m going to stay in my area until Sunday then I’m going to the office and am going to sleep there (probably).  Then Monday at like 6 AM  I’m going to take a van with the other Americans and get dropped off at São Paulo. As for my plans, I’ll need to say goodbye to a lot of people in my area. And I’m going to have a couple of meetings as well. Friday I’m going to the temple with everyone that are leaving as well. So I’m pretty booked. But yeah, I’m stoked to see you, dad, in just one more week. Thank you for everything. Your example of serving a mission really helped me during my hard times. Whenever it got tough I’d just think of you on your mission and imagine that you probably had it a lot worse. At least here we had cell phones to follow up our investigators if needed!    Love you dad!

YAY! They are Finally Baptized!

 Hey Mom and Fam,       1-28-13

  This week was way good! So Mino and Patrick got baptized no problem. Patrick had marked his baptism himself so there wasn't going to be a single problem at all, and the only problem with Mino was that there was still the language barrier; however he told me afterwards that he was excited to start his new life and to be clean, so he understood what he did very well. It was a cool experience. It was actually kind of funny; we had marked for 12:15PM, right after church. And so when we got done with the meetings we asked him if was ready, and he was completely confused as to what was going on. Apparently he had thought that he was going to baptize at 2:15, so it took him by surprise, it was pretty funny. Anyways, he got baptized when we had marked. But guess what?! They brought one of their friends that had just moved into Brazil, and he's totally from Honduras. It's cool; it feels like I’m just going through a “family” mission too. He only speaks Spanish and English, but I can understand everything he speaks in Spanish, so I just listen in Spanish and speak Portuguese, we both can understand each other. It's super cool!  It'd be cool to put Marc up in Skype and have them both speak Spanish. I was telling him about how Marc had served in Honduras and whatnot, and he was pretty excited!

   Anyways, last week was fun. I went with Elder Reidhead to Costa E. Silva where I served a year and 3 months ago. We visited Lourdes and her daughter Karine. Apparently her other son Bruno also got baptized. She's also planning on serving a mission after the kid's move out in like 5 years or so. It's super cool to see how much they've grown. Lourdes is doing a temple class and will get her endowments when she finishes. Karine also said that she was wondering why everybody was congratulating her and everything after her baptism, but that now she understands why and says that it's like the best thing she's ever done. It was a good feeling. I was feeling sad to have to leave the mission after that.

  Anyways, IDK why Pres. Morris hasn’t gotten my return information yet. I'm pretty sure it's our office's fault. They aren't doing their job at all. They've been having so much stuff that they just simply aren’t keeping up. There's a couple of Elders here that just don't have money because of them. And they can't take buses and stuff. So IDK, they're just slacking on their job. But yeah i'm going home on the 12th no problem. I'll call when I get into New York or California, depending on how much time I have in New York.

   As far as dinner goes on that Thursday I’m sort of feeling like a kid in a candy shop, I have no idea because I want everything. So maybe it's best if you choose for now. Anyways, I love you and I can't wait to see you in two weeks! 

Elder Williams

Hey Dad,       1-28-13

Thanks for the email, one of the last. It's cool to hear that you want to read PMG; I’ll read it with you no problem. I'm pretty excited to get back and start all of my projects I was thinking of. I just thought up a cool business idea that I’ll run by you when I get home. I'm pretty tired just by traveling a lot, and little sleep. But my body's getting used to it, and I’m feeling a lot better now. It was also pretty tiring because there’s some stupid drama things that I had to resolve in the zone, to try and cut gossip and a lack of diligence in the zone. I was actually just thinking about what I'm going to say on my second to last week. It's going to be fast and testimony meeting so, it’s not going to be too long, but I was thinking about talking a little bit about unity and how important it is. We'll see. Nobody's asked me to give any talk in church this whole time here in Jacaré (which is good, apparently the members are willing to give talks). Anyways, I’m planning on starting swimming at Superior on my second day there, if you want to come. Anyways, love you dad. Can't wait to see you in two weeks.

Elder Williams

 

3 weeks til peters back!

Yippee!

Peter is Doing Well

Hey Mom and Family,         1-21-13

   Thanks for the email! Thanks for the prayers; I'm completely confident that Mino and Patrick are going to get baptized. They have a great testimony and Mino is learning Portuguese really quickly. It's for certain that God is helping them both get baptized. These past couple of days have been tough. I'm feeling so tired all the time. It's all I can do to keep my eyes open sometimes. But it’s also the funnest times I've had on my mission. Things are just always going right. It's amazing to see some of the blessings promised in my patriarchal blessing already coming to pass.

   Also, In regards to you guys serving a mission in a year or so, I have complete certainty that everything's going to go the way it should when I get back. So you guys don't need to worry about me and just focus on going on your mission.  Remember that the same blessings that you guys have received while I was on my mission will also be over all of us kids. So don't worry mom. In fact I'll do what I can to get you guys all ready to head out. Anyways, it was cool to hear about that Stake devotional that you guys went to. The spirit that you guys felt the night at the Stake Fireside is something rare, but something that we should ALL try and search for DAILY! If we have it as a goal, then it will happen more frequently and we can recognize more spiritual experiences during our day.

   Last week we had a multi-zone. It was just alright; It was pretty dull. After two years it all feels like the same thing. However we had some interesting moments. Me and Elder Boring were asked to give a presentation on "goal establishing and planning" and on “how to help a possible baptism turn into a get baptized” that same week. It was fun! The night before that Tuesday, we called the office to bring some planning sheets that everyone gets at the beginning of each transfer. But the only problem is that they forgot to print them out and bring them, so we were moved to the ending of the whole training session. The other two doctrines that were given took a while so our time got cut from 1 hour to 35 minutes. It was cool though, and more efficient I think. We started out with a simulation, where it showed two missionaries (me and Boring) live two days and two nights as a missionary (one night planning, and the other no planning). I think it was taken pretty well. I think everyone was expecting something boring that would just put them to sleep, but I think it went over pretty well!  Afterwards we explained the necessity of goal setting and planning. It was a good lesson!

   Anyway the president is changing some of the ideas on the mission, from "number crunching" to “converting/baptizing” which was a huge problem in the mission for the past year and a half or so. Missionaries were being forced into completing a set of goals for teaching and finding contacts or else they would be burnt hardcore, but that idea has changed a little bit, and there are more baptisms coming due to it!

    Anyways, I don't remember any kid in our class named Skylar at all.

   I think I’ll plan my talk for Medford 1^st Ward on the huge plane ride home. I'm not too worried about the layovers and whatnot, I’m sure it'll all work out.

   Hey I had a question too, Did you had plan anything on the Thursday, the 14th?  

   Anyways, I'm pretty tired, we had a zone activity that we had to plan for today that everyone was asking us for. It was a hassle trying to get the institute building rented out to us (here they're cool; they have a ton of air hockey tables, ping pong, pool, and whatnot). But we got it and we had to supervise everybody a little bit. It was fun, but I’m pretty tired.   Anyways,   Love you!  Elder Williams

Hey Dad,    1-21-13

Thanks for the email. Yeah these past couple days have been pretty cold here where I’m at. My house collects a lot of rain, maybe more inside than outside, but its fine. I can really feel your guys' prayers, not just for Mino and Patrick but for me as well, I think it's them that are helping me stay so enthusiastic and happy. I'm traveling a lot and I’m really tired all the time, but I’m always feeling happy inside. I don't know if it's just the euphoria of just heading home soon, but I don't think it is. So I was thinking about your guys' mission. If you guys need any help preparing for it let me know. Seeing as you've already served one, maybe getting updated in PMG or in doing divisions or something would help. Anyways, I can't wait to see you in just a couple of weeks, love you dad!

Elder Williams

PS. I’m starting to get sentimental about the mission already; I don't want it to end

 

 

Only 28 More Days Left for Peter...and Counting!!

Hey Mom and Fam!    1-14-13

   Thanks for the email! This week was good. So guess what? We went to Mino's house and started teaching him, 5 other people from Haiti, two guys from India, a guy from Angolia, and a guy from Napal. It was legit! I was talking with one of the guys from India, and he's been to Indonesia and whatnot. It was cool to feel a ghost of dad's mission a little bit. He doesn’t speak Portuguese, nor English really, it was really hard to understand him, but he accepted baptism, (we showed him pictures, to make sure he understood). Anyways, that whole house is great, the people from Haiti are really funny; they all seem to be really positive, even though they're really far from home and their families. It's cool to see your prayers working down here. Mino's Portuguese is getting really good. Fast! The zone's seeing a ton of cool things, but it's starting to lose enthusiasm. One area just didn't want to work. They did 5 contacts...

   Anyways, it was cool to hear about your last temple experience! It's cool to see those things! Just last Thursday something similar happened. We told our zone that we were going to find and baptize a Lucas. So last Thursday we went out early and we offered a prayer telling God that from 11:30 to 12:00 we would stand outside of the church and invite everyone to repentance through baptism, and he would send us a Lucas that was 18-25 years old, that would go into the church and then later accept the invitation to get baptized. And that he would accept to get baptized that same week. So we went out and worked; 10 minutes later guess what happened? We found a Lucas. I saw him from afar getting out of his car with his grandpa, and I knew it was him. I talked with him, asked his name, and when he said it, my mind went blank, and I didn't know what to say! He was parking to go and resolve a problem with his bill close by. The problem is that I didn't do my part, I said I would've invited him on the spot to go inside the church and get baptized, but I waited and said that I’ll talk to him after he pays his bill. So I waited and when he finished his bill I invited him in but he said he was busy, I just barely managed to get his phone number, and he barely had enough time to do that. Anyways, it was pretty bad on my part. Sometimes we need to prepare ourselves better for things we ask for. But it was cool experience!  It reminded me of something the bishop quoted yesterday.  He said that something that makes God feel good and makes Him happy is when He gets to show mercy to someone that doesn’t necessarily feel they deserve anymore mercy. Cool huh?

   It shouldn't be any problem getting to my home coming reception after your temple night; I’m probably going to get a layover anyways.

   As far as the temple pants go I think I’m a 34, I’ve gotten pretty fat these past months. Anyways, I hope things are good. I love you! 

Elder Williams

 

Hey Dad,     1-14-13

Thanks for the email! It was cool to hear your experience with Bill, I found a couple of guys from around there from India which is close by right? Anyways, one of them was from Indonesia and it's hard to understand him. Where are you when I need you? You could probably speak to him better than me. It was cool to see, they have a cool culture. I can't wait to check out your new car. It'll be fun to drive. Climbing a mountain that is 14500 feet, is that a lot? I can't for the life of me remember “feet” at all. Is it more than Mt. McLaughlin? Anyways, I can’t wait to see all you guys! Just 28 days! Not like I’m counting or anything... It's just always in the back of my mind.

Love you dad!

Elder Williams

Pray for Mino and Patrick!

Hey Mom and Fam!       1-9-13

  Thanks for the email! It was way cool to hear about dad's testimony in church last Sunday. I bet that one of the many reasons his life was preserved in Hawaii was because of the blessing of me serving a mission and plus you guys still need to serve your OWN mission.

  Anyways, this week was way good! Elder Boring's a great missionary, and he's helping me stay focused for these last 5 weeks. I've decided that I’m not even going to care about me or my own area, but just work as hard as I can for my whole zone. The first thing I noticed is that everyone here in the "Family Jundiaí", In other words, everyone here is “dying”. Either they will leave with me, or they will be leaving the transfer afterwards. Nine missionaries in all are leaving. But I’m doing what I can with Elder Boring to help them stay focused. We had a meeting with everyone yesterday and it was very effective. We made some goals and promised a lot of blessings (one of the temporal “blessings” was that when they fulfill our goal of 41 baptisms we will take them all to a BBQ place).

  I have never seen a group so excited and unified!  I hope that it stays this way, because if it does, there are going to be a lot of baptisms!! We planned a zone fast for the end of this week. Anyway, since our goal, we've heard of a ton of miracles happening in the zone in each area!!  And because of that, some elders are leaving their apartments earlier and getting home later. They're all excited to fulfill their goals!    

    Just today in our area we we're heading to lunch and a lady pulled her car over and called us over. She said she wanted to put her kids into an English class and that she was excited to get to know the church. We got her address and number and she promised to go to church. A ton of other things in other areas have started to happen as well!!  Last week we were heading to a members house when two guys stopped us in the street. They're from Haiti and they didn’t speak Portuguese. We had to speak English with them, but they didn't speak too well.  Anyway, one of them was a member and the other wasn’t. The member wanted to know where the church was so  he could bring his records over from Venezuela (where he got baptized). Sunday they went and we had an opportunity to teach them in English. It was super weird to talk about the gospel in English!  We taught them the first lesson and invited the friend to get baptized. He gave us the thumbs up and said "no problem". He just wanted to learn Portuguese a little bit more to understand others before he gets baptized. So we gave him a Book of Mormon in Portuguese and promised that he could learn it before the 20th. So the 20th he's going to get baptized!

. Pray for him (Mino, that he can learn Portuguese) and for Patrick as well, so that Patrick's mom will let him get baptized. We've just been waiting on him until he turns 15. His birthday's this month so we hope that it'll all work out. Patrick bore his testimony this Sunday. It was very powerful it was really cool to hear! He's already talking about his mission as well; it was really cool.

   Anyways, dad's new car looks sick! I can't wait to drive it when I get back, and test out the new sound system. I'd like to stay in “Annies” old room. I'm totally down for a Disneyland trip for a week in March. I also talked with the travel office just to see if it would be possible to change my flight plans (30 hours is a long flight home) but from the looks of things it was too complicated, so I’ll just fly for 30 hours. Also, I'm totally down to live “wherever” in Provo, it looks like it'll be cool.

Anyways, pray for the zone and these people, I’m determined to end way good. Love you all. 

Elder Williams