Trevor and his companion had interviews on Monday with the mission president and a busy schedule kept him in a state of business this week. Trevor said the mission president told him it was time to prepare for leadership and training. Trevor also express to him his feelings about the boys getting baptized without him.  Trevor suggested having the missionaries over to discuss with the boys what it means to get baptize and the commitment they will be making. He also suggested other principles that they need to follow.  

He did remark on the weather, "Everything is going pretty good here. Nothing to crazy just cold as ever. The wind sucks! It's not necessarily cold, just the wind that makes it feel colder than it is. If you stand for 30 seconds, your feet freeze because of all the cobble stones. They seem to hold in the cold very well and your feet and toes are dead numb to the point that it doesn't bother you. This is because you seriously can't feel them! Other words besides that, everything is going great. "

We told Trevor the new local missionaries came to our ward, and I told them I would arrange a week of dinners from the members in the Bloomington Ward. We are feeding on Thursday and so Trevor gave us a description on what to expect. " What they do is come over and eat all the food. Make sure you cook a lot of whatever it is, cause they're growing boys and nothing is worse when leaving an eating appointment and your still a little hungry. Bless the food first, you can even call on them to bless it. I'm sure they are used to it already, or at least I am. While your eating just chat it up and make them feel like they want to come back again. After the main course have some dessert (don't forget the dessert) and DON'T just give them ice-cream. Maybe ice-cream with some pie or something else or something without ice cream, cause as a missionary every eating appointment for dessert is ice cream. Your having ice cream all the time and then you kinda get sick of it. After all of that they will ask if it's OK to share a spiritual thought with you. Go into the living room and they will share the spiritual thought after that close with a prayer and leave. BUT before all that ask them if they are in a hurry or have another appointment after you guys so they can get out on time so they are not late for their next appointment. Nothings worse then when people won't stop talking and then your late for your appointment. Make sure both elders are included in the conversation, so they both feel like they talked the same amount or got the same amount of attention. You guys will do good! I'm stoked to hear how it goes. That's awesome. Just don't forget the appointment! Just a little advice from a missionary."           

This was cute to look beyond his advice to us and into what he has experienced himself out in the field. 

Trevor has only been in Roskilde for a month, but will be transferred on the 15th to Randers. This will provide his companion, Elder Willden, the opportunity to train a new green elder from the MTC before heading home to Utah. Trevor has enjoyed this elder's companionship over the past month and during prior activities over the last year.  This seemed to be a really busy area for Trevor. He will take what he has learned from this area, as well as from the prior areas, to be a positive influence to the people of Randers.

Trevor sent this picture of a store he found called, Taste of American which carries American products. I zoomed in to see the prices of some of the products and used the internet to convert to US Dollars. The current rate 1 Danish Kroner equals .1767 US Dollar.
 Product             Kroner    US 
Milk Duds          19.00      3.39
Good & Plenty   19.00      3.39
Junior Mints       20.00      3.53
Resses cups        20.00      3.53
Twizzlers           20.00      3.53
Marshmellow Fluff
                        29.00      5.13
Snyder Pretzels  29.00      5.13
Crunch N'Munch29.00      5.13
Gold Fish          39.00      6.89
Pepperidge Farm
    Choc. Chunk Cookies
                        49.00     8.66
Toaster Tarts     59.00    10.43

Winter Wonderland of Danmark

Transportation by fairy

Temple

One Year

Well, this week was even better.  We are #1 in the mission as far as working goes.  We talked to 760 people, 50 lessons, 10 other lessons with a member present, and gave out 32 Book of Mormons, and had the highest working hours in the mission. 

Here in Roskilde, we get treated so bad every single day. We get yelled at and people try to get us out of the areas.  We just stand up for ourselves. There has not been one day yet where we have had less than 6 or 7 people saying or try to do something bad to us. Last month, we were at a meeting with other missionaries and when it finish we saw that someone had walked up to one of our cars and shattered the window. Glass was all over in the car. With the good comes the bad to make good. We are totally booked up with eating appointments for the whole month of februar. Only five days out of the month we get to make our own dinner. So that's way, way, way good!

This Thursday is 1YEAR!  IT'S THE FINAL COUNT DOWN! and a lot more work to do.

 Not much to write, but everything is going great. Here is a picture of a cat that came in through our window. We decided to feed it, give it milk, and play with it. 

Transferred to Roskilde

I'm now in Roskilde after being six months in Horsens. My companion, Elder Willden, and I totally busted our bums this week. We are working way hard and this week wasn't even a full week for us. We were on top of everything and were the highest in the mission on everything. The new area is way cool and fun.  My companion and I white washed this place. We have a car in this area. We don't know our way at all, so we just drive all over and waste gas it seems. Elder Willden kinda of stinks at driving, so it's pretty fun:) sharp turns, slamming on the brakes, going over curbs, going fast, and dodging other cars on the road-nearly dying everyday, but still having fun. So he's practicing  haha. On our first day in the area, a guy started yelling at us, banging on the car, swearing at us, and spitting on the window. We were getting pretty upset, but for the most part we held our cool.  This week was probably one of the most productive and one of the most hardest working weeks on my mission. I am stoked to see what we can do this week! The mission leader and much of the ward complemented us on how the first week in church we split off and went around in church and said hi to everyone and introduced ourselves. They know we were here to work and get things done! I have to give a talk this Sunday in church. We are working with a kid. He said he would like to get baptized. The other missionaries have passed over him, but we're going to work with him and get him baptized. We also will try to get his uncle, who is a member, to baptize him. The hard part is the kid is under 18. He is 17 so, we need his mom's approval. She is not to fond of the idea, so we're going to try talking to his mom and address her concerns. We have a baptism date on the 11th of February for another investigator, but we're not sure if he'll be ready or not. We'll have to see. Seriously, we are working HARD! and SMART! and with the SPIRIT and giving it our all. It was crazy out of the blue that I left Horsens, but it was good. This week was crazy and we were working like crazy. We are going to Kobenhavn today, so it's just like good ol' times before when serving in Ballerup area.

The snow that Trevor was hoping would never come.

In Mark's weekly email to Trevor he had to write about the passing of our family member Stan Harding. This has been a fear of Trevor's being on his mission and losing family members. Trevor gave examples of some of his memories growing up around Stan and then stated He has diffidently given me unforgettable memories. The loss is hard, but it's wonderful that we have the belief of knowing after death we keep progressing and able to one day greet and hold the ones we love in our arms again. 

The mission home puts out a monthly Det Danske Banner that the missionaries and parents get. It has a message from President Andersen, up coming missionary events with things they need to do, birthdays, and exiting missionaries. There is also a section called "Miracle stories from missionaries" that I think comes from the missionaries weekly contact to the mission home. Trevor had one posted as seen below. 

Well, last week I told you we had a miracle story. What happened was, we had an investigator named XXXX that me and Æ. Camp tried to get a hold of. He hasn´t met with missionaries for 6 months and he never answered all the times we tried to call. We went to his house and found out he doesn´t live there anymore, so Æ. Sandstrom and I tried to call him every time we went through the area book. Now the same thing happened with Æ. Earl and me. We were calling and calling, and so we decided to give him one more try. We thought, if he doesn’t answer we´ll leave a message again and then we’ll drop him because now it’s been 8½ or 9½ months since missionaries have met with him. He has never returned one phone call, so if he didn´t answer after we left a message, we would drop him. The next day, we were out contacting and we stopped a man and started chatting it up with him. He said he has met with the missionaries before and they still call him. In fact, they had just called and left him a message yesterday. I asked him what his name was and he said XXXX. So low and behold there is XXXX! He said he would like it if we would come again and talk to him! Gotta love the crazy little miracles!!! 

Elder Peterson 

Trevor is being transferred tomorrow to Roskilde. This is located near København and kind of close to Ballerup one of his past areas. He has been to Roskilde a few times for splits, meetings, and baptisms. His new companion will be Elder Wilden. Trevor has been in Horsens for six months. He stated it didn't feel like he was leaving.  On Sunday, he got up and gave his good-bye testimony and it still didn't feel like he was leaving. Maybe this is why missionaries say they will alway have a love for the people in the areas they served. Trevor too is starting to leave a part of his heart with the people of Danmark.

Lisabeth, a dear lady who took a liking to Trevor says good-bye to him at the train station.

Happy Birthday

3 years old

21 years old 

Jule In Danmark

danske:

Ældste Peterson tilbragte julen (december 24) på menighedens biskop hjem med sin familie. Disse billeder viser Trevor dans og sang omkring juletræet i Danmark tradition. Trevor udtalte,

 at han havde en vidunderlig tid.

English:

Elder Peterson  spent Christmas Day (December 24) at the ward Bishop's home with his family. These pictures show Trevor dancing and singing around the Christmas tree in the Denmark tradition. Trevor stated he had a wonderful time. 

Our Sunday Christmas was filled with traditional morning rolls and opening up presents with the boys, with a huge anticipation of Trevor's call home. The ring came and everyone knew who it was, our missing gift. Trevor called from a member's home where he'll spend the day. This family traveled to the United States this past summer and came into the Bear Lake valley during their travels. We talked with Trevor while his companion was using the computer to skype with family. Trevor was not sure if he wanted to skype or not this Christmas. When his companion was done, Trevor said he would skype with us for a few minutes. We were dressed and close to heading to church when the skype came on (no church for the Peterson's). The phone call was wonderful, but skype was amazing. I can only relate the filling to a mother holding a new born baby in her arms. Watching their movements with such intense, a calming feeling, and the purest peace. When I saw Trevor, those same feeling came to me. To watch him smile, laugh, and making the simplest movements that brought back quick flashes of memories. It was amazing to look at my first born after a year with such intense. A priceless moment to add to those heartfelt keepsakes--amazing.

Mark and the twins talking with Trevor

Skype 9:20am - Danmark 6:20pm

Trevor taking a picture of us.  

Back row Mark and Trent. 
Front row Zac, me and Trevin.

Zac is Trevor's brother from another mother. They were in the hospital together as new borns and friends since elementary school. Zac's family lives up the road. He is home on leave from the Army after his last tour of duty in Afghanistan. To see Trevor and Zac interact with each other was a delight. They have the kind of friendship that is very rare. They are serving their own individual missions right now, but plan on being roommates again as they start the next step in their lives.  Zac left for the Army a few months before Trevor left on his mission and will return home five months after Trevor returns home.

It was so cute to hear both the boys say, "Hey, buddy!" in unison.  Trevin stated, "He's there." The boys know where Trevor is, we talk about his emails, show them pictures, but seeing Trevor move and talk made it reality for them. They both asked if he was eating and doing good. As Trevor was talking, Trent asked me "Why do they keep Trevor in a closet." I told him it was just a room where the computer was. Trevin was more worried about "them people" taking care of Trevor. Trevor stated that the people treat him very well, but there are others who he's had to walk away from. Kind of hard when this happens while traveling on a train. Christmas was nice, but missed home. One thing to learn about lighted candles on Christmas trees in Danmark-Don't stand to close. The bishop's wife caught her shirt on fire. Trevor has enjoyed being with all his five companions to date. They have gotten along really well which he is grateful for. His time has passed quickly and soon to hit his one year mark in February. He thought he would be home next January, due to his VISA ending on the 23rd of that month. Mark asked Trevor if he dreams in Danish? Trevor stated his first few companions would find him in the middle of the night talking Danish in his sleep. It was fun to discuss small details with him and can't wait for the next call on Mother's Day.

Trevor wanted us to thank family and friends for the cards, letters, and gifts that have been shipped to him.





 Christmas love and wishes
packed in a box.