We entered the MTC on March 25th and stayed for five days until March 29th.  It was a great experience and we enjoyed it much more this time, knowing ahead of time what was expected in role-playing and teaching.  All of the classes were held in a ward building north of the MTC because of so many young missionaries.  730 new missionaries came in on Wednesday and nearly half were sisters.  We had a hard time getting in the cafeteria because of all the new young missionaries on Wednesday.

Our traditional picture in front of the world map in the main MTC building, point to our area of service.

Our district in the MTC with our morning instructor.  Brother and Sister Bell on the left are from Brigham City, Utah and were going to the Chech Republic as Humanitarian missionaries.  Brother and Sister Dunn on the right are from a small town near Vancouver, Washington and they were going to Winter Quarters Nebraska as service missionaries.  We were the only couple in our district going as MLS or proselyting missionaries.

Brother and Sister Johnson from Sandy, Utah were going to the Tennessee Nashville mission serving as Employment missionaries.  We got to know them and enjoyed them.  Sister Peterson and Sister Johnson really hit it off and became almost instant buddies.  I am posting this late because we have been very busy after getting to our mission and also did not have a way to transfer pictures to my computer until a few days ago.  I will try to do better in the future.

Glade and McCoy recently came for a winter visit.  Glade had some business to do with Jonathan Price and the went on a snowmobile trip to Island Park with Jono and some other buddies.  McCoy came to experience some Idaho winter, be with his grandparents and spend some time with his cousins.  One of the days he stayed with us, He helped me prune the apple trees in the back yard.  He was so agile that he climbed right to the top beside me.  Grandma caught him starting up the tree in this picture.

One of the things he wanted to try was snowmobiling.  Here he's posing on my snowmobile in the back yard.  We did go up to Mt. Harrison and go for a short ride but he wasn't real excited about it.  I think the noise and steep hills were a little more than he expected, but he was good about at least giving it a try.  Until they came we had plenty of snow to ride on in the back yard and I think he might have had more fun doing that.  Unfortunately it had turned warmer and the snow in the fields had all melted.

One of the first requests when he arrived was, "I want to shoot the BB gun.  We did that several times and then he asked if he could shoot the real gun.  So we got out my .22 and he shot that several times.  Later he did more shooting with his dad and seemed to enjoy that.

Sunday evening we all got together for some family time before Glad and McCoy left to go back home.  Part of the evening was spent writing Valentine messages to the three missionaries serving from our Family.  It was a great evening with all our Utah family giving McCoy some great memories with his cousins and everyone enjoying a great family visit.

McCoy always enjoys being with Nia and Tayler because of the time they spent in Florida last year with us.

I don't know whose sucking it in the most but were all about out of breath.  And what about all that hair?  At least the guy in the middle doesn't have to worry about a perm!

Grampa and Grandma Peterson - Wishing ALL the family could get together more often!

On January 19, we got on the plane in Las Vegas with Lori & Glen and Gordon & Barbara Jensen and flew to Hawaii leaving behind the snow and freezing cold inversion in Idaho.  Vicki is standing next to one of the exotic tropical plants in Waimea Botanical Gardens.

The falls and pool at the head of the Waimea Gardens.  I bought the hat to protect my bald head from the sun.  I bought it a little shop and visiting with the lady at the shop, I found out she was raised in South Salt Lake and her husband was Tonga's classmate.

Sunday afternoon we stopped at this overlook where a famous battle was fought and which had a wonderful view of the windward side of the Island.  The boy in the blue shirt came up to me and asked where we went to Church.  I asked him how he knew I was a member.  He said he could see my Celestial smile through my white shirt..  His name was Jimmy and both boys were from Tahiti.  One was waiting for a call and one was ready to put his papers in.  Jimmy said he worked at the PCC and participated in the show and we told him we watch and cheer for him.  He was part of the noon river show and when we started cheering for him, he about fell off the boat.

Learning to do the male version of the Hula at the PCC.  Obviously, I did not do so well!

Grandma and her new tatoo, a great example for all her grandchildren?

Some tough guys at the Maori village, we enjoyed every show and spent the whole day at the PCC.

Lori and Vicki on the deck of the beach house where we stayed.

Landing the sea kayaks on the beach behind our house after paddling out towards the reef.  The ocean was about 50 feet from our deck.  I am taking the picture near the deck.  The weather was great with temperatures between 70 and 79.  We had some rain one night but only light showers during the day.

We stopped at this little shop to buy fresh pineapple and he prepared it for us.  He also cut the top off a green coconut and let us drink the milk with a straw.  We had a great visit and found out they were members.  Later when showing this picture to Tiff and Tonga, Tonga laughed and said this was his uncle and cousin Eddie.

We did go to the Hawaiian Temple at Laie.  Grandma forgot her recommend so the Temple President had to call our Bishop at home.  Fortunately he made connections and she was able to enter with us.  We did sealings for family names that Lori brought with her.  The Temple was very beautiful with very beautiful grounds.  The Temple was one of the highlights of the trip.

Sunday after church, we went to the Pearl Harbor Monument.  It was a fitting way to spend our Sunday afternoon contemplating all that happened there.  When we got in the launch to go out to the Arizona monument, a couple from Springdale 1st Ward came and sat down by us.  We were so surprised that it took a moment for us to realize who they were.  It just goes to show you better be on your best behavior where ever you are!  It was a great trip.  Thanks to Lori and Glen for inviting us to fill in for Cassidee and Shalae.  We have always wanted to go to Hawaii but never felt we could afford it.  With their help it became a reality.
Grampa and Grandma P. - Back in the snow and cold of Idaho.

Last week we went to BYU-I in Rexburg to help our granddaughter Alexis get settled in for School.  Sherri and Lexi flew in from Texas and we brought to Rexburg the car her Wardinsky grandparents had given her.  Lexi is deaf and only communicates by sign language and she also has Multiple Sclerosis.  Sherri came to stay for a week to help her get settled and adjusted to her classes and her roommates and the Rexburg Cold.  We really enjoyed spending a couple of days with them during the process.

Lexi has a nice room about a block from the campus.  Her view out the window behind us includes the beautiful Rexburg Temple.  The window faces the South and is great for sunshine.  It felt good to stand by it for the warmth because it was very cold outside,  in single digits I believe.

Lexi is a very sweet girl with a precious spirit.  We loved being able to spend some time with her and her mom because we rarely get to visit their home in Texas.  It was very hard to leave them knowing the challenges Lexi might face in that college environment so far from her home.  But she wanted to come and mingle with students where the Church is strong.  She would love to find a nice RM to marry and have a family.  Our hearts are with her as she bravely takes this step into the unknown.

We returned home from Rexburg to temperatures that were lower in Burley than in Rexburg.  Our magic valley area has been under an inversion for over two weeks.  It has been very cold with 6 - 8 inches of snow on the ground.  Daytime temperatures rarely get into the teens.  Night time temperatures are often single digits and sometimes below zero.  I don't believe I can remember a time while we have lived here, that the snow and cold have stayed so long.

The snow on the table, flowerpots and chairs behind our home.

The thermometer behind our house is registering just above zero, about 3 degrees Fahrenheit.  We have rarely seen the sun during this two week period  as the clouds hang low overhead, and some frosty snow drifts down everyday from those clouds.

New Year's day was pretty much when it all began.  We had heavy fog during the night and the temperatures got down to 10 degrees below zero.  Once the sun burned the fog away, the sky was such a beautiful blue and hoar frost had formed on everything.  I went outside to take a few pictures and the snow crunched loudly under my feet.  I had a hard time keeping my fingers warm and my breath formed puffs steam in the air.  It was the coldest day I have experienced in Idaho for many years.  Anyway, eat your hearts out you poor souls that live in Warmer Climes.

Grampa and Grandma P - Staying inside by the fire and getting cabin fever as we wait for global warming.

I have not posted on our blog since we were traveling home from our mission 2 weeks ago in Joplin, Mo.  We arrived home safely and I went right to work and we have been very busy.  We reported our mission on the 23rd and were thrilled with all the family that came.  Unfortunately we were so busy visiting with everyone that we didn't take any pictures.  So I haven't been motivated to post anything here.  Last Saturday we traveled to Utah for Brandon's mission farewell.  We stayed at Tiff and Tonga's and were there when Tohi went to get his haircut so he could get his mission picture for his mission papers.  This is the before picture just before he went to get his haircut.

This is the after picture of Tohi with his haircut with Brandon at the party after the farewell on Sunday.  It was great farewell meeting with some beautiful singing and a very good talk given by Brandon, our departing missionary.  The dinner afterward was great with lots of food.

Brandon flanked by his Bishop and the Bishop's wife.  His home ward is one of the many Polynesian wards in the area. Note the sumptuous fare on the table including lobster, roast wiener pig and trifle.  The pig is under the tinfoil so it will stay warm.

I sat next to the Bishop on Brandon's left.  This is a picture of him getting some roast pig as we began the meal.  There was plenty of food for everyone and we had a wonderful afternoon with family and friends.

Sister Peterson with her three grandson that are about to serve missions.  Brandon will leave October 30th.  Tohi is getting his papers ready.  Derek is planning to go in the spring after spring semester.  Our fourth grandson, Joshua, is already serving in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission.  As most know, we have mostly granddaughters, whom we dearly love.  Fortunately four of our 8 grandsons were all born about the same time and they have always been good friends.  Now they are great support and strength for each other as they prepare to serve missions.

One of the big surprises when we got home was Lori and Glen's new car.  Pretty sporty for someone who's fifty?  It has been fun to be home and enjoy family and all that is going on.  We missed that while we were on our mission but we still really enjoyed it.  We have missed the mission and its blessings.  We have talked of going again when we can.  For now we are just going to enjoy our home and our family and see what the future brings.  I probably will not post here very often without any exciting going on and beginning the heavy workload of harvest in my job at the Sugar Factory.  But that remains to be seen?
Brent & Vicki Peterson  (Back at home but missing being Elder & Sister Peterson)

We didn't post last week with all the activities of cleaning and getting ready to leave.  We are now in Joplin, MO at a motel on Sunday evening.  We stopped early and so I decided to catch up on the blogging.  This picture is of our neighbors Bonnie and Tony Cardwell just as we were leaving.  They were great neighbors and very helpful.  Bonnie loved to come over and talk with Sister Peterson.  She told us she would like to have put a log chain around the house so we couldn't leave.

Jack and Barbara were our evening visit on Sunday that kept me from blogging.  We really enjoyed them as they were westerners from Colorado and farmers that we could relate to.  Jack played the harmonica and would play it for prelude for Sacrament meeting once a month.

The last person we said goodbye to was our special friend, Dorothy Moore.  We visited her nearly every week we were here.  She is progressing well and taking the Temple Seminar class.  She wants to go to the Temple as soon as she can.  We promised her we would come and go through with her?  Extra motivation we hope helps keep moving toward her goal.  A couple of hours later we got in the car and left Morgantown.  It was truly a bittersweet moment.  We whimpered and the tears flowed most of the way to Bowling Green.  We had grown to love our service and it was pretty hard to leave.

On our last day in the mission, we attended a senior couples conference.  Pres. McKee has made a friend of a Methodist minister who is in charge of the Upper Room, a special meeting place for devout Methodists.  The prominent feature of that room is this life-size wood carving of the last supper.  We met there and had a message delivered by the minister and then President McKee spoke.  It was a great meeting with some good relations developed between our faiths.  Afterwards we met at the mission home for some training and then we had our exit interview and were free to head home.

We went directly to meet our friends, Doug and Jenny Peoples.  They live in Chattanooga and came to Nashville to meet with us.  Doug was our good friend in the Republic of Georgia.  We took him to Church with us and he came home and joined the Church.  Jenny joined later and she is trying to prepare to go to the Temple.  She had some questions for us about the Church and the Temple.  We met with them and had a great visit.  Doug has suffered from cancer and some depression because of some of the treatments.  I think the visit was good for both.  I gave a Doug a Priesthood Blessing before we left.

Memphis is only about three hours from Nashville, so guess where Sister Peterson wanted to go?  We had to see if Elvis was still alive at Graceland!  We spent about 4 hours there and checked about everything before she was satisfied.

We traveled on to Little Rock and then on to Conway, Arkansas Saturday evening.  Then this morning we met Elder Ackerman at Church and had a nice visit with him and his companion.  He is a great Elder and we heard several good reports from the members about his missionary labors.  He serves in a great area and a great ward.  It was like being home to attend the meetings where he serves.  The chapel was full and participation was great, it was so different from where we have been serving.  We had special permission to visit our grandson because it is not usually allowed.  But since we are still serving till we get home and released, we had a bit of leverage.  We are looking forward now to traveling home and reporting our mission next Sunday.
Elder and Sister Peterson  (On the road again)

Glen and Lori joined us for three days over the Labor Day Weekend and we had a great time with them.  We visited the Carnton Plantation, which is located in Franklin just outside of Nashville.  One of the major battles of the Civil War was fought here involving about 19,000 soldiers from both sides.  About 4000 died and another 5000 were wounded.

This stately home was built by some wealthy farmers prior to the war.  It became a field hospital for the confederate soldiers who were wounded in the battle.  By the end of the battle, every available space was filled with wounded soldiers.  Some of the upstairs rooms were used as operating rooms and the blood stains are still evident in the floor.  It was a very interesting site but also quite sobering as we listened to the tour guide and realized what happened here.

We also visited the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.  Being a holiday, there was no show but we did get to see the building and take some pictures.

We also visited the Lincoln Birthplace monument in nearby Elizabethtown on a pretty sunny day.  Sister Peterson loved visiting this site and was grateful she could return for a second visit.

When we visited here before, the museum was closed.  This time we were able to enjoy the museum and see all the pictures and artifacts gathered about Lincoln.  We were also able to pose as the famous couple.

In our travels with Glen and Lori, we came across this little post office in Quality, Kentucky flying both the Confederate flag and the American flag.  This post office was retired in the late 90's and was bought by a fellow who lives there on weekends and is restoring it.  Quality is in the very corner of Butler County, about as far from Morgantown as you can get and still be in the county.  We actually have a member that lives nearby that we visit regularly.  All in all it was a fun weekend and a little break from missionary work.
Elder and Sister Peterson  (Remember - Count your blessings, not your troubles.)