EMAIL: Mon, October 29, 2012   1:03  PM

Subject:  9 Months!

Hello Y'all!

So this week I celebrated a milestone of my mission - I have been out 9 months, half of my mission!  It is crazy to think that I am on the downhill slope of things.  But all is well. Even better, a couple of months ago President Uchtdorf wrote an Ensign article called something like "Always in the Middle."  He talked of how we (especially missionaries) should always view themselves as in the "middle". New missionaries always feel inadequate and old missionaries are just ready to go home. So, I am truly in the middle, and it is a great perspective!! Missionary Work is amazing and I am so glad to be doing it. The TDM is the best mission ever, and I love the Rowlett area that I am serving in. I am even blessed to have a really sweet companion that took me out to dinner for my 9-month anniversary.

Right now we are working hard and trying to find more people to teach. It is great weather to go tracing!  We do have the baptism for Connor Ivanovsky in 2 Saturdays. I am super excited for him! I know hearing the missionary discussions and having the spirit in their home has really helped the Ivanovsky family. They are now very active in the church and the parents have even received callings.  I hope that Connor's baptism will bless their family and help strengthen their own testimonies.

I love the ward where I serve. They hosted both Fall Festival / Trunk-or-Treat parties this past weekend. The members are so great at inviting friends and neighbors.  Both wards had great turn-outs, and Sister Hansen and I were able to meet many people. The best part was the trick-or-treating.  Sister Hansen and I decided to go trunk to trunk so we could meet all of the members and build friendships. We had no intentions on collecting candy, but everyone loves the missionaries and we ended up with so much candy. Just because we are the missionaries, everyone let us pick out our favorite candy or they would just give us handfuls. My scripture case was filled both nights. Best Halloween Ever!! We had a lot of fun, and hopefully some new potential investigators as well. Ward activities are the best.

It is getting close to the end of the year, so Sister Hansen and I are pushing hard to try and fulfill our wards' mission plans. We still have 5 baptisms to get in one ward and 4 to get in the second. It is going to take some work and some miracles, but we are going to have 9 baptisms by the end of 2012. I have faith that Sister Hansen and I can reach these ward goals. It should be great!

I love being a missionary! I love working so hard and always being so, so tired! I want to give my best and give my all to serve the Lord as his representative. I pray that I can continue to do so. This is the greatest thing I could ever be doing. It is the only thing that I want to be doing right now. Missionary work is awesome!!

I love y'all!! Keep reading the Book of Mormon and saying your prayers. May the Lord bless and keep y'all!

Love Always,

Sister Peck