EMAIL: Mon, January 28, 2013          1:20 PM

Subject:  JustServe

Howdy Y'all!

This week has been a great week in the TDM. Things are picking up especially in my Wylie area. I am really excited for our 2 investigators, Amie and her daughter Alexandre. We were finally able to meet with them last Thursday. Sister Overy and I weren't really sure what to teach because we couldn't find any record from the previous elders, so we decided to see what questions they had and then review some of the lessons. Alexandre had a question about the "doctrine of Christ" so we began with reading 3 Nephi 27:19 and talking about the principles of faith and repentance. We talked of how the fruits of repentance is baptism. Surprisingly, Amie and Alexandre said to us almost simultaneously, "What do we need to do to get baptized". It is always amazing and jaw-dropping to have investigators ask if they can be baptized. So know we have a baptismal date set in the middle of February. We are going to have to teach/review all of the lessons with them pretty quickly, but we know they are prepared for baptism. It is also exciting because Amie's fiancé, that is a member in Idaho, should be here in Texas the week of the baptism. Amie and Alexandre are amazing and their baptism is going to be great.

Another exciting thing happened this week. The TDM is going to be one of the 3 pilot missions for a new service tool that the church is trying to initiate. "JustServe" is eventually going to have a website with many of the recurring service opportunities all around Dallas. It will be accessible to everyone that wants to do service. It is going to take some time for the website to launch and all of the organization to be completed, but they have us missionaries busily searching for service opportunities in each of our areas. One of the reasons for JustServe is because they want more people to recognize members of the LDS church as Christians. Right now, as missionaries we are supposed to have planned service opportunities 2-4 hours each week. After this tool is initiated the missionaries will be serving 10 hours each week. I am super excited to do more service. Although we are not going to be actively proselyting while serving, I know that all of the service will open up more teaching opportunities. And even better, more people are going to recognize the LDS church in a better and more Christian light (because honestly a lot of Texans don't really like our church or they just have inaccurate biases).

My favorite story this week happened with a little 4-yr-old boy from one of our less-active families. We were leaving them with a thought about how God wants each of us to be happy. I was talking to the boy about things that made him happy. I asked him if his family made him happy and he said yes. I asked him if church made him happy and he said yes. I then asked him "What else makes you happy". The little boy thought for a moment and responded, "Batman makes me happy!!" It was so cute! For all y'all that know me well, you might remember that I am a fan of super heroes. So this little boy totally made my day when he said that Batman makes him happy. It was great.

Thanks y'all for all that you do for me. Thanks for the letters. I really appreciate all of the love and support.

I am so happy to be a missionary. I love being so completely involved in the Savior's work. What a blessing!

Love y'all. Hope all y'alls have a great week and may God bless!

-Sister Peck