Week 5: Elder Holland

Hola mi familia!

This week has been pretty amazing. Not going to lie. Again, thank you everyone for all of the letters and support. 

 

Ok...So the task was in ALL SPANISH this week. I think it went really well to be honest. I knew how to say a lot more than I thought I was going to be able to. Luckily our investigator didn't ask to many questions though, because I only know how to say so many things haha. Next week, I know it will be a lot better and a lot smoother. So, i will be continuing to work on it.

So last week I talked about how trading ties was the newest cool thing to do on our floor. Well I landed myself a new UGLY tie. Nice and bronzish/Gold, super thick/wide, with a paisley and part mechanical design on it. Part of me likes it though so IDK if it totally counts. You will see pictures next week, so you will have to be the judge on how ugly it really is...Half the people tend to hate it, and half the people tend to love it so we'll see what you think.

As far as the progressive investigator goes there is not anything to report. He ditched our last appointment again and We haven't contacted him since. I truly am convinced that He as a teacher just forgets....at least I hope so. But Elder Jacobs and I continue to practice teaching lessons everyday nonetheless.

So, so far this week probably sounds average at best...but that's because I haven't told you the best part yet. On Tuesday the bleachers were ready for use for the devotional so we no longer had to sit in the overflow. We got to watch in live in the gym with most of the other 2200 missionaries in the MTC. There were rumors all day that they finished it a little earlier because an apostle was going to be speaking...I just kept thinking to myself, What if its Elder Holland (easily my favorite and most powerful speaker). We got in line early after dinner and got reallllllly good seats, middle left about 20 yards from the stage. While we were singing the hymns that start about 20 mins before, one of the counselors stood up and reminded us that if an apostle comes we are supposed to stand when he comes in. About 5 mins later the doors open and there he was.....ELDER HOLLAND. Elder Anderson later described me as "a fat kid in a candy store." I was so excited. His talk did not disappoint at all. He is so great, so powerful. My favorite part was at the end, and he's said this in other talks, but I still love it. "Why isn't this easy? Because Salvation never was a cheap experience." He went on to explain how if we are trying to be like Christ in our life, how can we ever expect to not have a taste of the hardship that he went through. He then said "Salvation ALWAYS goes through Gethsamane". Powerful. It's going to be hard, but we have to accept the challenge in our lives.

Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 weeks. about 3 and a half weeks and I should be leaving. Elder Smith said he is 90% sure that he got his Visa for Chihuahua Mexico, he and his district are going to the travel office today. So there is definitely hope that it is clearing up. The craziest part is that we are now the second oldest district in the Zone!! What in the world??

This week for personal study I have been reading a lot of Jesus the Christ. I'm on page 110 now. The book is incredible. So in depth, detailed and spiritual. I am learning a lot from it. Also we got this awesome quote from Henry B. Eyring shrunk and laminated to fit in our pockets. One of the best quotes I have ever heard. I have an extra one I'm sending to Mitchel, because I think He'll definitely like it for his mission. It's pretty long so I can't quote the whole thing but ask Mitchel to see it next time you see him.

"I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed...I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach all i know and work until He stop  me"

So, as usual I'm running out of time, so ....

 

Hoy, Me gustaría compartir mi testimonio sobre la obra de misionarios.

Sé que esta obra es la obra de Dios y Soy llamado de Dios.

Sé que esta obra es el mejor y es muy importante para la salvación de los hijos de Dios.

Yo estoy amando la obra de misionarios, especialmente en Español.

Les amo muchisimo, con todo mi corazón.

Digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amén

Y este es mi gozo (and this is my joy)

Elder Peacock

Week 4: Plan of Salvation

Hola,

Just got back from the temple, I did initiatories, so that's why this email is a little earlier than normal. But, I just have to say that I love being a missionary. Just walking to the temple, which is barely outside the MTC, everyone says hi to you; people wave to you as you drive by. It's so cool haha. Also, at the temple I ran into a friend of Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Bruce. His name is Leo Weidner (I think) and he said he is a very good friend of theirs and he loves my Grandma and Grandpa, so that was also pretty cool.

Anyway, this week has been a good week. The task this week was we had to help an investigator move, talk about families and teach them how to pray all in Spanish. I think Elder Jacobs and I both did very well. Our Spanish seemed good. After that, we got to teach the "investigator" about the Plan of Salvation and the Word of Wisdom. I definitely feel a lot more comfortable teaching the second lesson now then I did 2 weeks ago. Next week should be the most challenging though....The whole 1st lesson in Spanish. From here on out there is no more teaching in English...Which I'm excited and nervous for because I know the language will start coming a lot faster, but I also know that it will be a struggle at first as I wont be able to express everything I want to say in the lesson.

Umm...so as for the progressive investigator, Julio, we ended up not inviting him to the baptism because it just didn't feel right, and we really haven't brought up baptism yet...which I know is something I need to work on in my teaching. But anyways we planned on teaching him the Plan of Salvation on Monday and inviting him to be baptized...except he didn’t show up. Which was very disappointing. I'm convinced that it honestly is just the “teacher” that forgets, not the “investigator”.  [Julio is actually a teacher who is role playing as an investigator]  It's also a bummer because now we have to teach him in Spanish so it's going to be a lot harder to get him to progress when we don't understand a lot of what's going on. But the point of these is to learn, and I definitely am.

This week I also saw a couple friends who are new to the MTC. I saw Elder Elliot Adair on Sunday during our temple walk. We talked for a little and got a picture. I also saw Elder Collin Gingrich within the first half hour he was here because his host was still with him. So that was fun.

We had one district leave this week...the one that was reassigned to the states as they wait for their visas. My first zone leaders were in that district so they will be missed. We also got a new district of Elders and Hermanas going to Honduras.

This week I have nearly read the entire book called "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder Ballard. I love it. I started on Sunday and I have about 15 pages left, and Mom and Dad you know I am not a big reader. It basically goes over all our beliefs in a way that is very easy to understand (great book for those who don't know much about the church as well).

Oh, and another thing that's been big this week is tie-trading. It's the coolest thing to do now haha. I've made a few upgrades myself. However, Uncle Steve will be pleased to know that I have not yet found a tie that compares to the Hair Tie he left me...so that tie is still in my possession. I have a feeling it will be for a while because I don't know how much uglier it can get haha.  [More to follow on “HAIR TIES” for the uninitiated]

So...I'm running out of time so here's my weekly testimony:

Yo sé que esta iglesia es verdadera y Jesucristo vive hoy.

La expiación de Jesucristo es real y es muy importante para todas personas en el mundo.

Sin la expiación de Jesucristo, no podremos vivir con Dios por la eternidad.

Sé que este mensaje es la verdad con todo mi corazón.

Digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amén.

Love you all and miss you a bunch.

I will (pending visas) leave the MTC a month from tomorrow!! Crazy.

Elder Pavo Real (Peacock in Spanish, AKA my new nickname)

Week 3: Improving

Hola mi familia

Wow that's a really cool story...thanks for sharing that with me [referring to an experience I (mom) had sent to him]. An instrument in the Lord's hands is something that I am striving to become, because that is the only way I will be truly effective on my mission. And I don't care how you address my letters, anyway is totally fine [we had asked him if we should address his letters to “Justin” or some variation:) or to “Elder Peacock”].

  Anyways, I had another good week in the MTC. Thanks to all those who sent me letters, I really enjoy them. Also, thank you Grandma Nancy for the giant package with the two bags of chips and queso. It was awesome, haha everyone loved it in the District. And salty food is just what I needed since I´m up to my waist in sweets haha.

 

 

[This is what Grandma Nancy sent last week…]

 

 

 

So, for our TRC this week, we picked our "investigator" up for church, walked with him to the bus station, and then on the "bus" we got to know about his family, and what he did during the week. Then we followed up on his commitment to read 3 Nephi Ch 11. All in Spanish. Then after that, we returned to his home and taught him Lesson 2, which is the Plan of Salvation. I think it went well, and my Spanish is getting better every single day....still can't really roll my R's though....hopefully that will come soon.

As for our progressive investigator, Hermano Milne, AKA "Julio," we taught him 2 or 3 times this past week. He is still struggling with faith in the atonement and he doesn’t think that he can repent of things that he has done because he doesn’t think that he is good enough. We have a lesson for him tomorrow focused on faith and how he can put his trust in the atonement, so hopefully that will work. It is focused on Ether 12...which is an amazing chapter on faith.

Yesterday, Elder Jacobs and I went to a Teaching Evaluation (TE), which is basically just a tutor you can sign up for. We sat down with the teacher and worked on getting to know people better in English, so that we can know and address their needs. We also worked on good ways to bring up Baptism in the first discussion, which is something I was struggling with. It went great and I learned a lot. Right After, we signed up for another appointment in 2 weeks (it's hard to schedule) because we liked it so much.

On a sadder note, the two Elders in our district that are going to Peru left yesterday for the MTC in Peru. They were also the other Elders in my room, so it's just me and Elder Jacobs now. It's so empty. To be honest, they were the two Elders I was the closest with. They were both really cool and just fun to hang out with. Their names are Elder Hunt and Elder McKeachnie. I miss them but I know that they will be great in Peru. They are both spiritual giants and great missionaries. The good news is Elder McKeachnie goes to Utah Valley University and Elder Hunt is thinking of going to BYU so I can definitely catch up with them after our missions. After they left, Elder Jacobs and I promptly claimed their desk and beds, since the desk is bigger and they are both not right next to the door...clearly a better situation haha.

Another thing that happened yesterday was that I got called into the doctors office. Apparently they thought from my mission papers that I had had knee surgery and they wanted to check up on it...I have definitely not had knee surgery I told them, just a bad knee. So, My 45 minute waste of time to the doctors office was just so they could lecture me on being careful with my knee. The doctor even advised me that i shouldn’t play ANY competitive sports....Please give me a break. I have been playing with this bad knee since 8th grade, I don't think anything that serious is going to happen to it while I am playing volleyball....where we don't even keep score. The total disorder in the doctor’s office reminded me of Dad and how he gets mad at how unorganized the streets are in Santa Clarita...haha Love you Dad. There was a positive that came out of this whole ordeal though, they weighed me and I found out that I have lost 2 lbs...which I just cannot figure out when I think about how much food I eat throughout the day and when I think about the fact that I only exercise for like 45 minutes 5 days a week...Oh well, I will take it, I'm definitely not complaining haha.

Ok I am running out of time...as usual

Yo sé que esta iglesia es verdadera.

Yo sé que nuestro Padre Celestiál envió su hijo Jesucristo y Jesucristo es nuestro Salvador.

A través la expiación de Jesucristo, podemos vivir con Dios por la eternidad.

Yo testifico que hay un profeta hoy. Su nombre es Thomas S. Monson. Yo sé que Thomas S. Monson es llamado por Dios.

Yo amo trabajo de misionero. Dijo estas cosas en el Nombre de Jesucristo, Amén.

Love and miss you all. Thanks for the support

And this is my joy. (Alma 29:9)

Love, Elder Peacock

[Editor’s note:  Whew!  I’m all caught up at last!  This one came just yesterday.  I don’t know that I’ll continue counting the weeks…that seems a little tedious, so I’ll need to come up with some new titles for his emails!]

Week 2: Learning

Hey Family,

Ok so, let's see. I don't think I mentioned any specifics about my district yet- there are 12 of us: 6 going to Mexico City West, 4 going to Mexico City East, and 2 that  are going to Peru Lima North. Elder Jacobs and I room with the Elders going to Peru and they actually leave next week for  the  MTC in Peru. Their names are Elder Hunt and Elder Mckachnie.  They're awesome guys...I mean Elders...Still getting used to that haha.

 

So our task this week was that we had to again contact a volunteer investigator in Spanish, get them to let us in their house, get to know them (work, school, friends, family etc), and testify about how gospel blesses families in  Spanish. Anyways, I did great on all that Spanish part, and I think Elder Jacobs and I did a great job teaching them the first discussion after that. We got our "investigator" to  commit to read 3 Nephi 11, pray about it, and then come to church with us on Sunday.

As for our progressive investigator, we are contacting him again tonight for  the first time since he ditched our appointment last week. Hopefully, we will get another appointment and get another opportunity to teach him. Especially since I think  we can learn a lot from it. Is name is Hermano Milne AKA "Julio." So I will  keep you updated on that.

This last week, I also got my Spanish scriptures (which i was given when i arrived) engraved to say "Elder Justin Peacock “. I also got my "Himnos" engraved, so I thought that  was pretty cool since those are going to be the scriptures I use once I get out in the  field.

Oh, also I got to see Patrick on Monday, which is the day before he left for Argentina. We chatted for a little bit, wished each other  luck, took a picture, and then hugged goodbye. I'm so excited for  him, he is going to be great out there.

This week during gym, my district  has played volleyball everyday. I actually really enjoy it, especially since everyone is on about the same skill level as me :) haha. But we seriously do have a lot of fun together. Gym is 50 minutes, and we have it right after lunch on Monday and  Tuesday, after dinner on Wednesday and Saturday, and after breakfast on  Friday. It's a lot of fun.

So as far as visas go, I think they are still  backed up for Mexico. My zone leaders just got delayed and they are both going to Mexico City as well, so keep praying and hopefully they will start coming through.

Now for food. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it's far from the best (not to mention healthiest). But I am surviving just fine with it for now, probably gaining weight but I haven't stepped on the scale recently so we'll see.

Ok so now for my learning this week. I feel like I eat, sleep and breath lesson 1. We work on it/study it and practice it all the time. So now that I feel pretty comfortable teaching it we are moving on to lesson 2 which is the plan of salvation. So that's what I'll be practicing and learning about this week. As far as Spanish goes, I feel like I'm progressing pretty well. They have this computer program called TALL that helps you learn Spanish by going over phrases and words in various exercises. It does missionary phrases and lesson vocab too so its very useful. I use it almost every day.

The spiritual thought for the week is 1 Nephi 17:51 courtesy of Hermano Angus.

“And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?”

Instead of build  a ship put in whatever you are struggling with. I put in "help me be a great missionary" at the end. I thought that was  cool.

And congratulations Tanner Dahl. I have a elder in my district who lived in Australia and he said Brisbane is Really nice. I'm excited for  you buddy, you’re going to do great. Start preparing now. Also you still  need to write me about it, you promised.

I'm running out of time so here is  my  testimony on families since that's what I learned.

Yo sé que las familias son  ordenados por dios y son una parte central del plan de dios.

El evangelio de Jesucristo fortalece las familias porque un hogar establecido en los prinipios del evangelio es un lugar de felicidad.

Las familias son man importante.

A traves El Evangelio de Jesucristo, las familias pueden vivir juntas por la eternidad.  Yo testifico que este mensaje es verdadero.  Digo estas cosas, en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Love you and miss you so much.

Elder Peacock (sent 8/5/2010)

Week 1: Settling In

Hola mi familia!!

It feels like such a long time since I have seen you...but it's only been a week and one day.  Anyways, I just got back from the Temple and today is my P-Day so expect weekly emails around this time while I am in the MTC. I got the package and all the letters so don't worry about that. That package was awesome haha. I'll have enough junk food to last me the entire MTC (or so you would think.)

Anyways, now to the stuff you've been waiting for. The MTC is great!! I am having so much fun and learning a ton along the way. The first couple days were a little slow, with a lot of orientations and introductions, but once it hit Sunday it started rolling right along.

My district is so much fun. I feel comfortable around each and every one of them, and they all have really strong testimonies. My companion's name is Justin Jacobs and he is from Riverton, Utah. He likes to snowboard and play basketball. He's not the tallest guy (as you will see from the pictures) but I think I have an opportunity to learn a lot from him.

So in the MTC, you wake up at 6:30 and get into your classroom by 7. In the classroom you have personal study until 8 and then breakfast. then we either have companion study or a teacher comes. We have two teachers. Hermano(brother) Angus and Hermana Tymnoshenka (Chimishanka - from Brazil) who alternate teaching us. And then we also have times set aside for language study on your own as well as MDT which is missionary discretion time which you can use however you choose.

The MTC is a lot more personal study than I thought it would be, which is good because it is helping me learn how to study.

And of course we have devotionals and firesides and other meetings scattered throughout the week.

Also, every Tuesday, we have a TRC which is a task we have to do with our teachers evaluating and watching us. this last Tuesday we had to contact an investigator in Spanish and make an appointment with them, and teach them the first lesson in English. We do this with volunteer investigators. Elder Jacobs and I taught a nice Mexican lady who was soo nice that she told us story after story. We could hardly get two words in. I will be honest I was a little frustrated. But, looking back on it now I think that the Lord was trying to teach me two things - a)patience and b) to love the people-- meaning not just trying to jam the gospel down their throat. But Next week, we have to contact and talk about the investigator's family and get to know them in Spanish, and then again teach the first lesson. So we will see how that goes.

We also got a progressive investigator - which is a teacher that we don't know that we contact and set up appointments with and teach like they were a real investigator. The teachers often act like investigators they knew from their mission so it's about as realistic as it gets for the MTC. So we contacted him and he let us teach him right then and there...and it went pretty good for a first timer and we set up another appointment for this morning....and he didn’t show up. IDK if the actual teacher forgot about it or if his character actually blew us off haha....I guess l will find out tomorrow.

So the language is going ok...I can say basic prayers and bear basic testimony. and I can contact people in a very simple manner...so I am making progress!!

and I decided I would bear my testimony each week in Spanish so you can see it progress:

yo se que la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos de los ultiimmos dias es verdedera

y el libro de mormon es la palabra de Dios y es verdedero.

Yo testifico que jose smith fue un profeta y El fue llamado por Dios

Yo testifico este mensaje es verdadero en el nombre de Jesucristo Amen

I'm out of time

Love you all so much and I miss you.

Elder Peacock (sent 7/29/2010)

We Arrived at the Gates and an Angel Was There to Greet Us

We drove into the parking lot of the MTC at our appointed time and were greeted by a guy with a clipboard directing us where to go.  Each space along the curbside was marked 1 to 26.  We were directed to go to space 25 (my lucky number!). 

As we started moving through the crowds at spaces 1 through 4 or 5, Justin suddenly rolls his window down, “PATRICK!” he yells!  As I’m chastising him for yelling at the MTC and second of all, it’s “Elder Spiker”, I see this head bobbing up and down in the crowd yelling back, “PEACOCK!”  Patrick is very springy.  He ran with our car all the way around the corner to our space.  It was very hot and humid that day, so that was impressive.

Patrick was Justin’s BYU roommate this last year and he left May 14 for the MTC on his way to the Argentina-Salta mission.  He was supposed to leave for Argentina before Justin arrived, but due to visa delays, he was still there.  We thought we *might* see him, but it was a distant hope.  It was a treat to have such an enthusiastic welcome!

The best part of the story is that I could have been a blubbery mess by the time we opened the car doors, but instead we were all very distracted by seeing cute, smiley Patrick that I forgot to be sad.  It was a tender mercy of the Lord.

“But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20)

I think it especially made it easier on Justin…

So Patrick snapped a few last pictures of the family…

  

Elder Spiker took charge of Elder Peacock’s luggage…

We watched briefly as they made their way up the sidewalk before driving away.

And THEN we fell apart.

One More Stop

 

Elder Peacock changed into his missionary clothes and kissed his Grammy Joyce goodbye.  The bags are packed, thank you cards sealed, he’s as ready as he’ll ever be, I think he was thinking at this point, “OK, enough, let’s just getter done!”

 

But we had one more thing to do…Tyler.  Tyler had been participating in EFY at BYU during the week.  EFY is a youth camp/retreat held throughout the country each summer.  So, we met him during his lunch time and get a last family picture or two…

Being the great conversationalist that he is, Tyler shared the impactful things he’d been learning and doing at EFY.  They were all ….”fine”.  AAAARGH

 

  

Next stop:  MTC.

Goodbyes and Unlimited French Toast

We met the Madsens and McGills for breakfast the morning of the BIG DAY.  We certainly not the only missionary family to have that idea…we saw at least 4 other missionary families drowning their sorrows in syrup.  (Even in Utah, they’re easy to spot, especially on a Wednesday…)

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Quality time with Dave

 

Kisses and hugs from the aunts

 

 

 

 

   Justin with the Madsens, on their way home to Idaho

Justin with Lexie (aka “Pancake”)

A Rising Generation

Doctrine and Covenants Section 4:

1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

  2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

  3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

  4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

  5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

  6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

  7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

Our ward’s Young Men recite this weekly.  I love to hear the chorus of men and men-in-training as they raise their voices committing to serve the Lord.

The young men of our Church are counseled to prepare to serve a full-time mission when they are of age (19).  Of course, it is a matter of choice and faith.  Young women also serve (at age 21), the but the counsel is much more along the lines of…optional.

 

Elder Richard G. Scott said:

“As a young man, the greatest growth and strengthening experience you can have at this time, bar none, is a worthy full-time mission. While a mission is not for personal advantage, the Lord richly blesses those who valiantly serve. Be one of the army of remarkable, well-prepared, devoted missionaries that are qualifying to the high standards of worthiness. Join those who have chosen to serve the Lord, wherever called, however challenging it may be.”

Justin is the first Peacock grandson to reach the age of 19, and so by virtue of his birth order, he has the additional weight of the example he will set for his younger cousins.  Fortunately, he has very broad shoulders! (Although he wants to be clear that the others were standing on their toes for this picture…)

Of the 16 Peacock grandchildren, 10 are male, and an impressive lot they are!  Here they are in their birth order with their approximate anticipated mission dates:

• Justin P (2010 – 2012)
• Jordan P (2011 – 2013)
• Coleman M (2012 – 2014)
• Tyler P (2012 – 2014)
• Jackson P (2013 – 2015)
• Spencer M (2014 – 2016)
• Zachary M (2015 – 2017)
• Bryce P (2016 – 2018)
• Jason P (2016 – 2018)
• Quade P (2022 – 2024)

Wow, some years the field will be full of Peacocks!

“Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his Church meetings. Give me a young man who has magnified his priesthood and has earned the Duty to God Award and is an Eagle Scout. Give me a young man who is a seminary graduate and has a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon. Give me such a young man, and I will give you a young man who can perform miracles for the Lord in the mission field and throughout his life” (President Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1986, pp. 44–45).

Utah

There was a great gathering of Saints in Provo, Utah on July 20th.  Tyler had left the day before to attend Especially for Youth (EFY) at BYU that week.  Of course, the rest of the California Peacocks were there, preparing for the big EVENT the following day.  Peacocks came from Kaysville, Utah, McGills came from Lindon, Utah, and Madsens came from Idaho to share in the festivities.  It was an amazing show of force.

 

Here we all are in Grandma and Grandpa’s living room, with the exception of Lexie (taking the picture!), Kylie (on trek in Wyoming), and Tyler (at BYU).  Not bad for an impromptu picture (taken by a 7 year old in a bathing suit on a ladder!!)

Here’s more from the evening:

(It wouldn’t be a proper Peacock gathering without Uncle Steve and Aunt Reg to spice things up!!)

    

Group Hug!

Justin with the McGills (we missed having Kylie there!)  Yes, Lexie is wearing a bathing suit…just in case.

Justin with the Peacocks

It was a great evening.  It ended as we kneeled as a family in prayer with a blessing by our patriarch, Grandpa Bruce.  It was at this point that the box of kleenex became a permanent accessory for me!