That one time I lost my trainer...

Beloved friends and family,

So I had a lot of questions about what I did on New Year's Eve. Well. I shared the gospel!! What more could I ask for? :)  Nothing was different on New Year's. We didn't even come in early. It was regularly scheduled day, which I was grateful for. I hope everyone else had a wonderful New Years and that everyone set goals that will help them focus on coming closer to Christ! Whether it be praying every morning and night, making your prayers more heartfelt, reading from the Book of Mormon every day, or doing all you can to share the good news of the gospel with those around you, setting goals is so extremely important to our progression and the beginning of the year is the perfect time to set these goals in motion! I invite everyone to turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer and honestly ask about what He would have you do to come closer to Him this year. I know that if you pray to Him and ask He will give you an answer. :)

I'm so excited to share with everyone that one of my investigators is getting baptized on Sunday!! His name is Davidson. He's nine years old and is seriously a rockstar! He asks the best questions and is just the smartest kid I've ever met. He just soaks everything in and he honestly understands it. He's come to church many times but yesterday was the first time he was there to take the sacrament. When they began passing it he turned to me and said "So since I haven't made the baptism promises yet I'm not supposed to take it, right?" I was so amazed that he remembered what the sacrament was for. I was able to explain to him about how taking it before being baptized is still promising Heavenly Father that you're going to follow Him. He's just so incredible. And his mom works on Sundays, but miracle of miracles, she was able to get this Sunday off to come to the baptism!! I'm just so excited for him. He's such a great example to us and his mom. :)

Story time. Sister Ririe and I went to visit a less active member in an old folks home this week. When we were leaving we were helping a bunch of people in wheelchairs into the elevator. When we got to the lobby I got out first and went to open the door for the first woman getting out and when I turned around the elevator doors were shut and Sister Ririe wasn't with me. She was still on the elevator. So me, being without a companion for the first time in over two months, decided that the best choice was to stand there silently freaking out a little bit until the elevator came back down. The elevator came back and the doors opened and there was no Sister Ririe. So then I got a little bit worried. I was in a random old folks home, I knew one person, and somehow my trainer disappeared. After what seemed like ages(it was probably a good 30 seconds), Sister Ririe came running down the stairs looking completely frazzled because she had lost me. Turns out she was trying to help people out of the elevator while I was helping with the door. Then she tried to go down the stairs to get back faster but she needed the code and everyone was giving her the wrong one. Hahahah. And that is the story of how I lost my trainer. :)

Since I was in Sister Cox's ward last Fast Sunday this was my first fast and testimony meeting in the Philly 1st Ward and I just have to begin by saying that I am so blessed. I am so grateful to be serving in a ward with so many faith filled people! The moment the member of the bishopric finished his testimony about ten members got up and went to sit on the stand to share their testimonies. One woman got up to the microphone and said "Let us pray" and basically prayed again, one woman sang an African song, one man stood up from the congregation and started singing loudly as he limped up to the stand, it was amazing. I have never been in a sacrament meeting like this. There was never more than 15 seconds between testimonies. Every body could not wait to share. President Monson said "That which one willing shares he keeps, while that which he selfishly keeps he loses" and this ward truly puts that statement into action.

I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time. The Lord's work is being done and I have the great opportunity to be a part of it. We are so lucky to have this gospel so readily available to us. The technology that we have makes it almost impossible not to know about the church! My Mission President was telling us that on New Year's Eve He is the Gift was on the screens in New York City and that it was shown on the camera every few seconds. That's so amazing! It's becoming so much easier for those who don't have it to access the truth. I love this gospel so much and I know without a doubt that this is Christ's fully restored truth. I'm so grateful that I have this opportunity to share it every day.

Thank you for all the love and support! I love you all so much!

Sister Petrick

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Sister Rachel Petrick
700 Darby Road #201

Havertown, PA 19083