I have arm wrestled a 78 yr old
This was actually like a month ago and I did not beat her, nor did she beat me. I can't tell if I have the strength of a 78 yr old, or she has the strength of a 20 yr old! WOOHOO!
First off, let me tell you about the best Zone Pday everrrr. Our zone (of about 12 people) met at a park behind Nagano stations with WATERGUNS. We had waterguns, buckets, monkey masks, and a hottt sunnnn. It was a very fun day of bonding and missionary approved water games hehe.
We went to Matsumoto for exchanges this week and as always I had the best time. Let me tell you about Matsumoto.
Oguchi ε§ε¦Ή (78ish yrs old) is an inactive member who the Matsumoto sisters have been visiting for a LONGGG TIMEEE. I feel I have also gotten close with her the couple times I have visited her. She is so perfect. She went to church last week after not having have gone for 50 YEARS. More than double my lifetime. I'm so proud of the sisters have have kept nurturing and loving her. I am also grateful to have made a relationship with her. She texts me every so often and keeps telling me she will always reach out to me as long as she is alive. We made "10 years from now" plans with her, sang for her, arm wrestled her, measured eachother's heights (apparently I am the same height as her husband. She kept calling me "Otto Peterson" aka Husband Peterson... :/) chatted with her, and came closer to Christ with her.
Can I just say right now, thank you Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father for bringing and strengthening these relationships in my life. I trully feel so blessed and lucky.
The same old has been going on here in Nagano. We work our hardest in the blazing heat and trust Heavenly Father is magnifying our efforts.
One day we came back from visiting some people in the morning and found our amazing elders on our doorstep with a watermelon for us!!! It was a very happy time. We each later ate half a watermelon, then made some reaallll nice helmets. 
Unfortunately Wentz ε§ε¦Ή isn't a huge fan of watermelon. Which is actually fortunate because I get to eat her whole half too! Heheheheh.
Japan tips!!I love Japan
While with Crockett ε§ε¦Ή (both of us being at the end of our missions) we talked a bit about how we feel guilty about some times where maybe we didn't work as hard as we could have since being on the mission. During our companion study, we read 3 Nephi 27
We both looked at eachother with burning in our hearts and said this is God speaking to us know. We have a loving Heavenly Father who is REAL. He is real as much as your own parents. And someday we will stand face to face with him and while we might be scared, He will look at us with tears in His eyes and a smiling face and say "my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you". Everyone, write it down, Avynlea Jem Peterson knows this to be true. I know this is the character of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ too! I bare this witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. WEE
First off, let me tell you about the best Zone Pday everrrr. Our zone (of about 12 people) met at a park behind Nagano stations with WATERGUNS. We had waterguns, buckets, monkey masks, and a hottt sunnnn. It was a very fun day of bonding and missionary approved water games hehe.We went to Matsumoto for exchanges this week and as always I had the best time. Let me tell you about Matsumoto.I know I have talked about Rintarou before. While I was in a trio with the Matsumoto sisters, we talked to Rintarou (17ish yrs old) and his friend, invited them to a church activity, and they came!! Rintarou has since built really good relationships with the missionaries and the members. There was a little bit of time they were worried because it seemed like he was slipping away a bit. Until... he wants to go to FSY... HE IS GOING TO FSY!!! His mother signed him all up. (FSY is a couple day long church camp type of thing). I'm really excited for him. Even though I have not been there for most his teaching, I feel close to him. Please pray for him.
Oguchi ε§ε¦Ή (78ish yrs old) is an inactive member who the Matsumoto sisters have been visiting for a LONGGG TIMEEE. I feel I have also gotten close with her the couple times I have visited her. She is so perfect. She went to church last week after not having have gone for 50 YEARS. More than double my lifetime. I'm so proud of the sisters have have kept nurturing and loving her. I am also grateful to have made a relationship with her. She texts me every so often and keeps telling me she will always reach out to me as long as she is alive. We made "10 years from now" plans with her, sang for her, arm wrestled her, measured eachother's heights (apparently I am the same height as her husband. She kept calling me "Otto Peterson" aka Husband Peterson... :/) chatted with her, and came closer to Christ with her. Can I just say right now, thank you Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father for bringing and strengthening these relationships in my life. I trully feel so blessed and lucky.The same old has been going on here in Nagano. We work our hardest in the blazing heat and trust Heavenly Father is magnifying our efforts. One day we came back from visiting some people in the morning and found our amazing elders on our doorstep with a watermelon for us!!! It was a very happy time. We each later ate half a watermelon, then made some reaallll nice helmets. Unfortunately Wentz ε§ε¦Ή isn't a huge fan of watermelon. Which is actually fortunate because I get to eat her whole half too! Heheheheh.Japan tips!!- when you are at a crosswalk, people will like slam on their breaks to stop and let you cross. It is very polite.
- Shredded cabbage is everywhere. It is always served with like anything. Just plain shredded cabbage. You can throw some yummy dressing on it though and it is very tasty
- If a train conductor sees someone running for a train, they will wait. Even reopen doors sometimes after they've already been closed. Bus drivers too are very helpful and will wait for you!
- γγγγ¨γγγγγΎγ (ari-gatoe-go-zai-moss) the correct and polite way to say "thank you" *use this when travelling*
I love JapanWhile with Crockett ε§ε¦Ή (both of us being at the end of our missions) we talked a bit about how we feel guilty about some times where maybe we didn't work as hard as we could have since being on the mission. During our companion study, we read 3 Nephi 27"30 And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost.
31 Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them who are now alive of this generation; and none of them are lost; and in them I have fulness of joy."
We both looked at eachother with burning in our hearts and said this is God speaking to us know. I think it is so easy in life to dwell on the times where we have messed up. I look back on the last year and a half of my life and honestly that is mainly what I see. The times where I have fallen short or could have done better. Reading this scripture really opened my eyes to who Heavenly Father really is and who He wants us to be. He does not dwell on the mistakes we have made, but rejoices in our successes. He looks back on my time I have spent in Japan and is proud of the gospel I have shared. He recognizes and sees the tiny things that I have forgotten.
We have a loving Heavenly Father who is REAL. He is real as much as your own parents. And someday we will stand face to face with him and while we might be scared, He will look at us with tears in His eyes and a smiling face and say "my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you". Everyone, write it down, Avynlea Jem Peterson knows this to be true. I know this is the character of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ too! I bare this witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. WEEGod loves you
I love you!
Make it a good week!!
<3 Sister Avynlea Jem Peterson
07/28/2025
Just, yes.
Watermelon helmets
Nagano Japan in all its perfectness
Oguchi ε§ε¦Ή！
Rintarou to the left, his friend to the right.
Nagano Zone
The most amazing thing in my life happened. We saw the most beautiful double rainbow. After watching these rainbows grow for a while, the first one connected and became A FULL RAINBOW! My even more favorite thing that happened in the moment was looking around to see all the busy Japanese people stopping, taking a picture, and smiling. I love humans. These are the moments I live for. When everyone can appreciate a gift from God all together!
As we were keaving Nagano ι§
, I sparked up a conversation with this really kind lady named Kondouγγ. We talked to her for a long while and eventually bonded over the fact we both believe in Jesus Christ (a rare thing in Japan). We left her with a Pamphlet and invite to church. The next day we were leaving the station the same way and saw her again! We sat down for a while and just talked to her and got to know her.
Uncle Morio took us all out for lunch and of course it was a good time. He is an eikaiwa friend who always laughs at us when we try to approach him with anything gospel. Before our meal we asked him to pray and of course he laughed and said "I don't know how". With a huge grin on his face, Elder Donovan whipped out a Pamphlet and flipped to the page explaining prayer. After explaining, Morio said the most simple prayer. Maybe to him it didn't mean anything, but to the rest of us and to God, it meant everything. This is how mission work here is most the time. Tiny tiny steps that have a bigger impact than we all know. We love Uncle Morio aka Muncle.
We attended the Protestant "Jesus Freaks" Bible study and it was good! 2 hours straight of this man preaching to us in Japanese. I made a friendship bracelet in the time haha. Anyways, we made friends with a girl named Hana who was telling us all these plans she had for her life, but after much prayer she realized that some things weren't in God's plan for her. Her testimony of trusting in God's plan really touched my heart. God trully loves and knows each of His children.
The worst part of the night happened when we were walking a ways back to our bikes with the elders. Naive little me was telling Elder Donovan he is a scaredy cat if he didn't pick up this HUGE bug. "Well now I have to" he said. And he did. And he started CHASING THE REST OF US. We were all running then he said he wouldn't throw it... until after 5 sec. I stopped running and realized what he said. But it was too late. He already got to 5. The next thing I know, this bug had left his hand. Came right at me and LANDED ON MY CHEEK. I SWEAR THERE WERE SOME LEGS IN MY MOUTH. Don't worry, I got the bug off, but literally was the worst experience of my life. Traumatized. I can still remember the feeling of this GINORMOUS BUG ON MY FACE. 
Moral of the story: don't ever think an elder will not do something, especially after you call them a scaredy cat.
this is a long email, Japan tips will return next week!
I listened to the most recent BYU Speech by Sister Jara and you guys, I say this everytime, but LISTEN TO IT!!
She talks about how hard it is sometimes to have faith. To trust in God's timing or even that He is there to help you. I think there can be a little guilt to when we question things like this. But God knows this is natural, the scriptures even say it's okay. If all you have is a DESIRE to believe and that's all you can give, then keep that. Trust in that and slowly let your faith grow again. Trials are meant to push us, bend us, and strengthen us. We are not supposed to be perfect through them. Hold on to your desire to trust in God and don't feel guilty if that's all you can give!
On Monday the neighborhood old ladies dressed me and Wentz ε§ε¦Ή up in kimonos and took pictures of us! It was soooo fun! I got to wear my own kimono that I bought a while ago and I felt SO HAPPY. 
We had to go to Nagoya for a meeting Wentz ε§ε¦Ή had and holy. Actually holy I forgot how terrible it is there in the summer. THE HUMIDITY. I was reminded of when I was transferred there in August last year and yep. It was terrible. 
We visited Nobue and she opened the door with a huge smile on her face telling us how she has been waiting for us to visit her. This woman brings me so much joy. Everyone please please pray for her!
On Saturday we went to Ueda and had the most Japanese experience of our lives. 6 of us missionaries joined about 25ish other Japanese men in carrying this mini shrine thing in a parade on our shoulders and our bodies died. We were chanting (tsuya) the whole time (I think it's the name of the group we were apart of, idrk) so our voices also died. We didn't get great pictures, but trust, this things was HEAVY
recently there have been a lot of things I've wanted to do, but I keep thinking... I'll start doing that when I get home from my mission, or go back to college. Then I read this talk and got slapped in the face a little bit. Why am I waiting? The truth is because I'm lazy and I hope future me will not be BUT that will only happen if I start NOW. I encourage all of you to read this talk, then think about what in your life you are putting off simply because you don't want to start now. THEN GO! START! YES! This is how you become stronger and better. I know your Heavenly Father will help you do this as you reach out to Him for help.
