The One with Pets & Service

Week 48 (July 18th-24th) & Week 49 (July 25th-31st)


A highlight of the week was that all of the missionaries in our zone were invited to go to youth conference! They had us come for about an hour to talk to the youth about 1. Inviting others to come to church 2. Giving away a Book of Mormon, and 3. The points of our first lesson (The Restoration). The theme of the youth conference was "Mission: Possible" so they sent out "mission calls" to all the youth in the stake a week or two beforehand that told them where they were going, which meant what group they'd be in. So they had a companionship from our zone go in to a "mission" or group. We were assigned the New Zealand mission! I was so excited! I was so excited in fact, that I forgot to take a picture in front of the sign. It was so much fun to be there with the youth. One of my favorite things to do as a missionary is answer questions and give advice to future and potential missionaries. This is because it is answers and advice I can finally give, and it was hard won. I wanted to be where I am today as a missionary for so long, almost all my life, and now I am finally here and I am so grateful.

But the most exciting thing that has happened during the last two weeks combined were exchanges on Saturday. Sister Knox went to Winter Park for a day with Sister Bond while Sister Hill and I got to stay in Winter Garden. With whom, you may ask? Well none other than SISTER EVANS. Our short lived celestial trio was reunited again! I believe that Sister Evans put it well in her weekly update, which she prefaced with the scripture Alma 27:16-18:

"16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.
17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness. "

(Continuing Sister Evans update) "We went on exchanges with... WINTER GARDEN! Who is in winter garden you might ask????? MY BELOVED SISTER HILL AND SISTER PETTY! I was so pumped to go on an exchange with them. (Before any of you guys think it was my idea it wasn't. Sister Bond recommended it and the Lord was pretty insistent.) When Sister Bond and Sister Knox left I kid you not Sister Petty hit the floor which was followed by me flopping to the ground, and Sister Hill turning around and seeing the action flung herself gracefully to the floor. We proceeded to cry happy tears for a good five minutes because we were so happy to be back in our Celestial trio. We promise we don't hate our comps, we just love each other so much and we're really close during our transfer together. Man I love them both so much."
We had a splendid 24 hours wherein we got to teach, testify and serve.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Sister Hill, Sister Knox and I were without our regularly occurring community service projects last week. We hadn't been able to find a niche for us to get into offering personal service in our area yet because we didn't know it well enough. So we prayed and sought out any service opportunities we could and the Lord answered our prayers and provided ample opportunities to help those in our area. One with the sweetest elderly woman (seriously when you think cute old lady, it's her) who is a less active member who wants to be more involved in the church than she is able to be with her health right now. She is hooked up to oxygen and doesn't have much strength to do basic household chores, so we're starting to go over each week and help her out! Heavenly Father also uses our gifts and talents to bless others, because I was able to help her with her iPad to figure out basic tips settings and she was so grateful.

That wasn't the only time the Lord used my tech savvy abilities; we had a member call us and tell us that her elderly neighbor (notice how I tend to gravitate toward the elderly? Why is that?) got a new television and antenna and needed help setting it up. Granted, these things did not require a professional by any means, but to people born before man landed on the moon, it appears as rocket science. We were able to help her neighbor get all hooked up and able to watch The Price is Right before dinner. She was happy and so was our member. We were told we made a positive impact and we think we are softening her neighbors heart.

But wait, there's more! We have a family that we have been visiting, the Bain's, and we were able to help them organize and pack when they found out that they were packing up and moving in 9 days. It was a super stressful time for them, but we were able to help them get so much done and it was really neat to see how much of difference we made in their progress and morale. We're super sad to see them go, but we are glad we got to serve them!

Going on with the theme of service, we got to help a member give her hedgehog a bath. Now wether this was us serving her or her serving us, I don't know. But either way it certainly served our prickly friend H.G. Wells. Also, have you ever seen a hedgehog swim?! If not, look it up, it's adorable.

As we've finally been able to fine tune our teaching pool we have been zeroing in on and focused on our most promising Investigators and helping them fulfill Heavenly Fathers wants for them. The one that we have been teaching the most consistently and has been making the most progress is Jimmy. He's been meeting with the Elders for a few months, and the day we came into the area he messaged the Elders and let them know that he received his answer that the Book of Mormon is true! However he still isn't too hip on the idea of organized religion. So we've been working on that. This week we had an awesome lesson about prophets and he's getting there, he just needs to connect the dots.


To end my email this week, I feel I should update on something that weighed heavy on me and my family this week as I received word from home that my beloved dog of 11 years passed away. This may sound peripheral, but for me it was actually quite devastating. When I left for my mission I cried harder saying goodbye to him than I did the rest of my family. It was a great fear of mine that he would die while I was gone and it was often a fervent prayer of mine to the Lord that He would protect my dog Milo, and if at all possible prolong his life just long enough for him to greet me at the door when I return home, just like always. However, now I'll have to wait a little bit longer before that ever happens again.

My heart has been very raw with all that has happened in my and my families lives the past few weeks. I've been feeling greatly saddened that I have not been able to be there to help my family through these times, to give and receive comfort with them, especially not being there to say a final goodbye to my puppy.

I found myself wondering how I can move forward in a healthy productive way, and so I turned to Adjusting to Missionary Life. (Which is one of my very favorite inspired resources.) I decided that I would consciously give these things that I have missed while on my mission as a gift of sacrifice and thanks to the Savior. Rather than dwelling on my unhappiness and guilt of missing out on these things, I want to humbly and willingly offer it up to the Lord as if to say, "Here are the things I have sacrificed in Thy service, please consecrate it for good; not for my good, but for the good of those I love and serve."

I have such a strong faith and testimony in this work, and that I am exactly where the Lord wants and needs me to be at the time He has chosen. For this time in my life I have to opportunity to serve full-time I am eternally grateful.


Remember to love all creatures of our God and King,

-Sister Olivia Petty🐶

The last time I got to see my puppy. 5.14.17

When you give a bath a hedgehog 7.18.17

Sincerely yours, 7.22.17

Saying goodbye to Sister Bain 7.29.17

Exchanges 7.30.17

The One with Prayers in Winter Garden

Week 46 (July 4th-10th) & Week 47 (July 11th-17th)


Whitewashing Winter Garden has been an immensely satisfying task. At the beginning of my mission, the concept of whitewashing an area (where both of the missionaries are new to the area) was terrifying to me. I imagined feeling totally and completely lost without knowing anyone or anything. Now, I am absolutely giddy. Being a seasoned enough missionary, I know how to go about doing the work of the Lord without needing to be given instruction. And because I am somewhat of a control freak, being able to start anew and do whatever I want with the area, without a companion leading out a specific way, is exhilarating. It feels like I've gone from driving in a 25mph zone to 80. Or for other car driving missionaries who will understand, like driving without a tiwi.

I have hit the ground running ever since I got here, and honestly I'm just pumped because I can speak English. I treasure the time I spent in Spanish work, and it was such a tender mercy that Heavenly Father blessed me with the opportunity to be apart of it for just a minute, let alone half a transfer. I still pray in Spanish everyday. I'm still reading El Libro de Mormon just in case the Lord ever needs me in Spanish work otra vez. A donde me mandes iré, Señor.

Because we are taking over an Elders area, we are also taking over an Elders apartment, which means we spent the sum total of about 6-8 hours deep cleaning it. The poor Elders said they totally scrubbed and cleaned the apartment hardcore for us before they left. I definitely believe them, I really don't want to know what this place was like before they cleaned it up. It is now quite a pleasant little flat. We do have to use air freshener fairly often, as our neighbors do not follow the word of wisdom and it is apparent by the fragrance that fills our apartment in the late afternoon. If you know what I mean. We also have a cockroach problem, but we are working on it. Prayers.

The Ward has been amazing! They are stoked to have sisters again, it's been a few years, and they missed us dearly. They've loved the Elders, but sometimes a Sisters touch is needed. One thing this ward is totally on the ball with is signing up to feed us dinner (Most of the wards I've served in have been, but nothing like this since Belleview). We get fed 6/7 nights a week. And usually that's because of a last minute cancellation, so every night of the week is spoken for.

A super cool thing is that the member who approached Sister McCullough & I and bought us food a few months ago (back in The One with Ice Cream) is in this ward and they had us over for dinner and we totally recognized and remembered each other! Members are great.

I have felt strongly this week more than any other week of my mission the miracles that the Lord provides for His servants. After much prayer and fasting on behalf of my family this week, my testimony is stronger than ever that Heavenly Father is watching over and protecting my family always, especially in my absence. I found peace and strength when it was desperately needed in Mosiah 24:13-14:
"13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. "

He hears our prayers. He loves us so much and because of that love, He sent His perfect Son. Testifying of Our Savior and His grace & mercy to those who need it in their lives as much as I do mine is the single most powerful yet humbling experience that I have in my life. I am honored to be an instrument in the Lords hands. We are His children, and He loves us. Pray to feel that love when you are weak, He will answer.

Be strong,

-Sister Olivia Petty 🙏🏻

Sister Hill, myself and Sister Knox at a member dinner 7.6.17

A tree bearing a fruit of which I am unfamiliar 7.8.17

An action shot of missionary planning in the digital age courtesy of Sister Knox 7.12.17

Big leaves or little Sister Petty? 7.16.17

El Último Uno en Español

Week 45 (June 27th-July 3rd)


The transfer call came and I am no longer an Hermana, which was expected but still bittersweet. I half expected to get a call telling me that I would go back to Lake Crescent with Sister Evans and Sister Hill, and that half came true. Kind of.

I am going to Winter Garden with Sister Hill(!!!) and Sister Knox, and we will be whitewashing the Ward/Area. Which is currently an Elders area. That is actually the Ward right above Lake Crescent. And in the same district. Crazy right? It gets weirder.
The Winter Garden Elders (Wilde & McCourt) are switching places with us. Meaning they are coming to take over Lake Crescent, and we are taking theirs. It's Sci-Fi.

Hermana Klein is staying in Buena Ventura and training the new Hermana coming in, so she will know a little more Spanish than me. Speaking of, I have an update: I bore my testimony in front of the branch yesterday entirely in Spanish. I wrote it out in my best Spanglish and had Hermana Klein translate it, but then I went and read it near flawlessly in an accent that rivals a missionary that has been out a year. The branch was very impressed.

I don't have very much time at all, but rest assured that I am ambitious for the challenge that rests ahead and I am very excited. I'm overjoyed to be back in the Orlando South Zone and get to do weekly service on the temple grounds again. I have a testimony that this is the Lords work and that He guides it day by day, transfer by transfer. I know that the changes that are happening this transfer are inspired by Him and that He will mark the way before us as we navigate this new area and teach His children.

Paz afuera,

-Hermana Olivia Petty 🇵🇷

P.s. Here is my testimony from yesterday. Ciao!

"Buenos tardes, mi nombre es Hermana Petty y yo he servido en esta rama por tres semanas. Actualmente, soy una misionera de ingles entonces yo no hablo mucho español. Yo tengo nueve meses en mi misión hablando inglés. Las semanas que yo tengo aquí en Buena Ventura son las únicas semanas yo tengo en español. Yo estudiaba español por tres años en escuela secundaria entonces sabía un poco pero no mucho. Sin embargo, yo entiendo muy bien. Actualmente, yo entiendo que ustedes están diciendo la mayoría de las veces si yo presto atención.

Yo sé que este es solamente posible porque del Padre Celestial y la ayuda que me has dado. Esta ayuda viene del Espíritu Santo, miembros de la rama con paciencia, una compañera extraordinaria, y el poder que venga de Jesucristo y Su Expiación.

Me voy el martes a volver a la obra misional en inglés en Winter Garden. ¡Van a tener una misionera nueva! Hermana Klein va a quedarse aquí y ella va a hacer obra maravillosa como siempre.

Está Hermana nueva tiene mucho suerte a comenzar su misión aquí en la rama de Buena Ventura. Todos de ustedes han sido tan cordial a mi. Y yo siento muy bendecida que tuviera la oportunidad a servir aquí incluso para acaba de un corto tiempo.

Yo testifico que esta es la iglesia de Dios. El Evangelio de Jesucristo ha sido restaurado en plenitud. Yo testifico de la realidad del poder redentor de Jesucristo y que a través de Su sacrifico expiatorio podamos arrepentirse y hacerse nuevos.

Sé que Jesucristo vive. Sé que Dios nos amas y nos conoces personalmente.

Yo digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen."

Getting Fro-yo to treat ourselves 6.29.17

Getting food late because our dinner cancelled 6.28.17

After English class 6.29.17

A Book Sister Smith found while we sorted through donations at our weekly service depicting exactly how Jesus was baptized. Kind of. 6.28.17

My cute companion in her socks and sandals when we went to grab our clubhouse wifi 7.1.17