Dec 2, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soooooooo......got your package this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I love how long your letter is.It's killing me that I can't print them. I want to so bad but It's so expensive and actually I have literally zero money right now....I'll go get some today but I used all of my mission money this last week on food...I've been eating like crazy this last week. Like ginormous meals. (Don't know how to spell that.) Okay so first of all. We had a zone conference last tuesday. Was great, learned a ton and finally got recognized that I actually know whats going on ;) We had a new elder there from the states that served for a couple months and President moved him to the front right in the middle of the conference so he could hear more and probably understand. Then he went around asking all the new missionaries that arrived the last 2 transfers, haha I didn't have to move :) Anyways, I recieved a ton of stuff that transfer. I got your package , grandma stakers letter, all of grandma simonsens letters. So happy :) Especially for the pictures in your package. And for the hymn book. BROOKLYN!!!!!!!!!! That was amazing!! I love the sticky notes. That made my day. Thank you so much for it :) Okay so after the conference we had divisions with the zone leaders, so I spent 2 days in another area.

We finally had the opportunity to do service! So after lunch the second day (wednesday ) We (all six missionaries there) moved these bricks they use to build houses from the first floor to the second...took forever and they were heavy and really dirty. So after we finished we were covered in this orange dust and stuff. I brushed all of mine off after while but a bunch of peoples clothes got stained but mine all turned out good. I think my pants mght have a little orange...but they look way better then everyone elses. SO after that we went (Elder Conde and I) to one of their investigators houses and this lady was trying to remove these giant wooden poles out of the concrete with what looked like a chain link fence pole that the tip is like an oar paddle...and trying to use it as a shovel as well. So elder conde runs over there and takes over (it's raining) and after about 5 minutes, I start helping because he cant seem to do it either. So we were literally breaking the concrete with this pole (metal) trying to get these giant wooden poles out of the ground. We got the first one out in like 20mins and she had one left so we though well we'll get it out quick and then teach her.....one hour after we finally get it out. We are covered in dirt because we were using our hands to dig parts of the dirt out and the concrete and it was raining. But we finally did it and it was a huge help for this lady but it was an amazing experience. She made us food afterwards and we taught her a lesson. She is supposed toget baptized this week I think but she has to stop smoking.

So that's just one ofthe super cool experiences I had there with Elder Conde. But I Spent so much time trying to describe that...took forever to write. But the rest of the week has been really good too. Our area is doing good and we are teaching tons of really good people. Our ward is amazing!! I love our ward so much. I'm actually scared of transfers in 2 weeks because I don't want to get transfered. I'd rather stay here. I've learned so much this last week. Alot of it has been personal growth. Conviction and other things. Reading conference is so great and so insightful. I'm in helaman 6 now in the book of mormon and my goal was to finish alma this transfer...so I'm doing pretty good. One of the big focuses in our work this last week or that i noticed was the Book Of Mormon. How important and crucial it is. Alot of our lessons this last week were about it. Everything that our church is, the work, and honestly who I am rests on that.The Book of Mormon. 

All the things are based of it. It's either true or its not. Black or white. But if it is true, then Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, he restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ and reestablished the church of Christ on the earth, and then that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. It truly is amazing and really amazing that I could say all that in english...actually was kinda hard. But of it I testify in the sacred and Holy name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.

Elder Simonsen