Monday November 24th, 2014

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

did you get my letter?!

Yeah I didn't get your letter last week. Got it today with all the pictures and the updates. But its all good. 

So the lesson of this week was patience and working with others and trying to be like Jesus. I'm studying a lot the difference between micro managing and follow-up. So this week was interesting because of that. BUt this week is a new week, we can start fresh, leave everthing behind and keep moving forward. 

So this week the sisters had a baptism, so my companion and I went there saturday night and it was such a spiritual baptism. Her name is Gerceli and almost her whole family is a member of the church. So at her baptism she had her daughter, son in law( who is the old bishop) her granddaughters and then a couple members of the ward but I and the sisters, were sohappy she was baptized. The spirit was testifying so strong to her and when I had the opportunities to talk to her she was so excited and ready to be baptized. It's really cool to see tha changes that happen in our lives and the lives of others here in the mission. 

Anyways I only have half an hour left to write...i don't know where the time goes, Literally I write president and read all the mission letters and i have almost no time. and then you sit at the computer and you forget everything...BUt we are working in a super rich area here in campos, Elder MAzzergardi asked us to work with people who would be the next leaders in the church and especifically with men who can recieve the priesthood. So he then asked us to work with the rich....so we have spent about a week in this neighborhood and all i can say is wow....crazy to see how the other half live. There are bmw's passing in the street and you walk by the houses and your constantly saying "wow....look at this house!" and this neighborhood really isnt that rich of a neighborhood. Its called flamboyant but its not a super rich but they are very well off. Haha so we had a lot of fun in that neighborhood, walking around trying to teach and spending a majority of the day pushing buttons to talk with people through intercoms.It's a lot easier to reject when they cant see you face to face. THis is actually the first time I've had doors shut in my face, but for every person that rejects us we get closer to the one that will say yes! There has to be at least one person that will accept our message. So we are searching for gold in a river of sand. But all comes with time and patience. 

I'm also studying a lot of the plan of salvation and I'm getting one scripture for everyday that during the day when we are on the bus that I read and reflect a little about and try to examine the scriptures and understand them and read the story that wasnt written. IT's truly amazing how the spirit oopens your eyes and lets you see something that you had never seen before. 

Alrigthy so the computer turned off and luckly it all saved but I'll send the letter before it happens again. Just got all of your letters that you sent today and hope you have an awesome birthday MOM!!! LOVE YOU TONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Simonsen

Monday November 17th, 2014

Alrigthy one more week and even less time to write and this keyboard is killing me. so we'll see how it goes. todays response won't be long because of that.

So this week we worked....most of the week. Tuesday we didn't sleep because we were going to vitória for a meeting with Elder Mazzergadi (SP?) the first counselor in the area presidency. So we left here about 2 in the morning but we went to the bus station around 11 because all of the other elders were there and we didn't want to risk missing the bus.We got home that night around 11 and then I think finally made it to bed around 12:30...or 1 something like that. So we spent the rest of the week pretty tired and running a lot in our area. The major events are really only the conference that we had with him. It was a super good conference and talked a lot about the spirit and doing missionary work the good right way and working with families and helping the church grow instead of dividing the work. Working with membrer and less actives to find the new ones and reactivate. Which is a huge problem here in brazil. Of the 600 members of the ward about 70 are active, so they are trying to switch the number or at least have a better ratio. HE talked about music and what music does in our lives and how it affects our spirit and it's more powerful than drugs. how we have to watch our selves and do what is right. It was a super spiritual meeting and taught us a lot. He speaks fluently Portuguese, english, spanish,  and italian. It was hard to figure out where he was from because he talked so fluently in english and new so well our geography that there were moments i thought he was american but he's from São Paulo, and is a convert from the church. He is a super good man and has a testimony super strong. 

Other than that we are studying the scriptures working hard and doing our best to help the wards grow here in Campos. Talking with more men doing what needs to be done to help the kingdom of God grow. I hope all is well at home an that everyone is reading the book of mormon. ITs so important to read and to cherish and to study. It is the iron rod and will show you the way. Be humble and meek and alwlays remember who you are. And sorry this letter is so short, I'll seend pictures today. Read the book of mormon, it is true

Love Elder Simonsen

Monday November 10th, 2014

Alrighty so this week was super crazy but Ill try to get it all in. This week flew by and honestly was super hard and interesting. SO monday was pretty normal, tuesday i spent some time down town getting supplies for the elders in the zone....and ensuring the fact that the people of our district get their supplies. Long story short we carried a microwave for about 35 mins walking to our house only to get there and realize that we didn't have keys...and the zone leaders were too far away to open our house.....so we managed to get the door open :) when you got an Brazilain Special forces and American Air force together....we'll just say that doors or locks cant stop them ;) but locking doors is a different story. Haha because we couldnt relock the door afterwards and just called the zone leaders and they locked the door later that night. Then this week we had an open house at the church and its a super great idea but we didn't have much time to pass out the invites and stuff like that, so we didn't have too many people. It was thursday, friday and saterday. And of these 3 days 2 of them I spent in divisions and doing interviews for baptism and helping with other things, but I spent friday there trying to help. We had the opportunity to watch 4 or 5 movies because we were waiting for people to come visit and I thought it would be a great idea if the member there watched movies while we were waiting. ANd it actually worked out really well. We watched on the lords errand, the legacy, special witness of christ, finding happiness, and a bunch of other church films I found in the library. IT really brought the spirit and helped the members be strenghtened.

SO yeah I don't have too much to report on this week. It happened so fast that I'm not sure what really happened. I'm still studying the Book of Mormon and a little of the bible, I've picked up Jesus the Christ again a little , and the Lord is truely providing for us because we are having people come to church, and a lot of missionaries don't have any investigators going to church. But we don't have any investigators. Literally we really don't have any because we have been running around so much, but I stayed for this next transfer so this week will be a lot easier and we will have a ton of time to work and draw closer to the Lord. IF anything I've grown more sure of my future plans and learned how to ponder better the principles of the gospel this week. I'm running and having tons of fun and all is well in this part of Zion. I will need a new journal soon though, so if you could get one of those ones I like i would be super happy. ONly one though and as for supplies I'm good. When you send music only send it in mp3 format, because if not it wont play. I love being here in Campos and I'm so happy for this opportunity to serve the Lord and grow closer to Him. I love you all and hope all is well and that you all are reading your scriptures daily and serving those you love and all you know.. This week we will be in Vitoria wednesday for a conference with a member of the Brazil Area Presidency, so should have plenty of changes coming our way. I'm super excited and hope that I can learn lots.  

I love you all and miss you tons.

Love Elder Simonsen

Monday November 3rd, 2014

Yeah so this week flew by super fast and I honestly dont know what happened. We taught a lot this week, and had a "normal" week. We had interviews with President Young which was super cool but I'll talk more about that later.

Really this week we worked a ton and don't have too much to show for it. Of all the people we had lined up to go to church 2 of them came, the other 3 are people that are really difficult to teach and actually just showed up to church. So we were supeer excited about that and now we have to just find a time to teach them....also getting to their houses will be fun because they live in a place called Goytacazes, that is like a little town inside Campos. Its not too far away but we dont have a map for that area so we get lost pretty quiclky. But it was a super huge blessing to have investigators at church beause most of the rest of the district didn't have any one.  We met a lot of people this week with tough vies on the world and their thought process is a little different....most of the people with whom we actually taught either didnt believe in God or thought the only church that exsists is the catholic church.  WHich has to do with the Brazilian culture. BUt enough said we are super excited for p-day today. Time to rest and relax and maybe do a little cleaning and sleeping.....or write letters.

Anyways so we had interviews with President Like I already said and interviews with him are always amazing. He truely is a Chirst-like man and I am so grateful that he was called to be our mission president. I truely know that the Lord calls those who are needed, where they are needed and I have no doubt that President Young follows  Gods counsel. It's not as easy to follow some of the other mission leaders but it helps knowing that the President will always do whats right and follow the Spirit. SO I'm trying to be more obedient to those that he has called to be our leaders.......................yeah I'm working on it. Its tough sometimes because I don't always agree......but its getting better and things are working right and these last 3 transfers have been really good. Lots of change. BUt anyways the interviews with him are always super spiritual and he and sister Young have such a huge love for all the missionaries and they alway seek to serve us and uplift us and inspire us. He always says uplifting things. It's really easy to talk with him. Well to at least open up, talking in english was super hard.......but things Are good and  I'm super happy here in Campos. Only missing music, haha so  mom if you could send me a super cheap mermory card I would be so grateful. It doesnt need to be big, maybe 2 GB becuase if it gets a virus again I don't want to keep loosing money. I've been taking music from the chruch website and listening to it. Old music from confrences and some from the youth site. Just a couple because I do not like most of the efy songs. I found a really interesting if you could hie to kolob that the choir did during conference a couple years back, and them I get a couple songs that they did. Like consider the lillies, and a couple christmas or other songs that i can think of. I also put a lot of conference on the memory card. But its nice becuase we can choose what we put on.

BUt I'velearned the importance of music in keeping the spirit and how truly the hymns bring the Spirit into our lives and helps us think more about the Lord and the Gospel. They can prepare you to study with the Spirit and help you calm down at night. Anyways we'll see how it goes when I get back though becuase I am really missing some Taylor Swift songs ;)  But the lesson this week is to work and to follow the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit and follow what he inspires you to do. Study the scriptures and do what is right. Follow the church leaders, Preach my GOspel, and be exactly obedient. ALWAYS read the BOOK OF MORMON and you will have a huge spiritual force in your lives and you will have the Spirit to be with you IF you keep the commandments and always remember Him. Then you will teach with power and authority and you will do miracles in the lives of our Father's children.

I love you all and miss you tons,

Love Elder Simonsen