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

Monday October 27th, 2014

SOOOOOOOOO this week we had emergency transfers...........because there were two new americans that were coming in from the states. So my companion was transfered, monday night at about 4 on p-day. SO tuesday we had to go to Vitória and first of all we almost missed the bus, but then we were about 2 hours into the trip when the traffic stops....about one hour north of the rio border in Espirito Santo. And the traffic didnt move again for 6 more hours..............literally 6 hours the bus was stopped in traffic and did not move. Turns out that about 2km in front of us two 18 wheeelers had collided and a small car got caught in the mix, I think 3 people died and the trucks were completely destroyed. It took about 8 hours for them to clean up the road and open the lanes again. We got there after the first 2 hours. It was an interesting experience. Being on a bus from 9 in the morning until 6:30 at night...we got to know our neighbors really well. We got almost everyones address and we taught 3 lessons. We saw a sloth in the forest next to the bus. They are super huge and I tried to take a picture but I couldnt get the zoom to focus so....I don't have a picture. Also when we were there we ate Goiyaba, which is a fruit super common here. ONe of the people on the bus go hungry and went looking for food and found a goiyaba tree. SO we tried a little bit but they had goiyaba bugs so we didn't eat too much ;) 

Anyways I got to vitoria and my new companion is Elder McKnight from virginia/utah(USU) he has 1 year and 5 months in the mission, and my compnion got a new american from Kansas Elder Spain. Who doesnt speak any portuguese and elder gonzalez doesnt speak any english and has a heavy spanish accent....should be fun for them :) but they live with a couple other americans so its all good. Elder Spain will learn quick but he was super nervous. We slept in Cariacica that night and then got the bus around 7 to come back to campos. Anyways we have 4 americans in the house now....so of course that means trouble or fun depending how you want to look at it ;) So thursday lunch fell for us and they had money, so we made navoo tacos. And Elder Reinhardt has a hot sauce, that is super hot. Like you put one drop on the food mix and you are still crying....sooo of course we had a hot sauce competition...need less to say no one really won but everyone "cried" but we are having a ton of fun and working harder. We didn't  have too much time to work in our area this week because we were traveling to do interviews for baptisms on the other side of the city. 

And we had a baptism this week. Her name is Larissa and she is 17. SHe lives exactly in front of the church. She got invited by a friend to go to abaptist church sunday night and she invited us to go with her. SO yesterday night we went to the 2nd baptist church of Campos. Its a little different than the baptist churches in florida or the states but it was an interesting experience. They like to sing a lot more than we do. 

Anyways the lessons learned this week: obedience to the mission rules. We have been having a super hard time going to bed at 10:30. USually we are passing the things of the district to the ZOne leaders about 10:20 and then we have to get ready to go to bed. Our district is us, the zone leaders, 2 compnaionships of sisters and 2 companionships of elders. SO we are brainstorming better ways to follow up. BUt these last 4 weeks its been super hard to get to bed at the right time and its taking its toll, I havent been able to write in my journal and its super hard to get up and excercise in the morning. Almost impossible. And if you arent fully awake, personal study isnt as spiritual and the day is harder to start. You also cant really pray very well in the morning when you are super tired.... SO My goal this week is to be in bed at 10:30. I remember in the beginning of the mission it was so much easier to be obedient and you have a greater power in teaching when you are obedient. The Spirit is so much easier to hear and testifies. SO what I'm going to try and do is slow things down this week. Work more on being obedient and on the christ like attributes. I'm still reading the bible and the book of Mormon and its still going good. 

I'm so grateful to be here in the mission and I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life. The knowledge that I have about my Reedemer and His plan for each one of us. There is a decision that we all have to make in our lives we have to .."choose this day whom we will serve" and like Joshua every day I'm doing my best to choose the Lord. It really is that simple. You choose to be obedient, you choose to follow the Lords counsel, you choose to do whats right. You can choose to be a man of God or you can choose to follow the natural man. It really is as simple as the light and the day. I love you all and i hope you all choose to do whats right and that you all do the small things so that the big things take care of themselves. Read the scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, and help another. Remember who you are and what you stand for and that excellence is not an act but a habit.I love you all and miss you tons and cant wait to see you all again. Until then for ZIon!

Love, Elder SImonsen

"Tudo vai dar Certo!" -Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

Monday October 20th, 2014

Week 3 in Campos, Rio de Janiero

So this week has defintely been more exciting. Honeslty I cant remember much of what we did this week. We really aren't doing too much. But this week we are going to work. So this week defintely should be more exciting. Anyways stuff that I've been studying: The New Testament and the Book Of Mormon and how to use your time wisely and efectively (Chapter 8 of PMG) I'm really enjoying reading the New Testament I'm not reading super fast but I'm realy studying what there and how to apply it in my life. So It's been about a week and I'm in matthew 13. But so far so good.....It just might take a while ;) I finished the  1st book of nephi today. Took about 2 weeks but I'll try to pick up the pace a little bit. I'm working a lot on patience and controling my temper and trying always to be meek and humble and learning alot about charity. I'm learning that your attitude defines who you are, your mission, and your friends.

Anyways that's awesome that you went to the temple for the 24th time! I miss the temple so much and think about it a ton. I'm super grateful that I have the temple magazine here with me because it's super helpful in teaching and explaining about the temple. It's super important in the process of teaching the people. I was so happy they changed the rules in july so that now we have to teach all 5 lessons before baptism. I also and so grateful we have President Young, he is really teaching us how to become men of God. BUt I really enjoy teaching, especially about the temples. There is a huge difference when we teach with the Spirit and when we do what's right because its the right thing. Even if we have to stand alone. You have a peace even greater when you do what's right. There is nothing better than righteous living. There is no greater peace that you can find on earth than in the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you don't believe that or my testimony of that, that's okay. I've visited so many families, seen so many lives, meet so many people that I can tell you that there is a difference, that this is the true church of God. A home centered on Christ, living the His teachings and the teachings of his prophets will bring happiness. All you have to do is choose. Choose to believe, choose to try our words, prove our words to know if they are true. I know they are. I've done the test and I've helped others in their own test. Treasure the scriptures, the ensigns that have conference talks, treasure the company of the Spirit. Listen to good music, that inspires and uplifts you. Watch wholesome entertainment that does the same. 

There is a saying "he that hath ears let him hear, he that hath eyes let him see" I really enjoy this saying because it's true. It's there, right infront of you but there are many eyes that do not see nor ears that do not hear, and its because of the pride and vain things in this world that blind the hearts of men. This is a marvelous work and a wonder that is happening and it will roll on with or without us. Of this I bear witness, In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Simonsen

ps talon have fun in the pumpkin patch!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Monday October 13, 2014

No I havent seen blue yet and I'm in the state Rio not the city :P I'm about 4 hours north of the city and I'm in the most southern point of the mission (Zone wise at least) so I'll never actually make it to Rio the city. I would like to but we don't have that liberty. But yeah it's really good here, the people are super nice and the ward works super hard. All of the young women are always giving refrences for the missionaries. They don't really have any young women in our ward but the ward next to ours has a ton. We have all the young men though...they just don't do too much. But they are willing to do divisions :) Which is a huge relief. BEcause basically my companion is the pianist for the 2 wards. What ever activity that has piano he is there............and he is teaching piano lessons twice a week for 2 hours.....and we spend a lot of time sitting at the church.......and he (my companion) has lots of leg pains and foot pains.....so we don't really go anywhere or when we do we take the bus or these vans that are like buses here and we lose a lot of time waiting for them.....yeah we teach about one lesson per day...........................................................but its all good, things will get better. The sun is still shining and I'm marking tons of divisions so that I can leave and work and use the members a ton and it's going to be fun. Challenge accepted. Also we have 4 other companionships in our district that live about an hour away. But its all for the work and for the good of Zion ;) So I'm working a lot on patience and keeping a good, happy attitude. But I will not compromise the standards or mission rules. That's were the fun comes in. I follow the rules and Preach my Gospel :) 

But anyways it has been a really fun learning week. I've started to study the new testament in english because I really want to focus on  understanding the principles and applying them and becoming more like Christ. I'm not going super fast but I'm making my way. I'm on matthew 9 ANd there is so much to learn. Reading in english is so much clearer and it's like a whole new world, but I'm trying not to read too much in english because I teach in portuguese. BUt I am really enjoying studying the new testament and the teachings of Christ. I really liked matthew 4:4 " Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"

Thats really tough about soccer but that probably is a good thing because coach west is a very tough coach and she always, always grabs freshman. Every year half her team is freshman. I've never understood why because they are usally injured or super tired by junior year. But if she keeps practicing and working hard she doesn't need to play this year, she could make it next or just skip high school and go straight to college :) 

As for flu shots, missionaries don't get shots or go to the doctor during the mission. You work and if you need something because you get sick then you go. Other than that you don't get the yearly shots or do yearly check-ups. So my last pendrive.....I think it has a virus as well because it's skipping talks that I put on for conference last week.......so I'm not to sure exactly what's going on and why music is so difficult and why I can't ever seem to listen to what I want. But Idk if you should send another memory card. The problem is that I might just give up on music and just sing myself. Memory cards are 30 reals here for 16 gb. Which would be 15 dollars. Which was the last memory card I had but I don't know how to avoid viruses because we always use lan-houses and dowloading conference and music from the churches youth site you somehow get viruses (probably because the computer itself) so maybe I'll buy another maybe not. I don't want to spend money because I would like to save it for when Ireally need it after the mission. And yes I would be super happy if courtney was there for christmas so that I can talk to her before she goes out to byu-I that would be nice.

Alrighty I love you all and miss you tons!

Elder Simonsen

ps. Dad: Still waiting for your email 

Monday October 6th, 2014

Alrighty so yes transfers................................................RIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I left the state, I'm in Rio. Campos is the name of the city. IT's pretty nice, it's a little hot sometimes which I love but it's been really cold recently. Like I feel like it's super cold. My companion is Elder Gonzalez from Santiago Chile. He was in the mtc with me and so we know each other pretty well and it will be a fun experience. In our district we have 4 wards (because the Zone leaders are in our district too.) We have Guarus 1 &2 Turf and the Zone leaders ward. So It's a pretty big district. We have a ton of challenges and it's going to be super fun. I know that the Lord is really going to help and inspire us to be better and the overcome the great challenges that we have. It's been a super fun week and we had a harder time with conference. I saw Sunday morning, almost all of the session and a little less then half of sunday afternoon. SO I'm getting all the talks today so I can listen to them. I thought it was super cool that everyone talked in their native language. When Elder Godoy spoke I was looking down and thought " well this translation is really good, I can't hear any english" I looked up and realized that he was speaking portuguese! The feeling that I felt was such a huge joy and I can't imagine what the other brazilians felt. i know everyone was really excited and happy. It is a super cool experience and it would have been super cool to have been there hearing it in person. I really enjoyed the talks of Elder Bednar e President Monson. The other talks I didn't hear as much so I'll listen to them today. Maybe....I lost my memory card that I was using to listen to music.........so I'll try with the pendrive today. 

Anyways the last day in cobilandia was super fun, I don't think I've cried that much since I left home. BUt it was a super good experience and won't be the last time I see everyone. I'll definitely have to go back and visit. It was super hard to break the news to them. But Gilberto took it really well and said basically after a lot of hugs Well the next missionaries will have to baptize me and we'll send you pictures. :) Thats awesome, because I toltally broke down telling him we were leaving. Then we went and visited Josimar and Karina(who had been baptized the day before) and they both cried, and then asked me to say the prayer...... then we went to ana paula's house and she taught us! We had her teach us and she taught a lesson super powerful and spiritual and me and my companion were both amazed. And then we h ad to tell her we were leaving. Fun. BUt these are memories that we will never forget. Elder Barreto( My old companion) is training and he left the state too, but he's in Minas Gerais in the city Nunuque. So we are on opposite ends of the mission now but he'll have a ton of fun there and it will be super good.

ANyways these are the major updates and I'll stop now so I can send pictures :) But Its all good and sunny here in RIO and the Gospel is being preached with love and vigor. Read the Book Of Mormon! Hold tight to it and doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. I know this church is true, that we have a prophet on the earth today. He and 14 others spoke this last weekend and they spoke the words of God. They testified of Christ and are His disciples. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he restored the Church of God on earth. and I know that Christ lives. That HE is our savior and Loves each one of us and we should become as He IS. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I'm pretty sure these are the pictures from his last day in his last area, before transfers. Where the missionaries get to go around and say their good byes before they leave!