Monday January 19th, 2015

Alrighty so this week was super fun. We did lots of interviews, went to the universal church yesterday, and my compaion got his ligação de Morte. or in other words the death call or better stated, they called him to firm up the day that we will go home. And buy his plane tickets....so yeah he has had a fun week and has been trying to not think about home. BUt we took advantadge of the opportunity to confirm the transfers in july and august and basically I already know the day I will go home as well. But I have 3 more months before they call me. It should be in the middle of july. If there is no 5 week transfer. ANyways enough with that, I only mentioned it because you asked me and so I asked. But all is well and you'll be so proud of me. I lead the music in the sacrament yesterday.........hahahahahaha yeah it was super interesting because we don't have any one that plays the piano so its all acapela and you have to sing the notes so that the congergation recognizes the song. That part was fine but I don't know how to lead music and its not as easy to sing and read the words in portuguese and keep time with your hand  and yeah it was fun and funny. The return missionaries (sisters) that usually do that got there right after the sacrament and saw and just laughed....they knew that i had no idea how to do it. but its all good I can check that off my bucket list. I don't think they will ask me to do it again..... :)

Alrighty other than that there isnt anything new or interesting or out of the normal that's happening. Everyone keeps giving us sun block so now we have a ton and they "force" us to use it everyday. (haha one lady threatened to beat us with a broom because we weren't using it) BUt we have tons now so........we shouldn't be burnt anymore..... ;) 

So I feel that I should write about the effect of my mission and how it has blessed me. I have been thinking about the mission and all the experiences that I've had and all the blessings that I've recieved and I cannot express the gratefulness that I have to have been given this opportunity to serve. There is nothing better that I could do in my life other than to raise a family for the Lord. The service we give will never, ever be replicated nor the effects ever be replicated. I have literally been a witness to the Pure love of God and have from time to time been a participant in feeling His love. Missionaries are literally angels sent from above to bless the lives of men. I've thought a lot about that, how everyone says we are angels and it truly is a perfectly accurate way to describe the work we do and the lives we change. I love being called on the Lord's errand because this work is true. I've had the opportunity to see many things and to witness many events and I can clearly see how much of the world is lost and in a fallen state. How many perish by the way side because they cannot find the truth because they know not where to find it. Other because they choose not to accept it. I'm so very grateful that I know the things I know.

I feel that the growth and the things I've learned on the mission have helped me so much in my life and in my testimony. I have grown so close to the Lord during this time and have felt the power that comes from mighty prayer. Of all things the biggest thing that I've learned so far on the mission is how to pray. It's not easy but it truly is the way we talk with God. Prayer is everything and is essential to our lives. It is a power beyond belief and enables us to do anything. I've learned to treasure prayer

. I feel inspired to share with you a mircale this last week. we have lunch every 3rd saturday in the house of a sister from the church who is a member for 10 years. Her husband has known of the church now for 7 and has never been there once, until yesterday. The missionaries have been eating there once a month for a year now and have always explained the first lesson and the book of Mormon. So when we went there yesterday we felt that we should do something different, we explained the plan of Salvation. And his eyes were opened, you could see the darkness leaving him and him being filled with light. You could see the joy enterning in his soul and his knowledge expanding. We invited him to come to church and gave him two good reasons. One his wife would be giving a talk and two that know he usderstood why these things were so important. (We gave him a third to watch our baptism but......the baptism didnt happen....) He LOVED church, he participated a ton and was asking about baptism and had a ton of questions. He also said that he would be back next week. The Lord has a plan it may not be ours and we may have to be super pacient but according to our faith in the Lord and our willingness to serve in every moment, miracles will happen. He hasnt accepted baptism, and we dont know if it will be us that will have that opportunity but I know that the Lord has worked a miracle in the life of this man and that the stone has begun to roll and it will go forward.

 I love my mission and I'm so very grateful for this opportunity to be here. So grateful for the love of my family and their support in this endevour. I know its not easy and I know that as the end aproaches it will only get harder. But I know with the surety of my Heart, that the Lord will provide a way. That we will recieve blessings and that they do not need be here on earth but that they may be in the eternities. The Lord will fullfill His word and has never ONCE not fullfilled it. I know this church is true, I know that we have a living prophet on the face of the earth and his name is Thomas Monson. I know that Joesph was a prophet of God and that he restored the true church of the Living God on earth and that he translated for us the Book of Mormon. I have had people question my testimony and attack but the things I know are not things that were taught to me by man but have come from God, our Heavenly Father. That is the essence of a testimony. That is our conversion." If any of ye lack wisdom let him ask of God" I love my mission and I love my friends and I love especially my family. I know these things are true and I invite you to know for yourself. Ask the Lord. He will show you the way. In the name of Jesus Christ ,Amen.

Elder Simonsen

Monday January 12, 2015

Well one more week more trials of faith but the Lord will always provide the way. We had some major changes in the mission this week. One was super good and I was super happy the other is one that I will have to work really hard to do but will do. So the first is that they changed how we follow up with the missionaries, we used to call them about 4 or 5 times a day to see how their investigators are and follow up very closely.....but now we can only do it once during the day :) So now we have a ton of more time to work in the Lord's errand and use all the time possible to teach and to really be where ever it is that we physcially are. The second is a newer tactic of "Strike while the iron is hot" Where we prepare the investigators as quickly as we can so that they can receive the ordances of Baptism and confirmation as quickly as possible. So we must now work even harder so that the work goes even faster.

But the main thing of this week is obedience and faith. Both are super important because the Lord asks of us these things. We often times must take a leap of faith and trust that our leaders are inspired and are following the Lords commands and be obedient to their counsels even when we don't agree or think it should be done. We must be faithful and humble and that is what the Lord will ask us to do. So accordingly we had a baptism this week. Last night actually and it was a pretty big miracle. We found Wellington about 2 weeks ago the day after new years day, and we decided to talk to him because here in campos there was literally no one in the street. It was apperent that he had been drinking that day but we managed to teach him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and decided to come back the next day to see if he had changed.....and he had changed completely, we couldnt talk to him to much that day because it was super late at night but he told us he would go to church with us the next day and that we didnt need to go find him, so we gave him the first pamphlet and sunday morning went to his house to "wake him up". When we got there he was already awake and leaving his house to go to church. He loved church. SO we kept visiting him everyday, teaching him. He read all of the pamphlets and did the questions in the back. When we went there to teach him the first lesson he was already asking about the Aaronic And Melchezidek Priesthood. So when these new changes came to the mission we were counseled to move his baptism date from the old date(this thursday) to sunday after church. He prayed and felt that he was ready. He truly is someone that has the Spirit of Christ and has suffered a dramtic change. He left all of the problems he had with the word of wisdom the first day we talked to him and never touched them again. Now we are trying to work with his family and help them to know the restored Gospel. He has a 31 year old sister who is super firm in another church but we are praying that her reading the book of Mormon will help her recognize the truth. She felt the spirit super strong when we taught her brother about temples and eternal marriage. Which is something that usually helps break the ice for some people and gives them such a strong testimony of the Gospel. 

We have another baptism scheduled for this sunday, we just have to teach her all the lessons...........and make sure she stopped smoking. But she is an amazing investigator we found using "he is the gift." She is a single mom with 3 daughters and she loves the peace from the gospel and loves reading the book of mormon. We are working with her daughter to see if we can help her feel the truthfulness of the gospel and the book of mormon is key in this process. She has already felt the spirit really strong and is hesistant because she is a member of the baptist church (the daughter) but we will continue trying to work with this family and do everything we can to help them.

Anyways other than that, we are all good. Super burnt, and tan, and I'm getting blonder each a day but i'm working hard and trying my best. I know the work that I am doing is true. I know that I am here to help the children of God come unto HIm through the restored Gospel. I know that at times it isnt easy but that the Lord will help us acomplish whatever it is that He asks us to do. I know that with God anything is possible. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the word of God and that we have a living prophet here on earth today. I know that God lives and that Jesus Christ is HIs son and our Redeemer, and that  He lIves. I love you all and leave these things with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Ps. I found my credit card so dont worry. But I wont buy shoes because a member already bought some for me....they are super nice shoes and will probably last a very very long time. I just have to check the sizes today. Also thats awesome about coach, thanks for sending it to me.

Love Elder  Simonsen

Monday January 5th, 2015

Dearest darlingtliest family,

it is hot! Like super hot but I wouldnt have it any other way. Literally I'm so happy that the sun is shining and that its not raining and that its hot. I feel so much more comfortable. Its just a little harder to sleep at night but \i'm so happy its hot. I think Ive been tramatized by the rain we had last year when I was in Serra. But all it well. Not to much happened this week. We had New Years and we had to be home at 7 on the 31st and the 1st so, we didnt have too much time to work. And EVERYONE went to the beach on those days. Literally there was no one here in town. I could lay down on the main street and not worry about cars at alllll.Yeah so we had lots of fun doing contacts in the street with everyone that was there. I think we literally almost talked to every single person in the street....but it was a lot of fun. OUr investigator that I told you about last week, she accepted a baptismal date and is super excited. We marked it for the 16th, we couldnt visit her to much this last week because she was traveling, and yesterday she couldnt go to church because a relative died....but we marked to visit her today and we are super excited, the ward too. So should have some fun developments this week. 

We did a bunch of new contacts, knocked almost all the doors on one street, taught a lot of people on the street and really Just tried to find new people with the people that were here. So in that sense not too much out of the ordinary happened. I've been able to run most of the days last week and jump rope on the others. So I've been eating a ton more, maybe this year I'll gain some weight instead of lose it.

So I'm studying a lot about obedience and faith. Being obedient even when you don't agree with things but doing it because the Lord asks you too and to be patient. Faith because we always share attributes of Christ in the district meeting and this next week is my turn. So Ive been studying a lot about faith and reading hebrews 11 and the first chapter of the lectures of faith ( i got if off the church website ;) ) and the scriptures of course. I'm trying to work on finishing the book of Mormon this month or the next. I've only read it once on the mission.....all the way through at least. I was close to finishing it and we decided as a district to start from the beginning and I started over.......but I'm really enjoying it. I finished Mark today so I've read the 4 gospels but I think I'll reread john because it's been a while, and then continue in the new testament. SO lots of porjects and little time. THe New Zone leader here is from my group but he went to the MTC in Provo and so on NEw years eve we both realized how little time we have left. The sisters of our group are going home at the end of this transfer......here in about a week  or 2 we will have only 6 months left........I have to work so much harder and lose my self so much more. The time just flies by, but I am so grateful for eveything I've learned and all the experiences that I've had. I'm here to serve the Lord and that is my calling and life during these two years and there is nothing else that I'd rather be doing. 

I love you all and miss you so much. Read The Book of Mormon!!!!

Elder Simonsen

Monday December 29th, 2015

I thought a lot about the things that we talked about and how I couldnt think of a miracle to share. I felt that it looked really bad, I want you to know that yes we have tons of miracles and yes I do recognize them but in the day to day routine and doing the exact same thing everyday for a year and almost 5 months. Your mind becomes a litte less active then normal and your memory worse. So I will start by explaining a miracle of which I feel imensly grateful to have participated. SO...

Firday morning I'm getting ready when the Woman that lives up stairs starts moaning and making a lot of noise and it got to the point when you feel really uncomfortable beause I began to think, maybe she is dying or having a heart attack or something like that. I literally thought she was dying... So I thought well I'll go pray for her. And that little voice made a comment. You can do more than that you are a Priesthood Holder, you can give her a blessing. then all those thoughts come rushing in. It's morning, I'll break the rules and wont study and I'll have to go out and ring their doorbell and so and so forth but I felt that it was the right thing to do. So about 8 o'clock  in the morning we are outside ringing their doorbell, and trying to get their attention. The man comes to the window and We explain to him a little about the Priesthood and that we heard his wife in pain and would like to giver her a blessing and he consents to let us in. SO after waiting a while he called us up ( he know the missionaries really well, he's lived above them for probably 10 years) And we talk to him and his wife for about 10 mins and they explain that she head surgery and was fine and then recently she is having a ton of muscle pain and nerve pain in her legs and they tighten up and lock and her leg twists, its like all the muscles in her leg in a charlie horse. All of them. So we explain about the priesthood and askk if she would like to receive a blessing. She said yes and her husband (has 3 herniated disks) also said he wanted one. So we have her a blessing and we gave him one as well. The Peace in that room was so strong, the comfort was incredible. YOu cannot describe the peace and the love that filled that room. The SPirit was so strong and they both felt relieved. I felt so happy, I love when I have an opportunity to use the Priesthood because it is the power of God given to men worthy to bless the children of God here on earth. IT is a real power and is true. I Love the Priesthood and know that It is the Power of God. I have had so many amazing experiences with the Priesthood, and I invite ALL men to HONOR their Priesthood, and treasure it because it is a sacred gift. 

So yes that was one miracle that happened this week. We also had that woman that I explained to you about her and her daughter, go to church. Just her, her daughter didn't go. but she LOVED church and was so happy. I called her last night because she went to another city after church and we couldnt visit her and she was so HAPPY!!!! She loved church, she is reading the book of mormon, she will go next week again she knew a member already from the other ward and she is stopping smoking. She has smoke only one cigar a day. Huge. SO all we need to do know is mark a date :) yep I'm excited and praying hard. But I love you all and I hope that you all are having an amazing holiday and that you all are sharing the gospel with everyone that you can. Love you tons and miss you more,

Elder Simonsen

Monday December 15, 2014

Well this week has actually been a super fun week but honestly not too much happened. It was the last week in the transfer and we had our christmas party for our zone. We had so much fun this week at the party. First we had a mini district party in our district meeting and we had apple pie. One of the sisters in our district made it and it was amazing!!! My companion almost cried because he was so happy, she also made cinamon rolls and the elders brought coke. Then that day we had lunch and stayed at the church playing volleyball and eating cake and popsicles and had a huge water fight. We also got our district shirts that we made that day. We have some pretty sweet shirts. They were a little expensive but they are pretty sweet. I would send a picture but the computer still doesnt work with the camera. We had so much food on that day it was amazing. The next day we could hardly move because we were so sore. Other than that not much has really happened

 

We had an investigator that was getting ready to get baptized but she cut us and then we have a couple others but they arent progressing any more so we are in the process of finding new investigatos and trying to help the others progress. They have something that is stopping them and we just have to figure out what it is. So this next transfer is 7 weeks...so the next trasnfer date is in february. Which I'm sure happy because now we can spend christmas here with the people that we already know and love. The problem is we have to figure out if they will be home that day.

 

Anyways I'm still working on reading the bible and the book of mormon. I actually this week, read all of Samuel. It was an interesting learning experience. I started focusing on the life of samuel and how he was and ended up being enveloped in the lives of Saul and David and wondering a lot about their attributes and their obedience to Heavenly Father and then how they fell. That the reason they fell, is because of Pride. That they thought themselves better and because of that thought themselves above the rules. Saul offered a sacrifice in the place of the Prophet and David fell because of Bethsheba. And later Soloman fell because he worshiped other Gods. These were 3 great kings who in turn and with time fell. Each one of them great and extremely obedient and blessed by the Lord but didnt endure to the end. Where as we have an example of 3 good kings in the book of Mormon. KIng's Mosiah, Bejamin, and Mosiah. They were humble, always sought to do the Lords will and serve Him in all circumstances. Their humilty made them great and they truly loved and served the people. They endured to the end, and they were great in the eyes of the Lord. So it was just something that I noticed and was thinking about how we can compare the Kings and learn from them. In summary, trust in the Lord and serve Him with all your heart, mind, might and strength. It all boils down to Loving the Lord, and keeping His comandments. As President Packer says "which way do you face?" SO just one thing I learned this week and thought interesting to share. I love you all a ton and I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas season and that you share the gospel with someone that you love. "For God So Loved The World That He Gave His Only Begotten Son...." -John 3:16

 

Love,

Elder Simonsen

Monday December 8th, 2014

So this week we had the wonderful opportunity to work in the neighborhood close to the chapel. And we worked hard, we taught a lot and actually have investigators. We have people who are progressing and we were extremely blessed to have a ton of people at church sunday during the stake conference. A couple of them only need to be baptized but are never home and so we cant teach them. But the ward is helping a ton where we cant seem to progress. I feel so blessed and so grateful for the members of the ward who help the missionaries and help following up with their investigators just asking how they are talking to them when the missionaries cant and helping respond the questions they have when the missionaries arent there. We are trying to find families, that is our( me and my companona and couple of other elders in our district) focus. I know that this ward really needs preisthood holders and that they need someone who can help lead and I know the Lord will provide a way. SO working a ton, teaching a ton and having a ton of fun. 

I really enjoyed studying the plan of salvation and really developling an understanding deeper of the basic principles and this week we taught one of our investigators about the plan of salvation and i have such  great love for this plan. It really is perfect and is so immense and so amazing. If you havent studied the plan of salvation you should take some time to ponder on the questions of life, like why are we here and where are we going and if there is life after death. We have met many athiests this week and it makes me sad that they cant see the Lords hand or that they choose not to. We had some people who actually denied everything that we know to be true. The Father and the Son completely. HE said that he only believed in nature and that everything just fell into place. I know however that that is not true, that there exsists a divine creator and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that everything is a testimony that he exsists and that it is as clear as the difference between the night and day. I'm learning to defend better what I believe to be be right and to trust in the Lord completely, you answer to HIm. The Lord will wait to see if you will be faithfull to the responses He gave you.

I'm super excited for christmas and cannot wait until I have the opportunity to talk with you all, my english isnt very good, but after a while I can talk a little. We only have 30 minutes to 45 to talk this year but the time will soon come when I will actually be home. I'm read luke in spanish, the book of mormon in portuguese and Jesus the Christ in Englsih. Haha lots of fun right. BUt my spanish is very portuguesish. and american. I'm super gratful for this time to serve and i know this things are true. If you don't know ask of God and He will answer. I love you and And I invite you all to come unto Christ and to read the book of Mormon.

Love Elder Simonsen.

Monday December 1st, 2014 (pictures too!!!!)

Alrighty so I'll wrtie quick today because I've lost a lot of my time today playing around with computers. This is the 3rd one i'm using and I honestly have no idea how much time I've used....but anyways thanks for the emails this week has been one of the more fun weeks in both definitions. We worked, we laughed and we had a few more exciting difficult moments. 

So this week really we just worked a ton. We had a ton of doors and intercoms closed on us and we managed to teach 10 lessons this whole week................that's about one a day.......and it rained the whole week. But we are doing the Lord's work, the way He wants it done, and we are working super hard. We are doing a ton of divisions as well, and helping out the elders on the other side of the river, but we are all growing closer and working to bring Heavenly Father's children. To him. so first of all, kiara's letter won't get there for her birthday, I'm still working on it. The others letters were rejected when I went to the post office today because I put a couple coins in....so they couldn't be sent. BUt in due time the letters will come. So the big news of this week were things that me and my companion did this week. We bought some saugsage that they have only here in brazil and tired to cook it like they do....it didnt work out right but we manged to actually cook it and it turned out amazing! and I made egg salad and we had tortillhas and basically made breakfast burritos. Then the next day lunch fell, so I made french toast we used the maple syrup of the other american in our house and we had sausage, french toast and egg salad. It was amazing! You never realize how much you miss the simple things. So today I'm going to make hot dogs, brazilian style, which are super amazing good. But are super simple to make. (i'm stitll working on the super amazng good part)

But other than that we had our zone conference, which was good. Then The sisters in our district had an activity on their side of the river with the ward of the other elders in our district and it was a super amazing activity. It was  about the plan of salvation and what they did is they planned 3 rooms to represent the 3 kingdoms and we used the stage to be a make shift airplane and the sisters dressed like flight attendents and so everyone borded the plane. It hit turbulance and everyone died. It was really funny when it hit turbulance and they were flashing the lights and the humor of everyone is super funny. I recorded the activity with one the sisters cameras, maybe I can get the film later. But it was really cool because the celestial room had the spirit super strong and had that differnce you feel when you are on temple grounds. It was a super well planed out activity and was really cool to have been  a part. I took pictures of us setting up but the camera doesnt work in this lan house....

But you asked what I have been studying this week and i read the email you sent last week and I've been focusing a lot on prayer and the power that comes from prayer. It truly is amazing how prayer makes a difference in your spirituality and changes the world. I cannot even explain the diffirences that mighty prayer has made this week and the comfort that it brings and the peace. It truly has made this week so much better and has helped me handle some situations better then I would have. I've also grown so much in understanding this week really pondering the scriptures and trying to understand them and apply them in ourlives. I'm pondering a lot of the Plan of Salvationa and it truly is amazing how the spirit lights up your mind and gives you answers and leads you to paths that you never knew exsisted. When elder MAzargadi was here he explained that he learned more about the temple when he was a long ways away from the temple and couldnt attend the temple as much as he would have liked to. YOu really have to treasure and ponder the things that you learn and feel and then the spirit lightens your mind and opens your understanding. I've truly grown to love and appreciate the temple more, in this time that I am so far away and the book of momon. 

I love you all and miss you so much.

Love Elder Simonsen