Monday November 4th, 2013

Okay so your letter is really long :p but I'll print the parts you sent me and read them. I got the p. blessings on thursday and the line of authority. Thank you (We had to get online to send something to our zone leaders so I only looked at those three emails, nothing else) But I really appreciate you sending them to me and don't worry about printing them, i try not to print here because the pages are bigger and stick out of my binder and drives me crazy but I print what I think is important. This week we have transfers so if I got a package I will know tomorrow but letters get here really fast so those are fine to send and if you send packages just put pictures of jesus on them and i think they get here better. If it doesn't really matter i'll have more pictures of jesus ;) I just see that everyone else has them on their packages. The cold is gone and I didn't get a blessing for it because I got one like the day before for another sickeness and because I already know that that is one of my trials for my mission. Só vai. But I will be staying in this area for this transfer and I'm actually excited about that because we still have a lot of work to do. We have some really cool investators and some realy cool people we are talking with. This one girl, her boyfriend is huge, like every one of her brothers are jacked and then her boyfriend, is definitely a descendant of a lamanite. He's tall and just huge.  It's just super funny because one time we went to see if she was there and her boyfriend answered and said she wasnt and so we are walking away and I turned to my companion and said " That guy is huge" and he was like I  was thinking the exact same thing. They are so fun to visit and they give us cake and drinks every time we visit. The people here really know how to take care of their guests.

Our area of town we are in, in my opinion is a really nice par o town. Like I said before we have a store that's basically like the grocery section of walmart. It's huge compared to the store we shopped in our last area. It's a really nice area. We are in the town of Serra, I think north of Vitoria. Our last area was really poor comparatively but the people were still just as awesome. And we have this huge awesome mountian next to us that looks like it could be in lord of the rings. so cool. Our washing machine is fine but we have to air dry all of our clothes so things are a litle bigger than normal because they stretch while up there but it's all good. I finished Jesus the Christ this week, so that was really cool. I want to read it again but I think I'll focus more on finishing the book of mormon in portuguese now. I'm on like Alma 20 or something.

Don't worry about my food. The lord takes care of us and we have a ton of members here that said if we are hungry just to stop by and they will give us stuff. They actually don't have peanut butter here that i've seen and jelly is expensive but i don't need that, there is other stuff to eat. Like grilled cheese and hot dogs and hamburgers and I have cereal and oatmeal and apples and tons of stuff. We have ice cream once a week. It's all good. and we have hot water. The houses that the missionaries stay in are always taken really good care of. There is a standard for the houses before we can live there and our president takes really good care of us. It's funny because I can understand really well now so a challege I have is remembering to speak portuguese. Because sometimes I forget and start speaking a little english or throw english words in the sentance. But all is well and things are good. I'm keeping my companion for another transfer and then he goes home. So he's having a fun time realizing that. I appreciate the letters and the emails and everything you all do for me. I'm going to try and send a letter for your birthday this week but we aren't to sure when we will be around the post office again (its way out of our area but we try to find time to go if we need so send a letter) so if it's not there before your birthday it will be like right after. Love you all so much and miss you tons. 

Love Elder Simonsen

ps. Did courtney apply for colleges yet? How is Mrs. Jens class and how is her senior year? if she answered in her letter never mind but I'm just curious. And that's fine about Eric. I got an email from David this week so I'm excited to read it. Thanks for the pictures :)