Hi All,
In honesty, it's just been a tough week for me. I am not dis-animated in any way, I've just been struggling a lot lately with who I am as a missionary. But that's okay. It's that kind of inner reflection that just pushes us to greater heights. It's what makes it so that we aren't pleased with being mediocre, but rather seeking excellence. Anyways, I'm in one piece, I'm still fighting tooth and nail and for the vast majority of the time, I've had a smile on my face.
Funny story of the week....Monday night we had a BRUTAL storm come
screaming in at about 9 pm and our power went out at 9:30. I have my flash
light and the cell phone has a little flash light so my comp was using
that.
WELLLLLLL....he went to the bathroom to get ready for bed and I
was finishing something and I hear clunk clunk.
E'Mar: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
E'Simpson: Que paso??? (What happened?)
E'Mar: Venga rapido!! (Come quick)
I get to the bathroom...no light....uh-oh. CELLPHONE IN THE TOILET YEA SON!
E'Simpson:.....
agarre lo elder. Ahora. Tenemos que desarmarlo y ponerlo en una bolsa
de arroz. Ademas....es su pichi y yo no quiero meter mi mano ahi. Que
asco. (Oh elder. We need to get it and put it in a back of rice. More over, its your pee, so I don't want to put my hand it there. That sucks)
Yea so we put it in a bag of rice and by Tuesday night it was
fine...just slightly traumatized. The screen is wack and it likes to
turn off by itself now and then, but it still works so it's all good. I
just laughed the whole time. My comp was pretty stressed but I just
couldn't stop laughing. .
Zone Conference was a blast. It was really good to see the elders from Rivera. My
MTC comp Elder Tyree is in Tranqueras finishing up the training of his
jr companion. It was really good to see them both and talk about the
area. It's a good area. Tranqueras and Cardona have been my favorite
areas so far. It's interesting because you'd think I'd healthy wards but
I prefer hellish doubt-filled firey pits. Go figure. The zone
conference was our meeting before Christmas and I loved the Christmas
letters. I loved Jessica's peanut themed card and Jakes tribute to
childhood. They both made me very trunky, but I love them anyways. The
snow monster consuming Calvin is currently pinned to the wall in front
of my desk. Win.
The investigator pool is shallow, but we're still digging. And the
hillssssssss are getting easier. Which means my legs are getting bigger.
I hope by the end of my time here that they still fit into my pants. I wish it were just a little bit cooler here. To put it this way, I'm tired of sweating. But it's alright. I know that it will only get hotter and that time is absolutely flying here. I can't believe that I've already been here for a month. 2 more weeks and the change is over. That's just nuts.
Teaching by the Spirit is the only way to teach. It's something that we stress a lot out here. You know and recognize the voice of the Spirit, all you have to do is open your mouth when it comes to your mind. That part is a little difficult at first and usually one has to humble themselves to do it, but it always goes so much better when we speak by the Spirit, sharing the things of our hearts. It can be the difference between an okay lesson and a sacred grove experience.
I'd like to share quote from our bishop, something that he shared about 2 weeks ago in sacrament meeting. "The greatest things that happen in this life are the spiritual things. They are gifts from God."
I agree. I couldn't agree more. The greatest things that happen in this life are the ones where we feel the presence of our home around us, remembering what it feels like to be in the presence of our heavenly parents. The birth of a child, often lauded to be one of the most amazing things on this world. is really the arrival of another of God's precious spirit children, arriving for this mortal sojurn. Of course one is going to feel the spirit at that point, I'm sure there are big beefy angels with gnarly spiritual swords that protect the ethereal conduit that conducts from heaven to a small human body. Anyways, thought that illustrated the point nicely.
I will honestly submit that I think I'm the most dedicated now to the work of the Lord that I ever have been. Regardless, I'm still striving to feel the spirit in greater and greater measures and I struggle at times. This is the work of the Lord. It just has to be. I've received answered to prayers so fast that it's utterly stunning. Take yesterday for example....We got of ward council where some remarks were made about the fact that we weren't baptizing. Those words cut me to the soul. As we were walking to our next appointment, at first I was mad at the inconsiderate remark. Then, the anger turned to grief at the fact that they're right. But then....I just started to look inside....and question....and ask....and wonder....and doubt....(Yes, I doubted, even Frodo Baggins doubted. The difference between Frodo and Gollum is that Frodo made it through the trial (with the very important help of Samwise Gamgee)) and within an hour we were teaching the Restoration, centered on the happiness of families and God quelled the fear of my soul. I know I'm doing what's right. The spirit filled my heart in that lesson and I know it's true. All of it. I'm not wasting my time, but learning at the feet of God. I love being a missionary. And so at the very edge, the point of tumbling into boiling lava, The Savior extended His hand...and eyes shining with tears and realization, once more I took it and He hoisted me to safety, out of the dangerous mouth of Mt. Doubt. H,ave a stupendous week.
Elder Simpson
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Dec 10th 2012
Hi All,
Things are warming up around here. I'm happy, a bit tired and a little bit sore from the ultimate frisbee that we played this morning. I'll explain that a little further on.
It's been a long hard week. We're still really looking hard for the chosen that are waiting to hear the gospel we're not finding too many people that are wanting to progress. I actually told Elder Mar on Friday that I feel bad that everything seems to have dried up in the area since I got here. Trial of faith right? Anyways, we just keep chugging on and on and on.
We're using the bikes some days, and some days we're not, because it's getting so hot already that we're showing up to lessons almost literally soaked in sweat and that's just not too presentable. We work up less of a sweat by foot, I have my cowboy hat still, the only down side is, we take a little bit longer to get to our lessons instead of zipping around on our bikes. Really the biggest reason it's so hard for us is beacuse the entire area is situated on a set of decent sized hills and so we just have to plug up and down hill after hill and at like 1 and 2 in the afternoon it's just miserable. Let me tell you a little about Elder Chiilders, one of my new best friends. His is in our district and on Saturday's we do divisions. He and I got along really well. He's from St. George and so we can talk about anything we want and know exactly what the other is talking about. He's really goofy and loves to write so we just got along swimmingly. I hope so much that I will be able to keep in touch with the elders that I've really connected with on my mission.
Alright, so today as a zone we went to the bañario. It's like a pond and wilderness park area about 10 minutes outside of town. Elder Mar and I went and stayed at the house of Elder Childers last night, (because we live so far away from everything) and this morning the entire zone went out there because we met our zone baptismal goal last month. We have such a good zone and they are all so fun and get along so well. We played ultimate frisbee and mafia (the card game) and uno and just had a lot of fun during the morning and a lot of the afternoon which is why I have so little time here. I really didn't take pictures because you know how chill I am (almost to a fault) so i just didn't want to worry about pictures. Anyways, it was like any park in Utah that has tree-y portions and open areas like all the parks up Provo Canyon. Lots of fun.
We had fun with the zone and did a banana eating contest between one of the sisters (she volunteered.....) and one of the elders that we recruited and me. They blind folded the three of us and had us start pounding bananas down. Well....problem is.....I just took of the blind fold and started eating a banana because I was peckish and the rest of the zone started cheering and shouting and saying that I was eating like a machine (all according to plan). So the elder and the hermana started pounding banana after banana for like 2 minutes. I think the hermana quit after 4 and the elder got 6 and a half done and they pulled of the blind folds and I was just sitting there with my arms crossed leisurely eating my second banana. Pretty funny.
In my district I have one set of Hermanas, 2 sets of Elders and 1 of the zone leaders. I really like my district a lot. I've been having a problem with one of the elders in my district who likes to try and change everything that I say or ask of him which just really bugs me, but I don't want to sew the seeds of strife and so I just side step a lot of potential problems by not letting it bug me. It's both a lesson in charity and in patience. We'll see what changes bring, if i'm still DL and if he's still in my district, all quite possilbe. Not that I want changes to come, but we've always got our eyes on the future out here.
We usually have a rough plan of the next 6 weeks, every single week so it's really hard not to think of dates and numbers and statistics. That said, I don't like the focus on numbers out here. I know that they are supposed to help us grow and indicate performance. All of that is great, but I refuse to put of good numbers on empty lessons, and eternal investigators. There are some elders that do that and it's their call, but I just don't feel like that's okay. I've really been trying lately to love the people here, develop my charity and learn more about the atonement in this area.
I feel like I know what I'm doing is true but that it's become monotonous and hollow. as such, the lord answered my prayers through Mosiah 3. Great great chapter on the atonement and all things that have to do with it. So yea, zone conference tomorrow, no real investigators and it's getting hot. Life is good, the gospel is true. I spoke on sunday about sharing the gospel through our testimonies of Jesus Christ and meditating upon the eternities to open the windows of heaven ( see D&C 76:19-24)
19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.
Have a great week,
Elder Simpson
Things are warming up around here. I'm happy, a bit tired and a little bit sore from the ultimate frisbee that we played this morning. I'll explain that a little further on.
It's been a long hard week. We're still really looking hard for the chosen that are waiting to hear the gospel we're not finding too many people that are wanting to progress. I actually told Elder Mar on Friday that I feel bad that everything seems to have dried up in the area since I got here. Trial of faith right? Anyways, we just keep chugging on and on and on.
We're using the bikes some days, and some days we're not, because it's getting so hot already that we're showing up to lessons almost literally soaked in sweat and that's just not too presentable. We work up less of a sweat by foot, I have my cowboy hat still, the only down side is, we take a little bit longer to get to our lessons instead of zipping around on our bikes. Really the biggest reason it's so hard for us is beacuse the entire area is situated on a set of decent sized hills and so we just have to plug up and down hill after hill and at like 1 and 2 in the afternoon it's just miserable. Let me tell you a little about Elder Chiilders, one of my new best friends. His is in our district and on Saturday's we do divisions. He and I got along really well. He's from St. George and so we can talk about anything we want and know exactly what the other is talking about. He's really goofy and loves to write so we just got along swimmingly. I hope so much that I will be able to keep in touch with the elders that I've really connected with on my mission.
Alright, so today as a zone we went to the bañario. It's like a pond and wilderness park area about 10 minutes outside of town. Elder Mar and I went and stayed at the house of Elder Childers last night, (because we live so far away from everything) and this morning the entire zone went out there because we met our zone baptismal goal last month. We have such a good zone and they are all so fun and get along so well. We played ultimate frisbee and mafia (the card game) and uno and just had a lot of fun during the morning and a lot of the afternoon which is why I have so little time here. I really didn't take pictures because you know how chill I am (almost to a fault) so i just didn't want to worry about pictures. Anyways, it was like any park in Utah that has tree-y portions and open areas like all the parks up Provo Canyon. Lots of fun.
We had fun with the zone and did a banana eating contest between one of the sisters (she volunteered.....) and one of the elders that we recruited and me. They blind folded the three of us and had us start pounding bananas down. Well....problem is.....I just took of the blind fold and started eating a banana because I was peckish and the rest of the zone started cheering and shouting and saying that I was eating like a machine (all according to plan). So the elder and the hermana started pounding banana after banana for like 2 minutes. I think the hermana quit after 4 and the elder got 6 and a half done and they pulled of the blind folds and I was just sitting there with my arms crossed leisurely eating my second banana. Pretty funny.
In my district I have one set of Hermanas, 2 sets of Elders and 1 of the zone leaders. I really like my district a lot. I've been having a problem with one of the elders in my district who likes to try and change everything that I say or ask of him which just really bugs me, but I don't want to sew the seeds of strife and so I just side step a lot of potential problems by not letting it bug me. It's both a lesson in charity and in patience. We'll see what changes bring, if i'm still DL and if he's still in my district, all quite possilbe. Not that I want changes to come, but we've always got our eyes on the future out here.
We usually have a rough plan of the next 6 weeks, every single week so it's really hard not to think of dates and numbers and statistics. That said, I don't like the focus on numbers out here. I know that they are supposed to help us grow and indicate performance. All of that is great, but I refuse to put of good numbers on empty lessons, and eternal investigators. There are some elders that do that and it's their call, but I just don't feel like that's okay. I've really been trying lately to love the people here, develop my charity and learn more about the atonement in this area.
I feel like I know what I'm doing is true but that it's become monotonous and hollow. as such, the lord answered my prayers through Mosiah 3. Great great chapter on the atonement and all things that have to do with it. So yea, zone conference tomorrow, no real investigators and it's getting hot. Life is good, the gospel is true. I spoke on sunday about sharing the gospel through our testimonies of Jesus Christ and meditating upon the eternities to open the windows of heaven ( see D&C 76:19-24)
19 And while we meditated upon these things, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about.
20 And we beheld the glory of the Son, on the right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness;
21 And saw the holy angels, and them who are sanctified before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who worship him forever and ever.
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
24 That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.
Pretty awesome. I love speaking in church.Have a great week,
Elder Simpson
Monday, December 3, 2012
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Dec 3rd 2012
Hi All,
Our part of the city of t-bo is super super tranquilo. We’re almost out in the sticks, but not quite. We’re just outside of the road and our area is composed of roughly 5 neighborhoods. You can see at least two of the other neighborhoods from each area so they’re really not spread out that much but there is at least a couple of blocks between each area and lots of fields in that area.
Our ward is really good. They love the missionaries and are willing to help us. The catch is, church attendance has steadily been dropping for about a month now, so we’ve got to reverse that trend and by doing so that should help us to be able to find new investigators, something that we’ve been lacking. Sunday here was a tough day for the ward. Attendance was pretty low for some reason so that was one of our main concerns in ward council. We’re really trying to stregthen the ward with reactivation and solid investigators. Last week was the primary program. There was a little boy who was just full to bursting with energy…..we’re talking Spencer Lewis-esque antics here. Quite enjoyable. Lil’ Spencer Lewis is a legend, so this kid really has nothin on him, but I thought about him anyways. Hello to the Lewis family :)
All that being said, I’ve been pondering and praying and studying a lot as to how the Lord wants me to be working here so we’ll see what this week brings. Which brings us to "The who" which is the real problem actually….. we’re almost pretty much starting from zero with investigators because we really didn’t have any when I got here. We’re doing a lot of looking and trying to activate memebers and find through them. Our most promising investigators, Daianna and Victoria have been …..complicated lately. Daianna has had to reschedule every single day of the week for some reason or another and didn’t come to church. Victoria…..well turns out she wasn’t interested in Jesus Christ, just my companion. So we left her rather quickly. Don’t want problems in that area!
There are really no mosquitoes here and the weather is just…..hot. Just plain hot, but there is usually always a breeze and the temps really haven’t gotten that high yet, so whenever I even pause to consider if it’s hot or not, I just tell myself that I’ve passed through worse. Today is pretty humid and it’s been needing to rain all week long to get rid of the humidity, but thus far I don’t think it’s rained since my second day here.
Elder Mar is great. We get along really well and he’s really happy to be out here a lot. We laugh and joke a lot, but we’re still very focused on helping and loving the people. We get along really well. He’s still really new so I have to be careful not to dominate lessons because he’s not a very aggressive teacher. That means we’ve been doing a LOT of practices to sharpen up his blades. Problem is, he’s always using the same moves, or rather he says a lot of the same things and uses a lot of the same examples, which means we have to boost his arsenal. I like to use a lot of tools when I’m working, which means my knife belt is full and always growing. You know how I like to paint pretty pictures with precise words. ?
Not only is my companion great, but my district is GREAT TOO!! I love them all a lot. This last district meeting was fantastic! I wish you guys could have been there because I really don’t know how to describe it. We talked a lot about the spirit and helping other people by being powerful vessels of the spirit. There was a lot of…..stunned and heavy silence. The spirit was very very strong and I know we all left feeling pretty animated.
This last Friday….we did service…..and I just can’t believe it still. We get there and the brother says, you boys ready? Yes….Good. Lets go. We arrive at his horse pasture. Alright, what you’re going to be doing today is gathering raw organic materials to aid in the fertilization of gardens. Yup. That’s right. I was pickin up horse poop. With my bare hands. And the fresher the better. I picked up some pretty warm turds. And hucked a couple at my comp, just to say I’ve flung poo. We got back to his house with some rather dirty hands….well he’s a nurse and had a good scrubber and gnarly soap and told us to scrub our hands down until the smell was gone so it’s all good. Then…I fell off my bike on the way home. We were coming down a big dirt hill to a sharp turn and so I knew I was gonna fall and put my foot down and did a slow split and then sat down. Pretty darn funny. People came running to check on my and I just sat there and laughed and then stood up and we left.
Elder Mar and I got the Christmas tree up on Saturday night, so we’re both pretty excited about that. We had a strand of Christmas lights in the house, but it doesn’t work which was pretty depressing, but we had a good time. We listened to Christmas music and decorated our tree. And got a little bit of the Christmas spirit flowing here in South America, where the sun is hot and the fireworks are cheap and easily found. Lots and lots of fireworks….all the time….kinda obnoxious but hey... Whatevs.
I’m going on divisions tomorrow after zone capacitation (not to be confused with zone conference , that’s next week.) We’re always working super hard here, racing around to each appointment trying to talk with people and help them out. I’m happy and tired….I'm currently trying to figure out how I can have a greater appreciation for the Atonement of Christ and what it means for me personally… Just something for each of us to think on during the week. Have a great week.
Elder Simpson
Our part of the city of t-bo is super super tranquilo. We’re almost out in the sticks, but not quite. We’re just outside of the road and our area is composed of roughly 5 neighborhoods. You can see at least two of the other neighborhoods from each area so they’re really not spread out that much but there is at least a couple of blocks between each area and lots of fields in that area.
Our ward is really good. They love the missionaries and are willing to help us. The catch is, church attendance has steadily been dropping for about a month now, so we’ve got to reverse that trend and by doing so that should help us to be able to find new investigators, something that we’ve been lacking. Sunday here was a tough day for the ward. Attendance was pretty low for some reason so that was one of our main concerns in ward council. We’re really trying to stregthen the ward with reactivation and solid investigators. Last week was the primary program. There was a little boy who was just full to bursting with energy…..we’re talking Spencer Lewis-esque antics here. Quite enjoyable. Lil’ Spencer Lewis is a legend, so this kid really has nothin on him, but I thought about him anyways. Hello to the Lewis family :)
All that being said, I’ve been pondering and praying and studying a lot as to how the Lord wants me to be working here so we’ll see what this week brings. Which brings us to "The who" which is the real problem actually….. we’re almost pretty much starting from zero with investigators because we really didn’t have any when I got here. We’re doing a lot of looking and trying to activate memebers and find through them. Our most promising investigators, Daianna and Victoria have been …..complicated lately. Daianna has had to reschedule every single day of the week for some reason or another and didn’t come to church. Victoria…..well turns out she wasn’t interested in Jesus Christ, just my companion. So we left her rather quickly. Don’t want problems in that area!
There are really no mosquitoes here and the weather is just…..hot. Just plain hot, but there is usually always a breeze and the temps really haven’t gotten that high yet, so whenever I even pause to consider if it’s hot or not, I just tell myself that I’ve passed through worse. Today is pretty humid and it’s been needing to rain all week long to get rid of the humidity, but thus far I don’t think it’s rained since my second day here.
Elder Mar is great. We get along really well and he’s really happy to be out here a lot. We laugh and joke a lot, but we’re still very focused on helping and loving the people. We get along really well. He’s still really new so I have to be careful not to dominate lessons because he’s not a very aggressive teacher. That means we’ve been doing a LOT of practices to sharpen up his blades. Problem is, he’s always using the same moves, or rather he says a lot of the same things and uses a lot of the same examples, which means we have to boost his arsenal. I like to use a lot of tools when I’m working, which means my knife belt is full and always growing. You know how I like to paint pretty pictures with precise words. ?
Not only is my companion great, but my district is GREAT TOO!! I love them all a lot. This last district meeting was fantastic! I wish you guys could have been there because I really don’t know how to describe it. We talked a lot about the spirit and helping other people by being powerful vessels of the spirit. There was a lot of…..stunned and heavy silence. The spirit was very very strong and I know we all left feeling pretty animated.
 |
| The Elders in the District |
This last Friday….we did service…..and I just can’t believe it still. We get there and the brother says, you boys ready? Yes….Good. Lets go. We arrive at his horse pasture. Alright, what you’re going to be doing today is gathering raw organic materials to aid in the fertilization of gardens. Yup. That’s right. I was pickin up horse poop. With my bare hands. And the fresher the better. I picked up some pretty warm turds. And hucked a couple at my comp, just to say I’ve flung poo. We got back to his house with some rather dirty hands….well he’s a nurse and had a good scrubber and gnarly soap and told us to scrub our hands down until the smell was gone so it’s all good. Then…I fell off my bike on the way home. We were coming down a big dirt hill to a sharp turn and so I knew I was gonna fall and put my foot down and did a slow split and then sat down. Pretty darn funny. People came running to check on my and I just sat there and laughed and then stood up and we left.
Elder Mar and I got the Christmas tree up on Saturday night, so we’re both pretty excited about that. We had a strand of Christmas lights in the house, but it doesn’t work which was pretty depressing, but we had a good time. We listened to Christmas music and decorated our tree. And got a little bit of the Christmas spirit flowing here in South America, where the sun is hot and the fireworks are cheap and easily found. Lots and lots of fireworks….all the time….kinda obnoxious but hey... Whatevs.
I’m going on divisions tomorrow after zone capacitation (not to be confused with zone conference , that’s next week.) We’re always working super hard here, racing around to each appointment trying to talk with people and help them out. I’m happy and tired….I'm currently trying to figure out how I can have a greater appreciation for the Atonement of Christ and what it means for me personally… Just something for each of us to think on during the week. Have a great week.
Elder Simpson
Monday, November 26, 2012
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Nov 26th 2012
Hi All,
Mantutina is actually a suburb type area of Tacuarembo (T'Bo) so we're kinda out in the sticks but I'm almost positive that our entire area has just as many people as the entire town of Cardona/Florencio Sanchez. It's really nice being back with people and really close to the other elders. As much as it didn't bother me being out in the middle of nowhere for 4 and a half months, it's actually kinda nice and fun to be back close to other elders. Just so you know, Elder Merrill is in the other district here. I actually just got done eating tacos at his house and getting a free hair cut from him. Buzz cut, but it got the job done and for free!
T'Bo is really fun. I like it a lot. The people here are really rather accepting to the gospel and we have a WARD with a CHURCH! I'm so excited. The zone is in the entire of town and there are 2 sets of sister missionaries, and something like 6 companionships of elders, so 16 missionaries. I think.... We are on bikes again in this area because it's a lot of spread out neighborhoods. We'll give it a shot for the next 6 weeks and see what I think. The bikes are in pretty shoddy condition, but it makes the work a lot faster here. We're teaching a lot more than before and I get home super tired every night but super happy.
Every Saturday, we go out to Quiebrayugos next to Cerro Pastoreo and it's roughly 13 km outside of town, so 26 km round trip. I think that comes out to like 15 miles round trip I want to say....with some of the most disgusting hills of my life. It wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that we have beach cruisers as bikes. 5 speed bikes....yea....it's kinda hard.
We get food from the members almost every day of the week out here so I'm rather happy about not having to cook and clean every day of the week. We just have to fend for ourselves Mondays and Tuesdays.
I am still district leader and there are 3 other companionships in my district. A set of sister missionaries and 2 more sets of elders. My companion is Elder Mar and he is from veracruz Mexico. This is his third change and I'm his second companion. We work pretty well together, but he's still pretty new so sometimes I build up a head of steam and just get rollin in the lessons. We're going to practice a lot this week on teaching with unity and taking more turns with our teaching. We get along really well. We don't talk much in the streets because we cannot ride side by side most of the time but we have fun together. We get along well thus far, so I'm not worried. I'm also 10 days behind on my journal and haven't finished unpacking yet because we have 0 time for any of that. It's okay though, I like working.
I will be talking with my district about the power and authority of our calling and the armour of God. The base for my work, 2nd Nephi 1:23. So just stand up and be a man. We've been having fun and I love getting super charged by the spirit and going sayan mode on them. (Yes that was a DBZ reference for all you nerds out there.)
I'm still waiting for the conference issue ensign but I really want to be able to go back and read all of the talks. I know that I enjoyed it in Spanish, so I can only imagine how great it was in English.
I had a thought that made me consider the fact that a lot of missionaries start a decline when they hit their year mark. They start to relax...they get sloppy...Heck we just get tired. It's hard being a missionary, but it should be the time to improve. Think of it as a false summit in a hike. You see the crest that you are working at for mile after mile and finally get to the top. But instead of looking even higher, you just turn around and head back down and by the time you get done, you're at the altitude in which you started. But a false summit is when you peak and then look around and realize that you're currently at the crest of the first of a series of hills, like the saddle of Timpanogos. Each peak is gradually higher and we have 2 choices. We can turn around and go back down, or we can keep climbing. I don't know how else to explain it, but that was the thought I had. I reflected on it a couple of times, so it's still being developed, but I don't want to go back down.
People are already telling me that I have a little time left, but I feel like Aragorn on the morning of the third day in Helm's Deep. I've just looked to the east to see Gandolf riding down on the furious wings of death to crush the Orc hoard. I feel like the sun is just starting to dawn on my mission after such a long dark...the sun hurts my eyes a little bit, but the light is good. In the immortal words of king Theodan, 'Now for wrath! Now for ruin, and the red dawn!' Forward into the the crushing black we ride, with the light upon our shoulders and in our eyes. Onward, swifter now, to the foes gaping jaws. Fear not and ride on, the battle has yet begun.
Forward the Light Brigade!
Elder Simpson
Mantutina is actually a suburb type area of Tacuarembo (T'Bo) so we're kinda out in the sticks but I'm almost positive that our entire area has just as many people as the entire town of Cardona/Florencio Sanchez. It's really nice being back with people and really close to the other elders. As much as it didn't bother me being out in the middle of nowhere for 4 and a half months, it's actually kinda nice and fun to be back close to other elders. Just so you know, Elder Merrill is in the other district here. I actually just got done eating tacos at his house and getting a free hair cut from him. Buzz cut, but it got the job done and for free!
T'Bo is really fun. I like it a lot. The people here are really rather accepting to the gospel and we have a WARD with a CHURCH! I'm so excited. The zone is in the entire of town and there are 2 sets of sister missionaries, and something like 6 companionships of elders, so 16 missionaries. I think.... We are on bikes again in this area because it's a lot of spread out neighborhoods. We'll give it a shot for the next 6 weeks and see what I think. The bikes are in pretty shoddy condition, but it makes the work a lot faster here. We're teaching a lot more than before and I get home super tired every night but super happy.
Every Saturday, we go out to Quiebrayugos next to Cerro Pastoreo and it's roughly 13 km outside of town, so 26 km round trip. I think that comes out to like 15 miles round trip I want to say....with some of the most disgusting hills of my life. It wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that we have beach cruisers as bikes. 5 speed bikes....yea....it's kinda hard.
We get food from the members almost every day of the week out here so I'm rather happy about not having to cook and clean every day of the week. We just have to fend for ourselves Mondays and Tuesdays.
I am still district leader and there are 3 other companionships in my district. A set of sister missionaries and 2 more sets of elders. My companion is Elder Mar and he is from veracruz Mexico. This is his third change and I'm his second companion. We work pretty well together, but he's still pretty new so sometimes I build up a head of steam and just get rollin in the lessons. We're going to practice a lot this week on teaching with unity and taking more turns with our teaching. We get along really well. We don't talk much in the streets because we cannot ride side by side most of the time but we have fun together. We get along well thus far, so I'm not worried. I'm also 10 days behind on my journal and haven't finished unpacking yet because we have 0 time for any of that. It's okay though, I like working.
I will be talking with my district about the power and authority of our calling and the armour of God. The base for my work, 2nd Nephi 1:23. So just stand up and be a man. We've been having fun and I love getting super charged by the spirit and going sayan mode on them. (Yes that was a DBZ reference for all you nerds out there.)
I'm still waiting for the conference issue ensign but I really want to be able to go back and read all of the talks. I know that I enjoyed it in Spanish, so I can only imagine how great it was in English.
I had a thought that made me consider the fact that a lot of missionaries start a decline when they hit their year mark. They start to relax...they get sloppy...Heck we just get tired. It's hard being a missionary, but it should be the time to improve. Think of it as a false summit in a hike. You see the crest that you are working at for mile after mile and finally get to the top. But instead of looking even higher, you just turn around and head back down and by the time you get done, you're at the altitude in which you started. But a false summit is when you peak and then look around and realize that you're currently at the crest of the first of a series of hills, like the saddle of Timpanogos. Each peak is gradually higher and we have 2 choices. We can turn around and go back down, or we can keep climbing. I don't know how else to explain it, but that was the thought I had. I reflected on it a couple of times, so it's still being developed, but I don't want to go back down.
People are already telling me that I have a little time left, but I feel like Aragorn on the morning of the third day in Helm's Deep. I've just looked to the east to see Gandolf riding down on the furious wings of death to crush the Orc hoard. I feel like the sun is just starting to dawn on my mission after such a long dark...the sun hurts my eyes a little bit, but the light is good. In the immortal words of king Theodan, 'Now for wrath! Now for ruin, and the red dawn!' Forward into the the crushing black we ride, with the light upon our shoulders and in our eyes. Onward, swifter now, to the foes gaping jaws. Fear not and ride on, the battle has yet begun.
Forward the Light Brigade!
Elder Simpson
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Tacuarembó Uruguay - Nov 20th 2012
Hi All,
It's been rather hot this week and somewhat humid. Not as much rain as the week before, just a couple of days really. Nothing too chaotic like the last week. Absurd...
I'm currently writing you from Cardona but in about 12 hours I will be in....(drum roll please. Double stroke roll if you can pull it off. If not, buzz roll is okay.) Mantutina Tacuarembó!!! See it on the Map I'm rather excited about that. I have actually been wanting rather much to head on out to T-BO. You get food from the members. That's a HUGE plus! So in a week I'll have a lot more information about the area, my comp, who is elder Mar. This will be his 3rd change and I'll be his second comp. He has about 3 months so he's really really new but I think it should be fun. There won't be so much stress from having to travel a lot and I already have my class for district meeting prepped. I did it this morning.
As for new missionaries, we will for the next year or so, be having groups of elders from about 13 to 25 going home every 6 weeks. That said, by march we will have around 250 missionaries and will maintain from then on. We currently have close to 200, so things are going to get interesting rather quickly.
I'll be honest. I cried when I saw that Hostess closed. Maybe not, but it's still really sad. That's....it's a part of AMERICA! You can't kill Hostess! It's in the heart of the people! Like literally. I'm sure that it was the cause of more than a couple early deaths by cause of heart failure... Regardless... Isn't there a verse in the national anthem about the twinkies gold glare or something like that? They can't kill Hostess....they just can't....the States will never be the same without the Ho-Hos.....that's like Santa without his Ho-Ho! Nuts.
Speaking of the temple, Jean is 100% committed to getting baptized on the second of December. His mom hit 1 year as a member this month and his step dad has been a member for 6 years so they are going to go to the temple in January! Heck yea! It's going to be great. I'm almost positive that they are going to get sealed so that will be such a blessing for them as a family. They've been really busy for the last week, so last night was the first lesson that we've been able to have with them in a week and a half, but they are all rather excited at the prospect of going to the temple. I pray that everything works in their favor.
I finished the book of 1 Nephi today. I love reading the Book of Mormon. It's amazing. Its the best. It really does testify of Jesus Christ and contains so many promises that apply to us today! They saw us! The prophets of the ancient Americas saw our day and they know the crushing reality of our challenges. They know what we're going through. What's more, under the direction of the influence of All Powerful Creator, they wrote to us! As they say, we are voices callings as from the dust! What manner of men and women would we be if we did not give heed to such vital and authentic warnings! It doesn't get much more real than that folks. I love the Book of Mormon.
I've been reading the Teachings of the Prophets: Joseph Smith lately. It's a nice little read. The doctrine that he revealed in relation to the nature of the Godhead is so so important. We must understand that they are physical beings! How can we expect to receive coherent, applicable and specific answers from some ethereal everywhere and nowhere type spirit? We have so much truth it's unbelievable. All you have to do is reach out and grab it. Just try it. Feel it. Learn it. It's worth it... I'm so glad you've taught me that all my life.
Well, that's all that I've got time for I believe. I'm doing well. Don't worry about me. The Lord has me in His hands. I know He does. And what sure and powerful hands they are! They guide me each and every day, as long as I am willing to follow where they lead me. That goes for everyone in the whole wide world, doesn't it? :)
Just so you know, I'm going to be using that picture you sent of the gnarly warrior that Jake drew. I'm going to show it to my district when we talk about Romans 13:12.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Yea...I have a scripture chain that I made today about it. And all of that is going to come after we talk about the power and authority of our calling. I just get so amped when I think about all of this awesomeness. Sometimes I think I should have been there with Aragorn when he stormed the gates of Moridor...So much epicness in such few words... "For Frodo...:" You get chills?!?! Because I sure have em right now! Now strap up and buckle down cuz this armor ain't just for show. It's time to do battle with an eternal foe.
From the front lines,
Elder Andy
If your armor isn't scratched and dented, you aren't fighting hard enough.
It's been rather hot this week and somewhat humid. Not as much rain as the week before, just a couple of days really. Nothing too chaotic like the last week. Absurd...
I'm currently writing you from Cardona but in about 12 hours I will be in....(drum roll please. Double stroke roll if you can pull it off. If not, buzz roll is okay.) Mantutina Tacuarembó!!! See it on the Map I'm rather excited about that. I have actually been wanting rather much to head on out to T-BO. You get food from the members. That's a HUGE plus! So in a week I'll have a lot more information about the area, my comp, who is elder Mar. This will be his 3rd change and I'll be his second comp. He has about 3 months so he's really really new but I think it should be fun. There won't be so much stress from having to travel a lot and I already have my class for district meeting prepped. I did it this morning.
As for new missionaries, we will for the next year or so, be having groups of elders from about 13 to 25 going home every 6 weeks. That said, by march we will have around 250 missionaries and will maintain from then on. We currently have close to 200, so things are going to get interesting rather quickly.
I'll be honest. I cried when I saw that Hostess closed. Maybe not, but it's still really sad. That's....it's a part of AMERICA! You can't kill Hostess! It's in the heart of the people! Like literally. I'm sure that it was the cause of more than a couple early deaths by cause of heart failure... Regardless... Isn't there a verse in the national anthem about the twinkies gold glare or something like that? They can't kill Hostess....they just can't....the States will never be the same without the Ho-Hos.....that's like Santa without his Ho-Ho! Nuts.
Speaking of the temple, Jean is 100% committed to getting baptized on the second of December. His mom hit 1 year as a member this month and his step dad has been a member for 6 years so they are going to go to the temple in January! Heck yea! It's going to be great. I'm almost positive that they are going to get sealed so that will be such a blessing for them as a family. They've been really busy for the last week, so last night was the first lesson that we've been able to have with them in a week and a half, but they are all rather excited at the prospect of going to the temple. I pray that everything works in their favor.
I finished the book of 1 Nephi today. I love reading the Book of Mormon. It's amazing. Its the best. It really does testify of Jesus Christ and contains so many promises that apply to us today! They saw us! The prophets of the ancient Americas saw our day and they know the crushing reality of our challenges. They know what we're going through. What's more, under the direction of the influence of All Powerful Creator, they wrote to us! As they say, we are voices callings as from the dust! What manner of men and women would we be if we did not give heed to such vital and authentic warnings! It doesn't get much more real than that folks. I love the Book of Mormon.
I've been reading the Teachings of the Prophets: Joseph Smith lately. It's a nice little read. The doctrine that he revealed in relation to the nature of the Godhead is so so important. We must understand that they are physical beings! How can we expect to receive coherent, applicable and specific answers from some ethereal everywhere and nowhere type spirit? We have so much truth it's unbelievable. All you have to do is reach out and grab it. Just try it. Feel it. Learn it. It's worth it... I'm so glad you've taught me that all my life.
Well, that's all that I've got time for I believe. I'm doing well. Don't worry about me. The Lord has me in His hands. I know He does. And what sure and powerful hands they are! They guide me each and every day, as long as I am willing to follow where they lead me. That goes for everyone in the whole wide world, doesn't it? :)
 |
| Jacob's Drawing |
Just so you know, I'm going to be using that picture you sent of the gnarly warrior that Jake drew. I'm going to show it to my district when we talk about Romans 13:12.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Yea...I have a scripture chain that I made today about it. And all of that is going to come after we talk about the power and authority of our calling. I just get so amped when I think about all of this awesomeness. Sometimes I think I should have been there with Aragorn when he stormed the gates of Moridor...So much epicness in such few words... "For Frodo...:" You get chills?!?! Because I sure have em right now! Now strap up and buckle down cuz this armor ain't just for show. It's time to do battle with an eternal foe.
From the front lines,
Elder Andy
If your armor isn't scratched and dented, you aren't fighting hard enough.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Cardona Uruguay - Nov 12th 2012
Hi All,
I thought I'd start off with a funny fact about bugs. We’ve got ‘roaches...and skeeters.... freakin skeeters. I put up my mosquito net for the first time in my mission this week. Turns out we’d left a kitchen ventilator uncovered one night and it was ridiculous! We had a ton of mosquitoes inside for 3 days. Not cool. That said, it was really hot for the first half of the week. Up til about Saturday. And I mean hot when I say hot. It’s finally starting to get warm for me. I just keep telling myself that I’ve seen worse, and it helps a bit. Granted, with all that heat, we had a ton of sun. As such, we bought sombreros! They’re pretty fun and keep the sun off of my tender white face. Then, Friday it was hot til about noon and then it got cloudy and the temperature started to drop and it absolutely poured at 4! It was INSANE! Luckily, we had just stepped inside and it blew past in about 15 minutes. Then for the rest of the day, Saturday and Sunday it was overcast and cool. Now it’s sunny and heading towards hot. I’`m just happy all the friggin humidity is gone.
You probably already know, but changes are on Tuesday the 20th. This change is just about over and I'm almost positive that I'll be moving to another area on the 20th. The zone leaders made a couple of cracks on Sunday during our weekly leadership meeting about having to teach their district leaders from scratch next week, so it’s rather possible that we’re outtie like a belly button. Only time will tell. And yes, that does mean that next week I will be writing you on Tuesday. I cannot believe that yet another change has flown past….my time is growing short. NOT COOL. That also one long sleepless night and lots of packing and moving. The crazy thing is, I actually enjoy it. Changes are a blast and I like moving around the mission. It's not for sure though, but I am ready to get outta here. It's been a really tough week, but I still am going to miss a lot of really special people that I've come to know and love here. It's hard that way, but I know that if they keep up with the things that we and others have taught them, I'll see them once more. Be it in this life, or the next, I know I'll see them.
I know that I’ve not been talking about people a lot lately, so here are a couple that we are working with. The first I’ve already mentioned a couple of times. Natalia Aldacour, she’s an inactive member that has attended sacrament meeting for 2 weeks in a row now. I was really rather pleased to see her on Sunday and we’ve been visiting her about twice a week. She has pretty much has zero support in relation to the church considering the fact that the 2 of her sisters that are members are inactive and her mom is as well. Her dad is anti and so is her boyfriend, with whom she lives. It makes things complicated but she really has a strong desire to come back to the fold and make changes in her life. I know that the Lord will provide a way for her, I just hope that she can stick to her guns when it all hit the fans. It’s so hard for people to stick up for the gospel when the going gets tough and there’s no one at their back. That’s why we’re trying to get the branch involved, so that she can have a support system for when she’s on the ropes.
Carlos.....is another story entirely. He’s a man that we met on the street who was just railing on the mormons for not greeting with besos. Yea...not cool. Anyways, one day we passed his house and he called us over and we had a nice chat and set up a lesson for the next afternoon in the church with the branch president and us. It was a tough lesson because he talks A LOT!!! But it was still rather fun. Then, on Saturday we were in the neighborhood and once more he called us over and took us into his shed and showed us what his grandson does with his spare time. Turns out he builds cages for and breeds reptiles. Iguana monsters and about 4 snakes, all in seperate cages. It was really actually quite cool, til he told us that his daughter thinks that we’re from the CIA. We’ve heard stuff like that before and I’ve heard it my whole mission and so we just laughed with him and told him that we’d see him at church tomorrow. He laughed and told us like 5 times that he’d be there. At 9, he sent us a message telling us that his family is convinced that we’re cia agents and that he might not be able to come on Sunday. Sunday morning, he sent a message saying that his wife practically threw him out of the house when she found out that we’d been on their property and that she’s convinced that we’re sent from the cia to dominate latino america using a false god and a false christ. We told him we’d stop by on the way to church. We get there and clap and his wife comes out and tells us that he left. She then tells us that he’s nuts and actually in bed asleep....Problem is....he doesn’t behave like he’s nuts. And he understands everything we talked about in relation to the gospel....so yea. We’re really not too sure who’s nuts in this whole thing.
Finally, I’ll tell you about Jean. He’s the 9 year old son of 2 memebers. The step dad is recently reactivating himself and his mom got baptized a year ago this month. He plays soccer a ton and goes to the anglo institute on top of regular school because he and his mother are studying english. Freakin brits… They only learn british english here. Bit funny really, yet frustrating at the same time because some people get snooty about speaking british english. That said, I’ve not met too many that can actually speak so I dunno….Anyways, he’s a great kid. He drinks up everything we say and has a great memory. It’s a bit of a challenge for me to teach someone of his age, seeing as he’s the 3rd investigator of that age that I’ve had in my mission and teaching kids is a bit of a challenge for me. I have to find examples that they can understand and tend to speak a great deal about cakes and desserts as examples. I do like food.... Anyways, he should be getting baptized on the 24, but his parents have been putting off the date since the beginning of the month, so that has been our principle challenge. I love him to death, I just hope that his family can get excited and that he can make a covenant with God!
Thats about all for this week,
Elder Andy
I thought I'd start off with a funny fact about bugs. We’ve got ‘roaches...and skeeters.... freakin skeeters. I put up my mosquito net for the first time in my mission this week. Turns out we’d left a kitchen ventilator uncovered one night and it was ridiculous! We had a ton of mosquitoes inside for 3 days. Not cool. That said, it was really hot for the first half of the week. Up til about Saturday. And I mean hot when I say hot. It’s finally starting to get warm for me. I just keep telling myself that I’ve seen worse, and it helps a bit. Granted, with all that heat, we had a ton of sun. As such, we bought sombreros! They’re pretty fun and keep the sun off of my tender white face. Then, Friday it was hot til about noon and then it got cloudy and the temperature started to drop and it absolutely poured at 4! It was INSANE! Luckily, we had just stepped inside and it blew past in about 15 minutes. Then for the rest of the day, Saturday and Sunday it was overcast and cool. Now it’s sunny and heading towards hot. I’`m just happy all the friggin humidity is gone.
You probably already know, but changes are on Tuesday the 20th. This change is just about over and I'm almost positive that I'll be moving to another area on the 20th. The zone leaders made a couple of cracks on Sunday during our weekly leadership meeting about having to teach their district leaders from scratch next week, so it’s rather possible that we’re outtie like a belly button. Only time will tell. And yes, that does mean that next week I will be writing you on Tuesday. I cannot believe that yet another change has flown past….my time is growing short. NOT COOL. That also one long sleepless night and lots of packing and moving. The crazy thing is, I actually enjoy it. Changes are a blast and I like moving around the mission. It's not for sure though, but I am ready to get outta here. It's been a really tough week, but I still am going to miss a lot of really special people that I've come to know and love here. It's hard that way, but I know that if they keep up with the things that we and others have taught them, I'll see them once more. Be it in this life, or the next, I know I'll see them.
I know that I’ve not been talking about people a lot lately, so here are a couple that we are working with. The first I’ve already mentioned a couple of times. Natalia Aldacour, she’s an inactive member that has attended sacrament meeting for 2 weeks in a row now. I was really rather pleased to see her on Sunday and we’ve been visiting her about twice a week. She has pretty much has zero support in relation to the church considering the fact that the 2 of her sisters that are members are inactive and her mom is as well. Her dad is anti and so is her boyfriend, with whom she lives. It makes things complicated but she really has a strong desire to come back to the fold and make changes in her life. I know that the Lord will provide a way for her, I just hope that she can stick to her guns when it all hit the fans. It’s so hard for people to stick up for the gospel when the going gets tough and there’s no one at their back. That’s why we’re trying to get the branch involved, so that she can have a support system for when she’s on the ropes.
Carlos.....is another story entirely. He’s a man that we met on the street who was just railing on the mormons for not greeting with besos. Yea...not cool. Anyways, one day we passed his house and he called us over and we had a nice chat and set up a lesson for the next afternoon in the church with the branch president and us. It was a tough lesson because he talks A LOT!!! But it was still rather fun. Then, on Saturday we were in the neighborhood and once more he called us over and took us into his shed and showed us what his grandson does with his spare time. Turns out he builds cages for and breeds reptiles. Iguana monsters and about 4 snakes, all in seperate cages. It was really actually quite cool, til he told us that his daughter thinks that we’re from the CIA. We’ve heard stuff like that before and I’ve heard it my whole mission and so we just laughed with him and told him that we’d see him at church tomorrow. He laughed and told us like 5 times that he’d be there. At 9, he sent us a message telling us that his family is convinced that we’re cia agents and that he might not be able to come on Sunday. Sunday morning, he sent a message saying that his wife practically threw him out of the house when she found out that we’d been on their property and that she’s convinced that we’re sent from the cia to dominate latino america using a false god and a false christ. We told him we’d stop by on the way to church. We get there and clap and his wife comes out and tells us that he left. She then tells us that he’s nuts and actually in bed asleep....Problem is....he doesn’t behave like he’s nuts. And he understands everything we talked about in relation to the gospel....so yea. We’re really not too sure who’s nuts in this whole thing.
Finally, I’ll tell you about Jean. He’s the 9 year old son of 2 memebers. The step dad is recently reactivating himself and his mom got baptized a year ago this month. He plays soccer a ton and goes to the anglo institute on top of regular school because he and his mother are studying english. Freakin brits… They only learn british english here. Bit funny really, yet frustrating at the same time because some people get snooty about speaking british english. That said, I’ve not met too many that can actually speak so I dunno….Anyways, he’s a great kid. He drinks up everything we say and has a great memory. It’s a bit of a challenge for me to teach someone of his age, seeing as he’s the 3rd investigator of that age that I’ve had in my mission and teaching kids is a bit of a challenge for me. I have to find examples that they can understand and tend to speak a great deal about cakes and desserts as examples. I do like food.... Anyways, he should be getting baptized on the 24, but his parents have been putting off the date since the beginning of the month, so that has been our principle challenge. I love him to death, I just hope that his family can get excited and that he can make a covenant with God!
Thats about all for this week,
Elder Andy
Monday, November 5, 2012
Cardona Uruguay - Nov 5th 2012
Hi Everyone,
Remember last week when I told you we had to get up at 3 am to catch the bus to go the the conference with Elder Oaks. There is a totally awesome tree in this public park. We took this photo at 3 in the morning, the only time I would feel comfortable in a tree in public as a missionary. We were walking to the bus stop for the conference when we took it.
First off as for the area, things are still a little rough, but we more or less had a miracle on Sunday by way of attendance. We recently started visiting Natalia Aldacour again, because we felt that we should on Wednesday. Turns out that she and Yanina have been passing through some really rough times and Natialia realized that she wants to come back to church. As such, we’ve decided that we’re going to help her for a bit longer this time and just help her see how wonderfully helpful the gospel is in our lives. On top of that, we had stopped visiting the Seiler family about 2 months ago. They’d been recieveing visits from the elders for probably a year straight and they didn’t come to church after repeated invitations. Elder Ruiz Diaz stopped by on Wednesday. Then, after a lesson with some investigators, Elder Ruiz Diaz and Elder Rosette and I made a visit to an endowed sister who has been inactive for about a year now and Elder Ruiz Diaz set up an interview with her. So then on Sunday the parents from the Seiler family, Natalia and her mom-who is visiting from colonia for the weekend- and the less active sister, Valeria, all came! I was so happy and dumb-struck to see them all in the church.
Saturday was a really hard day and we literally did not get in a door until 7 that night. All of our lessons fell through for the day and no one wanted to talk to us. We were pretty bummed by that, plus the fact that it’s getting really hot and really humid (really really hot) and we were fasting at the time made Saturday a really rotten day, but Sunday made all the sacrifice worth it. The Lord always does that to me! I sit here and gripe because the work is a little bit hard and then He drops a miracle in my lap and I get humbled just a little bit more by the awesome power of God.
As for enjoying the journey, I’ve actually been thinking on that lately. I really like this area. It’s hard, but I like learning all the things that I learn and getting to know the people and laughing and loving and sobbing tears of absolute sorrow and desperation. That’s happened more than once to both my companion and I. Dire circumstances tend to break the will of spiritual warriors, but that is what we need. It’s what we require. How else will the Lord refine and polish the weapons in His quick and deadly hand? We must pass through great heat if we are to be tempered to withstand the blows of an all too real warfare. Here’s to another brutal week.
Well, I want to shared a scripture with you from Alma 38:2
And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.
That’s what I hang on to out here. The fact that my trials really aren’t all that bad and that I know I will pass through them. As grami once wrote to me in a letter, you can do anything 5 minutes at a time. I know that the Lord is watching over me. I know that He hears my cries and is instructing my by His Hand. I do my best to be steady and faithful unto God. Sometimes, I fail. Hardcore. But I just keep going. The Lord knew that we couldn’t do it all, that’s why He sent His Son to die for us. All that he asks is that we keep His commandments and endure to the end with a smile on our faces and a prayer in our hearts. In spite of the difficulties that we have had lately, I don’t find myself discouraged. We are winning little victories and it is to those that I clean. We can be frustrated, but only for a moment. The Atonement swallows that up whole.
May the heavens watch over you and the Lord be with you.
Elder Simpson
Remember last week when I told you we had to get up at 3 am to catch the bus to go the the conference with Elder Oaks. There is a totally awesome tree in this public park. We took this photo at 3 in the morning, the only time I would feel comfortable in a tree in public as a missionary. We were walking to the bus stop for the conference when we took it.
First off as for the area, things are still a little rough, but we more or less had a miracle on Sunday by way of attendance. We recently started visiting Natalia Aldacour again, because we felt that we should on Wednesday. Turns out that she and Yanina have been passing through some really rough times and Natialia realized that she wants to come back to church. As such, we’ve decided that we’re going to help her for a bit longer this time and just help her see how wonderfully helpful the gospel is in our lives. On top of that, we had stopped visiting the Seiler family about 2 months ago. They’d been recieveing visits from the elders for probably a year straight and they didn’t come to church after repeated invitations. Elder Ruiz Diaz stopped by on Wednesday. Then, after a lesson with some investigators, Elder Ruiz Diaz and Elder Rosette and I made a visit to an endowed sister who has been inactive for about a year now and Elder Ruiz Diaz set up an interview with her. So then on Sunday the parents from the Seiler family, Natalia and her mom-who is visiting from colonia for the weekend- and the less active sister, Valeria, all came! I was so happy and dumb-struck to see them all in the church.
Saturday was a really hard day and we literally did not get in a door until 7 that night. All of our lessons fell through for the day and no one wanted to talk to us. We were pretty bummed by that, plus the fact that it’s getting really hot and really humid (really really hot) and we were fasting at the time made Saturday a really rotten day, but Sunday made all the sacrifice worth it. The Lord always does that to me! I sit here and gripe because the work is a little bit hard and then He drops a miracle in my lap and I get humbled just a little bit more by the awesome power of God.
As for enjoying the journey, I’ve actually been thinking on that lately. I really like this area. It’s hard, but I like learning all the things that I learn and getting to know the people and laughing and loving and sobbing tears of absolute sorrow and desperation. That’s happened more than once to both my companion and I. Dire circumstances tend to break the will of spiritual warriors, but that is what we need. It’s what we require. How else will the Lord refine and polish the weapons in His quick and deadly hand? We must pass through great heat if we are to be tempered to withstand the blows of an all too real warfare. Here’s to another brutal week.
Well, I want to shared a scripture with you from Alma 38:2
And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.
That’s what I hang on to out here. The fact that my trials really aren’t all that bad and that I know I will pass through them. As grami once wrote to me in a letter, you can do anything 5 minutes at a time. I know that the Lord is watching over me. I know that He hears my cries and is instructing my by His Hand. I do my best to be steady and faithful unto God. Sometimes, I fail. Hardcore. But I just keep going. The Lord knew that we couldn’t do it all, that’s why He sent His Son to die for us. All that he asks is that we keep His commandments and endure to the end with a smile on our faces and a prayer in our hearts. In spite of the difficulties that we have had lately, I don’t find myself discouraged. We are winning little victories and it is to those that I clean. We can be frustrated, but only for a moment. The Atonement swallows that up whole.
May the heavens watch over you and the Lord be with you.
Elder Simpson
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