The week full of Sunshine - Feb 24, 2014

Hello :)
So this week was awesome :) full of sunshine. Thanks family for the package :) I loved it! And DAVID GOT BAPTIZED :) hallelujah. He is seriously so awesome. So prepared. He is literally the definition of golden. He wants to start doing missionary work, and he said to us that he wants everyone to feel how he feels since being baptized. He was like I just feel so clean, so happy. I want everyone to feel this way. So he is excited to be able to start coming out with us when he
gets confirmed on Sunday (he had to wait a Sunday because we had stake conference). But I honestly just feel so blessed to be one of the missionaries that got to participate in his conversion. It was such a testimony builder that people really are ready, and The Lord's hand is constantly directing us and guiding us. He just gave me this big hug after his baptism (not technically against the rules, but still a little weird haha). I just wish everyone could have been there. It is moments like that, that make all the hard stuff worth it. When you see people you have grown to love so much, take those first steps, and
make those first covenants, and be baptized. When you see how incredibly happy it makes them. Those are the moments of inexplicable joy. And then after it has all settled down, I also feel this great homesickness, cause I wish everyone I love could have been there, and just shared in my joy with me. It was wonderful. Pretend you were there. 
But that being said this was a week I was a little more homesick then I normally am. I mean I always love you and miss you of course, but sometimes it is a little more prevalent, and little more of a pang in my chest. So I just want you all to know how much I love you. I am always praying with all the intensity of my heart for my family and my loved ones. I was so happy to get that package. It really lifted my spirits. The funny thing is I got this "Sunshine package" on a day that it just poured rain ALL day. So you're the best.
But on this topic of homesickness, I was reading this scripture that is now on my wall. The one from Moroni that says, "Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear". I love this scripture because it is so true for so many reason. First and foremost, perfect love for our Savior and our Father in Heaven, casteth out all fear, and uncertainty, all doubt, all discouragement, or lack of courage. Perfect love for our Father in Heaven drives us to do that which we would not normally do. And also His perfect love for us motivates us, builds us, it allows us to do hard things. His love edifies, and perfects us. And our perfect love for Him allows us to trust implicitly, to put our lives in his hands, to in my case leave my concerns, my worries, my preocupaciones, at the alter of The Lord. It is amazing feeling, the brief moments when I feel such a deep love for my Father in Heaven that I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and I know He will guide my life in the best way. The other thing this scripture makes me think of is in relation to all of you. Perfect love casteth out all fear. All fear that you will fall, all fear that anything would happen to you, all fear. Perfect love gives us comfort, that loved ones will be okay. It provides us with the revelation we need to uplift and edify, strengthen and support those we love. Because perfect love is charity. It is the pure love of Christ. It is being filled with compassion and love, the kind of love that drives you to save souls and teach people the gospel, and share our testimonies.
Also some random thoughts thoughts/things I learned:
When it comes to doing things out of your comfort zone o algo: We have a list of things we think we can do, and things we think we can't do...without remembering that through The Lord all things are possible. An impossible thing is only impossible until we do it. You may think you don't have those talent and so you can't do it, but talent matters less then hard work, and what matters more then hard work is believing in yourself, and that you can do it, and the most fundamental thing of all is having the faith, remembering that God lives and loves you, and has your back, and if God is with you, who or what can be against you.
Also so done said this is stake conference and I loved it:
"Take the time to believe, and to gain a testimony, because this is what keeps us going when things get hard"
"The Lord occasionally gives us a Red Sea to cross, he does it to help us develop talents, strengthen our testimonies, increase our faith. We need to trust that he will open up the Red Seas in front of us"
And last but not least I am in love with this years youth theme (and song):
"32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. (Moroni 10:32)" honestly what more could you want. So all I can say is Come unto Christ. Our Savior, Our Redeemer, Our Friend, the one who has made an intercession for us, the way, the light, the peace, the hope, the love, the joy, all that we all deeply desire and yearn for, all of it is in Christ. So Come Unto Christ.
I love you all. I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Read it. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet. It is simple, it is basic, but it true. The only truth. Every church isn't good. There is one God. There is one truth. There is only one true church.

I love you all so much,
Hermana Simmons
Sorry this is weird, we have been driving the Hermana training leaders around all day.