Dearest Familia,
How are you all? I hope this week was fantastic and you all spoiled
the heck out of my wonderful father. He's awesome.
Anyway this was great. Long, like most weeks but great. So my new
companion is named Hermana Frisbie. She is great. She make jokes out
of her name, so she appreciates the humor. We have a good time
together.
So there isn't much to write this week. On Tuesday I was on exchanges
with an English sister while we waited for our companions to get down
here to exile. (Haha) and that was an interesting day, a full day but
an interesting day. She doesn't speak Spanish, so I was teaching in
Spanish all alone. That was fun. I realized I would never want to
really have an English companion. Especially because when I teach I
don't like to be talking for too long so I always talk for 2-5mins and
the just kind of pause and let my companion fill in and then back and
forth. But since she did speak English, well I was talking a lot. But
once I got the hang out it, it was a good day. We taught a lot of
lessons, and had a member out with us. It was probably the most
successful day of the week. In that short time with sister Clayton I
learned so much. She is a great missionary. My Spanish has really
improved so much. Even on the days when I feel like I have no idea
what I am saying, it still has improved so much. It's crazy. But it's
a huge blessing especially because I will be translating in sacrament
meeting now, which is hard because let me tell you, when white people
get nervous, they talk really fast, it's hard to keep up. Or when they
write their talks they like to sound intelligent so they use fancy
words no one ever uses.......how do you translate those, well I just
am really not sure. But it is awesome. Well the rest of the week was a
lot of riding the bus, and walking, and trying to find new people.
Good times. On the plus side, I didn't get lost! I was worried about
that since we have such a huge area. But I didn't yay!
This coming week is going to be exciting. We have zone training, AND
we are getting a MINI MISSIONARY :) so the mission here does this
program with the 16-18yr old men and women, where they spend Thursday
night to Sunday night with the full time missionaries. Doing
everything we do, and basically being another missionary so they can
see what it's like. It's an opportunity for them to get pumped about
being a missionary. I am so excited. It's like getting a kid or
something :) so that will be awesome. Hectic. But awesome. Especially
since the sisters who we share the car with and live next door are
also getting one, and the mini missionary can't ride the bus without a
bus pass.....so we aren't sure how we are going to get around. But
it's alright. We will figure it out.
Being a missionary is awesome. It is seriously the best thing. I am so
excited to be able to inspire someone else, and show them how great it
is so that they'll want to go.
Sorry this email isn't more exciting. I did learn a lot this week. A
lot about what our baptismal covenants really mean. I would encourage
everyone to study that. I think sometimes as we grow up and make new
covenants we forget about baptismal covenants, but they still apply,
and we still need to be keeping them. I know that as we exercise our
faith and keep our covenants with God, we as well as those we love
will be protected from the powers of Satan. Read Mosiah 18:9-10. When
we are baptized we take upon ourselves the name of Christ, literally
we become his representatives. We become his missionaries. This whole
every member a missionary thing isn't new, it is part of our baptismal
covenants. We love our Savior Jesus Christ, we know this message
blesses lives and we covenanted to share it. To help our friends and
family. To serve, and to love. You represent Christ, and as my mom
always says, "do not embarrass the family".
Sidenote, mom you'll like this. President Fenn's moto is "Do not being
shame to the mission". I heard that and I was just like......my whole
life has prepared me for this....haha I know how to do this, it was
our only family rule. Even Calvin knows it.
I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and
he laid down his life so we could overcome our sins and become like
Him and be saved. He didn't do it, so we could talk about Him, and say
we have faith, and go on with our lives without really understanding
the signify nice of that act. He did it so He could pay our debt, and
therefor set His own payment plan, He did not eliminate our personal
responsibility. We obtain salvation by Faith in Jesus Christ, then
repentance, or changing our lives to be more aligned with his will,
this is something we do all our lives. Then baptism, by someone who
has His authority, which prompts the question who has that authority?
Because without it, our works are in vain. And then receiving the gift
of the Holy Ghost which will lead us back to him if we endure to the
end. After we have done all of these things, then it is by his grace
that we are saved. After we have done all that we can. That is the
purpose of this life. To make it back to Him. To follow His plan. To
have an eternal perspective. Not just a right now perspective. I know
that this is the church that Jesus Christ leads and directs. I know
that everyone can know this for themselves through reading the Book of
Mormon and praying. And we want them to finding out. We literally are
telling people it is 50-50. It is true, or it is all a lie. It's not
just a good church. Teaching good things. It is the church of God, or
it is just another church of Satan. Literally. So ask. Ask our Father
in Heaven who loves us and answers prayers. Then you will know. And
the blessings of The Lord will flow into your lives. As they have in
mine. I love this gospel. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I love begin
a missionary and the wonderful people I meet and have the opportunity
to serve. I love all of you. I am praying for you. I hope you will
seek out truth. Fight the good fight.
Love,
Hermana Simmons
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