Some News

Welp, it looks like the doctors here have done every possible test and procedure to try to help my companion, but nothing is working. She will be going home this transfer (luckily it's only one transfer early for her). She is such an amazing missionary and a great person, I know that the Lord must have other plans for her!

We spent a lot of this week traveling again. We went to Encarnacion and I went on divisions with Hna Moreno while Hna Dance crossed over to Argentina with the mission nurse. Then we came home and basically stayed inside all weekend. And yep. That was my week.

Something that I have really noticed while here on my mission is that people are complicated beings. Obviously. I guess I always "knew" that, but being out here has forced me to truly understand that idea. We meet thousands of people, and somehow we have to try to help them all. The interesting thing is that no matter what the problem is, or what the background is, or what plans this person has for the future, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the solution, is the way, is the only hope. When we live God`s commandments, we are happy. Period. No other explanation needed. Everyone can find lasting happiness through Jesus Christ`s atonement. And I`m not just saying that. I am grateful to my Father in Heaven that He has given me this opportunity as a missionary to see this in action. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly can change a person, can fix problems, can make ANYONE happy.

That`s why the prophet Alma said he was commanded to "preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again."

We can never judge who will and will not accept the Gospel- God knows His children. He knows that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will benefit every single one. And I know that too. I love you all!

Have a good week and LISTEN TO GENERAL CONFERENCE!!! Woohoo!

Hermana Simmons

P.S. Yeah, there are tons of Catholics here. So the entire week before Easter is called "Semana Santa" or "Holy Week." I`m not super familiar with all the traditions since this is my first year here, but I`ll be sure to let you know next week after we`ve passed through it all! What I do know is that everybody makes bucketloads of chipa (it`s a cheesy bread made with mandioca flour) because it doesn't require leavening, just like the passover.  (Click here to see another definition of chipa)

my companion Hermana Dance and I. We were at the multi-zone conference this past wednesday. 

We even got to dye easter eggs!

we went and visited the itaipu dam (see also here) as a zone today. the colectivo we were riding in crossed the parana river and i was in brazil! woohoo! i have been in four countries so far while set apart as a missionary (the U.S., Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil!)