cambios!

Super quick email this week because we are having transfers!

I am being called to go work in Presidente Franco in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay! Ah! It's basically the biggest city we have in the mission (aside from Posadas). There are actually wards there instead of branches, and apparently it is just a huge melting pot of Portuguese, Spanish, German, and Guarani. I'm pretty excited and nervous!

Not much new here- after being in the same area with the same people for five months things get pretty monotonous. We have been trying to do different proselyting activities to not get stuck in the routine too much.

Scripture of the week! 1 Nephi 3:7 "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." I'm anxious to be going to a new place and meet new people, and I know that God will prepare a way for me to help people there. I will go and do!

Love you all!
Hermana Simmons

P.S.  It's crazy to think that in Meridian, Idaho my dad gave a lesson on the parents of John the Baptist and Jesus, and here, however many miles away, in a little town called Obligado, Paraguay we had the same lesson, just given in Spanish! The organization and order in the Church is amazing sometimes!

Not much new

Hey hey hey! Happy Tuesday!

Yep, we were traveling again yesterday. My companion and I went to Posadas to speak with President LaPierre. She has been having some health problems, but has decided that she wants to stay here in the mission and finish strong! Thanks for all the prayers you have been sending for my companion and I. They really do help.

We had some weird experiences this past week. To make a very long story short (you all are just going to have to wait in suspense until I get home to hear the full version), we are not allowed to visit one of our areas for the next few weeks. We have to avoid Trinidad, and will only be working in Obligado and Hohenau. It is super sad to think thta we won't be able to pass by and visit the members and investigators there, but it's for the best. I just need to trust that God will be watching over them, and if they are doing what's right, they will be okay.

D&C 61:9-10 "Through faith they shall overcome;  And inasmuch as they are faithful they shall be preserved, and I, the Lord, will be with them." God really is mindful of us and our needs. He watches over every single one of His children. If we are doing what is right, we have no need to fear.

Love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Sister Simmons

P.S.  yes, we have access to the conference talks, but only in Spanish. Today I am going to print a few out in English from lds.org because I really do want to read what they actually say haha. It's amazing what miracles God can work for us when we have the faith, desire, and ask for His specific help!

we are party animals

It was so good to see you all on Christmas! By the way, the other Sisters in the zone say you are all very cute. (we were all sharing the photos of our families).

I know you are all just dying to know- how did Sister Simmons spend her Christmas and New Years? I'll tell you.... SLEEPING. 

We actually ended up doing nothing. At the last minute we had to cancel all our plans and travel to Encarnacion on Christmas Eve. We spent the entire night in the other Sisters' apartment while they were out enjoying the holiday. Hermana Palacio and I played a lot of hangman and "I Spy.".....Yep. and that's about it. haha

Yesterday Hermana Palacio was feeling sick, so we ended up getting home early. I studied a little bit and cleaned up around the apartment. I really did want to stay up to see the fireworks at midnight but 1) it started pouring heavy rain, with lots of thunder and lightning every few seconds so nobody could set off fireworks anyways and 2) I was super tired and just ended up sleeping through the entire night.

These past few weeks we have been dealing a lot with things that are out of our control. It is really frustrating and can be discouraging at times to not be able to see results like I want. But my timing is not God's timing, and my plans are not God's plans. I am trying to learn patience, charity, and to have greater faith in Christ. "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." D&C 123:17 I can do all I can, but then I need to realize that it is God who is in control of all!

Love you all! Happy 2015!

Hermana Simmons

P.S. Thanks for the letter and photos!!!!! I really am trying to do everything I can to send photos home and make copies of them, but the computers here are terrible! I made another effort today, but it looks like they do not want to be shared. ugh. Hopefully next week?

We really didn't do anything for Christmas. It's a very long story. But yes, people do light off a ton of fireworks. That was pretty exciting. But other than that, there really aren't traditions. They just eat a lot of asado and pan dulce.

I think you all jinxed me when I spoke with you Christmas! You were worried that I would be sick, but I wasn't. The day after Christmas I was! I got a fever and was super weak, and the next day I woke up with the fever gone, but I had caught a nasty cold! I really don't know how that happened, but now it's mostly gone. I just have a weird cough now haha.

Merry Christmas!

Woohooo!!!!! Christmas is this week!!!! I'm seriously so excited.

We had our Christmas Devotional last Friday night with another missionary zone. (I am in Zona Parana, and we did it with Zona Encarnacion). President LaPierre, his wife, and the Assistants came. We did a nativity scene and sang a bunch of Christmas hymns (like what we normally do with the grandparents and cousins, except it was with a bunch of Elders and Sisters haha). Then we watched the video of "El es la Dadiva" ("He is the Gift"). It was wonderful and lovely! I could really feel that the people who put the video together put in a lot of thought and spirit. After the video, we had the opportunity to take the sacrament. I didn't know that we could take the sacrament on other days of the week, but apparently mission presidents have the authority to okay that. It was so good to be able to think of the birth of Christ in the short video, and then right afterward reflect that through His life and death we can live again.

We also ate a Christmas dinner of rice and chicken, then had a few activities to play (they had plastic bowling sets, a giant coloring book that they wanted everyone to sign, and sugar cookies to decorate). We each even got a stocking with a new journal and candies inside! It was definitely a lot of fun and a great experience. 

We have our Pday on Christmas this week (we have permission to write our families today, but that's about it). So on Christmas, Hna Palacio and I are thinking about making something to give our neighbors, and we are trying to find out if we can go caroling at the hospital. But other than that, everything shuts down on Christmas- we’ll probably be at home most of the day. But I'm so excited to go caroling to everyone Christmas Eve!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6 and 2 Nephi 19:6

I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He really was born of Mary, a virgin, in Bethlehem. He is the descendent of David the King, He fulfilled the Law of Moses, and through His Atonement we can be changed, we can be saved.

Wish I had more time! I love you all!!!!! Have a very Merry Christmas!

Peace on earth, Goodwill towards men,

Hermana Simmons

Another letter from me

Life goes on, here in Obligado. (See web photos of Obligado here.)

We have been working so much with the Pintos family and Estefani­a lately, that we haven't had much time to go out and meet new people to teach. Now that the members are helping more with the Pintos and Estefania, Hna Palacio and I have been doing A LOT of walking and A LOT of talking and A LOT of searching, searching, searching. We know God has more people prepared to talk with us here, but the question is just a matter of finding them.

This week we will have our Christmas Devotional with Pte LaPierre and his wife. I'm super excited. It doesn't feel like the Christmas season at all with all this heat, although a surprising amount of people did actually put up Christmas lights (most people here in South America don't. They mostly just eat a ton of grilled meat Christmas day and set off fireworks at night to celebrate). But it's nice to be in an area where a lot of people like to celebrate Christmas.

Something that really has astounded me here in the mission is the number of people I have met that are just genuinely good. Sure, I've met a couple of shady characters, but so many people are just so wonderful! There's an older man named Severiano (I think I mentioned him before), and the other day he had an accident while riding his bike to work. He has a huge bandage covering his eye now and can't go out to work and does not know how he is going to be able to pay his rent and buy food this month if he misses a week of work. But as we talked with him, he just shared his testimony with us that he knows God will take care of him and that something good will come of this experience.

We shared 1 Nephi 17:50 "And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done." With God, ALL things are possible!

Hope everyone is enjoying all their Christmas finals (hehe. That's one benefit of being in the mission... no final exams!)

Love you all!

Hermana Simmons

familia pintos!!!! aren't they lovely????

hello hello hello

Short letter week! I'm going to type fast so that I have time to send some pictures (If I can figure out this computer).

Hermana Palacio and I are spending our Pday here in Encarnacion because we were supposed to be crossing the border to Argentina today to do some immigration paperwork, but apparently the office Elders got confused because all the offices are closed. So we get to spend the day here in the "big city." I officially bought a sombrero!

More information on my companion! She is from Santiago, Argentina (well, that`s not actually the name. It's actually Santiago del Stero or Santiago de Estero or something like that). This is only her fourth transfer in the mission. She's great, but she gets really stressed really easily. Lots of times we have to stop to sit down while we are out working because she gets stress headaches all the time. I'm definitely trying to help her out as much as I can; I remember how difficult and slow the first few months of the mission seemed. But now I feel like the time is just flying by! I don't actually understand how I am almost at the halfway mark. It actually kind of weirds me out.

But anyway, that was our week! Exciting, right? We had transfers, which took up a whole day, then we went the four hour trip to Itapua Poty the next day, and then we had a baptism (a little girl named Estefania! She is awesome!), and then we both got sick and have been traveling. Exciting stuff haha.

2 Nephi 4 is absolutely my favorite chapter of scripture. Everyone should read this every morning to start every day. It's that fabulous.

 "27) And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy? 
28) Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul."

Have a wonderful, fabulous, marvelous, awesome, just all-around great week!

Love,

Hermana Simmons

Transfers!

Happy First Day of December!!!!

This last Saturday Familia Pintos had their baptism. It was beautiful! The Dad (Doroteo), and his four kids (Diego, Cristina, Francisco, and Maria Fernanda) all decided to be baptized. Then Sunday in church they were confirmed as members of the Church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. They really are wonderful, fantastic, spectacular people. A lot of their family came, even a sister who lives seven hours away in Ciudaddel Este! She drove the entire way on a motorcycle, carrying a cake to celebrate!

Transfers again this week! I'm staying here! Again!!!!! I seriously love this area. This will be my fourth transfer here. Hermana Garcia is going to Pilar. My new companion's name is Hermana Palacio. That's really all I know about her, I've never met her before. This Wednesday is when everybody changes, so we'll be packing like crazy tonight!

I am going to be reading one chapter of Luke every night as my "Countdown to Christmas." We've done it as a family every year for as long as I can remember, and it's always been a tradition I love! I'm excited to spend a little more time to be studying the life and mission of Jesus Christ.

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." 2 Nephi 25:26

I know that through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we can all come to trust and have faith in Him and our Father in Heaven. We can repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins, we can receive the Holy Ghost as a guide, and we can persevere through times of trial and times of triumph. I love Him and am so grateful for this Christmas season!

Love,

Hermana Simmons

P.S. Most families don't celebrate Christmas very much, but I have seen quite a few Christmas lights. And one of the cities where we work, Obligado, is a lot more modernized, and they actually have a ton of Christmas decorations in the downtown area. It's just a little strange to be out walking in 35 degree heat and seeing a nativity scene or a giant fake Christmas tree.