Another week!

Happy Late Thanksgiving!

To celebrate Thanksgiving, we decided to have our Zone Meeting on Thursday instead of Tuesday. After the meeting, Hna Garcia and I made tacos and we all ate together as a zone. And yeah, that's about it. It's not a holiday that's celebrated outside of the U.S.- which I knew beforehand, but it was still weird to have the day actually arrive and not be eating turkey.

We went to Itapua Poty again to meet with this family. The dad and his four kids have all decided to be baptized this Saturday!!!!! The mom wants to wait and learn a bit more and be more sure in her decision, but the rest of the family is super excited and can't wait! They really are wonderful people and Hna Garcia  and I love them so much! The kids speak spanish, but the parents speak a lot more in Guarani. When we go, we try to learn new phrases and words that we can use. So now I can say "I know God lives." "Yo se que Dios vive." "Chekua nandejara oikoveja." Trilingual! haha nope, not even close. But it's fun to learn something new.

I finished reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish this past week. Yay! When I got to Moroni 10:3-5 I accepted Moroni's challenge. First, I wrote out all the instances in the scriptures and in my life where God has been merciful. Then, I wrote out what I believe to be true, and thought about my testimony. To finish, I decided to pray and ask God if these things were all true- if He really exists, if He really loves us, if the Book of Mormon really contains His gospel. 

And it is true. All of it. I know God lives; I know He loves us. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I know that it compliments and strengthens the Bible. I know God is merciful. I know that this is His true Church.

I love you all! Have a fantastic week!

Hermana Simmons

P.S.  I definitely want to read more of and about Isaiah. They really encourage us here to just focus on learning the Preach My Gospel lessons really well, and only focus on learning the doctrine that is relevant to our investigators. But so many times in the scriptures we are commanded and recommended to read and study Isaiah. Hopefully I'll be able to find some time here to start reading.

Yep, I am definitely going to try to send pictures this next week! But the place where we are writing right now doesn't have a USB connection spot, so I can't upload anything.

The Church is true!

Busy week!

We got to travel to an area called Itapua Poty this week! There is a family who lives there, and they have woken up at 5 am the past three weeks to make it to church (in Obligado, Paraguay)! They are super interested, and so we got to ride the three hours in colectivo out to where they live to visit them this week. The entire area is just field and farmland! I can honestly say that Paraguay is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to! Parts of the trip all that was in sight were just rolling hills of vibrant green and bright yellow sunflowers! The sky was also a clear, clear blue with picturesque puffy white clouds. I'll have to try and take pictures when we go back!

This Sunday we talked with the family after church and shared with them how the true Church of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth today- how God continues to call prophets and how the gospel blesses families. When we explained about the First Vision, and later about the Book of Mormon, there was just the sweetest, warmest spirit in the room.

I know that God loves us! I know He continues to be a God of miracles, a God of love. And that's why He has given us this gospel, to teach and help us grow. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He truly saw God the Father and Jesus Christ that spring morning of 1820. I know that we have a living prophet today to lead and guide us. I know God hears and answers our prayers. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." James 1:5

The only way to know the truth is to ask God in faith!

Love you all! Have a marvelous week!
Hermana Simmons

Bishapa? (sp?) - that´s “how are you” in guarani

This week just flew by again! Here are some of the things that have been going on.

I was sick with I don't know what on Wednesday. That was frustrating. We still went out and did some work, but had to keep heading back to the chapel to fill our water bottles and I had to rest.

Last Saturday a man (he is in his mid 60s) went to the temple for the first time! He speaks Guarani and scarcely any Spanish, so meeting with him is kind of tough. However he is just the cutest little old grandpa I have ever met! He was able to go and do baptisms with the Branch, and in church on Sunday he was just glowing and so happy to have been able to go.

We all can press on in doing what is right! D&C 64: 33 "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." 

I love you all! Have a wonderful day!

Hermana Simmons

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P.S. When we stay inside all day (like when it rained hard all day) we mostly do things that we have been wanting to do but never have time for. Sometimes we study a weird principle that we have questions on, or we clean the pension, or wash clothes, or cook a real meal, or hna garci­a teaches me traditional mexican dance (it´s awesome), or we'll sleep. We mostly like to catch up on sleep!

Also, we definitely never know what people are feeling or thinking on the inside. We have been working a lot here with a less active member who is only twelve years old and has attempted suicide three times now. She is better now, but we still worry about and pray for her a lot. All we can do is be kind and loving to everyone we meet, no matter what.

Hola Todos

Happy Monday!

Today we helped clean a house. I'm not sure we should have been cleaning without gas masks or those yellow toxic suits, but whatever. I'm not sure she has thrown anything (really, I mean ANYTHING) away in the past few years, but it was fun to hear the stories behind everything and see some of the pictures.

It has been raining crazy hard here this past week, and three days we had to stay inside because they cut the power and it was raining super hard. We got to go out for a few hours, but there really wasn't much we could do.

We went on divisions this past week, so I got to spend a day in Encarnacion (Paraguay). I also got to wear a straw hat because the sun is super bright and hot. Hna Craven lent me one, but I'm thinking about buying one of my own soon. Enjoy the attached picture haha.

Being in the mission I get a very good idea of my own weaknesses and shortcomings, and lots of the weaknesses and shortcomings of other people as well. I (like everyone else) absolutely loved President Uchtdorf's conference talk when he asked us to stop judging others just because they sin differently than we do. I found these scriptures enlightening as well "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." James 2:10-11. God does not look upon ANY sin with the least degree of allowance. Whether I go about stabbing people with knives or whether I go about hurting people with words the result is the same. I am acting contrarily to God's will. My Heavenly Father is merciful, loving, and kind, but He is also perfectly just. We must always attempt our best, and then allow the repentance process to heal us when our best is not enough.

I love you all! Have a marvelous week!

Hna Simmons

Here is the Casa de Oracion where we have our meetings. It's next to a beer store. We're on the second floor.

This is what the language Guarani looks like. We have a few copies of the Book of Mormon in Guarani, but hardly anyone can read it. Most people speak Guarani and Spanish, but only read in Spanish. For whatever reason, Guarani is easier to speak but Spanish is easier to read.

Feliz Lunes!

Another transfer has come and gone, and I'm still here in Obligado with Hermana Garci­a! Woohoo! We both love it here and love the Branch and all the people. Now we will have three transfers together in this area. We are going to try and make it four. But now I have probably just jinxed myself haha.

We have been working a lot with a man named Juan these past few weeks. He is a member of the church but has been struggling a lot lately and hadn't come to church, or been praying, or reading the scriptures for quite some time. But we really felt like we needed to start visiting with him, for some reason we couldn't forget about him. Anyway, the other day in one of our lessons he told us that just a few weeks ago he had been considering never going to church again, he felt that he was failing God, and didn't think he would ever be able to go back. But then he said really soon after he started thinking this we arrived and started visiting with him, and he always looks forward to the lessons because he feels something different when we are there. Then he told us that when he went back to church for the first time he felt that same feeling of happiness and goodness again! He has been working a lot to repair some of his mistakes, but he has a true desire to change and be changed by Christ.

Titus 3:2-4 My companion and I have been studying about charity and trying to develop a more Christlike love for everybody here. "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared," We can stop judging and criticizing others because we too make mistakes. We can start loving and helping others because we have seen the example that Christ gives us.

I LOVE you all and hope even more that you know that Christ loves you about a bajillion times more than anything we can imagine!

Have a marvelous week!

Hermana Simmons

heat and help

Short email this week!

It's hot. As in, "I have never sweated so much in my entire life, I didn't know it was even possible to drink 6 bottles of water and then sweat it all out in 6 hours" hot. yeah. It’s great. haha. But hey, I’m getting awesomely tanned and my hair is slowly becoming more and more blonde. Maybe all this heat will just turn me into a supermodel by the end of the summer haha.

Wow, and with the heat I have received such a strong testimony that CHRIST STRENGTHENS US. We can literally receive physical strength and be comforted as we pray for the help we need. When we humble ourselves and keep God’s commandments, we will be worthy to receive His divine power. There have been times when I thought I would not be able to keep walking, but when I prayed and asked for help, it is as if all of a sudden my entire mindset changes. I’m happier, I don’t feel so tired, I realize that I can keep going, and keep a good attitude at the same time.

"And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness." 1 Nephi 17:3

Love you all!

Hermana Simmons

P.S. I ran into Elder Gallini!  Haha I don't remember how we are related (and neither does he), but his mom did let him know that he had a distant cousin or something here in the same mission.

Elder Josh Gallini

(son of Heidi Breinholt)

Another Week :)

This week we had interviews with President LaPierre, and they went well! It really is amazing how devoted he and his wife are to their mission, the missionaries, the people here, everything! Talking with them makes me want to do better!

Yesterday in our testimony meeting, nearly all of the members went up to bear their testimonies. We would have gone over time, but the Branch President thinks that the "one hour and ten minutes" of sacrament is fixed in stone, plus everybody was hungry from fasting, so he got up right on time to close the meeting haha. But it was great, the Spirit was so strong as everyone shared how they knew that God our Father lives and that we are His children, and that through His Son, Jesus Christ, we can be saved.

Also, we taught the Principles of the Gospel class to our one investigator who came and to a few other less active members. We asked one man to give the opening prayer, and he started to get nervous and told us he didn't think he could do it. We assured him he could, and just then our investigator, a woman named Flavia, also began to encourage him! She explained to him in Guarani that all he had to do was start with Heavenly Father, give thanks, ask blessings, and close in the name of Jesus Christ! It was great to see her share her own testimony of prayer! And in the end, Severiano gave the opening prayer and was so happy that he did!

Good news!!!!!! I talked with my old companion, Hna Tapia. She told me that she got in touch with my other old companion, Hna Gunter, who is still in Santo Tome. Mariela and Fernando, the couple who got married and then both were baptized, are both still very strong in the gospel! Mariela is a teacher in the Relief Society, Fernando received the priesthood, and a few of their children have decided to be baptized as well!!!!! Seriously, I am so excited and happy for them. They changed so much in the short time that I knew them, and their life just keeps getting better and better! Christ can truly change people! He can change us if we let Him!

Oh, and on Saturday Hna Garcia and I missed the bus from Trinidadback to Hohenau ("missed" is one way to describe it, "the bus drivers come up with their own schedules and change their minds all the time" is another haha) Anyway, we ended up walking from Trinidad to our apartment in Hohenau. It took us a little over two hours, and that is walking at a decent pace, and only stopping to rest once (for about 4 or 5 minutes). But hey, now we can tell all the members in Trinidad that they never have an excuse to not come to church, because it IS possible to walk all the way there.

I remember learning in Sunday School that the first law of heaven (or something like that) is obedience. D&C 63:5 "Behold, I, the Lord, utter my voice, and it shall be obeyed." God is completely loving, merciful, patient, etc. But He is also perfectly just. We must obey His commandments and turn our hearts over to Him to partake of His mercies. Obedience brings blessings, and exact obedience brings miracles!

I love you all! Have a great week! Sorry this letter is so long!

Hermana Simmons

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Yep, It's definitely "primitive" at times, but the way I see it I only "have" to live primitively for a year and a half, while basically everyone here lives like this their whole life. I'm glad I get the chance to really see how blessed I have been in my life. I'm considering that one day when I have my own kids we'll have to do a "Mission Week" once a year, where we can't use dishwashers, washing machines,  dryers, toasters, microwaves, etc... Where everyone has to do their own cooking (from scratch), and the electricity gets shut off every once in a while and we take cold showers haha. 

Julia and Bernardo decided to not get married. In the end, Bernardo didn't want to spend the money (they really are quite poor), and we did EVERYTHING (honestly, everything) in our power to help them. So Julia couldn't get baptized. And now she thinks that she will never be able to get baptized (she has had several baptismal dates fall through), and so she thinks it would be better to just stop taking the discussions all together. It's pretty sad. She still has a strong testimony, but she is just letting Satan's sadness and disillusionment get the better of her. We are hoping that in a few days or weeks she will change her mind.

But, there are other people who are progressing and who are doing really well!

Also, not much has been said here about that new movie ("Meet the Mormons"), but it sounds great! I guess I just have to wait another year to see it with you all. I'm glad everybody is doing well! Love you!