Familia,
Well, I feel really bad to
tell you this because I know how much effort and sacrifice you guys put into
the Christmas Package, but since it´s the thought that counts you might as well
tell me what you sent me so I can appreciate the package because, long story
short, I won`t be getting it.
My Zone Leaders went to get
the mail and had the package in their hands, and then they set it down to get
their haircut…and then they left it there and I’m sure you can imagine what some
Peruvian did when they saw a U.S. package on the floor. My Zone Leaders were
really, really sad to tell me about it, they put it off all week, I hadn’t even
known that it had come!
I hope you guys aren’t too
mad, it wasn’t their fault. I guess it’s good for me because I was getting a
little too excited about it that I think I took my mind off the fact that if
anything, Christmas should be a time for me to focus on the Savior and work
even harder than any other day in the field.
We had a Christmas themed
Zone Conference this week and it was a lot
of fun, I learned a lot! I also had a few other cool experiences this
week. We had a meeting as a
Zone where we were going over the things
that the zone has
accomplished in these past few months with charts
and things like that.
Then, Elder Cruz pointed out
that in October we got another companionship in the zone and how the zone
started to do
better in everything. Then,
he pointed out how the next transfer we
got another new companionship
and that it was incredible to see what
was happening in the zone. It
was so cool to see that I was in both of
those two new companionships.
Opening two areas and training two new missionaries is not easy, but wow, so
worth it! I really can make a
difference here!
They keep on adding new stuff
to my calling and one of those things
this week was that I have to
go visit each one of the Sister’s
Investigators that has a
Baptism date to see how I can help them
progress. It makes me laugh
because sometimes I swear I can’t help my
own investigators progress but
I am just doing what I’m told!
Anyway, Hermana Dickey and
Hermana Allphin are teaching a sister from Belgum. . .in English and, I’ll be
honest, I was really, REALLY nervous for
the lesson not just because my English is getting worse, but also because I was
worried that I wouldn’t be able to be as bold or talk with as much conviction
in English.
I thought that it would be
hard because I can be bold in Spanish because I feel a little bit beside
myself, so I can say a lot of things that I wouldn’t say in English. Anyway, I surprised
myself at how easy it was to just come out and speak in English as bravely as I
would in Spanish. It was cool for me because sometimes I think I’m just out
here being Hermana Simonson and creating Hermana Simonson the missionary, and that
I’ll come back in a few months and dig Meghan out of the Garage and go back to
normal.
This was such a simple
experience, but it helped me realize that I
really am changing and
becoming a new person everyday, it doesn’t
matter what language I’m
speaking or where I’m living!
I was feeling really stressed
out this week because we’ve been through
a LOT lately. I was at another one of those points where I
just
wanted to give up, but as we
talked about Christmas I just thought
about my Savior and
everything that He has done for me and how my
whole purpose in being here
is for Him.
He was born to a young woman in
a humble place on just some normal night, but He changed the world forever.
Then, I remembered a similar event that took place almost 200 years ago. This time
a young man, in a humble place, on some normal morning. He knelt down in prayer
and because of this moment, the true Church, the exact same Church that Jesus
Christ himself established 2000 years earlier was restored on the earth. When I
just remember that proclaiming these two marvelous events are really my only
job when it all comes down to it, the stress goes away and I am so incredibly
happy!
Sometimes I just think of
Nephi “having been born of goodly parents”
or the Stripling Warriors “we
did not doubt that our mothers knew it.”
When I think of my Testimony
of this Gospel, I feel an overwhelming
sense of gratitude for being
born into it. I am so lucky to have been
born to parents who raised me
in the Gospel.
I see the broken families here
and I am SO grateful to know that I was born in a great family and taught to
make good decisions. I was always loved and taken care of. I was brought to
church even when I didn’t want to. I was
supported in music and sports of every kind. I was pushed to do well in school.
I had a job and got a small glimpse of responsibility. I went to a good
University. I made it to the Temple. I was supported as a missionary to bring
the Gospel to a humble people.
Mom and Dad, I know we’ve had
lots of hard things as a family and sometimes you feel bad for the things that
happened but you need to know that I would not change a thing in the life that
I had and that life I have now and the life I know I’ll have after.
I love you so incredibly much
and am so grateful for the things you have given me. My family truly is the biggest
blessing in my life.
Love Always,
Hermana Simonson
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