HEY!!!!! Hahaha never before have I looked forward to a Monday as much as I have this one. Haha way more than I should. Whatevs. I blame it on living at home for 3 months, because I miss you all wayy more than I ever did in college. And not just because in college I called Mom every 15 minutes WHATEVER IT'S FINE.
Man this week was long. Full of adventures, but don't worry we're all still safe. To be honest, I'm feeling a little Zion's Campey. Like, you come on a mission with these good intentions to serve others and forget yourself but then Surprise! the Lord says. I am actually not concerned about you finding investigators but look at all these things I would like you to improve about yourself! And you say, Noooo! That's not why I came here! And He says, Too bad.
Hahaha but really- it's been quite humbling. One uncomfortable truth I have learned is that I am actually not very good at loving people who are different from me. It is easy for me to love people who are happy, kind to their families, not easily offended and eat wheat bread. You know? Bummer that I wasn't born 2,000 years ago because I would have made an awesome Pharisee. But here I'm in a new culture and I don't understand it yet. Working on that. Spanish isn't there, but it's coming. Hahahaha perhaps by Christmas I will have a clue what I'm doing. My respect for those who have served missions continues to increase exponentially.
Hahaha but really- it's been quite humbling. One uncomfortable truth I have learned is that I am actually not very good at loving people who are different from me. It is easy for me to love people who are happy, kind to their families, not easily offended and eat wheat bread. You know? Bummer that I wasn't born 2,000 years ago because I would have made an awesome Pharisee. But here I'm in a new culture and I don't understand it yet. Working on that. Spanish isn't there, but it's coming. Hahahaha perhaps by Christmas I will have a clue what I'm doing. My respect for those who have served missions continues to increase exponentially.
Food for thought: HOW do you strengthen a ward? How do you strengthen an entire stake? If you have experience or even opinions, you should tell me.
My companions are very nice. I"ll send you some pics next week. Hna Mulliner has been here for a year and is super chill- she's technically my trainer. I really like her. Hna Allen has been here 3 months and has been in this area the whole time, which is a huge blessing. She's really smiley. Hahahahaha she does this thing where she is constantly singing, but like, not actual songs. Just songs that she makes up on the spot and sings them. Hahahahaha it kills me.
Speaking of songs, time for some MISSION STATS!
DAYS THIS WEEK I HAVE WOKEN UP with that one Bon Iver song Tori and I like (Minnesota?) stuck in my head: 4
DAYS THIS WEEK I HAVE WOKEN UP with Les Mis stuck in my head: 3
DAYS THIS WEEK I HAVE WOKEN UP with a church song stuck in my head: 0. Baby steps, people.
GUYS WHO HAVE ASKED IF I WAS ARGENTINEAN: 1. If that wasn't the nicest thing I've ever heard, I don't know what is. Bless him.
TIMES I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT OUR UPCOMING TEMPLE TRIP JUNE 12th: 2,864,573
PEOPLE I RECOGNIZED IN THE CONFERENCE ENSIGN: 2
TIMES I'VE PUT CUCUMBER SLICES IN MY WATER BOTTLE: 2. It's actually quite good. Also, cucumbers are 6 for $1 here and so after an impulsive bargain buy, I have a lot of cucumbers to use up. I don't even really like cucumbers that much; hahaha I have no idea why I did that.
TIMES I'VE PUT CUCUMBER SLICES IN MY WATER BOTTLE: 2. It's actually quite good. Also, cucumbers are 6 for $1 here and so after an impulsive bargain buy, I have a lot of cucumbers to use up. I don't even really like cucumbers that much; hahaha I have no idea why I did that.
Alright, that's enough stats for today. ###
Heard about President Monson's wife- that's sad. Does anyone even KNOW anything about her?!??? I feel like her goal in life was to keep a low profile, and she nailed it. I want to know who she was. And when she was alive I actually wanted to know that too.
We had a mission training this week with pres. Hall. I like him a lot. He is also an exactly obedient kind of guy- like, he goes to the source on everything and we are to exactly follow all the rules/commandments for missionary life- in our call packet, the white handbook, what the Church publishes about bikes, etc. So if you want to come cruise through the streets of North Hollywood, you will see us riding with lights (which we are very excited about) and using hand signals (which is a testament to our humility.)
I'm very slowly reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. With my English copy sitting next to me. I figure that's pretty much how I learned to read English, so reading it in Spanish couldn't hurt. It's really good. I don't know what everyone says about how you have so much time to study the scriptures on your mission. YOU DO NOT. I could take 3 hours easily just for personal study. The thing is, you spend lots of time studying for other people- you're not really studying your own questions that much, because there's just not enough time. There's just so much to learn. I'm so glad I have a lifetime to be a disciple of Jesus Christ because there is just so much to learn and so much revelation to receive.
It's also humbling thinking of Project Read, how I'd always make the ladies I taught practice their "v" sounds. I am now practicing how to not make "v" sounds hahaha.
How is everyone in the ward doing?!?!???? Give Shain and Cody and all the Lindman's a huge hug for me, and paint their nails. We ate dinner with my favorite lady in the ward last night, and her daughter had a ladybug dream light which made me think of Addy. :( Maybe I can just not go to law school when I get back and instead I'll just babysit and teach piano and guitar and stuff??
TYLER I HOPE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE SENIOR STANG. DON'T GIVE UP- YOU CAN SERIOUSLY WIN THIS. If I were home I would do stakeouts with you. I know you were not born this paranoid for nothing hahahaha <33
Tori- great job on track!!! I just think it's so awesome you made it to state in the first place. I wish I had done track in high school. (hear that, Meg?) you get sweatpants, which was all I ever wanted from an extracurricular activity.
PEOPLE OF BYU SLASH OTHER FRIENDS IN GENERAL: Are you getting married this summer? That is not a rhetorical question. I am asking because I have no idea. If you would like your face to grace my fridge, along with that of your spouse to be, you should send me a picture of you two so I can compliment your tasteful wardrobe choices.
To my chagrin, I am discovering that those who tell mission stories for the sheer joy of telling mission stories do not begin this habit after they have removed their tags. I solemnly vow to never be one of those people.
Sorry this was so long!!! If we ever get any good investigators, I promise I will tell you about them hahahaha. These emails probably don't reflect it because I am being the worst writer in the world- but we actually ARE doing missionary stuff all the time.
Mom, we're going to CVS today and so I know you will be with me in spirit. HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE 32!!!!
Bottom line, I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. Every time we read that with people I know that it is true. Maybe they don't feel it yet or maybe they're not ready for it but I know it more and more each time. The Book of Mormon is true and it will change your life if you let it. We don't teach, really- we just invite people to find our what we know for ourselves.
YOU ARE THE BEST LUV YOU GUYZZZZ. <3333333
Hna Simpson
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