Transferring to Tirana

"Hey Everybody!"

That was me quoting Dr. Nick from The Simpson's haha, Gotta keep the blog posts interesting, right? So this week was pretty interesting! We spent a lot of time out of Peja haha. On Tuesday we spent the afternoon going to Camp Bondsteel where I was able to eat some American food and buy some American goodies and even got a whopper from Burger King! Now I'm not a huge Burger King fan, but you take what you can get haha. Then on Wednesday we drove down to Albania and spent Thursday there for a Mission Conference type deal, we heard from Elder Dyches, who is a General Authority! It was awesome!

In sad news the family that we are teaching moved to Germany haha. Without telling us, we ended up finding out from one of their friends that we ran into in the street. Haha so that was a surprise and was really sad! More sad news, I'm leaving Peja. I've been transferred to Tirana and I'll go there tomorrow! I'm excited though. It should be good! I've heard a lot of really good things about the area and the ward! It's pretty much in the middle of the city so that's cool! 

 
I don't really have much else. I just know that the Lord is directing this work and that I trust in Him and I will go wherever He assigns me. I hope that I can do what the Lord would have me do in Tirana! And I know that He will help me!

Loves!
Elder Sajmënz

November 10, 2014

Ku je? (a common greeting..it means where are you? haha)

So this week was pretty dang slow, and surprisingly tiring! As far as investigators go, they are pretty good. We are teaching two people that are preparing to be baptized at the end of the month, and they will be ready if they keep going and keeping commitments and praying and reading! It's pretty amazing being a missionary for the true and restored church! And we are still teaching that family that I think I told you guys about a while ago, we mostly teach the oldest 3 kids and we really want them to get baptized because they have testimonies and the know their stuff!! But there is something holding them back and I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is.. It is driving me a little crazy! But they are such an amazing family!! Another investigator has sorta stopped progressing and I don't know why. It is pretty tough in Peja right now. But we are staying optimistic and are working hard!!

I hope you have an awesome week!

Loves!
Elder Sajmënz!

Nov 3, 2014

So I procrastinated this haha, so I don't have a ton of time to write it. Just a few minutes in fact haha. This last week was good, it went by pretty quick, probably because of the false start haha but that's ok!

So the highlight of the week was probably Halloween. It turns out they DO celebrate it here in Kosovo, at least here in Peja, although I think it is something that has come over from America, because they Love us :) but common? whats not to love :) haha our district is very patriotic, but I also don't forget the English half!! Anyways so Halloween! For Halloween EVERYONE walks on the Boulevard for a few hours haha just back and forth and there was supposedly a party or something! But all of the young boys to teenage boys throw fire crackers! and we were just waiting for them to start throwing them at us, but funny enough the thing that started it was Elder Braden telling a kid to throw one behind me. Unfortunately for the kid I turned around and saw him drop it hahah so I kicked it right back at him...he ran really fast!! haha. but then that went on for a little while and then it stopped. But a LOT of firecrackers!

And now for the more meaningful part ;) We had a pretty good Sabbath day, I studied fasting earlier in the week and it just felt a little more meaningful, but I did have to drink a little to swallow my cold medicine, so I kinda feel like I cheated haha. So Fast Sunday was a really good spiritual experience and it felt more meaningful than just being hungry. When you truly fast, you don't notice that you are hungry! It truly is a special blessing that we get to fast! I know that we are truly blessed when we fast with a true purpose and a sincere heart, just like when we pray!

Well have an awesome week! and help someone else :)

Loves!

Elder Sajmënz

October 28, 2014

So First thing's first! Yesterday was spent trying to get visas/residency permits for Kosovo and so we didn't really get P-Day so my mission president let us take some time back today to email and stuff!

Second thing, is that we got a baptism this last weekend! He has been an investigator for a couple months but he was Super busy during the Summer so it was hard to meet. But now he is baptized and he is so happy to be a member of the church, and to have been baptized and confirmed! My companion Elder Morava baptized him and I confirmed him. Both were such amazing experiences and I could really feel the Holy Spirit testify of the truthfulness of the things we are here to teach people. He is going to be an awesome member and will really help the church here in Peja.

Other than that not much to report this weekend. We have had several creepy little centipedes in our house, and my nightstand/dresser was covered in a bunch of really really tiny bugs, but that's kind of taken care of...haha. Hopefully it doesn't get TOO infested with bugs.

Oh and another thing. So last Monday and Tuesday the weather was mild. It was fairly warm, suit weather haha, and then on Wednesday it was cloudy in the morning. By the afternoon is was pretty cold and rainy. By the end of the day it was "bloody freezing" in the wise words of my Father :) sorry to the English relatives haha ;) And now it's super super cold and there is snow on the mountain! haha So that's my life now. I have to actually wear my coat. And my shoe laces broke so I have one shoe with half a shoe lace. I don't know where to buy new ones...and I've tried! haha.

Well I guess that's it for the week! Have a great week and Happy Halloween!

Love,

Elder Simons

October 20, 2014

Tungjatjeta,

This week was good, but it felt like it took forever! haha. We did a lot of unsuccessful street contacting and other finding and it gets exhausting. We have also sort of hit a few road blocks with some of our investigators and we are trying to get past those but it'll take some time for them. We also played soccer with some investigators and to try and find, but all that did was tire us out and make me feel bad about my soccer skills haha.

It won't be very long this week, but I will share one cool experience. So I get pretty easily upset, for those of you who don't know me hahah ;) and when people are rude when we are finding, and there are occasionally rude people, it gets to me haha. So I am not a huge fan of street contacting or tracting because that's where you run into most of the "rude" people. And we do a lot of that, although we've been mostly street contacting, we are gonna start tracting pretty soon! So one day this last week, I don't even remember which day, oh wait...it was Saturday, we had a really frustrating lesson and afterwards, hours to find! So we went to street contacting and in the mean time I was not looking forward to it, oh also it feels like we never get ANYbody to stop, but after a couple minutes we stopped someone and sat down with them for a few minutes. We talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Will that go anywhere? I don't know we'll see, but right after that someone approached us! Which like never happens haha. And he is now a new investigator! He is a 16 year old kid from France and is here for some organization/church for Jesus Christ. He has a lot of faith and we are excited to teach him! That was a really good testimony builder that God really does care for us and when we need it he picks us up and helps us out! He is always there ready to help us. His hand is always reached out, we just have to reach out and grab it!

Well I hope you all have an awesome week and that you will be able to see the Lord's hand in your life, because I know its there! I promise!

Elder Sajmëns

October 13, 2014

Hey!

So mostly this week was just super tiring haha. We walked a lot and we played soccer/futboll on Saturday with some investigators, which was great! but also tiring cause I haven't run in sooo long! haha. But all in all it was a good week!

We had some awesome lessons with some of our investigators and they are really starting to progress! They are so awesome, we have 5 people on a date to be baptized. We might have to move some of them, but I think that they can be ready by then! They really like the things that we have come here to teach and are trying to find out for themselves if they are true. Which really is one of the beautiful things about our doctrine, you don't need to take anyones word for it on anything. The Book of Mormon says it a lot better than I can Moroni 10:5 "Dhe nepërmjet fuqisë së frymës së shenjtë, ju mund të dini të vërtetën e të gjitha gjërave/Through the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know the truth of all things" It's also promised to us in 3 Nephi 18:20, whatever we ask the Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ in faith, as long as it be righteous, we will receive.

I was also reading in Jacob for Personal study and it was the words of a prophet of old who Jacob was quoting. These Latter Days are the last days that the Lord will work in His vineyard, and He has called servants like Prophets and missionaries to help him gather the fruits. What an awesome thing to have read as a missionary, and when I read it I thought of my wonderful two older siblings who are such awesome examples for me and have been for my whole life! Even though we've fought a lot haha.

One hilarious thing that happened this week hahah So for sacrament we were supposed to watch conference, Elder Baker had it downloaded on a hard drive, but the TV wouldn't read it. So we had to run home and get the stuff for Sacrament and do a "regular" meeting haha. We also didn't have the speakers to play the hymns, so it was pretty much just the missionaries singing acapella. So super awkward sacrament meeting. But the funny part was the closing hymn haha. So we were singing Shpirti i Perendise, Spirit if of God. And we were only in the second verse, but singing the chorus, which ends 'Amen and Amen' but our wonderful member, Ajdin, very loudy after singing the second amen, just said it. So it was all of us singing 'Amen dhe Amen' and then Ajdin "AMEN" just really loudly. hahaha we couldn't help but burst out laughing, everyone there haha. All 14 of us haha.

I guess that's it for the week! I hope you all have an awesome week and that you are able to serve your fellow man ;) even though sometimes it's hard!

Elder Sajmëns

October 6, 2014

What's up?

So this week definitely had its ups and downs. My new companion is awesome. He is a super nice guy, his name is Elder Morava. He is awesome and a pretty great missionary! I can tell that I am gonna learn a lot from him! And he makes a lot of food for lunch and dinner. it's awesome! haha.

We had some good lessons with most of our investigators! They still have quite a ways to go before the are ready for baptism, but hopefully in the coming weeks we can help them come closer to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! That is after all why we are out here! I love our investigators though! They are all such great and incredible people!

The downside from the last week is just that it was difficult to find people to teach. It was a Muslim holiday so most people were busy, or at home or spending time with family, I'm not 100% sure but I do know that there were hardly any people out haha so it was hard to talk to people! We didn't know where they were. Hopefully though it'll get back to normal soon and we can try to find people again! haha.

I don't have a whole lot to report because it was the first week of transfers, and it is always a little slow and uneventful. But my new companion is awesome and our investigators are doing well! I know that the Lord is directing this work and He really does look out for us and know what's best for us! We just need to trust in Him and do our best to be diligent and learn the things He wants us to learn!

Love you all!

Elder Simons