February 16, 2015

Hey Everybody!

So there isn't much to talk about this week, because it was pretty slow. However we worked super hard, but a lot of plans/lessons/meetings fell through and a lot of people cancelled on us! It was a rough week I guess you could say. The other missionaries in my district saw some miracles though, and that was amazing to see!! I'm super happy for them and I can see the Lord's hands in our work here!

Wow, I guess I really don't have much to talk about, at least not any specific experiences this week. But I guess I can tell you a little bit about the funny or peculiar things that we do! and also things that we do regularly every week.

- So we probably eat sufflaqes close to every day, maybe every other day haha, but know that we eat A LOT of sufflaqes!

- We also eat a lot of snickers and these little cookies called Biscolatas, I'll get a picture of them for next week! They are so good! I don't really know how to describe them, sorry haha.

- We try to get a nap in during our lunch ours as much as we can, but because somehow our days always are jam packed with unexpected things, we usually get like 5-20 minutes, and I usually can't fall asleep so hahah oh well.

- We have Family Home Evening every week at our Bishops house, which is always fun. We always drink Fanta Exotic haha. 

 
- For P-day's (Kind of like our break day, til 6:00 pm on Mondays) We email families and friends, and often times will go to a bouldering gym, and/or get sufflaqes.

- A cool thing about Albania, is when you are friends with someone (for guys) when you say hello, you touch temples. I thought it was super weird hahah but now it's kinda cool.

Well I love you guys! I know the Church is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and through Him, it is made possible for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father! He loves us more than we can begin to understand! He's always ready to help you, so just get on your knees and ask Him! :)

Have an awesome week!

Elder Sajmëns

P-day Picnic

February 9, 2015

Hey Everyone!

So I really don't have any specific experiences this week, I'm pretty sure! It was a good week, definitely a learning week! hahah. It was kind of tough! It's pretty hard finding people that want to talk to us, this time of year. We are trying to do our best, and I think soon we will find someone who is ready for the message that we are carrying!

A big question in a lot of peoples lives are "Does God love me?" or "Does He even know who I am?" Well I can testify to you who read this that He does! I looked back on my life this week and realized how very blessed I have been! We as people make a lot of mistakes, and I am no exception. And I don't know why Heavenly Father blessed me so much throughout my life, but I can see His hands throughout! Being here in Albania, has also made me realize how easy I have had it throughout my life and even though I keep messing up and making mistakes, even small day to day ones, He is Always there to help me and lift me up! Take yesterday for example! We couldn't set up any lessons, and so we contacted in the cold windy rain, and a member walked by and saw that we were cold. She returned home and got me a sweater and a scarf. It was an incredible act of kindness and it made me stop and think, wow God must love me, because I don't deserve this, and yet He gave it to me.

So if any of you are having a rough time, or are wondering if God loves you, say a pray. I promise you with all my heart that He does. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. He watched His only begotten Son, suffer more pain than we can even begin to imagine and so publicly and mercilessly be murdered. He did that so that He could have us back. God and Jesus Christ are very real and the love us, more than we could even hope to comprehend.

I love you all and I hope that you have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder Simons

February 2, 2015

Hey Everyone!

So I kinda procrastinated this til the end! My bad haha but I still have a few minutes to write so it's all good! Well the biggest news this week is........That Martin got baptized and I'm so stoked for him! Here is a picture of me, elder Waters, and Martin! He is such a baller and has really accepted and embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He was already a big believer in Christ, and now he has partaken of the saving ordinance of Baptism and Confirmation and he was telling me how happy he felt! He is awesome and has a lot of faith in Jesus Christ and in the lessons of the Church. He has already expressed desire to help us in lessons and to one day go on a mission of his own. I really appreciate the opportunity that the Lord gave to me to teach Martin and to help him find the right path! I can really see the change in his life and it builds my testimony that this really is the true church and that the Lord prepares those that are ready to hear the message of the restoration!

So that was my cool story of the week! We had a pretty good as well. One sad story is that Motra Vermunt (from our MTC group) had to go home last week because she was sick, hopefully she can get all better and get back here cause she was an awesome missionary and we will miss her while she's gone! Also Elder Myers (old companion/MTC group) went home cause of a sickness! Hopefully he gets back as well!

We saw a couple interesting things this week. We saw a super crazy dude throw a rock at some teenage boys and then chase them, yelling a curse word in Albanian haha, that was kinda funny, pretty intense though I didn't really wanna stick around and see what was gonna happen, fortunately we had a lesson soon, so we went and waited for them.

Guys, I love being a missionary so much! Now that I have less than a year left, I'm starting to realize how much I really do love it! It is the place for me, and I'm glad I have a bunch of time left!! This is the work of our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. We cannot find any greater joy than assisting in it and helping others come unto Christ! So next time you see the missionaries, ask what you can do to help them, or ask them to share a message with you!

Loves! and I miss you.

Elder Sajmëns

P-day Fun!

January 26, 2015

Hey!

So a pretty crazy story haha at least it was crazy for me, actually the funny story first. So this one is pretty short, but me and my trusty companion were going to street contact when we were stopped by an old man. I can't say that I didn't think he was crazy at first sight, little did I know that I was right. He starts talking to us and we just get hit with this wave of smell, and that smell was......marijuana. I think. And he started asking us questions about the Book of Mormon, and then told us it was a lie haha. He then proceeded to tell us that he is the great and last prophet haha. Dude was wack! Definitely off is rocker! It was funny though, I enjoyed the conversation haha.

But the more intense story! So our investigator Martin should be getting baptized on Saturday, which is super exciting! We had a little scare though. After his interview we found out that he lived in 3 ward....(I live in 4th ward btw)....so we would have to give him over to the 3 ward elders to teach...it was a little upsetting haha, but we found out a day later that he hadn't moved to 3 ward, he was just staying with friends for a couple weeks and will be back in 4th ward next week haha. That was intense!

The work is kinda slow right now! We are working hard though. Training is going well, Elder Waters is doing pretty great, and admirably well at the language for going 9 months without speaking it! And the district is doing well! I love my district! they are ballers! I will try and get a picture with them for next week! haha!

I know that this is the Lord's work. And He helps us SO much!! I am so grateful, not only for the opportunity to serve, but all that He does for me as I serve! Jesus is the Christ. He is the Son of God, who is our Heavenly Father. He has performed a perfect atonement for us and because of Him we can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father! We need to show our love and thanks to Him by serving others! When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are in the service of our God (Mosiah 2:17) So go forth and do missionary work! Invite your friends to church or to learn about the restoration of the gospel from the missionaries!! And those of you who aren't members and read this, watch this video and pray about it: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2008-06-01-the-restoration?lang=eng! I promise you'll receive an answer! Also try to get your hands on a Book of Mormon, it's a good read ;) and it's true! There is a promise at the end of the Book of Mormon:

"3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." Moroni 10:3-5.

Give it a try! I know you'll receive an answer! In fact I promise!

LOVES!

Elder Sajmëns (Simons)

January 19, 2015

Sorry everyone!! I only have 6 minutes to write so I'm just going to list things that happened this week:

- We saw a dead body under a sheet at a crime scene!

- We had to run across the city to help someone get to the institute building, and when I say run I mean run...hahah and I hate doing that!

- We gave a couple of blessings to a poor recent convert family whose parents were in a car accident. I have faith that they will get better soon!

- Martin's baptism got moved back a couple weeks but he is still awesome and doing great!

- We had a couple of trainings!

- We went rock climbing again today, at the Approved place!! I guess it's technically called bouldering! oh well!

Moral of the story is that God loves us and we are here on this earth to learn and grow, just know that when we stay close to Him and His son Jesus Christ we will receive all the help that we need and come out standing and on top! With our Heavenly Father anything is possible!

Love you all!

Elder Sajmëns

January 12, 2015

Hey Everyone!

So the biggest news is that Elder Waters got here on Thursday and it is awesome having him here! When he went home for his health we were all pretty devastated! But he came back and the Lord saw it fit for him to be able to come to Albania!! So we are all super excited to have him here! I'm also pretty pumped to be training him!

We had a pretty hectic couple of days haha! His very first hour of street contacting he got to see his first "gjarper" experience! haha which is what we call a girl who flirts with the missionaries. Which I haven't seen much of my mission....hahah I guess that's good? but it happened this one time haha. Then on our second day, we had to help people move a lot of heavy stuff up and down many flights of stairs! It ended up taking longer than expected, but they needed the man power so I'm glad we helped. Then Sunday was a pretty hectic day, it wasn't much different than a usual day of church in Albania haha, but there were more people than usual just walking in and out of Sacrament and lessons haha. But it was good.

On another note, we have an investigator who is just plain awesome! He is so prepared by God, and is planning to be baptized and confirmed this weekend! We are so excited for him. His name is Martin and he is about 19 years old. He loves Jesus Christ and is so willing to follow Him and listen to the Holy Ghost. He is probably the person I have seen with the most of a "sincere heart and a true purpose". I feel so blessed to be the one teaching him! So we are super excited for that this week!

Over all I just really love our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. It is an amazing experience to serve a mission because we grow closer to all of them and learn how to be stronger and more loving. I have truly seen the hands of the Lord in the work, because it is His work after all. He has blessed us so much here in Tirana Fourth Ward. I know that He loves you all and that He will bless you if you try to be obedient and diligent in becoming like Jesus Christ.

Loves! Have an awesome week!!

Elder Sajmëns

Happy New Year!

So I won't send a long post today because we are getting back on regular schedule on Monday so I'll have another P-day then. 

But we did have a transfer call last Sunday! I had an interesting call! I am staying in Tirana 4th ward, which is where I thought I would be, but it's the rest that is really interesting! So I'm District Leader, my district is Tirana 2nd ward and 4th ward missionaries. But that's not even the crazy part..... I'm training.... haha and that is not even the crazy part. Those of you who have been following me since the MTC and remember Elder Waters, are going to be mind blown.  He was my MTC companion and went home for health reasons in the SLC airport.  Well he gets here on Tuesday and I have the awesome privilege of training him!! I'm So excited!! 

Well I love you all, the Church is true and I hope that you all have a wonderful New Years and 2015, and that you can come closer to the Savior and our Heavenly Father every day this year! He loves you and wants the best for you! 

Loves!

Elder Sajmëns

This is a picture of Jake and Elder Waters (with Emily) in the MTC - they will be reunited!