Transfer to Gjakova

Hey everybody!

So it'll be short today, sorry! hahah procrastinated and don't have much to report anyways. plus the keyboard I'm using is AWFUL!! so! haha well the big news is transfer news! I'm going up to Gjakova which is in Kosovo and I'll be serving with Elder Braden! I'm excited because I love Kosovo and Elder Braden is a really good guy! ALSO Martin, who I taught and baptized in Tirana is going on a mini mission and I'm in his district so I'm super excited about that!!

This week I totally ran into a bunch of Israeli tourists and it made me super homesick for Israel!! I was super grateful for the opportunity to see them and talk to them! They were super awesome!! I miss Israel and am super thankful for the opportunity I had to live there and to see the places that Jesus walked. This week I finished Jesus The Christ, which I have read on and off for a while now haha! But I am thankful for the time I've had in Shkoder to come closer to the Savior and learn more about His Gospel!! I love Him and our Heavenly Father!

I think that may have to be it for this week!! haha sorry! but I hope that you have an incredible week!! I love you all and hope the best for you!!

Elder Simons

September 21, 2015

Hey Everyone!!

Sorry I didn't send anything last week, hahah I kinda forgot... oops! my bad! But the last couple of weeks haven't been incredibly eventful haha. But I have grown and learned a lot here in Shkodër! The people here still aren't huge fans of us but we are trying really hard!! We are trying to be super creative with our finding ideas, but they don't bite a lot here.

I have been studying from Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, and it is so incredible! I have been able to learn so much about our Saviors life! Granted he uses a lot of big words that I have never heard, and my English isn't exactly at it's best right now haha, but I still have been able to learn a lot of new things!! I am so thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ and His perfect life and example that He gave for us! Through Him we are able to be cleaned from our sins, to erase our mistakes and carry on in this life! It is because of Him that we have the opportunity to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father. It is because of Him that we are able to live with our families for eternity! and for that I am especially grateful because I have an AMAZING family. They have been such good examples to me growing up and I am so thankful that I am able to live with them forever!

I hope that all of you had an incredible week and that you were able to feel like hand of the Lord in your lives. As part of our daily planning we talk about how we saw the hand of the Lord that day, and I promise you that everyday you can see it! He loves us so much and is always helping us! I have really learned to see it here in Shkodër! I testify that He lives and that He is leading the charge to win the souls of men! He is so lovingly reaching out to all and trying to bring them back to the fold. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve in His vineyard! We aren't having a tremendous amount of success here but I know that the Lord is preparing the way for those that are ready to hear about the restored gospel!

Well I hope that this week is even better than the last, and that you are able to see the hand of the Lord every day, because it's definitely there! I promise! I love you all and miss you a ton!! This week I get a transfer call, so that'll be exciting, I guess I'll let you know next week what is going to happen! haha.

Much Love!

Elder Sajmëns

Workout - Missionary Style

Skhoder

Pday visit to Teth

August 31, 2015

Hey Everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since I have written one of these, but the last couple of p days have been pretty hectic and busy and so I didn't have a lot of time, and unfortunately I don't have much to say this week.

I was sick with a cold during the week and Shkoder is a pretty slow place as far as missionary work goes, but we are trying and hopefully soon we will be able to find people who are interested! But church is always awesome here in Shkoder. The 5 members we have are incredible and they are an inspiration! I have a lot to learn from them! They are awesome examples of faith!

As of yesterday I only have 4 months left! It is pretty crazy to think about how fast the time has gone by! I am pretty sad that it is going so fast! Although I can't say I'm not excited to see my family again! I just hope to be able to continue to work hard and learn from the Lord what He wants me to learn! I have already learned so much but I know that I have a lot more to learn!

Well I hope that you all have an awesome week!

Love you and miss you!

Elder Sajmëns

Pictures and video

Transfer

Hey :)

I don't know why but I always wait to write this email hahah and end up having to rush it, so, my bad! hahah Next time I'll try and write it first!

So I got my transfer call on Saturday...I'm leaving Durrës! It's been a good few months but I think I'm ready for something new!! I love Durrës and the members here and I will miss them a lot!! However I am really excited for my new call! I'll be going to a city called Shkoder! It is a pretty small branch, but hey I wouldn't want it any other way! haha

My new companion will be Elder Penrod! Who I roomed with in the MTC! I am really excited to serve with him! He is seriously such a nice guy, funny too! I've served with 6 people from the MTC haha. I had a good time with Elder Outsen, and it was a bummer we only got 2 weeks to serve together, but I'm ready to learn from Elder Penrod!

I've also heard that Shkoder is a really beautiful city so maybe I won't stink at taking pictures, this transfer haha sorry about that! I'm really excited that the Lord is sending me there and I hope that I will be able to put my pride aside and put His will first and do what He is sending me there to do! I know that this is His work and He directs it and I'm excited to be a worker in His vineyard!

I hope that you have an awesome week!!

Love you and miss you!

Elder Simons

August 3, 2015

Hey Everyone!

So this was my first week with Elder Outsen and it was good week! It was a slow week as far as the work goes, but it was still good! Elder Outsen is awesome and I'm happy to be serving with him! Although transfers are next week so who knows what will happen then?

As much as I like serving with Elder Outsen I am ready to leave Durrës, especially for my last little stretch!! I love Durrës but as my life illustrates I am more used to moving around to different places, so I'm ready for a new area, but I will be happy to serve anywhere that the Lord sends me!

So this week we had a few lessons and did some finding. Mostly street contacting and tracting. Neither were very successful but we met some cool people and hopefully this week will be a lot better! We are gonna continue to try to find people and also meet with the investigators that we have and are teaching!

So I know have just under 5 months left until I return home. I have to tell you, it feels like the time is just shrinking and shrinking! It is going by so fast!! but I am grateful for the time that I have had our here and for the time that I have left! I have learned many things on my mission, and I am excited to learn even more! Missions really are incredible opportunities for us to learn and grow! and I love my mission!

I have learned so much about our Heavenly Father and our Savior and Their plan for us! They love us more than we can comprehend and we are safe in Their hands if we trust them and depend on them!

I love you guys and miss you!!

Have an awesome week!

Elder Simons

July 27, 2015

Hey Everyone!

So sorry, but I 100% procrastinated this email/blogpost hahahah my bad. But this week was better! :) We had more success reaching our goals and were able to find a new investigator who is very prepared by the Lord! :) We are really excited to be teaching him!!

My companion, Elder Rigby, went back to Macedonia today! We were sad to see him go! It was a good month!! but he's gotta get back to Macedonia to help the missionary work over there! I learned a lot while I was with him and he is an awesome missionary!!

My new companion is Elder Outsen! He is awesome! We were in the same MTC District so I know him pretty well and we are already friends! I am super excited to serve with him! He is really funny, and you learn something from every companion so I'm excited to work with him and help the work move along in Durrës!!

I really felt the love of the Lord this week!! He really does love us! And if you want proof read 1 Nephi 11:17 and pray about it! God loves us and he won't let us fail, if we rely on Him. He wants us to succeed, but we have to work for it and do our part!!

I Hope that you all had an awesome week and were able to see the hand of the Lord in your lives. Look for it this week! It'll be there, I promise! As part of our daily planning session in our mission we talk about how we saw the hand of the Lord in the work that day, and it has really helped me to realize how much He actually is involved in our lives and this work!!

I love you all and miss you! Have an awesome week!!

Elder Sajmëns