Villahermosa | Mexico
Called To Serve
July 2018 - July 2020
Howdy to all my goof goobers out there!
Sorry I didn't write last week but I just really didn't feel like writing! hahahaha. Hey, I completed 10 months here in the mish yesterday! So cool! We've had a ton of stuff going on though! Here in the offices we are honestly so dang busy because we're trying to get everything ready for the new President to get here at the end of the month. One thing they always do before the president goes home is to do an AUDIT OF THE MISSION!!!! I have to admit I was stressing pretty dang hard. hahah This guy came in from Ciudad de Mexico and was in here looking over all of my work for like 6 hours. hahaha It sucked but we didn't get a single complaint! That means I'm doing a good job that's what I'm talkin about! I'm not laundering money or committing fraud so that made me feel good about myself lol. That was just one of the big things that happened last week, then we had all the nuevos come in and the oldies go home which is always a ton of work and it gets pretty crazy I have to admit. It's ok though because we got through it all! This week wasn't too crazy though. Wednesday we went on a hospital tour with Hermana Haws so we know what to do and where to go with the new Mission Presidents Wife and after the hospital we took a nice step into America when we went to COSTCO!!!! Honestly the most American thing I've ever done. hahahah We walked around and ate samples and stuff and then got a nice Costco 100% all beef weenie. Que rico la neta. I thought I was going to die. We're having some awesome success in our area too! So like last Thursday we were walking home at around 9 o'clock and we were passing through a neighborhood, i looked over and saw a couple of little kids hiding behind a rock but we just kept walking. Then all of the sudden these kids jump out with a nerf gun and a water gun to scare us. hahaha Then they started asking us like a million questions about the US and immediately thought Rasmussen and I were the coolest people in the world just because we're big white guys. hahaha. The kids names are Martin y Joshua who are both 9 years old. We were talking to them for a little and then all of the sudden the two sisters of Martin showed up, Emilyn y Darlyn, who are 11 and 13. They started talking to us about how they wanted us to teach them english and everything and then we met their mom, Reina, and we started talking about the church and they wanted us to go back the next day because it was a little late to meet and teach them. So the next day we went and put a baptismal date with all of them!! They just needed to go to church. So last Sunday we were waiting for them outside of the church and we had to go speak so we weren't able to wait very long. Turns out they never showed up and we were pretty sad but it was whatever. So that night we went to visit them in their house and Martin saw us from like 100m away and runs up to us and yells "I went to church today!!!" and we were like what the heck are you serious? hahaha Long story short their are two wards at the same time right now because they are renovating the other church and they were in the other ward!!!! So dope honestly. hahaha. So that night we talked with them and they are all really excited about the church! Reina really likes the church but isn't able to get baptized right now because she and her boyfriend are living together but Martin, Emilyn, and Darlyn and all going to get baptized here soon!!! Super awesome hahaha. Also when we were their visiting them that day Reina's brother was there and was wasted. lol He came up to meet us and kissed us on the hand and everything it was so dang funny hahahahaha and then he invited us for tacos!!!! Some drunks are real douches but this guy was a beast. It's going really good with this family and we're pretty happy with it. hahah. This week when we were here in the offices we found ourselves an owl outside!!!! It got hurt or something so we started nurturing it back to health. So one of the other secretarios took it back to the house and now we're trying to get it ready to fly back into the wild. We named it Russel after the Prophet. I wouldn't say that we have a pet owl because that would be bad but we have a sick patient who happens to be an owl. Also I was reading this week in 2 Nephi 25 and read something that really caught my attention. In 12-13 dice, "12 But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks. 13 Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name." It really just made me think about the importance of keeping the name of Christ over our hearts, to remember the sacrifice that he made for us and the joy we can have when we are faithful to him and really take upon ourselves the name of Him. He has given us so much and we just need to accept it. Well that's all I've got! I love you all!!! Adioooo
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Howdy folks!
How's it going back our there across the world? It's hot as balls here like always but what can you do? Sometime I think I'm getting used to it but then I walk outside and I'm completely wet in the space of 3 minutes. hahaha Just part of the experience though! I'm just glad I'm in the offices right now because we have the freshest air there is--AC. This week was pretty dang awesome for the work in our area. You know a little while ago when I was talking about the group of teenage girls that we were teaching? Well it was quite the story for them this week. First off we had left them for like 2 weeks because they didn't have any permiso to go to church and there wasn't anything that we could do for them. Last Sunday we just had this feeling that we should go to their house and visit them even though we really didn't want to. So we went on Tuesday and found them just chillin outside and then two of them said that they had really missed us the last couple weeks and that they wanted us to start coming again. We were like ah dope they really want us to come! Then we remembered we didn't have permiso. BUT. Then we just thought, "Are we boys or are we men?!" and we went straight up to their dad and asked for permission and he said YES! Super dope and the girls were way pumped. Then the next day we went with them and they were acting super weird. So we were like what the heck do we do now? So we went to their cousins (who we were also teaching but didn't have permiso) and asked what was up and it was super weird. We were talking to them and were like ok well do you all want to go to church with us this week? They said that they couldn't because their mom was sick, so we looked in the house and sure enough she looked dead on the couch. BUT. We used our secret power (aka the priesthood) and gave her a blessing and then after she gave them all permission and she wants them to go to church with us this Sunday!!! So it was a pretty dang cool experience with them I have to say. Honestly this next week is going to be the busiest week ever. hahaha It's week one of the cambio so we have the new people coming in and the oldies going out and it just gets soooo freaking hectic. We're hoping to have some success either way! Hoping it's a fun week though. Sorry that's all I've got but I've got a haul out. Love you all and hope you have a fun week!!!! Adiooooo Elder Coolman First off, Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing Mom's out there. I wouldn't be here with out mine and either would all of you. hahaha Hope you all have an amazing day!
Well, I successfully discovered Mayan ruins today. Their were already some people that named it but I think I'm gonna name it "Big Rocks". Lol We went to Palenque it was so freaking cool!! It was awesome to go down in the middle of this jungle place and find these giant pyramids. There were even other white people there! The first white people that I've seen that aren't missionaries hahaha. Today when we left to go to Palenque we had to wake up at 4 am to make the bus but then the dumb assistants didn't even show up until like an hour after! So we got there late but it's ok. It's about a 2 hour bus ride and then we were right in the thick of it boys. We got to see the big pyramids and the tombs of the people and all of the carvings and everything! There were horses and a man on fire and I killed a guy with a trident. It was probably the coolest thing I've done in a really long time. The only bad thing was that today it was 100° with 61% humidity, felt like 124 FREAKING DEGREES!!!!! That is so dang hot!!! hahahaha So needless to say I was sweating bullets. So cool though and I took some beautiful pictures. This week was better for working in our area. We didn't have much time but we're hoping we can get in good with some of these people and dunk them! We met this one family and they were probably the nicest people I've ever met. hahaha They just invited us in to get us out of the heat and then were like,"so what is this message that you nice fellows share?" We taught them and stuck a nice fecha with them so lets see if they can progress this week! The hard thing is that everyone is so dang busy. When we have time, they don't. but alli vamos!!! So my comp is turning me into a mega nerd. He is teaching me how to write in the star wars language. hahahaha I have to admit I feel like I'm a 12 year old weenie but we can pass notes and no one knows what we're saying!! Don't judge me people, I'm taking advantage of the extra time I have here in the offices! Well I love you all and I hope you have a good week! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY again to all the mamás out there and especially mine! I love you, Adioooooo Elder Coolboy Hola amigos!
Well, it was another week here in the offices and it is honestly flying by down here! I completed 9 months this week and my mind is just about blown. I can't believe how fast it goes! I still have like 15 months left but I don't care, it's going great! This week was honestly a week of rebuilding for Rasmussen and I. Practically all of our people we are teaching fell so we have just been searching up a storm! We found a bunch of really good people that I think will progress super well. It's so dang hard to have success in our area right now because we're starting over and we have barely any time to search! We're doing the best we can and the Lord is with us every step of the way! Right now the Feria de Tabasco is going on here in Villa so there are a billion freaking personas! If we have time we are allowed to go check it out really quick because it's in our area but we'll see what happens. They just have a bunch of little stores and shows and stuff which could be super cool to see! Also, because it's in our area it really blows for working because there are always events going on and no one is home. It's crazy here one thing happens and everyone drops everything to see it! They don't go to school or work. They just party and get wasted. I mean, I am living in Mexico right? Pretty much just like any normal day hahaha. Sorry it's short but I legit did nothing outside of work in the office and walk around and sweat hahaha! I love you all!!! Les quiero mucho, Elder Guapo Hello Everyone!
So, I didn't write an email last week sorry guys but me da flojera. It's ok though because I'm here this week! It's been pretty cray these last couple of weeks I'll be quite honest with you. We have had to stay here in the offices so freaking late everyday because there have been zone conferences and we need to help with all that! Needless to say I ate pizza, McDonalds, Tacos, and Tortas this week hahaha! It's a rough life down here but I can suffer through it! lol jk We live it up here in the offices! I actually really like being in here, Elder Rasmussen and I are just chillin and the asistentes and other secretarios are super cool too! Everyone thinks that Rasmussen and I are crazy but what can you do? I can't change my personality. Right!? Last week we didn't have much but the coolest thing was that we got to help out with the EFY! It was here in the stake center by the mission oficinas. I got to see all of the jovenes that I have ever met here in the mish and one of my converts Irving (from Frontera) was there and it was freaking dope!!! So cool to see all of them. In EFY we taught some classes on sharing the gospel with your friends and how to teach about the restauracion. We taught classes of like 40 kids and they all thought the 2 big white guys were the shiz hahaha! It also made me feel super old for some reason! I turn 20 this year, soon enough I'm gonna be going bald and wearing adult diapers. EFY was way cool though! This week we had conference and it was super awesome as always. President Haws really knows how to get the crowd going. I always love hearing him teach. He talked about how we need to be intrumentos in the manos de Dios and how we need to forever be working to fulfill that roll. It's so true though. Out here in the mission field you can see the hand of God in all things that you do. Elder Rasband said in the October 2017 conference that "He does not do things by coincidence but by divine design." We always see things happen and don't know why they happen and we think "man that was such a coincidence" but that is the hand of the Lord placing things in our path. It happens all the time! For example this last week we were yelling at this one house because we had a cita with them, but their vecino came out and said they weren't there. So we started talking to this guy names Carlos (classic mex name) and he said that his brother was a missionary but that he had never heard about the church. We were like what the heck, what a coincidence! But honestly, that's just Dios putting him in our path. We are instruments in the hands of the Lord and he puts us where we need to be. Crazy stuff happens all the time I love it! We have some pretty good people to teach right now but there are some little barriers blocking them from getting baptized hahah! We are teaching this family of like 7 teenage girls (lol) and they all want to go to church and get baptized but their dad is a worthless drunk so it's pretty tough to make things happen! We're working with it though so hopefully it will turn out good. Mexico had so many problems. I have really learned to appreciate the Land of the Free up north. It's ok though, Mexico is alright hahaha. Well thats all I've got. I love you all!!! Y FELICIDADES to Cole and Sarah for having a girl! You guys are awesome! I'm gonna be Uncle Drew now heck ya! Adioooo Hey dudes! It was a freaking busy week here in Villa because we had all of the new people come in, the oldies go out and then we had the leadership consejo! So needless to say we weren't able to work that much in our area but we had a good time! On Monday we went to the house of Presidente Haws to eat dinner with all of the people and it was insane honestly. They have a nice Yamaha piano too and Hermana Haws made me play for everyone while they were getting stuff ready lol They all thought it was dope. I felt so sick hahaha. Man it's such a burden being me...playing piano, eating good food and brownies and ice cream!hahaha It was soooo weird to send off all the people this week because I went to the airport to pay for all of their stuff and everything and it was like holy balls what's happening hahaha. It was a super cool experience though! This week we found a family of like 6 or 7 and the first question that the mom asked us was "I just don't understand why there are so many religions here, how did religion even get here to this part of the world anyway?" and Rasmussen and I were like, oh boy do we have some answers for you hahaha. So hoping we can get them baptized soon but we just need to get them to church! That was probably the most straight up "I need the gospel" question that I have heard in my entire mission. hahaha She was just asking for the Book of Mormon and we were hyped!!! Another thing was just before that this random guy contacted us and said that he needs a god and wants us to come teach him hahah. Then when we were on the way back to the house right after that this random guy gave us free churros from his puesto! When we have days that just everything goes right that's what we call "the zone" and we have entered into the zone everyday this week. Esas son las bendiciones de obediencia hahaha! Today for p day we went and played soccer with a bunch of beans in the deportiva and I got pounded again hahaha! I suck so bad so they just stick me in as portero cause my arms are so freaking long! It's always nice to play though because we sit here in the offices so much during the week. There are a bunch of cool guys in there though so it's always fun. Always good to have some people to mess around with am I right? Well, I love you all and hope you have a week full of joy! Adioooo Elder Simon Hello my friends,
It has been a freaking awesome week and I have been busy as balls. Last Sunday I had the coolest thing happen. Remember those people who I was teaching in Macuspana? It's the couple named Fernando e Irene y. Last week they were able to finally get married! Elder Sandoval, my last comp called me last Saturday night and told me that they were going to get baptized on Sunday and that they wanted me to go back to Macuspana to do the ordenanza!! So, on Sunday after church here in Villa, Elder Olive and I hauled out to Macuspana and I had the opportunity to baptize and confirm both of them!!! It was honestly one of the coolest things that has happened to me so far on my mission. Just knowing that I had made such an impact that they wanted to me travel back and preform their baptisms. I was so happy and so grateful for the opportunity to help them take that paso in their lives! This week has been super busy here in the offices. I finally got my comp that is going to be here with me for like 6 months in the offices. hahaha His name is Elder Rasmussen from Las Vegas. He is a super cool guy so it will be fun here in the offices with him! He plays volleyball and world of warcraft so it'll be a good time. (He knows Michael Simister for you people who know who that is) It was the first week I've been a solo financiero so it has been interesting for sure! It's kind of annoying that everyone just calls me and complains that they don't have any money. hahaha It's ok though, that's what I'm here for! It is pretty hard to do missionary work in our area though, we only work about 25ish hours a week when normally we're working like 50+. We have 30ish hours in the office. We have some good people in teaching though, hopefully we can pull out a few baptisms soon! The first day of general conference today was awesome! It is definitely not the same in Spanish but still it's always something special. It was so dope la Hermana Haws brought us cinnamon rolls between sessions and I almost cried! hahaha It was like I was at home! They give us so much dang food here I just hope that I don't get fat! Another cool thing happened this week. We were walking past an elementary school and started talking to this guy. He looked at my name tag and said " Elder Simonsen, Coleton?" I was like, he's my older brother. He told me that he was Coletons trainer in Costa Rica! It is sure a small world! Well that's all I have for the week. Hope you kids are having fun. Love ya! Elder Chelo What's up party people?
So, It's been freaking weird these last couple weeks because I was moved into the offices. hahaha Now I'm the secretario de finanzas and am in charge of all the money for the whole mish! It's pretty dope because I just walk around with fat stacks in my pocket all the time. Right now I am with Elder Schwab who has been training me and Elder Olive. Schwab leaves on Monday. He is from Wyoming and a super cool guy hahaha and acts kinda crazy so we get along great. It has been really different here in the offices for sure but it's going to be super fun. It's really cool because Presidente Haws me dijo that I'm the first of the misioneros to be in the offices that will be here when the new Presidente llegue in Junio! Super cool honestly! lol It is pretty dang hard to work in our area though i'll be honest. The barrio is super cool but we don't have like any time to work. We are in the oficinas hasta from 9 until 2pm day and then we have from 2 until night to work. Most days we can't leave until like 3 or 4 though so it's super tough but it'll be awesome! I can't wait to get to know the members better and find some people to teach and baptize! I've gotta get it in good with the members here because I'm gonna be here por mínimo de 6 months. I am so pumped though and it's gonna be an awesome experience! It's super cool too because we have a ton of things close by and we get to work with Presidente a ton! It was sick yesterday we played 4 on 4 basketball with Presidente and all the gringos destroyed hahaha Presidente Haws is actually a beast! Today was a freaking dope pday. We went and played futbol with a bunch of people in the ward for a couple hours which is always super cool and then we went to Fudruckers para comer!!!! Probably the best thing I've eaten in my time here. hahaha It tasted so American and I loved it!!! Also, today I got my easter package!!! Everyone immediately started asking for candy and everything and everyone wanted my ties! hahaha Thanks Mom I love you! Also, Nate got his call to Argentina and that is so awesome! Also in the same mission as Jake and I can't believe it. hahahaha Bueno suerte mi amigo. That's all I've got! I love you all and it's really HOT here!!! Nos vemos compas Note from Mom: We had a quick call from Andrew letting us know that he has been transferred and his p-day has been changed to Saturday. I am sure he will miss the people he was teaching but is excited for the challenge. He has been transferred to the office and will be the financial secretary for the mission. He said most of the mission office elders are close to going home and the President wanted to bring him in to help with the transition when the new mission president arrives the end of June. He was very surprised because he had only been training his new comp for about 3 weeks. He is up for the task and ready to serve:) What up my dudes???
It's getting really HOT here! They still give us boiling soup everyday. Sometimes I don't understand these Mexis, they think that the hot soup will make you feel colder. I mean now I understand why the country is how it is! hahaha We had a conference this last week which was dope as usual. I always love hearing Presidente Haws drop some fire and help us fight against satans army. In this conference he was talking about how if we are obedient and exercise our faith we can have the power to help save the people around us. He used the example of Moses and the serpiente of bronce, when the serpientes bit the people and they were dying. Moses prayed that they could have the opportunity to be saved and the lord told him to put a serpiente on top of an asta and if the people looked and exercised their faith they would be healed of their wounds. It is an awesome example for the mission because our purpose is to invite the people here to "looked at the serpiente of bronce" so they can acercarse to our heavenly father and be saved. Super awesome story. Other than the conference it was a pretty mediocre week hahaha. We should have a few baptisms but the people here are the most unreliable people in the freaking world. You can't let anyone do something for themselves because it will never get done. hahaha So we'll see what happens this week if we can get some people in the water and find some good new people. Today was a pretty pointless day. We didn't do anything but chilled. Well, I woke up and worked out and cleaned everything and everyone else slept all day. It's ok though. It was a nice relaxing day that I needed! Ya, I've got nothing else, so stay strong in the force and remember who's your daddy. Papí Simonsen |
"You hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can ever imagine." Letters From Mexico
December 2019
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