Hi Family!
It's great to have this opportunity every week to write you. There is
at least one more name I think I forgot to include last week. The
Sillars. I'm not sure what her name would have been when she knew
Grandma and Grandpa Oles, she was a teenager at the time. Her name is
Carol Sillars now. She says she remembers seeing a drawing one time
and she asked her dad "Wow, Dad! who drew that picture?" And he told
her that Brother Oles did. She and her husband had us over for dinner
last night, and she brought that up again and she also said to me "I
see your Grandpa everytime I see you." Which I thought was neat. A
compliment, too! Grandpa was a handsome guy! I have a photocopy of a
page from the Brantford Ward history book thing that Brother Hampshire
made. It has a picture of you, Mom, and some of your siblings, and
also Grandma and Grandpa as a fairly young couple with two kids (not
sure who the kids are in that one). Also, this next thing is pretty
exciting if I can contact him. Did Grandpa Oles have a brother named
Donald? I think I remember hearing his name before. I was looking in
the Brantford phone book and there is only one Oles in there, and it
is Donald Oles. I think I am going to call him and see if we can visit
him! I'll let you know next week how it goes if I'm able to meet with
him before then.
There is a lady in the ward here named Lydia, who is an amazing woman!
She is from Kenya. She has a super cool accent, and when she prays or
speaks it is electrifying! Well, maybe not that intense, but I
couldn't think of a cool word besides that. Everytime someone else
prays she always nods and says aloud "Mmm hmm, yes!" and stuff like
that. I kind of wish I could pull that off, but I think people would
look at me funny. I do nod during prayers though... but usually no one
sees that. So I guess I was spying on Lydia while someone was praying
because I know she nods. I have never met someone so grateful and so
full of Charity as Lydia. She has been away from her family in Kenya
for quite some time, and she is dealing with many challenges at the
present time, yet she is always so happy, so willing to help, and she
always says "God is good... all the time!" What an attitude! I want to
have an attitude like Lydia. When I feel down, when I feel alone, when
I feel angry, when I feel weak, when I feel anything that is negative
or bitter... I want to be able to think of all of my blessings and all
that God has done for me, I want to be able to put a smile on my face
and say "God is good... all the time!" I never hear a word of malice
come from Lydia. She truly lives the principle "With malice toward
none, with charity for all" that Abraham Lincoln said in one of his
speeches. I am grateful for Lydia's example. Lydia's friendship
brought someone into the waters of baptism yesterday. Elder Johnson
was able to baptize Reema, whom we have been teaching for the past
month or so. Lydia has been a best friend to Reema, and really,
because of her, Reema chose a path that makes her happy.
"With malice toward NONE, and charity for ALL" is the only thing that
will unite us as a human family. If we recognize the one simple truth
that everything we have comes from God, and if we look to fill our
lives with truth, light, and love... we will be happy. We will be able
to remember, even after times of weakness and darkness, that "God is
good... all the time!" and we can help brighten someone's day because
of the smile on our face. God is the source of truth, light, and love.
We are God's children, and we have that light within us... we just
have to uncover it, and let it shine! One small act of love, followed
by another... and another... will change the world.
I love all of you. I'm grateful for all of you and each experience
I've had with each of you, because that's how we grow. Through
experiences, good and bad. I'm mindful of you in my prayers, and again
I hope I can be in yours as well.
Laus Deo is latin for "praise be to God."
Love,
Elder Brett Simper
-PS- I attached a picture of us and Reema. Warning, the picture is
botched. Almost as botched as Brown Clown's face.
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