Brantford, Week 8

July 9, 2012

Hey family!

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July and a good week! It has sure been hot up here. I didn't know how hot and humid it gets here. A few of the days were about 40 degrees C, which you double and add 30 and get approximately what it is in F. So thats about 110 degrees. But it just felt like 110 with the "humidex" which is like a wind chill, but the opposite... and with humidity, not wind... obviously. So yeah, for some reason I was expecting more mild summers. But that's not the case! I've never sweat more in my life. But that's okay. Its been a pretty good week. Most of our teaching appointments cancelled, so we spent most of our time trying to find new people to teach through street-contacting. But its been good for me. I'm pretty sure I've lost a few pounds just this week alone. I've been eating a lot of salads too, which, I know-- is not like me. But its been helpful. I was also glad to get out and talk to people more this week. We did not do as much finding in the weeks before, partly because we had lots of appointments, which is good... but it was still good to see that my talking-to-people skills were not as rusty as they, for some reason, felt.

I think I said I would try to take pictures this week. I failed... sorry! I will try again.

I've been thinking a lot this past week about unity, and happiness. And I think part of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" says it best: "Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." These principles can be applied to individuals, marriages, entire families, single parents, any and all relationships. It takes work to achieve unity. Sometimes it feels like we will never be able to reach our goals, or it feels like we are stuck in situations that we cannot get out of. But living these principles will always make you free. But you have to want it, you have to work for it. All things of value require that you work for it.

I want to spend a little more time with personal emails this week... so I'm ending this shorter than usual.

I love you all. You're all in my prayers.

Love,
Elder Simper