August 20, 2012
Hello family!
Real quick to clear up confusion I saw in some emails from you- my Preparation Day is still on Mondays. There are sometimes some weeks where the day will change due to holidays or other reasons. Like next week, for example, we will probably do emails on Tuesday instead because the Brantford library will be closed on Monday for some reason. I'll try to be better at letting you know ahead of time :) Also, I will be doing emails as early as 1 or 2 PM eastern time from now on. At least while I'm here in Brantford :)
Well, it has been a great week. We have visited many homes and talked to many people. We started a weekly hour of volunteering at a long-term care facility when they bowl on a shuffleboard table on Friday afternoons. We have met with the bishop here in Brantford to re-commit to him and make sure he knows we are on his team, and we have set goals to meet with many members and help make the spirit of missionary work spread like wildfire. We don't coerce or persuade anyone to "join the church." We are to create an atmosphere where people may feel the spirit of the Lord, and we are to teach, testify, and invite them to come unto Christ. How do we create atmospheres where the spirit can be felt? We share love, we share the Gospel. The love must be real and genuine, not phony. If it is phony, the spirit will not be there. And we teach simple truths. At the foundation of everything we teach, is the simple but powerful truth that God is our loving Heavenly Father. Everything He has done for us, every purpose for having the Gospel plan, the reason why we are here on this Earth, the reason for all the good and bad experiences we have, is because our Father in Heaven loves us. We are here to learn and grow. Ultimately, to learn how to LOVE the way HE loves us. So, love is the foundation of what we teach and how we teach. We're trying to use the same template to share spiritual messages with members of the ward, not just to those who are investigating the church. We're trying to create atmospheres for the members where they can feel the spirit of God. This is how we are hoping to spread the fire of missionary work! We are working really hard, and I am really coming to know for myself how fulfilling it is to be diligent in doing the Lord's work. I have faith that, as long as we are diligent and faithful, Elder Pitre and I will find those who are prepared to hear and receive the gospel of Christ! It is exciting!
I have been really bad at taking and sending pictures lately. I will try to be better! One thing I've noticed lately is how well I know my way around here in Brantford and in some surrounding cities. When I first arrived, I thought I would never get to know my way around! I actually wanted to buy a GPS. But I'm glad I didn't- its nice to just learn your way around. It also lets me think of this area like a second home. It was pretty chilly this morning. I guess it actually starts getting cold in Canada around this time. Not that cold, and its only in the mornings for now-- but its definitely just around the corner! I've also taken some time to realize more of how Canadians talk. People always say "Pardon?" or "Pardon me?" instead of "What?" or "Huh?" like Americans like me do. I've also noticed how "Mmm-hmm" is something people say, or hum, much louder and much more often in conversations than I notice in the States. I am still hanging on to my American vocabulary, the only Canadian (or non-So-Cal) thing that I've started saying a lot is "pop" instead of "soda." Because I felt weird saying soda when everyone says pop. Sometimes I do the "mmm-hmm" thing just to try it out, but I don't like it.
I better get going. I miss all of you, and I love you. I'm grateful for all of you. You are in my prayers. I hope you all have a great week!
Laus deo.
Love,
Elder Simper
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