11/18/2008

Hello Everyone,

Things are going really really well here. Like I said last week we had my first baptism, this week we should have 6-8 more, then the week after we should have seven more. Its crazy here, we are running everywhere and don't really have enough time to do everything that needs to get done, but we are working our hardest, so we can only pray that everyone. Will continue to be excited for their baptisms. The group this weekend is a group of teenagers, they are all 14-15 and one of them was converted with his mother about a year ago. During the last years when the missionaries have been there, at one time or another they have all listened in. They are all really really cool, because they are genuinely interested in the gospel and doing things right. The second group next weekend, is more of a mix of people we have been working with. In one example, we have a family that converted, everyone but the mom, because she smokes. Well her niece is living there too. Last week we were thinking, and asked her why she wasn't baptised. She said she hadn't received an answer to her prayers. We asked the family about her and was thinking, they said that she wasn't interested, and most likely wouldn't accept an invitation. Well we talked with her invited her to be baptised, the action of faith in accepting the invitation was enough to receive an answer. She has been very firm in going to Church, and it was great when one of the members asked about who she was and everything, she explained, then to add on, said that she is going to be baptised and was very excited about it. Another family Joel and Ana, they are golden and we have been working with them for a long time, Ana received an answer our second visit and we have just been working with Joel, he is an awesome person doing everything right, living a Mormon life without the blessings, the holy ghost and covenants in the temple. But he isn't very religious, but we have him changed now and he is really wanting to go to church and do all the things necessary.The other couple I talked about last week is doing good, he went to church and started contacting all the old missionaries that he liked, and the Elders that baptised him. I think when I told people about them last week I didn't explain right, we are trying to be their friends, help them strengthen their relationship with each other by being friends sharing little messages, we are pretty careful about not doing or saying anything stupid. With all the things we are trying to do, Elder Bemuyal is a district leader and something is wrong with one of the other Elders in our district for some reason he isn't working as effectively. So we are going to be spending lots more time with them for the rest of this transfer, or for the next two weeks. This week too I had my first churrasco, I don't know how to spell it, its a BBQ but different. It wasn't a true gaucho Churrasco but it was close enough for me. Tons of meat and potato salad, very good. And making me hungry now.

Bronson, I send almost all my pictures home you just need to wait for them to get there. Ask Jen what the URL is for my blog, all the pictures should be there too. The pictures of my baptism are here with me and I didn't bring a cable of any kind so we are going to have to wait until I send the next card home. Actually I just looked at the old emails and here is the URL for almost all of my pictures and what not www.elderjacobsimpson.blogspot.com

We are really being blessed here, I understand basically everything now, there are still a few people with a little less education that I don't understand everything. I can communicate almost everything that is necessary and some things that aren't, my problem is I think so fast that I don't take the time necessary to conjugate the verbs 100% right. They are very close but I need to slow down a little and speak more correctly. In fact I think people understand my about the same as people in English. Its so much easier to talk to yourself. Oh for addresses, I send Sean a letter using the package address, I don't know if it worked but I don't know why it shouldn't. I don't have the address for Jesse and Nathan still. So if someone could track down the package address or mission home I would be very grateful. Love you all, do whats right and don't be stupid.

Elder Simpson