Time...

NOOOOOO..... well time is running thin.  I can't freaking believe that I have one week left on my mission.  Triste (sad)...really.  It hadn't really hit me until last night.  I was thinking about my transfers in Brussels with Elder De Mass and the very special and fond memories that I have had.  I realized how much I love Belgium. I don't really want to leave.  I am excited to see family, especially my nieces and nephews ... But I am going to miss Belgium, there is just something special about it.  
This week was pretty good.  It was also very difficult because we have a VERY difficult missionary that lives with us and we had exchanges with him and his companion and that created some arguments and ridiculousness.  Maybe it is the Lord's way of helping me be more excited to go home.  Or maybe it is just the fact that I need to learn more love and patience for difficult people.  Anywho other than that it was good.  

Tuesday Elder Berrett and I had to go to Brussels to get his legality.  That was cool, but it kinda ate up our whole day.  Elder Berrett is soooo good.  There were other new missionaries there and they were all weird and annoying haha. So I was glad to have Elder Berrett.  We also had a bunch of service this week.  We helped this lady from the Ward move.  That was fun.  Let us just say that Europeans don't know how to freaking move.  

Other than that, we have had a lot of time left for finding and porting.  We did hours and hours on end of just talking to people.  maybe the Lord is just helping me make up on all the time I missed out on finding and porting while I was Assistant and driving to the Netherlands etc.. Maybe.

Timothy is doing very well.  He went out and bought a suit for church and also we taught him about the Priesthood this week and he got and interview with the Bishop and should get it next week.  

Other fun news...  I played piano in Sacrament meeting... How do you like me now...?? That is right.  I'm cool.  I learned myself the hymn, In Humility... just mainly the top hand, but the pianist is on vacation so there was no one to play so they asked us missionaries to play... and somehow I got roped into playing.  It was less than spectacular, that is for dang sure.  

Well, I am way excited to see everyone and very excited to show you the beauties of Belgium and share with you some of my life for the last two years.  I feel like I have finally started my life.  At the end of my mission I have come to realize how important the Gospel is.  I look back before my mission.. and think, "Man I was stupid.. If only I had known all this before."  Oh well, right.. At least I know it now... I am so thankful I came on a mission. I would be absolutely nowhere if I hadn't come.  

Speaking of nowhere... I got a letter from Brett the other day and he told me that the last he heard.. Derek was in Jail for selling drugs and Greg had moved to New York with an 18 year old girl; Oh how different our lives are.  I prefer mine... my future is looking better... 

Thanks to everyone for all your love and support that you have given me on my mission.  Thanks for all your great examples.  Sorry for being such a jerk and kinda forgetting about all of you.  I  don't think I ever told anyone of you Happy Birthday or wrote you letters; I literally forgot about you a little.. so sorry, but thanks again! 

I am super excited to get to go to President Brubakers house with Elder Schmutz and his parents.  That will be SUPER SICK; I will try and set up some more appointments.. but I was just wondering when you would want to be in Charleroi and when you would want to be in Brussels.  I will try to figure that out.  

Also I have a question about my talk.  Do I have a subject or not.... ??? Let me know that way I can begin thinking and pondering about it.  Love you lots

Bisous (Kisses)

Elder Simonson

So this is our district right now and the other picture is a member family that we are teaching.  The little girl is seven and the family wanted us to help prepare her for her baptism so we are teaching her.  She is soooo cute... her name is Ketsia 
Enjoy! love ya 
ELder Von 

T-R-U-N-K-Y

What does that spell?..... Trunky!  Mom is trunky.  I knew this day would come!  But I guess I can let her be trunky because it is only two weeks away.  That is understandable.  But I will tell you what... this whole going home in two weeks thing hasn't really become real to me.  I feel the same and missionary work is still the same.  I'm not lost in a pool of trunky thoughts, at least not a whole lot.  So I guess that is good because then I am staying focused, right?  
This week was really good.  Elder Berrett is progressing a whole lot and his French is getting really pretty good.  When he wants to say something he can get it out.  He thinks that he isn't saying it right, but every time it is.  He is a good example to me.  He tries soooo hard and isn't afraid to fail.  Yes, I got my camera card a long time ago, sorry... every week I forget to tell you that I got it. 
This summer has been a really rainy one.. I think it rained almost everyday... but then again it is Belgium.  It is always sprinkling a little.  But at least it has been warm.  Not hot, not cold, just warm.  
Monday we had pday.  We went around in shops looking at stuff.  Elder Berrett still has stars in his eyes so everything is soooo cool and different, so obviously he wants to buy everything. It is funny... I find it humorous.  Tuesday we had an exchange with Elder Winkler and Hall.  I worked with Elder Winkler (the Swiss) It was an awesome day.  We taught Timothy and some recent converts.  Timothy was ready to go.  Wednesday he had his baptismal interview and passed.  We went and saw him on Friday to see if he had any questions or concerns and he didn't.  So we talked about enduring to the end and steps after baptism.  

Saturday was his Baptism.  It was a really good baptism.  I was kinda worried because I didn't think that anyone would be there.  But there were a ton of people there.  It was short, powerful, and just really good.  His Mom was so very happy for him and she is doing well and coming back strong in the church.  She had an interview with the Bishop and is back on track.  

Yesterday we had the confirmation of Timothy.  It was the Young Men's President that gave him the Holy Ghost.  It was powerful.  From the blessing that he received, it sounded like God had been waiting for Timothy to be baptized and that now that he was baptized, it was like... "Allright, now he is a member, now we can use him."  I got the feeling that the Lord has lots of things in store for this young boy.  
Friday however, was kind of a weird day.  We had Zone Conference in Bruxelles.  It was so weird.  I had kind of anticipated that it would be this huge spiritual experience where all the miracles and feelings of joy would just overcome me.. but it wasn't really that way.  It was just kinda normal.  I was happy and I felt content with my mission but it wasn't what I was expecting.  But that is ok... that isn't what was to happen.  I don't like when I think something is going to be a certain way, because then I am let down when it isn't.  It was a great Zone Conference though, exactly what I needed.  I learned an important principle that will help me through my whole life.  
So that was my week.  Benjamin is doing ok.  He is really pushed up to a wall.  He has the sincere desire to be baptized but Satan is putting a ton of opposition in his way and he just needs to show by his acts that he has the desire to be baptized.  He has to choose.  He lets things get in his way too easily.  We are praying and hoping that he will begin to put more faith in the Lord and let worldly things go.  Opposition is good because that makes him stronger... so that is the good side.  Other than that we are teaching a few new people but they are just new.  
Next week should be good and I still have time to find a sweet new person like Timothy or the Family Johnson.!!!!! Right?  Am I right?!  
Anyway.  That is that.  now a little bofiness.  YESSSS! I am in the Architecture program.. and everything is in place for me... Luckily the Lord gave me a sweet sister and mother.  That is a huge blessing for me.  I didn't have to do anything or think about anything and you guys just took care of everything.. I am so spoiled.  Thank you.  I love you sooooo much... (however... 19 freaking credits... are you trying to kill me?  haha... dang and those aren't easy classes either.)  Oh well, I will jump the fence when I get to it... right?  
Have a good week and get ready to poop yourself when you see how cool I have become....haha... See you Soon. 
Love Elder Jacob Von Simonson

Time is passing quickly...

Hola Familia.
Well I am still kicking, and things are going well.  This week was a little long and testing, but it was still a great week.  Timothy is doing amazing and he is all set and good to be baptized this Saturday on the 19th.  That is what the blessing is.  We couldn't ask for a better, more prepared person than him.  After all, that is why we are here right?  To help people to baptism and continued faith in Jesus Christ.  So we are very grateful for that and are very excited for him.  Other than Timothy and Benjamin however, we have no other investigators.  We do hours and hours of finding, knocking doors... we talk to a ton of people that aren't really interested and it gets tiring doing that day after days, but we understand that that is how it goes so we are trying to not get discouraged. 
Timothy will be baptized by a youth in our yard named Jeremie Pitters.  Jeremie is 20, African, and he wants to go a on a mission, so this has been a good opportunity for Jeremie to come teaching with us and to be able to baptize someone.  Timothy is as smart as ever.  We taught him the rest of the commandments before baptism and he understood and already lives them so it was good.  It was really funny...we asked him if he had any questions and he said,  "Uh... ya.  I have been reading in Alma where it talks about the church of the Gentiles and the things that they were doing in their church which was against the will of God," and he said,  "Were they talking about the Catholic church?  Because what they were explaining was the Catholic church exactly."  HAHA it was funny.  We told him that they were talking about any church that wasn't the church of God, but yes, that it was much like the catholic church.  He is a smart little bugger...
As for Benjamin, he is doing alright.  Progressing a little slower than we thought, but he is still really full of the desire to change and be baptized.  He called us on Monday to ask us to come over because he needed to talk to us.  He told us about some of the problems that he has had in his life and that he was sure that he had an illegitimate child somewhere out there and that he felt the responsibility of that child on his shoulders.  So he said that he wanted to take care of it before he got baptized, because he wants to be clean and ready before he is baptized.  He is a humble, sincere guy.  
Other than that we have had rain and sun off and on.. That is Belgium... and a lot of porting and finding.  We will continue, and I just need to have the hope and belief that there are people that are interested and do want to hear our message. 
SO.. that is that.  I don't really have too much else to tell you.  I keep not having too much to say these last few weeks... I am doing well and am excited to see the family.  It will be fun to see how much you have all changed and grown.  As for Jacob Barrows.. I met him the day he left the mission, which was the first day in the mission field with Elder Musters.. and then I saw him later at a Stake Conference.  Thanks for all that you do.. I have talked to a few people and a few recent converts to try and fix some appointments for when you come to visit and I will take care of that my last couple of days before you come... I am not too worried about that right now. 
Love you
=Elder Jacob Von Simonson  

Hello, Hello

Hello hello,

Well thanks for the letter.  No that was not sarcastic.  Don't worry.  Everything is going great.  We had a good week with a lot of sun and some rain.  It is going really good with Elder Berrett.  We get along great.  He is sarcastic like me so.... obviously. 

On Monday we had p-day and did a lot of errands for Elder Berrett and some shopping.  Let us just say I found the sweetest, classiest European suit for 60 euros so... ya you know how that ended.  Tuesday, We had District Meeting and went and did hours of finding and then headed to Liege for a meeting with the Zone Leaders and to do an exchange with them. 

Wednesday was our busy day.  We saw our three investigators.

Benjamin is doing good but is progressing slower than we had planned which doesn't matter at all because he has the desire and is progressing , so we are not rushing it and we will be fixing a new date this week.  We taught the Word of Wisdom this week and are going to begin working with him to help him stop smoking.  Other than that he is doing well. 

Timothy is doing soooooooooo amazing.  I love this kid.  We saw him on Wednesday as well and we taught him about the Sabbath Day.. because last week he didn't come to church.  We found out why.  I had to laugh afterwards because I was all worried that they were just being lazy and not coming to church but we asked why and the mom, Maggie said.. "Well, I drank some special herbal tea on Saturday that my friend gave me and I didn't know it was a laxative tea."  She said, "...so in the morning I couldn't even leave the bathroom, let alone the house."  HAHA.. so they are doing great. 

The Sisters had another baptism this week in the Ward.  It was a lady that was an eternal investigator.. she could never get baptized because she smoked a butt load, something like 60 cigs a day.  But finally she decided to get baptized and did her best to stop smoking.  She went down to 4 a day the week before her baptism and then she stopped.. I hope it is for good, but oh well.  She made the covenant with God.  Anyway, Timothy came to her baptism to see what it was like.  He loved it obviously and it really helped him see what it would be like.  He was asking a ton of questions.  Then he went on Ward trip with the whole Ward on Saturday... which was awesome and then he was there for church yesterday.  Also on Friday at the baptism the Bishop started talking to him and then invited him and us to come eat dinner at their house.  I love the Bishop.  So that was amazing.  He will be ready for the 19th. 

Other than that, Elder Berrett and I did a ton of finding and porting this week.  it has been good practice for him and me.  We have started keeping track of how many people we talk to in a day so that we can be more motivated to talk to more people.  So far this last week we were averaging about 30-35 people a day.  Maybe doesn't sound like much.. but we really do try hard. 

So that was pretty much my week. It was good but we just need to find so more amis. 

That is really cool about JR and his family.  we need to get them baptized... just have them over when I get back and I will share about my mission and pretty much just tell them they need to get baptized.. HAHA :)

So I am talking on the 18th... that is cool.  Good thing I still have a month, right?  I got a letter from Seth Reynolds and he was telling me how powerful and amazing Elder Demass' homecoming talk was and he was telling me that I had better do good too... so no pressure, right?  Anyway all is going great.. Thanks for the encouragement that you give me.. love you all

+Elder Von Simonson+