Such a busy week here in Perth Amboy…
First off HAPPY BIRTHDAY mom!!!! Crazy that it is already
December and your birthday. The time truly is flying... I hope you had a great
day.
I was so happy to hear that we were able to go to the temple on your birthday! What a blessing. Funny story actually. We were supposed to get their at 8 AM but we were late because we had to take some busy trains into NYC. So we got their late and missed the session. Then they let us to proxy baptisms and confirmations for a while. We went with the whole zone so their was about 20 of us missionaries there and we all got to baptize and confirm and everything. It was funny we would go into the font and do about five names and then switch places and do another five names. Felt kind of like Joseph Smith being baptized. Way fun. So we all prepared then for the 11:00 session. I was all in white sitting in the waiting chapel and this super cool Elder, Elder Hughes, called to me to come out to the hall and he showed me a picture and said do you know who this is?? Ha it was a picture of him and Alexis (Ben's sister that lives in NYC) that they just took on the street. He had left with two other missionaries to grab a gyro and then had ran into Lex! So I really just was in shock and quickly changed everything, locked my locker and took the key and ran out of the temple and there she was! Ha we just ran and hugged each other. We went outside and got to talk for about 10 min then we had to go. So cool though. Crazy that everything really happened perfectly that she was there to see Elder Hughes on the street and that Elder Hughes knew me. I had actually been talking with him earlier that day and we were just joking around and he said "we are going to see your sister today for sure." He was just joking but it was so insane. It was pretty special. I told President in an email and we will see what he says... But yeah cool. But that still does not mean that anybody else can come and see me. She is the only exception!!! Ha. Plus, listen to this, a French person walked into our session right at the end and so we had to see the old movie do to translation problems!!! Ha I will have wait until June!!
I was so happy to hear that we were able to go to the temple on your birthday! What a blessing. Funny story actually. We were supposed to get their at 8 AM but we were late because we had to take some busy trains into NYC. So we got their late and missed the session. Then they let us to proxy baptisms and confirmations for a while. We went with the whole zone so their was about 20 of us missionaries there and we all got to baptize and confirm and everything. It was funny we would go into the font and do about five names and then switch places and do another five names. Felt kind of like Joseph Smith being baptized. Way fun. So we all prepared then for the 11:00 session. I was all in white sitting in the waiting chapel and this super cool Elder, Elder Hughes, called to me to come out to the hall and he showed me a picture and said do you know who this is?? Ha it was a picture of him and Alexis (Ben's sister that lives in NYC) that they just took on the street. He had left with two other missionaries to grab a gyro and then had ran into Lex! So I really just was in shock and quickly changed everything, locked my locker and took the key and ran out of the temple and there she was! Ha we just ran and hugged each other. We went outside and got to talk for about 10 min then we had to go. So cool though. Crazy that everything really happened perfectly that she was there to see Elder Hughes on the street and that Elder Hughes knew me. I had actually been talking with him earlier that day and we were just joking around and he said "we are going to see your sister today for sure." He was just joking but it was so insane. It was pretty special. I told President in an email and we will see what he says... But yeah cool. But that still does not mean that anybody else can come and see me. She is the only exception!!! Ha. Plus, listen to this, a French person walked into our session right at the end and so we had to see the old movie do to translation problems!!! Ha I will have wait until June!!
Last night we did a big Christmas Spanish devotional in
Union City Chapel for all the Spanish members/investigators/recent converts. It
was all 130 of us Spanish missionaries and we sang a bunch of
Christmas songs and carols. It was way fun. We got to sleep in the zone leaders
in the apartment in Union City. Its fun because my companion is an x-zone
leader and kinda old in the mission so he knows almost all the missionaries and
he always has fun connections. Union City is crazy. I guess its the most
densely populated city in the United States. They are just houses and buildings
everywhere. Its a rush but I love it.
The weather here finally turned into real winter. It snowed
about 3-4 inches on Saturday and the whole town shut down. Ha it was kind of
funny. They almost cancelled church because of the weather and all the schools
got out, ha something that never ever happens in Park City. It was funny. But
it really feels like winter now. Nice and icy cold. Love it.
So S___ and Ch___ broke up and split up this past week.
Yeah sounds sad but it is actually a good thing. She is so ready to be
baptized but she couldn't because of law of chastity problems. So now she is
ready. She really just deserves someone better than him. She has had a rough
life. ..... The Gospel has changed
her life though. She really understands it. She understands what obedience is
all about. She told us, while we were teaching obedience one day, that she
believes that laws are set by God for us to be happy. When we break those laws/
commandments we are choosing to distance ourselves form God and, therefore,
happiness... YES! S___ that is exactly right. So cool.
We are still teaching Ch--- as well. He is just hard to get
to. But really the Gospel and The Book of Mormon have changed his life. When we
met him he was so stubborn and said he didn't believe in God. Now he is on Alma
3 last time we checked and he just loves reading the book of Mormon. The words
and the Spirit have hit him so strong. He has broken down in tears in front of
us a few times. The Spirit really was changed him. This guy has gone from a
hard core gang life to reading the Book of Mormon and changing his life.
This work has been absolutely the best out here. God has
blessed me so much with such an amazing family, body , and testimony. And now
he has blessed me with an amazing companion/trainer, an amazing mission,
amazing branch, and everything. I get all the luxuries of being in the US but
all the culture of the Hispanic world. I feel so blessed!!! This life truly is
a happy life and I can base it all on just living the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and doing what God would have me do and it is all possible through His
Son, Jesus Christ.
I am loving life. Thank you so much family for your
support and love. I know you miss me ( At least I hope so.... Ha) but this work
out here needs me now. Heavenly Father needs me here and give it all I've got. I
have had the greatest impressions all week that everything is going to work
out! I read a talk a few weeks ago and it said: The Plan of Salvation is
not a level playing field! It favors you and it favors your
happiness.
The church is true,
With love,
Elder Sumsion
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| Elder Sumsion emailed last week and said he got to go to the temple on Thursday so Alexis (his sister who lives there) sort of went on a "jog" about the same time. Yahoo! It was a great birthday present for me to get this text! |
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| NYC temple |
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| Gyros with Elder Brimley |
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| Snow in Perth Amboy, NJ |
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