Week #3 with PICTURES!!!

Dear Mother, 
 Well, your week sounds like it was jam packed with Kimzey madness! Do you like Kaylee's husband? I bet you do because he seemed really nice for the like few times I saw him. Oh I say things don't worry! I'm not like a blabber-mouth but that's not me anyways! I usually just like to listen. I think that's something important in life, because people aren't willing to listen if you aren't. I could spend all day saying my beliefs but I've noticed from past things in my life that when I've done that people just shut off. So I'm working on just asking good questions which is hard because I don't know exactly what they say back but that's alright I'm learning!

 One thing that I've learned here the best is how to take babysteps! Also, how to stay positive about myself! I've just learned that negativity and self-doubt aren't from God and really just focus on the gifts you have because like the scriptures say if you can't receive a gift why would God give you more gifts? Anyways, that's what I've learned. I've grown a lot, but it's definitely been something painful in a way more like emotionally and spiritually. I think Elder Heder and I have discussed that really well it's almost like if we weren't going through a trial or something that's hard it'd be more worrying because then we aren't progressing. So now, oddly enough, I thank heavenly father for all of my trials. ANYWAYS, sorry for the tangent, I've heard from Corey. But really short as usual. Ya, I'd love his letters! Umm well we have like 2 or 3 investigators and none showed up to church  :( I don't know why one of them usual shows up every week! Hopefully he is alright. We call them amis de l'eglise.(friends of the church)  The language is actual really good for how long I've been here. Ya, I'm not like fluent but who would be after 2 1/2 weeks! The food is good. Like I told carli we have moose meat now and are going to try it! We don't eat much with members because it's hard to talk about missionary work or invite the spirit when you are eating. But I have plenty to eat no worries! Hmmm...spiritual had to be with Dominique. He is returning and Pres. Fortina came with us to see him and we gave him a blessing and it was really spiritual! I didn't understand much but that's alright. Some days I just understand a ton and others everything goes over my head! That's alright as long as I'm progressing. I'm studying the Spirit and Doctrine and Covenants (I have a goal to finish it while I'm here). They are really cool! Anyways, have a good week! 
Love, Elder Kimzey III

Hey Dad!  Oh I didn't know they were having that!(there was a big bike race in Quebec this last week)  I live like 3 hours from Quebec City so I wouldn't have heard or seen anything.  I like that quote from Elder Bednar!  So true.  I don't think I comprehend the enabling power.  I mean I've seen it but sometimes I don't show enough faith it!  Bro. Taylor is always really good with history is that because his mother was into it?  That's too bad she died though, but she was in so much pain that I'm sure she is in a better place!  The Plan of Salvation is such a unique and cool thing to teach people.   That's too bad all the cool teams lost!  I will probably hear about BYU loosing from Elder Heder.  After all, he plays for them!  But really he tries not to talk about it so he can focus on missionary work.  I respect him for that!  Really only 12 days?  She must know a lot of Spanish!  That's funny that that is your advice because that's exactly what I've learned this week!  I'm obviously still perfecting it but, as I told mom, I really have learned to love life and myself more which is awesome!  Still working on it but ya!  I know it's hard for me to do the things but I do them anyways because I know that's how I will grow!  Elder Heder tells me that the fear of knocking doors never really goes away, it's still there a little, but you learn just to do it.  I think that's so true about life.  So often we want trials to go away, but really it's in learning to overcome again and again is how we progress, because opposition is always there so we just have to learn how to deal with it!  It's really funny though here because people are so to themselves especially when we are around on the streets, but at the doors people are SO funny!  Like this one ladies' first words when she opened it was 'don't I look beautiful?!"  Because she had been painting and was in like a raggy t-shirt and shorts.  It was funny!  We are going to see her again which hopefully will go well!  I've learned the power of being positive.  Ya I had heard it but being grateful I think is one of the most powerful tools we have to lighten our days especially when we are grateful to God!  Elder Heder said he is excited to meet you and mom and the family because I brag about you guys a lot.  But it's been a good week.  Hard as usual but I like it that way! Hardest part is waking up I think!  But I slept deep enough last night that I'm ready to go!  I hope all is well in Israel!  Well, that is, the Ward!  Have a great week Dad!

Elder Kimzey III

Week #2

Bonjour!
 Your week sounds busy but fun! I was going to say you mentioned you were going to Atlanta last week but you didn't say why. That's really cool though. I don't know why the Italians made a drink like that..gross! I'm glad Jacob's wedding went well. Thanks for the great quote.
Speaking of baptism, one of our investigators agreed to be baptized! How we found him (more like he found us...in a way) was when we went to visit a less-active he was there because he was her friend. It has been really cool. He is a super good man who has been through a lot lately. He got in an accident that he is recovering from, and both his parents died within 6 months of each other but I know it has prepared him for the gospel! It has been a hard week but I think I will get more use to it. I just feel timid here, but hopefully I can get over that. I feel like once I do I can really be myself here. For some reason I just am scared to talk to people which is frustrating because I don't want to be! My comprehension of French is accelerating really fast! But my speaking needs some work. It's hard because I know what they are saying I just can't respond. So we are trying to get me more involved with lessons. The work here is booming,well more than it was before we came. We are working with the less-actives and really trying to strengthen them. We have been working with a man who is returning to church after falling away for a while. He is super cool and you can tell he just wants to change. Door to door and street contacting aren't really affective. It can take up time but really we want to be effective not busy. Of course, we sometimes tract but only when we don't have something else. We have had a lot of lessons here which is really good. Elder Heder does most of the talking but I am learning. We had FHE with a family returning to church and they are super strong. The dad leaves for 8 weeks for work, comes back for 2 days then leaves again. Crazy! The mother is so strong it's ridiculous. I'm going to answer mom's questions through you. Sorry haha.
 1. How is your companion? My companion is good. He seems positive. 
 2. How is the weather? The weather is good. It's starting to get colder...oh no! I bought a score of a jacket at the Fripperie the other day (it's like a DI sort of). We do service there also by just loading clothes going to the needy. It's super cool and fun! 
3. Do most people in your area speak french only? Ya, there is one lady that is fluent in English. The rest want to learn English for work and because it's useful so they try speaking it sometimes because I don't know what they are saying sometimes. But ya no worries I have PLENTY of opportunities to hear only french!
 4. Do you serve in a branch or a ward? Is it small or big? I serve in a branch of 76 with around 25 attending so it's small. The branches boundaries are huge. The Branch President travels 5 hours every other weekend for church! Crazy!
 5. If we wanted to write a "real" letter, do we send it to the mission home? No, you send it to my address s 365 rue Pierre D'anjou QC, Canada. Hopefully that works. 
6. Did you get to teach a lot this week? We teach a lot of cool less-actives! Most of them came to church this week which was cool to see. We are really trying to take care of the sheep we have so that the Lord can trust us with new sheep. So, we taught Soeur Woods (the Engish fluent) and she is really nice she gave us food! Her husband actually sat in on the lesson for the first time either ever or for a long time crazy! Then, we taught Soeur Bujold, super nice lady who wants to go to the temple and get endowed. Also, we taught the others I've mentioned. OH, Chantalle and Yvan Plourde! Nicest family who has been through a lot. Yvan has a smoking problem but is a great father. Chantalle is super nice and super strong. She just loves the gospel! Hmmm...I'm sure there is more but I can't remember. Oh Steve! (see next question). Oh and we taught some Jehovah's Witnesses...they were super nice but weren't too open to the gospel..just kept throwing scriptures at us before we could finish talking! But hopefully they got something out of our meeting. 
7. what is the best story of the week? Well, I invited steve to be baptized and he said yes! He seems SO excited! He speaks super fast and has the most Quebecois accent ever but he super nice. 
Well, Thanks for the letter! This is response to both mom and dad!
 Thanks/Love, Elder Kimzey III

email to carli (elder kimzey's younger sis)

Bonjour!  I'm doing great!  Ya my week was pretty fun, really tiring!  I was so tired that one night I fell asleep in my white shirt and tie.  Elder Heder tried to wake me up but apparently I didn't.  I woke up in the middle of the night really confused because I didn't remember falling asleep and I was still in my missionary clothes.   It's just fun here.  The members are super funny and nice.  I liked michigans they are fun...ish.  What are 1/1's?  That's good that you're improving!  Sometimes improving is better than being the best because you have something to strive for where as being the best is kind of empty because your journey is over.  Joy is in the journey!  Oh man now you're going to get even better at Family History!  My companions name is Elder Heder...I thought I told you last week haha.  My mission president is President Patrick.  He seems really cool and smart.  I only talked with him a little bit.  He likes to give hugs...everyone here does (well Elders and Elders of course).  It was weird at first but I got use to it.  Ummm ya I've had some.  Steve (an investigator) accepted our invitation to be baptized and asked for a blessing which was super cool!  Ummm on Preparation Day I like to read to be honest.  Sounds lame but it's super fun to me.  Just to relax and read.   Well, hope you have a good week! 
Love,
Elder Kimzey III

Bon Jour Ca-nadia!

Bonjour! 

 Comment ça va?  My companions name is Elder Heder and he is from Pleasant Grove, UT.  He is spending his last bit on his mission training me which is cool.  They sent me to Rimouski which is North of all the big cities but it's world renown for it's sunsets.  We have been too busy with stuff to stop and watch but one day!  We don't get packages or letters sent to the mission office until a month from now because it's a 4 hour drive (or more I can't remember) to Montreal.  So, it's just me and my companion up here in Rimouski!  The weather is perfect actually! 

 A great experience was when on the fifth door we knocked in Quebec City in an apartment complex thingy this family from Napal answered and let us in like right off the bat.  It was crazy!  It's too bad that we couldn't teach them again because we aren't serving in Quebec City we just had to stay there for traveling reasons.  My apartment is huge!  Well, for only two of us.  We have our own washer and dryer but the dryer sounds funny when you start it but it's fine.  I liked our mission president!  I don't get to see him a lot but oh well. Tell Dad thanks for the letter I probably don't have time to write you both but tell him hopefully Djockovic can win and that was cool insight on the parable! I got to go.

  Have a good week!

Elder Kimzey

Au Revoir MTC!

Ok, so my first layover is in Detroit but I only have an hour total there so not enough to make a call.  So, I can call early in the morning because I leave at 7:30 but I have to be on the plane at 7 so like 5 or 5:30.  I would call you from Canada but that would be too expensive.  I was going to send that letter of multiple choice but I got it Saturday night so it'd be pointless to send now.
  This week has been up and down like usual.  I leave tomorrow.  I love the temple video!  I like it more than the old one.  My French is alright.  Still has a long way to go.  The problem is like when I get in teaching settings I mind blank of all the stuff I already know how to say in my head.  
The best thing about the MTC has been my district.  They are SO funny!  I will send pictures when Elder Choi emails me them in a week or so.  He is leaving today for Madagascar...CRAZY!  His flight takes two days ugh stinks for him! 
 I got the package from Grandma/Grandpa Hawaii tell them thanks!  I would send them a letter but I would have to send it tomorrow and I'll be in Montreal! :D  (yes...I did just use an emoticon..no judging). 
 I didn't forget to pack anything but just so you know I might go overweight with my bags so there will be a fee if I do.  I don't need to send anything home right now, maybe I will when I get to Montreal.  I don't really know what I'm actually going to use there so I'll get back to you on that. 
 My companion doesn't say that much but he sort of implies that I'm good at French.
  I didn't have to speak in Church once (benefits of being a Zone Leader in my branch!). 
 My pin # is it ...?  I can't remember.  I won't be able to call on my last layover.  Will you be busy at 5/5:30?  This week has been fun but harder than usual.  I think Satan was trying harder this week.  I know that sounds dramatic but like it was so hard this week with stuff, but I made it through it!  Talk to you soon!  Wait, should I call Chelsea/Skyler or no?  They probably need there sleep haha. (Chelsea is not what you would call a morning person...)
Well love you tons!

Elder Kimzey III

Dear Sister Kimzey,(carli's letter)

I'm here to sadly inform you that you have sent this email to the wrong person.(carli sent corey's letter to casey) haha  Sorry I had to laugh because I started reading and thought, "wait I wrote her!"  Tell mom the backyard is going to be amazing when I get home! (just in time for when corey gets married...lets face it his going to get married fast women like flock to his smily face).  I'm going pretty well.  I will talk to you tomorrow.  It might just be you and me because it's going to be early in the mornin'!  But my companions good.  I've grown to love him.  I've just been getting ready to leave.  Sad that I won't see some of them for a LONG time.  Maybe I will be companions with one of the other three Quebecois missionaries but probably not.

 I'm sorry I answered Corey's questions but you didn't ask me any that were for me...Oh well! 

 Talk to you soon,

Elder Kimzey