I'm not cold!

Cher maman,
Salut! Winter has arrived here too! It hit the negatives the other day! That was exciting. But the cool thing was I wasn't cold! Thermals and good jackets help haha. Oh really it'll get as high as 9? haha Ya it's not that bad. I actually kind of like it. For now. Ask me in a couple of months what I think ha. I love carli's theme! It made me laugh out loud (LOL..? didn't know I'd actually use that in a sentence until now).

 I'm glad you did so many temple sealings! I was afraid
Carli was going to fill the whole house with temple work to do! OH YAA!!! Tell Chelsea happy birthday! I have lost track of what the days were so it's a late happy birthday but happy nonetheless! :) 

 I'm so glad carli did so well!...

Oh I love Elder Maynes talk it was awesome! Oh good I'm glad you're using running quotes. Running and life and pretty similar if I do say so myself. Don't get me started on all my running analogies:) 

 Umm at Christmas we can either call or skype but I'm not quite sure which one to do.   Skype would be cool but it'd be a lot harder! 

 Anyways, my week!! It's Elder Heder's last week with me and so today we go down to Quebec City and tomorrow

he leaves on a bus to go to Montreal and I stay with the Quebec Zone leader for Tuesday then my new companion (Elder Murphy) comes that night! It should be good stuff! I'm sad Elder Heder is leaving though. He really has changed my life. It's hard to really write it in words. You know how I'm really hard on myself? Thanks to him I'm not near as hard and my life just feels that much more positive! He
works hard like no one I've met. He is friendly and just has a way with people. He is just amazing. I hope you can meet him that would be a dream come true! I couldn't have asked for a better trainer!!
This week we had a baptism of S.!!! Oh man I'm so excited! We baptized him in the Cegep (like a college and a high school mixed together) pool which was funny but super cool. A member was going to do it (like it should happen) but cancelled two hours before so Elder Heder did it. That night we also had a Souper (dinner) with the Branch right after and right after that a fireside where President Fourtina talked about how the church works. Then, we had transfer
calls so that was an intense night. Sunday Steeve was confirmed and I had to do it...scary stuff. I did it well I thought. I just tried to follow the Spirit. So he's a member officially now!! He will get the Aaronic Priesthood soon which will be cool. He is an amazing Quebecois man. I hope someday you can meet him! Then most of the rest of our weekend was saying goodbye's for Elder Heder. It was sad,
but cool to see how much he has touched people's lives here. He truely is an amazing person and missionary! Well, let's see what else...I can't think of anything other than the baptism because it was just so great!

 I'm glad to be a missionary! Have a great week!
Elder Kimzey III



Dear father I,
My week was great! It's freezing and I love it! It snowed like crazy this weekend. 

 OHH outback the joys of bread and Aussies. That's too bad BYU lost. I'll have to break the news to Elder Heder. Oh, how's tithing settlement? Oh ya I forgot to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I forgot because we already past it here.

 I love those insights. It's true the last thing you said. President Hinckley once said that the best remedy for things is to turn to help others. It's true. It's funny how that work. God made us that way on purpose I think. That everytime we turn in-ward nothing is fixed and it get worse almost self-inflicted really. But when we turn outward things just seem to work out. I have really found that out on my
mission. Forget myself and go to work. Still a work in progress but it's the journey not the end that counts! We had around 21 people at church with a huge storm so that's really good! Sorry your letter is short but I said a lot more in Mom's letter and I'd figure you'd read it. Dad, thanks a lot.
Elder Heder asked me (in a long car ride back from Quebec City) things I've learned from you that make a good dad. It really opened my eyes and I'm sorry I'm not very grateful all the time for what you've done for me. Your example and  really saved me... You were always there for me and really a great father. Not perfect, but greatness isn't measured by perfection, but by effort and I can say that my dad gives more effort than he is ever given credit! So thanks!
Have a great week! Love you tons!
Elder Kimzey III

I love it here and never wanna leave!

Ma Maman Préférez,
Bonjour! Ya, the temperatures soared this weekend to like 50* F (Ya, that's funny to say haha). There's another Thor movie? Cool!

Well, I'm glad carli did so well! She sounds like a master-runner now. She learned from the best:) Nike is the best!! I can't wait for her to see the atmosphere there and just how fun it is! Tell her not to be a stick in the mud like me and just go crazy at the t-shirt exchange. Tell her also that she has to somehow get either the hat or bag for me from someone (not for coach holt) :)
I love the temple! I get to go to Montréal for that right before
Christmas!!! What a present to the dead souls in spirit prison!! Ok now to respond to your number bullets! 

 1. We got a letter from Elder Heder! You have to tell him how nice that was, and that I'm hoping to make it up for his homecoming...

 He wrote you? Man he pulled a fast one on me I didn't even know! Ya, that'd be really cool! I would love for you to meet him!!
2. I was thinking at the temple- do your youth ever get a chance to go or is it too far?

 Ummm we don't really have youth here. Our only youth are moving. About 70% of our members are 50 or older. But no one really goes a lot but we are making a trip next month which is really fun!!
3. Putting together a xmas package, any request? did you get my envelope?

 No, the address was wrong sorry my bad it's 365 pierre d'anjou number 6. So sorry about that! Ummm I enjoy food, letters, scarfs, warm things, ties, and the works, but most of all I just want to see you have a great time:) Well, I guess hear not really see haha.
4. Tell us about the best lesson you taught this week...

 Best lesson was yesterday with a less-active. We finally got a

member to come with us to go see her another day and then we went a second time with the same member. She really enjoys him being there.
It finally clicked for her that Satan was trying really hard to
confuse her and that when she stopped doing the right things that it was harder not to be confused. She said when she started reading again she just felt it was a lot easier. It was cool to see that finally click!
5. What are you personally studying?

 I'm personally studying PMG, Book of Mormon, and just certain subjects. Today I went through my patriarchal blessing and just sparked into another subject about just forgetting yourself and how when you do everything for others you see the most growth in your life. Also, thank dad for me. I read my setting apart blessing all the time and it really helps me out! So, if it wasn't for him I would have remembered all that and I wouldn't have that great blessing!

Well, that's about it. Sorry it's not WAY long but I wrote more to dad and I still have to write Carli. Time is flying too fast here!
In a couple days it'll be 4 months out. That's crazy talk! I just
realized that. Aw that's not fun to think about. I love it here and never wanna leave! Especially Rimouski! People here are great!
Well, have a great week! -Elder Kimzey

19 months to go!

Dear Awesome Mother,
Ya, weather here is getting cold fast! First bit of snow! Oh no
don't get sick! At least you learned well from whoever this wise one is :) Ya, I heard you made caramel apples and you and dad ate carli's haha. Italy?? Awe man I've always wanted to go there!
Italian is on my top 5 languages to learn! But that'll be fun! Ya, I'm sure you could pick up Corey, but wouldn't you want to go to Italy in the summer not March? Ya, missionary work is a hot topic! It's so cool to see how people are starting to work together more because of this hastening of the work! Well, question answer time! 

#1- did you get a package from the Hall's? they were pretty excited about it.

Yes!!!

Will you tell them thank you and to email me or give me their email so
I can write them all because I don't have their address anymore (I threw away the box before I thought this through). Thanks! 

#2- I sent a very small envelope directly to your apartment this week. Will you let me know if/when it gets there?

I didn't get an envelop...hopefully it gets here soon! Oh by the way use regular mail not FedEx...FedEx is so much more expensive to send here! (Wisdom of Elder Heder) 

 #3- Did you hear about the storm in Philippines? It was really bad, but Mike and Kole Wilstead are fine and Elder Wilstead said that his mission president told all the missionaries that for the remainder of his mission (so at least 7 months) that they were all changing to service missionaries.

Oh ya I saw that on a TV (I wasn't watching just saw a giant storm and caught my attention). What

happened? That's good that they are all ok and that'd be a cool experience to be a missionary there right now!

 #4- Are most of the citizens in Rimouski from Canada? Or are some immigrants?

Some students are immigrants but out here it's mostly Quebecois people. In big cities it's A LOT of immigrants. Elder Heder was saying that he's gotten to

know like 130 different nationalities of people while he served in Montreal area. 

 #5- So I just looked up when Canada's thanksgiving is- October???? What??? I missed it! Do they have Turkey? 

Ya, it's in October. Not really. They don't really even celebrate it. They do that sort of thing mostly for

Christmas! 

 #6- when is the season for Hockey there? Do people really play curling (please say yes!)

Every season is hockey season! Just kidding...sort of. I don't think in the summer, but the season started about when I got here I believe and it's still going so ya. I haven't heard a lot about curling, but I'm sure they play it I just don't hear about it.

#8-When does your companion come home? 

He goes home in the next couple weeks. Sad day! But we still have a while together luckily!

  #10- tell us your favorite story of the week-

well, yesterday we had mission conference and Elder Pieper of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy came to talk with our zone (like 30 missionaries about) and I got to have an interview with him! He was super cool! He answered my one

question I had before I even had a chance to ask! Also, it just
really clicked for me this week that I've been thinking too much about myself and not about others. I worry too much about what I'm going to do or what's going to happen to me instead of how I can help THEM and things like that it was just a cool experience. 

 #11- send mom some pictures? 

I'm going to send some of the snow, but all the cool pictures are on Elder Heder's camera so I will try to get them, but who knows! 

 #12- are you needing a warmer coat? boots? have you seen snow yet?

 No, we bought everything I need here at the Friperie (it's like the DI of Quebec).

And ya snow and it's falling as we speak! Aw man...it's
tuesday...well now this week tuesday is your favorite day! Love you tons,
Elder Kimzey du Quèbec

Out with October, In with November

Bonjour!

Just so you know Bonsoir is one word but that's alright it
sounds the same:) My week was great! Always a challenge but that's the fun of it right? If we didn't progress life would be flat! Yeah it's November!!! Crazy! It came too fast! Anyways, that's so exciting carli got that award! She looks different already! I saw that Halloween picture of her and was like wait..she is different and it's only been like 3 months!! But I know she is going to be like a Senior by the end...that's weird! What was skylers dinner that he had to attend? Outback's the best! She better have ate a ton of bread
for me!
Ramsey eh? Wow. Who knew. We will see if he keeps it up.
I'll answer your questions then throw in whatever other jazz that comes to mind!

1. What are you most thankful for (and I'll add it to the list) I am most thankful for...most thankful for? There are too many things!!! Let's see my companion, Rimouski, my family (hey that's you!), the Scriptures, food (who isn't?), etc. 

2. Do you have the same format for fast and testimony meeting? do a lot of members bear their testimonies? Ummm I can't remember what the format is là-bas mais I think it's the same. The majority of the people get up just because there's not hundreds of us.

So, that's kind of cool.

 3. How many people attend your branch now?Well, this week it was around 16 so that's pretty good considering so many people went to the hospital or are sick this week!

 4.  How long does it take to get to church?It only takes a couple minutes to get to our church. It's on the main road. The problem is parking. Every. Single. Parking Space is reserved parking! Frustrating but that's just how it is here. There are like exceptions to when you can park and stuff so you just have to be aware basically.

 5. Are you mostly in a car?Ya, our area is too big to not have a car. We would be late to everything! It's the big city places that don't really have cars because their area isn't

that big. Our area is huge though and we always use our mileage. 

6.gonna get cold here (like high of 55 degrees casey!) is it starting to get cold there? any snow?

It's 1* C right now but it's been -2* C at times which isn't like

freezing but it's cold! Just wait until it hits -40* F with wind!
But I heard after a while that becomes normal and like -10*C is like balmy haha the fun of Quebec! 

7.  DID YOU GET YOUR PACKAGES????

YES!! Thank you for the package it was super nice! I love the talk you sent. It's a video at the MTC that I loved a lot so that was cool to read again and compare my notes from then. Also, all the food! I may have ate it all too fast but it

was worth it! haha But thanks again! 

8. I heard you have thanksgiving there- is it the same as here?

Yes, it's in October too so it already passed and no it's more just like a day off not really anything special. It was kind of lame but hey I'm not in Kansas anymore...I'm in good ole RIMOUSKI! It's pretty amazing here. The people are interesting and really closed, but that's alright it makes

it that much more special! Let's see...ya that's about it. I may
have forgot something. We are still working with less actives and that has been fun. I have really got to know some of them and they are amazing people! Not a TON of new investigators but hey that's alright we just try our best! I have learned so much. If I could just express my week in words I would but a mission is meant to be lived really. It's an experience beyond words!

Well, I love you
tons!

 Have a good, fun week in good ole St. George!
Elder Kimzey III