Stake Conference

Bonjour!

Comment ça va? Oh vous étiez prôche!(oh you were close) c'est RUH-MOO-SKI alors c'est presque le même!(it's RUH-Moo-ski but the rest is the same!) Anyways, the rest I will do in English :) AWWW they took 3rd! That's the awkward one where they should get a reward but they don't! Well, c'est la vie. But tell Byron congrats and tell him to imagine me freaking out for him! Who did he loose to? Ya they won't win state 2 years in a row...they got too smashed in JV didn't they? Plus we probably won anyways because they just copy us haha. Anyways, none of this negative smack talking what am I doing! I'm sure they worked hard to win it.
Oh they fun of paving! You know my nickname here is the paver? haha It's a long story and really is a you-have-to-be-there moments. Ya, that's one thing you learn here is that every contact is just bringing people one step closer to Christ. They may not be joining the Church lickidy split but they are closer.
C'est sept, huit est 8. (I couldn't remember the word in french for seven- it's Casey's dad's seventh tithing settlement this year)
Questions:
1. When do you go into for packages? I get my packages Wednesday actually! We got a surprise text that we had Zone Conference this week! It is something we just laugh about now. Because we didn't plan for it mileage wise!
2.  What is your favorite new french word that you have learned? mmm...new French word. haha well say je doit admettre que a lot but that's a joke. Umm...Well I'll just say some phrases: Digadoo (I don't know how to spell it it's Quèbecois) is a response to how are you; Ça bouge? Means is it moving?; I don't know how to spell this so I'll give you the phonetics Poppi is like not bad so a response to how are you again. That's all I got off the top of my head.
3. Carli wants to know how you acheived your level of awesomeness (I had to laugh- is that not the best question from carli!) wesomeness...hmmm, constant inner peace, I drink the dew of a bamboo tree daily and laughing is vital to being awesome. haha Sorry I don't know how quite to respond to that!
4. What do you think is the biggest cultural change for you in the great north?well, everyone smokes! And people aren't openly friendly. That was the biggest thing. Saying hi to someone is pretty outrageous here. But that's alright it's the French culture coming out! I love it!
5. What do you love about the people there?  love how nice the members are! They are so awesome! I don't know specifics of why I love the people...I just do! And cool stories...well yesterday we had a fête for my companion and a less-active! That was really fun and we got a lot of teaching opportunities because it's a part-member family and the two sisters there were less-active so that was good! Oh and just relationships with people this week just clicked! That's always fun..people just trust you more and it's better for everyone. Well, I will try to bring one cool story next week because J'ai oublié toutes mes histoires de la semaine!(I forgot all my stories this week!) Bon, passez une très bonne semaine! (Have a good week!) Love you TONS!
Elder Kimzey



DAD,
Hello! Quèbec is great! The language is coming and really I can participate in conversations! I mean I can't do anything complex but I'm learning so many words! That's what I've learned this week. Because I'm like a high performance personality I set unrealistic expectations and just end up failing all the time and really don't feel much achievement. BUT I learned this week just to take baby-steps and really not be afraid to mess-up a little! I mean I don't have to be an expert right from the start! Anyways, that's my lesson for the week personally. We taught 17 lessons this week and before here missionaries were teaching only a couple lessons a week. I guess my setting apart blessing is already being manifested! Crazy! I'm thankful everyday for how busy we are. It's mostly with less-actives but it's still the work of salvation! They are great though! You know how I said I would gain hardly any weight well I lied! Actually I don't even know how much exactly but I've gained about 7 lds or so so far but really winter hasn't even begun and people are feeding us like crazy now! That's alright though because if I hadn't gained any weight thus far I would be freezing! Plus I was so skinny and in shape that it'd be impossible to maintain on my mission! It really doesn't matter just a random tangent I guess! So how are you?
Oh ya Halloween is big here! People are getting ramped up for it! OK it's not like crazy big but it's like home a bit!
I like the temple stories. Temple is such a great place. We are preparing a couple returning members to go to the temple this week so that's cool! We had Stake Conference and an Area Seventy came and he spoke French which was cool but it's been 40 years so he had the most American accent and it was hard for him but it was amazing how much the Spirit helped him to remember! It was cool!
Arsenal is rolling! Well, here is amazing! Weeks fly by like days and days like hours and months seem like a week! It's so true!
Well, have a great week! Love you tons!

Elder Casey Kimzey

Knocking on doors is like a white elephant gift...

Bonjour Bonjour! 

 Comment ça va? Je vais très bien! Well, I would write all in French but then what good would that do? You'd put it into Google Translate and who knows what words it'll put into my mouth! haha Well, it's been a good week. We are really blessed out here in Rimouski! So many amazing things are happening it's ridiculous! Hmmm...ridiculous, old slang phrases...home slice is a classic. Oh, Elder Yan taught me the term "that's fresh" it's like that's cool. That could be easy to use! Oh the useful things you learn on missions haha:) Oh ya they should come down more often because then they actually write me! haha Just kidding. It was nice hearing from them though. So, how are you? Oh, I understand completely. If they want Texas Roadhouse they gotta put their shoulders to the wheelbarrow! How did the varsity boys do? I'm guessing they didn't win considering you didn't mention it. I'm glad Jason did well! He will be really good in track I can feel it! Tell him hi for me and thanks for all the good laughs in the car! Oh well tell James hi too :) Ya missions are super fun! You just meet all sorts of people and you really just understand people better! The fun thing is when you knock a door it's like a white elephant gift...you don't know what to expect! I've had some doors that just made me laugh and others send me into shock. But mostly laugh. I haven't laughed this much in a long time! It's just...fun! I've learned to just be the happy me that doesn't worry as much about what people are going to think of me. Still working on it because it's a weakness but hey c'est la vie! En tout cas, I know Dallin. Great guy! He'll do great! He was good at basketball. He's in your ward? I like President Utchdorfs talks. I can't find one that I don't like! (Ok I like all of the Apostles talks) Ya, you can't ever force people to do anything. Sad but true. You put the food down but you can't force them to eat just have a face full of food. My clothes are great! Maybe another sweater probably black. I enjoy black. Ya, it's like America. We shop at this cheap food store. It's a good place to buy fruits and stuff because they are really cheap. But everything else here is more European based. Like the apartment style of houses. They aren't like what you think would be in Metropolitan areas like Paris but other parts. He has around 1 month left...AHH don't scare me! I don't know what I'm going to do without him! Ya he's going back and playing football for them. But don't tell him I told you that. He doesn't like to talk about it because he wants to focus on his mission. So we say he has two years left haha:)

 Crazy! Of course Arsenal is going to win the one year I don't watch in like 6 years...but good for them! Who scores the most for them? Anyways, back to the more important stuff in life. Speaking is going well. I can understand most of what people say (basically everything) but then responding is harder right now. I'm in that awkward phase of understanding but not being able to speak well. It comes and goes though. Some rendez-vous I just have it and others I just can't say "comment ça va?" But that's the mission for ya! I am less anxious to talk to people yes. I still fight the feeling of just wanting to talk to members or less-actives. En tout cas, hmmm no not any funny language stories...not yet. I probably will have one this week because I'm going to speak more so I'll tell you next week! Well, my learning experience has been...oh man I have a ton...I learned that renewing our testimonies is the most important thing we can do because that's how we strengthen them. If our bases our weak, the Lord won't give us more. So, it's praying to know the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. I think we often think that once we got one answer it stays with us, but oh how easily that fades in our minds (sadly). So ya that's what I've learned! Wow, that was a long letter. Have a good week.

 Love you tons mom!
Elder Kimzey (Quebecois version)

t's starting to get cold! Next month, November, I think it will really start to drop! It's only going to get as cold as 0* C but that isn't too bad. That's like 33* F so not too frigid but the high's are like in the 40's F soo ya not toasty but Bienvenue à Quebec! Is BYU doing pretty well? I feel as if I need to root for them more now because my companions plays for them haha. Man, you've been a Bishop forever! So much sacrifice, but also so much blessings! Only 3 more years to go :) just kidding. Ya, it's amazing what people will just tell you just because they feel that your representatives of Jesus Christ. Missions are just...everything! They are fun, hard, tiring, comical (some things are just too funny that I just have to laugh afterwards), and DEFINITELY spiritual! But you can go on a mission and not be a missionary. So, I think being a missionary is key to really making it a difference. People here are basically like anyone you would meet in France. When you say just a friendly 'Bonjour comment ça va?' they look at you funny, but hey I like it...it's them! That's one thing I've learned on my mission from Elder Heder. Somethings are just...you! So love you! Ya, change if you have to but don't freak out because it's just you! How's Uncle Kyle and hunter doing by the way? You mentioned Uncle Kyle and it just made me think of them! It's really just amazing here. If I could tell you all the things I felt and have seen it would be awesome! But it's true what they always say. You can't ever express what a mission has meant to you in words. If you try they seem a lot less...amazing than they were no matter how eloquent of language you use! Oh man. Quebec...Rimouski! Good stuff! Oh we had thanksgiving here last week. It's not as big of a deal here. Basically just a day off of school and work for some. Not as fun, but everyone is getting ready for Halloween which is fun! Well, hope you have an amazing week dad! You're the best!


Love, Elder Kimzey of Rimouski! (I wonder how all of you pronounce that sometimes...haha)

Adventures in teaching

Bonjour!

 Non oui c'est bon votre français! (no, your french is right) C'est 'je suis fatiguée'!(I am tired..) You'll be fluent in no time :) Oh, they were adventurous let me tell you! We decided one night just to stop by a less-actives apartment that we hadn't seen yet and as soon as we got out we met this young man who was interested in our English class and really was quite open to things. He had a friend who had a broken hand. He told us he had a decision between hitting his friend or a trash can and he chose they trash can. Good choice haha. Then, we knock on the door and say hi and things and we ask him, the less active, if he has the priesthood then he goes off about how he does and how he hadn't drank in 5 months and how we'd see him at church Sunday, but he was all pumped about it! We were just thinking after, 'what just happened??' It was awesome though! Then, right after we met the nicest man in the world and we are teaching him right now! This was all in the span of like 30 minutes and the whole day people had been canceling or weren't there so it was just crazy, but in an amazing way! Anyways, that's one of them. It's hard to describe how awesome it was! 

I love that quote you gave me. I am going to write it down in my planner! 

Anyways question answer time! (Pretend I made up some awesome jingle to that statement) 

Question #1: 1,000 brownie points for pictures- I loved each of them. I looks so gorgeous where you are! Have the leaves started to turn?

 Oui, but they are falling now :( It's super pretty! If only you could see the sunsets! WOW! Really the pictures aren't even close to the real deal!

 Question #2: Tried to look up your address, but I don't have the full address. Could you send it again?

 I don't have the full full address either. Well not with me here. I will send it next week! Oh wait! I have it right here! It's 365 Rue D'Anjou Rimouski, QC G5L 5A4. There you go! Question #3: Do you get to attend the temple on your mission?

No not until the end basically. Sad day but hey we got other work to do! 

Question #4:Tell us about a great teaching moment this week...

 Oh teaching S.., our investigator who is getting baptized, was amazing teaching experience! We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Preserverance jusqu'a la fin) and he was just SO excited about knowing it finally! (the 5 different parts to the Gospel that is) and he was so excited about getting the lesson manuel for Priesthood and you could tell something was changed in him. He was happier and he wanted to pray and he had this light in his eyes. It was awesome!

 Question #5: Do you mostly teach inactives? Do you teach gospel essentials on sunday?

Ya we are strengthening the member here because there are a lot of less-actives and the actives are still a little new in their testimonies. We haven't taught yet on Sunday, but I'm sure we will because we are practically the Branch Presidents councilors so ya.

 Question #6: What did you do today for pday?

We haven't done much yet. We are going to play tennis if they weather gets better but probably not. Most Preparation Days we just shop, clean and then relax for a while. Soon we will have to do something super fun though because we are running out of time to see the sights! 

Question #7: My lesson next week is on service, any missionary stories that I could use? Do you do service for member/non members there?We had this cool experience with doing service for a part-member family. They live out in the wilderness, but we went out to help move logs for the husband, who is the non-member, and we just worked really hard and made some jokes and just showed him that we really cared and we really worked hard. You could tell that it built our relationship with him and that he sees us as friendly and helpful. I'm positive it will either help us to teach him or someone in the future I can just feel it! Well, have a good week! 

Love you tons! 

Elder Kimzey the Younger 

Dear Dad,

It's going great here! It's not actually THAT cold but I get cold sometimes because I am skinny and from sunny St. George but it's really nice most of the time! I can't wait for the winter...sort of. It's a love-hate relationship because I'm excited for  the season and the snow, but I'm conflicted about the temperature. Umm because 

 I love those parables! Today I studied more in the 4 Gospels. Just kind of jumping around and reading cool things Jesus did and how he helped people and all those good things and I forgot how amazing it is! We focus so much on the Book of Mormon, which we should because it's the most correct and contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel, but we neglect the New Testament a little bit. Well, at least I do in my studies. It's been really fun! Like today I was reading the story at the end of John with Peter and some other Apostles going fishing after Christs' death (the one Elder Holland made reference to in a conference a little bit ago). It's interesting that when Jesus tells them "Children...cast your net on the right side of the ship" the Apostles humbly followed (or maybe with a tiny bit of reluctance in their hearts) and they saw all the fish in the net that they weren't able to draw it up. Then they were able to realize that it was Jesus talking to them. I think it applies to us. Although Christ calls and invites us to change or do something, such as a calling, we just need to do it. Then we shall see the fruits, or in this case fishes, of our following him. Then, after we do His will we shall see Him for who He is with more clarity. If that makes any sense. I'm still working out the bugs of describing it well but c'est la vie! I'm excited for all those senior boys to get their calls! It's an exciting time and it will be even more exciting when they arrive in their mission! I've been out one whole transfer in the field now! Crazy how fast that goes. I have one more transfer left with Elder Heder which is really sad and scary because then I could be training and I have to do all the talking! Yikes! But I bet I could do it. It'd be hard but I would learn SO much faster! This week has been really good! I've been super tired some days, but that's a good thing! I like being tired it means I have been working at least semi-hard! Things are amazing in Rimouski and I hope I never have to leave! People just cross the street here wherever and whenever. I think they have a death wish. I'm starting to get use to the smell of smoke, because it's like France here, but...not it's Quebec! Oh and I thought I'd tell you because I was told this, I don't serve in Canada I serve in Quebec. There is a HUGE difference. People are different here than your stereo-typical Canadian. It's awesome! You hardly ever see a Canadian flag being waved (unless a government building) they are just the Quebec flag! It's awesome! We still do a lot of less-active work and it's fun. We are strengthening the core then working our way out. I love our Branch President! He carries with him his authority and it's awesome. He is originally from France (more south I can't remember what part) but he travels 5 hours or more each weekend just to do his duty and he doesn't just do it but does everything he can! It's amazing! His wife is awesome too! Well, have a great week.

 Love you tons and think you're the best dad I could ask for!

Elder Casey Kimzey

Conference

Dear Mom,

I'm doing great!  No I didn't get your package and I'm sorry!  I feel bad you spent more to get it to me by Thursday!  That's alright though I will just appreciate it more when I get it!  Oh, I didn't go to Montreal I went to Quebec City for Zone Conference.  It was amazing!  Took about 4 hours to get there but it was SO worth it!  So much inspiration and guidance AND I got to talk one-on-one with my Mission President and he gave me some super cool advice!  He is an amazing person really.  I was in the MTC with his daughter actually...I was here Zone Leader...weird.  Carli is hauling!  I never thought she'd be so fast!  Well, I thought she could but now she is!  3rd on JV already??  Well, she might as well go for varsity at this point!  Ya, who was our next runner?  I think it'll be good for them.  It will kick them into gear.  Hopefully!  I wanna see pictures of a state winning team!  Just because I know they work so hard.   But tell her it's one of my bigger regrets with running.  Don't make the same mistake!  I could've been so much better and she can too.  
Ya, I was thinking that 'oh man dad will be by himself this conference' but then I thought, 'wait he only has to be only for one because Corey will be there...weird!'  So, that's really cool he will be there!  Too bad for him though I bet he wished his mission would never end! 

 Ya, conference was awesome.  I felt like almost every talk had something just for me.  And you know I gained a special love for conference before my mission because I listened to so many talks and I just felt like each time I found one it was directed at me somehow.  I liked the one by Elder Utchdorf in Priesthood and Elder Soares talk.  Both really were amazing for me personally.  I like the semi quote ( I won't say it's a quote because it might not be word for word) "Our destiny is not determined by how many times we fall, but how many times we rise up." It was really cool!  Oh ya, Elder/ Brother Dube's talk was awesome!  I liked when he quoted from Elder Holland "The past is to be learned FROM, not lived IN." 
 Ya, time flies when you're having fun! or at least working until you drop dead on your bed and fall asleep in you white shirt and tie...yes that happened to me haha.  I have to be able to train in like 7 weeks (not that I am going to train but I have to be able to) so that's scary, but I think I can do it if I put my hand to the plow and never look back!  Not much has been different other than Zone Conference, my interview with Pres. Patrick, and Conference, but those are all amazing!  Well, love you tons!
Elder CASEY Kimzey

Dear Dad,

    It was such a cool conference!  And really people tell you that time flies on your mission and you believe them but you don't even understand!  It's gone by SO fast!  But I've met some of the greatest people in the world in the process!  That's too bad about PVXC boys varsity.  But sometimes you got to get kicked in the rear to get going so maybe it will be good for them!  Carli did amazing though!  I can't believe how fast she is!  .... Sometimes I'm too short sighted to see that trials are a good thing in the long run!  Well, his mom doesn't need to be touched by what I said but what the Lord said!  I had no idea what I was saying in that blessing I just trusted the Lord to put the words in my mind and he did!  I will try but it's harder for me to remember specifics like that.  

I'm going to start memorizing more scriptures and things to help that.  Apparently, pres. Monson once promised some missionaries that if they memorized one scripture a day that they would have photographic memory by the end of their mission!  Oh how I could use that!  I know it might've been just a specific promise for them but it still would help me I think either way.  Ya, thoughts are hard for me, but I'm working day by day to fix them!  I'm just working on focusing on the good all around me, because as soon as I get stuck on the bad that's all I'm going to see.  I didn't get your package :( aw man now I feel bad you spent more!  I will just have to cherish it more when I get it next month!  It's been really great here.  There's the up and there's the downs but the ups are way bigger than the downs!  We are still working on finding less-actives and such so that's our focus here.  We have met some cool people, but they think we are Jehovah's Witnesses most of the time so they don't give us a chance.  Apparently Quebec has a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses!  So that's a bummer sometimes.  But it's still great!  People here are funny and unique and that's what makes it awesome!  It reminds me of what I would think Europe would be like, but with more twang to it haha.  Oh and they have milk in bags...weird, but hey doesn't matter to me!  Oh, I ate some ice cream yesterday and survived! (casey+milk= usually a bad combo so blessing of a mission, right?) I'm excited!  My companions great, the people are great, the Lord is great, life is great! 

Well, love you dad!  You're the best!  Keep up the hard work!  As 17 miracles girl says, "It'll all be worth it!"

Rimouski

Salut! (funny...literally mean salvation but it's hi) I'm sending more pictures today!!  A lot more.  I was frustrated last time.     I think the key to people is just showing them that you care and like taking the time for them.  Be patient and be in it for the long run. it was always those people that just loved me and spent the time to talk and joke around and just be a great friend/example were the ones that really changed my life.  

Carli is hauling this year!  Crazy!  haha Funny thing is it's going to get way colder than that here in Rimouski...oh dear!  I love testimonies..I have learned that over the summer and now here they're more powerful than anything. 

 My favorite attribute of Christ is Charity.  How he turns outward always and just thinks of others.  That's tough stuff!  But I know that when I forget myself I progress more and I just feel better.  But really that's only because I know I'm affecting someones life.  That's what I'm working on.  Like complimented my companion...oh man is that uncomfortable for me but it'll be a great tool for later and really make him feel better!  

Answering questions

 1.(loved your picture at the marina.  Is it at a lake? ocean?  looks really pretty...)

It's at a marina by the ocean/river.  We are in what's called the "Gaspé" or near it I think and so it opens to the ocean eventually it's soooo pretty out here I wish you could see the change of leaf color and the sunsets...oh man this is the place we NEED to visit plus I want to see the whales and I can't do it until I'm done because you have to go on a boat :( but that's too far away to think about because I'm never getting off my mission :) just kidding. 
 2.  (How is the language study?  Just try to understand a little more each day, right?)  Language is super good.  I need to just speak a tiny bit more in like casual conversation but baby steps!  By small and simple things are great things brought to pass!  

Poutine- fries, gravy, cheese curds, meat.

3.  (What is your favorite canadian thing to eat?)  Hmmm I haven't had a lot of poutine and that's the only Quebec thing I've eaten really, but it's pretty good!  You feel a little overwhelmed after but during it's amazing!  They have soooo many flavors it's crazy!  I want to try them ALL by the end :) 
 

 4.  (How is the weather?  Is it cold enough for a suit jacket?  coat?)  Weather is actually perfect.  It's not cold right now.  It was a little at the beginning of the week when it was raining constantly but now it's amazing...calm before the storm!  So, I actually wear short sleeves.  
5.  (Going to send a package this month...  any requests???)  I sent all my request to dad.  But send it soon because I won't get it for a long time if you don't...because all packages go to the mission home (send stuff there because I don't know if it'll come here or if it's the right address). And so we get that monthly.  But I'll be there thursday but who knows if you can or want to get it there by then..if you can't DON'T STRESS!  I'll get it next month :)  

Well, this week has been good.  I've gotten over my fear (almost all the way I mean there's a tiny tiny bit left) of talking to people and going door to door but we don't do that a ton anyways.  People here are amazing!  Love you tons!

Elder Kimzey III

Hey Dad!  
Thanks for news about Arsenal!  1-0 to the Arsenal!  (Just a saying)  Of course they are winning when I leave after 6 years of supporting!  Oh well.  That's good that they are doing well.  I personally didn't have a meeting but I believe our branch president did.  I like those quotes.  President Bangerter is an amazing man.  Almost as cool as my dad, but not quite there.  Is things as a bishop going well?  Probably stressful and tiring as usual.  Can't even imagine.  Well, thanks for all you've taught me!  It was always cool to know that I have a dad that's willing to do all you do like wake up at the wee hours of the morning just to study scriptures and teachings of prophets and things.  That was always something cool to me because you got home so late sometimes.  That takes a lot of discipline!  Pergola digging is hard!  It's not still scorching hot is it?  Because that made it harder!  Is the grass looking good?  Well, this week has been just amazing!  Just full of good memories.  The branch is growing stronger and stronger each week and I'm just SO excited to see it!  Their testimonies are young but their hearts are as pure as gold!  My Branch President is amazing.  He just gets things done and has so much of an authority when he is present!  Oh good I'm glad PV won.  Are they good this year?  Anyways, I'll be sending some cool pictures of the area and (wait for it) picture of just one of the DAILY AMAZING sunsets!

  Ah man I love Rimouski.  It's small but big enough!  L'oceanic is the local hockey team here and every game here the street is lined with cars that go to the game.  Local pride!  

Ya, I wasn't too rebellious.  I don't think that is me anyways.  Well, ya I had an attitude sometimes (forgive me haha) but I never felt like 'fighting the system' the system was there for a reason because it helps!  Anyways thanks for being amazing.  I know balancing work and church and family together is super hard but I'm glad you're my dad.  Wouldn't change it for anyone else.  Have an amazing week!  -Elder Kimzey