Monday is the New P-day!

Date: July 28, 2014
Week 6 Mexico City MTC Departure Day!
Companion: Elder Bell

Elder Kimball and his MTC district
July 2014 Mexico City CCM

Dear Familia!

First off, Its is currently 8:23pm here in Mexico City and we leave for the airport at 10:30pm. My flight to Bogata, Columbia leaves at 2:15 am. I arrive in Columbia at 6:15 am and then my flight for Quito, Ecuador leaves at 8:55 am and arrives at 10:30am. I am all packed and ready to go! I will now explain to you five simple things that I have learned here at the CCM.

1) Try your language

Many people come to the CCM and don´t even try to speak Spanish. They are afraid to try and I think that they forget that they have been called of God to speak this language. The Lord will help you a lot, all you have do is try it. It is daunting at first, but this is no time to be messing around. Peoples salvation is on the line!

Elder Kimball y Hermano Salvador, mi maestro
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Elder Kimball y Hermano Hernandez
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

2) Being Focused and The power of Prayer

During my 6 weeks in the CCM, I had the opportunity to serve as a Zone Leader for five districts. Each and every week, Elder Bell and I would interview each district leader and then their companion. Each time it would be the same problem that the districts were having and that was remaining focused. I completely understood why it was so hard for us to be focused,sitting in a classroom from 7am to 9;30 pm. That's not everyones cup of tea, and it sure wasn't mine. But I really wanted to work hard on my mission and take my mission as a opportunity to change my terrible study habits. I got down on my knees and prayed to my Heavenly Father to bless me with the ability to focus always on the task at hand. Ever since that moment I have never had a greater yearning to ready and study the scriptures. I try to learn as much Spanish as possible and because I try to be focus the Lord helps me with the rest. I shared my experience with each district this past week. During those meetings, the Spirit was able to touch many people. As I stood there as a witness of Jesus Christ, the Spirit was able to speak through me and I truly felt like a mouthpiece for the Lord. I know that as we turn to the Lord with our problems, He will help us, comfort us, and guide us on his path and this is only done through prayer.

Elder Kimball y Hermana Sierra
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Elder Kimball y Hermana Garcia, Mi maestra
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

3) Representative of Jesus Christ

On your mission, you can learn real fast that you can't just take the name tag off. A special thing about this name tag is that it only has two names on it. Your last name, or your family name which you try to honor as well as you can, and the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Being a Kimball, I know I am the best;). Im just being honest, and in the words of John Richards, "I am also the most humble out of all of you". But in reality everyones last names carry prestige and accountability. Having the same last name as a previous prophet of God, well that's a different ballgame. By honoring your last name you are honoring the people and the family members who came before you. But when you have the opportunity to not only represent your family but Jesus Christ, you cant just name tag off. The same as you can't deny a calling from the Lord. Being a representative of Jesus Christ, you think differently about your actions, language, and thoughts. I am proud to represent the Kimball Family in Quito, Ecuador, and I am proud to represent my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Elder Kimball & his district
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

4) Power and Authority of the Spirit

I know that teaching by the Spirit is a neccessity as a missionary. There are many times where Elder Bell and I go into a visit and are completely off the script. The Spirit will guide your words and help you know what to say, but as Elder Bell likes to remind me "faith without works is dead". At the CCM, they teach you how to invite the spirit into every lesson. Its the only way you can have a change of heart or cambio de corazon. The Spirit is so vital in these disscussions because I don't know enough Spanish and the Spirit touches people in a way that I just can't.

Elder Killpack de Shelley, Idaho y Elder Kimball
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Elder Sok de Spokane, Washington y Elder Kimball
July 2014 Mexico City, MTC

5) 99 Sheep

Lastly, you learn to cast your nets or to forget about home. Jesus teaches to leave the 99 and go after the one. I left my 99 sheep back in Texas and it is now time for me to go find the 1. I know that now is the time for me to go to Quito and find my 1 sheep. I have loved my time here in Mexico but I am definitely ready to meet my other family here in Ecuador. I have had all eternity to prepare for this moment, and I will have all eternity to remember it, but I only have two years to live it.

Love you all and cant wait to hear your voices, 

Elder Kimball

Elder Hurtado de Provo, Utah y Elder Kimball
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Editors Note:  Since Colton was enroute to his mission he had an opportunity to call us here in the states.  We happened to be traveling in Eastern Washington at the time he called us at my Aunts house and we had a very special conversation with Colton as he waited to board his flight.  Bella and I cried like babies but Colton was just excited and ready to get to Quito to really begin his service.  He spoke to each one of his siblings and bore his testimony in Spanish.

When he arrived in Quito on Tuesday July 28 he was able to email us and let us know he arrived safely.  Here is that letter:

Dear Mom and Dad,

I love you guys! It was great getting to hear your voices! I landed in Ecuador safely! And I am alive and well here at the mission home in Quito. Can't believe I have made it this far. I don't have much time to write so please tell everyone that Pday is Monday. Quito is beautiful. Tell the kids to just imagine Guatemala but slightly better. I met President and Sister Richardson. Imagine him just like Brother Brown (Our Stake YM's President). I love you guys and will email you more Monday. 

Your son and brother,

Elder Kimball

P.S  I don't start teaching till Thursday.......

More Pictures from Elder Kimball

Elder Kimball and his district
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Elder Kimball y Hermano Salvador, mi maestro
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Elder Bell being silly
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Elder Kimball's district
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

The district again
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

The goodbye party with some Martinellis
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Elder Hall from EFY company also Kylies BF (tell her this!)
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Elder Raney from my zone. Played basketball with his brother at UTSA building. His brother married one of the Stadlers. Show them this!
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Elder Conner from Minnesota. Just a good friend
July 2014 Mexico City MTC

Elder McNaughtan from Heber City. Funniest District leader ever!
July 2014, Mexico City MTC

Last Letter from the Mexico City MTC

Date: July 24, 2014
Fifth Week in the MTC

Elder Kimball studying in the heat of the Mexico City MTC, July 2014

Dear Famila!
I am almost out of this place!!!!! That's cool that you guys are having fun..... Wish Leah, Lexi and Bella would email me every once in a while but whateves. So here is the Dealio! I leave the CCM Monday night at 10:30 pmish to the Mexico Airport! Then I get to CALL you guys! My plane leaves at 2am to Bogata, Columbia. I arrive there at like 6am and then off to Quito! Ill get there at like 8am!!! Email me fast because I get to email Monday also! I'll call Dad at like 12am so please stay up!

My district, CCM July 2014

This week has been sweet! Presidente Pratt is back! I used to not like him very much cause he reminds me of Mr. Fredrickson but now I love him because he bore his testimony and it was awesome. He and his wife like to dresscode people so I'm surprised that I havn't got yelled at for my shoes because I have only worn these.

Elder Bell on P-day, CCM July 2014

 

P-day antics, CCM July 2014

Anyways... Elder Bell does do a lot but come on I do stuff too! Elder Bell and I have been owning our investigators! We really are a great team. He is an awesome people person. I conduct almost all the meetings and I take notes during all leadership meetings while he deals with annoying people that are not prepared for a mission. He has been great example to me on Christlike love. But I do stuff too!!!

This week we got to hear from Shawn Cates. A director of operations here at the CCM. He spoke about being focused and working for the Lord and it was amazing. We took our going away pictures that they show on a slideshow this Sunday night. There are so many people here. So glad I'm getting out while I can because they have overbooked this place.

District CCM 2014

The Ecuadorian flag that hangs in the CCM, July 2014

I already wrote to Bailey so she doesn't get a personal note this week.
-Dad, I miss you and I am so glad you love my emails. Thank you for the Spurs and BYU Updates. I took pictures of them and I am going to read them on the plane. Send me the fourth missionary thing cause I never read it and I'm regretting that decision now.
-Mother! Quit having children without me around.JKJK Please be awake when I call I know how you like to sleep in.;) 
-Clay! Dude! I miss you bro! So glad to hear at least one of my family members misses me! Your hair looks great and when I get back I know you will be taller than me. P.S I don't think you would like it here because the food is terrible. The only good thing they have is pineapple pizza and you hate pizza. And for the salad they don't have croutons so I don't think your salad would be any good.
-Lexi! I love you sweetie. I have been playing soccer thinking of you and Leah!
-Leah! what up homeslice! Keep working on your bicycle kick! I want to see a video of you making one!
-Bella! They have nutella and peanut butter every morning and night so I'll always have one of those and it makes me think of ya.  Be nice to Collins!
Last but not Least, CoCo, Glad to have another C name in the family. Be terrible for Mom and Dad they need to wake up more in the middle of the night! I can feel your little spirit all the way here in Mexico and I can't wait to see if I can in Ecuador.

Elder Kimball playing around, CCM July 2014

I love you guys! Email me back as soon as possible! I will read them Monday. Plan out the calling thing and be safe on ya'lls trip, I pray for you guys everyday!

Love Your Bro, Son and Missionary,
Elder Kimball

The Fourth Epistle of Elder Kimball!

Date: July 17, 2014
Fourth Week in the MTC

Colton at the CCM aka MTC
July 2014

Holy Cow!

Another week at the CCM. Learning tons of Spanish. My teacher Hermano Salvador is the bomb. Love that guy! We get new investigators this week and I got a haircut. We are now over 1000 Missionaries in the CCM. And we are the oldest group so we are the big dogs on campus. We got a new district last week and lost a district last week so we are sitting at four districts in my Zone. We meet our fifth tonight. 

I'm so glad Elder Bell is my companion because he deals with most of the stuff that goes on within the Zone. Our district this week really got on eachother about using time wisely and enough goofing around. Its really sad to say that some of these weren't prepared to come out here. But I will say again thank you for Elder Bell! We make a great team and I'm going to be sad to have to say goodbye to him and some of the friends I have made here. I leave next next Monday to Ecuador and I'm so excited! As much as I love the teachers and friends I have met here I really just want to give the Gospel to a real person.

In my last email, Grandma said it sounded like I wanted to come home, well let me say that I definitly do not want to come home! I love being on a mission! I can now go into lessons with just my scriptures and speak spanish to people! Its weird but awesome! I hope you are editing some of these emails mother and making me sound like a boss missionary. 

Elder Kimball and Elder Bell at the Mexico City Temple
July 2014

Elder Bell in the MTC
July 2014

Its hard to write about cool experiences I have when I'm just in a class room all day, but I'd say the coolest thing that happened this week was Elder Bells specific prayer. We had learned about specific prayers through our mission presidency first counselor, Presidente Tenorio. Elder Bell said a specific prayer that if he worked hard all day and was focused that he could receive at least one letter. He got three from his mom. So that was sweet and I know that his mom reads my blog so let me just thank her now by saying through the Lord you were able to strengthen mine and Elder Bells testimony about the power of prayer. Now back to writing to my mom and dad... I am the only one in my district that has not received a letter so thanks.....  

Elder Kimball with some of the Latin Elders
July 2014

A sample of the food served at the MTC (look like his favorite since he loves Chicken Cordon Bleu)
July 2014

They all think I have no friends. I finished reading Our Heritage and Our Search for Happiness. Two great books that have really deepened my understanding of The Gospel. This week I have been reading True to the Faith along with my scriptures. I mark a lot of the scriptures that are mentioned in True to the Faith and my scriptures are ready to be tested against real investigators. I need to find a neat and organized way to label and mark my spanish scriptures that will help me on my mission, so if anyone has got an idea hit me up. I also need hair gel and some STANCE church socks, doesn't matter what color because I keep running out of socks. 

Presidente Pratt, mission president, just got back from his vacation to Utah. He and his wife were gone for like ten days. His wife was having surgery or something so it really wasn't a vacation. If you are reading this Ciera Steinhour, let me tell you that your grandparents are the bomb! Your grandpa has all these sweet slideshows and quizzes and they are the bomb! 

Elder Kimball's district
July 2014

Elder Kimball and Elder Tonga
July 2014

Anyways, I'm excited to get to Ecuador but I will definitely miss my district and Elder Bell. Mother, You are wondering about Peeve. Elder Bell and I decided to keep it alive and well. We shortened so it starts at 9 and ends at 9:30. It sort of went better. We got new Sister Training Leaders this week since the old ones left and they are alright. They just wanted to play EFY games and Elder Bell and I don't feel like its appropriate. We played a game that I made up where we would say a problem an investigator would have and the zone would try to find a scripture to help them so that was fun!

I miss you guys and thank you for writing me Bailey! Clay your hair looks sweet and I cant wait to receive the package y'all sent. Lexi and Leah, I tell everyone how you guys are taller and bigger than Clay! Bella, I miss you and I love you! Collins, like I said I can feel your spirit everyday and it sounds so weird when I tell people that I have 5 Sisters! I got to go but I love you guys and I pray for your safety everyday!

Love you,

Elder Kimball!!!!!!

The Third Epistle from Elder Kimball

Date: July 10, 2014
Third Week in the MTC

Dear Fam!

Well you guys sure aren't having fun at all! It sounds like another crazy Kimball Summer! This week I was trapped in this place. No real investigators and lots of beans. I just want to teach a real person. Its hard to feel the spirit when you are teaching someone fake.

I leave for Ecuador pretty soon and I got my plane ticket.  I'm going to Atlanta then Ecuador which will be sweet to get one last American meal. My district and I are planning to have a "Last Supper" in the Atlanta airport but we probably won't have time.

My district are life savers. Sometimes they get annoying (since we are together all the time)  but thank goodness none of them are creeps. I'm picking up the language pretty well and I try to be friends with as many natives at possible. This Tuesday we had President Neil L. Anderson speak to us. It was broadcast to all the MTCs. He spoke in Provo because no one comes down here... but whatever. I got to see Mikayla on the screen because she was in the choir. I looked for Jack but no sign of him. He is probably already in St. George. Elder Anderson spoke about BYU and Utah Football which was cool because it updated me on what was going on. A kid named Harvey Langi just got back from his mission and he was playing for Utah, but as soon as he got back he wanted to play for the Y. Look up the article in the Salt Lake Tribune. Its neat. He wanted to go to a school "where other people were wanting to meet the same standards he wanted to meet." Its really crazy how much a mission changes people. I could already tell that if I went home right now I would be weird. I don't want to go home yet. I haven't even really started a mission yet. Dont get me wrong, I miss you guys and all but if I came home I would probably be over at the Englishes everyday.

We now have 5 districts in our zone. So that makes like 50 something missionaries that Elder Bell and I are in charge of. I'm glad that the district above us is leaving next week so that we can stop thier stupid traditions. One of them being Peve. Its fun to play games all but everyone feels like they should be studying instead of goofing off. Its hard to put my foot down though because than hermanas just start crying about traditions, and stupid made up rules of why we must have Peve. Lets just say that not everyone goes on a mission for the same reason. I am so glad that I am out here for the right reasons. I feel Christ's atoning sacrifice for me everyday. And when we start talking about eternal families with investigators boy does that bring the Spirit. 

Elder Sok got sent Krispy Kreme donuts form dear elder.com from his aunt and he was kind enough to share with everyone. Our teacher Hermano Salvador is the bomb. I can tell that he likes me the best ;). A mission hasn't changed my humbleness. You don't know how bad every time I see a new district come in I just want to say "Welcome to Hell", but I

don´t. 

Sometimes I say some stuff in Spanish that dad used to say to me and my teachers get mad at me but then they are impressed that I even know that. I'm trying to be the best missionary I can be! A mission definitely is hard and I can't wait to have the whole Kimball clan back together, and then all you guys will go on missions, including Mom and Dad. Just remember that if Colton can do it then you all can do it. I love and miss you guys. And sorry there wasn't much to write about this week. 

Your son and brother, 

Elder Kimball!

Dear Familia; Second Letter has Arrived!

Date: July 3, 2014
Week: 2 in the MTC

Dear Familia!

My Spanish is alright. Last weeks letter was basically copied out of my journal. I was sups totes surprised at how good it was. I can understand almost anything anyone says in Spanish now which is really cool. I feel Heavenly Fathers love for me everyday. Being a missionary is cool because you only have to worry about one thing, and thats teaching people the gospel and you don't even have to worry about that so nothing to worry about. 

This week we are teaching two "investigators". Their names are Gaby and Lugo. Elder Bell likes to study alot which keeps me on task. He really is a great companion for me. He puts up with my teasing and my awesome soccer skills. Last night as a zone we had this thing called P-Day eve or aka peeve. Presidente Suaste recommended we do something as a zone so the Sister Training Leaders, Bell, and I thought of peeve. We did skits of the book of mormon. Lots of Fun! I never realized how much fun a mission would be. The Lord is looking out for you 24/7 and you get to hangout with people that have the sames standards and focus you do. 

The food is alright. We get tan missionaries on tan Tuesday and white missionaries on white Wednesdays. Every Wednesday there is always like corn dogs and hamburgers or something American but I prefer when they stick to the food they know how to make. They always have rolls and some sort of mystery meat, and if we are lucky mashed potatoes!. The food definitely takes your stomach getting used to. I have to got to the bathroom alot and so does everyone else. Last Sunday we had a fast because one of the hermanas was sick. Elder Sok and I gave her a blessing. Shes doing better now. 

It rains everyday and I try to rewear clothes as much as possible because it takes forever to do laundry here. Elder Bell and I woke up at like 5 am this morning just so we could find a washer.

 I want to thank you guys for taking out of the states so much and travel a lot. Today we went to the Mexico City Temple but not inside because its getting worked on. It was really neat to see. On the bus ride there everyone is freaking out because of the driving. I pretty much knew that this is how foreign countries were with driving so you could say I'm an expert. 

The best days are Thursdays and Sundays because those days you aren't trapped in a classroom. We get one hour of gym everyday which is awesome! My district and I have made friends with these Mexican missionaries. They improve our soccer playing and our Spanish. Like I said I could understand pretty well but it's really hard for me to create my own sentences. 

Most local people here know Dad (from teaching at the Entrepreneur School next door to the MTC) so it is kind of hard for me to slip under the radar, but its awesome when an hermana walks up to you and says Are you Trent Kimball's son? Then we talk about dad and the business.... in Spanish of course.

Other than Thursdays and Sundays we are in our classroom from 7am to 9:30pm. We heard from Elder Villalobos on Tuesday in a devotional. He spoke in English though. It would have been cooler for him to speak in Spanish but o well. I miss you guys and am jealous that you guys are all having fun!  One thing I learned this week is that some hermana missionaries are crazy. The district above us likes to do these game nights and Elder Bell have been trying to get them to stop doing those. Anyway we turned to the Lord and their hearts were changed and realized that this wasn't an EFY. You are on a mission. It is really easy to think this is just an EFY if you aren't careful.

 Elder Bell and I have been sticking to the schedule with exact obedience and we have been blessed for it. Tonight we meet our fourth district in our zone. So thirty-two people just went to forty something missionaries Elder Bell and are in charge of. We are finishing up our third week in the CCM so only 3 more till I'm a real missionary! I love you guys and miss you. Remember to read your scriptures everyday! Remember how rare of a book The Book of Mormon is. Sometimes we take it for granted but it was written for our day so feast on its word!

Te amo!

Elder Kimball

Editors Note: EFY is a acronym for Especially For Youth which is a church sponsored camp for youth ages 14-18 in our church.  It is full of lots of games, dances, workshops and learning experiences to help the youth feel and recognize the Spirit in their lives.