ELDER HUNTER SIMONSEN
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AREQUIPA | PERU

CALLED TO SERVE
AUGUST 2016 - AUGUST 2018

WEEK 22. . .  Feliz Ano Nuevo!!!

1/2/2017

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WOOOHOOO. . . looks like a fun week for the fam!! Dad, glad the birthday was all good but wow bro you’ve got like 100 years or something like that? Jaja bromas. Looking good! I’m not going to lie, I think I started to cry when I saw all the pics of you guys snowboarding and of all the snow AND when I read that you guys saw the new Star Wars movie... AND when I read that the Jazz are 4th in the West! PUCHA! I’m so upset! jajajaja. So many things I’d kill to do but I can’t. Tough luck with the leg Drew but don’t be a pansy and get back out there. I have videos of me high jumping and honestly, I think I’m the most homesick when I see those. I miss it so much.  Bro you’ve got potential to be a state champ so work hard man. NO TE DAS POR VENCIDO. Also, you look like a tool in every pic you take. jaja I’m pretty sure you’re flexing in every single one. jajaja.  I dig the interview shirt that’s the freaking best. Pero! This week went by way fast. Even though NOTHING happened. jaja
 
Literally, nothing has gone on in my area for 2 weeks. We lost a lot of investigadores this week and the week past because the people don’t want to give up drinking. I’m pretty sure that’s the Peruvians favorite sport. jaja. We definitely need a bigger area though.  My comp and I have knocked every single door like 4 times. We don’t have a ton of investigadores right now so all we do is contact to find more. Our presidente de la mision told us that we don’t have permission to visit the menos activos of the ward. So all we do when we don’t have a cita is knock doors and contact the streets. We got so desperate this week that we were going to start riding buses to different places so that we could contact all the people on the bus. jajaja. Yahhhh! but I love my comp and my area. We’ve been working hard and Me llevo bien con mi compañero. He’s a stud. Our ward is super chill too. They help us a lot but never give us any referencias so it just makes it a little bit harder to find more. So it was a slow week but it went by super fast. It doesn’t make a ton of sense to me. jaja. My comp has been pretty sick too. I think he’s got a stomach infection like I had because I think he spends more time on the toilet than off. jaja. Poor kid but he’ll be fine... I hope.
 
I’m not gonna lie. This month was so hard for me. I wanted to be back home with the familia doing all the Christmas stuff and such. Last night I was pretty bummed out. Some guy told me that I was no good and that I was an antichrist. jaja I don’t know how I am. He just kept saying stuff like that and how the things we preach are false. He told me I only came here to brag about my life in the US and that everyone here suffers while the people in the states live big. I wanted to hit him so bad. jajajaja but it made me realize two things. ONE: I hate drunk people. I will never drink. I have no tolerance for people like that. They suck! jaja  So many people here drink. And TWO: I made the decision to come to Peru to preach something true. I honestly can say that before the mission I didn’t have a very strong testimony of this Evangelio but it has grown so much. I can’t imagine a life without it. The fags here just don’t understand it yet and that’s why I’ve come here to teach them so that they can experience it like I have.
 
Today for p-day we are just going to go visit some people in my old ward because I feel like I may get transferred out of Arequipa this change.  It might be the only time I get to visit.  I really love my area but am kind of ready for a change.  We need a more people to find.  We are also going bowling with our district so that should be fun.  Next week a dude from our ward is taking us to a place called Chiguata.  It should be pretty cool. 

LOVE ya familia and keep killing it and enjoy the week. 
 
Chau!!!!
YA Boy Hunt
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WEEK 21 . . .  Skype is the greatest!

12/26/2016

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It was great skyping yesterday!  I told you everything I did so there's not much to write about. Everyone looks great!  Man, I miss home and Christmas in the states!  Dad, have a Happy Birthday this week!  We don't really have any plans for today.   We are just hanging out and probably with the same misioneros as yesterday. jaja  

* Moms note:  We had a great talk with Hunter on Christmas day.  After a couple hours of trying to get a good connection, we were able to skype with him at around 3:30 pm.  He is doing great!  This past week he was busy spreading Christmas cheer through out Arequipa in his Santa hat.  Doing a little caroling, a mission Christmas party and ward party. He was well fed with 2 dinners on Christmas Eve and 2 on Christmas day so that made us feel better.  His pensionestta is taking very good care of him and was there with a hug when it was time to hang up and it was getting a little hard to say good bye.  He is serving with a great group of Elders. We had the chance to visit with his comp and 2 other Elders from Florida and Chile. They all have such a great spirit about them and are busy doing the Lords work! 
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WEEK 20 . . .  Feliz Navidad!!!

12/19/2016

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​FRRREEEEEAKKKKK. I miss the States! jajaja You don’t really appreciate something until you don’t have it. The states are soooo much better.  I know it’s just the time of year but I just want to watch basketball and go snowboarding soooo bad.  Freak, I knew that this would happen when I left the home! The jazz would go on a rampage and I’d miss it but I know I have stuff that I need to do here. I know that but pucha  I’d kill to be home for NAVIDAD!!! 
 
This week was fine nothing really happened. So there’s really nothing to email you guys about. jaja All of our citas cancelaron and we didn’t find any new investigadores or anything. jajaja  My area is far from receptive to the gospel. People just seem way to busy and aren't really interested in change. We have just been lucky and found a lot of cool people that are receptive. For example, this week we contacted 150 people and touched probably like 400 doors or algo asi but didn’t find squat! Jaja It’s fine, were just working hard trying to find people. It’s tough though because every guy here drinks from the time they wake up to when they go to bed sooooooo we deal with a lot of drunk people. For some reason though they love the misioneros so it’s nice. We only had a couple incidentes with the drunks that were getting in our face. jaja  Other than that nothing really happened.  Oh, I did find a dog. Her name is Kyra and she’s pretty sick. She is my homie and follows us everywhere. No one messes with us now! jajaja. 
 
Sunday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on the atonement and repentance so that was sick.  All the people told me that I almost had perfect Spanish and only had a few parts that were choppy so that was good. Today for p-day we are going caroling en la Plaza de Armas! So that will be sweet and I will get some cool pics. We are going to have a party in the mission and one for the ward.  Also, our zone party el 24th.  It should be fun and we are pretty stoked for that.  We wear our hats everyday and people think they are pretty funny.
 
Well familia love ya miss ya!!!  I am soooo excited to talk to you on NAVIDAD!!!  I think it will be around 3 pm my time.  Check your email just incase anything changes. 
 
YAAAHHH BOY HUNTS!!!
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WEEK 19 . . . Alpaca's are REAL!

12/12/2016

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This week was sweet!! 
 
We had a baptism with one of our favorite investigadores and he is such a stud.  It was really cool to see him follow through on this compromiso. BUT, we honestly had 0 luck this week jaja Nothing was going our way until Friday. Friday was awesome! jaja We found an investigador that has listened to the misioneros for 4 years and NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH HIM. Until Friday. . . jaja  Yahhhh We were the chosen misioneros here in Arequipa. He finally accepted a date and he is going to be baptized this month! So that is awesome and he is honestly a great guy.  He has just had a lot of doubts in the past but we were able to answer his questions and take away some of those doubts! His name is Juan Carlos and he has 50 years.  So you know there is a time for everyone right?  Our family of 11 is awesome. They’re the family that we did the family night for and we made cookies.  The cookies were awesome and they loved them! What can I say, I have the gift of baking too Mom! This week we are going to make peanut butter bars with them. jajaja They want to make more food from the states and I don’t blame them.  It is so much better than the food here. jaja. I haven’t had a solid poop in like 4 months. Can someone help a brother out??? I eat plenty but the food here kills my stomach. I’ve had 2 stomach infections and think I have another one right now. It’s part of the mission life, right! I work out as much as I can but I feel so out of shape. It’s terrible! I have a little layer of fat on my stomach now and it’s terrible.  I’m starting to fill out on the muscles though. jaja  I still am down on the pounds.  The treats in my package saved my life. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. jajaja  The best thing of my freaking life! I already ate the cookies and muddie buddies and yah opening a present a day makes my day so much better jaja.  I LOVE IT! The holidays are tough on the mish but those things make it so much easier, THANKS!
 
Right now we are finally finding more people to teach. We have 5 fechas (dates) this month for baptism and are hoping to take out 2 more this week with this other family that we are teaching. The teaching really has been good here though. This morning we went to the World of Alpacas jajajaja I wanted to see the alpacas. I was starting to think that they didn’t exist. NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE but now I know they are REAL! jaja  We went with a family in the ward and had so much fun.  Then we went to La Plaza de Armas  again and had lunch. Good day good day!!! jaja.
 
No snow there right now?? I miss the snow so much holy balls! jaja  Good thing the mountains are getting snow though.  I have to say, Christmas blows on the mission but we are really trying to have fun with it. Oh, I’m going to send a package next week for Christmas for you guys. I don’t think it will get there in time but hope you like it.
 
The Spanish is coming a long nicely. I understand just about all of what people say to me but pucha speaking is the worst. I feel like I'm speaking right but at times people just look at me like "Why are you here?" jaja  That’s always the worst but they understand that I only have 4 months so it's all good. Well that’s the week!
 
Love you guys and keep going ham and enjoy the week!
 
YA BOY HUNTS
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WEEK 18 . . . #LightTheWorld

12/5/2016

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Haha... Writing is so hard. I can’t remember ENGLISH!

What’s going on with me, it’s so weird. I’ve forgotten so many words it’s crazy!  But for real - I think, dream, sleep talk, and write in Spanish right now so when I go to email it’s like what’s up with this. Not going to lie I think I understand probably like 90% of what goes down in this place so poco a poco! I am really working with the speaking part of it right now and everything. It’s tough at times especially when I don’t have a comp that speaks Spanish to help me out. haha  So you know how I am, I just talk a lot with the people here to practice.  Who knows some day I’ll get it all down! 
 
I got my packages and holy nuts that was the best thing I’ve ever gotten in my life!  Mom, will you send me the recipe for the cookies.  I am going to do a family home evening with our investigators and make cookies with them. It looks like I’m not getting transferred. I spoke with the Pres and we decided that I’m keeping myself here in Alto Misti with the green pea! I’m going to finish his training and so I’m actually pretty stoked about that. He is a stud and I like to train and to be able to lead and teach them to work hard.  The Pres said we have the best numbers in the mission so why break up a good thing.  Sometimes it get’s a little frustrating but hey nothings going to be easy right?  We also had 2 baptisms on Saturday and we have another one tomorrow and another one Saturday!!  WHATT!!!  So that’s what went down here!
As for this week! This week was pretty sick. We’ve been contacting a bunch to find people who are ready to listen to what we have to say. Contacted another 120 people this week and found some sweet investigadores here so that’s good right! We have a family of 11 that we found last week so we’re working to get them dunked. They are called the family Ochecheque and are super cool. We are hoping to take out the dates for them this week. We’re only teaching 4 of them right now but I think we’ll be able to get the rest of the family encouraged so that will be awesome! We have a fossil here that we found that wants to be baptized too! haha He’s a really good guy and has like 72 years or something like that.  We set a goal for him this month for the 31st of December so let’s get that done! Other than that we’ve not had a lot of luck with the people. haha. There are so many people here that just look at us like we’re sent by satan and say they want nothing. These Catholics are freaking hard. No worries though, we’re working hard and going ham!! We did proselyting in our Santa and Elf hats you sent this week everyday so heck yah lots of people laughed! haha.  Also we had our day of service at the temple grounds here in Arequipa.  We are helping get it prepared for the ground breaking and construction. We planted 300 trees!  I think they are breaking ground the first part of January but I’m not sure.  It is going to be pretty sweet to have a temple in Arequipa.  Well, that’s the week!!! No mas! haha 
 
Have fun this week everyone and get out and do service!  Love and miss you! #Lighttheworld
 
Hunt daddy

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WEEK 17 . . .  Just Chillin in the Font!

11/28/2016

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  • So this week was pretty sweet!  Things finally calmed down with the moving around and I had 3 baptisms!! Pretty crazy yah! They were all in my old ward but it was cool to be able to return to that area in order to baptize them.  Wow, it was so crazy, one of the hermanas didn’t want to enter the water at all! I waited in the water for 2 hours for her to enter because she was so afraid of the water and the water was so cold. hahaha.  I even had to go all the way under to show her it was ok. Their names are Leia, Stephania (SISTERS) and the other ones name is Elizabeth.  It is really incredible what Leia did to turn her life around. She smoked, drank and anything bad that you can think of!  She totally turned her life around para bautizarse! It was really incredible and shows that miracles happen. That family is one of my favorite families to visit in my old ward.  It was such a cool experience though and something I will never forget. I have another baptism this week in the area that I’m in right now! His name is Armando and tambien he is a stud!  He has also completely turned his life around as well and his testimonio is so strong. So you know my comp and I are just working hard here in Peru.
     
    Other than that we really haven’t had much success with investigators this week. haha. It is really hard in this area to find investigators. No one here wants to talk with us. We knocked like 200 doors this week and were able to make 5 appointments and the people that we contact usually cancel anyway.  We did find 1 really cool family of 11 so hopefully they pull through!  We are working hard so that is what counts.  My comp is a stud and is learning the language really fast.  I can tell he wants to help me more with the lessons and with the people but right now it’s rough, I know how it is I was just there! haha  Now I’m able to teach the lessons fully and answer most of the questions. I’ll be honest I use the scriptures a ton when I am teaching because I still can’t explain everything the way I want too.  I understand about 90% of what people tell me so it’s cool to be able to communicate better. I have learned a ton about others and myself. 
     
    Yesterday was a rough day with the language. Some dude came up to me and started yelling in my face. Telling me to go back to my own country and stuff like that.  He kept saying that gringos don’t belong here and all they do is come here to show off their money. IT TOOK EVERYTHING IN MY POWER NOT TO PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE. I wanted to so bad but I didn’t. I just tell them that we are missionaries and they can’t talk to me about that until they listen to our message. So, yeah, just dealing with these chollos here and it's horrible. There are a lot of people that don’t really want us here but I don’t know why because we are doing a ton of service. Most of the people I talk with are supper nice! I’m a nice guy what can I say!! hahaha.  
     
    Well that is it for this week! Hopefully everything is well back home.  I miss and love you! 
    YA BOY HUNTER
     
    PS Ustedes no pueden engordarse mientras estoy en Arequipa jaja, HAGAN EJERCICIOS! 

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WEEK 16 . . .  On the Move!!!

11/21/2016

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WELL, another weird and crazy week here in Peru!  I had 5 different comps this week hahaha but now I’m back training my green thumb... Honestly such a stressful week but just pushing through cause why not? I got switched to another area with a new comp everyday!  I have no idea what is going on here in la mission. It is so crazy!  There are a bunch of people that have gone home and we are just trying to cover all the areas.  Now I’m back in Alto Misti with my greenie so it’s all good. We had a baptism Saturday which was super cool. It was my comps first baptism so he was super excited! So Saturday was a chill day, finally. This week  was just a lot of moving and not a lot of trabajo, work, so don’t know what to tell you about this week. haha  There wasn’t much that happened other than my thousand comps. Haha 
 
The language is coming along.  I feel like I have improved little by little every day. To be honest it’s hard to write in English now. haha  I even write in my journal in Spanish and dream in Spanish too!  That’s the weirdest thing ever!  The funny thing that I found out is that I talk in my sleep in Spanish too!  I dream I’m teaching lessons with my investigators and want to talk with them.  It’s so crazy! haha. A little weird but freaking awesome! SO yah the language is cash and I’m able to teach all of my lessons on my own cause the comp doesn’t do much but you can’t blame him he’s a newbie. Just trying to teach him too!
 
Es chevere aqui, it’s cool here, and the people are awesome! Y LA PLAZA DE ARMAS was freaking sweet! I had a great time and took a ton of pictures. I can’t send pictures on this computer and so I will find a computer I can send them on next week.  OOOOHHHHH and I gave in and bought myself a poncho de alpaca hahahaha. It’s the best and I put it on everyday! 
 
Today for P-Day we are going to a Llama farm so I’m going to see and hopefully ride some llamas. Haha Then I am going to play ball with my bud Elder Sharp from the mission.  He goes home in 2 weeks so I’m bummed about that.  He is a stud! This coming Saturday I have 4 baptisms from my old ward.  They want me to baptize them so it will be cool and I am stoked about that.  
 
I Love you guys and hope all is good.  Have a fun week and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  Enjoy some turkey for me!
Love ya!
Hunts
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WEEK 15 . . . Crazy, Weird but Good! I've got this!

11/14/2016

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SWEEET!!!!  Another package coming!?? hahaha I can’t wait for this one because I need it! THANK YOU MOMMA! I finally weighed myself and I’m a solid 145 lbs!  So far, lost a total of 10 lbs.   I had another stomach infection but I’m all good now.  It’s fine just part of the mish!  Wow,  what a freaking weird week!  It’s pretty crazy here, not going to lie! 
 
POR FIN! haha Levi and Jordan got their dog! That’s awesome and glad to hear Mo is still his grumpy self! hahaha The Utes and Jazz are killing it and that’s what I like to hear!! Love those updates, they keep me going.  Glad to hear Drew’s back in the pool. Nice bro! 
 
I have to say el Presidente de la mision is awesome! President Johnson is sooooo coool and He loves me sooo that leads into my next things...hahahaha  So this week was the hardest and weirdest week of my life for some reason but I love the challenge! This week there were 2 elders that went home early. Both of them were some of my good friends in the mission so I was pretty bummed about that. They had some hardcore problem with their knees so they went home to have surgery.   So my good buddy Elder Bajaña is from Ecuador and he left his comp here that has 2 weeks in the mission.  HIS COMP SPEAKS NO SPANISH. hahaha  So what does president do? Pulls me half way through my training to train a GREENY! hahaha. He is a super cool guy from Oregon but knows nothing about Spanish or his area. So yah I’m in a new area called Alto Misti! This area isn’t as cool as my old one.  I really liked my old area but there are some really cool people here so that’s nice! I don’t know how long I will be here or what’s going to happen but for now I’m a daddy! I have had to really step up my language game though cause now I literally do everything. I surprised myself at how well I can function with 3 months of Spanish. haha.  This has been a pretty tough area without a lot of success so I have to get to work.  I was bummed because I had 7 baptisms scheduled for this month in my old area. I am only about 20 minutes away so maybe I will be able to go back and baptize them. On a positive note I’m not sad at all to leave the comp. Haha   When I was talking to Pres he mentioned I might get changed to a different district in the next change because right now I am in the same district.

Like I said, I have really stepped up my language game and have learned a lot but it is freaking hard! hahaha Other than that though not much has happened this week.  That’s the big news for the week! I am just trying to figure out how to run things in the new area and all of that but you know just staying positive and having fun here! I’ve got this and will be a boss!
 
I am pretty excited, today for P-day.  We are going to visit Plaza De Armas so that will be pretty cool!  I’ll send more pics next week!  This computer is broken and only one pic would send.
 
Love you all and hope all is good back home!
 
Su misionero en la país de PERÙ!!
 Hunt daddy

My District

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WEEK 14  .  .  .  Not going to lie, it's been a tough week!

11/7/2016

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​I’m not going to lie it’s been a tough week.  It makes it easier because I have such a great support crew back at home that is there for me. There have be so many times I just wanted to come home but I know I have a purpose here even if sometimes it feels like I haven’t found it yet.  I didn’t think I would get this homesick but it happens, right!  I have really just been trying to get through this first little bit.  It’s all good so no worries.  I’ve got this! Haha  I finally got my birthday package and it saved my life!!!  The office sent it to the wrong area and it sat there forever.  I found out I can get packages whenever you send them and that I don’t have to wait.  So that will be good. The golf putter was the best thing in the world.  I went nuts when I saw it. Haha I’ve used it so much when I just need to think.  
 
So this is my week in a nutshell: No baptisms and not really any new investigators.  We have had a lot of success with our current investigators so that is really good.  Next week we have a few baptisms and I am super stoked for them.  I have been doing a ton of service.  It keep’s me busy and makes people happy so I’m good with that.  You can tell by the pics I’ve been painting.  This week I led my divisions for the first time with one of the Gringo Greenies.  His Spanish is the worst so it was cool to see how much Spanish I really do know. I was able to communicate a lot better than I thought I could do so you know that’s always good! It has been a really good week for the Spanish side of things. haha.  The comp is doing fine and a little better than before but still kind of a butt.
 
Thanks for putting up with me before the mission and for encouraging me.  Right now it’s tough but I working through it.  I’m just staying positive and working hard!  I love you and keep safe this week!!   Mom, glad you had fun this week with the moms! I miss those guys and they all have great Mom’s!  
Miss you guys and hope all is good! 
 
Love you, Hunts

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WEEK 13 . . . Happy Halloween!

10/31/2016

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​HEY what’s up fam!! 
 
Sounds like everything went well with Drew’s surgery! Protect the nose and wear a face mask playing ball! You look like something that came straight from the meth factory bro haha Looks like it was a rough go this time? Glad to hear that the birthdays were fun and sorry I couldn’t be there! Next year no worries... Oh wait hahaha 2 years!
 
This week was a little weird not going to lie. My baptism that I was going to do se cayo, so that was a little upsetting but it might happen another week who knows! I’m just staying positive and working hard even with the little success that we are having. It’s all good no worries. We should have 6 bautismos this month that are lined up so that’s super cool! Hopefully they wont fall through because we’ve already had 5 fall through.  Like I said, this week was a little odd haha. One of our investigators started hitting on me so now we can’t teach them anymore. hahahaha.  That’s fine, what can I do about that I mean I’m a stub, right! hahaha  It was really weird though. haha  We’ve been trying to do a little more contacting because we really don’t have a lot of people to teach right now. We did a service project this week at a park and planted trees for some other church which was a little different. hahaha but you know service is service right? 
 
I think I mentioned last week that we had cambios and my best friend was transferred.  It really was super upsetting. He was the only one that I really connected with and really helped me out with my comp who doesn’t want to do anything. The fresh meat that came into replace him are a little weird, 2 gringos that know nothing and are soooooo wierd.  I mean really, what happened to normal people!!  I guess it’s better than nothing. haha.  I had a solid week though with the language. Everyday I learn more and practice a ton with my investigators and pensh.  I really feel super comfortable with understanding people but speaking is so much harder.  Little by little I learn more.  I just  found out that we have to change penshs this Tuesday which is the worst. She is the best and I don’t want to leave that family. So we are trying to convince the Pres and stuff to let us stay. Oh and today for the halloween were all getting together as a zone to have a party. It is going to be sick! I’m going to dress up as Facebook and write BOOK on my face. The simple things in life, right! hahaha. Other than that nothing has happened.  Stay chill this week and I love you all!
 
Ya Boy Hunts!
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    "You hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can ever imagine."
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    -Henry B. Eyring ​
    ​#TheChurchIsTrue

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