Hey, Let me introduce the first five of our Simons Says Foundation Mission Possible-Project candidates. First, let me go back in history to almost three years ago. Cesar and I often talked about what we could do to make it possible for more missionaries in the remote areas of our projects like the Amazon Basin and the high-lands of the Andes mountains to be able to go on a full time-2-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After a lot of digging and asking questions, we discovered that in both the Amazon Basin and the high-lands of the Andes in South America where we have Hope Projects, that before a missionary was seriously considered to be on a mission that they have to have completed the following requirements: pass a physical exam by a doctor, have their teeth checked and any issue fixed, have two years of clothing including shoes and temple garments, have a suitcase big enough for carrying their 2 years of clothing, and a personal satchel\purse to carry their personal items, scriptures, notebook, and a few extra copies of the Book of Mormon. Most of those wanting to go on a mission does not have any money to pay for the necessary prerequisite items. So they don’t go because few do not have the money to pay for one of these items let alone all five.
So, we got the names of five missionary want-a-Be’s from their bishop/branch president and provided the money and the supervision to arrange for those pre-mission items and physicals exams to be performed, but only after each had passed a pre-mission interview by the missionary candidate’s bishop or branch president. If the pre-missionary passed his or her pre-mission interview; they first needed to pass the physical; then the dental exam and needed work completed, if necessary; then they went shopping. The average cost was about $200/missionary. Simons Says Foundation provided the behind the scene supervision via Cesar and his wife Janet along with the missionary candite’s priesthood leader or relief society president. Also, Cesar for the young men and Janet for the young women, to assist and to pay for any services or purchase needed items. No money was ever given to the missionary nor was any of the items purchased given to the missionary candidates until after their missionary paperwork was submitted to the church offices in Lima, Peru and a call was issued, temple endowments taken out then and only then was the clothing and other items given to the missionary by both Cesar and Janet.
These five new missionaries said God answered their prayers to be able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ by serving a full-time mission. I agree, we as Americas, even with a bone head as our current president, are greatly blessed. Ella and I have started a new separate fund that is part of the Simons Says Foundation, but not part of our Hope Projects component which is strictly non-denotational. If you would like to participate just indicated on your donation “SSF Mission Possible Project”. We now have 80 individuals who have indicated that they would like to be considered for this new project and have budgeted for 60 this calendar year but are hopeful to be able to assist over 100 SSF Mission Possible Missionaries by June 1, 2022.
I would be interested in what you think of our new project!
Love to you all,
Jerry