Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Lego Man & Bednar

Here is the latest from Elder Moss. He wasn't able to upload any new pictures so we've added in a few that haven't been shared yet. We traded email messages with him real-time again today and he's doing great. Keep him in your prayers and use the link to the right-hand side to drop him a quick email. 


¡Hola mi familia! How are you guys!? This week was just another normal week at the CCM except today at 1:30 we have a meeting with Elder Bednar!! There will be over 800 missionaries in a chapel somehow across the street from the CCM! We´re all so excited and it's like a dream come true because I Love Elder Bednar! We watched a devotional of him on Sunday and he's so powerful and brings the spirit wherever he is! I'm so excited for that! Anyways back to this past week! So all last week we were preparing to go proselyting on Saturday of last week. Learning lots of Spanish and learning how to start and teach lessons over and over again. We taught like 8 lessons last week to our "investigator" and they went well! My comp and I are getting really good at teaching through questions and not having to do much talking. We like to start out getting to know our investigator and then learn how we can apply some aspect of the lesson to a need of theirs. Then we like to ask questions and share scriptures that invite the spirit. My Spanish has gotten lots better and I am able to speak my mind about the gospel and help my comp teach the lesson. So after all those lessons and preparing to go out to the field proselyting on Saturday, we headed out. We left around 12:00 and we met at a chapel and drove through parts of sketchy Lima haha. We got to the chapel and we went out on splits. I went out on splits with an Elder from Mapleton and his name was Elder Merril. He had been out 18 months and his Spanish was unbelievable! I asked him some tips and he said to just open your mouth and speak! Even if it is just pointless things you get more familiar with the language and not sounding like a gringo. He said his Spanish started to pick up around 4-5 months! So everyone don´t worry! If I can survive these next 4-5 months, I'm set and I'll be able to talk to these Peruvians who I swear don't even speak SPANISH!
So anyways we get out there and our first lesson fell through.. sad.. but I was having a good time being free in the city with Elder Merril! We started knocking doors and passing out cards and asking if we could return another time. The place we were in in Lima was a more dangerous place. Sisters couldn't set foot here. I had to leave some things behind and just carry a Book of Mormon around with some other things. It's a rule in the Lima east mission to carry a book of Mormon haha. Anyways we're knocking doors and one lady answered and we gave her a card and talked to her about Jesus Christ and then she slowly shut the door haha. Then we moved on to our next lesson with a catholic man and his wife. His wife didn't listen but he did. Now in this house their door was a sheet.. and they lived in like a little alley way! I don´t know how these people do it! It's so sad and we're so lucky to be blessed with a front door! Anyways then he asked his wife to bring him his bible and he got it and patted it and told us to teach him! So we taught him the restoration and we read the pamphlet and explained the restoration. My comp liked to put me on the spot and make me explain key concepts. So in my broken Spanish I explained to this guy what happened and he completely understood me! I mean I wasn´t fluent but I got my point across haha! The best thing about this guys is he was speaking so slow so I loved that! But after teaching him he said he had to go so we ended with a prayer and left. He was an awesome guy and he loved hearing about the gospel and wants to hear more so I hope he does! After that we made our way over to another guy's house who owns a internet cafe and lives right next to it haha. He has a baptismal date but is struggling giving up alcohol with his buddies. So we taught from 2 Nephi 31 about why it is important to follow Christ's example, keep God's commandments, and be baptized. I didn't really understand this guy at all.. he spoke so fast and mumbled but my comp some how knew what he was saying! And of course my comp would leave me to explain why we need to be baptized so I did and he said I did it very well I just sound like a gringo! And the guy understood and then I bore my testimony about baptism and how it brings us closer to God and it's our first covenant that we need to make. I felt a calming peace after and my comp bore his testimony and we prayed and we were on our way. It was cool to go out and teach and realize how much Spanish the CCM really teaches you.. haha! I just need to keep working and speaking and it´ll come! I'm praying for a Latino, honestly, so I just learn it really quick my first 6 weeks out in the field.  Saturday was great... I loved it! It was fun being out in the streets and knocking the doors. I had the biggest smile and I enjoyed being out there so much and I can't wait! Best part is it won't be nasty looking Lima...it will be Huancayo! There are so many dogs in Lima and so many dog fights in the street haha! I'm so glad I am not serving here and I'm serving in Huancayo! All the Latinos say it is a beautiful and the COOLEST place!
So over the last week it's just been studying and getting to make new friends! Best part is, Elder Hale, Nielson, Logan, Parkinson, Sorenson, and me (you won't know them all) got notified by some of the advanced Americans that left on Tuesday that they're passing down the "order" to us. The order consists of silly stupid missionary stuff like books, dumb items, and the ugliest tie in the world. This tie is worn in every single group picture of the MTC and a Lego Man is worn in someones pocket haha! So in every picture up on the wall an ugly brown tie and a Lego Man is displayed in the picture! This has been going on for like 2 years or something and everyone that has worn the tie has signed it! and guess who gets to wear that ugly thing haha. So I'll make sure to take a picture :)
Anyways this week was awesome and I love being here it's just time to leave and I'm excited to leave after going proselyting. I can't wait to go out and change these people´s lives! There is so much happiness I have received from the gospel and I owe the people of Peru that happiness! 

My reflection of the week is from Elder Bednar on Sunday and Ether 12:6. I was a little down after Saturday about my Spanish.. it's tough and it's slowly coming but it's a test of our faith. We don't gain faith unless we endure a trial as it says in Ether 12:6. I love that scripture and I have been reading it everyday. Out there in the field it is going to be tough and I realize that. I'm going to have so many trials and I can't wait to gain more faith from it. The language is going to be one of those. Elder Bednar says "we're on the Lord's time and will". When it's the right time for me to start understanding Spanish completely is when the Lord wants me to. I can't expect it and want it at MY time. Spanish and other things will come when the Lord wants it to for me. It was humbling and I was grateful to have a need addressed by him on Sunday. I'm so grateful to be out here and to be learning Spanish. It is such an awesome language and this gospel is so true! Heavenly Father wants us to all return and I can't wait to gather people and bring them to him! My Spanish is slowly coming along but I keep enjoying it! I have lost myself in the work and I love the gospel and it's teachings and I have never prayed so much and read so much in my life! I love you all and you mean the world to me! Families really are forever and I know that because I can feel that in my heart! ¡Amo ustedes mucho y extreno ustedes mucho cada dia! ¡Oro para ustedes y amo sus oraciones para mi! Ciao
and bye everyone :) WRITE ME!! :)













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