New Place To Live - With a Real Toilet!

Family & Friends - Jake is doing good. Jake and the other three Elders moved this past week into a new apartment with better amenities such as a flushing toilet! The new place is closer to the branch and to a more populated area of Huancavelica. He's been in Huancavelica for almost 3 weeks. He says the food isn't great so they eat a lot of snacks. Next week will be big because they are traveling to Huancayo to watch General Conference and he'll get the package we've sent to him. 

Hey FAMILIA! How are you all? I love you all and I love Peru! This place is great and I love being here and learning Spanish and teaching this gospel! So things that happened this week.  WE MOVED! WOOO! It is an awesome place, little smaller, but it isn't a cement box haha.  Only problem is there's a square hole in the wall so we plugged it up with a cut up pad hahahaha! So now we don't have a bunch of light coming into our room from the other apartments and there is less noise :). Next thing we did was create a patriotic american toilet haha! I sent the picture! It was elder Hardison's idea and it's my favorite thing haha! Oh and then next week we get to go to Huancayo for general conference and spend the weekend there! YAY.... CONFERENCE IN ENGLISH SO STOKED! Ah this week is going to fly by because we have 4 days in Huancayo and we are hiking to the coolest glacier in Huancayo on Monday! So I will be emailing later most likely. My Spanish is improving little by little! I have more confidence and my listening is getting better too! We are also learning quechua.... hahaha, we are trying but it is so hard! It literally sounds like a demonic language you guys! Aw anyways this week has been awesome and it feels like home and I feel all your guys prayers.

Now for the work.. last 2 days have been rough.. we had one lesson! They all fell through and they were set appointments.. ahhh!  We have been trying to work with everyone here and let them know this is the Lord's time they are wasting.  We've had to drop a couple investigators.... Peruvians are AWESOME liars haha! But I love them! We are teaching a family called the Velasquez family.  The dad and the daughter were recently baptized, but his wife and other daughter aren't. They have been attending the church activities and church too! When we teach them it's crazy to see how happy they are when only 2 of them are baptized and following the example of Christ..... IMAGINE all of them,! It makes me so happy to see how happy they are! They are such a great family and they struggle at times with money but they have faith and know the lord will help us if we follow him! Cause HE WILL I promise you all that! :) 

Reflection of the week: I have been finishing the Book of Mormon and I was reading in 3 nephi 11:41 today. Jesus has come to the americas and he is telling the Nephite's to go and take his words to the ends of the earth. That is missionary work, and I related that to me and every other missionary that is serving.  We really are carrying the words of Christ and asking people to come unto him and follow his commandments. I love being apart of this work even though the people are frustrating at times here.... but I love it and the people. This has been the best thing I have done and I love IT! I love you all and miss you all. Ciao Ciao:-)

PD Fun!

Moving Day to a smaller but better place!

Inside the new apartment. Jake's lucky to share a place with Elder Rasmussen, Daza and Hardison. 

Patriotic Toilet.....the things missionaries do for entertainment! Looks like they need a mom to clean it.

Next Up: Q&A With Elder Moss

Jake is doing great. He's with three other great Elders in Huancalevica and they're doing the Lord's work while trekking through the Andes. He uploaded about a dozen pictures and we chose the best ones to share here on the blog (see below).  

Hola familia! How are you all!?  This week flew by and I love this place more than anything! This is definitely one of the best places and I love this change I have made in my life! We had a baptism this week and we hiked in suits for an hour to a river and performed this baptism! It was so cool! And then on Friday we went to go visit a city called Lircay. They are 3 hours away on a dirt road through the Andes. It is unreal and the pictures i got were INCREDIBLE! Lircay has 150 members, but 10 of them attend! They are a family group now and the branch president has no idea what to do.. it is so sad. So we visit them 2 times a month and try to help them out. 

Reflection of the week: This week I saw myself improve in spanish....The gift of tongues is real! We teach a lot of lessons on the sabbath day haha.  We always catch members working or buying stuff on sundays and its sad.   WE WERE TEACHING A family, the Cunya family and we were explaining why the sacrament is important and that we need to attend church and respect Sunday.  So I had to explain in spanish about the sacrament and why we take it.  I went on for about 4 mins and answered the questions in SPANISH! I taught the lesson smoothly and they understood! It just came out! It was unreal! The Lord is really helping me. Through effort, patience, and faith we can have the lords help in our lives. It might take time but I have so much faith now and I know that through prayer I have improved in spanish and teaching. 

This week was great and I LOVE THIS place. There are times when I get discouraged but I think of the people I am blessing and I realize this is more than worth it. I love the people of Peru even though we are aliens to them haha. Church is pretty disorganized sometimes but thats okay... haha they call us up on the spot to speak! It is so funny, the 2nd counselor is this old guy and he always squints and trys to pronounce our names hahahah. Anyways I love it here and we are getting a new room! It is so nice! Its right in the center of the city and close and not out in EGYPT! AHH I love it here and these missionaries I am with! Its comforting knowing I am doing this along with all my friends and Zach. If they can do it I can :) I love Peru and serving the Lord :) Love you all and miss you! :)

We decided it was time to email Jake just a list of questions to see if he would actually answer them.  It seems like the only way to find out info is to be very specific with your missionary.

What is the weather like?  Weather is hot during the day

Do you have the correct clothing for the weather conditions? Yes, I do

Have you been able to stay warm at night? Yes, but the sleeping bag will help!

How do you guys get around? Walking only? We walk and take a taxi a lot.

What’s the latest with the people you are teaching? We are teaching less active and about 2 new investigators

Did Elder Walker visit you and how did that go? Yes, Elder Walker is awesome!

How’s it going with investigators? Teaching 2 new investigators

Are you able to take hot showers? Yes, we are able to!

What is Elder Rasmussen like? What other areas has he served in? Elder Rasmussen is great!

What time does Church start? 10:00 am

What do you guys have to do at Church each Sunday? We are called on to speak a lot haha...they aren't very organized.

Does your Pensionista cook you all three meals? What is the food like? Food is soup, bread and maybe rice and chicken if we are lucky haha

Have you had any sickness from altitude OR food? NO

What’s the dog situation? Any dog problems? Dogs are fine, we mess with them haha!

How’s sleeping at night? Sleeping is great and I love doing the Lords work!!

Hardison, Daza, Rasmussen, Walker, Moss - Huancalevica Sept 2015

Baptism in the mountains!

Baptism - in the concrete box behind everyone...

Hiking in a pinstripe suit!

Need More Info...

Jake was a little light on info this week. He told us that the internet cafe' they went to this morning had pretty bad internet service. So no pictures today. No editing here, this is all we got. Time for a list of questions to the missionary!

Here's Jake's letter:

Hola everyone! How are you all!? So we took a 10 hour bus ride though the Andes mountains, up to a peak that was about 14,500 ft and back down into Huancayo. We met at presidents house and we had food and talked and had interviews! He is such a cool guy and I love him! So he decided to send me to huancavelica with Elder Rasmussen. He is from Brigham City and his spanish is pretty good. So huancavelica has 400 members! It's crazy! But only 50-60 of them attend church ahhahah! So are job is to rescue the in-actives and baptize of course!

So we had a baptism this last Saturday with Michelle, she is 13 and she loves the gospel and she was so happy after! We baptized her in a concrete box filled with hose water haha..! But after her baptism her whole family has this happiness and now both of her little brothers want to get baptized! She is awesome and we love her! This place is a little different.. most of the people here speak the Incan language Quechua.. haha we always hear it from these old ladies called cholitas.  They always yell at us in it and call us stuff in Spanish haha! The people here stare at us all the TIME! It is so funny and we always say hi and point at them when they point at us haha!

My reflection of the week is prayer. The first couple days were unbelievably hard and I didn't understand why I was here and what I was doing. I prayed like every hour for time to go by, and it helped. It was hard but through prayer and fasting I feel at home and I love it here and the people. I love you all and I advise you to pray when you feel you can't win. It is still tough but I love it here and my comp and the people. I love you all and I can feel your prayers! :) ciao :)

Thanks to Jake's Aunt Julie and Google Earth we have a picture of the Branch location

Huancalevica on a clear & sunny day!

Huancavelica

Jake has arrived to his mission in Huancayo, Peru. He left the CCM in Lima around 2:00 AM on Tuesday morning. He had training at President Henderson's home on Tuesday and Wednesday. We heard from him Tuesday night...just a few lines in an email below and that's it. Other than that, we received the letter below from his mission president. From other parents we've learned that Huancavelica is a mining town in the Andes mountains of Peru. It's one of the poorest cities in all of Peru. It sits at about 12,000 feet above sea level. Hopefully, we'll get more from Jake on Monday next week on his P-Day.

Hey guys I'm here! I love it here and my area is a small area with a small branch and apparently it is a struggle so we will see how it goes! My spanish has improved lots and my understanding is getting better and better! I have a smile and no nerves and I'm ready to dive into the work of the Lord. This place is awesome and I already love the people. My comp is an american. So excited to meet him tomorrow! I love you all and I have the spirit with me and I'm not one bit worried. I can feel your prayers and I am so excited! The church is true and I love it! I love you GUYS!!!! :)

Jake in the Ugly Brown Tie (a handed-down tradition) - CCM 2015

Desposorio & Moss - CCM Companions 2015

Left To Right - Hale, Unknown, Rust, Parkinson, Moss - CCM September 2015

Elder Moss & Elder Desposorio - CCM Companions 2015

September 10, 2015

Dear Moss Family:

We want to let you know that Elder Moss arrived safe and sound here in the Perú Huancayo Mission.  We are grateful to have him here!   He and the other 12 new missionaries arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and we oriented them that evening and for much of the day on Wednesday with their new companions.  Elder Moss  and his training companion then headed to their proselyting area in Huancavelica.

Thanks for letting Elder Moss come to our Mission.  We look forward to two good years together with your good son.

President David Y. Henderson

Peru Huancayo Mission

Huancavelica, Peru - Jake's First Area

Elder Moss & President & Hermana Henderson - September 2015

Cabin Fever!

Here is Jake's latest letter. We were able to trade email messages again with him today and he's doing great. He says they have two more days of class at the CCM and then there will be some "Field Orientation" training that he'll attend before he heads out to Huancayo. He doesn't have his travel plans yet. Thank you all for your love and prayers. He's doing great!

¡HOLA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS! Only like 6 days left so that's good news buuuut that means no more hot showers ugh! I love you guys so MUCH and I got my package on saturday and it was so great! I love you all and I feel so blessed to be out here in Peru serving the Lord! I love Peru and  I'm  so excited to get out there and talk to people about Jesus Christ and how our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone one of them! My Spanish has improved lots and I can listen pretty well. I can speak well enough to communicate and get my point across so I have been humbled and excited for that! The Lord has blessed me with my spanish and I am so grateful for that! My reading and writing have improved and my conjugation is doing great and my vocabulary is growing everyday! Now I'm just ready to get a latino comp who doesn't speak a lick of english and forces me to learn because I need that! I can't wait to get out there and get to Huancayo!

Today we missed our temple session because we couldn't catch a bus on the way there...buses are JAM PACKED! I don't even FIT in them it is so funny haha! When I stand up I have to take my neck to a 45 degree angle to fit!  My comp and I talked to some return missionaries about missions and they only spoke Spanish and a tiny bit of English.  They said our spanish is really good for being here for only 5 weeks! I am so excited to preach the gospel in Spanish! I love spanish!  We had a devotional last night from another area 70 and he was awesome! He had so much power and I understood him all without the translator! The main thing I took from him is that we need to learn to love the people here. I already love the people here and I can't wait to teach the people in Huancayo that have been waiting to hear my voice! :)

So a week ago BEDNAR CAME! It was SO COOL to be in the room with an apostle. He is such a funny guy and he isn't all serious in person. There were 800 missionaries in a chapel! It was so crazy you guys! He did an open mic thing and mics were passed around and people asked questions and he asked us questions and we answered! He told us that we shouldn't write down everything and we should write down something when we are prompted by the spirit, and I was. Something I took out of it is that we need to help our investigators endure to the end.... perserverar hasta el fin in español :) We don't just baptize to rack up the numbers. We need to make sure they are staying consistent and that they complete the saving ordinances in the temple. It's so true because I also took out of that that I need to do the same. I need to endure to the end and always be willing to follow the commandments. Everyone needs to and that's why I'm here. To invite others to follow Christ and have a way back to our loving heavenly father! It was so great to listen to him and see how many missionaries there are in Peru! That'll be me in 6 DAYS! SO AMPED!

It's been great at the CCM and I've grown really close with elder hale, rust, parkinson, nielson, and Logan. They're all such awesome people and I love all my district too. But elder hale and I have grown really close and he's been such a great example.  So this week we had pictures with the President and his wife and they go up on a wall.  Last week I got this ugly brown tie from Elder Beecher and it's passed on in this group called the order haha. So I whipped that out and elder hale whipped out the "pescado tie" he traded for this tie with a latino.. .the UGLIEST fish tie I have ever seen haha! So in the picture Hale and I are wearing these ugly ties.  Apparently the president's wife isn't too fond of passing an ugly tie down to each group, so I had to keep that thing hidden! So then this weekend we have a ceremony and pass down the tie haha! It's just something fun to do here because all of us are getting cabin fever and want out... ahhh! We are all so amped! And wow i never want rice again in my life after 2 years.. like it is no good anymore.

Reflection of the week...  Yesterday I was reading in 2 Nephi 3 about how Joseph of Egypt forsees Joseph Smith, Jr. being a prophet. I read that chapter with not very open eyes so I read it again and looked up the footnotes and just sat and pondered about it.  Joseph Smith is a true prophet and the spirit testified that to me as I read it for a second time. It was a peace and a calming peace with happiness and I just sat there and smiled. I love the book of mormon and it has helped me out to find answers and to give answers to others! It is such a great book and it is the doctrine and testimony of christ and we need to be reading it everyday! It brings me so much joy and the little amount of time I do have here in the CCM to read... I read it because it is amazing! I have a testimony that this book is true and that this gospel is true! My heart is happy being here in Peru and I have so much! We truly are apart of the plan of happiness so we need to show it! I love you all so much and I miss you all so much! Only like 98 P-days left ;) so make it count and WRITE ME! I love you ALLLLLL!! AHH NEXT TIME I'LL BE IN THE FIELD! :)

Your favorite, Elder Moss

Jake says Riley Schneiter came to visit him in the CCM! He says this Elder's smile is exactly like Riley's.

We think this is one of only three times they got to the temple in Lima. It was closed for the first couple of weeks and today they missed their session time because the bus was crowded.

Jake and his CCM buddies.