Pray For Rocio

What's up Family? I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.  I forgot it was Thanksgiving on Thursday until my pension mentioned it to me around 8 PM. Things are great here in Pasco! Because there hasn't been much rain in the last couple weeks the cost of potatoes has gone up and people are starting to freak out about it.We had a decent week. We've been contacting a lot and this upcoming week will be even better because we have some new investigators to teach.  

We've been teaching a lady named Julie, who's 24 years old. She's really cool and is studying to become a lawyer. Julie was baptized about 3 years ago but has become in-active. She is starting to come back to church.  So we have taken the opportunity to teach her some lessons.  She also has been reading the BOM quite a bit.  We've had some really good discussions about the importance of the gospel.  I can see the spirit is working on her and she's starting to change.  She's a big rock fan and her clothes can be quite interesting. She also has a nose piercing.  So on Wednesday when we were visiting with her she wanted to talk about her nose piercing. We explained to her that the prophets have told us that our bodies our sacred and that we should avoid those kinds of things. She told us that she had truly felt the spirit these last couple of days and she just knew that she had to talk to us about it.  After we had that discussion she took out her nose piercing.  That was so cool to see.....the spirit is working on her. Just in the short amount of time that we've been teaching her she has changed a lot.  She wants to come to church, she loves reading the BOM and she's listening to the Spirit. When we left I had the greatest feeling inside knowing that we're helping a daughter of God.  I'm witnessing how the gospel changes lives little by little just as it says in Alma 37:6-7 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." 

We did get to visit Rocio this last week.  It was a little bit of a let down.  She really wants to get baptized but her parents aren't in agreement.Rocio doesn't need permission because she's 19 but she's very worried about her parents and family and what they think. We shared everything and have really tried to encourage her to be brave with getting baptized. We explained that the Lord wants her to do this now and that she is ready.  She still has a date set for December 3rd....so I guess we'll see what happens.  Please everyone pray for her. She truly wants to get baptized.....she was crying when she was talking to us.  Please pray that she'll be courageous.

Reflection of the week:  This week I was able to read more of the BOM and wow my testimony grows and deepens every week because of this book.  As I read it and see others read it, my relationship with my Savior and my desire to change increases daily. This book does wonders and I love reading it.  I'm now on my 2nd time reading it in Spanish and I continue to discover so many great things.  One of the things my mission has blessed me with is a strong testimony of the BOM and I'm so grateful for that! I love you all! #doitforjesus

Love,

Elder Moss

Elder Moss - Cerro de Pasco 

Cerro de Pasco

Ana Got Baptized!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I'm so grateful for everyone's love and support while I've been on my mission.  Family is truly the best! We had another great week without rain....thank goodness! Everyone here is so surprised with the weather because usually it's raining and snowing this time of year. I like it because with the snow Cerro de Pasco just looks really sad. 

Anyways, this week was great! I got to baptize Ana on Wednesday.  We arrived a little early to the church so we could set up for her baptism and fill the font. Luckily they do have a heater for the font, but the water still looks green. We had a wonderful turn out and support from the members.  We had members give talks and then after Ana was baptized she shared her testimony with everyone. You could really see that the gospel has truly changed her.  She said she felt like a new person.  She was so happy!  We went and visited her on Friday and was so excited to be confirmed on Sunday.  She is planning to visit the temple in Lima on December 10th and take some family names with her so that the work can be done for her ancestors.  Ana's heart is truly converted....she already wants a calling in the ward. She's one of the most committed converts I've seen here in my mission.  She loves to read the BOM and the account of Joseph Smith. These truths are what really changed her heart. I know that Ana was prepared by the Lord. I can see that the Spirit worked through us to prepare her and have her ready to enter the waters of baptism.  I'm excited to stay in touch with her and see the joy and happiness that the gospel of Jesus Christ will bring to her life. The next thing we need to do is getting her daughter baptized that lives in Utah!

Reflection of the week:  Every week that goes by on my mission I have noticed that I find someway to have experiences that draw me closer to the spirit.  I feel as if every week my testimony grows in the BOM and my desire to tell people about the gospel.  As my testimony grows, I realize I need to share this happiness with others.  The BOM and prayer have been such a big part of this growth. My love for our Heavenly Father grows every week. I know that being here has made my testimony grow and I have learned to love the scriptures, obey, pray, repent and all of that. I feel as if every week my spiritual level changes. As I look back I see the lives I've touched with the help of God. But most of all I see how I have changed. I love the Savior and the ability we have to change and become new people in the gospel. That's the big thing the mission has taught me. I love you all! Enjoy the turkey and think of me as I will be enjoying chicken! #doitforjesus

Love,

Elder Moss

Elder Moss and Ana - Yanacancha Ward

Elder Moss, Ana & Elder Morales - Yanacancha Ward

Ana's Baptism

"Hasta la vista visa"

Hey family...how are you? We had a really great week and to top it off the weather was finally nice. It hasn't rained for several days and it's not feeling as cold. I've been able to just wear a sweater all week....which has been really nice. We found 6 new investigators this week and I feel really motivated to work hard and make the lessons the best I can. 

I love reading the book of Mosiah. I use it a lot when teaching investigators.  One of my favorite scriptures to share with the people is Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Monday we played basketball at the recreation center.  We had enough kids to play 5 on 5 so that was awesome.  Basketball has really helped have the opportunity to teach. We are teaching a kid named Axel that we met playing basketball. 

Tuesday we taught Axel about the Restoration and he loved it! He told us he's been looking for a true church because the Catholic church doesn't make any sense and neither do the rest of the churches. He accepted the BOM and said he's excited to read it. So please pray for him. 

Wednesday I had divisions with Elder Mathews. He interviewed Ana for her baptism and she passed! She's set to get baptized this Wednesday! We finally saw Rocio who had some really great news! Her parents are fine with her getting baptized. Her baptismal date is December 3rd. She's doing great and keeps coming to church and reading the BOM.

Thursday we had a zone conference and the assistants came.  I spent some time visiting with Elder Mendoza.  I was able to say goodbye to him because he's heading home December 5th. He truly was a great friend to me and he taught me so much. He had a huge impact on my mission! 

Sunday we only had about 60 members show up to church. One of the challenges is that church starts at 8:00 in the morning. We had to give talks last minute.  I talked about the BOM and the importance of it. We also had to bless the sacrament.  I feel like the Yanacancha ward is needing some help right now. We are trying our best to figure out what we can do. Sunday night we taught the Gomez family with a Elvis who's a member.  The mom is an inactive member.  I could tell that the lesson on the restoration really touched her. She really wants her family to be in the gospel.  We've actually had a lot of support from the ward with missionary work....we just need to get them to come to church.

Reflection of the week:  Missionaries have such a huge impact on the people they teach and come in contact with.  We have been teaching a less-active named Juliana.  She is 25 and is studying law. She's always thanking us for leaving our homes and families to come here to serve.  There are a lot of people like her that thank God for our service as Elders. It's so true the impact we can have on people's lives. I love seeing how the gospel has changed and transformed my investigators. It strengthens my testimony of missionary work. I am truly starting to see the fruits of my labor I love it out here even though it has been truly tough at times. But I know all of the hard experiences will payoff.  #doitforjesus.

Love,

Elder Moss

"Hasta la vista, visa" - Nailed it!

Cerro de Pasco - November 2016

Steady Progress With Our Investigators

I love the Book of Mormon! The more I read and study it, the more I realize how much our Heavenly Father loves us. I love being a missionary and sharing the scriptures with people and sharing the happiness that we all have. We were able to get inside of a house yesterday and we taught this family about the Plan of Salvation and how families can be together. As I was testifying to this family, the spirit confirmed to me of the truthfulness of this. I know that I will live with my family forever and that's so cool. 

So we always play basketball on P-days and also early in the mornings during the week. We've been inviting people to come play with us and now we're going to start teaching them about the gospel. Every Monday the Atencio family has us over at 8PM for family home evening. Such great members and are always so generous to the Elders. We also had a great lesson with Ana.  She moved her baptismal date up to November 16th. She told me that she wants me to baptize her....I'm so excited! I've personally been so blessed to teach her.  She told us that she really wants to be more humble, patient, and charitable. Perfect....so I turned to Moroni 7 and we started reading. I was teaching her that the key to changing ourselves is to really having that true desire and asking our Heavenly Father with all of our heart. I remembered that chapter in Moroni because I was going on splits in Huancayo with Elder Camacho and we were teaching some investigators and I remember it being so powerful. I asked Ana if we had helped her get an answer to her question and she said, "Without a doubt." Ana is going to be one of my best converts.  Church starts at 8:00am and she arrives at 7:45am every Sunday.

Rocio is doing good. She's in Cusco right now so we will go visit her later this week. Miguel is good! He's working with the Bishop right now so he can receive the Aaronic priesthood.  


This last week they had a VW Bug car race on the main street in our area.  That was really fun to watch. Saturday we had a day full of lessons and Sunday we found a new family to teach! It didn't rain at all this week.....which was really nice. Things are going well in Cerro de Pasco. Grandpa Moss will be happy to know that our street we live on is Micaela Bistadas 310...by the mine. I'm sending pictures of it.  It's the green building.

Reflection of the week:  Fear is something that can hold you back especially as a missionary. When you meet people for the first time, or you feel like you need to go up and talk to someone....I've learned you just have to open your mouth. You will either teach them or never see them again. This week Elder Morales and I had some good contacts and found 4 new investigators.  My mission has given me the confidence to not be afraid to talk to people. I'm so grateful for all the lessons I have learned on my mission. I love you all! :) #doitorjesus


Love,

Elder Moss 

VW Bug Race in Cerro de Pasco

Yanacancha Ward - Cerro de Pasco

This is where Jake lives in Cerro de Pasco