Only 3 Transfers Left!

Transfers this week....Elder Guerrero and I are staying in Huanaco. Next transfer Elder Guerrero will be going home. All the missionaries in our zone are now basically training. We have had a lot of new missionaries enter the field and many came to our zone. Sounds like home is great! I can't wait to get home and see my brother and sisters. I have missed them so much. Being out 
here makes me realize how much I love my family. 

We had a great week! Tuesday I was able to do divisions with Elder Albuqueque. We didn't have a single appt that day so we just knocked doors. We contacted a whole street and got 3 return appts set up. For the most part people are friendly. It's always sad when they reject us but my goal is to walk away laughing or smiling knowing that we are one door closer to someone who will accept us. 

Wednesday I went to Cayhuayna. Sadly all the appts failed us. So we decided to try contacting. Also I was able to see Elder Ryan contact and see how much he has progressed as a missionary. He's a great kid and I like being with him! 

Christian is planning to get married on March 25th. Jordy and Jefferson's mom is also going to get married and baptized. We promised her that if she prayed and truly had the desire to keep the commandments (law of chastity) that the Lord would help her. Turns out she received her answer and knows what she needs to do. Neyra is getting back and she has been keeping up on her BOM reading. We are really excited to see her.

With each transfer I learn something new about myself. My desire to work has been strengthened and doing the Lord's work is amazing. I feel like I've been able to take everything that I have learned so far on my mission and use it to help me be the most effective missionary that I can. The Lord has blessed me with energy to work. I don't want to lose a second. 

Reflection of the week: Thank you mom and dad for your letters. I truly feel the spirit when I read them and they have been such a blessing to me on my mission. Crazy to think I have 4 months left. I believe that there are still chosen people out here for me to find and we just have to keep looking for them. I have loved my mission so much and I'm going to miss it so much. It's hard to explain every single lesson that I have learned out here. But I feel one of the most important things that I have discovered is true happiness and joy. I've learned that attitude is so important in this work. I feel such a change in my heart...I love this gospel and the things I have learned. Thank you for all of your love and support. #doitforjesus

Love,

Elder Moss

Elder Montoya's Visit

Hi family! It has been raining a bit lately but I love the weather here in Huanuco...it is perfect! So this week was great but lots of traveling. It was all worth it though in the end. Monday we had P-Day with our district and basically played board games which was fun but P-Days aren't what they used to be. Tuesday we taught a new convert named Rosario. She is the wife of an RM in our ward. They're a great couple, really funny. They remind me of Ben and Marianne! They're hilarious! On Tuesday we also had to get stuff ready for the multi-zone meeting with Elder Montoya. We met with Elder Montoya of the Seventy all Wednesday morning and it was so cool to listen to him. The training we received from Elder Montoya was unreal. He has such a huge testimony and it made me reflect a lot on what is left for me as I finish my mission. He talked about how he had his first testimony of Christ as a missionary himself and what an impact that had on him. He said he's never been the same since. I really connected with this part of his testimony because it is so true...when we see the influence of the Lord in our lives then after we are not the same. I have seen the same thing in myself in my mission. I am so grateful for what I feel and how I feel out here in the mission field. So many changes in me that will shape me forever. I want to finish working hard and with as strong of a testimony as possible. This past Saturday I decided to fast for this to ask the Lord to help me with remaining committed to the work and to doing all I can to deepen my conversion. I felt prompted to read my Patriarchal blessing to find the strength and inspiration I need. 

Tuesday was sad because we sent Bryan (our pension's son) off to Lima. He's trying to get a visa so he can come to the States and go to school. I got to play b-ball with him on Monday one last time. It was sad to see him off because I might not see him again. He was one of my best friends here in the mission. Saying goodbye to him made me realize how hard it will be to say goodbye to the people of Peru when I come home. I love Bryan and his family so much.

So then on Thursday we traveled to Huancayo for more leadership training from Elder Montoya and that was very cool as well. I love President Silva and feel that my testimony has grown so much because of him. He's fiercely obedient and committed to the gospel and he's been a great example to me. 

Sounds like Emily, Nick and Sarah are doing great! I can't wait to see Emily play basketball when I come home. I am so glad for Nick that he's got such a great group of friends and is having a blast with his buddies. The best decision I made was to go to Jordan my Senior year. Thanks Mom and Dad for your support on that. I will never forget the experiences I had there and the great friends I made. I loved every second of it!

So regarding the work...well, in between training and traveling we met with the Ponce family again...all of the ladies! They all read the things we asked them to in the Book of Mormon last week! They are awesome and excited to learn about the true church on the earth today. We taught them Lesson 1 and they had a ton of questions and it was pretty funny to hear all of their comments and questions! I love finding new people and I believe in the contacting challenge and goal we have set 100%. I know it is the most effective method for our mission and the type of areas we are in. Christian is great and so is Angelo. These two are progressing the most and they both came to church on Sunday which is great. Amazing how the work moved along this week even though we had a lot going on with Elder Montoya's visit. 

Reflection of the week: I realized on Sunday during church how blessed I have been to have been raised in the gospel. We were in Elder's quorum class and were reading the manual and it is a real struggle here because these people are truly pioneers and this is so new to them. It is tough and it makes me sad because I love them so much and I hope they'll keep pushing forward with faith because the gospel is the greatest thing in the world. It can heal us and make us happy! I love it out here and I know that I have a little time left and need to use it wisely and stay committed to the work. I love you all! #doitforjesus

Love,

Elder Moss

Elder Moss, Elder Christensen, Elder Guerrero & Elder Islas

Elder Moss, Elder Campbell, Elder Walker, Elder Ramirez, Elder Christensen

Saying goodbye to Bryan (our pension's son)

Slow travel to Huancayo!

What's up fam? Well it took us a really long time to get to Huancayo for the training last week.  We didn't arrive until around 10:30 PM. The driver of the van was ridiculously slow and he asked us if one of us wanted to drive because he was really tired. Of course we aren't allowed to drive. When we finally got to La Oroya we bailed on this driver of the minivan and found another car to take us to Huancayo. When we arrived at the mission home we had a cold dinner waiting for us. We all crashed in the mission home. In the living room they have a bunk beds set up for the missionaries to sleep on. The AP's did a lot of the training but President Silva took a few minutes. He talked a lot about the importance of being obedient. We shouldn't obey just for that moment we're in, we should be obedient for eternity. Obedience will truly permit us to live with our Heavenly Father again. I love President Silva and I'm so grateful for all that he does for us.

We returned home on Wednesday and I was able to go on division with Elder Ryan (from Utah). Elder Ryan has been out in the mission for about 6 months. He's a great missionary and I enjoyed spending the time with him. We spent the day contacting. I have so much faith in contacting. I believe it's one of the most effective ways because it teaches you to open your mouth and be bold and courageous. We found some new people and we're able to set up return appts. It's such a blessing getting to know the missionaries in the zone and being able to learn from them.

Friday was solid! We taught Russell, someone we found contacting, and he's going to let us come back next week to teach him. We visited a referral named Cristian. While we were in his store talking to him a drunk guy walks in and starts hugging us and sits down next to us. He says."Alright Hermano we're going to say a prayer." He starts saying In the name of the Father, & the Son and the Holy ghost and then points to me and tells me I don't know how to pray. You gotta love them! 

Saturday we were out contacting and found a family of all girls to teach.....Aunt Luisa, Ingry, Juana and Cindy who are all very Catholic. The Aunt told us to come back later that day. When we returned we realized that there was no man there and we had to run and get Bryon (our pensions son) to be there with us while we taught. At the end of teaching them they asked us how we know it's all true? We told them that we pray to find out that answer. Elder Guerrero, who was converted 3 years ago, told him that he had investigated a lot of churches and not one of them asked him to pray to find out if it was true, until he met the LDS missionaries. We asked if they've ever prayed to see if the catholic church is true and they said no, we go because it's tradition. I testified to them that if they read the pamphlets and sincerely asked God if this is true they would receive an answer. 

Reflection of the week: The Lord is blessing us for our efforts. Elder Holland promised the missionaries that if they would contact 20 people a day (600 a month) that the Lord would bless them with one baptism a month. I truly believe that we will find people if we have put our trust and faith in the Lord and work really hard. I know it is true...I have seen it with my own eyes. The spirit guides us. I love this work! Pray for me to have the strength to push ourselves even more. I love you all so much! #doitforjesus

Love,

Elder Moss

Elder Ramirez, Elder Moss, Elder Christensen - Huancayo Leadership training 2017

Elder Moss, Elder Christensen & Elder Walker's road trip to leadership training

We're Heading to Huancayo

Today we are headed off to Huancayo for training. We are traveling in a mini van this time because it's a lot faster and less money. That will be a fun little road trip with all the Elders! I'm sad to be missing basketball today. It's been a blast playing with Bryan and his brother Kevin.....they actually play b-ball well. I love our pension's family. Lily is the mother and she's married to Carlos and they have 3 kids....Bryan, Kevin and Karla. Bryan served a mission in Brazil. He's trying to figure out a way to be able to study at BYU or SLCC. So I've been trying to help with this. We are so blessed to be a part of their family. They are such a humble family, who I have grown to love a ton! I will always remember them.

So we have implemented the 4 key indicators that we learned about last week from the worldwide mission broadcast. It's actually been really great not to have to worry so much about how many lessons we have taught during the week. We have been able to turn our focus on finding new investigators and the most important goal...baptism. 

We had the chance to teach Angelo this week. I was so happy that he made it to church again. He's a hippy older guy...really cool. He's doing good but I think that fear is holding him back from taking the next step. Please pray for him! We found a new investigator, his name is Christian. He was a reference from a member. He has a wife and one child. He's young and recently lost his job because of problems with alcohol. As we were talking with him he broke down and told us that he is willing to change his life and feels like this is the right place. He told us that he thought he would never set foot into a church. While I was talking with him, I felt the spirit so strong as I was listening to this man. It was the spirit testifying to me of how strong and real the atonement is. Sometimes people don't understand that they can be released from their torment here on this earth through the atonement. I felt this huge wave of love for him. He's motivated to make his life better. I truly felt the Savior's love for him as we were able to share with him the healing power of the Atonement. We have another visit with him on Thursday. He's also planning on playing soccer with the Elder's quorum this Wednesday.


Reflection of the week: This week I was able to see and feel how much my love for these people has grown. Sometimes it's overwhelming. As I sat and listened to Christian I mourned and prayed for him. It has been a goal of mine to love these people more. In the beginning it was hard, but with time it has increased and I feel as if I can share the Lord's love with them more now. As it says in D&C 4:2 "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all our HEART, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." This work will never advance without love. Love is what motivates me to open my mouth and teach these people. My love for my Heavenly Father and these people makes me be better and constantly repentant. I love you all! #doitforjesus

BTW...Eduardo is in Ecuador and Neyra is in Lima still....can't wait for them to return!

Eating Suri...a grub that lives in coconut trees in the Amazon jungle. A delicacy in Peru!

Conference in Huanuco - January 2017

Huanuco Zones - January 2017