July 6, 2009

Hello Family! And others.... But you others are like family too so I will just leave it at...Hello Family!!

So this week wasn't too bad. I have to say I really don't like Holidays, I don't care what holiday it is, Holidays in the mission are no fun. Actually they are border line depressing. And you can't get any work done either on those days because no one wants to see you. It seems like all missionaries are just depressed on Holidays. We really aren't perfect, as many people seem to think we are. This is tough. But I do love it.

And I can't believe it, come August 3rd I am a 1/3 of the way done with my mission. This transfer is going by so fast. But I do love it here. Missions are so great!

But we did find a woman name Liticia a.k.a. Catwoman. Why do we call her Catwoman you ask? Because she has like 9 cats and every thing in her walls is cats and yeah.... but she is the nicest woman with the nicest apartment. It's like being in the temple when you are in there. That's how peaceful it is. So we began to talk with her to get to know her better. And she said she doesn't let anyone in her house, but we were different. She felt prompted to let us in. So we taught her the first lesson. And when we finished she looked at us and said, I believe it. That was kind of a shock. She said, I believe that actually happened. So we asked her to pray about Thomas S. Monson after and we kneeled down and she offered this small simple prayer, but didn't close it.... she just sat there in silence. And it was about 3 minutes of silence before she just looked up and said, wow. He is a prophet. It was so awesome! So we figure if they pray about Thomas Monson it connects everything. And he is living now! That is why we have them pray about him. His name brings so much power into a home and into a prayer. We set her for baptism on the 25th of July but may have to push it back a week. She is working Sundays right now and covering for a woman who is out of town. So she can't come to church till like the 19th. So we may push it to August 1st. But she will be baptized!

We also went and saw Manuel and Roxana. They are so cool! I love them. He is so funny. I called him and he picks up the phone and he pretened to be an answering machine like our phone has. ya know we say You've reached the missionaries Elder Moore and Elder Arellano of the church of..... yeah you get it. Well he goes Hi you have reached Manuel and Roxana from the church of Jesus Christ of the angels, then he started laughing becuase he messed up. Haha it was way funny! He is jsut a goof. But a way cool guy. He said his wife has the divorce papers ready in Mexico, we just have to find a way for him to sign them so they can get divorced, then he can marry Roxana and they can be baptized!!!! Woohoo!!! I am way excited! So that was about the highlights of the week.

I am excited to hear you will be going to the Newman's homecoming! That is going to be so so cool!!! I can promise you that the hour drive will be totally worth it! I love them. And yes I did meet President Kunz! He is really cool! And very excited about the work. So it used to be when we set someone for baptism we would call President Newman and he would sing us a song. Well President Kunz said he doesn't sing, so we have to sing to him when we set someone for baptism. I think he is getting a lot of calls. We have like 157 people set for baptism in the mission right now. It's incredible. We have decided to focus everything on baptism and church attendance as a mission. To put those two things into every section we teach. It is difficult in some ways, but it really helps the people we are teaching know our purpose. Know that we are here to batpize. And it is paying off. It helps us know the people that are serious, and those that aren't.

So I have my first interview with President Kunz on Wednesday. I am looking forward to it. He is great. He is going to help the mission do great things.

I think a huge reason in why we baptized Alister is because when he started coming to church people were talking to him and inviting him over for dinner and just being so nice to there family. That is what a good ward should do.Ha, funny story, We told Alister to be there at church last sunday before his baptism at 6:30 so he could get dressed and prepared and all. Well 6:45 rolled around and he still wasn't there and I was freaking out! then he walks in at 6:50 and says hey sorry I am late, we were eating dinner at one of the members houses. I was just like WHAT!? I couldn't believe it. It was so cool, Sister Robles had invited them over for dinner. She is way awesome. So see, ward members play the biggest roll in a recent convert and a convert baptism. Preach My Gospel says that after batpizing the person our job as missionaries is DONE. It is now the wards responsibility. And that is very true.

A mission is so worth it. It definately is not easy. But it is a great experience!

We didn't get to see any fireworks. Just hear them. We did get invited over to the Thompson's to watch fireworks with them..... But Elder Arellano didn't want to go. So we didn't..... We just tried to visit people and ended up seeing no one in the 3 hours we were visiting. Oh well. It's all good. That happens.

So this is how transfers work.... we have transfers every 6 weeks. And you get a call on Wedensday at 12:00 that tells you to pack your bags you leave tomorrow morning at 6:00. Or you are staying and this is your companion. So I think there is a good chance I will stay or go to South Omaha. I have to stay close because I have court on the 28th and transfers are the 25th. So if they sent me to Grand Island it's a 4 hour drive and Denison is a 2 hour drive. And if I don't show up at court I get arrested. So I kind of want to be there. So I don't know what will happen still but odds are I at least stay in Omaha.

Well I think that is the jist of what I have to say this week. I love you all very much! I hope everyone is doing great. I miss you all. But this is where I am needed. I know this church is true. I don't believe it anymore, I know it.

Take care

Love always, Elder Moore