April 26, 2010 Life Still Goes On.

Wow, sounds like everything is pretty darn crazy there with the moving and Justin waiting for his mission call! I cannot wait to recieve that phone call Wednesday. That will be AWESOME! I'm so excited for him and that he has decided to go on a mission. It will really bless his life and he'll have the opportunity to bless the lives of many others. So I'm so excited for him!

Well this week was a crappy one. That's about all I can say. The past 2 weeks have been the hardest most challenging weeks of my mission. And now I am just really sick...throwing up all night, that kinda good jazz. I think it's mostly because of all the stress. Lately things just haven't been good. Everything has fallen apart. Fidel is drinking and getting high again. We're trying to help a guy not commit suicide, and he is constantly drunk, doesn't matter what hour of the day. Our group leader/ward mission leader is getting on our case for who knows what. I was released as district leader for things I couldn't even control. Everyone in the group just has problems right now, whether it be getting kicked out of there apartment because they don't have money to pay rent, or they have a problem with someone else in the group, etc.

Lincoln has proved to be so much more challenging than Omaha. The problems here are so much diferent and the support that comes from the group is so little. Really my desires to do much this week weren't very high. But we had to keep working.
I was reminded of the story of Christ, when John the Beloved was beheaded. And Christ went to be alone to mourn for John. And the people came to him because they needed his help. So Christ had compassion on them and healed them. When Christ was hurting and struggling he served the people and that brought him joy. So I tried to take that experience and relate it to myself. I have been such a real downer these past 2 weeks. I just haven't been myself. So we decided to work a little harder this week and do some walking and tracting and street contacting. We just went around looking for opportunities to serve. So that is what we did, and it did help some. It raised my desire to do missionary work, that's for sure.

We did run into 2 bums this week and it was hilarious. The guy would talk to us and do yoga moves while talking to us. I wish I could show you because it was hilarious!! Oh well.... in 7 months I'll show you the yoga moves this guy was pulling while talking about God the father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. He talked about how he lived in the hood in LA and in New York. He also talked about how the white dove appears to him and his friends call him the "Birdman." And then his other friend, Larry, was sitting behind him on the steps and he shouts out "Hey Ya'll are phony bologna!" And the "Birdman" says to him, "Not all of them Larry, not all of them." It was so funny. Then Larry, the guy on the steps said "Peace be unto you." And he showed us the peace sign then he said "NOT!" and flipped us off. It was quite entertaining.

Another cool part of the week, we preached a sermon to a group of 8 drunk guys. We also got threatened to be hit with a hammer and shot by a guy. So we left. This week was just a wild one. I'm ready for things to start looking up. We did spend a hour and a half last night with Hector talking to him and being very bold with him. Elder Rigby and I decided that if he didn't accept a baptismal date last night we were going to drop him because we have been working with him for a while now and he is not going anywhere. So at the end of the night... he accepted to be baptized on May 8th. So we'll see what happens. He has a few hold backs.... but we are hoping to get him there. That was the one bright spot of the week.

I lied. Me and Elder Rigby were cleaning out a closet in the apartment that just has a bunch of junk in it and you'll never guess what we found...2 typewriters in briefcases! So now we each have a typewriter and a briefcase for our typewriter. Pretty much was one of the most happiest moments of my life! Well that is it for me. Sorry this was such a downer. Hopefully things will turn around this week and I can have better news for you all next week.

Yes I will be here this next week. :) transfer aren't until the 13th of May. I am hoping to open Crete too. We shall see what happens though. Keep praying! I love you all! Be safe and enjoy southern Utah!!

Love,
Elder Moore

April 19,2010 Life Goes On

There it is.... the new slogan. Life Goes On. I've learned that whenever you have a hard week or things just aren't going the way you want them too.... Life Goes On.

This week was a decent one. We are teaching plenty, but aren't having much progress. We went out to Crete yet again and found more and taught more. It may be close to impossible but not completely impossible to open Crete this next transfer because a spanish missionary went home last week. But I still think it can be done. There are 2 many missionaries that were called english, got switched to spanish and are back in english areas (if that makes any sense) that could be switched back to spanish. Then we would have enough. Plus we have one new spanish missionary coming in this next transfer. So we'll see what happens. Hopefully it opens up though. As you know I have been wanting this so bad for so long. But whatever happens, happens and we just go with it.

So yesterday was Stake Conference. That was really really good. Elder Smith, an area 70 was there and gave an amazing talk! President Kunz, Sister Kunz, and President Bateman (the stake president) also spoke at the meeting. Unfortunately only 2 memebers from our group showed up. I really don't know what's going on right now. Things have just been so.....down?...I guess would be the word. We have hit a rough spot that we haven't really pulled out of yet. And it's with everyone, members and investigators. It looks like we are going to drop Hector and Jully because they are being major bums. Hector just keeps making excuses. He said if he found a job he would get baptized, he found a job. He prayed before his job interview and asked God to help him get the job. He got it, now he wants a car before he is baptized. It's just ridiculous. We've been so bold with him and he just doesn't get it.

Also, I have noticed something. It's always hard being a convert and having to change everything. It's hard, but it's worth it and some people just don't realize it. They aren't willing to TRY obeying the Lord's commandments because they don't think anything will come of it, or they are content living the way they live. But if they would just TRY it, just for a week, or 2 weeks, they will see how much the Lord has for them and how much he is willing to bless them! They just aren't willing to make that sacrafice sometimes and it's frustrating and hard to watch when we know what will come of them doing what God asks them to do.

We went out to Crete like I said earlier and tried to see Edgar, he wasn't home, but his mom was. Oh man.... Me and her got into it big time. She won't let Edgar come to church anymore, says he HAS to go with her. She called us liars and decievers, said we go around confusing people. So I just let her have it. She was yelling at me, so I didn't yell at her, but I didn't use my nice "sweet" voice either. It was pretty intense, and funny at the same time. Elder Rigby didn't know what to do so he just stood there, and I could tell he was just like what the heck is going on. Because it was pretty intense. So after about 10 minutes of arguing and as she started to recognize that defeat was drawing near, she kicked us out and told us we are no longer welcome in her home. Fine with me. But then as we were on the porch Edgar and Annel showed up and we hung out on the porch and talked with them for about an hour.

So last week, on a fun note, we got pranked. The Elders from Holmes Lake broke into our apartment and put syrup on EVERYTHING! The whole kitchen floor, counters, fridge, stove, dishes, then they flipped our beds and put stuff in them and then tried to make jello in our bathtub. So, we had to get them back of course.... they started a prank war. So the next day during lunch, us and the elders from Trendwood broke into their apartment and put every piece of furniture they owned in there bedroom, we stacked their beds and piled everything in there! Even the food from there cabinets. Then we filled up their bath tub with lots of good nasty stuff, and put fish in he air vents. It was a sweet prank. and it only took us about 30 mintues to do all of that. It was so awesome! So later that night they called us and truced. I don't blame them. Ya don't mess with us. :) I love the missionaries here and the friendships you create with everyone. I really have loved my mission and I am going to miss it so much when it comes time for me to go home.
There really is no greater calling than teaching the gospel. Although young mens president comes close right Tyler? :)

But I do love just talking to people, I love knocking doors and talking to people on the street. It sucks when they reject this message. And when they reject it, they have no idea what it is they are rejecting. I wish that people would just listen. I can't even imagine how frustrating it must have been for Christ, trying to teach the people and them rejecting him and his teachings. Rejecting happiness that can last forever. It's hard when people reject it. It's especially hard when we know the blessings that can come from not just being a part of, but living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We really are blessed to have a prophet and to have God's authority. I love this church and I know it's true. I love you all!

Congrats Tyler on your new calling! You are going to be great! You have such a great gift. You are what got a lot of boys from our quorum on missions. You helped, changed. and affected so many peoples' lives in so many different ways. And definately mine. I am so greatful for the time you took to be a good example to me. I love you!

Mom, here is the Thompson's number again... 402-620-5703. Call that if Justin gets his call this week and tell them and Melanie will give me a call. That would be AWESOME! J- Money I am so excited for you!!! I miss you - you little stud. You are going to be a great missionary! And it doesn't matter where you go, it's the people you teach. I LOVE Nebraska!!! It is the best mission in the world! But I'm sure you'll get called to the second best mission in the world. You'll love it though! I love you broski!

And mom thanks for the picture you sent of you and Amber. You both look great! Talk to ya soon.... like really... I'll be able to talk to you.:) I love you!

Love,
Elder Moore

Notes from Stake Conference:
We had the opportunity to listen to Elder Terrance C. Smith of the Seventy at the Lincoln Stake Conference this weekend. Here are a few notes from his talks.
We build faith by: 1. Reading the scriptures (particularly the Book of Mormon), 2. Praying, and 3. Attending Sacrament meeting. These are typically the first three commitments that missionaries extend to investigators and they are the same things that members must do to constantly build faith. A three-legged stool is more solid and firm than a one-legged stool. We must do all three to build faith.

"Don't take counsel from your fears." People have concerns and if they listen to these concerns they will not take advantage of available blessings. Instead, they must exercise faith unto repentance and the first fruits of repentance is baptism.

"Don't doubt in the dark what you learned in the light." In other words, we learn about the gospel which brings the Spirit (or light) into our lives. As people drift away, they begin to doubt in the darkness of their inactivity the truths they learned while being faithful in the gospel.

When the prophet Joseph Smith went into the grove of trees to pray, he went with the intention not only to find out which church was true but also with a determination to join that church. We also must seek the inspiration from the Lord through the Holy Ghost but must "bind yourselves to act" (D&C 43:9) As we seek guidance from the Spirit, we must be willing and committed to act upon that inspiration. We must seek guidance constantly not just during daily planning or companion study.

People suffer from two major things: 1. sin and 2. adversity. People suffer more from adversity than sin. The 'fix' for sin and adversity are different. Sin is 'fixed' by 1. faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, 2, repentance and 3. Holy Ghost. Adversity is 'fixed' by 1. faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and 2. service. The keys of the Aaronic Priesthood in the office of Bishop is used to help people obtain a remission of their sins (D&C 13) while the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood are utilized to help people with adversity. The Melchizedek Priesthood offers people the gift of the Holy Ghost, Priesthood blessings, Patriarchal blessings, and temple covenants.

Elder Smith talked about what is required to build a stake of zion: 1. individual unity with the Savior, 2. unity within families and 3. unity in the Church. We must attach ourselves to Jesus Christ, "remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation" (Helaman 5:12)

He offered an interesting insight to the sacrament. In 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 it states, "16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17. For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread." When the Priest breaks the bread, he is offering it to us individually and as we all take of the bread we, as a congregation, become one with the Savior.

And finally, Elder Smith talked about our obligation to support the poor and needy. In order to retain a remisison of our sins we must remain faithful which includes helping those in need. "The physical needs of the poor are our spiritual necessity."

Hope you enjoyed. It was an amazing conference session!

April 12, 2010 28 Lesson Week !!!!!

Well hellllllloooooooo!!! This week was so crazy!!! We taught 28 lessons this week. Most that I have ever taught in one week on my mission. And also found 13 new people. That is what happens when you spend 3 and a half hours in Crete knocking doors and teaching! It was an incredible day. We brought 2 other missionaries down there with us so that me and Elder Rigby could split and cover more ground and talk to more people and knock more doors. So we went to 2 different trailer parks and just knocked doors and we ended up teaching and finding like crazy.
I also talked with a man named Miguel and soft set him for baptism. So we are going back on Tuesday to spend the day out there teaching. But wow, Crete is so ready to have full time missionaries there. They were going to open it up last transfer but they didn't have a car to put out there.... so this transfer they will open it up. It is being talked about so much by stake leaders and President Kunz. I talk to a guy in the stake, Brother Lucas, at least twice a week about Crete. He is always asking me about it everytime I see him. SO I am very positive it will open.
That was the exciting news of the week.





The weather here is beautiful! It was been anywhere in between 67 and 85 this past week. So as you can imagine.... I am a happy person!

So that is way sweet that Travis came over. I love that kid! Ah man he came down!!!! Awesome!!! Yeah I told him too. He said that he didn't have a guitar and was saving up for one. I told him.... heck mine won't be used for a while. Go snag it from underneath my bed. :) haha I'm glad he did! Yeah Elder Rawlins... aka Travis became one of my best friends. I love that kid, as you could probably see why. ;) He is a stud. But yeah, that's why we got a long so well is because we could relate to eachother pretty well. We have talked about moving into an apartment together when I get back. That would be fun. I would love that. He is a stud.

Ok long story behind the "key shirts" There was a big fight over a church key between some missionaries. So I decided to make it a joke. And I made a t shirt that had a key on it and on the back it said the key is mine and I wore it to a district meeting to get the point through to people that a fight over a stupid key was lame!!!! Needless to say people enjoyed the idea and more shirts were made. :) And the fight over the key was ended.




What else do I tell ya...... I really can't think of much more except for how excited I am about Crete and how it is just going to take off once they have missionaries serving in that are full time. We also brought a member out with us on Saturday and he spent the day with us. He is 18 and getting ready to serve a mission. I helped him a lot to overcome the fear of knocking doors. It was cool, we took turns and I knocked on the first door and went behind Efrain, the member we had with us, and said te toca (your turn). Haha, he was scared a bit but did a good job. But it was cool to see him progress as we went on. I did the next one, and then Elder Rigby. And we just took turns. It was actually a cool spot he showed us. It's a little community of 66 apartments that are all hispanic people.
We got into a door, and I love having the Spirit by the way, it helps us teach so much!! We got into a door and sat down, and it was just uncomfortable from the get go. You could tell they weren't believing a word we said and just not being very polite and they were just laughing. So they are catholic, a bit of background. The woman says... why do we need Prophets if God is everywhere, we have no need for them. So I waited a second, and asked, do you believe in the bible? She said yes. I said so you believe that Moises was a prophet. She said yes. So you believe that God is the same yesterday today and always then right? She said yes. So then I asked her.... If God is always the same, and he is always everywhere.... why did he call prophets in the old days? Haha..... that was followed by a minute of pure silence, then I said.... what do you think? She couldn't answer it. So then I said, I know that this church is the only church on the whole face of the earth that has every key and power that Jesus Christ had when he was on the earth and God's actual church has been restored to the earth. You should pray about it. And then we left. Haha, it was so awesome! Like.... they were all just silenced. Sweetest thing. I love it. I usually try to be nice... but when people are being jerks and you know that what you are sharing is true... sometimes you just have to say it like it is.

So one last thing...I gave a training this past week in a leadership meeting. My topic was "Why is leading by example so important?" So I trained on if we are going to lead by example we have to becomes servants. Philipians 2:7 talks about how Christ took upon himself the form of a servant.
So I talked about 3 ways to be come a true servant of Christ.
1- Simple acts of service
2- Learning more about our Savior Jesus Christ and striving to become like him.
3- By love

So I shared a story about the Starfish... and I'll share that with you real quick....
So there is this man, and he is running down the beach and in the distance he sees a young boy. So he continues to run towards him. As he gets closer he notices that the boy is throwing starfish into the ocean. So curiously... the man asks "What are you doing?" The boy responds... "The tide is dropping and if these Starfish don't get back into the ocean they will die." The man looks at the boy and says "There are millions of starfish, you can't possibly expect to make a difference." The boy looked at the man, bent down and picked up a starfish and threw it into the ocean and said "I made a difference for that one."

Every simple act of service that we do, no matter how small, makes a difference for someone. So this week I want to invite you to learn more about the Savior, to study him and the things he did. And then in next week's email, to write me back and tell me what you learned about him.


I love you all. I am so excited that Justin's papers are in!!!!!! Ah I am so so so excited!!!!!! You have no idea. Mom, have an awesome time at scrapaway. Sorry I haven't got any pictures off to you yet. I know... I'm a bum. But this week was so busy! I can't believe I have already been out for over 16 months. It really is just flying by now. I love every minute though and I am going to be so sad when it's over. But also, happy and excited, because when your 2 years is up they are up and you are ready to just move on. But the mission is amazing!




I love you!!!! Take care!
Love,
Elder Moore

April 5, 2010 Hay Mucho Que Hacer!‏

Ok so first off, about the pictures you sent me..... why did you dress me so funny? How am I expected to get girls at Disneyland dressed up like that? ;) Well, oh well... I got myself a good one now. Hehehe. Haha, thank you for that picture though. I love it!!!



Well this weekend was an amazing one! Conference was better than it has EVER been. Especially that Sunday morning session. I absolutely loved the talks about the ressurrection of Jesus Christ. Hector and Jully, 2 people that we have been working with for a while... they came to the morning session and loved it. I am actually really glad that they were there because during President Monson's talk I was starting to choke up, but the fact that Hector was sitting right next to me helped me not to cry, because everytime we get emotional around each other we give each other a hard time. Haha, it's actually kinda funny. But wow, that was an amazing talk he gave about Christ and his resurrection and his life. I can't wait until the Ensign comes out so I can read all of those talks again. I took notes on the first session but then decided to stop because I figured I was missing a lot of really good stuff, so that is another reason I can't wait for the May Ensign.

I really wish that everybody could have heard all the talks given. It seemed like a lot of them really focused on the family and raising your children in rightousness. I am so gald that that was the topic. To many famililes seperate and their kids go astray, the family really is losing its importance. The best teaching that we can do is within the walls of our home. I learned so much from this past conference that I know will help me in the future. I'm glad that they put so much influence on the family in this past conference. It really was an amazing general conference session. Definately the best I have ever heard! And wow, I can't talk about conference without mentioning Jeffrey R. Holland. He is the man! I could listen to him speak all day. He was so bold with his message, but did it with so much love. And I loved his comment about the tea.

Well, this week I got a new companion. His name is Elder Rigby and he is from Provo, Utah. This is his second transfer out in the mission. He graduated in 2009, so I'm starting to feel a little older now. Every compaionship in my district got changed and I got another companionship added to the district. Yup, I'm still district leader here. I don't mind though... I love it. Crete was still not opened, they did rent the apartment we found but the reason it hasn't opened up is because...... we don't have a car for that area. Lame sauce huh? So we are thinking it will open next transfer. Guess we'll see... Ah well, I do love Lincoln, it has been my favorite area. It's definately a lot harder than Omaha was though and has presented many new challenges. One of them being, relationship counseling.

For example: Yesterday Sister Kreber invited us over to her house for Easter dinner. We gladly accepted. Well we get there and Efrain, one of the guys in our group comes running out of the house asking if we had seen Fidel. We said, "No what happened?" He said that him and sister Kreber (his girlfriend and memeber of our group) got in a fight and he left mad. So me and Elder Rigby hopped in the car and drove off to find him. We saw him walking down the sidewalk so we parked the car in a parking lot and waited for him. As we were waiting Sister Kreber called and told us what happened, and then said that she would have to cancel dinner if he didn't come back. So... When he arrived we talked to him about what was going on for like 15 minutes and he didn't want to go back and talk to her. He was being stubborn, he wanted to wait until the next day. So I said... ok fine. And I let him walk away. So I was thinking... ah man, no Easter dinner for 2 years in a row.... I don't think so! So we got back in the car and pulled up next to him and I said, "Hey, Fidel, I'm starving. I'm not letting you ruin this dinner for us. Get in the car! You can't just run away from your problems every time you get mad. Sometimes the best thing to do is accept you were wrong and face it. Get in the car!!" So... he did. And we got a meal. :) As we were leaving Sister Kreber said thank you to me and said, "Ha I bet you didn't know that you were going to become our relationship counselor did you?" I kinda had an idea I would. ;) This isn't the first time I have given her advice about their relationship. haha It's funny because she is 30 and she says to me... "I can't beieve that I am talking to a 20 year old about my relationship problems." Sister Kreber is the bomb!

So I am very excited for this week. We found some really good people to teach this week and we are hoping on setting them for baptism. It's been a rough past few weeks without finding a whole lot of people or teaching as many lessons as we usually do, but I'm very excited for this next transfer because I think that we are going to see some really good things start to happen.

April Fool's day was BOMB!!! 10 of us missionaries pranked the zone leaders way good! We wrapped their car in seran wrap and put soap and syrup on it, then they called us and pranked us back by saying the syrup wouldn't come off the car and that it had taked some paint off and we would have to pay for a paint job, then we pranked them back by telling them that the joke had gone too far and that Elder Shumway, who was involved in the trick, called his parents and said that he had to pay for a paint job and then his parents called president Kunz and he called us asking what the heck was going on. Haha it was definately a fun pranked filled day.

So I hit my 16 month mark on Saturday. It has gone by so fast. And the days just keep getting shorter. It's crazy! But what's nice about the days... is that they are in between 65 and 82 degrees. The weather has been so nice! Well that is it for me this week.

Can you do me a favor mom........ can you tell Skip Morgan how much I love him. And how grateful I am for everything that he has done for me and our family. I would appreciate it if you could pass that along to him today. Thank you!

I do want to say though that I know this church is true. That Thomas S. Monson is a prophet called of God to lead us through these hard times. And that his counselors and apostles are also men called of God. I also know that Christ lives. And that through him we can be rescued from our sins, and return and live again with our Heavenly Father that loves us.

I love you. I am so glad that we have such a great strong family. That we have chosen to stay on the right path. Take care and be good.

Tell Brooklyn I love her!! And I'm proud of her for being brave in her surgery.

Love,
Elder Moore