Woohoo!!!!!! I wish you all had some idea of how happy I am for Justin!!! He is going to have a great time serving his mission there in Nicaragua that lucky kid! I'm even more excited for him because I'm going to go pick him up! :) But really the hispanic people are absolutely incredible and Justin you are really going to come to love them. You are very lucky, I hope you know that. You are going to have such a fantastic time and I am so excited for you!
So I know that the last few weeks I have been kind of a downer, and honestly this week was no better. Like these past few weeks I have been flipped off sworn at and called queer/fag more times than I have my entire mission. I have learned to laugh it off where it doesn't even bother me. Also, we had 15 people total in church yesterday and 6 of them were visiting from Utah and spoke no spanish. So that goes to tell you how well our little group is doing. But these past few weeks have made me think a lot. So I'm going to share with you my thoughts. Who ever said that the mission is the best 2 years of your life was a liar. I'm sure that the first few years of marriage are better. The first few years of having your first kid are better. So the mission I would say will not be best 2 years of my life, but I know that they will be the best 2 years FOR my life. I know that this amazing experience is preparing me for future callings in the church, of husband and father. I know that the mission has helped me come to know that this is the only true church. On the mission I have felt the Savior's love and power more than I ever have at any point previously in my life. I've gained a stronger testimony of the Holy Ghost and it's role, and the help that it provides. The mission has made ME better. And has strengthed my personal testimony of the gospel.
I know that all the hard times I've encountered this past little while has taught me a lot and will somehow work out for my good. There is a lesson we can learn from every experience we have. God sees the big picture and we don't. I haven't figured out the lesson I'm supposed to learn yet, I'm working on it, but I'm sure one day it will be crystal clear and I'll understand why I've had to go through these things I've had to go through these past few weeks. I love the mission, it has been a great 17 months, but there is so much heartache and trial that takes place in the mission. And on the other hand there is so much joy and happiness when you see someone that you have come to love accept the gospel, enter into the waters of baptism, and come closer to Christ. There is no better feeling than that in the world.
I've also thought quite a bit about Noah. Poor guy. He taught the gospel for 100 years!!! And during that 100 years he only managed to save his family, and Noah knew that even if he were just to save his family, he was successful. I can't imagine being called to be a prophet, by God, and trying to preach to people that just reject you and don't listen to anything you have to say. It's sad because we know the truth, we know the blessings and joy that being a member of the TRUE church brings, and to watch people turn it all down because they would rather be part of the world is just so sad.
This past week we had to drop Hector as an investigator. That was hard. I've been working with him since I got here. My first day I was here I started teaching him. But he just isn't ready, and is not yet willing to change.
Before I forget, Thursday night 3 tornadoes touched ground and we had a crazy awesome storm! Non stop lightning and thunder, strong rain, hail, and as I said before....TORNADOES! They were advising everyone to stop driving to get away from windows and watch out for flying debree. It was legit.
So anyways.... this past week we went down to Nebraska City which is about 55-60 miles east of us to go visit some people that the missionaries had found out there. So we did and I have to tell you, I'm not one to bash with anyone.... but, the Jehova's Witnesses are just so much fun. So I went with Elder Routladge to visit this guy named Mario and his wife. They have talked to him some because he speaks a little english. So he likes us, she doesn't. So we were sitting on their porch just talking and then the wife started getting into it with me, and I just sat there and let her rip our church and me apart for about 15 minutes and when she was done... I asked.... is that all? And she said yes. So then I started. I started to show her that everything she had just said about us was not true using her very own bible. She said that Joseph Smith didn't see God because the bible says no one can see God. So I showed her where Moses and God talked face to face like a man and his friend talk. Haha, she was amazed that that was in her bible. So she started taking notes so that she could discuss this stuff with the Jehovah's Witnesses that come over every Friday to teach her. She then started talking about how God doesn't call Prophets anymore, so we discussed that as well. I hate how many people quote that part in Matthew where Christ says to beware of false prophets. No one knows the verse afterwards that talks about their fruits and by them ye shall know them. Then we talked about how I came to know that Joseph Smith saw God and we talked about how by faith and prayer we can know, because God will answer us. So by the end of our hour long conversation, she was convinced that we could possibly be the true church. It was so AWESOME! Odds are the Jehovah Witnesses have already destroyed what was just built, but oh well.... it was a really cool experience helping her realize that God does call prophets, that he does keep revealing things to us in this day, and that he loves us enough to bring forth another book of scripture that testifies of Christ and that can help us learn more about him.
So pretty much I've just been so tired of nobody wanting the Gospel. We are teaching plenty, but not finding any that want to progress right now. It's that dang free agency that I have come to dislike with a passion. But anyways.... I started reading through our area book on Sunday night, and I read every former investigator sheet that was in there, ha it took me like 2 and a half hours. I was up a little past bed time. But I found some good names of people that were interested but for some reason or another stopped listening to the missionaries. So this week should be fun. We are going to go out and contact all these people. It's really hard though because people here move so much. Hispanics move in and live there for like 3 months and boom, there gone again. So hopefully we can find some people.
So about the Mother's day phone call. I'll probably be calling there at yeah... 3:30 your time. Because our church goes from 1-4. So we'll get out at 4 and make our calls ok? Ok!! We are thinking we may just go buy a pay as you go phone and put some minutes on there. It's probably our best option right now. But we may also use a member's phone. So still not sure. But we'll see... either way, I'll be calling at 3:30ish your time.
So this week my spanish really came in handy. I've made quite a few friends down there in Nebraska City the 3 times I've gone down there. So one of them gave me a call Saturday night saying that they had some spanish guy in front of their house needing help but they couldn't understand what he was saying. So they asked if I could translate so I said sure. This is when I know my spanish has gotten good, he was so drunk and I was talking to him on the phone. So he started to tell me how he had been drinking and had crashed his car into the lake and that the police would take it out but that he couldn't get it back until Tuesday but he needed to get to Omaha that night. Haha. So anyways... I told Bill and Leslie his story and anyways they ended up giving him a ride to Omaha and all.... but I love spanish! Justin, you're going to LOVE learning it. It's so much fun!
Well that is pretty much the jist of the week. I'm really looking forward to this week though. It should be a really good one we are hoping. We need a good week. It's been far too long without one. I can't wait to talk to you all on Sunday!!! But until then, stay good, and be safe. I love you!
Love,
Elder Moore
PS.......GO LAKERS!
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