May 24, 2010

So it sounds like you had quite the week! Wish I could say my week was half as interesting as yours........ BUT I can't.

So I'm going to start off by being brutally honest. Mom, that house looks like a dumb. But you're right, I won't judge it. And I have faith that you can turn this place around. I'm just glad I don't have to be part of "turning it around." Because yes, I have little faith right now after seeing those pictures. :) Just kidding mom! I'm sure it will look great when you are done with it!! I love you!!
I trust that you know what you are doing and that it will look great by the time I get home!! It looks like it has some real potential.

That is so exciting that Brooklyn leaves for Taiwan this week! I am so excited for her. She is a lucky girl, I hope she knows that. Wish her luck and tell her I love her too!!!!!

Well.... This week was just another week in the mission. Still struggling with teaching people and getting people to progress. We are also working right now with a lot of less actives. We spent our whole meeting with our mission leader on Wednesday discussing less actives. We have about 15 right now that used to be very active in the church and now don't come at all. So an hour and a half was spent discussing them and what can be done to help them out.

We came up with a few ideas which are some pretty cool ones. We are going to start playing soccer every Saturday morning so we can start to build some sort of unity in the group. So we are inviting everyone in our group and asking them to invite their friends. So this should be fun. And the elders in Crete are going to do the same. Then the first Saturday in July we are going to have a championship game. Lincoln vs. Crete. Haha, I'm so excited for that!

We are also going to be having a fireside about Christ, and we are going to invite the Omaha ward to come down and join us. So hopefully we can get more people to understand Christ and his atonement better and strengthen their testimony in him. Usually people go less active because they have a very weak testimony. I'm really sick of the excuses people give for not coming to church.

Also this next Sunday we are having a fifth Sunday fireside during the last hour of church and I've spent some time putting together family mission plans. We have a group family mission plan but it is pretty much non existent. No one looks at it or does a thing on it. So I've put together individual family ones and I'll be teaching the lesson and presenting the family mission plans this week. Wish me luck. Hopefully it goes well and we can get people helping us out more with missionary work instead of them being the people we are having to focus on.

Also we are going to start teaching english classes. I made flyers for those as well and we will be handing them out to everyone we see and posting them on bulletin boards and the local hispanic stores. So that way we can find people to teach. And we will teach the classes in the church. So then we can invite them for church on Sundays. So hopefully we can find more people that way.

Yeah I know I asked to get out of Omaha. I was tired of being there and I have almost been here now 6 months. And usually after being in an area after 6 months I am done and ready to leave. But not here. This place is having so much troubles right now. And as much as I hate it, and as much crap that I have dealt with over the course of the last 2 months. I'm not ready to leave it. I still feel like there is a lot that can be done here and a lot that I can do. I've been trying really hard. But maybe I just need to try harder. I was so bummed when I didn't go to Crete. It really sucked. But now I'm glad that I stayed here. I think it is definitely helping me to learn patience. Kind of. I haven't quite learned it yet. Since I still get so mad when peole make dumb excuses to why they didn't come to church. But I hope I stay here longer because I don't feel like I've done enough here.

Well we used to teach a guy named David. He was ALWAYS drunk!!! He would be there talking about killing himself and swearing and it was just bad. Well we ran into him again. He had been clean for 5 days and looked great. He was a nice guy. Had a button up shirt on, hair combed over. It's amazing to see what not drinking can do to a person. You really do have so much more freedom. So we taught him and hopefully we can get him set for baptism soon because he loves what we teach and he wants to go out and teach with us. Only minor problem we have with him is..... he lives in his van. But that's ok, we'll work with that. :)

So quick story. We were teaching a 19 year old named Estefany. We gave her a Book of Mormon and asked her to pray about it. So we came back a few days later and we were talking with her and asked her if she had read. She said yes. Then we asked if she had prayed. She said yes. Then we asked if she had gotten an answer. And she said she had a dream. In her dream her mom, who had died about 10 years ago, came to her. She told us that she never has dreams of her mom. So her mom answered her in her dream and told her that this church was not something new but that it was God's church and that she should learn more about it. So she told her that she had felt she recieved the answer that this is the true church. We were so excited!! But the only bad thing is..... that she left for Mexico this past Saturday. I hope he finds the church down there. We gave her all the information needed to be ale to contact the missionaries there.

So there is a chance we may be moving back into our old apartment. In this apartment people are allowed to smoke inside and Elder Rigby has asthma and it has been bothering him. So we'll find out today if they send us back to the old one or not. We hope so. Cause that old apartment is the bomb!!

haha wow must stink to be living in Utah right now!! Here it has been 80's and 90's and very very VERY humid. It's such a wet heat. But I don't mind. I love hot weather! But I can't believe that it is snowing there! That is crazy! Sorry. :)

Thank you for the pictures! Hahaha Justin looks way happy in that top picure with his mission call. I've never seen that kid smile so big!! And that is a hideous suit he is wearing. Tell him to leave it for me. :) Laynie looks so grown up!!! Good grief. And you and Brooklyn look great!! Betty is such a sweetheart!! Geez I miss my family. ;) Haha yeah I know ya'll are still going to be there when I get home :) And I"m looking forward to seeing you all soon. Time really does fly. Those were some great pictures. Especially of Dawson and Brooklyn. Gosh our famliy is the best!!!!!!!

Hey mom my pday will be on Tuesday of next week because of the holiday. Just letting ya know. I love you!!!!!! Good luck with our new way awesome house! It will be great. :) Well that's it for this week. I hope everything starts to get better there. I love you all!!!!

Love,
Elder Moore
Go Lakers!!!

May 17, 2010 Fuimos al templo y hicimos un sesion en espanol, fue bien chido!!‏

Well hello there!

Another transfer down and a few more to go. I stayed with Elder Rigby. But we did get kicked out of our apartment and moved to another one. So the address there is:
1411 D st #7
Lincoln, NE 68502
It's cheaper..... and it's obvious why. It's a tiny little bugger, but whatever. Right now we are living there with 2 other missionaries. They are actually moving down to Crete today. Yup they opened Crete. Yay. So I got to go down there and show the 2 missionaries that are opening it around and show them who we are teaching and tell them about everyone. That was great.... I was actually pretty mad when I found out that I was going there. But whatever, life goes on. That's become my new saying lately if you haven't been able to tell.

So this past Saturday was cool. We had a spanish meeting up in Omaha. I gave a one hour training on the culture. It was about finding common ground and building upon it. It went really well. So the meeting was 5 hours long and then we went to the temple and did a session in Spanish. That was a lot of fun. I'd never done one in Spanish before so I really enjoyed it!! It was cool to be able to understand the whole thing too!

Afterwards we went over to the Sandovals and had dinner with them and with the Riveras. Ah that was so nice to be back with some of my old friends. Haha, there was no handshakes there. Every one of them hugged me. It was so nice to be with some of the people that I have come to love. It was a party there. The Riveras, the Sandovals, and 6 missionaries.

Well honestly that is about all that happened this week. The work is going..... That's about all I can say about that right now. We did find a few new people this week and we are working on contacting the former investigators. So this transfer should be a good one we are hoping. We need a good transfer.

Well have fun in La Verkin! You'll have to send me some pictures of the house. I would appreciate that. And thank you so much for the package!! I loved it. I love you Mom!!!!! You are the best!!!

I love you!!!
Love,
Elder Moore

May 10, 2010

I don't really have much to say this week because I told you all of it yesterday. So I figured I would attach some pictures for you to enjoy since this email is going to be very very short.

The first picture is of the can tower we are building in our apartment.



And sorry the 2nd picture is a little blurry but that was at the part we had at church.



This one is of the dancers that danced at our party. It was a lot of fun.


And lastly, here is a picture of some sidewalk art we did. We didn't have chalk so we used Tums :)



Well yesterday was a great day and I loved talking to all of you!!! It was so great to hear your voices and hear that everyone is doing so well! Mom, I hope that you had a great mother's day!!! You deserve it. You are a great mother and I love you! Thank you for the advice you gave me yesterday and for the great stories of Weston. That kid is a hoot.

We were supposed to go golfing today but there is a big rainstorm today, so we are getting some good rain too. At like 5:30 this morning we had thunder that shook the entire apartment. IT was so crazy!!!!! And way loud. Nuts!!

Well I hope you all have a fantastic week. This could be my last one in Lincoln. But I guess we'll see... Wednesday is transfers. I got a call this morning from the office and they asked me again about apartments in Crete so there is a chance they could be opening it this transfer. But I guess we'll wait and see. Gosh, how many times have you heard that? But it was cool to get a call and have them ask me about a specific apartment I told them we liked... so maybe there is hope.

Well have a fantastic week. I love you all!!!!!
Love
Elder Moore

May 3, 2010 Git R Done

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!

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