March 27th, 2018

Hardships and then suddenly Miracles.

Hello friends and family.

I will not lie. This week was tough.  It felt so slow yet so fast. I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. I was anxious all week.  It was strange.  And then suddenly we saw some cool miracles.

Who knows why weird things happen to us? I don't, save it be a test of some kind.  Hopefully I'm passing.  Nothing really huge seemed to happen to warrant any ill-feelings or anxiety, but for some reason this week felt that way.  We had days loaded to the brim with just finding people to teach.  I've been trying to be helpful in planning, but then I learn new information about certain people or locations that previous, and quite frankly, lazy missionaries did not record, so what I had planned for some of the days was basically useless.  It is very aggravating when work is hindered by something or someone else out of ones own control.  But we pressed forward anyways, and then Sunday hit.  On Sunday we had two families come to church, plus one part-member couple.  It was huge for us.  Now we have 3 families we are going to be teaching.  Past missionaries have been in contact with these particular families, but come to find out from ward members, they weren't actually being taught.  Again, I was annoyed.  However, they want the lessons and to join the church.  So now we are finally getting the ball rolling for these families.  Families Can Be Together Forever.

I don't have any cool stories this week.  All I know is that I've seen many tender mercies these past few days and that the Lord has been very loving and merciful lately.  In fact, I'm tearing up right now behind my tablet. Even though I Feel like I Don't know what I'm doing some days, the effort is not wasted in the end. Every little bit counts.  I know that he knows us and our struggles.  Because He has been blessing me through mine.

Oh, and I received word that Stephanie, the woman we were teaching in my last wards got baptized on Saturday.

I guess I'll share some of my studies as well, since I don't have any stories.  I've been more deeply studying the Book of Mormon, as per request of Elder Pearson of the 70 who came down 2 weeks ago for a surprise mission tour.  I've been in 1 Nephi.  I most recently studied the chapters where they receive the Liahona.  I also have been using the Institute Manual as a study aide.  Here is one thing I really loved and that stuck out to me.  In Chapter 16, Nephi breaks his bow, and his family starts to go hungry because of it.  Laman and Lemuel, and even Lehi begin complaining and murmuring against the Lord.  I imagine that it was kind of a mopey situation, only worse because they were hungry.  Nephi however, was proactive in fixing the problem.  What does he do?

1 Nephi 16
23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones.  And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?

He is proactive in fixing the problem.  "I did Arm Myself"  He takes action and then relies upon the Lord.  Of course, what happens then?  He makes a bow, an arrow, asks his father the Prophet, and then takes the Liahona out with him to hunt.

30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the [Liahona]
31 And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.
32 And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy!  And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him.

Anyways, this is one of the simple yet profoundly inspiring moments found in the Book of Mormon.  And it's only a handful of verses.  So, let us be more like Nephi and take action.  Let us take action, and then Rely upon the Lord - in all things.

Thanks for everything!

-Elder Moore

March 20th, 2018

Witches and Wolves

Hello friends and family

Wow this week has gone by fast.  I don't even know where to begin ether.  So here we go.

One thing I enjoy about this area is there is a pathway that leads from one end to the other.  It takes about 30 minutes to ride on our bikes from one end of our area to the other.  One goes right next to the highway, and one takes you along dusty, rocky pathways and for a brief moment it feels like you are riding through a forsaken wasteland, or perhaps lost in the old west (but with bikes instead of horses).  It is neat, until the wheels hit the pavement again.  It's almost like a quick mental break to stare out at the desert bordering the city, whilst carving a dusty, stony path.

In this area, there aren't nearly as many people as my last area.  So here, we work more with part-member families and less actives.  It's quite different than what I have been used to.  It's much slower and takes getting used to.  It's more of like trying to get a dying fire back up and burning than just starting one from scratch.  Ever done battle with a dying fire in a fierce wind?  Feels more like that.  It is very rewarding though.

We stopped by a less active members house and we were getting to know the a little and I noticed they had a dog or two, and then one of them caught my eye.  It looked wild.  I asked what breed of dog it was, but honestly I knew the answer.  It was a wolf.  Yeah, I guess one of the members in my ward has a legit pet wolf.  It acts like a more intelligent dog, and apparently if you can establish yourself as the dominant over it, it will do whatever.  Truly cool.  Although, I was hoping for something more ferocious.  I'll attach the photo...

Last Sunday the deacons were one person short of passing the sacrament, so I was volunteered by my companion to do it.  I was of course, gigantic and the deacons were all tiny, so I stick out pretty well (what else is new).  While this was happening, a less active/part member family we are working with got their hands on my tablet and took a selfie or two.  This is what happens when people get attached to the missionaries.  I'll attach that photo too.

I live at a members house.  In their casetta.  I think that is what they are called.  Basically a tiny house attached to the other house.  They are super cool, but the best part is that they have a pile of wood, and an axe, splitting maul, and hatchet, in case we ever want to do service or need some wood chopping exercise.  Elder Moore happens to enjoy chopping wood so while waiting for a ride to our next appointment, we decided to do some service.  I'll attach a photo or two of that as well.

I met a witch today.  No seriously.  She's a straight up witch.  A Wiccan High Priestess....supposedly in her religion she is the equivalent of like an apostle or a member of the 70.  Just for Wiccans.  She was super friendly, and she came to church last Sunday in another ward.  She had a lot of statues of dragons in her home.  And spellbooks.  And Ouija boards. And tarot cards. And crystal balls. And has 3 copies of the Book of Mormon.  Super nice and very welcoming too!  She's coming to church again next week.  She loves Elders too.  Not sister missionaries though.  I don't know why she does or how this whole Wiccan-coming to church thing is going to work, considering she is very high up in her own religion, but the Lord works in mysterious ways, so who knows.  You meet interesting people on the mission.

I recently have been studying deeper into the Book of Mormon.  Not just reading, but actually studying the doctrines and principles better.  No better place to start than the beginning, so I have found myself in 1 Nephi, and I came across one of the most profound yet simple principles ever.  It occurs after Nephi receives prophetic visions and speaks with an angel.  He returns to his brother, Laman and Lemuel who are concerned about all the things they have learned from their father.  Naturally, Nephi, being the God-Fearing man he is, asks them a most profound yet simple question.

1 Nephi 15
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

Have ye inquired of the Lord?
Such a simple thing.  Have you prayed and asked God?  Whatever issues, questions, life struggles, etc that you may be going through, have ye inquired of the Lord for help? Have you really poured out your heart to him for guidance? I know that if you do this with a sincere heart that revelation and guidance will come to you.  I have seen it as a missionary for myself, and for the blessing of others in their lives.  Pray.  Our Father hear prayers.

So anyways, there you go.  That was my week.  At least, the more interesting parts.  I hope you all have an awesomely fantastic week and you keep the commandments and keep the faith. Blessings are predicated on faithfulness to commandments!

-Elder Moore


PS I added some more pictures that I forgot to attach last week.  Like that gnome, that Baptism my new companion had when I got there, and one of me getting tempted by a bar/casino..(joke)

March 13th, 2018

NEW AREA AND COMPANION AND STUFF

Hello friends and family!!!
I am now in a new area!  I now have a new Companion! It's awesome!  I am having so much fun! We had a good first week!  I have stories!  I have spiritual stuff!  Let's get the ball rollin...

I cover two wards now.  The Heritage and the Newport wards.  So, I don't know if you recall my last area?  Well, what about the area my district leader was in over there?  I hopped across that area into the zone right next to ours.  So now I am in the Lake Mead zone with a new district leader and whatnot!  So previously I thought that this area might be more ghetto, but not quite.  It's more open for sure. There are mainly houses and rocks.  Lots of rocks.  Around here the people I have found, are actually very much like people back home.  A lot of them actually know of St. Anthony or at least Rexburg.  Or thereabouts.  So far I have enjoyed it!

My new companion is Elder Perez!!! He's from Mexico!  He is super awesome and easily has the most powerful testimony that I have ever heard from any other missionaries so far.  He has been in this area so he is leading.

However, I am the senior companion.  Which means what?  Absolutely nothing.  We are both working and having a good time helping people come closer to Christ.  He knows the area and has been leading, and I just testify and help give blessings.

We had a baptism on Saturday!  It was with Elder Perez and his last companion (his last comp was from Preston Idaho)  I met the lady the day before and she was very friendly and already has a strong conviction and testimony of the Book of Mormon.  It was an honor to attend her baptismal service and to take part in her Confirmation.

The Newport ward asked us to speak in Church.  I spoke on the Atonement and used scriptures and the talk "The Living Bread Which Came Down From Heaven" By D. Todd Christofferson (it's a good talk, ya'll should read it).  It was privilege to do so.  I am grateful for the Atonement and the Healing Power of Christ.

There is a witch in my area.  A Wiccan witch who loves missionaries.  She is apparently high ranking in that religion  (she was compared to a general authority, just for the Wiccans).  I haven't met her yet, but I'm excited.  And.....She apparently went to church in another ward last Sunday.

The other day we were called upon to give a priesthood blessing to someone who they just pulled off life support.  She was ready to go home, and requested a blessing for her passing.  I have seen someone alive.  I have seen someone passed.  This was the first time I saw someone in between.  It was humbling.  I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation.

That night we were out walking and we were near a park and a playground.  We saw these two, admittedly suspicious characters, on the swings just talking.  They called out to us, "Hey Elders!" and we went over to talk to them.  One was a less active member and the other was his girlfriend.  They had both just gone through a rough car crash and were in need of comfort.  He expressed a desire to come back to church, and she wanted to meet with the missionaries.  They didn't live in our area but they were both ready it seemed.  We gave them a blessing right there in the park.  The funny thing is, we were offered a ride home that night and we would have missed them if we had.  We both felt like we needed to walk home, and we were able to exercise that authority.  It was humbling.  I am grateful for the authority to give priesthood blessings, and to be worthy of such a gift.  All power and authority is from God.  Always.

Now for something more humorous.  In one of the sacrament meetings they had a song only meeting.  They asked members in the congregation to pick favorite hymns for the ward to sing and so they did.  One Primary age girl got up and requested "The Star Spangled Banner".  I felt super patriotic and the congregation stood up.  My Mexican companion had the funniest look on his face.  I made him stand up too...I didn't make him sing though.  God Bless America!

Last night I taught my first lesson in the area with my companion.  This family has been wanting to meet with us, and the wife apparently took the discussions once upon a time.  It was the first discussion "The Restoration.  Not only did they accept the Book of Mormons, but they also accepted a baptismal date.  This is going to be a good transfer.  Families truly can be together forever.

There are more cool stories and things to come.  I am truly humbled by my experience so far.  It took me a while, but it feels like missionary work has finally "clicked".  The Book of Mormon is not only true, but the Gospel and the Doctrine taught within it is true.  It is the Gospel that will bring us lasting peace and happiness.  It's the true Doctrine of our Father.

Ether 12
6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

-Elder Moore

March 6th, 2018

TRANSFERS B'HOY

Hello friends and family!

We got transfer calls last night!  What does this mean for Elder Moore?! Will he go? Will he stay? What is his Fate?!

Well....
I'm getting transferred.  That's right, at my 6 month mark, I finally got transferred! I'm going to the "Lake Mead" Stake and will be serving in the "Newport" and "Heritage" wards!  First item of business, Lake Mead sounds awesome, because mead is a viking ale, and 2nd of all, it's a part of "old Henderson".  Potentially, more ghetto! I'm excited!  My new companion will be Elder Perrez!  He's from Mexico.  I apparently get along with the Hispanic missionaries because he will be the 2nd Hispanic Elder I'll have.  Woot! It's actually bittersweet getting transferred out because the investigators we have lined up for Baptism...I won't be able to be here for.  Oh and that's not all, my companion Elder Peralta is getting transferred as well!  Two missionaries are replacing us!  Double transfer....ouch.  Here's to Horizon Ridge and Acacia!  It has been an honor!  I have a lot to do after I send this email.  Being DT'd (double transferred) makes it more tedious too....

Well, otherwise what happened this week...we found some super solid people who are ready for the gospel.  We will miss out on teaching them, but I hope and pray that they come closer to God with the new missionaries.  That is something I have been thinking about.  With teaching people....it's not about going to church, it's not about making sure they don't drink coffee or smoke, it's not even about making friends with the members...it's about their relationship with our Heavenly Father.  At the end of the day, that is what is important.  Because he loves us is why we have things like church and whatnot.  The scriptures teach us about Him and what He has, and will do for us.  Through prayer we communicate with Him.  Through tithing and fast offerings we give back to Him.  Through Church we have a community to help us, but it also gives us an opportunity to serve others.  At the end of it all it's all to help us come closer to Him.  If you have a strong relationship with our Father, then everything else falls into place and makes much more sense.  He Loves us so much.

What else is going on...oh!  I don't know if you all remember the hoarder lady we've been helping?  Yeah, she came to church! Finally!  She brought her service dog too.  Aaaaand the dog took the sacrament....Now her dog has had "Blessed Mormon bread".  I don't think that dogs need the sacrament....I just prayed that the bench didn't get struck by lightning or something because I was trying not to laugh.  She also requested that I go to relief society with her...Soooo I attended Relief Society.  It was...awkward.  Especially since we sat in the very front.  I almost fell asleep....

We went on a little hike for our morning exercises the other day.  Our area is on the side of a hill, so we jogged to the top and took a little hike up the side past at the end of the road.  We got a good view of the whole Las Vegas valley.  I would have taken a picture, but I didn't have my device on me.  It looked pretty cool.  The valley looks big, but you can look beyond into the desert wastelands.  I hope that I get to go out there someday.

The other day at the end of our district council we were talking while waiting for rides back to our area, and one Elder was asking questions about "out of all the elders who would..." and then we'd try out different scenarios.  I was voted as the one who would go to jail for murder.  I was also the one voted who would actually live in places like Blythe or Dolan Springs.  I asked what is out there.  They said, nothing but desert, trailers and crackheads.  I decided that I probably would, and agreed.  I actually want to serve out there eventually. I'll stick around in Henderson for now.

So there is an older lady in the ward named Sandy Macintosh, and she is the one who nicknamed me "Moose".  She loves the missionaries, and we actually take out her trash every week, and she gives us goodies.  There are many cool things about Sandy.  She worked at Hollywood and so she met people like John Wayne.  Her daughter apparently was a roadie for Van Halen back when they used to have keg parties and she knew the "tongue guy" from KISS.  (That portion of the paragraph was dedicated to my dad.)  Well, when she learned that I might be leaving, she gave me a little wooden picture that says "Because he Lives, I can face tomorrow".  And then on the back she wrote "Moose, you also helped me face the next day.  You brought so much into my life.  Thank you.  Sandy"

My purpose in sharing this is not to brag, but to simply say that you never know the impact you have on peoples lives.  I had no idea I was being even a blessing to this old widow, and then she gave me that and prayed specifically for me when we left.  I almost cried.  You never really know.  So always do good.  Not for personal gratification or glory, but for those around you.

Sandy also said I'm like a warm and friendly grizzly bear.  That made my day too.

Well, I have to pack, leave a checklist and a long list of info for some other elders, and do my laundry.  I hope you all have a fantastic week!  Love ya

-Elder Moore



Pictures include a cool car, my latest district, my companion getting a haircut, and me wearing his glasses.  I also got a haircut...clippers work wonders.  Just pick a number and go.  I don't have any closeups of me with a haircut though.