August 30th, 2018

ONE MORE ROUND

Dear Friends and Family

I have been out on the mission for a year. A year ago today I went to the Missionary Training Center in Provo. Time Flies. Earlier this week it hit me that I was out for a year and I was reflecting. I was on my bike, heading back home after the days work. I was nearly driven to tears over the fact that...I was about halfway.  So much has happened. I am not the same person I was a year ago. At least, I hope so. The ironic thing is that the whole time this thought ran through my head, I started to go down a hill on my bike.  The Lord has good timing.

This week we had some cool things happen. We have had a lot of service opportunities. I helped a tired man clean up his home of beer cans and cigarette ashes. I helped a less active member move some furniture around. My companion and Id id the dishes for the members who fed us.

We read part of the introduction to the Book of Mormon with the tired older man. He lot his wife some time ago and it is very challenging to him. We cleaned up his home and started to read with him. The spirit testified quickly, and he committed to start reading on his own. He asked for direction and peace. The introduction explains clearly that the Book of Mormon "...puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come."

Why wouldn't you read this book?

We also took a single mother and her two unbaptized children on a church tour. She is a member but had not been to church in a long time because of work, but we worked out a way with some members to take care of her kids at Church. The spirit was strong especially as we showed them the chapel. They will finally come to church, and make important steps to baptism.

On Tuesday we had a mission tour. We had Elder Robbins and Elder Bangetter tour the mission. It was great! I learned a lot about receiving revelation and the power of prayer. It all starts with a question, and then we study, ponder, and pray. God will answer us. I wish everyone could meet with general authorities. They are true and great servants of the Lord. The spirit strives so strong with them, and it shows in their testimonies. I was inspired and given much direction. We sometimes forget that it was the general authorities of old that wrote what we call the Scriptures. The Bible, the Book of Mormon, they are full of the words of angels, prophets, and "general authorities" who testified of the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel, and most importantly, Jesus Christ.

Oh in case you could not tell, p-day was on Thursday this week.

I was studying the other day, as missionaries do, and I was writing stuff down into my journal, and this led me to a different sort of view of commandments and living the gospel standards. With commandments such as chastity and the Word of Wisdom especially, living the Gospel takes a good amount of discipline and self control. It isn't' always easy, especially if we are used to old habits or something.  But blessings come from living the commandments. And with the right amount of self-control, self-mastery, and discipline, living the standards brings a certain self confidence that alcohol, drugs, or reckless use of procreative powers ever will.  It leads us to claim mastery of ourselves.  DaVinci once said "You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself.  The height of man's success is gauged by his self-mastery, the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment...and this law is the expression of eternal justice."

So...conquer yourself.  It is the greatest conquest anyone can ever really achieve.  If you can conquer yourself, you can conquer everything.  Of course, Christ never turned to himself, but always did the will of the Father in Heaven. In due course, if we lose ourselves in selfless service to others, we have likewise conquered our own selfishness.

Anyways, that is some stuff I studied. It is pretty neat.

I guess I'll leave with my testimony and some pictures.

Well....
I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I Know that He is alive today. I Know that He suffered and died for me, even as rebellious and proud as I am. I Know that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Restoration. I Know that the Book of Mormon is True. Those people lived. Their words are True. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel that will bring us home to a Heavenly Father who loves us very much. I Know that God has a Plan for me. I know that we will be bless if we Keep His Commandments. I Know that God is our Father in Heaven. I Know that my Redeemer lives.

Well, here is another year in the Lord's service.

-Elder Moore

PS
These pictures are ones I took this week. A member brought us a giant pizza. We couldn't fit it in our fridge. The moon was yellow. Also, a sick quote by Brigham Young.