Leaving Monday for Oaxaca

WOW, a lot has happened this week!  I got my Visa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I got my travel plans yesterday and I am so excited. We are leaving Monday morning at 7:30 and our flight leaves at noon.  We are going to the Dallas Airport first, and we have a six-hour lay over there–time to preach the gospel and study.  Then we fly to Oaxaca and arrive at 8 or 9 pm, so it will be a day of traveling.  The flights are only 2 to 3 hours each, so it’s not a long flight at all.

We went up to the Mexican Consulate on Wednesday and it was in Salt Lake, so we all got on the Front Runner and rode up.  While we were on the Front Runner we went by Dad’s work and Rachael’s too, so that was fun.  On our way back from the Consulate at the train station, Elder Christian were talking to some guys about rock climbing and then one of the guys mentioned all these big rock climbers who have died climbing; he went on to say that he didn’t know what was going to happen after this life when he dies. Once he said that, Elder Christiansen and I looked at each other and I have never been more scared in my life!!   But we talked to him a little and gave him a pass along card with the missionaries numbers on it and he said he wanted us to teach him and not some other missionaries.  It was a really good learning experience.  I was scared to death though!! I know that’s something I need to work on and overcome.

The choir here is amazing!  We are singing this Sunday in an MTC-wide Sacrament Meeting, and an Apostle is going to come and speak to us so I am really excited.

Yesterday we found out a missionary in our district is going home. We were all shocked.  No one expected it at all because he has been amazing and has helped me a lot with my testimony and has brought me closer to Christ.  I am most amazed about how he has handled the situation even though he knows he is going home he is still working as hard as he can.  When he told us all we were all in the class room and we didn’t feel like he should go, but that’s what the Lord wants him to do. We were all in the class crying because we love him and I am sad because of how he feels, but he bore his testimony about the atonement after we all said something and I have never heard a stronger testimony of the Atonement!  It was powerful; he knows his Savior and what the atonement can do. We are all going to write him and he is going to come back out and serve in Oaxaca. I know he is needed else where though.

I can’t wait to go to Mexico, but at the same time I am scared.  I can’t wait to overcome that and I’m trying to right now.  That’s so exciting that Becca read the Book of Mormon – she is awesome!  I am blessed to be a part of this family; everyone is strong in the gospel and loves the Lord.  Are you all getting ready for conference?

Love you,

Elder Moore

Thankful for Family, Friends & The Mission

The District is Awesome!  I have the best District ever.  We all want to work duro y learn a lot. I’m going to be in Mexico in 2 weeks! That’s when I really am going to feel like I’m gone on my mission. Right now it still feels like I’m home.

Guess what? if I don’t get my visa and get reassinged I will be able to call home! So if that happens I’ll let you know

WHAT – BECCA UNLOADS THE DISHWASHER BY HERSELF?????????  That is a milagro! She has already grown so much while I’ve been here. Mom, you are amazing! You always put us first – thank you.  Mom your life is a mission. you and dad have converted so many people including me – thank you.

I’m starting to see why Dad likes to work. I’m turning into Dad, I think work is a lot of fun! Cleaning toilets and what not is one of the best things all week. I might be like dad when I get home; I’ll be mowing the lawn and doing work at 12pm.

Mom and Dad, thank you for converting me and getting me ready for my mission. I love you both and I am extremely blessed to be your son. Can you please send me a wash cloth because I lost mine –  surprising, huh?! haha!  Could you also send me my a regular sweatshirt that I can wear with normal clothes?  Thank you!

Oh, I forgot to tell you I saw Jonba the first day he got here. I’ve also seen Russ, Ryan and Kimball Palmer. It’s fun running into people I know.  I also ran into a Hemana Valrez who knew Rachael.  This week an Hermana in our
district passed out in the hall and went to the hospital! When she came back she asked for a blessing so my companion and I gave her one – that was awesome!

Love,

Elder Moore

Pounding the Spanish

How’s everyone doing? This week has been awesome.  I’ve really started to
pound the Spanish. I’m memorizing about 100 words a week now and I love it!
I can actually have a conversation with someone.  It’s not perfect, but I can
actually talk.

Thank you Mom and Dad for being such good parents.  The more
I’m out here, the more I realize what you were doing my whole life.  You were preparing me  to serve a mission and I thank you for that. I had it really good at home.  I see some of the other Elders and they don’t have the
best family situation and I feel really blessed to be able to come from the
family I come from.

We have devotionals every Tuesday and it’s like hearing an amazing conference talk every week.  This week the speaker talked about the three kindoms of glory and how wonderful they are.  He told us to pick which kingdom we want to go to because once you do all other decisions in life are a lot easier because you base them on the kingdom you chose.  I
thought that was really interesting.

Right now I know more than I ever have that Jesus is the Christ, that the Atonement is real, and that Christ lives. I am so blessed to be serving a mission and I know this is where I am supposed to be. I have never felt the spirit so strong as I have here, and on the other hand I’ve never felt Satan trying so hard to get me discouraged.  But whenever he tries, I
just throw a right hook at him and sing a hymn or read the scriptures because he can’t beat that.  Mom, I feel like you are one of the Mothers of the Strippling Warriors sending out troops to build up the Kingdom.

Sorry I can’t write a lot; they only give me 30 minutes to write everyone.

Love you all,

Elder Moore

It’s Just Like Seminary

The MTC  is  just like having seminary all day, every day. It’s good though. I’ve only been here a week and I’ve learned so much. When I got here they took me to my room, had me drop my bags off, and then I went straight to class. They get you going right when you get here. It’s like being on a treadmill and they keep turning it up slowly.

The second day after arriving they wanted us to teach a 30-minute lesson . . . in Spanish! So you have to get right to work and start memorizing words. The lesson went terrible; I probably said a whole five words because that’s all I knew! But now i can give a 30-minute lesson in Spanish with my companion.  I speak like a 2 year old, but at least the investigator can understand what I’m saying.

My birthday was pretty good; it didn’t feel like a birthday at all though. I have a lot to learn here in the MTC, and I’m glad I’m  learning how to teach here rahter than out in the field with real investigators.

Elder Ballard came and spake to us on Tuesday! it was amazing! Our district sat on the fourth row from the front, so we had some of the best seats there. He talked about how we have been prepared for this, and we are a miracle to the Church. After his talk everyone was saying, “that was so cool — Elder Ballard looked right at me!” It was pretty funny, but his talk was amazing — one of the best I’ve ever heard. I can’t wait until I’m in Mexico teaching real investigators.

Love,

Elder Moore