Christmas Day Skyping

Technology is amazing! I was able to skype with Elder Moore on Christmas Day and it was definitely a wonderful gift. Of course, anyone that knows Justin knows he can't take a normal picture. So this is all I got! Because we spent so much time talking, he didn't write an email on Monday and just asked me to share a few highlights of the skype call.

1. Elder Moore had a White Christmas. A woman called them at midnight on December 25 and told them she wanted to be baptized that day. This is a picture of the baptismal font and the Sister that was baptized. They had another ward member start the water in the font. The water comes in very slow. After two hours they went to check the water level and there was only about 6 inches of water and it was brown. It took almost as long to drain the water! They were finally able to get clean water coming in and were able to proceed with the baptism. They had to call in missionaries from Matagalpa, 30 minutes away, to witness the baptism since no priesthood holders came to church that day.



2. They also found a family on Christmas Day that wanted to learn about the gospel, so they were able to share a lesson with them.

3. They shared a taxi cab with a drunk man who kept swinging a gun around in the car.

4. On Saturday, Elder Moore saved his companion's life. They were walking in the dark and were passing by a construction site. Justin noticed there was a drop off and warned his companion to be careful. The drop off was a 20 foot hole filled with concrete, rocks and rubble. The mud under the comp gave out and he fell and he was barely hanging on and if he gave him like a couple more seconds he would have been a goner and there is nothing he could have done to help himself. He was stuck. (Justin's words).He said he saved his life. They were both in shock but so happy.

5. Only three people attended church on Sunday. The missionaries and one lady. Elder Moore and his companion said the prayers, blessed and passed the sacrament and gave the talks. There is usually 19 people there, so they were surprised to see everyone took Christmas Day off!

6. Justin kept asking me if I thought he looked older. He asked me like ten times. Finally I said, "Why do you keep asking me that question?" He said the Nicaraguans think he looks thirty years old. He is only twenty.

7. Lastly, he stood up so I could see his body. I don't know why, he just said he wanted me to see his body. Crazy kid! Anyway, all I really saw was holes in his pants and white showing through. I know the ladies wash their pants on rocks, so I don't know why I was so surprised. The very next day I went out and bought him new pants, a white shirt, a belt and some socks. He said he needed socks because the ones he was wearing he had on for four days and they reeked. Great! I was thankful I had sent him a pair of pants for Christmas and some new socks. But rest assured, more are on the way.

So there are some of the highlights. It was great. Elder Moore is a good missionary, but he still has his wacky personality.

December 20, 2011

So this week I had changes from Managua to an area called San Ramon. It's really tiny and it's up in the mountains and it's really cold here. It's in the Zone Matagalpa. Anyways I am back to hypervenilating when I take showers. I wake up cold and well the water is even colder. So I feel like by when Sunday comes around I'll be feelin just fine. I haven't got back to feeling 100 percent but I am workin on it.

So sounds like you had a very eventful week ha ha. Awesome.

So here's a picture of the new duds you got me.



I did get the packages last week when I had changes. Monday night they called me up and told me I had changes and to pack up and be in the office the next day to leave to Matagalpa. So I left on a bus on Tuesday all alone to Matagalpa. The first time I was alone in 16 months and let me tell you what, it felt kinda weird. But ya I have the packages but still haven't opened them. I want to have gifts on Christmas so I am waiting until then. But it's only like 5 days away so it's cool.

I didnt do this. This is a kid's house and he had permision to graffiti it.



It's a member from the ward in Managua and well he started graffiting my name every where. He said he was going to change his tag name ha ha. But ya that is just the beginning of his work there. He is going to tag it all up.



So ya I am in a little branch now and the branch president is a recent convert and really doesnt know much. Like 19 people went to church this week. And I gave a talk. Supposibly the missionaries give talks every week. We pretty much do everything. This branch kinda fell apart a couple months ago. Well I am in that area now working with Elder Thorum. He is from California. And our area is tiny. But we did find some new families to teach. It's way super poor here. There are a couple of people that we are teaching that don't even have lights just 4 little walls.

So yesterday we did have the Christmas activity. Half the mission went yesterday and the other half went today. And for that reason I didn't write cause I went yesterday.

So yesterday I did something I probably shouldn't have done but I did it. Marlon has been writing me and wanting me to talk to his wife and teach her cause he really wants her to get baptized. I don't know if you remember Marlon but he got baptized on my birthday in Sebaco. So on our way back from the christmas activity we stopped by his house my comp was also in Sebaco. And well we went to his house and visited him and taught his wife and had a good lesson with her. Sebaco is like an hour away from our area. We just got off the bus early. And well President found out somehow. I think he thinks we just got off to mess around but it wasn't like that and well we should be expecting a call from him tonight. Probably not the smartest thing and to be honest don't feel real good about it. But after the lesson last night Marlon told me thanks and that he was happy. I don't think president knows why we were in Sebaco but I am sure I'll be able to tell him all tonight if he calls. But ya just thought I would share that with you.

When you see grandma tell her thanks. And that I love her. I got her package and letter. And both the ties are way awesome. Everyone loved the potato head tie and well the Donald Trump tie too ha ha. I wore the Trump tie to the Activity yesterday. Grandma is awesome. Thank you so much love you a ton Grandma.

But ya mommy I am excited to talk to you this week. Love you a ton.

Love, Elder Moore

December 12, 2011

Mom to be honest I feel like crap. My comp and I aren't doing well together. I just don't feel like we are working that hard and reaching our potencial. I feel horrible. But whatev, it's obvious I have to learn something from this. Some days he is mad at me and won't talk the whole time we are tracting. I know we don't have the spirit with us and the work is so much harder without the spirit. Other times he is fine with me, he can change just like that. Good thing I have an awesome elder that eats with us named Elder Johnson. His family lives out by Bingham High School. There are 4 of us that eat there.

And ya, all the missionaries that are coming are Latins. I think there are only like 3 or 4 missionaries from the states that have come this past year. They are all Latins .

I am way excited to talk to you on Christmas. And yes the computer has to be running like a pro if not someone will pay. Ya just let me know how everything goes.

So today in the morning we played a soccer tournament with the zone. We won it. I was on fire today. Playing soccer here is way fun. We set up a way sick court/field in the church. In the championship game today I scored 9 out of the 11 goals that we scored. It was insane we scored so much. The other team only scored 3 but it was way dope today.

I testify that anyone who actually reads the Book of Mormon to understand it will come to know that it really is another testament of Jesus Christ and that it truly is the word of God. No one can prove it false cause because IT ISN'T. Life isn't so hard. If we live the gospel we are happy, if not we aren't.

I am glad that you are happy with the decision that you made to move. To be honest I think you came out on top mom even tho your life didn't turn out the way you wanted it to. You're a winner. You have learned a ton and really have become not just only a mom but my best friend since the divorce. If your kids are great then you gotta love it. And I tell you what your kids are amazingly awesome ha ha. I testify of that ha ha.

Oh and about my shoes, no those aren't the new ones. They are the old ones. I don't want to scuff up the new ones, so when I play soccer I put on the old ones. You like those new shoe laces I be reppin?

I love you mommy but ya imma bounce now. Love ya and thank you for everything.

December 5, 2011

Mommy mia love ya. That is good that all went well in Brooklyn's play. I am so proud of her. She is growing up to be an awesome little girl.

So today I have on the shirt and shoes that you sent me. And let me tell you I look so fresh and so clean. I look awesome. Thanks for being such an awesome mommy and having a pro taste in clothes ha ha.

So yes last week I was thinking about Dawson. I miss them all a lot. Dawson bore his testimony with me and I almost cried. It was awesome. I am happy to hear about that great experience he had and how happy he was. I know he will be a great example not only for his brother but for many. He will have a great opportunity to use the power of God in his ward. I love that family to death to be honest. I really do. They truly are part of our family. I love them. They really are like brothers and sisters to me. I figured that they would call there baby Charles. Do we know when the baby is due yet or are we still waiting on a day. Is Ginger getting real big now? I would like to see a pic of this child and her tummy. And about Laynie, it's actually pop lock and drop mom not just drop and lock ha ha. Well I am excited to see her do that on skype. It will be awesome.

So what time are you planning on going over there? Cause I am going to call from our house so you can see my humble abode. I will have all the time in the world to call ha ha the difference of being in the city than being in the out skirts. I am always going to have to find someone for my comp to call. He doesn't have anyone. I figure I have friend that speaks Spanish so he can just call one of them. I'll talk to my comp and ask him if he would like to talk to brandon or Uncle Jon and let you know. He is from Guatemala so maybe Uncle Jon would be a good choice. We will see what happens.

So with my comp I am teaching him how to read. We are reading preach my gospel together each morning. To be honest I thought I would have gotten frustrated but I didn't. We have spent in total like 3 hours reading preach my gospel and we are only on page 7. But we are making progress.

I love testimony Sunday. It really is a great opportunity that we have as members to have our testimonies strengthened. Our bishop cut people off yesterday. I was angry and many other members were too. We got in a fight this week and we are going to have a meeting this Thursday.

So it's beginning to look a not like Christmas. There is still a gran solazo every where we go and it is way hot. The snow still hasn't come but maybe if we are lucky we will see it. What ev.

Ha ha are you kidding? Walmart doesn't exist here and yes there is a Mcdonalds. There are only 2 Mcdonalds in this whole country. How sad ha ha. Don't worry, I'll start takin more pictures so you can visualize. i actually haven't taken the camera out in a while

So this week we only had 2 investigatores in church. But I know that one is converted. He has the goal to receive a true baptism the 24th of this month.

My testimony has grown a ton here on the mission. To be honest I am not sure I had a testimony before the mission. But I left my homeland to serve the lord and here iIhave found it. I have come to an understanding of the truth. I have come to know for myself how true the church is. And not just because others are telling me. But I know with all my heart that this is the true church of Christ. And that the Book of Mormon is a true Registro written by prophets called of God. The priesthood is real. It truly is the Power of God given to man to act in His name. I have seen many miracles. Miracles will always exist. God will never stop being a God of Miracles.

So last night right after we walked in our house and shut the door a huge fight broke out in front of our house. A ton of people yellin throwin punches even grandmas with machetes. It was crazy insane. And the worst thing is that everyone that was fightin was family. Nephews, grandmas and brothers. And they were punchin and swingin machetes. It got intense but nothing too bad happened.

So I hope that Brandon gets that job. That will be something great for him and his wonderful wife. So they are starting up a blog?

Well mother know that I love you. Know that I know this this is truly the Lord's work. And that this is the kingdom of God. We are literally part of the kingdom of God on earth. Love you.

Well ima a bounce mommy. Love you a ton and miss you. Take care.

Love, Elder MOore

November 28, 2011

Hello mommy love you.

Well I'll start off with the shoes. The shoes are freakin amazing. I love them,but to be honest I feel so unworthy to put them on. They are so awesome so props on the shoes and the shirt was awesome too. Browns mommy ha ha she is awesome. Did she send you the pictures that we took? Ha ha she made me stand like a little choir boy. I hope you like them. Elders Brown's talk was so funny. At the end of his talk he invited everyone to his house for the get together they were going to have on Sunday ha ha. That guy is a clown. And yes I was there. So no sign on the Christmas packages yet. But I hope to get them before Christmas.



So I do have a new comp. My comps name is Elder Lopez from Guatemala and we are in Las Americashe. He is crazy. Fun fact, in Guatamala they speak 27 languages and well my comp is a little indigenious child and is learning Spanish here. He speaks a language called Kiché. He has a crazy story. He has 9 months in the mission. He is teaching me some kiché today. It was awesome cause we had a conversacion using 4 languages we were trippin so many people out. We were speakin in English Kiché Spanish and Miskitu. It was awesome.



So sounds like you guys had an amazing Thanksgiving. I did too ha ha. I slaved away the whole day. Working in the Lord's work. I love it. But I was thinking of you guys cause I did remember it was Ginger, Bailey and Dawson's birthday. I had ganas to call them secretly and wish them a happy birthday but I did not do it. But give those kids a shout out from me letting them know I love them and happy birthday.



Yes I will skype on Christmas from my house. I live with an elderly couple that are gonna hook me up with a laptop so I can skype on Christmas. We will have as much time as we want. Also if Ginger is able to skype, I would like to skype with her too on christmas. I'll be able to skype at whatever time you want. I have church from 8 to 11. Ya so have you talked to Dawson? I would really like to talk to that kid. And I am pretty sure we are going to have the 3 hours of church cause Christmas here is the 24th of December not the 25th like in the states. Ya the NBA supposibly is going to start on Christmas day.



I love hearing about all the missionaries that are preparing to serve. We need more missionaries. Sometimes we don't understand completely what we possess in our hands. We are a lot stronger than satan. What we have is the complete truth. We need to share it to the whole world. We are here on the earth because we followed our elder brother even Jesus Christ in the pre existence. Let's continue following him now and helping others to follow him as well. Every member of the church is a missionary. We need not stop until we know that all have the truth. It's gonna take some work huh ha ha.



Just throwing this out. Curt Weaver is an amazing person. I love him and respect him a whole ton. He has helped me out a ton. He might not know the impact that he had on my life but he had quite a big one. He helped me through a ton and was all there to be chill and to be awesome.

So we took a new family to church this week it was awesome and they loved it. They said it was excellent. The family that we took to church is going to go to family home evening with us. We are having family home evening in the house of another family that we are teaching. So it's awesome. We have a lot of support from the members here. The members are amazing they are helping a ton and they are doing their part in the wonderful work.



Well mommy I love you a ton. You are an amazing person. You truly are. O and today I am completing 16 months boo ya .



gracias madre tu eres super tuanis ja ja gracias por ser mi mejor amiga y por cuidarme. te amo

Love ya.
Love Elder Moore