July 29, 2013

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  I can't imagine anything better I could possibly hear than all of the good news that I have received this week from everyone!  I'm so incredibly proud of Hannah and I remembered to pray for her last night before she got set apart.  I hope that she loves her mission and that she endures it well :)  Hearing about Myles deciding to be baptized is probably the best news that I have ever heard in my entire life.  Serving missions really does help others to see the light of the gospel.  That is a MIRACLE.  I'm so proud of Hannah and Myles for that as well.  

This week, as you could imagine, has been pretty rough, but it's really not nearly as challenging as I thought it would be.  Elder JOHNSON is the name of my son.  Same name as my father :)  (mission father, that is :))  He is from Eagle Mountain, UT, which is apparently part of Utah County.  West side of Utah Lake.  I didn't know where it was, but I know the area...  He's incredible!  I have never seen a missionary more excited.  I haven't detected a single OUNCE of homesickness from him.  It really is a huge blessing.  I think that I scored it pretty easy, for now at least :)  I am excited to see how he turns out.  He's really good and bold at teaching in English and talks a LOT.  His Spanish is better than he knows, but he has a rough time speaking in front of people.  I can't believe how long ago that was.  I try to be compassionate and remember what it was like when I was there, but it's hard because that was a LIFETIME ago.  I'm happy with him though.  I'm still district leader, and ANOTHER set of Elders was added to the district this transfer, making us a total of 10 missionaries in the district.  I have to do 7 trade-offs in the next 6 weeks.  I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of it, so I'll probably be released soon.  

I'm so happy to hear that ya'll are having a grand old time over there with the brothers.  This week, we talked to a lot of Hispanics and I got a little bit down because I'm not sure exactly what to do about the Spanish congregation here, but Ivan came out with us on Friday and he was SO strong-spirited.  I can't believe that he's only been a baptized member for the past week!  We would be teaching and he just would say "tell them about the gold plates" or "tell them about the sabbath day."  Haha he's SO excited about the gospel.  It's amazing what newfound light and knowledge does to you and others around you.  My faith has pretty much  been carried by the testimonies of others lately and my own testimony is still solid as ever.  This IS the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am called of Him to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life.  It's been the greatest blessing of my life. 

Thank you for the amazing e-mails.  They get me through the hard times and remind me that I am blessed beyond all belief.  I didn't get the package yet, but I'll keep an eye out for it :)  I love you!!  

Love,

Elder Moore

Eric's "son" Elder Johnson, a brand new missionary that Eric gets to train.  He's from Eagle Mountain, Utah and just arrived in Beaufort this week.  His trainer was an Elder Johnson and now he is training an Elder Johnson. :) 

Elder Moore and Elder Phelps

Elder Phelps is done!  He's going home.  This is Eric's friend from BYU, Emalie, and her brothers.  Looks like her little brother likes Eric a lot.  They have been a great support to the missionaries in Beaufort.  One of the many blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ!  These other two Elder's must be going home as well?  Not sure!

July 22, 2013

I just found out on Saturday, right after Ivan's baptism that I am training a new, baby missionary!  I'll still be in Beaufort, but I don't know who he is or much anything else.  I'm honestly a little bit nervous, but I figure that as long as I don't stress out and just work hard, it'll probably be fine!  Which also means that Elder Phelps is leaving...  That was CRAZY fast.  It feels like only yesterday that we were put together.  These weeks are flying by ridiculously fast!!

I don't have a ton of time today, but I'll just give you a quick review of what happened this week.  Ivan was baptized on Saturday and insisted that the Elders baptize and confirm him, so he was baptized by Elder Phelps and I confirmed him.  We had a GREAT day setting solid baptismal dates at Parris Island, so we kind of spaced on the confirmation, but showed up to sacrament meeting at JUST the right moment so that I could go up and confirm him.  It's amazing how the words just came.  Things like that are always really easy whenever I just ask Heavenly Father for help and to keep calm.  He told Elder Phelps when they were getting changed after that he wants to serve a mission!!  So he'll have to finish up his active duty in the next 3 years and he'll be able to go!  He is SO solid.

At Parris Island this week, we taught the restoration and testified sincerely before inviting everyone in the room to be baptized.  This time, one guy raised him hand and said, "I have been attending this church since I was 15 years old and could never get permission from my parents to get baptized, but since I just turned 18 I want to do it!  I've been trying for 3 years!"  Then another recruit raised his hand and told us that he has been attending for the past 3 or 4 weeks and that it just feels right..  There are several other recruits that seem like they could easily be prepared in the next few weeks, but aren't quite there. 

Pray for me and my new companion!  Let me know what your and Dad's plans are in the next few years.  I know you've always wanted to serve a mission, but it'd be nice to go home to a home with family in it :)  Give Hannah a HUGE hug from me!!

LOVE YOU!

Elder Moore

Ivan's Baptism

July 15, 2013

The Savannah Georgia Zone of the Macon Georgia Mission with President and Sister Cottles

Dear Family:

It's been a pretty great week.  There were a couple of huge speed bumps where Elder Phelps and I got pretty dang trunky, but we made it past them haha.  I think that most people in the mission are just nervous about all of these "big changes" that will be taking place over the next few weeks, but we've been staying pretty busy in the mean time.  I'm happy to be out here and like I've said a thousand times, being with Elder Phelps is a huge blessing!!  

We taught Ivan again this week, this time about the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom and he is SO SOLID!  He shows a little bit of confusion or concern at times, but he always gets over it in the end and tells us it makes sense and then commits and lives whatever he's invited to do.  We'll be teaching him one last time on Thursday and he'll be interviewed on Friday to be baptized Saturday morning at 11:00!!  Such a tender mercy.  He'll be deployed to Korea in about a month though, so that's too bad.  It'll be hard, especially being in the military around trash talk and a lot of temptation while he's deployed, but he seems to do pretty well living in it now.  Teaching the principles of the gospel improves behavior faster than anything else you can teach according to President Packer.  

We just hope and pray that we will find a Latino family.  It's what we need to get the group growing and the faith of the Ward growing as well.  We need a family that not only speaks Spanish, but is also not going to be going anywhere anytime soon.  I think that it's safe to say that families really are what hold wards together!  Pray for a family for us to baptize :))

Reading your e-mails each week really is so strengthening and refreshing.  It helps me a lot when you give me advice and things to do.  Will you please keep writing things like that?  I realized after reading an e-mail that Dad sent me several weeks ago that you're all pretty wise and know what you're doing and talking about :)  I love being a part of this family!  The Lord has blessed us so much :)

This week we are going to focus on inviting EVERYONE, regardless of them being member or not, to do something.  I feel like the district is teaching a decent number of lessons and people, but they don't seem to have many people progressing.  There's an Elder that always talks about all that you need to do to get someone to be baptized is INVITE them and when they say no, you invite them again later and again later.  Haha I totally believe that the spirit works on those that we invite to act.  When someone, especially someone that you love, invites you to do something, you think about it.  You don't just let brush it off and move on.  We all know that.  It's amazing what invitations can do.  I just hope that I can train well on it :)  

Opening up my e-mail today to an e-mail from Myles saying that he is thinking about getting baptized is probably one of the happiest things that has ever happened to me.  I feel bad for not inviting him earlier, but it's SO great that he is really searching for the truth.  He'll find it because he is looking in the right spot and asking the right person, that is Heavenly Father, of course :)  I hope that he decides to be baptized.  I can't even imagine how happy that would make him and all of us.  I like the quote that was said in the Broadcast a few weeks ago about invitations extended lovingly are never offensive.  I'd like to think this has been a long time coming.

I love you all so much and I hope you handle Hannah leaving well.  I feel like I'm going to come home to an empty house because you're all going to be on missions...  I hope not, but that'd be cool if it was the case.  Are you planning on going anytime soon?  

I love you!!

Elder Moore

July 9, 2013

Elder Phelps, Eric's current companion

Eric the Preacher

4th of July with the Hilton Head Elders

P-day letter writing and Facebook updating

Saying goodbye to the Barry's

2013/7/9 Eric Moore <eric.moore@myldsmail.net>

Dear Family: 

I meant to tell Hannah because she asked about it, but I'll just tell you that Beaufort is WAY more Beautiful than the post card that I sent to you.  It's even greener than when I first arrived!

The Cottles are amazing!  You would have never guessed that they had only been in the field for 5 days based on the trainings that they gave us on Wednesday.  It's a lot different already than things were in the FJM, but I'd say if I have learned something in the past few years, it's adapting to change.  So far it's been a breeze, but maybe I shouldn't speak too soon or he'll throw down on us with fire and brimstone D:  He interviewed me yesterday, and it really was a LOT different than any interview that I've ever had.  He seems pretty seasoned and masterful in giving interviews.  He doesn't take crap!  He loves music!  He is always making music parallels and teaches like an institute professor.  He taught us about how he hopes that we all desire to received the "favored treatment," as did Nephi, by living righteously and obeying our Heavenly Father and other leaders.  He told us without a doubt that he is the favorite child in his family and then explained how we do the same thing.  It was really funny.  It was almost like he was training us how to be leaders in that way.  It was good.  It was a lot different though.  

This week we have been talking a lot to the Spanish-speaking members of the church in an effort to get some growth going here.  We have several investigators that are all really nice, but they just do not keep commitments most of the time!  It's hard being a 21 year old and getting someone to change, but when we bear pure testimony, often times people change and are suddenly at least willing to say they will do something.  The spirit convinces them.  

We have been working with a boy named Ivan that is SO excited to be baptized on the 20th.  We taught him last Thursday and he kept going back and saying, "I don't know for sure, but I think that I'm ready!"  He told us about how excited he was to come to church, and when he came he had a GREAT experience!  There is something special about the spirit that you feel in this ward, especially in fast and testimony meeting, and I'm sure that he felt it.  It's been amazing teaching someone that has been so prepared by the Lord for such a long time.  From my experience, the people that join the church and decide to be baptized are the ones that SEEK THE TRUTH.  The majority of people, however, are content with the way that they are, following the incorrect traditions of their fathers just because it's what they are used to.  If more people truly sought Christ, the church would grow so fast that our biggest worry would be our soggy feet from being in the baptismal font too long :)  

I think that's just the thing that the spirit does for us and others.  We are incapable of accomplishing much on our own, but when people truly feel and understand the truth, they turn into people like Ivan or Lazaro or Thompson or Hernandez.  The truth is easily understood to those that open their ears to hear it!  

It's been a long time since I first felt like I actually fully committed myself to the gospel, but ever since it has been hard to not wonder why everyone doesn't strive as hard as they can to follow Christ.  The blessings that come from doing missionary work are greater than most anything else we can experience in this life!

My health is fine.  I'll try to take more pictures.

Love,

Elder Moore

 OH YEAH and on the fourth of July, we had to be back inside our apartments by 7:00, so we had a trade off that day in Hilton Head and weren't lonely all night.  Elder Eklof and I reminisced about Jax East and then we played some music and played this game he made up using a putter and golf ball with the other two Elders.  They live pretty much right on the water, so we were kind of able to see Hilton Head's fireworks show, but there were trees in the way so we just hung out.  I wore a really cool American flag tie that day though.  :)  We went to the Hilton Head ward's 4th of July breakfast :)

July 1, 2013

Dear Family:

Sorry, it's going to be a short one this week because we just had an
awesome P Day in Savannah and we have to head back up to Beaufort! We
haven't met President Cottle yet, but we will be meeting him on
Wednesday morning at a meeting with the whole Savannah Zone. I met
Sister McElroy today! She's really cool and she said that Elder
McElroy told her to look out for me! It was fun :) This week really
did FLY BY. I am amazed that we're already halfway through the year
as well. It's crazy to know that I'm going on six months being out
here!

I'm having a great time up in Beaufort with Elder Phelps! We are
speaking a LOT more Spanish and we have been blessing the lives of
many people. I took what you said last week to heart and really have
been looking and praying for opportunities to serve others and they've
been coming definitely more often! Thanks for YOUR prayers!!

I don't need anything, but I always love getting things! I told
Hannah to make me a CD, so it'd be cool if she sent that... I love
you a lot and hope you have a great week :)

Love,
Elder Moore