Just Call Me Bobana

Hey family,

So it has been just a few short days since I have talked to you guys on the phone. I tell you it was good to hear you guy's voices! But I am a little disappointed cause it seems like I did not get to say really anything that I wanted to. And very sorry to Sherissa because the phone was having a rough time so my apologies are to her! Last week was very long and very unproductive. We tried but we really did not get a single thing done. Really, it is hard and our area is really struggling. It is one thing to suffer the things we do but it is another thing to suffer and not have the work going crazy. So I was trying to think of the fun things that have happened. And I think I have told you most about the party and stuff. Christmas has come and gone and I did not even know that it happened. It is a good thing that I had a calendar or I would have for sure missed it. Except maybe the fact that I was counting down to hear your beautiful voices. I feel that I have the need to tell every one thank you for all of the gifts. It is so awesome this time a year as we are all commemorating the birth of our Savior, that we can still remember the other things in this life and how important family is. And I am glad that you did not forget about me on the other side of the planet. Since I am lacking stamps, I better say thank you to Sister Lamb and Brother Lamb for the
gift. I appreciated it. I also need to thank gma k. You are awesome! Thank you for supporting me and loving me. I hope all is well with you and grandpa. I wish you a happy new year to come and year filled with blessings. And I hope that you guys are enjoying yourselves over there. Also, Grandma and Grandpa Moss and Uncle Greg and Aunt Shannon and my other family, the Randalls. You were all so kind and generous. Thank you.

Now, for some reason every one was trying to dodge us on Christmas, which is sad, so we did not have the greatest of days. We got rained on, we were all muddy and one forced appointment. And we walked miles. I tell you. But I did get to sit down and see what a few kids got. You would be amazed to see the look on their faces to see what they got. Some kids, if they got anything, it was a used pair of clothes and the really lucky ones got about 40 leone dollars or 25-30 cents. Wow it was amazing to see how happy they were. And it is because now they have probably 3 pairs of clothes. Kids here will go through their whole childhood with one or two pairs. You may ask what do they do when they wash them. Well you guessed it they don't wear any! But most are not that bad. Most have a couple. But they probably do not like the rain because it means that inside the house gets all wet. Most people have used tin roofs. So they put what ever they can find inside there 8x8 house, just big enough for a bed, to catch water. Then most of those people will use the water that they collected to cook with or drink. So when ever you are down in the dumps thinking you are neglected, be happy that you have a dish to wash, be happy that you have water that you can drink, that you don't have to collect in a bucket. Be happy you get to wash clothes in a washing machine. How I would die right now to tell my dad I would LOVE to mow the lawn. I would LOVE to clean the kitchen. Why? Because I don't have those nice things. In the spirit of Christmas, I have come to realize that you need to be happy with what you have and don't always be looking at what you want. I am excited to see the new year come but it doesn't really matter to me what year it is because a day gone is a day closer to being home. I love this poem:

Another year is dawning,
Dear Father let it be,
In working or in waiting,
Another year with thee.
Another year of progress,
Another year of praise,
Another year of proving
Thy presence all the days.
Another year of mercies,
Of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness,
The glory of thy face.
Another year of leaning
Upon thy loving breast,
Another year of trusting,
Of quiet, happy rest.
Another year of service,
Of witness for thy love,
Another year of training
For holier work above.
Another year is dawning,
Dear Father, let it be,
On earth, or else in heaven,
Another year for thee.

What a awesome poem! I really like the end another year for thee. Because that is why we are here, so that we, as sons of our Heavenly Father can go out and share the wonderful message that Jesus Christ lives! He is the son of God. I know that and I want people to know that as well. How could we harness such a great knowledge as latter day saints and not want to just shout it to all. Sweet is the work! The way that our lives are lived is one of the best ways to be missionaries. So kudos to all that are living well. In the gift that Riss sent, she sang the song Be Still My Soul, and because I was listening so intently (because it was her), I really started to understand the song and it became on of my favorites right there. Be still my soul, the Lord is on my side. Enough said in that little statement right there. Music has such power in it. I just wish that I could be a better singer so that I could portray the amazing words written for us to hear. In our program that we had, we had to do a skit so we thought it would be fun to do the first part of the Book Of Mormon and getting the plates from Laban. But we did it modern style. Oh it was so funny. I was laughing like crazy. That is some fun stuff that happened.

So I don't really have a whole lot more to say. Yesterday the church had other churches over and they pretty much had a music show down. It was pretty fun to be able to see some soul music. But…. They would not give us the time of the day which was the soul purpose of inviting them. Afterwards, it was funny they are always astonished at how strong that I am. I lifted half the piano myself while 3 people lifted the other
half. It was nice. Today, mhmmm, was good except I scraped up my knee. We played soccer and dominated. Guess what position I play? Yes, Striker. Why? Because I am Bobana haha. That's my new name and it will be on the back of my truck as a sticker when I get home. It means big man. The internet is slow today so no promises on the pictures. Maybe at the church they have internet. Today I scored 2 goals. I know I am getting good. Riss look out. And I am playing with people that are really good. So I have decided I am slacking on my weight loss. I really need to step it up a notch. I will start running again in the mornings to boost my diet. I guess you could say.

I am so jelous of Caden. It is not fair that he gets to skype and I get a crap phone that I cant hardly hear. But I am happy for him. Just one of the many blessings of Africa. Well I better end and say that patience is a virtue I love each and ever one of you. Thank you for all you do. I love you
guys. Have a great new year! Love ya

Love BOBANA

Patience, Patience, Patience

Sorry everyone ~ with all the excitement of Christmas, it has taken me until now to get to this.  We had a wonderful phone call with Elder Moss yesterday and he is doing well.  He misses the familiarity of Christmas.  He said it was just another day in Africa, not many signs of Christmas there.  It was so great to hear his voice.  We received this letter on Wednesday and should have another one tomorrow.  Sorry for the delay . . . .

Dear family of mine,

This week I received your wonderful love in the mail and I want to say I am deeply grateful for everything. It is amazing how much you treasure things when you no longer have them. It is so great to have a loving family and friends back home with such great support and power.  Something that I learn every blessed day of my mission is that PATIENCE is a virtue.  It's funny how you can learn things that are forced upon you.  I was reading in my journal the other day and read something that President Lyman had said to me the night I was set apart as a missionary.  He said that each companion will teach you, yep, you guessed it, patience. I sure hope he didn't mean EVERY companion.   You know, I am slowly learning.  Nothing, I mean NOTHING can be about Kevin Moss. That is what I am learning.   Just submit to others and all is well in the companionship. Lots of time to ponder and talkless days walking around.  But I really get to reflect on the love that my Savior truly has for me. I mean at least I am alive. Although I may have times of toils and pain, my Heavenly Father will never forsake me. Although the road may be bumpy and rough, I will learn and grow. If it doesn't kill you it will heal you. That is a good thing. 
 
To start out, this week we haven't done alot of missionary work this whole week. We had conference on Monday and Tuesday. Well it was a get together.  We watched a movie, and went and cleaned this nasty school.   I can tell you, if you ever in your life think that our school is semi bad just keep your mouth shut I mean, if you need to go to the bathroom here then that would be the back corner of the classroom. Half of the chairs are broken.  They have 3 legs.  I think that they are hand me down desks from little house on the prairie. Haha Riss'  fam will appreciate that.  Some other things this week is that we went and sang at the hospital in front of hundreds of people.   Guess what they laid on me -  ya, a solo.  Wow, I am not a good singer so I don't know why I have to sing so much.  Also, in the concert last week my solo had some people in tears.  I am not so sure if they were tears of pain or tears of joy.  Speaking of singing good, Sherissa sang on my tape and it was amazing.  I think that I am going to need either a new tape player or another copy of the tape riss sent me.   Can you wear them out?   Cause that might happen!   And Brian, I will be expecting a full refund of the gifts you took over for me.   Just kidding, enjoy.   Christmas in the Liberia,  no it is not the same.  It is soooooo hot. I have been sleeping for a total of about 3 hours max a night. Cause I just sweat like no ones business.  And this rash that is consuming my body is not too pleasant either. But what do you do t.i.a.  
 
So I have been asked if I am from just about every country on the planet.  The one for this week is Ireland. I wish I would have a sweet accent. We decided to do some random contacts and teach cause we have some not so good investigators.  Turns out catholics are super stubborn but if you know your stuff then they don't have a leg to stand on.  There is a religious people here that call themselves chrislums. Oh my they are muslim and christian combination.  I don't know how that works cause they are so contradicting. But what the heck, this is Africa, anything goes here. Also I recently found out that this small boy in my branch spoke his first words and won't shut up.  Guess what he said?  Moss.  And his older brother is not so much older and he walks around asking for Moss the boss.   Cool, at least someone here loves me.
 
Hmmm fun things that happened or that are happening. I hope that you don't watch they news.  If not this might be news to you. Ivory coast has established or is having war. I don't know if you know where that is but it is next door to Liberia.  People here are kind of scared but whatever.  But next year there might be some kind of war here cause of elections.   This guy, he was a rebel and now he is running for president. They are suspecting he might win. Joy right? So all the American missionaries are out of Ivory Coast. I hope that that does not happen here cause that would kill all the work that I have been doing.  Satan always tries to destroy the family like Isaac, Samson, John the baptist, Moses, Samuel, Jesus.  Look them up its cool. Man
family is a great gift from our Heavenly Father.  I testify to you that we are blessed as a family to have each other but even more blessed to know that our Heavenly Father loves us more than anything. Out of all the billions and billions of stars our Heavenly Father decided that this was the place that he needed to go. What a honor and blessing it is to be in this dispensation of the fullness of times.   How great is it to be alive on this earth. Although every single person in my apartment hates America, I love it.  It is a blessed land. How awesome it is to live there.  It's funny that they think that I can't hear them raging on America when I am in the next room.
 
I love all of the gifts that were sent.  I thank you so much for them,  I can't even tell you how much I love them. Every single one.  Pants are great and they are perfect even a little loose.  I put a shirt on yesterday and I fit very nicely in a large.  I will send a pic if I can. I am a master at the cube and I love to listen to Riss, oh she is a angel. The zone leader asked me why I was so happy and I said cause I just listened to an angel of God.  Oh some bad news,  t.i.a.   I don't have an oven.  But you know me, I am creative.  I will make one.   Riss don't worry. Thanks for all the stuff.
 
Something I have learned is that if you don't open you mouth nothing can come out of it. So I am trying to stop complaining. I am going to try to talk to you in Kalukwa so you can't understand me or Krio.   I haven't decided.   JK, I will talk in English.  I will call 7 here or around then which is about 12 there.

I told you I was learning the piano.  Uh I suck, but guess what I PLAYED the piano in sacrament meeting.  WHAT!!!!  I suck but I played just the right hand. Hahaha I don't know why they asked but I did it anyways. And watch out Riss, I am getting so dang good at soccer.  It is insane in the membrane. I am going to do work when I get home. Like nothing. The cds are sweet, well I can tell you about that on the phone. So I have to sing again this week, uh it will be alright.
 
I have been praying like nothing to be able to have eternal eyes and it is really working. How it is to see the big picture and it is so great. Don't trade what you want most for what you want at the moment.  I saw the good timber poem on the Ences program. I sent that to you too, I love that. I hope all is well with the people of St. G and I am doing alright.  Keeping to myself and fighting through the storm. Cause there is always sunshine after a storm.  In the illustrious words of ronald mcdonald (mmmmm McDonald's, that sounds sooooo good) put a smile on.

Riss, family, every one, I love you to death keep on keeping on.  Until Saturday, I love you guys.  Merry Christmas to all!  Enjoy the holidays.

Love, Elder Moss

Ahhhhhh ~ A hamburger

HEY FAMILY

How are you doing this week? I am really struggling with my companion. God really wants me to learn something . . . I just don't know what that is. This week has been very long for me I have been just not really talking to anyone, I just lay in my bed and read and do nothing. For some odd reason, I just don't have much in common with Africans and they don't really care that I am even here because they have each other. It really is starting to frustrate me. But I think I have done enough complaining for the week.

The week started out kind of alright. We had zone meeting and it was fun cause I got to go and chill with my boy, Elder Jenkins. I swear if he wasn't here, I don't know what I would do! He keeps telling me we are going to be the assistants together someday. I laugh because I totally believe that he could be but as for me, I am not even close to good enough to do that. Anyway, at zone meeting we found out that we are going to be putting on this concert for all the people here in Liberia. Turns out that we are singing and giving talks. Uh man, I don't know how well this is going to turn out but we will find out. Oh ya, I guess they determined that I am the best singer here in the zone so, guess what? I have to sing a solo in the concert. A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. By myself, in front of possible like 100-500 people. I am kind of nervous cause I don't think I am that great at singing, just better than the average African. So I hope that I don't flub up. We are doing this concert thing like 3 times. So that is some news that we got.

So far, no packages yet. I hope that President has them. And Riss not a chance that I am waiting for Christmas to open my package. I hope that I even get them to begin with! I am so stoked for dad's present cause he made so much hype about it.

So this week I had a legit hamburger. It cost me 5 bucks but I don't even care. It was at that golf course that I told you about. It was so sweet! Man I want some people food so bad I can't even tell you! So I wish that I could send you a picture of the new pants that I got. With my boy ej. They are so freakin' ugly I cant even tell you and his are worse than mine but we got them for 140 haha that's 2 dollars. It really shows how much I sweat. And they are nice and tight I think they are 36 or 38. Man, I love elder Jenkins. I better be his comp some day.

Well what else? Oh I was on exchanges and this naked lady (something that is usual to us) started to chase us and yell our names. We were like ahhh lets get the crap out of here. We just took off into the bush. I was like a lightening bolt or something. We just looked at each other and we were like lets get the heck out of here. Which brings me to my next topic. We have a video of us chillin' in the bush. I have been taking so many pictures and videos so I can send them home but I don't think I can't get them home before Christmas. I feel so bad cause I have not done anything for Christmas.

So have you guys been getting all of my stuff? I have nothing else to do anyways besides write and read. No one to talk to, nothing to do except lay in a pool of sweat on my bed, and get massacred by bugs. The only thing that makes me mad is that our area is suffering like crazy. I am praying and trying so hard to straighten it out. I hope this Book of Mormon class helps. I know it will helps me to study it more, that's for sure. This week I have been studying like crazy on testimony because of what Riss said to me last week about sharing testimony. And how sometimes people have a hard time spitting out what they want to say. But you know I did not believe what she was saying I know her testimony is so powerful but how do I know her testimony because I have never heard her say it vocally. And it is because testimony is probably more than 75 percent the way you are and not what you say. People should be able to feel your testimony when you are around them. They should be able to know and feel that you love this gospel without you even having to say a single thing. You should be able to feel the love they have for God and I can feel that when I am with certain people.

That picture of Riss and Sarah is beautiful. This week we had primary program. Africans really can't sing and it was so unorganized. It was ill prepared. They are lazy.

Well we played bball this week and it was fun. For Riss, the area is not going so well and not to many people keep commitments. Everyone will say yeah I will come to church but no one comes. Hadji is doing great. Still giving members a hard time.

I am out of things to say. Know that I love you all so much, every one.

Love ya guys forever!

Love, Elder Moss

I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!!!

Hello my family, and friends!

I hope that all is well with the people of stg and the surrounding areas reading this email. One more week and I still have not died so I am looking to the future. I do want to say that PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE and it is one that I am working ever so hard on, I can tell you that much for sure. One thing that I am very excited about is that in like twenty some odd days I will be able to say I am going home next year. Wahoo!! I know it sounds dumb but I am stinkin' stoked, you have no idea.

So a few funny things have happened this week. First off I am considered African now, at least that is what people tell me. As for lessons this week, we had some twenty or so lessons so it was not that great of a week. Kind of so so. For some that might sound awesome. For us, eh not so good. For me, I want to have more. I was a little depressed on Sunday cause we only had like 8 investigators, so we we're slacking a little there as well. We are teaching this guy, his name is Hadji, and he is a stud. He is so funny! He likes to give members a ton of crap. He studies like crazy so he knows a lot so he thinks that he needs to test our members. It makes me laugh! We will ask him a question and he will answer or he will say something like what does she think? Or he will study and write down questions and then he will ask them instead of us. But he is a stud he will be getting baptized here in a couple of weeks and I might do that. My companion doesn't like to baptize people. He likes the branch to do it so I won't be getting in my whites much this transfer. But there is this one guy that I will baptize. I don't know if you remember me telling you about a guy name Regenious, but he was one of the first people that I taught when I got here. Anyway, he is amazing. What happened was he moved and he never got baptized and I was sad but turns out that he is living in Elder Jenkins area and I met up with him. One day and I was walking and he come up to me and jumps on my back and covers my eyes. I was like, oh no, no one is going to jump me! I pulled him off and I am like REGENIOUS what is up. I asked how he was and he said good and he was living around here. To make a long story short, he asked me, yet again, to baptize him. He was one of my favorites so that makes me really happy. We had some regular questions asked like "do you guys dance and play drums". Things like that.

So I am trying to decide if I am supposed to learn patience or solve my covered up anger problem. Back home when I was angry I could leave but really all I was doing was covering up the problem. Now I am learning to deal with it. Something I keep telling myself is that patience is a virtue. Another thing someone told me was to try counting to ten which totally did not work I would get to ten and have flames shooting out my eyes cause I was more mad. But I have decided to spell names in my head. The one that works good for me is Sherissa. I go like this S-H-E-R-I-S-S-A. It sounds really dumb but thebtime I get to the end I can't help but smile. It is so funny but it really works. So many times I have been biting my tongue this week, just cringing cause I was so mad. My comp hard and I don't know what I can I do. Believe it or not, when we walk around we don't talk. There is noooooo talking during the day. Yep, that is hard for me, cause you know me, Mr. Talker. Another thing I have been trying to do is serve him. Let me tell you something . . . his shoes are very shiny cause everytime I get mad, I sit down and grab his shoes and start saying S-H-E-R-I-S-S-A!!! and that's no lie.

So we take these vans and you know how we used to joke about a ford and how the back seats feel like a park bench. Well, I climbed in a Ford van like the Aerostar van, with 24 other people, and literally, PARK BENCHES. Yes, you read that right. I was thinking "please don't crash cause if we
do we are all dead - men, woman, children, goats whatever was in the car. And I am telling the truth when I say that many people are in that van!

Another thing that happened this week - I am really getting sick of people beating their children. I walked up to this lady who was beating her child and I took the switch and I said stop. The little kid was bleeding. I said "what the crap are you doing?" She told me he was annoying her and I said "no duh he is maybe 4 years old what do you expect?" I gave it back to her I asked how many times she had hit him she told me like 5. I said now take that switch and hit me as hard as you can ten times. At first she wouldn't do it. I said you take that and hit me ten times. So she took it and softly hit me once. I said, "no you hit me." So she did. She was trying to stop and I said not
until you are done. When she was done she was in tears. I said what is wrong. You hit me so I should be crying. I asked again and she said I don't ever want to hit a man of God. I said "a man of god? What about God's blessed children?" I said if you ever want to hit a child like that again then you call me and I will take the beating.

This week I saw a car quest hat I thought of the Averetts. I was smiling. You notice a lot of things when you have no one to talk to. Oh my goodness something new this week happened. There was a baby blessing! I got excited cause It was the first one I have seen in Africa. We are standing there and the baby is giving us troubles so what does does the Mom do? Yep, she started to breast feed in the middle of the blessing. Talk about a spirit killer. I am glad I didn't give the blessing. Holy smoke!!

So we are teaching a Book of Mormon class. Also because of Riss taking me to firesides so much I decided to set up a fireside and it is going to be great. Man we are doing some good here. Oh on a sad note, this lady died last night when her motorcycle went off this really narrow bridge that we take everyday. I hate the bike riders here, they suck at driving. I want to just show them how sometimes. So there is a golf course here in Liberia - it is like golfing in the ditch but it is a golf course.

Wow, I have had no water for 3 days. It hasn't been coming. You really appreciate storage when you rely on it. Well I have rambled on and on and on. I think I have said plenty enough for one day. Thanks for the picture. Dang B is getting big. She is so cute. I love you all, the whole fam. Can't wait to talk to you. Love you ~ till next week . . . . Always remember that the sun always shines when the rain stops. The Apostle Paul asks in Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 26 of the Joseph Smith Translation: (these are for me this week) Can ye be angry, and not sin? Let not the sun go down upon your wrath? I ask, is it possible to feel the Spirit of our Heavenly Father when we are angry? I know of no instance where such would be the case.

From 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, we read: There shall be no disputations among you. . . . For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away. To be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must choose to refrain from becoming angry. I testify that such is possible. It is I who will be happy. I CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!


Love Big Elder Moss (getting slimmer)
Sorry about the spelling t.i.a.

Hello family,

So it has been a week since I have emailed you and I have to say that this week actually seemed like it went by kind of fast. To be completely honest with you my Monday was terrible.  I can't even imagine how crappy Justin is feeling considering the fact that I was doing so bad. Man I loved that man so much. I think that I spent like 2 hours on my knees Monday night trying to pray about all of the bad things that were happening back at home. I think sometimes I have it bad here but I don't even have it bad at all compared to some people that are at home and to other people that are on missions. Sure sometimes it is hard here cause the living conditions are no that great but it will make coming home that much greater. You really gain a great respect for all of the things that we have back home. How blessed we are to live in an area like we do with such great living standards and such great people to live around.
 
So here's what's happened this week.   I got dad's hymn book that I have been waiting for. Man that has been a long time coming but the funny thing is that when I opened it up and started to look at the hymns I realized it is from 1975 which means it is the old hymn book, before it was revised. It is really cool but kind of hard to use. But don't worry I love it. Something cool I found out is shoe goo works really good for book bindings I already had to fix my Book of Mormon and bible.   Africa is kind of rough on them. But don't worry I got the book all fixed up good as new.  I got my memory card too.  I am working hard to get that thing filled with pictures and videos so that I can send it home for Christmas because I have to be honest with you I really can't really send anything else home for Christmas because lets face it t.i.a.   This is a commonly used sang here it means this is Africa. That is what all the people here blame their problems on. I think it is funny because they are what makes up Africa and they have some kind of belief or something that no one is at fault for the condition that it is in.
 
I am really hoping that those packages you sent to the office come cause I'm trying to guess what dad's present is;  It is  really starting to drive me nuts! I want to know what it is so bad.  If it gets lost I will be so sad. But I thank you for everything that you guys do for me. But we will pray that all goes well and my package arrives safe and sound, right?

Every week you guys ask me about baptisms and I was looking back on my records and I am up too 25 souls that the Lord has helped me bring to this great gospel.  How awesome is that!   So the work is just moving right along. I ordained 4 people to the priesthood and also I got to confirm 3 people to the church last Sunday. Then we had another baptism this weekend that really went quite well.   I had some people sing and it probably wasn't the best choice for my ears but the spirit was so strong there. Something that you soon realize is that people here don't sing all that well but the good thing is that they try really hard and that is all that matters in God's eyes.  We have been teaching this girl but we don't know if she is 7 or 8 because no one has any birth records but she passed the interview so hopefully we can get through the confusion and get her baptized.
 
So you know the guy that I got in a fight with- well his wife just accepted a baptism date so that is pretty cool. I am a little sad that I am going to be missing so many baptisms that I have been working so hard on. But its ok I am leaving them in good hands.  Another cool thing is a guy from a professional soccer team just accepted a baptism date so that is going to be sweet but I will miss that as well
 
Funny story, we were having a lesson and all was going well.  We were feeling the spirit when I noticed these two kids sitting there.  One was a boy and the other was a girl and they were sitting and eating a pretty sick looking fish and well, they started to argue.   Anyway, the boy made the girl mad and then she replied with a swift hit in the face with a burnt fish. Ha, needless to say, I started to laugh cause, let's be honest, how many times do you see someone get hit in the face with a dead fish. I did learn a few things from this.  One - don't eat fish and two don't make someone mad who is eating a fish!
 
So I am not going to lie, this week I broke mission rules.  I know, I know, please don't chastise me too much.  But I was sitting on this rock waiting for an appointment eating this stuff that is so sick.   It looks just like bamboo and it taste about the same but the people here love it.  I saw some kids come up eating stuff off of the streets and drinking water out of the puddles on the side of the road from the rain. It was obvious that they hadn't eaten in a while so I broke a rule and gave them some food and bought them some water. I don't care if I get in trouble my heart could not take seeing that.
 
So interesting story about one of the guys we baptized this week.  He was actually referred to us from the sister missionaries in Salt Lake.  Now we are going to baptize his whole family. Well I am not going to.  I might have to come back though.  I think his wife is at least 500 lbs.  Man that's big. I am not sure that I could even baptize her and I am the biggest man in the mission hands down.  I know with the Lord's help, I could do it. No one is too heavy for the Lord.

This week we had district conference.   It was so good it. So I am getting transferred to one of the best areas with Elder Boyedoe.   He is not that fun I hear.  We will see, I am looking for the good in everyone.  Yes I am still in Liberia and I am going to Dualla. So I will be spending Christmas there.  Speaking of, make sure Riss is there.   Oh I hope you enjoy Thanksgiving.   I don't care who gets my pie but as you are enjoying all your wonderful food, think of me eating rice and leaves for dinner. I am so thankful for all of you and Riss and her family.   Thanksgiving is great.  I love you guys so much.
 
Oh, another funny thing.  So we are in a very serious lesson and this lady asks us how we got the pictures in the pamphlet of Christ and Joseph Smith (like we personally took the pictures).   It was so funny.  We had to explain it was a painting.
 
So most every family here has more than one kid.  We think the kids have a bet with each other on who gets to wear what clothes for the day. Because some kids a wearing just a shirt and others are wearing just pants and the rest are naked.  Oh its so funny. I am always like oops I guess he lost the bet.
 
I have been healthy, knock on wood, but this kid in our mish has typhoid, malaria and worms!  Talk about bad luck.  Oh ya guess what?  Two more people are named after me and Riss. I named a boy moss and then this lady is like well what her name going to be and I got this big grin and, of course, I said Riss. She said why that and I said cause she is my hero.  Well, you guys have lots of letters coming.  Family, I love you.   Mom, Dad, thanks for everything.  Give B a kiss for me.  Thanks ~  love ya

 
Love Big Elder Moss

Good Bye to a Great Man

I wanted to let you know that Elder Moss got some really bad news this morning. The dad of one of his best friends, who is also serving a mission in Brazil, passed away unexpectedly last week and we weren't able to get word to Elder Moss until his email this morning. So he was a little overwhelmed and emotional.

Hello again. So another week down and another to go right? This week has been good I guess you could say. I am just working my brains out but I really don't have that many cool stories to share. Thanks for all the emails and the encouragement to be the best missionary and throw myself into the work. I am not sure that is the best attitude, to be the best, but oh well that's what I am going for. That is something dad told me and I will never forget it. Be the best at whatever you do.

Well I was feeling just fine until I read this email and now I am in tears. I loved that man, Rick Ence. He was an amazing person and I wish his family the best. I want to say sorry now for a bad email cause my thoughts are all messed up. Sometimes I thought that my life was rough but I guess not. I don't know what to say. I am sitting here in the middle of the café crying my eyes out. I love that man. I know with all my heart that he will be in the celestial kingdom waiting for his family. Right now I don't even know what to say. My week wasn't all that bad, my life never is that bad.

Here is a brief over view of my week. I had zone conference and president said we are leading Africa in every thing and I think we are leading the world as well. We have some 900 people with baptism dates and the cool thing about that is we are leading the mission. It was kind of a weird zone conference cause he was trying to boast of us and no one really cared. I guess they said we are setting the example for the world. They are guessing over 1000 baptisms next year. I got a good compliment from President. He pulled me aside after the baptism and he called me John the Baptist. He said "good job Elder Moss. This is the first and best baptism that I have been to that was flawless. I was like cool. The compliment was nice but it is because of the Lord that all these things are even possible. Through the Lord all things are possible. In that baptism we had 2 more people and next week we have 3 more then the week after that 3 more. People are still coming up to us and just asking when they can be baptized and if the church is still accepting members. We had a couple of people from Salt Lake in our branch that day so that was cool. I had the opportunity to confirm 3 people, teach class off the cuff and ordain 4 people to the office of a priest so it was a busy day Sunday. And, oh yeah, remember the lady that killed someone? She is getting baptized Saturday.

Something funny that happens here is that every time a engine backfires everyone starts to run. It sounds like a gun and everyone is really scared. It is really funny. But you have to realize this was a war zone. I mean you can walk around and see bullet holes in light posts and buildings. It reminds me of call of duty.

Anyway, my mind is messed up and I don't really have much to say. I have been doing a hard study in the Book of Mormon and I have almost figured out everyone that had anything to do with the Book of Mormon and where they came from. So I like to show pictures of the fam and people said we have a awesome looking family. I reassure them that I know we have the best. You know sometimes I sit here and I think it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out don't worry – I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out if you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in god, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future and the Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us if we put our trust in him. Iif we will live worthily of his blessings. he will hear our prayers. Prayer is key in this life and I know I will be on my knees today. I can't believe the things that happen. I love Justin and I hope that I can email him. I know this church is true and I know Justin will be able to see his dad again. He is watching over him as his guardian angel and as a golden glove boxer he is a dang good guardian angel to have! Justin and Ence family, you are forever my family and I love you guys to death. I remember papa Ence just like it was yesterday I was talking to him. God be with you till we meet again Brother Ence, I love you!!

Thank you everyone for all the emails. And taking time out of your life to email me. I am sorry this email is terrible but I am at a major loss of words. I love all you guys so much. I am still truckin' along. Next week's letter will hopefully be better. Love you fam, Riss and her fam.

Love Elder Moss

Just Call Me Hop Along

Hello family!
How was the week? Long time no talk. How is everyone back home? Mom, dad, family, Riss, her fam. Man everyone has been sending me spiritual stuff.  How is Brian, Sharon, Brandon?  I bet they are enjoying the lovely weather there as am I here.  The weather is joyous ~ like a gazillion degrees always and way humid. Something cool happens here even when there is not a cloud in the sky.  It rains! I think that this happens when it reaches 100 percent humidity and the water in the air just falls again. It's a good thing I love water cause I am always wet.
 
How is B and Amy and Mike and Sarah?  Dad wanted to know about politics.   OK, it is basically exactly how he thought. Obama is God and Bush is Satan. It is funny, you have to be careful what you buy because it might say I love Obama on it. I even asked some people why Obama is so great. You would love their answer.   You guessed it.   Because he is black is their answer. They don't know much about him just he is black. I wish they knew that he is spending the country into an oblivion.  I actually saw a paper once and I can't remember everything it said, but it had a picture of Bush and it said something to the effect that Bush has killed America. The article went on to blatantly lie to people. It is no wonder people have these crazy ideas.
 
Earlier this week something fun happened in a lesson.  We had this good lesson with our security guards and we were feeling the spirit and
everything was going just great.  We asked the guy to pray like we normally do after a lesson and we explained how to pray and he says I
will just pray how I know.   We said ok, whatever praying is praying.  NOT!!! He goes off with some song and I am about to break
up laughing the he scares me when he starts to scream and yell for his prayer.  Oh my, it was hilarious!  That went on for like 5 or more
minutes then he ended it. Turns out he is a pastor.   Another cool thing that happened was I taught a lesson to another pasor.  The lesson was good. I loved it.  And I had another lesson this week that was awesome too. This  said Satan is just working on me more than ever. I said ya, what is he doing, maybe I have some advice. Well to make a long story short she needs to be married to get baptized. And she is afraid that her boyfriend doesn't love her enough. She asked what true love was.  Immediately I knew I could answer her and I asked about her kids and how she knew she loved them. She told me she cooks and does things for them, they are her kids. And I said you know what I think true love is. When you are willing to give your life for the one that you love. When you are willing to put someone above yourself no matter what. I looked at her with a smile and I paused, I was fighting my emotions a bit cause I am a big wimp and I said I love a girl and I have realized that she makes me the best person that I can be and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I would give my life for her in a heartbeat.  I told her to find someone that she would do anything for!! 
 
So it's kind of weird to have the branch presidents counselor come up to me crying and say Elder Moss I need your help.  He goes on to explain this problem he is having with his daughter and he says Elder Moss, I just want to get some advice on what I can do with the situation.   He said, I have seen and have heard you teach about families and I know how you love your family and he said I want what you have.  I told him that the Lord has blessed me I have a amazing family and that is, the honest truth,  why I am the person I am today. I said this great gospel is how families can be the greatest. The conversation went on but I thought that was cool that a grown man would seek advice from someone like me.

Baptisms, hmm it was good this week I baptized a lady form Congo Town.  She is a nice lady but sorry to say, she is a little more to love haha.  Well a lot more to love.   She is bigger than me!! And to top it of there was about 3 feet of water, so get that picture in your head. People actually said I had super human strength. Africans are scared of water so they freak out when they go under but I put her under and
lifted up her whole body.  They said they said that I completely picked her up and set her on her feet. She was grateful and It wasn't too bad.

I finally saw general conference.  Oh man. that was so good.  I love Holland,  Oaks, Eyring, Uchtdorf.   Man, I love them all.   President Monson.   I sat in the chapel for over 8 hours watching it.   We watched all four sessions. It was good!
 
I got the package and letters I am going to go and read them tonight.  I have been doing food storage so I have so much food. So good or bad news first? The good news is I am 240 and bad news is I broke my foot. I would send a pic but I don't know if it will work. Any ways shhh I will get over it.  You know me.  I am tough.   The good news is I can still walk.

So I have decided I love Elder Jenkins.   He is so sweet.  I can't wait to chill with him someday.  He says we are going to be AP's together someday.  I laughed. 

Well. I think that's about it for me.  My head is going to explode cause I want to know what dad made me. I love you so much Mom.  I love Dad.   Family, I love all you guys.  If there is one thing I learned this week is that I have the best life.  I have an amazing family and the best girlfriend any one could ask for. For this trial is but a small moment. I know this church is true.   I know this work is hard but worth it. If I can help the Lord bring one soul unto him how great is His joy. For the glory be to God. My testimony is we have NOTHING to fear!!! God is at the helm. He will over rule for the good of His work. He will shower down blessings upon those who walk in obedience to His commandments. He will bless those people that "endure it well". 

I love you guys.
 
Love Elder Moss

Four Months Down!

Hello Family,

It is a new week and I am ready to go. So this last week wasn't too bad. It seems like it was really long but not too bad. I had the opportunity to meet with president for the first time. He really is a good guy.

So Mom, can you find Elder Jenkins mom. I love that guy, he is sweet! He is like my best friend here so you need to find his mom. So I am about 95% sure that I am going to get transferred next transfer, finally! I have been doing so much in our branch. Last week we had 3 baptisms, Emmanuel Jusu, Ezekial Toe and Ayuba Saffa. They are all pretty young kids but I baptized them all and I also did some confirmations and priesthood ordinations. Then after church I had to go and do a bunch of paperwork for the branch president for over and hour. It's ok though because class was pretty easy. I taught an easy lesson. Man I love the gospel principles book. It makes life so easy. I don't know why the branch pres asks me to help so much. I'm just a kid. I have to figure it out just like him. Oh ya, a few people are going to add me on facebook. One is the branch pres and the other is the first counselor, so feel free to talk to them. Thanks.

So I guess I should say Happy Halloween yesterday. People here do not celebrate witches and things that terrify them. They think it is real and they think that they can have spells cast on them. I can't tell you how many people think they are cursed, it's funny. They need to realize that satan can't be let into their lives unless they let him. We found this man, his name is Emanuel Tarpeh and he is way smarter than the average African, to say the least. He is very interested in the gospel and he has a wife and kids. We are teaching him and his daughter. Something interesting is he was contacted by missionaries in the Salt Lake mission by phone. He went to church for two weeks and we met him, taught him for a week and he has read over half of the Book of Mormon IN A WEEK. I can hardly do that. My plan is to have him baptized in just a couple of weeks then he can baptize his daughter. That would be so cool. So that is about the extent of my cool investigators except we are working with a man that used to run a brothel and we are working with lots of kids. Its crazy how at church no one sits together. It really blows my mind. So I am the wrestling champ of the mission, no one, I mean no one can beat me. Sometimes not even two can beat me!

Oh something else cool, you know that man that I punched? Guess what? He and his family are coming to church! I just remembered that cause I looked at my sleeve and saw the blood stain.

In my intervie, president and I established that Riss is an angel and I would do anything for her. He was saying though that I need to come up to her level. He said that if she decides not to wait it is probably because she lost faith in me and I am not working hard enough. So I am going to make sure that I work till I drop till i can't go any more.

So you liked the package and the song? Sorry my singing is bad. So I taught myself the piano. I am getting good so I will record me playing
Nearer my God to Thee and singing.

I saw this cool quote: It's possible to make home a bit of heaven. I picture heaven as a continuation of the ideal home. I want my home to be like that but it reminded me of the song:

Where is heaven is it far away?
I would like to know if its beyond the brightest star
Where is heaven? Will you show me the way
I would like to learn and grow and go there someday
Where is heaven is it very far?
When your with the ones you love its right where you are!

Where is heaven? its being at home with your loved ones. Man I loved that so much. I also like this poem:

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain
Never became a forest king
But lived an died a scrubby thing
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began
Good timber does not grow with ease
The stronger the wind the stronger the trees
The further sky the greater length
The more the storm the more the strength
By sun and cold by rain and snow
In trees and men good timber grow
Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarch of both
And they hold council with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife
This is the common law of life

Wow, I hope it's right! I just read that one day this week and it's what I remember. It is so powerfu, I love it. I hope that my email was a little better this week. I love you all so much. You guys have not even the slightest idea. Mom, dad thank you so much. I will owe you forever. I know you pray for me all the time and love and care for me.

Love Elder Moss

Elder Moss

Hey family - how are you doing? Well, it's been another week and I am not dead so that is just a great thing right? I have survived another week here in Africa. So I have decided that I won't make it another transfer in a single man box. I am asking president for a transfer out of
this apartment or I am going to lose my mind, not that I already haven't. Thank you for all your support and love that you show for me.  So I miss Elder Lowe.  My new companion always tells me to just figure it out! I am like just tell me what to do.  Ugh, man he hides stuff from me and makes me try to learn on my own.  It is sure a good thing that president is coming and I will get an interview this Wed or I would die because I am up to here with it.

My week it has been really crazy.  It is funny how some people can rely on you so much to do things. So I have been working hard on getting
people baptized and I have told you about the Bens family.  Well, I  got to baptize them this weekend and also comfirm them so it was a little crazy to be able to have to do all that work.  Man sometimes missionary work can be tough. Had to get talks and make sure everything was prepared. Sunday was good.  I  had the opportunity to lead music, bless the sacrament, confirm 3 people, ordain one to a priest, teach investigator class and visit with 3 new people.  Oh ya by myself cause my companion was in another place for the day.  I met some people from Kaysville, UT so that was cool.   She said that she is going to talk to you sometime this week.

Studies have been good.  I found out what a lot of numbers and colors mean in the Bible. So we should be having 4 more baptisms this weekend and 4 more the next.  We are teaching this guy he is pretty cool and he will be baptized really soon.  His wife is kinda weird though she always runs away from us.

I am getting my shirt tailored today.  He is taking off like 15 inches so thats cool.  I guess that I need to still lose more weight though because I constantly get reminded that I am a fat white man. It is nice that people are so caring ha. In sacrament meeting something new happened. I never thought that I would see a speaker stop talking and text then continue speaking but wow!  This branch needs work!  There were 21 people at the begining of sacrament meeting and over 100 at the end.  Africa, they don't understand time. I also don't understand how they can breast feed in sacrament meeting and not feel weird about it.   Ugh, man people here have like no morals.  Investigators class was good though, I just taught them the plan of salvation, very easy to teach. I really have decided that Christ was such an awesome example to all of
us.  I  like John 19: 26- 30.  It talks about how the last thing he did before he died was take care of his mother and thats how it should be. I really like this poem.

Backward, flow backward o tide of the years
I am so worry of toils and of tears
Tired of hollow the base,the untrue
Mother o mother my heart calls for you...
Over my heart, in the days that are flown
No love like a mother love has ever shown..
None like a mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul and the world weary brain.
Slumbers soft calms o're my heavey lids creap
Rock me to sleep, mother rock me to sleep

I really like this because when I am feeling down, Mom, I know that you are always there for me. And so is the rest of the family. So mom thanks for your help.  So I don't have much else to say except that I am doing ok and I will make it.  Work is good and it is going like crazy.  I love all you guys. 
 
Till next week, much love from Elder Kevin Moss
 
PS  Hows caden? Hope he is good.  Love that guy!

A New Companion

Dear Family, Riss & Friends….

I actually don't know where to even start. I don't know what the Lord has been trying to teach me but I am guessing it is self control and patience. Thank you for all your support and love, it really helps. So you know the handwritten letters, well, still haven't got them. Its ok though, I know you still love me!! I send letters every week too and it really bothers me that you don't get mine always either. I mean, I am holding up the pain staking, heart breaking task of not emailing Riss and then you don't get my mail - I get so frustrated.

Well to start I went on exchanges with Elder Grabau he is the zone leader and one of my favorite missionaries. He truly is one of the best. He has been in charge for most of his mish which is about one year. Anyway, I went with him and we taught some peeps. But afterwards, I asked him what I could work on? I said I know I have a lot to fix about myself but what can I do? He looked at me and started to cry with a smile on his face. And I said am I really that bad? And he said, "Elder Moss, I want to thank you". I said, "thanks, but for what? And he said, "for teaching me so much about myself and about the real purpose of missionary work". He said "you know what you want in life and you know what love is. He said, "you know what is right and you will give anything for it." He told me he felt like he was teaching with a general authority because I teach with such power! I was shocked. I didn't know what to say. All I could say was thank you. It is easy to know what love is when you have people that are so easy to love. We taught some lessons on eternal marriage. It was so good. I had a good time. He is amazing man. I learned tons and decided to change our schedule up. We have 45 people with baptismal dates. That's too much so… I will be focusing on just a few and teaching and baptizing like crazy. In fact, we have 10 coming up soon.

So you want to know about lessons. We were teaching a lesson this week about the commandments and it just so happens that we had just got done teaching about respecting your wife and your family and kids. When a guy across the way starts dropping the f bomb at his wife I tried to let it go but… Well, he slapped his wife and every single muscle in my body tightened. Then he grabs her by the neck. He was really abusing her. The he raises his fist and that's when I dropped my stuff and sprinted over and grabbed him and punched him with me fist and threw him on his back. Mom, I know, not the best way to solve a problem but I couldn't help it. I thought he was going to kill her. All is well, I'm not in jail and I think I can get the blood out of my shirt from his bloody nose. No one hits a girl when I am around!

And just today something funny happened, our motorcycle crashed in the middle of the road. Everything is ok. I am tough and will survive but I burned my leg pretty good.

Ok, so the big news is Elder Lowe is leaving me. I am receiving a Ghanan Elder from Sierra Leone. So I will still be here so you can keep sending stuff here!!! Like mints I need those ~ mmm ~ I love those.

I love the scripture in D & C 128 dad sent me. I want you to know that I know that this church is true with all my heart, I know it. Even though at times it can feel like my cross is too heavy! But I know what I have waiting for me in the future. I know what amazing people I have behind me praying for me every day. I testify that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of this gospel and our love for our Heavenly Father, our family and the Savior will comfort and sustain me and bring joy
to our hearts as I walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us. Fear not be of good cheer. The future is as bright as our faith. I know that my time will come to bring one of Heavenly Fathers daughters to the temple where I can be sealed to her forever and there is nothing in my life that I want more. NOTHING. A scripture that I want to share is out of 1st Thessolonians 5:21. I would tell everyone to take heed to this. I know that the Savior lived and died for me and you and I love him. In the scrips we can read there is no greater love than the love someone has to lay down his own life for his friends. I would give my life for any single one of my family members, including Riss, without even blinking an eye. I encourage you to look for love in people and find a way to love and find ways to give charity. You never know when you will be on the receiving end of that. I love you guys so much. Please keep praying for me. I pray for you constantly. I am greatful to be known as the family man here in Africa. Always remember that without your family you are nothing. They make you who you are. How great will be the day that we can all be together forever.

I love you guys so much and I miss you guys and pray for you.

Love Elder Moss

A Temple President, ME????

Hey Fam!!!

I got the letter and the one with pictures of Riss and B and the fam. Thank you guys so much! I love you guys tons and you help me loads. So this week, for me, was so very long. I went on exchanges with Elder Collier, he is from Sierra Leone and he was sick with malaria so guess what I got to do all day? Ya, you guessed it, Absolutely nothing. I think I wrote 30 some odd pages in a letter home so that should be fun to get. Also I got to clean and fix things in the nasty apartment so I wouldn't sit and rip all my hair out of my head! After the exchange it was probably the hottest day of my life. This truly is the armpit of the world. I was sweating so bad that I had to wring my shirt out. You could see the water running down my body on the outside of my shirt. Holy cow, it was hot! Other than that not much has happened. I got to go on exchanges with my boy, my favorite missionary, Elder Jenkins. Oh he is awesome! Oh and today was nice. I played soccer. And we have officially established that I am the strongest missionary in our mission.

So the highlight of my week was definitely Saturday. I had my first day in my whites. So I finally fixed them and now the waist is way too big so I don't know what I should do. Man people here are so scared of water, it is nuts. I don't understand how they can be afraid when there is so much water around here.

I am so bummed, I forgot to tell you to take notes on general conference for me. We actually don't get to watch general conference so my day was just a normal day. I am getting tired of giving lessons on Sunday. There never is a warning, just as we walk into class they are like hey can you teach. Actually its more like hey your are teaching. So I don't think I told you this but one time when we were at the church this random person comes up to me and I am like "hello, how are you?" And she is like "I am good, how are you?". Then she goes "I don't really know you but (she
pulls out a picture of the St George temple) and says "I don't know if you know this temple but you are going to be the president of it someday". I said, "oh ya, and how do you know that? She said, "I just know so I thought I would tell you." I asked her if she knew where that temple was and she said no. I told her that it was the St. George Temple in Utah. I asked her if she knew where I was from and she said no. I told her that is where I am from and she started to cry!! Wow, I thought to myself, maybe I will be, maybe I won't, but I thought it was cool that someone that I had never met before would tell me that.

So the branch presidency decided that we, as missionaries, will be in charge of a Sunday at church! Ya all of it. Conduct, preside the whole shabang. We were like, I don't think we can do that so I hope that they change their minds or we are not allowed cause we really don't need to do that. Oh ya, so my baptism was the first for me and the first one for the new branch so I will forever be remembered haha.

So a thing that has been happening lately is that people are robbing people with machetes. I don't know if that's how you spell it but, ya, people are not very nice. No one will ever try to rob me because I will rock their world.

So I am stoked for the newsletter I love to see how everyone is. Just get Caden in there too. He is one of the boys. I love him don't leave him out. Tell him I wish I could email him but one of our thousands of rules states that we can't email friends. Uh I hate it so much. It's like isn't it hard enough that we cant even talk or see them but now we cant even email them.

So we are overloaded with investigators, seriously we have 38 people with baptismal dates and 46 investigators. We are prioritizing, as sad as that is, we are doing our best. So I am going to Paynesville on another exchange. It should be fun. Elder Jenkins will be there.

Well that's about it for me. Mom, Dad, everyone, I love you keep the faith. I love you guys so much!

Love, Elder Moss

Forty Six and Counting . . .

Hello fam ~I am doing just fine. Another week down, who knows how many to go! The work has been going great. We counted yesterday and we have 46 investigators. I guess you could say that we are doing ok. So I am thinking that Elder Lowe is going to be transferred. He has been in the area for 6 months now. Holy smokes ~ it seems like I have been here for an eternity and I have only been on mission for 3 months. We have been teaching a lot of families lately. It is awesome until all the kiddies get out of control and then we have to settle them down but other that that I really love it. I am going to get into my whites this week for the first time since the temple. I don't think my pants are going to fit anymore but we will see what happens. I am pretty excited. He is a young boy named Ezekial and he said he wanted me to baptize him. I was kinda surprised cause everyone wants Elder Lowe to do it. I am excited for the Bens family. It seems like they are on fire plus they have a kid named after me so I guess that's pretty cool.

So this cool/really kinda scary thing happened to me this week. It was in the middle of the day and a guy pulls over and offers us a ride so we say ok. Something seemed kinda crazy about this guy but any way, to make a long story short, this guy was crap drunk and he pulls out a beer and starts to drink while he is driving. So you have to understand the traffic here it is nuts. I am told like twice as bad as NY sometimes cause there are no laws about drinking and driving! Scary!

Thank you I got the package. That is the way to go, vacuum sealing everything tight. Thanks. So I wrote a ton of letters. It will probably be like three weeks until you get those but we will see. Also I need to tell you thanks for the pics. I looooooveee pictures. I love to show off the family. I can't even begin to tell you how fun it is.

So, hmmm . . . Oh my gosh, I found a machine shop its awesome. It was crappy but I sent some picures. My package to you might come this week, we will. Oh Elder Lowe is sending pictures as well, so ask his mom. Also I have been training people in our area a lot, maybe they are preparing me to lead, I don't know but we will see what happens. I hope they give me more responsibility. I think I work better that way. Oh ya, my goal to live on $5 ha haha super easy.

Something I have been learning about is honesty and we talked about it in our new branch (which I am going to make a good branch if it kills me). I I think it is so important that we are honest and never lead any one on or omit or anything. Mom I know you love me and that's why you worry, its ok. Just don't worry too much because when you worry, I worry cause I love you more than you know. I have been writing more personal letters to you and dad now and I will keep on writing them. Hmmm I don't know what else to really talk about. Sorry this letter has about zero structure.

Something President Roggia said, that I really liked, was about missionaries feeling alone and being tried so they can grow. Hmm I hate to be alone and it's so true that sometimes I feel alone but I just get down on my knees and pray. I know that I always have the Lord there for me.

So I am about out of things to say. REMEMBER YOU CAN'T SEND TOO MANY LETTERS. Love ya guys!


Love Elda Mooooos (they call me that all the time)
alias Elder Kevin Moss


Ps Whats up with Caden ~ tell him be glad he's not in Africa haha, I am the doctor here!!!! jk

An African Moss?

Hey family,

So my week has been alright. Mom don't worry about me!!!!!! A mission is hard but I'm tough and pushing through. I hear through the grapevine that you are really worried about me. Don't be I will live. I just hope you recognize me and hug me when I get off that plane. You might not be able to find me in that suit. I am going to try to just live on 5 dollars the whole week I think, just for fun ha. I have done about $7 pretty dang easy. All you have to do is eat like a piece of bread a day.

Before I forget, Happy 25th Anniversary! I love you guys and because of you I am here today and I never let people forget that. Today I sent off a package to Riss via Liberia mail. It has a shirt in it and my memory card. I hope all goes well with that. I got the newsletter this week it was great. I loved it I should get the package this week. This crazy thing happened. I got a random letter from Mitch Tenny. I haven't talked to him in forever but it was cool to get a letter from Brazil.

So Pres Roggia is here. So our branch got split this week. I was really nervous because I was told that our names were on the list for branch pres and that is one of the last things I would want to be responsible for. Luckily, I get to be just a missionary. But we have a lot of work and I want this branch pres to start doing things the right way.

So someone must trust me high up because for this weekend I got to be the senior companion with Elder Taylor. All went well. We did good and, hopefully, I taught him a lot. It is just crazy cause no one ever trains this early in their mish and I will have him tomorrow too. I very much like training.

Sometimes Elder Lowe doesn't like to teach families much because they can get crazy but I think that is my purpose in coming here. A quote from sacrament meeting from pres was that families take priorities over all responsibilities in the church and every thing!!

Thanks again for the package. I love those mints and those nuts mmm. They are delicious!

So I held my first chimp oh and a sea turtle. So I guess that was pretty cool.

We will now be kneeling at every prayer in the lessons. If you don't know, there is dirt and muddy poop everywhere, so that should be fun. I will tell you something. It is funny to see two white guys in the middle of town with millions of people around, dressed nice, kneeling and praying on the muddy dirty sidewalk. Picture that. Well lessons are great. Still teaching all the time and teaching the bens family I love them.

GUESS WHAT?? So I thought it would be fun to get people to name their kids after me or at least try so I did I and now I have two babies named Moss and another baby girl named Riss. I tried to get them to use Sherissa but that was too hard for them to say. So forever will Riss and Moss be in Africa!!

Well I think we are giving up on the lady that killed someone because she is burning up too much time and keeps bouncing interviews. We will see what happens.

I love all you guys so much. Keep staying strong. Soon you will have pics from me. Did you get the scripture case?

From Africa ~ Love Elder Moss

love ya

Another week in Liberia

Hello Family,

Hope sarah had a great b-day, also happy grandparents day yesterday.  I forgot to say that last week. Sarah, so what did you get?  Did Riss give
you a hug for me?  So I actually have not sent a package yet.  Through fed ex it is $95 (ha-ya right like I can afford that!) So I think I will try through the postal service.  Speaking of which, everyone can handwrite that way and send pics too please.  I am super stoked for your package you sent me though. I am getting a letter from Riss' dad? Uh oh -  ha.   There are a few things that I need slash would like, if you don't mind.   I need shaving crème and I need some after shave.  So wahoo, shopping trip.  Maybe mom and Riss can find me some yummy smelling kind. Also I need a pen pencil set that I can carry.  Believe it or not,  you cant find pencils here. And maybe some AA batteries.

So the work has been going pretty good.  The scriptures that dad sends me, every time it seems, that they are perfect for what I need. So it seems that we teach so much on families here and the importance of eternal marriage. It is so crazy because that is what I love the most. I decided to totally change this lesson around and I decided to make a priority list with this guy Thomas. He made his and I made mine.  His list was crazy so I told him some things and gave him my list.  I put just a few things on mine.  God and families and then I gave him a few scriptures from Nephi like my favorite one that talks about defending your families. That is so important. Also, when I was on splits, I was prompted to share yours, Mom, and Riss' testimonies.  Wow, the spirit took over that lesson! All I know is that me and him were both in tears by the end of the lesson. How great it is to be able to have eternal families.
 
Oh my goodness I almost busted a cap on this lady. It is a handicapped community and they were punishing the nicest little handicapped boy.  I walked up and he is crying on the ground.   They took his wheelchair.  Oh my, I was ticked.   I went up and helped this boy and I said I swear if this boy doesn't get his wheelchair back asap I will bring a world of hurt to the person that took it. (Not very missionary like, I know).  They listened.   I said this better not happen again. How can they punish him?   How can he do wrong?   His spirit is the most pure out of all of them.   It bugged me.
 
Ben's fam is great, getting ready for baptism. Oh our branch is splitting.  Hope I don't have to be branch pres or anything, ha, ya right!  It would never happen but we were told our names are on the list so I guess I am not doing too bad.  We just need to stay in tune with the spirit and mission work is easy. It's all about family, everyone remember that. Keep doing family prayer. The spirit there is amazing and  it brings everyone so close together.

So thank you everyone for all that you do for me and the prayers the and letters and everything.  I love all of you so so very much.  I could not do
this with out you.  I love you guys.

Love Elder Moss


 

Food - Yeah!!

So this week was pretty good for me.  I need to first start off by saying Happy Birthday to Sarah I hope it is well and I love you loads.

 

So this week we had a baptism.  I wish  could send you pictures but this computer is really dumb so  won't make you any promises. Oh my heck, so  got the package.  love it!  There is so much junk food that I will never be able to eat it all.  Just kidding, I  will.  Man this keyboard is terrible!  It is like an old typewriter.  Oh man, it frustrates me so much to be in Africa sometimes.  So I got the card reader.  It is nice but I love the the letters and pictures the most.  So snail mail turns out to be faster than we thought.  Your letter you sent took only 8 days to get here. So please send more like that.

 

So me and Elder Lowe are doing well.   Actually we are doing good enough that our branch is splitting, which is surprising because I have no idea who is going to be the branch pres.   I am getting so sick of Liberia time.  If you are not 30 min late you are way too early. You schedule appointments with people 30 min earlier than you want.

 

So I was reading today about priesthood blessings and it talks about how we need to plant the seed before we ask God to grow our corn.  Faith with out action is nothing. I like that it really makes you want to work.  So this one lady Lucia, she is on fire we have taught her 4 lessons in 2 visits she knows so much. And uncle ben, the one we baptized, his whole fam is coming  to the church.  I  love that.  It makes me so happy to see that. That's what I want to see from this mission.   Not how many baptisms but how many families we can get sealed. You can get to.

 

Dad thank you for your scriptures.  I love them, so you can keep them coming.  I always love to learn new things.  And thanks for raising me the way you did to love families and nothing else comes first. So many people can lose sight of that and its importance.  I really want to someday be the best husband the best father and have my kids love me and be sealed to them  forever.  That is my goal.  I would love nothing more . And it is because you taught me the importance and showed me how you love and respect mom.   

 

I arm wrestled a ghana army trainer and worked him ha.  Embarrassed him.  Just thought I would throw that in.  Well I love all you guys so much and Iwill be home  twice the man I was when I left.  Seriously,  keep up all your good.  I will talk to you next week.

 

Love Elder Moss

 

Staying Slim in Liberia

How are you guys? So I first need to ask a favor from mom and Riss. So I would ask that you could send me your testimonies about eternal families! We are having some problems with this lady and I think it would be good coming from you mom who is married and riss who will be married to me ha. Thanks that would be great.

So I am losing weight like crazy. Its nice. I think its cause I work out so hard and never eat. So we are having a baptism this weekend. I found out that we have to cancel one lady's. Come to find out she killed someone so that is something that needs to be resolved with the first pres. (This mom says YIKES!)

I got the package and I am in the same area so you can send another one to Liberia if you want ha. Oh, please I need cd's. That would be nice. Oh happy late b-day to b. So I am not the youngest any more. WAHOO!! A new kid is coming. So nothing really new has happened to me, kinda lame I know just working and chillin. So I was bored at church and I decided to see what I could read. Turns out I am a fast reader I read 2 Nephi and Jacob before I left church. I like 2 Nephi. It talks a lot about faith and prayer.

So I created a book called the book of divine inspiration ha. It is all the letters I have received. It's one of my favorite books.

I hope everyone is doing well. I am stoked you took riss to the lake. Sounds like you had fun.

We have lots of baptisms coming up. It is crazy I hope you get my pics and how is Caden? And everyone? Man I miss you guys but it wont be long till I am home. So I recorded me singing but I cant get it to send. Sorry this email is so lame I know I am boring. So I have a pic Christ on our door along with Riss and family so that when I am working out and about to leave the apartment, I can remember to work hard for the biggest loves in my life. Ha, I cant believe I say all this. I am making Elder Lowe walk slower, he is destroying my shoes with the power walking. Well I love you guys. Well that's it for the week. I love you all so much thanks for the support. Riss, thanks for the cd player.

Love your Elder Moss

Visit from a General Authority

My mind is all messed up today so I am sorry. My day has not been so good. The first guy I taught to baptism died this morning L Stupid malaria!! I was so sad I didn't even know what to do. My mind was a wreck. I was the last person to give him a blessing and I feel like I wasn't good enough or something. I know that through his faith and love that he has for the Lord that he will have the faith to continue the work he started in the next life!

President Cardon from the 70 came. Wow! How amazing. Except I was freaking out when I was going to have to teach a general authority in the gospel doctrine class. Worst nightmare. He gave an awesome lesson in Elders Quorum. It was so exciting to be able to learn in church again instead of always teach. That man is a very powerful teacher. But I will talk about that in a little bit.

So favorite song in the world or hymnbook is a Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Sorry I didn't tell you last time but I read the letters at home not on the computer because I normally just don't have time. But thank you so much for all of the letters that you send to me. I love it! I can't even tell you. So I got the letters via dear elder today. Unfortunately, I was missing part of Shawn's. I was so disappointed but I got 30 of them from pres. It took me very long to sort through them. It was kinda weird to read letters from so long ago. But it is ok because they made me happy. You will be happy to know my package is waiting for me in Sierra Leone. According to pres. I will get it next week during transfers. I don't know about the Liberia one yet. So I am so glad that you are having a good time with school everyone. Riss I am stoked that you have such a testimony and are able to stay strong with work and be able to stick with your beliefs. Keep it up and keep going to the temple.

So family, I am doing just fine, actually I punched another hole in my belt this week but I don't think I will again for a while. I eat an egg sandwich a day, that's good for me. So it is shocking that it is going to get hotter than this because it is so hot here already. Mom you asked what I do in the morning. I do push ups, sit ups, jump rope, curls, sometimes ladders.

Town is so crazy with people always just yelling white man and I just ask where. I don't see one. So I would assume my baby girl b is walking? Lake sounds fun you have been going a lot? Have you got letters from me? I have no stamps now soooo. . . . .

We have been working on the simplified way of teaching. It is all about not over preparing. It is just learning the lesson and teaching off the cuff. It is really different. Also we have to extend a invitation to be baptized with every lesson. The first lesson that is hard. But I do it cause we are told to. J

Caden I know I talk about Riss a lot but oh well. How ya doing? I can't email you directly. Rules!! I can read yours though. So I do what I am told I miss you tons keep up the great work. So president Cardon had a fireside. I loved it. It was amazing nothing like a general authority speaking to you in Africa!!!

So you received my journals. I know they were bad. I was a wreck then. The next ones are much better I promise. I am doing well. I am getting into the work. I am stressing a lot lately because of it. I think Elder Lowe is going to be transferred. So pres Cardon in the instruction today was inspirational. He talked all about how we are entitled to inspiration. Everyone receives it in different ways. The way I receive it I think is through my heart and he said some people even receive it in a way that just makes sense to them. That is me. I have to have things in order. Then he said if you feel good about something, roll with it and don't deny it. So I was thinking that I am lacking confidence but I know what I want. So Enos tells us about revelation and also in D & C 84. We need to know that all we have to do is have faith. It brings me back to Mark 4:40, why is it that we fear. How is it we have no faith. I love missionary work and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now. I am going to keep truckin and still talk like an American even though its going away.

Oh yeah, we taught sister Cardon for practice and she started to cry when I bore my testimony. She said it was so powerful about how my dad baptized me and how I love family and about how I want an eternal family. She was dumb stuck. She didn't think missionaries knew what they wanted so much. I love all of you so much, you all know that. Talk to you next week!!!.

Much love from Africa

Love Elder Moss

Rain, Rain, Rain

Hello Family,

Ok I am so sick of hearing my emails suck. Ha I know I am in Africa with a crapola computer so get off of my back palease. Ha-ha. Last week I typed my email 5 times, elders lowes mom did not even get one so feel lucky. HOPE THIS IS GOOD!

So this week was great but oh so so crazy. Today is the first day it stopped raining. Finally cause the rain Is so depressing. I love the sunshine. We were out teaching and my umbrella broke so I was totally soaking wet. We got caught in like a tsunami, I swear to you that's how it rains here. Sorry that I complain so much, but I am in Africa! ha ha. It is getting better. It is nice that I am actually starting to see nice things cause I see so many crappy things every where.

It seems that a lot of people here in Africa have chastity problems. It is so sad that people do these kind of things. Sorry Caden but we actually don't have to find people being white and (extremely good looking), people come to us. People just show up at church and say we want to meet with you. We are like uh man we we'll try too fit you in. We have had to not go to everyone this week because every hour of all our days were full. People now have to wait more than one week to see us. I don't know what it is but the people just have absolutely nothing here so they want to change their lives I guess. Don't be worried but I am down to 265 in clothes J. I know looking good right. I am trying to send pics but no promises.

We left for church Sunday and we forgot our umbrella and, of course, it was pouring rain but oh well just get wet. We met up with a fam and this little black girl, cute little girl but anyway she is so little but she runs up to me and she grabs on to my pinky with all five fingers and walks with me for at least two miles to church while it is pouring. So Sunday was the first week I have gone to church soaking wet.

We had zone conference this week. It was good I got to meet up with elder Stott and reminisce on times of old. You may know Elder Lowe is the dl so I have the wonderful opportunity to go on splits every week. It is fun but hard because I have to pack my stuff across town all the time but its ok I guess. It just makes it hard to learn my own area. No one here has addresses. It's just this general shack area and you ask someone where people live. President Roggia is coming this week. He should bring letters, probably not packages though L . It will be weird to get letters that were directed to me in the mtc but I am so stoked. We have another couple of baptisms this weekend. It is going to be crazy. This guy is so ready. And this lady, Anne, we are teaching it is so frustrating cause she can hardly speak English and she can't read. So we have a little situation with a investigator we found out that she is having a little problems with chastity with a ward member!!! Uh these things drive me nuts. I cant even tell you . I got those pics ya. Well I am running out of things to say I am excited to read the letters. I read them when I get home. I have some things I am going to send home so you will get a package sometime things for you guys, it is cool. I am doing good. I am doing my best I promise. here Mom, dad and fam I love you guys. Thanks for your prayers and all the love you have for me. Thank you for looking out for Riss, she is awesome so it should be easy-o. Everything here is ended with o by the way. is Oh and our apartment is nice but not home :) Love you everyone, including Caden and Riss!!!

LOVE YOUR ELDER MOSS

MUCH LOVE FROM LIBERIA AFRICA