Hello family,
 
Another day, another dollar. Life is going just dandy here on this side of the planet. Last night was so sweet! I tell you I have not been sleeping that great because it has been so blessed hot. So I decided that I should pray that I could get some sleep. Well, needless to say, the season that never rains, dry season, it rained like crazy last night and we had the sweetest breeze. I woke up and just smiled and went right back to sleep.  It was so nice. Best night sleep in a long time. Man my prayers have been chockfull of stuff. . .  Amy and my package, sleep, investigators, Riss, the fam, Brian and Sharon. If people keep asking me to pray for them, my prayers will last all night so I won't get to  sleep haha. No, I am just kidding.  I love to pray for people I love you guys like crazy.  Just remember prayers work by faith. Not by individuals.  But I hope that everyone is doing good! How is my little older sister Amyzing? Surgery is not fun and not walking is even worse. But she is blessed with that sweet little girl, Brooklyn. Oh how I miss her, she better not be dating when I get home!!

Now, short little thing, Riss I will work on the topic or assignment of the people in the apartment haha and I love the song Amazing Grace as well the movie, Amazing Grace.  It is amazing, no pun intended. I am glad you got letters from me. I guess you have to blame Christmas mail for it being so slow. Oh and as for what I am studying, I sent some stuff that might blow your mind.  It is definitely blowing mine and everyone in the apartment. I was trying to figure out when and how exactly the great apostasy started. I have come to the conclusion that it was actually after Moroni died, which
is crazy cause most people teach it started right after the apostates.  The weird thing is that the plan was that the church would fall and we would have a restoration. Something that I have learned about God is that he puts things on this earth, then he takes it away, but then he puts it on the earth never to be taken again. Its crazy how it works but look at things of the past. Like the flood, garden of eden, the church.  Man the new testament is blowing my mind. It is making me way confused and making me learn bucket loads of doctrine. I love it.  I am becoming the doctrine master. Plus I am learning the Book of Mormon like the back of my hand. Something else that I have learned is, I am pretty positive, that Christ got married on this earth. But that is arguable. I am having a hard time figuring this one out. Were families foreordained before this life? If not that makes sense in some aspect but if so, then it doesn't really. Because many prophets have said that soul mates are fiction but if families are foreordained then you have a soul mate chosen in heaven haha. Just a cool question to think about maybe someone can help me with that one.  I have plenty more I am studying but that is enough for one day.

The week was kind of interesting in one way and not in another. I went on exchanges with Elder Marveh, it was sweet.  We decided to really hustle like nothing.   We had 8 lessons and we had a bunch of contacts.  The day went so sweet, it just flowed.   We were five min early to each lesson.  We just flat out had a great day. I love when we have days like that because the day goes by so fast. Something that I have decided is that you better not let me plan family night when I get home, ha because we will be washing clothes by hand in the candle light then after we will experience a bucket shower with a candle being light. Haha.   Man, I miss the washing machine like nothing. I will never use the statement that I have to ever again!!  It will always be, I get to. That is not a joke!  It will be so fun, I cant wait.

So I thought it was so funny, this story of our lesson. So we are teaching the ten commandments and we are reading out of Mosiah and the last one talks about how you should not covet, right?  Well, this lady is reading that commandment, her name is Gladys, she is just a way funny person. Anyway, as she is reading "thou shalt not covet thy man servant, his maid servant nor his ox nor his… and she stops and she gets this big funny look on her face and she says .. A**.   Oh my gosh it was so funny.  She started laughing and she goes how do you covet that… I was just laughing I told her its not what you think.  It is an animal. And just like Brandon, she goes OHHHHHHHH!!!  Man, maybe you had to be there, but I thought that it was so funny!
 
We had a fm this week which has been sweet.  We told our branch missionary to start working on that andhe came through. Every Sunday we will have one. Fm is a free meal by the way. The only problem is the meals can be scary sometimes and you have to eat them. Like Sunday, I prayed we don't have fu fu and guess what?  She brought out the playdough.   Man,  but its ok cause then she brought rice and then pineapple.  I was so full.  It was awesome!
 
So the sketchy part of the week,  I don't know why the people here have this foolish notion that I am a good singer but what the heck -  man I am not good at singing nor do I have any desire to sing in front of people unless it is just a joke or in the car singing Whitney Houston or something. But I received a phone call just the other day.  Well a text, it said "Elder Moss you will be singing a song.  Take time to be Holy next week on Monday. I reply huh I have never heard that song and why and where am I singing it. He said I will get you the lyrics and you are singing it for ELDER DIXON what…. A general authority. Ok - so I am nervous at this point.   It is a big thing to shake a general authorities hand let alone sing for him. So I say ok so who will be playing the piano, he says about that no piano all alone .Uh I thought he was joking. Well he wasn't.   Then to top it off, last night I received
a text, "Elder Moss, how's the song going? Almost memorized yet?"  I reply,  WHAT??? He said, " oh ya, you need to memorize it." Haha man I have a lot of work.  I hope I don't flub up in front of a general authority. That would not be good. The sad thing Is I am not a good singer so I don't have the slightest idea why they keep choosing me to sing. So pray for me that I will be ok singing for a GA.
 
I got the package as you know. As for me, the rash hmmm is still a rash, only to go away at home. Food bread and egg suplies my life haha.  Moslty just bread because most days the eggs are rotten. I have spent only one US dollar a day this whole transfer. Man, I am the boss. I have been walking like nothing. My companion, we are suspecting he will be leaving this transfer. But shhh, if I say something he wont haha. He just trys to get you mad. But I can tell you one thing, when I get home I will be able to live with anyone or anything! Haha 
 
Chachi going on a mish - good luck to him.  Antartica sounds like a place he can learn well and not have any problem with girls!   Who I am I to judge, at least he is going.

Well that's all for Bobana this week.   How's Caden and J dog?  I love you guys. Amyzing I hope you are getting better, Brian get busy, I need a nephew.  Love you Riss bucket loads!

Love me, Bobana, Alias Elder Kevin Moss
 

Hey family,

The week has been just great I did my assignment and I am looking for the good in all things. I am doing just great the work is good and we had one more convert baptized this Sunday. When you work hard you reap what you sow. Church was packed Sunday and all was good. I was privileged to teach how to perform a baby blessing.  What a spiritual experience that was. I feel bad because I have not told you this before but I DO LOVE THE PEOPLE HERE IN AFRICA. This is a great work that I am called to do. Mark my words, anyone that that has false advice or thoughts towards me, needs to know that I would never go home for any person and yes that means that I would not go home for Riss.  Not a chance on this planet!  And if she wanted me to come home, which she doesn't, I wouldn't because my wife would want me to serve.  I know I don't go off on a totally amazing spiritual high to you guys but I have been thinking about what to write. I wasn't going to say anything, but before I left someone told me I was stuck on myself. So I made a vow to myself to never brag up my mission or what I accomplished. I know that I am doing a great thing here in Africa. And the Lord knows as well.  Trust in the spirit that the Lord has given to us. Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All that the vultures see is rotting meat because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do. We are like these birds.  This is something that I have learned from my assignment. From Riss. I found myself always saying "I love the people for . . . " I knew it.   I just never said it to you.   Now about this thing going around about me and Riss. I am not "losing the battle against the adversary" I am winning thank you very much and I won't tell you who told me that. But I told my roommates this they laughed. YES, I love Riss but…… I love God more. No relationship can work if you don't put God first. I am sorry if you think I am so lovesick and that I miss home so much. I love it here minus the living conditions and you know I love missionary work. I have grown more than you can imagine in the spiritual aspect. So please know that I am doing well and I am not a lovesick puppy. God is at the helm of my life right now. And I would love to keep it that way as I move into the future. For God would not give me anything that would not give me experience. So I would like people to start fresh.  Don't worry about me missing home.   Ya I do, but not near what you think.  I would NEVER COME HOME EARLY for anyone haha.  I can't believe people would think that. And don't worry about me loving Riss too much or thinking about her too much cause I am not.  I am working like crazy haha. She just gives me relief at times. I know what to do when I need help and that is turn to my Savior and my Father in heaven. I cannot believe the things people are sending me. I am doing great and I am working hard. Sorry I complained to you so much. God is just giving me experience. I wanted to try the absence makes the heart grow fonder for Riss but my heart couldn't take not writing her, my letters will just be different.  I am a fighter! I wont let go and I WILL NOT QUIT THIS MISSION, always know that.  My mission is more important than girlfriends right now.   Girlfriends just make mission work better, ask any missionary that has one.

Love  Bobana

PS  I can answer any question to life with a scripture reference to the BOM.   I know that book so well now I have been studying it like crazy. And since I have read it like 3 times I am going into the New Testament, man that is hard, so much to understand. I love all yall!   Keep on keepin on.  Oh tell Scott that I haven't received any wheelin or ocean pics yet -  thanks till next week.

Happy New Year

Hello family,

Hmmm how should I even start out this letter. First off I guess you could say that you are lucky that I am writing. Because just as drinking and driving is bad, so is emailing family while mad. It is something that you just should not do while you are on mission. I am finding that each and every week patience is becoming a bigger and bigger word.  Oh and how my patience can be tested. So maybe I should talk about the beginning of my week before I get into the end because the beginning was alright.  My Monday was kind of garbage because I was trying to email you and it just did not want to go. You guys ended up just getting my emails all scattered and late. So I am sorry about that. But I was glad that I got to email you at the church, holy smokes, the internet is sweet there.  It is wicked fast.  Wel,l I say wicked fast . . .  it is still like dial up speed compaired to home.  But what the heck, this is Africa.

This week was crazy I tell you with all the celebrating that was going on. I did not know that the church was so apostate either but oh well. That is why I am here. The church had a Christmas end of the year party.   It was good.   Started out with food and a nice chastisement from the branch president about how girls need to wear shirts. Then it turned into dancing, uh ya.  Like dirty dancing. The 1st counselor in the mission presidency started to play music.   Like Celine Dion, Madonna and then it turned into fFifty Cent, ha, Eminem. So that was not good. The people here are nuts sometimes. Church was funny though because it is first Sunday and everyone was at church. They always rearrange the chairs to fit more on first Sunday. They people here can be funny. Well nothing else too exciting happened.  I went on exchanges with Elder Jenkins on New Years Eve and New Years Day. Ya, we enjoyed sparkling cider and all.   I shot him in the head with my cork. Haha.  We had fun. And we found out that the members were serving tea and bread for their party.  Man we have work, well not Elder Jenkins, not in Liberia any more.   I enjoyed Elder Jenkins apartment.  He has power all night so we had fans. But that brings me to my anger issue.  Uhhhhh last night I cracked my bedroom door because I was pissed and still am. So first off I am still here, nothing changed with me. But to top it off my only friend here in Liberia is freaking leaving to Sierra Leone. Ya, Elder Jenkins is leaving me. So now I am all alone.  At times when you think that it will not get any worse, just forget about it, because it will get worse and it has gotten worse. Same old companion, no one to talk to!  I am on the verge of shooting fire out of my eyes. I don't know what I am doing wrong but I must be doing something. I learned this week that if you keep your face towards the sunshine, the shadows will fall behind. And I remembered something Riss told me.  She said to pray for powers equal to your tasks not tasks equal to your powers. Right now prayer is key. When ever you think you have it bad, just think of me that will make you happy. I am in west Africa, with nothing.   No friends, just here working. Sometimes I feel I am not getting anything in return which is perfectly ok. I just wish that sometimes things would go my way, just sometimes.  I wish that I wasn't pushed so far all the time. I am sooo tired.  This mission is tiring me fast. I have another transfer to learn even more patience. I tell you I will be able to withstand anything ha. I guess I don't need to say more.  I don't want to complain anymore.

So I have slept about 7 hours in 4 days so I am feeling nice.   It seems I just can't sleep anymore. Unless I hear some angelic voice at night sing to me. I can listen to that all night. So how was your new year?  
 
Ok, one more funny thing.   Dad would appreciate this.   I taught a kid how to Chinese arm wrestle.  A branch missionary,  Man, some people are dumb.   He dang near knocked him self out.  I was rolling.   It was so funny!
 
This is all I have to say.   Riss, fam,  I love you.  I love you Caden.  I love you j dog.  I love you all.  Have a good week.   If you are ever down, think of me and the crap I go through.   Like not having water and not showering and no power. Love you guys.
 
Love, Elder Moss