Eight Months Down

Hello family,

Things here on this side of the planet are going good. Not to much to complain about I guess. Just the average life of a missionary in Africa. I do have to say that my companion is freakin' sweet. Sounds like things are kind of rough over there in America. Lots of crazy things are happening with grandpa and Brooklyn and everything.

The week was great. It just seems like we have a bunch of people that don't care so we need to get rid of them. Sounds sad but the field is so white right now that we just don't have time to mess around with the people who do not care. We have been having plenty of bounces and I hate them cause we walk forever and then they are not even there. But I guess that that is all a part of the work. And it is a lot better because I have someone that I can talk to when things start to go bad. But I guess we can't really complain because we had 8 people at church on Sunday and a couple of our investigators brought investigators. So that is pretty sweet as well. We had a baptism on Sunday, a young girl. Her name is Edith Donpuloe. She is cool and I taught her dad how to do the prayer right before. He did awesome. I always get a really big smile on my face when I see families come together in the church. That family is one of our biggest assets when it comes to getting new people to teach. They are bringing all of their friends to the church.

The day before Saturday, I baptized a lady her name is sister Tarpeh. She is so nice but holy smokes she is a big woman. She can occupy two chairs pretty easily. I started to teach her and her family in my last area then I left and she asked if I could baptize her. So I came. Nothing big guns can't handle, right? When I say big, I am guessing she is pushing five hundo, Good news - I only had to do it once. I think I got the third row splashed, haha - just kidding - but I was soaking literally. She almost baptized me! Ok, I am joking again. I had it easy. So that was my big event for the week I guess.

So I have told you before that Elder Merrill and I are becoming a hit. He can sing like you wouldn't believe. He can make someone as bad as me sound good. We just sing together so well. He can harmonize like no one business. Anyway, someday you will hear us sing together because I will record it so I can sell it and make money with it, haha. We are so good that I make myself want to cry. JK, We get along great, the problem is that I worry that because we get along so great that I am going to get transferred next transfer, just you watch.

Something that I thought was sweet from my studies is that God cannot answer you unless you ask. We need to get on our knees and ask to receive.

So it sounds like things are going great with all of my friends. Man, I wish I could be awesome missionaries like them. I still feel like I am a greenie.

So Riss how is your family doing I hope they are getting better. I pray for all of you guys every blessed day. Some people say it is vain repetition but I say that it is extreme love, haha! Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone.

So I have been given the coordinates of my apartment on google earth if you want them. Now the picture makes things look much nicer than it really is. So here it is. 6 22.255 n 10 46.334 w. Hopefully, you can get a little look of where I am all the day. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I almost had a neat experience on the way over here. My motorcycle crashed haha. It wasn't bad at all but it did get my bag and my pants and shirt dirty. Man I hate it when people cant ride!

Well, that is about it for me. I am going to go and buy stuff to make burritos - mmmm - cause we got money today. Elder Merrill and I love burritos. I love all of you so much I hope that you guys are doing great. I love you mom, Riss and everyone. Kiss B's finger for me. Love ya so much.

Love, Big Elder Kev Moss

SURVIVED MALARIA!

Family,

Well I don't know what to talk about. NOT!! I know what I want to talk about. But, first off, I hope you are praying that the internet does not go out because it is about to start raining and rain does not do much justice for facilities in Africa. Life is going great. I am getting over malaria. It is not giving me a hard time any more. My chest hurts a little when I run and exercise but it has been less than a week of having it so I am recovering very fast. That is a bonus. It is because I am so blessed tough. African sickness doesn't keep me down long.

My week went alright. Sunday was really busy. We were at the church for what seemed all day, doing paperwork and what not. That was nice cause the office has a\c, you will see I took a picture haha. There were some good talks given at church. One guy stuttered really bad. I felt bad but he did a good job. Another guy, president Danuka, did a good job as well. He talked on proud haha. Well that's what he kept saying, proud. He really meant to say pride but eh, what the heck, this is Africa. Anything goes. After church was good. We had a baptism. It was good except that he got dunked like 5 times. I was a witness trying to explain to the guy to take it easy. He was like throwing him in the water. I have baptized like 25 people personally and have marked over 30 but I have never had to dunk someone twice. So saweet. Hope I can do that my whole mission. Then we did paperwork. Man, with lots of people entering the church comes lots of paperwork and lots of work to keep them active. So after that we got asked to come give a lady a blessing. So we went all the way there and she had left for the hospital. It was ok though. We got food out of the deal so that was alright. After that, a few lessons and a really good talk with this member about families. He is having a family problem. He was working one day and came back home to find his 3 year old son with marks all over his back cause someone beat him. Well, needless to say he was furious and he left with his son. Everyone is mad at him and said that his son deserved it. So he came to me for advice. I shared with him Alma 43:47. I said if you learn one thing from me, it is that there is nothing more important than your family. Absolutely nothing. Anyway, so the day was good. Then we went home and waited the long awaited transfer news and hallelujah, praise all things that are holy. I got a new companion and to top it off, he is from America!!!! He is so tight. I am still the junior companion but no one in my mtc group has progressed yet. His name is Elder Merrill. I believe he is from Colorado or something idk. I could be totally wrong on that. It is so cool.

Don't worry about me on malaria. There was one day I thought I was going to die but I got over it. I can see that you guys love me cause you are concerned. I am taking care of myself. I am doing good.

You don't have questions this week to ask? Crazy that Riss is going to move. Good luck to her and no marriage proposals, haha. I need to say happy birthday BROTHER BRIAN!! I love you and I decided since I can't afford to send your presents that I would keep them and you can have them in thought. Hope all is well. I love you guys. I love Riss and thank you for the letters and the emails.

Love ya

Elder Kev Moss

Visit with Elder Dickson

Ala-humdudilia!

Hello my family. The week hmm, it is going ok I guess I could say. I am just very concerned for our investigators. It is not fair to them to have people teach them that do not get along. Like I have been saying, true conversion cannot take place without the spirit. It does not matter how much knowledge I have in the scriptures, if the spirit cannot touch their heart. I seriously don't know what else I should do. I try serving him. I try doing everything that you guys say to try, but it just blows up in my face. For example, this week I tried to talk to him one time while walking to another appointment. Bad decision on my part, that was for sure. He started to yell and scream at me in the street. I was so embarrassed that all I could do was say sorry. So that is where I am at with that. I told Elder Massey to tell president to change us. I couldn't take another transfer with him. Regardless of the problems I am having with him, the week was alright. I am going to send videos home soon. I have really been working on them. They should be great. You guys can see that I am a playful, crazy kid still. I have decided that I want my name to be Shiek It means smart man and it is a really powerful name.

So this week I think I will tell you about how marriage works here. Oh my gosh, it is funny. So this guy was explaining how you marry. When you do what they call the traditional marriage, you pretty much just buy your wife. But this guy was explaining to me how you get a divorce. Haha. Oh my heck, it is so funny! He basically explained that you take the woman back to the family and you tell them you don't want her any more you and that they can have her back. Wow, how would you like to do that. I wouldn't. It was so funny.

Earlier on in the week I had the experience of someone asking me if I could help cure his diarrhea. What the heck, do people think I am magic or something. I have no idea. And, really, who has the nerve to walk up to a random person and ask that. All I could say is he must be really desperate. Idk, regardless, it was gross. So not very many funny stories other than that this week.

You guys are expecting to hear about me singing huh? Well it wasn't all that great, it actually made him have tears in his eyes it was so bad. Just kidding. You know me, if it is not perfect, forget it. And it was not perfect at all. I sang it and recorded it. I will send the card home soon.

So I have decided that I will let Riss do all of the baking. I fixed my oven, haha fun! I found out that it was the knob. So I fixed it and guess what I made? Cookies. The peanut butter ones from Riss and I know that they would have been much better having been cooked by her. We didn't have a pan so… we kind of used a piece of the oven. Needless to say, I burnt the first batch. The second was semi burnt and then….. I did what any man would do . . . I ate the cookie dough cause I didn't want to risk burning them again haha.

Well I don't have a whole lot to say except Elder Dickson is a stud and that is the truth! Just I really don't want to sing for anyone any more. It is too stressful. I just don't think I am good at it. Although Elder Dickson came up to me and said, "Elder Moss, thank you that. It was awesome! Keep singing. And make sure you let your mom know that you can sing" Whatever, haha. Anyway, that's that. I love you guys so much.

Oh, LOVE THE I-POD!!! It is awesome. The m & m's haven't been eaten yet, but I am sure they are good. And I can't believe bang man. Skin and bones! Someone feed that man! Also, it makes me sad that people think I don't love my mission. I do LOVE my mission!

Love you so much family. Love you Riss.

Love bobana aka Elder Kev Moss