Running Water ~ YAHOO!!!

Dear family,

 

Hey family - I hope that things are going great for you back at home. I am doing good here. Not much new has happened except I had a RUNNING WATER  shower this morning. I did not even have to use a bucket. I know it was a blessing. I am pretty sure that it is because I gave a talk on Sunday for like 15 min.  Something that I have decided from that experience is that I really should prepare.  Also I have decided that I am really good at giving a talk on a whim.  I spoke for long and my topic which was  the resurrection, someone else spoke on the atonement. So I was kind blind cause I had a limited subject, but I got it done.

 

So I need to tell dad Happy B-day.   I had a present that had to do with a picture but I actually forgot my camera for the internet café.   I was so mad  Also a Happy B-day to my bro Caden. But I have a small excuse for forgetting my camera.  Our stove in our kitchen Is propane and the tank ran out and it is a big tank.  President decided that we need to fill the tanks ourselves now so I had to grab the tank and carry it forever.  Once on the back of a bike, then two car rides then I walked about two miles and got on another bike and now I am here so I am only half way. The crappy thing is the tank weighs literally 65 plus pounds I am the only missionary that can really carry it by myself. I personally like how they tell us to be safe and then the tell us to carry a explosive tank on the back of a motorcycle.  I don't make the rules, I just follow them. So I guess just pray that I don't die!  Don't worry I wont but now if I fall off a bike I don't have as much fat padding as I used too. Funny thing Elder Taylor has a pair of wrangler 32 32 so I decided I would try them on. And…. Needless to say, I buttoned them and I could walk around. The were tight but I put them on. I am thinking like a 34 or a 36 now. Man I was so fat holy cow what a joke. I don't want to be that way again ever.  So I pulled out my old jeans.  WHAT!!!  Man I can touch the two side belt loops together in the front and the pants are still loose.  Elder Merrill and another missionary put them on together.

 

So we had an Easter drama Saturday and Sunday.   Man I hate acting.  But I did it plus we sang,   We are so good (and humble).  We sang "I need the every hour".  Elder Lambson is so dang good.   He sang in BYU men's choir, he sang low bass. He can sing so dang low. Man it is crazy.  I was teaching a lesson and this guy said his son is to young to baptize, he is 17.   I asked how old I look he said 41!!! Man what the heck! I laughed and I said I am 20.  He didn't believe me but I showed him my drivers license. Anyway, he said his son can be baptized.  Sweet!!!  We have 5 baptisms next Sunday then one or two the next week!! Busy busy, but its good.  I am getting good at planning baptisms.

 

Good news for dad.  I am still holding strong to our name.  There is this body builder guy, he is cool, but he looks huge.  I got talked into an arm wrestle and everyone said I would lose so….. I did work.  I threw him down 3 times. I don't like to lose or to have people think I am a wimp so I have to do business.  But the bad news about that is I have to show off. The guy was trying to look big at the church by carrying 3 metal folding chairs in each hand so I carried 6 in each hand. Bd Idea!   That hurt my wrist.  But only a flesh wound.

 

We have been working hard on finding a house to rennovate to a chapel, since we have done so good with our branch that we are splitting one branch into three.   Crazy, I know, but now we have to go look at houses with President this week.  The bad news is that I will probably stay in my area again which would push me to almost 7 months in the same branch.

 

Not much else happened to me this week and I don't want to dwell on the things that had happened to me during the week that made me mad. But I did hear this good quote I would like to share, if I can remember it.   Sorry if it is butchered.

 

You can triumph and come to skill

You can be great if only you will

You are well equipped for what fight you choose

You have legs and arms and brains to use

And the man who has risen great deeds to do

Began his life with no more than you.

 

You are the handicap you must face

You are the one who must chose your place

You must say where you want to go

How much you will study the truth to know

God has equipped you for life but he

Lets you decide what you want to be

 

Courage must come from the soul within

The missionary must furnish the will to win

So figure it out for yourself my lad

You were born with all that the great have had

With your equipment they all began

Get a hold of yourself and say I can!!

 

I love you guys.  I hope you had a wonderful Easter.  Mom take care of riss and keep the faith.

 

Love, Elder Kev

Dear family,

 

Things here are great as ever I guess you could say  So for my week, it was pretty crazy.  We had to travel a lot. So my money is really suffering. But it is just another one of the trials of being a missionary I guess. Just another thing that I can learn from and another thing that can make me more of a man. There is something that I heard somewhere that came back to my mind as I was reading this week.  It is just as vital as what we do,  however, is who we are! I have been asking myself a lot this week, who is Kevin Moss really? What type of person am I really? I was reading in my journal during the week and I could not help but laugh at myself. I remember reading this one part that says, "man I really miss Riss and my family.  Its going to be a long two years."   You know when I wrote that?  July!  Man,I was laughing. I am such a wimp. But I am growing up. There really is not that much big news with me just that I am working hard. Something that really made me so happy this week was we have been talking to this lady who hasn't come to church in ten years.   We decided to bear testimony to her and tell her that its ok to come back.  Needless to say she was at church on Sunday with her whole family.  After church we had a baptism, which went really good.  I am going to be honest, I am getting really good at planning baptisms considering I have planned oodles since I have been here. The kid that got baptized is Jeffery.  He is a stud!  He is the third person in his family to come to the church and we are now working on the mom and the younger brother. I love how we are doing this new way of teaching. We focus all on the spirit. It makes teaching easy. Well kind of.   It makes it so we really have to be in tune with the spirit. Sometimes things here can really break my heart. It is so hard to see all of the people that are suffering here in this country. There is so many kids that can't read and there are so many kids that don't have food or even a place to live. There are so many kids that just need a friend or need someone to say hello. This church, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to peoples suffering.  If we turn our hearts to the Lord and work for him then we can receive the blessings of hard work. But it start with the parents.   Sometimes I just can't get it through their thick skulls that they need to set the example.   They need to show the love in their families.   They need to pray at nights with their families and read the scriptures.  But they just don't seem to understand the importance. I have learned I am going to be the father that prays with my family at night that, reads our scriptures and goes to church each and every Sunday. I have seen how the family can be blessed by living the gospel. But some people just can't understand. Man it is frustrating.

 

Funny but sad story.   I was eating lunch in this shack, and  after lunch I come out, do a little stretch look around and see some kids enjoying blowing up some "balloons".   I start talking to my comp, then I think for a second in my mind and I just say oh no please no. I look back at the kids and I am sure you guessed they were not balloons.   I am sure I don't really need to tell you what they were but the kids should not have a hold of them. This country is  sad that way.   They don't care what the kids are doing. I just wished parents would love and care for their kids more. But I don't know how to teach them that.

 

So I guess you want to know about Elder Taylor. Yes, he is in the apartment and yes we get along.  It is nice to have another American.  Say hi to his mom for me!

 

In the excitement of Easter, I want you to know that I am grateful for our Savior. I am also so grateful for you guys as my family I love all of you and the people that write me and take care of me. I hope that you all are doing well, you are in my prayers. I love you all keep up the good.

 

Love Elder Kev Moss

Power of the Priesthood!

Hello Family

So I actually I am good…… but I guess that I should tell you more. I am not trying to block you out and it is not because of Sherissa either that I did not write. I am just tired of people talking about me. But as I was praying for direction, I decided that through thick and thin, I need to show the love for my family because that is the most important thing to me.

 

Something that has been ringing through my head and what I always tell people is never give up!! You don't lose until you quit trying.  I know that there are many experiences that I have not told you.  Part of  that is because I just don't know how to say them, but I am going to try. This week some things that happened is that I have been pondering about how powerful the priesthood is and how thankful I am that I can live worthy to use is. Two times I have had the opportunity to give a blessing and to be a mouthpiece for Lord. Its amazing to honestly have the Lord speak through you.  As I had the opportunity to give a blessing to  a man that I had never met before, he was a members friend. He asked me to give the blessing and I remember as Elder Merrill anointed him, I said a prayer to receive help to know what to say.  As  I laid my hands on this man's head I started to make this man promises that I didn't think I could.  I started to say things about this man that I did not know. As I come to find out this man learned because of this simple act of faith in receiving a blessing that he had lots of problems. Because of the blessing he went to the hospital and he found out that his liver was failing and he had internal bleeding. That night he had to be flown to Morocco.  I am thankful to be able to serve this man and be worthy to have the Lord use me as an instrument in his hands.  Now here is another experience.   The Lord will answer your prayers.  I went on an exchange with Chapa and we were having bounces like crazy.   At first glance, that makes you mad.  So we decided to go and see a member, who comes out smiling, with tears in her eyes, as she tells us she has been praying all morning that we would come by to give her daughter a blessing who was terribly sick. Had the Lord not prepared the way for this girl she would not have received that blessing. The next morning Elder Chaparadza went back to find that the daughter was all better. I love to see how the Lord can work miracles.

 

The work has been progressing more than I have told you.   We have been working so hard and we are splitting my second branch.  Pretty exciting but we have been trying to find us a new chapel so we can move more towards the Bush and find some more people to teach.  So I don't know if you know, but I have baptized in the 40's now.  I know it is not about numbers but those numbers are attached to people, at least for me.  In this next month, before it ends we should have another six. So I guess that's the fruits of our labors.  That number is not including the 100 or so reactivated.  I love this work.  It is so sweet to see the peoples lives change.  I am sorry that I have not been so good with sharing with you.  It is amazing what happens when you work hard. I was put into two slow branches and now they are so fruitful and splitting.  And now they have gotten so big that they told us they might bring another set of missionaries!  So I guess things are great.  We haven't had running water in a few weeks and we had to cut the generator use back because we don't have enough money but things are great.

My thought is out of 1^st Nephi, I can't remember it exactly, but  it talks about us being engraved in the hands of the Lord and he could never forget us.  I love the Book of Mormon.  I am reading it for my 4^th time, I think, but I love it. So things here are good.  

 

Ok so for the funny, I know that you all know that funny things happen to me every day. But I have to share about Elder Kotey.   He was on an exchange with me in my area and he had to go number 2 really bad.  The bad part was that we were caring a member with us to teach and he had to go as well. So I am talking to Kotey and he is like man I cant wait.  So he takes off in the trees the other guy is like me either!   So here I am, standing in the middle of the road while my comp is pooping in the woods and the member is as well.  Awkward yes!!!

 

So brother Jones asked me to do something and that was put all my pictures away. So I did it. My wall is kind of bare so I put Pres Monson up.  And a car.  And some quotes haha.  At my house I have kind of made a gym. I have a bench, bar bells, pull up bar and punching bag. The punching bag is nice sometimes but hurts your hands considering it is full of rocks. The idiot that filled it for me. My b-day was slow but ok. I don't need to celebrate. I love you guys!  Keep up all the good you do.  I am working my tail off  and I can't wait to hear from you guys and Riss on moms day!

 

 Love, Elder Moss