Dan Jones, Me???

Hey family,

Things here are going great. As many missionaries would say miracles are happening just right in front of my face. Lots of things happened this last week and to be honest I am kind of drained. Lots of pressure was put on me to do things but I got it done with lots of prayer and action. Action is the only way that you can accomplish a task. This week I had the opportunity to be Dan Jones. I started to teach a lesson and it got more and more powerful and as I was teaching, bearing testimony, I found myself standing and speaking with a loud and firm voice of faith so that all could hear. The crowd that grew was so big I can't even believe that the people were listening to me. When I got done with the lesson, we had so many people that we actually had to stand during the prayer. While these 20- 30 people knelt in prayer what a sight it was to see. Man I couldn't get the smile off of my face. My comp looks to me and tells me" man you looked like dan jones out there." We just laughed. Later in the week we had some more lessons and I think that we committed some 10 people to baptism. Something that I really like is that when you start to fill their record as soon as they accept a date. It gets them really excited to keep going. This week we had zone conference, talk about the spirit chastising me for not being a better missionary and being more perfected. Something that I learned is that I need to stop just praying for the changes to happen in my life but I need to make them happen by just doing the Lord's work. I forgot to tell you that we had 850 people at church - holy cow, that is a ton, but sweet at the same time.

To be honest with you I don't have much more to say. The generator is not working great and I don't know what to do. If you could send me a leatherman that would be so great. I would use that like crazy! Please, I know they are alot but it would be nice to fix things. Pliers and screwdrivers on it are nice. And the knife is too. Thanks! Love you guys!

love, Elder Kev

I LOVE THIS WORK!!

Dear family,
How was your week? Mine was great, as usual. I hope that all is going well with the family.  I also hope that your water wasn't out for too long when the Wyatts got their water fixed.  I wouldn't want you guys to suffer or anything with no water ~ haha.   I am just kidding.   It really does suck when you don't have water.
 
Things over here in Liberia are going good. I guess it has been made obvious to you that I am not good at sharing experiences with you.  So today I would like to share just a few of the miracles I have experienced in the little while that I have been here serving. It is a miracle that God would allow me to be an instrument in his hands each and every day.  That he would allow a simple soul like mine to go out and say the very things that He, Himself would say if he were administering to the same people that I do every day.  It is a miracle that he would allow me to go and labor in His vineyard where the people are so ripe and prepared. It is amazing that he would give us churches and temples and even shacks that we can go and worship. It is a miracle that He can give us the strength to wake up everyday to be able to eat hardly anything, to go out with sore feet and tired minds.  We do it because we love the people. It is a miracle that Christ could love us so much that he would come and suffer for each and everyone of us, no matter if we listen to his word or not.   He did it for us. The list goes on and on but what I am driving at is it is so amazing to me that we can be so blessed and we don't even know it. Just a couple of days ago I had the opportunity to stand in front of a group of recent converts. And president asked me to name off some of the people I knew and taught. As I looked around I got a big smile on my face as I started to say names and as I got to see the smiles on each of their faces as I said their names.  I bore my testimony to them and told them that I love them that I am happy to give all of my belongings to come and bring them the gospel.  There was close to 20 people there in that class that I had taught and I could really feel the spririt and the fruits of our labors. The people here are ready. And I am ready to help them. Just yesterday, it was funny, a man walks up to us and well, the story is we were late because we were waiting for this lady to come meet us at the junction because we had to get home because of our curfew. And this guy comes up to us and starts talking. Come to find out that he has been inactive for over 10 years. To make a long story short, right there I called him to repentance and invited him back. It is funny how the Lord can delay us so that we can meet certain people. Anyway, another miracle that happened after that was that Elder Tims, he totally saved our rice on a bike ride.  Well, it was team work. The rice was in a basket.  Anyway, it tipped over and Elder Tims saved it while we were barreling down the dirt road, 3 people on this bike!!  Needless to say, the rice was saved.
 
So our living… its good the same. Our generator is out of commission and our water comes here and there but we are doing great.  Nothing last forever. Haha, except marriage and the blessings of the temple. I heard Elder Kimball and Sister Kimball bear testimony and man, they are giants.  I love them so much. Truly amazing people.  Something I like that he said was find out what the Lord wants you to do and do it. I like what President Roggia said too.  The work that we do in temples helps people and those people will be our angels in this life. And when we are in the darkest times in our life, we will be looking for that help. The more people we help, the better off we are.  This gospel is great.  Me and Elder Tims are doing great.  Working super hard. These people are ready. I love you guys.
 
Love, Elder Moss

Packages - Yahoo!

Hey family,
How was your week? My week was pretty good. Kind of crazy with the transfer business. So for all of you that did not get it. Yes I am staying again in my area. For my 5th transfer. But I know it will be alright. I just need to keep working hard and let the stones fall where they may. So guess what? I got my packages!! They are great except you are going to make me fat again! But I am not too mad because it is soo good. I loved everything. I know that you guys truly love me and I LOVE the sunglasses! People in my apartment just say that I am bluffing though. I just tell them that they are jealous because I am beautiful.

Mommy, I do need something though. It is a book called missionary pal, reference guide for missionaries and teachers, by Keith Marston. That would be awesome if you could find that. Thank you. Teaching this week was great. We had a few lessons and had a guy named Jones really open up to us. I felt really good that he had decided to turn his life around and to follow in the footsteps of our Savior. I commend him. So I have found that I have become quite the Sunday school teacher. Once again off the cuff, I taught an hour lesson in class because we did not have a teacher. I know you are shocked. Our branch loves us though. We have an office now with a/c and we eat in there every Sunday after all of our numerous meetings.

So my comp is Elder Tims. He is great and super enthusiastic about life. He is a good missionary and I am looking forward to growing from learning and working with him and becoming a better person.

So I guess you guys are seeing some of the crazy miracles at home that I see every day. Life is awesome if we just open our eyes. Funny story - in sacrament meeting they told me that I needed to bring a wife so that I can have a calling in the branch presidency because I have been there so long. They all laughed. I didn't find it so funny that I have been here so long but, oh well.

I have a question. Did kobe die. Just wondering. Oh you know the week that we had no water? They said we used 16600 gallons of water. I laughed so hard. I love Liberia. Hope all is well at home. I love you guys. Riss, I hope that school and the new place is great! Stay away from the boys though. Love ya fam!

Love Elder Kev Moss

Great Phone Call

Hey family,

 

So the call was great, I am not going to lie. It lifted my spirits. Things here in the Liberia are going great. I don't really have much to complain about any more.  Ok maybe there are a few things that really chap my hide.  I love Elder Taylor but none of us in the house understand why he is progressing to trainer.  We don't know what's going on or why he progressed before the rest of us but all I can say is I hope that he learns from this experience.  I know that the Lord knows what he is doing so I guess I will just sit and try to enjoy my area yet again.

 

I guess the big news for me is I have gotten taller.  Crazy huh? I didn't think that I would but my pants are shorter.  I need size 36 pants and 34 long.   Yes I know I am fatter around than long stop, laughing at me.  So I really don't have a lot to say this week. Not much exciting has happened.  It seems like there was a lot of b-days going on there so happy day to every one.

 

We had another couple people baptized Sunday which made a nice busy Sunday.  We are pretty experienced now considering that I think I have been a part of 45 of them.  Crazy!  I am on track for my 100.  Man I love the gospel. But it can try my patience, well people can try my patience.  Why don't people understand the authority part of the gospel.  Anyway, the other day I was frustrated and I just said listen! This is the situation,  either all the churches are wrong and none are correct or one is correct and the rest are wrong. The man said so you are saying my church is wrong? I say YES!! Sorry but yes you don't have authority and neither did the person that baptized you.  I tried to explain that nice to him forever but it wouldn't work, so I told him straight.  Needless to say, he did not come Sunday but the good news is the people that were in the back round just listening intently came to  church and said they liked what we said.  So that is good.  Not much else fun happened. It is turning to rainy season I am stoked. Maybe it will cool down a bit . . .  When it rains then the sun shines and man it is hot.

 

Guess that's it . . . Talk to you next week.  I love you guys - keep the faith.

 

Love  Elder Moss

That Which Does Not Kill Thee Will Make Thee Stronger . . .

Hey Family,

To be honest with you it has been one heck of a week. So many things have happened and it is not easy. But I guess the old saying "if it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger" is true. Things have been kind of rough here but I am making it through. So I had and interview with President this week. It was good but I think the best interview that I had was with Elder Kimball. After talking to him, I think that I have decided that I am not going to play football when I get home. Now, I know that this may come as a shock to some but I really think that you are going to just have to trust me on this one. Football is a great thing, that is for sure, but there are things that are more important in my life and I don't think that football is my best solution to my problems. Life is about making decisions. Anyway, just thought that I would tell you guys that.

I want to tell Sherissa Happy Birthday. I hope that you enjoy and all is well with you. So consider this my birthday wish. Also I hope that you guys got my camera card and also my b-day cards. I sent them a while ago but it was supposed to be a surprise.

Ok so the Roggias decided to open my package and bring just a few things to me so I could have some. So I got the shirts and the tie. Thank you guys so much. I love everything but I am good for white shirts for a while but garments would be nice. Now the tie is so sweet. Man, I got in the rain and no spots. I spilled food on it, well someone spilled on me, no stains. Riss you are a sweetheart, thank you. The tie is cool. I will be wearing it during rainy season a lot.

I watched conference, man it was sweet. But 8 hours of conference is a lot of sitting at one time haha. It was so worth it. I really like the talk by Pres. Packer. I think that talk was given straight to me. I really need to just leave things alone sometimes. And also I know what Brother Jones was talking about better now from priesthood session. We truly need to be good priesthood holders.

So a little into the week we had 4 baptisms, which was great except someone did not come. Man I was flamed. He had no excuse. He wasn't coming, he said the spirit wasn't leading him there. AHHHH man I was furious. I will go and talk to him tomorrow. Baptism was good though I did sing again. Man, I sing a lot.

Pres. was here so we went and did some house searching. They really put a lot of pressure on me with questions and things that I really do not know the answer to. I don't know where and who owns houses for rent and all these crazy things. I was hoping I would get transferred soon but that is not going to happen I will stay one or two more transfers, which makes me kind of mad considering I have been here for 6 months. They are making me suffer. I guess I will live.

Funny, last week I told you I got to shower that morning well…… that was it for the week. Water never came again. Our reserve tank ran out, the well across the road was contaminated with sulfur . . . so me and Elder Taylor, in our infinite wisdom, decided to dig a well. We hit water, unfortunately it is super dirty, but at least now we can now flush the toilet. Ya, I don't know if you have gone in the same toilet as someone else before but it's gross. But that's not the worst of it, we can't wash dishes or anything. So what I did was try to filter some water but it is not really working. I once saw if you fill a bag with sand, like a burlap sack, and hang it from two poles and fill it with water. then the water will be filtered. So we tried it it but it did not work so well. Anyway, we are working on that but we did find another well to get water from. Holy crap, hauling gallons upon gallons of water and filling our tank. I carried so much, it is a joke. So this last week we have been showering with tied bags of water .5 liters. That is what I used for one shower. Rag shower, man I stink. It sucks. But what can I do. I guess just roll with it. Now to top it off, our generator is dying. The rings are going and it burns tons of gas and doesn't run very good. So we had a total of like 10 hours of power last week. And to top it off, it was so blessed hot this week. I am getting over it.

Ok so this is the real big kick in the pants. We are suffering and then they tell us we are enjoying to much. I love zone leaders. Now this is the crap part of my week. I love the Kimballs so much, I can't even tell you. They have helped me so much and everyone here in Liberia. We got a text Sunday that simply said "the Kimballs daughter died leaving 4 kids behind. They are leaving today to the states. Pray for them." I was like WHAT THE . . . Man, why - why does this have to happen to good people. Why do people have to suffer to serve here and then suffer even more. I know that the Lord loves us and I know that the Kimballs will be ok. It was their time to leave Africa. God knows best. We just have to trust in him.

Life is good. Of course, things are hard but if it was not then I would not be growing and becoming better. Family, I love and pray for you. Have a great week. Take care and I will talk to you Sunday!

Love Elder Moss