MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hey family,

 

Things here in Bo are going good. It has its ups and its downs as does every area in every mission. As for right now we are really trying to find more investigators. We are really lacking them right now. There was a problem here in Bo where the branch presidents and other church leaders were stealing tithing and fast offerings so that is why all of the presidents were changed and missionaries were presidents for a small time. So now the task at hand is for all of us missionaries to train new leaders as well as bring new members. This week was busy for me with branch business and with district business, and also zone Christmas conference. Needless to say, we did a lot this week. I had some baptism interviews for the sisters and then I also had to go and settle some disputes. Haha, sisters they are funny sometimes. Also this week we had a program for our district. If you did not know we are not stakes or wards we are districts and branches throughout both Sierra Leone and Liberia. Anyway, we had a Christmas program which we got to sing at and also I got to sing in a quartet ath the last minute, lucky me. Wow, I am really starting to not like last minute things. I really hate when people are not prepared but that seems to be the motto for missionaries, do every thing last minute. That is totally not me. Anyway, that was fun. Elder Jenkins stayed at our apartment last minute and it was fun to reminisce about times of old. We have both changed a lot.

This week we had a service project. That was fun and a work out. No one here has ever heard of a lawn mower or a weed wacker. It is called your arm and a machete. Wow you should have seen all the work that we did. Our group was known for our power and endurance. For some reason, I take everything to be a competition. I think it is a part of my genes. Which isn't too bad because it makes me do my best all the time. This week we did not have much of a chance to go and teach lessons. We only got to teach like 15 lessons or something, but it was a fast week. Also I was tired of drawing water from a well with a bucket so I fixed the pump. It took me some time to figure it out. I just couldn't get the pump to pull any water from the well so after I hung in the well upside down by my waist, I cut the pvc pipe off and pulled it up. It was funny! I wish we had a picture of it. I was like a little kid on the monkey bars hanging by my legs. Instead it was a fat guy in a white shirt and tie in a well. I got the pipe out and we pulled it up and the valve on the end was bad. It is a one way valve so that you can prime the pump. Anyway, it was stuck open. We got a guy from Freetown to bring us one and we got it all hooked up so now we have a shower. Wahooo! My theory is if we have the ability to have a shower, lets do it. I can't believe that the pump had been broken for 6 months. Yes - 6 months- because no one would fix it. Man, people are crazy.

So we are praying Markus comes from Freetown this week so we can have Christmas. If not, it will be January. Oh well - that is not too bad because by that time I will be singing I'll be home for Christmas!!!

So this week I learned about what it takes to SEE the face of God. As children of our Heavenly Father, is that not our greatest objective? To be worthy to see the face of God? To render the veil thin enough so that we can see him. Joseph Smith made it pretty clear that if you are worthy then you can. It's funny because when you are in the presence of someone who is keeping themselves very pure you can see that there countinence is different. That there is some kind of glow about them. Our physical body changes as we become true followers of Christ. As you study the scriptures you can see that. In 2 peter 1 it talks about how we can receive our calling and election. I would hope that everyone is striving to receive this. Its really hard to think of these things and act on them. I think when we try to become more like Him then we really know Him.

There was something that Brother Jones told me a long time ago that has stuck in my mind and that is to live worthy of your priesthood. And I didn't quite get it until recently. I was thinking about how special I am as an individual. WHY ME? That is the question. Why would God choose me? Out of 7 billion people, 14 million are members with about 7 million active and about 3.5 million of those are men and about 1.5 million are old enough to hold the priesthood and about 700,000 are worthy (stats given by pres Roggia). And from that there are 56,000 missionaries, why me? Am I doing everything that I can to receive the blessings of heaven? Am I worthy to behold the face of God? That is the question, each and every day I am trying to work towards this. My favorite thing to think about and to study is Christ-like attributes. Without these attributes, we are really nothing. What's cool to think about is that we are preordained to the things we are doing here on earth. Now all I need to do is live worthy of the priesthood, or continue on the path. I really like the scripture from Proverbs 1:5: a wise man will hear, and will increase his learning and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise councils." Everyday we need to grow. If we are not becoming better then we are becoming worse. Because it is the Christmas season now, I hope that every one is remembering what it's all about. Remembering what the sacrament really is, and knowing that he lives.

Merry Christmas everyone. I love all of you and can't wait to talk to you and here your voices. Love you and keep the faith.

Love Elder Moss

Oh yeah - congrats Amy and Mike. SHE IS A CUTIE!!!