Elder Kevin Moss

Hey Family,

Another day, another dollar. Here, even another transfer! Can you believe just 2 more transfers after this one and I will be finished. It is crazy to think about it. I feel like now I need to push even harder! When I get home, I don't want to feel like I didn't do enough. I hear missionaries complain once they are home that they did not try their hardest and that they wished they could have changed something. I don't want to say that when I get home. I want to be able to say that I gave everything that I had. So I guess what I need to do is work. Something that I have found that helps me is to write everyday at the top of my planner to push harder or do better. That reminds me that whatever I am doing right now, I can probably do it better.

This week was productive. As for the repairs part of the week, it feels like I am Mr. Fix-it. I swear I can fix anything with a leatherman. Down to even repairing the top end of a generator. This week I was fortunate to get to do a ring set on our high quality China made generator. It was burning oil like crazy and it was bogging down like crazy every time I would turn on anything. So I figured it was rings. I was right. Anyway, it runs like a champ now thanks to my pair of pliers and a little "can do" attitude. I even ventured in to fixing up our water system. If you didn't know, all the water that we use has to be run through a triple filter. The thing was giving us a headache because our pump would not work. Everyone is too lazy to fill up the water tank and I was tired of filling it. So, once again, I decided to go Dan Moss on the thing. I came up with this system to run the water from our main tank outside into the pump so we can pump. All they have to do is turn on the tap and pump. I might say it is pretty genius. Now the problem is that they forget to turn off the water after they pump it. And when they do that our tank runs empty and guess who gets to fill it up. You guessed it, me. But it's not bad. I love water so I will do it. No probs. Today was also very productive. I had the dad cleaning rampage in me, haha. I started cleaning today and everytime I turned around something else was dirty. So needless to say, I cleaned the entire house - bathrooms and all. Man. I threw away so much crap. Like 3 years of lazy missionaries garbage. I feel bad for some peoples future wives. I don't think missionaries know what cleaning is. I have become very clean. I don't like disarray.

Something crazy happened this week. Do you remember an Elder Michael emailing me before mission? Come to find out that Mark Walton was his bishop in his singles ward in San Jose. Anyway, he has been home for some time now, but he came back and he saw me walking down the road and took me out to dinner. What a small world. Dad will have to talk to Mark about it. The week was good we had a fair amount of people to church. I am really starting to see some progress. I am getting a new companion Elder Addo. Kind of weird because he was training and now he is back to my junior companion. President wants me to go somewhere next transfer. He is preparing Elder Addo to take my place, so we will see what happens. But for now, I am here working my tail off. Trying to finish out strong.

This week I ruined my nicest shirt. My pride killed it, haha. Someone told me that an African said that I (an American) couldn't climb a coconut tree. I proved them wrong! I climbed this huge tree and got a coconut, climbed back down successfully, without even getting my shirt dirty. They were impressed but the part that ruined my shirt was when I used my manliness to break open the coconut with my fist, which I want to say is a bad idea! It hurts your hand like crazy but I got it. The problem is that it splashed coconut juice all over my shirt and made stains. The stains won't come out! It's ok though, I have too many shirts and I am trying to get rid of some of them before I go. Thanks to dad, I have learned to really take care of my things so I really haven't gone through my clothes, except my shoes.

I ventured to cook some of the cookies you sent me. Unfortunately, I did not have anything to cook on (like cookie sheets). Luckily we have metal pots and lids. Yep, I cooked cookies on a lid of a pot in the oven, and the better part of it is that I did not even burn any of the cookies.

So I guess that's my week. Oh yeah, before I forget, this Americana place opened here. These crazy people from Colorado opened it. I don't care how crazy they are - they can cook REAL HAMBURGERS. Honestly, I didn't think that was possible here but they managed to do it! I love going there but it burns my money like crazy. Needless to say, I might be putting weight back on. But it's happy weight to say the least. No, just kidding I am too poor to eat there regularly. Well, I have rambled too much. I hope that everyone is having a great time at home. I love you guys so much. Have a great week.

Love Elder Kev