Ben's Mission to Nicaragua: Field Trip to Puerto Cabezas

Dear familia,

Ok well this week was super tuanis!!! I am just going to jump to the good stuff!
Sooooo we woke up a little early on Monday morning, and took yet ANOTHER trip to the airport, but this time it was a bit different. We weren't going to drop someone off! We were going to meet up with President and his family so that we could all head off to Puerto Cabezas!!! In a plane!!! I didn't think I would fly in another plane since I got here for another two years! But I was incorrect!

When we arrived at noonish, we headed straight to the hotel where they would have their Christmas activity! That's really why we were there, to help out at the activity. But more than anything, we just got to enjoy it! And that meant we watched another movie! They all chose Maze Runner, so I got to watch it again!! The activity all went just fine, and because they are a much smaller group, it went a lot quicker. So at the end, president came with a surprise! He told us that we could all watch another movie! So we watched How to Train Your Dragon 2!!! I couldn't believe it! I was so stinking happy, I have wanted to see that movie since 2 days into the MTC! That's when it came out :) So anyway, it was a super awesome activity!

In the plane on the way to Puerto! haha I don't blame President, we were all pretty tired at this point of the year!

The next day, we had until 2 pm that we had to be back at the airport, so I took advantage of the time there and got to know the place that everyone is dying to be sent to! To maximize the exploring, Elder Maradiaga and I did divisions with two of the missionaries there so that they could show us around Puerto. So I got to spend the day with Elder Perry.

Seeing the sights in Puerto!

The First thing that we went to do was meet a monkey, and on the way, he told me that there was this family that we had to go visit, and that we could drink from a coconut and all that good stuff there. So that happened, and then we went to go see the monkey. But sadly, this was a very shy monkey, and didn't want to come play with me, so I only got to feed it bread. But it was still cool. Then we went to the market to do the one assignment that I had: buy shrimp and lobster tail for Hermana Collado to take home.

I almost got the monkey to trust me!!! But it never came around to making contact with my hands! :(

The coconut experience.

Then came splitting it open :)

Enjoying the coconuts with Elder Perry

Buying the turtle meat!!

But one of the highlights for me was when we went to the huge dock there in Puerto and I got to see the beach and ocean!!! Honestly, it was one of the ugliest beaches I have ever seen, but it was a beach, and I thought i would go 2 years without seeing that, so it was a great moment of my life!

The excursion to the dock/beach! Pay much attention to the man in the bottom left of photo 2, i find him quite hilarious :) haahaha

All in all, it was a fun day of just seeing Puerto Cabezas, and I really want to go there now to serve!! When we got home, and to the area, Elder Maradiaga and I headed to the "lunch appointment" because he had bought turtle meat and wanted her to cook it! So she did, and either she is the most amazing cook, or turtle meat is super good, because that was one of the best dinners ever!!! I think it is a bit of both!

Buying the turtle meat!!

But other than that, the week has been pretty low key. We went to visit some members on New Years Eve, and they fed us. They are Maickell, Eva, Sophia, and Benjamín. They are pretty much one of my favorite families in the whole branch, and so far in all of Nicaragua! Their whole family practically aren't members except for them, and everyone was out front drinking and having just a grand old New Years Eve, so they took us inside and we enjoyed a lovely dinner and got to talk with them for a little bit! Other than that, nothing really happened this week! Hopefully I will have some great stories and stuff to tell this next week!!

The Members that we ate new years eve dinner with!! They are so awesome, and their children are the cutest ever!!!!!!

Oh also, I got to give a talk this week, and they informed me a little while back, but I totally forgot until Sunday when they announced my name....... about 15 seconds before I had to get up there and speak........ it's a good thing I am a missionary! I decided to speak on something that I actually know is super important, and something that everyone needs to do! Study the Scriptures DAILY! Especially the Book of Mormon! In my talk, I focused on the importance of the Book of Mormon in particular. It is so true that studying the Book of Mormon can determine whether one stays active in the church or no. I love the quote in PMG from Gordon B Hinkley that says:
“Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power. … Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts … the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God”
I love the part where he says that it doesn't matter how many times you have read it, because it is so true! We need to continually look for more knowledge and have a stronger testimony, of the things we already know will be take away from us! So as I did with the members in my Branch, I would like to remind you of this, the importance of the Book of Mormon! It will always help us in out times of need and help our testimonies to grow stronger, and we should always remember that! I challenge you to read it daily and study it!

Love You all!!
Elder Moser

More pics from the trip...