Elder Christensen

Hello! Well this was quite the grand week. We had quite a few miracles!

On Sunday, we saw an awesome miracle. We are working with a lot of investigators now, and our goal as a companionship was to be able to bring 10 to Sacrament meeting this week! So we had dedicated ourselves to committing people to church really well in the week. On Sunday morning, we passed by a few people and members to make sure that all would go according to plan and all seemed good. Lastly, we passed by Roger Mendoza to go with him to church but he wasn't home. They said he had already gone to church, so we just headed to church, and he was there with his wife that we hadn't even met yet. Then others came with members, and 2 more, and 1 more and 2 more. Until we had 9 investigators in church! It was great because we didn't even do much. The members did it all. We coordinated well and the members came through. So that was a pretty cool experience!

We had the privilege on Monday to have Elder Craig C. Christensen come share his thoughts with us. The new focus or "culture" of missionaries is "teach repentance and baptize converts." So he came to share a little more on that subject. He shared the importance that people understand the importance of repentance before baptism AND after baptism. The main reason people fall away from the church is because they fall, and don't know how to get back up! They did it in the past but don't know that it applies still. That they can repent again. Then they feel the weight of the sin and get disanimated. The idea of retention is that people can retain a revision of their sins. That is what we should look for, as it says in Mosiah 4:26 I think. That we teach the gospel for the sake that they may RETAIN a revision of their sins! Great little talk.

I got to visit Matagalpa this week, and it is so beautiful there! On the bus ride up, the driver only had like 3 songs on his memory stick, so he blasted the same 3 songs for the entire trip and it was really annoying. One song was about bananas.....I was about to go crazy! But Matagalpa is a pretty big city built in the middle of some mountains. It reminds me of San Francisco a bit because all the streets are up and down and the hoses all built directly side by side. That is the zone of Elder Jacobsen and Elder Ferrin. We all came back to our area and worked there. I got to work with Elder Jacobsen. We had a good time together and it reminded me of how awesome it would be to be comps with him! We have tried hinting it to president to put us to together, but the closest we got is that we could be companions in the plane ride home when we finish. But it was a good day with Elder Jacobsen.

Out and about in Matagalpa!

At the bus stop in Matagalpa.

The bus ride to Matagalpa. This woman brought her little kitten on the bus with her.

Apparently in the old secretary house that I lived in way back when, when they disoccupied it in November, the owner didn't have a chance to come and get the keys until just now. And apparently in that time people broke in and stole some things like a toilet and other weird things. And now she wants the missionaries to pay for it. So she came to the office and had a little talk with President and Sister Collado. Let's just say it didn't end yesterday. It is still going.

But this week was really good. I studied a lot in Alma 36 this week when Alma is telling his son about his conversion. Such a powerful story! He explains so clearly how he felt in his sins. He makes it so easy to relate when we think of the guilt we have when we sin. And through much faith he confessed his sins to the Lord and received forgiveness. But what I love the most was his explanation of how he felt when he was forgiven:

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

The secret to feeling joy is repentance. Those who are 'good' need repentance just as much as those who are 'bad'. And it is thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ that we can do this and feel this.

Love you,
Elder Moser

Other pics this week...

Don't be such a horse! 

Visiting the Homeland!

Buenas Tardes!

So this week I had such an awesome opportunity! On Wednesday I went back to my birthplace! That's right, I got to go back to Esteli! Sadly it was only for a very short amount of time. We went to see their district meetings. But it was just like old times, I took the 3 hour bus ride and all. When I stepped down from the bus it even smelled like Esteli! Haha I don't really know how to describe it. But compared to Managua it was just a super fresh smell! So yeah don't mind me, I just want to go back to Esteli really badly now!

Sooo in this week, it has been pretty great! We have really found a lot more investigators to teach which is really good. Sadly, Rolando and Maria decided that they wanted to start going to their old church again, so we have left them. Their moment to accept the gospel is not right now, but hopefully it will be soon!

We are now teaching a woman named Mary Luz. She is an old investigator from a year or so ago, and she is really positive. We were able to teach the restoration and she understood really well so she is actually praying daily to know if it is true! Her son is also listening and on the same page. As soon as they get their answers they want to get baptized! They are already anticipating it, they just want to know that it is the truth first.

We also met the brother in law of the bishop in a contact last week. We asked the bishop about him and the bishop was very surprised that he listened to us because in the past he was very closed off and didn't listen to the missionaries. But we went right ahead and taught the restoration, and Roger Mendoza was very grateful that we had shared it with him. He said that he had no clue that the Lord had called a prophet and that he really wanted to follow the prophet. So I mean that was quite the different reaction than what I was expecting after what the bishop said about him! It just proves that everyone has a time that they need to hear the gospel. And hopefully this is actually his!

We are teaching the friend of a less active, and his name is Silvio. The less active, Jason, presented him to us and told us that he wants him to get baptized so we started to teach him. It is such a great opportunity because we get to work to reactivate and convert! When we teach it is interesting to see how Jason starts to remember the gospel better and better. He begins to share spiritual experiences that he had in the past, and you can see the light of his testimony coming back little by little! It is such a great testimony to me that we must always progress, or we will lose the testimony that we have. And that to help people come back to church, the work really consists of reconverting them! Silvio is learning really well and has a desire to make his life better! And as we know this is just the gospel that will do it!

I know that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and I love it so much when people can feel it too.

Love Elder Moser

Pics this week...

We were getting our daily dose of stuff from the pulperia.

This is a fighting chicken. Like literally it fights against other chickens for money. hahaha!

This is Muñeca. She is a good friend of mine. She tried to kill me like a week ago, but now she knows me really well.

And this is Satan. Yes, his name is actually satan. Not sure why though.

Yeah, you have to pay to use this bathroom...and for paper it is more..........

The Big 20!

Well, what to say about this week. It was a pretty traditional one. I mean that is good and bad. Good because it is the work of the Lord, but bad because weird things and occurrences are what spice up life! :)

This week was a bit harder than most. We have several investigators that all of a sudden decided not to be available hardly ever in the same week. Some left out of town, others have sick family members, others have new jobs, others are in and out of the house all the time. But in the end, it does make it a little difficult. But there is always a bright side to everything.

One of our investigators right now is named Karen. She is the wife of a less active, and he (Angel) and his family are starting to come back to church. In their case, the major difficulty or reason for inactivation is really just lack of a desire, or quite possibly lack of testimony. We are really working with them on developing a stronger testimony in this time that they actually feel the desire to come back to church.

We went to teach Karen yesterday I think it was, and we had quite the interesting lesson. So earlier in the week we had taught about the restoration and how Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet and all. Well she really understood well, so as homework, we left a Book of Mormon with her and Angel, so that he could explain briefly what it was and they could read a little together. So they did!! Here is the scoop, when we were visiting, there was a lady there getting her hair done (Karen does hair). So we start talking with all of them and Yasenia, the other lady, asks a question out of no where of who is Nefi and what his calling was. So obviously she knew a little bit. After talking for a while about the Book of Mormon and Nefi, Karen said that it had also answered some questions that she had! So it was great! And Yasenia has actually been to church several times, read the D&C, and was reading through the Pearl of Great Price. She had also read some Liahonas, and knew so much doctrine. At one point she even asked about the Urim and Thumim... What kind of non member asks questions about the Urim and Thumim! hahah So we told her that she should really get baptized. She said that previously she hadn't gotten baptized because the missionaries pressured her a lot, but that now she thought about it and decided that she know that she needs to. So we talked with the missionaries in the area of where she lives. Anyway, that was a cool lesson.

I got to go on divisions with Elder Fairbourn this week! My old comp from back 9 months ago. We were talking about how it had just felt like a few weeks ago that we were together but really it was a while ago!! The time goes by so quickly! I also got to go on divisions with Elder Backus! He was in Puerto Cabezas with me, but now we have both been brought back to the Pacific. I really like doing divisions with all of these missionaries! I really like getting to know these guys even better!

I was reading in Mosiah this week and I really like something that I realized! In Mosiah 5, the story relates a people that were so repentant that they did not have the desire to do any more evil. And it made me think, I read through the exact words that these people heard from the mouth of King Benjamin. Did I experience the same change of heart that these people felt? It is an interesting question. And the point is that we can read the scriptures, and either gain a lot or gain nothing from it! We can only gain a lot if we have the spirit with us! So as we are reading in the scriptures, remember the importance of having the spirit to feel as the people of Zarahemla felt!
 2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. (Mosiah 5:2)

Elder Moser

Pics this week...

Enjoying the cultural activity of Puerto Salvador Allende.

I think we found the Rameumptum...haha!

I am practicing bull riding.

I also got a horse! :)

I'm not really sure what they are going for with the gigantic propeller.

This is Sandino! He is super famous here. I would tell you why, but I don't really know. I just know that his face is everywhere. 

There are some interesting places here... I don't really know, but this is the powerful quartet!

One of the weirder statues I have ever seen!

The old cathedral of Managua.

Some kind of palace....

Here we are again!

Oh esta todo Bien!

Wow, esta semana estuvo super tuanis! Yo no sé como pero de repente el tiempo se ve muy corto! Me siento como ayer yo estaba cumpliendo a penas 18 meses pero ya paso ese tiempo hace un rato!!

This week was a great one, and I hope to have more like it!! One of the parts that made this week so awesome was that we were actually in our area the majority of the week!! All we had was one meeting on Tuesday, but other than that all of our time was dedicated in the area!! So that is just wonderful! I love visiting my investigators and having time to do it! I did have a little stomach bug over the last week. I think I ate something off, but I am not sure what. I think I am over the worst of it though. But the work is going forward quickly always. I am enjoying the new area more and more as time goes on. I am starting to realize how short time really is. I mean all of a sudden I am one of the oldest in the mission! Crazy! I am also realizing there is no time to waste.

On Sunday we actually saw some awesome miracles! Like I mentioned last week, we have been working with Rolando and Maria! They had actually gotten in a motorcycle accident last week. They are both ok, but Maria is out of work for it. She was good enough to come to church with us though! And this was Rolando´s week off of work so he was able to come too. He actually is going to lose his job on the 15th because the company is shutting down, so that will be great! We are trying to help him find something else that has a better work schedule! They are reading and learning a lot!!

We are also working with a guy named Neke. He is the friend of our ward mission leader, Heyler. So of course, he was able to bring him to church. We have visited a few times with him and he is really interested with the doctrine and wants to keep learning. He had actually visited a lot to the church back in the day. He reads everything that we leave him! It is great when the investigators have good member friends!!

I know that this is the true gospel, and I am so grateful for my knowledge of that! I am also grateful for my testimony that I know that the Lord answers prayers! He will answer our questions if we ask with a sincere heart. I am so grateful for that knowledge. Yesterday we were talking with an investigator named Sandra. She is super cool, but she decided that she just is not going to change. She said, "I have read from the Book of Mormon and I just don't really think it is for me." So, having already extended the invite to read, meditate and pray I asked, "You did not do what we invited you to do did you?" She said no and I told her that I knew, because if she had prayed about the Book of Mormon to ask if it was true, she would not be giving it back. She would actually be asking what else would be good to read. That is the key, just ask! Nothing more, nothing out of the ordinary. She just decided that she didn't want to ask. So she decided to close her heart to the answer that she could have had. We should not do the same. The Book of Mormon is true, I know because I read it and I have asked. Simple as that! :)

I love you all!

Elder Moser

Starting the new year off with a CRASH!

This was quite the 2 weeks! I don't really have time to go through all of it, but I will go throughout the highlights.

So we had the party of Christmas this week in Managua! It was super awesome! The whole mission (except for Puerto) came in to Managua. We had a wonderful time, ate some wonderful food, and watched a movie! We watched the Minions! haha it was hilarious! Then we had an awesome talent show that cannot be explained to reproduce the awesomeness! haha There were dances and songs and jokes and funny acts and it was just a wonderful time!! So that was last week!

At the Christmas party...super awesome! 

And here with Jacobsen and Hirschi!

With President!

With Elder Campbell.

Merry Christmas from me and the Collado's!

Oh, I also got to call the family! That of course was wonderful! The highlight of the Christmas season!  And I am really surprised! Blake is getting old so quickly while I am gone! haha Next thing I know I will get home and see him in the airport with a full beard! haha

Christmas call home!

Opening my package! This year the peanut butter was unopened!

So this week, I spent the majority of the week in a little "vacation" on a trip to Puerto!! Yeah I got go back to Puerto! This time it was no 1 hour comfortable plane ride! It was a treacherous 33 hours of driving on 75% dirt roads with a ton of holes and bumps, there and back! haha. That is the road trip of a life time, and I drove the entire way!! We sure saw some blessings going there and back! First and foremost, just to get it out of the way, I, Elder Moser, rear ended my mission president....... and I am not proud of it. Yes, I got in my first car accident, and it was with my mission president! That will be a great one to tell the kids before they leave on the missions! Uh yeah, I loved my mission president so much I couldn't help but just rear end him!

So this it the crash damages...

In this picture you can see from what part I began skidding. It was probably like 10 meters that I slid and before that I was slowing down. It was just sad over all! 

Anyway, luckily it did not hurt anyone, except the cars. But now we see blessing number one, the cars remained 98% functional! That 2% is just calculated in the damage to the radiator. But the car could still drive just normal. Now the problem was the radiator. Now this road is not very full of mechanic shops. You're not going to see your common Auto Zone just chilling on the side of the road. But we were blessed to go about 20 minutes and see "taller de radiadores" (radiator shop) on the side of the road. It was just a 21 year old boy that just works in his house on peoples cars when they need it. So he helped us out and after that we were good to go! So some small blessings over all!

Here was the miracle of the radiator shop!

Other pics from along the ride!

The time in Puerto was super awesome! I didn't get like any time though to visit any people and that was what I was hoping for the most. But that is ok, I was there to help the missionaries have an awesome party. So I did a dance that one of the zones did in Managua in the other Christmas party, and it was a big hit! It is called the baile de la fruta if you want to look it up!" haha

Reunited with Elder Baltimore and Elder Monson.

The baile de la fruta! :)

So we are teaching some awesome people now! One of the special people that we are teaching is Rolando and Maria! They are a couple that fairly recently got together. Maria has visited the church for like 8 months and visited a lot with the missionaries, and Rolando just came back from the states a few years ago. He speaks great English (although we still teach in Spanish because of Maria) and they have a huge desire to get closer with Christ and learn more about the church of Jesus Christ. They are great to teach because they want to learn a lot! And he is super awesome because he has a terrible job, where he has to work 24 hour shifts of security and he gets off at 8 in the morning. So he made a solid effort to get off of work and come right to church. He was falling asleep a lot, but he said that he loved the parts that he was awake for! This Sunday though they will finally be able to come together!

That is about it for this week!

Happy New Year!
Love, Elder Moser