Baptisms in Glacier Water...

Date: Mon, Jul 23, 2018, 5:30 AM

This last week was pretty great! The water shut off for about 3 days and really stressed us out because we needed to fill the font for Ntate Simon's baptism. The water turned on Saturday and we turned the water on but only the cold water worked so we stuck a heating element in the water and prayed it would be enough. Turns out, it wasn't. It was fine for me to be in because it is the same as any lake back home, but Africans hate the cold. He took like 5 minutes to get in the water and when I baptized him, he came out of the water about to scream! haha XD Also, the white shirt I baptized him in got stolen after I changed out of it. I'm hoping that someone took it to wash. At least they didn't take my garments.

Elder Homer slaved making 65 brownies for the baptism and when we went to put them out for people to eat, they were all gone. We think the Khubetsoana branch relief society ate them all. Dang. I have a picture and Elder Homer looks so sad:(

We have been working hard this week, filling up our teaching pool. We have almost 10 appointments every day. We have also been working hard to get people to church. One of our investigators, Chere, has some really sick dreds, and loves it when we come to teach him. He lives in Seapoint, which is literally up the mountain and we walk there two times a week to see him. He is progressing quickly. We invited him to church and he was gonna come, but his grandma died Saturday night, which is the exact same day that his mom died two years ago. Satan is evil.

We had another investigator who lives in seapoint not far from Chere. His name is Tsi'itso. We went to wake him up at 7 Sunday morning and we woke him up from what looked like the deepest sleep in history. He told us he was going to wash, and then walked around the corner of the house. After a couple of seconds, we decided to round the corner of that house so we could talk to him and he was peeing so that was awkward. heh.

We had a dinner appointment with a member family and they fed us tripe. I asked Elder Homer what it was and he just said, " uhhhhhhh I'll tell you after you've eaten it..."

This is what I have been training for.

Turns out Tripe is Stomach and intestine of an animal. I was looking at the steamed bread and tripe on my plate and noticed that it wasn't broccoli. It was Stomach. Wasn't too bad though, just chewy.

I'm loving it here! The people greet each other or say they are doing good or say life is "rad" by saying "Sharp!" but they pronounce it Shop and give a thumbs up. If you see a thumbs up in a picture, we are all saying Sharp!

The little kids call us mahuoa which means white guys, and we call it to them back to confuse them. They love it. I carry around pictures of Jesus to give to kids and it makes them smile super big. It is my favorite thing. When kids cry, the pictures make them stop. I love it.

Well. I love Africa. I think I will stay for a while. It is starting to warm up and that's a bother, but it only gets hotter! I'm not prepared for this! Also, I might buzz my hairs, so don't be alarmed if you see any pictures like that in the future

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Love you all! Keep being great! Miracles still happen! remember that.

-Elder Moser

Everyone here is so nice. Too bad most of them are drunk.

Date: Mon, Jul 16, 2018, 3:11 AM

The title says it all. We have had so many drunk people talk to us. Some asking for money, some asking for ways to help them stop drinking ( while drinking haha) and some that just want to tell us about how great America is.

Elder Ah Sam finally got a companion, Elder Lowe, so now It's just me and Elder Homer. It's nice. I get to talk a lot more and it has been building my confidence at a huge rate. Especially with drunk people. Let me share an experience with you:

We were outside teaching a lesson to a single woman named Keletso Selala. We were trying to teach her the Restoration, when a very very, VERY drunk man came and started talking to us asking if we would share drinks with him. let me see if I can recreate this conversation:

"Do you want to share a few tossers my friends? I'm going to the bar with my friends, but they can wait a little longer." (pouring giant bottle of whiskey into a beer can)

"No thank you. We don't drink."

"You don't drink? Then how do you get that 'next level' relaxation after a day of work? You guys are crazy."

"haha yup."

"So tell me, is there something you can tell me that will get me to be with my wife? I miss her but she left me for some reason." (??????)

(We give him a Word of Wisdom booklet)

"Ah yes thank you. Is this only for black people my friend?" (touches my shoulder all weird)

" haha No it is for everyone and we would love to come talk to you about it when you are sober! Do you mind if we get your name and number and we can give you a call sometime?"

"No problem my friend. (touches shoulder) You just hold that planner, and I'll write it down."

He then just kinda scribbled on my planner haha.

We talked to him for a bit longer but then we got a phone-call. We tried to make it look like we were busy so he would maybe leave and we could continue with our lesson. We looked over at him and he was shoving his baby daughters hands all the way in his mouth. This dude was long gone haha. We stood there for a bit and then he came over to talk to us again.

"Are 'you from America?"

"Yes."

"Americans are super humans. Who stopped WW3? The Russians? Germans? Russians? Chinans? Russians? No. It was Americans. Because of the bald eagle. Donald trump went up to Jim oong gorilla man and said 'Kim. you better stop this (bad word) or we will destroy you.' And that ( touching kneecap and staring at it) is the power of America."

This is pretty much all I remember, but he took up 45 minutes.This dude was so drunk. The crazy thing is that if his heart is prepared, he could have the potential to become a god someday. That's how we should look at everyone. See em' in white. yeah?

I am quickly learning that nothing is a coincidence. Yesterday Elder Homer and I were trying to talk to a baby lamb that was just born, and when we were walking, we passed a bunch of drunk guys. One of them stopped us to tell us that he saw we were talking to a sheep and then we were able to set up an appointment with him. He seemed very ready.

We have been busting our butts with the work.  Elder Homer and I work 10+ hours every day. Most days anyways. I'm learning the language better, and am able to greet people, and I have committed so many people to be baptized. We have 11 people ready to be baptized, and so many new people to teach. The lord has prepared the hearts of everyone it seems, and it is amazing to see how the gospel changes the lives of everyone! They can feel it. We can feel it. Also, just a side note.: I get to baptize my first Ntate this week! I was so honored that he picked me!

I am staying warm with my basotho blanket! These things are sweet, and this is how they wear them if they don't have a blanket pin. It is also the warmest way.

I love you all! Enjoy all the blessings life has to offer! And ya'll should send me some music.

-Elder Moser

#WakandaForever

I'm Getting Tired

Date: Mon, Jul 9, 2018, 9:28 AM

I'm getting tired because The mission schedule changed. We don't have Bakkis anymore, so we walk everywhere or take the crazy taxis. To make our days more effective, we wake up at 6, start proselyting at 8:30, and have to be in and safe at 6:30. Waking up 30 minutes earlier is a lot harder for me for some reason... I'm not even getting any less sleep.

July is the coldest month here. I just learned that Lesotho is the only place in Africa that has a ski resort, so that Is pretty cool! Next winter Olympics? Actually, you could have the summer AND winter Olympics here. In the same day, too.

The people we teach often have paraffin heaters in their homes. One man we teach, Thabo, has a bad heater and the fumes burn our eyes really bad. In the lessons, it will look like we are all crying. Maybe that will further the point of how much the gospel means to us?

We had a man this week while we were walking to our boarding turn around right in front of our boarding to start yelling at us and it was kinda scary not gonna lie. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. We gave him a restoration Pamphlet, but he ripped it up....

There is an old man who lives close to where we live that will drop whatever he has to wave,if we wave at him. Sometimes bread, sometimes sticks. This morning we brought cookies to him and sang a hymn to him. He doesn't speak English, so that is about all we could do.

Life with my companions is a blast. We are finally figuring out how to work good in a threesome, and I'm getting a lot more talking time. I even extended my first invite for baptism! good things are happening in Lesotho.

We all eat pretty good, and we realize that we need to cut back. last Monday Elder Ah Sam and I bought a big box of cookies, and he has been going through them like crazy. Elder Homer will often have to get in the middle and tell him to look at his life and that he is going to get fat, and it makes me laugh SO hard. you would think that elder Homer is telling Elder Ah Sam to put a gun down hahaha.

I love it here! I haven't had any problems with homesickness so far, and I hope that I never do. It is more important for me to be here. We met a man who was interested in why we were dressed so nice, and wanted to hear our message. Before we started, we told him to pay attention to how he was feeling, and after a powerful lesson, he said he felt like he was in heaven. We invited him to church and he came! He said afterwards that he felt like he was floating. What an awesome thing. He is so receptive to the spirit.

I took a picture with a drunk guy. I wan't to figure out how to upload that picture sometime because it is super funny.

Pray for me that I don't die from the cold! And please send me emails and pictures on how life is going for all of you! 

I love you all! I think I am going to start doing audio emails so that I can say a lot more.

-Elder Moser

This place is straight up wild!

On Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 2:08 PM, Bradley Moser <bradley.moser@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Hello loved ones! Lesotho is the craziest place I have ever been to in my entire life! I have so much to write and only about 10 minutes to write it, because I have an interview with the mission president. We are in a small internet shop with 3 computers, and our flat is all the way accross town, so it will take around 30 minutes to bike back. Bleh.

This place is so interesting. People will just pee wherever they want, whenever they want; the driving is the CRAZIEST thing you will ever witness in your entire life; it's freezing cold most times of the day, and I can't understand anything people say :') The language they speak is sesotho, and the people are Besotho. Blankets are a huge part of this culture, and They sure will keep you warm. At night, I sleep with 5 blankets and an electric blanket, so it is safe to say that I am staying cozy.

my Ntate (that means dad) is Elder Homer. He is deaf but is the strongest missionary I have ever met. He has Cochlear implants so he can hear as long as he is wearing them. Something unique is that I also have a mom, Elder Ah Same, from Samoa. He is the goofiest dude and we share a lot of laughs.

The language here is hard and I have a hard time remembering peoples names, such as Liteboho, which is pronounced Dee teh boho. Or Sibongile, pronounced Sih bone gee lay. Everyone has names like this, but they all have cool meanings. My Sesotho name is Mosa, which means mercy. I'm gonna try to change my nametag to say that.

I already don't have any time left so I'm gonna have to save some stories for next week! Really fast though, I want to share a cool experience. A few nights ago, Elder Homer was telling me that he has always wanted to serve a sign language mission, and I just told him he would probably get to use sign language for spreading the gospel at some point in his life. Well, the next day we three companions went to a restaurant where you buy deli meat and then they cook it for you, and I bought a ton of meat and pap, and it only totaled out to 33 maluti, which is only about $2.50. While we were waiting for our food, two deaf guys started talking to elder Homer and they want to be baptized by him! It was the funniest surprise! Side note, you eat food with your hands here. The pap and the meat. Everything.

Elder Homer

I am loving it here and I can already see the blessings from the lord as I am diligent in my obedience. Being a missionary is tough, especially when you don't know what people are saying, but I love everyone here and I hope to get everyone in Maseru to church! haha!

I love you all!

Stay positive and progress, be obedient and be blessed!

-Elder Mosa

I”M HERE BABYYYYYYYYYYYY!

JUNE 26, 2018

Hello mum! Make sure you share this with the rest of the family because I don’t have very much time to write. I’m safe in Durban! It’s been a very long day, woke up at 4 for a flight at 8, and got here around 10. I met Sister and President Thompson and they are both so cool!  I asked if we could fish on the mission and he sadly said no. LOL. When we arrived in the airport, there was a piano, so all of us including the AP’s, sang 3 hymns and then taught people in the airport. Right now I am in the mission home, and It’s really nice. Oh, and guess where I’m serving???????

Mesaru, Lesotho!!!!! Me and Elder Johnson are both going to Lesotho!!!!! It’s so exciting! 

Also, Just wanted to share with you guys, President Thompson was sharing with us that before he was set apart, Eder Bednar told him that the missionary work in my mission is the biggest pioneering event in history, and that all the missionary work in the world thus far has brought around 16 million members, but the work in Africa will bring hundreds of millions. That is so cool. It helps me understand my P. Blessing better. 

Love you all!!!

Stay Positive and Progress!!!!

-Elder Moser

 Missionaries traditionally stop and sing at the airport piano before moving on.

 Stop at the Durban Temple Sight

Pictures from Mission Mom, Sister Thompson:

Leaving the Fortress only to be traumatized...

JUNE 19, 2018

I'm gonna just send group emails to you I guess? I'm still trying to figure out how this "Modern Technology" works. I'm struggling to upload pictures as well. What time period was I raised?

MTC life is getting better as the days go by. I struggle waking up in the morning, but it's a good thing there are 6 Brazilian elders in my room who frantically yell at me until I open my eyes.

I have two teachers. One for the morning classes, Sister Vorster, and one for the evening, Brother Tshetu. I can promise you that the first time you read either of those names, you will pronounce them wrong. :)

Every day we have two progressing investigators who are actually just teachers, and we go and teach them lessons with our companions. It's really fun, but I struggle to get a good lesson in because My companion is already getting trunky. He doesn't listen in the lessons and it's hard for him to understand what we are teaching, but I love him anyways. 

Yesterday we had one of our teachers sit in the middle of the class and be an investigator. We had to start from the beginning on how we would talk to a less active member and when he would point at us we, it would be our turn to talk. We had been talking about the investigators kids for probably about 5 minutes, with things such as their age and what they like to do. After those 5 minutes, the teacher pointed to my companion and he said, "sooooooooo, do you have any kids?" and we all got dead with laughter because we knew he wasn't paying attention. That's kinda how I feel in lessons with our progressing investigators.

We were able to leave The MTC fortress twice last week. One time was to Go proselyting with some missionaries in the Johannesburg mission  in an area called Sowetho. This place was so trashy. I mean that in all forms. Anywhere you look there was trash. Some of the missionaries would also throw their trash on the ground so that wasn't too impressive. We were able to talk with some bible basher, a lady afraid of prayer, and a small family in the space of an hour. The lesson with the family was nice, but halfway through the lesson, the mother started breastfeeding her child with no protection. I was realllllllllly uncomfortable. But hey, they were interested in the message. Driving on the roads are so weird here. People will stand in the middle of moving cars in busy intersections trying to sell mixtapes and fruits and other weird stuff. As soon as you roll your window down, you let them in and it's over. Because Jaywalking is not frowned upon, we saw a guy get hit by a car and killed. The whole experience was really kinda traumatic. Its like being in a fish hatchery and then getting thrown into the ocean.

The second experience we had outside was to the temple. The whole drive there we argued with the driver on which side of the road is the correct side. We say we drive on the right side of the road, they say they drive on the correct side of the road. So anytime we turned left, I said," turn correct up here!" (lol got em)   The temple was amazing. It is crazy to me that 7 years ago I was dreaming about going to the temple in South Africa and how that dream came true. The entire group of temple workers is from the US except for the temple president and a few individuals. The temple President was the mission president for the Pocatello mission a few years ago, and so when I told him where I was from, he looked at me funny and then started punching me in the ribs. It actually hurt, not gonna lie hahaha. But the temple was cool. I wish I could say more.

None of the plants here are soft, and it drives me nuts. The grass feels like walking on small spears. All of the leaves on trees are so stiff as well, but if you snap the leaves in half and smell them, it smells like sage brush. Reminds me of my ole' stompin grounds. The birds here are cool too and have interesting calls. There are some birds that the locals call Dodo birds, that look like turkeys but they just kinda run around all funny. 

I have played a lot of soccer, foursquare, and volley ball. I'm really starting to be a good volleyball player! Whilst playing soccer, I broke my big toenail off and I have been in pain of high amounts, but that doesn't stop me.

I'd like to share a scripture with ya'll. This is one that my brother Jesse requested me to read(email me btw Jess) It's Alma 30:44. If anyone is struggling with feeling the spirit or is wondering if God is there, read this.

I love you all and I love my mission! I'll try to send pictures!

Stay possitive, and progress!!!

-Elder Moser

In The beginning

Farewell May 27th, 9 am with lots of family for dinner afterwords. Then cousin Lexi Moser took some family photos.

June 4, 2018  

Brad was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ at 7:30 pm, Monday evening. We met with President Goodwin, who after setting him apart in a very touching and uncharacteristically robust blessing, proclaimed, "I don't know who is sitting in this chair...but I am impressed."

JUNE 5, 2018

We left home at 5:30 am and headed for the Idaho Falls airport. Porter Williams joined us as a good friend of Brad's. We realized as we approached Idaho Falls that Brad had left his flight itinerary on the kitchen counter. We turned around and headed back to Blackfoot while calling the Despain's (whose lights were on at 5:30 am). President Scott Despain graciously ran to our home, retrieved the envelope, and met us at the Rose exit, saving us at least 20 minutes travel time. Then we were really on our way. 

Brad went "beyond the rope" at 7:15 am, flight leaving at 7:30 am. Until we meet! We love you!! Hurrah for Israel!

JUNE 6, 2018

We arrived in Johannesburg about an hour and a half ago. The flight actually turned out to be 15 hours instead of 13, and we were also told that on the way back it will be 17 hours due to wind resistance.

If there is ever a flight that makes you question your existence, it is the flight from Atlanta to South Africa. We flew in a 777 and there were around 540 seats total. The air hosts and hostesses were total gems, and they stayed awake the whole time! They took care of everything we needed, including drinks, blankets and meals. the meals were actually kinda gross, but the names they used on the menus made us feel like we were living in first class. 

There are around 17 of us missionaries total that flew together. It's kinda funny, the missionary that I met up with in Idaho Falls (Elder Johnson) got on a different flight that  took him to Colorado and our connecting flight didn't meet up until Atlanta. All of the missionaries are from the west, so Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and Alaska. All cool dudes! And most of us have been graduated for a year at least.

In Atlanta we had our dinners paid for by this man from Ghana who works for the church to find new temple grounds and set up press conferences. He's probably one of the coolest people that I've met. He had dinner with us and we sat next to a man who was a Jewish catholic and just came back from Colombia as part of an organization of Jews that are coming to know Christ. He then gave us a prayer in Hebrew and it was really neat o.

This computer that I'm using in the MTC is a real pain. If i so much as look at the mouse pad it will redirect my cursor and start writing in a random spot, so I apologize if anything in this is out of the ordinary.

Right now the temperature in Johannesburg is soothing. Nice and cool, just the way I like it. 

The MTC presidents name is President Bester, and his wife and another gentelman names Elder Pienaar are his helpers. I was the first to be interviewed, and now we are all in a big room writing to our families and doing some medical paper stuff....?

Also, tonight I am in a room by myself #foreveralone

Hope everyone is doing well at home! Even though its only been a day... or something like that. How is everyone holding up?

love Ya'll!

-Elder Moser

JUNE 12, 2018

Okay. I'm counting on you to send this email to the people who wanted it. I don't have any of their emails haha, and I only have 10 minutes to write, so I'm gonna type like the wind.

The MTC is so small! It can only hold around 48 people in it. In the MTC there is around 30 missionaries. 18 are white, 8 are from Brazil ( I room with 4 of them) 1 is from Angola, and 1 is from Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe elder is my companion, Elder Foto, and he is cool. He is teaching his language, Shona. It is so hard! I'm am also learning Portuguese from my Brazilian elders. They are all really fun, but they sometimes have problems with mission rules.

The food is good here in the MTC, and a lot of it is similar to what we would eat, except the sausage is more "real", the bread is more dry, and the apple juice, at least I'm convinced, is just melted apple candy. Supper fake but good nonetheless. The food they serve in the MtC is never the same. I had pop yesterday and I was probably the only missionary who actually enjoyed it. It's like grits with pieces of corn in it. The sausage they serve is the only thing I'm not a fan of. Super dry, and in some sort of skin?

The MTC is so wonderful. the spirit is so strong and I am learning so much! Every day is super busy and it is really difficult to keep up on my studies, but I am doing it to the best of my ability.   

The mission President is President Bester, and his counselor is President Pienaar. Both are from SA, and have very thick accents and really contradict each other in personality. Bester is really relaxed and Pienaar Is VERY high energy. 

I love it here and feel the spirit so strong! I have to go, so I will write more next week if I can. 

Love you all! I'm getting really fat hehe

-Elder Moser