Bettah week

November 25, 2019

This week was a good one. we have had a lot of blessings.

Not much time but I just wanna give some highlights. We were walking home one day and we found this guy sitting on the side of the road taking a smoking break. Without saying anything to each other, me and Elder Gomez walked towards him and started talking to him. His name is Khanya. He allowed us to come teach him a few days later and he told us our first visit really made him think and it helped him with his studies. We are seeing him again tomorrow, which will be his last day in bloem, but a healthy seed has been planted.

We also met a kid who happened to have a Gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet given to him sometime last year. He explained to us that it helped him get through a really hard time. He is super interested in the book of Mormon and wants us to teach him more!

I love how even when things are hard, the Lord always strengthens us to do HIS work. It only happens when we align ourselves to his will, which is hard sometimes, but always the best.

Be Grateful for everything this week and show your gratitude in some way! Love ya'lll!

-Elder Moser

Pics:

#1 We caught this frog on a fly rod

#2 I'm actually back in Idaho rn. nah mean

#3 This picture is for my sister Elise. :)

I'm a no gud fisher guy

November 18, 2019

Hello family and Friends I consider family. How was the week?

Turns out, I'm no good at fishing. We woke up at 4 this morning and finally had the opportunity to go fishing. I didn't catch anything. In fact, it felt like one of those trips where the fish are just mocking you. Like they are well aware you are trying to catch them. We tried for a solid 5 hours, but nothing. Today I felt like God was trying to teach me something. I don't think he was trying to keep me from fishing or having fun, but it was almost like a reminder of the scripture on my mission plaque. " Straightway they forsook their nets and followed HIM." I left my rods home to do this work. We are out here to become fishers of men. I still like fish- fishing though c:

Speaking of being fishers of men, this week in comparison to the actual fishing is pretty much the same. We tried talking to lots of people, taught lessons, and when we set appointments to come back, nobody ends up being home. What on earth? So many times this week when something went wrong, the only thing I could think in my mind was little sis Amanda saying "Sweet Gloria!" Sweet Gloria is right. 

We taught the Moshoeshoe family how to make Corn dogs, but I kinda messed up on the recipe and they didn't turn out the way I wanted them to. Afterwards, we wanted to work in the apartment complex they stay in. The sons told us it was a bad idea because the people that stay there are picky and might kick us out. Mahlapane, who Was just confirmed last week, suggested we do it because otherwise they may never be able to hear the gospel! We decided to give it a shot and met a couple named Sam And Atlehang. They were super welcoming and we shared the restoration with them. Afterwards they seemed like they closed off a bit, but I still have faith that it touched them somehow and that we will be able to see them again.

We went back to see Luaan yesterday after church and he again told us we couldn't see him anymore because his mum told him no to us teaching him about the Book of Mormon. Maybe he will pick up an interest after he graduates.

We had a lesson with a guy named Junior this week. We shared law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom with him, and turned out the spirit revealed to us that we needed to share it. He learned at his church some stuff regarding sexual purity and wanted to know more about it. he was so awestruck with what we had to say that he even came to church with us yesterday. We walked all the way there, a little over an hour. He really enjoyed the class, but felt a bit distracted by the kids in sacrament meeting. I could tell he was really trying to listen though.

Love you all! Have joy this week and don't be ashamed to share what you believe! Be Bold!

-Elder Moser

Pictures:   Can you see me?  Look at what I am fishing in XD  Where is the water?

The long HAuL

November 11, 2019
This has been a long, hard week.

I've recently re-committed myself to be exactly obedient to the mission rules. It feels good and I'm looking forward to it. Blessings follow to those who make sacrifices to be obedient. We have played the game of Mow with members recently. Everybody gets really frustrated because the rule of the game is you don't know the rules. We found a good way in teaching a gospel principle: sometimes we don't know why we follow rules, but we do it anyways because they are there for a reason and we will be blessed if we follow them. 

That being said, we are trying harder.

We have been visiting lots of members, trying to get referrals, but we must be doing something wrong because it isn't very fruitful. We do tracting where we have space. We met with a family that was super promising and we were super excited about. They even invited us back the following day. We went, planning to read the book of mormon with them, but they told us they were fine with their own church, so they didn't need more. We did leave them with an Afrikaans book of mormon. Hopefully they read it.

Yesterday we had an appointment with a young guy named Luaan. He came out to meet us and told us the only reason he agreed to meeting with us was to tell us he wasn't interested because he prayed about the things we shared with him before and he didn't like the Idea that we think we are the only true church. We talked with him for a bit, not wanting to give up, and he agreed to let us to come and read with him in the book of mormon every week. Hopefully we can plant some good seeds and fertilize it properly.

We had two more baptisms yesterday. Nkopane and his fiance Thabisile. We had a brother in the ward try to baptise them, but he wasn't strong enough, and so one of the brothers called me into the hallway and asked if I would be able to do the ordinance. I didn't have any towel or anything to change into, but we decided we were gonna do it for god, so I quickly changed and was able to do the ordinances. I had to sit in a room with a fan for 30 minutes to try and dry off. I ended up changing in my wet garments and you could see the wet spots on my slacks haha. luckily we ride bikes, so it dried off quickly with how fast we were riding. I felt bad for Thabisile because she was dunked around 7 times, but when I talked to her about it afterwards she was so happy and said she felt BLESSED to be baptised multiple times. All about perspective people.

Today we got to go to a rugby field and toss the ole pigskin around. We also had a rugby ball and got to toss it around too. I'm wearing a springboks jersey, so I feel like a Springbok veteran. It was rainning too, so that felt pretty good in this dry, dry place.

Love you all. Have joy this week!

Elder Moser

You would probably believe me when I say that I have been singing hymns up the ying yang. I even sing them in my head before I pray at night so that I'm not all over the place. I have been needing to sing them in the area because The days are getting harder. We get into houses sure, but the next visit is always a let down with somebody telling us to not come back. Sometimes we need a bit of extra encouragement. I tell myself "this is good" to everything that happens, whether it be good or bad.

This week I recommit myself to be more obedient. I'm trying to follow the rules exactly and it really helps in motivation. I have 7 moths left and don't want any excuses. I wanna work as hard as I can. I have been reading the white handbook a lot more. I read the whole thing in 20 minutes the day I recommit. 

Dit Gaan Goed

November 4, 2019

I'm trying to learn more Afrikaans, but It really isn't going anywhere haha...

Today has been another one of those days where my computer doesn't work, so I'm quickly trying to write an email to everybody. Sorry to those who don't get a reply :((

This week was much better than last week. We tried visiting a lot more members to see how we could best help out with the work and try to get referrals. This town is MUCH more townish than the Bluff, and will be a lot harder with tracting. We have tried knocking on houses and have got into maybe 2, which is really hard after looking at what we have done, but the work must continue. Neh?

We met with a less active member named Lemohang, who has never really been in the church because he was baptized at 8 and then soon after his parents passed away. He raised himself in what he believes to be true religion according to the bible. He doesn't believe in the Book of Mormon because it says God has a body. We met with him and he told us of all the crazy things he has prophesied. As long as he lets us come back, we will continue to see how we can help him really progress.

We have been getting fed a lot because of how many members we have visited. We never expect to get fed but it is "rude" to go into a home and not be fed. It's nice, until you get 3 full meals, one after another. You have to start running up and down the stairs in order to free up some room.

Everyone we have talked to this week is struggling in their own way. I have never used the scriptures so much to help people. My companion thinks it's because the temple is so close to being finished that satan is really pushing right now. We are trying to build the faith of these people. We are fasting with many of them this week. 

Mahlapane got baptised this week! I don't think I have ever been so happy before. She is amazing and is so faithful already. She brought her sister and son all the way from Lesotho to watch as well. They loved it and we are gonna send their details to the elders that side:)

Everyone go and read Alma 58 this week. It talks a bit about fortifying ourselves. The war chapters in Alma are really cool because applying its teachings takes a little bit more digging. But what I've realised in this particular chapter is that the Lord will strengthen us, or fortify us, where we need it the most. Fortification in our weaknesses and temptations. We have to constantly improve and get stronger everyday.

Love ya'll! Have Joy and Do some good! :)

-Elder Mose Pose