Leaving the Bluff Babyyyyyy

April 16, 2019

Well, after 7 1/2 months in the Bluff, I'm headed out. I'm going to Kwamashu to be a Zone leader with Elder Morales over the Durban Zone! It is going to be fun, but the Durban zone is the Biggest zone, so It is going to have a lot of responsibility.... Elder Morales is famous in Guatemala for his music production, so expect some music coming your way!

This last transfer with Elder Da Silva has been so good, and we have learned so much from each other. We have been trying to do things right, including following the mission schedule. It is really easy to slack, but we did good. I'm going to be sure to continue it.

We went tracking in a neighborhood that we found for a few hours last Friday. It was supper bizarre because literally everybody was Hindu. It was like we found a Hindu safe haven. They are the nicest people though, it's just that they don't listen to what we have to say. All we can do is bear testimony of Jesus Christ.

It is so hard to leave the Bluff! I feel like I am leaving Home for the second time, but it's ok. I see this as a blessing from the lord. When we get comfortable, he does things like this because he knows how we can best progress. I am looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead! Hopefully next weeks email is crazy!

love you all:)

-Elder B. Moses

MIA: I know, I know

April 9, 2019

Ya'll should already know why I have not written an email in a hot second. Things have been tough this side. I swear that every time we try to email, something goes wrong.

This whole transfer has literally been an emotional roller coaster. We have been putting in the work and it has really paid off with the two baptisms we had and the marriage we had as well, but for some reason, things have been really hard for us. We are doing to the work, and losing ourselves as we do it, but one of us has always been emotionally drained. It is kinda like that feeling of homework stacking up on you, and you know you have to do it all by a certain day, but you don't know where to begin and you just want to tuck up in a ball and not move for 6 days straight. for 6 weeks I have not known where that is coming from.

Well, I was in a lesson with my companion and he said some very profound words to me after the lesson. We are doing so much good that Satan is doing to best that he can to make us not feel that way. We know what we are doing is right and that we are promised blessings for missionary service and bringing others into the fold. 

As I was reading my book of Mormon, I came crossed a scripture that invites all to follow the "Good Shepherd". I know with all my heart that the Lord is here to help us. through prayer and the Scriptures, we can all have happiness and a knowledge of the saviors infinite Sacrifice. Which btw, what comes to mind when you hear "infinite atonement?"

Mission is hard, and I have said that before. But I know whose team I am on, and I know that he is watching over me, ready to succor me when I struggle, and is ready to chastise me when I am getting to comfortable. But, I know this is the Lords work.

Have a good week everybody!

-Elder Moser

One more thing to think about.

The baptismal covenant says to "mourn with those who mourn," and not cheer up those that mourn.....

                Ironing is a struggle this side

I got attacked.

I'm a Zulu Man

.

       The bishop is signing a B- Record on my back. 

            That other guy is Da Silva from Angola.

                A couple that we helped get married:) 

Thembalethu and Quinton's baptism

Notes to Mom and Dad

April 1, 2019

Ah mumsy, This email makes me laugh so hard! Especially the last paragraph, because you and dad sound like your bodies are shutting down. lol, I love my family.

Last week I didn't send an email because the computers shut down. I was going to try again Tuesday, but then we were just caught up with business. 

Me and Da Silva caught a little gecko a few weeks ago and named him Esteban. We let him go however, but every now and then we find him in our boarding. It probably isn't the same one but it is funny to wake up to my companion shouting "ESTEBAN! YOU CAME BACK!" hahaha. I love my companion. This has been a really fun transfer.

Love you mum:)

Sup?

How did your back get hurt last year? Was it the time that we went snowmobiling with Dudley and Leon? I don't remember, but I do remember the pain that you had felt. I sure do hope you get feeling better.

So I had a lady from the Durban ward come to me and consult me about my hair loss. It has been bad since being in the Bluff, but she told me she has a way for me to grow it back. Apparently it mostly has to do with my blood type and the food that I eat. When I told her my blood type, she told me the foods I should avoid. Red meat, wheat, hake, dairy and potatoes. If you know anything about me, those are my favorite foods and I usually eat them in abundance. So, now I am trying to stay away from those. There is also a shampoo that she has put me on that is supposed to actually help with decreasing DHT in my scalp to have hair growth improve. This is all an experiment I am trying. 

I hope you and Jesse get the opportunity to go fishing more this year. And if you go to Springfield, first tie on a red copper john, then off of the copper john, tie a black or brown crystal minnow. That works really well with sinking line. And then that gold and red or brown trout bouyants always work magic.

Love you Baba!

Response to Family's Spring Break

March 25, 2019

t's super cool that I calIed dad next to the Saturn V! I had no Idea! I guess that is the best gift I could give him outside of the country! We also talked about fishing a lot, so not too many new things haha. So you had a good trip to Florida? I bet you guys experienced a bit of the heat I'm getting, eh? You can sympathize properly now:)

So They asked me to do a song in sacrament meeting. I sang in the choir for ward conference yesterday so I think that they heard my abilities. I think I'm going to do "Be still my soul" and accompany myself. It will be neat.

Emailing is hard these days for some reason. We have been asked to do 3 hours of work on P days, but then it becomes a hassle for us to do shopping and emailing because We don't have cars. Also, I have pictures, I just forgot my camera. I don't think there is a way for me to upload the pictures anyways

love you mum:)

Sanibonani

March 18, 2019

Whats up fammmmmm? Sorry for not sending emails for the past couple weeks. I have kinda been awol, but At least I got to call my momma last week, so that was much needed:)

So my new companion Elder Da Silva and I have been getting along super well. What is better is we have been putting in the work and we will be having 2 baptisms on the 30th! 

We had a really cool experience with an investigator where he wanted to go to the beach but something told him he needed to go to church instead, so he started looking for a church to go to. He passed I think 4 or so churches before he gave up and decided to go to the store to get a drink. When he Passed our church he had a prompting that it was the one he needed to go to. Since then, he knows everything in the church is true and is ready to enter the waters.

My comp and I had a few instances this week that really tried our faith and our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and the church in General. We were bold in our talking and even confounded a few people. It is sad to see how a lot of educated people treat religion like the Pharisees. it reminds me of the passage in 2 Nephi 9 That talks about "to be learned is good if you hearken to the council of God." Reading that verse has really strengthened my testimony this last week. Although I may not be the smartest, if I hearken to God's council, everything will be okay.

Love you all! Find joy in the small things and enjoy your weeks:)

-Elder Moser

Sorry

March 4, 2019

hey mum

Sorry that I didn't say anything last week, all missionaries in my area were not able to email because the servers were down, so we weren't able to email anybody. I tried calling porter and Elise and Nathan because I figured they would be awake to answer my calls. I didn't get to do anything so it was pretty dumb.

This last week has been so hot. It is the hottest that anybody here has ever experienced. The Lord is giving us power to walk through this heat. I know it. You should look up how hot it has been lately.

Love you mumsy!

Bluff Zone Conference

Elder Moser

February 23, 2019

Kip G Thompson <kip.thompson@ldschurch.org>	Sat, Feb 23, 11:42 AM (8 days ago)
to me, Sister

Sister Moser,

I went to meet with Elder Moser today and discussed the situation with his cousin.  Not surprisingly, he was quite sad with the news.  We prayed together and I spent some time teaching with him and his companion.  I offered to connect him with you by phone today.  He suggested tomorrow would be better.

Please know that he is a great missionary.  He has grown so much and has become a marvelous missionary.  You would be so proud of him

All the best,

President Thompson

John Dudley Moser
September 14, 1993-February 21, 2019

We can be on Facebook!

February 18, 2019

Sooooo yeah. I can be on facebook now to talk to people, so if anybody wants to stay up late and wake up early, that is the only way we can talk haha.

This week went by so fast that I feel like I blinked and it is gone now. All our investigators are either moving or going to college now so we have to restock our teaching pool.

This email has to be short because We BUSY

Toodles. Love you all.

-Elder Moser

I'm fat now

February 11, 2019

So, I had a guy point out to me in church yesterday say I am fat now. to quote him he said, "YO Moser! You're fat now! Like, don't get offended, I'm just saying it how it is"

You can probably imagine my struggle for a response haha.

Anyhow, things on mission are SUPER great right now. We are trying to be obedient and we are talking to a lot more people. Last week we even got into a house with a multi millionaire named Zane. He is lost with God, and he was super receptive to our message. We also spent some time this morning teaching an old Indian couple in a hardware store that they own so that was pretty unique. While we were there I gave a blessing to an old man and the old Indian guy (because he is from a happy clappy church) said some things while I was giving the blessing that startled me haha.

Yesterday we were talking to a girl who lives right next to us named Chantina. We introduced the family Proclamation and read from it with her and it really testified to me how you can't get this kind of spiritual nourishment from any other church on the earth. I have really realized that as well from all the 7th day Adventists that we run into as well. We are really the only church that encourages others to rely on the spirit to find answers, and I just really respect that.

There is so much that I could say and just not enough time, so just I know that I am so happy right now, even though I am melting like the wicked witch in my seat right now. I look like I am glowing everywhere from the beaded sweat, and my shirts are getting tinted. Mission is so fun haha.

Love you all! Have a great week! And no Elise, I haven't forgotten about you. love you lots c:

-Elder Moser

LOOK AT THIS ANIMAL!! WHAT IS HE DOING! AHH!!

My beautiful area in Kwazulu-Natal!

 #1 LOOK AT THIS ANIMAL!! Dats a crane!

Awake and Arise!

February 4, 2019

Hello

Elder Moser here. Had a really good week.

We have been trying really hard to be obedient and talk to as many people as we can. One thing I realize we have been doing wrong is talking to people just to fill up our week with appointments. What I am trying now is to teach people on the spot. Wet their tongue and then come back with the main dish. It has been working beautifully. I have also tried being myself a lot lately. As missionaries, I feel like we try to be something that is unnatural and just not us. The lord has given us gifts and special personalities to in turn bless others lives. Missionary work works much better when we are ourselves. Respectfully.

We were walking to an appointment when suddenly this woman said "Elders?" and then we B-lined towards her and asked how she knew us. Legend has it, she was taught by missionaries 16 years ago in Kwa Dabeka, but then she lost contact with them and joined the Roman Catholic church. We are super excited because we have an appointment with her tomorrow!

We had a Zone Conference this last week and President Thompson said "Awake and arise! and Be MEN!" For some reason that really started a fire in me. I am so happy on mission right now.

We were walking to another appointment, when this 16 year old girl asked for my number haha. I gave her our number and her little sister texted me later saying "are you the cute white boy that walked past us? My sister is hoping she can date you" 

One last thing! Remember Beverly that was about to get baptized but then moved to Zimbabwe right as everything there was falling apart? SHE MOVED BACK!!!! I have never been so pumped to see someone at church before!

Anyways, we are having a lot of fun and success. Love you all, I hope you have a fun and invigorating week.

-elder Moses

Week o' fun

January 28, 2019

This week has been poppin' with all sorts of crazy things. We been been clocking in the work, and sometimes it feels like we are not getting anything done, but when I look back, there is so much growth.

one of the people we have on B date is Eunis, and 56 year old who has been smoking and drinking for most of her life. We have been sharing the lessons with her and have been reading the book of Mormon with her to help her understand. This week we taught about the Word of Wisdom, and we invited her to pray for strength with her temptations. She did, and when we said "Amen" She was filled with tears and received the confidence she needs to be ready to be baptized on the 24th.

We had two guys call us over from afar to ask us about our church because they had seen a video about our church on you tube... The asked about Joseph Smith, magic underwear, and how we believe we are to become like god. We talked with them for much longer than we should have, but they were basically just bible bashing us and telling us we were a cult. I took it all with a positive attitude, but it was really hard to listen to them try to tear us down. We were trying to help them understand about Prophets and Revelation, but they wouldn't listen to anything I said, even though I was using Bible verses. It brings to mind D&C 131, how "man cannot be saved in ignorance." I still feel like we need to try to talk to them again for some reason. They told us to repent and follow Jesus Christ. Then they tried to get my email so they could send me the same video haha.

I'm getting more comfortable with my teaching skills and my knowledge of the Gospel and it is actually really fun getting to share it with others! As members of this church, we all have something deep in us that drives us to share what we know with others, and after the meeting with the two youtube watchers, It shows how much more information that we have been given, thanks to modern day prophets. I know that this church is true, and we all have the privilege to study and receive our own personal witness of the truth.

Love ya'll!

-Elder Moser

This is a SWEET Toilet tower that this crazy guy is building that over looks durban.
 I took this picture so I know how to build one when I come home

 My planner. I'm really proud of it.

Me and Ndlovu

Da Bluff