Gabbagoo

August 12, 2019

We have been quoting Mobsters and Mormons all week. My companion (because he is Brazilian) says everything super funny. He always says "Gabagoo Ham" haha. He is a funny guy. I hope after this week we are together a third transfer. Transfer news are this Saturday and for some reason I am really nervous for these ones.

We had a hectic week with two different transfers. I got to actually leave my area for the first time on mission, and spend some time with an elder from my group, elder Nichols, in Illovu. We had an appointment for every hour of the day, but I didn't really get to say much, because he talked to everybody in Zulu. Thats hard for me, because I don't know much. It's not the mission language either. But all is well, we had a powerful day. Other than a lady not opening the door for us even though we could see each other through the window. We had an appointment but I guess she changed her mind and wouldn't even open the door for us. kinda put a damper on the day, but what can we do? Gotta press forward.

Next day, I went on an exchange with Elder Ostler from Umlazi. We came to Kwamashu and had a strong day. We had 4 appointments towards the end of the day  but they were all 30 minutes from each other and very far away from each other. We only were able to make it to two of them, but it was people who are preparing for baptism. We ended our last appointment WAY past dark because at the last minute the family brought us out some Khumnandi food. And I swear, I was given and entire chicken to eat holy cow I had so much meat. my body is not going to be recognizable by the time I get home. but anyways, because of how late it was and where we were, a member bought us a taxi to get home.

Our investigator prince is still struggling. We have been reading the book of Mormon with him to help him understand the doctrine of Jesus Christ. He is doing better and should be coming with us to church on Sunday.

Last Monday we got small copies of the Book of Mormon. The point of them is to read whenever we have time. If somebody asks us about it, it is a good opportunity to tell them about it and give it away. Just like president Nelson said, if we read the book of Mormon, we will make better choices everyday, and I am a witness of that. The book of Mormon changes lives. It has changed my life. Everybody please do all you can to share this book with people:)

I AM enjoying leadership more. After the whole Emergency exchange thang, I have been much better. We did a lot of exchanges with the zone this week and it honestly felt a lot more productive. We met a lot of cool people and had zero time to waste. I'm learning how to be a good leader, but be fun at the same time. It IS really hard to balance sometimes.

To answer your questions (lol) My socks are fine, but disappearing suddenly. My shoes are getting rekt. I don't remember what driving on the right side of the road even feels like anymore. Sometimes though I switch into American mode and then things get crazy for a bit haha. The hardest thing about it is people always asking us for rides, especially missionaries. We aren't really allowed to use the car for that much. I didn't have breakfast today, because we didn't have anything to eat. Our appartment is too far away to get something to eat. 

I love you all!!!
Elder Moser

Anotha One Down.

August 5, 2019

This week has been super busy, which is actually super fullfilling. I had kinda a rough week before this last one and that is why I wasn't able to email, but I decided to put my worrying aside and just do the work. 

I did SO MUCH work this past week, and I did most of that work with not my companion. Two elders in the zone were having some issues and so me and Elder Bezerra decided to do some exchanges with them. We ended up having the exchange go 3 days, and then an emergency transfer happened which made us need to drive from Amanzimtoti to Imbali, then back to Amanzimtoti, then back to Kwamashu. It ended up being over 3 hours of driving and we didn't get back home until 11pm, but that's besides the point:)

Something cool that happened this week: A member has been trying to have us visit a friend, but every time we try to go, something happens and it ends up getting cancelled. One day this week, This person cancelled again but the member asked us to still visit. When we did, She had somebody else for us to teach named Ziporah. we were able to teach the restoration then and there. God is good.

We also have been teaching a 12 year old girl named Sphokazi. Her entire family is baptized, but less active, so by our teaching Siphokazi, they are all starting to come to church again:) Siphokazi is a little shy, but is slowly getting warmed up to us.

Love you guys! Remember to read the book of mormon, and share your findings with others!:)

-Elder Moser

 Dat Krispy Kreme.

Teaching Siphokazi.

I colored this!

Kwamashu!

NgiGrand

July 23, 2019

As far as teaching goes, not much of that happened this week. We had MLC last Tuesday and Wednesday. All my meetings with president Lines impresses me so much. I love that go so much! He is so cool with all of us. One thing I especially love is he knows how to do things professional but knows how to have fun. He will have moments of teaching and humbling us all, but it is always in a loving constructive manner. It was a pretty good MLC. 

Speaking of meetings, We had Zone conference yesterday, which is the reason that I am emailing today. We were told about 3 days before and we combined with Hillcrest. I got to Conduct and the whole zone conference actually went smoother than any other I have ever been to before. 

We got to see prince again this last sunday and he is doing much better. He was a lot happier and he was sharing with us the things that he read from the Book of Mormon. He happend to read in 3 Nephi 15 where it talks about "The other Sheep" and I know that him reading that was no coincidence. There is no Coincidences in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He told us he was trying to smoke while reading the book, but he would cough a lot every time he tried, so Now he is trying to stop that! haha, So cool!

I am doing well, I am happy. I just really hope that I will get to do more teaching this week. Love you all:)

-Elder Moser

We Got a GREENIE!

                                The Bluff Elders :)

July 15, 2019

YAYYYY We got a greenie in our district now! Elder Hiatt is training a youngin', Elder Fife. He is from Boise and can draw anything you ask him to. It's a nice thing to have, because he can make our meme ideas come to life!

Elder Bezerra and I have been putting in the work this last week. We knocked a pretty good chunk of Kwamashu this last week and I think it is started to pay off. There is something about coming home after a day of sweating and getting turned away that makes you feel more optimistic about the days to come. Our district has set the goal to Find the "One" Every day. It HAS been a struggle, but we have found that person. 

One of these is named Prince. We met him yesterday after church. We went to a home that we scheduled an appointment at, but we met him instead(if that makes sense). He explained some problems that he has been facing in his life recently and we got to share with him the book of Mormon. It was really cool to see how it answered the questions that troubled his soul. We read about the spirit world and the resurrection and about how families can be together forever. I don't think I have felt the spirit in a lesson like that before. It was really cool!

We got to pick up all the new missionaries from the airport, which means we also got to drive by the Durban Temple! I was so excited to see it! It has changed a lot since the last time I was at it a year ago!

Love you all!

-Elder Moser

We got to visit the Bluff when picking up elders for transfers.
We stopped to see the Allen family, who is my favorite.

Memes lol. A pie-in-ear, Get it?

On my study grind.
That poster in the back is from the daily sun.
 They make ridiculous headlines. haha

Da Boiz.
(Elders Atkinson and Da silva, who are leaving at the end of the month:( 

A late night snack while my comp eats naks with a fork haha

Welcome President Lines!

July 8, 2019

We got a new mission president and had another zone Conference this week! We had another Zone conference with Durban, Richards Bay and Hillcrest zones. There were a lot of missionaries and I wasn't sure how our mission president was going to handle it, But I already feel like he has connected with everyone and he has really made me feel like he cares about the missionaries and our success and safety. He is a super cool guy. Multiple times already he has told me we are going to get along, and I think its because when I told him I am from Blackfoot Idaho, we immediately started talking about fly fishing. He invited me to tie flies with him some P-day.

It's the end of another transfer and I am staying zone leader in Durban. Its actually weird because not much is changing in our zone. Other than the fact that a lot of our elders here are going to be training. Also, my son elder Ndlovu is going to be training which means I will have a grandson! I'm super excited about that!:))))) 

We spent most of our last week moving in. I got to drive a Nissan Hardbody which is a manual transmission so that was pretty fun;) We now live In Kwamashu, and our boarding is 3 levels up. It took a lot of trips to move out and we didn't get much help from the other elders and I kinda got frustrated. I need to work on patience haha...

love yall:)

-Elder Moser

Thank you, President and Sister Thompson! 

Welcoming the new President.

President and Sister Lines

Our Zone

ELDER HIATT WAS HIDING THIS HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH
POWDER THE WHOLE TIME!

This is me cooking some BOMB dinner.

Made hamburgers for the 4th Of July!!!! *Bald eagle noises*

We made jello but got impatient so we used
straws to slurp the half hardened jell.

Week of fun and uMIRAKLZ

July 1, 2019

HEYYYYYYY whats upppppppppp?

This week was lekker. I went on an exchange with the Bluff elders on Tuesday. Me and my companion for the day, Elder Da Silva, Were on a taxi headed somewhere through Kwamashu, And this taxi was super sketchy. It took us along some random path through the middle of the township that was really dangerous ( according to the members of the branch.) When we finally got off the taxi and started walking into a building, I felt my back pocket and realized that I left my wallet on the taxi! Now, a South African taxi is probably the last thing you want to leave your wallet in, and by the time that I realized I didn't have it, the taxi was speeding off in a random direction. As broken and sad as we were, we knew that we needed to say a prayer. Da Silva offered it, and as soon as we said Amen, The taxi came whipping around the corner and beckoned us to come. They gave my wallet back and even stayed while I checked to make sure everything was there. It would have been so easy for them to take everything, but the Lord tested our faith in him, and performed a miracle. 

We also got to meet our new mission president, President lines, at about midnight. That was a long night, and we didn't get back till about 2 in the morning. I Had so much energy afterwards that I could have stayed up much later. 

We Really just had an interesting week. We got kicked out of a lot of homes as well by Babas who never want us to come back which can be a little disheartening, but we are staying strong. We have been planning our second zone conference for this transfer as well, so plenty busy!

Love ya'll!

-Elder Moser

Kwasmashu

June 24, 2019 

Howzit folks, I got some things tuh say.

This week I was super confused with where we were. House numbers make no sense. One second you are by house H345 then the house right next to it is H69 and when you are looking for house H1456 it makes for a lot of fluttering. It does create a good way to contact people when you ask for help though. A question people always ask us is where we stay.. members say that it is because people want to rob us, but I find it is usually because the people who ask us are wondering how we are so brave. They say " are you not scared?" but when they see that we are missionaries they can immediately tell that we are protected by the Lord.  We get appointments from it too :)

We met with our Branch President, President Zulu, who fed us BURRITOS and told us about ideas on having investigators progress better. Apparently nobody does ancestor worship like the Zulu people. He was telling us about how similar the beliefs of the Zulu traditions and Temple ordinances are. This is really exciting for me, because the opening for the Durban temple has just been announced! We can do a lot to help people look towards the temple and be able to do work for their ancestors:)

I ate some really hot wings this last week and they didn't even bother me. When did that happen? I was even thinking to myself that they weren't strong enough.

One thing that was really funny this week was when I used sticky tack to stick all my companion's stuff to his desk, cupboard, and ceiling. I have a video of him trying to get everything but he doesn't see his home card on the ceiling lol.

Well, have a good week!

Sawubona Ma!

This week has been good, and went by super quickly. It is weird that it is already P-day.

I'm so excited for Porter! He just had a birthday and is doing all the good things. He is so much more prepared than I was, so he will be able to go in Gunz ablazing! I sure hope Japanese is easier to learn than Zulu!

I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday and I wasn't even nervous to talk in front of everybody. That is something new. I can easily say that my ability to talk in front of people is better. I am a lot better at talking to strangers as well. I kinda find myself leading a lot in lessons and contacts, but my companion has recently shared with me that he struggles with talking to people. The language barrier also doesn't help very much I am sure.

Ya know, some people commented on my dimple this week and have told me they wish they had them. I told them I could give them one since mine is actually a scar. " HAIBO"

Ngithanda Wena!

I finally have pictures for ya'll!

June 10, 2019

Hello associates. Howz been the week?

I have been sick for the past week. As I am composing this email, I am actually hacking a lung, and it hurts really bad. I don't want to go to the clinic, so I will take the Zulu remedy and eat plenty of oranges.

We met some pretty crazy people this week. The investigator who came to church and surprised us is still meeting with us. We want to meet with his friends as well but when we come to see them and they see us from afar, they run away really fast. In fact, when we came to see them, one guy didn't have a place to hide so he just spread eagle on the ground and pretended to be asleep. Haha, I hope they know we are quite harmless.

We had 3 baptisms yesterday, all kids under 15. The thing I love about kids getting baptized is when they bear their testimonies. They always say the most profound things. One of them, Sandile, said " If I could explain how I feel in one word, it would be clean. I;m going to go to all my friends and tell them I have no sins anymore"

I'm getting along well with my companion and we are working well together. He has surprised me. This week we are setting some good goals. We also have Zone conference. This will be President Thompson's last one, so it is going to be really different. Wish us the best with the preparations.

Ngi Thanda ya'll. Have a blessed week.

-Elder Moser

 

Hey mom! Sorry to hear that Luthia is gone. Just get another exchange student, right? Get one from south Africa. That would be cool. Then they could tell you about everything that I am experiencing right now:)

It feels good to have hit a year. I'm looking back at everything that happened in the past year and it feels like one, but went so fast. Now that I now what I'm doing I fear its gonna go by faster now.

This morning I got a call from one of my friends on mission. Last night President Thompson told him his father had passed on. I can tell he is hurting and I really want to help him with it. He is being strong and knowledge of the plan of salvation is really helping, I just wish I knew of a way that I could help him.

This week we ate chicken from a member family.... It still had some of the feathers on it and It wasn't cooked all the way... Also, I am still a zone leader, and I am going on an exchange to the Bluff tomorrow. Seems like I just can't get away from that place loll. Actually, the couple i got married finally got baptized yesterday! Just took extra time for the Baba to quit smoking, but when I interviewed him, he had stopped for 3 weeks!

Ngi Thanda wena!

-Elder Boopers

Us in Illovo!
The dark haired one is Bezerra. The other is elder Nichols from Idaho. 

This is chicken with Putu. I made the Putu. I offered the Gogo that I
make it for her. She was surprised a mlungu would offer that. haha

We were running at night and this crab dude ran across the road in front

 of us and Scared us to DEATH. We thought it was a rat! 

These are the kids that were baptized: Sphesihle, Kitty and Sandile.

Metanoeo

June 3 2019

Change has been coming in full force this week. I feel like with a new transfer it always gives you extra room to look at what you can improve on. I have been looking at a lot of the things I could be doing better and I have been doing my best. I read a Talk from president Nelson were he talks about the word "Metanoeo" and how it means changing our mind, Knowledge, spirit and breath. Christ wants us to change so much he even wants us to change the way that we breath! time to change just a bit.

This week has been really good and feels like fresh air. Me and my companion elder Bezerra have been doing a lot of finding this last week. We found % potential priesthood holders all in the same house, and I am already finding them as really close friends! One of them named Thabiso came with us to church on Sunday. He even stayed for the class afterwards and a baptism. I feel like the whole experience answered a lot of questions he had asked us a few days prior. It made me really happy to see.

Along with that, the whole zone has been having us come to do baptismal interviews for them. It is so cool to visit other areas of the mission and see their successes. Everyone wants to do exchanges tho, so I'm not too excited about that.

my calculator watch is still working so nobody worry about that. Use it on the daily because I am getting progressively worse at math haha.

We had a dinner appointment this week were my companion was so full that he couldn't finish the Putu on his plate. He didn't want to be disrespectful with not eating his food, but he was so full that he had to put some in his pocket hahaha.

This transfer is gonna be a good one and I hope to baptize like crazy! love you all!

-Elder Moser

BTW, there is a member in this ward named Wamke who was actually companions with Spencer Barbre. We talked about him a little bit yesterday after church.

You know, I am doing a lot better. There were a lot of hidden things I was kinda struggling with, but we had MLC on Tuesday and Wednesday and that actually answered a lot of questions for me and this week I have been really powerful. I am leading the area yet again, and it is just as fun as always. Elder Bezerra sometimes doesn't really contribute much sometimes and I feel like I'm doing things on my my own a lot. He is really quiet and doesn't say much, but EVERYTIME we are getting ready to go somewhere, it takes him a long time to follow. Those are the moments he becomes social for some reason haha. gotta help with that.

Today we went to the biggest mall in the mission called Gateway. Again I guess. We didn't really have anything to do but I wanted to do something. We got waffles for lunch. They made me really sick because it had ice cream and carmel on it. remember when I could have a lot of sweet stuff and you told me that one day I wouldn't be able to handle it anymore? That time has come hahahahaha. Shame.

I can't believe I am about a year now. Feels like just yesterday that I was in the bitter cold of Lesotho. I miss it, but it does get kinda cold here in the mornings. I actually fear that I am losing my immunity to the cold the longer I am here in Durban. It is super hot and I don't get sick from it.

May 28, 2019

May 28, 2019

I think I'm going to give up on this whole email shindig.

Transfers just happened, but we did transfers on Monday. Meaning, I got shafted and didn't get to email. I'm trying to make up for it today, but only have a short while because we have to go to MLC in like, 20 minutes. I want to give details, but sometimes I just can't.

You don't gotta stress though, we are tracting in safer areas. We put a great big map in our boarding and then color coded it to see the safe and not safe areas. We do have appointments in the not as safe areas, but I feel fine. I always check to see if I feel uneasy, and so far I have felt at peace with all of it.

I'm staying in Kwamashu another transfer, but elder Morales is going to Hillcrest to be ZL there. We just swapped companions and so I have the ex. Hillcrest Elder Bezerra. He is from Brazil and is half my age on mission. Speaking of which, can you believe I am going to hit a year in about a week????? That is crazy to me! I remember when Nathan hit that point in his mission. I actually had a Brazilian elder who I was in the MTC with come to me asking if I was still planning on going home early and how that made him sad, but I don't remember ever telling him I wanted to go home early haha. I am excited to see what me and my new companion can accomplish. He is a little quiet so I feel like I will have to open him up a bit. Break him in, if you know what I'm saying.

We attended a funeral last Saturday. It was my first African one. Holy cow, it literally took so long! It was at a Christian Church and a good portion was in Zulu. there was a band and people would go up and do, well, exactly what you would think they do in an African church. There were a couple times I forgot I was even at a funeral. Kinda like a concert. There was a lot of incense burners and I was scared I was gonna get a bloody nose haha. They also had a portion where you could come up and take the bread and Wine, actual wine mind you, but only if you were worthy... So that was interesting. They wanted my companion to perform at the funeral a song he wrote but he had to decline since we represent a church haha. And because it wasn't really fitting haha.

Hope you have a good week! Tell the youngins' I love them! 

-Elder Moser

Letter to Mom

May 20, 2019

Sorry for not posting any pictures.... Ever. I know a lot of you probably don't ever read this and just look at the pictures, but Honestly, I haven't even touched my camera in a long while because I fear it getting stolen. We have found ourselves in some pretty sketchy situations this week. 

First off, the week was a lot better and we got way more new people to teach. One of them was a man named Tony who was actually a white man who was married to a Zulu lady. He is super cool and we talked with him for a bit to see if he would be interested. But what was cool was this kid that was walking by the house and saw us in there and politely asked if he could listen to our message. He is our age and seems to be sincerely in search of truth with religion. We are going to teach him again this week.

My time with Morales is already coming to an end. He has been in this area for 5 transfers already so we are guessing that he is bout to head out. If that is the case, i'm nervous to who my next companion will be! I like this guy. He cool.He is just cool because of his talent with Music. He is also just a happy guy. His zulu name he was given is Jabulo, which means happy. We got along super well. I hope he comes to BYUI, but it depends on where music will take him in his country.

Love ya'll.

-Elder Moser

Hey mum!

I really like your Epiphany. So much that I am going to start using it for member visits. It is a little bit easier to visit members in Kwamashu. We were at a members house and the couple fed us dinner, which was mince and beans over rice, and chicken. I thought about home cooked meals and how we would never have 2 meat dishes in the same meal, but 2 is a small number in this country haha.

This week has been a lot better in terms of missionary work. On one day, we got 7 new investigators. That was really cool. And we didn't find out until after that we were in a dangerous section of our area. Found cool people though, and we also found a white man who married a Zulu girl and lives in the township, which is nothing I have ever seen before haha.

We went go-karting today at a HUGE mall called The Gateway. The go karts were super fast and fun. The whole time I thought back to all the times you called me "Dash" with my speed, and it propelled me to take first! I was flying. So fun.