A new companion and another 6 weeks in Juncos!

Well I did it. I made it through my training and survived my first 12 weeks in the field.

I am happy to announce that I will be staying here in Juncos for another 6 weeks!!!!! I am so happy to have this opportunity to work with the ward and help it grow and really be strong in the gospel.

This week was a difficult week with La Semana Santa. Everyone is out of town and is really busy. So it was hard to find people to share this amazing gospel with. As Easter Sunday just passed I want to quickly share my testimony about that I know that the Savior lives and I know he was resurrected on the third day. I love the Savior and everything he did for us. 

Now on to the Investigators

J: We have not been able to teach him this week because he was with his family. He is still wanting to go to church and still hear from us. He has really changed since talking with us. 

J: Has kind of stopped talking to us, we have tried multiple times to get into his house and talk but he is never there, or he is always busy and has no time. But I know that if he doesn't get baptized with us that he will sometime down the road with other missionaries all we have done is plant a seed in his heart and it is his job to continue to make it grow.

L: is still with us he is a great man who is trying so hard to provide for his family. He has 6 kids and loves them all. His wife is less active and really loves the kids too. They both work and are growing as a couple when we teach them.

M: Now where to begin with this kid. He is 18 and knows a lot about the church already!!! He asked us to come by again. I know that I am supposed to be speaking Spanish but he prefers us to speak in English I love it. He really wants to know if this is true before he gets baptized. He is a blessing to us and we are so grateful to be able to help him.

P: He is another amazing man. He is engaged to a member in our ward and he wants to live up to the girls standards at first we thought that he was just doing this for her and being pressured but as we began to teach him he is really doing this for himself he really wants to change his life around and be a disciple of Christ. 

That is all of our investigators right now but we are going to find more this next transfer.

Oh Elder Boggess is Leaving and will be working in Aguadilla with Elder Grimmer!!!! [Elder Grimmer was Elder Moss's companion in the CCM.] What a coincidence those two are going to get so much done.

What did you guys think about conference???

Boy did I love it!!!! It is so different watching conference as a missionary. Oh and yes I got to watch it in English. When watching you aren't just thinking for yourself but also for the ward, less actives and investigators and how to help everyone. There is one talk that really stood out to me and it was given by Larry M Gibson and if I am right he just got released as a counselor in the General Young Men Presidency. Here's a link to Elder Gibson's Conference Talk

I love you all and I am so grateful to have you apart of my life. I want you to know I pray for you guys everyday and I always see what I can to help you guys grow. I am so grateful for all the support from you guys and I love and miss you guys!!!!

Con Mucho Amor;

 

Elder Musgo!!!!!! 

Still in Juncos, for now!

What a great week we had here. A lot of different investigators are coming out of the wood works!!!!

Transfers will be happening next week!!!! I am honestly nervous for transfers because there is a 50/50 chance that I can be leaving Juncos. I don't want to get transferred I am finally getting closer with the members and gaining more of their trust. 

The members here are really helping us now. We just had a mission activity and we were able to talk and get closer with the members and get to know them better and play a little Volleyball!!!!

 

We have a lot of new investigators that are really progressing this week

(J) who we had to change his baptismal date back one week because we had to take an emergency trip to the hospital on Sunday but it is ok he still wants to come to church and come closer to God. He is such a down to earth young man. He really does want to change his life and I know that we are here to help him with that. He has gotten really close with me especially he can relate a little more to me than to Elder Boggess. 

 (J2) has been a little hard to get a lesson with him but he is still wanting to change his life also he has been busy taking care of his horses but I know that he wants to change his life. I know that he will really help the ward out.

(L) is a husband who is married to a less active and they have 6 kids and he asked us to come and teach him so we have gotten to help him come close to God and be able to see that there is a plan for him. He is really receptive to our message and really wants to be an example for his kids. We are really working with members to help teach him and get him to understand that we are all here for him. 

(P) is a new investigator and was also a reference from a member and he is such a great guy he really loves the gospel and he wants to change his life as well and is looking forward to changing it. He knows this is true and was waiting for us to get to him to teach him.

Yesterday I had an amazing experience to go on another Companion exchange and I got to work in Humacao/Naguabo we got to take the sacrament to a member who is on best rest for the rest of his life. We also got to do some service for him and his wife, I won't go into details at all but I will get to say while I was on my mission that I had to hand bath a 76 year old man (I will leave it at that)

Exchanges Humacao/Naguabo

I love this gospel so much and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve here in Puerto Rico and in Juncos. I know that the Lord has special plans for me and I can't wait to see what he has in store for me.

I love you all and I really miss you and Mom and Dad I will let you know about Mothers day there is a possibility that I will not be in Juncos for it. 

Con Mucho Amor 

Elder Musgo

More things:

It is getting hotter

We went to an amazing missionary activity 

I am excited for General Conference 

I am ready to hear from a modern day prophet!!!!

Questions and Answers:

*Do you need anything from home?

I would love my contacts from home please I have a bad glasses tan line.

*How are your clothes holding up? Shoes? Socks? Shirts? Pants?

All of my clothes are getting too big ;) I keep losing weight but I am ok thank you.

*Is there anything you miss that you'd like me to send?

I am missing my family!!!!! ;) Will you please send me Hilary Weeks Beautiful Heartbreak?

*Are you excited for transfers coming up? Nervous? Do you really think Elder Boggess will be transferred?

I am not excited for transfers. It is really nerve racking knowing that one of us could be leaving!!!

*If you stay in Juncos, what will our Mother's Day conversation look like? Skype? Phone?

If I stay most likely Skype. 

100 Days on my mission

Horse

 

 

 <-- I saw the Ocean

 I saw a cool  basketball arena -->

Another week in Juncos

Lets see where to start??? This week was interesting, we had a lot of set backs but we also had a lot go for us!!!

We are always trying to find new people to teach!!! This last Friday I had another Exchange but this time we worked in Juncos and it was with Elder Blain again, yes the other greenie!!!! He is such an amazing missionary!!!!! He has only been out for 3 weeks and has a strong testimony already!!!! 

On our exchange all of our plans fell through except for an awesome lesson with G!!! We talked about why a mission is so important because she is currently working on her mission papers!!!!! Yes we had a less active become reactivated this last week!!!! Oh and reactivations here count as baptisms!!!! So techincally we had a baptism;)  JKJK she is going to really help the people wherever she serves!!!!

We now have two baptismal dates for April 11th!!!!! Both of these guys look really good and could be baptized that day!!!! 

J is one of them!!! He has come to us and asked to help him come closer to God!!!! He really wants to change his life!!!! I had the amazing opportunity to invite him to be baptized!!!!! I was so happy when he said yes, he is such an amazing young man!!!! He will really change the ward when he is baptized!!! I can see his desire to change his life!!! 

The other baptism date is still J [different J than above] and he sounds like he really wants to be baptized also he is so strong and is really receptive to our message!!! He will really help the ward especially if we can get his family to listen to us as well!!! I know that they will be touched by it!!!!

All of our other investiagtors are basically gone right now J, P, M, A, M, F they either won't answer our phone calls or always are canceling our appointments :( but it is ok sometimes we have to let them fail before they realize that this is what they really want!!! I know it sucks but it is ok and I am not letting it get me down!!!! I know that God has a plan for all of us!!!! 

I am so grateful for all that the gospel has done for my life and how it has blessed my life as well I know that I am here to bless others as well it may not be easy but if it was meant to be easy what would we learn!!!! I know that this is hard but I am learning so much about myself and I am grateful for that!!!! 

Thank you for all the wonderful things that were said about me in that last package they really meant a lot to me and really made my day!!!!

Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro Salvador y Redentor, Yo se que Jose Smith fue profeta  y que el restauro el Evangelio verdadero, Yo se que Thomas S Monson es el profeta hoy en dia!!! Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera, yo se que las escrituras son las palabaras de Dios. Yo se que Jesucristo se sacrifico para nosotros. Yo se que la familia es eterna. Me encanta el Evangelio. Yo se que Dios nos ama. En el Nombre de Jesucristo. Amen

[I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that restored the true gospel, I know Thomas S Monson is the prophet today!!! I know the church is true, I know the scriptures are the word of God. I know that Jesus Christ sacrificed for us. I know the family is eternal. I love the gospel. I know God loves us. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen]

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Moss

Questions and answers:

Is it transfer time yet? Anyone being transferred? 

Transfers will be April 7th we find out April 5th who is getting transferred!!!

Are you being fed any more than once every couple of weeks?

We are not being feed very much it is us cooking for ourselves!!! But this friday we have a dinner appointment with a family from Elder Boggess's last area becuase he might get transferred!!!

How's your knee?

My knee is great I don't worry about it at all I let it just be itself I don't want the pain to affect my work!!!

How are your investigators?

Investiagtors that we are teaching are amazing!!!!!

Have you been grocery shopping lately? What did you buy? What kind of meals to you make at your house? Certainly it not only burritos!!!

We go shopping every Monday and we just buy what we really need!!!!

What is something that you learned this last week?

I learned that I have noticed every little thing and that it really helps I have learned that I can really read people which is interesting because I couldn't do either of those back at home!!!

How did Elder Holland's devotional go? I heard he shook everyone's hand.

Elder Hollands devotional was amazing!!!!! He is such an amazing speaker and he really wanted to get in our faces!!! Normally he would pound on the pulpit but instead he was hitting missionaries in the face!!!! He also looked me in the eye while he was talking I was so excited!!!!

When care packages arrive, describe what condition they arrive in, how are they delivered to you? With the last one, what did you think when you got it? What was your favorite thing inside?

Packages that come to me, get to me in great condition and are always amazing to get!!!! Out of this last package my favorite thing would definitly have to be the super long list!!!! But out of the food I would have to say the Peanut butter and Jelly I love Peanut Butter and Jelly so much!!!! I am so grateful for everything and all the love I have recieved from home and all of my family and friends I really could not be doing this without you guys it really means a lot to me!!!!

Elder Moss and I had a little back-and-forth email moment that I'd like to share as well...

Mom (in my weekly letter): Does your current area include Las Piedras? One of the Missionary Mommas has non-member family there. She said you should meet them - that would be cool.

Elder Moss (before responding to anything else in my letter): Hey Mom just a quick question do you know that families name yet?

Mom: The family in Las Piedras? It's Elder Hefner's family (I believe on his moms side, so they probably aren't named Hefner) I just asked Sister Hefner what their name is. I will let you know as soon as she gets back to me. [Elder Hefner is an elder who served with Elder Moss in the CCM]

Elder Moss: Thank you so much that really means a lot to us, when we saw that you said that we jumped up and down so happy!!!! That really made our day!!!! We Love you!!!!!

Mom: Sister Hefner is going to get me an address. I will send it as soon as I get it. 

Elder Moss: Awesome thank you so much!!!!!

I suppose the reason I wanted to include this back-and-forth communication is to let everyone know that you just never know when and where you will have a missionary moment. I sent a referral to my son on his mission 3000 miles away. If you know someone, somewhere, who you think needs the gospel, let the missionaries know. I guarantee they will be just as excited as my son and his companion were when they heard about Sister Hefner's family.

 

Elders Moss, Powell, Smith, and Lopez

Elder Holland and the Puerto San Juan Missionaries

 

 

I shook the hand of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Ok Family, as you guys know this week was very special for me! I got to meet Jeffrey R Holland! [for those of you who don't know who Jeffrey R Holland is, you can check out his bio by clicking here Jeffrey R. Holland ] What an experience this was I got to shake his hand!!!! I couldn't stop shaking I was so nervous!!!! Jeffrey R Holland is such an amazing speaker!

Before I talk about him I want to share a little about our investigators!

To start us off we found J again and we will be teaching him again!!! I am so excited to be able to teach him again! He is a son of God and he will one day come closer to Christ all we are here to is plant that seed for him and he will make that decision for himself!

P & M: we have not been able to teach them in three weeks. they had family over and they were always busy!!!! It is so hard to see people be going the right way and then they just stop talking to us, it really hurts. I always cry when they cancel our lessons!!! I know they are daughters of God and will decide one day to follow his example to be baptized!

J: We haven't taught him a lesson because he is never home he is an 18 yr old kid why would he stay at home? but we found him yesterday and have a lesson with him tonight I pray it helps him realize this is the path for him!!!!

J: We have been teaching for two weeks now and just yesterday we asked to follow the Savior's example and be baptized on April 11th and he said yes!!!!! I am so excited this is were the work comes into play!!!!! He is such a great guy and will really help the ward a lot!!!!

F: We have taught him recently but we have not been there to work on his farm he broke down in San Juan for a couple of weeks and so we haven't been able to see him but last week he got home and we taught him a great lesson on the Book of Mormon!!! He said he would read a chapter a day!!!!

L: Is a guy we just started to teach. he was a reference from a member and his wife is a less active and they have 6 kids!!! He asked for us to come teach him again and they already committed to coming to church this coming Sunday!!! 

Our investigators are really coming along!!!!!

Now on to the Less Active members

G: is a 21 year woman and she was baptized just over a year or so ago!!! She is really strong and has continued to come to church she has really helped us with one of our Investigators and is really strong in the Gospel she will be heading up to Salt Lake City for General Conference this April she is so excited and she will be doing Baptisms for the dead in the Salt Lake City Temple!!!!!

A: These guys [a whole family] are awesome. they all speak perfect English because the dad was born and raised in the States!!!! They are slowly coming back to church and really help the ward out a lot he is in the young men Presidency and helps those guys a lot!!!!

Lastly, Hermana O: she is in her 60s and she has just started to come back to church she lives with her daughter and on occasion she will bring her grandson to church with her, it is so cool to see her coming back to church she has really changed since I have been here!!!!

Ok now on to Jeffrey R Holland!!!!!

So this mission was one of the most disobedient missions there was they had a lot of problems with Mission Presidents and so when we heard Jeffrey R Holland was coming here we thought he was going to completely clean out the Mission and send people home, but I just want to tell you that it was the exact opposite of what we thought was going to happen!!!!

At the beginning of the meeting we all got to shake his hand and when he started talking he said I just interviewed every single one of you and I am really proud of all of you!!! He then turned and looked to President and Sister Boucher and told them how proud he was of them for getting here and turning this mission around and he said that he couldn't be anymore proud of us!!! He also talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and he asked us to become a Book of Mormon Mission and that if people aren't progressing just sit there and read the Book of Mormon with them and show them how this can change their lives!!!!!

I am out of time but I just want each of you to know that I know that Jeffrey R Holland is an apostle of God and has been called to represent him at this time in his life. I know that this gospel is true and I would never ask to be a part of anything different!!!!!!!!!!!

CON MUCHO AMOR

Elder Musgo ;)

Things about me:

*I read a whole book!!!!!!

*I started the Book of Mormon over and I am already at 1 Nephi 14 and started two days ago.

*It is still Raining

Who are your District Leaders? Zone leaders?

District Leader is Elder Rasmussen is from Utah

Zone Leaders are Elder Astorga he is from Guatemala and Elder Chavez is from Mexico

What are the names of the other Elders you live with?

Elder Boggess is from Utah

Elder Beecroft is from Arizona

Elder Valladares is from Honduras

Did you get to see any of the Elders from the MTC?

I saw my whole MTC group at Jeffrey R Holland Conference

Have you taken any super fun pictures?

I am waiting for pictures from Elders in MTC group to send to me!!!!

Have you picked up any more service projects? 

I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!

What a Week!

Elder Moss's letter from March 2, 2015

What a week!!!! This week got even harder!!!!

We have been working so hard but no one is willing to listen or willing to have us back to share another message. :( This week we haven't even gotten to talk to any of our investigators they all have changed their priorities of what is more important to them! :( 

This week consisted on some changes here in Juncos we had one missionary leave and he is now going to finish up his mission in Bayamon and we also dropped of another Elder (from Humacao) in Toa Baja! Once we dropped him off we picked up Elder Beecroft from Toa Baja and brought him back to Juncos with us!!!! More on Elder Beecroft he is from Chandler Arizona and has 2 younger sisters and has been out only 3 months more than me. Juncos is his second area and loves it already!!!

Not only have we had transfers we have also had a lot of sickness go through out our house but it has only affected two of us Elder Valladres and myself. It has been hard but I haven't let it stop me yet we are always out working!!!

Elder Boggess and I had some disagreements and in our weekly planning we got EVERYTHING out on the table and discussed EVERYTHING I feel so much closer to him because of this!!!! We see each other as brothers and so we act like it sometimes which sometimes isn't a good thing!!! It is hard to live with people you really don't know but I have been trying to change that!!! I have been talking to everyone in the house and have been getting to know them and because of this I feel more love for them!!!

As for this week in the work we have still seen some miracles we found this amazing husband and wife and they asked us to come back to visit them and that was supposed to be today but she had to cancel because her husband wasn't there and she wanted to be with him when we taught our message!!! It hurts that she had to cancel but it so awesome on why she did cancel!!!!! 

We also found this young man named J and he has been having some troubles he told us that when he use to pray he could feel God but recently he couldn't and so I shared one of the quotes that mom sent me with and it goes like this "When you're going through hard times and you wondering where is God, just remember; the teacher is always quiet during a test." 

I love this quote and so did J and he asked us when we would be coming back to share another message with him!!!! This quote means a lot to me because I know it to be true!!!!

As I was waiting for my mission I felt just like J, like God had forgotten about me and I wasn't important enough for him to take care of but now as I look back on this I have realized that God is always there for us and loves everyone!!!! He is just quiet when during the test!!!!

I know without a doubt that this gospel is true, I have no doubts that God is there for us always even when we feel alone!!! I know that God loves us so much that he has given us trials to work with I know that he is there for me and has blessed me greatly!!! I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior and I am willing to sacrifice myself for them and be here and bring others to this gospel because I know thats what the Lord wants of me at this time and  in this area!!!!

I love you all and I can't wait to hear from you all next week!!!!

CON AMOR!!!!!!!!!

Elder Moss