Week 11 Carolina (Pontezuela)

Family and Friends,

First I wanted to start off by saying that Puerto Rico is amazing and it is probably the happiest Country in the World this weekend!!!! As a lot of you know Monica Puig is huge hero here. She won the Gold Medal this weekend in Tennis. man everyone has been celebrating a lot this past weekend.

But for my letter this week, we had a great week I am so grateful for all the wonderful things that are happening here and we are really trying to find those people that the Lord has prepared for us.  

I wanted to say that I miss you all and I love you all so much you guys are always in my prayers, I can't believe that all of my friends are so much different [getting married, having babies, going to college, going on missions, returning from missions] <-- It is super cool to hear how their missions changed their lives and then I am thinking about my mission and how it has changed me, I know that the Lord has sent me here to Puerto Rico for a reason and that he has a plan for me!!!! 

I am so grateful for all the support that you guys have shown to me, I always like to think that I can't do this alone, you guys as family and friends have been a big part of this mission for me and I am grateful for all of you!!!! 

I know that the Lord has a plan for each and everyone of us and He is leading us where He wants us to go!!! 

I love you all and miss you tons, I hope you all have a great week!!!! I can't wait to hear from you all next week!!!!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

We should always follow Christ. He is the light, life and the way!!!! I love you guys so much!!!! 

      
 

Week 10 Carolina (Pontezuela)

Family and Friends

This week was very difficult for us we are having problems with finding people. This week I have had a good opportunity to learn the importance of members in this work. 

Today we had the opportunity to have a testimony builder for the 3 of us, we went to Costco to go shopping and the member bought us a a slice of Pizza and when we were going to sit down some guy called Elder Lopez over and started to talk to him and he was saying some pretty mean things not only about the Church about me and Elder Morris, he was telling us that we were all liars and that we basically are wasting our time but then he told Elder Lopez that he was a liar and basically a loser for being with 2 Americans. He then asked for a card with Elder Lopez's number and we pulled out a card and he started going off again that Jesus isn't white and that the Bible says that he is brown. Long Story Short we have been blessed with the amazing gospel in our lives. 

I have learned from this experience that nothing can destroy my faith and my testimony that I have in this gospel. No matter what people say or do to hurt us we have to remember that the Lord has called us and we are Sons and Daughters of God. I am so grateful for this gospel I have in my live and all the wonderful blessings I have received and I will continue to receive. 

I Love you all and miss you tons!!! I can't wait to be able to see each of your smiling faces again!!!! You guys mean the world to me and I couldn't have asked for a better family and better friends. 

Until next week, I hope I have even more to share!!!! 

Love

Elder Musgo

Week 8 in Pontezuela (Carolina)

Family and Friends;

Sorry I am writing today and not yesterday. Yesterday was a Holiday here, we celebrated The Constitution of Puerto Rico so everywhere was closed that we could write. So we just stayed home and played Dominoes all day!!!!!

But as you have seen by my pictures YES, WE HAD A BAPTISM!!! It was so cool we did the WHOLE thing in English just for him because is from Dominica and doesn't speak very much Spanish. As you can see I was in all white and so was Bishop, the reasoning is that Joseph had a stroke a while ago and he can only use the Left side of his body so he asked me to be in the water to help him and he asked the Bishop to do the Ordinance and now this Sunday I will be honored to be confirming him a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!!!!!!!!!!! It will be in English also!!!!!!!! We are so happy for him!!!!

But now its time to move on an help others as well but that was a little bit easier two weeks ago right as we were finishing Sacrament meeting there was a family who showed up but as they saw that we were leaving to go to the classes me and Elder Morris quickly followed after them and asked them if they wanted to stay for the classes. so they stayed and then they came this Sunday as well and yesterday we had the opportunity to teach them and tried to set a date with them but they didn't want that quite yet but its okay with time. When they are ready. 

Well family and friends as you can see the work is coming along here in Puerto Rico and the Lord is blessing us with people to teach. The mission has changed me a ton and I can't wait to show everyone what I have learned and who I am now. i love you all so much and miss you tons!!!!! I hope you all have a great week!!!!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo!!!!!

Soaked to the Bone

Soaked to the Bone

After Basketball

After Basketball

Week 7 in Carolina (Pontezuela)

Family and Friends

Wow this week was very interesting. We are trying to get everything settled in, and trying to figure out how we are going to do this trio and how we are going to divide everything, The teaching and Contacting is super different, because we are trying to get use to teaching as 3 not just 2. 

For everything that is going on right now we are excited to be able to have a baptism this coming Sunday!!!!! He is such a great guy. He is from Dominica he only speaks English but he understands Spanish. I have been blessed with the opportunity to help teach him a little bit. He has been coming to church for about 2 months now and he loves it. 

As for us we are basically taking the area and starting all over because its hard to put everything together so we are starting over to help us know what we have and what we need to find. 

I have been thinking a lot about the mission and how it has changed my life so much. I have been in situations where I had to help other people understand the importance of the Atonement. I truly love this photo, I always think about the Savior and how he already went through our pain and that we don't have to hurt or even die for our sins because he already did that for us. 

I love you all and miss you tons!!!! I hope you all have a great week and I will see you soon!!!! 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

 

Questions and Answers

Mom: How are you doing? 

Moss: I am doing great I am trying to get used to working with 3 Elders again.

Mom: How was your week?

Moss: Long just because it was transfers and we are trying to get everything worked out. 
 

Mom: How's your new companion? 

Moss: My new COMPANIONS are great!!!!! 
 

Mom: WHO is your new companion? 

Moss: They, because I am with 2 other one is Elder Morris and Elder Lopez
 

Mom: Where's he from? 

Moss: California and Guatemala
 

Mom: What is he like? 

Moss: They are awesome we are always laughing!!!!
 

Mom: How are your investigators?

Moss: The Investigators are great we are actually having a baptism this Sunday!!!!
 

Mom: Who and what are you teaching to them right now? 

Moss: Joseph is from Dominica and only Speaks English so it is awesome we are preparing him for his baptism this weekend!!!! 
 

Mom: What did you do last week?

Moss: Last week was my last week with Elder Ramirez and we were working and enjoying each others company.

Served in the CCM together L-R Elders Orr, Moss, Suero, Burke

Week 12 in Salinas

Family and Friends

I have been so grateful for this opportunity I had to be here with Elder Johnson I really learned a lot. He has really helped me to grow. I now know 2 really important things from these past 3 months here with him. The first one is that I need to learn how to handle stress and I got really good at it, also with the first one is that I need to learn how to love my companion no matter what, they are trying their best. The second thing was that I need to be more humble in everything I do. I had a lot of time to admire the way that Elder Johnson worked and it was really awesome to learn from him. I now understand the importance of being a humble missionary, because when we are more humble we are easier to teach and more willing to learn.

For our miracles this week there are a couple of them,

First off is that we had an appointment with someone who talked with the missionaries a lot and so we went to the house and sadly she wasn't there but her husband said but I can talk with you guys, so we sat down and asked about him and his family and he said he has 3 sons and one of them was there so he came out and we were able to share with these two. When we finished the lesson we invited them to be baptized and they both said yes. Then we invited them to Church and before I could even say the time they asked me where and when. They told us that they weren't able to make it yesterday but they will be there next week. SO FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!!!

The other one is that we were contacting last night and we were talking to everyone that we found and really trying to find the right person to teach, but we knocked on one door and and the vecino (neighbor) came out because he thought that we were talking to him so we went over and started to talk to him and then we asked if we could share our message with him and he said ok come on in, we started the lesson by singing "I am a Child of God" and he loved it, he could really feel the spirit. He was sharing with us that he just got divorced two years ago and was still hurting but we explained that its ok that we were going to be here to help him through this and then we invited him to be baptized and he said that yes he will be baptized.

I am so grateful for this amazing gospel that we have in our lives.

Family and friends as you can read, I will staying here in Salinas. my new companion will be Elder Morales from Guatemala. He has just a little bit more time than I do here in the mission. To answer your question mom yes I will still be district leader but there has been some changes with that. when I first started as District Leader I had 6 missionaries now I will have 10 missionaries we are putting two Districts together and the Lord has asked me to be the District Leader of all of us here now.

I want you to know I love you all and miss you tons, I am so grateful for all that you do for me. I have learned so much as a missionary and am grateful for all the support that I have from you guys.

I know this gospel to be true and that what I am doing here is what the Lord needs from me now.

I love you all!!!!!!!

Con Mucho Amor
Elder Musgo


Excerpt from a letter to Mom...

Hey mom as you have seen now with my weekly letter Elder Johnson is leaving Salinas and I am staying here also Elder Lopez is leaving!!!! This was a hard change for us in the house we all thought that E. Lopez would be staying here but the Lord had other plans for him! I am doing great always working hard! I have a secret for you!!!! I now weigh with all of my church clothes on 207 pounds! I WILL BE LESS THAN 200 BEFORE I COME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Salinas: Week 10

Family and Friends

This week was good for us, I have really seen a great change in ourselves and in the area. I am doing so much better. I feel great I don't feel to over stressed now. I am so grateful for all the support that I have been given from other missionaries, you, and my family. This week we did a lot of contacting looking for that Baptism and we found 3 good people that have some good potential. We still have one on date [baptism date] and she is good.

I felt God watching over me and taking care of me

Our investigator on date - her name is Z and she has a lot of potential. we didn't have the opportunity to visit with her this week but we have an appointment tonight with her and her husband. So we don't know very much right now about her progress.

But this week through contacting we found this sister named I, she is Catholic and loves to listen to the word of God so we shared with her the first lesson and everything was great. we invited her to be baptized but she said she had to pray about it, but she said let me read and find out for myself. She is a great person and we have a return appointment for this week.

Also, this weekend we were contacting and as we were praying I had the feeling to pray to find a couple so we finished our prayer and were contacting for about an hour. as it was getting close to end our day we said we will contact one more house and as we contacted it we were waiting and the Sister said that we can come up to her door because she was to tired to walk all the way down the stairs so we went up and she told us to come in and sit down. we began talking to her and then her husband walked out and he started to talk to us also and then they said come on in the Mosquitoes are coming out, so we went in and we were able to share the first message with this couple and we invited them to be baptized they said they had to think about it but it was so awesome to be able to feel the spirit tell us go one more house!

Yesterday we had an awesome experience so as we were going to our visit, T, the investigator that is going to get baptized this weekend from Elder Lopez and Elder Dubon, she was in the park that we have to pass by and it had been awhile since we had seen her and so we went and told her hi and asked her how she is doing. but as we were leaving she asked us if we knew about her baptism for this Saturday we said yes of course and then my favorite part, she said "usted puede hacer mi bautismo para mi!!!!" (Can you baptize me!!!!) I really wasn't expecting that. I told her of course I would love to!!!!

I am so grateful for the gospel in our lives and the opportunity that we have to be missionaries! I have been able to witness a lot of milagros in my mission! I am so grateful for prayer and the opportunity that we have to pray everyday and be able to feel of our Heavenly Fathers presence everyday! I love you all! We are all truly missionaries here in this world!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

Week 9 in Salinas

Family and Friends

This week was a little better for us. We went and changed our attitudes and we went to find and to find to baptize!!!! This week I also found out that I am stressed a little and I am working hard on it. I sat down during my personal study today and read through the Adjusting to Missionary Life and I found that it really helps. I have felt so much more peace throughout my day today.  I am so grateful for the gospel that we have in our lives to help us with everything!!!!

 

 

But for this week we had an awesome experience, Elder Lopez and I were on an exchange and we were contacting and we went and knocked on this door and this older lady came out and we started to talk to her, she had told us that she used to go to a church but she stopped. then we started to share the 1st lesson with her and we got to the Book of Mormon and she paused us and asked us if we had one and we pulled out one and she started to explain that her husband passed away about 6 years ago and he wasn't going to a church but he told her before he passed away that there was a church that had another book that she had to find that, that was the right church. So we said that she could have this one and then she said she would read it. It  was such a spiritual moment and we then invited her to come to church with us and she said she would love to but she didn't remember if she had a commitment so we told her we would call her to confirm on Saturday but during the day we received a call from her and she told us that she didn't want us to pass by right now that she didn't want to be confused but I explained to her that, that's what we are here for - to help her not to be confused and to understand everything. So we are going to respect here decision. She is reading and she is understanding up to now. 

We also have a baptismal date for someone named Z. she and her husband have listened a little but nothing really came from it. But yesterday we went and shared the first lesson with them and invited them to be baptized and she said yes and he said give him a little time to think about it. Her date is for March 26th!!!!!!

We have really seen a difference when we have an good attitude about the work and a bad attitude about the work and we are really working on changing. 

I have noticed that with me being stressed has brought out my bad attitude and I am doing everything in my power to change it now because I can't be a good leader if I am stressed and am getting mad at myself which I am getting mad at others, that is not why I am here. 

A quote that I really like that I am working on is "God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been, as he does about where you are and with his help where you are willing to go." Jeffrey R Holland

I love you all so much and miss you tons!!!! Please keep me in your prayers at this time. I am so grateful for all that you are doing and all the support you have shown me throughout this time as a missionary. Thank you again for everything!!!!!!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

 

 

Week 13 in Ponce 2

Family and Friends

So for this week it wasn't a great week but it wasn't a bad week this transfer we have set new goals and we are really trying to get better at really trying to find those people that want to hear the gospel. 

So this week was really just about finding and really focusing on those that will hear us. I have realized that it is super hard to find those people that WANT to listen to our message but I know that nothing is IMPOSSIBLE with God. I have really come to learn the true meaning of having faith that God will help us with everything - all we have to do is our part. Its really exactly what we teach our investigators, we have to do the same thing as they do, we can't really invite people and expect them to do it or change if we aren't willing to do it also.

But with that our two baptismal dates are:

M and S - they are looking really good, it is a little hard with S as she is the only one bringing in money for the family and so she has been working a lot lately and with her job she works for a family and she does house calls to this Elderly sister and she takes care of her, and she has been called into work early so she can take care of her. But they are doing great, this past weekend we had a lesson with them and it just so happened that we were able to use the Stake President with them it was so cool to see him working with them and trying to help them all that he could. 

This is really all we have right now, but we are finding more people that are really ready to hear us. 

Oh M [different from the M above!] she is difficult - she is reading and praying but the problem is that she really doesn't leave the house she just always has excuses and I really don't know how we can help her with this. We have members calling her and visiting her but she just really doesn't want to do anything outside of the house.

This past weekend we had a Stake Conference it was so good, we had The Temple President here from Santo Domingo and we also had Elder Julio Acosta from the Seventy and the Area Presidency it was so good they talked a lot about Eternal Marriage and the Blessings in the temple!!!!!

After the Conference on Sunday we had M [first M from above] at the Conference and he had the wonderful opportunity to talk to President Flake (Temple President) President Boucher and Elder Acosta!!!!!!! It was so cool I just felt so blessed to be there present for those conversations!!!!!

I love this Gospel so much and grateful for all of you guys!!!!!!

I miss you so much and can't wait to hear from you next week!!!!

Con Amor

Elder Musgo

Moss y Lopez

Moss y Lopez

Walking down the street

Walking down the street

Street Iguana - look at the claws/nails/talons?

Dog

Week 11 in Ponce 2

Me in my suit

Family and Friends

What a week!!!! I love it here in Ponce!!!! I am learning so much and we are trying to improve as missionaries. 

This week we really focused on how we can get the right members to help us with our investigators. This took a lot of praying and actually fasting. But we found them!!!!!!

It was so cool so first off we have...

M and S  - and they are rocking it they are doing everything now it was so cool first off Elder Fox and Elder Lopez had a Family Home evening thing with some of there investigators and some members and so they called us up and asked us if they could invite them so Elder Robinson and I talked about it and said go for it, they invited them and it helped M so much he really wants to get baptized. After this the next day there was an activity for our ward and the member asked us for their number to invite them and so they both showed up to the activity and really enjoyed it and are making a lot of friends, after this there was actually another activity for the stake and M showed up (S was going to come but there was an emergency at work) so M got talking to the Stake President and made friends with him and just went and enjoyed everyone's company. The next day was Sunday and M and S both showed up at church!!!!!!!! It was awesome they participate in the classes its so cool to see the ward help us. Later that night we had a lesson with them and we went to a members house and he is a Sealer in the Temple in the Dominican Republic temple and it just so happened that we were talking about Marriage, Temples and Priesthood. They really helped us and you could just feel the Spirit so strong in that house. 

Next we have a sister named M and boy did the Spirit really tell us who to use. We were sitting in her house and we were talking and all of a sudden 7 gun shots went off and M started to freak out because she didn't know where her son was, she got a hold of him on the phone and so the member stood up gave her a big hug and sat down with her and so M had her face in her hands and was crying so the member looked at me and said I am going to say a prayer, after the prayer we just sat and listened to the Spirit and I got the Impression to Sing "Abide with me Tis Eventide" and in the Second verse it talks about how, if we walk with the Savior, He will give us peace in our lives. M really liked the song after this we shared with her our testimonies and the member gave her her number and told her to call her whenever she need help with anything. After the lesson we asked M to say the Closing prayer and in her prayer she said "thank you God for giving me my new friend and for protecting my son." That was one of the most powerful lessons I have been in here in my mission, I am so grateful for the Spirit and the way it helped us to have a member in that lesson. 

Lastly we have P and L and family and things aren't looking so good. they aren't reading and they are keeping any of there commitments. We have asked them to come to Church and every week they say Yes but then Sunday comes a long and we give them a call and none of them answer their Phone so we always pass by their house and see what is going and how come they didn't come to church and for 3 weeks in a row they have told us that they are having car problems and they can't make it, but the sad part about all of this is that we see them driving in their car that same day. But we are just showing love for them and really try to find out what we can do to help them. We have had different members invite them even and they just don't show up. 

This is what happened this week I am so grateful for this Gospel and all that it has done for me. I know that the Lord is watching out for me. I can really testify now that Prayer and Fasting really help when trying to get the right answers!!!!

I love you all and I am grateful for all that you guys do for me.

There has been a lot of rain here and it is SOOOOO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

Con Amor

Elder Musgo

After the rains

Ponce

Love my girl glasses

Same girl glasses

I'm really tall

Really, really tall!

Or maybe they are short?!?!