Staying Another 6 Weeks in Salinas! (Week 6)

Family and Friends

Oh this week was transfers and Elder Johnson and I will be together again for another 6 weeks here in Salinas!!!!!

This week was better for us, we were able to see improvements. We were so grateful that the AP's wanted to do have an Exchange with us this last week. I learned a lot from Elder Sepulveda. Especially on how we as missionaries just need to be bold and just go for it.  We are starting to gain new investigators and we will be visiting each one of them this next week and we will be setting dates with all of them each of them said yes that they will be baptized so now its just us to help them get there. 

With all of that, this past week we had the opportunity to visit with T and she was explaining to us that she doesn't like groups or organizations so I think that, that is the only thing that is really keeping her from being baptized right now. She is doing awesome and she is reading and almost always coming to church, there are some days that she can't come but we are trying to help her. 

We are also have E - he is still reading I really hope we can watch him get baptized here in Salinas in these next Six weeks he is a great guy and will really help this Branch over here. We are just waiting for him to receive his answer.   

That is about all that we have right now but we are getting there. This area is going to get better we are going to to improve more and really find those people that want to listen to us.

Family thank you for all that you do for me and the love and support that you show unto me. I am so grateful for everything the mission isn't possible without you guys. Thank you again sorry this is short. 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

 

 

Week 5 in Salinas

Family and Friends

This week was a little better,  we are trying to find those people that are truly ready to hear the Gospel. We are trying inspired finding and if visits fall through, contacting the houses next door.  There is still no excuse on why we don't have anyone close to baptism. We have invited a lot of people and tried with dates even but a lot of them are really set on their churches. 

But for us this week we had the opportunity to visit with E to see what happened and why he changed his mind, so we got to talk to him and he was asking about the Book of Mormon and to see what we thought about it, so we got to share our testimonies and share why we know that this Book is true. Then he asked us a very interesting question and we had the opportunity to answer with the Spirit on this one. he asked us if we were loosing [wasting] our time as missionaries in this Church or if he was loosing [wasting] his time in his church. So I had the wonderful opportunity to share with him my testimony of why I knew that I wasn't wasting or loosing my time as a missionary of this Church. 

That's when he said something I wasn't expecting. he looked me in the eyes and told me that he must have been loosing or wasting his time in his church. So I invited him to be baptized but he said no because he was still trying to know if the Book of Mormon is true or no.  So then we invited him to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about it and he looked at me again and said, "the only way that I will know if this Book is True is if I read it and pray about it." that's when I was able to say with all the surety of my heart that, yes that is exactly what he have to do. I have never been as grateful for the Spirit in my life to guide as much as it did that day. I was so impressed with Elder Johnson in this lesson he said the most he has spoken in a long time and he said everything from his heart and the Spirit testified to E that what he was saying was true!!!

This week is our last week of the transfer and we are working hard we are getting used to working with each other and I know that whatever happens that our Heavenly Father will help us. I love this area and I love my mission. it has been the place that I have really learned and grown as a person. I want everyone to know that this was the best decision that I could have made in my life [to serve a mission] it has helped me to know what kind of brother, member of the church, man, and most importantly what kind of Child of God that I am and want to become. I have never really thought about that - this mission is changing me completely. 

I love you all and miss you tons!!! This is the Best Two Years of my Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

Moss y Johnson

Elder Johnson

I'm a Minion-ary

Like my hair?

Week 4 in Salinas

Family and Friends

This week was good for us but also kind of sad. We are working hard and we are really trying to focus on our goal here and that is to Baptize!!! We have been working more on finding this week and inspired finding. This week was a little difficult with the other Holiday but we are looking for a great week and a great finding week. 

 

[The other Holiday = Feast of the Epiphany/Three Kings' Day/Día de los Tres Reyes Magos: In Puerto Rico, Epiphany is an important festive holiday, and is commonly referred as Dia de Los Tres Reyes Magos, or Three Kings' Day. It is traditional for children to fill a box with fresh grass or hay and put it underneath their bed, for the Wise Men's camels. The three kings will then take the grass to feed the camels and will leave gifts under the bed as a reward. These traditions are analogous to the customs of children leaving mince pies and sherry out for Father Christmas in Western Europe or leaving milk and cookies for Santa Claus in the United States. On the day before the feast (January 5), the "Rosario de Reyes" or "Promesa de Reyes" is celebrated with songs (aguinaldos) promised to be sung to the Kings, usually before a little table with figures of the Nativity and the Kings or with the Kings alone and their camels. This celebration is accompanied with a chicken soup, snacks, and drinks. Description of the holiday found on Wikipedia.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week we received some sad news. I gave E a call Saturday night to remind him about church and he told me that he has a commitment with his church, so I asked him about the following week and he then told me that I didn't understand him - he has a commitment with his Church every Sunday, so as of now we don't have E. we will be trying to focus on other areas and other people now. It was sad but it just shows that he wasn't ready at this time. 

We also have T still she is doing good she just feels pressured from all the Missionaries trying to come in and just try to baptize her so we are going to keep passing by and sharing with her scriptures and let her know that we still love her and want whats best for her, she has all of the lessons. She is basically a member just without a calling and can't really do anything but she is going each week. The Branch President will be putting Visiting Teachers to visit T and to have the Members start to be her friend so we will see how this goes.

For Elder Johnson this week - he is really improving with his Spanish. He and Elder Dubon have a deal that Elder Dubon will speak English with Elder Johnson but he has to answer in Spanish and it has really helped the both of them with their new languages.

Family I love you so much and I am so grateful for a family like you that has really blessed my life. I am so happy to be able to be apart of such a wonderful organization that I can call my family. I am really learning more about who I am and who I want to be and really am trying to give it my all my last bit of time on my mission. I love you so much and miss you all!!!! 

Love you 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

PS I want to thank everyone that sent me a tie for Christmas each and every tie means so much to me I can really feel that love from you guys and it means a lot to me. I love each and everyone of you. I want you to know that each one of you has a big impact on my life and I wouldn't be where I am at without you guys. I love you all!!!!!

 

Week 3 in Salinas

Family and Friends

Happy New Year!!!!

This week for us was great with the Holiday it was still a little difficult to find but I had the opportunity to go on an exchange with Elder Boggess this week and he gave me a little more training on being a District Leader and what I can do to help my District. One that he mentioned was Inspired Finding!!!! I took that into practice this week. We went to an area that is big so I said lets go through and find all of the old investigators and members and we did and found a less active that wants to come back to church and wants to feel the Spirit in his life again. Then we went to find this old investigator that was with Elder Heward when he was here so we passed by and the family was very welcoming and they said we could share a message with them but the mom stressed to us that she won't change church's and so then we asked around the family and the Daughter actually said she wants to know more!!!!! So we will see where this comes from. But it was so cool to be able to experience that!!!!! I know that the Lord blessed us with finding her.

But for this week we had two Investigators in church!!!!!! 

One of them is T we are still trying to figure out how we can help her, she says that she knows that the church is true and that the Book of Mormon is true but she won't pray to ask Heavenly Father if this is what he wants for her. She says she feels disrespectful asking Him questions.

The other one is E he is awesome he told us starting in January he will come to church with us, and so I gave him a call this past Sunday to remind him and he said "yes I am leaving now for church" and he was there!!!! He said he liked it and no he doesn't have a date yet we tried to put a date two weeks ago and he said he won't commit to a date until after he see's if he likes church so we plan on setting him for the 23rd of January he has all the lessons and he is living the Commandments so we are going to set this date this week.

As for the District I can honestly say that I can see the improvement from everyone we are all working hard and we are all getting people close to either baptism or reactivated I can see the true desire from everyone here and their willingness to work. I am so grateful for this opportunity to work here in Salinas and really get to work with the missionaries here this are a great group of missionaries. 

Everything is great over I love it here I am so excited to be apart of this amazing work. It has really changed me and I grateful for the love and support from all of you guys!!!!

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Musgo

 

Elders Moss y Dubon

View from Salinas

View from Salinas

Anyone hungry?

 

Snail mail and bonus email

Hi There. Mom here. We were blessed, this week, to receive 2 extra communications with Elder Moss. We received an extra email (due to lack of time on their scheduled p-day -- 4 elders, one computer, 1 hour -- see below) and a letter that came in the mail. Here they are. Enjoy!

Hey dad I miss you so much!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so grateful for you and the example you set for me! Being out here has really helped me to be able to go to the Lord for a lot especially with the Language!!!! My Spanish is slowly but surely coming along!!!!! My trainer Elder Boggess says that I am learning the language way faster than he did and he thinks that I will be able to have full conversations with the people in Spanish by the end of my first six weeks!!!! I can't wait to be able to talk to the people a lot of them know English so they talk to me that way and I respond in Spanish it really has helped me to learn the Language!!!! I love and Miss you so much and can't wait until May to see you!!!!! By that point I would have been out for 6 months!!!! I love this gospel so much and I love being here everyday I love my district leaders and I love everyone in my district. One thing I wish would happen more that the members would help us out we don't have bikes or cars and it takes us an hour or more to walk to some appointments because no one is willing to help.. So ALWAYS remember to help the missionaries it really helps and makes their day so much better.. I love you and I will talk to you next week!!!!!!

 

Your Only Son 

 

Elder Parker Moss

...and a few highlights from the other emails he sent that day:

-- The other missionaries felt bad that I only got to do the weekly email so they are letting me write today. I am on because yesterday we had a lesson during our P-Day and we make it up today!

-- Mom I am doing great I love you so much, hopefully the letter shows up soon but I also have another one on its way!!!! [His letter took 10 days to arrive here from Puerto Rico.]

Here is my address!!!!! 

Urb. Valencia 2 

Calle Jose Santiago Fernandez

Casa 11

Juncos, PR 00777

 

-- I think you would be very proud of my to see how clean and organized I am ;)

 

-- I keep loosing weight it is awesome Elder Boggess and I get up every morning and go running!!!!!!

-- I got Sister Gardners Dear Elder today and I already have a letter back to her in the mailbox to send out! [Elder Moss would love to receive letters in the mail. He will write back. His address is above, or you can use DearElder.com]

1st Snail Mail letter home

Mosiah 2:17

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.


Matthew 10:39

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.


Luke 9:62

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

First two weeks in Puerto Rico

Week 1 in the Field --

Oh my goodness this week has been so hard....

My first couple of days here I felt so home sick, I felt as if I didn't want to be here and all those same feelings came back like in the CCM. But the Elders here have helped me feel welcomed and have helped me to begin speaking with others in Spanish. 

Juncos Flag

The field is completely different than the CCM. I am Juncos and it is so beautiful, in our ward there are four missionaries to cover the whole area. There are about 55 members in our ward, this last Sunday there was only like 25 members there. I am so grateful to be here at this time. Makenzie thank you for sharing that story with me about Elder Roberts email [Elder Taylor Roberts sent an email to be read to the Mission Prep class] That really helps me over here. it helps me to know that I don't need to worry about anything. 

I have been here for only a week and we have 2 baptismal dates, 15 investigators, and 2 less actives that are starting to come to church. The people here are so amazing and have blessed my life so much already.

 

Elder Moss at El Morrow

Elder Moss in his first area - Juncos

My companion has only been out for 6 months and is still learning the language as well. The Elders in my house have really encouraged me with the language. One of them said that I should be in full conversations by the end of my first 6 weeks here in the field.

I love you all and hope you all have a great week. I know this gospel is true, I love this gospel with all of my heart, I am grateful for everything I have in my life. I am grateful for the scriptures and all the love and support from you guys. I love and miss you guys so much and I will email next week. 

Elder Moss 

P.S Mom I sent a letter home with my new address on it. I would love to get letters please ;)  

Elder Moss

 

Week 2 in the Field --

**PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM HERE ON OUT - I (MOM) WILL BE USING ONLY INITIALS WHEN ELDER MOSS REFERS TO INVESTIGATORS OR MEMBERS THEY ARE WORKING WITH, TO RESPECT THEIR PRIVACY**

I am so sorry my letters have not been detailed enough I barely get an hour, we only have one Computer for four missionaries!!!!

Huge trees

This week was FANTASTIC! We had a lot of work this week. We have 5 amazing investigators, we have a farmer who is atheist but in our lesson we made a huge step with him. in the beginning of the lesson he said he didn't believe in God, and then a couple minutes latter he told us that he believed in a higher being and then by the end of our lesson he said that he believed in God! It was so amazing. His name is FM he is such an amazing guy and the Lord has really touched his heart since we started teaching him. He told us that he really appreciates and admires everything that we are doing. We teach him in ENGLISH!

M and P: this is a mom and daughter P (the mom) works at a bar on so we have lessons with her once every week. She has a Word of Wisdom problem but we are working with her. She is an outstanding person she is super nice to us! We teach her in ENGLISH! Her daughter M is awesome, she came to mutual [the mid-week youth activity] last Thursday and is really interested in the church! She is only 13! We teach her in ENGLISH! We recently contacted her brother and we will begin teaching him as well! He speaks Spanish though!

Another one is M he is such a great guy he is a security guard for a school. He let us eat there and talk with him and we have been able to keep visiting him, He tricked us into giving a piece of food to this dog and the dog followed us for two miles and stayed at our house for a night...but back to M! He just isn't sure if he is ready for the gospel in his life but we are going to keep working with him and hope he changes his mind. He is so nice to us he said he really appreciates what we are doing. We teach him in ENGLISH!

Our last investigator is named J, he is so sweet. He has been working with the missionaries for a while but he is now progressing he really does want to be apart of this true gospel! He has a Word of Wisdom problem but he has agreed to give up alcohol and hasn't had a drink in almost 1 week and a half! Yesterday he also came to church and he participated and was really enjoying it! Things are going great with him and he has really progressed since I have been here! We teach him in Spanish!

We have a less active that is starting to come back to church her name is G and she is 20 she met with the missionaries last year and within 15 days was baptized she is what we call a golden investigator. She had stopped going to church because of work! But has made it to church for 3 weeks in a row now, She is wanting to serve a mission but her mom won't help her finish the paperwork!!!! But she turns 21 here shortly and will finish them herself! She wants to read the whole Book of Mormon before she goes to General Conference and before she goes to the temple in April! She is in Alma 48 and Elder Boggess and I told her we would also read with her and finish the Book of Mormon by April!

Our ward is outstanding! They are 50 members strong! That is the biggest here in Puerto Rico! A lot of them speak English which helps me a lot! But I have the opportunity to do a lot of talking in Spanish here!

Elders Moss And his Trainer Elder Boggess

My Companion is Elder Boggess and he is from Alpine Utah. He has only been out on his mission for 7 months! His Spanish is great but we still have some troubles talking to the people because we are still learning the language, but luckily in our house we two fantastic Latinos who are really helping us. They help us during companion study Elder Boggess and I practice our lessons with them and they tell us what to fix and how to pronounce the words! We are helping them with English as well so starting this morning they started to speak English to me and I respond to them in Spanish and it really helps me to understand whats going on!

I love you guys so much and I am so grateful for the love and support and all the prayers! I know this gospel is true and I know that I am here for a specific reason and I am here to help others feel this same happiness. I love this gospel and I love everyone!

Elder Moss

The view!