Merry Christmasizo and a Happy New Year!

"Macizo" in Honduran means "cool". Thus, Merry Christmasizo. Because Chrismas is Cool. Yeah. 

So my second Christmas here in Honduras flew by like Christmas usually does--a lot of build up and then poof! it's gone. But it leaves everyone feeling awfully full of the Christmas spirit and more grateful for our Savior and ready for another new year. I hope you all could think of what Christmas gift you are going to gift to Christ this year, because he has given to us all that we have. 

We celebrated Christmas Eve by buying a lot of tamales, and then going to a poor neighborhood and singing Christmas hymns and giving out tamales. It started out pretty lame because we wanted to go with a lot of members and friends and do a big shabang. I always like to do big shabangs and make things nice.  But no one was home or able to go with us, just one recent convert named Luis, a really humble and nice 20 yr old with a tatted up arm that was just baptized in November. 

First house? They slammed the door on our Christmas caroling hahahaha. Oh man. After that, we decided to leave the rich to their celebracions and we lugged our pot of tamales the mile over to the poor colony and started singing and giving. The Christmas spirit is quiet. It is soft. But it is real. We sang to families in houses made out of aluminum and cardboard--without electricity--that were celebrating Christmas with 1 candle. We sang, and it was really off key (not going to lie) but it was sincere. And it was Christmasy.

The next day, I talked to my family! It is wierd how nervous talking to you all makes me. Don't know why but it makes every missionary nervous. So sorry for being nervous and awkward. But I love you all! I am so lucky to have a great family.

Other highlights include eating a lot of chicken sandwitches and tamales, which are the Christmas highlights, along with like 3 liters of pepsi in 1 day because everyone gave us pepsi. Saw my first Honduran racoon. Opened presents from my awesome family and incredible grandparents that made me feel so loved. Shared my christmas gifts with my companion and we were happy. We enjoyed a Welch's red grape fancy juice, like Martinellis, to celebrate. 

Oh yeah!!!! 

On the 23rd we had a multizone conference about 2 hours away so we rented a bus for the zone and on the way back we all gave anonymous gifts to a previously assigned person, kinda like secret santa, and had a great time. Some missionaries dontt recieve anything from their family so it was good that everyone got something, I got a Bilbo lego man and a Honduran shirt :) Elder Wilks got a broken brick and permethrin haha.

Love you all and hope you have a Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year. Change something for the better this year!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Navidad

Christmas. It's a funny time really. I love that Jim Gaffigan skit about how Christmas was probably made up by a drunk guy. "Well take the tree and put it in here, and well take the lights, and put them out there... and then ima hang my dirty socks over the fire place and fill them with candy. Merry Christmas. I'm going to sleep on the floor." Haha. 

Here everyone just decides to blow up everything in sight. It's what Jesus would want. Right?

I have a banana tree in my house decorated with Made in Honduras Christmas lights. They come with a guarantee that half of them won't work. I am pretty sure they light up with pure holiday spirit because our electricity doesn't work to well. Holiday spirit and Josh Groban are what keep the world spinning in December.

My lovely banana tree christmas tree. chopped it down my self :).
Merry Christmas from the banana capitol of the world!

This month has been pretty crazy because I have rarely thought of myself. That is why the mission goes so fast--because one learns to forget about himself and serve others. We have been organizing conferences, service activities, branch activities, and everything in between. But service is the spirit of Christmas.

The moments are rare when I really comprehend the Christmas story but, when it all clicks, we come to learn of the King of Kings--that literally created worlds without number--coming to be born in the earth in a stable. I never really like barns because animals smell pretty nasty. Imagine being born in a barn without 2000 years of scent and cleanliness technology. That has to be messy and stinky. And think that the first ones to know were some other stinkies that were watching their sheep far away, lowly shepherds. What a crazy and beautiful story. Christ never had great wordly possesions. never had even an ipod. Was born humble, and died rejected and hated by the very ones he came to save. What an incredible gift we received from our loving Heavenly Father, who sent us his only begotten son so that all those who believe in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. He is the gift of Christmas.

And how ungrateful are we!!!!! I remember one Christmas opening a present from my sweet Aunt Lee Ann and saying in absolute disgust, "Yahzee??" I didnt even know what yahtzee was but it wasn't what I "wanted", and I am still embaresed today for that reaction, although it was pretty funny not going to lie. I imagine most of us replying to Jesus Christ and his gift  in that same tone, "Repent? Be baptized? Come unto thee?" How sad that is. I am so imperfect. It breaks my heart. In Sunday School someone asked the question, why do we continue to make the same sins and mistakes even when we know they are wrong and won't make us happy? That question broke my heart. I don't know why I keep messing up. I am determined to be a better person, as perfect as I can and as he asks me to be, to show a little bit of gratitude for his unmatchable gift.

This Sunday, I saw a Christmas miracle. We went to go with Luis and Elvis to church. they haven't come in 3 Sundays, and were recently baptized. The last lessons we had had with them were without the spirit, and they seemed apathetic to all we said and implored them. We went in the morning and they didn't want to go to church. Like flat out no. The spirit of apostasy was so strong and satan had totally been working on them. They said they weren't sure if they ever wanted to go again and that they weren't sure if they wanted us to return and visit them. We were super sad and pleaded with them and bore them our testimonies but nada. I kinda gave up, and decided we would let them walk the path they wanted and then return in a bit to see if they were ready to recieve us again, but Elder Garcia kept persisting, and finally convinced them to go. They got dressed, and we ran over to church to get there right before they passed the sacrament. Sacrament meeting was okay, and then we went to the gospel principles class, our teacher wasn't there so we spontaneously decided to teach about Agency and the ability to choose for ourselves. It was super inspired. The spirit was there in the lesson. And afterwards, Luis and Elvis were completely different. They were like they were right after their baptism! Elvis said "That's it. We are coming back to church!" And asked us if he could go Christmas caroling with us. Luis also asked us when we would be passing by that day. We did pass by that day and, sent by the branch president, gave them the Aaronic Priesthood! From almost apostasy to recieving the priesthood of God. Imagine that. God touched them yesterday and softened their hearts once more. I am still amazed by the complete change of heart. I learned something from my companion that day. Never give up on someone even if they don't want it because they just don't know what they are missing, and we don't know when God will work miracles.

Everyone should read the short story, The Gift of the Magi. It is my favorite Christmas story that we would always read as a family by the fire every Christmas. 

Watch - short video! "He is the Gift"

Love you all and Merry Christmas!

Elder Moffitt

We found a clean christian pool place and they let us play for free this morning for pday.
I was the champion! I have never won a game of pool so that was kinda wild that I beat everyone.
4 times in a row.

Countdown to Christmas!

Officially 10 more days to Christmas! 

This last week was wild. On Tuesday, we had our last zone meeting of this transfer/change. It is always nice to hear the testimonies of the missionaries that have changes and whom we have worked with for months. 

Tuesday night, we stayed up with another Elder from Ecuador (who was being transferred) cutting our hair and getting all prettied up for our change meeting, and then at 1 am headed for the bus stop (definition of sketchy: walking abandoned honduran streets at 1 am in a full suit) and heading out on the bus at 2 am.  After a wonderful 7 hour bus ride, we disembarked and enjoyed listening to our mission president and the stressful waiting of finding out who your new companion and new area will be, and the Elder Garcia and I headed back to the bus stop and another 7 hour trip with the new missionaries in our zone. Pretty much a lovely 14 hours of our pday spent in buses. But, of course, we took advantage of the time to preach to the buses about the real meaning of Christmas, the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Book of Mormon. It is cool to teach about the Book of Mormon to the descendants of the authors themselfves, even though no one here really understands just how cool that is when we say that this is a book written by prophets here in Ancient America. They usually just stare at us blankly and nod. But one day they will get it. 

On Friday, we had a rare treat of a mission leadership pday with our mission president, President Klein, in La Ceiba, the zone where I was "born" (where I first arrived), and heading to Pico Bonito (beautiful point), a pretty waterfall in the mountains. It was super cool and we took some sweet pics. And then we sat down and discussed with President Klein how to improve as a mission and how to help our missionaries to complete their objective of bringing others to Christ. President Klein is so inspired. I always receive my own revelation when I hear him speak.

Well, we are working to spread holiday cheer over here and helping to remind people of the real meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and the incredible gift that our Heavenly Father gave us by sending us His only begotten son so that we may be saved.

I love Jesus Christ. I love repentance.

Feliz Navidad!

Elder Moffitt

"My Son": A Christmas Message

Dear Family and Friends,

17 months in the mission now. Time sure flies. I haven't been very good with sending emails lately so I would like to repent and send a good spiritual missionary email to you all.

A quick spiritual experience (entry from my missionary diary):

"Yesterday, I was sick with a fever and sick to the stomach, but we went to work anyways, because there is no time to be sick in the mission.  :) I felt pretty bad and, walking away from an okay lesson, it was raining and cold and grey and I was sick--and the thought came to my mind, "Oh God, where art thou?" 

It wasn't so much that I was sooo miserable as to think that God had abandoned me but the Spirit brought the thought and scripture to my mind. I remembered Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants when the prophet Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail (how ironic the name, Liberty Jail) and fervently prayed with those very words. 

I remembered the divine response, "My son, peace be unto thy soul." And there, cold and wet in Honduras, that scripture hit me with an intensity and profundity that beforehand I never realized. The words "my son" ran through my head over and over. My son. My son. MY son. My SON. Walking a bit behind me companion, I repeated those two words over and over, thinking and feeling the spirit super strongly. What sermon more powerful! I imagined God standing as an all-powerful witness to the persecutions heaped on His chosen prophet and servant by wicked, apostate men. I imagined him withholding his mighty hand and weeping along with Joseph. And I imagined the tenderness with which he spoke those two words to the soul itself. My son. Earthly parents fail, disappear, pass away, but even when a mother forgets her child the Lord will not.

In 1 Nefi 21:14-16 we read:

14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not. 15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the 
son  of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

In answer to Joeseph's distraught prayer, the first truth that our Heavenly Father reminded him to comfort him is that he was HIS son.

Joseph--and I--belong to God, no one else.

What is more, put the emphasis on SON. My SON. What relationship more powerful than that, between Father and son. It is unlike any other. It is bold and valient and manly (huh!) but beneath it all there is a tenderness so deep. What self worth, what confidence comes from a divine assurance that you are His SON. Think the antithesis of the Darth Vader "I am your father" moment. Here God's gentle reminder that He is the Father and Joseph and I are the sons is so poignant. I dont know how to describe it really but the spirit opened my heart and mind to understand at a deeper level. And the more I thought about it the more I understood and felt that same love that the lonely prophet felt in that cold jail.

Feeling warm and grateful, and with damp eyes, I walked and walked, and when we arrived at our next appointment I shared how I was feeling and my testimony of a loving heavenly father and wept really hard. It was a super powerful moment and one of the few sustaining moments that help a missionary get through all of the constant challenges and sustain the spirit through the next months of spiritual combat with the darkness of sin and apostasy. So grateful for the answers to the soul's unsaid prayers.

Passed Thanksgiving without me even really realizing that it was Thanksgiving. We worked until 8:45 pm and then ran home and I had some left over mashed potatoes and stuffing seasoning packets from my birthday package (haha) along with some new mashed potatoes packages that had just arrived from you Mom in my christmas package (don't worry I didn't open all of them I just knew that some of them were mashed potates from the feel of them and opened them to take advangtage of them for Thanksgiving!) and cooked them super fast in the house of a super member here in Tocoa (that helps in the missionary work a ton) since we don't even have a stove in our apartment. Cooked it, stuffed in down our throats, and then ran back to the house to be home on time and got back to our apartment 1 minute before the curfew time.

Driving home, that member said, " Look at that moon, Elder Moffitt. Your family in Arizona is watching that very some moon right now."  Awwwwww, it was pretty sweet. No, I didn't cry.

Also, yesterday we had a service Christmas activity with the Zone and with a group of really poor kids from here in Tocoa. We were originally planning to do it with orphans but the director of the orphanage in the states didn't give us permission to do it, so we went to the poorest part of Tocoa where families live in houses of cardboard and aluminum and wood and organized an activity with them. We worked really hard to plan it and thanks to miracle after miracle everything happened well.

About an hour before the activity started, the bus we had gotten to take the kids to the church building was nowhere to be found. Dark clouds loomed and then covered the sky in minutes and started to rain hard. There was no way that the kids were going to walk the 30 minutes to the church in that weather, nor that we could bring them in the back of the one truck low on gas that we had. I knelt, desperate, to pray and ask for a miracle so that the activity would pass, which we had planned so diligently and spent so much time and effort and money to bring to pass. And a few minutes later, Wilmer, the best member in Honduras, called and said he had found another bus that was in route to go with us to bring the kids. It was a miracle.

With played outside games with them, we played Christmas trivia with them and decorated christmas cookies and taught them the christmas story and then watched the 5 minute version of the christmas movie, "Joy to the World" made by the church, and then made our own video acting out the nativity scene with the missionaries and the children. It was super fun and was full of cookies and candy and dinner and dessert and pinatas and everything. I never had a birthday party or christmas party as intense as what these kids enjoyed (haha) but we really felt the sincere joy of these children that are so poor that one of the little girls asked if she could save a bag of water we gave her to drink to bring it home with her, probably because they have no clean water to drink at her home.

 

 

So many more miracles have passed and I know that one day I will have time to tell them all. But know that God is a God of miracles and hears and answers prayers.

Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Moffitt

On the coast in Trujillo

Dear Family and Friends,

This week we went to Trujillo to do divisions with the missionaries there. Trujillo is a beautiful coast town about an hour from us in our new town of Tocoa. The missionaries in Trujillo have a house from which you can see the ocean! 

Super cool story: We went to go eat dinner with the branch president of Trujillo, a super nice smart black guy, and I was looking at the photos on his fridge, and recognized one of the converts I taught in La Ceiba when I started my mission! She had gotten married to the son of this branch president! I was super excited. They are going to get married in the Temple next June. I hope I can go with them! 

That Wednesday morning, as we were heading to leave Trujillo, a cruise ship showed up and all the tourists started streaming out to spend the day in Trujillo. As we were walking through town, I kept passing a ton of gringos and it was super weird because I felt really awkward talking to them in English. It is weird to talk to people in English now.... But anyways, we heard someone shout "Missionaries!" We turned to see a tourist mom from Utah running up to us. She said she just wanted us to know that they were praying for us and to thank us for our missionary service. It was super powerful to me. In the bus on the ride home, I was really overwhelmed by the implications of that tiny message of thanks and motivation -- to be reminded that this work is worldwide, and that we are all united in this work of salvation. Tears came to my eyes in that broken down Honduran bus as I felt the support of not only one Utah mom on a cruise, but also of 15 million members and of a loving Heavenly Father and Savior that will never forget me. I love 1 Nefi 21: 14-16:

14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not.

 15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

This week, two of our investigators, Luis and Elvis were baptized. Luis is all tattooed on his arm but really has taken a dramatic change in his life. It was cool watching him leave behind a life full of a lot of errors and start a new life. The best investigators here are the youth. The youth are the future of this country, and they need more than anything the influence of the gospel. They will be future missionaries and mothers and fathers. They are looking for answers and have more faith than many others. Why do you think Jose Smith was only 14 years old when he saw the Father and the Son? The same reason. God loves the youth.

Baptism of Luis and Elvis

What else...? We had a lot of experiences this week that were super inspired by the spirit. I wish I could write them all but one day I will tell you all of them. I love my companion and I love all of you! I am already getting ready to have a great Christmas in the mission! 

Oh yeah, I saw a guy with a USC hat and tried to buy it off him but he wouldn't sell it to me for anything. At first I was kinda miffed but I guess he is a Trojan at heart too, so props for him. He knows quality when he sees it :) I have never seen any Stanford apparel over here.....

Two cool things about his picture: a Honduran that is taller than me, and his shirt.

Love you all!

Elder Moffitt

Pet crocodile, pastelitos, and transfer to Tocoa!

There is so much to say... what has happened this week:

First, I've been transferred from La Sarrosa Yoro to Tocoa, Colon. Said a lot of Goodbyes, took a lot of goodbye fotos, and then headed off with my two bulging suitcases to the transfers meeting. To my surprise and joy (and an answer to my prayers), I was put with Elder Garcia, from DF Mexico! I lived in the same house with him in Satelite for 3 months and I love him. He is an obedient, hard working, hilarious missionary. We will have much success here. 

On Tuesday, my last day in my old area, we went with a couple to the city hall and submited their marriage papers. They will be married and baptized the 15th of November. I have never worked so hard as I have trying to get them married. The legal process was a mess, trying to help two adults who don't know how to read or write get together sufficient funds, and then take out the correct legal papels and everything... Heh! I ate so many pastelitos de leche that we helped them sell to help then get the money necessary. I am pretty sure my digestive system is permanently damaged. But, after 4 months and way more than 17 miracles, on my last day there, we finished it all off. Good sense of closure for sure. I am really happy for the people I have watched change their lives in Sarrosa. I am happy that they are all still active in our religion and enduring to the end. We are not saved by just being baptized. We are saved and exalted after doing all we can to obey and serve God ALL of our lives.

Raising money for marriage papers

So, Tocoa.

Tocoa is pretty sweet. A nice 7 hour bus ride to get here, but I am really excited to work and study and pray with all my heart, might, mind and strength alongside Elder Garcia.

We already have some Christmas lights up. Probably going to cut down a small banana tree and decorate it :). We have been contacting a lot and it is funny to think that 2 years ago I wouldn't even answer the phone if I didn't know who the number was that was calling me (sorry, mom), and now I can start conversations with people I do not know and knock on doors (or rather "shout at gates" since everyone here has big gates around their houses so you have to shout so they hear you and come out) without embarrassment, fear, or nervousness. The key is, that I am not merely Adam Moffitt. I am Elder Moffitt. And for 2 years I can leave my personal weaknesses behind and serve as a representative of Jesus Christ. I know that our message is essencial to happiness in this life and salvation in the next. Everyone NEEDS to hear it. And I believe that those with whom I do not share our message here in this world, that I should have shared with or talked to, however awkward it may seem, will be pretty upset with me in the next life if I don't magnify my calling. 

We have been trying to contact more with the spirit though (rather than just guessing who to talk to). I remember this week standing at an intersection and praying, facing first one way, then the next, and so on, if this was the way the Lord would have us go. I felt nothing, nothing, nothing, and... nothing. I was kinda disappointed by the lack of guidance. I decided it must be none of those directions. So we contacted a house on the corner and found 3 new investigators that let us in and we had some great questions. We must have faith and hope that the Lord will respond to each and every prayer, and then make the effort to recognize what that answer is.

One day this week we were in a house waiting for the family to get all settled to listen to us and there was a movie playing. It was pretty cool and sci fi and stuff but I didn't know what it was--neither was I paying much attention. But the truth could not be hid for long. I noticed a child directing spaceships and Harrison Ford--it was "Enders Game"!!!! In a struggle of will unheard of since the pre-mortal life, I rose from my seat and shut it off. In 8 months I will have time to hook up an IV to a gallon bucket of Low Qual generic brand ice cream and watch 40 hours of new movies straight but, until then, we have our calling and our rules. 

Another day, we were walking in the street and I heard something that I haven't heard for 398 days--the sound of a trumpet! I quickly located the house and they let us in and I blasted some Trojan Marching Band songs! I was pretty terribly because I haven't touched a trumpet in 439 days and had kinda forgotten the songs, but still it was awesome. And we will be going back this week to teach the everlasting gospel with the sound of a trump.

Other than that, just rain, rain, and more rain. I used rain boots the other day to prosylite, so of course I had to step in every puddle and wade through every lagoon because of my water immunity. Will send fotos of the authority of Honduran rain boots. 

I love the Lord, I love the restored gospel, I love my companion and my area and the mission work, and I know that prayers are heard and answered when we say them sincerely and with real intent and not just rattle off some quick words before going to sleep.

Hurrah for Israel! 

Elder Moffitt 

Someone in my area has a crocodile as a pet!

One last shot with my awesome companion at our home in La Sarrosa -- Elder Navas from Costa Rico

Muckdogs in Honduras?

Dear Family and Friends,

We had a sweet baptismal service of 4 future missionaries: 9, 18, 18, and 21 years old. Each of these guys is super pilas. Jario, the guy on my far left, is the brother of 2 missionaries in the field right now. His friend, Miguel, next to him, is studying in the university right now and is super smart. He understood the restauracion perfectly after explaining it. He is going to be a stake president. Junior, the kid, is 9 yrs old and is the son of an inactive member that we helped get to the waters of baptisms. And the guy on my right also asked me to baptize him. He is super sincere and also very smart. The spirit of the Lord is moving here in Honduras and preparing the hearts and minds of young men to serve as missionaries and bring the restored gospel to the whole world, especially to the remnant of the covenant Lamanite people in these lands.

Funny story of the week: Saw a guy with the baseball cap of my Little League Muckdogs team. Hahaha I am pretty sure it was my cap that I lost and that somehow ended up here. Never before have I seen someone with that hat before. Only in Honduras...!

Hurrah for Israel! 

Elder Moffitt

Marijuana or Jesus?

Dear Family and Friends, 

Oh buddy, so much has happened in these past few weeks. Sorry for not writing a big comprehensive letter lately. I haven't had much time the last p-days to write one. But I always love you all; don't feel under-appreciated. 

Life is bouncing on in Honduras. I am always astounded by just how violent it is here. All street cred jokes aside, it is crazy seeing the effects of violence, gang and otherwise, everywhere. The other day, we contacted and taught a lesson on the Plan of Salvation to a 17 year old whose brother had just been shot and killed a month earlier while they were walking together. This youth barely escaped. His family had to move homes to hide from another potential attack. 

After that, we talked about the law of chastity to a man who hasn't gotten married to his girlfriend because her other son is in a gang and he is afraid of getting killed by being related to the other son. Then we visited a member family that was all packed and ready to move to the other side of the country randomly because their cousin was a gang member and killed a member of the opposing gang and was subsequently killed, and the opposing gang is famous for taking out the entire family of anyone that kills one of their members. From that lesson, we went and taught a man with a stab wound in his stomach. We then went to teach a man who has a bullet wound from when he was 13 years old. Like honestly, CHILL OUT HONDURAS!

Every day this week it has rained. Every day. The major river flooded, and many people's houses were flooded. Very, very wet.

Cool lesson his week: We were teaching the youth whose brother was just killed when this tatted up guy pokes his head in. We invited him to join us, and he said, "No thanks, I am going to smoke marijuana." We replied, "Okay, well... you should probably stay with us then instead of going to smoke." Then, seeing the golden opportunity to practice his English on a real live gringo, he asks me, "You like weed?" So much time has passed since someone has asked me if I like marijuana in English that at first I didn't understand him, but after the second inquiry I replied, a bit indignantly, "No! of course not!" and he said, "Why?" I replied, "Because it is terrible for your body and your soul!" So he decided to stay and talk with us and actually asked us some great questions like, what is our purpose here in life (to be happy), how can we be happy (obey the commandments and follow the example of Jesus Christ), what to do if someone is looking to kill you (my favorite question. REPENT!!!!!!!!!!). The spirit was really strong in that lesson.

What else? Oh yeah, we went to San Pedro Sula again to renew my immigracion this weekend. Always fun to get 25 people squeezed into a 12 person bus. Google search "honduras san pedro rapidito" and I imagine you will get the idea. On the ride, a man squeezed next to me and he said that he baptized in the states, but then made a lot of wrong decisions, ended up in jail, and now is here. I asked him if he wanted to come back to the church and change his life. The sad answer? "Naw, not now. I like what I am doing too much." Well, all I could tell him is that true lasting happiness only comes from obedience to the commandments and tell him that I love him before he got off. Hope that made a difference. On the twp hour trip back, we taught the restoration of the gospel to a Seventh Day Adventist pastor. Oh how beautiful and simple is the message of the restauration of the gospel!

Love the gospel. Love the people in Honduras. Love being a missionary. Love my family even though they went to Hawaii without me. 

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Our muddy pila water after the rains. Wanna bathe in that?

Playing "Gospel Kickball". First base is Faith in Jesus Christ, 2nd Repentance,
3rd Baptism and Gift of the Holy Ghost, and 4th endure to the end, or to home base.

1 Nefi 10: 4-6

4 O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.

 5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

 6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

General Conference!

Highlight of the week: 

Listening to the Lord´s modern day prophets and apostles in GENERAL CONFERENCE! Play by play to be sent next week. In the meantime, you can listen to apostles and many great talks about freedom, hope, families, foregiveness, revelation, happiness, peace, and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, and I found root beer in a random cooler in the store. MIRACLE!!!!!!!!  FIRST ROOT BEER IN 15 MONTHS.

That's all for today since I had lots of business to take care of and whipped out a couple college scholarship essays.

But yeah. The root beer!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Typical rainy night in Honduras

White Week!

This is probably my last week here in La Sarrosa, Yoro. I am waiting for a message any second saying the changes/transfers that we will be having. 

This week was excellent.  Five of our investigators were baptized and confirmed! Two families, three hermanos and a single mom and her 9 yr old son. 

First, the mom and son, Rubenia and Kenneth. They are so cool. We were led to them while contacting and started to teach them. They have lived a super rough life. Rubenia is a single mom with three children. Ever since we have started teaching them they have undergone a huge repentance process. They prayed to know if the church is true and got their answer. With more pioneer spirit than I have ever seen, they changed houses to separate themselves from temptation and the influence of the adversary, they decided to be baptized in the church in spite of their family ostracizing them for meeting with us missionaries and going to church, and they gained a testimony of the restoration of the gospel. They found the pearl of great price, and unlike the rich youth in the New Testament, have given up almost everything to obtain eternal life. Their rich family does not help them at all now, she is working alone selling food outside the local school to gain money to buy milk for her 1 year old. Kenneth is like the most intelligent 9 year old on the planet. He has read every chapter and pamphlet we have given them. He memorized Mosiah 2:41 perfectly. 

 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

He will be an amazing missionary. They have such faith and, once again, have taught me how to look first for the kingdom of God and everything else will be added upon us.

Second, we were led to the other three brothers and sisters one night while they were outside of their house. They were super sincere and humble and energetic from the start, wanting to know more about religion, God, and the gospel. They asked us if they could be baptized and how in the first lesson. They invited their brother to take the lessons, he also agreed to be baptized. They invited their friend to church. The first words she said to us were that she wanted to be baptized. Almost every lesson they have a friend over to listen as well. They have such a sweet missionary spirit. 

Jose, the harpoon fisher, taught the gospel principles class this Sunday. SO AWESOME!!! He also accompanied us to a lesson and taught with such enthusiasm and power. His testimony is incredible. They are planning on going to the temple asap!

A lot more fun and powerful experiences also happened this week but, unfortunately, I don't have time to write them all. Changes/transfers are coming this week so I may be moving!

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Moffitt

Truth and Freedom

He held a loaded pistol in his hand the entire hour that we talked. We were armed as well. It wasn´t anything out of the ordinary, really. After all, we were in a small town on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula in Honduras, statistically the most dangerous part of the most dangerous city in the world. His 9 mm pistol carried an extended clip, loading it with around 30 bullets in total. Our primary arm carried 66 rounds, our secondary 15. They were also on the table. The only difference was that our arms were made of paper, binding and glue, his of cold metal. His was meant to penetrate muscle and destroy life, ours to heal hearts and save souls.

A gun on the table. Two "Mormon Missionaries" on the other side. The young Honduran accountant bounces his leg. I wipe the sweat off of my face with my tie. "I read what you left me to read," he finally says, breaking the silence. "I prayed about it. And for the first time in three years, I received an answer to a prayer."

Being a missionary is a funny thing. In less than 15 minutes of knowing someone, we dive into the deepest, most sacred experiences, fears, doubts, failures, meditations, and pondering and try to forge bonds of faith and understanding where confusion has often made passive the soul's most basic yearnings for truth.

Want to talk about growing up or challenging views? Imagine explaining to a devout religious man that the authority and church that Christ established actually disappeared from the face of the earth as the church collapsed into apostasy 1900 years ago. Try testifying that God still speaks to prophets and apostles today to a pastor convinced that the heavens were sealed shut two millenia before. Think about presenting another testament of Jesus Christ to a man with whitened knuckles looking onto his worn-leather bible, or telling this worried, Honduran that his brother, killed by gang activity two years earlier, is not entirely abandoned to fiery lakes; that he can still be redeemed even though his mortal life is over. 

What could possibly prompt a young, perfectly sane, not as attractive as he probably thinks he is, 19 year old to leave his schooling, friends, and nearly every earthly delight (including root beer) to sweat with parted hair amidst banana trees and shaking, unaccepting heads and shutting doors? The same desire that sparked Socrates´s pre-poison fingerpoint, and Martin Luther's nail purchase for his 95 thesis in October of 1517, and has driven philosophers to furrow brows and has raced defiantly through the veins of every martyr that has laid down his life -- that which is most precious because of their desire to know, and then share, and then defend the truth. I served my mission because, in the words of a 14 year old boy in 1820 named Joseph Smith, "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it."The knowledge I have of the answers to those deepest questions of the soul are fundamental to me. I have a purpose here. I know who I am, where I am from, and where I am going. My faith defines me and it drives me. And in doing so, I define my faith and drive my future. More than anything, I find peace in the words of the lord Jesus Christ, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Truth is freedom. To find it, one must look. To be sure, one must prove it. To be free, one must share and defend it.

"It´s true. I know it´s true," he said, staring into the dark night. He didn't cry in the end, or at least no tear fell. Men with guns can't afford to cry. But the moisture in his eyes was more that just the humidity in the air. And that, as missionaries, is the sweetness that what we live for.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

"He that has ears, let him hear." Matt 11:15