Notha Hot Week Saving Souls

Hey all,

Just anotha week in the hot business of saving souls. Things are going good. We are seeing a lot of miracles here. Fun events and breaking news of the week:

Tried to get this dog that belonged to one our our investigators to love me and went to pet it with my best coo's but it didn't buy it and bit my hand. Sweet thing...

It's funny how everyone here feels a very urgent need to practice their English when they are drunk so when walking past a drunk guy on the street I am guaranteed to hear, "How are ju my freend, my bruder?" I like to respond with a very rapid return phrase in complicated Old English mixed with Brooklyn street drawl and leave them to meditate on what I said.

We had this one lesson this week that really taught me a lot about sacrifice versus excuses. We have this family that believes every thing that we have taught but that lives kinda far away from the church. Also, they aren't married. They want to get baptized, but they just seem to make excuses for why they can't go to church or pay to get married. For like an hour we sat with them trying to get them to understand that salvation isn't cheap; it is really, really hard but when we make sacrifices, the Lord will repay us, even 100 times more! I am so grateful I can sacrifice two years of my life to serve the Lord. God will NOT ask us for excuses on the day of judgement, he will ask us for results. He, who had the most reasons to make excuses never murmured nor hesitated to take the hard road, and he did it for the rest of us. If we want to be saved we must repent and it is NEVER easy to repent. Let us be as Nefi who said I will go and do, not "but...."

My shirts are starting to get super worn! I feel so pro. In just one month I will complete a full year in the mission. I will hit my halfway mark. How wild is that? I'm halfway done! NOOOOOO!!!!! I still have way too much to learn, way too much to do. I don't want my mission to end. It's crazy, but really dedicating yourself full time to the Lord is super difficult but super rewarding. I hope I can have great faith and great courage in these months to come. 

Thank you for all of your prayers.

Elder Moffitt

P.S. If you are one of my friends, and you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ and would like to learn more, just go to www.mormon.org and invite the missionaries (like me) to come visit you and share a message. Be a man (or a woman) and just Do It. You'll thank me later. :)

This is a beautiful convert family that is super poor but never once asked us for anything. We helped them upgrade their house a little with new materials and everything. They have grown so much spiritually...

Running in the Dark

P-day hiking and repping my school with a sweet bullhorn trumpet. #Only in Honduras

Dear Family and Friends, 

This was a great week here in my new home in Santa Rita! We have some great families that we are teaching that are interested and progressing really well. I love teaching entire families!

One of our adventures for the week: Friday night were walking home from the outskirts of our area at about 8:30 pm when two men started following us.  The highway road is dark and deserted for about a 30 minute stretch so we sped up our walk hoping to avoid an ugly encounter.  Looking back, we didn't see the men anymore, so we relaxed a bit and continued discussing plans for our investigators. About five minutes later, I looked back and saw the two men rapidly approaching us. My companion, Elder Lopez, suggested that we run but I said, No, not wanting them to think we had something of value (since I just had my books and 10 lempiras). “1,2,3, corramos!” said my companion, and again I declined, feeling calm and decisive. Then he said again, “Corramos, 1, 2, 3!” and I felt a strong feeling of fear, like if someone had dumped cold water on me. “Vamos!” I said. So we took off running on this dark highway, and the men started running after us. We ran and ran, and they ran after us as car after car passed us. I felt no fear, but said a quick mental prayer while running and honestly felt such a strong trust in the Lord—that we were servants of His and He would protest us. S we kept running for like 10 agonizing minutes and, just when they were gaining on us and I was ready to quit running, a small white car pulled up and shouted, “Elderes, get in!” Needing no further encouragement, we quite literally dived in the car, and were whisked away to the safety of our house by a visiting bishop from Palermo Ward who saw the situation. I know that wasn't a coincidence, and the more time I spend in the mission, the more time I understand what it means to trust in the Lord, to really trust in Him that everything will be okay if I am doing the best I can and honoring my covenants. 


As it says in the scriptures, “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” D&C 84:88

I know that we were guided by the Holy Ghost to run when we started to run. I know the Lord sent that bishop to see us and save us.  And I think that the Lord also wanted to remind us to do our running exercises in the morning. :)

Javier Mauricio quit his great Sunday job to be able to go to church.
THAT IS FAITH, PEOPLE!

Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Moffitt

Posing with my new companion, Elder Lopez

Semana Santa and Happy Easter from my new home in Santa Rita!

OH MAN, I have way too much to write about and no time to write it. So I am SUPER PUMPED about this new area that I am in. I made it out of San Pedro Sula alive after 6 months and several close calls and now am in a small town called Santa Rita in the countryside of northern Honduras in the state of Yoro. The city is strewn about by sugercane fields, in which many of the residents work, whether planting, cutting, or manning the machinery of the sugercane. So pretty much I live in Candyland. Pretty much.

My new companion is a Guatemalan named Elder Lopez and he is super cool. Our house is super big and we live together with Elder Maldonado and Elder Brimley. Elder Brimley is also from Arizona and we were in the MTC (Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah) together -- so it's a good time. I am super excited about this area because there is a ton of potential for teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone is so open and so friendly and the lifestlyle is a lot more calm and relaxed here. In the city everyone is always running around and busy and distracted, but péople here really have much more relax time, even though they work hard. I am pumped to find new people to teach and to build the Lord's kingdom here.

So Easter in Honduras is pretty much non-existent. The week is called Semana Santa, or holy week, and most everyone has the week or at least the weekend free of work. But the sad part is that no one understands why. Everyone thinks that Semana Santa is just to go and swim in the rivers or go to the beach and relax. Hardly anyone understands that we are celebrating the suffering, death, and victorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Much of this week we spent teaching about the atonement of Christ and the magnitude and eternal importance of that weekend that changed the world forever.

So I'm not really tuned in to the whole video world over there in the States but there is an INCREDIBLE new video and page about the meaning of Easter over here at http://easter.mormon.org/

Everyone needs to WATCH IT because it is awesome and really powerful. Here it is:

Because of Him

I want you all to know that the reason I am here on the mission is because I know that my Savior lives and loves me and that he is literally at the head of this church. That is the motive for every drop of sweat I have dropped over here.

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Moffitt

Moving into our "big house" with Elder Brimley

Pictures from San Pedro Sula

  

Remember Christian? One week as a member and he is already THE BEST MISSIONARY EVER! 

New friend Selvin!

 Honduran bridge. Someone didn't go to USC School of Architecture...
That or Voldemort went wild on this bridge.

Want to hear a prophet of God speak?!

Well, this week was our church's General Conference, or in other words, the awesome twice a year weekend where we get to listen to the words of the living prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ that direct his church. For 10 HOURS!!!!! 

We spent most of our week preparing our investigators for the conference, including teaching everyone about the importance of prophets, and how God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and so it makes sense that he has called prophets and apostles to lead his church and his saints in these the last days. 

There were so many great talks it was incredible, but my favorite was by Lawrence Corbridge, who talked about the importance and incredible fruits of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The simple fact is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and one learns so so so much when he/she just investigates all there is to learn. I loved the directness the speakers used in their talks. It's time to repent world. Ain't nobody got time for sinnin'. 

Can't remember any really great stories from this week (that happens when it's really, really hot in a small Honduran internet cafe), but I learned a ton from the conference. If anyone has any questions about Honduras or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, send me an email and I'll send you the best answer I have! 

Click here for all General Conference Talks

And here is a one-minute short version of my favorite talks of conference -- "ask God and He will answer!": 

Bad news: It is super hot now. The hottest time of the year is April. 103. Humidity. We don't have air conditioning. Sweet.

Good news: The mangos are ripe now here so I'm loading up on that fresh fruit. 

Love,

Elder Moffitt 

While waiting for a meeting, Elder Hansgen and I took a few minutes for a missionary swagger photoshoot!

Uncontrollable Diarrhea ... vs. Grave Diarrhea

Hola!

Gotta tell you all the story of Christian. Christian is a 20yr old that we contacted in January. We taught him a few lessons, he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon and the church, and said he felt a feeling of peace that he hasn't felt ever before so he decided that the church was true and wanted to get baptized and serve a mission and everything. Before we met him, he was a hard rocker dude, but was in the process of leaving that behind. So the week of his baptizm, he went out of town suddenly.  From what we heard, he was just working to get money to pay the passage back, and then he got malaria. But it wasn't until he got back this Monday that he told us the real story. He had actually joined the Honduran army, and was a week away from finishing basic training, which is like a 6 week course, when they were out chopping a field and the sergeant came around hitting everyone on the back of their heads with his hand. When he passed by Christian, however, he hit him with the butt of his rifle. Christian, as small as skinny as he is, got a little angry at that, being hot and frustrated and all, and turned around and knocked the sergeant unconscious. That little dealio got him kicked out of the army, so he called us, came back home, and got baptized this Saturday! He will receive the Aaronic Priesthood this week after conference. His baptizmal service was super powerful and, at the end, he bore a powerful testimony about his conversion and that, even though he doesn't know all the answers to all of life's questions, he got an answer from God and that was what he was going to base his faith on. We are going to meet with the rest of his family this week. The cool thing is that all that week my companion and I fasted and prayed that Christian would come back that week. It is funny how God works, but one little rifle hit changed Christian's life completely. He was one week away from walking the streets with an AK47 and now he is reading scriptures and preparing to serve a mission. 

Baptizm day! We can be distinguished.

But we don't take ourselves toooo seriously!

This week we had a health fireside where we learned about the dangers of "Uncontrollable Diarrhea and Grave Diarrhea."  The mental image I had of "uncontrollable diarrhea" is just too funny. Maybe it's just that I have lived here too long but it gets me every time. Other than that, the work is good. I guess that I will probably be transferred from the San Juan branch in San Pedro Sula next week. It's been good in this branch but I'll get ready for some new frontiers. Yee-hah!

Easter is soon! Enjoy this inspiring 3 minute Easter video, "Because of Him":

Jesus Christ is our Savior. 

Because of Him, we can change for the better and live again with God. 

This Easter season we celebrate His life and Resurrection 

and invite all to share His miraculous story.

http://www.mormon.org/becauseofhim

Love you all,

Elder Moffitt

"Hope you don't die ... and be safe!"

Okey dokey let's see what happened this week.

Had three baptisms this Saturday! Baptisms are always the most stressful things ever. Pretty much Satan just goes ham on our plans and tries to make everything go wrong. I've had baptismal fonts lose their water connection right when we go to fill it up, ovens practically explode while leaving the house of an investigator to accompany her to her baptism, baptismal clothing disappear minutes before the service, etc. Pretty much, whenever we have a baptism, we just put a little more gel in our hair than usual, part that bad boy, stuff every piece of white cloth in sight in our backpacks, and bake a few cakes for good luck. But, heaven got a little more crammed with future residents this Saturday so that was awesome.  

I usually give kinda random meandering thoughts about spiritual themes in my letters but I think that bores you guys so I am going to keep better track of the cool things that happen during the week and tell more stories so you all can understand better my life in Honduras. 

This week: 

Walking to eat dinner at 8:30 at night and we walk past this kinda drunk looking guy. After we walk past he asks us a question, so we slow to let him catch up, always trying to be great friendly missionaries. As we walk alongside him, he starts to tell me a story about how he was in the USA illegally and got deported and got in a fight with one of the immigration police (he described it wonderfully, complete with all of the colorful words they used in the interchange) and told me that he promised himself that he was going to fight the first American he saw in Honduras to repay them for deporting him. He got pretty excited about that goal and so I was kinda sketched out wondering if I was going to need to pull out some crouching-tiger-hidden-missionary and asked him if he was going to try and fight me then, but he just laughed and said that No, he now realized how foolish he had been and that he was trying to change his life around and look for God. DING DING WHIP out the GOSPEL!!! We got his info and sent the reference over to the missionaries near his house. And he walked away from the encounter alive. Smart guy.

Had a guy that we were teaching give us back the Book of Mormon and tell us that he couldn't meet with us anymore. Not meeting our eyes, he said that he talked with his pastor and his pastor told him that our message wasn't true, and that he shouldn't talk with us any more. Moment of silence as we listened for the Spirit to tell us what to say. I asked him, "Did you ask God?" "No" he replied, and turned around and walked back into his house. From the start, we say about a billion times to every person we teach, pray and ask God if our message is true. How can you ask a man instead of God for an answer about the truth? 1 Corinthians 2 talks a lot about that. Santiago 1:5: If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of GOD, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. If you want to know the truth about God, please ask God, and not your cat or your librarian or your pastor. 

Got some sweet letters from the Primary children of my ward this week! The highlights were two letters from Brach Drew. The first:

"Dear Elder Moffitt, I'm scared for you in the murder capitol of the world. That's scary that you were in an armed robbery. I hope you don't get murdered while you're there - Brach Drew" with a marvelous drawing of a skull crossed out. 

The second:

"Dear Elder Moffitt, how is it like hearing people die every day? Your sister told me to ask you if it's scary there so I can have something to write. Hope you don't die and be safe. Your friend, Brach".

At least I have somebody who understands the calamity and danger in which I live. Thank you dearest Brach. 

Running in a close second is from the son of my cousin, Ethan Blayne Ency, who drew a lovely picture of a temple surrounded by USAF planes and heavily armed troopers and wrote, 

"DEar ADam, This is my very own made up temple protected by the military. I just got baptized. Love Ethan Blayne."

Well there you have it folks. Militarized temples and baptisms. What more can you want in your quest for salvation. Thanks for all your love and prayers and support and letters, especially from Brach and Ethan. I'm putting them in charge of my sail out in a flaming kayak with my sword and scriptures over a waterfall funeral if I don't make it out of here alive. But I'm pretty sure I will. 

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Got my Honduras soccer pants!

Hea everyone!

Had a super awesome week! A women named Orfelia with whom we have been working for a while accepted to get baptized this Saturday! She has wanted to get baptized but her neighbors and everyone has been attacking her with all sorts of nonsense and she finally has realized the importance of reading and praying .  I had almost given up on her but my comp and I decided that we would pray really hard and try for one more week. On Saturday, she told us that she hasn't received an answer to all of her questions but she has received an answer that she wants to be baptized. That is how Heavenly Father works. He gives a part of the answer, and if we act on that revelation, if we take one step with the light we have and take one more into the darkness of the future, trusting in God, he will continue illumination the way step by step. 

Check out those videos by Elder Bednar called Patterns of Light. A lot of time in life God doesn't answer us as clearly or as completely as we want but that's because we are here to learn and to grow. If we knew all the answers there would be no learning and no growth because we would never mess up.

We also had a regional conference for Central America this weekend via satellite by two apostles, Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Richard G. Scott. I am so grateful to have living prophets and apostles in these days. There is an imperative need in our day to receive direction and guidance directly from God through his instruments the prophets. 

Efesios 2:20 teaches us that the church of God is founded on prophets and apostles, or people that God chooses to receive revelation and have authority. I am so grateful that God has restored his church and that we have prophets and apostles once again on the earth today. If you doubt that they are real or true prophets or apostles, talk with a missionary and then ask God. It is kinda infallible if you really want to know.

What else.... oh yeah, we went to the center and did some third world window shopping and I got some Honduras soccer pants, which are kinda like gym shorts but capris. They are cool. I also got a bull horn trumpet thing that sounds like a duck farting when you blow through it but it says Honduras on it so it's all good.

Well, we had a lot more amazing experiences but I can't tell you everything. Just watching my tan/sun burn get darker and darker and my white-shirt-covered skin get whiter and whiter. It is quite the contrast now.

Love you all! Learn Spanish! 

Elder Moffitt

Full style Honduran Futbol with my hijo Elder Motecinos de Bolivia and Elder Hangsden. Can you be too Honduran? 

I Love Being a Missionary!

Hey family! Super tired today but I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

I haven't had an easy week in 8 months but it has made me so much stronger. This week we contacted a ton. I have literally lost all fear I ever had to talk to people. It's crazy. In whatever circumstance, I can just start talking to people without even feeling awkward at all. It's crazy that in 3 months I am going to complete a year here in the mission. I have a great family and want to tell you all how much I love you all. 

I am worried for our friend with a severe drinking problem.  I have brought him members that also had drinking problems, I have watched dvds with him, I have worked with him to pray and read the scriptures, but he missed church last week to go get drunk. Normally, by now I would drop him, but literally his life is in the balance. He was vomiting blood last week because he drunk to much. His family is on the point of leaving him. And he is sincere in his desire to change, just he doesn't make the decision to resist when the temptation comes. Please pray for him.

The mission is rocking tho! Enjoy some of Sister Klein's great photos below. Have a great week and I hope you bought me a pirate sword pen from Disneyland!

Love,
Elder Moffitt

Chummy spiders and my new companion from Bolivia!

Hello all! 

Sorry I didn't write on Monday. I know none of you could sleep you were all so nervous for me but our P-day got changed for today because we had changes today. I said goodbye to my dear Elder Curichimba after 4 1/2 months together! 

New companion, Elder Montecinos from Bolivia

My new comp is Elder Montecinos from Bolivia. I have known him for about 3 hours but he seems super cool. He just arrived in the mission, so I am his Papa! I will be training this young'un in the ways of the Lord. He shall be my padawan, my disciple, my only child born in the desert, my squishie, my precious, my dear son. In order to welcome him to the mission I bought a diaper and painted it really nice and pretty with his name and the Honduran flag and sparkles and all that jazz so he feels welcome to the family. 

We also have a new gringo roommate, Elder Andrews from San Diego!

Other breaking news from San Juan is that I started to shower last night and turned around and this massive spider was crawling up the shower curtain, so I unleashed the fearsome power of my 13 yr old girl scream and booked it out of the shower. I'm chill with spiders using the shower and all to clean up but they just need to remember to wait their turn.

The work is going super well. We are having a lot of success and I have learned to be patient with the Lord and with investigators. This is a new message and a new world for everyone, and sometimes it takes a bit for someone to really realize that they need to pray and ask God to get an answer. Proud of the new Gilbert Arizona Temple and of my brother who was a big part of the youth Cultural Celebration playing the role of Meshach with 12,000 youth! I felt the Spirit super strongly looking at the photos of all the youth singing their hearts out despite the drenching rain in order to express what they believe. I know this church is true. I know this gospel is true. I know that God has once again called prophets to guide his church in these latter days. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true and is the word of God. It has changed my life.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.

Elder Moffitt