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

Look first for the Kingdom of God and everything else will be added upon you!

This week was chalk full of craziness. The highlight was this Friday, when the Archaga family dressed up all in white and entered into a covenant with the Lord in the waters of BAPTISM! What a miracle and a blessing it has been to work with this family from the start and help them come to this step in their eternal progression together. The Lord really cleared the skies for this family. 

Their little girl also wanted to be baptized soooo bad but she is only 6 years old and doesn't really understand the difference between good and bad. For example, while we were changing, she barged in the room and just sat there chillin' in the boys bathroom haha. In our church, we baptize people 8 years and older, as baptisms must be proceeded by faith and repentance. Children under 8 are not capable of sin so do not need to repent and be baptized.

The greatest lesson that the Archaga family taught me is that of looking first for the kingdom of God, and everything else will be added upon you. It is one of the most important lessons we can learn here on earth, and really is at the heart of true faith -- putting God first and everything, and I mean everything else (sin, temptation, popularity, work, studies, physical needs and desires, prosperity, even life if needs be) second. If we manage the faith to really live this principle, we will be blessed beyond our expectations and we will inherit the greatest gift of all -- eternal life. From tithing to the law of chastity to the code of physical health in the word of wisdom, this awesome father put in practice each commandment as soon as he found out about it. Literally, he has changed his life and his family will be forever blessed for the righteous example of this dad. So grateful that I have an amazing dad as well, who is such an example to me of the man I want to be (just with a little more hair).

 

This Sunday, I broke just about every rule in the mission rule book. Let me explain. We where in the middle of church services when Elder Brimley and Elder Lopez left the meeting. We followed them out to see what was wrong in time to catch Elder Lopez as he fainted completely. We loaded him up in a church member's car and drove him to our house, but he didn't regain consciousness. We then took him to the nearest hospital, 30 minutes away in the bed of the car (for lack of any other option). Elder Lopez was still unresponsive and for brief seconds would have convulsions. Before leaving, we bought water from the pulperia for Elder Lopez. Then sped to the hospital where Elder Lopez was just as unresponsive until they stuck a needle in his hand to draw blood -- then he came back to the real world. It wasn't exactly the typical Sunday morning experience, but the good news is that he is okay and that we were protected in getting him to medical care. Missing church, buying on Sunday, riding in the truckbed, leaving the area, leaving the zone, pretty much the only mission rule I did keep was getting up at 6:30 am that morning! 

Today is Independence Day here so there was a band marching by and made me remember the best marching band in the entire universe (cough, cough) -- the USC Trojan Marching Band woot woot!

Anyways, the church is true, it is led by our Savior Jesus Christ, the authority to baptize has been restored to the earth from divine messengers to the prophet Joseph Smith, and only in being baptized by this authority can we be saved.

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Elder Moffitt


And some more fun baptism day photos with the Archaga family:

   

Fasting and Miracles

Dear Family and Friends, 

This week was really hard and pretty long, but at the same time super full of miracles and success. I went on divisions two days of the week to other areas in my district to see how things were going. Every day this week it has rained BUCKETS. I like it when it rains though because more people let you in their house -- poor little wet and cold missionaries. :)

One of the days I went with the companion of Elder Brimley. He has challenges from a childhood of violence and poverty in Guatemala and Columbia, where he father was shot when he was young. I spent the day with him to see how he is able to function as a leader and as a missionary because he is just starting and it is really hard for him. He has a super good heart; he is super humble and loves to laugh. He has taught me a lot about how to be more like a kid. (It makes me think of our NHS evenings packing healthy food at Feed My Starving Children to be sent internationally to give hope and nutrition for children just like this.) But I was really surprised at how well he did and I talked to our mission president about how I hope he can stay and serve his whole mission. He will have to have the best of companions, but I like to think he (and we) could do it.

Other than that, we fasted so that the people we are teaching would come to church and have a spiritual experience at church or through reading or praying about our message. On Sunday, we had 14 investigadores come to church, and 11 of them have baptismal dates. It was a miracle.  And was a sweet fruit to see after working really hard and praying and sweating our hearts out. I know the Lord blessed us and brought those people to church.

Two people this week came up to us and told us they wanted to be baptized. Okay, sounds good. The only problem with EVERYONE here is that they aren't married, and they can't get baptized until they are legally married. 90% of the battle is getting people to get moving and get married to be committed to their families and obedient to God's laws. 

I will write more later but I am so grateful for the hand of the Lord in this work. It is His work and not ours, and if we have faith hope and diligence and obedience, we will see miracles -- especially after we pass through the hard times where it seems like we are abandoned. He is ALWAYS there waiting to bless us if we pass the test.

Repentance is possible and is beautiful.

This week the family of the guy who harpoon fishes will be baptized. That'll be awesome.

Hurrah for Israel!

Elder Moffitt

THANKS FOR THE COOKIES FROM THE BEST GRANDMA EVER!!!!!
These were so fun to receive, Grandma! Thank you so much -- and they were very, very tasty :)

Honduraaaaaaaaaaaaaas!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was quite eventful because I had to go to La Ceiba for a District Leader training meeting. Which meant spending the day with Elder Hansgen as my companion! His hairstyle gets weirder every time that I see him, right now it is in a Sylvester Stallone slicked back style that I don't really even think Sylvester Stallone ever used but just looking at Elder Hansgen's hair the name Sylvester comes to my mind. 

Speaking of Stallone, I made beef stroganoff today. :)

Shout out to Jessica in the Ukraine. Speaking of Jessica in the Ukraine, my companion and I have our plans made for the next world cup, which will be in Russia. My companion, Elder Navas, is actually the cousin of Kaylor Navas, the goalie for the Costa Rica national team that was just bought by Real Madrid. He is super famous here, the goalie that is, because he is a Central American that is now on like the best private team ever. So my companion is going to get us tickets to the next world cup in Russia, and Jessica, you are going to protect us from all of the civil wars and communism by speaking perfect Ukrainian and guiding us around. I am pretty sure there is a difference between Ukrainian and Russian but they both use the same transformers cyber-tron letters so I assume they are pretty similar. At the very least they are both very cold.

But anyways, La Ceiba. So I loaded up my backpack with pamphlets and Books of Mormon and headed out at 4 am in the morning to make it to the meeting. I had planned to contact people in all of the buses we took and give out a ton of pamphlets (!) but the bus we took to La Ceiba was super small and cramped and I was in the back and so there was no way I could preach on the way up. It was crampin' my style if you know what I mean. So i just taught the police officer sitting at my side everything about the Book of Mormon and read with him  about Captain Moroni and how I want to be like Captain Moroni and how he should want to be like that too as he is in the service of his country defending freedom and peace just like captain Moroni did. Gave out B.O.M. number 1. 

The training meeting was good. And then we headed to Pizza Hut, where our souls were tormented by American music for 45 minutes (not homesick -- don't worry -- but I had totally forgotten about all the music I love) and then got back on a bus home. Waiting for the bus, I started talking to a guy who apparently had read some of the Book of Mormon and didn't really like it. I asked him why, and he responded, literally "because it doesn't really talk about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ." 

WHAAAAA??? 

I was like "Hooookey buddy, totally understand you."So I literally opened the Book of Mormon to a random page, and had him read the first verses we saw:

7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatique, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.

8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called. mary.

9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto the children of men even throught faith on his name; and even after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

10 And he sall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, hee standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of men. 

11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of Gof concerning them, or sho have ignorantly sinned.

He read that as was like, "Oh ...." And I told him with all respect that he hadn't really read the book. The Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ. It only talks of him. The ENTIRE purpose of the book is to testify of the atonement of Jesus Christ and his redeeming sacrifice for us. So, please, if you are going to have a problem with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, don't let it be that the Book of Mormon doesn't talk about Christ. 

On the bus back home, there were just missionaries and about five other people. So I just sat by a lonely looking guy and talked to him about the restoration of the gospel and also left him with a Book of Mormon and my testimony. I love that type of missionary work! You never really get to see the fruits of your labors, but you get to plant some spiritual seeds and leave people knowing that you did your part; the seed of truth has been planted for them to investigate and come to know the truth for themselves.

To find my companion again, after arriving in my area, I had to walk about 100 meters alone through the night to the rendezvous point. It was the first time in 14 months that I have been without someone literally by my side. Even though it was only about 5 minutes, I couldn't stop myself from feeling terribly lonely and offering silent prayers for protection until I found my companion. 

Last week, four of our investigators were baptized and I can't even list all of the miracles that went into those four baptisms coming to pass. They were not at all "our" baptisms; they were the Lord's. He did all the work to bring them to the font; we just filled it up and performed the ordinance.  Sometimes we as missionaries become prideful and think that is is because of our great teaching skills that people decide to be baptized. If that is the reason for their baptism, the people will lose interest and become inactive as soon as we leave the area. But if their conversion is by the Spirit of God, if the feel and recognize the voice and hand of the Lord in their lives and really come to know by divine means that our message is true, they will stay active, and that is what happened with these four youth.

Another miracle: we prayed that we would be able to know how to help the wife of awesome Jose Harpoon get excited about the gospel and come to know that our message was true because he was just way too awesome but she was kinda just following him and not taking her own iniciative. We then walk into the church that afternoon and totally double-taked when we saw here there with some Relief Society sisters talking and making quilts together. We literally didn't believe that it was her because they live far from the church and we hadn't even invited her or brought her to this activity. I honestly don't even know how she got there! It was totally a miracle. Jose Harpoon, but the way, has been without work, so we taught him about the economic law of God, called tithing, through which we show our faith and receive blessings that we can't even contain. These past two Sundays he has, on his own and with no more than probably 25 cents, paid his tithing.

I LOVE SEEING FAITH LIKE THAT!!!!!!  It is honestly the entire focus of missionary work -- find people and help people develop faith and obedience to God's laws. This Tuesday he found work. 

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Elder Brimley's cereal bowl