Week Eighty-One: Salta

Hey fam! 

I'm sorry to hear about Theo! Honestly I just thought, at most, he had hip dysplasia. I didn't think it was so serious as bone and lung cancer. It does hurt to hear that he has passed, but I have learned a lot here in the mission and I know that these hard times are a time of growth. Even though they aren't the easiest to pass through, with a firm hope and faith in Christ we can find our comfort and joy. This is a time of progression and strengthening. I love my handsome boy and always will. I don't think there is any dog sweeter and more loving than he is. His tenderness is contagious and you can't help but just want to love him and play with him. Although we miss him like no other, he is happy and absolutely out of pain with his mom and grandma. With those three in Heaven they are having more fun than ever. And that is the joy we can all focus on. Like President Nelson said last conference, we can focus on joy to help us get through all trials. Jesus focused on the joy that everyone can be cleansed from sin while He was in the Garden of Gethsemane. If we focus on our unselfish love for Theo, we will have an overpowering sense of joy that he is happy, healthy, and loving his time with Luna and Stella. He never knew Stella but I am positive that when he got there she knew him perfectly and welcomed him right alongside Luna and they are enjoying themselves as they wait for us. I know you guys are worried about me and are going to be praying a lot for me, I'm not asking you to not do that, but I also want you to keep in your prayers that I can stay focused on the work I am doing here. I am pretty far away and I can't do much physically but I can help spiritually. When Elder Cook came to our mission at the beginning of my mission he gave left us with a promise and a blessing. He said that everyone we love and will love in the future will be blessed by our service. I want to be focused so that you can receive all the blessings possible, especially now. I also want you to know that I am and will be fine. Please don't worry about me, I am okay. I know with limited communication there are a lot of doubts and questions on how I am, so during the week when you are wondering how I am, just know I am doing good and can only improve, I promise. 

As for my week, nothing really special happened. We are teaching the daughter of Fabiana, the recent convert. When we were teaching Fabiana, her daughter, Maira, did not show to much interest and didn't want to stay for the lessons. But a little bit ago we were reteaching the restoration to Fabiana and Maira stayed for the lesson. It was a really good and spiritual lesson and at the end we invited her to be baptized. We got the answer that every missionary wants to hear but very rarely receives, "Yes, I would love to." Since then she has been super excited for her baptism! And she is already participating in the missionary work. She invited one of her friends to listen to us and now she also wants to know more and she accepted a baptism date! 

This is the last week of this transfer and it is possible that I will get transferred. So we will see what happens. 

I love you guys so much and will be praying for you and Chloe. I hope you have a great week! Give lots of loves to my beautiful girl for me!! I'll talk to you soon and I'll see you soon in Skype too! I LOVE YOU! 

-Elder Andrew Moore

PS I didn't take many pics but a member gave us some candy apples