Week Five 10-28-15 MTC

Week Five 10/28/15 MTC

Hello –

So as you know this is my last pday in the mtc!  This six weeks have seriously gone by so fast its crazy!! (Shelly here…. Its only been 5 weeks) The time here just flies by!  Idk if I said this on here but just in case ill say it again. The days are long but the weeks are short.  I have mixed feelings about leaving but for the most part I’m excited! I forgot my flight plans in my room but I think I remember them. I report to the travel part in the MTC at 8:30 in the morning. never mind i dont remember them at all but i do know that I get to buenos aries argentina at 9:10 am the next day and then I have the amazing pleasure to take a 22 hour bus ride to Salta. I’ve herd they break up the ride into a couple of days. I don’t know a lot about it but it should be fun lol. (Shelly here…. That means he’ll get to Salta on the 4/5^th… nothing like having your kid travel for 2-3 days in a foreign country, foreign language to calm your nerves!)    I do know if you heard but there are going to be A LOT of missionaries going to South America and we are all going to be on the same flight.  I feel sorry for all the non-members that are going to be on that flight because they just made the BEST mistake of there life lol! 

I have a pretty cool story for you guys. So on Tuesday we were having choir practice and the choir director changed the song last minute. He said that the devotional on Sunday was going to be broadcasted to all the other MTC's around the world. He didn’t tell us why but we all started thinking that someone important was going to be there. So over the next couple of days we all were talking about who was going to be speaking. When Sunday came around everyone wanted to be in the choir.  It was huge! We practiced our song and then all the other missionaries came in for the devotional to start. We started to sing the prelude music and in the middle of the song the doors open and in walks in the MTC president and his wife and right next the them was Neil L Anderson!  We all stood up and he walked up on to the stage and waved to us all with a huge smile. He gave a great talk. He talked about four points; sacrifice, opposition, adversary, and deliverance.  I swear that talk was meant just for me, I had this question in the back of my head that I tried not to think about, but I knew that it was still there.  His talk seem to talk directly to me and answered my question.  It was awesome! I don't think I've ever taken that many notes on a single talk before.  Since it was broadcasted maybe it will be one lds.org or youtube in a couple of days.  I would look into that. if it is you will be able to see me in the choir because multiple people who weren’t in the choir said that they saw me on the screen.  After we went back to our classroom and we talked and bore our testimonies on the devotional. after everyone kept saying I was going to be an apostle or the prophet.  I don't know why I feel that my testimonies are kind of all over the places, but I’m glad they got something out of it.  Elder Anderson spoke to my soul and that came out in my testimony.  It was a great experience for me.  Thank you Elder Anderson.

That’s crazy what happened to Dylan!!  I shared that story with my district and we got in this huge discussion about good and evil spirits.  It seems to happen more than most people think. Several people in my district have heard similar stories.  Satan hates missionaries because he knows what we are here to do and he does not like it.  It reminded me of the blessing we are promised in the temple that the garments will be a protection to us.  It just motivated me to be even more obedient and to work even harder.  As long as I am doing what I’m supposed to do the Spirit will be with me and Satan can’t touch me.  He has the power to bruise our heal but we have to power to crush his head.  This life is a constant up hill battle and there will always be a force pushing us back but as long as we do our best to push against it there will be an extra hand on our back pushing us along.

That reminds me, Katie I know this time is hard. I wish could say I know what you’re going through but really you are the only one in our family that has ever been a single child at home, so I don’t know exactly what your going through. But I do know of one person that knows exactly what you are feeling. I think you know who I’m talking about.  If you ever feel alone or feel like you miss the rest of your family, I promise you if you turn to him and you ask him for help he will help you.  He wont make your problems go away but he will help you rise above it.  So you can learn and grow from it.  I love you and just remember I’m only an email away.  I was also thinking that you are also extremely lucky that you are the only one home too.  That just means that all of mom and dad’s attention is focused on you. I know that doesn't sound all that great right now, but we have been blessed beyond our comprehension to have such amazing parents. I wouldn't be where I am right now if it weren't for them.  I know its hard to listen and sometimes you disagree with them, we all have, just know that they love you more than you know and they want the absolute best for you so the next time they say you can’t do something or can’t go somewhere just know that they love you and are looking out for you best interest.  They know one or two things about life and about being a teenager so they know what is best for you.  I can’t remember the exact scripture but it goes something like this, my ways are higher than your ways, my knowledge is higher than your knowledge.  I love you Katie and just remember to stay strong and if your having problems turn to your Heavenly Father and talk with mom and dad.  I know for a fact that they will help you get past anything and everything.  Also I just wanted to say thank you for keeping me update with everything going on in your life and with the team.  I miss water polo and its great to hear how the team is doing.  

I’m going to try to get everything packed by Saturday so if I’m over I can send it home and not have to leave it here.  I got your package and the tie! I’m so excited to wear it!  I showed everyone and they all thought it was awesome.  Thank you so much!  I also got a package from grandma Moore, tell her thank you so much for me and that I love her. I feel like I’m forgetting to say or ask some things. I know there are some questions I’m forgetting but I forgot my notebook in my room so I cant address them, sorry!  I love you guys!!  Kiss the puppies for me!  Next you get an email from me it will be coming from Argentina! That’s exciting!!

Talk (and I mean literally) talk to you soon!

Love,

Elder Moore

Dang that's far away!!!!

And this is Marcos, TRC investigator from Peru.

The district

Week Four 10-21-2015 MTC

Hey guys - 

So this week went by really fast just like the one before. It’s weird the days are long but the weeks are short. We are now the oldest district in our zone! Its a very weird feeling. Its hard to describe, it feels like we just got here but also that we have been here forever. Being zone leader isn’t so bad. We don’t have that much too do. We have to make assignments for priesthood lessons, interview the district leaders and report how everything is going to the branch president, and we have a phone. We literally can’t do anything with it. Everything is blocked with a password. The only thing that works is we can hold number 2 down and it calls the front desk. I don’t know why we have it since it can’t do anything.

Our lessons are going really well and Spanish is coming along nicely. Its nothing amazing but I’m able to say what I need to, to get my point across, and they seem to understand me so all is well. Nothing really cool happened this week, but a couple of days ago I decided I wanted to play volleyball instead of basketball and since its all in the same gym I just went and played volleyball a little bit. The Russians (missionaries going to Russia) all kind of take over the courts but I was still able to play. I started out in the back and as points were being exchanged I slowly made my way up to the front. Watching the opposing team, it wasn't hard to find their best player. Everyone would set him the ball and he would jump up and spike it every time. I used some of the skills I learned from Cody and studied how the other team played and how and when to make a move. So when I made it up to the front I knew what to do and I just waited for my opportunity. Every time he went to spike the ball I was right there and I stuffed him every single time. My team went crazy cause no one had done it before - he wasn't so happy about it. It was pretty fun. Now they keep asking me to come play volleyball with them.

I got the holytabbs this week and I started to mark up my scriptures with them. They are really cool! Also I want to know how the rancho game went!! You told me there was a game but not how it went. lol I want to know all the details. Maybe invite Chase over so he can tell me how it went from inside the game and also I want to know what Cody said. In our new district there is a guy from Rancho! He is a big Tongan and he played football for rancho. He actually has a full ride scholarship to BYU for football, but he put it on hold for his mission, which is pretty cool. 

Choir is going great! The choir director is awesome! He’s super funny and he is super spiritual as well. He always gives us the background stories for the song we sing. Last week we sang Joseph Smith’s first prayer. I really like that song. He was telling us how every time the missionaries sing this song it brings a spirit like no other choir can. He was wondering as to why that was and then he figured it out. He said that as missionaries we are set apart for one sole purpose and that is to testify of the truth of this message. If Joseph never saw Jesus Christ and the Father then that means that he was not a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is not true and that we don’t have a prophet today. Basically nothing is true if Joseph Smith did not see Jesus Christ and the Father. So when we testify of the truth of Joseph Smith there is a special spirit that confirms what we say, and when you get 2,000 missionaries testifying of the truth threw a song it brings a very special and strong spirit like no other. Man do I feel it!  He also talked to us about the different records or stories he told about his vision. I don't know if you know this but he told 6 different stories and you can find them all on lds.org. It was really cool, you should definitely check it out.

We went to the temple and we did initiatories (i have no idea how to spell it) we got done a lot faster and we had to wait for the cafeteria to open.  Every time we've gone I’ve gotten an ommelette and two biscuits with gravy. It’s really good and it always comes out to be around five bucks. It’s getting pretty cold in the mornings. I actually broke out my new jacket. I just wore the first layer not the waterproof half. It’s a really nice coat - I like it. My comp and I are going to get haircuts today. I’m a little scared I don’t know how good they are and I’ve been liking my hair lately. Speaking of my hair every time I wash it or do it in the morning I find that I’m shedding quite a bit. I don’t know if that’s normal. I hope it is and that I’m not going bald, that would be no bueno!  At least dad and I would be twins lol.

Well I love you guys!!! I’m still doing great. I’m a little nervous to leave, but I’m also excited to! idk I have a lot of emotions right now lol! Love you! kissssss my puppies for me!! 

P.S.  I just remembered this. Cam and Justin will like this more but I accidently said a nocho libre quote in my lesson. I said “its fantasic” in my nacho voice and the investigator just looked at me funny and my comp was trying so hard not to bust up laughing! Lol 

District temple trip

Elder Dobson and Elder Moore after a good session and breakfast in the temple

He's the Zone

Andrew and district 

Week Three 10-14-15 MTC

So just for the record I didn't actually think that Sister Moon was going to do it lol I just thought of that time when Cameron wrote grandma and told her that he wasn't eating anything.  It’s still nice to know that I can still mess with my family even when I’m not with you guys lo!!

I’ll let you know how I’m really doing! I’m having a great time!! I love my comp and my district! I wish we all could go to the same mission because they are all so awesome and we get along so well!!! Speaking of my district, my comp and I were just called to be zone leaders!  We didn’t expect that at all.  We were studying in our classroom on Sunday before sacrament meeting and he called us out to the hall. He said I’m going to make this quick, so we've called you to be the new zone leaders.  My comp and I just looked at each other and were like umm ok. my comp was kid of stressed about it, but I told him being a zone leader in the MTC is nothing compared to one in the field.  That seemed to calm him down and now he’s fine now.  So I have a pretty cool story.  We teach this TRC investigator.  It’s just a volunteer that comes in and gets taught by the missionaries in the MTC. They tell us they could be a member playing a role or an actual investigator. Our "investigator", we don’t know if he’s a member or not but his name is Marco.  He is an older gentleman probably in his late 50's and he is from Peru.  He is a short guy and he has polio so he walks with crutches everywhere.  He is the nicest guy you will ever meet!!!  My comp and I love him so much!!  He helps us with our Spanish like if we don't conjugate a verb correctly or are having trouble pronouncing something while reading.  All the other investigators just watch us struggle lol.  Everytime we've taught him he always seem so interested and the spirit is definitely present, but our last visit with him was different and that’s what I want to talk about.  We didn't have much time to prepare a lesson all we really knew was that we were going to teach the Plan of Salvation.  When the lesson started it wasn't off to a great start.  We couldn't get our thoughts on track and we were all over the place.  Then as if someone had turn a light on, the spirit filled the room and then my comp and I started movin.  I can’t even really explain it.  It’s like my comp and I could read each others minds.  We could feel the spirit get strong and stronger!  Then we told him about resurrection and that he will be perfect.  You should’ve seen his face when he heard that.  We told him he could be perfect and that he wouldn't have polio anymore.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so happy.  He started talking about how he would love to be able to run and if any one wanted to talk to him then they would have to talk to him while running because he wasn’t going to stop! The Spirit was stronger than I’ve ever felt before. I could understand and speak Spanish like I never could before.  It was incredible!  Then we lost him. idk what happened but we said something and it made him confused and we couldn't figure out how to explain it properly.  I could feel the spirit fading away and I thought we had lost him. Then I got an impression to bare my testimony about my family.  I knew his family was very important to him so I thought it couldn't hurt.  I couldn't tell you what I said mostly because i have no idea what I said.  Really I didn't say anything, the Spirit did.  I just opened my mouth and he did the rest. Whatever I said brought the spirit right back and it felt even stronger than before.  My eyes started to water as I bore my testimony and his did the same.  Once I was done I looked over at my companion and he was just starring at me with a face I couldn't really explain.  I looked at my watch and I realized that we were out of time so my comp asked Marco to say the closing prayer.  I don’t think I’ve ever herd a more sincere prayer before.  It was awesome.  We said goodbye and write as we walked out of the room my comp and I just looked at each other and we had nothing else to say but "Dude!" my comp told me that he didn’t even know half the words I was saying during my testimony but that the spirit was so strong and that we knew that Marco understood everything.  I can’t wait to teach him again!  He’s such a great guy I wish i could just take his polio away but I know that the Lord gives us trials for a reason.

I’ve gotten all of your packages and grandma’s package.  I don’t get a dearelder everyday but I get them about every other day. idk  I haven’t really been paying attention to what days I get them.  No one else is writing but Grandma Chesbrough sent me a dear elder.  I’m actually playing basketball more now. I’ve gotten better and the rest of my district plays so I thought I would to.  I have no info on visa but I do know that I leave November 2. idk if you know that or not.  I’ve broken one sweeter out.  It’s starting to get pretty cold in the mornings. People are always commenting on how much they love my ties. and I’ve realized ties are very important to missionaries lol.  So if there are some nice ones I forgot at home I wouldn't mind having them. It sucks about the guys loosing so bad to Chino and Osos.  I know they really thought they had a shot.  Maybe they will do better next time!  I think that’s it. I love you guys so much!!! I’ll talk to you soon!  Kiss my puppies for me!!

Love,

Elder Moore

Week Two 10-7-15 MTC

Hey Guys!! 

Time is really flying now. It felt like it took forever to get to the first p-day, but not so much now.  It feels like we've been here forever, but if you look at it in the span of our whole mission we haven't even scratched the surface. Lol!  I have a pretty funny story.  On Tuesday night I woke up to someone banging on our window from the outside.  There were two elders in our district who had received their visas and I knew they were going to the Dominican Republic MTC that night so I thought that was them just saying goodbye.  The banging continued.  They would bang for awhile and then stop just long enough for me to fall back asleep then they would start back up again.  I was very comfortable in my bed and in my half asleep mind I thought it might be a cereal killer and I didn't really feel like dying that night so I just stayed in bed. The banging eventually stopped and I fell back asleep.  In the morning I found out who was banging on the window.  It was our roommate Elder Hall.  He was sleep walking!  He said in his dream he thought he was hunting so we was walking around the MTC in his G's.  He woke up under a tree far from our room.  He didn't have a key to get back inside so he tried to wake us up by banging on the window.  No one got up and he was outside for awhile till a security guard found him and let him in.  We all thought it was Super funny, him not so much.  Now he sleeps with his key just incase it happens again.

General Conference was awesome!  We all watched it in the gym.  They have bleachers they pull out from the wall and they set up some chairs.  I hate those bleachers!!  The chairs are uncomfortable to and they make your butt hurt so bad!! Es no bueno!!  I don't think I’ve ever been so excited for conference before.  It’s completely different watching conference as a missionary then before.  I stayed awake for the entire thing and even took notes on every single talk.  It was really cool.

On Tuesday we had a devotional and the General Relief Society President came and talked to us.  She was talking about how great it is to have a living prophet and apostles today.  Then she said that she has known President Monson for a long time and that she has never seen him lean onto the podium like he did.  She then said "I think that was Heavenly Father’s way of telling us do we appreciate what we have?" I thought that was really interesting.  We are truly blessed to be born in this time with a living prophet.  I think we are kind of spoiled, in a sense, and we've become used to the fact the we have a prophet, but I think Heavenly Father did that to humble us and give us a bit of a reality check. We are incredibly blessed to have a prophet and apostles that speak directly to God and Jesus. Without them that line is cut and we would drift into spiritual anarchy. 

The language is coming along nicely. The whole district is pretty much on the same level and we all help each other out so its really nice and a lot less stressful.  The food isn’t too bad but you can defiantly tell its cafeteria food.  They pretty much have something different everyday and they have multiple options you can chose from so there is always at least one thing I would eat.  Everyone is always complaining that the food gives them the runs, but I haven't had any problems.

We went to the temple again today and I didn’t get lost this time!  We got breakfast there, we got breakfast there last time too I just forgot to write about it.  I've been writing in my journal everyday.  The entries started out nice and long but now they are starting to get smaller and smaller as the days become more and more alike but I’m still going to keep writing.

An elder in out District, Elder Presswitch, has some crazy talents on the piano. He learned to play a couple of years ago by himself but he can’t read music, but he doesn’t need to.  He can figure out how to play any song just from the tune of it. We would name a random song and within a minute or two he can play the entire song. Its incredible!!  He made this remixed for Come thou fount, and its sweet!  What MTC is Austin Miller going to?  I’ve been hearing a lot about Salta and pretty much everyone says it’s hot.  So I have that to look forward to.  Me and the heat don't really go together, but I’ll find a way to make it work!  No one said a mission was going to be easy. I got the card reader and I’m trying to upload pictures but these computers are retarded - sometimes they work and sometimes don’t. its very frustrating! But I love you guys and ill talk to you soon! kiss my puppies for me!!

Love,

Elder Moore!!

Week One 9-30-2015

Hey guys!
At the beginning of the week my comp and I were always getting lost. Everything looks the same so its very hard to find your way around - we got the hang of it now. The food has it's good and bad days. Sometimes it can be really good and sometimes its not at all, but they have lots of options so i just find something else to eat.

I found out that the missionaries are not singing in Conference – that’s a bummer, but I still joined the choir. The director is so cool! He's funny and spiritual at the same time. He’s always making jokes and he knows how to have a fun time, but he also gives a background story for all the songs we sing and he can really bring the Spirit. There is a lot more class time then I thought there would be. It’s not like we have Spanish class and then we go to a mission training class. It’s all mission training and the teacher only speaks Spanish so you have to pay real close attention or you will miss a lot. We don't understand a lot so she is constantly repeating herself until we can figure out what she’s saying – we’re getting better. My teacher is really cool and she has a great personality so its really easy to get along with her.

For gym I either play basketball or volleyball. I’m not very good at basketball so I pretty much just go play volleyball. Oh on the first day they gave us a Bank of America debit card. I’m not really sure what its for. Its not activated, at least I don't think it is. A lot of the missionaries in our zone left today or yesterday so a couple of days ago we got together as a zone after class, but before bed, and we just had a big zone testimony meeting. Pretty much just the missionaries that were leaving bore their testimonies but it was still really cool. Dad, Cameron, and Justin might appreciate this more but everything is super Mickey mouse!! The buildings are all pretty old except for the gym In the older buildings you can tell what has been replaced because none of it is done correctly. In our room alone there are about four junction boxes with espoused live wirer. I know that they are exposed and live because none of the covers fit and my roommate accidentally touched it and got shocked. I don’t know who the maintenance man is here but they might need to find a new one.

I’ve seen more of Dane since my last email. We actually found out we have class in the same building, building 8m 307 btw, but he is on the opposite side of the building. He has to walk by my room to get to the bathroom so we see each other quite a bit now. I haven’t seen Sister Moon, but now you can tell her where I am.

This morning we went to the temple. This marks the 8th temple I’ve been to. That’s a pretty cool thing to say. After the session my comp and I got lost trying to find the locker room. That’s a confusing temple! I got the package on Monday and I love all the candy and snacks! The package probably would have come sooner but there is no mail on Sundays. We cant listen to any music in the mtc. idk why but its just a rule they have. So I’ll have to save the i pod and speaker for the field.

I’m not really homesick anymore. The first couple of days I was but not so much anymore - which is good. Studying has become a lot easier here! One thing I was worried about because I never had the motivation to study at home, but here its completely different. I’ve never wanted to read the scriptures as bad as I do now. You guys know me, I don’t like reading, but I get so much more out of it now. It’s really awesome! That’s awesome about Br. Scott being called to be the Bishop! We all pretty much saw that coming lol!! I wish I was there to see it and be there for Connor’s homecoming but I think I have a pretty good excuse. I’m writing this in the laundry room and I just realized I put the detergent in the fabric softener port. We will see how clean they get. I hoped I answered your questions. I love you guys! I’ll talk to you soon Kiss my puppies for me!!!!

OH, I forgot to congratulate you mom on your first time teaching seminary. That was a good idea to bring treats and that’s awesome that everyone stays awake.  I’ve never been to a normal seminary class so I don’t know if that’s normal, but for zero period that’s not normal.  Seminary has a bigger effect on your day then you think.  Without it your day just doesn’t feel right.  You have a lot bigger effect on them then you know.  Dad that’s awesome that your talking to people and answering peoples questions about the church.  Keep up the good work!!  Love you guys!!! talk to you soon!

Day Three @ MTC

Hey guys!! 

So I only have about ten minutes today to write. My p-day is on Wednesday, but they are allowing us to write a quick email home to let everyone know how it’s going. We were actually supposed to do this our second day but our ZL's just told us about it but never told us when or where or how, then last night they told us.  My comp is really cool, his name is Elder Dobson, he wrestled in high school and is from Idaho. My district is supper cool! We all get a long so well and is seems like everyone has a true desire to serve and they all want to work hard and be obedient.  We met out branch president last night and he seems really cool!! He’s a really nice guy and seems to really care about us. His name is Elder Doman. I haven't seen Dane that much, I saw him a couple of times on the first day but after that not so much. I don’t know if you guys have my mailing info but just in case ill give it to you.

Elder Andrew John Moore

NOV02 ARG-SAL

2007 N 900 E Unit 97

Provo UT 84602

Staying awake hasn't been an issue and I’ve been able to wake up just fine.  On the first day, I’m not sure who it is, but someone in our room snores like crazy it kept me up for a while so I got some earplugs and it helped. Oh yeah and mostly everyone in our district is going to Argentina. My comp and the two sisters are going to Salta and the others are going to different missions. I’ll write you guys more on Wednesday. I love you guys so much and give my puppies some extra love for me!! Love you and talk to you soon!!

Elder Moore