July 27, 2010
Hey Everyone,
Well good news. I’m still loving the mission, so I haven't gone apostate yet. I’m not really planning on it either, but I got a phone call this morning from the mission president and I’m getting transferred tomorrow. I have no idea where yet but I was way disappointed, ha ha. I wanted to stay here in Logansport just because of how much has happened and about how much is going on right now. The baptism for Nathan was so awesome, just the spirit there was so clear. I didn't realize it, but it was the first baptism that I've gone to since mine I think, so it’s been a while. Nathan had a lot of his family there to support him since most of them don't go to church at all. So it was nice and the ward came and supported him. He goes to a different ward then Logansport because his aunt comes and picks him up each Sunday and takes him to Warsaw. And since he is only 12, we can't complain about him coming to our ward so it was alright with us, even though he is in the Logansport boundaries. But, people in the Logansport and Warsaw wards were both there to support him. There are a lot of nice people out here. Anyways, his uncle baptized him and since his family came so far to see him get baptized he was just confirmed right after. The stake president okayed it and all, so he asked me and Elder Banner to be in the circle and WOW was it a experience. We all stood there and while the confirming was going on the spirit was so, so strong it was like a force I don't really know how to describe it even. It was the most peaceful, protecting feeling I'm bold enough to say that I've ever felt. It was so unreal, but at the same time you knew that it was there. It wasn't more or less a feeling but an actual something around you. I have no idea if that makes sense at all, but I know for sure that it was the spirit of God. And, by everyone who confirmed Nathan we all had the power and authority to give him that gift of the Holy Ghost to have as a constant companion. Nathan was the most excited. I've never seen him so excited before. It was good to see that expression in him that he knew what he felt and the importance of doing it. I took pictures of it so I’ll have to send some. We were taken out by his family to Golden Corral and man did I love that. All you can eat and more, ha ha . His whole family loves us since I’m going I won’t be able to see him again, or his family. But we’re planning on working with Nathan’s sister next and get her baptized and to church because there are girls her age at church and her cousin who is the same age goes to church. So hopefully, Elder Banner can impact her and impact the rest of the family to get to church and know the importance of it. To help other people out, and to take the sacrament to renew your baptismal covenants, and there are more reasons than that, but I just can't remember them, ha ha. Well the baptism was a success. We gave Nathan a Book of Mormon that is kinda old school. It’s a hard back, but it’s not blue. We had some at our house so we wanted to give him something to remember us by. We wrote our testimonies in it.
We went tracting the other night in a storm ( don’t worry mom it wasn't a huge tornado or lightning storm, I’m not foolish ok) ha ha. But we got soaking wet. We would talk to people on their doorsteps and they would just send us right back out into the storm no sympathy at all. Tsk, tsk, tsk. It was fun though. We jumped in puddles, and rivers that were flowing down the streets, just because there was no way we could get any more wet. It started getting bad with lightning so we went to the car and drove to a less actives, because the power went out and we don't want to be creepy to people while talking to them with the lights out. Well we were driving on the main roads and we see the side streets flooded with water so we pull over and take a picture of cars just up to their bumpers with water. It was cool. I’ll send the pictures, don't worry. We saw Mario yesterday and we taught the first half of the plan of salvation. about that tagalog book (or whatever way the language is spelled), he doesn't want to read tagalog at all. All he wants to read is English. He reads Twilight and other books and all that stuff. He says that he wants to just speak English so he can learn faster, so our lesson went good making sure he understood everything with us. He is comfortable with us to ask questions about words he doesn't know or if he is saying a sentence right. And if he doesn't understand a concept so, its kinda hard to simplify everything, but we were getting the hang of it. We are actually going to play Basketball with him today, because he likes watching it and he doesn't get out of the house much, since his wife is the only one who can work and she has the car so he just sits at home and reads. So, he is reading the BOM and pamphlets we give him which is awesome. He wants to get baptized, so it will be hard to leave here and not get to see him do that because he is a way sweet guy. He loves us over there, so it’s good. I think he just needs friends, so that’s what we are trying to do. He and his wife, move in a month to Kokomo which is just the next biggest town south of Logansport. So he wants to get baptized before they move so he and his wife can go to church every Sunday in Kokomo . It’s awesome to see his desire to know more. We met with these 2 investigators, Mike and Pam, they're husband and wife and they are just the most humble people. They truly want to know more of what we tell them. Even if they get proven wrong they don't get offended. We tell them why something is and read scriptures, and they will just be like ‘oh man have I been wrong’ and when we come back they will just say ‘I studied about prophets and the bible does say Christ's church does need prophets’ and Mike will say ‘Ya I was wrong.’ You don't get that a lot, but they are looking for the truth and that’s exactly what we have, the truth of God’s gospel. It’s so cool to teach people and a privilege to be out here and given the opportunity to teach God’s word because of how much happiness it can truly give people. I definitely know that it brings happiness because I have seen it in my life and I have seen it in the lives of other people and how much the more you know, the more comfortable you are with yourself. And life just seems so clear in a way. I don't mean that in a boring way but it’s just clear view of everything and you’re so much happier when you see it that way. I still have fun all the time, but I’m not sure how to explain teaching the gospel in words, it’s just an awesome humbling experience. Everything else is going good though. Diabetes is going well, we bike a lot and walk. I better tell you this now P-day is getting changed to Monday now. The new president is changing things up. He is a way nice guy. Way into making sure everyone is doing good and working hard. Haven't really had a chance to talk with him for a long time, just interviews and stuff. Well the first transfer was such a slap in the face learning experience. I’m still learning and still remembering everything that I knew before. I am more comfortable talking to people and just being me and my personality which is kinda awkward I figured out. But people don’t seem to mind. I love everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. I miss you especially mom and dad and Scott, Paul, and Jessie. I hope you guys are doing good and getting by in life. I hope the house sells, so you and dad can spend more time with each other. Thanks a bunch for those overviews of THE LAST AIRBENDER they were sweet. I loved reading them. Well, I’ll write you next week to tell about where I’m serving at. So take care.
Love always,
ELDER JOHN MICHAEL MOORE
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
July 20, 2010 - Logansport, Indiana
July 20, 2010
Whew, it was a crazy week this last week. We did a lot of stuff. We got asked to do service at the county fair, because a member threw out her back and couldn't do it herself. So of course, being missionaries we stepped in. It was a good experience. Everyone that we were serving weren't LDS, so we talked it over, and everyone loved how hard we worked and loved how we are giving up 2 years of our lives for something that we know is true. A lot of them were pretty old and weren't interested in what we knew was true but we tried. We had to work in the kitchen serving food for people. As usual, I had to work the fryer station, not the best job in the world. Elder Banner just yelled out orders to people so it was dumb, haha. But I guess I had previous experience from Arby’s, unfortunately, and so I was a beast at the grill. The people were way surprised how well I caught on. We did get to see some of the fair. It was the weirdest fair I've been to or seen. The people were in this arena type thing and all the stands were full of people so you would've thought it was going to be pretty sweet to see what they were doing in the arena. So Elder Banner and I check it out and there are just these people slapping pigs with sticks walking around. It was the most pointless thing I've ever seen. We asked and talked to people around us trying to figure out what it was about and they kinda explained it. But it wasn't worth watching, I could tell you that, unless you wanted a good ole laugh session. Which I did cause I thought it was hilarious. We had these things called elephant ears, which are these scone type things with cinnamon sugar on top with butter, they were delicious of course. Don't worry, I’m still at the same weight as when i left, so I’m not getting fat. We have had some cool storms out here. Just rain, I haven't been caught in a big rain storm yet while we have been tracting, so that is the next goal. We gave another blessing to someone whose sisters were members but he wasn't. His sisters told him that he should get one cause it would help a ton so, he said yes and then we came. He had some way bad back problems and the next day he was supposed to fly out to Brazil for a service project for 2 weeks so he needed it. It was an awesome feeling. Elder Banner gave the blessing, I anointed with the oil. But I was just as involved in the blessing as if I was saying it. The spirit manifests it to all who are in that circle and the person receives those blessings, even if they weren't heard by the person getting the blessing. It was so cool to be a part of though. We have lately had a lot of new investigators which was awesome. We had to stop seeing one that was giving us trouble, but he still wanted us over. We will still see him everyone once in a while but just not as much and because we have done that we have had so many more new investies. We have this sweet one named Ann. Last time we were over she read part of the BOM and she loved it. I asked her if she knew it was true and she was kinda hesitant about it so I asked her to prepare herself to get baptized as she keeps reading in the BOM. I just bore a hard testimony and she said yes so we are going over tomorrow to talk to her about it and I’m praying that it works out. We were looking for less actives this last Sunday to get them to come to church and we didn't have the list with us of the less actives. Luckily I wrote one down in my planner and I said let’s see this one. So we go over there and we were supposed to talk to Sister Pedro. We meet this guy named Mario and find out that Sister Pedro is busy and will be down to talk with us in a couple of minutes. So we talk to Mario about him and all and we found out that he and his wife Sister Pedro are from the Philippines, or however you spell it, but Mario was struggling with English. He speaks Taglog, or whatever language is back out there. And after we talk for awhile Sister Pedro comes down and we get to know them more and more and we find out that Mario isn't a member and that Sister Pedro’s job was way tight and she is the only one that works so she can't make it to church on Sundays because of that. So we talked to Mario about the church and Sis. Pedro interrupts and says " YA we have been waitin’ months for the missionaries to come over and baptize Mario because he wants to be baptized!!!" ME and Elder Banner just look at each other pretty much praying saying thank you we just tell them "We will do that" so since he is struggling in English he wants to practice it with us as we teach him the lessons so it will be a learning experience for the both of us. I’m way excited to meet with him, he is way into it. It was way funny how they said that though I almost busted up laughing right there but I held my own. The missionary work out here is going awesome I love it so much. We have transfers next week and I’m not sure if I’m getting transferred or Elder Banner, or both of us, or not at all so we will find out next p-day. So, I will let you know next week. Logansport is a sweet place to serve in, a lot of cool people. Yesterday we went to Monticello to meet with a investigator and we found out that he is a Catholic priest. That kinda took us off guard but he wanted to know more and he was totally ok with what we told him. He was and has had problems with the Catholic church in some things so he wanted to know our view on things. He promised us that by next week he will have the whole Book of Mormon read and we will talk about it with him. His daughter is way interested in it too. She didn't get to meet with us last night but she wanted too. She is 17 and plays tennis, so maybe I can relate something to the gospel about tennis haha. But he was a way sweet guy he told us that he is looking for the truth and that’s exactly what we have. I'm gonna buy the Conference talks on CDs out here so I can listen to them. They are way sweet to listen to. They help out a lot when talking to people. The Last Airbender sounds awesome. Dad did a little overview so I’ll be way excited to read your letters. I hear about these people reading my letters back home and how excited they are for me and the experiences I’m having. I hope they can take more from my experiences then just being excited for me, because my mission isn't anything about me at all. I want the experiences people read about, my stories, to get something from it. That they can become better, that maybe they can see something they can improve on, cause we all need to improve. So, whoever reads my letters on the blog or whatever, I hope you take something more than just being excited for me.
Elder Moore
To Dad:
Hey dad, thanks for the update. I love hearing from you. Mostly it’s just Mom and hearing all her stories is good and all, but I definitely like the man talk. Ha ha. At least you don't talk about what you ate last night. Please, don't start. Out here it’s crazy about how much people are so into their religion, but they contradict themselves when we talk to them and they just can't see where they contradict themselves. We don't bash hardly ever because I’m definitely not literate in the Bible that much, but Elder Banner is, which is good to learn stuff from him and all. I especially know that you are. I’m sure you know more than a lot of people. We met with a Catholic priest last night who wanted to meet with us, so he invited us over for dinner. We didn't have a bash session, but he was like a free Catholic. He didn't like a lot of stuff about Catholicism but he still likes some stuff and it’s what he grew up in and that’s what’s different. He has never read the BOM so we talked to him about it. Told him stuff that’s different about our church than everyone else's. Of course the loss of power and authority seems to be a struggle with everyone but we taught the restoration and stuff and we gave him a BOM and we asked for a return appointment for Thursday. But he was like no way that’s not enough time I want to read the whole thing. So next week we are going over to talk about what he read and prayed about in the BOM, so it will be interesting even though transfers are next week and I’m not sure if I’m leaving or Elder Banner is leaving, or if we are both staying. We won’t find out until next Tuesday, 1 day before transfers. I’m trying to make sure my studies are more effective during breaks I try to study even though we don't have to. We are just supposed to relax. I still want to cause I feel like I should know more right now. I’m just focused on the BOM and PMG (Preach My Gospel) just making sure I have the lessons down and that my testimony of the BOM just keeps increasing. I love studying now more than ever. It’s weird, I kinda hate it though cause now I’m turning into you. Ha ha, just kidding. But someone who just loves to know more and more which is what the church wants, so I’m glad that you have set that example for me and I was just kidding.
I love you Dad. I love hearing from you too.
Your son always,
Elder Moore
Whew, it was a crazy week this last week. We did a lot of stuff. We got asked to do service at the county fair, because a member threw out her back and couldn't do it herself. So of course, being missionaries we stepped in. It was a good experience. Everyone that we were serving weren't LDS, so we talked it over, and everyone loved how hard we worked and loved how we are giving up 2 years of our lives for something that we know is true. A lot of them were pretty old and weren't interested in what we knew was true but we tried. We had to work in the kitchen serving food for people. As usual, I had to work the fryer station, not the best job in the world. Elder Banner just yelled out orders to people so it was dumb, haha. But I guess I had previous experience from Arby’s, unfortunately, and so I was a beast at the grill. The people were way surprised how well I caught on. We did get to see some of the fair. It was the weirdest fair I've been to or seen. The people were in this arena type thing and all the stands were full of people so you would've thought it was going to be pretty sweet to see what they were doing in the arena. So Elder Banner and I check it out and there are just these people slapping pigs with sticks walking around. It was the most pointless thing I've ever seen. We asked and talked to people around us trying to figure out what it was about and they kinda explained it. But it wasn't worth watching, I could tell you that, unless you wanted a good ole laugh session. Which I did cause I thought it was hilarious. We had these things called elephant ears, which are these scone type things with cinnamon sugar on top with butter, they were delicious of course. Don't worry, I’m still at the same weight as when i left, so I’m not getting fat. We have had some cool storms out here. Just rain, I haven't been caught in a big rain storm yet while we have been tracting, so that is the next goal. We gave another blessing to someone whose sisters were members but he wasn't. His sisters told him that he should get one cause it would help a ton so, he said yes and then we came. He had some way bad back problems and the next day he was supposed to fly out to Brazil for a service project for 2 weeks so he needed it. It was an awesome feeling. Elder Banner gave the blessing, I anointed with the oil. But I was just as involved in the blessing as if I was saying it. The spirit manifests it to all who are in that circle and the person receives those blessings, even if they weren't heard by the person getting the blessing. It was so cool to be a part of though. We have lately had a lot of new investigators which was awesome. We had to stop seeing one that was giving us trouble, but he still wanted us over. We will still see him everyone once in a while but just not as much and because we have done that we have had so many more new investies. We have this sweet one named Ann. Last time we were over she read part of the BOM and she loved it. I asked her if she knew it was true and she was kinda hesitant about it so I asked her to prepare herself to get baptized as she keeps reading in the BOM. I just bore a hard testimony and she said yes so we are going over tomorrow to talk to her about it and I’m praying that it works out. We were looking for less actives this last Sunday to get them to come to church and we didn't have the list with us of the less actives. Luckily I wrote one down in my planner and I said let’s see this one. So we go over there and we were supposed to talk to Sister Pedro. We meet this guy named Mario and find out that Sister Pedro is busy and will be down to talk with us in a couple of minutes. So we talk to Mario about him and all and we found out that he and his wife Sister Pedro are from the Philippines, or however you spell it, but Mario was struggling with English. He speaks Taglog, or whatever language is back out there. And after we talk for awhile Sister Pedro comes down and we get to know them more and more and we find out that Mario isn't a member and that Sister Pedro’s job was way tight and she is the only one that works so she can't make it to church on Sundays because of that. So we talked to Mario about the church and Sis. Pedro interrupts and says " YA we have been waitin’ months for the missionaries to come over and baptize Mario because he wants to be baptized!!!" ME and Elder Banner just look at each other pretty much praying saying thank you we just tell them "We will do that" so since he is struggling in English he wants to practice it with us as we teach him the lessons so it will be a learning experience for the both of us. I’m way excited to meet with him, he is way into it. It was way funny how they said that though I almost busted up laughing right there but I held my own. The missionary work out here is going awesome I love it so much. We have transfers next week and I’m not sure if I’m getting transferred or Elder Banner, or both of us, or not at all so we will find out next p-day. So, I will let you know next week. Logansport is a sweet place to serve in, a lot of cool people. Yesterday we went to Monticello to meet with a investigator and we found out that he is a Catholic priest. That kinda took us off guard but he wanted to know more and he was totally ok with what we told him. He was and has had problems with the Catholic church in some things so he wanted to know our view on things. He promised us that by next week he will have the whole Book of Mormon read and we will talk about it with him. His daughter is way interested in it too. She didn't get to meet with us last night but she wanted too. She is 17 and plays tennis, so maybe I can relate something to the gospel about tennis haha. But he was a way sweet guy he told us that he is looking for the truth and that’s exactly what we have. I'm gonna buy the Conference talks on CDs out here so I can listen to them. They are way sweet to listen to. They help out a lot when talking to people. The Last Airbender sounds awesome. Dad did a little overview so I’ll be way excited to read your letters. I hear about these people reading my letters back home and how excited they are for me and the experiences I’m having. I hope they can take more from my experiences then just being excited for me, because my mission isn't anything about me at all. I want the experiences people read about, my stories, to get something from it. That they can become better, that maybe they can see something they can improve on, cause we all need to improve. So, whoever reads my letters on the blog or whatever, I hope you take something more than just being excited for me.
Elder Moore
To Dad:
Hey dad, thanks for the update. I love hearing from you. Mostly it’s just Mom and hearing all her stories is good and all, but I definitely like the man talk. Ha ha. At least you don't talk about what you ate last night. Please, don't start. Out here it’s crazy about how much people are so into their religion, but they contradict themselves when we talk to them and they just can't see where they contradict themselves. We don't bash hardly ever because I’m definitely not literate in the Bible that much, but Elder Banner is, which is good to learn stuff from him and all. I especially know that you are. I’m sure you know more than a lot of people. We met with a Catholic priest last night who wanted to meet with us, so he invited us over for dinner. We didn't have a bash session, but he was like a free Catholic. He didn't like a lot of stuff about Catholicism but he still likes some stuff and it’s what he grew up in and that’s what’s different. He has never read the BOM so we talked to him about it. Told him stuff that’s different about our church than everyone else's. Of course the loss of power and authority seems to be a struggle with everyone but we taught the restoration and stuff and we gave him a BOM and we asked for a return appointment for Thursday. But he was like no way that’s not enough time I want to read the whole thing. So next week we are going over to talk about what he read and prayed about in the BOM, so it will be interesting even though transfers are next week and I’m not sure if I’m leaving or Elder Banner is leaving, or if we are both staying. We won’t find out until next Tuesday, 1 day before transfers. I’m trying to make sure my studies are more effective during breaks I try to study even though we don't have to. We are just supposed to relax. I still want to cause I feel like I should know more right now. I’m just focused on the BOM and PMG (Preach My Gospel) just making sure I have the lessons down and that my testimony of the BOM just keeps increasing. I love studying now more than ever. It’s weird, I kinda hate it though cause now I’m turning into you. Ha ha, just kidding. But someone who just loves to know more and more which is what the church wants, so I’m glad that you have set that example for me and I was just kidding.
I love you Dad. I love hearing from you too.
Your son always,
Elder Moore
July 13, 2010 - Logansport, Indiana
July 13, 2010
Alright Dad and Mom,
So last week I was going to pull just a little joke on you guys about getting shot at....Well we did get shot at but it was by someone driving past us in the middle of the day, but it was just a cap gun. Ha ha, how immature huh? I was supposed to put just kidding at the end of the email last week but I totally spaced it, my bad. But everything else is going good. It sounds awesome that dad met that one guy that knows Elder Banner’s family. I’m sure you could actually go find his family mom. They don't live to far away from home, just in Riverdale. He is a great guy totally a great example of being a missionary. He is way dedicated and always is on time and makes time for everything. So, I’m sure you’re wondering about how I have been getting up in the morning right?? Well I've been doing awesome. Right when the alarm clock goes off I’m out of bed saying my prayers and exercising. I will for sure send you guys some pictures. I should pick some up today and I will send them off today or tomorrow. They will be pretty funny. YOU GUYS NEED TO SEE THE LAST AIRBENDER ALREADY. Geez nobody has told me about it at all. We go over to houses and I see commercials for it all the time. So it catches my eye, I’m not addicted, don't worry.
I went on splits with the assistants to the pres. on Saturday. Man did I learn a lot. These guys were just awesome. We had some pretty crazy lessons and people we taught. We ran into a lot of mean people when I was with them though. People just yelling at us and slamming their doors. Usually when people slam their doors they lock it right behind them. I think its way funny. It’s like they think we are going to just bust into their house and share our message with them no matter what they say.
I gotta share with you guys who we are meeting with. That Nathan kid I told you about is still doing way awesome, loves church, and loves us coming over. We try to play games while teaching the lessons to him cause since he is only 12 it’s easier for him to remember things if we have a game to it. Well, at least it is working for him right now.
Michael is a new guy we just tracted into. He is like a scriptorian. Knows everything way well in the Bible, way more than me at least. He knows stories and scriptures all that jazz, so does his wife. They went thru a heavy patch in their life they had a son born that lived his whole life in the hospital till he died when he was 1 years old. It was so sad when they talked about him because you could just tell how much they cared about him. He was born just under 2 pounds they said, and was on an incubator his whole life and went brain dead. It was crazy how they took that part in their life to get closer to God when most people just use problems in their life to get farther away from God, like they want someone to blame which is why they are so awesome. Their testimonies of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are so strong they just don't have the fullness of the gospel yet, which we are working on. Michael is a huge Lord of the Rings fan, so I’m going to try and use that to work it into our lessons. I sure hope it will work out. They love us over there.
Steve is this 50 year old guy. He is married, but his wife is one of those Seventh Day Adventist people. He hasn't picked a church himself but he started going to Church with the missionaries before I came but he stopped right before, because he goes across the street to the church that is closer to him and he likes the preacher and they do sing a longs which I guess he loves. He totally knows that the LDS church is true. It’s just his wife that has stopped his progression. He was so on top of things and feeling the spirit but his wife started getting in the way ‘cause she is relying on her preacher giving her all her information which you know can't be a good thing, so she is kinda corrupting Steve. We had a lesson with him on the Restoration on Saturday and we were being way bold. He was taking it way well and you could see the Spirit working on him. He was understanding, asking questions, and wanting to know more. All the sudden before we finished, his wife walks in and she says some anti remark, and he just goes 180 degrees on us and says yea, you guys shouldn't come over as much, I like going to the church across the street, but thank you for starting to get me to come to church. I know he has a testimony of what we taught him deep down but it’s just his wife, I think that makes him not see it for himself. I mean I don't like to point fingers or anything, but I wanted to get out of my seat and just punch her in the face when she walked in on Saturday. Haha, oh my, that doesn't sound very missionary like does it. Well I guess I just want to see him keep progressing and I can't give up on him. Elder Banner has taught me a lot about not giving up on people, which is way good. I don't intend to ever, but sometimes you forget things, and all just doesn't run smoothly in your head.
This last week I've been trying to increase my testimony and work on studying like a hard core study, where I remember everything I've been reading and praying every day that I can know as much as I can know out of the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel.
My Testimony of the Book of Mormon has increased so much from being out here. A lot of people just reject it because they have the Bible, or that Satan wrote the Book of Mormon thru Joseph Smith, so many negative things. We listened to a talk by Jeffery R. Holland in the car the other day. It was the one he gave about the Book of Mormon last October. Man, when I listened to that you could just feel the spirit. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know it for myself, I have read in the Bible, not a whole lot, but enough to know that The Book of Mormon complements it. It’s by the Book of Mormon that we know of everything in our religion. Anyone who reads will know for themselves that it is true. Only, if they ask with real intent and a sincere heart. A lot of people say that they prayed about it and it’s still false. But, I know that you can pray for something with the answer your looking for already set in your heart, and you won't get another answer. That’s what it will be if you believe that the BOM is false and you pray to know it’s false. That’s the answer you will get ‘cause God won't change a set heart. You have to ask with real intent. It’s so vital and it’s so unselfish. You can't take anyone else's word for what the BOM is. Not mine, not anybody's, not even your own point of view until you ask God and when he does tell you that its true, which he will, then your point of view will go with others because it has been told to you by the Holy Ghost that it is true and you will see that in others eyes. It’s so vital, I can't even say it in words. But I know that Joseph Smith would not die for something that was false, something that was made up. An evil man could not have written a book so full of the gospel of Christ and a good man couldn't have unless he was called by God to do so. I know this for myself. I will do anything for other people to get them to realize for themselves that it is true. For if it’s true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and called of God, and if that’s true then God still talks to prophets today, because he loves us. Man, I don't know why I went on that huge tangent but it’s important to know for every person because the worth of every soul is great in the eyes of God.
Well everything else is going good. I’m working on my football skills on P-days so I can get better. I’m still stickin’ with my dreams.
Elder John Moore
Alright Dad and Mom,
So last week I was going to pull just a little joke on you guys about getting shot at....Well we did get shot at but it was by someone driving past us in the middle of the day, but it was just a cap gun. Ha ha, how immature huh? I was supposed to put just kidding at the end of the email last week but I totally spaced it, my bad. But everything else is going good. It sounds awesome that dad met that one guy that knows Elder Banner’s family. I’m sure you could actually go find his family mom. They don't live to far away from home, just in Riverdale. He is a great guy totally a great example of being a missionary. He is way dedicated and always is on time and makes time for everything. So, I’m sure you’re wondering about how I have been getting up in the morning right?? Well I've been doing awesome. Right when the alarm clock goes off I’m out of bed saying my prayers and exercising. I will for sure send you guys some pictures. I should pick some up today and I will send them off today or tomorrow. They will be pretty funny. YOU GUYS NEED TO SEE THE LAST AIRBENDER ALREADY. Geez nobody has told me about it at all. We go over to houses and I see commercials for it all the time. So it catches my eye, I’m not addicted, don't worry.
I went on splits with the assistants to the pres. on Saturday. Man did I learn a lot. These guys were just awesome. We had some pretty crazy lessons and people we taught. We ran into a lot of mean people when I was with them though. People just yelling at us and slamming their doors. Usually when people slam their doors they lock it right behind them. I think its way funny. It’s like they think we are going to just bust into their house and share our message with them no matter what they say.
I gotta share with you guys who we are meeting with. That Nathan kid I told you about is still doing way awesome, loves church, and loves us coming over. We try to play games while teaching the lessons to him cause since he is only 12 it’s easier for him to remember things if we have a game to it. Well, at least it is working for him right now.
Michael is a new guy we just tracted into. He is like a scriptorian. Knows everything way well in the Bible, way more than me at least. He knows stories and scriptures all that jazz, so does his wife. They went thru a heavy patch in their life they had a son born that lived his whole life in the hospital till he died when he was 1 years old. It was so sad when they talked about him because you could just tell how much they cared about him. He was born just under 2 pounds they said, and was on an incubator his whole life and went brain dead. It was crazy how they took that part in their life to get closer to God when most people just use problems in their life to get farther away from God, like they want someone to blame which is why they are so awesome. Their testimonies of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are so strong they just don't have the fullness of the gospel yet, which we are working on. Michael is a huge Lord of the Rings fan, so I’m going to try and use that to work it into our lessons. I sure hope it will work out. They love us over there.
Steve is this 50 year old guy. He is married, but his wife is one of those Seventh Day Adventist people. He hasn't picked a church himself but he started going to Church with the missionaries before I came but he stopped right before, because he goes across the street to the church that is closer to him and he likes the preacher and they do sing a longs which I guess he loves. He totally knows that the LDS church is true. It’s just his wife that has stopped his progression. He was so on top of things and feeling the spirit but his wife started getting in the way ‘cause she is relying on her preacher giving her all her information which you know can't be a good thing, so she is kinda corrupting Steve. We had a lesson with him on the Restoration on Saturday and we were being way bold. He was taking it way well and you could see the Spirit working on him. He was understanding, asking questions, and wanting to know more. All the sudden before we finished, his wife walks in and she says some anti remark, and he just goes 180 degrees on us and says yea, you guys shouldn't come over as much, I like going to the church across the street, but thank you for starting to get me to come to church. I know he has a testimony of what we taught him deep down but it’s just his wife, I think that makes him not see it for himself. I mean I don't like to point fingers or anything, but I wanted to get out of my seat and just punch her in the face when she walked in on Saturday. Haha, oh my, that doesn't sound very missionary like does it. Well I guess I just want to see him keep progressing and I can't give up on him. Elder Banner has taught me a lot about not giving up on people, which is way good. I don't intend to ever, but sometimes you forget things, and all just doesn't run smoothly in your head.
This last week I've been trying to increase my testimony and work on studying like a hard core study, where I remember everything I've been reading and praying every day that I can know as much as I can know out of the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel.
My Testimony of the Book of Mormon has increased so much from being out here. A lot of people just reject it because they have the Bible, or that Satan wrote the Book of Mormon thru Joseph Smith, so many negative things. We listened to a talk by Jeffery R. Holland in the car the other day. It was the one he gave about the Book of Mormon last October. Man, when I listened to that you could just feel the spirit. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know it for myself, I have read in the Bible, not a whole lot, but enough to know that The Book of Mormon complements it. It’s by the Book of Mormon that we know of everything in our religion. Anyone who reads will know for themselves that it is true. Only, if they ask with real intent and a sincere heart. A lot of people say that they prayed about it and it’s still false. But, I know that you can pray for something with the answer your looking for already set in your heart, and you won't get another answer. That’s what it will be if you believe that the BOM is false and you pray to know it’s false. That’s the answer you will get ‘cause God won't change a set heart. You have to ask with real intent. It’s so vital and it’s so unselfish. You can't take anyone else's word for what the BOM is. Not mine, not anybody's, not even your own point of view until you ask God and when he does tell you that its true, which he will, then your point of view will go with others because it has been told to you by the Holy Ghost that it is true and you will see that in others eyes. It’s so vital, I can't even say it in words. But I know that Joseph Smith would not die for something that was false, something that was made up. An evil man could not have written a book so full of the gospel of Christ and a good man couldn't have unless he was called by God to do so. I know this for myself. I will do anything for other people to get them to realize for themselves that it is true. For if it’s true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and called of God, and if that’s true then God still talks to prophets today, because he loves us. Man, I don't know why I went on that huge tangent but it’s important to know for every person because the worth of every soul is great in the eyes of God.
Well everything else is going good. I’m working on my football skills on P-days so I can get better. I’m still stickin’ with my dreams.
Elder John Moore
July 6, 2010 - Logansport, Indiana
July 6, 2010
Hey mom and dad,
Well nothing too exciting happened this week except I do have a funny story to tell you about. My comp and I were out tracting and we go up to this house and the screen door was shut but the wood door behind it was wide open. This sweet little old lady yells at us and says what do you want??? Sweet huh??? Ha, but we just say to talk to you and see how you’re doing. She said really?? Well I’ll tell you my whole life story so she did. Don't worry about that she was a little out of it. You could tell she was about 80 yrs old, so it was a long life story, and then she started telling us about her kids and grandkids and great grandkids. It was insane so we start going into religion, but, she won't really let us. Then my comp Elder Banner just tells the lady Hey my companion here is a really good singer and he would love to sing you a song......I was just like what? Probably with the dumbest look on my face, and the lady was ecstatic. She was like that would be lovely, and of course I’m standing there saying, no I’m a terrible singer, you wouldn't want to hear me. People make fun of my singing, I’m really not that good. And Elder Banner is just saying oh no he is just being modest and polite, he is really, really, good. So she gets all ready, turns off her TV, which took her 10 minutes to do, and she sat down and said go for it, and she wasn't taking no for an answer. So I just freeze up and say, well my comp and I will sing it and Elder Banner just looks at me and shakes his head and for some reason I just start singing I am a Child of God. I sing the first verse and after I finished the lady starts clapping saying that I was really good. Good thing she was really old, cause I don't think she could hear all that well. So, after that we just tell her we had to go, and me and my comp just start busting up laughing on the side walk. I wasn't really mad just taken back about how I got stuck with doing it and how I went thru with it. Everything else is going good, working on seeing less actives, and I still see how important home teachers really are. 4th of July was interesting. They didn't have us inside early and there were a lot of drunk people out and about. We didn't get too much crap though, a lot of people respect us out here even in the rough part of town where everyone is carrying guns and stuff. We actually got shot at though...Don't freak out mom I’m alright it was weird though. Still a lot of nice people. It’s definitely weird to see girls out here in your mission. You think, well at least I did, that when you come out here girls don't exist, well at least the pretty ones don't exist anymore. Or maybe you just don't notice them at all. But a lot of girls driving past us will whistle or shout, ‘hey baby’ or say, ‘I'd like some of that’. Ha ha, it’s pretty funny but it’s definitely ‘cause me and my comp are so good looking. Ha ha, just kidding. But putting it past your mind and putting a lot of other things past your mind is a lot harder than I thought it would be from when I got out here on the mission. I'm still working on it though and working on just totally forgetting myself. It sounds like a simple statement but i definitely have found it a lot harder than a lot of things in life cause that’s who we think about most usually, ourselves. So I definitely got to stop it. I’m working on it though. I love talking to people and meeting weirdos, or people that just hate us. It makes me smile, ha ha, ‘cause it doesn't even matter what they think about you, they still need the gospel. So does everyone else in the world no matter what they have done or who they are. I do have a baptism coming up though on the 24th of July for the 12 year old kid I told you about. It will be way awesome, it’s always fun to teach him about all the stuff, ‘cause we try to use object lessons so he will understand better and actually know it.
So about my insulin stuff, I’m really confused about the whole new insulin you have lined up for me. And my pump, nope i don't want it. Like you said a lot of people seem to have more negative things than positive about it, and I know that it would be more of a hassle out here in the mission field than anything. So yep, give it to Dave O. My blood sugars are doing awesome. Don't worry about that I should check more times during the day, but when you’re so busy saving lives it’s hard. Remember, I don't want it and give it to Dave O. ok? Nothing is gonna change my mind. Another diabetic out here is taking shots and his last Ha1c was 5.6 or something like that, just super well controlled, so it helps a lot more then pumps I think. My watch was the one Scott and Paul gave to me. Don’t worry about it though, I don't really want a watch cause you start looking at it too much and time just seems to stay frozen. It’s a lot better without. Maybe you could get it fixed, but I don't really know. Ask Paul about it maybe. And yes, get the whole family to write to me. Tell them that I really want to hear from them because I really do. I want to hear from G-ma and the grandparents, Doug’s family, Brian’s family. and most importantly my own family. The whole prescription thing to Walgreens or Riteaid, I have no idea. I don't think I have even seen here yet. I’m in a pretty small town. With the cell phone thing we can get messages but we can’t text at all so members will tell us stuff or less actives. We aren't allowed to call out of our zone area, it’s really strict controlled, so it’s not really a distraction for me too much. I have no idea what your phone email is so sorry about that, but it’s cool that you got a new phone. Do you even know how to work it yet since dad hasn't been around?
And Daddio, Wimbledon sounded awesome. I still have no idea who won or anything so you will have to let me know. I sent a letter to ya and I hope you got it. I’m not sure what else to write except I love you all and the mission is going good. It’s just a work in progress.
Oh and MOM and DAD I command you to see the movie "THE LAST AIRBENDER" and tell me all about it. Just pretend you’re me seeing the movie and you will find it to be awesome I’m sure. But seriously, see it for me at least. Don't want to sound to demanding or anything haha.
Don’t send anything to me mom except for the insulin and junk. I don't think I need anything else and i don't want to be loaded with stuff. I think that’s it.
Love,
Elder John Moore
Hey mom and dad,
Well nothing too exciting happened this week except I do have a funny story to tell you about. My comp and I were out tracting and we go up to this house and the screen door was shut but the wood door behind it was wide open. This sweet little old lady yells at us and says what do you want??? Sweet huh??? Ha, but we just say to talk to you and see how you’re doing. She said really?? Well I’ll tell you my whole life story so she did. Don't worry about that she was a little out of it. You could tell she was about 80 yrs old, so it was a long life story, and then she started telling us about her kids and grandkids and great grandkids. It was insane so we start going into religion, but, she won't really let us. Then my comp Elder Banner just tells the lady Hey my companion here is a really good singer and he would love to sing you a song......I was just like what? Probably with the dumbest look on my face, and the lady was ecstatic. She was like that would be lovely, and of course I’m standing there saying, no I’m a terrible singer, you wouldn't want to hear me. People make fun of my singing, I’m really not that good. And Elder Banner is just saying oh no he is just being modest and polite, he is really, really, good. So she gets all ready, turns off her TV, which took her 10 minutes to do, and she sat down and said go for it, and she wasn't taking no for an answer. So I just freeze up and say, well my comp and I will sing it and Elder Banner just looks at me and shakes his head and for some reason I just start singing I am a Child of God. I sing the first verse and after I finished the lady starts clapping saying that I was really good. Good thing she was really old, cause I don't think she could hear all that well. So, after that we just tell her we had to go, and me and my comp just start busting up laughing on the side walk. I wasn't really mad just taken back about how I got stuck with doing it and how I went thru with it. Everything else is going good, working on seeing less actives, and I still see how important home teachers really are. 4th of July was interesting. They didn't have us inside early and there were a lot of drunk people out and about. We didn't get too much crap though, a lot of people respect us out here even in the rough part of town where everyone is carrying guns and stuff. We actually got shot at though...Don't freak out mom I’m alright it was weird though. Still a lot of nice people. It’s definitely weird to see girls out here in your mission. You think, well at least I did, that when you come out here girls don't exist, well at least the pretty ones don't exist anymore. Or maybe you just don't notice them at all. But a lot of girls driving past us will whistle or shout, ‘hey baby’ or say, ‘I'd like some of that’. Ha ha, it’s pretty funny but it’s definitely ‘cause me and my comp are so good looking. Ha ha, just kidding. But putting it past your mind and putting a lot of other things past your mind is a lot harder than I thought it would be from when I got out here on the mission. I'm still working on it though and working on just totally forgetting myself. It sounds like a simple statement but i definitely have found it a lot harder than a lot of things in life cause that’s who we think about most usually, ourselves. So I definitely got to stop it. I’m working on it though. I love talking to people and meeting weirdos, or people that just hate us. It makes me smile, ha ha, ‘cause it doesn't even matter what they think about you, they still need the gospel. So does everyone else in the world no matter what they have done or who they are. I do have a baptism coming up though on the 24th of July for the 12 year old kid I told you about. It will be way awesome, it’s always fun to teach him about all the stuff, ‘cause we try to use object lessons so he will understand better and actually know it.
So about my insulin stuff, I’m really confused about the whole new insulin you have lined up for me. And my pump, nope i don't want it. Like you said a lot of people seem to have more negative things than positive about it, and I know that it would be more of a hassle out here in the mission field than anything. So yep, give it to Dave O. My blood sugars are doing awesome. Don't worry about that I should check more times during the day, but when you’re so busy saving lives it’s hard. Remember, I don't want it and give it to Dave O. ok? Nothing is gonna change my mind. Another diabetic out here is taking shots and his last Ha1c was 5.6 or something like that, just super well controlled, so it helps a lot more then pumps I think. My watch was the one Scott and Paul gave to me. Don’t worry about it though, I don't really want a watch cause you start looking at it too much and time just seems to stay frozen. It’s a lot better without. Maybe you could get it fixed, but I don't really know. Ask Paul about it maybe. And yes, get the whole family to write to me. Tell them that I really want to hear from them because I really do. I want to hear from G-ma and the grandparents, Doug’s family, Brian’s family. and most importantly my own family. The whole prescription thing to Walgreens or Riteaid, I have no idea. I don't think I have even seen here yet. I’m in a pretty small town. With the cell phone thing we can get messages but we can’t text at all so members will tell us stuff or less actives. We aren't allowed to call out of our zone area, it’s really strict controlled, so it’s not really a distraction for me too much. I have no idea what your phone email is so sorry about that, but it’s cool that you got a new phone. Do you even know how to work it yet since dad hasn't been around?
And Daddio, Wimbledon sounded awesome. I still have no idea who won or anything so you will have to let me know. I sent a letter to ya and I hope you got it. I’m not sure what else to write except I love you all and the mission is going good. It’s just a work in progress.
Oh and MOM and DAD I command you to see the movie "THE LAST AIRBENDER" and tell me all about it. Just pretend you’re me seeing the movie and you will find it to be awesome I’m sure. But seriously, see it for me at least. Don't want to sound to demanding or anything haha.
Don’t send anything to me mom except for the insulin and junk. I don't think I need anything else and i don't want to be loaded with stuff. I think that’s it.
Love,
Elder John Moore
June 29, 2010 - Logansport, Indiana
June 29, 2010
Alright mom there is no need to worry about the whole weather thing alright. We have no idea what the weather will be like when we go outside cause we have no way of hearing about news or anything so it’s just a guess and the mission pres. will call us if it is supposed to be a super bad storm that will cause havoc and stuff. It wasn't like last week, we were holding on to poles blowing in the wind hoping that it wouldn't drag us away haha, so just breathe mom just breathe I’m doing alright. My insulin supplies are doing good I lost a meter already the first day so we looked for it everywhere and have no idea where it went so hopefully my back up stays around for the next year until I run out of strips or whatever. I just started using another bottle of lantus so I only have 1 left in reserve and about 2 bottles I think of humalog 1 bottle of novolog. Other than that its going ok. My watch broke, I don't think it could stand me anymore, the second hand just came off, I don't know how but it just did. Don't worry, I wasn't throwing it or anything but the letters also came off on the inside it still tells time sometimes but I’m not sure what to do about it. My belts don't handle the humidity so well, they will rub off on my shirts and leave them with black marks on the back so I’m buying 1 belt today, and then you can tell me what to do about them in my next email. I’m handling the humidity way good those handkerchiefs you gave me I loaned to my comp who was in dying need of some. I don't hardly sweat at all out here unless we go running which we do at night sometimes, if we have time after planning. So it’s nice. I love the weather even though it’s been going back and forth. I’m just glad the humidity didn't really impact me as much as you thought, like I was going to be dying from it all. We don't wear suits, we wear them only if it’s below 65 degrees or at meetings, so just short sleeve shirt all week pretty much. The neighborhood where we live is pretty decent I think. I’m not sure how to describe it, but I think you would be fine to send a package. Elder Banner’s b-day was last week and he had big packages waiting for him at home. So it’s alright. We go to the library and use the computers there, and we have a hour and a half to write emails instead of just 30 minutes, so it’s pretty nice.
Well anyways I guess you want to know what’s been up the last couple of days right........Well last p-day I just wrote letters the whole time cause I was behind. It wasn't probably the best thing. We have pretty much been doing the same thing over and over again tracting, and visiting less actives. I hit my first bump this last week of the mission though, ha ha. I was doing a terrible job talking to people. Elder Banner and I would talk about it, after we just talked to someone, and I was probably the most creepy person anyone has ever talked to. If I didn’t know what to say I would just be like alright, well have a nice day, and then leave. Elder Banner was doing a pretty good job of watching me drown myself which is what he is supposed to do as a trainer. He isn't supposed to jump in, he just watches, and then after we talk about what I could've done better. So it got bad, but now I’m doing better, well, at least I think I am....pretty much that we did service at the Salvation Army just serving lunch and all. I didn't realize it but I hit a month mark already out here so I have already been a month out. Time for sure plays tricks out here. Some days feel like eternity, some days don't, and some days I'm just way super-tired. It’s weird. Hopefully my body gets used to it. I'm doing awesome on my bike riding skill. I can ride without my hands and just peddle now. Don't go into how unsafe that is mom, I know that’s your first thought, but it is fun doing it. We went to the rough part of town on Saturday and it was nuts. We were in this house talking to a guy. Kids dealing drugs came in, this guy wanted to beat his wife for cheating on him, and the TV was on, with this guy beating a grandma. We got to the TV and asked if we could turn it off cause every 3 seconds it was saying the ‘f’ word. Ha ha, it was definitely hard to tune that out. But we had a good talk to the guy we were actually trying to talk to. He has hit a hard piece in life even though he chose it. Not everyone I found out is just careless about what they do even though it seems like that’s how it is. People are really sweet and nice as long as you don’t judge them before you get to know them which is something you can't do out in the mission, or else you won’t meet anyone out here. The most of the town is pretty rough, but still a lot of sweet nice people just trying to figure things out. A lot of people respect us out here, then there are a lot of people who are just jacks to us. It’s weird, so you have to be strong ‘cause you will get everything out here. I have found a whole different view of missionaries though about work ethic and about sacrifice. Anyone who has served, or is serving a mission has my respect, ‘cause I probably haven't realized it fully, but it is a long time to be away from life. It’s weird to think but while we are out here we can say we are exactly where the Lord wants us to be. You can't say that too many times in your life so it’s amazing. Well we had a miracle happen on Sunday again... Not sure what it is about Sundays, but it’s just the day where the spirit is so strong and you can't even try not to feel it. So we go out to one of our far off towns in our area to talk to less actives, we were talking about who we should see, and we finally decide right before we get into town. We had no idea how to get to the guys house but we had a map so we finally got lost and confused so Elder Banner turns into this beat up car shop it looks like and this guy is outside of it talking on the phone. I had to get out of the car to back the car up, its just standard missionary procedure and this guy who was pretty big and muscley, comes over to talk to me while I’m watching Elder Banner back the car up. He just says "missionaries?" I’m like ya and he says he is a member. I was like no way, so I start talking to him totally forgetting about Elder Banner in the middle of the street so he just parks the car. So come to find out that the guy who we were talking with his name was Jimmy and he was the exact same guy who we were planning on seeing about 20 mins outside of town. Is it by chance that we just got lost and just turned into this mechanics shop instead of turning down another street? I don't know. Well we get talking to him and his mom is way active but she has to watch her mom because she can't be by herself at all and can't leave the house so she can't come to church. He went to church a couple of times this year but just with his mom. His 2 girls were baptized and he had a 9 year old son who he was planning on it. He owned this bike repair shop that we were at and he was making some money ha. He definitely went the wrong direction in life though. He partied and all that, just got into the wrong things we were just getting to know him, we found out that he held the mel. priesthood and has been endowed. Crazy, crazy stuff. So, after a while of talking him just talking about all this stuff Elder Banner talks about him giving a fathers blessing to his kids cause he still had that power, it never goes away and he just looked like we sucker punched him he wasn't mad but just like he saw a ghost. He just turns to us and tells us, hey you guys gotta go i need to lock up and leave which we knew wasn't true cause he told us earlier he was going to stay awhile so we were just like alright, confused, and we just left. The spirit that I felt though cannot be denied at all or by anyone that will tell me otherwise. Just the whole time talking to this random guy about no specific lesson, just getting to know him I knew that we just broke a barrier in himself that was stopping him from feeling the Holy Ghost and I knew that he felt it when we were there. The amazing feeling couldn't be denied it was just so crazy how we didn't know what to do about him kicking us out, but we didn't have a choice he told us to come back sometime and he would give us a water so we left and were just out driving. We saw another less active who was just kinda fed up with church cause of people being rude and stuff and nobody seemed to care that they didn't come at all. So even though that is not the best reason to not to come to church, Pres. Hinckley did say "one of the most important things a member needs in the church is a friend" and it’s so ridiculous how people aren’t. Even that nobody does home teaching out here and we aren't really in charge of it at all so we can't do much. Just tell people they should come back but I don't know what to tell them. Well it started getting late and we had enough time to visit one last person for a quick stop, so we happen to stop by Jimmy's mom's house where she was taking care of her mom. She sees us and just is so, so, so excited to see us and it was like she was expecting us to come. She started talking about Jimmy ‘cause he told her about our visit with him earlier, and she told us that he felt the spirit when he was around us, and that he remembered something that was so close to him but he forgot about it and everything. It was so awesome to hear that. She just starts telling us everything about her son and his life, his spiritual experiences, and everything in between. It was sweet, I couldn't stop smiling ‘cause the spirit was so strong in her voice and just how happy she was to see us. So, after about 40 mins of talking Jimmy comes up the street and he comes over just like ‘you guys are pretty persistent aren't ya’ just joking around. But since he came, we could go inside the house to see Jimmy's grandma and right when we walked inside she lit up, she couldn’t move, but if our whole day was just to see that lady it would've been a pretty successful day. She was ecstatic to see us she loved us even though both of us never have met the family at all. She was so happy, and the spirit filled the room so much that nothing could penetrate it. Everyone in the room felt it, and everyone was just smiling even when nothing was said. We couldn't stay any longer cause it was about 9 and we had to be inside at least by 9:30 so we just politely told them we had to leave. The older lady asks for a prayer by us and of course we always do it, so she asked Elder Banner and his prayer just was so inspired it was amazing. We left and started going back home just talking about the whole experience when we get a text message from Nathan the one getting baptized and he asked if Elder Banner would be in his confirmation circle. It was cool. Of course, I felt left out since I didn't get asked, but I didn't know him that well at all, just met him twice. So it was just kinda funny but he sent another text and asked me to be in his confirmation circle to. Me!?!?!? I was thinking no way we didn't tell him anything but it was so cool to be thought of and to be part of something that means so much to him. I’m not sure if it’s just the mission but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do it. He gets baptized the 24th of July so it will be so cool to witness that. I think it’s my first one since I got baptized. But anyways, do miracles happen???? They sure do. It’s not by chance that things happen by accident, it’s by God cause everything happens for a reason and i definitely found that out on Sunday.
Well I don't know what else to say except I love you mom and dad, and also I will be sending dad his Fathers Day letter today. I’m planning on it. Don't worry, I didn't forget I’m just working on it.
I love the family. Tell Scott, Jessie and Paul to write, and I don't know Paul’s address, so I’m not sure what to do about that.
Send a picture of the family alright, I would love to have it and the house.
Love
ELDER JOHN MICHAEL MOORE
Alright mom there is no need to worry about the whole weather thing alright. We have no idea what the weather will be like when we go outside cause we have no way of hearing about news or anything so it’s just a guess and the mission pres. will call us if it is supposed to be a super bad storm that will cause havoc and stuff. It wasn't like last week, we were holding on to poles blowing in the wind hoping that it wouldn't drag us away haha, so just breathe mom just breathe I’m doing alright. My insulin supplies are doing good I lost a meter already the first day so we looked for it everywhere and have no idea where it went so hopefully my back up stays around for the next year until I run out of strips or whatever. I just started using another bottle of lantus so I only have 1 left in reserve and about 2 bottles I think of humalog 1 bottle of novolog. Other than that its going ok. My watch broke, I don't think it could stand me anymore, the second hand just came off, I don't know how but it just did. Don't worry, I wasn't throwing it or anything but the letters also came off on the inside it still tells time sometimes but I’m not sure what to do about it. My belts don't handle the humidity so well, they will rub off on my shirts and leave them with black marks on the back so I’m buying 1 belt today, and then you can tell me what to do about them in my next email. I’m handling the humidity way good those handkerchiefs you gave me I loaned to my comp who was in dying need of some. I don't hardly sweat at all out here unless we go running which we do at night sometimes, if we have time after planning. So it’s nice. I love the weather even though it’s been going back and forth. I’m just glad the humidity didn't really impact me as much as you thought, like I was going to be dying from it all. We don't wear suits, we wear them only if it’s below 65 degrees or at meetings, so just short sleeve shirt all week pretty much. The neighborhood where we live is pretty decent I think. I’m not sure how to describe it, but I think you would be fine to send a package. Elder Banner’s b-day was last week and he had big packages waiting for him at home. So it’s alright. We go to the library and use the computers there, and we have a hour and a half to write emails instead of just 30 minutes, so it’s pretty nice.
Well anyways I guess you want to know what’s been up the last couple of days right........Well last p-day I just wrote letters the whole time cause I was behind. It wasn't probably the best thing. We have pretty much been doing the same thing over and over again tracting, and visiting less actives. I hit my first bump this last week of the mission though, ha ha. I was doing a terrible job talking to people. Elder Banner and I would talk about it, after we just talked to someone, and I was probably the most creepy person anyone has ever talked to. If I didn’t know what to say I would just be like alright, well have a nice day, and then leave. Elder Banner was doing a pretty good job of watching me drown myself which is what he is supposed to do as a trainer. He isn't supposed to jump in, he just watches, and then after we talk about what I could've done better. So it got bad, but now I’m doing better, well, at least I think I am....pretty much that we did service at the Salvation Army just serving lunch and all. I didn't realize it but I hit a month mark already out here so I have already been a month out. Time for sure plays tricks out here. Some days feel like eternity, some days don't, and some days I'm just way super-tired. It’s weird. Hopefully my body gets used to it. I'm doing awesome on my bike riding skill. I can ride without my hands and just peddle now. Don't go into how unsafe that is mom, I know that’s your first thought, but it is fun doing it. We went to the rough part of town on Saturday and it was nuts. We were in this house talking to a guy. Kids dealing drugs came in, this guy wanted to beat his wife for cheating on him, and the TV was on, with this guy beating a grandma. We got to the TV and asked if we could turn it off cause every 3 seconds it was saying the ‘f’ word. Ha ha, it was definitely hard to tune that out. But we had a good talk to the guy we were actually trying to talk to. He has hit a hard piece in life even though he chose it. Not everyone I found out is just careless about what they do even though it seems like that’s how it is. People are really sweet and nice as long as you don’t judge them before you get to know them which is something you can't do out in the mission, or else you won’t meet anyone out here. The most of the town is pretty rough, but still a lot of sweet nice people just trying to figure things out. A lot of people respect us out here, then there are a lot of people who are just jacks to us. It’s weird, so you have to be strong ‘cause you will get everything out here. I have found a whole different view of missionaries though about work ethic and about sacrifice. Anyone who has served, or is serving a mission has my respect, ‘cause I probably haven't realized it fully, but it is a long time to be away from life. It’s weird to think but while we are out here we can say we are exactly where the Lord wants us to be. You can't say that too many times in your life so it’s amazing. Well we had a miracle happen on Sunday again... Not sure what it is about Sundays, but it’s just the day where the spirit is so strong and you can't even try not to feel it. So we go out to one of our far off towns in our area to talk to less actives, we were talking about who we should see, and we finally decide right before we get into town. We had no idea how to get to the guys house but we had a map so we finally got lost and confused so Elder Banner turns into this beat up car shop it looks like and this guy is outside of it talking on the phone. I had to get out of the car to back the car up, its just standard missionary procedure and this guy who was pretty big and muscley, comes over to talk to me while I’m watching Elder Banner back the car up. He just says "missionaries?" I’m like ya and he says he is a member. I was like no way, so I start talking to him totally forgetting about Elder Banner in the middle of the street so he just parks the car. So come to find out that the guy who we were talking with his name was Jimmy and he was the exact same guy who we were planning on seeing about 20 mins outside of town. Is it by chance that we just got lost and just turned into this mechanics shop instead of turning down another street? I don't know. Well we get talking to him and his mom is way active but she has to watch her mom because she can't be by herself at all and can't leave the house so she can't come to church. He went to church a couple of times this year but just with his mom. His 2 girls were baptized and he had a 9 year old son who he was planning on it. He owned this bike repair shop that we were at and he was making some money ha. He definitely went the wrong direction in life though. He partied and all that, just got into the wrong things we were just getting to know him, we found out that he held the mel. priesthood and has been endowed. Crazy, crazy stuff. So, after a while of talking him just talking about all this stuff Elder Banner talks about him giving a fathers blessing to his kids cause he still had that power, it never goes away and he just looked like we sucker punched him he wasn't mad but just like he saw a ghost. He just turns to us and tells us, hey you guys gotta go i need to lock up and leave which we knew wasn't true cause he told us earlier he was going to stay awhile so we were just like alright, confused, and we just left. The spirit that I felt though cannot be denied at all or by anyone that will tell me otherwise. Just the whole time talking to this random guy about no specific lesson, just getting to know him I knew that we just broke a barrier in himself that was stopping him from feeling the Holy Ghost and I knew that he felt it when we were there. The amazing feeling couldn't be denied it was just so crazy how we didn't know what to do about him kicking us out, but we didn't have a choice he told us to come back sometime and he would give us a water so we left and were just out driving. We saw another less active who was just kinda fed up with church cause of people being rude and stuff and nobody seemed to care that they didn't come at all. So even though that is not the best reason to not to come to church, Pres. Hinckley did say "one of the most important things a member needs in the church is a friend" and it’s so ridiculous how people aren’t. Even that nobody does home teaching out here and we aren't really in charge of it at all so we can't do much. Just tell people they should come back but I don't know what to tell them. Well it started getting late and we had enough time to visit one last person for a quick stop, so we happen to stop by Jimmy's mom's house where she was taking care of her mom. She sees us and just is so, so, so excited to see us and it was like she was expecting us to come. She started talking about Jimmy ‘cause he told her about our visit with him earlier, and she told us that he felt the spirit when he was around us, and that he remembered something that was so close to him but he forgot about it and everything. It was so awesome to hear that. She just starts telling us everything about her son and his life, his spiritual experiences, and everything in between. It was sweet, I couldn't stop smiling ‘cause the spirit was so strong in her voice and just how happy she was to see us. So, after about 40 mins of talking Jimmy comes up the street and he comes over just like ‘you guys are pretty persistent aren't ya’ just joking around. But since he came, we could go inside the house to see Jimmy's grandma and right when we walked inside she lit up, she couldn’t move, but if our whole day was just to see that lady it would've been a pretty successful day. She was ecstatic to see us she loved us even though both of us never have met the family at all. She was so happy, and the spirit filled the room so much that nothing could penetrate it. Everyone in the room felt it, and everyone was just smiling even when nothing was said. We couldn't stay any longer cause it was about 9 and we had to be inside at least by 9:30 so we just politely told them we had to leave. The older lady asks for a prayer by us and of course we always do it, so she asked Elder Banner and his prayer just was so inspired it was amazing. We left and started going back home just talking about the whole experience when we get a text message from Nathan the one getting baptized and he asked if Elder Banner would be in his confirmation circle. It was cool. Of course, I felt left out since I didn't get asked, but I didn't know him that well at all, just met him twice. So it was just kinda funny but he sent another text and asked me to be in his confirmation circle to. Me!?!?!? I was thinking no way we didn't tell him anything but it was so cool to be thought of and to be part of something that means so much to him. I’m not sure if it’s just the mission but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do it. He gets baptized the 24th of July so it will be so cool to witness that. I think it’s my first one since I got baptized. But anyways, do miracles happen???? They sure do. It’s not by chance that things happen by accident, it’s by God cause everything happens for a reason and i definitely found that out on Sunday.
Well I don't know what else to say except I love you mom and dad, and also I will be sending dad his Fathers Day letter today. I’m planning on it. Don't worry, I didn't forget I’m just working on it.
I love the family. Tell Scott, Jessie and Paul to write, and I don't know Paul’s address, so I’m not sure what to do about that.
Send a picture of the family alright, I would love to have it and the house.
Love
ELDER JOHN MICHAEL MOORE
June 22, 2010 - Logansport, Indiana
June 22, 2010
Holy Cow, mom and dad what a crazy crazy first week out on the mission.
First things first. Mom they said to send insulin from home and it would be fine or whatever way you were thinking of it getting shipped to where im living at is good. I’m not sure what other major important stuff I was supposed to write about, but email me some questions and I’ll get on it.
So I’m sorry i didn't get a chance to even say goodbye to you momma on the phone, but the airport was nice to see real people and the real world again. You will never guess who me and a couple of other elders saw at the Detroit airport. Lance Armstrong!!! Way cool huh? We were walking on that moving floor thing and he was walking the other way. We were debating that when we got off to run back and talk to him but we didn't want to look like idiots being reps for the Lord and everything, so we bridled our passions I guess. We got to the mission home and just went through a little orientation. We ate dinner and got ready for bed. The first night it rained crazy hard like a pitcher of water was being dumped from the sky or something. It was ridiculous. The next morning was more orientation, then to a church to see who are first comp would be. We were with other elders that have been out for longer about 60 of them and the mission pres. told everyone where they were serving and who they would be with. The new elders were last which was me. We had to go up to the pulpit say our name and stuff then the pres would tell us who we would be with and who our companion would be. So I got put with Elder Banner. and I’m serving in Logansport, Indiana which is the largest area in the whole mission. The farthest we would have to travel to reach one end to the other end would be about 1 hr and 20 mins in a car, so I think about 60 mile or more distance or something like that and it’s just me and Elder Banner taking over the whole area, no other elders. We have a super nice house we live in Logansport, it has everything. Elder Banner is probably the coolest guy that I could've been put with. He is actually from Ogden, UT, he lives over on 32nd street which is crazy. He has only been out for about 7 - 8 months. He got out a little later then everyone, he turns 21 tomorrow, so tonight for p-day we are celebrating I think, ha. He snowboards and skated, does dancing...not like queer dancing but break dancing, ha. Basically, he is an awesome trainer, way funny and nice. When we got done with our meeting we went out to lunch to Cici's with a bunch of other elders before going off to Logansport, it was way good. Good news, I’m not fat yet. I’m still fit and healthy so don't worry mom my dream of becoming a tubbo will probably not come true. We can run every night except Sunday, so although my comp is a little slow I just run circles around him and do some parkor. We got to town, I unloaded, we went shopping, I got a bike for free and a helmet for free, they are both pretty ghetto but still they work. I got them from elders who were leaving and not going to need them cause they had a car. We have a car but we switch off if we are going to use it or not if we stay in town. So after we got done shopping and getting situated we went out to the outskirts of our area and talked to this kid named Nathan Puckett who is 12, and way into the church. He is already in 3rd Nephi reading it and that would be just unheard of for me being 12. His mom was a member but it was against her will I guess cause her mom made her, so she doesn't go at all, and her husband is way strong Catholic, so a torn religious family. When we went over there we were planning on asking Nathan to get baptized, but we had to ask his mom if it was alright to do it, ‘cause we need her permission. Luckily when we got there he had already talked to her about it and she wasn't fully on board, but she didn't say no, so right there we taught him the first discussion with his mom there and set up a baptism date for July 17th. My first day out, and I had a baptism set up, even though I know none of it was me, it was still super, super cool to be a part of. He goes to church every Sunday with his aunt so he already has going to church down. That was cool to be a part of. On Thursday, we went about tracting and talking to people it took me a couple of people to get used to asking and talking about the gospel, but I think I’m doing ok now. I definitely have had a lot of doors slammed in my face now. But it’s getting better for me, learning what to say and learning to love the people out here which I do. It’s weird, but I just see everyone doing stuff and say to my comp they need to get baptized, he says it to me all the time. He will be like right before we knock and say they need to be baptized or they need the gospel. Bearing testimony definitely helps. We have talked to a lot of people just that Elder Banner knew because he was serving out here before I came and he knows everyone, so if we met people he knew it was kinda an introduction to me to get to know them which was good and then we would share a message after we knew each other. We have eaten dinner with a couple of members already. They are really sweet out here especially to missionaries. There is only one church for our whole area and some people to get to church is a 70 mile round trip, I feel really bad for them but at least they are strong. On Friday we tracted and had appointments with people. It was 95 degrees out and I was sweating a little not to bad, but my comp was terrible he wasn't used to it yet. We did service on Thursday and Friday, just at the Salvation Army doing whatever they need us to. We are supposed to do 4 hours of service every week, so that’s what we do. My bike got a flat tire the first time we used it so we had to walk everywhere else because of that. But going back to the weather, we were walking about and dying kinda, so we go see these people who are investigating and talk to them to get out of the sun. We stay for about an hour and share a message about Joseph Smith history and temple we get back out and half the sky was just black clouds and the other half was perfectly sunny. We start walking to another less active house when the wind just picks up, and I started to take pics to show the contrast of the sky. It was cool, but the wind picks up and it starts raining then all the sudden the tornado sirens just go off, and we are like the only people outside people are driving past and give us stares like we’re idiots or something. People ask to give us rides which of course we can't take, and others invite us inside, but we were almost to the less active's house. Lightning was crazy and the rain was picking up so we get inside the house before it gets way bad and the people are just like you elders are crazy. We just talk with them. The couple we talked with the wife was a member and the husband wasn't. The husband was drunk when we got there, so he was swearing up a storm and the lightning was just ridiculous. We listen to the weather report with them and see how long it will be. It was supposed to last until midnight, and it was around 7:30 or 8, so we just sat tight with them talking about stuff. Eventually it got better so we were given umbrellas and we walked home it was still lightning outside so probably not the smartest choice walking around with metal umbrellas but we were fine. Got home and wrote about it in my journal. My journal entries are crazy. I have almost 60 pages and I haven't even been out that long so maybe i should stop writing so much. But anyways, everything else that happened, Saturday, we got invited to go to lunch in a no name town about 30 mins away so we drove and ate with a sister in the ward. We went tracting again and talked to a nice lady who was just answering her own questions with what the gospel was all about so we set up a return appt and taught her a lesson right there. We do have breaks for lunch and dinner stuff it’s about an hour long. The way out here is that we do a 2 hour long break instead of 2 small hour ones. It’s weird but ok I need it cause I have been way crazy tired out here. I got a cold the first day and it’s just now barely getting better. It was terrible but I’m fine. We talked to this guy named Jim who lives by himself. He can’t hear well, so you have to yell at him for him to hear, so it was fun yelling the whole time. He was the nicest guy I've met. We taught him a principle about prayer and I taught it and I felt the spirit so strong it was amazing. We left him and he seemed to be doing alright. Sunday was crazy, church was just a get to know thing for me, I met the whole ward of about 50 people. I don't remember anyone’s names of course, but I guess I’ll work on it. We sat in on the Sunday School class for priests and taught them about missionary work and bore testimony which was so cool the spirit out here is jsut so, so...i can't even explain…basically, the best thing ever. After church, we visited with investigators and gave sacrament to an old guy at his house. We started to tract when we got a phone call that JIM was in the hospital. It was insane, he had gone into a diabetic coma. So, we rushed to the house got the car and drove over to see what was up. He was in the ER gaining consciousness and we just talked to the family and all it was pretty intense. The family was glad to see us and realize that we cared so we just tried to comfort them and all. When things got better and the family saw him in the ER we left to go tracting for a bit. We came back and they said he was going to be fine and they were gonna send him home so we go to his room thing and talk to him. His family asks us to give him a blessing so basically I thought Elder Banner was going to take over but he anointed with the oil and then gave it to me to bless him. I knew this guy for one day and I was like what??? But he said go for it and you can't really talk it over when people are watching you, so I just manned up and blessed him which was so awesome. I had to yell so he could hear so the whole ER heard me. When I was done it was amazing, again the spirit just took over and left with just the comforting feeling of I don’t even know, but just know it was sweetly perfect. We left Jim and that takes care of all the chaos. Yesterday was just another day tracting and talking to members. I have definitely gotten a whole different perspective on stuff. I love everyone out here and I love everyone back home. My heart has definitely felt a change from being out here on my mission. We talk about families and all and it got me thinking that I want to hear from my family more. So mom, it’s up to you to tell everyone to write me. I really would appreciate it. I mean everyone G-ma, grandma and grandpa, uncle Doug’s fam, uncle Brian’s fam, and of course my own fam. So tell everyone to write me and tell them to write about what they love in life, everything and anything, they can think of. I would love to hear it. We are on flash flood warning right now, so hopefully the car hasn't been swept away. I love you mom, dad, Scott, Jessie, Paul I really do. And anyone who reads this, I love ya, I hope you know that if I missed anything let me know.
My Address is
Elder John M Moore
815 17th St.
Logansport, IN 46947
I’ll be here for at least 6 weeks if not longer so make sure you write.
Holy Cow, mom and dad what a crazy crazy first week out on the mission.
First things first. Mom they said to send insulin from home and it would be fine or whatever way you were thinking of it getting shipped to where im living at is good. I’m not sure what other major important stuff I was supposed to write about, but email me some questions and I’ll get on it.
So I’m sorry i didn't get a chance to even say goodbye to you momma on the phone, but the airport was nice to see real people and the real world again. You will never guess who me and a couple of other elders saw at the Detroit airport. Lance Armstrong!!! Way cool huh? We were walking on that moving floor thing and he was walking the other way. We were debating that when we got off to run back and talk to him but we didn't want to look like idiots being reps for the Lord and everything, so we bridled our passions I guess. We got to the mission home and just went through a little orientation. We ate dinner and got ready for bed. The first night it rained crazy hard like a pitcher of water was being dumped from the sky or something. It was ridiculous. The next morning was more orientation, then to a church to see who are first comp would be. We were with other elders that have been out for longer about 60 of them and the mission pres. told everyone where they were serving and who they would be with. The new elders were last which was me. We had to go up to the pulpit say our name and stuff then the pres would tell us who we would be with and who our companion would be. So I got put with Elder Banner. and I’m serving in Logansport, Indiana which is the largest area in the whole mission. The farthest we would have to travel to reach one end to the other end would be about 1 hr and 20 mins in a car, so I think about 60 mile or more distance or something like that and it’s just me and Elder Banner taking over the whole area, no other elders. We have a super nice house we live in Logansport, it has everything. Elder Banner is probably the coolest guy that I could've been put with. He is actually from Ogden, UT, he lives over on 32nd street which is crazy. He has only been out for about 7 - 8 months. He got out a little later then everyone, he turns 21 tomorrow, so tonight for p-day we are celebrating I think, ha. He snowboards and skated, does dancing...not like queer dancing but break dancing, ha. Basically, he is an awesome trainer, way funny and nice. When we got done with our meeting we went out to lunch to Cici's with a bunch of other elders before going off to Logansport, it was way good. Good news, I’m not fat yet. I’m still fit and healthy so don't worry mom my dream of becoming a tubbo will probably not come true. We can run every night except Sunday, so although my comp is a little slow I just run circles around him and do some parkor. We got to town, I unloaded, we went shopping, I got a bike for free and a helmet for free, they are both pretty ghetto but still they work. I got them from elders who were leaving and not going to need them cause they had a car. We have a car but we switch off if we are going to use it or not if we stay in town. So after we got done shopping and getting situated we went out to the outskirts of our area and talked to this kid named Nathan Puckett who is 12, and way into the church. He is already in 3rd Nephi reading it and that would be just unheard of for me being 12. His mom was a member but it was against her will I guess cause her mom made her, so she doesn't go at all, and her husband is way strong Catholic, so a torn religious family. When we went over there we were planning on asking Nathan to get baptized, but we had to ask his mom if it was alright to do it, ‘cause we need her permission. Luckily when we got there he had already talked to her about it and she wasn't fully on board, but she didn't say no, so right there we taught him the first discussion with his mom there and set up a baptism date for July 17th. My first day out, and I had a baptism set up, even though I know none of it was me, it was still super, super cool to be a part of. He goes to church every Sunday with his aunt so he already has going to church down. That was cool to be a part of. On Thursday, we went about tracting and talking to people it took me a couple of people to get used to asking and talking about the gospel, but I think I’m doing ok now. I definitely have had a lot of doors slammed in my face now. But it’s getting better for me, learning what to say and learning to love the people out here which I do. It’s weird, but I just see everyone doing stuff and say to my comp they need to get baptized, he says it to me all the time. He will be like right before we knock and say they need to be baptized or they need the gospel. Bearing testimony definitely helps. We have talked to a lot of people just that Elder Banner knew because he was serving out here before I came and he knows everyone, so if we met people he knew it was kinda an introduction to me to get to know them which was good and then we would share a message after we knew each other. We have eaten dinner with a couple of members already. They are really sweet out here especially to missionaries. There is only one church for our whole area and some people to get to church is a 70 mile round trip, I feel really bad for them but at least they are strong. On Friday we tracted and had appointments with people. It was 95 degrees out and I was sweating a little not to bad, but my comp was terrible he wasn't used to it yet. We did service on Thursday and Friday, just at the Salvation Army doing whatever they need us to. We are supposed to do 4 hours of service every week, so that’s what we do. My bike got a flat tire the first time we used it so we had to walk everywhere else because of that. But going back to the weather, we were walking about and dying kinda, so we go see these people who are investigating and talk to them to get out of the sun. We stay for about an hour and share a message about Joseph Smith history and temple we get back out and half the sky was just black clouds and the other half was perfectly sunny. We start walking to another less active house when the wind just picks up, and I started to take pics to show the contrast of the sky. It was cool, but the wind picks up and it starts raining then all the sudden the tornado sirens just go off, and we are like the only people outside people are driving past and give us stares like we’re idiots or something. People ask to give us rides which of course we can't take, and others invite us inside, but we were almost to the less active's house. Lightning was crazy and the rain was picking up so we get inside the house before it gets way bad and the people are just like you elders are crazy. We just talk with them. The couple we talked with the wife was a member and the husband wasn't. The husband was drunk when we got there, so he was swearing up a storm and the lightning was just ridiculous. We listen to the weather report with them and see how long it will be. It was supposed to last until midnight, and it was around 7:30 or 8, so we just sat tight with them talking about stuff. Eventually it got better so we were given umbrellas and we walked home it was still lightning outside so probably not the smartest choice walking around with metal umbrellas but we were fine. Got home and wrote about it in my journal. My journal entries are crazy. I have almost 60 pages and I haven't even been out that long so maybe i should stop writing so much. But anyways, everything else that happened, Saturday, we got invited to go to lunch in a no name town about 30 mins away so we drove and ate with a sister in the ward. We went tracting again and talked to a nice lady who was just answering her own questions with what the gospel was all about so we set up a return appt and taught her a lesson right there. We do have breaks for lunch and dinner stuff it’s about an hour long. The way out here is that we do a 2 hour long break instead of 2 small hour ones. It’s weird but ok I need it cause I have been way crazy tired out here. I got a cold the first day and it’s just now barely getting better. It was terrible but I’m fine. We talked to this guy named Jim who lives by himself. He can’t hear well, so you have to yell at him for him to hear, so it was fun yelling the whole time. He was the nicest guy I've met. We taught him a principle about prayer and I taught it and I felt the spirit so strong it was amazing. We left him and he seemed to be doing alright. Sunday was crazy, church was just a get to know thing for me, I met the whole ward of about 50 people. I don't remember anyone’s names of course, but I guess I’ll work on it. We sat in on the Sunday School class for priests and taught them about missionary work and bore testimony which was so cool the spirit out here is jsut so, so...i can't even explain…basically, the best thing ever. After church, we visited with investigators and gave sacrament to an old guy at his house. We started to tract when we got a phone call that JIM was in the hospital. It was insane, he had gone into a diabetic coma. So, we rushed to the house got the car and drove over to see what was up. He was in the ER gaining consciousness and we just talked to the family and all it was pretty intense. The family was glad to see us and realize that we cared so we just tried to comfort them and all. When things got better and the family saw him in the ER we left to go tracting for a bit. We came back and they said he was going to be fine and they were gonna send him home so we go to his room thing and talk to him. His family asks us to give him a blessing so basically I thought Elder Banner was going to take over but he anointed with the oil and then gave it to me to bless him. I knew this guy for one day and I was like what??? But he said go for it and you can't really talk it over when people are watching you, so I just manned up and blessed him which was so awesome. I had to yell so he could hear so the whole ER heard me. When I was done it was amazing, again the spirit just took over and left with just the comforting feeling of I don’t even know, but just know it was sweetly perfect. We left Jim and that takes care of all the chaos. Yesterday was just another day tracting and talking to members. I have definitely gotten a whole different perspective on stuff. I love everyone out here and I love everyone back home. My heart has definitely felt a change from being out here on my mission. We talk about families and all and it got me thinking that I want to hear from my family more. So mom, it’s up to you to tell everyone to write me. I really would appreciate it. I mean everyone G-ma, grandma and grandpa, uncle Doug’s fam, uncle Brian’s fam, and of course my own fam. So tell everyone to write me and tell them to write about what they love in life, everything and anything, they can think of. I would love to hear it. We are on flash flood warning right now, so hopefully the car hasn't been swept away. I love you mom, dad, Scott, Jessie, Paul I really do. And anyone who reads this, I love ya, I hope you know that if I missed anything let me know.
My Address is
Elder John M Moore
815 17th St.
Logansport, IN 46947
I’ll be here for at least 6 weeks if not longer so make sure you write.
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