"Nephi's Brothers are Jerks and Laban Got What Was Coming to Him"

Nov. 14, 2016

Dear Family!

I have plenty of time and am going to write a great letter. :) 

Grandma and Grandpa, sorry for not responding to your emails. I love you guys and read your emails this last week but ran out of time to respond. In gospel principals we were talking about sacrifice and one of the questions was about people in our lives who are examples of sacrifice. I couldn't help but think of you two. All that you sacrifice for your kids and grandkids;  you are great examples to me of selflessness. I know that I am so blessed to have you as my grandparents. I remember when you guys babysat me and Grandma told me to do something and I said, like a little punk that I was, "you’re not my Mom"… wow I was a brat. I remember what Grandma said though - "We ARE your parents, just more Grand.” hahah

Preston and Becca, I am glad that you liked your jackets!

This has been an awesome week. There is so much happening right now. We have an investigator that is still on date for this next week and she has been reading the Book of Mormon and keeping her commitments. It was funny and awesome when she explained about what she read - "Nephi’s brothers are jerks and Laban got what was coming to him." LOL She came to a baptism this last week and the statistic is 80% of investigators that attend baptismal services get baptized themselves. "In the ordinances thereof the power of godliness is manifest." When done right, Elder Holland said, baptismal services are the most powerful meeting in the church.

We are teaching a few others that are super solid.

We have had some exiting things happening with another one of our investigators (he is in his 30s)! He was a referral from a family in one of our wards. The father of the family has such a powerful testimony. His wife passed away a few years back and he has come out from that trial so strong. His daughter is coming back as well and she has started coming to church all by herself in these last few weeks.

We had a lesson with them and their referral friend last night. We taught the Word of Wisdom and obedience to Gods commandments. We asked him if he felt like he had received an answer to his prayers about whether or not he should get baptized. He said not yet, but we still had a super powerful lesson. That same night during call-ins, he and his girlfriend texted us about setting a baptismal date!  His girlfriend texted us first and was like "HE IS READY TO SET A DATE!" 

We met with the High Council this past Sunday and talked about the change in the mission having ward focused and stake focused areas. After Elder Douglass and I talked for a while, we decided to focus more on working with our ward and stake leaders. It has been pretty hard, but we have had little miracles that have helped us to gain more trust and work better with our ward and stake leaders.

This is from my journal:

Today we are going on exchanges with Elder Bade and Elder Taylor! Its gonna be sweet. They took over the other half of our area this last transfer so it will be just like going back. I am going to not take over and really see how I can help Elder Bade. Since we switched, he says like once a day people mistake him for me. Lol We must look alike. He is pretty crazy athletic. He taught me how to do a round off yesterday and he can do all kinds of crazy flips! I want him to teach me more this transfer.

We had 5 baptisms in the Summit/Evanston zone this week. We have been blessed with a ton of opportunity lately.

Things that I have learned that I love:

-Planning invites revelation. 

-Finish. Giving up is not an option.

-Being clean feels so good.

-There isn't one thing that has all the answers, but Preach My Gospel is pretty dang close to having it all.

-The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth and a man will grow nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book.

I know that this gospel is true. We have to exercise faith in our Savior, REPENT, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost and Endure to the end.

Love,

Elder Moe