Weekly Email 02/10/14

It has been quite the week. Full of meetings and topped off with snow, which led to the cancellation of church. This means that the investigators we are teaching won't be baptized at least until a week after I leave for Brazil. It is definitely sad, but I can't wait to get the pictures from the baptism. What an exciting time to be a missionary! The week was off to a wonderful start, where we were having a lot of success. The weather was great, the bikes were working well, and we were having some great visits with people. We were blessed this past week with much success. We continue to teach a less active member and her husband. Who fed us well last Monday. Food with a German twist is so good! I will let you all know how our visit with them tonight goes. 

The weather on Saturday took a turn towards cold! My companion and I started out walking and it was snowing a bit...after about twenty minutes the snow started to stick, to the ground and to us! I kept telling my companion that the weather wasn't severe enough, so we should keep going. Well, the snow was about an inch thick by the time we got to our investigator's home, then the snow really picked up while we had our first snow ball fight with the neighborhood(snow ball fights are a great contacting tool). We reminded them about church and some other commitments, then started to a less active member's home. Throughout our walk, we went from walking in two inches of snow to about four inches of snow. We then had a lesson with them and had a another short snow ball fight with them. When we left there house, there was about six inches of snow. Since we had to return early, we decided to make a snowman, snow angels, and had another snow ball fight. I'll send some pictures of our glorious snowman. By the time the snow stopped, we had over six inches of snow! It was crazy! It looks like I was able to enjoy a little bit of winter before I go to Brazil. I hope everyone has a great week and I might send some updates before I go to Brazil, but if not my next email will be from the foreign land they call Brazil. I love you all bunches!

Love,

Elder Moody 

Important Announcement 02/09/14

I'M GOING TO BRAZIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY VISA HAS GONE THROUGH AND I WILL BE LEAVING FOR BRAZIL FEBRUARY 17!!!!!!!!!!!!! I leave the 17th but get to Brazil the 18th. I fly through JFK and will be going from there to SAO PAULO!!!!! I just received the call two minutes ago! It looks like all communication will be going through email unless a letter gets to me pretty quick. This was definitely the Lord's timing. I am blessed to have this opportunity and can't wait to get to Brazil!

Love,

Elder Moody

Weekyl Email 02/03/14

For some strange reason sacrament attendance was down...oh yeah the Seahawks were playing in the superbowl. So I probably had the best Sunday School lesson yesterday...I believe Washington might be the only place where this happens. (WARNING: please don't try this at home nor church...the results may lead to injury) The Ward Mission leader decided to bring some visual aids. We had a lesson on the story of the wedge in the tree. Where the tree grew around the wedge and fell apart in a storm. Our ward mission leader brought a sledge hammer, a wedge, and a nice piece of wood. He commenced by having my companion hold the wedge as he attempted to hit the wedge into the log...although the wedge didn't split the wood, I definitely got the message...I mean when someone uses a sledge hammer, it is kind of hard to ignore or forget such a lesson. The lesson was forgiveness and with each hit of the sledge hammer I forgave a lot more people. So don't worry! I've forgiven all of you! I wish I could take a picture of this Ward Mission leader as he finishes the lesson by holding the sled hammer on his shoulder...priceless. 

We have been working with some investigators this past week and have had a ton of success. We had many powerful lessons were the spirit was guiding the things which we talked about. We even had them committed to come to church. Unfortunately, they didn't make it to church. Hopefully I don't get transferred in two weeks so that I can see them get baptized next transfer. There definitely is opposition in all things. The good news is that they have enjoyed the basketball games at the chuch with the youth and us coming over and talking to them. There is sunshine over the horizon and we keep pressing on. 

We had some spiritual lessons with many less active members of the ward. The Lord guides us as we go from place to place and lets us know who we need to stop by when sometimes we didn't plan to see them. It's interesting how patient the Lord is with us in each of our own personal trials. I have found myself needing to take a step back and taking a look at the work the Lord does compared to what I do. I have much gratitude in my heart and hope for what lies next. The best way to express myself is through the scriptures Romans 11:33-36. I am grateful for this journey that I'm on. I love you all so very much. 

Love,

Elder Moody

Weekly Post 01/28/14

What a week! We have been working hard and biking tons. We finally were able to contact a referral that we received in early December and they are now committed to be baptized! A mom and his son were open to us coming over and said they would love to be baptized. We went over yesterday and helped Jeff the eleven year old fix his bike up and his friend Alex was there and said he wanted to be baptized too! We have found that the southern charm companionship is quite the duo. We just love people! We have been blessed to connect with many people and have them invite us back and want to cook us dinner! I just love food! We pressed the pause button on teaching Frank and his family, because his unit in the army is going to be in yakima until the end of February. The people who invited us to come back for dinner was that DNC(do not contact) family and the nonmember husband was the one who wanted to make dinner for us! I will have a taste of Germany next Monday and am thrilled! 

We had quite the Sunday, because of all the less active and in active members that came to church! The chapel was packed! We were excited about that success. We had a tragedy happen yesterday, where we offered to give the mother a priesthood blessing. That experience has strengthened my testimony greatly when it come to priesthood blessings. The Lord guides those moments, every second of them. That night was the first time that I had a heavy heart as my companion and I thought about what they were going through. The amazing thing is the witnesses through the Holy Ghost about how everything was going to be okay and that the Lord was taking care of it. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. 

Today we were able to go to the Seattle Temple. The peace that I felt there was overwhelming. How I miss going there as often as I could. The Seattle Temple is beautiful, but I miss the Louisville Temple the most. 

I hope everyone is doing great. I feel your prayers lift me higher everyday. I love you all dearly.

Love,

Elder Moody

Weekly Email 01/21/14

Due to the holiday yesterday, my email has been delayed to today. You all must be sitting on the edge of your seats! So I will get to telling you all about my wonderful week. It has been foggy 4 days of this past week. Who needs rain when you have fog...my companion and I have been extremely grateful for the reflective vests that a member gave us. Cars I am sure are happy as well. Mom, don't worry, drivers here are nice! My companion and I have been careful about when we travel too and frequently ask for rides from those with trucks. So yesterday my bike handle bars came loose and I didn't think much of it, but after noticing that I couldn't keep my bike going straight I became a little worried. I even told my companion that I would jump off my bike if the handle bars came off by chance. So after constant prayer and riding a few miles we stopped at our Ward Mission leaders home and he was able to tighten them back on...it's too bad though, because I've always wanted an excuse to run into a mailbox or jump into a ditch.... The lesson that I learned was to listen to the promptings of the spirit when the spirit tells you to grab your Allen Wrench as your walking out the door. 

My companion and I have had some great moments this past week. Double the southern charm helps out a little bit. My companion and I were planning not this past Sunday but the Sunday before, and my companion felt the need to visit a part member couple. Come to find out that they are a DNC (do not contact) on the ward list that we have. They let us in though! After a lengthy conversation we find out that they are both from Germany. We listened and set up a return appointment for the next Monday, yesterday, and she even invited us over for dinner. It was dinner with a German twist to it. Talking about some good food. Anyways, we had a short message on the Holy Ghost and gave her a blessing. I can't tell you how powerful those moments were. The spirit was strong in that home. We will be visiting them next week and I can't wait to see them again. Some people have been through so much and for them to even be where they are at now is a blessing in of itself. It's interesting how the spirit works. We were looking at a list and were told to go visit this family. Not knowing before hand what we should do and not knowing what to do in the moment, the spirit led us every step of the way as Nephi himself was led. How great and marvelous are the works of God! To be a part of this work is the greatest blessing for my life. 

Over the past week, I have learned how to love God's children no matter the circumstances they may face. I pray for all of you and am glad to hear those prayers are being answered by our loving Heavenly Father. My joy is full today. I love you all with my heart.

Love,

Elder Moody

Weekly Email 01/13/14

It rains a bunch here....This week was pretty crazy! After my email last week, I was able to go get my new companion at transfers! His name is Elder Howell and he is a stud. He is from Atlanta, Georgia...so we are two elders from the south...I don't think our conversations can have anymore yes  sirs, yes maams, and y'alls in them. I absolutely love it though! He is extremely motivated to work and work hard. We use every minute possible and go through whatever weather comes our way. It has been quite a stressful week as we have had to transfer from a car area to only bikes and on foot. The members have stepped up and have given us the rides we've needed. We also had to split our area with the sisters (it's a new rule that they have) and so we have a more focused portion of the ward. The work has been progressing a whole bunch just in the past week. We finally were able to meet up with one of our investigators, Frank, and had a powerful lesson with him on the restoration. We hope that he and his family will want to continue to learn more and progress. 

Hopefully by next week we will have a few progressing investigators and will continue to see growth and progress with the members of the ward. With three sets of missionaries in one ward, there is still plenty of work to be done. I miss you all so much and I love y'all.

Love,

Elder Moody

Weekly Letter 01/07/14

Hello everyone. This has been one busy busy week, but what week isn't busy? We officially lost our car in our area and will be splitting the area with the sisters. That's the phone call I received last saturday, so my companion is laughing while I'm enthusiastic. Although I don't enjoy biking around in a white shirt and tie, I enjoy meeting people as I bike from place to place. I am also excited to have a small and more concentrated area to work with. I can't wait for the day when things just click. Until then, we keep cleaning up and working hard. We decided to start over with the area and go out to find people to teach. We have so far only found a few people, but will be looking even harder in the future. The work has been tough and continues to try my faith, but the great news is the progress made by everyone around me. It's so great to see people progress in the gospel and have that fire within them to go out and work. I've learned that the spirit is this motivation. The Lord does his side of the work and I just make sure that I am keeping the commandments, keeping my covenants, and being a good boy. The lesson that I've learned is that I have my part and the Lord has His part. Sometimes I have stressed myself out with why someone hasn't found that desire yet, but I've come to realize that I must teach as best I can, then let the spirit do the rest. Another lesson that I've learned is to set goals. I've set daily goals for everything possible! But it keeps me busy and focused on the main goal for myself.

Thank you all for sending letters and emails to me. I enjoy hearing from all of you throughout the week. Those messages have been the inspiration that I've needed many times. I hope everyone enjoys the new year and what it has to bring. Even though I find out who my new companion is at 2pm. My mission president has already let me know who it is going to be. His name is Elder Howell. He is from the south, so I am excited about that. I'll do my best to take pictures and keep you all updated on my crazy adventures. I've found out that dogs don't like me very much...they usually run at me before my companion, so that's quite the adventure. I sent in a few more papers for my visa yesterday, so hopefully it will be entering the Brazil consulate sometime soon to be processed. Until then, I will be here in the Graham area for another six weeks at least! Until next week...

Love,

Elder Moody