7th Week - Coronado, Coronado Ward

Family ~

My new companion is Elder Irish. He is from Salt Lake and is great! He is ready to learn and work! It makes me smile to think that about two years ago I was starting the mission like him. It's funny to see him do the same things that I did when I started the mission. But his Spanish is great and he is always practicing so it will come quickly! 

  

This week we were very busy with actividades, temple, and having my companion get to know the area. But it was great! We finished almost everynight soaking wet even with our umbrellas.

The work is coming along well! It sure has been one of my hardest areas but I am loving it and we are finding success through hard work and members!

I hope all you can find a way to be a missionary and share this great message with others loved ones and friends. This is important that you can all share this Gospel with others and show your conversion/ strenthen it.

We went to the temple with members in Pococi. The family who we worked with went to do baptisms in the temple and it was a great experience to see them there!

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!!

LOVE Elder Moss

6th Week - Coronado, Coronado Ward

Family ~

The last agenda... Well I took out my last agenda of my mission. My last transfer and my last companion. My old companion left this morning super early at 6:30 in the morning to zona sur. About 7 hours in bus from San Jose. I won't know who my companion is until tomorrow so I'll have to wait until next week until I can send you pictures. 

Last pic of companion Elder Roldan Morales

This last week was hard with many appointments falling and lots of rain. So we had alot of time to be outside in the rain! But it was good for us haha. 

Missionaries are like a magnet for drunk people in the street. They always want to talk to us and chase us down which sometimes is a pain but sometimes it's funny to hear what they have to say to us. This last week a drunk man came up to us and started talking to us. A little bit in the conversation he started hitting on me and tried to give me a hug. I denied him but then he started to try to kiss me. I went running away and he never got to me which was good but a funny story that happened this last week.

I am excited to start this new transfer and be able to learn and grow from my new companion. It is my last one so it should be my best one! 

Yesterday was one of the first days that I got really sick from the food here in Costa Rica. I ate rice with shrimp then passed the afternoon and night vomiting. But it's great that today is Preparation Day so that I could rest. But I am feeling alot better now that everything left my body.

But other than that Costa Rica is great! The same old same old! Working hard and loving every minute of it! I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Elder Moss

5th Week - Coronado, Coronado Ward

Family ~

Another week has flown by! I am loving it here with the cows and mountain hills!  Coronado is beautiful you should search it in google! It has one of the most famous catholic churches in Costa Rica. And it also produces the majority of the milk for Costa Rica. 

My companion and I have been trying to figure out how to best work in the area and see what we can do to change the ward and help the ward grow. It's been a rough time but we have found some success and we've grown together as well.

Our house is the two floors. it's nice but far away from our area so we have to walk alot.. And we don't have rodents but the other day I was looking for something in my suitcases and I saw two little white balls. i had no idea what they were so I sniffed them and it didn't smell anything. I thought it was moth balls but then I threw one on the ground and it broke. Ha it ended up being an egg of some animal. I think it was a gecko because they are usually friends that come and hang out with us for awhile. My companion decided to take the other and look at it and throw it on the ground too haha so two messes to clean up.

Another story is that we were walking down a mountain the other day messing around with my companion we started playing baseball with little rocks and our umbrellas. I hit one so I started running and celebrating in a diamond. Not until I completed a diamond I noticed that there was someone in a car watching me so my companion and I started laughing and I walked away all red because I looked crazy with my celebration run haha

This last week we have gotten phone calls from distresed men who have found some trials in their life. One night while I was talking to a man on the phone while he was crying to me and talking about how he has had trials in his life and his family is falling apart he told me something that I will never forget. he said, "Elder I am old enough to be your Father, I have 39 years and I need your help. I need you to help me get out of this situation. I know that you can help me because you have the priesthood and you are called by God and have been ordained by Him. Please help me..." 

I was struck by how much this man trusted in me even though I have never met him in person. He helped me strengthen my testimony in really how strong is the priesthood and the power those who worthily work in the priesthood. 

I am happy for this week even though it has been hard. I know that I have been able to help others. Many have trusted in us to help them overcome trials and to help them strengthen their relationship with Christ.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Moss

A family that we were teaching in Guapiles. The dad got baptized this last week

Two families we were working with. The other lady will be baptized next month.
Love these families in Guapiles!

4th Week - Coronado, Coronado Ward

No Family Email this week.

This week has been great!  I am loving it here in Coronado. Lots of rain here! A little tired of having wet feet, the other day I had to buy new shoes so i can change everyday in new dry shoes.

Love you the mostest!!!

Can't wait to see you soon and show you around this beautiful country!!

In my area! It's super beautiful in the mountains and nice and cool

This is a letter he wrote to the girls and they read it at camp.

5 things that I didn't think I'd love about serving a mission but do!

1. Walking, I have learned to love to walk and enjoy the time to get to know people in the street and talking with my companion while we are walking to different appointments

2. Read, I have found a love for the scriptures and I don't want to stop reading them.

3. Go to bed early, before the mission I always loved staying up late in the night. But now I can't wait to be able to sleep at 10:30! Sometimes I feel like 10:30 is really late

4. Eating rice! Here in Costa Rica we eat rice everyday! There isn't a meal that doesn't miss rice! But now I love it and can't stop eating rice!

5. Costa Ricans. I never thought I would have a love so strong for these people. I have learned to love them and love this country with all of my heart!

15th Week San Miguel, San Jose

Family

This week we had a mission conference. The last one before President Wilkinson leaves. It was great to learn from him and have the opportunity to have such a great Mission President that helped me and showed me how I can be better. I am excited to see what will happen next with the mission. It looks like I will be on the East side with President Hayes. I can´t wait to learn from him and see his perspective on missionary work.

 

Elders Branham & Moss

Elder Branham will be in the other mission so we had the opportunity to say goodbye until a year. Now there isn´t two missionaries from Surprise North Stake in the same mission! In the end we all got separated into different missions!

I´ve learned alot this week through all of the difficulties and have been able to see life at a different point of view. I am so glad for this opportunity that I can be out of my comfort zone so that I can learn and grow to be more like Christ and be able to prepare for my future life.

Other than that Costa Rica is treating me well. Gets me a little wet but feeds me a lot of rice. Loving the rice and the creative ways they make rice into drinks and deserts! Going to have to make everyone when I get home the Pinto special with Rice and Milk!

I love you all and can´t wait to hear from you and how 4th of July was at the cabin!


Elder Moss

District from MTC

Hermana Carrera and Hermana Salcedo (Guatemala)

Elder Rios from Panama. Old Zone Leader in Gunacaste

Last Pic before the split

We had a mid Christmas party and gave gifts in our house the 25th of June!

14th Week San Miguel, San Jose

Family ~

¨Esposas¨ In Spanish means two different things. The first is husband and wife and the other is handcuffs. It made me laugh to learn that the same word for husband and wife means handcuffs. I asked my companion why and he said that it´s because they are a pair and always holding on to the other!

Elder Moss & Sub, Bro. Diaz

It made me think of how a married couple should work and how they should be together to help one another and strengthen each other. Like our hands when they are used together they become stronger. Even though they are complete opposites!

Yesterday was a crazy day! Woke up and it was raining and it kept raining the entire day. I guess I just had good or bad luck but two people crashed their motorcycles in front of me. The first ran into a gate and went flying off and rolled like 3 times but was fine and we helped him up. The second was a couple that slammed into the back of a car. They were fine too then suddenly the woman fell in the street. We went to help them and she was fine just fainted but the man had a bloody hand and it was getting everywhere. I was able to use the tissues that the young women sent me awhile ago for his hand because there was nothing else. Definitely crazy that it all happened in the same day but I was glad to be there to help them. 

This next week we have mission conference where I bet we will hear more about the mission being split and Thursday I will be getting my residence to be a Costa Rican so I am pretty excited for that ha ha!

The work here is going great and many people are receiving the restored Gospel. Everyday makes me grow my testimony more and more as I teach others about the plan that God has for them and the restored Gospel.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Moss

PS..... I was called as District Leader over 5 companionships.  Jacob could you send me some great ideas for district meetings?

Last meeting of the Costa Rica San Jose Mission.
The mission splits into West and East now.
Photo courtesy of Wilkonson's

13th Week San Miguel, San Jose

Family ~

Jacob told me that my letters are starting to become more like his so I have to change them up a little so that it´s more interesting ha ha!

This week was definitely interesting! There are 2 new companions living in the house. Elder Sub (Guatemala) and Elder Mejia (Honduras). Elder Mejia is new and fresh from the MTC and Elder Sub who is my companion will be finishing in 3 months. 

The other day we had another Elder staying in the house with us and he is from El Salvador. We were able to make and try pupusas which is the traditional food from El Salvador! It turned out well even though we didn't have all of the ingredients and I will have to make some for you all when I get home! 

We did a service project the other day and it was to cut down a papaya tree with a machete. I was cutting the tree by the base and did a big stroke and a bunch of water shot out. It was like a fire house of water that shot out of the tree for about 5 seconds! It was an amazing thing and I wished I had it on video! 

I was able to buy a new umbrella that is big but a problem I have is that when it rains super hard and is windy from my knees down I am soaking wet. I've learned to keep an extra pair of socks in my bag for when that happens and I can change into the other socks. Learning from the past is great and we can do the same in our lives. Just like I learned to keep an extra pair of socks in my bag I also learned from all of my mistakes whether it was my fault or just natural. We can apply the atonement in our lives to live more happily and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I hope we all can learn from our trials and become better children of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Moss

12th Week San Miguel, San Jose

Family ~

This week has been a crazy week for sure! First Elder Luna has changes so my new companion is Elder Sub from Guatemala! He will be finishing his mission in 3 months so I am excited to work with him and learn lots!

So just with the changes we´ve been running around trying to get everything done. Then we had also a baptism of a daughter of a member. It was awesome to see them come back to church after a long time and see them grow in testimony of the Gospel.  

The other day it began to rain supppperr hard! I had my umbrella but still got soaked from my pants down! I was walking around the day for about 2 hours with soaking wet shoes and pants until we got cold and tired of being wet and had to return to change! Definitely fun time here during the rainy season and can´t wait for the bigger storms to come! 

Living in a city is a bit different. I´ve learned how to cross a street with cars coming for you. The public buses are always a fun experience! Never will forget riding in the buses here. The other day I was in the bus the woman right next to me passed out and fell down. Scared me because I wasn´t watching and her boyfriend started to scream ```my love`. She got up and said ``Estoy bien! Pura Vida!`` made me smile because Pura Vida is the word for everything. 

But other than that all has been great! I am loving it here in San Jose and have really grown spiritually here! I am excited to see what this new change has in store for me!

Love you all
Elder Moss

11th Week San Miguel, San Jose

Family ~

What it is like to be a missionary:

For those of you that don´t know what it is like! I want to share somewhat of how it is for a missionary.

First you wake up at 6:30 in the morning. Reasonable time and you had 8 hours of sleep but still feel tired. Until you do your exercises to get your blood pumping! Get ready for the day and eat breakfast and by 8 you are studying. One of my favorite times of the day where I can sit down and study the scriptures. 

Leave the house at 11 to start working. By 12 you start to feel the hunger come so you go to lunch! Eat a quick lunch and have to leave again to go back to work. From 1-9 you are outside talking to people, teaching God´s children the restored Gospel, and serving others. Not being affected by the tiredness or hunger because all of your thoughts are about the people you will help and what you can do to help them. 

Seeing miracles and feeling the spirit testify through you. Seeing lives change and how this Gospel blesses families. Being speechless by all the miracles of the day you return to the house. Plan for the next day. Eat a little dinner and recount the day in your journal and a prayer with your Father in Heaven. Tired as can be you crash in your bed ready for the next day.

It gets hard, but it is so worth it. To be able to serve the Lord and His children. See the things you see and feel the things you feel. How this Gospel changes lives. I am so glad to be able to be a missionary and have this opportunity. To have the spirit testify through me and help others come unto Christ. I can´t express how amazing it is to be a full-time missionary and be able to dedicate all of my time and strength to others. 

Sorry I couldn´t send pics. Forgot the cable to attach! Next weeks letter will be better!

Thank you for the package! It was great!

I Love you all

Elder Moss