27th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

This week we were able to go on divisions with the Elders from Cariari. It was great because I was able to go with Juan (He got baptized in San Miguel with Elder Rivadenira and I). An amazing experience to see his progress and see him teaching investigators instead of being the investigator! We visited a few families this week who are planning their weddings and baptisms for May. They are really excited and have a strong testimony of the restored Gospel.

Costa Rica is treating me well! Lots of rice and beans and the weather has been great! I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!

LOVE Elder Moss

Photos from a river where we always take time to enjoy life

26th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

An eventful week with baptisms, divisiones, and more! 

One of the Elders in our zone had to leave early because he had an injury on the mission. So we needed a mini missionary for the rest of the change. We called Juan (Young man from San Miguel who got baptized with Elder Rivandeira and I). So now he is serving with Elder Ruiz for the rest of this change! I can't wait to see him and take some pictures with them. (Elder Ruiz, Rivandeira, and Juan are serving in the same branch and living in the same house).

It's amazing to see the work hastening here in Costa Rica! There are great families that are wanting to find Heavenly Fathers plan and make a change in their lives. 

I love you all so much!

Elder Moss

25th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

An amazing week for sure! We were able to go to the temple this week and it was awesome to take the time out and be able to feel the spirit and reflect on life. 

Then to be able to listen and watch general conference was great! A week full of spiritual enlightment and joy!

From Rosa Robles Herrera - she is from his last area - went
to visit dad for Easter and saw Elder Moss at Church.

I love to remember who we are and this conference taught a lot about that. We are children of God and He sent us here to learn and grow. A lot of times we forget about that and we forget who we are! I will always remember leaving the house as a teenager and my parents telling me! "Remember who you are!" 

We need to always remember that we are children of God and that He loves us and wants us to return to Him someday!

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

Elder Moss

Congrats Jacob and Mikaela! Can't wait to see your wedding!!

24th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

Well looks like I didn't have changes and I will be any my area for another change! I only have two more changes so I am sure I will finish with 4 areas and 8 companions! haha very little! 

So I am not sure where I will be finishing the mission until the next month or so!

I will sign in later today we have changes today so I logged in to get some information for the zone and travels but will write later on today.

This last week has been very crazy! Running around trying to get everything situated!  One of the elders in our zone got sick and had to go home so we've been with his companion for the last week or so! It's fun to be in a trio and work with both companions! Also we went to san jose Friday for a meeting which was great! We learned lots and I am excited to put it into practice! 

This week we will be going to the temple and we will also have general conference! I am so excited to have this wonderful opportunities of spiritual enlightment! 

I hope you all have a great conference weekend and you can enjoy recieving guidance from Heavenly Fathers servants! 

Sorry I can't write much we have to go pick up the new missionaries from our zone!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Moss

With Elder Jackman before he left

With our new companion Elder Catalan

Elder Catalan and I went and ate a cake

23rd Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

No email this week - too busy!  Just pics

Playing in the streets with kids at night.

22nd Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

A beautiful sunny week here in Costa Rica! Almost the entire week was filled with sun which was great! On thursday we had a meeting with the stake president and mission president so we didn't get too much work done and on Friday we had a ward activity! 

Ward Activity

The ward activity went great I was a little nervous because it was suppose to start at 6:30 but there weren't many people there. But everyone showed up late like normal so it was a good turn out and a wonderful night together as a ward!

Saturday we were able to go visit a member who lives a little far away which was great because not to many pass by to visit them.

We went to a recent converts house to eat their chicken that they killed and this was the way to get there. (They live a little far) 

I am excited for these next weeks being able to prepare myself for Easter Sunday and General Conference to hear from God's Prophet and Apostles! 

Thank you for the package! We loved it! 

It's wonderful to be on the mission and help others come unto Christ. To share this message that I've been blessed to have in my life!

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

LOVE Elder Moss

Walking the streets of Costa Rica

I love Guapiles because even though its dry than other parts of Costa Rica and it's not as green right now there is always rain to cool it down and see green

Iguana we saw last night by our house and then on our wall when we were leaving this morning.

21st Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Familia~

This week I had the opportunity to do divisiones with other Elders. On Tuesday I went with Elder Catalan from El Salvador and it was amazing to learn from him. He is new and very quiet but has a sweet spirit and when he teaches you can feel the spirit very strongly.

Then on Friday I went with Elder Ruiz one of my best friends in the mission! He is from Guatemala and we both lived together for 6 months in San Miguel. He is a convert and I loved being able to teach with him again! We were practically companions in San Miguel and we saw lots of miracles together.

When I was on divisiones with Elder Ruiz we had to go to Guacimo to do a baptismal interview. It's about a 30 minute bus ride and after everything was done we went back to the bus stacion to wait for the bus to return to Guapiles. While we were waiting we were sitting down on the bench's when we heard something fall from the ceiling. I looked and didn't see anything but a few minutes later we saw cats trying to eat a huge bug. (I am not sure what it is called but it is big and ugly). We watched with a few other men and the cats couldn't eat it so they went away. But a few guys who were watching with us started looking at the bug and talking about it and during this the bug started climbing on the leg of one of the guys. So the guy started to shake his leg to get it off and I just thought he is going to flick it on me. But I didn't move. Then all of the sudden the guy flicks it hard and it lands right on my thigh and starts crawling up. (The pants I had on that day had a hole which luckily got sewed a few hours earlier). I started to freak out a little because I couldn't get the bug off and it kept crawling up and up my leg. So Elder Ruiz instead of helping me take it off starts to take a video of me. So now there is a video of me with a huge bug crawling all over me and everyone in the bus stop laughing and looking at me. At the end Elder Ruiz finally helped me and got the bug off.

Hopefully I can get the pictures and the video of the bug today and send it to you so you all can see!

Then this Sunday we had a transmission from the states which was great to here from! Especially since we didn't have to wake up at 4:30 to go to a meeting before church.

The work is going great here in Guapiles! Lots of families that are progressing to become an eternal family. I love this work and love being a missionary.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Elder Moss

With Hermano Lopez. A tico that served here in Costa Rica with us but has finished his mission

20th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

Another week has flown by! The days seem like a blur and I can't believe that it is already Monday and I am writing to you all again. 

My absolute favorite Gospel Doctrine is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I have recieved so much joy witnessing and seeing the atonement work in my life and the lives of others. The other day I was talking to a brother of the church who said he can't change the way he is because that is how he has been for his entire life. But I know that he can change his nature through the atonement of Jesus Christ and begin to be in the process of being perfected.

The atonement has been completed for us. We are the ones who let it into our lives so we can overcome our sins, afflictions, pains, sickness, and shortcomings. During my mission and before my mission I have been able to taste of the sweet joy of the atonement. I have many shortcomings! A lot actually, but knowing that through the atonement of Jesus Christ I can become better, and little by little leave the bad things in my life and become born again.

It doesn't matter where we are on the pathway to conversion. The most important thing is that we are in the process of being converted and we are working towards becoming like Christ. I know that my Father lives, that Christ completed with the atonement and that we can overcome whatever obstacle that comes into our lives because of it. 

I love this video of modern-day prophets and apostles testifying and teaching about the atonement of Christ and how it can help us in our lives. It has helped me become a better child of God and missionary.

Lifting Burdens

I am so very grateful for the opportunity to share this fruit with others here in Costa Rica and see how it can help them become better people and experience this joy that I too have been able to experience!

I LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Moss

19th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

Family ~

As a missionary you come upon many people from many different backgrounds. Rich people, poor people, humble, proud, and from young to old. Throughout the last year and a half of being a missionary I have come to a conclusion.

That almost everyone I have met on the street are searching for true happiness.

I've been thinking lately about how can someone, no matter who they are or what has happened to them. Be TRULY happy.

Then I thought about the plan of happiness. The plan that God has created for us so that we can TRULY be happy. An eternal happiness that anyone can obtain no matter where they come from.

Happiness

Heavenly Father desires that we find true, lasting happiness. Our happiness is the design of all the blessings He gives us—gospel teachings, commandments, priesthood ordinances, family relationships, prophets, temples, the beauties of creation, and even the opportunity to experience adversity. His plan for our salvation is often called “the great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8). He sent His Beloved Son to carry out the Atonement so we can be happy in this life and receive a fullness of joy in the eternities.

Testifying of God's “eternal purposes,” the prophet Lehi taught, “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:15, 25). Many people try to find happiness and fulfillment in activities that are contrary to the Lord's commandments. Ignoring God's plan for them, they reject the only source of real happiness. They give in to the devil, who “seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). Eventually they learn the truth of Alma's warning to his son Corianton: “Wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10).

Others seek only to have fun in life. With this as their main goal, they allow temporary pleasure to distract them from lasting happiness. They rob themselves of the enduring joys of spiritual growth, service, and hard work.

As we seek to be happy, we should remember that the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel. We will find peaceful, eternal happiness as we strive to keep the commandments, pray for strength, repent of our sins, participate in wholesome activities, and give meaningful service.

My favorite part is at the end where it says "the only way to real happiness is to live the gospel" I know that God wants us to be happy and that Satan wants us to be sad. I have been able to start living the principles of the Gospel during the mission and I've been able to find true happiness. It isn't easy to obtain. We actually have to put our part. Develop our Christlike attributes and live the plan of happiness. I can't express how beautiful it is to see someone find this true happiness. You can see a change in them and you can see the purpose they have found in their eyes. I hope we all can strive to become truly happy and live the Gospel .

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Moss

This is "Grandma" and her grandson with his family. Grandma is 95 years old and never misses church. She walks to the bus stop and goes on a bus for about an hour to get to church! She is great!

We are working with her grandson and his family who we've been able to see the spirit touch their hearts and see them gain a testimony of the Restored Gospel

18th Week Guapiles, Limon - Pococi Ward

I am not sure if you have received any emails from me this last Monday but they told me that the emails didn't work Monday (15th) and that we have to resend the emails. I hope you all receive my emails that I just re-sent.

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

Love, Elder Moss

(Resent on 18th)
Family ~

A very busy week for sure! Tuesday we had baptismal interviews to do so we didn't get to work in our area as much as we would of liked. Then Wednesday we went to the District Meeting and after the District meeting we had to leave early to go to San Jose because they were going to close the mountain that we have to pass through in the afternoon for all of the rain. We stayed in San Jose until the afternoon Friday and came back and worked a little bit. Then Saturday we worked until a baptism in the ward. 

A super busy week for sure but it was great because we learned a lot and had the opportunity to have a few meetings in San Jose with a member of the seventy. 

I cannot explain how much I look up to President Hayes. He has taught me so much and has helped me understand how I can be a better missionary, person, future father, future husband, and member of the Church. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary and share these simple beautiful truths with those here in Costa Rica. It has filled my heart with love and has helped me to become more and more  converted to His Gospel everyday!

I love you all so much!

Have a great week!

Elder Moss

after our journey, the reward.