Baptism!

Hello!

 

This week was difficult for me in the language but I got through it and was able to see my family this week, which gave me more motivation to be better. the family looks great, and I was able to Skype Kenzie too!!

For work this week we had our first baptism which was exciting, weird thing we (4 missionaries) sang at the baptism, it was different, but so cool. the baptism was different than at home., everyone was in street clothes and it was more of a party setting, balloons, and cake - different but cool. haha 

as for other investigators we are teaching 4 brothers and they are French and don't speak a lot of Portuguese which is funny because we kind of do a half French lesson and half Portuguese lesson. We had a couple with so much potential and we might have lost them due to a disagreement on something, we will have to see they left town for a little while. 

 

This week we had splits which was nerve wracking because I can barely understand my companion so how am I supposed to go with a sister I don't know and be able to talk, and help her in any way? well the answer is simple, I was put with sister Poulsen who is American!! She is the STL (Sister Training Leader) and she felt like she needed to be with me this week to talk to me about how I am truly doing, IN ENGLISH... it was much needed, and she gave me some great advice, and really helped me, I am so grateful for her. She also was able to explain more of the language that I was struggling with in English which helped a lot too. 

I am so grateful the Lord knows me and what I need exactly when I need it, he definitely is a huge part of my life. so happy to be serving our Savior 

I love you all so much, and Happy Mothers Day <3  

Love,

Sister Moss

We Were Sick, But Now We're All Better!

Hi Everyone,

This week had been a strange one, started out great, we were having like 6 lessons a day which is a lot, and then by the end of the week my companion and I were both sick and I slept till 11 on Saturday and we stayed in the house Friday, most of Saturday, and Sunday, oh and today she slept til 12.... so not a fun way to end the week.

We have 4  really progressing investigators and one was supposed to be baptized on Saturday, but his dad changed his mind and wouldn't let him, but then we took some elders over to talk to the dad, and then we went back the next day. on the way over to his house Saturday I had the impression to start my fast without already eating for a day and a half, so i did... when we got to his house we gave a repeat of a lesson and then asked his dad again for his son to be baptized, and sure enough he agreed and signed the paperwork for his son to be baptized this upcoming Saturday!!!! it's so exciting.

Next is E and hes doing great strong testimony coming to church and is ready for baptism. after him we have two with dates for baptism and more lessons with them. it's coming along great!

Sundays are still the hardest, this week I held in my tears until Sister Poulsen (other American) asked me what was wrong, and then I just started crying again.. I'm a big baby like my daddy!! So Sister Poulsen was kind enough to speak to me in English to calm me down and help me, this was the first time she's spoken to me in English! She is so kind and gave me great advice. 

Good things - I'm getting tan, the language is slowly coming, I am starting to understand the people I talk to most, so much better. and that's good. the hardest thing regarding the language is forming sentences and the translating in English. but that's okay, it's been two weeks!

I  am challenging myself to finish the Book of Mormon in Portuguese by Maio 30 (which is 6 weeks in the field) I plan on reading 8 chapters a day until I get it down. I'm excited to do this!!!

Anyway, I love you lots I'm glad you got our letter and I will be sending another in the next couple days.

Love you tons!!!

Sister Moss


Mom Note: Sister Moss doesn't write a whole lot in one big email. Occasionally, she sends a bunch of shorter ones...Here is an excerpt from one of her shorter emails, she sent this week:

... Yes, feeling better. Area is mostly flat, not to many big hills, the houses are all gated in, even ours. We clap to get the attention of the person in the house. Homes aren't in the best shape - most are dirty and broken, members tend to have nicer homes but not always. yes, my companion is great at helping me. she is so patient and willing to help. I know it will take time, President Scholz said by the end of the second transfer I will be 75% there and feel confident in the language!

Puzzle time!

Week One in the Mission Field!

My area is so big and we do so much walking, I'm going to have good calves after my mission :D hahah but for real, we do have a lot of work, like 41 investigators and 11 baptism dates. My companion is great we get along great too, she is so patient with me in not being able to understand a whole lot.

Yesterday was probably the hardest day for me because I wanted, so badly, to know what they were saying in sacrament and I couldn't, so I just sat there and cried!

I live with 2 other sisters - one from Idaho and one from around Natal area. I can't remember the name. We are in the house till round 12 then have lunch with membros, and then go back to the house for a few more hours of studying. We tend to leave at 4 and don't come back until 9 at night. So it's much different than I thought! 

This week has been good one being the first in the field. It definitely hasn't been easy adjusting to being in the field. I didn't know what to expect but this wasn't it! hahah it's great, I had a really hard day yesterday, being my first Domingo in all Portuguese, in sacramento I just sat there and cried. I think my companion <Sister Hernandez> is awesome and I love her, she is so patient with me in the language and in all things, she has been a great help too me. The other sisters are great too, we all get along, though most of the time I don't know what they are saying but I try.

It's been great meeting our pesquisadores, there are so many I'm still learning names! The most of them seem to be doing good, but again I´m not 100% sure what exactly goes on and, is said in our lessons, but I am starting to say more in them, whether it's my testimony or sharing a scripture - I am slowly starting to do more.

This week for me has been centered on just listening and learning from that, there are some many different accents, and people that makes this difficult. One thing I like is the help and patience from the people we teach when I say something I can see them perk up a bit and will help me with the idioma, which is cool!! I am so excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord, I love him with my whole heart!!

I am looking forward to this week, to learn so much more. 

BTW President and Sister Scholz had a son Serve in Surprise, he was in the Sun City and Kingswood Park wards, he just came home in January!! He told his mom that he knows the Moss's which is cool!

Anyway, I love you and miss you tons!

Love,

Sister Moss <3

 

A letter from President Scholz 

Dear Moss Family,

 

We are excited to have your daughter, Sister Moss, in our mission. This will be a great opportunity for continued growth and development as she serves faithfully here in the mission field.  She will meet, teach, convert and touch the lives of many people who are seeking to know, understand and live the truths of the restored gospel. Your daughter will have the opportunity to grow closer to the Lord and better understand how to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Through her continued study and application of gospel principles, we pray her testimony will increase and her love and obedience to Heavenly I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. Father's revealed truths will forge a pattern for the rest of her life.

 

Your daughter has already been assigned to her first area. She will be working in Eldorado in the city of São José do Rio Preto, and will be trained by Sister Hernandez. The area is very blessed, and your daughter’s trainer is a reliable and responsible missionary. Your daughter will certainly have much success and great spiritual experiences.

 

Along with missionary service come many new and interesting demands and challenges.  Your daughter will continue to learn and adapt to new and interesting customs, cultures and foods, as well as a new language and schedule. As parents, you play a very important role in the well-being of your missionary.  Your continued love and encouragement will give her the support and help she needs. Please write her regularly, sharing your testimony and love of this great gospel plan and help her stay focused on this sacred work.

 

Trust the Lord’s watchful care as you pray regularly for all the missionaries throughout the world.  Remember the Lord has said, "I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."  (D&C 84:88)

 

My wife and I are very grateful to have your daughter serving by our sides in this great missionary effort. The lives of many will be influenced and blessed because of your daughter’s great service and dedication. We will do our best to help your daughter succeed in her service to the Lord. Thank you for preparing a daughter, that is willing and ready to be of service in this part of the Lord's vineyard. May the Lord bless you for your sacrifice and help in this important and eternal endeavor.

 

With love,

Peter S. Scholz

Mission President

Welcome to Ribeirão Preto!

Hey Mommy and Daddy,

I have made it to the field. The Mission President and his wife are super nice and they fed us the best food I've had in the last 6 weeks!

My companion is Sister Hernandez, I think she's Brazilian, hahah - haven't had the time to chat a whole lot. I don't know where I will be serving, maybe here in the city, they haven't told us, or I don't think they have.

My head is about to explode.... but that's okay. So far we have just been in the mission office all day. I got here by bus and flight. We drove 2 hours to the airport and then flew for an hour.

This morning and last night was super hard to say goodbye to Kenzie, but we made it. My P-days are Monday and that's when I'll send photos. I am safe and excited and scared and at peace with being here. It's strange - I haven't felt like I was in the wrong place; I know this is where I need to be.

I love you so much and I miss you.

Love, Sister Moss

 

Week Five - Last Letter from the CTM

Hey,

 

Things are going so much better this week. The first 2 days my Portuguese was great and I felt so good about the progress I have made, and then came Wednesday and I couldn't think of any words in Portuguese or in English. It was a very bad day. YES, Mommy, I got your hug and it came at the VERY BEST moment. I had just gotten out of teaching a lesson (the one where I couldn't speak any language) and I was so frustrated and upset and Sister Fuoco appeared and said she had something for me and she wanted to speak to me in English but couldn't (hahaha) and she just gave me a great big hug and said it was from you and I just started crying! Thank you so much Mommy... It was perfect timing!

This week has been good. We have no more lessons in the CTM and tmw is our last day with our instructors - which is sad because I love them. By the way one of my instructors sent a friend request on Facebook. His name is Gaberial Fatori... 

 

Today, there's not a whole lot to do. It's a São Paulo holiday, so most things are closed, which kinda stinks. I don't know how I am getting to Ribeirão Preto. We find out tmw. Sister Munson is going to RP with me - we are the only two in the CTM that I know of going there. 

 

Temple was great today. Also, today I did a little grocery shopping. I bought shampoo and conditioner because I was out, but that's really all I needed. 

 

I don't know if they will let us (Kenzie and I) have any time Monday, we will be in the auditorio all day listening to people talk, so I might be able to sit by her then, but I don't know.

We sent you a letter on Wednesday. It should take about 2 weeks to get there, so it will be out dated but that's okay. I love you and miss you so much. 

 

Sister Moss

 

 

Week Four - Same ol', Same ol' in the CTM

A lot of questions... 

 

P-day: No we don't have specific plans and yes we wander the streets for the day! 

 

The temple: So amazing and my favorite part in going is the peace and love I feel while I'm there. It's so great that we get to go weekly. 

 

Just normal stuff here - nothing to exciting to write about. Same schedule for all the days we've been here! It's crazy to think we only have just over one week to go, I'm am so excited to get out of the CTM but I'm scared for the language part of leaving. Good news is that I have had multiple people tell me this week that my Portuguese has improved so much in this last week and they said they were proud of me, which definitely helped me hearing that. One of the people was my instructor and the other was an elder in my district. We were having a district meeting and he shared how impressed he was at how much better I have been doing because he noticed that I was struggling in the beginning! 

 

I wish I could send you pictures. I have so many to show you! 

 

My least favorite thing in the CTM is the food; it is not terrible but it's not great. It's just kind of there to eat. 

 

I am sad that I will have to say goodbye to Kenzie soon, and everyone else is sad for us as well. This week was tough for me and my companion but I am doing all I can to love her.

 

If you go back to the picture you got the first week, then the elders in my district are, 1st from left, 2nd from left, 2nd from right and one isn't in the picture. He came later that day. The sisters are 3rd from left, 3rd from right (middle row) 3rd from right, 1st on the left (bottom row). I love them all so much we are like family and it will be hard to say good bye to them. We have been blessed with a great district!! 

 

Sister Moss's CTM District

I love this language and I love when I have those rare moments where I can carry on a full conversation, other times I just stare blankly at the person talking to me. haha

Anyway I love you tons a miss you all. Have a great week. Happy Easter.

 

I  love my Savior and all that he has done for me. I am so grateful for his sacrificar for me and that he went willingly to suffer for all of us and I know through the atonement that we can be forgiven and that we will one day return to our Father in Heaven! <3 

 

Sister Moss

Week Three - New Roommates

Hello,

This week have been very chill. Not a lot has changed except I had to move!!! Crazy right, I was in a room with 5 Americans and we got a group of about 35 Brazilians so they moved us around to where I now have Brazilians as roommates which is interesting. I can't talk a lot with them but I'm trying! This will be good for me.

Also this week we went proselyting and that was so scary - I don't know Portuguese! hahah I knew that but it just confirmed my thoughts. We had 7 Books of Mormon to hand out between our companionship and we did it! It was so cool to be able to be out on the streets with the people!

Today we didn't get to go to the temple because it's been raining and the bus that takes us couldn't come and get us, so we've been hanging out at the CTM all day. Kinda nice and kinda boring at the same time! hahah It's hard to be with my companion at times because she's just like <that old friend I told yu about last week> but I have patience and I'm getting through it.

Also conference was great. So different watching as a missionary. I couldn't watch in my PJs which was sad, but that's okay. I missed your cinnamon rolls though like crazy. I was in front of Kenzie for conference and that was cool to still have family there, I filled my notepad with conference notes. I think my favorite talk was Neil L Anderson! So great. Anyway, I love you and I miss you, hope the cruise is great and I'm jealous your holding a monkey!!

Love you lots. Be safe. I pray for you all every night!

Love,

Sister Moss