Mission

Washington Yakima Mission

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Stargazing and Happiness

August 15, 2016

Alright everyone, here's the scoop. 

Last week was a good one! Our investigators are progressing like nobody's business. In YSA, Joseph is still doing great. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and talked about his baptism, and he's pretty much cool with it all. He's the easiest person ever to teach. Sometimes we feel like he's actually a member and he's just pulling our leg, but we are totally fine with that! Max, the guy that came to the branch a week ago with a family friend came to church yesterday as well, this time by himself, which is a huge step. The talks given yesterday were also very good and I think that they really struck a chord with him--about trials and why we have them. We have yet to teach him, but the YSA branch is really good at fellowshipping, so we are excited to see where this all takes him!

In the Cottonwood  Canyon ward, Tim is still on date for September 4th. It will be the day after his wedding, so that will be a super eventful week for their family! We also had another lesson with Randall and Christy, and it was amazing. We taught the restoration and read from the Book of Mormon, and they were both very engaged. We are so excited to see Randall making so much progress so quickly! 

We went on two exchanges this week. The first was with Elder Black from Erda, Utah. He's a convert of about a year and a half, and he is so cool. It was with him that we taught the restoration to Randall and Christy, and it was awesome hearing Elder Black testify of his experience with the missionaries and how he came to know that the Book of Mormon and all of this is true. It was a powerful lesson. We are so lucky to serve around such Incredible missionaries!! What made that exchange even better is that right before we taught that lesson, we had dinner with some members of the ward that made us a huge platter of homemade sushi and a huge pan of all you can eat gyoza. I know it might go against the doctrine of fasting, but it is so much easier to teach people when you feel fat and happy :)

The other exchange I went on was with Elder Powell from Logan, Utah. Literally everything we had scheduled for that day cancelled on us either that day or the day before (including dinner), so it was pretty interesting. We spent lots of time getting lost in the boonies and talking to some wonderful children of God that really don't want their front porches touched. In situations like that when people reject you harshly or when your just having a bad day, it helps me remember why I'm doing what I'm doing. I have one of the greatest messages of all time to share, and if people sic their dogs on me, I did my part. And nothing is going to keep me from moving on. 

So Elder Jarvis and I usually end our nights star gazing in the Finch's back yard and talking about life and everything else. One of the things we've been talking a lot about lately is why we do what we do. Whether it's sports, serving a mission, or finding a job, why do we do what we do? What are we trying to accomplish? It all comes back to happiness. In every action, we are searching for happiness, even if we may not recognize that we are. Sometimes that happiness comes later down the road, and sometimes we are looking in the wrong places for  a fleeting happiness, but in missionary work and in the gospel, it takes a big picture view. A view that encompasses everything of long-term worth. And we call that view the Plan of Happiness :) So remember the "why" behind your whats. It will make life a lot easier and way more enjoyable. I'm without Facebook, my family, and every other worldly kind of entertainment, but I'm the happiest I've ever been. The plan works, my friends!
So that's life right now! Things are looking up, neither of us are getting transferred, and life is good! Love you all!

Peace and blessin's,
Elder Moser
 

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