Doing WORK!!!!

This week was one of the most successful weeks I have had on the mission. It was the most lessons I have ever done in a week and a lot of them we very in depth, and we were able to answer their questions about their doubts and not so much on trying to run through a lesson! It was good. It also didn't rain at all this week, we was pretty amazing!!! It’s pretty funny how things work too, like the days that everything is booked and jammed, we think it is going to be a packed day, then people fall through, the ball just takes a bad bounce and other days when it isn't so packed we have a great day. But that’s the missionary life I guess. I got another haircut from Sis Bete, she is awesome, she gives all the missionaries haircuts for free.

We are teaching Antonio and Fatima, they know its true, just got to get them to go to church and strengthen their testimonies. We took him to the doctors and helped them out, pray for them that they will have good results from the doctors, and that they will feel healthy enough to come to church.

We had a planning meeting with the members; Paulo, Terezinha, Benigle, and Bete. We planned to do a display at the Parado, it’s like the big park, like big one down the middle of Puertollano. That is where everybody goes walking and hangs out in the park. Hopefully we can make some good contacts. We are going to be handing out pamphlets and BOMs (Book of Mormons). The members are excited to help us out with this activity. I am excited!!! Should be fun!

One thing I learned this week from Elder Gomes is to be patient. Sometimes I try to rush with our investigators, I need to take it more slow and focus on their concerns and their questions, before moving on and trying to teach them the lessons. Sometimes we just need to listen instead of talking!!! As long as the spirit is there, that’s all that matters. We talked a lot about the BOM, the priesthood, why there are so many churches. They were some of the best lessons I have had so far.

Last week in our zone meeting I learned some great tips and ways to work better with the members, what are some ideas that you guys have, please let me know? Also Elder Riddle and I went to McDonald's, I think it’s like the 4th or 5th time I have been! I got a Super Mac, which is 3 patties! I am fat boy!!!!

It is hot here! It’s not like the Phoenix heat, it’s cloudy and the sun shines but it’s not like the Arizona Sun where you feel like you are roasting, its more like being in a Sauna all day! We sweat for days!!

This week study I really liked Alma 32. It was a great chapter for me about the importance of faith, I know a lot of people want to walk through life with seeing everything in order to believe, they need to learn to have faith. Also Fasting is a true gift. The Lord can answer prayers from fasting and the Lord truly knows us personally. Make sure to fortify your personal testimony cada dia todos os dias (each day, all of the days)!

We are going to Florianopolis this week!

Love and miss you all, hope you have a good Thanksgiving!! Have fun at the Turkey Bowl!! Justin score a Touchdown for me!

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Left to right Gomes, Dos Anjos, Cardoso

Christmas lights outside Giassi superstore!

Me and Elder Gomes

Today at the church when we were playing Bball and Vball

The District at the Church

Me and Elder Cardoso

Tapioca peanut butter,chocolate, and creme de liete sooo good!

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

Monday - was the first time I played sports since being out in the field, we played a little bball and volleyball, then we had the evening to go out and do contacts. We also received a reference from a member.

Tuesday - We helped Antonio get a ride to the hospital for his exam. He is going to been in the hospital for a week. Then we went to Rensacer (barruio) and taught Maria. She has received an answer to her prayers about the Book of Mormon, she knows that it is true. When she prayed she opened it up to 2 Nephi 31:15, which is super awesome. She wants to get baptized, she is just scared and hesitant to leave her other church. She knows what the covenants are when she is baptized, so that is why she is hesitant. The pastor of the other church really has her scared to leave. We also taught Emar and Rosalene the restoration, it was really good, and then we taught a brief lesson with Antonio and Fatima. We tried to get Emar and Rosalene to take Antonio and Fatima to church, investigators taking investigators to church, they said they wanted to but that they have family coming into town. It was a good Tuesday!

That night we got home packed up some stuff and went to the other Criciuma 2 Elder’s apartment and spent the night there (14 total Elders), we had to get up at 2 am and left at 4 am in a big van with a bunch of Elders head to Florianopolis (we got there at 10 am). Then we had the privilege to listen to the area seventy of Brazil. We listened to Elder Costa of the Quorum of the Seventy, he was amazing! Told us about his conversion story and experiences he has had, and wowww the spirit he brought with him was just awesome. I testify to you that they are truly special witnesses of our Savior Jesus Christ and that the church leaders are men called of GOD without a doubt. I honestly could have sat there the entire day and just listened to him! One thing I liked that Elder Costa taught us was how to work in companionships and how to work with members, and just wow it was awesome! So you all better be working with the missionaries to do the work. Oh, in the apartment and van I was with Elder Riddle and then in Floripa I saw Blanchard (He has gained 9 kilos) and Bergquist so that was some awesome little reunions! We didn't get back home until 10 and Elder Riddle and his comp stayed the night in our apartment before leaving the next day.

Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! We all had lunch at our apartment and had a great Thanksgiving! We had a turkey, potatoes, I made deviled eggs like mom taught me (the brazilians really liked them), cake, muffins, ice cream, brownies and some other postres. I missed playing in the turkey bowl, hope you guys beasted it up out there. That evening we went on divisions (splits), I went with Elder Dos Anjos, it was fun, we did contacts, and taught a less active family. Hope you have an enjoyable black friday, they have it here also, but it’s not as crazy.

Friday - Was on splits with Elder Dos Anjos, we did contacts most of the day, and then went to a family home evening that night. We helped the members meet their neighbors, here they actually know their neighbors pretty well, now they just have to invite them.

Saturday - We taught in Rensacer, we taught Maria, Antonio and Fatima, Edmar and Rosalene, and then we went to Gloria and Clataion later that night.

Sunday was a bummer because NO one came to church that we have been teaching, two other non members came, but none that the missionaries are teaching. We did have the primary program during sacrament meeting, so that was awesome! It reminded me so much of home. We had an awesome lunch at Paulo and Isidora. She is such an awesome cook.

I have learned so much about work ethic, and am very grateful for what dad and mom taught me, as well as the work ethic I was taught in football and basketball. There are a few Elders that are out here that have not learned what work ethic is. We talk about setting goals, and all companionships set goals, a lot of them just don’t have a work ethic to reach their goals. I appreciate being taught this lesson throughout my life, because I know for a lot of them it is difficult to learn at this point in their life.

Ask in faith and follow in faith!

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Bus ride to Florianopolis

Three generations, my trainer and his trainer

Me, E. Blanchard and Bergquist

Statue of Liberty out front of a store

Elder Riddle and his Comp

Thanksgiving day meal, almost like home!

Them deviled eggs my momma taught me

Thanksgiving meal with the district

One of my favorite foods in Brazil, Tapioca

Special Conference with Elder Costa, Florianopolis Zone, half the mission

Catching the Fire

Oi Tudo bem,

We taught some really cool families this week, it was a busy week, with some great lessons. Had a meeting with the President and his wife, they are awesome! They both went on missions. I saw Elder Riddle, he is in my zone, he is with Elder Morales. I saw him like the first day he was here, and then again at zone conference. He is about an hours south of me, he is in the furthest southern part of the mission.

We have a bunch more families to teach this week. The only problem we are finding is that families have been together for along time but have not been married. So that is always a work to get them to understand the importance of marriage and to get them married.

The other package is at the mission home, I am going to wait till Christmas to open it, I have decided I wanted it as my Christmas package. Did I tell you the Camera is beast!

I traded some ties with Elder Johnson before he left.

The little pins that you sent are awesome. Now on our map, I put where our investigators are, where there are some less actives, and where there are strong members. It is beautiful and will help us out with our missionary work and make us more productive.

Saturday, we went to lunch with Maria and Juan from Peru, they are awesome. We had a good lunch and taught them about missionary work. It was good. We left a good message with them. We also did contacts today, me and Elder Dos Anos. It was productive, I had asked the Lord to help me and it was productive. If we ask, our prayers are answered. We talked to two guys from Africa, they only spoke English, it was weird but awesome to teach them a lesson in English. At first it felt awkward, but then the spirit was there and it was definitely a great lesson. Saturday we also had a lesson with Maria. She is still going to her evangelist church and the Pastor is always bashing us and telling her bad things about us. However she did say that out of all the church’s she has been to, our church is the one that makes her feel the best and answers all of her questions. Elder Gomes explained to her that its because even though there are other good churches out there they do not have the fullness of the gospel. They have parts, but that there is only one true church of Jesus Christ on the earth. That through the restoration of the gospel and through Joseph Smith, God was able to restore the fullness of the gospel again on the earth. I then explained and talked with her about John 3, and the three things we learn about baptism and the importance of it. It was a good lesson, but she is so scared of what the evangelist pastor will say to her.

Some foods we ate here this week that was really good was Tabau, it is French Fries, Chicken, Chicken Hearts, Onion Rings, pickles, eggs, and meat. It is really good, I am sending you a picture of it. Salads are awesome here, they put mangos in the salad. Very tasty. There were some other super delicious foods, but I can't think of what they are right now.

Sunday, we went to church. On Saturday night at church they did the “Voice”, it was really cool. It was set up just like the show in the states. They also have it here in Brazil. They have some really talented singers in our ward. After the activity, the Bishop asked me to give a talk in church the next day. So I gave a talk about getting out of our comfort zone. There is no growth in a comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone. It was a good talk, I gave the four points of growing and lengthening our step. It doesn’t matter where we are in this life or where we are on the path, we just need to keep going and moving forward in the right direction. It went well, my Portuguese is doing good, my Spanish is all messed up now. It is hard to even think what the words are in Spanish.

This week study D&C 19 and the Atonement.

Eu te amo,
Elder JT Moore

Elder Gomes and Elder Moore doing work, Elder Gomes is working on selfie game

Tabau it is really good!

Thanks for the early Christmas present

This park reminds me of the Paseo in Puertollano

Interesting graffiti we found

One rather large kitchen in this house

Our map with the areas and pins

Elder Moore and Elder Riddle at Zone Conference

Our Zone (Sorry so blurry)

The Only American in our District

Okay so Elder Johnson went to Floripa today and is headed home tomorrow, Crazy stuff. Me, Cordoso, and Dos Anjos are staying here and my new trainer is Elder Gomes! He has been out in the field 6 months he arrives tomorrow at 1:35 so he should have some gas to work! He is Brazilian from Sao Paulo. I’m excited this transfer I’m going to be the only American in the house! Going to be fun! Let’s see how much English I can forget.

I’m learning new things to cook each day with different Elders, I’ll try to take pics of the stuff we make. The wall has gotten better with the dryer on it. I’m seeing your prayers here! Maria came to church this week after missing the last one and she asked some really deep questions. It will be fun to answer those questions. She definitely has some great potential. I’m still learning and growing in the language and how to teach better and clearer but I know it’s a process. The biggest thing is getting the people we teach to come to church! English classes haven’t been going so well, hardly anyone shows up, so I think we are going to cancel them, since we can do other more productive things.

It has been really hot down here, I sweat all the time. I don’t think I will ever get use to this humidity. We only have three fans in the apartment, so I am the one without. It makes it hard to sleep. I am going to go buy one today!

We taught this really awesome family, their daughter reads a lot of the Book of Mormon. She was asking us about what she read and asked us, “So it says if you read and pray with FAITH, you can know these things are true. So we really need to pray with FAITH right?” We were like, yes Exactly!! Para bem, para bom! The spirit was there in the lesson, so hopefully they continue to progress and come to church. We have to get some members to go with us on our next lesson. Members make missionary work so much easier and better.

We have also been working with our ward mission leader, Rafael. He used to be the second counselor in the Bishopric and then was released and called as ward mission leader. The Elders were super pumped, but right after he was called he started to become less active. So even though he doesn't come to church, we call him every night and let him know what we are doing and how the work is going. We keep trying to get him to have a correlation meeting, but it hasn't happened yet. We keep working on him, with the nightly calls.

I learned this mission is the least baptising mission in all of Brazil, but the baptisms here are the most firm and the new members stay active. I think quite a few we can mark for baptism this week, please remember to pray that all goes well with them and that they can be progressing and come to church! That's the biggest thing! I am praying for you guys and make sure to love and serve each other D&C 100 was an answer to my prays and May 2014 Elder Bednars talk was really good! Also read Helaman 5 and see how many times it says remember in it.

I got your package today, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I love it. The new camera is Beast! It is awesome with the built-in WiFi. Thanks for the door bball hoop, now we can kind of play sports, since we aren't allowed to play them with members or investigators. Thanks for all of the food and pens, and stuff.

Also, we went by his park called Park of the Nations that we passed by on bus, and I found the Spanish flag, so I snapped a quick pic!

I miss you guys a lot, but make sure you love and serve each other, make sure to do the little things like pray together, read the scriptures, FHE, and go to the temple together once a month! Please! I love you guys sooooo muchhhhhhhhh!

Eu te amo,
Elder JT Moore

When it rains, I have a hoody

Spanish flag at Park of the Nations

Last District meeting with E. Johnson

Last District meeting with E. Johnson

No Thanksgiving here so straight to Christmas, but its summer time

The pretty flower for you Mom!

Elder Cordoso

Awesome looking wall on a house we contacted

Saying Goodbye to Elder Johnson

New Camera is Beast, I give it a thumbsup

I love the green of Brazil, sure not in Arizona

Should I eat this?

My New Companion, Elder Gomes

Last Week with Elder Johnson

We taught Maria this week, we taught her the first lesson and it wasn’t really going anywhere, started teaching about the Book of Mormon, the spirit was there sometimes, but then she would get off on tangents. So we decided it was time to go, and before we left she offered us some water. When she returned she brought with her a picture she had painted a few nights before about a dream she had. She started to explain the dream to us, it was very similar to Lehi’s Dream and the Tree of Life. She had a picture of a tree with fruit that were very delicious and wanted her family to come and get some. She also explained to us about a building with people in it and a path and water on the side. We were like WOW! So we gave her a book and showed her where Lehi’s dream was and asked her to read it. She came to church on Sunday and really liked it. She is reading the BOM and coming to church and praying, so she is progressing really well. We asked her to pray and read and she has, and said she knows that her previous baptism wasn't valid. She likes to talk and gets on a lot of tangent, so we try to keep our appointments to 45 minutes, that way they can really notice the spirit in their lives.

We also found a family of 3 who are awesome and they are really receptive and we think we can progress a lot with them and are headed there tonight! Another guy, Daniel we are teaching and we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and restoration and he understands really well. He understood about prophets and the great apostasy really well so were excited! Oh on Wednesday we had 7 lessons, Elder Dos Anjos and I were on splits and only one of those was a marked lesson so that was awesome! That bairro (neighborhood) is really receptive were headed back this week to see how they are doing. We found a lot of people this week with lots of potential, hopefully they have been progressing and reading!

Alright this may sound a little weird, but it was very successful. Yesterday Day of the Dead here in Brazil, so we went to the cemetery to do contacts and give out Plan of Salvation pamphlets, and pass along cards. We taught a lot of lessons, it was awesome! Hopefully good stuff comes from it! Keep praying for us to find the elects and people to progress. I definitely felt the prayers this week, as we were guided without a doubt to peoples house. Some of these houses that we had passed quite a few times before. We keep having little victories each day so that's all that matters!

I need to be more bold and not to fear talking to people, that is my biggest challenge. I just need to go talk to people at church and on the streets. There were a few people at church, who some members brought, that I really need to just go up to them and talk to them and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We have come up with a plan to get the members involved. We started to use it this week. We basically go to members houses and start talking to them, and teach them real quick about the Plan of Salvation, then ask if they know of somebody who has had a new baby, gotten married, or have had a recent death in the family. Then we get the references and ask if they would like to go with us to visit them and help teach them about the Plan of Salvation. If they don’t have anybody like this then we help them set up missionary goals. We shared this with one family, Paulo and Bete, and she wants to go knocking all of her neighbors up and down her street and share a quick message and invite them to church. They have already started this week and want to be finished by end of November.

Dad you won’t believe this, but I have become excellent at planning and organizing. Everything is color coded on our planner and we try to plan in detail our day and what we are going to do. I have become real good at this, you would be proud!

Well Elder Johnson is finishing up his mission, so I am going to take us four here at our apartment out to dinner like you suggested. I think we are going to go to an all you can eat pizza place and see who can eat the most! He is a great companion and I am going to miss him when he leaves. He has taught me a lot in the short time we have been together.

Read some of the conference talks, there were some great ones, President Eyrings and President Uchtdorf’s talks were my favorite.

Mom, I miss you and hope you are doing better with your back, thanks for all the teaching me how to cook and do my laundry, and all the counsel you have giving me over the years. It is really paying off now on my mission.

Tell Grandpa Happy Birthday, I miss you Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Justin, I hope you do good in Football, work hard! Enjoy the Culture Celebration and tell me all about it. I love you Bro. You are the Best!

I miss and love you guys, serve one another and you will each other more and more!

Eu te amo,
Elder JT Moore

Our District at Zone Conference

Got to love Brazilian Fog/Mist

Maria's Painting of her Dream - Tree of Life

Criciuma Tigre Stadium - Best Soccer Team in my Mission

I'm a Tigre Maniaco!!!

Another Pic from the Stadium

Criciuma finally got a McDonalds time to get Fat!!!

Working in the streets of Criciuma

Our beautiful and tasty lasagna we made 

Working on my Selfie Game

Our elevator to our apartment after a hard day

$23 realis Peanut Butter - Really!!!!