Families Are Eternal

This week has been good, and I’m really excited in the change we are seeing in this ward! We have had a lot of family home evenings with families and we discuss FSE (eternal families). The change is happening and missionary work is moving wayyy up the priority list of each member. Its awesome to see the change in the members, they pray so that THEY CAN FIND people for us help teach with them and are a lot more willing to give names and its just a lot better of a spirit at the church! We also got a new ward mission leader! He just got released as the high priest group leader to help out in the work! We are getting a lot more of a push in the work! We haven't worked with him a ton yet but he is a really strong member in the ward and served a mission and is a very good speaker too. I'm excited! FSE (Families Sao Eternas) that we are doing with families are being a HUGE HIT! People have asked us when we could go to their house to do it so that's awesome! Bishop’s family said they put it on facebook and got a ton of buzz! Other wards nearby really liked the idea so that was awesome! Our 40 day fast has been GREAT! The youth have been a great help in the work too!

So E. Gomes and Dos Anjos went on divisions to Renascer and went to go visit Maria She knows its true, she is just having a hard time leaving her other church because she is a very firm member of her other church. But she accepted to be baptized th 31 of Jan! We also visited Antonio and Fatima and taught them the Plan of Salvation.

So I’m pretty sure that I am getting transferred this next transfers. I have really enjoyed Criciuma and am excited to see the changes that are going on here. One side of me really wants to stay and watch the changes keep going, but the other side is excited to get to a new area and work really hard! Since this is my first area I am still known as the newbie (baby) so it would be nice to go to another area where they didn’t see me as the baby.

I have been studying Mosiah 20 and its really good! We can see that what the prophet says happens, so its a good thing to listen to them! Also, I really like Mosiah 19 verses 2- 6 I LEARNED A TON THERE. So it started with a division between the nephites and then before they knew it the lamanites were within their borders. That's just how satan works in our homes we talk about the proclamation to the family with the ward families and how Satan is not going to just attack when we are prepared, hes going to wait until we lose our focus and then he finds the weak point and he enters and before we know it. He is in our borders and then everything blows up super quick. So it was really good to reread the previous chapters and see how slowly but surely the Nephites slack from where they were at and then like that they were fighting one another and boom! Satan (Lamanites had entered)

So Elder Gomes and I climbed the hill again to try and get a view of the city. This time we made it up to the antenna towers without any fog!

Justin its awesome hearing your wrestling stories, keep working your butt off man, but make sure to have fun and enjoy it! Want to see you going to state when I get back! You are going to be able to pin any missionary out in the mission field. Because sometimes we have wrestle offs haha! Make sure to remember the importance of being grateful for what you have! I can't explain how grateful I am to live where we live and have all the opportunities we have! Do your very best in school and in SEMINARY! Don’t take going to seminary for granted!

Mom and Dad, thank you so much for the things you taught me, they are beyond explainable! Doing families are eternal with people has shown me how much you have done for me and Justin and how grateful I am that you to teach me and Justin the gospel. I hope and pray that I can give a good example to my future kids one day. I am so grateful for you too and everything you have done I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH! Amo voces muito TCHAU.

Tem uma boa semana!

Elder Moore

Found some Jamon Serrano!

Elder Dos Anjos made me a 5 month cake

Elder Gomes and I at the top of the Hill

No Fog today at the top!

Criciuma Selfie

The City of Criciuma

Getting Soaked

Well this week was tough with investigators. The mission is definitely a roller coaster hahaha. But its alright I know the Lord put me here for a reason. We had our investigator Maria at the Families are eternal with Paulo and Bete and Laura it was a great lesson we always talk about the proclamation to the family. They talked about how the Lord made difficulties for them, but they were able to get married because of them and that they felt the lord was grateful for them getting married. They also told about about their story with the gospel and they truly saw the lord hand in their life. Then we taught some other pesquidores about The Plan of salvation from life on earth to the end, because they had some questions on death. The lesson started off slow but picked up momentum and the spirit was peaking at the right moment and it was going awesome! we read 2 Nephi 2 :11 opposition in all things and Helaman 5:12- Need to be firm to our rock through times of difficulty. We got her to want to come to church on Sunday.

Weekly recap of what happened this week.

Monday - So our FSE (Families sao Eternas) with Jura and Diego got canceled because Diego was in Lages another city we have it with them today. We ended up just contacting some people.

Tuesday - Went and ate lunch at Judith her and her 2 sons who are young men age moved to Massachusetts this week! CRAY CRAY! Then from there we stopped by Irma Cuca and Banana (nicknames) to try to set up a FSE with them but only their son was home. But he said he would let them know. Did some more contacts in a new area and had some good success. A couple people marked for us to come back this week. Ana Paulo was one that really seemed interested. Then we went ate dinner went to the Rodaviaria (BUS Station) to get our tickets because we went on Wednesday to Tubarao for interview with President. Then we went to bishops for FSE and were waiting for him but he got super swamped at work but Irma Fabiana his wife fed us cake and juice and we remarked with them for tomorrow.

Wednesday - Went to Tubarao for Interviews I learned a lot about some scripture study. President honestly knows A LOT about the scriptures. He worked in the CES the church education system. Alma 36 is awesome so the first verse 1 and then the last 30. Then read verse 2 and then read 28 &29. It goes back and forth like that in the chapter. Then you are in the middle of the chapter the main idea that alma is trying to teach Helaman is verse 17 and 18. The importance of the atonement! He then explained about how EVERY Scripture will have some reference to one or more of these three thing THE CREATION, THE FALL, OR THE ATONEMENT. As I started reading and looking for those in the verses. wow you can really see it. Then we came back from Tubarao and when we got back in Criciuma it was pouring! Like it hailed! CRAY CRAY we waited in the BUS STATION for 20 minutes till it calmed down.

Thursday - We went to Cocal do Sul and visited Walnei and his wife and some contacts.

Saturday - So we went to Renascer visited a bunch of members and pesquisadores. When we went to visit Lourdes we have to walk across this big puddle it was way fun! and after that all four of us were in Renascer we went to take a little break and eat a small snack for dinner (I couldn't cuz I was fasting) and we were sitting at this bus stop just chilling, Betts was joking with me about eating and then a little while later (Saturday it rained quite a bit) as we were sitting there a car in the far lane goes into the lane near us and speeding up real quick and into this puddle that was RIGHT NEXT TO US, he sprayed us ALLL!!!! OH MANN!!!! IT was super funny though we were like did he seriously just go into a different lane and speed up over a speed bump just to do that! Then we had FSE With Paulo and Bete they are such a cool family.

Sunday - Church talked about Prayer in quorum and sacrament was good. Dos Anjos had a talk about JESTO the other talks were about how we need to remember we are children of God and of our potential, and the other was on the need to have a testimony of Joseph Smith.

Monday - So Elder Betts and I wanted to go on hike up the big/highest hill to take a sick pic of the whole city and everything but it was SUPER FOGGY today so it was a trippy trip up there. Couldn't take a good pic because of the fog.

Somethings I learned this week;

This week I was reading in Mosiah 15 and 16. And did as the Book of Mormon Promise of read, ponder and pray. And I testify to you that when we do that with a sincerity of heart It is a Promise that is Money! I know the Book of Mormon is true. It is the living proof that this gospel is true. If you want to know for yourself if its true Just Read it, Ponder it, and Pray with sincerity to know if its true and see what happens for yourself.

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Zone Conference in Tubarao

Zone Conference in Tubarao

Simao a little kid at lunch he is super funny!

Elder Betts bought us Pizza

Paulo and Bete Famly with Maria with the Podem sign 

Fog at the top of the Hill

Elder Betts and I at the top of the hill

Pretty spooky with all the fog in the morning

Year of the Churrasco

First off thank you soo much mom, dad, and Justin for writing me, I am really grateful for my family all that you do for me.

Weekly Recap;

Monday - PDAY we updated our entire AREA BOOK. President wants just one book per ward so we got that super organized and set up. Went contacting but it wasn’t very fruitful. We started the Families Can Be Eternal Family Home Evening (FHE) last week and it was a huge success, we have 4 marked this week and 1 is a member investigator one and the other is with just investigators!

Tuesday - The 135 birthday of Criciuma, so a lot of things were closed. We visited Ivoline and Janice to see how they are and try to mark a FHE with them and their neighbors, but the neighbors are at the beach. Taught Cabral and Marines 2 Nephi 31, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Received a Christmas stocking from the Blanchards it was awesome! Thank them soo much definitely a great treat and we are going to go look for some dry ice tonight to make root beer.

Wednesday - We did contacts in Operiria Nova, went to Maria and Padrastro and talked to them, tough situation there. Importance of Faith. Went to Jura and Diego to plan the families can be eternal FHE.

Thursday - Had breakfast a McDs! Felt like a hypocrite because I had just finished doing exercises and then ate that hahahah. Had churrasco at Alexandre (ITS THE YEAR OF CHURRASCO!) Then went to visit Ronaldo, then to Gloria and Claition but only she was home so just talked to her for a while but they are still working at the beach on weekends. Then me and Elder betts went to visit Daverson, Mariana, Larissa and Junior, but only larissa and junior were there just talked to them and get to know them. Their uncle came in and was talking to us too!

Friday - Went to Cabral and Marinese, we talked more with Aliene this time. She wasn't interested in the BOM but said she could read it for her dad who has sight issues. We went and did Families are Eternal FHE with a ward family. They had a lot of family from Sao Paulo in so that was great. They were having a huge meal so we ate after, it was really cool.

Saturday - Had lunch back at Romanina and Luciano the family we did families can be eternal and had churrasco (YEAR OF THE CHURRASCO!) then visited Antonio, Fatima, Maria, lourdes, and Edmar and Rsalene, also stopped by and talked with Paulo and Bety! Talked with Ronaldo about going to church on sunday. Super good day! When we went and visited Maria, she had stopped reading the BOM but we had a great lesson. Elder Gomes had a great question when he asked her if she believed we were representatives of Jesus Christ and she said yes so he said okay this is Jesus Christ saying "Maria please read this book, I know it will bless your life, read it, and ask my Dad if it is true, He will answer you" The Spirit was super strong it was awesome! She came to church and is reading again.

Sunday - Church, Maria and Lourdes were there also the ym and yw brought 4 friends to church, that was awesome. Had a great lunch at Gelson and Elanede. And then went to Cocal do Sul and contacted a reference and also had a great contact she was really interested in the BOM.

It honestly was a great week, We keep improving we both don't want to leave this area but we will see. It’s great to see the change in the ward and the work. The members now are seeing the success we are having and are also a building a lot better of a bond between them and us so it is awesome we have been having a lot more different members go with us to lessons and also the families can be eternal FHE is going awesome. We also started a 40 day fast in the ward this week. You can just feel a different spirit and mood in the ward and can see it in the work too!

Scriptures I've learned. Man I and truly am learning what it means to STUDY THE SCRIPTURES! Mosias- 5:8, 4:8, 3:17 The only through Christ he is the way! It is him or nothing. We need to strive to be like him and also get to truly know him, because how can we become like him if we truly don't know him. To know him.

Cool spiritual experience, So about a month ago this lady that is a less active member got a hold of another member to ask for a blessing for her baby daughter who has chicken poxs and had been only getting worse. So me and E. Gomes went over and gave her a blessing and just talked to them a little but nothing really happened after that. Then on Saturday we went to this paper store and the lady talks to us and explained that the next day her daughter was fully cured of the chicken poxs all gone! She said she was so grateful and now her husband gained a lot of faith. They are going to have a baby blessing on the 1st Sunday in Feb. The priesthood is truly real but it also needs the faith of the people too!

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Stocking from the Blanchard Family

Families Can Be Eternal

Families Can Be Eternal

Zone Conf Selfie

Excited for the New Year!

So this last week it was cloudy all week and rained like 5 out of 7 days so it was great and really cool. However this week is going to heat up they say! :/

Tuesday- Went to find a pocket size map of Criciuma, but we couldn't find one. We were able to go to visit Ronaldo from Haiti and talked to him. We got to know him and found out he was baptized in Haiti, we also found out that his wife isn't and he lives in a house with a lot of other haitians too. So we are going to start teaching them.

Wednesday- New Years Eve - District meeting lunch with a churrasco and played a game like white elephant but with chocolate as the gift. I actually got some turron. Then we bought some more meat for the churrasco in the apartment that night. That night we had a churrasco feast and watched all of the fireworks. I think I gained like 15 lbs this day.

Thursday- New Years Day - EVERYTHING IN THE CITY WAS CLOSED ! LITERALLY EVERYTHING! I guess it’s like the law that everything has to be closed. So we got an extra Pday for the week.

Friday- Went on splits with E Betts, we visited irma Flor, her husband who's on bed rest and can't talk but he’s super cool he loves listening to the missionaries. We taught there twin 7 year old grandchildren the first lesson about God is our Heavenly Father, that He loves us and sent us here to be with our families, and He gave us prophets to teach us about His gospel. It was hard to teach them sometimes because they would randomly throw out the typically primary answers it was pretty funny sometimes! We went to visit Daverson, Mariana, Larisa and junior (old Investigators) see how they were doing but they weren't home. (Most people go to the beach a lot during the summer here in Criciuma!) Especially since Thursday through Tuesday everything is pretty much a holiday.

Saturday- We went to visit Antonio and Fatima, she was at home, he is still in Tubarao but comes home this week. He may need to get surgery if it hasn't gotten better. We are praying that they won't need too! Please join us in prayer and fasting. Edmar and Rosalene- Talked to them about how their holidays went and marked to come back this coming week.

Sunday- we brought Ronaldo the man from Haiti to church because he didn't know where it was and he became friends with the another member from Haiti so that was awesome! Marinese and her 2 grandchildren went to church. Also Lourdes a recent convert that went inactive right before I got here came to church on Sunday with her husband who isn't a member so we will see what will happens. What’s great is Benilde, her visiting teacher, went over there and visited her and arranged to take them to church on Sunday! Testimony of Visiting and Home Teaching! So that was great to see her. She had stop coming to church because she got offended by some of the members here, but it was awesome to see her back!

We had a very productive ward council meeting so im really excited to see how it goes! This month will be awesome with some changes I KNOW IT! I am really excited for this month and the ideas we are going to get the ward members and investigators more happy and united! I'm really excited! :)

I saw jamon serrano in the store the other day, and had to buy some! I will tell you how it is and compares to Spain’s jamon.

This week I studied Words of Mormon and the importance of listening to the Spirit, trust in the spirit and know that it will always guide you. When the spirit prompts us, even when we are not sure, we just have to go with it, because if we know it is from the spirit than it is right. We also studied 2 Nephi 31, power packed chapter.

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Don't take it for Granted

Man it was AWESOME talking and seeing all of you, I can not tell you how GREAT it was! It was crazy how fast that time went by like I kind of feel that is how our life after this life on earth will be we will have felt like it was so short. So it hit me the importance of this time and how we have to be ready to prepare to meet God after this life. I'm actually starting a study journal to write a recap of what I study each day, so I can go back and reflect on what I learn. Also as I especially pray to know if these things are true or to learn a key point I have seen it take place and happen and see things in the scriptures that I had glanced over before! Enos truly talks about the wrestle he had with God and the importance of praying with REAL INTENT. It also talks about once we have been blessed by the Lord we have that desire to share and help others out. He even wanted to help out his enemies the Lamanites! Oh D&C 58:27 and Moses 1:39 go great hand in hand about the importance of getting involved in the best work this world has to offer. HELPING OTHERS COME UNTO CHRIST!

Tuesday we had our district (11 of us, 8 Elders and 3 Sisters) breakfast and then went to the big plaza here in Criciuma and sang Christmas songs for a couple of hours, we also had a bunch of members with us, it was really impressive and we had a big crowd gather to listen to us and we handed out “He is the Gift” pass along cards. Then a radio station that was there broadcasting asked us to come over and sing on the radio, so ya we are pretty much famous now down here in Criciuma, we are as big as any music group.

Then later that day as we were walking down the street a man from Haiti approached us asking where our church is, after talking to him we found out that he had already read the whole Book of Mormon and attended church back in Haiti and really liked it. He has been living here in Brazil working for about a year. We invited him to the ward party and church on Sunday. It was a way cool experience!

So on Christmas Eve and Christmas we ate really good at the Bishops and his mom’s house. We also bought a ton of chocolate so we all ate a bunch of chocolate to get through the trunkiness of missing home! Hahaha. Most chocolate I’ve eaten in a long time! We opened gifts and packages, thank you for the package it was a great Christmas present. Elder Gomes bought me a Corinthians cup and I got him a towel. I got a keychain from E Dos Anjos and a sister in the ward bought us all pins because she saw my flag pins so she bought us some from her state Rio Grande do Sul.

A little bit about E Betts, the new Elder in our apartment. He is from Michigan his moms from the Philippines and his dad American. He is the youngest of 6 kids. (They all live in different states so he used Hangout to be able to talk to them all). He has come in with great enthusiasm and we truly feels like we are going to change the ward and area! With this new year we have a ton of great ideas and plans set for January! I'm honestly very excited for the possibility of January! We have planned to do a 40 day fast in the ward, families are eternal for FHE, a missionary work Sunday with president during a sacrament, and start having a missionary moment before the start of priesthood and relief society!. We are really animated in trying to change the culture of this ward and make them more united while being more bold in finding and teaching people. I'm really excited for 2015!

After speaking with you all, I have realized I took a lot of things for granted. I've realized how much, without a doubt, how much each of you have done for me and helped me and loved me, I’m so very grateful for my family! I also took for granted having the gospel in my life and knowing that I have a Heavenly Father who loves and cares about me, and Jesus Christ, who did everything so we can return to be with them again. I thought I was coming out on a mission to serve and teach those here in Brazil. I never thought I would be the one that has learned so much, I have been the one that has been blessed to be out here. It’s funny how quickly being away from home has taught me so much. Justin don’t take these things for granted, be appreciative, you will realize it when you are on your mission.

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

Churrasco Dinner pre Christas Eve lunch

Our District Sang on the Radio (Ya were famous!)

One of my presents

E Betts and I, Dinner Christmas Eve at the Bishop's House

Bishop and his Family

Yes!!!!! We got Presents!

Some of the Chocolate that we ate

My keychain

E Gomes towel

We are soo sad, because  we miss our families

Me Skyping my family

Dinner at the Bishops mom's house

JESTO

Okay so this week may have been one of the best of the mission, not as far as numbers, but being out here on the mission, me and Elder Gomes finally clicked, he has taught me a ton, not just about companionship and dealing with people, but also becoming the best missionary I can be and how to improve and see that yes we are here to help others but at the end of the day if we can like D&C 18:15 “If we can bring one soul unto him. (ours) how great will his and our joy be.” We still aren't perfect but man from where we have come I would have never thought. I know that the Lord put him to be my companion in this instant for specific reasons without any doubt. God knows each of us perfectly.

Below is a picture that E Dos Anjos shared with me titled JESTO! 5 things you can do to be strong in the gospel and as a FAMILY. Please do these, I know these things are true! They are FASTING, Scripture STUDY, Preparing and Taking the Sacrament, Going to the Temple, and PRAYING.

Justin please listen to this link Sacrament a Renewal for Our Soul from a talk that I loved in the past general conference that really hit me that I wished I had understood better. I wished I had learned this early in my life. When we are priest we have the privilege to bless the sacrament! (Helping everyone renew their baptismal covenants, Kind of like a new baptism for the week in a way.That is something very sacred, and as I have studied and read the sacrament prayers, which is something I said for 2 years every Sunday, now that I have studied, and I mean truly studied I have learned a TON about it. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ LOVE us so much, In D&C 19 it talks about that Jesus Christ did everything for us. If we just repent. He doesn't want us to suffer. BECAUSE HE ALREADY DID FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US. And the PRIVILEGE YOU GET TO BLESS THE SACRAMENT IS VERY SACRED. This world and life is INCREDIBLY SMALL like seriously if had a rope that stretched from one end of eternity to the other and then wrapped a small piece of yarn on one point that would signify our life on earth. Its crazy because sometimes it may feel like forever, but its not. So we don't have to worry so much on what people think and instead on what GOD thinks of us because with him and how we choose to serve and obey him will determine our ETERNAL FUTURE, and honestly that is something I have learned a ton more on the mission that I wish I had learned earlier. I am very grateful for the sacrament it truly is a gift from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that we are able to partake of. Justin you have the privilege to bless it for everyone at church. Keep that in mind and prepare throughout the week to truly be prepared and worthy to bless that to others I know without a doubt IF YOU CHOOSE to do that you will see a much brighter happiness in your life, and others around you, you will feel more confident in the eyes of the Lord. I TESTIFY of these things as your brother who loves you forever, and as a Representative of Jesus Christ that if you choose TODAY To prepare EVERYDAY, TO BE prepared and be worthy of the holy ghost in your live you will see miracles in your life and GOD WILL TRULY BE SO PROUD AND HAPPY OF YOU. I wish I had learned this at a younger age and I pray and hope that you can learn from the mistakes that I have made to become better than what I was. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Visits for the week:
So Cabral and Marinese- we taught them this week and it was awesome he cried during the lesson and the lesson was truly lead by the spirit! It was great! That family has a lot of potential I am excited for them!
Maria- Is in Floripa for the holidays
Antonio and Fatima- He didn't get surgery because they said it was too risky so hes on these new meds and in a hospital in Tubarao, the hospital is just for heart patience and he is being monitored
Gloria and Clation- we are going to take a break until after new years and see what happens.
We are going to be going out and trying to fortify the members and create more of a bond with them!

They celebrate more Christmas Eve here and have a huge feast at like 11pm on Christmas Eve, so they don't go to sleep early because of santa... SMH! So we will eat on the 24th at Bishops and the 25th at the bishop’s mom’s house, which will be also a ton of food!

Okay so I will call you guys at 4 pm from the time in Santa Catarina, which it will be 11 am Christmas Day okay Fambam! I LOVE YOU GUYS, SEE YOU ON THURSDAY (English), JUEVES (Spanish), QUINTA FERIA (Portugues)!

Love you all,
Elder JT Moore

J.E.S.T.O best five things you can do

Our Christmas Tree and Lights

Our District Churrasco

Pretty much every night out our window

Part of our District

The RMs (young men and women) came to our apartment like at 10 last night and did caroling for us! it was super awesome!

Real Madrid Jersey Santa Brought Me

Elder Betts and I working on our Selfie Game

A little Christmas Pose

Inside Criciuma Soccer Stadium

Nice Seating inside the Soccer Stadium