No Lesson Zone

This week has been extremely tough. I don't know what happened,
nothing seemed to go our way. We had zero lessons taught which was so
hard. The biggest thing that brings happiness out here is lessons, and
to not have any for a whole week was tough! I'm still good though I'm
enjoying my time. While we didn't have any lessons we were able to do
some service which was good because we haven't really done any before.
The saddest thing here is how poor everyone is. It's so sad too see
the things that people here have to deal with.

While it was extremely tough some good stuff did happen. I was able to
finish the Book of Mormon! This time when I read it I went through and
highlighted all the scriptures I could find about the character of
Christ. It was amazing I found over fifty things! I learned so much
from it, and was able to reaffirm my testimony of the Book of Mormon.
I wrote a summary about the things I learned if anyone would want to
read it just let me know!

Another good thing that happened this week was how much revelation we
received for this upcoming week. We have set our goals for next week
super high. We have planned for a lot of people, so we thought why not
set them high. We also prayed and found five families that we are
going to invite to do the parkway promise with us, and we feel like
this is going to help us find so many more people to teach. We think
with all the revelation we've been receiving, that this next week is
going to be awesome! I really hope it will be I really need it haha.

Funny story of this week is the snake in that video. We were super
down because of how the week was going, and we were out contacting and
see that snake on the sidewalk. We walk up to it and it just starts
attacking Elder Ashcrafts shoe haha. I don't know why but I thought it
was hilarious, and really helped lift me up!

We also had interviews this week which was so fun, President and
sister Brough are so awesome. President Brough was able to give me
some great insight that really helped me out. One of my favorite
things that he told me was something that I could try in contacting.
He said to ask people how have you punched Satan in the mouth today? I
think that's a great question that I would encourage all of you to ask
yourself every day!

The pinnacle of this week has to be sacrament meeting. I was feeling
all down and stuff, and a lady named Sister Duran spoke today who I
have never met. Every morning we send
a scripture text out to like 40 people. The scriptures are whatever we
want from wherever. I didn't really think anything of them it was just
something that we did. Well Sister Duran in her talk said how much
they meant to her. She talked about how her friends son has autism and
was also recently diagnosed with cancer. Sister Duran forwards our
texts to her everyday, and she said how much they have been able to
help her friend out. Her friend also said our texts were so personal
to her and were exactly what she needed. The spirit hit me so strong I
teared up haha. I couldn't believe that the simple texts we send could
have such an impact on someone. It just hit me so strong that I have
no idea the impact that I do have. I may not see it everyday or at
all, but as long as I'm trying to do what's right that's all that
matters. I know that all of you can do the same thing. If you do your
best every single day to touch someone else's life and help bless
people's lives around you, God will do amazing things through you. The
blessings from serving others and helping them come unto Christ are
unimaginable. God will bless you more then you have room to receive,
and your joy will be without end. I know that everyone can do that and
be able to receive that joy! I love all of you and thank you all for
supporting me. Those of you who email me I thank you so much! Your
emails help lift me in during hard times and really bring me joy as I
read them. I hope everyone is doing good! If anyone needs anything
just let me know and I'll try to help as best as I can haha.

Much love,

Elder Taeoalii

 P day clothes today haha

These are pictures I got from Facebook this week:

August 22, 2016

This week has been great! We've been setting up a lot of return
appointments and are starting to see this area progress! We've been
attacking our potentials list and are cutting it down. It's a lot of
work because of how many people are on it, but it's going really good
and I'm really enjoying it!

So crazy thing we met with a guy on Tuesday who told us my first week
to stop by. When we went up to the door he said he was wondering when
we were going to stop by! I was like what the heck haha. The lesson
went super good and he set a return appointment. Yesterday we saw him
again and he has committed to be baptized! It's so awesome the last
time this area had a baptism was in January! We're really excited and
hope everything is going to go good. I'm so grateful that the lord had
placed him in our path.

We went on exchanges again this week and it was so fun, because it was
me and Elder Spencer who's been out as long as I have haha. We had to
bike the whole time because you're not allowed to drive for your first
transfer, so that kinda sucked. It was an amazing opportunity for us
to get out there and try everything out for ourselves. I enjoyed it so
much and I thought we did a great job. I think I found a great way to
Twe, and it's to testify about the Book of Mormon. I did a lot of it
and it started working. The best thing though about the exchange was I
got to help Elder Spencer out a lot. He's struggling really bad with
his trainer and I was able to help him see who he was. The spirit was
so strong and I felt so much joy at being able to help him out. The
coolest part is that it talks about that exact thing in my setting
apart!

My favorite story this week though is about the three little kids in
the picture they're so cute! We talked to their grandma and they came
over on the bikes and we started talking to them too. The grandma was
like look they wear their helmets, and I said ya all the cool kids
wear the helmets! I was like you guys should wear your helmets they're
awesome. They got all excited and went inside to get them, but
couldn't find them. They said they would wear them next time for sure
haha. When we left they followed us on our bikes it was so cute! So I
stopped and got a picture with them haha. The one on the left is
Malachi, the girls name is Patience, and the one on the right is RJ.
They made my week!

The work here is looking up! We have been having a lot more success
and we hope to keep seeing more! During weekly planning we had
revelation that we should do the parkway promise here and we talked to
the bishop and he said it's a good idea. So hopefully this week were
going to implement it! The district leader said that he really
appreciates what we're doing! We've really turned around the area and
it's such a great feeling. The happiness that I'm having from serving
the lord is unbelievable I'm loving it so much! I'd love to hear from
everyone about how everything's going for them!

Much love,

Elder Taeoalii

Week 3: Aug 15

Hey everyone!

This week has been super hard I'm not going to lie. I got a bunch of
migraines which really sucked. We didn't get to teach like anyone
either. But the weekend has been great! We went on exchanges again
with the district leader so I went to Madisonville. It was really fun
and I got to teach this guy that grillz hahaha it was awesome. We
taught him and his wife and it was really good.

Then it was so awesome to read Said's testimony it was so touching to
me, and really inspired me too do better. I'm so happy and proud that
Said got baptized and is a huge testimony builder to me. I can't
believe that I was able to be apart of that it just blows my mind
every time I think of it!

Tuesday I read Alma 36: 24-28 and it was so amazing Alma 36:24
especially it says, "Yea, and from that time even until now, I have
labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance;
that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did
taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the
Holy Ghost." It's so powerful, and I love it so much I've committed
myself to do that, because he's right this gospel brings exceeding joy
it's such a huge blessing in my life. I've been able to also find
things that I need to change that's stopping me from being the best
missionary I can be. I have been working at the list I've created
through personal revelation and  it's helping me so much.

I've gained a stronger testimony about how powerful preach my gospel
is, and how much it can help. Last night we taught a couple and used
the how to begin teaching points from chapter 10 and it immediately
brought the spirit in. The lesson was super good, and they've
committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and said they'd
get baptized if they found out it was true! Which was so awesome and
so comforting I was freaking out haha. I think Elder Ashcraft thought
I was the weirdest person haha. The lesson was such a relief though
and definitely an answer to my prayers.

The funniest part about my week has also been last night haha. I got
in a bash with someone it was super intense haha. I wasn't mean or
anything, I was just extremely bold. I thought it went really well I'm
just glad i didn't get roasted haha. Unfortunately she said if she
took a Book of Mormon into her house that she'd feel like she was
sinning so we just left. We read a letter from someone to a missionary
that was extremely powerful and I'll send it too anyone if they want
to read it I'd recommend it just let me know. Anyways in it the person
says the difference between overbearing and just being bold, is that
being  overbearing is "boldness without love" which really was
powerful to me.  So I've been much more bold then I was before and I
think it's helping. Another funny moment was at the end of our
exchange we got to crash a funeral. Not really though we just got
invited to eat the food haha it was really good, we felt so awkward
though because a lot of the people gave us dirty looks.

So this week I've been working on loving everyone so that I can be
bold. I've come along way with it, and it's making me way more happy.
I've been learning this week to be patient and understanding, one of
the things on my list is judging others and it's something that I've
been focusing on. Not even just judging people I don't know but
everyone. It's been helping me out so much to just see where others
are coming from before I react it's been great. I've been working on
enjoying the little things in life day to day and it's helping so much
too! I love it I wish I would've done that before I left because
there's good in everyday even if it's hard to find!

Facebook has been so great too. A really cool experience we've had
with it is we were chatting with a recent convert who is out of town.
She told us how her niece just committed suicide and that it was
really hard for her. I then shared with her a talk that someone talked
about at James Aiono's funeral. She said it helped her out so much and
that she was going to share it with her family. It was so amazing to
see how technology just furthers the work of the lord, and how I was
able to be an instrument in gods hands and touch her life. I've also
been able to message 17 of our potential investigators which is
awesome even none of them responded haha, but they definitely have
seen it so we're able to drop them without even having to drive out to
them.

The last thing is my new bike! It's so sweet we went and bought it on
Tuesday. I think it's so fun to ride I feel like a little kid haha. I
decked it out too haha it's fun though and helps so much. We can TWE
so much better it's awesome. I was really scared that my knee wasn't
going to be able to handle, it hurts really bad sometimes but you
gotta do what you gotta do haha so I'm fine! But yesterday really
lifted my spirits so everything's good here! Love serving the lord and
I love all you guys!

Much love,
Elder Taeoalii

My new whip!

​

Howdy!  This is Kelly now.  When he sent this picture, there were others that showed up in my sidebar.  Apparently he had sent some a few emails ago and I have no idea how I didn't see them!! So, I thought I would share!

This is Jerry and his brother with Elder Ashcraft and Taeoalii.  These gentlemen really help out the missionaries a lot!

From a local church

This is Moses' apartment

Moses view for part of the day.  hahaha!

Moses didn't take this picture, Jerry did, but Holy Moly!!!

They are out in the boonies, but it sure is pretty!!

Another local church.  hahaha!

I usually ask a bunch of questions and get a little more info.  He says Elder Ashcraft is a fun companion and is a hoot.  He also is a great cook and is teaching Moses so he can eat well the rest of his mission. hahaha  He said he is drinking plenty of water and thinks the headaches were more from stress and the frustration of not having anyone to teach that was getting to him.  Also, the MHS football games started this week.  He was coaching before he left and he mentioned how hard it is to not be involved in the season.  That is getting to him a bit this week as well.  He reassured me that he is doing much better now and will be fine.  hahaha.  How they do their TWE (talk with everyone) is by walking around neighborhoods or going downtown. 

I have started a blog to record these letters and have a place to put extra pictures I get along the way.  Feel free to check it out anytime.  www.missionarymoses.blogspot.com 

Have a great week everyone!!

xoxox!!!​

Moses' first Baptism

Saturday was a very special day.  Moses' buddy, Said Huante, was baptized!  (pronounced Saw-eed)  Said's testimony at the end of the service was mighty.  This boy is going to go far.  He is on the right path and ready for great things.  Since Moses happens to live in Kentucky right now, Jeremy was lucky enough to be the one to baptize Said.  Said learned from Elder Blanchard and Elder Coker from our Stake and Elder Drake and Elder Yates from the YSA Stake and even had Moses Skype in and teach part of a lesson with his companion, Elder Ashcraft.  Said's friends and Isaac and Eli helped answer questions and encouraged him as well.  The whole process was one tender mercy after another. It is a beautiful thing to see the Lord's hands in the small details of our lives and how life changing that can be.  I am so proud of Said and can't wait to see his successes.

Elder Yates and Elder Drake

Elder Yates is from Scotland and we all agree that everything is better with a Scottish accent!

Elder Coker and Elder Blanchard

Brother Dickenson, Elder Ashcraft and our favorite, Elder Taeoalii

This was such a special, unique moment.  I am so grateful to have been able to actually see my son teach while on his mission!  His mission president was inspired to allow that to happen.  It really meant a lot to Said and to us!  

Moses posted this on Facebook today. It's fun to have him on Facebook!  You can find him here: https://www.facebook.com/moses.taeoalii

I love finding these little gems!

Random pictures that have come in

This is Moses with an Elder he went to Elementary school with in Lehi that is also serving in Kentucky

I don't know the story for this one.  A member in his ward sent it to me.  hahaha

Grace made a Book of Mormon on Minecraft for Moses

Another view

and another view

Sariah made this on Minecraft for Moses

Jerry Dickenson from Moses' ward sent this to me. 

This was posted on Facebook. These must be the missionaries in his area.

Moses and his buddy, Darnel, at the MTC together.  Darnel is serving in the Papua New Guinea Lae mission

Week 2: Aug 8

Hey everyone!

This week has been so awesome I seriously love being a missionary so
much! We have done a lot of contacting this week and we have been able
to teach a few lessons which is good. We doubled our TWE goal from
last week which is awesome! I'm loving the work even though it is
pretty hard and we get rejected all the time, it's still amazing to
share our message. 

The biggest lesson that I've learned this week is
how lucky I am. I get to represent Christ to everyone in Greenville,
and it's so humbling to know that God trusts me a punk kid to teach
these people. Their salvation and eternal destiny is literally in our
hands! It's unbelievable and humbling to know that! Luckily it's not
even us really haha it's all the spirit. It amazes me how the spirit
works. 

So Friday and Saturday we went on exchanges with the zone
leaders. Which means I went to Newburg Indiana and worked with Elder
Riphenburg. While we were there we got to teach one of their
investigators. The spirit was so powerful and we went in thinking we
were going to teach her one thing, and then we taught her something
completely different because we followed the promoting of the spirit.
I could see the spirit touching her right before my eyes. She shared
with us some things that have been going on in her life and the lord
has truly prepared her for baptism and it was so amazing to see that.

I also have learned that it's not even about the lessons, it's about
helping others feel Christ's love for them. How we accomplish this is
by doing as he would do. I don't mean big huge things, but as we do
simple things like smiling at someone or complimenting someone, when
we do these things it allows the spirit no matter how small to touch
them. I believe that whenever we do something Christlike that the
spirit is there.

I've learned too another reason why missionaries grow
so close to God. When we're out here we don't have anyone. When we get down or
are having a hard time the only thing we have to turn to is God, we
don't have anything to turn to like family or friends and because of
this our relationship with Heavenly Father is increased 100 times
over. And that's how we should all be. We don't need anything to
comfort us other then Christs atonement. 

I'm sorry if this seems super scrambled or hard to follow, I'm just pouring out my heart and it's

all over the place haha. Anyways during our exchange Elder Riphenburg
and me talked for along time about a lot of things. I shared with him
my concern that I want to "hit my mission full swing" as soon as
possible, because most people say that it takes about year before you
do but I want to do it as soon as possible. He told me that since I'm
trying to be better everyday and working at it so hard, that it's all
I need. Which really helped me out, because it's true I just need to
realize that God has a plan for me and as long as I do my best that's
all that matters. I am progressing everyday and that's all I need to
worry about. I have become so much better at street contacting I even
have placed a few Book of Mormons! 

The highlight of my week and the absolute most amazing thing in my mission so far has been skyping in on Said's lesson. It was so amazing to see him and see how much he has
grown. I can't believe I was able to be apart of that. The spirit in
that lesson was so unbelievable! I cried my eyes out haha. Said is an
amazing guy and I'm so happy he's taking the steps to come unto Christ
it was amazing to see. The happiness that the gospel brings can't be
described and I'm so happy Said now has that in his life. I'm so
grateful for the opportunity I have to help others do what he is doing. I
feel so inspired out here. I'm so happy and so lucky to be able to
serve a mission it is truly changing my life.

Much love,

Elder Taeoalii

Sent from my iPad

Hi!  It's Kelly.  Wow.  My mom heart is full.  These letters are so fun to receive!!  I just wanted to butt in and share a few things with everyone.  Moses referred to Said in the last part of his letter.  This is our very own, Said Huante, from Murray High School.  He has been learning from the Elders from the YSA stake in our home and it's been amazing.  This young man is on fire!  Moses got permission from his Mission President to Skype in on Said's lesson on Sunday.  Moses and his companion even got to teach part of the lesson!  I think we all bawled.  It was pretty awesome! Even if you don't know Said that well, I encourage you to come to his baptism this Saturday, August 13th.  It will be a very neat experience.  It will be at the church on 5750 S Nena Way, Murray, Utah at Noon.  Text or call if you have any questions about that.  801-209-4885.  After the baptism, we will be coming back to our home for an open house for Said.  He is moving down to Cedar City to attend SUU on Monday and you can come wish him well, eat some good food (his mom is cooking. mmmm), and hang out for a bit.  Our address is 5492 S White Springs Drive.  

Moses didn't send pictures again, so I will fill in some I have.  hehehe.

 

Moses on Skype.  What a cool, unique experience!! I cherish that hour we spent "together".

A recent convert, Jerry Dickenson, in the ward Moses is living takes really good care of the Elders (he's the one on the couch with the elders in the Skype photos).  They are in a rural part of Kentucky and to get anywhere usually takes about a 30-40 minute drive. Jerry watches out for them, feeds them often, and drives them places and also keeps sending me photos like these.  hahaha!!!  I love it!! Those long car rides in the heat make him sleepy, I guess!  You can see Moses' new bike on the back of the car in the third picture.  He just bought it today.  :)

I also asked him some candid questions and I will share a few responses.  He is eating a ton of pasta and a lot of chicken and rice and says it's amazing.  haha.  He usually has a protein shake and cereal for breakfast.  He said something funny that has happened is a few people think he is from the Middle East and someone asked if he had a bomb in his bag.  hahaha.  He has seen a few lightening bugs (Grace asks every letter she writes him.  hahaha) And, he says it rained last week but then it hasn't rained for a bit so he hasn't had a real good southern storm yet. :)

xoxox until next week!  (or Saturday at noon, if you can make it!)   

-Momma Shmo

Week 1: FIRST WEEK IN KENTUCKY! Aug 1

It's been crazy! I thought saying goodbye to all my friends in the MTC
was hard, but it was so nice to see Luke, Tim, and Darnel. So
Kentucky! 

It's so fun here but really hard. Greenville is a hard area
and they didn't leave us much to work with. So we've had to clean up
the potential list and because of that we've only been able to have
one lesson with a investigator. It's was intense but awesome. I'm
exhausted every night but I love it. The spirit is strong and I love
meeting all the new people. We do what is called TWE which stands for
talking with everyone. I was so scared at first haha, I'm fine with it
now though. We even split contacting which is fun.

The first night that we were here there was almost a tornado it was so crazy! It rains
a lot which surprised me, but it's so nice because it's burning hot. 

I love my companion he's such a funny guy, and is helping me become the
best missionary I can be, which I'm grateful for because I thought for
sure he'd be trunky. He's not though he works hard and is great at
helping me out. He's almost as weird as I am too haha. 

We eat extremely good Jerry and Jason cook for us a lot. Jerry and Jason are
brothers who are recent converts. They are the funniest people ever
they come out with us all the time. They are so helpful too, they've
been helping out missionaries for years. They're awesome and such a

blessing! Jerry says that all of you should add him on Facebook haha.
Jerry Dickenson. 

So anyways This week has been such a testimony
builder I've had the rely on Christ so much and I've grown so much
closer to him, and I've learned to trust the Holy Ghost so much more,
because if I pray for the spirit and I just open my mouth the words
come out and it's a humbling experience to be that instrument in gods
hands. That's what I've been able to realize the most is how serious
and amazing the gospel is, it can change so many people's lives and
it's changing mine I'm so grateful for it. I love talking with
everyone, it's just hard because everyone here is super religious and
shuts us down and everyone here smokes and smokes. But they are so
nice and already have a faith in Christ which helps us relate. 

The funniest part so far is that some people have said pretty racial
comments to me, which is the funniest thing ever haha. I love it
though every minute I'm out here is a blessing. 

This week we are getting to use Facebook.  We're a test mission for it so I'll be on Facebook on I
think either Wednesday or Friday. So you guys will be able to message
me on Mondays. 

Also I can iMessage people so send me a text to
moses.taeoalii@myldsmail.net and I can talk to you for a little bit on
Mondays! So text me today!

Much love,
Elder Taeoalii
Sent from my iPad

P.S.=From Kelly...Moses didn't send any pictures but Jerry sent me this one....hahaha 

Have a great week!! And text Moses!  He'd love to hear from you.  You just type in his email address

instead of his phone number. :)