more pics November 2014

Pictures November 2014

Nov 22, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week has been the craziest week of my mission by far. I think I will cry if my mother can`t upload the photos this week. This week was the week of changes so that is always insane. We stay up till all hours of the night and wake up way early and going everywhere. Since I was the only one for a time this week who had a Uruguayan license, I had to run everyone`s errands so I had to take people to the airport, for those going home. Take new missionaries to different places, and transfer a bunch of things. On top of it, we have had bad problems with neighbors in our apartment so we have been moving out and that is exhausting with all the stuff for an 8 Elder house for now. But the new house is so great but weird. 

The old owner of the house was some kind of crazy doctor but also has stickers with weed on them in our window. So we came to the conclusion that the old owner died because the real estate told us just to throw away everything we find and we found a lot. Lots of old journals, experiments, microscopes, weird lights, lots and lots of experiements etc. Super super weird. Kind of creeped out but it is awesome. I will attach photos.

But the craziest thing was the day of changes when the assistent and my companion wanted to practice driving. So them both, unlicensed, started practing with me in there and the other assistent. So we go out and it was terrifying. We almost crashed 5 times, until we finally did. President, the senior missionaries, the area offices workers, everyone was furious. I was the only one in the car with a license, and not driving. The people here in Uruguay are the most absolute awful drivers I have ever seen. If I didn`t have so much experience driving before the mission, especially stick shift which our car is, I wouldn`t drive. These people are insane, the streets are terribly done, and the drivers are full of testosterone, and stop signs and lights barely exist. Most of the intersections there is nothing. No yield, no stop signs, and few stop lights. So it is always an experience here, but I drive quite well so it is working. Not even being prideful, but I can tell judging by the other missionaries and the Uruguayans. So I hope you all enjoy the photos. I have now been in my first car accident and it was pretty crazy. The other car got absolutely wrecked, and ours, barely a dent. Our Hyundai van is quite powerful. It is huge in these streets and I think it is protected by the Spirit or something. Just incredible that nothing happened to our van and all that happened to the other car. Luckily no one got seriously hurt. The driver of the other car went to the hospital for a little whiplash but not bad. But we have to pay everything and without insurance help because they were driving without licenses. So that is going to be a lot of expenses for the church and them. Not good. So that was a tramautizing day that I will never forget. The people watching also won`t forget soon considering it was four Mormon missionaries. That is always awkward. Four hours we were there and everyone watching us as they go by, so basically half the country now knows that some Mormon missionaries got in a wreck. 

Other than that my week was really good, just very long. Taking people to the airport at all hours of the night was exhausting and not good considering I am driving in these streets. 

Something funny was that one of the secretaries had to take all the new missionaries to the doctor to make sure they are okay to live in the country and they have to take all their cups of pee there. But someone didn`t close it right and it spilled all over him. That sister missionary will never forget that I bet. 

I hope things are going back home better than they are here. I hope this week will be less crazy. One day we worked for 18 hours straight so I slept really well that night. Until we woke up again at 6:30 AM. Hahaha Oh well. 

Love you guys. have a great week, I will try to write again next week.

Elder Moss

Nov 15th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

The conference with Elder Christensen was awesome, we were the first ones to see him. Plus we shook hands and talked a little while, while the rest of the five hundred missionaries were waiting patiently in the cultural hall. Super awesome. He and his wife spoke such good spanish and were awesome. He is also extremely tall which took me by surprise. But it was so awesome, I wish I took photos but we had no time.

I hope you guys enjoyed the photos that I have been taking recently, I have been taking a ton because here in the heart of the city, there is a lot of things to photograph. It is awesome. 

That sounds pretty awful about the North Pole weather you guys are having. But I guess I would still prefer it over this. It is starting to get quite warm but I guess I can´t complain with being in the offices, we seem to have it pretty good being inside all day. This next week we move houses which will be cool because he have really bad problems with neighbors. So we get a new house and it is beautiful. It even comes with carpet which is rarer than rare here in Uruguay.

But the crazy news is my trainer is coming to the offices as a secretary next week! What are the odds!? We will be together here in the offices for 18 weeks together and living in the same house and everything! How crazy no? Out of 250 missionaries, they chose me and him and we are reunited. Crazy crazy. 

This week we had an incredible dinner with the president, the secretaries, the APs, and the senior missionaries and it was so good. Turkey like my mother does it, Croissants like my mother does them, green beans like my mother, and a fruit salad. We basically had a thanksgiving dinner for the office worker that leaves and one of the APs is going home so they invited us all to dinner. Then we had an incredible peach pie. I can´t describe how great it was. To be honest, American food really is a lot better and sits in your stomach a lot easier. I do love Uruguayan food, but it was so great having some American food again. I attached some of the photos to this email. I hope my mother is able to post them! Seems to be having technical difficulties with the blog. Either way, it was awesome. 

Love you all and hope all is well in Zion. Take care

Elder Moss



P.S. No technical difficulties with the blog, just the pictures can't be transferred so far. Even Br. Moss the computer guy wasn't able to transfer them so far. We will keep trying. If nothing else, we will wait for either Brandinn Long or Steffen Moss to come and try it. Hint, hint!!!

Oct 25, 2014

Oct 18th, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been another great week here in Uruguay and love having so many things to do and being so busy. I have fallen in love with being busy and all that stuff so this new assignment helps. I am in charge of all the missionaries cards, medical expenditures, reimbursements for missionaries, all the cell phones of the mission, and more but those are the heftiest. I have never been so busy in my life, and we still do our best to get out and proselyte which is crazy. Having a thousand things in your head at one time, has given me so many head aches but I love it. I have never been so tired in my life. Plus we wake up early to run to the church and play basketball every morning so I am a zombie now.

Even though it is a blast being here, it is hard, because it is like having a job almost. Trying to maintain the spirituality of a missionary when we barely can go out to work and testify of the gospel is hard. My spirituality is draining but the other offices workers are incredible, plus we are with President and the APs a lot so we all keep each other sane and spiritual. It is crazy how much President trusts us though, that is for sure. Working on computers all day every day with internet access and having a car and permission to go to which ever area and even leave mission boundaries is crazy. Uruguay is split into two missions and one of the banks we use is in the other mission and it is just so strange still to have so many worldly things now, but still being responsible. In a couple months I will be able to drive around and that is crazy. It is all so crazy but I am so excited. The Lord and President really love and trust us which is so comforting. 

I will update you guys on all the disasters and crazy things that happen, but right now, I don't have enough time. Sadly. You wouldn't believe the kind of things that happen, and we know it all. But once I have a camera I will definitely send tons of pictures and show you downtown Montevideo versus the country. it is insane. Super beautiful, and nice in the city. I realized I am a city person out here which is funny. Still haven't left the capital and won't for 14 months of my 24 month mission. And it could even be longer! Crazy stuff.

I feel so blessed with this opportunity and absolutely love it. 

Hope you guys have a great week and I will write again next week.

Elder Moss

Oct 11, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Since the last time you all heard, lots of things have happened. 

I ended up not becoming a district leader because it was an error in the system but had a great change anyways. I absolutely loved the North Stake and it was a pleasure to be in Ferrocarril, Norte.

This change I have been changed to once again the city of Montevideo. Of the 13 zones in my mission, 3 are actually in Montevideo and now I have been in all three. I am now in the Stake, East and it´s great. I have been assigned as a Financier of the mission and have many responsibilities with that so it is awesome. I have a lot more power than I thought I would as a financier and it is kind of scary but awesome. I have to be very careful with all the tithing donations we receive here for the missionaries but this mission is very interesting. It is apparently one of the most expensive missions in the world and uses a lot more money than I would have thought. It is actually quite incredible. I wish I could tell you guys but I don´t feel that would be appropriate hahahaha. Either way, it is awesome and I am really living the good life. From our apartment complex we see the ocean and always have a very nice ocean breeze as the heat comes. If you want you can look up malvin in Montevideo uruguay, that is were I am. 

Something funny is that we drive around with the APs all the time and one is from California and drives like a maniac. It is awesome though. No speed limits, windy beach roads, and narrow streets makes it very very interesting. Especially with the quantity of buses here. The neighborhood is extremely rich so not too much success regarding the work but we barely have time for that. I still have not been able to work yet. We have sooo many responsibilities we have to fulfill and sadly don't have nearly as much time to visit people. It really is a difference and is hard. Teaching and proselyting is awesome and tiring but this is just tiring. Very very long days of office things. We don´t have language study anymore, and no dinner or lunch time. We just get lunch and come back and work more. Buuuut, we do have awesome lunches because we have Burger King, McDonalds, Subway etc which is awesome. We are in the super rich part of Uruguay so we have many many American things which is cool. Not as exciting as I thought it would be but still great.

Either way, it is awesome being here and crazy to think I will be here for 6 months, for sure. It will be hard but awesome. Many benefits and a few negatives but it will be great. Love you all and hope all is well. Hope you enjoyed conference as much as I did. Some very incredible talks given. Can´t wait to start driving the mission cars and go to appropriate places of the beach(They have a problem here with modesty) at appropriate times haha. No swimming though sadly. Oh well.Take care!

Love,

Elder Moss