April 2

Greetings!
Things have been HOT here! It's been in the 80's all week and humid.
I'm sending home all my winter stuff and I sure hope I don't regret
it. This time last year it never got cold... Ha! I can say that I was
a missionary a year ago! Cool!

Let's see... what's new... it's been a crazy week. We moved out of the
members' house we were living in and moved into another. We are
literally 2 blocks from the church building so every morning we jog
over there and play basketball. I love it. I've got to start getting
into shape... it was sad to leave that family. We stopped by after
Conference to get pictures with them and they are so sweet. They were
telling us how when we left, they came home and it felt empty... not
safe... a certain feeling had left. I was grateful to hear that simply
because that tells me that we do have the Spirit with us, and people
can notice a difference. No wonder I always loved missionaries before
the mission. The family we are living with now is wonderful. He's in
the bishopric and he and his wife are retired, yet still very active
in the community. They have these two little dogs that are called
"Yorkipoos" I think. A cross between a yorkie and a poodle. They are
so cute! We live in the basement and have it to ourselves. It's nice.
They are always offering us food even though we store our own stuff
there. Too awesome.

Because of crazy circumstances, we were running around trying to get a
baptismal records filled out and needed three different parties to
sign it. We ended up going over to our recent converts' house, the 12
year old girl, and saw her family. She has just gotten the Gift of the
Holy Ghost in church on Sunday and when we stopped by, she said she
had an experience with it. She said she told her brother that he was
stupid, and she felt something inside her. It really made an impact on
her because before when he insulted her brother, which would happen a
lot, nothing happened. But this time, the Holy Ghost was telling her
that that wasn't the right thing to do. It was so cool to see her tell
us this and recognize that it was the Holy Ghost! The blessings of the
restored gospel are incredible. We just love her! :)

The family that we've been teaching is doing great. The boys are
thinking about being baptized in May. We went over last week to help
the mom fill in a ditch that was left from putting in a new waterline
to her garden. In 80* sun, we helped her fill in the hole and talked
for 2.5 hours. it felt SO good to work like that! I got burnt a bit
from that experience, too. She told us about her past with the church
and how she decided to come back. She had told us that it bugged her
when people would testify that they had this great relationship with
God and knew that He was there and answered prayers. For the longest
time, she never felt that or at least never recognized it. Through
certain events, she realized that she needed to come back, but she
told us she knew that that was God telling her that. She's such an
amazing woman. A hard worker, loves her family and treats them like
one should, and has a good head on her shoulders. We taught the kids
last Friday and it was fun. They get it. They love reading from the
scriptures and listening to what we have to say. I just love them.
Teaching them has probably been one of the best experiences on my
mission thus far.

This week we are going to the temple!!!! The Kansas City Missouri
Temple's open house begins Saturday, but we are going up Wednesday (4
hour drive) for a training meeting and then go on shift that evening
and next morning. There are some VIP tours happening before Saturday
for government people, large groups of other faiths, etc. That's what
we get to do! :) We won't be giving the tours of the temple, but
rather when people come to see the open house, they are first located
in the stake center (church meetinghouse) and are shown a 15 minute
video on why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints builds
temples. We are there as escorts. When they exit the actual temple,
they come back to the stake center, or some tent (I'm not sure how
they'll do it. Updates to come!) for refreshments and to talk to
missionaries (us!!) if they have any further questions. So I'll be at
one of those locations. I had to go out and buy nylons for the
occasion. It's such a blessing to participate in this! I know the
Spirit will be there abundantly. It'll be great to be home for a
moment.

Conference was incredible. I gained so much wisdom for my life and for
my investigators. If you didn't get a chance to see it, go to LDS.org.
It's right there waiting for you! :)

So all is well! I am slowing gaining a better grip of the area.
Transfers are in the middle of the open house so we're not sure what
will happen there. I'm just happy to be a missionary. :) I know this
church is Jesus Christ's only true and living church on the earth
today. I know the gospel has been restored. The Book of Mormon is the
word of God. We have a prophet on the earth today and I know that
President Thomas S. Monson is the Lord's chosen prophet today. What a
blessing it was to hear from him and other ordained servants of the
Lord. I know God lives and loves us, too. Jesus Christ stands at the
head of His church, and what a blessing it is to be a part of it. All
you need is to believe.

Shall we not go on in so great a cause?
Always,
Sister Moore