He who is resistant to change, is destined to perish

Happy Monday!

So this week was pretty exciting! There were a lot of worldwide changes to missionary work that took place on Wednesday during our worldwide missionary broadcast. Our schedule was changed up, and our key indicators were changed (for those of you that know what those are). It's been fun making some of these adjustments. I'm super excited about them, and I think it's going to be great for missionary work!

We had a lesson with Bala and Smita this week where we committed them to come to church and to read the Book of Mormon everyday and pray about it. Sadly they didn't come to church this Sunday. It just breaks my heart when people won't keep commitments because they're keeping themselves from progressing. We'll keep working with them and try to help them build their faith in Jesus Christ.

We had exchanges this week with the Elders in Cardston, and the Elders in Lethbridge East. I got to go with Elder Browning, a fellow Texan/Hawaiian who actually only lived like 45 minutes away from me back home! We had a good time together talked about the greatest state ever and stuff. #GodBlessTexas And for the other exchange I was with Elder Henry, whose also a stud missionary.

We had some good member lessons this week, just getting to know the members and helping them out with their missionary work. We also had Retrainers meeting where we got to see all of the new missionaries and their trainers, and see how things were going. Elder Stringam and I got to do a training on how to introduce the Book of Mormon to someone. It was a lot of fun to see the new missionaries and see how far along they've come in just a few weeks.

Saturday night we went out tracting, and we met a guy who was pretty religious, and asked him if we could share our testimonies of Jesus Christ with him. He let us in, and we were all able to just talk about the Savior. It was really cool to hear his story, and hear about how he was able to find Jesus Christ in his life. We got to share our testimonies with him, and just talk about how Christ has affected us. He wasn't interested in learning about what we believe, but he was super nice, and it was a really positive experience!

Sunday was great! We had a missionary Sunday in the Woodbine ward, and it got everyone pumped to do missionary work! Sister Johnson in our ward gave a great talk about how we need to continue to listen to the spirit and invite people. She shared some amazing experiences she'd had throughout her life as she's followed the promptings of the spirit. After her, President Miles spoke, and talked again about the importance of following the spirit, and of having charity. It was a very spirit filled meeting, and I hope that it got the members more excited about missionary work.

When we got home from church, we decided that we should get to work chipping away at some ice that had formed on our walkway. We had about an inch or an inch and a half of ice out front of our house that we needed to clear. As we were working on it, a couple of the neighbor kids came up and asked if they could help, and then a guy that lived across the street came up and helped us! With all five of us working on that we were able to get it cleared pretty quick! We talked with our neighbor a little bit about our religious beliefs, and he said he'd be willing to have missionaries over! We actually live outside of our ward boundaries, so we'll have to send his actual missionaries over, but it was super cool!

That night we had another lesson with Josh, the recent convert in the Evergreen Ward. He and his wife Zoie are the funniest people ever! We love getting to go over there every Sunday. They have this thing now where they have me say all of the prayers, so I get to say the opening and closing prayer every week haha. Josh is preparing to go to the temple to do baptisms! He's even done some family history, and is going to take some family names to do!

Spiritual thought for the week. Mosiah 26:30

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

What a simple and beautiful statement by our Savior! I'm so grateful that we all have the opportunity to repent, and to change those things in our lives that aren't in line with what the Savior teaches!

Love ya'll, and hope everyone is doing well!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

 Exchanges with Cardston

Going to lunch with the Mandos

If they ain't white, they'll treat you right

Hey guys!

It done did warm up here in Calgary this week! I think I saw it get all the way up to 2 degrees (Celsius)! Elder Stringam and I spent some time cleaning out our mini van last Monday, and we were able to be outside in shorts! The tender mercies of the Lord are all around us!

So the title of this email is a phrase that I've found to be very true in the last little while. Here in Calgary, you run into people from all over the world, and consistently, the nicest people that we meet aren't white. This isn't racism, it's just the truth. Here are some examples from this week!

We got to spend a lot of time finding this week. It's good for the soul. I've developed a lot of sympathy for door to door salesman. Tuesday evening we did some tracting, and everyone that answered the door was Canadian, and not interested. Then we had an appointment with a less active that we're teaching whose from Trinidad! It was a good lesson. We watched the bible video of Jesus healing the man born blind, and talked about how Christ can heal us physically and spiritually. Simply testifying of Jesus Christ and his atonement brings the spirit more powerfully than anything else!

We got to spend a lot of time finding on Friday as well. We spent a whole long time tracting as well. We tracted one street for a couple of hours, and had some really good and positive interactions with (white) people, but none of them were interested. Then we stopped by some potential investigators that we found in our area book, and found some people that were interested in having us come back! One was Jennifer and her family. She's from the congo, and seemed really willing to have us back! We also met George, who said he would love to have us over as well! I don't actually remember where he's from, but he had an accent. We also found a new potential investigator named Varsha. She's from India, and is hindu, but is willing to have us over to discuss our beliefs with her! We were on exchanges that day, and Elder Stringam had an appointment that night with some great members that live out on the Tsuu T'ina reservation.

Saturday we hit it hard. We were on exchanges again, I was with Elder Jones, and Elder Stringam was with Elder Hawkins. We both set some goals of how many people we wanted to talk to that day. Usually 20 people is a pretty stretching goal for new people talked to in a day because lot's of people aren't home during the day, or thanks to Vivint doorbells with cameras people don't answer their doors, and it's still pretty cold and icy outside, so people aren't out for us to street contact. But by the end of the day, between the four of us, we had talked to over 110 new people that day, and invited them to learn more about Jesus Christ! We had some really good interactions with people that day, and found a few people that might be interested as we worked in the Woodbine area that day. Elder Stringam and Elder Hawkins were in the Evergreen ward working, which is a pretty diverse area. They were able to find a family from India that was interested and wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon in their native language! And then they found a family from Syria that let them in, and they taught about the restoration! They seemed really interested, and want to have us back over!

Then on Sunday, we had dinner with the Riveras, a less active family in the ward. They're from Mexico, and made us authentic Mexican food! We had Pozole, and it was amazing! Then we had Pan Dulce for dessert. What a blessing.

So I hope you can see the point of my title now. This week I also had the opportunity to try and contact someone in Mandarin, and in Spanish! The spanish one went a lot better haha. All I can really say in Mandarin is "Hi, we're missionaries!" and "We share a message about Jesus Christ" but after that I'm pretty lost.

We had another great lesson with Alysha this week! This was a joint lesson so we could pass her off to the YSA sisters, but she's doing great! She read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon since our last lesson, and really feels like she's finding answers to her questions! It'll be sad that we don't get to teach her anymore, but I'm sure we'll see her around, and we're just so excited for her to come to know that our message is true and experience the joy of the gospel in her life!

In other news this week, we had zone conference! It was such an amazing meeting. We had a lot of time where we just talked about Jesus Christ and how we can come to know Him. It was such a spiritual meeting, and really reaffirmed my testimony of my Savior, and gave me such a greater desire to share that testimony with others.

We had housing inspections this week by the Batemans, and this was their last one before they get released as housing inspectors. We're really going to miss them! Sister Bateman is a cleaning guru, and would always give us home remedies for cleaning things. She also made a bunch of my long sleeve shirts into short sleeves. What an angel.

For my spiritual thought this week, I want to share something I read in my personal study today. I was reading Mosiah 4:16-21, and in it, King Benjamin talks about how we need to give to those in need. I think too often we can look at people in need and think that they have brought it upon themselves, and because of that we don't need to help them. I'm definitely guilty of this! But as I was reading these verses, I really realized the need for us to reach out to everyone who is struggling. Take some notice of those around you who might be going through a hard time, and reach out to them. Help those who are down.

Love ya'll and hope everyone has a great week!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

Exchanges with Elder Assily and Elder Cox!

A picture of our zone

Selfie with the Batemans!

Exchanges with Elder Grinwis and Elder Purvis!

"Go With God, And May Nephi Protect You!"

Happy MLK day! I don't think we actually celebrate that in Canada. I'll have to ask someone about that.

Well holy guacamole, what a week! We've changed the way we do exchanges now, so instead of traveling around the mission to different areas, we bring companionships into our area, and split off for the day. This is awesome because it means that we never have to leave our area again! We had three exchanges this week, and miracles were happening left and right!

On Wednesday we were on exchanges, so I was with Elder Bryner working in the Woodbine ward. We were able to see our investigators, Bala and Smita. They're doing well. What we've been trying to do is help them gain a better understanding of Jesus Christ and who he is. They know a little bit about him, but not a ton. We taught them about Christ and his Atonement, and about faith. We also got to talk with them about how they met, and their wedding back in Mauritius. Their wedding was a week long party! It sounded so cool. It was a traditional Indian wedding, and they showed us some pictures of it. It was awesome!

We got to see the Romo family this week too. We weren't able to have a lesson with them because Carina has been sick, but they told us that they've been reading the Book of Mormon! That was so good to hear. I really feel like this family will be able to progress towards baptism one day. They have a lot of real intent, and they're starting to take the necessary steps to grow closer to Jesus Christ!

We've also been calling people like crazy in the Evergreen ward, trying to get appointments set up so that we can meet the members. We had an appointment set up with some members, and when we got there, we realized that they were less active. But they were still good to meet with us, and we were able to have a good lesson with them on the first principles of the gospel, faith and repentance. They were super nice, so were going to try and keep getting over there.

Friday we were on exchanges as well. I was with Elder Klingensmith working in the woodbine ward. In the morning we helped some members move (and got fed pizza for lunch!). We moved them into an apartment building, and while were were moving stuff into their apartment, there was a guy that lived in the same building that was speed walking laps around the halls for exercise. He was blasting some classic rock from his phone along with the occasional Hannah Montana song, and would talk with us a bit every time he zipped by. Elder Stringam decided to start walking with him and invited him to take the discussions! He wasn't interested haha, but it was pretty funny to watch.

That day we also had an appointment set up with a potential investigator, but when we showed up they weren't home. But while we were there, there was a lady out smoking on her porch that started talking to us. She asked us if we had a copy of the Book of Mormon that she could take. We gave her one, and she told us that she had a copy once that she was reading, but then lost it. We were a little skeptical, so we asked what she had read, and she started telling us about the part where Nephi sees an angel and it shows him the vision of the tree of life. We were shocked that she had actually read part of it before! We had a pretty sweet conversation with her, and she talked about how she loved the Book of Mormon because it just made so much sense! She said that she'd been wanting to come to church too, so we'll have to go by her again and share more with her!

That day Elder Stringam was working in the Evergreen ward with Elder Forsyth, and they picked up two new investigators! They had a dinner with a part member family, and the wife and daughter are willing to go through the discussions! The Husband is an active member of the ward, and he was really excited!

On Saturday I was with Elder Johnson. We had a lot of finding planned, and it was really good! While we were tracting, I was praying the whole time that someone would let us in. That night as we were knocking on a door, I just had this feeling that we would get let in, and we did! The Lord provides! We got to share a message about the Book of Mormon with Hermut. He wasn't interested in learning more right then, but the fact that he let us in was such a tender mercy. Tracting all day can get pretty tough when door after door gets shut in your face, and when people won't even let you tell them who you are and why you're there. But moments like these remind me that people are being prepared by the Lord, and that he knows his children and whose prepared. If we just listen to the spirit, we'll know where we need to go to find those who are prepared. That night I also felt prompted to go by a less active member that the relief society president had told us about. We knocked on the door and they let us right it! We met the husband and wife, and they were awesome. We were able to share a simple message with them about how we have a loving Heavenly Father. I love the spirit that that simple truth brings. They want to have us back over, and they're going to make us Mexican food! They're from Mexico, and Brother Rivera used to own a restaurant here in Calgary, so it's going to be authentic! Miracles!!!!

Speaking of Mexican food, the Mendoza family fed us authentic Mexican food this week, and it was amazing. I almost cried.

On Sunday we had a lesson with Alisha after church again. We taught her the Plan of Salvation, and she loved it! She's awesome. Next week we're going to have a pass off lesson with the YSA sisters so that she can actually be taught by the right missionaries. But it's been great to get to teach here the past couple weeks!

We also had a lesson with an amazing recent convert in the Evergreen ward. He shared his story with us. Long story short, he had a really bad drug addiction, and was able to have spiritual experience that caused him to get sober. He started looking for God, and met a girl that introduced him to the missionaries. He started taking the discussions, ended up getting married to the girl that told him about the church, and was just baptized about a month ago. He's doing awesome, and is getting ready to go to the temple in the next couple weeks to do baptisms!

Well this is getting pretty long so I'm going to go ahead and end it. For the spiritual thought, I want to share Romans 8:16

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God

I love this simple truth! We are God's children, and he loves us so much! Because of this he's given us everything he can to help us achieve lasting joy here on earth and in the life to come. He loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus Christ to take upon himself the sins and the sufferings of the world. I know that Christ did come to the earth, and that through him, we can find joy, and prepare to one day return to live with our Heavenly Father.

Love ya'll!

-Elder Moffitt

I forget to talk about the title to my email! When we were saying goodbye to that lady that we met sitting on her porch, she said, "Go with God, and may Nephi protect you!" I think I'm going to use that from now on!

​​Here's a picture of Elder Stingam, Elder Chen and I at a move we helped out with on Saturday

Forgot to take a lot of pictures this week, but here's one of my Taiwanese friend, Elder Chen!

The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning

Hey there eh!

So this was a very busy, but great week!

We had transfers this week, and all that comes with it. Elder Stringam and I had fun picking up the new missionaries on Tuesday! They were a great bunch, and we're excited to have them with us! On Thursday we did a lot of driving taking the missionaries down south, and then driving back to Calgary. Everyone made it safely to their areas, and there didn't seem to be any hiccups! Then on Friday we drove back down to Lethbridge and had our mission leadership council. We have a lot of new leaders in the mission, and it was great to be with all of them and council with them on what we can do to help the missionaries in our mission. Those are always such great meeting, and filled with the spirit!

So with this transfer, there have been a few changes. I'm still with Elder Stringam, and we're covering the Woodbine ward, but we are now also covering the Evergreen ward! We're excited about that, and looking forward to getting to know the ward! So Elder Stringam and I have been reflecting on all that's happened, and we've realized that history has really just repeated it self. So the first time that I was companions with Elder Stringam in Queensland, I left my companion Elder Hawkins to be with Elder Stringam, then after getting together we got a new mini van, then during our second transfer together we took on a second ward, then we got Elder Chen. Well this time around, Elder Stringam left his companion, Elder Hawkins to be my companion, today we're trading in our truck for a mini van, we just took on a second ward in our second transfer together, and guess what the name of the new mandarin Elder living down stairs is? Elder Chen. Weird eh? There's a few more coincidences, but we'll just leave it at that. I think President Miles is doing this on purpose.

Well, it's miracle time! So on Saturday, we had a lesson with a less active guy in our ward named Darren. He had a ton of questions for us, most of them are crazy deep questions, but after talking with him for a while, we were able to really get down to his root concerns, and he really opened up to us. I was able to testify to him that the gospel was true and would bring him happiness. As I did, I felt the spirit so strongly, prompting me to speak and to be more bold that I think I've ever been in a lesson. It was an amazing experience. Darren told us that all he really wanted was to know that he could be with his family forever, but he had never felt like he'd gotten an answer that the gospel was true. We promised him that if he prayed sincerely, that God would answer him. We have another lesson with him next week, and we hope that he keeps his commitment!

We had another awesome miracle on Sunday! A member of our ward texted us and told us that he was bringing a non-member to church. He brought a lady named Alisha that he had just met that week, but felt prompted to invite her to church. She came and seemed to have a good experience! Then we set up a lesson with her, and taught her last night! She has totally been feeling the spirit her whole life, but never knew what it was! She doesn't really have any religious background, but has a sincere desire to find out if what we teach is true! She's awesome! She doesn't live in our area, so we'll have to let the missionaries in her area teach her, but we so glad that we were able to meet her, and hope that she'll be able to come to know for herself that the gospel is true!

Spiritual thought for the week: James 1:5

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

I know that God answers our prayers. If there is something that we want to know, we have to ask God. He wants to give us direction in our lives, but we have to come to Him and ask for it.

Love you all, and hope that everyone has a great week!

Love,

Elder Moffitt

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!

Happy new years ya'll!

Well sadly today is another quick email day, but next week things should be back to normal again!

We had our last bout of exchanges before the end of the transfer. I was able to be companions with Elder Hawkins again! It was great to see him again, and it was just like old times! We also went on exchanges with the mandarin elders that live downstairs. What an adventure! We did a lot of contacting, and were able to find a few chinese people!

For New Years eve, we went over to the McLachlan's home again. They feel just like family, it's so great to get to spend time with them! They have a bunch of high energy kids, and it was fun getting to play with them! That night we had to be in early, so we watched Johhny Lingo (which is for some reason on the approved movie list) and Meet the Mormons. We also drank a ton of apple juice. It was a party.

On New Years day, we had an appointment that we were driving to, and we saw this older fellow shoveling his walk (we've had quite a bit of snow recently) so we hopped out of the truck and offered to help him. He was pretty much finished up by the time that we got there, but we help him out a little bit, and we had a great conversation with him! His name's Hank, and he's from Ireland. He was asking about our missions, and we got to talk a lot about religion. He's a devout Catholic, but he was willing to talk with us which was awesome! I don't think he's interested in lessons right now, but it was just a really positive experience.

That night we also got to go to dinner at President's house, and meet his family that was over for the holidays. We had a fun time with them there! We left just in time to catch an open house for a departing missionary in our ward, and then head over to the office to send out a few emails.

I also have to share a funny story that I think some of you will appreciate. So I had a dream the other night, and Elder Stringam and I were at a dinner appointment or something. We were both sitting there on the couch, and then I started dozing off, IN MY DREAM. My sleeping problem has escalated. I've started falling asleep even when I'm already asleep. Can't even stay awake for my own dreams. Great.

Well I hope everyone had an awesome break! I want you to know that I love you all and hope that you're doing well. I'm excited for this new year and to see how the Lord will work in each of our lives! For the spiritual thought, I want to leave you with Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I think this is a great thing to remember as we set our new years resolutions this year. Ask the Lord what you need to do to be a better disciple, and let him tell you! Make Him a part of your goals, and ask for help to accomplish them. Through Him, nothing is impossible!

Love you!

Love,

Elder Moffitt