Dear Mom,

 

Winterfest sounds like it was a success!! Justin the Frosty Man sounds fantastic. Honestly he can hit off anything! He is one funny cool guy and I am proud to call him my brother! I think we need to thank Chuck E Cheese mascot time. Of course Justin would do every event in a mascot!!! That's funny!

Wow you're at Brandon's! I miss everyone and hope everyone is doing good! Harper is so dang cute, can't wait to hear her ramble on forever when I get back!

 

Melissa went to church? That's a miracle. I think her sons are making a huge effect on her. Now that Tim is home and is a missionary to her, and Elder Harrison on his mission is a blessing to her. I hope she continues to grow and develop and have the desire to change and do what God assk her to do.

 

Thank you for sharing your temple experience. The Temple is an amazing place. Filled with love and peace. It's sad to know that Annika thinks we don't need to work in order to obtain salvation. You're right, faith without works is dead. President Calderwood always reminds us that without obedience and work, we don't have faith and miracles will not happen. The Lord cannot help us unless we give our 100% best.

You ARE a missionary mom!! We don't need a missionary tag to prove we're missionaries. That's amazing how many changes you are making  and how you are such a big help to those around you! Thank you for being everyone's missionary. We have the responsibility to share what we know is true. Their eternal salvation depends on us! We make such a great team. Of course I'm happy to write to people so keeping sending me requests and I will write them :)

We do have a lot of police all over town. There is not a minute that goes by without the sirens going off. I hear it everyday, all day. You know New Yorkers, they don't have respect for anyone usually!

Yes we got the Christmas box! Sister Johnson begged to open her Christmas gift from me and I gave up and let her open it! She was filled with joy and loved it! She kept saying I was the best companion ever. I took a video of it and it was awesome. Right after I stopped the video, Sister Johnson got up and said, "I'm gonna give you a hug now" she hugged me and didn't let go for a minute and then she said, "Hmm I actually like your hug." Guess I broke her.  She did get your letter. She honestly loves you. She just informed me that her family isn't getting her Christmas gifts. So she is really grateful for you. 

 

Sister Johnson has asked for a Pikachu for Christmas for the last several years.  I was happy to get her one!

 

This week is the last week of transfers, I am really hoping Sister Johnson and I go through one more transfer. If not that's ok too. I really want to spend Christmas with her and we have a baptism lined up for January 18 and I want her to be my companion at that time.

 

The baptism we have lined up for, her name is Jenny. I found her with Elder Wong the first week I was here in New York during street sweep. She was the one that got into a bus accident and everything. We met with her and then her husband started showing up for lessons and got interested. Jenny then didn't want to meet us and her husband was doing great. Her husband had to move to New Jersey for work and Jenny started meeting with us again after a month. She accepted baptism and I have seen a lot of changes in her. She is actually doing really good and got her boss to change her work schedule so she can come to church on Sunday! I'm excited for her. One cool story about Jenny. We set an appointment up with her for Tuesday night at 7. We were at someone else's house for dinner with another pair of missionaries. We got a text from Jenny at 6:30 saying she was at the church and it's locked. She was planning on going home. Sister Johnson and I burst out of the place fast and ran all the way to the church and saw Jenny. It was super cold and rainy. Jenny told us that she was planning to leave and go home because it was cold and rainy. She said that she said a prayer and all the sudden the rain stopped and she became warm. It was like God wanted her to meet with us.

We visited a family yesterday. They are all crazy and I couldn't understand anything they were saying. They speak English. The mom has a son with autism and is trying to make him normal, I don't think she realizes he has autism. So she will yell and hit him if he doesn't do what she asks him to do. The mom hired a man to be that boy's friend so he came over too. He was a really cool guy but anti-religious. It was hard to teach a lesson with him because he kept saying things to take the spirit away. Through all the yelling and the chaos, the mom's daughter came up to me and wanted to watch a church short film. I got my iPad out and showed her, she was very involved and kept asking questions and she tuned out the noise around her and focused on the film and the spirit. She has an iPad so I helped her set up the gospel library. I hope to be like her, tune out the world and focus on the spirit and peace within. She is 10 and such a great example to me.

It was my first time doing look up on a subway ride to another town. It was fun, we went to Forest Hills and I actually felt like I was in New York in that area. I felt comfortable there.  On the way back, Sister Johnson heard a lady on the train praying. She hds big bags of stuff she was carrying. Here is how the conversation went:

SJ: Do you need help?

Lady: Does it look like I need help?

SJ: I heard you praying and just wondered. Are you Christmas shopping?

Lady: We don't do that here.

SJ: Don't do what?

Lady: That

SJ: Talk?

Lady: Yes! Have you heard the news

SJ: No

Lady: Well two people fought on the subway.

SJ:Well I'm sorry to bother you

Lady: You should be.

It made sister Johnson upset and I wished I could help her

I thought I was in good shape till two Chinese ladies I really love from the ward told me that they want to cut my stomach off and make it into a breast for Asian people. Ouch! I guess I should take it as a compliment that they want to use my stomach as their breast... Hahaha gross.

 

I've gotten along with my district leader this past week. He is sometime hard to get along and doesn't listen and doesn't act like he cares about the people around him and has a lot of pride.   But one day I was struggling because Sister Johnson has a really tight relationship with another sister in the district, they were companions before. They kept sneaking off and whispering to each other and that Sister keep making food for my comp and leaving me out and whenever they are together, Sister Johnson treats me different afterwards for a whole day. So I guess I got jealous and had high expectations for myself. Elder Johnson (district leader)  asked if I was ok. He listened to how I was feeling and he gave good advice. He does really care about me. There is a lot of people that complain about Elder Johnson but not me anymore. Through he has a tough face, I have found his good side and soft heart. I've stood up for him sometimes. This week, we have talked a lot. He helped me with street sweep, he held an umbrella for me while I passed out the cards. He saw how cold and wet my feet were and he surprised me with thick socks. He got me and my companion the best hot Carmel drink. He helped me show "He is the gift" video to other people during street sweep. He is really a good guy, all I had to do was think positive things about him. Two sisters in the district think I really like him because my heart has changed for him. I laughed, it is because he needed a friend and I was there to listen to him and see the good side of him. We broke that barrier wall down with our friendship.

Sister Johnson told me that she doesn't know if the gospel is true and she is trying to figure out if it's true or not. Right now she is not sure what to do. She is really good at teaching lessons but not at testifying. She really really wants to recognize the spirit and receive a testimony. I am hoping I go on another transfer with her because I have a feeling I can help her find a testimony of her own. Keep praying for her. I need to be a better missionary to her now. She has a lot of hard things going for her. 

 

During street sweep, I've been told to go back where I came from, why I was here and it's not worth it. I can say it's not easy but it's worth it. I learn to laugh through what people say. The Mission is helping me to grow up, learn,  and be bold but loving.

Every night for the past week I've been having weird dreams that I was coming home on a medical release. I sure hope that doesn't happen.

So about Richard. I thought he wasn't getting out of jail for another few years. It was weird because on Friday I had a dream about Richard being out of jail. On Saturday I had to online pros and Richard asked me to be his friend on Facebook. It was soooo weird. Richard is a good guy, he just got lost on his path. I had a feeling to write Stephanie and I will write Michelle too!

I ate pig ears, belly, and other strange stuff that I didn't want to find out what it was.

I love you mom! I'm proud of you and pray for you every day. I still wear the special ring on my finger and think of you. Thank you for being my motivator and being my awesome hot mama!  Keep being a missionary and keep loving others through differences. You're super good at that!

Thank you for being my best friend! Can't wait to skype with you in 17 days! Wow it does go by fast!

Love your daughter,

Sister Moore

 

PS I am really developing the gift of tongues slowly. I am also understanding what another person is saying little by little.

PSS tell me about this "tutor" Emily. I'm interested to know about Justin and his life ;)

PSSS my address that you asked for few weeks ago, 139-09 34th rd apt c-6 flushing, ny 11354