Missouri City, TX July 2013

Hola (:

              Well, this week was a rough one! But there were still a lot of great things that happened! We taught and visited a lot of our investigators this week and just kept trying to increase their faith. One lady has been investigating for 20 years and all of her children are baptized, but she couldn't because her "husband" needed to divorce his wife in Mexico before they could get married. He is finally in Mexico right now trying to figure that out, but she won't get baptized until he comes home. The problem is that he can't come home without hopping the border. So we are trying to teach her about Alma 34 and not procrastinating the day of your repentance. So we'll see how that goes. She is the lady who watches one of our other investigators, Joseline. Joseline was the girl who was supposed to be baptized a few weeks ago but her mom won't let her. I guess now, she took Joseline back and is super mad because she didn't want her taking the lessons from us. So we are just praying that either her heart will be softened and we can continue to see Joseline, or one day, Joseline can act on her faith. But it's in the Lord's hands now.

One day, we went to do service at a member's house and she wanted us to scrape all of the old paint off her house and re-paint it. And we got to do it with machetes!! So cool! (: It was super hot too and I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my entire life...nasty! We have been trying to find more people to teach, so one day we were walking down a street, and even though we aren't supposed to knock on doors anymore, we decided to knock on just one before we left. This 25 year old lady answered the door and she has three kids. She has a sign right outside her door that says "Esta hograr es Catolica" which means this house is Catholic, but we tried anyways and now she is taking the lessons! It was literally a miracle because we had been trying all day and the one door we knocked on was her! Her name is Abigail and guess what...SHE IS MARRIED!! Haha it is a miracle because no one is married over here! So I'll keep you updated on her.

On Friday we went to a stake talent show and got to see a lot of countries' dances. They even had one from Argentina! Speaking of which...I guess a lot of people just left for Argentina who put their visa papers in the middle of May. But I'm so happy I'm still here! I don't want to leave for awhile! Other than that...I gave a talk at our district meeting..in Spanish! It was hard, but it's over (: On Thursday, Hermana Kennedy got a really bad head cold and then I got it on Friday night and so was in bed all Saturday until about 4. But luckily we have a trio, because Hermana Johnson was able to go out with another sister and teach some lessons while we got better. I'm doing better, but I was so worried that because we were so sick, we wouldn't meet our goals. But luckily, Heavenly Father loves us and 7 people showed up to church on Sunday! It was ward conference so it was perfect for them! (: I also played the piano in church for the choir...loved that! (:

Other than that, nothing different! Just trying to work hard and help the people come closer to Christ. The other day, we made an altar of sacrifices out of shoe boxes so that we could write down things we wanted to change or do better and put them in. I found a scripture in D&C 132:50 that says "Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go therefore, and I make a way for your escape..." I know that if we are obedient and are sacrificing to do the things that God has asked us to do, it is possible to endure and push through. But we can't receive His help without first doing our own work. Hope that you all had a great week! Keep being obedient and have the love of God in your hearts<3 Love you and y'all are still in my prayers (; Texas is rubbing off on me haha. Have a great week!!

 

Hermana Moberly<3

Cory's service project this week...scraping the paint off of someone's house with a machete :)

Hermana Moberly, Hermana Johnson, and Hermana Kennedy doing some service.

Two Months Already! Still in Texas...

Hola everyone!

Happy 2 months to me!! It is all going by so fast and I can't believe I only have 16 months left!! I don't have much to say today...I totally jinxed myself last week and now it won't stop raining! It will be so sunny and hot and humid in the morning and then all of the sudden it will start pouring! Last week, we played beach volleyball in a storm so that was really fun and I was soaked within 5 seconds of being outside. But what I have learned since being here in Texas is that it really is true, "everything is bigger in Texas!" The bugs are huge, the frogs are huge, the turtles, the people's pride (; haha but I love it anyways (: The other night we had a pretty big cockroach in our bathroom so we all got in the bathtub to try to catch it. I'll send some pictures, but we wanted to tape it down to get a picture haha.

Well things are still going really good! We had kind of a rough beginning of the week. We have been teaching an 11 year old girl who was supposed to be baptized yesterday, but on Wednesday, after we spent 3 hours trying to teach her the rest of the commandments and talking to her grandma about repentance, she called us and told us that her mom told her she wasn't allowed to. It was really sad because she had just told us an hour before that she had talked to her mom and everything was worked out. But it's okay, hard things are going to come and we just decided to keep visiting her and showing her love, because one day she can join the church. Just lots of little things like people not keeping their commitments or not coming to church make their baptismal dates be pushed back, but we just keep praying to continue to see miracles happen and hope their hearts will be softened.

There is one family that we are teaching, there are 15 people all together who live in a trailer park and we have been teaching all of them. They love coming to church and are really progressing so we might have 15 baptisms coming up pretty soon! (: They are amazing people and it's been so amazing to see them change and see the light in their eyes. We went over there last night and they were having a birthday party for one of the daughters and just invited us to join them! We ate sooo much meat and cake I thought I was going to be sick! But as we were talking to them, one of them said her husband had said he wanted to be baptized, and if he did then they all would so I'll keep you updated (:

OH! And the other day, the housing coordinator for the mission came over and he asked me where I was from. Usually when people ask what part of California I never say Simi Valley because they never know where that is, but I told him Simi and he asked if I knew Scott. So I said my dad's name is Scott and he knows you all!! His name is Elder Nilsen and he is the dad of Tanner and Ryan. He lived in Simi for about 30 years and was in SS3. He knows the Murphy's, the Pinkston's, and all about our family so we talked for awhile! It was great. He told me dad had something to do with his re-activation in the church, too (: But other than that, I'm just teaching and doing lots of service!

It is going by really fast and I really hope I stay in this area for another transfer, if not forever! Hope you are all doing well! I still miss you and pray for you all every day! This morning I re-read the conference talk by Elder Holland "Lord, I Believe" and I loved what he said: "Be true to the faith you DO have. Never apologize for only believing. Christ himself said, 'Be not afraid, only believe'." Just remember that sometimes, our faith falls short, but we need to focus on the faith we do have rather than wish we had more. Just believing is enough, and our faith can grow stronger later.

              Love you so much and hope you have an amazing week! And help out the missionaries! I never knew how important help and references from the members were until I came here, but we can't do it without you!

 

Con amor,

Hermana Moberly

 

 

 

Week Numero Dos In Houston

Hola everyone!!

          Man oh man do I have stories for you!! I have a list of stories I want to tell you, so here are some things that have happened:

          So we are teaching a less active member (I think I mentioned him last week, he used to be a member of the Seventy, but now he doesn't remember anything because he hasn't gone to church for 20 years) but we go over every Wednesday night. We have an inside joke about him because when he talks in English, he kind of sounds like Count Dracula so we call him a vampire and he lives all alone in a HUGE mansion. And he always gives us pizza or ice cream when we come over so it's like a party! But anyways, he has a huge theater room in his mansion and the other night we watched the Restoration movie with him and for the first time ever, he actually started asking us questions and so now we are going to start all over and teach him all the lessons again. He is so nice, and I really hope that we can help him find his testimony again!

Next, We have seen SO SO SO SO many miracles this week! We got a letter from the mission president last week with a list of things to do to gain grace and mercy and the last step was to stand still and let the Lord do his part of the work. In D&C 123:17 it says "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power, and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance to see the salvaton of God, and for his arm to be revealed." So we made a goal and studied how we could stand still all week! We decided that we can only do so much and can't expect to do this work alone. So as we sat in the lessons this week, we really just sat and talked to the people and then all of the sudden, we would ask them to show their faith and choose baptismal dates and they kept saying 'No, I don't want to prepare yet, I'm not ready". We would just bear our testimonies one more time and then they would say "Okay! How about..." and choose their own dates!! It happened twice with two investigators that have been so hard to work with! But now we have four people preparing to be baptized and it's so amazing to see that this really is the Lord's work, and we don't do anything except to be worthy tools He can work through.

 One of the ways that we sacrificed this week was through a fast. And it wasn't a fast from food, it was a fast from ENGLISH!! We got a call from the district leaders Wednesday night and said our district was going to do an English fast starting that night until Monday morning!!! So right after the phone call, we got on our knees and asked Heavenly Father to help us stand still, and see His hand extend out towards the people we teach, because we really needed His help. So I haven't spoken one bit of English until this Morning since Wednesday night! It was the longest four days of my life, but I learned so much and know that we would not have been so successful with our investigators this week without that fast. So I am very grateful for English, to say the least haha.

Funny story now...we teach a lady in her 60s and she has been investigating the church for about 20 years now. She doesn't want to be baptized yet because she needs to marry her "husband" who is in Mexico right now trying to divorce his wife over there. There are so many crazy things going on, but anyways, we go over there and do service on Fridays. This Friday, she wanted us to mow her lawn but her machine was broken. We know a member who lives close by (we thought it was close by) and so we went over there, asked to borrow her lawn mower, and since we have a small car, we walked it back to Edith's house. It was over 100 degrees and we just walked it down the highway for about a mile haha then mowed her lawn (it was my first time!!) and then walked it back. Haha the things we do out of love! Since being here in Texas, I can now say that service is my new favorite hobby! It makes the people you serve so happy and it helps us gain their trust and then we can share a message with them! The other night, we did another service project for a single mother in our ward and we had a wheelbarrow and some shovels and helped her plant a garden. It's so fun to help these people and it's really another way to help them see the Lord's love through us. But it's really hot here, it rains for about 5 seconds, then stops again. I see lightning every day, I haven't heard thunder, but I absolutely love it here and don't want to leave!

           I hope you are all doing so great and are enjoying the summer! Someone told me California broke it's record on the hottest day but they weren't sure which part. Hope it wasn't home! But keep being good examples and help the missionaries! Give them references, because I have learned that it is pretty much impossible to work without the help of the members! We don't have time to find people, but we need to be teaching. I hope you have a great week and choose the right! Love you so much<3
 

Hasta Luego,

Hermana Moberly<3

We stopped to get snow cones one day right before a lesson, but our teeth and tongues were stained bright red!!!

                   Hay bales on the side of the road....reminds me of car trips up to Bass Lake, CA

 

First Week in the Field...Missouri City, Texas!

Hola Everyone!

          Well, I made it and I'm safe and sound here in Texas! Where to start...so we got here and the first day was a little stressful! We went to the church as a group and did some activities to learn about the mission and what we would be doing here in Houston. I actually went out running with another two sister missionaries to try and contact someone. So we found this man who was watering his lawns and found out he was in the marines. He said he couldn't talk to his family during the wars so we asked him how he got through the tough times. He said prayer. So then we talked to him a little bit about faith and how Heavenly Father wants to hear from us, and through prayer we can develop that relationship with him. It was awesome! And I got to do it in English (: But then after that, we went to the mission president's house for dinner and a testimony meeting, and I'm sure you'll all be surprised to hear that I was asked to play the piano...they're already putting me to work (: But it's okay because I love it! The first night, the sisters stayed with a member and her house was so nice! That night there was a big thunder storm and it poured rain!! What the heck! I make it here in one day and it already starts pouring! But I'm already used to it and it's kind of fun (: There are signs everywhere that say "It's Hurricane Season. Be Prepared."

          Then, the next day (Wednesday) I met my trainer! Her name is Hermana Kennedy and I Love Her!!! She is 22 and is going home in December. But then we were sitting in the transfer meeting, and found out we were getting another companion! So I'm in a trio again. Hermana Johnson is the other sister and we all have so much fun! We laugh all the time and have so much in common! Hermana Johnson is from Vernal Utah and this is her 7th week. So we're just babies (: Hermana Kennedy is from Rexburg, ID and she helps us so much! She has been teaching some people already, so that day we just jumped right in and started teaching them! It was crazy and I was really nervous! But, it was fun! I love the people here so much!! I don't want to leave! I hope my visa takes a long time because I can feel that I am needed here for a while. I'm not sure what it is, but the three of us work really hard together and our lessons are going really well! I don't have too much time to tell you all the stories, but I'm writing them in my journal so I'll tell you later! But I am seeing so many miracles every day and I know that I was put with these two sisters for a reason! I'm in the Missouri City SW part of the mission which was just opened 2 transfers ago and Hermana Kennedy actually opened it. So now we are here to teach all the people she found! We have 2 baptismal dates for the end of this month already! We got one of them last night. Both of them are 12 year old girls. There are so many people who would be baptized and are so ready, but they are having problems getting married! Everyone says they are married, but they really just live together with their kids, so it's been a little hard getting them to convince their husbands to marry them. But with the Lords help and on His time, they will come around sooner or later!
          So, it's really hot and humid, my hair is lovely, and I LOVE IT!!! I thought it would be annoying, but it's actually not bad at all! We have a car, and our apartment is super nice, so we have air conditioning. But I'm already getting some crazy tan lines haha. And the bugs here are HUGE!!! We were teaching a nonmember the other day and he didn't have air conditioning so all the windows and doors were opened and these HUGE wasps were flying all over! I'll send you some pics of them. There are bugs everywhere and I see deer a lot too! It's so pretty here and there are trees and open green land all over!
          So, my Spanish is okay...the first few days were SO FRUSTRATING and I had no idea what was going on in the lessons. People would ask me something and I wouldn't say anything until Hermana Kennedy asked me in English and then I would answer. But I was praying constantly and really felt depressed. But on Friday morning in my personal study, I read Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I will give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." This was so perfect for me! I realized that I was letting myself be upset and would just pray and ask for help, but I wasn't doing anything after that! This scripture tells us that the Lord is going to try our faith first. I was being shown how weak I was, I didn’t know Spanish and it was frustrating, but until I started talking more and just taking that first leap of faith, I wasn't going to receive any help. So I made a goal to bear my testimony at least once in every lesson just so I was practicing what I knew. Literally thirty minutes later, Hermana Kennedy was teaching us how to roll our "r's" which I have been practicing my whole life! The very first time I tried I did it!! I know that as I try to exercise my faith more and really become humble, the Lord will help me do the rest. Each day I am learning a little bit more and better understanding the lessons. I'm far from perfect, but I remembered that I've only been here for 7 weeks and the Lord has already helped me so much! So that was a really neat experience for me! Also, Hermana Kennedy has been telling us that she has a really hard time speaking English now, and I kept saying how I couldn't wait to get to that point! Where Spanish came so easy, and that was all I thought about. So then in a lesson on Saturday night with a less active member (who actually used to be a member of the Seventy!) I was talking to him in English but could not remember the phrase 'endure to the end' to save my life!! All I could remember was how to say it in Spanish! It was really cool! So the Lord is blessing me a lot, and the people we teach are progressing!
          Sorry this is so scattered, but I don't have that much time! Some cool miracles: We are teaching a family of four different families who all live in the same trailer park together. And on Saturday, they had a friend over and one of the investigators taught them the whole plan of salvation with a little bit of our help! It was awesome! Then, one of the husbands came home who we have never seen before, and he asked us why we didn't invite him to church last time with his wife haha so then we asked him to go and they all came to church yesterday!! So we had about 6 investigators come to church and 3 less actives came too. The work is really progressing and I love being a part of it! The people are so loving!
          Well, I have to go, but hopefully you understood all of that! I'll write home with some more cool stories! Hope you are all doing well! I miss you all a lot and hope that you've been enjoying your summer! Happy Fourth! And I can't wait to hear from you all! Love you so much. Just remember to be happy! Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Love you,

Hermana Moberly

PS- Note from Cory's Mom...you can send her mail to the mission office at:

Hermana Cory Moberly
602 Eldredge Road
Sugar Land, TX 77478-2804

                                Hermana's Cori Broberg and Cory Moberly at the MTC Map

Finally...Some News from the Texas Houston South Mission

A letter from the wife of Cory's new Mission President:

 

Dear Parents,

We are pleased to let you know that your missionary has arrived safely in the Texas Houston South Mission, the best mission in the world!!  They are happy and absolutely wonderful. President Ashton and I are thrilled to welcome them. We had a terrific afternoon and evening together on Tuesday. They received some training and practiced contacting.  We also had dinner together and then we enjoyed a beautiful testimony meeting. Wednesday they received more training, met their trainers as well as many other missionaries, and then left to their areas to meet and teach the wonderful people of Houston.  They come with such courage and strength.   You should be very proud of them.  We enjoyed getting to know them.

I have attached a photo from our gathering in the mission home. As you can see, there are many smiles.  We have seven children.  Our youngest is turns 1 tomorrow and our oldest is 14. Only three of our children are in the picture as our baby was asleep and our three oldest boys were out of town at scout camp and visiting family.  They are all excited to be a part of your missionary's life!

Again, thank you for the opportunity you have given us to serve with these fine missionaries. We love them already and promise to take good care of them. May you find great joy and blessings as you continue to support them in bringing souls to Christ through His restored gospel. This is His work and these missionaries are on His errand. More joy awaits them than they have ever experienced!
With love,
President and Sister Ashton, Spencer, Braeden, Jacob, Elisabeth Kate, Ethan, Daniel, and Wesley

PS.  P-days are on Monday which is the day they will write/receive email. If they are assigned to Galveston Island, however, their email day will be Tuesday. I know they will love hearing from you each week and need to know you are loving and supporting them.  Please send at least a short note each week.  Thanks for everything.