Hermana Kelly Moberly...Washington DC South: Don't Be Creepy

Hola!

So this last week it finally happened. We got in an accident on Saturday morning on our way to conference, so we missed the whole first session. The accident wasn't bad. No one was hurt except our car. We got a flat tire and we would have changed it, but the rim was cracked and the police officer told us that we shouldn’t change it, so our car was towed and the other Hermanas have been driving us everywhere. So we don't have a car at the moment and things are very difficult. On the bright side we are working with members a lot more so we can get around, it just takes a lot of planning and a lot of Spanish words that I don't know. Also, I get to drive when we get our car back and I won't have any more heart attacks.

Last week after I emailed we had my favorite P-day on the mission so far. We had a zone party to celebrate our finding 104 new investigators in one week. We had some delicious food and a basketball, soccer ball, volleyball, and frisbee...and then we played all of the sports. I didn't realize how much I really missed doing all of those things until that day. It was so much fun and I got some really good exercise even though I was wearing jeans, that was a mistake. I just think we should do that every P-day :)

We had a million meetings this week and they were all amazing! We have district meeting every week and mine is really great and I love them. Then on Wednesday we had a Spanish forum for all of the Spanish speaking missionaries in the mission. It was all in Spanish and I was feeling super good because I understood pretty much all of it. President Burton, who is over the Spanish section of the mission, is crazy. When I first met him he grabbed my hand, shook it, and yelled at me, "TELL ME YOUR STORY!" I didn't know what to say, so I said, "What do you want to know?" And he started asking a bunch of questions and it was kind of scary, but really funny too. Like I said, he is crazy. Then on Thursday we had return and report which is a meeting for all of the newest missionaries and their companions. We watched a clip from Facing the Giants. I've never seen it before, but now I want to. It was a clip where the coach blindfolds a player and asks him to do a "death crawl" and he doesn't think he can go that far. But the coach pushes him to do his best and keep going and eventually the player makes it all the way 100 yards instead of the 10 they usually do. God is our coach and he is motivating us. We promised to do our best and we can do so much more than we think we can. It was a really great meeting :)

I have been learning and progressing so much recently and it has been truly amazing. But now, every meeting I go to I feel is like a call to repentance. Even though my habits are getting so much better and I'm growing closer to Christ, there is so much more I can do to be better. We are never just okay the way we are. We should always strive to be better because we can be. We have the potential to become like God. I think we can all do better in so many ways. If you catch yourself thinking you’re on the right track, like they said in conference, look for the blessing you have the ability to receive. Also, think about if you are walking as the Savior walked. We can always improve, no matter what. We aren't perfect beings and we have weaknesses. Use the promises of the Lord to make them become your strengths.

There is a girl in our ward that has given nicknames to our zone leaders. She calls the Elder Big Lips and Elder Potter and we just laugh so hard. So Hermana Haubner and I have started giving nicknames to our zone and it has been really funny! Sometimes I can't remember their actual names and I just have to laugh and apologize, but it’s fun.

I got a package from home with all of my winter stuff JUST IN TIME! The last 2 days have felt like Christmas time in California. We were out on Saturday night and I just felt like we should be Christmas caroling, but it’s the beginning of October. I'm so worried about winter; I think I’m going to die.

Our investigator Jilma is hilarious, but sometimes I don't understand everything she says, so I have to do an awkward laugh and pretend I think it’s funny, even though I have no idea what's going on. I got called a new name this week. Instead of all the weird pronunciations for the Latinos, I got called Elder Moberly by a new couple in the mission office. That was a first. There hasn't been one of those since my uncle Ryan served a mission!

Our service has mostly been getting people things from the store. We are professionals at getting people what they need from grocery stores. It’s sad, but we try to help and that is all they let us do. Give the missionaries something to do when they ask if you need anything. They want to serve everyone, even the members.

Since our mission president is pretty young, we have a thing for hashtags in this mission. If you ever need ideas for some good, cheesy, Mormon ones, let me know. I have plenty and I can see it will be a problem when I come home :) oh well. #consecration

We got 4 new investigators this week and that was great! Two of them were a great accident. We went to visit a member and she has some family staying for a few months from Honduras. The best part is that there's no chance we will lose them. They can't hide from us in a member home :) the other 2 we found from contacting potentials. One of them even prayed on our first visit! They are both very interested and we are excited for them!

Since we don't have a car, we've had to rely on others to help us out. We had a ride set for correlation meeting yesterday, but the man's wife didn't come like he said, so we couldn't get in the car. So we found another ride and got to the church building as our district was walking out...oops. Haha, our bad.

How about conference this weekend? Pretty amazing as always, am I right? I loved everything I heard and saw. I also I loved all of the people that spoke in their native languages. Cool story, Elder Gavarret who spoke in Spanish gave a devotional at the Mexico MTC while I was there! He's great! These are some of the things that I loved most about conference:
Elder Anderson- secure your faith before you try to help others. Their doubts could become your doubts if you don't have the anchor in the gospel that we all need.
Elder Klebingat- Use atonement 24/7. Through the Atonement we find forgiveness, strength, healing, and peace. When we use it all the time we can become more like Christ.
Elder Callister- Parenthood is very important. The world is going to get harder and harder, but when we strengthen ourselves we can be better parents. Parents are primary gospel teachers.
Elder Nelson- Sustaining is a lot of things including listening, trusting, honoring, praying for, defending, standing behind, doing what he says and loving Him. We have the privilege to sustain the prophet.

Elder Hales- We love God and Christ because they loved us first. Christ went forth doing the business of his Father. Shouldn't we do the same? Their purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Let’s help them with that by sharing the gospel with those who we love most.

Elder Hamula- Importance of the sacrament. This one was a bit of a call to repentance for me. I've always enjoyed taking the sacrament, but I think it needs to be a more personal time than I have used it. Think about what it means and why we do it. Without the sacrament we cannot fully repent or receive the strength possible through it.

President Monson- Decisions determine our destiny. Just because we have a divine heritage does not mean we will qualify for a divine inheritance. Walking where Christ walked is less important than walking as he walked.

Elder Ballard- Stay in the boat. Questions are a good thing. Spiritual questions deserve spiritual answers. Where do you go for answers and where should you go. Without Joseph Smith's question we wouldn't have the Gospel today.

Elder Bednar- Everything. I just want to print out this talk in Spanish and give it to all of my investigators.

Overall it has been a wonderful week and I'm loving it all and learning and growing. I can't think of anywhere I would rather be :) Love you all!

Con amor,

Hermana Moberly

PS- Quote of the week from President Riggs, "Don't be creepy"