Week 99- 8/21/2017 Livin' On A Prayer

愛する皆様、

As the great singer Frank Sinatra sang after every show, "and now, the end is near."

I'd like to say I did the past two years "my way" but anybody relatively involved with missionary work knows that missionary work is the Lord's work.

Yes the time has come for my final email. My final week was pretty good. It was full of helping Elder Price and Elder Otani take over the area. And of course I played basketball. I'll spare you the details of my life and just give you a general overview of my mission in general. Here we go!

September 23, 2015. I entered the MTC. With a group of guys all destined to head to Tokyo (with the exception of a few). We all were very in over our heads.

Nine weeks later we land in Japan. Everybody but me wanted their first companion to be Japanese. However, in a crazy turn of events, I was the only one with a Japanese trainer. This started my time with Elder Yoshino in Okegawa. We didn't see much success, but I'm eternally thankful for the example he taught me. Then my next companion Elder Sato came. Another Japanese companion. We saw even less success, but we had a fun time doing it and that's all that matters. 

Then I was transferred to an area that changed my mission. I went to Urayasu, within a very large spitting distance of Disney Land. My companion was Elder Masterson, and I struggled very hard with him. We had one investigator the entire time who I love to death, but just wouldn't commit to be baptized. My companion wasn't the nicest person on earth, but I loved the area nonetheless. Then something amazing happened. I got a new companion! His name is Elder Kenley and is by far one of my favorites. I got to see him before he went home and took a picture. We had very many adventures in the short time we were together, then I was sent to Kiryu.

My first impression of Kiryu was "this place is hot, and it's a dump." It's a town settled between two mountains which I would learn to appreciate due to their wonderful typhoon blocking capabilities. My new companion was Elder Lewis, a human tank, who I grew to love very much. I would eventually move on to see my first baptisms in Kiryu, some about a year after I left. Shout out to Shuma Tanaka and Aoi Sakurai!

But my short time in Kiryu was replaced by an even shorter time in Abiko. I was there with Elder Swenson for four weeks, when we baptized another man named Hiroki Nakazato, who is the Bee's knees. We had a blast and actually changed the mission with our success. We started a mission-wide phase of trying to get into college campus English clubs due to our diligent work and charming personalities. Then I got emergency transferred up to Nagaoka.

Nagaoka is pretty much Sapporo but more south. Farm based community, tons of snow, lots of old people. I got my first two sons, Elder Titel and Elder McIlrath while I was there. It was my hardest area on my mission. However, I learned a lot about who I am, and what I'm doing. It may have been the hardest, but it certainly was the area where I learned the most. But I was pretty happy to transfer out.

That's when I came to the promised land of Oyama. Those of us serving in Kiryu east zone (and especially Oyama) know it's pretty much the garden of eden. I worked with an elder who came to Japan with me named Elder Sharon. I promised him we would be companions in the MTC. We worked hard and he went home due to a freakishly large kidney stone. What a beast. Then I received another son, Elder Watanabe, and finished his training. I finished my time in Oyama with Elder Peterson, a very loving and hard working Elder, and we made Oyama a land flowing with milk and honey. We baptized a boy, Ruka Ogawa, while I was there. Then I transferred to my grave.

It turns out I'm dying in Urayasu. My companion is Elder Otani, my longest companion. Also one of my hardest ones. These last two transfers have been some of the most stressful and challenging on my mission, but we changed the area. We put in work. Just straight up grit and sweat. The kind you see at weight lifting competitions. I also get to spend a week with Elder Price, which is a nice rest. 

That's my mission in a nutshell. If I were to write everything I learned you wouldn't even be one fourth of the way done with this email. Maybe we can talk about it some day. I will end with this though. I have been spending the past two years of my life inviting people to follow Christ. However, the most important impact I made on my mission, the most important conversion I've seen, is my own. I've done incredible things on my mission. I've seen miracles, and I've been an instrument in performing miracles. But one thing is clear. Christ is my savior. I think the words of a hymn I've grown to love on my mission explain these last words well enough.

I believe in Christ, so come what may.

See you in a few days,

Elder Moore

Hitoshi and the gang

Ex elder Mccune and I 

my guy Keita

Ex Elder Kenley

Week 98- 8/14/2017 ぎりぎり

Hello Everybody! Can you believe it? You only have to receive one more

email from me after this! Then we can talk whenever we want! I have

quite the week for you full of ups and downs so sit back with a cup of hot

chocolate (of course) and your reading glasses.

Of course we played basketball last week. I was on fire. Unfortunately

too on fire. I pulled a pretty good fake and my companion rolled his

ankle so that slowed us down this week. I've started the long process

of packing this week.

Tuesday was pretty busy and fun. We met the koiwa elders to meet a

referral they gave us. He only has one leg so we had to go on an

adventure to find a wheelchair somewhere. We ate curry and had a

wonderful lesson. We also helped out at the disability center and

unfortunately it was my last time there.

Wednesday was full of planning and stuff. We also had a lesson with

Keiichi and some of his concerns came up. We also taught Eikaiwa. We

had to do some preparation to run down to Koiwa the next day.

On Thursday I got to go on splits with my trainee, Elder McIlrath! Do

y'all remember him? It was just like old times except he speaks more

Japanese and I speak lots of Japanese. He's my zone leader now. We

found a guy on the street who met us and was like "did you come here

for me?" And all we could do was stare at him and say "yeah." But it

was really fun. Really long and tiring day but we had a good time. Sad

knowing that was my last exchange but at least it was with my own son!

Friday was a day of getting back to Urayasu and doing more stuff. I

gave my last District Meeting as District Leader and it was pretty

good I think. We all learned a lot. Then as per tradition we ate curry

as a group of Elders.

Saturday was a busy day. We worked out with our ward mission leader

and had a lunch appointment with a member I helped bring back to

activity and sort of a bye-bye thing. Had way tasty sushi. We also

were supposed to have a lesson with Keiichi but he didn't show. Turns

out he doesn't want to learn from us anymore so there goes our

baptismal date. Unfortunate really.

Sunday was spiritual. I had to bear my final testimony this week. I

told myself I wouldn't cry but I did it again. On the bright side lots

of other people cried as well so that's a win. I'm heading I tot he

final week of my mission! Let's hope it's a good one. Oh we also had

transfers. My replacement is an elder named Elder Price, so I get to

show him around for a week. He's my 14th companion.

This store has the same name as me!

Splits with my boy!

sushi bowl!

Week 97- 8/7/2017 Getting Real Close

It's quite the sobering fact knowing I not have to write like 2 more

of these emails.

This week was a busy and effective one. We were able to meet a lot of

our investigators and teach them. We set a baptismal date with Keiichi

for the 27th of August which means I won't be here for it but it

doesn't matter. I'm just glad he's progressing.

I'll spare you the details of last Monday. I'm pretty sure by now

you've all figured out I basically just do basketball on mondays.

Tuesday was a rainy day but that didn't stop me! We serve dat our

disability center place and it was fun as usual. They had a dance

party and the Japanese elders got dragged into so we laughed pretty

hard. I was also able to see Tomoki if any of you remember him. He

just walked into the restaurant we were eating at.

Wednesday was fun I guess. I don't really remember. We went to a place

in town and passed out English fliers. I'm the king at passing stuff

out. We also taught Keiichi. He's a good dude just a little weird.

Thursday was our adventure day. We went down to a place called toyosu

(the rich side of town) and did a lot of stuff. I'm sorry I just don't

have much motivation to write these. Just know we work hard.

Friday was meetings and lessons and Saturday was also lessons and

English classes. That's when we set our date with Keiichi. Then on

Sunday we had 4 people come to church WOAH that's my new record! The

ward was speechless. It was also my last fast Sunday so that's pretty

sad. Anyways I hope you have a good week. Not many pictures but I did

take a video of me interrogating a bag of rice. Enjoy!

Week 96- 7/31/2017 I'm Completely Out Of Witty Titles

Yep that time has come. I can't think of a good title. You already

know it's hot, and that I'm tired and all such so I'll spare you the

details.

We had a pretty good week. Got to teach some lessons and such. I like

teaching much more than I like finding, but in order to teach you have

to find.

Last Monday we just had a normal p day. Of course played some

basketball and stuff. Did that today as well. It's pretty much the

Elders p day tradition here but it's fun. I didn't really enjoy

basketball before my mission but I'm actually enjoy it now.

Tuesday was a day of appointments. We helped at the service center

place as usual. Played uno with some kids and got absolutely

destroyed. We also had a meal appointment with a member who was less

active when I was here last year. Key word was. He came back to church

since I've been away and he took us out to eat to thank me for all the

times we met him. It's those ripples. At first it doesn't seem like we

do much, but somebody along the way gets helped and that's all that

matters.

Wednesday was interviews. It was also raining way hard. It sounded

like somebody was banging thousands of tiny hammers on hour door and

balcony. So I got to talk to president Nagano. I only have one more

interview with him and I'm out of this joint. But really it was pretty

sobering. I got my "dying letter" this week with instructions on how

to go home with my flight itinerary. We then ate some large bowls of

meat and rice and taught Eikaiwa.

Thursday was splits. I was on split with Elder Ogawa, the other

Japanese elder in the apartment. We taught a lesson to our

investigator Keiichi and it didn't go too good. He was a little

confrontational and anytime we had to take time to think about

something he started to get on us and ask things like "cmon don't you

know? You call yourself Christian?" Pretty intense. Elder Ogawa did a

very good job at keeping his cool though

Goodness this email is long. Friday was pretty much weekly planning.

Saturday was softball and mission school. Sunday was church. Pretty

good week. We hug out today with a less active in a place called

ameyoko, which is pretty much stereotypical Asian street markets.

Pretty fun. Hope everybody has a good week!

Picture 1- 

Picture 2-

our sweet District picture

my sweaty face and the letter

Week 95- 7/24/2017 So Hot

I don't have much time today sorry but just know I'm good. We have a

whole bunch of investigators. Som of them a little TOO enthusiastic to

learn. We get calls frequently now and when we don't answer they call

the honbu which is super bad so I get yelled at by the mission office

but I'm just busy so I can't talk.

We are very busy. We have lots of things planned. I'm going to build

up this area if it kills me, which it just might. I nearly cut off my

finger while making food this week. But nope only about one fourth of

the tip. It's doing better. That's what you get when you brag about

being the only one who can sharpen knives. God works in mysterious

ways.

Anyways again I'm sorry it's short we just have a lot to do today. We

had Zone p day and basketball so I'm pretty burnt. I ate a way big

bowl of meat and rice this week as well on splits. It was good but

towards the end it was not good. I'll include a picture.

Anyways that's my life. Things are going great. This transfer is

officially half way done! It goes by so fast. See you next week.

Week 94- 7/17/2017 I Live In a Concrete Oven

Hello Everybody it's me again. As you may be assuming from my email

title, yes Tokyo is hot in the summer. Who knew?!

Everything is concrete so it just heats up more and more throughout

the day. Then you add humidity and the fact I'm pretty much always

exercising 24/7 into the I tire and BOOM laundry loads double in size.

You'd think being a coastal city would give us a good breeze. I'm

pretty much always melting, but at least I get to be a missionary!

This week besides being hot was pretty cool.

On Monday we balled and got haircuts. Pretty basic stuff.

Tuesday was filled with helping at the disability center and passing

out fliers down in Shin-Urayasu. I got shaved ice out of the service

opportunity, which was very well needed. The heats been getting up

into 30~33 degrees Celsius lately, which with 90% percent humidity is

quite the foe.

Wednesday was Member visits and Eikaiwa. Yet again a hot day. I don't

know why I'm makin sure to mention the heat so much. Maybe to just

drive my point home.

Thursday was weekly planning. We got a referral while we were

discussing how to get more referrals so that was awesome. He's a way

cool guy but I'll talk about him later. Then we went outside and

walked around to visit members. Not as hot because night time is nice.

Friday was pretty fun. We went and played soccer at the local college

and we were making pretty good friends with these guys but then the

security came and kicked us out. They made sure to escort us so we

don't accidentally baptize somebody against their will on the way. It

was pretty frustrating. Just trying to spread English.

Saturday was Zone Conference and mission school. You probably saw

pictures but I'll attach some. I taught a guitar class. Everybody had

a good time and they want it to continue so that's pretty cool! Our

referral came and he's so prepared. He kept asking me to teach him

about Christ in the middle of class. I asked him how he was and he

replied "I'm good because I'm encircled in the arms of Christ's love

and mercy." Pretty cool guy. His name is Keiichi

Sunday was full of meetings. You don't need to know about those.

Anyways thanks for tuning in! Here's some pictures and have a good week!

Met one of my sons at Zone Conference!

Zone Conference. Tokyo Zones

 I had to wear this stuff for a service project we did. We

cleaned a beach. You can see my nasty farmers tan!