Missionary Service of Elder Benjamin Moore: Exchanges, Transfers, Zone Training, Miracle Meetings

Another great week,

These last two transfers. Let me tell ya, they've been busy as can be. I've never been so exhausted for such a long period of time. Every day I seem to have just the right amount of energy to do what we have to do. Elder Jacobsen is incredible. Back in Omsk, when I found out I was coming to Novosibirsk to serve with him, I was excited! He's known in the mission for being the kindest missionary, hard working, and has outstanding Russian. Less often than you'd think do you get to serve with a companion who will just go hard and leave nothing behind. I came into this companionship determined to make the most of it and give it all to the Lord. So that's what we've done!! It's amazing all of the miracles we've seen together in these last two transfers. We've really been blessed.

Transfers have come once again! President showed us the whole transfer in our Missionary Leadership Council meeting. Elder Jacobsen is being transferred to Kemerova where he'll serve with Elder Forest. Elder Batson, my trainer, is the Group Leader there right now over the Kemerova group, and he goes home in 4 weeks! President said to Elder Jacobsen, "I think you can tell what I'm setting you up for here..." So in a month, he'll be leading the congregation in Kemerova. As for me, I'll be staying here in Novosibirsk and I'll be serving with Elder Stucki!! We'll be zone leaders together over the West Zone of Omsk, Berdsk, and our Novosibirsk district. There are now three districts in Novosibirsk as ours here on Right Bank has split into two. A 16-missionary district was just a bit ridiculous. Elder Lewis will be in my district as well as an Assistant! So now we just need Elder Allen and Hodgson to come over from Omsk, and we'll have the crew back.

So that's all exciting stuff. I'm really excited to serve with Elder Stucki. We were in the MTC together and were in Omsk together as well. We're going to do so much work!

Back to these last two transfers with Elder Jacobsen...we've had a ton of meetings and a ton of people cycle through our teaching pool. I've really seen that the Lord will only bless us with new people to teach as we let others who are not quite ready go. Every week for the past few weeks, we've dropped an average of five people. It's part of the refining process for our area. This week our big meetings were with Ivan and Dimitri. Ivan is so great! He's engaged in the lessons, and has had awesome experiences in his life that have prepared him to receive the gospel. Dimitri is the guy we found when we broke the couch. He's progressing well and is so humble. We taught the plan of salvation and you could see all the dots being connected as he sat there and thought about it all. I love helping people recognize the Spirit and recognize that the things we are teaching them are true.

We had an MLC, and a Zone Training in Berdsk as well. It was great. More on planning and teaching in the Savior's way. He was the master teacher. If you read chapter 10 of PMG, and then read a couple chapters in the New Testament, you could check everything off.

Ah, we found out in MLC that we'll be having a Thanksgiving Zone Conference with a nice meal. Christmas will be great as well. Everyone in Novosibirsk and Berdsk is going with President and Sister Williams to see the Nutcracker Ballet in the big theatre in the center. So that'll be festive.

The time is flying by though. I can't believe that it's already halfway through November. Seven months from now I'll be on a plane home somewhere over the ocean. That's not a lot of time! I just want to do as much as possible to move it all along before that day comes. Home will be there no matter when I go home, but there's only so much time left here!

So, enjoy the time you have while you've still got it!

Lots of Love,

Elder Moore

Pictures: Our meeting with Brother Pavel