Phone call and letter

Davey called today while he was at the airport.  It was about 1030am when he called and Tamara and I did a three way call.  Tamara was at the school and went in and got Brayden so he got to get on for a minute with Davey too.  We only had a short time.  He said he waited about 10 minutes to use the phone and there was a big line and everyone was timing each other to about 5 minutes.  We forgot to ask about his tooth...I guess we were just too excited to hear him even if it has only been two weeks.  Later tonight we received a quick email:

Okay, so I am in Fresno California now! It has been a blast.  Right as I
got here we went out tracking and taught the gospel, it was so harder
than the MTC taught, haha.  So about the mailing letters to the address:
You have to send them to the mission home and then they will then send
them out to the appartment addresses, so please let everyone know that, 
haha.  So yea, and you can send packages or whatever you would like, it
just has to get sent to the mission home address then they will then send
it to the missionaries. So this is the address and this is how it would look
if you were to send me mail or a package... this is what it would look
like:

Elder David Moss
California Fresno Mission
1814 North Echo Ave
Fresno, California 93704

Ok, so yea, I think you understand that and shouldn't get it wrong, haha.
So yeah, everything is just going great here and I love you all.  It was
great to talk to you and hear you guys.  Everyone is great here, all the
missionaries and President Gelwick (I don't know how to spell it) but
he is awesome! So ya, the mission is going to be hard but so great!
Love you all! God Speed!
-Elder Moss

Last email from MTC

Davey sent two quick emails tonight at a little after 9pm:

So, I will be leaving tomorrow it is so crazy!! I am super excited! Dad keep the house it will be great and its not too big! Ha ha, I love you guys so much and I cant wait to get to fresno! I am probably going to just check both of my bags it will be easier that way. Tonight we just got done with the devotional and guess who came and talked to us? M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles! It was so great!  Well I am looking forward to talking to you all tomorrow! And Brayden, I would say wait till your birthday, it will be better in my opinion, ha.  Also, real quick, I tried one last time to break the three point record, the record is 13 threes made in a row, and I tied it... I got 13 in a row, haha.  So I tied the record, it sucked cuz they wont put my name up unless you beat it, which I don't think is fair, I am the only person to tie it or get that close to beating it! Well ya, I am excited for tomorrow! love you all! godspeed :) :) btw... Time flys by way to quick! live each moment to the fullest and love it, and live the gospel in all ways at all times!!!!

 -love elder moss

Ok, tomorrow we don't leave the MTC till 8am, then we travel by shuttle to the airport.  I don't know when I will be able to call you but it should be around a little later than 9ish I would guess.

Sixth Letter

Dear Family,

Mom, I hope you get better and everything is alright!  I pray for you guys daily.  Yes, I did get the pants finally, ha ha.  And dad and mom, I think you should do whats ever best for the family with the job offer dad got.  Keeping the house now would be the best I think.  So that's my input.  Along with the flight and my departure, I fly out at 11:24am Salt Lake City time and arrive in California at 12:49pm California time.  An that is on the 27th.  And I am not worrying about "girls."  This work is my number one thing.  Nothing is interfering or distracting me...  ...so yea,  Anyway, my tooth is basically just chipping away.  One morning I woke up and it was like that.  So yeah.  And yes, I was in the background when the lady called mom and it woulda been nice to hear her and talk but we can't do that, ha ha.  And one last thing, I don't know what I want for my birthday.  I don't really care, ha ha.   So yup.  I love you all and just to answer mom's question, I have scared my companion many times (smiley face) it is so fun!  Ha ha, well love ya all!!!  Elder Moss

Quick email note

hey family today is sunday and it has been a great day today i have been to a lot of meetings and now we just got done with sacrament meeting and we are about to go on our temple walk which is when we can just get outside and walk around the temple then once we are done we have more meetings and two devotionals/firesides i just wanted to just email you all quick and hope everything is going good today! well love you all hope you have a great sunday! =)

Fifth MTC Letter

After posting the below letters, we received this short email today also and have included it here since it came the same day as the other letters:

So I want you all to know that I tried to break the three point record today, the record is 13 three pointers made in a row and I made 11 in a row... ugh it was so frustrating! So ya, that's all I wanted to hurry and say.



Davey included several letters in two envelopes but we are lumping them all into one letter since we got them all the same day, today.  He sent two bookmarks (we gave them to Chase and Brayden since Davey didn't say who they were for, we just assumed it was for them as they had a picture of two missionaries on them with the Called To Serve song on one side and a scripture, D&C 42:6, on the other):

Well I thought I would quickly write and tell you whats been happening.  Today it is snowing at the MTC and my companion is freaking out, he loves the snow!  Its way funny, bless his soul.  Another thing that has happened was my fake tooth is chipped, well almost, its like falling off, ha ha.  So yea, I get to take a shuttle to go to a dentist office to get it fixed which sucks, but oh well!  Umm, we depart this next Wednesday so that's awesome!  Dad, I met a sister missionary here that did drug stings with you, she is the daughter of the other officer we did it with.  We got a new bunch of missionaries come in and they are just fun, we have a fun spiritual time here at the MTC, let me just tell you that!  And to all of you, I don't get tired of getting letters, I love getting them.  Well, hope everything is going great!  And I sent you some emails and pictures, hope you guys got them! God speed.  Love, Elder Moss
p.s. No, letters dominate my day dad, serving the lord is my number one priority, nothing is distracting me from that (smiley face).

Today was so amazing, we taught our investigator, he is ready to be baptized, he is reading the B.O.M. and praying all the time.  I have such a strong testimony of this gospel, it truly blesses lives.  I love seeing it through the MTC.  Everyone here has just put everything else aside and have come to serve the Lord, it's so amazing.  Tonight one of the elders in my district asked me to give him a blessing.  He was getting sick so he asked his companion to anoint and me to seal it and give the blessing.  It was so awesome being an instrument in the Lord's hands and holding his priesthood and especially being worthy of using it.  The church is true everyone.  So just always stand up for what's right.  And really remember, DARE TO BE A MORMON!!  Be the one who is different, who holds his faith to be true, and never be unworthy or do anything that is not good in the sight of the Lord.  I love you all and miss you!  God Speed.  Love, Elder Moss

To Chase:  Did mom and dad put you up to this...to ask me to be more specific?  Ok, I will answer your question:  Yes, most of the them played college and high school and all sorts of competitive ball.  But, there are some that just really aren't good.  There are all kinds of guys that played many different sports and yes, rugby is one of them.  Elder Kyle likes video games and eating donuts and guns and cars, ha ha.  Our room has 4 guys in it including me and yes, they are all going to Fresno.  The room is small but still nice.  I am on the top bunk.  I eat the food but the food isn't that great.  The eggs suck.  We are allowed to leave the MTC for temple days or if you have to go to the dentist.  I have seen Connor Jensen, Michael Jensen, Rory Miller, Marrissa Martin, Colton Pendelton, and many more.  We all follow a schedule depending on our zone.  I have gotten to know a lot of people and friends.  Hopefully the Xbox will be all right.  How is my baby doing? (and I'm talking about my car).  So, all right, hope everything stays good.  Love you bro and love the family and everyone, Elder Moss

Dear family, grandparents, and anyone else:  OK, here are specifics.  I wake up at 6:25 am, shower and get ready, then eat breakfast at 7:10 am, we have personal study till 8:40 am, then after that it's more study time for another hour, then classroom instruction for 3 hours, then lunch break, then gym time for an hour, then more study time for 1-2 hours, then classroom instruction for 3 hours, then teach our investigators for about 40 mins., then dinner and more study time.  This isn't all in order but that's pretty much a typical day.  We get in bed by 10:30 pm everyday, so we are pretty busy all the time.  Sorry I don't know what to say.  My companions name is Nick Kyle or Elder Kyle.  I usually get the mail and do district leader stuff during gym time or after meal times.  My companion is from Georgia.  Umm...thanks for all the support from grandma & grandpas, Jana, and Corbin and Margo, it really means a lot, truly it does.  Well love you all lots!!  Elder Moss

Fourth MTC Letter

Dear Dad,
I have received letters from you, I don't know if I have got 4 yet, I haven't really counted them, ha ha.  That is sweet and funny you got an Ipad and it sounds like you had a crazy time, but very successful one.  Umm...I would say I don't really care if you kept the WiFi, ha ha, since I am not even there!  I will also have to look up the kid going to Fresno, I will be there next week!  It's so crazy.  That sucks though you missed your flight or it got delayed.  Ha ha ha, that is so like you to do that to one of the airline workers, you were just tired I bet (smiley face).  You need to be nice dad!  ha ha ha, and no I haven't been nervous or anything and nope I don't want to go home.  I was totally good the first day!  And don't worry, I am way ahead of you.  I have a daily journal I have been keeping.  Love ya dad.

Mom,
Wow, Tonya got a new house?  That's great to hear!  That's so sweet to hear about the basketball team.  And hearing about Todd makes me laugh but California is a great place!  The necklace I love, I wear it on P day.  Laundry day sucks.  There is so much to do.  I mostley had the sister missionaries help me, ha ha.  Um, favorite food?  I don't know at all probably the chicken and ham sandwich.  Least favorite would be the breakfast eggs, they suck so bad!  I made 7 three pointers in a row...I can do better.  So ya, TTYL!!! Love ya mom.

Chase,
First of all you need to practice your sports!  That's cool about basketball!  And yes, I love the necklace bro.  Well, I don't know what to say, so ya.  I am on limited time so ask questions that I can answer to you! Love ya little man

Brayden,
You will have a good time with that Nerf gun man!  You are close to getting it!  And yes, we will totally have a Nerf gun war!  Love you buddy

Todd,
That's awesome man, good luck in San Diego and don't go to the military bases and do what we did on our trip, ha ha ha.  I don't have much to say cuz i am so busy with helping out my district and learning.  Good luck.  Elder Moss

Third MTC Letter

Hey family, I finally got on the computer, ha. So real quick, I have no clue where the things are so that I can email you guys my pictures and have that extra memory card and wall charger  I cant find them anywhere and it sucks! Also, everything is going great I cant email long cuz we are timed. So ya, if you guys could help me know where that stuff is I could send ya some emails with pictures! So ya, can't wait to hear from ya again. I will mostly send letters to answer your guys letters. LOVE YOU, the church is true!!! Love elder moss

Alright, so district leader is so hard but such a good experience! Umm, some things that have been going on is we went to the temple today and it was Awesome! ha ha. I really don't know what to talk about I love your guys letters and I will answer what you asked in them when I write you back in a letter. So right now we are doing laundry and it takes forever! It's our preparation day if u didn't guess that already. Umm, my companion is Elder Kyle and I would send ya a picture but oh ya i don't have anything to be able to do that with, all I have is my camera and nothing else that goes with it! All we do is class, class, class, all day everyday ha. I started to fall asleep in class the other day and so I had to do a wall sit in order to keep me awake, it was awesome and just great. We have already pulled many tricks on our roommates and such. Umm, the MTC is wonderful I really do enjoy it. The gospel is so true and I love feeling the spirit everyday and being around all missionaries, it is such a great blessing. I swear tho that the days are becoming longer and longer. Elder Kyle and I taught our first investigator yesterday and did amazing. The spirit was there and just everything went so smooth. We jumped around a lot because he would just ask question upon question about different things we believe in but I can testify to you that we nailed them all and it was a great experience. We invited him to pray and read the Book of Mormon and then we also invited him to get baptized, all in the first lesson! he said he would have to talk with his wife first to see what she thinks but we are meeting with him again tomorrow to follow up on things and further teach him. That is so funny about Todd, ha, we will be in Cali together, ha ha, and also about Parker, that is so great, he needs to honor that priesthood. Umm, I drink chocolate milk everyday at every meal. The basketball is great, everyone at the MTC knows me as the three point king and I am going to try to break the three point record today held at the MTC which is 13 threes made in a row. tell my friends I miss them and need to hear from them more!! Oh... and I guess I miss you guys too ;) ha. I love you family! So ya, I cant wait till I head out and get to Fresno, we leave the 27th in the morning so you guys better answer the phone when I call! I will call mom's phone cuz I don't remember dad's number. So ya, I wish I could find the cord to send you pictures, ha, it would be so great to do that so you can see my face! ;) I pray for you all, including my friends, everyday and in every prayer. I hope you all are doing well and  I love you all!

LOVE, Elder Moss

I GOT THE PHOTOS I used a USB thing from an elder here:

OK, so my companion Elder Kyle is the one that is in the photos with just me and him if that makes any sense at all, but the pics that have just me and someone else in it, that someone else is Elder Kyle.

Second MTC Letter

Davey kind of broke the letter up and wrote to each person in our family separate and tried to answer the questions we had asked.  Below is not exactly what he wrote but is quotes from his letter put into context with what was asked:

To Dad - In response to a question about the room setup and telling Davey how it was when he was there, "The bunkbeds and closets are still hooked together."

In response to how the money works at the MTC, "They put money on a card or you can pay cash, you get $6.00 every week on your card."

"My companion is not like me at all.  His name is Elder Kyle.  He is not like me, he is very shy but has a strong testimony.  I try and include him and get him going.  I love him, he is awesome...The first day here was  crazy busy and overwhelming but so spiritual and great!  Well love you all and love you dad. God Speed, Elder Moss

To Mom - "I loved the gifts I got, thanks so much!

In response to the gifts and cards, with comments about getting ready for the mission, which mom hid in his suitcase, "Ha Ha, those were some good times we had especially scaring you (smily face)."

"Thanks for all your love.  I love you so much.  Hope you are doing good and the family also.  The MTC is so great.  I love it here.  Everyone at the Gym keeps making me try to break the three point record because they think I am good enough to do it, ha ha.  Well the spirit is amazing and I love you again.  God speed, Love Elder Moss"

To Brayden - "I love you little buddy.  I will give you one piece of advice, you better practice sports and get in shape.  You have so much potential, so don't waste it!  Do all you can to be the best!!  God Speed, Love Elder Moss

To Chase - "Thanks for everything bro.  You will be a great kid.  Stay strong in the gospel man and always practice your sports.  If you want it bad enough you can achieve it!  Be smart with MY PHONE!!  Don't kiss any girls is my advice man.  Like really, it's better for you just to to, so please heed my warning and DON'T!  Love Elder Moss

First MTC Letter

We received our first letter from Elder Moss on February 16:

"Dear Family!!
Well I was going to write your names out but it was too long so I just put family, ha ha.  So the MTC is so amazing!!  The spirit is so strong and everyone here is ready to go on everything.  The food is ok, not the best like moms and dads from home but it's still good.  We had a lot go on today and I don't even know where to begin!  Well today is Thursday and I just barley got made the District Leader which is the highest calling you can have at the MTC, ha ha.  So ya, I am always so busy now it is crazy!  I have to give interviews to all the missionaries and go to all the meetings and conduct and get the mail for everyone and give lessons on Sunday, it is crazy but very good.  I love it here so much.  The basketball isn't as good as I thought, to be honest I am a lot better than most of the guys here.  When we played today they were amazed at my shooting ability, I rarely missed!!  It was awesome... So ya, the experience and learning the gospel is going great.  It is helping me so much in preparation for the field.  Ia m so blessed for you guys at home and I love you so very much.  Sorry, I would write more my my hand hurts!  Let me know how everyone is an doing and tell everyone that I love them so much!  Stay safe!  Love Elder Moss  p.s. I will write more next time, I am very busy so...yea!"

Elder Moss included another page where he wished all the girls in his life a happy valentines day.

MTC

Elder Moss entered the MTC, and started his mission, on February 13, 2013.  Tamara took Chase and Brayden out of school and drove up the day before.  They went to the Missionary Mall and picked up the remainder of his clothes and got measurements to get the pants hemmed.  The next day They went and dropped him off at the MTC.

Setting Apart

Elder Moss was set apart as a missionary the next day, February 11, by the Ivins Stake President Daniel Robinson, who was accompanied by his wife Michon, at the Moss home in Ivins.  President Robinson was also involved in the paperwork and interviewing Elder Moss for his mission.  He gave Elder Moss some great advice and a great priesthood blessing in addition to setting him apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  President Robinson asked Elder Moss' mother, Tamara, to be his first companion until he was dropped off at the MTC.

Farewell

Elder Moss had his "farewell" on February 10, 2013 at 11am in the Ivins 9th ward, Bishop Kevin Smith was serving as Bishop at the time and was involved in the paperwork and interviews for Elder Moss receiving his mission call.  Elder Moss spoke on Charity as the first speaker.  Elder Taylor Ence (Son of Robert and Shelly) who was just returning from his mission was the concluding speaker.  Needless to say, it was packed.  After church there was a luncheon for the family and many of Elder Moss' friends showed up as well.  Several people in the ward, along with family, helped with supplying and cooking finger foods which made it very nice as people could grab something to eat and then mingle and visit.  The Tonya Smith family, Judy Lee family, Jeff Moss family, Teri Foster family, Trevor Coombs family, Jana Adams family, Jana Houston family, Trent Moss family, and both sets of grandparents - Moss and Coombs were all in attendance.

Day before farewell

The day before Elder Moss' farewell, on Saturday, February 9, Elder Moss' father, who was out of town on business, flew in for Elder Moss' farewell.  Katelynn, Elder Moss' sister, also drove down from Pleasant Grove where she is living and working.  Since the whole family was together for the last time for two years, we went and had some family pictures taken.

Prior to the farewell there, of course, was the call opening.  Here is the video of Elder Moss opening his call. The house was packed with family and tons of Elder Moss' friends, if you can't tell.