The first email: March 1, 2013

Elder Moore left on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 destined for Auckland, New Zealand. With a 19 hour time zone difference and crossing the International date line, he arrived on Thursday, February 28, 2013. We had been told that he would email us when he arrived and I anxiously checked my email for that coveted update. It finally arrived!

March 1, 2013

Kia ora! Malo e lelei! That is hello in NZ as well as Tongan. I have arrived safely, sorry it took so long for me to email you guys. They forgot to let us email yesterday, but they readily let us email tonight when we asked them. As you may have guessed my companion is Tongan! His name is Elder Vaiomo'unga, I just barely learned how to say it perfectly without saying it super slowly. He is awesome and he is slowly but surely, and patiently, teaching me to speak things in Tongan. Unfortunately he is not going to be staying with me in Auckland, instead he is going to a small island called Vanuatu. I was having a pretty rough time with being tired and a little homesick for awhile, but it got a lot better once I met up with the other missionaries and especially after Elder Larsen finally arrived. Now I'm having an even better time with my wonderful Tongan companion. The view from my window is beautiful and is possibly the best view I have seen from any window in this building. The MTC is on top of a hill and I look out my window and see rolling hills covered by houses and beautiful green trees and grass. There are so many different accents running around here due to the many different kind of missionaries here. There are only about 80 of us in this MTC, but there are missionaries here from America, Samoa, Canada, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, Papau New Guinea, Australia, Tasmania, Mexico, England, New Zealand… So many different kinds of people. Look up a Tasmanian accent, that's a pretty cool one.

Upon arriving at the airport in NZ we walked through the doors to find two huge Tongan men in white shirts waving us over, they sounded just like the people from the movies "Johnny Lingo" and "The Other Side of Heaven." If you go watch those movies then you will hear exactly what I hear from many people everyday, but there are so many other accents here besides those. I love the Polynesians and I hope to learn to speak Tongan, but the Lord's will be done not mine. I love you guys too and I pray for you guys everyday. Also, I cherish each note I find mom. I'm out of time, tell everyone I love them and that the church is true. Also, my p-day (preparation day) is on Wednesday, so expect the next email then. And we're going to the temple for 2 sessions on Wednesday!! Love you guys! Goodbye, for now :)


Arriving in Auckland, New Zealand

Elder Moore & Elder Vaiomo'unga

Airport Scene

You likely already know how emotional a mom can be and this mom is at the top of her game. There are no words to describe my relationship with Keaton (and each of my children). I cannot adequately tell you how much I love him. How truly good he has always been. Or how much I will miss him and the number of tears I will yet shed. He is a golden child. I have four of them and I never even deserved it.
I trust that you will believe me. I LOVE THAT BOY.

Many parents are happy to see their children grow up and leave on missions because they've been little rascals and the parents are ready for a break! That makes sense to me. Oddly, I have never experienced it and saying farewell is incredibly hard.

In all honesty, I enjoyed every stage my children went through and as they continue to get older it just seems to get better. Alas, before I paint and exaggerated rosy picture, life hasn't been perfect. There have been rough days. I've just loved all of it. The days were never rougher than that for which the happy moments could compensate.

Hopefully someday soon I will be ready to share some of the tear inducing moments before Keaton left. I also hope to bring one of his ideas to reality but it still kind of makes me cry so I will not be doing it today. :)

I am happy! I definitely feel I should state that. I wouldn't have him anywhere else! He loves his mission and the people.
For now, enjoy his airport scene!

Elder Keaton J. Moore

It was a huge blessing to have all of our children and family together for the trip to the airport.

Keaton was also blessed with amazing friends who have been by his side throughout his life and have shared in many adventures.

Naturally, many aunts, uncles, and cousins were not able to be in town but were so kind to send texts and video farewell messages as we waited at the airport.

Too much rock for one hand!! This boy was so excited! Our darling little airport is small and it was still all fun since the security checkpoint had yet to open.

It got a little harder when that gate opened and reality began to set in.

"Too much rock for one hand" right back at you! Keaton and Jay are going to miss each other so much!

 India didn't want us to see all the tears. She was watching a little piece of her heart fly away. 

The adventure begins! I miss him incredibly. It's worth the price to experience this adventure with him.

Final adventures

We were SO very blessed to enjoy a final, few adventures over the last year before Keaton's big departure day. 

I can't think of anything in life as wonderful as spending time with my family. 

There are just a few things that are absolutely essential to check off the list early in life . . .

Pose as Sasquatch

Create your own totem pole

Fake a really great happy face for every ride mom begs you to ride

Score 25 open-ended fast passes just because the cast member was impressed with how nice you all were as you waited in a little line.

Strike a random pose for the fun of it

Accept an invitation for a "free smoothie" and find yourselves starring in Fear Factor Orlando! Poor Landon wasn't old enough and was so disappointed. I do not know why! It was much worse than this picture might lead you to believe.

Win!

Take a picture with your champion "I ate a bug" mug and dinky water bottle while the poor kid in the background gets situated.
(I was SO going to frame this picture!)

Offer to allow your dear friends a turn to drink out of the now invaluable momento

Show-off your syncronized walking that you've spent years perfecting
(Wearing matching All Blacks shirts was a nice touch. Sadly, Jake was going to Brazil and didn't have an All Blacks jersey but he got the walking thing down really fast!)

Try to establish yourself as king beast

Use positive peer pressure to get your friends to skip an "important educational function" and go with you to the Houston Zoo - even in the rain

Enjoy every missionary moment with the best elders in THE Mission (Texas Houston East!)
I wish I could post all of the pictures because they're all wonderful elders.

Accept an inviation to play in a jeep for your 19th birthday just before you leave. Thanks Bishop Gross!! 

He will never forget having so much fun on his birthday!

At last, his VISA arrived just in time!

He read all the little details

Made a couple of calls to let the family know it was really happening and it was time to pack.

Called to serve

Oh, happy day! When the call arrived Keaton carried his envelope around all day waiting for the moment he would open it. 

I'm so thankful all my kids are close friends. Nolan was away at school and we definitely wanted him to be a part of the moment. 

Keaton sent Nolan a picture of his beautiful, white envelope and their texts still make me laugh!

Keaton really was willing to serve anywhere, He often said, "It's a mission, not a vacation." But his sense of humor ruled the day. 

He enjoyed beholding the glory himself! 

All day!

It is actually important to know a few things about Keaton. Fact of the day: He has NO sense of smell. The doctor's best guess is a virus killed his olfactory senses. This trivial knowledge is actually important  to know. Not surprising, one cannot use smell to determine the destination of one's mission with or without this sense.

I love this picture. It's the perfect moment frozen in time. 18-years of preparing. 18-years of wondering where he would serve. 

My 18-year old boy sat holding that envelope. With no idea where in the world he would be going but with a willing heart to take him there.

We were so blessed to have family and friends join us in person, via FaceTime and Skype.

With a trusty letter opener in hand, the big moment arrived!

Dear Elder Moore . . .

. . . you are called to serve in the New Zealand Auckland Mission! The smile says it all.

Yes, I was shocked and it was a very happy shock. 

Keaton had become very close to one of the missionaries serving in our mission, Elder Scott Sadlier. Keaton has tried to immulate his life after this amazing young man. He and Elder Sadlier had dreamed of taking a trip to Australia or New Zealand after Scott's mission and before Keaton left. I think the Lord has a great sense of humor and is also merciful to let Keaton go fulfill a dream . . . for  two years! 

The Land of the Long White Cloud was waiting for him. He was to report the the Provo, MTC on February 26th, the day after his 19th birthday.

Keaton received a call from our Stake President in January. He was informed that he was to report the the New Zealand MTC with the flight date pending. We were a little excited!

Eventually, we learned his flight was scheduled for the same date, February 26th. He was blessed to be among the first group from North America to attend the New Zealand MTC and the very first Texan. Being an 8th generation Texan, he was proud to represent us.