Monday, January 21, 2013

 2 New Sister Missionaries Called to Serve!!
and an Amazing Testimony!!
January 21, 2013 
 
( FYI:  This has been an incredible week.  Kaitlyn received her mission call to the Utica, New York Mission and reports to the MTC on May 29th.  Katie Kirkham also received her mission call to Orlando, Florida and reports to the MTC on June 5th.  They will both be amazing missionaries!  Hope you're all doing well!! Now on to Elder Langford's letter!!  His testimony is an example to me!! Love, Kristi)

Hi everyone,
Man this has been one trunky two weeks!!!! (Waiting to receive where and when Kaitlyn and Katie are going to serve missions!!)  But I managed to keep a really good focus.  Elder Paul Pieper from the seventy come down and talked to us and it was incredible.... just his presence and the spirit of the room was amazing!  So that's been keeping me on track! 

Time's a flyin by!!! Tell you what that six months I've been here has been some serious work... I've come to learn and love the value of work in a way that I've never really known.  I feel that I'm the same person, but at the same time someone completely different! Like I said, we had a member of the seventy come and talk to us, so that's been keeping me on track! Ha it was way good and I learned so much from him!!  A quote from him really got me. He said that “Telling yourself and just 'getting by' in life denies the Godliness in you. Doing your best everyday is how you obtain a remission of your sins”. Intense right?  That's hit me, and I've seen how I've really changed in just how I spend my time, and how I've realized the value of it... I'm excited for the time I get to go back to school and in a sense redeem myself.... I look back and I WISH I would've known what I know now, and just listened, and strived to be something better.... I really feel that I've in a sense, denied myself of what I can really become for so long and I've wasted so much time.... (geez it's like my life coordinates w/the lion king am I right?) and I'm ready to still be who I am, but to be my best self, and to actually progress and reach the blessings that I have been promised in my blessing.   They are not things that will happen over night, and will take my best effort every single day. This isn't a phase that I'm just going through, but it's been a literal change of heart and perspective that only through my Lord Jesus Christ have I been able to reach. The mission isn't for me primarily, it is for those who need the gospel and the specific talents and things that I can bring in as a missionary, and it's my duty, but more importantly, my Choice out of love for others, and for myself, that I strive to be my best self in the Lord's work, and for the rest of my life.  I know someday probably sooner than I can imagine, I'll start a family, and need these traits to be able to support, love, and care for them. I need to love them enough, love the people enough, love you enough to listen to all that you've been telling me for years, and love myself enough, to continue to make me my BEST self through my personal effort in applying the atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. He suffered for me, because he had faith in me. Faith that this day would come, that I would start to become the person I want to be the rest of my life. I know that it is through the diligence that we apply in our lives, and the faith, the virtue, the charity, the hope, the patience, the humility, the obedience and through OUR choice, that we can become the person that Jesus Christ knows we can be, and through applying his sacrifice, will become. I wish, I just would've been better sooner, and decided to not be acted upon, but to act, and do many things of my own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness. I know that this mission was meant to bring me down to the gulf of despair in wondering who I was, what my purpose was, and how I could be better for everyone in my life to benefit and lift them up.  Missions change natures, desires, and hearts. I'll never be able to be that same person I was before I left, with the knowledge and responsibility I've been given on how to better fulfill my purpose as the patriarch of the home, and all that implies in how I need to daily prepare myself mentally, physically, and spiritually for all things. I've been so blessed to have such a wonderful family.  I need to continue daily, to progress and prepare, so that I can be someone that can fulfill all the needs of the responsibilities in the future.   What seemed so far away, is now so close in view, and I need every single day to even be remotely qualified for the next steps in the gospel. I can't express how different and lasting this is in my heart. But it's true, and I can promise that any missionary or even post or pre-missionary, can change their heart and diligence in every single aspect of their lives, if they have the faith to act, enough to change their ways and stick to them.  Then to PROMISE God every week, that you are striving and re-striving to be his obedient servant, ready to learn and act through his gift of the Holy Ghost he gives you. It is through this ongoing process that we truly learn to endure with joy to the end, and perfect ourselves through the blood of Christ. I look back at all the drops that he has individually shed for me, and I want to show him through how I live my life every day, that to me, it was not a wasted effort, and that I'm willing to accept and use the gift he so willingly and mercifully begs us to use. Christ has changed me and does everyday.  Through him, I shall be prepared to live up to my potential, and do my best and hardest work in all that I do. Through him, I'll be worthy of the blessings he is waiting to give me when I am willing to accept them. This is how I live my testimony in Jesus Christ and his church restored on the earth, and prepare myself and my future family, for the blessings of eternity.

Sorry I just, felt like writing that. 
So the YOST family in my area is amazing! So incredble! Best meals, best people, just best EVERYTHING. Man if you don't know the YOST family you should!!!!!  I hope I've sufficiently added them to my blog! They really are an amazing family, and one that I've already learned so much from. Thank you!

Next off, had a crazy experience... went on splits for the night and gave Elder Moses the phone. Apparently, the person that I went to, called and cancelled because some thing had come up, but I didn't get it, and Elder Moses couldn't hear the message in the car (member took him in a corvette... I got the high end of this split -_-) and so he never told me, but it worked out anyway to be a great, great lesson, and they came to church!  So divine intervention's always a good story to be told!

Last off, we were invited by members to teach this lady, and she was a member of the reformed LDS church, and she asked some questions, heard the message, and wants to be baptized and do temple work! She's so elect and just ready to humble herself and make those changes!! Incredible lady... definitely a miracle to be a part of. 
Sorry got to go! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mission changes you!!!!!!!!!!
Love, Elder Langford

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