Shaving with a Buzz Saw & the Gospel is True!!

Hello everyone! 

Hope the week's been great and sunny!  It's been nice and rainy down here, but luckily we've been able to have a car this week.  What a blessing. The sisters in our ward had a baptism, and I was able to interview him,  being the district leader. He was definitely ready to go and very prepared!   I had the opportunity of baptizing him as well. There's so much power in the ordinances of the gospel. Just pulling him out and seeing the smile on his face, and feeling the power, was a comforting manifestation of the Holy Ghost. This week, everyone decided to move.  It was pretty hectic. We had the opportunity to move around a good four families. Lots of heavy lifting and pizza!  Good balance there.

The zone conference on Sunday was incredible! I know that this is going to change the way that we're able to work with members and bring many more unto the fold of baptism. It's always a miracle to see what happens when we decide to do things in the Lord's way. That's definitely a learning process that goes on, and on, and on.  Elder Toone and I are really striving to learn how to work most effectively with each other right now.  Right now, however, it's kind of like shaving with a buzz saw... we'll work it out though!   The Lord can do anything if we follow his simple gospel. I've come to find that as I've had sometimes this week where I've just humbled myself and tried to follow the Lord's will, that the comforter truly cleanses the soul, and helps bring back the righteous perspective we all need to go on into the next step of faith.  It's been a great week! and I really hope and pray that next week is an EVEN greater week!  I'm grateful for everyone's prayers, and I love each and everyone of you so much. I promise next week  I'll get some more on here. Take care and God Bless all y'all!

Love,

Elder Langford

HUMP DAY IS WEDNESDAY & SUNDAY WAS GREAT!!

Hi everyone,
Yes hump day is Wednesday! .... I can't believe it... Stop making me trunky! ;) I need to stay focused and stuff! 

 I've never felt better than I do now my whole mission :) I'll be completely honest that the last week and a half was very difficult!  That was the hardest week I've had for sure! I've been studying charity and humility.   
The last few days have been better! A lot of faith has been gained by many. We're having a 'district unity' time this week on Wednesday, to discuss how we want to account with each other on becoming the best missionaries we can be, completing our zone's vision, and following the mission's vision as well. It's a bit of an experimental idea but there's faith behind it and I'll let you know how it goes. There's a lot of great potential in this district to do a lot good for each other, as we open our lights up to each other a bit more, and share our insights and charity.

For the 12 week program, we had a member dinner where we practiced a role play, and it went really well!
 

The experiences with my new companion have brought me down to the depths of humility. I can honestly say that it's increased my faith and love for all people, which I've been praying about for months, and It's fulfilled a blessing that Elder Pettitt gave me. I'm grateful for this experience, and know that all is possible with patience! Shiblon and I should have a nice conversation sometime after this life's all over.

I'm truly being able to develop the talents I need in life as I felt this overwhelming comfort of revelation that I received on Sunday, it was literally the dawn after the night , breaking the horizon of darkness. I honestly know that the last two weeks changed my life for the better. I've learned so much about selflessness, and how to love EVERYONE. No matter what. People have so much good inside of them. They all have a hope of something better, and they always look to find that hope. Some try to justify all sense of hope by bringing others down, making sure that there really isn't anything out there that can help them, so that they can further justify how they feel. OUR job, is to constantly keep our covenants, and stand as beacons of hope, to those that know not faith.  This whole experience did bring me to a point where I had to sit down, and decide whether or not I believed in everything I did, everything I stood for. I prayed for nights and read my scriptures, and tried to also keep the district going and not letting them fall short. Sunday, it's like it all hit me. I felt completely at peace, and I know, now more than I've ever known in my entire life how true the gospel is. I've SEEN the other side. I've seen what a life is like without any faith, or care for the gospel. When apathy enters into the simple truths of the gospel, it's our own pride holding us back. If we just follow the simple truths and do our best to have FAITH, we can always know there's a dawn on the horizon. Mine finally came. I was able to bear testimony to him that I know that it's true, that my goal was to teach his gospel, and that I had complete confidence that my maker exists, and is completely aware of every second of my day.  I had to just be an example of someone that has faith, through all adversity. Christ's rock is steadfast and immovable to ANY whirlwind, if we continue to follow it and trust in the Lord's timing. It was such a tender moment to be able to see the peace that overcame me on Sunday, as I realized that it's all about charity, doing your best, and forgetting yourself. I'm been telling myself this and studying this for months, but now it's finally entered into my heart, and I can firmly say that all the fears I've ever had in my life about getting a career, being a successful husband and father, everything, are gone. If I live the gospel at my best, and hold fast to the Book of Mormon and my prayers daily, nothing can take me away from my Lord and my Savior, except myself.  I love Elder Toone and he is starting to make leaps and bounds.

 

To connect this all in, about a month ago, with coming to a new area, and being a little stressed and feeling a little unqualified at my new duties, I asked Elder Pettitt to give me a blessing. I remember and wrote down 3 specific things, that he said would help lighten the load that I had felt. I've striven to follow these things, and honestly on Sunday, I saw that blessing become fulfilled. They were 1: Faith in Christ. 2: Prioritize. and 3:  Lead by example. There is so much in the power of setting prioritized goals, and faithfully doing them. It sets the example because it inspires confidence in your calling as your goals coordinate with your covenants. When you coordinate with your covenants, and exercise that faith, the result is the POWER that comes with the authority of your calling. I HAVE SEEN POWER, I have found strength beyond my own. Strength and confidence I've never known. My blessing is becoming fulfilled, I'm learning how to truly love people and how to forget myself, and I've never been so grateful, or so happy to serve the Lord :) I love you so much and want you to know that I'm doing better than I ever have. I can't wait for the trials of growth ahead (I'm going to regret saying that ;)), and I'm looking forward with an eye of faith! Whew.

 

So, that was the big part of the week I'd say. That sums it up. Yeah we've got some great prospects for baptism :) A whole family's preparing themselves, and an older man is also making great progress! The ward's going to start catching fire with missionary work, and miracles are starting to happen! Literally Sunday all the darkness went away. Things are becoming discernible, and I'm learning how to more deeply follow my Savior's will, and becoming his servant. I'm sorry I'm out of time here, but everything's going great! This can be the blog today as well!  This should be a great week as well!  (Can't believe I'm saying this but I'll say it for you)!  I"LL SEE YOU IN A YEAR!

Love, Elder Langford

THE GOSPEL WORKS!!!!

Whew k... what a week. Great stuff to spill out here... Lets hope I can get this all out of the bag!

First off, it's great to see Sister Langford, Sister Olsen, and Sister Kirkham out in the MTC! Sounds like they're enjoying it, and I know that they'll be great missionaries that will set the bars high for their  companions! As a trainer, those are the missionaries you love to work with because you can tell they have really strong desires to serve, they love the work, and they're ready to learn!! It's going to be great for them I can already tell! I'm sure I'll be able to learn a lot from them as they progress out here! GET ON THE BIKES AND RIDE!! 

I don't know what's been going on these last two weeks... but my zipper's been down all the time, and my companion's don't love me enough to always tell me... -_-. it's a work in progress. Transfer meeting was great! I got to see Good ol' Elder Packard! My boy's growing up so fast :D he's doing great, and now leaving Morehead City. He said that they found some rats in their wash a couple days a go... dead ones... they've had some success with the rat traps down there, catching they said around 7... haha so sounds like they've been having good times in Morehead. Plus, an investigator we've been working on for a while down there, finally got baptized! It was so great to hear about!! He'd been taught since before I got to Morehead almost six months ago! Everyone goes at their own pace :) 

We had two great miracles! This one was so spiritual and powerful to me... We went to go visit Sandy L., an investigator that we had a great first lesson with but we haven't been able to see for a while, and we'd felt prompted to talk to her about baptism, and helping her set the expectations to help her prepare for that day. When we got there, one of the first things she said to us was "the spirit told me that today you were going to ask me to make a covenant." It was extremely powerful. She's been going through a lot of hard times, and she's been able to recognize at a very real level Satan working against her to have the missionaries coming back over. She said that she'll believe in Joseph Smith and what he saw, and the prophet today, she'll believe it all and believes it's true, because of the peace, the spirit, and the comfort she feels in her heart, as we come by and start talking about the gospel.  :) It was a very humbling experience for me to see how she was able to recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost as we came and talked to her. She knows that this church is true, and she's preparing for baptism. It was such a tender moment. We left her with a blessing, and blessed her house as well. I have such a strong testimony in studying and basing our mission off of the success of others coming to Christ. We can't ever be successful on our mission if we think of our self. I've come to recognize that I'm a pretty prideful person in a lot of ways! There's a lot that I'm striving to change to become more selfless like the Savior. 

Those tender moments when we feel the Holy Ghost, and remember for that hopeful moment the blessings that are in store as we keep the commandments, help us to stay strong in our faith, and re-amp us to get out there and do our best!

This has been a crazy week getting a new companion fresh out of the MTC! The mission also split and we saw a lot of people go to the other mission. Elder Adams who came out with me and went to school with me got transferred out there, but hey I'll see him in a year anyway -_-. My new companion, has been a great opportunity for me to learn what faith really means to me, and what it means to develop charity :D This has been the hardest and most trying week of my mission I feel, in just learning how to become more Christlike, but I want to leave you with something that I've learned more strongly this week than I have in the past. It's something that I feel I'll have the blessing to learn again and again in my life: The simple, straight and narrow path of the gospel, WORKS. As we put aside all our pride, our doubts, our trials and tribulations, and lay them at the Savior's feet, he will deliver us from them. He has POWER to save. believe in him! Take your covenants seriously, and the peace, no matter how hard you feel it is for you to personally reach, it's real. It's right there, and it's for all of us to partake of. It makes delicious lemonade no matter what you throw in the blender ;) Ahhh time is up... I love and pray for y'all!  Don't ever lose hope  in the life you can inherit! Take time to recognize his hand more in your life! One of our investigators said it profoundly. "Humility, is manifest by our ability to recognize the blessings in our life!"  Remember this, GOD HAS NEVER MADE A MISTAKE. Gotta go!!!!! With love and appreciation I say, bye.
Love, Elder Langford

PS: Hump's coming up! Crazy..... love yah!!

"Teaching the Gospel," Sponsored by Coke??? & A New Companion!!

Hello everyone!!

Whew! Fantastic week out here in good ol’  (HUMID AND HOT ONCE MORE) North Carolina!!! Someone turned the sauna on and we’re all starting to roast! Which is good. I’ve got some water weight to lose anyway. Speaking of water, (this relates just watch) Elder Pettitt’s bike broke at the beginning of the week, and so, a member said they actually got a bike that we could use, but it was in a box and still had to be put together. So Elder Pettitt put it together, and it advertised “Dasani” really big on the bike sides… Haha. Here we go, giving out the ‘living water’ to people, sponsored by Cocacola… The Lord was not pleased with this thought process… after only two days of using it, the chain snapped and broke in half. We received humbly that we were not to further represent Coke products. Sorry mom. 

Got some great baptism prospects comin up! We should be seeing some baptisms before June ends! We’ve been working our guts out and some fruits are starting to form! Alma 32 has taken a completely new light and meaning to my entire life… perfect representation of setting goals, and learning to be happy in the progression towards them, because that’s what the gospel is. It’s the way that we can accomplish our goals of preparing for eternal life, giving us a perfect brightness of hope.  Good stuff.

A great note was, not only did we get to watch Johnny Lingo for priesthood on Sunday, (gotta love our EQP), but we also had a mission wide fast the day before for finding the elect, and the success of the new mission being formed. It’s incredible to see the power of fasting in the works… One of our investigators was able to come to church, and we were able to set up a dinner and a lesson at a member’s house next week with him. Also, a member came up to us, letting us know that she has someone that she’d like us to begin teaching, and who is ready to begin the discussions. We called her last night, assuming the number she gave us was her number (the member), but it was the investigator. I just said it straight: “would you like the missionary discussions?” “Yeah that’d be great!” boom. Fasting is incredible. WE can’t wait to begin sharing the message with her.

Also, we had a great combined leadership meeting! It was all the zone leaders, district leaders, president, some guest speakers, and the senior sisters. IT was really good to see some of the missionaries I’d worked with in the past, and to see how so many of these great elders are now becoming leaders. The best part about being a missionary from Utah is the fact that most of your companions live less than an hour away from you. Can’t argue with that!! We had a great talk on the difference on lift in the mission, and drag on the mission. When an airplane takes off, it actually requires opposition to either lift off the ground, or to drag it back down… so the opposition will ALWAYS be there, no matter what we do. The difference we can make, is if we constantly look at the problems, or the solutions. There will always be problems, and there will always be solutions! Not always solutions to solve everything immediately, but definitely ways to progress towards success! Let us always strive to lift ourselves up with the experience we have on this earth of opposition, and to never let it get us down! There’s waaaaaay too many good things to hope for as we stay positive and fulfill our covenants of being witnesses of that peace. We can make a huge difference in the lives of others just by simply smiling, and signifying that we believe in Jesus Christ, and because we do so, he makes us happy! BAM. Missionary work right there.  Service with a smile! It’s like a dandelion! By small and simple things, great things come to pass! Just give it a little faithful blow, and watch as the multitudes begin to be planted. Ohh man I gotta go… time flies waaaay too fast…. Speaking of that, I’m at my year mark in 2 weeks…. Looking back, I’ve changed sooo so much, and I’m looking forward almost anxiously at the progression and production that this next year has in store as I continue to let the master do his work on me! He’s got a lot of carving do to still so let’s hope I can just hold still…. My mom knows how bad I USED to be (emphasis added) at getting shots… How I’d run around the room before I’d just sit down and get the thing done and feel better… same concept. We just need to sit down, and let the doctor work his healing art! Just got back from Gilead a couple days ago, turns out we do have balm, so go check it out!!! I LOVE YOU ALLLL!!!! And Elder Pettitt says hi!!! And bye. He’s leaving tomorrow. Great companion. Learned a lot! Including origami. 

Yep I’m training a new companion again! It’s pretty great!  I like playing with kids what can I say? Things are honestly going really good right now and I’m developing charity, and I’m understanding how to better manifest it to people. Commitment! I’m learning more about what commitment means. There’s so much truth to charity in the principle of inviting, committing, and following up with people. That’s some thing that we can do our entire lives to spread the good message of love to all that we care about. IT’s about the added up small things, not the rapture of last minute big bonanza surprises every once in a while. (those are good too, but not the core). I’ll have the new companion on Tuesday! Gotta go!!! Love you!  Elder Langford