Dr. Pepper & the Gospel, Duck Embros, and Belinda Carlisle was right!!

Hello everyone!!
OHHH gosh… I have plenty to type in not plenty of time… hopefully I
can get a good jot and tittle in before time’s up here.
First off, Elder Zwick, along with Elder Pino came to our mission, and for the first time, we had a full mission conference! They were pretty tall spiritual Giants to say the least! He talked about how as he walked out to the plane to come here, Elder Oaks told him to tell us how much they all loved and cared about each and everyone of us… PLUS, He mentioned that Elder Oaks was the one that probably called almost all of us to this mission! Holy revelation... He just kept throwing out more things that stung every one of us (I’ll just speak for all the missionaries) right to the heart… He also mentioned Elder Ballard being requested by the PROPHET to lead the prayer in the prayer role about missionary work, and he mentioned that through our trust in the Savior, the members would be able to trust us. They told us many stories, and one being the announcement  he made to us that our mission president, was the BEST one in all the world… He said he’s met with, and seen all the new mission presidents coming in, and that President Bernhisel, was the best… whoa… I couldn’t help but agree! Not that I know many, but just like the gospel, I don’t have to go lookin for better when I’ve got the best right here! I’m so blessed to serve in this area! Plus it was quite the reunion seeing every single missionary who hasn’t passed on from the mission yet at that gathering!! It was so great! They truly inspired us with their words, and Elder Pino, who was talking to us in Spanish, being translated by a missionary (oh you know he’s got a lot to write home…), asked him to step down, as he bore his powerful testimony that Christ lives, that this is His  church, and that we are hastening his work at this time, as his servants. What an honor!

We had a great dinner with  a recent convert in the ward, and we managed to snag her ladder from her to and made a great analogy about the atonement and cleaning out gutters with  a broom on her roof (oh..only teaching by the spirit!) Also, we invited her to share her testimony, as an investigator joined us for dinner. IT was so great to see how her simple testimony changed his perspective, and allowed him to also feel the great spirit that she possessed. We also got fed by Sister Kinnin and her sister. They make the most amazing Phillipino food. They also had us try an authentic Phillipino appetizer called ballot.  (See pictures in the blog)!  It is actually a fertilized duck embryo. A bit thick in the middle but not too bad!!
Ah, and, there is NO better third hour meeting at church, than talking about charity, while hearing the primary practicing behind you in the chapel, Like a song from the 80's says, "Heaven is a place on earth!!"  I’ve never felt such a strong feeling of love and a realization of purpose! In that same class, I was also led to give an analogy, which to me, has changed my life, and the way I look at Dr. Pepper…

Did you know, that there’s plum juice, in Dr. Pepper??  Pretty nasty… In fact, if someone told me to come and try a DR. pepper, advertising that it had plum juice, I Probably wouldn’t drink it! Sometimes, we look at the great gospel that our Savior has given us, and solely focus upon that plum juice, thinking how is this supposed to make me happy? How is this ever going to taste good? what kind of a crazy drink is this? The adversary works hard to try and pull reality our of proportion, having us put all our time and focus on a little bit of
plum juice, or something that doesn’t make sense to us in the gospel…If we focus on it enough then it leads us to cease drinking living
water (Dr. pepper), then we’ll never understand how good it tastes!And the great thing is, we don’t even have to know why it’s in there,
but just that it tastes delicious! As President  Uchtdorf says, doubt your doubts before you faith!  Drink it!!! Agh time’s a gone today.. I love you all sooo much!!! Can’t wait till next week to talk about everything that we’ve got planned!!
Happy Halloween!!!
Love, Elder Langford