Miracle Switch is On, Broke "100", Military Service, Missing Scriptures, YSA Called to Serve, 4 Baptisms Upcoming."

Blog:
Oh what a week it's been! I don't even know where to begin... The Lord definitely has been saving some of his choicest blessings for the last couple days... It's like the miracle switch broke, and they can't switch it back off! 

Monday:  So to start off the week nice and strong, (P-day), we went bowling with some recent converts,  totally broke 100! I didn't beat Brother B., but I did beat Sister B! However, in her defense, she was pregnant... probably should've let her win... Then we went to the relief society President's house to go and play some football with her boys, and for Elder Holt to eat some birthday cake!!  It was a pretty good time!
Humidity's a pretty real thing in a shirt and tie! Helps work off that water weight real quick! Then to finish off this preparation day, we went and played some ping-pong with our bishop! That was so good! He's incredible... but we did take home one win, so can't complain too much! To top off the Monday, we got to go and teach Sister G, who took us out to dinner at some hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. As we ate many a bowl of endless chips and salsa, we had a great talk about the priesthood, and the importance of coming back to church. Her daughter has a type of disease in her arm, that the fluid inside won't drain properly, so she's had and continues to have many surgeries to help her with it. We were able to give her a blessing, and the spirit promised that angels and old familiar faces would be there to help her through and guide her in the process. It was a good lesson, and a good blessing. She's got such a good, contagious, positive, attitude!  :)

Tuesday:  We planned a lot for our big meeting and met with a convert! (We'll get to that miracle!)

Wednesday, we had our big meeting! We were hosting it as the zone leaders, and had assigned the district leaders to talk about different aspects of missionary work. We asked a veteran senior missionary, to talk about his sacrifice in military service, and how he was able to give all that he had for another. He had lost both of his legs in combat, and gave a powerful talk about the importance of giving all you've got to those you serve. We backed it up with talking about real charity, and how we must teach by the Holy Ghost and God's will, sacrificing our selfish desires to not give it all for others! It was a powerful meeting that touched a lot of hearts, that we hope in turn will touch even more hearts.

After the meeting, I went out with a different missionary, and Brother P, our stalwart investigator, brought his friend to listen as well!! He was just as prepared and is being baptized on the 21rst of June as well! We talked a lot about the guidance of the Holy Ghost and the light of Christ that we all posses, and how Prophets of old have always spoken to us through revelation from God, and how the Book of Mormon is a way to find out if these impressions and promptings come from God, and if this is all true!  He was so prepared, as is Paul.  He basically helped us teach half the lesson that time! So good. Then we went to a less active member's house named Brother S.  We went over and he was grumpy and swearing here and there, as he made us alfredo pizza, and a big sausage. A lot of food... we both prayed half way that we'd be able to receive the grace sufficient to eat the whole thing... He told us he was going to a baptist church.   We invited him to come teach with us, that it'd cheer him right up!  So after he said some things a couple times, we walked out of his house, knocked on his neighbor's door, asked if we could share a message about Christ with her, and then invited Brother S to join us! She was a sweet women named Ms E who was living alone, and talked about some of her older habits, and how through Christ she was able to overcome them, and was still trying to. For some reason a lot of the scriptures that we were prompted to share came from Isaiah and the Isaiah chapters in second Nephi about the second coming and Satan being bound. Great lesson! Bro S enjoyed it, and it made him smile.  Success!!  ;) Then on the way out, he started wrestling my poor companion for the day, and put me in a headlock. We smiled and said, "It's time for us to go bro. Speed..." Pretty normal stop by!  :)

So some other miracles that happened in between, and also in the next couple days....

MY SCRIPTURES!! - My quad, which has been put through hours of study and hundreds of markings, went missing on Wednesday. ... I prayed for help, and had searched everywhere that I could think of. It was pretty sad to even ponder the thought of losing those this far out... after much praying and searching, I felt a confirmation come to me saying that I would be able to find them. I heard it pretty clear! So we trusted the voice, and went on to teach some more people that day, and when we got back, there was a voicemail from an unknown number saying that a Jeffrey Langford had a bible he needed to pick up at the visitor's center of Fort Brag... Fancy that.  I know that God's in the details of our lives and "speaketh to men according to their language, and unto their understanding" (2Nephi31:3)

THE BLESSING! - On Sunday we were asked to give a YSA a blessing. She said that she had been debating back and forth for many months about serving a mission, and had even had papers before and didn't feel right about it... We talked a bit about how as we give our desires and will to the Lord, our decisions and answers he brings become more clear to us. As I was giving her the blessing, about part way through, I knew what the Lord wanted her to do. I could feel the great missionary she would be and the many lives she would personally touch. My companion later said that he even saw her in a green dress somewhere preaching to people! After the blessing, I asked her if she'd feel comfortable sharing what she felt. In joyous tears, she broke down and said that she knew she had to go, and was so excited to serve The Lord!  :) Ah, it was such a good experience to be a part of that, and to see her happiness and willingness to do whatever the Lord would tell her. She had incredible faith, and it was neat to feel as I gave her that blessing!! :) Soo good :)

THE BISHOP! - As we were leaving church, the Bishop asked if he could talk to us for a couple minutes in his office... We thought we had done something wrong... kind of freaked us out at first.  He asked, Elders! What do you do to really help an investigator prepare for baptism? We talked about giving solid commitments, and helping them recognize the spirit in their life, and the importance of self conviction. He asked again saying what else? We talked specifically about how our investigators need to feel that they are being guided by God and the feelings that they receive to find their answers, and know how to continue the communication with him throughout their lives. He then said, "Elders, will you prepare yourself each week when you take the sacrament, the same way you prepare your investigators for baptism?" it was sooo powerful! He told us that he just felt prompted to sit us down and tell us, that the Lord said it was something we needed to hear... That's such a key thing though... I've learned on my mission more than ever how key the sacrament is, and how it really allows me to feel renewed by my Savior's sacrifice... That's going to be remembered, every time I take the sacrament...

THE PEOPLE! - So we've been teaching a couple that live together and love their coffee and sweet tea. We went in this week, ready to be lovingly bold with them, and helping them to recognize the blessings that come from these commandments. We brought it up, and they said, "We'll do it!". It was such a testimony to me, (along with Mr P and his friend) that the Lord has people all over the place that are ready to be baptized, and we just need to qualify ourselves, for his trust to bring them to us. When we first met with them, one of them was an atheist, who had been in the catholic church for a couple of his younger years, just disillusioned by the whole thing. Now, he's praying, reading, coming to church, giving up coffee, and moving out until they get married! I know that it's the spirit that comes from seeking with real intent, and a sincere heart, and faith in Christ. Those three things have been so instrumental in our teaching the last couple weeks, and people really want it! They feel the taste of Eternal Love through the influence of the spirit the message brings, and have been so prompt on acting on those promptings and finding the spirit for themselves. It's incredible. It's a miracle! It's the mission life!! We're having 4 baptisms right after I leave for these ready souls. 

The work is flying in our area! The Lord's been good and has trusted us with some of his beloved children to teach his message to!  :) I'm so grateful for the service I've been blessed to render. I find time and time again that it's our choice whether or not to participate, in this that will never stop moving forward! Next week we've got a general authority coming to talk to the mission! We'll look forward to that!
Have a great week! I love y'all!
Love,
Elder Langford