Elder Jeff Langford's Missionary Blog

"Hunting" for Investigators &

 Happy Mother's Day!

Update from Elder Langford: May 13, 2013

Hi Everyone,

Well, this week's been ok! It's been a little crazy. We've striven to find people to teach, and to hang on to those that have allowed us to come in! Things are looking up though. Most of the things in this week revolved around setting more things up for next week. There was one day that towards the end was very guided by the spirit. We had had no success that whole day with any of our plans, and basically everyone fell through. We went on an exchange with a member, and just kept trying to stop by different back-ups we had. We were coming down from a door that we had knocked, and I just kind of said, Ahh!!

It's a test of our patience and faith! We need to find someone to teach! We were getting in the car, and as we were shutting the door, there was this lady that was walking her dog coming up the street. We were desperate! We jumped out of the car, and went to talk to her. We came to find out that she had actually worked with a Mormon friend, and was always curious as to how she believed, because of the good example she'd set. She said she'd been looking for something spiritual and really wanted to come to know her Savior better. she had to go, but we set up a time for next week, and hopefully she'll be ready to go and ready to teach! Woot! So that was a miracle! And then on the way home, we stopped by someone else's really quick, and he wasn't there, but someone else was on the front porch. We talked to her for a while, and ended up teaching the whole first lesson to her in a nut shell, and now are working to get the Book of Mormon for her on a cd because of the cataracts in her eyes. AND, as we walked out to the car, there was a man we'd talked to a while back, that just kinda seemed standoffish, and said that maybe he'd give it a try if we were to give him a copy of a Book of Mormon as he biked away. Anyway, as we're going back to the car, he yells at us and said Hey! you still got a copy of that book? So we gave him one, and as we were driving away, we noticed that he'd sat down, and was reading it pretty intense looking! So that was a triple miracle after a long hard day!
We had a great zone meeting where Elder Pettitt and I were asked to teach about how to use your planner more effectively in the work. It really is the same thing as the liahona. I'm pretty convinced of that. I was in the shower (prime revelation time) and it just clicked to compare the planner to the liahona, and now I look at my planner in a different light, and treat it with more diligence, head, and faith, as Nephi did. And as we all know, Nephi was able to find the wild beasts for his family. Just like it says in Jeremiah, we are hunters, and we'll be able to find the people that we're looking for, (not to trap and take back to the ward), but to help them receive the message of peace and happiness that they need so badly, without even knowing it. So that went really well! Then we went on an exchange with some other elders. Once again, it seemed that everything just didn't want to work out, but fall through...until we were with a member, for the last part of the day, and we decided to pray, before we went to the next possible appointment, and where to go out of the selection we had... So we did, and we had a very touching spiritual lesson with an older lady named Betty. It was a very tender lesson, and though she didn't agree to hear more of the lessons, she agreed to take and read from the Book of Mormon. Some of these people are really striving to do their best to live close to Christ. It's hard when you see such good people, who just, aren't ready to change their beliefs to accept and see the greater light, but we're sure that Betty will do just fine if she takes some time to read the Book of Mormon, because of the very real power that's in that book!
The other main event was actually a pretty short lesson, but it was to the point, and powerful. We're teaching this neighbor who we'd contacted from his porch, and he's made so much progress! He told us that he's cut down to 2 cigarettes a day, and is using those water vapor ones to slowly get there to the point where he can just lay down the habit. He's also promised to start off the coffee. He's getting there ;) We had a simple lesson on how Lamoni's father was also learning about the truth, and we emphasized the way that he was able to know for himself that it was true, and was real. We challenged our investigator to pray about the truthfulness of the things he'd read. It was like most lessons, but it was just comforting to see how real his intent was, and how much he'd worked to find the truth. We've got high hopes for him and hope that he'll take the time to pray about it, so that the truth can not only be in his mind, but in his heart as well :) Those were the highlights of the week. It's been a little slow, but we've re-amped almost everything we do, so that it can be more focused and qualitative. We're not giving up!
Well, I guess there was one more pretty big highlight... I got to talk to the family over Skype! That doesn't happen everyday! It's crazy how much everyone's continually growing up... time stops for no one! Yet seeing them and talking with them feels like it was yesterday since I left... weird -_- I'd like to take the remaining time I have though and just dedicate it to My mother! It was just Mother's Day, and she definitely deserves some recognition! It's been crazy to see how as the mission progresses, everything that my mom's said in the past, things for me to do, ways to live my life, all the things that as a kid kind of slip in one ear and out the other, are all making complete sense, and, of course, I get to see how because she's a mom and she was right about almost everything about life... haha. I love her so much, and I know that I would not be even close to the person I am now if it wasn't for the love and devotion she's given so lovingly to me for so many years. As I go through some of the harder trials I've had to face in life, the appreciation for all that she's done for me continues to grow and constantly increases my view on how big the sacrifice really is. She is an amazing women! she's shown true characteristics of love and hard work in which I'm continually learning from. I love you mom! I'm forever grateful for all that you've done for me! I'll probably come back and have a nice competitive game of mini golf when I get home! Thanks again :) I love you all and have a great week!!! Until next time!! 
Love, Elder Langford