Hellos Family and Friends,
I dont' really know what to say because I pretty much told everyone what has happend this week. Some people didn't listen to some of my stories though, but that's ok. On Sunday we had President Poulsen come speak to our tri-ward Sacrament meeting. I was the one who got to call him to give him the assignment too. It was great! He spoke for about 5 minutes and had his cousin tell her conversion story, and boy was it long! It was a good story just way too long for me. I got to give the lesson in the investigators class and I did it on the Atonement. It was a good lesson, even though we didn't have much time. We watched the Mediator from the BOM video and then we read some from the Gospel Principles book. I also did the thing where I have someone do pushups so everyone can have a piece of candy. It went well. There was an old lady in the front of the class and while her missionary was doing pushups and struggling, she just kept saying "shame." When I asked who wants a piece of candy next, she was first to raise her hand and she even counted for him to do his pushups. I even got compliments on the hyphen/lesson.
I got myself a little Christmas gift with Camille's money and a little bit from the home card. I bought a suit. It's a grayish color and it's got stripes. I did take pictures of it but only with Barnhursts camera and he doesn't have a way of hooking the camera to the computer. I am taking the suit back today, though because the jacket is a little tight and if I want it to last me till I get home then I better get something a little bit bigger, especially if I'm going to meet my "goal". I saw a three piece suit that was all black with real subtle stripes for cheaper so we're going to go try it on today and I'll send some pictures of that too. My suits that I have now, the ones I brought, are starting to get worn out. Especially the pants since I wear them tracting and what not. The new suit is going to be just a sunday suit and I'll be able to wear a nice suit for when I come home and give my homecoming talk.
Oh yeah, I never told you about Andy B's watch. When I got to the MTC, about 5 days in, it just stopped working for no reason. I put it somewhere and thought I lost it for a while, until one day I found it and last week I put a new battery in it and its running like a charm. I still dont know what all the dials are and everything, but I know what time it is and thats all that matters! Thanks Andy B!
It sure was great talking to all of you! Well, most of you! It really is a lifter hearing everyone's voice and hearing words of encouragment from my family! I'm sorry this is so short, I really can't think of anything else to write. I'll do better next week! I love you all! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Langston
Monday, 29 December 2008
Monday, 22 December 2008
christmas time again
Dear Family and Friends,
Gold Reef is going good. We had a ward Christmas party and that was good stuff. We did different activities where the different....uh...groups got together, like the Elders Quorum and the YM/YW and so on, and had to do a different skit. They got all the ideas from "Who's Line is it Anyway" and it was fun. They had baking where the person couldn't use their own arms and that was funny stuff. Elders Quorum did the party one where people are acting different and the host has to guess who we are. I was a wise man that couldn't find the star. The Bishoprics was the best. They did the one where one person had to be standing, one sitting, and the other one laying down. I'll try to send the video of it and I hope it works. It's quite funny stuff. The guy in the white shirt is Bishop Pineaar. There were a lot of less actives that came and it was really fun. Santa came and gave the children presents. Angel and Brighton were there. They are the ones in the photo, the only black kids there.
I still haven't gotten any packages yet, but maybe its there today. We are going to check it soon. I'm excited to see what Grandma and Grandpa Travis got me. They are such great grandparents. Ha- they are great grandparents. Ba dun cha! I think I've gotten funnier over the period of time being here in South Africa, or maybe I'm just more easily amused. You can be the judge of that on Christmas day! I aslo got a story about the watch Andy B. gave to me. It's a sad story with a great ending! Remind me on Christmas. I'm sure he's dying to know how his Swiss Military watch is doing.
I love you all so much! I can't wait to talk to you on Christmas! Enjoy the snow and stay safe! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Gold Reef is going good. We had a ward Christmas party and that was good stuff. We did different activities where the different....uh...groups got together, like the Elders Quorum and the YM/YW and so on, and had to do a different skit. They got all the ideas from "Who's Line is it Anyway" and it was fun. They had baking where the person couldn't use their own arms and that was funny stuff. Elders Quorum did the party one where people are acting different and the host has to guess who we are. I was a wise man that couldn't find the star. The Bishoprics was the best. They did the one where one person had to be standing, one sitting, and the other one laying down. I'll try to send the video of it and I hope it works. It's quite funny stuff. The guy in the white shirt is Bishop Pineaar. There were a lot of less actives that came and it was really fun. Santa came and gave the children presents. Angel and Brighton were there. They are the ones in the photo, the only black kids there.
We did the movie but no one showed up. The picture of the empty hall is attached.
I still haven't gotten any packages yet, but maybe its there today. We are going to check it soon. I'm excited to see what Grandma and Grandpa Travis got me. They are such great grandparents. Ha- they are great grandparents. Ba dun cha! I think I've gotten funnier over the period of time being here in South Africa, or maybe I'm just more easily amused. You can be the judge of that on Christmas day! I aslo got a story about the watch Andy B. gave to me. It's a sad story with a great ending! Remind me on Christmas. I'm sure he's dying to know how his Swiss Military watch is doing.
I love you all so much! I can't wait to talk to you on Christmas! Enjoy the snow and stay safe! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Monday, 15 December 2008
"Tis the Season to be Jolly"
Dearest Fam and Friends,
It's Christmas time again! I sure love this season! I sure miss being home for this season too, especially since there is no snow here, no one puts up lights on their houses, and everyone says father Christmas instead of Santa Clause. I don't understand these people sometimes.
So my area, Gold Reef, is just the name of the area which covers a lot of little town names. Whats crazy here is that there really isn't much of a break between cities or whatever they call it here. Everything just kinda is smashed together and they'll be a sign on the road that divides the "cities" saying where you are now entering. So Windsor is a little "city" in our area where its just flats(apartments) and only black people live there, well, mostly blacks. We have made little invitations for the movie and have been handing them out in Windsor. Yeah, I don't know if I told you already but we are showing a movie, free of charge, to everyone in the area. We have rented out a recreation center in the heart of Windsor and are inviting everyone to come and feel the Christmas Spirit. I think we'll show Joy to the World and have a song or two that we'll sing together. Hopefully we'll get some people to teach from it. If it works out then we are going to do it again and start to teach more things and sometimes just not show a movie and instead teach people. The plan is to one day have a branch in Windsor. Bishop Pineaar has been working with us and he's so excited every time we talk about it. He even spoke in Sacrament Meeting and told the ward that this is our new years goal is to do missionary work and focus on Windsor. I get excited when he talks about it too! It's fun just walking around and talking with the black folks again because the whiteys stay in their huge houses behind their big walls and they don't want to hear anything about Jesus Christ. If only they knew.
Yesterday as we were passing out invitations, we saw a group of kids and I stopped just to chat with them, because that's how I like to do it. They said they were playing marbles and I told the kid that I could beat him. (at marbles) So he took the challenge. Now the way they play marbles here is they got two bricks set next to each other with a gap barely big enough for the marble to go through and you stand behind a line and shoot the marble trying to make it in. If you don't succeed the first time then the closest one gets to hit the marble from where it landed and try to shoot it through. So the game went on with me and this little black kid. He shot and missed, I went and hit the corner of the brick on the inside of the gap and it bounced out, making it a straight shot through the gap. I hit it with a technique I learned in the township and I totally smoked the kid. We played again and my beginners luck wore off and I lost. We then invited the kids and their families to the movie. We'll see if they show up.
We got transfer news on Saturday and they are splitting the Jozi Central mission so we are going to have two more missionaries in our flat, a total of 6, until we find a new flat. So that is what we get to do today is find a new flat to stay in and the Jozi Central missionaries are moving closer to their area.
I have not recieved the package yet, but hopefully it'll come soon.
Well, Family and Friends! I love you all so much! I'm so very grateful for all that you do for me. I love you Grandma and Grandpa Travis. I'm sorry for not writing you back but I will soon. I just am pinchin pennies right now and I paid for email in 20 cent coins and barely had enough to buy time. But I love you and pray for you all! Take care and CTR!!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
It's Christmas time again! I sure love this season! I sure miss being home for this season too, especially since there is no snow here, no one puts up lights on their houses, and everyone says father Christmas instead of Santa Clause. I don't understand these people sometimes.
So my area, Gold Reef, is just the name of the area which covers a lot of little town names. Whats crazy here is that there really isn't much of a break between cities or whatever they call it here. Everything just kinda is smashed together and they'll be a sign on the road that divides the "cities" saying where you are now entering. So Windsor is a little "city" in our area where its just flats(apartments) and only black people live there, well, mostly blacks. We have made little invitations for the movie and have been handing them out in Windsor. Yeah, I don't know if I told you already but we are showing a movie, free of charge, to everyone in the area. We have rented out a recreation center in the heart of Windsor and are inviting everyone to come and feel the Christmas Spirit. I think we'll show Joy to the World and have a song or two that we'll sing together. Hopefully we'll get some people to teach from it. If it works out then we are going to do it again and start to teach more things and sometimes just not show a movie and instead teach people. The plan is to one day have a branch in Windsor. Bishop Pineaar has been working with us and he's so excited every time we talk about it. He even spoke in Sacrament Meeting and told the ward that this is our new years goal is to do missionary work and focus on Windsor. I get excited when he talks about it too! It's fun just walking around and talking with the black folks again because the whiteys stay in their huge houses behind their big walls and they don't want to hear anything about Jesus Christ. If only they knew.
Yesterday as we were passing out invitations, we saw a group of kids and I stopped just to chat with them, because that's how I like to do it. They said they were playing marbles and I told the kid that I could beat him. (at marbles) So he took the challenge. Now the way they play marbles here is they got two bricks set next to each other with a gap barely big enough for the marble to go through and you stand behind a line and shoot the marble trying to make it in. If you don't succeed the first time then the closest one gets to hit the marble from where it landed and try to shoot it through. So the game went on with me and this little black kid. He shot and missed, I went and hit the corner of the brick on the inside of the gap and it bounced out, making it a straight shot through the gap. I hit it with a technique I learned in the township and I totally smoked the kid. We played again and my beginners luck wore off and I lost. We then invited the kids and their families to the movie. We'll see if they show up.
We got transfer news on Saturday and they are splitting the Jozi Central mission so we are going to have two more missionaries in our flat, a total of 6, until we find a new flat. So that is what we get to do today is find a new flat to stay in and the Jozi Central missionaries are moving closer to their area.
I have not recieved the package yet, but hopefully it'll come soon.
Well, Family and Friends! I love you all so much! I'm so very grateful for all that you do for me. I love you Grandma and Grandpa Travis. I'm sorry for not writing you back but I will soon. I just am pinchin pennies right now and I paid for email in 20 cent coins and barely had enough to buy time. But I love you and pray for you all! Take care and CTR!!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Monday, 08 December 2008
Feeling Good in the Neighborhood
I am feeling much better today than I was the past few days. Thank you Mom and Dad for your words of encouragement. We were invited to PEC Sunday morning, at 6:30, and we talked about the missionary work in our area and our bishop is so excited about Windsor that he got me excited for it as well and I can't wait to start going to hard work there. We've been doing a little bit here and there but we haven't really dove in like I want to this week. I'll let you know how it all goes.
Sunday was an interesting day. We had some awkward times and some awesome times and DAs! At church I kinda did a far away greeting to President Wrench, the father of the kid who ran away for a few hours, and he gave me a little knod back. The mother got up and bore testimony and it was pretty much centered around the whole incident. The whole time at church whenever I'd walk by her, I'd greet her but it was just weird how she greeted me back. After church we went to some temple misisonaries house to have lunch and they invited her daughter who kept talking about Karl and Kay. I had no idea what she was talking about. I finally asked who was this Karl she's talking about and she said Karl Malone. She was a nanny for him about 17 years ago and she's got some clothes from him and basketball cards signed by him that she use to just give to missionaries. It was pretty cool hearing about his family and all the cool things she got to do with his fam. Great conversation.
After that food, we went to the baptism of a lady that Elder Barnhurst was teaching but she moved to another area but we got to see her be baptized and it was awesome! I could really feel the Spirit while I was there and it was what I needed! Afterwards, we had refreshments and they were nice! Right after the baptism, we went to another temple missionaries house for more dinner. They are from Texas and they made us some homemade burgers and pumpkin pie! Oh it was nice nice! So that is how our Sunday went . This week hasn't really been the best week.
I purchased something that was pretty cheap and I wanted it to cheer me up. There is a picture of it there. Also, after seeing so many huge Afrikaaners I've decided I'll work out lots to get big and so that is the goal that I drew up. I hope these recent photos of me will do you well. Im trying to get more pictures of me to send home, but I really dont have anything to take pictures of. I'll work on that. Thanks again for your encouraging words! I love you all so much and I pray for you! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Sunday was an interesting day. We had some awkward times and some awesome times and DAs! At church I kinda did a far away greeting to President Wrench, the father of the kid who ran away for a few hours, and he gave me a little knod back. The mother got up and bore testimony and it was pretty much centered around the whole incident. The whole time at church whenever I'd walk by her, I'd greet her but it was just weird how she greeted me back. After church we went to some temple misisonaries house to have lunch and they invited her daughter who kept talking about Karl and Kay. I had no idea what she was talking about. I finally asked who was this Karl she's talking about and she said Karl Malone. She was a nanny for him about 17 years ago and she's got some clothes from him and basketball cards signed by him that she use to just give to missionaries. It was pretty cool hearing about his family and all the cool things she got to do with his fam. Great conversation.
After that food, we went to the baptism of a lady that Elder Barnhurst was teaching but she moved to another area but we got to see her be baptized and it was awesome! I could really feel the Spirit while I was there and it was what I needed! Afterwards, we had refreshments and they were nice! Right after the baptism, we went to another temple missionaries house for more dinner. They are from Texas and they made us some homemade burgers and pumpkin pie! Oh it was nice nice! So that is how our Sunday went . This week hasn't really been the best week.
I purchased something that was pretty cheap and I wanted it to cheer me up. There is a picture of it there. Also, after seeing so many huge Afrikaaners I've decided I'll work out lots to get big and so that is the goal that I drew up. I hope these recent photos of me will do you well. Im trying to get more pictures of me to send home, but I really dont have anything to take pictures of. I'll work on that. Thanks again for your encouraging words! I love you all so much and I pray for you! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Thursday, 04 December 2008
December Greetings!
This is Albert. He is the Ward Missionary that Jordan was companions with for a while so that his companion, Elder Barnhurst could recover from knee surgery. This was taken at a bird park.
Greetings to you on this wonderful cloudy day in December! I'm glad to hear that your thanksgiving was a success and everyone had a good time. My thanksgiving wasn't too bad, and it wasn't too good. Funny story though, I was told by Tyler Smith that Thanksgiving was on the 20th and so on the 20th we had a nice dinner with some rich people and we told them it was Thanksgiving today. They we excited and I told lots of stories about Thanksgiving and what happens the day after. The following Sunday some of the temple missionaries from the states spoke and mentioned that Thanksgiving was coming on the next Thursday. Boy, did I feel stupid. We just had a regular meal at our flat on Thanksgiving night, but we did put up tinsle and lights in our flat after re-arranging it.
We really dont' have anyone that we are constantly teaching because here people have jobs where they can't get time off too often. We got one girl on date for baptism but I haven't even seen her the whole time I've been here. We met with bishop yesterday after church and we are working on reactivation and one area in particular called Windsor. That is where a lot of the black people live and he says he knows there will be a branch there in about a year. We are starting to look for rec centers that we can rent out and do a "cottage meeting" there and just have everyone come whoever wants to. There are always people walking around there and so if we put up signs for a movie about Jesus or something, people will come and we'll be able to start teaching more people that way. I hate tracting so I try to do other stuff that is more useful than just nonsense tracting on doors where people dont even come out to the gate to talk to us. I hope these ideas I got will work! I'll have to let you know how they go.
Our area is probably about the size of half of Spanish Fork? I dont know. Its really big and spread out. We are in a car and ....yeah. I dont know what else to tell you about the area. The ward we are in is really small and a chunk of the members are temple misisonaries that live in our area. There are only two of us that actually work the area though. We are getting along ok, Barnhurst and I. Oh yeah, he's from Fillmore Utah.
We really dont' have anyone that we are constantly teaching because here people have jobs where they can't get time off too often. We got one girl on date for baptism but I haven't even seen her the whole time I've been here. We met with bishop yesterday after church and we are working on reactivation and one area in particular called Windsor. That is where a lot of the black people live and he says he knows there will be a branch there in about a year. We are starting to look for rec centers that we can rent out and do a "cottage meeting" there and just have everyone come whoever wants to. There are always people walking around there and so if we put up signs for a movie about Jesus or something, people will come and we'll be able to start teaching more people that way. I hate tracting so I try to do other stuff that is more useful than just nonsense tracting on doors where people dont even come out to the gate to talk to us. I hope these ideas I got will work! I'll have to let you know how they go.
Our area is probably about the size of half of Spanish Fork? I dont know. Its really big and spread out. We are in a car and ....yeah. I dont know what else to tell you about the area. The ward we are in is really small and a chunk of the members are temple misisonaries that live in our area. There are only two of us that actually work the area though. We are getting along ok, Barnhurst and I. Oh yeah, he's from Fillmore Utah.
This just in, a midget, black I might add, just walked in the email shop. I waved to him. I have made a lot of friends with the members here. I even met some members in Pretoria and they invited me and my zone leader over for New Years and they said they'll spoil me since I helped them move into their enormous house. Now I've got plans for Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Years. I'm excited for that!
Here are some goods for you to view and enjoy. That was my ward missionary companion, Alfred, at the bird park. Listen to what the white bird said to me. This bird was saying it to everyone as it just walked around freely. Sorry I dont have any recent ones of me. I dotn really like asking people to take pictures of me. I'll try to get some random ones of me and send them next week.
Thank you so much for all that you do for me! I love mission so much and I feel the blessings as I do whats right out here! With the school stuff, I managed to register for UVU and I got accepted and I put my major as Construction Management. One day I'll sign up for my classes so I'll be ready when I come home. President says he'll hook it up where I can use Skype on his computer to talk to an advisor and make sure they still have my info for military aide so we dont' have to go through all the paper work again so I can just get home and go right to school instead of coming home early. I love you all so much! I hope all is going well for you all. I'm happy to hear that Dad got the job in Orem! Good job Dad. Oh yeah, I spoke in Ssacrament meeting yesterday for five minutes on Jesus Christ. It was a choppy talk but I told everyone that I dont sing so they wont ask me anymore. Everyone, of course, came up to me after and said, you really do need to sing. You have a wonderful voice. It was great! Well, we're outta here! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
Here are some goods for you to view and enjoy. That was my ward missionary companion, Alfred, at the bird park. Listen to what the white bird said to me. This bird was saying it to everyone as it just walked around freely. Sorry I dont have any recent ones of me. I dotn really like asking people to take pictures of me. I'll try to get some random ones of me and send them next week.
Thank you so much for all that you do for me! I love mission so much and I feel the blessings as I do whats right out here! With the school stuff, I managed to register for UVU and I got accepted and I put my major as Construction Management. One day I'll sign up for my classes so I'll be ready when I come home. President says he'll hook it up where I can use Skype on his computer to talk to an advisor and make sure they still have my info for military aide so we dont' have to go through all the paper work again so I can just get home and go right to school instead of coming home early. I love you all so much! I hope all is going well for you all. I'm happy to hear that Dad got the job in Orem! Good job Dad. Oh yeah, I spoke in Ssacrament meeting yesterday for five minutes on Jesus Christ. It was a choppy talk but I told everyone that I dont sing so they wont ask me anymore. Everyone, of course, came up to me after and said, you really do need to sing. You have a wonderful voice. It was great! Well, we're outta here! Take care and CTR!
Love,
Elder Jordan Langston
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