Tsakane

Dear family and friends,

First off, i'm emailing on a computer that has the buttons stick so if something isn't capitalized that should be, you know why.

Sunday went well, except the less actives didn't show up again. Oh well, one of the less actives is starting to come back. She's a really cool girl and she loves the scriptures. I gave her my BOM study manual so she can study and she was asking about the Hymns and what not saying that she doesn't have a book and wants to know how much they are. I just gave her my little Hymn book and she was so excited! She even sang us her favorite song before we left their house. Her mom, who's an active member up north, came to visit on Sunday and thanked us for finding her daughter and getting her back to church. It was nice! It was kinda sad leaving the ward because there are a few members who I'm going to miss.
This week was pretty good too. We talked with Eric Moorcroft yesterday and he said how wonderful of a lady you are, Mom. He's sorry he didn't get to stop by and say hi, but he went running when he first got to the states and he got real sick. He said that his brother in law and his aunt are very greatful for what you did for them!

Today we are hanging out with Elder Tyler Smith and Elder Elyas and we are going to the zoo with them. We are going to have a good time.
I'm glad to hear that Jill and Troy are doing well. I hope everyone else is doing good! I sure love you all and I'll talk at you later. Oh yeah, my new comp is Elder Barnett. He's a cool guy. He was in my district in Katlehong. I'm going to Tsakane in the Springs area. Its a township, YAY!! I'll let you know how it goes next week. Take care and CTR!

Love,
Elder Jordan Langston

WE DID IT!

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Happy Monday! This past week was awesome! We met some more less actives and we even got a hold of one of the investigator families that they were teaching before I came to this area. We went there to teach them one thing but they asked about us not drinking tea when we turned it down so we ended up teaching about the Word of Wisdom. The family of three took it very well. They said they want to come to church but last time they did, they got lost and didn't go. The bishop doesn't live too far from them so we arranged for bishop's wife to take them to church. They came and everyone was very nice to them and very welcoming and they loved the church. The father said that he felt something different there that he has ever felt in any other church. It was cool to hear that. To make things even better, there is a less active family that hasn't been to church for a long time. Bishop gave us the challenge to get them to church because we were going to see them Saturday night. The son just got out of rehab and the rest of the family don't ever come to church. We invited them when we saw them on Saturday and lo and behold, they showed up to church on Sunday. The whole family!! There was another less active YSA girl that we are visiting and she came to church as well and everyone loved seeing them there. They made a special welcome to the less actives in priesthood and it was pretty cool. They said they'll be there next week, which will be my last Sunday here.

Yup, you heard right, I'm leaving this area already. In fact, we are both leaving becasue they are closing the Gold Reef area since there is a shortage of missionaries and Gold Reef isn't doing too well with the numbers and what not. We told Tilly this news and she was so sad. Everyone else we tell dont' really care. They never worked with the missionaries anyway so they wont really miss them.

Congratulations Jill and Villi for making a baby! I like the name too, Troy Ham...ani. something. Seriously though, I like it. I dont' remember it but I liked it when I read it. Has anyone gotten any new callings? I heard that Rachael is in the Primary and in charge of the music. I want that to be my calling when I get home so I can play the guitar for the kids and they can sing. That'd be fun.

Next week I'll tell you where I'm going to be transfered to. I'm thinking it's going to be in Pretoria, but we'll see.

Well, I'm sorry I dont' have a picture today. I dont really take my camera out with me much. I'll take some with members and stuff before I leave so I'll give you a picture of the Mwanawasa family and their new black baby. I love you all so much, and no I haven't gotten the letter with the $$ in it yet. It could be at the office today, but I'll find out later today. Thanks for being great! Take care and CTR.

Love,
Elder Langston

It's true isn't it? Then what else matters?

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy Monday to you all. I love this gospel! After Bryce's passing away, it has been kinda hard. Oh yeah, I'll tell you a little story. When I checked my email, the first thing I saw was the email "sad, sad news". I read that and just sat there a bit thinking. It's so weird because I wrote an email to him a couple weeks ago and we made plans to get together when I get home to rock out. It's crazy to think that he wont be there when I get home. I read in Alma 40 and it's cool to know where we go when we die. It's cool to know that we'll be resurrected and able to see each other again. I love this gospel! I love being able to share these truths to people. Well, the people who will listen to me.

This week has been a pretty good one. We got a hold of some of the less actives. In fact, one of them was a girl, black, and her extended family and we went there just to say hey, share something, and invite her back to church. After about 25 minutes we were going to take off but she asked if we could stay a little longer because she likes having missionaries at her house. So we stayed for a little bit longer and gave her an assignment in the scriptures and everything. It was nice.

Tilly, the lady in the ward that was pregnant, finally gave birth to her baby on the 7th when it was due before Christmas. It was crazy, and she says the baby almost killed her when she was giving birth. As she was in labor and heading to the hospital, her husbands car got a flat tire and when the bishop got to them and took them to the hospital, she was already dilated to a 10. She went home the next morning and we went over to say hey to them. She was swollen and her eyes were totally blood shot. There was a bunch of pressure, she says, and she really thought she was going to die. They hooked her up to oxygen for a bit but she's doing ok now. Both her and the baby are doing well and we saw them last night and we have gotten them to read in the evenings and we are going to go over there to read BOM stories with them and their kids. Their adopted son is going to be ten this year and isn't baptized yet so we are going to start teaching him and helping him out. He's not very smart. He can't read good but he can speak descent english. He's a funny kid. He's the one in the pic with Tilly, the pregnant lady in black. The family use to be less active but they are starting to see that things are happening for a reason and are starting to turn more towards the gospel again and toward God. They are a cool family.

This upcoming week is going to be the busiest we've had so far. We've got a lot of appointments with LA members and also other members to give referrals. The work is starting to pick up now. I'm doing a lot better now days! I'm glad to hear how everyone is doing. I'm glad you got to go to the funeral as well. I'll have to send his family a quick one. I got to thinking, when I go to school I'm going to live close to the school so I dont have to drive in the snow when it comes down. Deal? Good.

So I didn't have any pictures to send home, but I did find this here webcam to take a picture of me so you can see how fat I am.
Well, family. I sure do love you all! Take care and CTR.

Love,
Elder Langston

Jordan doesn't know when to come in from the sun.

Jordan in his new suit that he took back because he didn't like the way the jacket fit.

The beautiful sky in Johannesburg

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, this week has been a slow week. We didn't really do too much. New Year's Eve we had a braai at the chapel with other Elders and we played some ball and watched a little movie there. On New Years Day we went to the office to play volleyball and have another braai with other missionaries. I didn't play much volleyball. Instead I sat and watched them. By the time we went home, I had painful legs and feet and they were pretty pink. The next day, they were killing. I burned the tops of my feet real good and my legs up to my knees. The lady in charge of the medical stuff for the missionaries told me to go to the trauma center and get it checked out. I did and they said I have third degree burns on my feet. I haven't been able to wear shoes or socks for a couple of days so we dont get to do any work. I did re-arrange the flat a couple times and done lots of studying and cleaning my room. I was reading some of the epistles that Paul wrote to the Corinthians and also the Romans. I read chapter 7 in Romans where he talks very poetically about his sins using the famous line "Oh wretched man that I am". It's really quite interesting of the similarity with Paul and Nephi in 2 Nephi I think its chapter 4. When Lehi gives his dying words to his grandkids and then Nephi talks about his infirmities and uses pretty much the same words and Paul. My favorite part of both accounts is the happy ending. They both go on to talk about our Savior and all that He has done for us to clean us from sin. I was obviously on adderall while I was reading. :) But I sure got a good study out of it.

I've been getting a lot of calls from the medical lady, Sister Gittins, checking up on my and telling me to put crazy stuff on my burns. She first told me to put cucumbers on and that'll take the sting away. We then got a call from her about 9:30 last night telling me that she heard that plain yougurt does the trick as well. I told her that I've heard of that one and the RS ladies at home got me to do that once. What's funny is that she was telling me all this stuff after I'd been to the doctor and gotten some cream and pills. I think the pills were for the swelling that was going on with my feet. These are some pictures of some of the feet that got burned. Oh yeah, we also went to Gold Reef City for New Years Eve and had a good time there. I hope the video works. This is a roller coaster that the kart detaches from the main coast on ground level then gets lifted up by some kind of hoist to an extreme height and reunited with the tracks again. They then fall straight down and under ground. It was quite the thrill! The sky pictures were taken at the members house that we had Christmas Eve with. The skies here are so beautiful! I hope you enjoy the suit pics! I took the suit back but haven't gotten another one yet. I'll just wait till closer to going home if I really want a suit. I might just wait till I'm home and working and making money before I go buy a suit.

I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well.
I love you all so much! You are all too good to me and are great examples to me. Also in 2 Nephi 4 when Lehi is talking to Laman's kids he says some stuff like parents are to teach the kids in righteousness and when they teach the children then they wont go astray when they get older. I'm thankful for you teaching me righteously when I was young. Even though I mess up here and there, I will not go astray and be cast off forever. Thanks again! I love you. Take care and CTR!

Love,
Elder Jordan Langston