"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."
-Joshua 1:9

Monday, June 23, 2014

A birthday bash I'll never forget


Hey my loving friends and family. Hope that your all doing great and enjoying life where ever this email finds you. I am doing great, I really don’t know where the time is going here on the mission! I am enjoying every minute here in Honduras and right now in Talanga. It’s great and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else right now in my life, or wouldn't want to be any place else at this time. Soaking it all up before it ends! So this week absolutely flew bye... we killed it this week to say the least! 
So this past Monday we went to a birthday party. It's not like the states where families wait to have big family parties on the weekends for someone that is having a party. They do it on the day they have their birthday. So we got a call from a family that we are teaching, the O Family and that it was his moms birthday y que ella queria que we go to the party... so when we got there, there was all the familia. So then they asked us if we could give a message to all the family that they had invited. She said that the only thing that she wanted for her birthday was that her family listens to us because this message has changed her sons life and now her husband and her life. We shared a message about families and the importance of families in our lives and how everything in the Lords plan is based on the family. They loved our message that we gave them. So many of the extended family members and all invited us to come to their own homes and to teach them... it was like jumping into a jackpot. So we got about 11 new investigators out of this birthday party. HAHA… couldn't get any better, right! So many of them are so interested and are preparing for O’s parents to get married on July 4th and to get baptized on that same day! What a great way that we are going to spend the fourth of July here in Honduras baby!!! woohhooooo! Couldn't be more excited for it! The husband is preparing to be baptized as well! Can’t wait for this day. Their family is great and the extended family and all is so happy to see the change in familia L. as well. Now we are in the process of changing the rest of the familia for the better. They are such good people. So all good, time to work and work and work. 

This week we got after it and found a lot of new people. We had about 25 lessons and I can honestly say every single one went great. It was a great week! Here, there are a lot of people waiting for the gospel and the message that we have. There are people that need it, everyone needs it. We must grow closer to our Savior now, it’s not tomorrow, it’s today. We are teaching a ton...everyday flies by because we are running with our heads cut off. We also had to put the big boy pants on again today with some leaders here. We gave them the plan that Papi Long brought here to Talanga and we are going to complete it that's for sure. We have goals to make things even better and we are going to do them fast. We have 6 people right now with baptism dates and that includes two familias. So we are going to work hard and have tons of success this Julio to say the least. Everything is possible with the help of the Lord. This is the Lords work. I feel it and see it everyday. We are only instruments in the Lords hands. The Lord prepares people that need the Savior in their lives. It's their job and your job to do the little things to be able to feel the influence of the spirit in your lives. I promise each of you that if you align your life closer to the teachings of the Savior, you will reap the benefits and see the blessings in your life. If you don't know what you can do to align your life closer to the teachings of the Savior, email me, I'll tell you what is good. I promise you that you will see a change in your lives. YOU MUST NOT WAIT. Today is the day. We are children of God. We must act like it. I know that the work that I am doing is the work of the Lord. I know that with all my heart. We must do the little things right. It makes all the difference.

In 1 John 4:18-21 it reads:
18  “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21  And this commandment have we from hi, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

The love for others is huge. It’s the first step in serving others. Christ served others and was a great example to others, we must be too. 

This week we had the opportunidad to hear from Elder Ochoa. He was a stud. He talked about agency and how there is opposition in all things. We must do the little things so that when we are faced with opposition we will make smart choices. When we make choices guided by the spirit I promise you brothers and sisters that the spirit will never lead us astray. We will feel and know that we are making smart and correct decisions in our lives. We are here to prepare to live with our heavenly father once again. Now is the time to prepare to live with our heavenly father once again. We must not take this lightly for any means. Today is the day to DO THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT. Read your scriptures, go to church and apply what you learn, say your prayers in the morning and at night. The communication that we have with our Heavenly Father is crucial. We must say our prayers. I promise that this is one way to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and one way to help avoid opposition because it will always be tempting us. Through prayer we can help avoid temptations that we all have. I promise you friends and family that you will see change in your lives. Do it. Love it. And see the blessings. 

Thanks so much for all your love and support! I couldn't be more happy then I am right now serving my Heavenly Father. I know that we have a loving Havenly Father and that we are all brothers and sisters. Thanks so much family and friends for your love and support. Make it a special week, aim high in all that you do, put your best foot forward and do something this week to grow closer to your Savior. I love you guys and think and pray for you daily. Now... go find the one that needs you to make a difference in their life. LOVES!

con mucho amor, 
Elder Long!!! 

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