Ponder & Prayer

Hope that this Letter finds you guys doing great this holiday season and are enjoying the holiday spirit! Another week down, one week closer to seeing all you guys! But I am doing good. Enjoying this crazy experience and cant wait to share it with you guys when I get back to the promise land with all of you!

I want to start off and thank you all for the love and support every week but last week especially on my birthday! You guys are the best! I can honestly say it was probably the most memorable birthday I have ever had in my life. It was so nice to hear from so many people. Thanks so much family and friends -you guys are the bomb!

So this week was slightly different for me. It all started on Monday again when we left (where we write and play sports on our day of Preperation ). I saw an accident that was horrible ... I never want to see anything like this in my life again . It was terrible .... So THAT was pretty hard to deal with that night -Monday. But I know that the Lord has a plan for us and even when terrible things happen, everything is for a reason. So hopefully I don’t need to see anything like this again.

This past week we started a family home evening at the church. So many members and people that we are teaching come to church on Thursday and we played a GAME and gave a spiritual thought. It was a good time. This past Thursday was the first one that we have done. So we blew that one out of the water , it was fun and the people had a good spiritual time. We will continue to do these every Thursday -just another way to keep some people off the streets at night and doing things that they should not be doing ...

So the military has been searching buses and have check points all week. They are looking for someone and therefore have had all these searches…I can’t believe how different it is here to compared to the states ... blows my mind every day .. everyday is quite the experience . But it’s an adventure and it’s a blast! My Spanish is better every week.

My Spanish is getting better and I am really trying to learn the most that I can in the two years I am here. The time is absolutely flying by!  I am loving my time here and it is never a dull moment as something new and exciting happens every day and it’s always an adventure!

Saturday we went to the center of where the fields are in town. There are two full size professional soccer fields where the people live all day every day . We went and watched the so called  “mormon squad” play and they were really good. There were a lot of all the young men on the field so that was a lot of fun to go watch them and support them.

This past week I spent a lot of time studying and pondering why things happen to us in the time table that they do. I learned that it all comes down to one thing . Our time here on earth is on the time table of the Lord. Everything that happens, everything that we are given, happens for a reason and at a specific time for a reason . We always need to look at the bright things and press on. Pray every day , read your scriptures and go to church. These things are to keep us on the straight and narrow  path and make correct decisions. I see people here every day do great and terrible things ... just do what you know you need to do and all will be good. I am almost out of time so I need to go! I love you guys so much and I hope that you all have a great week and all do good things.  I love you guys very much.  Thanks for your great example and everything that you all do for me and my family.

Con mucho amor!!!

Elder Long

Happy BIrthday today Elder Long!

Hello Everyone!

Today is Elder Long’s birthday. What a special day. I had a feeling his time would be very limited to write us all…as he would receive many birthday e-mail wishes. In our very few correspondences today through e-mail he expressed his deepest gratitude for all the support. As many of you know…months ago I asked you, his friends and family to send me birthday wishes and pictures. With those I printed all the letters on cute paper, and developed 150 photos…enough to make 5 small albums he can trade off carrying around with him. To say he wasn’t overjoyed when he opened them this morning would be an understatement.

Because he got SO many birthday wishes today…his letter is short and was half in Spanish and he obviously didn’t take any time to edit it. SO, I translated it and tried to make sense out of a very “hurried” letter.

He is happy, healthy and loving his mission. He said he misses his normal life and most imoprtantly misses the relationships he loves, but would not want to be anywhere else than where he is today, teaching and praching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So…here is his letter for this week…

Hello Everyone! I just wanted to say thank you for everything! I recieved a ton of e-mails from family and friends today.  I am very appreciative for each of you ! I love you guys a ton.

This week was good. We were really busy. I really love the mission ! I love the people and the culture soo much.

English classes are still going great and I love teaching the kids and all the people who come to the classes!

So another interesting and crazy story. We were in the middle of a lesson and five dogs came into the house and started going nuts. I mean NUTZZZ !!! They were fighting like crazy. We were hitting the dogs with chairs to try and break them up but nothing worked... nothing! There was blood everywhere ... this was not that funny. It was actually pretty scary to say the least!

We were invited to a grad party this past Friday. That was a blast. The food was.... hmmm soososo good! His name was Manuel, the family was very proud of him and all that he’s accomplished. A person who graduates from high school is a big deal in my area. It was yet another learning experience, and I was so happy to be a part of the party that the family had. It was only the family and my companion and me. It was so cool to see him accomplish this. The traditions are very cool. I don’ have a lot of time to explain it all , but it was so fun!

So I talked a lady into giving me a free sweet sweater for me and my companion. I did some barganing so that was good! It’s because I refer all the missionaries to buy things from her.

Well , this week I have a TON of e-mails to copy and paste to microsoft word and not enough time! Thanks so much for the love and support. You guys are really the rock in my life... I have much love for each of you and want the best for you too! I love you guys! I will give more details next week but I want to print off all the e-mail to read later! Love you guys a ton.

Lots of love !
Elder Long!

Week Twenty-One

Today I have translated a little bit of his letter…as each week it is written more and more in Spanish…

Heyyyy to my family and friends. Espero que todo bien con ustedes! (I hope all is well with you) I think about you guys still all the time but I know that you guys are doing muy bueno! This time of year is great! I love the Christmas season and the spirit that it brings! I am always thinking about you guys y todo las cosas ustedes estan haciendo en los estados! (and all the things you are doing in the states)

So... this week absolutely flew by! Muy muy rapido! (very very fast) So last lunes (Monday) we played dodgeball as a zone.. that was a complete blast to say the least! It was so good to throw balls and peg the crap out of other missionaries, Elder W. and I went to town. So that was fun! This week was pretty dang busy too... we are teaching mucho! ( a lot) Entonces tiempo es muy rapido! (So time is going very fast)

Miercoles- (Wednesday) the weather changed por la mayor! (for the most part) actualmente cooled off a ton! The people think that it is like antarctica pero realamente es perfecto! Solo (Only) a light sweatshirt y todo es perfecto! (and everything is perfect) Pero los personas aqui pensar que ellos van a morir.. (but the people here think they are going to die they are so cold) They have no idea. So it’s been nice to have some cool air going through the pants! LOL

I met a guy at a Pulperia (grocery/convienant store) this week. A pulperia es donde persona pueden comprar cosas. (a grocery store where people can buy things) Es un pequeno tienda para comprar bebidas, dulce, cosas asi. (it is a small store to buy drinks, sweet stuff) Entonces This white guy was in there, speaking Spanish, so we starting talking and he lives in a village cerca de Ojojona- come to find out, el es de Iowa! Small world! So of course we were talking about the Chi and how great it is.. haha fue muy divertido! Todavia es dificial hablar en engles, entonces nostros hablamos en espanol!

So, Thursday and thinking about Thanksgiving... so it doesn’t get much better than celebrating Thanksgiving with rice and beans. LOL!  HAHA but it’s all good though! Good times! Benjamin gave us some good foood! But there is nothing like the promise land- U.S.A!!!! Never take a day for granted! But, I am so grateful to Ben and his family and all the families here who help and support us missionaries. I am very grateful for that this Thanksgiving season.

So we had a baptism this past weekend, it was so great! His name is Brother L and his wife and daughter have been members for years and he wasn’t, but we have spent a lot of time working with him, and he was finally bapitzed!! La esposa era muy emocionado y la hija tambien! His wife and daughter were very excited too) Fue un bueno bueno dia sabado por esta familia! (It was a good good day Saturday for this family). What a great experience to help this man do what was necessary to help him get baptized this past Saturday! It was a wonderful, wonderful day. I was able to give the talk at his baptism and the spirit was so strong. I love this family. I am proud of them and so happy for them.

I really am enjoying my companero! (companion) Si, el es muy differente pero el es muy bueno! (yes, he is very different but very good) He is straight out of the jungles from Peru. Just raised WAY differente de nosotros y haver cosas en differente maneras! (raised different and have different things and different ways) He is always wanting to serve- he’s great! I speak all Spanish with him as he doesn’t know any English. That is a very good thing for me and hopefully I can teach him some English too along the way. We have a lot of fun together and are teaching and working hard together.

So besides the point… I am growing the hair out… we have to keep it clean cut over the ears but the top is getting super long.  I haven’t cut it in a LONG time so for the boys up on the hill, the FC is on point, don’t worry! FC means flow control for all of us that are older and out of touch!!! LOL!

Everyone, enjoy this Christmas season. Serve others and always remember the small things that we have. We are SO SO blessed in the states! We need to thank our Heavenly Father each day for the things that we have! Have a great week and I can’t wait to read your emails next week! All I ask for my birthday is that you all thank our Heavenly Father for all that we have in the states for many people do not have the things we have, our capabilities that make life comfortable. And yes, you can eat a good juicy burger or something for me! I think about you guys all the time and I have much love for each of you. I love you guys a ton! Put your best foot forward, and Aim High in all that you do!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Long!

Week Twenty: Done being locked in! WOHOOO!

Hey! I hope this letter finds you all doing great! I miss you guys a ton still and continue to pensar en ustedes cada dia!  I know that your all haciendo bueno cosas. Keep up the good work. Love you guys all so much. The love and support drives me and keeps me going! Love ya’ll.

Entonces, Electiones are over and The National party called Nationalistas won. So all the other parties are mad and upset... but it’s over! It sucked being locked in the house por los tres dias. Muy aburrido! But, all good now! We really did have a lot of fun with Ben-the guy we live behind. We did a lot of stuff! Had a good time. I built a weight bar that es muy mas grande! Es muy bueno! Terminaron ayer! So can’t wait to use it this week and don’t worry somehow I  am going to drag it to all my areas. LOL! We’ll see!

Mi nuevo companero es de Peru and is pretty cool, Elder N. He is a very hard worker y tambien tiene un bueno testimony. He is a good dude. We are very different and come from such different backgrounds, but the gospel unites you and brings you together. Somehow, those differences become less visible with the gospel of Jesus Christ. So its good. We get a long and are doing our thing, teaching people about Christ. Helping all the people that we can. So just desfrutando mi tiempo here! Time is really flying by!

My zone is legit! Elder W.and I  get to see each other every week so that’s great! He is a bro! He will play ball after the mission on the black tops in Chicago. Sorry he told me to say that! HAHA. But our zone is legit. We have a lot of good guys so that’s great.

We have two baptisms planned for this upcoming weekend- we are having a lot of success here and las personas son muy receptiva para escuchar la palabra de dios. Many people are very willing to listen so that’s very nice!

Well Thanksgiving is pretty much here y navidad muy cerca! Enjoy this time of year and all that we have... I wish I could really express in words how thankful we really are. We are blessed more than we will ever know. It has been an eye opener to come to another country and realize how much we have been given. Be thankful for the little things! These little things are the things that we really need to be SOSO thankful for! So, thank our heavenly father for the little things that we have... every day and don’t go a day without forgetting!

It’s kinda crazy here... wanna know why? it’s November casi diciembre y es muy caliente! No fall or winter weather…  todavia sweating my toosh off!  Talvez un dia i will get used to it! We’ll see!

I am doing good! I feel great! I have lost some weight but that’s okay! I will put it back on when I get back to the Promise Land and hit the weight room!

hhmm...considering we were locked up for a few days I don’t have a ton to say besides this week we are going to be super duper busy hitting up all the houses we couldn’t visit durante la tiemp no pueden salir la casa! But it’s all good!

I finished the Book of Mormon from cover to cover - that was good!  What a spirit that the Book of Mormon and The Bible bring- it es muy especial! The Book of Mormon and The Bible really are direct inspiration from our Heavenly Father and can help any person in the world... I see it help people on a daily basis. Never forget what our Heavenly Father does for us every day! Always pray and show your thankfulness por nuestro senor.

Entonces, we are going to go play dodge ball so I need to go. I am about to light people up. But, make it a great week! Put your best foot forward, always be thankful, serve others, and aim high in all that you do! I love you each so much and hope that you guys are enjoying the states.... live it up! I would die  for some basic cheeseburger or hot water... but its all good!!!!!!! It’s the experience, right! I’m living it up like I am in a five star hotel :))))))))))))) Well, have a good one guys! I love each of you. Make it a good one! Enjoy the thanksgiving season and the Christmas stuff- lights and all that good stuff!

LOVESLOVESLOVESLOVESLOVESLOVES

LOVESLOVESLOVESLOVES!

CON MUCHO AMOR!

Elder Long!

Goodbye to Elder H. and Welcome Elder N.

Hola! I hope that this email finds you guys all doing great. Yo siempre am thinking about all of you guys. You guys are all the rock in my life! Muchisimo Gracias por todo su apollo y amor. You guys are the bomb! Keep up the good work.

So this week was nuts. First, I got my new companion- that was on Wednesday. It was sad to leave my other companion. We had our ups and downs pero uno persona puede learn from everyone that they are surounded by. So it’s always hard to say goodbye to someone. Pero, recibi mi nuevo companero  - he is from Peru. He knows ZERO English so that is fun! Doing my thing and rolling my tongue trying to learn as much as I can in my short time here in Honduras- so that’s good! He comes from the jungles of Peru so it’s been interesting to hear stories... we will leave it at that... he’s lived quite the different life. So just adjusting to a new companion and all but its all good.

Elder W. - mi favorito amigo de la CCM y aqui en la mision is in my zone! I am so pumped so I will get to see him every Monday and sometimes Viernes! Eso es muy bueno! Muy emocionado! So that is amazing!

It’s actually getting pretty chilly aqui durante la noche! Eso es muy bueno! So that is something to look forward to en la noche! So, the weather is kind of cooling off- that’s a plus!

The political stuff here is still pretty intense. We will leave it at that... They are not civil about the way that they go about political cosas perso eso es un bueno experience. I won’t forget the political stuff, that is for sure. It has been fun to be a part of it and watch from a distance. Every place just runs differently and it is good to see your eyes opened to new things and new experiences. We are not able to leave our houses next Saturday, Sunday, y Monday. Because of this I will be emailing next Tuesday- just so you guys all know! The elections are on Sunday here this week so that is why we can’t leave... por security razones. Pero, It’ll be all good! Yesterday was the last day they could ¨do parades , rallies, gatherins¨ but really they still are doing them. But two parties were right next to each other and campagning and stuff and they all love us and were yelling, gringos and stuff -soooooooooooo many people and we were right in the action... only here in Honduras… so that was kind of nuts, but a great experience! I know the mayor and the family are members so we got right in there! I wanted that experience - leave it to me. HAHA! So… all good!

Nosotros estamos todovia haciendo los clases de Engles! They are a blast and are so much fun! We have anywhere from 40-60 students each week! So much fun! So the kids are great and all! Entonces, we do that every Sabado y es muy divertido! I am really enjoying teaching English. It has been a very good experience for me.

I bought a machetti! We do a lot of service with it and all! So that’s good!

Entonces mis amigos y familia. I think about you guys a lot. You are always on my mind. You guys are great! You are really the rock in my life. I enjoy your letters, e-mails and everything that you guys do for me and my family. Family and friends truly are the most importante cosa nosotros tenemos aqui on the earth. Value our relationships and families that demonstrate love and care. Todos los personas no tienen eso.... So cherish it! Always try and make the right decision! Always be honest. Always make the honest decision in life even when it will make it harder on yourself. That’s one GRANDE leccion I have learned aqui... ALWAYS BE HONEST. You guys are all the best and I know that you guys can be the examples to everyone we know and are around. Solo, put your best foot forward and always serve others. I love my family so much and my friends.... you guys mean the world to me. Keep up the good work. I cannot wait to hear from you guys next week! I love you guys tons!!

Con mucho amor,
Elder Long!

Week Eighteen: Welcoming my new companion this week!

HOLA TO MY FRIENDS & FAMILY,

Well another week down! It was a good one. Every week good and bad things happen but the experience is one that I will never forget! Cada semana es mucho mejor!

This week I say good-bye to my first companion. He trained me well, we’ve worked very hard together and I appreciate his wisdom in teaching me more about gospel truths and doctrines. Thank you Elder H.

Entonces, I had intercambios with Elder M. - The leader de zona. He’s from Guatamala and very cool! So that was a good to spend time with him. I am so emocionado to train! I am so so so excited to get my new companion and help a new guy! So that starts miercoles, so that will be exciting! I get that new companion wed morning!

We are killing it here! Tuvimos 13 non-members in the church this past Sunday! We’re doing our thing that’s for sure! It’s so good to help people that really need some direction in their life. It really brings true joy! Serve others and good things will happen. Always look for the good en las personas… yes it is muy dificil a veces but really it’s the best way to go about every day. The days really are much better when you are helping others.

WE are truly blessed to come from such a great country... and on top of eso nosotros somos very blessed to come from loving families. Family and friends are the backbones to our lives. We need to be the best brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and amigos a todos las personas nosotros conocemos! Many people here lack strong families. Not all, but some y eso es muy dificil para ver each day… just be the best person that you can be always! People take for granted great friends y familia en los estados. Some people here would die for that... just be sososo thankful for the LITLLE THINGS!

Spanish is coming along! I love it! I absolutely love the language. Each day I feel more comfortable. Tengo mucho amor por todos las personas y nuestro familias! I will never forget some of the experiences that I am having. So every day I am trying to learn more and more. Soak in the time here! Loving it!

 It’s starting to cool off which is nice, at least my aread cause we are in the mountains, still sosos hott in teguc. But, cools of poquito during the night. So that’s great. But walking 5-10 miles a day sometimes doesn’t help to stay cool. But doing good! I just look like a string bean cause I have lost some weight... but that will stop next week! :) I purchased piping and concrete para construir pesas. So that’s my project next week con mi nuevo companero!

We had a baptism this past weekend and that was great! They are an amazing familia! They are so happy and are doing so well. I am so proud of their accomplishments and working hard towards a goal. So feliz to see ellos muy muy feliz y contento! Fue un bueno dia!

I am so thankful for great family and friends! I am truly blessed. We MUST be so thankful every day for the little things that we have. I can’t emphasize it enough. I am grateful for great examples in my life, we all need that. I saw something this week that I really never want to really see again, but it was a learning experience - nothing happened to me at all but I was there to help. It is so important to RESPECT everyone. Respect nuestro amigos y familia. Especially nuestro friends, spouses and family. We need to treat people with the utmost respecto. Always be there for others. You never know when someone needs YOU. So press on and always be the best you can be every day. I experience things every day that reassure this.

Thanks for all the love and support always! You guys are the rock in my life! You all mean so much to me! Press forward always with faith! Gi, Mom, Dad, family and friends- I love you very much. Ustedes son en mi oraciones cada dia! Gracias por todo! Make it a great week! You guys rock!

Con Mucho Amor!

Elder Long!

Week Seventeen

Hola!!!

So this week started off right away... once we were done writing we had an activity as a zone. We carved pumpkins for Halloween! Well, we didn’t think that this would cause trouble to say the least haha. Entonces, we carved pumpkins, when we were done there were 8 of us missionaries and 2 sets de hermanas. Mi companero y yo were the only ones walking with our pumpkins not in a plastic bag (we were one bag short) so no problem right? haha no… so I now know that they really believe in witches and all... so this guy saw our pumpkins and went nuts! He was screaming and yelling at us and all the people in the streets were looking at us! They were either riendio at nosortos o really scared! It was quite the experience to say the least.... so never carve pumpkins here again and have them out in the open. LOL!

My love for the people, culture, and kids grows cada dia! I truly love la gente! Ellos son muy amable! Everything here is going good! Lots of work and service to be done! We are getting more missionaries on the 13^th (when the transfers happen), that’s when I will be getting my new companion that I will be training! So I am muy emocionado para entrenador! That will be great! But, I truly love the people... their amazing!

This past week I had intercambios con dos differente companeros! Elder O. was one of  them, and Elder  M. One is from Mexico and otro es de Guatamala! They are studs! I love them both! The friends that I am making are amazing! I miss my friends so much from back home, but its good to have the guys and girls here that are my friends as well. Friends and family are so so importante! We all need examples in our lives, amigos y familia are the best thing to influence us in our lives! How do you want people to remember you? Be the best friend ever! Cherish relationships that we have! Some people don’t have that.... make each day count.

I met a family that loves baseball! It was great! I have only heard people talk about soccer por the past tres meses, entonces muy bueno hablar con un persona cerca de beisbol! It was great! They gave me the lowdown on the World Series, so that was great!

So... something happened that was pretty funny this week... I was walking (getting a little dark out) and we were going down un hill. So I stepped into a hole and tripped and fell face forward... LOL… but it gets better! I fell in horse crap... I smelled soo bad… and tenia mucho lodo en mi pantelones... it was terrible. HAHA… but looking back pretty funny!

So we always pass by the posto, police station, and say hello! But that’s about it. So un dia nosotros estamos pasando by the police station and they stopped us. We ended up teaching them. It was cool. They love us. They told us they had our back if we ever need them. So that was good to know. But they son buenos hombres, solo a little different to teach people in a police station. LOL!

So this past week I spent a lot of time in the morning studying prayer. It was something that I felt that I needed to study in order to help the people we serve and teach more. The power of prayer is real. When we pray with a sincere corazon con fe nostoros tenemos la oportunidad para recieve answers! We all need to pray every day. We need to give thanks for the little things that we all have in the states... this mision es un humbing experiencia to say the least. It’s so sad to see some of the people. BUT, they are so grateful. So what does that mean? We MUST thank the lord every day for the things that we have. When we wake up and before we go to bed we must pray and demonstrar nuestro appreciacion.  God hears our prayers. He answers nuestro oraciones tambien! We just need to ask con fe. Prayer is one of the mucho maneras nosotros podemos hacer para invitar el espiritu in our lives. When we pray daily we have the spirit with us. Prayer can change lives. I urge ustedes cada dia pray in the morning and en la noche tambien.

Service... how powerful service really is. Service is one way to demonstar amor. Hay mucho maneras to serve. Our strengths are all diferente and nosotros podemos utalize our strengths to help others. Just because your busy doesn’t mean that you cant serve others. It we use the excuse that nosotros son muy ocupado-we’re lying to ourselves. There is always time to serve others. Blessings will come after. Sometimes one needs to sacrifice to gain. I see it cada semana, actualmente cada dia! What are you going to do to serve others this week? Find a way to serve someone. Think, pray and ponder to help the right person at the right time!

I love you guys all! Family and friends... you mean the world to me. I apppreciate all the amor! You guys rock! I am kicking butt here in Honduras and enjoying the ride. It’s one heck of a ride! Make the most of each day! Yo tengo mucho amor por la idioma! It is great! It’s hard for me to think in English. LOL! I am in spanish mode all the time now! I re-read my carta and realizar that there is a lot of espanol! I am sorry! I really don’t mean to! It just happens!

Make it a great week! Love you guys so much! Can’t wait to hear from you all next week!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Long