I love this area...R. gets baptized!

Well there familia and friends, here we are another week down, and I really just don’t know where time is going. I am starting to feel Catracho here and life is doing amazing, all is good down here in the sweatville, enjoying every day like no other. Lets get down to it shall we! 

So this week we were preparing our boy R. to be baptized, and Saturday we had his baptism... his story continues to amaze me and I know that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us. This man has made a complete 360 degree change in his life and has overcome some very difficult things. Relationships have been compromised and his life was very messed up. I say that humbly and respectively because each of us has our cross to bare. He came to the area I am now serving in to receive some help he needed. It was just three weeks ago we were walking in the crazy streets of the market and I heard someone say hello and we all said hello and kept going. The strongest feeling came over me to go back and talk to this man, so we did... and here is where his life has changed forever. This man is so converted to the gospel and trying to do the right things. R.is a stud! He is helping so many other people change because they want to know his secret. He is a great hand in our work. We are so thankful for him and his decision to change his life and draw closer to our loving Savior. He’s a stud, we’ll leave it at that! 

Also, we have another man that came to church through a member that invited him and he loves the church and knows it’s true. He is reading The Bible and The Book of Mormon like crazy, he’s a stud and a half too. He’s on page 528 of The Book of Mormon, he is so great! His name is C. He is progressing and we are working on some things with him which are proving to be a challenge... some paper work that needs to get in order if he decides he wants to be baptized. I know if it is all meant to be the Lord will assist us in getting the necessary things accomplished to make it all happen. We will make it happen. So please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

So this week in church we packed the house for this area. The first week that I was here there were less than 10 people on time to partake of the sacrament. Well, this week we had more than 60 and we had 84 people in church. Everyone is trying to find out what’s going on and I straight up tell them… work your you know what off!!! I have never been so tired on my mission then I am right now in this area. I really have not, we crash every night. Covering two areas is a challenge to say the least but I LOVE the challenge. Before I arrived here there were 4 missionaries but now it’s just my companion and I and we’re killing it like no other. We pack the house for activities too! I can’t express how much I love this area and my love for the Lords work. I know that we are only servants for Him. This area is changing around for the better. The other ward that shares our building too is asking how we are doing it. I told them  work is the key and to get everyone on board and the ship leaves and whoever wants to do work is on board! So we are doing great things. This upcoming week we have a talent show and competition night and it’s going to be great. Next week I will have photos! All is good here, enjoying it like no other. 

Thanks for everything guys, you guys are the best. I want to share a talk that I read this week that’s really good. I love the message and hope you’ll take some time to read it and make some changes and I know the Lord will bless you. 

Anthony D. Perkins was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given on 4 February 2014.

My wife, Christy, and I are so thrilled to be with you. When we were young and skinny BYU undergraduates, if someone had suggested we would return in thirty years to speak to students in the Marriott Center due to my calling in the Seventy, we would have laughed uncontrollably. Yet I suppose our visit today illustrates the marvelous wonder of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When we seek to be led by the Spirit and go forth in faith, often not knowing precisely what course to pursue, life can curiously turn out to be more abundant than we might ever have imagined.

You young adults are now living in what Elder Robert D. Hales of the Twelve Apostles has called “the decade of decision.” Many of the most important choices of your life will be made in your late teens and twenties, such as “going to the temple, serving a mission, getting an education, selecting an occupation, and choosing a companion and being sealed for time and for all eternity in the holy temple.”¹

Today I speak particularly to those persons who are struggling with one of these important decisions—some perhaps almost paralyzed from fear of making the wrong decision and some maybe needing only a little reinforcement to remain confident in a decision made previously.

Four lessons of inspired decision making by Nephi in the well-known opening chapters of the Book of Mormon, if applied, can reduce your fears and increase your confidence to go forward.

Lesson 1: Qualify for the Spirit by Obeying Commandments

The last sentence of Nephi’s sacred record encapsulates his life: “For thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey.”²Nephi’s faith in and love for the Savior is exemplified in his actions to obey God’s commandments. He prayed, crying unto the Lord in his youth until he obtained a testimony.³ He served as a missionary, teaching and inviting Ishmael’s family even without an “Elder Nephi” name tag.⁴ He read the scriptures, searching the brass plates until he understood them and could teach from them.⁵He sought after and followed the direction of a living prophet, which blessed him spiritually and temporally.⁶ Such obedience permitted the Holy Ghost to powerfully accompany Nephi throughout his life and yielded ongoing personal revelation.

As young adults who have been taught gospel truths and have accepted sacred covenants, you too must stay close to the Lord by keeping God’s commandments. I testify that consistent obedience to small things such as reading the scriptures and praying daily, attending Church meetings, heeding the counsel of living prophets, and serving others will qualify you for the Spirit—and the revelation He brings.

Now, as obedient as Nephi was in life, he was not perfect. I repeat, Nephi was not perfect. He lamented his shortcomings with phrases such as this:

O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.⁷

But Nephi understood the doctrine of the Atonement, exercised faith in Jesus Christ unto repentance, and thus remained sufficiently worthy for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

You too are not perfect, yet perfection is not a prerequisite to personal revelation. The prerequisite is daily repentance, because “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”⁸ When Satan whispers that you are unworthy of personal revelation, as he always will, remember the Savior’s teaching: “As often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.”⁹ If your repentance has been sincere and thorough,¹⁰ and even though temptation may persist for a season, be assured that the cleansing power of the Atonement will bring the Spirit to guide you in the weighty decisions of life.

Lesson 2: Move Forward in Faith, Even Without Perfect Knowledge

Put yourself in Nephi’s sandals for a moment. Your father comes home to tell you about a great spiritual experience whereby the Lord has commanded your family to leave behind all your wealth and travel through uncharted wilderness to a promised land. Wouldn’t you like to know something about your journey and ultimate destination?

I suppose Nephi would have been thrilled if the Lord had clearly revealed his future: “You will leave Jerusalem but come back for brass plates and Ishmael’s family, marry one of Ishmael’s daughters and have children, travel southeast across the Arabian peninsula for many years, almost become a murder victim at the hands of your brothers (multiple times), build a ship, sail across an ocean, start building a village but then abandon it to escape persecution, and finally build a temple in your promised land.” But that degree of clarity is not how God worked with Nephi—even though Nephi was fully worthy of the Spirit and personal revelation—and that is not how He will work with you.

Perhaps seeing a Blu-ray–quality trailer of his entire life and its trials would have been so daunting that Nephi might have been too frightened to even leave Jerusalem. Instead, as his family traveled through the wilderness, new instructions only came to Nephi “from time to time.”¹¹ Even when he was building the ship, the Lord provided specific guidance only “from time to time.”¹² These glimpses “from time to time” turned out to be a great blessing to Nephi. Viewing his life journey with certainty up front would not have provided Nephi the soul-stretching and faith-forming experiences that helped him become a more Christlike man.

If you are waiting for God to unmistakably reveal to you what academic major to pursue, whom to marry, what job offer to accept, where to live, whether to go to graduate school or not, and how many children to bear, then you will likely never leave your apartment. Christy and I can testify that such personal revelation will come to you only “from time to time.”

Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow in every way while on this earth, and that includes developing our ability to weigh facts, render judgments, and make decisions. But He also invites us to bring our decisions to Him in prayer.¹³ Answers to our prayers are personal revelation and come to us, as taught by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Twelve Apostles, “in one of three ways.”¹⁴

Confirming Assurance

“First,” Elder Scott says, “you can feel the peace, comfort, and assurance that confirm that your decision is right.”¹⁵ In our married life, Christy and I have found that assurance for critical life-impacting decisions can be communicated through the scriptures, often after temple worship.

For example, after much pondering and prayer, we decided to abandon our new dream home in Dallas, accept a job transfer, and move with six young children to Beijing. But we desperately desired spiritual confirmation for such a momentous move. Divine assurance did come to us, in the temple, as we read these words in the Doctrine and Covenants: “It is my will that you should . . . tarry not many days in this place; . . . think not of thy property. Go unto the eastern lands.”¹⁶ The voice of Jesus Christ in the scriptures, accompanied by powerful feelings from the Holy Ghost, unquestionably confirmed that our decision to move to China was right.

Nephi had similar experiences while building his ship. He said, “I . . . did go into the mount oft . . . ; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.”¹⁷ When you need to confirm important decisions, spend time with the scriptures and at the temple so God can speak to you.¹⁸ I emphasize can speak to you, because sometimes the Lord withholds confirming assurance.

Unsettled Feeling

The second way Heavenly Father answers prayers, Elder Scott says, is when “you can sense that unsettled feeling, the stupor of thought, indicating that your choice is wrong.”¹⁹ While newlywed undergraduates at BYU, Christy and I learned valuable lessons about recognizing this type of prompting.

After my mission to Taiwan, I thought international law would be a good career choice. As Christy and I considered that possible future, we understood that five more years of expensive education lay ahead. The United States economy was in a deep recession and our funds were limited, so we reasoned that joining the air force ROTC would be a wise choice to pay for my schooling. But as I took the required tests and filled out the paperwork, we just could not get comfortable about making that commitment. No stupor of thought or dark feelings came—only an absence of peace. While joining the air force is a great option for some, we determined this was not the right course for us. Looking back, that seemingly illogical financial decision was inspired, in part, because I would have been a horrible lawyer!

While at BYU we learned another lesson about wrong choices that was painful in the short-term but a blessing in the long run. Christy and I found a used Mazda car that fit our small budget and prayed about purchasing it. An unsettled feeling came that I foolishly disregarded because the car’s interior looked cool and the car had a great sound system. I rationalized that the bad feeling would depart if the high-mileage engine were replaced. After the seller agreed and put a Toyota engine in that Mazda, the dark feeling remained, but we once again pushed it aside and handed over our meager funds. This car, which we cleverly named “Toyazda,” turned out to be a pile of junk. But we learned to recognize the “Toyazda feeling” that warns of a wrong choice.

Divine Trust

Elder Scott said God answers prayers in a third way: “And this is the difficult one—you can feel no response.” Elder Scott continued:

You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust.²⁰

Nephi’s third attempt to enter Jerusalem and obtain the brass plates illustrates how we should proceed with divine trust. Nephi recorded, “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth.”²¹ What a great statement of faith: “Nevertheless I went forth!” Nephi had received no specific answer on how to accomplish his objective, but the time to act had arrived and could not be postponed. So he moved forward, knowing the Spirit would direct him when needed.

Moments will arrive during your decade of decision when you cannot procrastinate any longer and must act. A few months ago our family went out to see the latest Star Trek movie. At one point Spock questions the course of action that Captain Kirk has determined to pursue. Kirk responds, “You’re right! What I am about to do, it doesn’t make sense, it’s not logical, it is a gut feeling! I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. I only know what I can do.”²²

Looking back at my life, what Captain Kirk calls a “gut feeling” has guided many important decisions: marriage to Christy, my BYU major, my first job, and graduate school. I had studied each decision out in my mind and prayed for confirmation, but I had to act on what felt right because no unmistakably divine assurance had yet come. Confirmation came only later.

I learned what Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve Apostles taught:

We will get promptings of the Spirit when we have done everything we can, when we are out in the sun working rather than sitting back in the shade praying for direction on the first step to take. Revelation comes when the children of God are on the move.²³

Some of you may be nervous about acting when heavenly assurance has not yet come. Take courage. Elder Scott promised, “When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision.”²⁴

Our daughter Jenni uses a humorous example from the movieHome Alone to illustrate this concept. You might recall the scene where Kevin is surprised to be in an empty house but still yells out to his absent parents, “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!”²⁵ Jenni says her prayers sometimes feel similar: “I’m moving ahead to major in psychology, so if that is not right, please let me know!”

I testify that you are sons and daughters of loving heavenly parents who trust you to make decisions and move forward in faith without a perfect knowledge of what the future holds. And, as with Nephi, the Spirit will in due time confirm or warn of your chosen path.

Lesson 3: Commit Fully to Inspired Decisions and Live in the Present

Nephi’s commitment on the journey to the promised land stands in stark contrast to that of his brothers Laman and Lemuel. Like Nephi, they made the decision to go, but their hearts never left Jerusalem. Nephi was fixing his broken bow to hunt for food and mining ore to build a ship while his brothers seem to have been lounging in a tent.

Today the world has too many Lamans and Lemuels. Schoolwork is undertaken half-heartedly because Halo 4, Angry Birds, or Facebook beckon us back into the tent; employment is perfunctorily accepted while looking for the next, hopefully better job; a ward is moved into but never really joined because of a possible future relocation; and even marriage can be exited if inconvenient.

Jesus Christ’s church needs committed men and women who are like Nephi. You will experience greater progress in life when you wholly commit to your decisions and strive to excel in your current circumstances even while you have an eye open to the future. Doors usually open to the fully committed.

Nephi exemplifies the wise counsel of President Thomas S. Monson:

Sometimes we let our thoughts of tomorrow take up too much of today. Daydreaming of the past and longing for the future may provide comfort but will not take the place of living in the present. This is the day of our opportunity, and we must grasp it. . . .

. . . Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present.²⁶

Lesson 4: Draw on the Strength of Trusted Loved Ones to Sustain the Journey

Even after we have sought the Spirit, moved forward with our decision, and are wholly committed to it, doubts may still arise and cause us to re-question our decision. In such circumstances a trusted family member or friend can provide counsel and strength to stay the course. When Lehi’s family left Jerusalem, Nephi probably relied on his father, mother, and his brother Sam for this support. But I suggest that along the journey his new bride became that trusted anchor.

A comprehension of Nephi’s wife did not come to me until I was in my late thirties. While vacationing in Utah from our home in Beijing, we visited the Church History Museum to view the Churchwide art competition. I was transfixed by a painting of Nephi lashed to the mast of a ship, soaked to the skin in a driving storm, and absolutely exhausted.²⁷ At that time I felt I could relate to Nephi—I was bearing the burden of establishing my firm’s position in China, striving to be a good father to six young children, and magnifying my Church calling. I felt pretty overwhelmed. I wondered whether we should remain in China as we had been directed by the Spirit to do.

But in the painting I also observed that at Nephi’s side were his wife and one of his children. She was experiencing the same storm and challenges as Nephi, but her eyes were defiant and her strong arms were protectively wrapped around his shoulders. In that moment I realized that I too was blessed to have a loyal spouse offering her strength in my times of trial. And I hoped that I was a similar strength to her when she felt lashed to a mast raising six kids in the storm of a foreign land. Together we recommitted to our decision of living in China.

Since that museum visit I have spent time looking for Nephi’s wife amidst the opening pages of the Book of Mormon. My studies have caused me to ponder their courtship and life together.

What did she see in Nephi? He wrote that he was “large in stature.”²⁸ Does that imply she was enthralled by Thor-like ripped abs? I believe it was his spiritual strength that drew her heart to him. When Nephi came to the home of Ishmael, she observed a powerful missionary. On the trip to Lehi’s camp she heard him raise his voice in faith and forgive his attackers. Brethren, preserving and enhancing the spiritual strength you developed (or will yet develop) as a missionary or in other righteous service is your best asset in becoming a desirable husband and father.

What did Nephi see in her? At Ishmael’s home he was likely impressed by this young woman whose heart was softened by the word of God.²⁹ On the journey out of Jerusalem he observed a woman unwilling to rebel and prepared to move forward in faith, and we might assume she was the courageous daughter of Ishmael who pleaded with Nephi’s brothers to not harm him.³⁰ Sisters, being able to develop spiritual sensitivity, faith, and courage to follow Jesus Christ is among your best qualities in becoming an incredible wife and mother.

I invite each of you to become the type of person that your current or future spouse can draw on for wise counsel and strength. Drifting aimlessly without spiritual or temporal purpose will not enhance your prospects for a successful marriage. Do not retreat into an impenetrable shell because of prior relationship rejections and pains. Invest yourself in finding a mutually compatible companion and be willing to move forward in faith when you feel you have found the right person. Do not let fears of repeating the broken marriage of your parents or your friends keep you from that crowning covenant.

I am confident that Nephi’s wife strengthened his resolve to do the many hard things the Lord commanded him to do. I testify that in our day, a virtuous man and a worthy woman, sealed for time and all eternity in the temple, can likewise do difficult things as equal partners.

To stick with our decisions in times of doubt, each of us needs to draw on the strength of a trusted friend, family member, or spouse. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Twelve Apostles shared an experience that happened at BYU not long after his 1963 marriage. Elder Holland related:

I turned to Pat and said something like this: “Honey, should we give up? I can get a good job and carve out a good living for us. I can do some things. I’ll be okay without a degree. Should we stop trying to tackle what right now seems so difficult to face?” . . .

Then my beloved little bride did what she has done for 45 years since then. She grabbed me by the lapels and said, “We are not going back. We are not going home. The future holdseverything for us.”³¹

“I Will Lead You Along”

The future did hold everything for Jeff and Pat Holland, for Nephi and his wife, and for Tony and Christy Perkins—and it does for you. Jesus Christ promises:

Ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;

And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.³²

I promise that if you will apply the lessons learned from Nephi and modern prophets about making decisions, you will be led along with personal revelation from time to time and your life will be “of curious workmanship,”³³ uniquely pleasing to the Lord. I invite you to do the following:

1. Qualify for the Spirit by obeying commandments.

2. Move forward in faith, even without perfect knowledge.

3. Commit fully to inspired decisions and live in the present.

4. Draw on the strength of trusted loved ones to sustain the journey.

As you progress through your decade of decision, may you have the faith to say, as did Nephi, “I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth.”³⁴

I know that Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, are the source of all our blessings in mortality and in the eternities. Jesus taught, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”³⁵ Be confident that the Savior will fulfill His promise to lead you along to an abundant life, even when the immediate path sometimes seems uncertain. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Enjoy it and live it out baby, and I promise that the Lord will bless you. Have a great week! Enjoy the cool weather and I’ll continue to enjoy sweating in places that I didn’t know existed HAHA . I love you all. Make it a great week! I love you Gi. Thanks dad for all your hard work and mother just keep being the stud and half you are. I love you guys! 

So the pic of the pyramid we talked about having a strong foundation and all during the family night at the church. It was really good! We must have a strong foundation like it says in the bible! 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 

It was a great activity!!! Think and ponder about your own lives… 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Long!

My testimony is a powerful tool

Hey there fam and friends, mis queridos hermanos y hermanas! Espero que todo bien con ud! Gracias por todo que ustedes hacen para mi cada semana! Realamente tengo mucho amor por cada uno de ustedes y su apollo durante mi tiempo aqui en el campo! Este semana no era nada nuevo... hace bastante calor pero no se precupe todo bien con migo! Entonces... 

Este semana era super rapido! Tuvimos dos reuniones con nuestro zona, uno estaba en tegucigalpa y la otro estaba cerca de aqui en flores. Tuvimos un reunion con papi fortuna y su esposa en Teguc Miercoles y estuvo super bueno. Presidente hablo mucho de planeamiento en la vida. no soloamente planeando por la mision y todo que hacemos aqui pero que necisitamos planearse en la vida. Me gusto mucho porque estaba pensando en mi propio vida y la importancia que mis padres han tenido en mi vida y que me enseno mucho cerca de planeando para tener exito en la vida! En nuestro vidas nosotros necisitamos metas.. en todo aspectos. Mi invitacion por ustedes es que pueden poner metas en su vidas. Metas que incluir todo aspectos de su vida. Se que planeando tiene un gran parte en mi vida y en la vida de ustedes! Gracias por todos que han ayudado a mi a cumplir con mi metas y me ayudo a ser el hombre que soy hoy en dia. Gracias.

Este semana todovia estamos trabajando bien fuerte con nuestro quierido hno Rigoberto... el esta super bien! El tiene 5 dias que no ha tomado nada! Estamos super animado por el y por la decision que ha tomado para seguir jesucristo y el evengelio, se que el esta bendicido en mucho! El tiene tanto ganas para ser el voluntad de nuestro padre celestial y se que la vida de el esta cambiado mucho. Quiero que ustedes pueden orar por el este semana porque esta preperando a ser bautizado este sabado!!! Estamos tan feliz for el! El historia de el es super bueno! El era un super bollo y ahorita esta cambiando como nunca antes.. todo los vecinos y todo quieren ver porque y todo! Entonces estamos enseñando un amigo de el y anoche acepto a bautizarse tambien!! El testamonio de uno tiene mucho poder, cada persona aqui en este mundo tiene un diferente historia entonces mi invitacion es que ustedes pueden compartir su historia con todos y ayudar a los demas a venir a cristo... cristo es nuestro roca y luz, ayudar los demas ver el cambio en uno, y el senor le bendiga, se los prometo! Rigoberto es super bueno! :))

Este semana estaba pensando en mucho... pero primero que realamente estamos tan agrecidos en los estados para tener los cosas que nosotros tenemos! Nosotros necisitamos ser tan agrecido por los pequeña cosas que tenemos. Este semana tuve una entrevista con la academia de los estados unidos para regresar a Air Force Academy, y tuve un buen experiencia! Ellos preguntaron que estaba haciendo aqui y todo, inmediatamente vine a mi mente que era un oportunidad a compartir mi testamonio de los cosas que estoy haciendo aqui, entonces lo hice. Ellos estaba tan interesado en la obra que nosotros como misioneros hacemos dia tras dia. Se que estos personas saben los cosas que estoy predicando... ellos estan preguntando historias y todo... podria compartir mis testamonio various veces durante mi entrevista y se que ellos sabian que quiero y necisito regresar y asistir otro vez la academia en colorado. un testamonio es el mas poderoso hermamiento que tenemos en nuestro vidas, es una poderoso arma, se los prometo! Gracias mama y papa y gi por ayudando me para tener un testamonio y su apollo en todo. Estoy agrecido para tener ejemplos en mi vida que me ayudo mucho en mi vida! 

Todo bien aqui en honduras, estoy disfrutando ma y mas la mision y se que esto es la obra del señor y se que el señor vive y dios nos ama como no sabemos! Se que ustedes son instrumentos en los manos de nuestro padre celestial y necisitamos vivir la vida al maximo! Gracias por todo familia y mis amigos!

Disfruta los fotos! Una era cuando estabamos en un parade aqui este semana!! la otro es en el estadium de futbol aqui en la paz!! disfrutalos!!!!!!!

Te Quiero mucho,

Con mucho amor!

Elder Lng!!! 

Running here and there...

Hey there you loving fans and fam! I hope that this finds you guys cooler than I feel right about now! I have never sweat so much on my mission and it’s winter here! Crazy!!! I cant even imagine where I am at in the summer... talk about a whole new level of heat... whatever though, no time to cry and whine about sweating from places that you didn’t know existed. HAHA! So lets get down to it shall we.

We literally ran with our heads cut off this week, we killed it this week. We literally at times were running from visit to visit. We just have to make so much happen in such a short amount of time. We taught 19 lessons with member this week (that mean that a member came with us 19 times) and a few different members too. We are getting many involved, they have no choice with Papi Long :)) We taught 13 lessons with less actives and people that are not attending church right now for whatever garbage reason they want to give. We put them all on blast HAHA, gotta love it, right? We found 14 new people to teach and told them why they need to change, it’s amazing to see.

One of the most powerful stories of my entire mission is the man that we are teaching right now that I told you about last week. His name is R. We found him working in the mercado like I said. Come to find out, this man has had his challenges and has been on the wrong path. He is changing like no one I have ever seen change before. You have no idea the changes that this man is making. Yesterday we went with him and he broke down... he said that his life has changed. Today he was going to talk to his boss to leave work if he does not give him permission to go to church and keep the Sabbath day holy. This man wants to make changes and I know the Lord will bless him. He truly is golden. I am so glad that I listened to the spirit to turn around and talk to this man. He is helping others because MANY want to know how is he changing... he bought a white shirt and all this week. He couldn’t attend church on Sunday because his boss sent him far to sell so he couldn’t come... he was so unhappy. From being on a destructive path to shaving his huge beard and everyone wanting to know what happened. It’s so cool to be a part of his story. R. means the world to me. O am so proud of him and honored to be his friend. I will attach a photo of us in his 40 (aka house). So we are working very hard with him and in two weeks he should be getting baptized!! Woohoooooo! So all good there!

So, also this week we met a person that was on the border of Mexico and the states for 7 months helping people get in... let me tell you the stories that he has from Mexico... he has stories that left my jaw open for about 45 minutes... we need to count our blessings being in the states. I will leave it at that.

It brings me to one of the main learning points that I have had on my mission. What being THANKFUL means. We need to really take a look in the mirror and be thankful for the little things. We are BLESSED more than we ever will know living in the states. I can’t even tell you how grateful I am for the little things and all the things that my loving Heavenly Father has done for me and my familia.

I know that the Lord lives and that he is our compass and best friend in our lives. We must grow closer and closer to him in the times that we are in. We need him. We need his guide. We need his love, we must grow closer to our Savior daily in order to receive the great blessings in which the Lord has for us. This week I spent a lot of time on my knees giving thanks for the little tings that I have. Teaching R. has given me a whole new level of perspective to things that before I did not have. I promise you my brothers and sisters that this gospel is true and will bless you more than you can believe. I invite each and every one of you to act upon the promptings from the spirit and do GODS WILL. He will bless you. If things are in your way to partake of sacred ordinances like the Sacrament, change your life around like R.to partake of such blessings.

I love each and every one of you and know that these things can help you. Serve others. There is no greater joy than serving others with all your heart, might, mind and strength, I promise you from the bottom of my heart. Make it a daily part of you life.

I love you Gi, you look great, and I am really proud of all that you are accomplishing in your youth. Remember to be different than others.... being different separates the every day person from the cream of the crop. Be the cream of the crop. Be the person that people say, what does he have, or why is he like he is? I promise the Lord will bless you. I have been thinking a lot about you and the importance that you have had in my life and seeing your growth while I have been here on the mission. You have changed as well as I have . I know that you are a stud, and that you are different then los demas. I thank you for your love and support, I am so proud of all that you have accomplished in the classroom and on the field. Use your intelligence in all aspects of your life. Make each day count. You have a potential that you don’t even know of. Ask the Lord who he wants Gi to become. I have been thinking a lot about you my man, I have seen you change these months and it’s for the better. Live life to the maximo in all aspect and I know that they Lord will bless you more than you know. Make it your number one goal to serve a mission. It changes one and others for the better. It brings a joy that NO sports game can bring. I love you stud. Thanks for your example. Be the best that you can be. Have swag and kill it on and off the field. Success in the classroom brings success en el campo. Te quiero mucho mi amigo! Gracias por su ejemplo gi gi.

Mis amigos y familia! Gracias por todo... tengan un buen semana! Aim high in all that you do and put your best foot forward!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Long!

Another new area and companion...I love this work!

Hey there friends and familia! I hope that this letter finds you all alive and kicking and doing your thing. All is good here. So this week you can find Elder Long in a new area with a lot of new and great things! So let’s get down to the sweat report once again!! 

So lets begin with that this area is by far the hottest area on my mission... it’s SO hot you have no idea. It’s horrible. We are in a valley called C. and our area is called L. P. It’s a huge area and super nice. It has like a pueble and city feel to it, it’s amazing! It’s a very cool area. We are about 20 minutes away from an American Air force base. I am so pumped to go there and see if there are any AF grads there. So excited, I think that we are going to be going there next Monday, we shall see!

Our house does not have running water. It’s super hot too haha. We don’t have a shower, we just shower outside haha because the shower is broken. We don’t have a washing machine mom (good joke haha that would be like having a Ferrari). Thats about all I can think of that you would like to know!  

So I have a new companion! He is from the states, Florida! His name is Elder S. His mom is from Peru and his father is from Mexico, quite the one two punch haha. He’s great! He’s a newbie and I’m his first companion and this is his first area in the mission for him. So he’s pretty nervous but he’s doing good. He went to the CCM in Mexico so we had some good talks about that place. He is super into music and has like opposite interests of mine but we get a long great. I am so happy to be able to help him out in the beginning of his mission.  

So our President of our mission took out all the missionaries in our area, there used to be two sets of missionaries here, and now there is just my companion and I. We are covering two areas, and it’s huge. But its all good, we are getting after it. The assistance in the church is super low... and when I say super low I mean super. There is not a lot of emotion and stuff. So this is where Papi Long comes into hand, we need to put the big boy pants on and make some changes! So we didn’t waste time, Sunday I got people to work. When we started there were 7 people in church (no one shows up on time) and we ended up with 52. We easily should have over 130 people each week in church. So we put the big boy pants on and had a good talk, everyone is super pumped to get after it and change the ward around and have it like it was before! So we have A LOT OF WORK, but that’s nothing new, it’s been like that since day one and I am happy to be in an area that needs a lot of help. It’s going to be a blast here. We will make a 360 here. So pumped! 

So we didn’t waste time finding people that really want to move forward and receive the blessing of the gospel in their lives. So since we are covering two areas we have so much work to do and make up for lost time. President Fortuna was going to close this entire area down and take out all the missionaries, but he is giving it another transfer to see what’s good. So here I am sent to another area to make it happen. I love the pressure and we’re going to make it happen. It’s great, we have little time to see results and that’s when the Academy Long kicks in, adrenaline going and loving it! So all is good!

This week we found about 6 people that are great and ready and are preparing to get baptized, One in particular that is amazing! His name is R. So we were walking down a street in the middle of the market and he said Hola Elderes! We said hello and kept walking. I got the strongest impression, and when I say strongest impression from the spirit to turn around, so we did. We went back and talked to him and put a time to meet with him later that night. We invited him to church and he came. He rocks a huge beard, has some habits that are a challenge but I love the guy already. Then after church, later Sunday night we go to his house. He had shaven and was all cleaned up. We asked him why he shaved? He said, “I need to change my life around and I have started. I felt the spirit so strong in the church, I know that this church is true and that I need to start a new life. I need to be better, so I shaved to start a new me”... the spirit was so strong, the joy that I felt was amazing. I am so happy that the spirit led me to R. and that he is so ready to grow closer to our Heavenly Father. I know that the Lord will bless him. I know that this man is going to change and be a better man. I am so happy for him. So thankful and happy to have had this experience this week. It was one of the more spiritual moments on my mission. I am so happy for him!!! 

So we are getting after it, every day is something new and making the people have emotion for what we do and why we do it. This is the Lords work. He is at the helm and we just are his servants in all that we do. I am so happy to be part of the lords work. I know why I am here in this new area. I know why I am with Elder S., everything has a reason. The Lord is our example and if we do what he wants us to do , we will receive blessings. I love this area, little time to work and results to show, because if not.. there is a great possiblily that they will close the area. So time to work.

So happy to be a missionary, I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. There is no better work in the world. This is the Lords work. I know it’s true. I love and miss you guys, don’t worry though, I am doing amazing and growing in ways that I never thought I could. Make it a special week, do something for someone else, and change something for the better. 

Aim high in all that you do and put your best foot forward every day. 

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Long! 

Week 66

Hey there familia and amigos! I hope that all is going good and that everyone is kicking it and alive and well! I am always thinking about you guys and know (hope) that your living life to the maximo baby!! So lets get down to the sweat report shall we! :) 

So this week I got the call that I am going to train. I am going to be receiving a newbie this Wednesday to train him and show him all about the missionary life and how to kill it for two years! I am so pumped to be able to train a new missionary once again. It’s going to be a ball! I am not sure if I am going to be going to a new area or if I am going to stay in my area where I am right now! I don’t know either if its going to be a gringo or Latin. I think that it will be a gringo because there are only like two Latin’s coming in this group, the rest are from the promise land. So I am so pumped to be able to have a greenyyy and show him what’s good here in the jungle jeje. So that’s some of the exciting news for you all.

So I was reading a talk this week that was given at a church conference and I really liked it. It gave me a new perspective on some things in my life and things that we are always facing.  The talk is titled Overcoming Discouragement.

If we place a little more patience in the process and a greater amount of faith in the Lord, our challenges will find their way toward successful conclusions.

Some years ago I was invited to participate in a fireside in which I outlined ways for people to overcome discouragement. At the beginning of the presentation, I invited those who were in attendance to write on a card a major challenge they were facing, one they would feel comfortable in having me share anonymously with other members of the group. When the problems came forward, I was overcome by the significant issues faced by members who looked in control of their lives. Here are some they listed:

1.     My farm is not making any money.

2.     My son has a terminal illness.

3.     Friction with a teenage child.

4.     My oldest son is nearly blind.

5.     Learning to accept the death of my son.

6.     My husband sees the flaws but doesn’t see the lovely things as much.

Many of us face significant challenges. Even the great prophet Enoch experienced sadness when he viewed the wickedness of the world: “And as Enoch saw this, he had bitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren, and said unto the heavens: I will refuse to be comforted; but the Lord said unto Enoch: Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look” (Moses 7:44).

There are at least three steps to take when striving to overcome discouragement:

1.     You can work on changing your attitude toward the problem. Even though you can’t change the circumstances in which you work or live, you can always change your attitude.

2.     You can receive help from those who are close to you—your family, friends, and ward members, those who love you the most.

3.     You can develop a more powerful and complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Change your attitude. By looking at a problem in a different way, it may be possible to 

reduce discouragement. I have been impressed with the pioneer story told about Zina Young. After experiencing the death of parents, crop failure and sickness, she was encouraged with a spiritual experience that changed her attitude. While attempting to seek divine help, she heard her mother’s voice: “Zina, any sailor can steer on a smooth sea, when rocks appear, sail around them. “ A prayer came quickly: “O Father in Heaven, help me to be a good sailor, that my heart shall not break on the rocks of grief” (“Mother, “The Young Woman’s Journal, Jan. 1911, 45). It is often difficult to change circumstances, but a positive attitude can help lift discouragement.

Accept help from others. The next important point is to be willing to ask for help from those around you. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources. A few years ago I stood in line in Chicago waiting to put my baggage on a plane. Behind me was an older man. After a few minutes he said to me, “Where are you going?” I said that I was heading for Salt Lake City. He said, “I’m going there too. Are you a Mormon?” I responded by saying I was. He said that he had been a Latter-day Saint all his life and had prepared himself to go to the temple. While waiting for the plane, he opened his suitcase to show me all the missionary pictures that he had collected through the years. After some minutes, we were on our way and a wonderful talk as we flew toward Utah. Upon arrival, we left the plane quickly. I made sure he knew where he was going and said good-bye. Some weeks later, I received this card in the mail: “Dear Brother Christensen. I lost your address and then found it. So, I’m writing you a card. When I met you in Chicago, it was a prayer answered. I never travel anywhere. I wanted to be with someone. I have thought of you many times. I really enjoyed myself in Salt Lake City at the temple. Hope to see you someday. Thanks many times for the help you were to me. ”I wasn’t planning to be useful that day, but I’m grateful for this brother who sought for extra help and I was nearby to assist.”

Develop trust in the Lord. I’ve talked about changing attitudes and receiving help from others. Now let me mention the need to put more trust and faith in the Lord. I once talked to a woman who received help with her discouragement. While waiting for a temple session to begin, she picked up a Book of Mormon to read a verse. Her eyes fixed upon Alma 34:3: “And as you have desired of my beloved brother that he should make known unto you what ye should do, because of your afflictions; and he hath spoken some what unto you to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience.” The scripture in Alma was answered to her prayer. The message was simple: the problem she faced was going to take a long time to solve. If we place a little more patience in the process and a greater amount of faith in the Lord, our challenges will find their way toward successful conclusions.

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read this: “If thou art sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful” (D&C136: 29).

I pray that all of us may appreciate the challenges we have and try to improve our attitudes, even though our problems remain the same.  Ask help from friends and family. I also testify that Jesus Christ lives and that He will help us through our discouragements if we will humbly ask for His love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Brothers and sisters, we are always going to be faced with challenges. I promise you that when we have the Lord by our side every challenge that we face, we will look back and say that I learned something. We need to be appreciative for the problems that we face, because without problems we do not grow in any form. I know through challenges we see what our true character is and what kind of person we really can be. During challenges we must be ourselves, do not let the adversary change us. We are faced with problems because the Lord knows that we can face them.

I love you guys. I miss you guys, and know that you’re all kicking and doing your thing. Make each day count. Leave it all on the table. Give it your all whether it be in the kitchen, on the field, in the classroom or in the weight room, with your friends, with your familia, donde sea, give it your ALL.

I love you guys. I pray for you guys and wish the best for each and every one of you each day. 

Aim high in all that you do and put your best foot forward! 

Con mucho amor, 

Elder Long! 

An amazing weekend! A baptism to start off conference weekend...

Hola mis queridos hermanos y hermanos! Espero que todo bien con ud! Hey there my loving brothers and sisters! I hope that everything is going good with each and every one of you. You guys are the bomb! So this week absolutely flew bye and was amazing. So lets get down to the sweat report shall we. 

So this week we were preparing for a baptism pretty much the entire week. Her name is M. She is amazing. So a little about her. She has been investigating the church for about 3 years now... so when I came to this area I instantly invited her to follow the Lord and to get baptized. She said that she was not ready… joking… I said, “What are you waiting for?” “You know it’s true and you need to follow the spirit and do it.” HA! So we put a plan together for her and I promised her that she would be ready and that she was going to be baptized this weekend and it will be the best decision that she has made in her whole life.

So Friday night was the day. Threeeee years later she got baptized!!! You have no idea how happy everyone was in the little rama here in the Villeda. It was an amazing night to say the least. I am so happy for M. She was very emotional... It was her time. It was the Lords time. I am so happy to see the love that she has for the Savior and the confidence that she has and had in us to trust us that she was ready to take and make such an important decision.

That brings me to my next point. We must always act on the spirit. The spirit will never lead us astray. The spirit is the best teacher, friend and companion. We must act as the spirit leads and directs us to do certain things. It may not be easy at times, but it’s the best thing we can do, follow the prompting from our loving Heavenly Father and act upon it. When we do so the Lord will bless us. It is a promise from our Heavenly Father. When we make decisions to grow closer to him we are continually blessed.

I want each of you to act upon the promptings of the spirit. How can we have the spirit to be with us in order to be able to receive promptings and help form the spirit? We must do our part. We must go to church. Read the scriptures. Pray individually and pray with our family, have family time, follow the commandments, and do the things in which are good. Serve others and make the most of every day. We must make time for the Lord. It will bless you. It’s not to give the Lord satisfaction, it’s for us to see the blessings that really come from doing what’s best for us. We will personally be transformed into a better person.

I have seen it while here on my mission. I have changed spiritually and it has made me a better person. I feel the difference and know that the Lord can bless us and our families through doing the little things right. I invite each of you once again to reflect and really see if you are doing the little things like you should be doing. Don’t make excuses, you have time. If you don’t make time you are in a little way telling the Lord that you do not love him.. hard to say it so directly but it’s the truth.

We need to make time in these latter days. The worlds standards are lowering, but the Lords standards are not lowering. We must up the bar in these days to reap the blessings from the Lord. I promise you as you keep your standards high, the Lord will be there with arms open to welcome us into his presence again.  You can do. Make the little things a part of your life. They just need to be part of your daily routine. It will change you. I promise you. Do it! Do it!  Do it! and see the blessings that will come. 

Thanks so much for all the love and support, you guys are the best, I love each of you very much. Make it a great week. Aim high in all that you do and put your best foot forward! 

Con mucho amor,

Elder Long!