"In the End it is All Good!"

 Hey All,

      Man, how I miss the temple.  I’m just so glad our family has been able to receive the blessings it offers.  Obviously, the blessing to attend the temple is not as widely available here as it is to you guys there.  I know you cherish it.   :)   I do to.

      Well, we just got back from a Zone Conference (Where all the missionaries from a certain area come together and get instruction from the mission president, the assistants, others, and the spirit).  It was so uplifting.  I'll be applying many of the principles doctrines and applications into my everyday life.

      We are seeing much success in this area. We have a few very promising people on date for baptism.  There is a 16-year-old boy investigating the church right now whose uncle has served a mission, and through his example and the lessons he is being taught he has become so excited about the gospel. So much that he actually has a desire to serve a mission someday as well.  Not much more you could want than for an investigator to serve a mission later on :)

      Also, there are 3 people from my last area (soon to be 4) who have accepted the invitation to be baptized!! :)  Man my joy was full hearing that news :)  I’m so happy for them.  Two of them I know will be POWERFUL members and holders on the priesthood.  They all will benefit greatly (more than they could ever imagine) from this gospel, even the gospel of Jesus Christ.

      I can say my testimony of Christ has been enlarging lately from my studies of the Book of Mormon and Bible. There is a lot going on in my life, some good and some bad, but in the end it is all good because of what I’m taking from these experiences.

      Well, I can feel winter ending and summer coming.  The time is flying by.  I’ve been gone 5 1/2 months and it feels like nothing.  Each week comes and goes like a vortex.  It’s cool and sad. I can tell you this time is too short, but my two years of missionary service is just training for a missionary life when I return.  

I love you All.

Keep being my biggest example.  



Elder Gold



P.s.      Mom, I was quite intrigued and still am about that spinal research you mentioned some weeks back.  Do you know much about when it will be available and such? 

Just a Note From Mom:

 

      In Landon’s letter he mentions that, “There is a lot going on in my life, some good and some bad, but in the end it is all good because of what I’m taking from these experiences.”  In his typical style of not wanting to focus on the ‘Not so pleasant’ challenges of life he doesn’t go into details of what he refers to as the  ‘Bad.’  However, at the end of his correspondence he also makes reference to spinal research test studies taking place in Texas that will change the future of how back injuries are treated.  This new research utilizes stem cells to regenerate damaged discs, re-growing the missing cushions through an innovated process that is injected directly to the damaged or missing area.  Landon has had years of refinement as he has been forged on the hot coals of physical pain.  Through this challenge brought on by degenerated discs he has learned to gain strength from weakness making his spirit strong.  I know this refining fire has helped him to appreciate more dearly things of the spirit as he draws on the powers of Heaven to deal with a not so perfect mortal body.  His love for the temple is a reflection of where his sights are set and has been his strength as he walked on Holy Ground, working selflessly for others.  As his mother I find hope in a treatment that may heal his physical body, and what joy that is!  But, Oh how much greater is my joy in knowing this same son is well...very well as he understands more deeply those things of eternity, drawing closer to Heaven through gifts of this earth.

The Work

Well Hello Famila,

      I’m serving in Thaba 'Nchu, which happens to be even farther away from the ocean than I was before.  President knows me well. :p  There is a tiny branch here, but they are power!!!  I’ve never known members more on fire for missionary work than these people.  They are a mix of Basotho and Batswana's, so I still get to retain my Sotho culture.  So, we live in a place called Madella View, which is about 15 kilometers outside of Bloemfontein.  We travel about 50 or more kilometers every day to get to our area.  It’s quite a change up from living in our area.  So, in our boarding there is Elder Rotich from Kenya.  He runs, and runs, and ruuuuuns.  Dad, his marathon time is 2:20!!!  There is Elder Shokoane from South Africa, and then my companion, Elder Fokuo from GANA!  He is lekker(cool)!   He is such a humble, funny and caring guy.  He is about to go home, so in mission terms I’m killing him.  He will be leaving on October 1^st, so I have two transfers with him.

      It is cold!  It snowed in our area on Saturday, but luckily we have a car. Actually I don’t like the car when it comes to missionary work because we don’t get to talk to everyone like we do without it.  We are in accordance with the members a lot here and get fed often.  It is definitely good but in some ways, not so good.

      I get to run with Elder Rotich which is sick (awesome)!  We just started off doing 6 K's in the mornings but that will be upped.

      I’m not sure what more I can say at this point.  The time is flying.  Oh man, your Book of Mormon idea is sick (see description below)!!  I so wish I could be part of it.  I’m so proud to be a Gold because you guys are leading legacies back home.  I’m so happy with my family.  :) . . . Definitely blessings of serving a mission.

      I hope you find your birthday card soon mom and these photos to be fun.  :)

      Proud of you Bug, way to step up and get your Eagle Project done.  I wish I could have been there.  Way to be lekker.  :p   Teach Dad to surf Bug.  He ought to be able to smoke me by the time I get back.

I love you all.  Stay well and know I’m in His hands.

Elder Gold

Letter From Mom:

      So, here's a new project your dad and I are collaborating on.  I am binding a series of small books where the pages will be sewn in (temporarily bound) in order to remove them when the project is complete and we know the exact number of pages the entire project required.  Then, I will permanently bind the completed work using the same process and similar materials that were used to bind the original first edition copies of the Book of Mormon back in 1830.  The pages will start out empty (except for very faint lines that will be a guide for the scribes).  Ward members, family, friends and whoever wishes to be a part of this project will eventually fill those pages.  So here is the cool part.  The project is going to be: Writing out the entire Book of Mormon as others dictate the contents of its pages word by word. Here is how it is going to work.  Let’s say a family wants the book next week for family home evening.  They will take it and have each family member take turns being the scribe for a page and being the reader for another page (or however many pages they wish to do).  Dad calculated that if a person wrote for 1hour a day it would take approximately a year to complete (over 300 hours).  It took Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (and a few other scribes for a brief period of time) a little less than three months to complete the original translation of the Book of Mormon (started on April 7th and completed by the last week of June, around 60 working days).  

      I feel this project will help those who wish to participate develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the sacrifices made in order for us to have this ancient text in these modern days.  Being a scribe was only one part of the great miracle that took place to keep this work moving forward, but it was a very important part and those chosen to be the Lords servants did so humbly and faithfully.  As we work on this project my prayers will be for the spirit to touch the hearts of those participants that they may gain a deeper testimony of the Book of Mormon’s eternal value as a witness and testimony that Jesus is the Christ.

            There is much to do before the book is ready to be filled and I will keep you updated on its progress.  We have decided that there will be certain rules to follow for the participants.  First off: a specific pen will be used for all of the entries to alleviate issues that could arise with children trying to use a quill pen and ink.  However, I will provide the families and individuals with parchment paper, quill and ink so they can write a page of their own to help them also understand the challenge of writing and having to re-ink constantly.  Only proper names will be spelled out and they will only be allowed to use pen for recording the dictation, so if there are mistakes to be corrected they will have to cross out the error and rewrite the change as Oliver had to (no spell check on this tablet).  Speaking of tablets, after the project is complete we will have a get together for all those involved and will provide them an opportunity to try their hand at writing on brass/metal plates in reformed Egyptian (sorry, we can't provide gold plates for this one).  Wow, and they thought being a 19th Century scribe for the Book of Mormon was a challenge?  Could be interesting and really a lot of fun, don't you think?

The Transfer

OK OK OK,

Famila from mi Kosi,

      This week was powerful!  Elder Dutson and I are really working well together now.  We are doing really good and understanding one another and getting along swell.  We are really teaching by the spirit.  We had some powerful lessons this week, and I have much hope for our investigators.  Some are progressing rapidly and grasping the gospel tight (finally)!  We have a guy on date to be baptized in a few weeks, so I’m very excited for that.  This week I really got a glimpse that my efforts are not in vane.  So, I can say it was a most excellent week.

      Then came the bad news...

      I'M LEAVING PHUTHADITJABA!!!!!

      I had absolutely no indication whatsoever, so I haven’t taken the time to say goodbye to ANYONE!  Last night I got the call and it completely finished me... I’m so sad, I haven’t been sadder on the mission, because I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!!!! I cannot express it.  It is too deep to express.  I have labored and worked and fasted and prayed and studied and listened and listened and listened and taught these people, and I feel I have become one of them.  Like I’m family to every person we talk to and associate with.  They have taken us in as their own it feels like.  Humbly I want to say that they have expressed their love and care and appreciation for me.  On several occasions after a lesson one will express their love for me and other things.  They are MY people!  And now I have to leave them... Mom, I don’t know if this is accurate, but compare the feelings of me leaving you.  Maybe they are one in the same.

      So, I will be moving even farther away from the roaring waves of the Durban coast (probably inspiration) to Bloemfontein.  Specifically, I will be serving in Thaba Nchu. I don’t know where it is or who I will be with, but I have been to their boarding several times when we would have conferences.  It’s about 3 hours away from where I am now.  On the bright side; I know one of the Elders there. Elder Rotich.  He is from Kenya and from one of the running tribes.  So, I hope I will start running again.

      I couldn’t sleep last night and neither could Elder Long (he is getting transferred to the coast) so we stayed up and prepared for our transfers.

      Anyways, I just have a comforting feeling that this is the Lord’s will, and that’s all I need.  Even though it’s not pleasant, I know and trust in what the Lord has planned.  I just refer to the line "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." Though not as much a sacrifice as others have to make, it still will be a sacrifice.  I don’t want to leave, but I want to because it’s not my will.  Or rather it is my will to leave because it is my Father’s will.  Phuthaditjhaba (which means "United Nation") will forever be etched into my heart with its people.  I love this work and am excited to continue it amongst them in Thaba Nchu. I will go where thou wants me to go.

      So Mom, I forgot to say that I have received the SD cards and your letters.  I appreciate it tremendously, so thank you.  :)

I love you more than CAKE!

Always, your Son and Elder,

Elder Gold

Sacrificing For the Good of Others

MOMMA,     

"YOU'VE HAD A BIRTHDAY SHOUT HURRAY!  I’D LIKE TO SING TO YOU TODAY!  ONE YEAR OLDER (but really 40 years younger) AND WISER (not so wise but crazy spunky energetic and fun) TOO, HAAAAPPYY BIRTHDAY, TO YOOOOOOUUUUUU!!!!!!!!"

      I remembered your birthday momma, and will be sending you a little something I made this next week.

      That is pretty crazy to hear about your 18th Century French Book Bindery!!  I got a little Giddy thinking about being able to bind my own books filled with stories, wisdom, thoughts, principles, doctrines and poems.  It sounds WAY COOL! :)

      Well I just realized that Bug is out of school.  Crazy!  I’m so glad he is going to EFY ("Especially For Youth" Church Camp for youth 14 to 18 years of age), An opportunity I wish I had taken.

      You guys make me so proud.  I must say, "You guys are not bland parents."  I Could not handle such boring parents.  Yours and dads energy, spunkyness, differences and weirdness makes everything way fun :)

      I’m doing well this week.  I love this work and I know it's true.  I know my Heavenly Father lives and loves me.  I'm so thankful for what Christ has done for me.  I love the Spirit.  Ahhh, the Spirit is so Great.  :) This is true, and I believe it so much.

      Did you get my letter about faith yet?  I also sent a micro SD card with a lot of photos on it.  I hope you get it soon.

With much love, your Darling Baby in Africa.

Elder Landon Gold

DADIO!



      Man a Celo Europa (old school road bike)?  Honestly, I think I know what that is.  That is so sick though.  I miss my bike so much I must say.  I miss you too.  I hope that when I get back we can hit the roads and trails on motors, bikes and feet.  Then, hit the water on boards. :p  

Remember when you and I went to the movies in New York and saw ‘War of the Worlds’?  Then we walked back to the hotel in the pouring rain?  Yeah, that is a good memory I thought I would share. 

      So, this week has been hard.  My new companion and I are not faring well together. We just aren’t making a friendship.  It has been a difficult situation, so I thought I would share this with you because you were once on a mission and had many companions that, I’m sure, you did not see eye to eye with at times.  I know you had many foreign companions just like mine.  Hee hee, mine is from the very foreign place of Utah.  So maybe you have some advice.  On a good note, I have really learned a principle that you master: sacrificing yourself for the good of the other, the good of the situation, or just to make things a little less tense.  I never understood it growing up, but now I think I’m beginning to realize just how important these communication skills really are.  So, thanks for the shining example.  :) 



      I’m also glad to hear that Bug is going to EFY.  That will be life changing for him.  If I may say, thank you Dad, for leading our family in righteous ways.  There are SOOO many, TOOO many who do not enjoy the blessing that I do of having a father like you. I hope to be like you when I’m a father.  But, most importantly, DON'T GET ELIMINATED!!!


I love you tremendously Dad! 


Your Son and Elder, 


      Elder Gold

Editor’s Note:

            It was very interesting to read the two letters sent from our son this week.  The one addressed to Momma showed no signs of a difficult time and was rather positive and upbeat.  On the other hand, the letter his father received proceeded to give a bit of insight to the challenges of a young missionary learning to live with a new companion.  As I read the words: “this week has been hard, we aren’t making a friendship, and, it has been a difficult situation,” I questioned just how the Lord takes young men, who have barely stepped into society as adults, and brings them together to make it work.  The challenge of having to live with a stranger and learn to love him as a brother, no matter your differences, is unfathomable.  However, further insight came through Landon’s declaration that, “I have really learned a principle that you (Dad) master: sacrificing yourself for the good of the other, the good of the situation, or just to make things a little less tense.”  Through analyzing his fathers refined communication skills and knowing that “Being patient and agreeable is not the same as being weak,” Landon is gaining a better understanding of how to get along, even in those tough situations.  I now realize that through the self-same-sacrifices 30-plus years ago, as Steve served his two-year mission, a gift had been granted.  He had learned the power and strength of a gentle, guiding hand.  This has helped our family through many rough patches.  As we continue to live through the trials of parenting a teenager who demands his freedom but does not always want the responsibility that accompanies that freedom, we are fortunate to have a balance in our parenting techniques.  I, having been raised in a military family, tend to stand my ground in a disagreement as if the enemy needs to be stopped in its tracks and forced into compliance.  On the other hand, Steve tends to have a gentler approach.  Here is his view given in a letter as advice to his son: 

“I share this with you to emphasize the intensity of our family dynamics right now.  It’s not always “peace on earth”.  But we deal with it because we love Jordan and want to see him improve and succeed.  When it gets real bad, your mother sometimes wants to “lay down the law”, using grounding as the punishment and even taking away his car keys.  I’m more inclined to work with Jordan, to coax him into wanting to improve.  I see your mother’s approach as if Jordan were an ocean liner sailing in the wrong direction and she sends out a battleship to block his path. When the ocean liner collides with the battleship, there will be damage.  The impact is instant and the damage is great. My approach is different. I’m more like a little tugboat that tries to guide the ocean liner, nudging it in the right direction.  My little tugboat takes longer to alter that path of the ocean liner than does the battleship, but the damage is minimal and eventually, I hope, the ocean liner will be headed in the right direction under its own power.  Who’s to say which approach is best…”

As I read this letter I looked to our Heavenly Father’s example of parenting and asked myself, “By what manner does He guide me?”  The answer was clear, “By a gentle and loving hand.”  The ultimate goal is for us all to be on a correct path traveling in the right direction . . . and under our own power.  If we can proceed in this manner without taking a course of action that endangers ourselves or others we should have our agency, our freedom to choose.  As a parent, however, I see certain pathways as dangerous and actions, quite possibly out of control.  It is in these situations that I want to force my own will to correct them.  I am learning the importance of not intervening with every move that may appear to carry its passenger to dangerous waters.  In some parenting situations, however, those dangerous pathways are ignored and then, when damage is done, society must intervene with those laws to protect.  It is our duty as parents to help our children learn the importance of self-mastery and to discover the greater blessings found in becoming responsible to those choices they make.  It is with this free agency we can learn to understand just how our potential for happiness becomes ours to achieve; fathoming the depths of our choices and the heights to which we can climb.  Knowing these truths and seeing the example of a father and son striving to bring peace to their world, I find calm waters even during the storm.  Oh, how grateful I am to have someone at my side that, through his own sacrifices years ago, has learned to patiently guide us through these rough waters and steer us in the right direction.