Messages

Hey Mommm!! 

IT IS COLD!! I never would have thought it could get this cold in Africa but the place I’m living, QWA QWA is one of the coldest areas. We back up against the Drakensberg Mountains, right next to Lesotho and man is it getting cold, and rainy, but beautiful at the same time.

I didn’t get to watch General Conference :( (For General Conference description and  information look to footnote below). Hopefully in a few weeks we will be able to see a session at church, maybe. I heard Elder Baxter spoke. That is exciting!! He’s a great man. Maybe you could send me the good talks, or pray about which ones would be useful to me and send them :) We aren’t allowed to go on any other computer sites except our email. 

I got your package last week. I was so excited :) And I love all the things you sent, especially the stickers. The way it works is all the mail goes to the mission office, and when they get it they try to send it with people from the mission who are traveling through our mission area.  So that’s why it takes some time to get here. 

We have been busy and working hard. Our branch is really lacking priesthood (male members) right now, and it got me thinking yesterday just how important priesthood leadership is. With out it the church organization wouldn’t exist. Our young men NEED to understand that they have been given such an important and vital responsibility. They need to understand just how important, holy, and sacred their priesthood is. I was so happy to read Dad’s email today. It just put smiles all over me to see that he is magnifying his calling, and being an awesome priesthood leader. I love him. I love you, all that you do for me, your prayers. I love Jordan, and who he is and who he can become. I’m proud to be a Gold. My family is the best family I could have. I’ll try not to rub that in with my companions :p

I have been learning a lot of personal relationship skills. I often think about Dad and how temperate he is.

Also, the book “Preach my Gospel” is an amazing inspired work given to us.  Use it and apply it to your everyday lives, because I believe its purpose encompasses much more than missionary work.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

DONT GET ELIMINATED!! 

(editor’s note – there’s a wacky Japanese game show that aired on TV a few years back.  The contestants did crazy physical challenges that sometimes looked painful. At the end of each show the host yelled the motto “Don’t Get Eliminated”. We, as a family, are aware that South Africa is a beautiful, yet potentially dangerous place – so as Landon left on his mission, his dad gave him this same instruction: “Don’t Get Eliminated”)

Love, Elder Gold

Footnote:  General Conference is a semiannual world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is held twice a year (once in April and also in October), where members gather for the two-hour sessions to listen to instruction from Church leaders.  Many inspired messages are given to help those who wish to listen gain strength and clarity for their daily lives.  General Conference is broadcast from the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, via satellite, television, the Internet, and radio.  To read, watch or listen to this April's session of conference by clicking on the image below, or go to www.churchofjesuschrist.org and search April 2012 General Conference.

LDS General Conference - April 2012