Missionary Muscles . . . Keep Lifting Where You Stand!

 Heya Fam,

      Just read all your emails.  So, the sad news... Didn't get to watch any conference.  This is the first time I'm hearing anything about it. Eighteen-year-old missionaries???  That is so sick!  I also heard from another missionary just now that sisters can be 19.  I love what Elder Packer once said about it: "We send out TEENAGERS by the thousands, and the only justification we have is that it works."  Enough said.  I know the Lord qualifies those whom He chooses.  You have Pastors and Ministers and Bishops that tear the bible apart, put it back together, and tear it up again in theology school, and an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy, just out of high school, only has a witness from the spirit that what he has known all his life is true.  How can teenagers teach the gospel with no formal instruction in doctrine, philosophy, or even social interaction and bring thousands to a belief in the true and everlasting gospel?  Because its true.  No contest.

      Well, we will have an opportunity to see probably one or two sessions of conference on the 31st of this month.  I'll look forward to getting the church magazine though, and buying the DVD's from the mission.  I'm still watching and reading and re-reading last conference.  Man, conference is sweet.

      So, my new companion is Elder Zingoni from Bindura, Zimbabwe.  He is fresh from the Mission Training Center and he is really a funny guy.  Likes to make jokes.  He reminds me of Elder Ncube, who was also from Zim, but Elder Zingoni is a little more quiet.  We have this 12 week training program that all the trainers take the new missionaries through now.  It calls for an extra hour of study each morning.  So that is 3 hours of study almost everyday (except Monday).  The training program is really good.  I went through it, and it helped me.  It also helps the trainer to keep growing and building on the basics.  A missionary quoted Elder McConkie once who said that one could spend his life studying the basic doctrines and principles of the gospel and not come close to learning everything.  So, I have a long way to go and the training program will help both of us.

      This is what I said to president about it: "As for myself, I had a good testimony builder experience as a result of the training program.  I had a bit of a stumbling block as far as leading out in training, and for a moment thought myself inadequate for what was ahead.  But, I pushed that thought out and found that I had the Lord's help to fulfill my calling so long as I gave all I could."

      The lord qualifies those whom he calls.

      The work slowed down this last week.  When the time of transfers comes, the Bloemfontein area turns into a frenzy for the missionaries.  Because we are so far away there is a lot of late night buses and transport issues and waiting time.  So, the area was impacted a little, but we are gonna start off fresh and strong this week.

      As far as the pictures, try to pick the one where I'm not so chubby.  Jordan said I'm getting missionary muscles.  I say, "I need more room for my spirit because its growing."  :p

I love you guys.  Keep lifting where you stand!

      Elder Landon T. Gold


Monday, October 16th, 2012

      Hey Dad, I just looked at the attachment from your Ward Mission Leader.  You guys are blessed!  To have such a successful correlation between the ward and missionaries is amazing!  When the ward or branch and missionaries correlate, the work moves forward at an exponential rate.  I've seen it here in this branch.  For years there was no correlation with the missionaries, let alone even auxiliary meetings and such.  But last month we started correlation with a new Branch Mission Leader who is a prospective missionary.  He isn't the easiest to work with if you don't know how to handle him, but I understand him and we are working together to help the work move forward.  We are preparing four people for baptism at this time, and this week we expect that one more individual will possibly commit.  There is one young man who we had our second lesson with last Wednesday. We taught the restoration.  I don't want to say "we" though, because it was the spirit who taught.  It was one of the most powerful lessons I've experienced, and it was just as powerful for him as well as the spirit testified to him that these things are true.  He is attending church and reading the Book of Mormon, and has willingly accepted a date for baptism on the sixteenth of December.  I feel weak in describing the significance of what happened, but know that my testimony of the spirit grew immensely from that one lesson.
      
      Training a new missionary has been a thing of its own.  It requires a lot from all aspects of you, but I'm glad to be doing it.    :)

This is my update for the week. Kinda short :p