Hello Family,
Thanks for your letters today; I’m always happy to read them each week. I appreciate all you guys do and share with me.
It’s been a good week here in Pinetown. Let me share with you a few things you will like.
Ok, a little update on some of our investigators. The man who we’ll call Teddy has really had a rough time. You may remember a few weeks ago I wrote about how he had come to Pinetown from Zimbabwe after falling on hard times. Well his story continues. He was saving, and saving, and saving just to get enough money to go back to Zimbabwe over the weekend. About 4 or 5 days before he was to leave the money was stolen or somehow lost. Luckily, I think, he found someone to help because he still got to go. We will see him in a few weeks. I will update you then, when he returns.
Remember Laura and her Aunt? The two of them are coming along rather well.
So, in about one hour the mission president is meeting several of the elders (including us) at the chapel and is going to tell us where the temple is to be built. I’m super excited. However, unless you can find out that info somehow you’ll have to wait a week when I tell you next Monday.
I don’t know if I’d told you much about my new companion. Elder Tshabane (cha-ban-nay) is from East London (about a ten-hour drive towards Cape Town here in South Africa). He is one transfer younger than me and is kind of the only member in his family. He wears thick black glasses, like me, and is a pretty funny guy. Oh, he also talks a lot. We get along well.
About a month
ago my scriptures separated from the binding. So, last Monday I took it
into Durban to get fixed. I bought some elephant trunk leather from a guy who
makes high quality and expensive leather clothing. I took the elephant
trunk leather and my scriptures to a binder who separated them (at my
request) into two books. I had him bind the Bible, Book of Mormon,
Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price into one book. For the
other book I had him bind the topical guide and the index together. I
like them a lot. I know you will too Mom, considering your fascination
with bookbinding. Also, the scripture bound book has a flap and leather
thong to tie it together. I know you won’t be surprised that that was
what I asked him to do.
Anyways, in closing I just want to say that we are trying to work hard. Working hard, I have learned, does not mean mindlessly doing tasks that you hope will add up to an ultimate goal. It is so much more than that. It requires mind: focus and concentration and creativity. You have got to be smart about when and where and how you do things. For example: like when you go knocking on doors. You can’t go knocking on doors (in Mormon lingo we call it tracting) at the morning hours because, usually, you’d find no one at home. You’ve got to go when the families are there, and you also have to think hard and pray about where to spend your time. It also takes Faith: I’ve learned a lot from that talk by Elder Bednar and I am trying to apply it in my life and the lives of my investigators. Ironically, I recognized that most of what he said could be extracted from ‘Preach My Gospel’ if you’re looking for it. Hard work is also determination. It’s also consistency. It’s many things, and that is something I feel I am learning in Pinetown.
Thanks for your letters today; I’m always happy to read them each week. I appreciate all you guys do and share with me.
It’s been a good week here in Pinetown. Let me share with you a few things you will like.
Ok, a little update on some of our investigators. The man who we’ll call Teddy has really had a rough time. You may remember a few weeks ago I wrote about how he had come to Pinetown from Zimbabwe after falling on hard times. Well his story continues. He was saving, and saving, and saving just to get enough money to go back to Zimbabwe over the weekend. About 4 or 5 days before he was to leave the money was stolen or somehow lost. Luckily, I think, he found someone to help because he still got to go. We will see him in a few weeks. I will update you then, when he returns.
Remember Laura and her Aunt? The two of them are coming along rather well.
So, in about one hour the mission president is meeting several of the elders (including us) at the chapel and is going to tell us where the temple is to be built. I’m super excited. However, unless you can find out that info somehow you’ll have to wait a week when I tell you next Monday.
I don’t know if I’d told you much about my new companion. Elder Tshabane (cha-ban-nay) is from East London (about a ten-hour drive towards Cape Town here in South Africa). He is one transfer younger than me and is kind of the only member in his family. He wears thick black glasses, like me, and is a pretty funny guy. Oh, he also talks a lot. We get along well.
Anyways, in closing I just want to say that we are trying to work hard. Working hard, I have learned, does not mean mindlessly doing tasks that you hope will add up to an ultimate goal. It is so much more than that. It requires mind: focus and concentration and creativity. You have got to be smart about when and where and how you do things. For example: like when you go knocking on doors. You can’t go knocking on doors (in Mormon lingo we call it tracting) at the morning hours because, usually, you’d find no one at home. You’ve got to go when the families are there, and you also have to think hard and pray about where to spend your time. It also takes Faith: I’ve learned a lot from that talk by Elder Bednar and I am trying to apply it in my life and the lives of my investigators. Ironically, I recognized that most of what he said could be extracted from ‘Preach My Gospel’ if you’re looking for it. Hard work is also determination. It’s also consistency. It’s many things, and that is something I feel I am learning in Pinetown.
My Easter was also very spiritual. I took time to read from the Gospels and the Book of Mormon and ponder upon the sacrifices of the Savior. The sacrament on Sunday was the pinnacle of my pondering. My testimony of Christ is running deeper and deeper.
Anyways, I look forward to getting a package :) the post office was striking for about a month so not much was coming through. Perhaps if you guys sent anything it will come today because the strike is over.
Love you all,
Elder Gold
Editor's Note:
So, I ask myself just how a young man gets to the point of allowing himself to become such a humble and pliable model in the hands of God? The answer comes within the lines of a letter; among the dialogue of thought he records as if it is just another thought. I see him losing himself in daily service, but this young man also doesn’t just read the scriptures and listen to the talks of great men and women. He studies, he ponders and he seeks God’s will to understand more deeply those things that are good. I believe his knees are raw at times not giving heed to the discomfort of the human body or the mind. That place of discomfort, and sometimes pain, has become familiar and quite possibly his requiem, his token of humility.
So, does it all begin with faith? No matter the amount, finite or grand, it is faith that has to be acted upon in order for one to move. Oh sure, we can lean on the faith of others, but they cannot walk for us. Whether we’ve been traveling a spiritual journey or we’ve just taken a few steps, it begins there….with steps! We need to be willing to walk in the right direction, towards His will verses ours. We need to give into his will, give up our own, and give way to the journey.
Yes, as I look back on this masterpiece he is creating I know Landon walks the walk, but truly it is the Masters hand that has directed his path and helped to create a life of purpose, love, service, sacrifice and peace. If Landon would not act on faith each day his path could quite possibly fall away from the direction God would have him travel. If this were to happen we would not see him becoming a masterpiece in the Masters hand, but rather a rudimentary and crude drawing without color, light and detail.
It is through acting upon faith that has allowed his life to be such a work of art. In the above letter he makes reference to a talk given by David A. Bednar titled ‘Ask In Faith.’ This talk gives great insight to the council he is following that has made him easily molded to be good, if not great. This morning I found another video titled ‘Mountains to Climb’ that gives a beautiful and touching account of three individuals struggling to find hope in what seems to be hopeless circumstances. They each grasp onto small portions of faith that at a time appeared to be lost. Yet, their actions, beginning with the first step, have brought them each to a place of hope and peace, and have helped discover the beautiful masterpiece they each were meant to become.
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