I'm On The Other Side Of The WORLD!!

July 2, 2008

2008-07-05T16:26:00.002-06:00

Mom and Dad
Hello-- how are you? all is good here in zhong he--it is a great new area with tonz of people waiting to be baptised-- right now we are working with a man named lu he is solid-- he has been completely taught the lessons and is ready to be baptised-- he thinks he needs more faith before he is baptised-- he will be coming to a baptism this saterday and i think that will help him a bunch -- baptisms are allways very good and help people alot.
another man we are working with is zheng . he is also very good. he has only been taught the 1 lesson-- then they lost contact with him cause he is very busy but we got in touch with him the other day and he is part way trough 2nd nephi and is praying every day. we just have to find a hole in his schedual so we can meet with him.
this area is great but is very different from my others.
My companion and i are good-- he is in his 5th trasfer-- the same age as elder taylor-- we get along fine considering we are completly different- he is amazingly smart and just spent his life in a text book -- i didnt do that as much. he is struggeling with the language alot so hopefully i can help him with that.

we have spent alot of time just looking for some others to teach-- president has asked us all to have 3 people in our baptisim pool and we are sittin at 1 . finding a family would be nice.
That is sad about bryan- Mom you wrote a very good little talk for his funeral-- i didnt know about how he came into the family.-- the family pic i show people on the street has him in it so alot of asian people know who he is.
thankyou for the little artical on preisthood dad-- i enjoyed it. It is true we have to use our authority to what god wants us to. or its not really using gods power on earth it is just faking it.
Dad- What is your Favorite scripture? Just curious but please answer the question-- You to Mom
Well thank for everthing-- i love you guys i hope all goes well with bryans stuff-- Love Elder Langford

June 23, 2008

2008-07-05T16:23:00.000-06:00

Hey!!
i Moved!!
im no longer in yinge-- im am now in zhong he-- the most densly populated area in taiwan. Big change from the small towns iv been to before no trees--no parks--just pavement and cement-- i guess this is how most of the mission is here in taiwan but im not used to it.

it should be fun-- my new companion is elder matern-- from indiana. nice kid -- he was elder taylors companion in the mtc so i already new a little about him-- he is a computer gamer-- a little different but it will be fun-
the SD cards-- i came on with 3 not 5 - i have one-- sent one to you-- and another got ruined in rainstorm but i allready took the pics off so nothing was lost.

Xu li wei past her baptism interview-- sadly i wont be able to attend the baptism cause im far away. She is way good and is excited for baptism-- just scared to bare her testamony after she gets baptised-- but that is normal.

mom you can come to taiwan and climb the stairs of 101-- the tallest building in the world-- i bet you would like that--- my companion elder bingham would run stairs and i just followed im in the elevator- it was a great work out for me!

hopefully this first week we can start working with some good people and get going for the transfer. i love you guys have fun!!-- Elder Langford

June 18, 2008

2008-07-05T16:21:00.000-06:00

Hey Mom and dad
how are ya! every thing is good this past week-- i do enjoy the longer articals you have sent-- like the once seperatly typed that you send to us but i usually read them after i type cause they are longer and i want to make sure i have time to write. Sorry-- is wonderful you have had some good experences with investigators-- good missionary experences.-- when ever i introduce my family to investigators i just tell them you are searving a mission in new zealand-- they all think that is way cool.-- i love to read your experences-- i might not always mention them just cause i read the aweek earlier so ill try to be better.

i had surgery yesterday on my foot!! kinda - i had a nasty ingrown toenail that was getting pretty bad lookin-- we went to the docter and he did a digital block on my toe-- stabbed me like 10 times with his needle! then i didntfeel a thing-- looked up once and it was a bloody mess! kinda fun-- i was off my foot yeaterday and today is p-day-- i should be good for work tomorrow-- but it bleed alot and i have all these pills. no biggie -- kinda a little adventure.

so we fond out that the new member that just moved here from yuli is going to need some work-- doesnt really know the gospel and a girl just moved in to live with him-- ohhhh boy. his friend--Zhang-- is cool-- committed to read and pray everyday so hopefully he will set a good example for his member friend. XU li wei-- xi yu hong older sister is really good-- is liking church more and more and is developing a testamony--- baptisim will be in 2 saterdays. Steven is not good-- is still reading the Book of Mormon but isnt doing it to learn anything-- just to say he has learned it.. He also has some other big probelms that i probley shouldnt talk about. The guy we met in the rain-- du-- is gone-- dissapered-- gave us a fake address and wont answer his phone-- hopefully we can find him again but its kinda weird.

last friday we had elder rasband from the presidency of the 70 come and talk to the mission.. it was way good- more of a Q/A meeting and he shared some good experences from his personal life.

so this past week the mission has had some weird stuff happen-- a couple people sent home and another elder is gay and completely apostate-- kinda crazy

happy fathers day!-- sorry it was last sunday-- is different in taiwan-- the work for dad in chinese is ba ba-- the word for 8 is also ba and the way for augest is also ba so fatherday is on month ba day ba because the date really says fathers-- or at least sounds the same
i hope you had a great fathers day dad-- i love you- thank for all you have done for me in helping me prepare for my mission and for life!! i hope you had a good one.-- What is your favorite scripture??

Thank you for all- we are doing great-- i am planning on making a purchase with my american money for some books that i want to read in chinese when i get home-- a whole set of harry potter and narnia-- just to let ya know-- if thats ok.-- Love ya-- E. Langford

June 11, 2008

2008-07-05T16:13:00.001-06:00

Hey
how are you-- Thank you for the chip-- i got it today by other on is full so i will be able to snap some more---yes i did get the package- i thanked laura already - the shoes are great i love em- very comfy and the soles wont get eatin away by my bike pedels
this week we got a call over from yuli-- a member that was baptised a month ago moved to yinge-- we went to met him and he is living with a friend that is way cool- the friend came to church with the member and we met with him once- his name is zhang. we will meet with him tomorrow and set a baptisimal date-- his work schedual will be hard to work with cause it changes alot but he loved church and said he would come every week he could.
the spider was about the size of my whole hand after it bit me and my hand was bloated. no it didnt bite me
well today is temple day so we are about to run to the session-- it should be good.
this monday we had presidents interviews and that went really well.
our president is really cool- he told me that i have alot of leadership ability that he will use--- i dont know if i like that-- even though i would feel happy that i was chossen to be a leader like district leader or zone leader i would rather not have to do those-- they are hard jobs-- i remember elder marble would get really stressed out-- and most zone leaders have really hard times. i would like to be called to a position and then realesed. That will be good. But of coarse i would do what i am asked.
anyway-- im thinkin i will stay in yinge for like 5 more transfers and then move-- that would be good-- any way-- i love you guys-- talk to ya next week-- Elder Langford

June 4, 2008 Baseball and the Gospel

2008-06-03T17:49:00.004-06:00

This past week was pretty good we got qinged chied alot
(givin alot of food)-- that was really bad chinglish- on day we had a family home evening at the bishops house another day we did a family home evening for a part member family and they gave us pizza-- the lesson was way good- the husband who isnt the member loves base ball-- everyday he goes and hits balls -so we did a lesson on how baseball and the gospel relate. each base to ran to eaither by faith, baptism, temple covenets and then enduring to the end with home plate being eternal life-- he liked it alot. then we went and hit base balls-- wow it has been years since i hit baseballs at cherry hills but i didnt do to bad. The taiwan people are all really good to us so we are thankfull.
The other day it was raining bad and we were walking down the street- this guy rolled down his window and asked what we were doing in the rain-- it was more like a waterfall -- like one huge bucket of rain coming down. We told him we were sharing a special message about christ -so he got out of his car and we ran into the nearest stor where we taught him and set him up- he is aboriganal taiwanies preety cool guy- we talked about christ first church and then the apostasy and how they were all changed then went into restoration where he told us about the great need of a restoration cause everything was corupted. I like when the investigator does the teaching-- we set him up and were going to meet with him yesterday but his car got stollen and he was at the police station all day- so later this week we will find him.
on the way to the bishops house to get pizza we had a few extra min. so we trackted a little-- first house we come to is a cool guy named lin- Lin has been having alot of stress latley with afmily and work and wants to know how the gospel can help him- we are going back to his place later this week also-- we are mostly trying to find some new people to work with and get progressing-- last night we had a great lesson with xu yu hongs sister xu li wei we went through the secong lesson and she loved it Anyway thats what we have done-- oh-- we come home last nightand we had a huge spider in our bathroom sink-- massive-- bigger then the one i had and a pet when i was a kid-- we got the raid and the camera ready and went in to get it but it had dissapered-- then we were scared- we had no idea where it was. it had ran under the sink-- we got him out and the raid did a pretty good job with it.
- Anyway-- got to run-- Elder Langford

Runnin from the Guards -- April 09, 2008

2008-04-09T15:26:00.001-06:00

this is xu yu hong
really cool kid about 15- has muscular distrophy in his legs but has a solid testamony
baptised this last saturday

Hey
how are ya all!! we are good here-- this past week was really good- we fund some really good people that hopefully will start progressing-- one of the fun things about taiwan is tracking-- most building have a guard and little electronic keys to get in buildings--- iv never seen a guard do anything except for sit in his office all day and do noting-- and we have to pay em like 2000 a month but anyway--- we have to track the building cause their are good nice people inside who want to here our message.
Missionaries are the only reson i think the guards are here in taiwan-- cause they only come after us-- we usually start by riding down the car ramp to the under ground parking lot-- rinning up the stars and stash our bikes about the 5rth floor then run to the top and switch elevator shafts so we have more time-- the usually know we are in the building and start riding the elevators uup and down every shaft-- but the just start at the bottom and go up and we can always see what floor the elevator is on so pretty easy to avoid it-- once we get into a house we are save cause we have friends in the building and that is how we get in in the future.
some times you will get a really fun guard who will walk up every set of stairs to find you-- if your in a house your save but that is the only way the have got us-- we usually then try to teach the guard but they are always old guys who are stuck in the false traditions of their fathers.

then if we finsh a building we usually ride out the front gate right past the guard station- thank him and take off. Its fun way of tracking.
The other day we got into a 12 story building with 5 shafts and 4 houses per shaft-- it was big and the guards never saw us go in. we found a lin family there-- really nice family so we are going to go back and visit them. she loves to pray and her boys all have intrest in english class.
It could be a way good family.

yeasterday we met with a daniel Gao really nice guy-- first impression was we was gay but it turn out he is ok-- he is a proffesional make up artist and a painter-- really good guy and has intrest in church caue he loves the art in church- like all the paintings and stuff. HE also said that he has always prayed every evening and for his food-- no one has ever taught him how to pray but he just has also felt like he should-- way cool we are excited to help him learn more.

Brother xu had a great baptism the other day. he has some solid friends at church and loves to go. we talked to his mom the other day, and she was just like-- i dont care if he gets baptised-- i trust in my gods and he can trust in your gods.

hope you are having a great trip with the huggins-- hey what is happening with rocky mountian griddle??-- umm next time anything gets sent out i need some deoderent-- they dont sell it in taiwan-- well the do but it is really small and very expencive--no one here uses it.
I love doing tim tam slams

Thank ya a ton--- i love you all -Elder Langford

Funny Guy Speaking English -- Wednesday, March 26, 2008

2008-03-31T22:38:00.003-06:00

Hey Mom and Dad-- how are you--
sound like all is well-- dad is flying around the world-- fun fun--dont eat to much of the raw fish-- i kinda like it-- good stuff wow mom- you can pray in chinese!! that is awesome-- i am very impressed-- keep it up and you will be better then me in no time. we are doing well here in yinge elder taylor and i get along great- we have a ton of fun and we find alot of people. Yinge is still a really new area but it will start waking up here pretty soon

the other night we were coming home and right out side of the elevator to our place was this really funny guy speaking english--- he was drunk out of his mind-- but the will always set up when they are drunk. turns out that he was in to some way bad drugs-- just got out of prison and is ruining his life -- or already has. but he is doing better-- every day he buys one pack a smokes and takes part of the pack and puts it in our mail box every day will be more and more-- he reads the BOM alot to get over the temptations. He hasent drank any for 3 days- way good!! When we see him now he dosent look so waisted or anything-- almost has a little light about him. He will do good. The only problem is getting him to church-- we will have to find him a bike or something to come with us.

Brother xu is doing great--will be baptised this sunday or the next saterday-- His mom doesent really like us-- she is a big mean women but his dad is way cool and wants his son to have religion in his life.

transfers are this friday-- so the next time im on will be Monday.

Oh i have my credit card but no pin-- any one know about that-- i have no way to use it if i need to-- but right now im ok. Its a rule to have that if i need it.

I love ya--- Elder Langford

Temple Trip in Taibei -- Wednesday, March 19, 2008

2008-03-31T22:37:00.002-06:00

Hey Mom and dad
How are ya!! all is great here in yinge-- doing really well That pic you sent was cool mom-- that looks like a fun hike!! and i know Elder Li- And Elder Heintz-- thats crazy-- Elder li's sister is Julias really good friend-- she was in our grade. Thats funny-- Tell him both i said hi

well our brother xu was able to come to church this last week-- he has got rides lined up to go every week know-- some members switching back and forth to get him there. The members are way good. He should be able to get baptised next saturday on the 29th. But he needs his dads permission--- his dad is cool-- a busness man that works in singapore but his mom is the one that is holding broth xu back. She thinks he is to young to do this--- i called them last night and his father wanted to take us out to steak on sunday-- but instead they will just feed us at their house. So hopefully we can get him baptised. also working with a brother yang-- a great dad with a really cute little daughter- his daughter loves to sing songs with us- we taught him the Plan of salvation last night and also the Word of Wisdom-- he has smoked for about 25 years-- and wants to stop but cant do it on his own. His daughter heard about him stoping smoking and got a big smile on her face-- she will
help him alot.

We get to go to the temple today in taibei so we are excited for that. Every thing else is great! Easter not for like a month! Anyway-- Love ya-- bye bye-- Elmer Langford

who is Elmer? -- Mar. 12th 2008

2008-03-12T16:56:00.001-06:00

Hey Mum and Dad
how are you!!!
im Glad you got your gift!! Thank you so much for mine it was great- my birthday was really good i enjoyed it-- the day befor we made a cake we had in district meeting so we have had fun. ya that scroll i sent might be a little harder to read just becuse it is more of a art then writing characters but natives should be able to read it.

this past week has been preetty good-- our brither xu is getting alot of family opposition to him coming to church so it is really hard for him- he knows the truthfullness of the gospel and a great testamony of it. last time we couldent meet in his out so we went and found a little pash of weeds and sat on the ground. he has alot of faith we are just praying he will find away to come to church. then we have a brother wang-- a really nice kid about 25- really humble and was working on his personal testamony- we would have been baptised next trasfer for sure cause he has felt the spirit and knows it is good. But in taiwan their is a required army service that called for him-- so he is leaving in about 2 weeks to got in millitary for about 11 months-- well have to get him after. hopefull ill still be in yinge-- but probably not.

we juast added a sister lai into our baptisimal pool for the 12 or so thats a funny one-- we had a whole first lesson and we thought she was a guy-- looked like a guy sounded like a guy-- she is a bit chubbyier and was wearing really loose clothing-- i feel bad know-- after we got home she called us and was like-- ummm.. im a girl -- my comp didnt belive me-- he thought we was lieing to him. soo ya-- we might give her to the sisters. how we got the 202 lessons?? Prayed alot for one- we couldent do that with out gods help--- set the goal for it-- our goal was 200 and 60 book of
mormans be exceeded both of them-- sacraficed-- we all picked something to sacrafice for the week that we love!!-- i sacraficed pudding bread-- i love pudding bread and it was hard-- i had withdrawls!! sacrafice time-- we left the house a half hour early came home a half an hour later and all our meals we an eat and run--Pray even more-- hourly or more. then setting little goals throughout the day for contacting sessions-- like how many lessons we wanted.-- our zone saw a ton of miricals that week and are still teaching lots of those people. to bad i moved but as long as they all get baptised. we were reallly tired at the end out that week-- that week was also the time i wanted to finish the 3000---in those 7 day i woke up at 5:00 to study-- i memorized 1400 characters and finished--- you can always see gods had in every aspect of the work-- we alone couldent of done near that will out gods help. i would probably still be working on the 3000 characters and not doing very well on them if god wasent helping me. God is a cool guy!!

im glad all is going well for you in new zealand-- im telling all my friends you are a trainer-- they think that is awesome!!
love you-- Elmer langford

2008-03-05T15:24:00.001-07:00

Hey MoM and Dad
How are you!!-- i guess this e-mail will come alot earilier then usual-- today we are running into taibei to buy my comp a bag and stuff so we decided to get it done way early-- its like 6:00 in themourning here--
the past week has gone really well. elder taylors parents e-mail is ttaylor@qwest.net He is an awesome elder- we get along real well and have lots of fun togeather. -- ya the work is different here but we are getting adjusted-- it is alot of trackting but its ok.
right now we are working with a xu that has a baptisimal date for the 29 a wang that has on for the 5th a ken that has one for the 5th and a chen that also has one for the 5th so hopefully they will all contunue to progreess. Lastnight i called the chen guy who i didnt think was to committed but i interupted his book of mormon reading- he said he would read a half hour a day after i asked him to read just 10 min. he is way good just need to gain a testimony--- the wang dude came to english class and set up with us really nice and open guy-- wanted to know abou the ten commandments cause he has alot of chritian friends who dont keep them-- we went in to teach a first lesson but we came out and had also taught Word of Wisdom Chastity sabbeth day and all 10 commandments. he asked a ton of really good questions.- just wanted to know it all.
ken we met on the street yesterday-- a really nice 25 year old that thought we were both 30-- really humble- wanted to know the pourpus of life and wanted to learn about jesus. commited him for baptism and he was all for it.
We have been really blessed this week. finding lots of new people. Last night we went to a guys house that last nov. was taking discussions--it was so good-- he had a christian back groud and belived the bible. as we read parts of the book of mormon he said he could feel the spirt-- he it was very re re in his heart really warm and hot. he need to have more time in his schedual to meet with us so we can teach him cause his work is way hard on him-- usually dosent get home till late.

who are the two elders that are teaching you chinese? thats cool-- chinese is really one of the most simple languages-- it sounds hard the the tones make it hard but the words are really simple-- the word for computer is just sticking electric and brain togeather-- electric and wind together is a fan chinese dosent have new words for things just uses all the base words and sticks em all togeather-- like i have guessed words that i have never learned and got em right just back looking at what it was made of or what it did. chinese is cool. My companions chinese is about as good as mine right now. He learned way fast- gods helped him a ton.
well i love you guys-- thank you so much--- iv been good on money i shouldent need to pull any money out i just need it just in case.
OHMAN!!!!!!!!!!! we might having to start parting our hair!!! that is going to be hard cause everyone wears helmits all day long and hair gets messy anyway-- illl just go get a way short hair cut.

Love You-- Elder Langford

brother xu -- Feb. 27th 2008

2008-02-29T08:11:00.001-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad
- how are ya doing??
im pretty good-- here in yinge- we had a pretty good week last week and then we had zone confrence this last monday-- oh- and they gave us all cell phones!! yah-- so much more convenent. the mission 3 months ago got 30 baptisims in the trasfer-- the 2 months ago it bumbed up to about 55 then last month it was about 70--- the whole mission goal is 120 so we still have a little ways to go but we should be able to. yinge is a really cool place-- no where to contact-- not to many people out on the streets. we have been doing alot of inactive member lookups and contacting people here an there who are walking and the side of the street. And we also do alot of
tracking- tracking is tracking- it has to be done but not to much seen from it. we have a new member in out area who has come trackting with us a few times to get some good peikes.
we are working with one boy names brother xu very good kid about 15-- he has muscular distrophy so he walks with a limp and his legs are both really skinny-- but this kid really wants to come to church-- he rode his bike twice and it took him so long that he missed the first two hours of church both times. we are trying to find a member that can just take him in a car but we have 1 family that lives in yinge and 2 other new members- the two members ride scooters so cant go there and the family goes way early becuse of other callings. we will find a way though. he will for sure get baptised this trasfer.

well everything else is going really well-- i got a package but i wont open it till my birthday-- thankyou so much-- MoM-- your birthday is next tuesday!!! Happy Birthday!! thank you so much for everything you have done for me in raising me and sending me on a mission-- i am very thankful-- i love you so much-- i hope your birthday is great.-- Love Elder Joey

Transfered to Yingge -- February 18, 2008

2008-02-18T09:54:00.001-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad

im no longer in danshui-- i moved -- im in a place called yingge- cool little place.-- ohh ya-- im senior companion now to!!!! i dont no what they were thinking when they made that call.!!! it will be good-- my new comp lived in kaysville-- this is his second transfer and is way cool-- we will do real good togeather-- name is elder taylor. so we are both way excited. its a nice new place- just got to figure it out.

last week finished really well-- the whole zone--10 companionships got 1300 lessons and places 650 bom-- it was so fun got almost 100 new investigators.-- elder bingham and i got the zone high of 202 lessons-- the zone leaders got 200. im going to miss danshui alot but i will like it here to!.

yes we have gotten the nov. ensine- iv already read it-- it was way good-- cause i dident really get a chance to listen to conference cause i didnt understand at all. we copy alot of talks out of it and give it to new investigators. so yesterday elder nichol and i taught a kid that i had set up about 2 weeks ago-- he came last week and then yesterday to. way good kid we talked about the restoration and the bom alot and he set a baptisimal date for march 15-- to bad i moved eh... as long as he gets baptised.

from what i here the work is really good here in yingge-- the people are very humble and open. so i let ya know how it is an a week and a half on that next wed.-- i love you guys-- thank you for eveything .--Elder Langford

Feb 12, 2008

2008-02-15T07:48:00.003-07:00

(elder langfords brother here, i have to apoligize for not posting his letters lately... enjoy)

for chinese new year it is tradition to give red envelops to kids and friends with money in it-- when we get them we have to give then to the mission-- or i would be a thousand dollers richer(only about 32 bucks american)-- but we made some with pics of us and scripters on the back-- that is this pic with harry pooter on it-- we put some war pump up scripter on it--- and this other pic is a cute little 19 year couple i taught about eternal marrage-- it was funny-- but hey-- they said they would read the BOM

500 Lessons -- Feb 12, 2008

2008-02-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad
everthing is going really good here in danshui-- this is the last week of the transfer--
last week was the holiday--we did really well considering it was sapossed to be dead-- our zone got over 500 lessons-- about a hundered and 50 less then normal this transfer-- all the other zones dident break 200
we sat at about 50 lessons all last week- this week is awesome-- our schedual is changed a bit so have more time out side-- no chinese study in the morning and no dps at night---- all meals are cut to a half hour-- so through out the week we have about 10 extra hours to be out working----- monday we got 30 lessons--- yesterday we got 60!!! setting records right there-- we have gevin out about 70 bom so far and have 8 new investigators--- ohh ya-- i also took 9 packs of ciggaretts and two lighters from this one guy and i commited him to stop smoking-- he set up for this sat(brother zeng) -
we are going to start dan jonesing it--getting up on busses and teaching the whole bus at once. kinda scary but it works and missionaries have gottin set ups that way--- our zone goal this week is 1000 lessons but everyone is trying to beat the zone leaders who are going to get 200 so that final number will be way high!! we already have 90 lessons and day 2.
this week we have a goal to put a family into the pool for baptism--- the guy wants to be baptised but he wants his whole family to also-- they have been out of town so we will be meeting with them very soon(brother chen and fam.) also a brother lee that committed to come to church with us-- he was a referral from a few weeks ago but we lost contact with him through the holiday.

this morning i read all about the 3 kingdoms of glory in chinese!!! so fun!! charachters are fun-- wow i cant spell anything
-- wow dad-- you are going eveywhere-- sounds fun-- broken foot!! na hen zaogao -traslation-- that is messy cakes-- people say that alot.
well it is all going well-- thank you for eveything-- scabies is gone and we have our beds back.-- tranfers this monday so i will e-mail again then--- love you-- Elder Langford

Kick Satan right back in the Face -- Feb 5, 2008

2008-02-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hey --All is going well here-
scabies is ok - its a little parasite that digs into your skin and has babies and eats you insides!-- really really itchy! like i couldnt sleep forever for somereson the pills they gave me to put me out didnt have any effect on me. but im good now-- i killed all of em-- we have a week left on the floor then we can go back to our beds. well my comp will go to his bed and i will wait till a new bed for me arrives. its all good-- god has blessed us allready-- the other day we were at the train station contacting and i contacted this kid from africa- had really good english-- name is samuel -named after the samuel in the bible-- family is really christian-- he has been in taiwan for a year going to school- he chinese is pretty good-- i taught him a lesson and put in him the baptisimal pool right their-- he set a date for march 1 and he is coming to church this sunday.

we have found some other good people that we have set up so hopefully we will have some good ones set up for next transfer--

right now guo nian is starting is lasts for about a week-- everyone goes to their home-- no one is out side-- ghost town-- the whole contry-- last year our zone leader said the whole week they got 6 lessons-- thats is like what we usually get in 30 min. just hard to find people-- lots of trackting but everyone is always eating so n one will let you in-- our zone leader discribed it to us as the week that saten laughs in your face every day-- also is hard for alot of members in part member familys cause of word of wisdom-- lots of bad stuff all over taiwan.

also we are getting feed at members houses lunch and dinner till next tuesday-- starting today luch time-- i am soo full-- missionaries always gain weight this week cause members make so much food and expect you to eat it all-- tomorrow we have lunch at 12 dinner at 4 and then another dinner at 6-- we are going to get FAT.

well we are doing good- spiirits are still high and the week after guo nian is going to be so fun!! we are going for 200 lessons-- placing 70 or more BOM-- the zone is going to set a misson record for lessons and new investigators ove 1000 lessons and 150 new investigators-- in just 10 companionships--- everyone has been asked to get at least 100 lessons but our didtric wants to double it.-- Its going to be so fun. Kick saten right back in the face.

we i love you -- sounds like your hike was fun- i would love to do that-- thank you for everything- love you--Elder Langford

Scabies and Second Hand Smoke -- Jan 29, 2008

2008-02-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

Hey Dad and Mom--
how are you all- Dads got a bad ankle- thats no good at all- i hope it gets better soon. here in the mission if we have any injuries below the waist we keep it really quite and nurst it back to health yourself- cause leg injuries get you sent home cause of our type of mission- we never drive- just walking and riding so we need heathy legs. but dont worry i have none---- BUT I HAVE SCABIES!!!!!!! oh man talk about drive me crazy!!!!!!!! i always itch or if im on my no itch medicine im the walking dead -- i could fall asleep just about anywhere not so fun-- so we are on the floor for about two weeks-- closed down 3 rooms of our house-- wraped our beds in plastic and taped em-- we are home an hour early every night to boil our clothes and do laurndry-- we then take a hot iron to our bed mats and sheets. takes up alot of time-- so much for memorizing characters or morning studies im cant focus until i take my medician and then i pass out on my desk if i do.-- two weeks of this.

well other wise- we are still working hard i contacted a kid last night who seemed really nice- we are seeing him next sunday----
thats really sad about President Hinckley-- he was really the only prophet i have known or at lest can remember-- he was a good one!! and now he is home with his wife probaly so happy. i remember we were in southern utah when his wife died and he said that he hoped he wouldent be to long after. The church still presses on-- i need to learn how to say monsons name in chinese.

well im getting alot of second hand smoke right now-- the guy next to me is going at it strong!! thats taiwan for ya.-- i love you guys-- thank you for all-- Bye bye--- Elder Langford

Bike Blew Up -- Jan 22, 2008

2008-02-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

hey mom and dad--

all is well in taiwan--we get to go to the temple today!!- yah-- my second time on island iv been able to go-- so we are way excited--
wow those compitions sound like they are fun--id love to be their--
any way-- this past week was good-- every once in a while we will get a little strip of paper with some persons information on it from like 6 months ago when they talked to some other missonaires some where in the world-- my comp has never had any set up from them but we always call em just in case-- and this one guy set up!! he lives in bali accross the street from our bishop-- he makes meat balls-- is about 40 or 50 and has a huge desire to learn about mormonism. we are going to meet with him tomorrow again-- he is a great guy with potential. ohh-- and he gave us a bag of meat balls!!! that will be breakfast.
then yeasterday we ran in to this american that has lived in taiwan for about 10 years-- lives really deep into bali -- he teaches english-- well he asked us for a book of mormon-- he said he read it along time ago and was intrested in it again-- we are meeting with him tonight- and in english--- that scary-- i never know what to say to americans- its always weird.
dads in tahitie?? i cant spell that one at all-- their language and the native taiwanse language are really close-- to the point were thay can understand eachother--
well we are still doing well and working hard-- hong jia long is doing well and meeting with the ward members in his new member disscusions---- and the guy who committed to bap. was playing with us-- gave us a bad address and phone number-- that happens alot-- and then my bike is falling apart-- somehow my tireframe thingy is bent and my tire dosent spin right and then we were on top of a mountian and it blew up and had to walk it down and then my other tire kept lossing air- then i had to cut the lock of my bike cause i lost my keys--ohh well-- its all fun

any way-- i love you guys thanks for everything--

love elder Langford

Found the Wallet/ Learning More Characters -- Jan 16th 2008

2008-01-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hey
how is everthing!!-- sounds like all is great their in new zealand- lots of fun sailing and stuff- crazy all is good here still working hard and trucking along-- hey tip of the day-- never get camo wallet-- like the army colors green black and whatever-- cause you lose it and people find it and then thy dont know they found it cause it bleands into the bottom of their lost and found.

ya i got my wallet back--- the like 4th time we went to the restraunt they finnally gave it to us about 5 days after i lost it -- it is a great blessing-- to bad we cancled eveything already--- oh well.

the other day we made a goal to add some into the baptisimal pool on the street cause we are not teaching anyone right now-- and we did. a great guy-- had a wonderful lesson about joseph smith for about 10 min. on the side of the road and gave him a baptisimal date-- we are meeting with him tomorrow again so hopefully it will be good- we also found some others that are good so we are hoping one or two will come all the way.

chinese charachters are so cool-- they all have so many cool meanings-- i have a goal to do the 3000 most common in this transfer-- so thats about 500 a week-- its hard somtimes but its fun-- everyday i review about 500 and do what i need yo do finish the 5000 for the week. today-(p-day) i did 125 in about 3 hours-- lots of fun--- and you see the gifts of god so apparent-- i mean come on-- i do really learn that fast-- - but i set a goal for a time period and say a prayer for him to help me and he does-- so good- i love being a missionary.

well all is great thak you all so much-- i love you
Elder langford

Morning Breakfast adding extra skin to the Elders FACE!!

2008-01-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

Planting many Seeds -- Jan. 7th 2008

2008-01-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

hello mom and dad
All is still real great here in danshui--i am in danshui again with elder bingham for another 6 weeks-- so should be good-- we are just trying to find people to teach now it was a really dry week last week -- we got over 100 lessons and hardly anyone set up -- we just need to keep the faith and find someone who wants to be baptised.

the other elders just had a baptism last week-- he is way solid and now his little brother in lookin at the church too. the sisters have some coming up also.

so im starting the characters this transfer-- i have a set of 3000 flashcards that i will be learning-- the 3000 most common characters-- then a person can read 90 or so % of characters seen on the street and in media. i am doin 36 a day and will finish in two transfers.hopefully-- if my brain can take it- i started two days early and have about 200 down already.

the next p-day is next wed. so about a week and a half. i love you all-- it sounds like everything is going so great-- so what are the chances of me coming home to newzealand?? i hear it is a fun place.
- Love Elder Joey

2008-01-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hey!!!
it sounds like you hasd a wonderful christmas!!!
all is really well in danshui-- this is the last week of the transfer and it is winter!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh man sooooo cold--- iv never felt 40 feel so cold but the humidity and wind just suck your life away--- i where gloves and hat and helmet and a sweater and coat and im ok but what is this-- im in taiwan-- hot all year round right???? no!! plus i started in hot taidong and that really thinned out my blood.

well hong jia longs baptisim was really good-- our porta folt almost didnt make it--- water all over the room cause when he went down the water came out--- empted half the font-- but that not to much cause the porta font is so small.

well this week has gone well so far--- its power week being the end of the transfer--- in the past their has been patterens in the numbers at different stages in the transfers and the 6th week seems to always be the lowest-- so Elder marble and Tarver(our zone leaders ) are having do a big week to finish it off. monday we got 31 lessons-- tuesday we got 20-- we have already gottten higher then we need for the week but were still going!! its fun-- and really tireing-- we are dead every day--- to do it they have cut out our chinese study and all out meals in half so we have about 13 extra hours this week of prosaliting. but you feel good at the end of the day knowing we gave it our all.

so when i went done with elder zhao last trasfer on exchanges we set up two guys on the street for baptisim---- and they were both just baptised--- how cool is that--
anyways-- thanks for all-i love you guys-- ill be e-mailing again on monday cause of the end of the transfer-- Love Elder Langford

2007-12-29T10:18:00.001-07:00

Hey!!
Merry Christmas!!!
hope you had a great christmas vacation!! all was so great here--- christmas day included going to an american highschool--- all mourning we played football and soccer and any other things we could do on a field. i am so sore right now--- my whole body-- it has been a long time since i was able to play that hard-- any way.-- we had a big BBQ with hotdogs and hambergers--- so goood-- and then a big talent show- it was way fun-- a very good christmas!! thank you so much for the packages it was all very much enjoyed!!! i have so much candy at home im going to be sick!!

Anyways not much else to say because i just talked to all of you the other day-- we should be having a baptisim this coming saterday so i hope that goes well.
love you all so much thanks for a merry merry christmas!!!

-Love elder joey

Taught a 1st to Brothe Gong-- Dec. 19th 2007

2007-12-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

hey --how are ya all doing-- everything here is not to shabby-- elder bingham and i are doing well togeather-- and when he runs those 5 miles oh man he runs fast-- no way i could ever keep up with him-- he gets me up at 5:45 everyday to go out and run Elderbingham is a good missionary-- im on exchanges with elder nichol-- we were in the same room togeather in the mtc-- he has scabies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im being carefull though--- he couldent go to the temple today and his comp and to go to taibie so i get to play with him today!!

well the work is still pressing forward-- we had a first lesson yesterday with a brothe gong-- really nice kid-- is christian and likes the message-- he will need a little pushing but im sure he will come around-- the lesson went well- i didnt really get to say much but elder bingham did a good job--- hongjia long has had some depression problems and couldent come to church--- so we had to push his baptism back 1 week--- he did pass his interview and has a really strong testamony-- thats just what we get for pulling someone out of the pshyc ward- his depression gets to him then he takes pills and sleeps for a couple days.

we havent had anyone else really to work with-- we found one really good kid the other day that set a baptisimal date but he is the other elders because of where he lives. just out looking for people everyday. we just need to keep the faith that one of the idol worshipers want the fullness of the gosple. as a way of expecting miricals our zone has asked us to ask 3 people every day to be baptised-- some others have had success and we will to-- just not yet.

you killed a pig!!!!! thats funny--- BACON we have some pigs around here to.-- the are pets just like dogs. the call wise-- my number is (02)26186004 ummm country code-- i dont know what that is-- if you have called the mission office i imagin its the same-- i have interviews with pres coming up so i will ask him and let you know--
what is a number i might be able to get a hold of you at just in case????? and ummm how about the 24th at 11:00am in the mourning my time-- so thats like 4:00pm your time--- and we will be home all mourning because of mourning studys so you can call and confirm

they are keeping all packages at the mission office so i have no way of knowing until christmas-- but thank you so much!!

well thats all for now-- I love you guys-----Elder langford

hong jia long -- Dec. 11th 2007

2007-12-14T11:12:00.001-07:00

Hey
It is december!!!!! how crazy is that-- time goes so fast!!!
Well all is well here in danshui everything is still going well.
Our investigator hong jia long is doing awesome!! he is really good-- last night we had a lesson with him and he was worried about baptism cause he forgets alot about what drinks he can drink and what drinks he cant-- its really hard to avoid tea over here in taiwan. he said that baptism is really sacred and he dosent want to mess up after baptism-- he still has two weeks so he will be fine-- on thursday we asked him how his smoking was going cause i noticed a pack in his pocket-- we committed him to stop--cause he only smokes like 3 a day-- and invited him to give us his pack. he wouldent give it to us-- i was kinda sad he wouldent and confused weather he really understood the commandment--- then at church on sunday i was talking to him about it and he said he just wanted to finish the pack- i bore my testamony to him about the commandment and promised him blessings if he would give it up right then-- and he gave me the pack!! so happy.. and since he hasent bought any-- he put a little mp3 player in his pocket where he keeps his pack usually so when he reaches for a smoke he just listens to music-- and he says that helps him not need it.
he is a great guy and will be a good friend through out my mission.

So i can call--or you call me--on the 24 or 26 (our time)from our place in danshui-- i dont know the time difference- my comp is doing his the mourning of the 26- just when ever is good for you guys will be fine-- i dont know if i can call brothers and sisters or not-- i need to find pres. and ask him

well i love you guys-- my comp wants to go run 5 miles to i just ride my bike next to him-- he is crazy!!! but he is fun-- we get along really well togeather--- i have to get back to you mom about the whole aaron thing--- i have to look at it.--- umm i love you all thanks for everything-- Love Elder Langford

Elder Bingham is here -- Dec. 4th 2007

2007-12-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad

wow traveling all over the place sounds great- so dad-- what do you do? whay are you going to these places like are you training people or is it HR stuff or what-- people ask me why you are in new zealand and i dont know what to tell em-- i just say a gongzuo de guanxi-- a work thing--

Im good with being transfered and getting new companions-- elder bingham is great and really funny as soon as he is comfy. we dont have much time today but everything is going very well-- one of my mtc roommates is in our district-- lots of fun on exchanges-- the work is good-- i love talking to people when we go contacting-- we meet alot of crazys and its really funny watching poeple trying to avoid us-- we do meet some that are interested but this past week has been hard-- only one new investigator- thats reallly bad--and he dident come to the appt.
oh well we still just press forward and try to do better.
i will talk to pres. about the phone calls i dont know all the things about it-- he might let me call to america to to talk to brothers and sisters-- ill have to talk to him.
our hong jia long is doing great-- he loves the gospel-- we gave him the big 4 the other day-- WOW, thithing, LOC and Sabbeth day- and he was good for all of them-- he is really funny- his answers are always in english-- he always says"of coarse i will"-- it is so funny

well i love you guys thanks for all- sound like everyones having fun and working hard

- Love Elder Langford

2007-11-25T15:54:00.001-07:00

hey its Elder Joey
transfers are here-- my comp is moving and i get another-- wow i go through companions like eating candy-- every transfer-- this new one will be an elder bingham he gets here in about an hour er so -- so it should be pretty fun.. lots of b names--- bean, brown, bingham--
i have to take him around the area for the first week or so- pretty much be senior until he learns the area.

some people in taiwan really have no life---- the people in this computer internet cafe have been here all night-- have of em are asleep on there ash trays-- this guy next to me looks like he is 40 and has a couple empty beers and 3 cigerette packs. they all just waist there time playing these war games on the internet. all day-- all night.

so the other day we met with our hong jia long-- he is great-- baptism still schedualed for the 8th of dec. we hope all will be good and go smoothely for him-- he is a really great investigator-- every time we commit him to things he says "of coarse" in english and then has this big grin on his face.-- my companion is sad cause he was here for 6 months and finally he has some solid people going for baptism and he has to move.
oh man-- thanksgiving was so great!!! last wed. we were at the church all day long cooking and making it. it was wonderful-- and still alot of leftovers for the next couple weeks. Last english night we did a thanksgiving one and we taught everyone about thanks giving and what it is about and about traditions we have. everyone had so many questions about everything-- no one really understood that you eat as much as you can and then sleep and watch football-- they all thought it was a really funny holiday.

well i hope my new companion is good-- and i hope all of your are doing grand..

Love you all-- i wont be e-mailing until next weds. so a week and a half-- and i might be on a little later today with my other companion--
- Elder Joey Langford

11 year old Baptized and Thanksgiving with Costco Turkey -- November 21, 2007

2007-11-20T15:43:00.001-07:00

hey
all is good here in danshui
we had a great baptism last week with a ke guan yu- a little 11 year old boy- . we are surprised he did so well cause he can go really crazy sometimes and the water was so so cold--- because the weather as been cold. oh ya the best part is our baptismal font--not really a font at all- more like one of those cool little pools you have in your backyard that we filled with hoses-- i have pics but no way to really send them-- a nasty old bluish color--really quite attractive.

i got to go on exchanges with our zoneleaders the other day-- it was way fun-- elder marble(my trainer) came to danshui and i went to shilin -i was with a elder zhao who is a 27 year old native with really bad english so we just talked in mandrine the whole time-- it was great we found 2 golden guys one committed to baptisim on the street and the other was coming to church the next day-- the first was acctually from the main office or the "bu" the guy called in and said he wanted to hear about the church- we had a great lesson with him and he really felt the spirit strong.

the weather is slowly getting colder-- but still not to bad-- we are having a huge thanksgiving feast at our church today for the holiday. it going to be so good- some elders in the other area have a costco so we have a big turkey- stuffing- crainberry goodness rolls pumpkin pie and buscits and a bunch of other stuff--- im so excited.

Well at the baptisim for ke guan yu our other investigator-- a brother yang came up to us and asked us when he was going to get baptised--- music to our ears-- we set a date with him in december-- thats the only for sure one we have right now-- we might be getting our hong jia long back but we dont know--he is the one we started teaching in the hospital.

well thank you all for everything i love you-- 龍長老 elder langford

2 more coming up for Baptism -- Nov 13, 2007

2007-11-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Family

hope every one is well-- wow going to tonga -thats pretty cool- i should be able to recive pics through e-mail just send em on over and i could take a look-- iv talked to elder whats his face a couple times that is from newzealand- and i guess you go on walks with his mom on the beach -- he sounds like a great elder. we have had a good week in danshui-- we will be having a baptism this saterday. An 11 year old boy. he is a really good kid. he is a foster child-- has been seperated from all his brothers and sisters because the mother refuses to take care of them. oh and she is going to have another child in a couple months-- not a very good mother-- his father and so much debt that he killed him self-- which is really bad cause in taiwan the debt falls on the oldest child-- our baptism kid-- so he is 11 and has thousands and thousands of debt right now--- how messed up is that!!

We had another guys who was investigating inanother city move to our area-- so he was trasferred to us and we get to teach him now. he is a really solid nice guy that will progress through baptism. we havent had an oppertunity to meet with him yet but he came to church last week-and that says alot cause it took him over an hour to come.

It great that even though we lost two really good investigators god gave us two more we can work with and help.-- we are still trying to find others on the streets-- alot of em set up with us because they are to scared to be impolite to an american to our face-- so they end up just standing us up . a couple here and their really have a little intrest and get an intro to the gospel.

Mom that cool you are in the office-- we have some really cool amas in our office too. do im sure alot of what you are doing-- yes i am writing every week to my president and i am working on my handwriting.

and with my pants-- we used to need to wash them alot when we sweated alot in the humidity and heat-- parts of your pants would turn white from the salt drying into your pants but not as much now-- my companion most the time wears this big coat and beanie cause he is
frezzing. we had our presidents interview yesterday in taipei and today we get to go again for temple day!! its been since june since i had a chance to go and that was in provo. im way excited cause its been so long.

well thank you for all- i love you and thank you for the prayers
- Love Elder langford-- 龍亦德長老

Teaching people that ended up NOT in our area.. Nov 6, 2007

2007-11-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hey

hows everyone doing!!! everything here is so good-- lots of good things happening- this week we started the week with 2 good people that had goals for baptisim--both were "golden"-- but somehow we have been robbed and now we have no one. well one of them we started teaching but it turns out he was barely in the other elders area so we moves him over there-- and the other -brother hong- who we met at the hospital is amazing-- yesterday we had the 2nd lesson with him and he loved it-- he said after he was baptised that he wanted to come chuanjiao with us er--- umm thats hard to translate -
spread church - he just wants to come out with us when we contact-- really fun guy-- he is 28 and everytime we see him he talks about the spirit we bring to him and he loves it. he left the hospital on monday and went home to sanchong about 20 min out of town-- he will be moving back but not until the next semester of school starts which is in january-- so we gave the sanchong elders his name and number and they will see him through baptism as long as he gets baptised is the important part but we kinda wanted to be the ones to help him through-- just cause we had already developed a great relationship with him.-- oh well
we are still working hard tring to find others
we had a mexican fiesta the other day in district meeting-- we made tortieas and beans and guacamole-- so good-- that when we had the monkey puke jelly-- everyone loves it--- so good!! thank you so much we just had it with the normal crackers and cream cheese. all the cds are great than you for all of them they give us something to listen to!! my shirts look good not bad at all no need to buy new ones yet-- and we dont even sweat anymore-- its is like fall weather in utah-- my companion get real cold and wears a beanie and sweater and coat-- i guess my blood hasent thined out yet i love the weather.
i will probaly get new pants-- all the missionary mall pants just look relly worn and dont have that goos church pant look to em-- like all these little fabric balls and just bad looking-- i can get some way good pants here for 150 a piece-- that is like 4 bucks american mabey 5-- so really cheap--- thanks for the money-- ill have to find a place to exchange it-- but thankyou-- at the end of the pay period when we didnt have anymoney we got some big bills for out apartment so i paid them with my american account and they will be reemberst to me-- ill just but the money in my suit case so i dont touch it-- i have like a 10 thousand reembersment coming this friday-- thats like-- well i dont know-- alot---
-- wow elder nielson-- thats cool-- im excited to go to the temple this transfer-- down in taidong we couldent go because it was to far but we get to go on the last p-day of the transfer now that im up in the city-- kinda--
well thank you for all- i love you all-- Elder langford 龍亦德長老
long yi de zhang lao
well im trying to send pics to you but this computers wont let me connect to it-- its buggin me sorry

The Phone Rang -- Oct 30, 2007

2007-11-04T09:46:00.001-07:00

Hello!!!

All is well here in danshui!!
we are doing really well here- having alot of fun. the other day we were in church and the phone rang-- my comp elder brown went to go get it and it was some guy--28 or so from the hospital-- he said that he was in the hospital for depression and his friend called him and told him about the joy that has come into his life from the gospel-- so he then gave us a call-- we set up to meet with him and went on monday. we went and it was in the locked down part of the hospital-- had to go threw some tight security show our id and get patted down- then one of those wands to make sure we have no metal on us---- i guess they have some pretty crazy people-- the whole time we wee wondering what this kid was going to be like-- we were kinda freaked out--- we found his room and he jumped out of bed and had a huge smile on his face-- one of the happiest kids iv seen here is taiwan-- he was really good to we taught him a first and he loved it-- hesaid he had a good feeling when his friend called and had the same with us there. i guess visiting hours were over because the guard came in and told us we had to leave so we wernt able to make any solid commitments. then last night he called us and told us he wanted to be baptised!! we are going to go see him again tonight to set a date with him and follow up. we are excited for him- he will be a great member.
yesterday we had a great zone confrence--- we went down to taipei and had it-- it was with 5 other zones-- alot bigger then in taidong with our zone of 15 missionaries only-- the place was packed. it was all on chapter 3 of PMG really good stuff. my favorite part was from the A.P's they talked on the atonment and it was way spiritual really good talk-- it was weired cause half of it was in chinese-- even though i didnt understand everything i knew the truth of it!!.

SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought i was just going to have an awesome early christmas!!!! i really enjoyed it- we had christmas songs and everything going- thank you so much i really didnt see any part of it that said not to open it until christmas!. You dont have to worry at all about on the real christmas-- It is huge!!! all the missionaries go to this high school in taipei for the whole day and its a party huge BBq and talent show and football and all other games-- and everyone gets a present from the mission-- ill be okay on christmas-- very happy-from what i here i can call when ever around christmas-- some do it on christmas but most do it like the week around chritmas so when ever you want-- for me the morning after christmas will be christmas evening for you guys er mabey not christmas evening in the states i dont know what time you are in.- but i am sorry that i did it wrong!!! all will be ok all will be fine.

no i have never washed my clothes with darks-- it a little mixture of pollution and sweat that makes em go dark-- you should see the clothes that the old missionaries have--- their bad looking i bleach mine every couple time and ther really arnt that bad right now- ecxept the collers-- those were gone the first week
i dont personally know that elder from new zealand but my comp does- sounds like a good elder- thats cool you ran in to them-- it sounds like you are getting all setteled into your new home and all is going well.

my complexion is good-- ya we eat fruit not as much as in the summer though --this trasfer we are studing about the book of mormon and teaching with the holy ghost-- the president has been calling the mission to repentance for not using the book of morman more-- like in our contancting and on the streets with people-- he shared with us D&C 84:54-58 it really does have so much more power when you share sciptures right on the streets with people and applying it into there lifes. the spirit is always way strong-- alot of people feel it just choice not to act upon it.

anyway-- thank you all for everything i love you so much!!!
-Love elder langford

Thanks for Christmas, oh I wasn't suppose to open it Yet?? Oct 23, 2007

2007-10-27T22:00:00.000-06:00

Hey im am great!! got all moved really well-0-- i moved from the hottest part of the mission to the coldest part of the mission just in time for the winter!! so excited-- i live in a place called bali-- we live on the 9th floor and i could jump out if my window and land in the river--- huge river like a mile accross or something-- across the river is danshui where our chapel is and the other half of our area- we ride the bus alot and the j -really fast train kinda like the subway---- it takes about an hour to ride to our chapel everyday if we go and pretty much anywhere else we go-- i love it here- it is really pretty-- lots of hills to bike up and down--- two big colleges are here so mostly lots of students are our contacting people. my comp is awesome-- an elder brown really good kid from new mexico-- great missionary so we will do well togeather. he is the distric leader but that doesent give me any extra duities of any kind. i flew up to taipei with sister lee- she i guess was my companion for that hour--and then took the j for about an hour to get here. all my luguage and stuff came up on the train and then we just picked those up.-- Yep i am keeping a journal trying to get it in every day-- iv met alot of the memberss here- not any investigators yet-- we still have to find them!!

last three meals---- luch yesterday i had this really good bacon with rice goodness-- and then for dinner yesterday i had some fish and chikine fried goodness full of msg-- i guess that stuff is illigal in america--to bad- it grand-- and then this mourning i had a zhuabing- the most amazing goodness of them all-- its this bready kinda thing that they slap on an egg with bacon and cook it up on the griddle- served with spicy sauce and cold soy milk--- one of my favorites.

wow-- awesome new bishopbric that is grand---tyson will do awesom in that position-- i would like his address if you guys have it i need to send him a letter.

Christmas!!!!!! thank you so much it was awesome just like christmas morning thank you for all the presents and candy and c.ds do you remember that joseph smith cd -- some nashvill tribute kinda like the one you sent-we listened to when we went to pick danny up from his mission-- if i could get a copy of that i would love it-- thank you so much though its is all wonderful.

yes i can talk to poeple---- about the gospel-- but i still ting bu dong alot--- i dont understand alot-- this companion will be really good for me-- he has really good conversational chinese-- he can say just about everything-- he has already taught me alot so i will progrees alot this transfer. i can cary a basic conversation with people but not very long-- chinese is kinda hard and hasent come as easy for me as others--- oh well- men men lai-
wow it sound like you guys are haveing so much fun out there-- its all good here thank you for everything i love you all-- Elder langford

Re: Re: We leave tomorrow

2007-10-14T16:32:00.000-06:00

Wow-- sounds like you are doing awesome in new zealand-- i saw and talked to princable duckworth in the MtC-- thats cool that you saw him over there./ All is well here in taidong-- im flying out in about 4 hours-- kinda sad- i really like it here-- also the most coveted area of the mission to serve i was very blessed to be born here. I am being moved to danshui-- complete opposite side of the island right on the coast-- where you can see the sun right over the ocean and the sun set. from what i here it is the wettest area -danSHUI- shui means water -- and also the coldest in the winter-- so i might get a little chilly. my old comp elder marble will be my zone leader and my other comp elder meyers from the mtc is moving in to my aprt. in taidong. -- my new companion is elder brown-- i hear he is a really lehi missionary so all should be good. ooops sorry about the chinglish--- lehi (4,4) means like awesome-- everyone always says it down here.
we got to watch conference with the ward on sat. and sun.--- the first two sessions i dident get to much out of it --- all chinese-- i got alot of the subject and a few sentences and words scatered about but not much else. Then we figuered out that forsome reson the player we were using was also sending out an fm signal-- so while it was playing in chinese we would tune in on little radios and headphones and listen in english--i still dont undrstand how it worked and why two languages were playing at the same time. kinda crazy. We will be able to read the talkes in the ensign when it comes out to us.
and you get to watch conferece twice eh? xinku ni !!
ill miss the ward here and elder bean-- we got along well- just alot different then elder marble all is well though
sounds like new zealand is really pretty!! cool place driving would mess me up big time-- all backward.

well hope all goes well and you adjust quickly to your new home thanks for everything i love you-- Elder Joey Langford

----->

2007-10-09T17:11:00.000-06:00

hey i bet you are in new zealand!!!how is it-- what kinda place do you live--- how big are the road sides-- dont want you to get hit by a car-- it sounds like you had some good qinged chi (feed dinner). alot of people will miss you--- the storm wasnt to bad here- infact it hasent rained here for about 2 or so weeks-- the main part of the taiphoon whas up in taipei-- roads and buildings got flooded and stuff--- we just had really bad wind-- we couldent leave the house all day because of debrey and the fact that we would have been blown away--studyed alot of chinese and other stuff--- i learned most of the common chinese name characters there are about 100 names that are most everyones.
the wind was bad-- it is really hot and suckes everything you have out of you-- it is still a little windy now but not to bad- just a little hard to ride.

you might be getting some crazy storms in new zealand eh? what is the time difference between us now??
- well all is taidong is well-- we have been traveling alot to other cities this past week- cause we are also responsable for their souls as well. mostly lots of small empty towns. we have been able to teach a couple firsts through the week. we will be watching confrence this next weekend- we have been passing out lots of flyers and stuff for it hopfully we can get some nonmembers to come out and listen.

-thanks for all- i hope you get setteled into your new home quickly-- love Elder Langford--
-- i will be e-mailing next monday then not for a week and a half till wendsday

Pictures from 9/27/07

2007-10-07T19:34:00.000-06:00

hey family all is well here in taiwanlots of fun-- sounds like you are gettin ready to head out- thats funny that you had a farewell--that huge pig is always just like that-- iv never seen it stand or anything- we pass it every day-

elder marble had kidney stones but they dissapered-- he is all good with no kidney stones i talked to em last night--huge blessing right there- he was scared.pic explaining--

white men and little statue were at a cultral museam we went to a couple weeks ago

yep thats elder marble on the bikes and all the green is in our area

all the pics of us in the church with people asre baptisms-- lin jia yi is about 18------

zhang zhou rong is like 40-- he is with his family---

and i got to baptise pan yu shen where i am in white also-- but it was the sisters swan.

that is elder nino playing the guitar while our branchpres. is feeding him mangos-- it is at our branch presidents house -- he feed us so much food we almost didnt make it home.--

that is a train-- thats all we ride- havent had the oppertunity of a bus

that sweet lady is a man-- henry ou yang-- coolest guy ever-- lives in guan shan and is to old to come to church-- cant really leave his house-- he is 84 and has great english-- he would sing to us some really funny songs-- lives alll alone- about an hour train ride from the church in taidong- says he prays everynight for a chapel in guan shan-- but he would be the only one attending if they got one.

and yes thast is my some at the mtc

i wrote the letter to taylor but i forgot to write down the address so i will send it tomorrow
all else is great-- we have been in the middle of the mid autume festiviles so we have got to a couple bbq's -- everyone on the street doesent live in taidong so its a little harder to contact and last night was crazy-- no one was out and all the shops were closed.
we went and volentered at this hospital with these old ladys making crafts- it was fun and my old lady gave me her sons addrees so we are going to go see him.
we havent really been able to teach our investigators because of holiday and big family parties that last for a week-- next week hopfully will be better-- thank you for the pakage-- so good!! thaks a tone its good to hear from everyone
thank you so much-- i love you all---elder langford

2007-10-04T15:49:00.000-06:00

hey here is me and a monk-- cool guy kept chanting weird words to us-- probably cast a spell or something-- and a windy day on the beach -- every day is windy-- lots of wind

Oct 2, 2007

2007-10-04T15:43:00.000-06:00

Hey
all is well in taiwan-- wow-- your moving thats crazy--- so do i get to come home to New Zealend!! that would be fun..... for a little bit..then i might want to come home. sounds like all is getting ready-- out of curiosity whats happening with the apartment?? grandpas got a hold of it???

Christmas--i dont know iv never been on a mission during christmas-- what did you send to dan and scott-- i do imagine i might need some socks that havent been washed with a pair of scriptures- and mabey 2 or so paires of garments-- all my white clothing is slowly going black from sweet and pollution-- um i really like salt water toffee and other candy and good stuff like that-- hey that joseph a nashville tribute cd would be cool--umm ya i dont know what ever

well the work is going good-- the rest of the district has really good solid people in the baptism pool-- so the next like 3 weeks or so we will be haveng baptisms. we had to drop the lu family-- the refused to come to church and just stopped progressing all togeathe-- we have meet with some other good ones that have alot of potential-- we are also working with a in active husband-- his family is active but he has smoking and drinking problem-- we got him on a plan to quit and he so far is doing well following it. that is brother wang-- the biggest thing is just getting him to church-- he hasent been in 5 years or so but a really nice guy.
this transfer has seemed to go by so fast. we are in week 5 now next week is 6 and then move calles again-- if im lucky ill get to stay in taidong --- who knows . well thank you all i love you so much--- enjoy new zealend-- that sounds really fun and will be a great experence.- love elder langford

(Pictures will be uploaded this week) Sep 25, 2007

2007-09-26T21:48:00.000-06:00

hey family all is well here in taiwan
lots of fun-- sounds like you are gettin ready to head out- thats funny that you had a farewell--
that huge pig is always just like that-- iv never seen it stand or anything- we pass it every day- elder marble had kidney stones but they dissapered-- he is all good with no kidney stones i talked to em last night--huge blessing right there- he was scared.
pic explaining--
white men and little statue were at a cultral museam we went to a couple weeks ago
yep thats elder marble on the bikes and all the green is in our area
all the pics of us in the church with people asre baptisms-- lin jia yi is about 18------ zhang zhou rong is like 40-- he is with his family--- and i got to baptise pan yu shen where i am in white also-- but it was the sisters swan.
that is elder nino playing the guitar while our branchpres. is feeding him mangos-- it is at our branch presidents house -- he feed us so much food we almost didnt make it home.-- that is a train-- thats all we ride- havent had the oppertunity of a bus

that sweet lady is a man-- henry ou yang-- coolest guy ever-- lives in guan shan and is to old to come to church-- cant really leave his house-- he is 84 and has great english-- he would sing to us some really funny songs-- lives alll alone- about an hour train ride from the church in taidong- says he prays everynight for a chapel in guan shan-- but he would be the only one attending if they got one.

tell me about ryans condition-- not dieing right?? and yes thast is my some at the mtc

i wrote the letter to taylor but i forgot to write down the address so i will send it tomorrow

all else is great-- we have been in the middle of the mid autume festiviles so we have got to a couple bbq's -- everyone on the street doesent live in taidong so its a little harder to contact and last night was crazy-- no one was out and all the shops were closed.

we went and volentered at this hospital with these old ladys making crafts- it was fun and my old lady gave me her sons addrees so we are going to go see him.

we havent really been able to teach our investigators because of holiday and big family parties that last for a week-- next week hopfully will be better
-- thank you for the pakage-- so good!! thaks a tone its good to hear from everyone

thank you so much-- i love you all---elder Langford

Finding more and more to Teach -- Sep 18, 2007

2007-09-26T21:47:00.000-06:00

hey family

well it sounds like you are getting all ready to go! thats cool it will be so fun. so is laura still moving in-- and is wayne taking care of the rental? sounds all good-- so we needed a new computer-- i thought we just got one- so what kind of a place will you be moving into do you know yet- and what excatily are you doing over there. i know your helping some program or something but people ask and i dont know what to tell them.

we have had a pretty good week- on monday we had a real good day we found two really good families- one of em we were just starting trackting and the first house we walked up to they were all watching t.v.- a big family like 6 or 7, its uncommon to see a family with more then 3-4 they were watching some t.v. show and at first they all just kept watching with us talking in the back ground but we caught there intrest and taught a good first to em. we are going back next sat. so hopefully they can start progressing. they are active christians but alot of times they are harder then the buddests.

another family we were outside our house waiting for the garbage man and he was just walking down the street. first glance at em he looked just like a dirty old man that probley just spoke taiwaniess- but he was a really nice humble man- has 3 kids and set up with us to come to his house. so hopefully they will all begin to progress!

the elders in taidong south havent had alot of success at all the past couple transfers but they continue to work really hard- god gave em a huge blessing- a members boyfriend wants to be baptised so he is working with them- right now its for the girl friend but hey what ever will get him to church to have the oppertunity to gain a testamony for himself!!

brother ye one of our investigators has been working with missionaries since march- and he cant seem to pass his baptimial interview-- we dont even know what to teach em-- he has been taught everything like twice and we cant know what the problem is. we just are trying to hit the atonment and repentance hard for em-- he just had another interview last sunday-- and all the president told us was he was going to need some more interviews.

elder bean and i get along great-- he keeps me laughing through the day. also iv made good friends with some other elders in my district.

do you think you could help me get steves sutherlands, john smiths, and chad mccombs adress to there missions-- if you still have it there names should just be on the camp list and their parents could help you.

thank you all so much i love you all-- elder Langford

Teaching with the Spirit -- Sep 11, 2007

2007-09-26T21:46:00.002-06:00

hey family!!
All is well here in taidong - my new campanion is great- different then elder marble- different styles of missionary work but its all good and we get along great-- it was kinda weird for me this first week because he doesent know the people or the area so i have been leading alot of the time until he gets a grasp on where he is in the city-- its good though lots of fun.languge wise i belive im getting better-- im scared to think about where i would be without the gift of tongues- last night we went to a house where a family lives, we were just teaching the mom and dad-- the mom is learning english so she likes half english half chinese so she can learn quicker- elder bean usually does that with her and i was talking to the husband who doesnt know any english- so we kinda had two lesssons going at the same time. he belives in god and we were talking about prayer and the blessings we recive from it-- he would say alot of words i dont know but usually i can get enough out of the sentence to understand his meaning. i had to acouple times have him say it in another way so i could understand. he asked me what blessings i have seen in my life from prayer and the gospel and we talked alot about missionary work. i asked him what he would do if he knew something was true with all his heart and it was so important that he had to share about it with everyone and that was all you did all day was try to help people recognise how important it was but no one would listen to you- everyone rejected you. he said he would be very sad and would be discouraged. i explained to him that that is one of the biggest areas god helps us today- he helps us to continually have faith that somone will listen to us. and god gives us gifts to help us in our lives-- alot of them are gifts of faith and the spirit in moroni 10 :8-18 it talkes alot about gifts and how god can help us. and he loves those scriptuers and we also read vs.19 talking about god is always the same yesterday today and forever and he said that he really belives that. it was a good lesson and it really helps me because i have no one to rely on to tell me what people say-- other then the spirit-- i really have to listen closely.

one of our members named lin- he brought a friend of his to church named chou-- and we were able to set up a time to meet with him at his house-- he lives in luye so we had to go to the train station and take about a 20 min ride and then lin dixiong (brother lin) picked us up and took us to his house. it was a good lesson-- he can understand chinese but it was easier for him in taiwanese so lin dixiong would translate and help in understand-- so mostly we guided their discussion which we couldent understand throughout the first lesson. we did feel the spirit strong though- we could tell chou dixiong could also. we commited him to baptisim and he accepted the goal. the 23 of october is the date now but will probley be sooner-- depending on how he progresses. his wife was in the lesson also she will be baptised but she doesent know it yet-- she harcore buddist but she will come around.

yesterday we were on exchages with the hualian elders- our zone leaders--- i was with an elder taylor who is good friends with shad and caleb from camp-- he lived in mountiongreen. really good missionary- we were going back to hualian to switch back and the train schedual had changed and no body new-- we usually meet in the middle between taidong and hualian and trade tickets and run and jump on the train but none of the traines lined up good enough to do that-- we were at one place called raie swaie and we didnt know if we should get off or stay-- so the train started moving and we decided to get off- we ran to the door and the trian isnt going the slowest but it is still by the platform-- we jump on to the platform and rolled- we got thrown of balance- the train was going faster then we had thought- it was fun!

journal wise i have a study journal and another journal that i keep one for studies and spiritual things and the other for everything else.
i dont speak in church at all because the branch is big enough to have members speak-- but i was put in charge of a christmas program- i have to plan it and all-- an activity its not church- like a ward party kinda thing- i dont even know if i willl stay around here that long.

it sounds like fun getting ready to go to new zealand- maybe there is a market in new zealand for griddles-- take this thing international eh?
no pool till 2009- how sad -oh well you will have on ocean to swim in

well thank you for everything- ill look for that list again- i love you all- oh ya-- i will write a letter to taylor hopefully today but maybe next week
love you all -- elder Langford

Transfers -- Sep 3, 2007

2007-09-26T21:46:00.001-06:00

hey hey hey

every six weeks i will be e-mailing on mondays because of transfers-
the work is going great down here in taidong--- so when are you going to new zealand- i still dont know- please tell me!!
i was hoping i could stay with elder marble for another transfer but no such luck- he got called to be a zone leader up somewhere will his trainer-- it is his trainers last transfer- how cool is that!!

today i got my new companion-- he has been on island for about 15 months-- his chinese is so good-- name is elder bean-- i keep callin him mr.bean--- he is great-- from lindon utah. we should get along great-- our whole district has changed everyone got a new companion-- so crazy but it should be a good district.

alot of members have been qinging us chi-- that chinglish sorry-- at there house we eat - like they feed us-- you know what im saying-- anyway- at the end of every transfer we get meals qinged to us like every day-- our branch president feed us the best meal of speggetii and curry rice and mangos-- so good--- he thinks i am getting way skinny- every time we see him he is telling us to go eat-- we do eat alot down here we just ride 20 or so miles a day so we work it of real fast---

the last couple days with elder marble he took me around to all the places i havent been yet - he was so busy with distict leader we never had time-- so we have done about 20-30 miles on thursday friday saturday and sunday-- just contacting on the way-- so really pretty rides-- the towns were small and we visited some old investigators and some inactives. no one really wanted to talk to use but it is all good. getting pretty used to that.

we went and taught the lu family again- we took our branch president for a pekie- a member to help us teach- the xiansheng-(mr.)- is so humble and loves the teachings-- he told us about when we first contacted him-- he saw us down the street in the rain talking to i guess a preacher- we didnt know that - but he rejected us and said some stuff to us that i didnt understand-- and thats probably good to- he said his heart came out to us and unlike the many times before he was going to leet the missionaries in. so he was ready for us when we got there. he is progessing well and his wife will come around to-- she askes some really deep intence questions. its all good--

well thank you for everything i love you all- i will e-mail next wed-- not this one - so a week and a half-- - bye bye elder Langford

Exchanges ~ Aug 28, 2007

2007-09-26T21:45:00.001-06:00

Hey how is everyone doing-- so when are you going to new zealand- tomorrow? next week? in a year? do you have a date--- just wondering

yah i was sick for 3 days or so witha fever- just some ibprophen got me over it and some rest-- i was really slow on my bike for a couple days didnt have much power. but im all good now.

so we had this weird eclips thing-- messes with the work-- everyone is outside burning and doing their buddist stuff- is weird- sometimes we run into huge groups dressed in black dancing an we get this sick feeling. othertimes we will go into houses and we will see parent fourcing thir very young kids to kneel at alter and chat and stuff- alot different then america thats for sure. they se out huge tables of food on the streets and shove incence sticks in them and they burn fake money- because the smoke takes it up to their dead family so they can eat and have money.

Baptisims were so good- it was so fun to see them go through it - they were both very ready and prepared- i felt the spirit through the service even though i couldent understand- just like church.

they other day we were on exchanges- i was with elder higgins and we were in my area-- we were trackting and found this nice guy that we taught part of a first to. he was very intrested and we went back the other day and taught him a full first..-- it was cool he set out a table in the middle of the room and all around it were 2 missionaries a mom and dad and a 5 year old and a 2 year old all listening intently-- it was fun and the spirit was strong-- the mother asked some intence question about how the book of mormon was abridged but it was way good. yesterday i went to hualin for exchanges-- a 3 hour train ride and they went and taught part og a 2nd to them. also tried to set a baptisimal date. the father would have-- he is a very humble man that is just loving the message-- eveytime he just sits and takes notes. the wife had a christian background so a little harder- but she did say that when she gets her answer she will get baptised. so we are excited- then in a year the will be sealed in the temple!! their names in the lu family so please pray for them.

also while i was in hualian they were at a stop light and talking to this car-- she felt the spirit and she pulled over and got out- they taught her a little and set up a time to visit with her--- so good we are excited to go see her and her family-- she is the owner of a icecream shop and she said she wants to give us some free icecream-- cant say no to that-- so good--

i really enjoyed hualine-- i was with one of out zone leader-elder castleton from california-- i wonder if im related to him--- we taught 7 lessons that night and 5 of them set up a time that we could meet come back and meet with them-- it was good --- thats why we do exchanges alot-- its just how it is- more miricals when your on exchanges.

on the way back from hualian we stop and a little town called guanshan to preach a little gospel- the city is in our area so we try to go eveyonce in a while-- like a ghost town though-- no one there empty place as ever-- we did go visit an old guy like 90 or so that cant come to church cause its to far-- about a hour train ride and then a taxi ride- such a nice guy though with really good english-- he would sing us hymes and other fun songs- really funny guy. we then went out into the rice fields looking for some other members houses and ran into this other guy-- he knew right of who we were- he had takin the disscusions years befor but still didnt have intrest-- i think it is cool we can be in farm country and everyone still know who the mormons are.

dad your chinese is good understood perfectly-- you could say -
ni de ba ba shi shei-- thats "whos your daddy"? we say a couple funny phrases that we have translated. literally it is translated -your type father is who-

well yep all is great here-- sounds like all is well at home-- president should have sent you a pic of my companion and me- we dont have to many cause we can only have cameras on p-days and stuff but i have a couple i can send.

clothes are all good-- sometims in the rain we are just as wet as if we and jumped in a pool-- really wet but we dry out

have fun thankyou for your prayers-- love joey

TYPHOON!!! Aug 21, 2007

2007-09-26T21:44:00.000-06:00

Hey! Its Elder Langford
Everything is great here in taidong, we were sapposed to have some baptisms on sat but didnt happen- we had one of the sisters so just one of em- zhang wanted his family to be there to watch the they were stck in another city because of the huge taiphoon also because of the taiphoon lin jia yi couldent get over here- his parents wouldent let him go out side-- i guess it is pretty dangerous-- we were wondering why everyone was running inside- the whole mission was told to stay inside on sat.- our building was rocking with the wind and the wind sounded like people hitting our windows-- we had to tape all the windows it was really fun except for the fact i had a fever of 39.5 which translated to like 110!! or somewhere in the area- mabey a little less.
Brother zhang an Lin will both be baptised sun. mourning before church- ill be baptising lin and elder marble will be baptising Zhang.

we did get a new person in the baptisimal pool- so he accepted baptisim and we gave him a date- but his mom has alot of fandui- she is ageinst the baptism so we are praying her heart will be softened- his name is Brother Lin

The ward lists are really funny out here because everyones name is the same-- half the ward is lin the other half zhang and the other half wang. so we half so know alot of first names.

so when are you going to newzealend?? do we have any dates-- we did have to do x-rays and bunch of the tests in the mtc for visa stuff so ya the mtc does take care of alot of it.

jalapano jelly- hun hao chi -- literally means very good eat-- i love that stuff- you should fill and envelope and send some out with some wheat thins- good stuff

yesterday we had a good first lesson with this guy-- he is more intersted in the differences between the christian churchs- he is fojiao right now(buddist) hopefully he felt the spirit and we can teach him again- he is a realy nice guy with really good english-- that makes it nice so i can if i dont know a word in chinese which is alot i just say it in english and he would understand- really good lesson though the spirit was strong ang i pray he felt it and wants more of it.
for a missionary moment- i dont know-- i have told all the good ones in my letters so mabey look at one of those.

well thank you all for everthing i love you all
- i can e-mail all close family including grandparents- i dont know if you knew that so yah- laura and scott and danny and rachel can e-mail me-- i dont have their addresses

-Elder Langford

Editor Note: Joey didnt add that link above just as an FYI. I'm guessing that article is the storm that they encountered though.

2007-09-26T21:43:00.000-06:00

Letter from Joey!

2007-09-26T21:41:00.000-06:00

Hey sounds like all is well at home!! right now i am at a internet cafe place- even though it is 6:00 in the mourning there are about 20 kids here that probley stay up all night long playing these games like warcraft and such- we are in a diffrent room that is non-smoking so there is only one other one- still smells like smoke though. this place in just around the courner from our house we pay like 10 for the computer then another 15 for a water that we have to buy or we cant use the computer. kinda funny eh?

So this past week has been so good - it has rained alot- and when it rains it really raines it is crazy how much water comes down- we usually will go trackting in the rain because no one will be out side to contact. the hard part about it is alot of people let us in because of the rain and they dont nessisarilly have intrest- the other day on a street of maybey 10 or so places only 2 completly rejected us and told us to leave - they other we were able to share a message with and then they say sorry we are budeist and then they say they dont need it- we get into alot more houses when its raining.

right now it is raining pretty good outside- this whole past week as been rainy windy- the taiphoon that missed us went to vietnam and killed 100 people-- that pretty intence i would say--- glad we missed that one.

so we havent had very much sucsess-- man i cant spell- we havent had very much chonggong this past week -alot of people are so nice they set up and just give us a fake number so they dont have to reject us to our faces- it frustrating because we then wait for someone who isent coming and waist the lords time we could be out contacting or working- but becasue we worked hard the lord still blesses us so much-- monday night we got a call from a member that had a referall and we set up the next day to met with him- she piekaed for us-- or she came and helped us teach- its always good to have a member there who speaks good chinese and they bring the spirit so much more-- it really helps a ton!!!
it was a great first lesson and he committed to prepare for baptism on the 15 or so of next month- that made the whole week for us.

Everyone in taiwan loves baseball! the yankees have a pitcher from taiwan and everyone has posters of him everywhere- for lin jia yi -who is getting baptised this sat- we got em a base ball and wrote our testamonies on it and we are going to give it to him-- i will be baptising him!! im way excited and he is to. After the baptisim we are getting pizza!!!

Its sad about pres. faust-- i dont know if many people down here really know about it yet-- they didnt mention it at church at least.- i would love to get some pics of the yard- it sounds like it is doing well!!
Carter creek sounds like alot of fun-- have i ever been there? i dont know- I have progressed in the language a bit- not as much as i would like-- i would rather just be fluent its coming little by little-- because elder marble is distric leader i get an extra 2 hours on mon. and fri. to study because he does follow ups with the other companionships.

i try to use new words on the streets every day-- that is how i cement them into my head- when you use it and they understand it it is great.

every month we get 7200 in our accounts they set up for us-- that is like 7200 pennys times 3 and then you have american currency-- at least in the area of it. for most elders that it way more then enough-- becasue we travel so much we use all of it but thats all rembursable - the elders up in yuli about an hour up from us get on tains most days if the week and they started eating their 72 hours kits because they were waiting for their rembursment of 4000-- they probley use the most money in the whole mission-- all is well here in taidong though- never to bad.
Yesterday yuli had a baptism up in a waterfall--- because of so much rain the water fall pool was closed of because of rocks so we found another little pool that was a little shallower then we normally would have liked for a baptism-- the water was high though and they were fighting the current-- how cool is that!! baptism in a river-- thats the only place in the mission that doesnt have a font and they are way to far away from the ocean.
I love being hear in taidong-- it is so great!! i love the work and the gospel- thank you so much for all you have done for me i love you so much!!-- elder Langford

Tuesday, August 07, 2007 4:55 PM

2007-09-26T21:40:00.000-06:00

Hey Hey Hey im in taidong or taitung there are a couple different ways to spell it but its wonderful-- as far east and south as you can go in the mission--- it is very beautiful down here with the east coast and the huge mountions. i love it!!!

Right now we are just strating a tiafeng (taiphoon) its been raining solid for about a day--- like serious rain and wind that will blow you off your bike!! so we dont ride our bikes to much in it. taidong we hear is sapposed to get the worst of it -wind wise- since taibei is below sea level it usually gets alot of water in the streets and stuff but thats just what we hear-- this is elder marbles first also.

We are still working with 3 solid investigators lin jia yi , ye di xiong,and zhang zhao rong Lin and zhong will be baptised on the 18 both of them are so excited and very prepared for baptism-- Zhang has a family who is coming to the baptism so hopfully we can start with them!

the food here is great-- we always go to this one place that has been here for like 30 years little old 3ft grandma and her husband-- really good food- i like the curry they make but they have alot of other stuff-- with our my companion i would for sure starve to death-- i wouldent be able to read any of the menus.

we get fruit drinks alot-- soooooo good - kinda like a slerpy but they grind up the real fruits ang put ice in em and man its good--- mangos the best!

Most of our contacting is on the streets riding bikes around and stopping people-- most of just say meiyou kong which means no time or they say buyong which is dont need but them we teach them a bit and try to get them to have a little bit of intrest-

when it rain and blows we usually tract houses-- because nobody is out side or they are running away from the acid rain that is going to make us loose our hair-- alot of times people will set up but just wont come-- they are just to nice to say no on the spot-- then we lose more time when we wait for em so thats no good at all.

the weather has been really good with the rain-- its not hot-- we love it about 25 to its real nice-- i have no idea what that is in normal temp.

party at the house-- that sounds so fun-- so the water feature is working again- that is grand.. And lori is home from her mission-- how many fingers does she have-- didnt she cut em off er something-- that would make it harder to carry book of mormans!! i remember she had the goal to hand out a book of morman ever day of her mission--- did she do it?? we only get like 10 or 15 a month so that would be hard for us.

every night we are dead tired-- we ride our bikes like 20 a day i bet-- we just die and fall into bed-- sleep sound all night-- we get up at 6:00 go excercise- about 2 mile run on a track next to our house- and come back get ready eat our oatmeal and study chinese-- 8 is personal study-9 in comp. study- 10 is chinese study- 10:30 we leave.--- wow that just scared me-- i erased the whole message and hada heart attack-- thank goodness for undo buttons right---- anyways- we get lunch and dinner at little stands are resturants- i try not to spend over 60 which is like ummm 1.70 american money-- so not to bad eh - sometime throughout the day i get an extra hour of study-- and that is only during my first transfer.

hey we sold a griddle!! yah!! fun fun so your leaving for a year eh?? that is grand sound like alot of fun-- can i come?? so what are you going to do with the house just board it up for a year or what? that sound like a fun oppertunity.

Well the other day president came down-- which is really rare he only comes down ever couple transfers and we had interviews with him. He is the greatest guy ever-the other day he had a dream my companion got hurt so he called us early that mourning to check on us- he is just really nice. he bought our whole district lunch and then we had district meeting. we also got our appt. inspected and we got called to repentence for that!!-- no just kiddin--- our appt. is soo clean.

well im going to send this early so i dont lose it again i love you all thank you for your prayers we can feel them-- our whole mission right now has 87 people in the baptisimal pool so we are doing very well our zone alone has 20 of em cool huh!!

- Love Elder langford

Elder Langfords Trainer

2007-09-26T21:37:00.000-06:00

(Joeys trainer sent this to his mom and she forwarded it us)Hello everyone!
Pretty much a long time since I have been able to email (or so it feels) so I am feeling pretty good right now. What a busy week this week. A lot of cool new things to do, and so I have been a little more busy than before. But let me tell you something cool about being the district leader. Every night all of the companionships have to call and report in and they tell me how the day went and what happened and so on (we have 3 sets of Elders and one set of Sisters) and so I have them tell me their miracle for the day, and I get to hear stuff that is so amazing. I tell you what, this truly is our Heavenly Fathers work. I sometimes am just sitting there with my mouth opened saying "really?" There is some great faith in this district, and everyone is recieving so many blessings. Like yesterday for instance, we had a lesson with a young man named Lin Jia Yi, and he had no showed the day before, and so I was worried that he was gonna do it again(me and Elder Brown taught him before, but he stopped coming to his appointments, but I felt like we should give him another chance). So it is time for his appointment, and he is not there. So I say to Elder Langford, lets say us a prayer. I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father that we really wanted to help this young man return and live with Him someday, and if he didn't come to the meeting we had set up, that it was because now was not his time. So, we said Amen, and right after, I mean right after, the phone rang. I said "Elder Langford, if that is him I am going to pass out." Wow. It was him. So basically, we met with him, and he is getting baptized on the 18th. It was a really cool experience.
So Elder Langford has a lot of faith, and I am just working my hardest. I think that I really have seen more miracles this past week than in my whole mission put together. Last Sunday we had a whole family at church. A man named Zhang Jiao Rong, his wife, and their 11 year old daughter. I was so happy. Let me tell you about Zhang Jiao Rong. He is a member referral and me and Elder Brown taught him one lesson, and he kept his commitment and prayed about the Book of Mormon, and basically he was overcome with the spirit, and he knows that it is true with all of his heart. When he got that answer, for some reason, he decided to quit smoking. He hadn't heard the word of wisdom or anything, but a ten year smoker just quit:). Anyways, he is awesome and is also getting baptized on the 18th of August. His wife and daughter live in a city called GaoXiong for the summer so we cant teach them until they come back when school starts again. This man is a leader. It is amazing how many miracles that I have seen. I love it.
Elder Langford is doing great, he isn't scared to talk to people and he is learning and growing fast. He is obedient and humble, so it has all worked out so far. I hope that it will continue to do so. I really feel honored to be his trainer. I am glad that you were able to meet his family, everything that I have heard from Elder Langford has been great, so I am excited to meet them one day. I have been learning and growing so much this past week, I wish you could all see me now:) I am definately not the same one who left, but it is such a good change. We had zone conference as well this week and I was able to see Elder Wynn in action. It made me so happy, he is such a knowledgable guy, and this is his last few weeks on his mission. Have you recieved a letter from him? He asked me to ask you. He said he wrote one a while ago. Man, I am getting along in the mission. Pretty much a lot of the older missionaries are gone now, and I am one of the older, it is crazy. I still love it with all my heart (even if this drunk guy at 6:00 in the morning just came over and yelled at us. It was the first bird that I have got so far. Poor guy) Anyways, all is well, I am seriously finding myself completely immersed in the Lords work. I love my Savior Jesus Christ so much, and I love you too family! Love, Elder John Marble Taidong North Branch

Jul 22, 2007 6:09 PM

2007-09-26T21:34:00.000-06:00

Hey Hey Hey-- Im in taiwan!!!

Today is monday About 7:30 in the mourning we are about im thinkin it is about 4 30 on sunday at home.-- thats kinda weird to think about--
any way plane ride was grand the flight to taiwan was long--- slept about an hour so not that long but it was fun.

we arrived at the mission home about 12 here and went right to bed-- the next morning we started orentation-- we had a good breakfast full of cool fruits that i have never had befor and throughout orentation we went over being heathly in taiwan and just stuff-- had an interview with the Pres.-- he is a real nice guy him and his wife-- that evening we went to the grand hotel and a little below were the island was dedicated for mission work-- we each went and said a little prayer of dedication for ourselfs to the mission it was fun.

That evening we were going to go out with some other elders on splits for our first run-- i got lucky-- my companion was elder mortonson from camp!! it was fun to see him and spend the evening with him-- we rode around the city visiting people -- man the traffic is crazy-- but it was fun -- no one really follows any traffic laws-- i dont even know if they have any-- we tracked a little and went back to the church were we taught the first lesson so an investigator-- i taught a little on each princable--- mostly i just beared testamony--- it was fun-- i would ask a question and becasue i couldent understand anything bryan would help me with his response-- well at the end of the lesson-- i i did understand this part-- bryan invited him to be baptised- he accepted and set a date with him-- it was real fun-- even though i couldent understand most of it i felt the spirit and i know the investigator did also.
so hey-- i think that is a good example set for my by bryan--- get em baptised!! after words we went to a members house and sang a song with them and prayed we ate some really good fruit and some other stuff that i just ate-- dont really know what it was-- looked kinda like frog eggs to me and had the texture i would think they would have--- i dont know- dont to shabby.

So monday today is p- day but it will usually be on wed. so a week and a half till the next one--

so they next day we got our companions and headed to our areas-- my companion is from west point- he lives on 300 north on the way to scotts house--- his name is elder marble 801-773-3536 awesome elder he played foot ball at clearfield-- he graduated a year befor me-- iv spent the past couple days in a three sum until the rest of the transfers were made. his old companion was elder brown- he left this mourning he couldent tell me how much he loved elder marbel-- he said he was very obedient and loved the work-- worked solid and never went short on anything--- from what i can see he is just that-- solid-- we get along great its real fun to be with em-- no his breath doesent stink--
so we were sent to the best part of the mission--- to get here we took a 30 min. plane ride and a 3 hour train its called tai dong - you can look it up under google earth with this spelling- taitung- its a small city compared to up north-- church yesterday was fun-- i got up in front of the ward-- about 100 members and bore my testamony and all the members said they could understand it. so thats good! i didnt get much out of church but i felt the spirit--- it wasent to big of a shock with the language-- i knew i wouldent be able to understand--- i pick out words here and there but ill get better.
Our apt. is real nice i even have my own bathroom-- there is a sitting area and a room where we have our desks- another with our beds and stuff-- its super. havent used a public toilet yet-- ill try to stay away-- dont really have to go much because we sweet so much-- im always wet-- just drenched i just have to get used to it--- im wetter before a shower then in the shower- might as well not even dry off.
iv stayed clear of the betel nut babes but the stuff is nasty it looks like a mouth full of blood- but it isent-- bad stuff- umm smells it stinks and then it dosent-- mabey im getting used to it-- traffic is not as bad at all down here but we are stilll carefull--
so i have been usung this older bike for a couple days and today we are going to grab my new one- i paid for it the other day its a nice one and one of the cheapest-- same one as my comps. they had to get it from somewhere else so it took a coupel days-- and we get to paint it too!! That will be fun!!
when we go contacting we just ride around and stop people its fun-- i can talk but usually cant understand so i just talk and pray they feel the truth of it--- on saterday night we had a baptism of some of the other elders in our district we have 2 sisters and 2 other elders in the ward-- the baptism was great
they lessons we have taught have been grand the spirit was their and they went really well-- so during oerntation i was going to call you but they never got to it. i love you all i have to go the time is up happy birthday dad i love you so much-- you have been a great example to me all through my live i love you all!!-- Elder Langford

7/16/2007 8:40 AM

2007-09-26T21:33:00.000-06:00

Hey This is Joey!!I Leave Tomorrow!!!! at about 10 we leave the Mtc and i will call from both airports Saltlake And LA. We have just beeen packing and getting ready-- today is also our last sauna!! Thats sad-- we had that thing cooking!Well On saturday i walked into the room that we were going to teach in and there was this lady talking on the phone-- i said to myself--- self i bet she is on the phone with your mom. It was fun-- we taught the Plan of Salvation to her-- i felt it went well the spirit was strong and we tried to let the spirit testify to her of the truthfulness of our message--- mom we committed her to read in the Book Of Mormon 2 nephi 2 and 3 nephi eleven make sure you follow up with her and see how it went--- if we dont follow up it was all waisted! We talked about the promise in Moroni 10:3-5 and committed her to pray.- we could understand some of what she said- she talked fast!!! and luckly she understood most of what we said which was encouraging for us-- main land china and taiwan saw some things different and we had to adjust to those--- i have felt like i hsave done well learning the language here-- we can do alot of stuff and teach in our own words lessons 1 2 3Hopefully good comes of it is was fun to be able to teach her. We were a little nervous becasue it was a real investigator well kindof Some other elders that we talked to that taght her the first vision said it went well but she was playing the part of a non christian like she was supposed to but we kinda wanted to just teach her. That said the spirit was there-- i dont know what commitments they gave her, she might know.Well its been a good 12 weeks in the MtC alot of people say they hated the mtc but i loved it--- i guess in comparison to what the field might be like it probably is bad but the worst part was the same not that great food.
The name Long Zhong Lao--- Long Is Translated to dragon but it was selected for how close it is to my last name-- but it still means dragon so i like it alot--- Zhong Lao is elder Pronounced jong Lao My full name is Long yi de 2 4 2 tones de with 2 tone means kind and virtuous and a couple other things--- so im a kind dragon--- i like it!!! First names are always chosen for what the parents want their children to become-- they are very personal and usually will never know someones first name. Our teachers after teaching us for twelve weeks choose these names for us.
Well because of the scripture dissaster i needed to buy new scriptuers and case--- new socks and befor i knew i could take my close just to missionary mall i took em to the dry cleaners and they charged an arm and a leg and also made my pants two tone and mostly see threw so the was a waist of money and i still had to pay for it all-- Ill probably need to take out some money just for my bike and food while traveling. My Jazz shirt-- i guess becaue of the material came out of the scripters real nice-- my sweats are itchy and whitish but i dont where them that often--- socks and slacks only real dissaster

Thank you all for everything i love you all!!. Sounds like the grills and coming along Love Elder Langford

MTC Catastrophy

2007-09-26T21:32:00.002-06:00

Mom and Dad found this little sound file and some still pictures

on the memory card Joey sent home.

I really don't know what to say...

... hope everything works out.

I got a good laugh.

Remember: The Word is clean, comes pre-washed!

~dan

7/9/2007 12:12 PM

2007-09-26T21:32:00.001-06:00

Hey Hey-- All is well here!!!Im leaving for taiwan in like 8 days!!! I Cant wait!! we go out on tuesday--- we leave the MtC @ 10 and our flight leaves at one to LA-- then our flight leaves from LA At 5:30 and arrive in taiwan at 9 or 10 the next mourning.So its been a good week!! We taught the 2nd lesson and that went pretty well!! we have had alot of days were we dont speak any english at all--- all chinese-- its fun but sometimes frustraiting. UmmSo the temple has been closed for cleaned for a month so we havent had the oppertunity to go -- this mouning however we were assigned to go clean at the temple!-- it was pretty fun-- we cleaned out lockers and i cleaned the temple presidents office-- he has a cool little red button under his desk- i dont know what it was for so i went to push it-- luckly Elder meyers stoped me--J/K i wonder what it did thoughOh we got to clean and dust plastic plants!!!! fun fun-- brought back memories of home!! their are building some new storage sheds of the side of it but it is just a mountian of rocks and dirt--- we shoveled for like a hour or so and got some good blisters-- i got missionary hands!!----the only calusses i have are from my scripture marker and my scripture case handle!Speaking of scrip.... umm you should recive the remnits of my scripturs-- it was a diasture--- man the chinesse is killin my spelling--- i probley just never was a good speller--- any way their is a audio file on my card explaining it-- should just open with the rest of the pics of the computer pretty easy.So i purchased some new scriptuers and case and socks--- ther whole load of wash was pretty much messed up cause the glue from the binding mixed with all the shredded paper and it was a big mess so ya!! good times--- just trying to immurse my self in the word of God i guess!..
i have like 15 min. left so i will get back on at laundrey time and e-mail again so you can reply to the account and i will reply to what ever e-mail address you want me to-- sometimes it is as late as 5:00-- thak you all-- Love Elder Langford!!

7/2/2007 9:34 AM

2007-09-26T21:31:00.001-06:00

Hey Family-- this is Long Zhong Lao Just hagging out here in the mTc--- its fun-- we have had a grand week- it was the mission presidents training- so meals lines we so long- they went out the building and wraped around other buildings- it took forever and we were always late getting to where we needed to be.Tuesday was probley the best day at the mTc we have had!! It was Awesome!!!--- we got in the choir to make sure we got a seat in the room-- everyone new Elder Hollend was coming bacause of Steve Allen-- the sunday before he gave a great talk but told everyone he was coming!. Out district always know whos coming because we have inside sources- Anyways ony about 300 missionaries got in the room becasue of so many Mission Presidents- we were waiting for Elder Hollend to come in and then we watched Elders, Perry, uchtorfe, scott, eyring,ballared, and holland. So we had half of the 12 in the room with us! Elder Hollend gave a awesome talk on the atonment and everyone in the room was crying their eyes out. the spirit was really strong-- i dont have my notes with me but i will send you some later on-- the closing prayer was really good but the Elder couldent geet through iit and started crying and then everyone started crying again-- when he finished Elder Hollend and ballared gave him big hugges and kissed him on the cheek. Why couldent i give the closing prayer!!?? We always go back to our class room and go over the notes we had and we had a testamony meeting!! lots of fun!!Our Lesson was great on Saturday-- I have a stronger testamony of the gift of inturpritaion of tounges!! we were teaching a native and he talked different then we were used to- but we could understand alot of what he was saying-- at least enough to answer his questions---Well times almost gone-- i love you all thank you for everything!!!!-Long Zhong Lao

6/11/2007

2007-09-26T21:30:00.000-06:00

Hey familyAll is well here in the mtc!!!Thanks so much for the package-- it was grand!! The watch didnt work for some reson so we did emergency surgrey and found out that it got water in it somehow and was pretty messed up inside.Last sat. elder meyers and i gave a 45 min. lesson in chinese!! it went prettty well!!! Luckly the holy ghost was there and he helped us out a bunch!!!Bamboo sounds like it is doing well!!! Fun FunWell on thing that we get to go do on saterdays is the RCThat is where all the numbers on the back of the pass along cards goes to, Its a fun place-- we just study until the phones rings... They will all ring at once cause of the comericials on t.v. come on at the same time.Iv had a couple good conversations with people and been able to send them missionaries and stuff!!One of the really fun things is when you get a chat--- on mormon.org they have a place to talk with missionaries and they get connected to us. Every week we have one guy from scotland get on and we talk to him. He has started taking the discussions and is enjoying them. He has to do everything secretly cause of his parents, but he is coming along. He has asked us about our conversions to the gosple, the godhead, the holy ghost, and how to pray. He is really open with us with all his struggles and hopefully eventually will be baptized. He loves going to church and meeting with the missionaries.We get a new load of chinese missionaries this wed. It will be fun cause we have been kinda lonely for a week without the older district.Next sat. we teach the second lesson in chinese-- a 45 min. lesson hopefully we can learn it all it time-- not as long as we had before.Last tuesday elder eyring came and gave a great devotional on faith, hope and charity--it was fun--- ysterday at lunch i went to where we usually eat and Elder Perry was in my seat!! i got to shake his hand and say hi to him. He told me that i would be a great missionary-- also elder scott and elder ballered were here for some mission president training. I might have another watch kickin around somewhere- a another t-shirt for gym and my cool flosser thingy that i left at home--- mabey you guys could find them and send them out-- it would be grand well thank you for everything i love you all~Elder Langford

6/4/2007 (first letter via email)

2007-09-26T21:29:00.001-06:00

Hey Family Everything is grand here in the MTC--- We got to go to the temple this morning-that was fun--- last week was a holiday so they didnt open it for us. All the older elders left today- so for a week and a half it is just 10 of us until the younger group comes in. There are 52 new mandrine elders coming-- This coming sat. is elders meyers and my first full leanth lesson in zhongwen er i mean chinese!! 45 min!!! kinda crazy but it will be good---umm iv seen Elder Rigby, elder felix, Both Elder sutherlands, And Elder Mancail, and a couple other kids from school around--- we cant really talk cause was cant speak english-- they all speak russian and me zhongwenits kinda frustrating------fast sunday was great yesterday--- i understood most of the testamonies except for a couple words here and there.I forgot to tell you but all those new videos on preperation that the church made we saw them like our first week here--- it was the first showing in the mtc-- alot of the missionarys that were in the videos are teachers on campus---- the church did a expanded version of one of the stories in the video that acctually got done last fri. and we watched that one last night. It was really good stuff.i am so thankful to be able to be on a mission!!! Its hard but alot of fun---Zhongwen headaches are the worst--I know this gosple is true and am thankful for it- i know there is a prophet on the earth today- and that he recives revelation for the whole church! I know that we can live togeather as a family forever!! that pretty cool i think--- i know that christ suffered for all of us so that we can get the blessing promised to us-- i am so thankful for him---Yes i did mail thankyou letters to dedricksons and gruenbuergsno i dont have dannys pants no idea where they are-- sorryhow is the bamboo??i was wondering if i could get my watch--- i thought i packed it but i didnt-- also my pic book and i will send home all the pics i dont want- and ummm my ctr ring if you can find it and ummmm hey iv lost 10 pounds kinda crazy eh? and no scott doesnt need to e-mail all my friends- i dont even have their e-mail address--- but i would like my camp list-- oh ya a birthday list for the whole family that would be nice and ummmmm thats all i think thank you all for everthing i love you all!!!!! my times all up bye byeLove Elder Langford

1st Letter from MTC

2007-09-26T21:26:00.000-06:00

May 5th 2005

Well great first day at the MTC! After I left you guys, I got in a line to check on shots and get keys and all this paper work. They also gave me a big blue bag full of Chinese books, like seven or eight of em!
I got my luggage and went to my room- 4 missionary's in the room. My companion is Elder Meyers- He is an awesome kid. He has already been to 2 years of BYU, he graduated way early from high school. He is in Cinematography. Like he goes freelance and makes commercials - Last summer he was in Africa doing a documentary. I like him a lot.
Dinner was great and we got Ice Cream too! They got like tons of Juice Stuff- flavors I have never heard of... lots of fun.
We had an orientation with our district. I am the senior companion and in 6 weeks we switch and I am Junior.
Every Sunday we write a talk in the Language. So when we get to Taiwan, we will have 11- 5 min. talks all ready to give in church!
Tomorrow we start our classes so all should be good!

Love Elder Joey Langford

[Back of Envelope: "This place is bāng! (awesome) Love Liág Zhāng Lăo(Elder Langford)]

View Album

Get your own

The Call

2007-09-26T21:24:00.000-06:00

Joey's Mission Picture
Joey has been called to serve in the Taipai Taiwan Mission. He enters the MTC on May 2, 2007. We all wish it were sooner! He is going to be a great missionary.