Ciao tutti!!!
Well,
I'm right now sitting in an internet point in Firenze. I can't believe
that I am here. It is seriously crazy. This city is AMAZING!!! Sean and
Sylvia put it the best, this city is an open air museum. Sadly I don't
have a lot of pictures to send of Firenze right now, because we decided
to do internet first and then go walk around so it's easier to take our
train back to Prato, but next week, there will be a ton!
I
don't even know where to start right now. Life as a missionary is
amazing, and life in Toscana as a missionary is even better!!! This area
is down-right gorgeous. I can't wait to show you around in a year and a
half. And speaking of that, that is crazy!!!!! I can't believe that
Christmas is next transfer!!! I'm almost a quarter done with my
mission!! Time has literally flown by. I never thought it would go this
fast, but it has. I need to go out and do more stuff while I still can!!
haha
Well,
like always, it always makes me super happy when BYU sports does well.
Especially when my team upsets a high ranked team like Portland or Penn
St. last year. Its so weird to hear about missionary work happening back
in good old TO3, but I'm really happy the missionaries are working hard
and that there is going to be a baptism!! Dad, keep on working with the
missionaries and helping them, having a good member (especially one as
awesome as you) makes all the difference. I'm really sad and shocked to
hear about Sister Needham though. I can't believe it, that's crazy.
Please send my love to Brother Needham and thank him again for being
such amazing teachers in Sunday
school. I learned so much from them and I'm very grateful to them.
While death is a very sad thing, I'm so grateful that we have a
knowledge and testimony of the Plan of Salvation. As I've been teaching
the people of Italy about this marvelous plan that Heavenly Father has
prepared for us, I am just humbled by how loving and merciful he is to
us. Every single day, my faith grows stronger and my testimony becomes
more and more built upon the rock of Christ.
Speaking
of being built on the rock of Christ, the other day we were doing some
finding work on the fiume and we stopped to talk to this man sitting on a
bench. He then proceeded to tell us that our church was a lie and
rubbish (he was British), and that we were deceiving people and
destroying peoples lives. He said a ton of really hurtful things about
us and then he asked us if we had a bike pump because his tire was flat.
We very kindly told him where he could pump up his tire for free and
then wished him a good day and left. I was so shocked at how hostile he
was towards us, it really caught me off guard. But I was thinking about
it for a while, and I noticed that it really just strengthened my
testimony of this gospel and the truthfulness of this church. I know
without a doubt that Joseph [Smith] did not make up this church, but that he
really saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ, and through him, the
Lord's church was restored in it's fullness to the Earth. If I wasn't
100% sure of this, I would have come home by now. This work is hard, but
the Lord's work is never easy. I know that despite the fact that I am
rejected over and over again and spat on, that this is the restored
gospel of Jesus Christ, and that this gospel can and will change the
lives of those who are humble enough to let it into their heart. I love
the Saviour, and I am so grateful for the help he gives me every single
day, the strength and the faith that I need to go out that door every
day, even when I know that maybe 5 people will even stop to listen to me
for a minute. It's always worth it. I love this work and I love this
gospel with all my heart.
Dad, we had similar experiences yesterday
night during lessons. Last night, we were teaching this couple, and we
decided that we really need to reinforce prayer and what it is. So we
reexplained it and bore powerful testimony of how we can receive answers
through prayer. Then we watched the Restoration and after the spirit
was really strong, they both told us that they knew it was true. We
haven't set a baptismal date yet, but they are close. It is so
incredible to teach this people about the gospel. Like it said in my
Father's blessing, as I teach the gospel, my testimony will grow. I love
teaching this gospel and being able to see the power that it really
has.
Now,
for a little less spiritual things. So Anziano Walker loves to
sing....like all the time. And our District is actually blessed with
really good singers. So he calls us the Singing District. But anyway, we
have Anziano Texiera, from the Area Presidency, coming down next week
for a conference and our District gets to sing a musical number. We
decided to sing "Anima Mia" or "Be Still My Soul". It is absolutely
gorgeous, and I just feel the spirit so strongly. I'm really excited to
sing that next week, so you will hear about it next week. And speaking
of my District, Anziano Holland's granddaughter is in it. Sorella
McCann. She is awesome! Its really funny, because we are all hesitant to
bring him up, but she's super cool about it. Anyway, just thought that
would be a little cool note.
So
this past week in Prato, we've had some exciting things in Centro.
There was this little mini chocolate festival, and oh boy.....was it
good. Mom, I just thought of you the whole time. You would have loved
it. The chocolate was incredible. And it was crazy, this one lady made
chocolate tools. Like a hammer and screwdriver, but made of chocolate.
Nuts. haha...pun. And then the other night we had this huge chestnut
festival, so there were a ton of people all eating chestnuts. They had
this giant cauldron thing that they were cooking them in and passing
them out to people, we didn't get any because the line was really long,
but it smelled really good. And of course, Anziano Walker had to start
singing "chestnuts roasting on an open fire!!". He is such a goofball,
but I love him. He is the complete opposite of Anziano Salmon, which is
pretty funny.
Lastly,
there is this African here named Sammy, and he is probably the coolest
person ever. He lives in Pistoia and turns out he was baptized by
Anziano Gibbons who was my Capo in Genova. And so that past two weeks,
we've gone to institute to translate for Sammy. It is really funny, but
really hard at the same time. It is really good practice though to pick
up the language. I don't know if I already told you about this, but if I
did, sorry. He's just that cool that I need to say it twice. haha
Any who,
thank you all for your letters this week, I love reading them all and
hearing from everyone. It's crazy to hear what's happening back home. I
miss you all and I can't wait to see you at Christmas over Skype! Please
keep me and the people of Prato in your prayers. I pray for you all and
hope everything is well.
Vi voglio bene,
Anziano Langlois
PS. Jason, do you remember a Holly Mancuso from BYU theater? Because she is in my District here and she says hi.
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