Week 5 in Katy

Hey, so yeah obviously we didn't have the chance to get on yesterday,
but i can write today. As for the knowing that this is the best thing
I've ever done, well I'm not sure quite how to explain it, but that I
can feel on my mission when we see people change their lives that what
we do is extremely important. Then on top of that when reading the
scriptures about all the blessings we'll receive, and feeling the spirit
more constantly, it's just amazing. So this week we've got a lot to do,
we're teaching a family who moved from Los Angeles area so me and the
husband had a few connections with sports and stuff like that. Very cool
and he's very interested in learning about our message. Also, we taught
a kid named tommy (17) which was very neat because he had heard some
good and bad things about our church and so he had some questions and we
were able to answer them for him. So this Saturday is transfer calls,
and I would assume that I'd be with my trainer
for at least one more transfer but who knows. We're doing exchanges
today which is always fun cuz I get to speak english for the day lol.
And then on Thursday we have interviews with the pres. We've really
built a relationship with our investigators and I can already tell it
will be kinda hard when I leave this area, whenever that may be. So we
played beach volleyball yesterday and the sand was like scorching hot,
but it was fun; then we just chilled and talked. It was a nice day. No I
haven't had a chance to get a bike yet. So, umm it would be awesome if
you could get erik's address for me cuz I haven't been able to write him
cuz I don't have it :( umm what else....I don't know what else to tell
you....we watched reflections of Christ last night with one of our
investigators (Joel) and his family for FHE and it was so neat and
powerful. Very cool. I think that's about it, I'll write another email
to explain the Patriarchal Blessing thing. Well guess
that's it for this week. Love you!

Love y'all,
Elder Daniel Lang

LeTtEr- Week 4 in Katy

Hello everybody!
So this past week has been kinda crazy. We've been trying to figure out all our baptisms, because we've got 3 including the one last night. Two of them needed special interviews, but they're all cleared and ready to go now. I've had a few fun moments this past week, and had the opportunity to go to the temple. The thing I like most is bearing my testimony, always brings the spirit and I actually can say it in spanish lol. Spanish is going alright, I don't really know what to compare to, but I'm constantly learning so that's good. Most of our investigators speak english as well so when I struggle they help me to say what I want to. Pretty neat. We've got one new investigator named Mario. He drives an old mail car that's painted yellow and he sells ice cream. I'm sending home a pic of it this week. I'm starting to familiarize myself with some of the members, which is fun. I don't know much else to say....I'm tired, it's hard, but it's the best thing I've ever done, and I can honestly say that I feel it. Thanks for responding about my other email. Oh and neat story, don't know if I shared it with you, the other week at zone conference an elder who's going home in a week or two got up to bear his testimony and part of his testimony was like word for word out of my patriarchal blessing! The part where it talks about in and through Jesus Christ you live and will live, and such and such. Way cool. I'm gonna talk to him about it today. He's a great elder, from camarillo actually. lol so that was my story for the week.
Love all y'all,
Elder Daniel Lang

Week 3 in Katy

Hello everyone,
This past week I have had many experiences of feeling the spirit and seeing it touch people's lives. I'm grateful for the support that I receive from home. I pray for all of you constantly. I'll be sure to be praying specifically tonight for Brother Hunt. There are some things that I have learned with greater understanding while on my mission, even though it has been a short time. Firstly, the power of prayer is real, and very much needed in our lives, and going along with that the study of the scriptures. Little insights have come to me as I have studied and been striving to live worthy of having the companionship of the spirit. Secondly, and very much just as important, the devil is very real. His power is indescribable, and he desires and works very hard to slightly lead us off the straight and narrow. Satan is also not alone in his working, but we have the Savior, and through His power we can have power over Satan. I know this. Sometimes all we have to do is pray for the strength, other times we need to ask the Lord to do it, but one way or the other it can and WILL be done if we sincerely search it out. Lastly, love is incomparable when teaching. When the person you are talking to understands that you love them, they will open their hearts to you, and you having the Holy Ghost will be able to touch their hearts.
Erik, I know this last month may be a struggle, but you have so many people to help you and strengthen you as you prepare for your mission. There is not a day that passes that I do not thank the Lord for your decision to serve a mission, and I pray always that your eyes will be opened to the great love and understanding that the Lord has for you.

So, I've pretty much gotta go, but I love the work. We get to play soccer today :) There is no other place on this entire Earth that I would rather be because I know that this is where the Lord wants me. I know there are those waiting to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Elder Daniel Lang (Danny)

Week 2 in Katy, Texas

Okay...so let's see. Lots has happened in the past couple weeks. We've taught a lot of lessons, but I'm still havin a lil bit of trouble with understanding sometimes. However, it's fun and I like it, I think I'm actually getting in the groove of things a bit. We have 3 baptisms set for this month! First is Luis. Very nice guy, his wife is a member, but has been kind of in-active for a lil while, he's getting baptized on the 17th and doesn't have any problems with anything (tithing, drinking, smoking, etc.) Second, is Jose. His wife is also a member, but has been inactive, so with both of them we're getting them to church and everything. He really wants to get baptized, but he has a problem with drinking. He'll be drinking a beer and half way through realize 'oh I'm not supposed to be drinking this'. So we're trying to work on him a bit. He didn't show up yesterday to church and we don't know why. We'll find out today though. His baptism is scheduled for the 24. Lastly, Joel. Joel's wife has been a member and fairly active. So, he's scheduled for the 31 because his mother in law is flying in from ecuador or something, and he wants her to be there for it. He doesn't have any problems, we just need to finish teaching him the lessons.

Now for other people...Mainly we're working with 2 other people, but we have a lot of so-so people. But the first is a young kid from Mexico , Francisco. He's here from Mexico working with some friends and sending money back to his family. It's hard to actually have him commit to anything and then actually follow through on it. Second big one is Rosa . Most her family lives in the LA area actually, but she moved here with her son and daughter to try and keep them out of trouble. However, her daughter already has a kid, and her son has been drinking and smoking, and she's worried about him joining a gang. She gets really worked up over her kids, and stresses out about them making the right choices.(reminds me a lot of you Mom) I'm sorry for all the stress I've caused, made me really appreciate how nice and helpful you and Dad were during high school. I shared with her how you've found comfort in prayer because we haven't been the best kids, but that through your prayers, the Lord has strengthened you.

Next big thing.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!!! I have a card that I'm sending today, but being a stupid boy when I bought the card I forgot to buy an envelope to send it. So I've got to buy one today and send it off to you. I hope you have a wonderful birthday, and when I'm allowed to have spare time today know that I'm thinking of you :)

As for this Sunday, I was hoping to be able to call up to Gma's at 5 your time....5 YOUR time just to make sure there's no misunderstanding lol. I'll have an hour to talk.

My mission pres. is very nice, and I can tell that he's inspired of the Lord. My companion (pops) is very cool. I'm learning a lot from him about talking to everyone and tons of other stuff. But it's fun....next my actual address here in Katy is: The Lodge @ Copperfield #733
15125 West Road
Houston , TX 77095
and I don't really know a pizza place around here, but you could probably find one online. I love the area, and I really love the people. K I gotta go write everybody in the MTC my address. Love you! I'll check before I sign off if you are on :)
Love you all (y'all) ;),
Elder Daniel Lang

A couple of Email Q & A’s.

Jo Dee: How is the Church there? Danny: Everything here is good. church members are awesome, just as dad described. willing to give you the shirt off their back.

Jo Dee: Where is your companion from? Danny: He's from Salem, Utah and he's been out 9 months

1st Week in the Field

Hola. Como estais? So, I never thought that it would be this hard. We work all day long, and my trainer doesn't like taking long meal times, so I've been surviving on candy and nutragrain bars for the past few days. I'm in Katy for my first transfer, Bear Creek to be more specific. As far as letters go, just send them to the mission home so I don't have to worry about figuring out what our address is. Thank you for the box of candy, I need some real food lol. We've taught like 10-15 lessons since I started last thursday, and I've been trying really hard, but I get kinda nervous, and I don't understand much. We had 2 investigators come to church yesterday, and we've already had a baptism. I don't know what a good pizza place is around here, but my trainer (elder Nelson) said like Dominoe's. k I'm gonna send this one now, to see if anyone is on and wants to talk, then i'll send another one in a bit. Hey, so to finish up. It's really hard, and I'm really tired, but I know that the Lord is helping me. Already I have felt His love flow through me as He reaches to help someone. One of our investigators, Joel, has a baptismal date for the end of may. And Jose we are trying to commit this week to be baptized, he desires it so badly but wants to know more. Our last visit at the end, he said that he really wanted me to learn Spanish so that I could teach him. I felt very humbled because I knew that the Lord would be working through me to help him. I'm excited about the work, not so much about the Spanish lol. It's tough, but I'm learning more everyday. I'm sleeping a lot better now. Hmmmm, what else....I don't know what else to tell you. The weather feels like Hawaii/Mexico. I think that's it for now. I love you!
Love,
Danny

7th Week in the MTC

k, so i like never have time to write anymore lol and i'm sorry i didn't get an actual letter out last week. i'll try today. i'm sooo excited for erik!!!!!! that is soo awesome. as soon as you told me where he was going i knew it was the right place for him. everything here is going pretty well...i've only got two weeks left which is like no time at all, crazy...oh which reminds me, one of our teachers i've gotten pretty close with and he's gonna be going down to LA in a lil bit, is it ok if i have him come meet you guys? he's very nice and exrtemely polite and funny. way nice guy. i really like some of the younger guys in my zone, definitely going to be friends after the mission. and thanks mom for all the letters and packages, they truly brighten my day. k there was a talk that i wanted you to read. i wanna say it was elder eyering's talk saturday morning but i can't remember, i've got it in my notes in my room so i'll find it and write it down in the actual letter i'll be sending home. what else...umm i don't even know what to tell you, i've felt the spirit testify to me of many things this past week, things i already knew but things that i now have more conviction in. another cool thing with my new study of the book of mormon, i checked to see where the middle of the BOM was chapter wise and page wise and then compared the two, they both talk about the plan of salvation, which is WAY cool cuz in revelations i believe john talks about plain and precious truths that will have been lost when the bible comes forth to the gentiles (us) but that the bible when it came from the mouth of a jew before it was translated that it was true, so the plan of salvation was one of the plan and precious truths that was removed, kinda cool i thought. and going out with the missionaries will be great for erik, and more mission prep, those honestly helped me soo much in preparing for my mission. well i think that's about it for now, i'll write some more in the letter.
-Love you all and pray for you always
Danny

6th Week in the MTC

Hey,
so not much has happened this week, i've had a couple cool spiritual
experiences, being able to understand spanish and saying things i had no
idea how to say before. it's pretty fun, we've got 3 weeks left and i'm
getting a lil anxious. what all is goin on at home? julie and katie in
waterpolo?! that's pretty awesome. how's swim going for cassie? is carly
ready to go to idaho? The language is coming along pretty well, and i
just started over the BOM in a different way, studying it through
chiasmus, so finding what principle each chapter is focusing on and
writing summaries and comparisons of scriptures, so at the end i'll have
some scriptures in my own words. Umm....i don't know what else to say,
but i love you all and pray for each one of you constantly, i know the
Lord answers prayers. And i'm way excited to hear about where erik is
gonna go :) this is really exciting. well that's is all for this week,
i'll bring a few scriptures next week that i find cool insights to so
i'll have more to write about. Love you :)

-Elder Daniel Lang

5th Week in the MTC

K so i've got so much to say, but i don't know how to say most of it. lol as soon as erik's papers come please tell me where he's going. i'm so excited for him. tell blake thanks for the letter, it was really nice. that's really cool that you guys got to go to mammoth again, i hope dad isn't killing himself with work lol how are other things going? i got a letter from carly which was pretty neat, i like hearing from the girls. and of course i always love hearing from you mom. so this week has been a lil rough, we've been falling into a lil bit of a routine, but we kinda bumped ourselves out of it the other day. we had to teach in the TRC the other day in spanish the first lesson, but when we got there, the guy said he liked to drink beers everyday, sooo we had to change and teach the word of wisdom, which we've NEVER done in spanish. the lord definitely helped us. i've had some very big testimony building experiences this past week, so i'll try to share a few...first, i'd been praying to know exactly what i should be studying during my personal study time, and just two days ago i got a very distinct prompting that i should go over the principles that i'll be teaching, and to think about how i've applied those principles in my life...i was a lil confused at the start cuz i was like, what is this going to help? i need to teach other people, not myself...then the Lord so to speak "hit me over the head". You need to know how to apply principles so that you can tell other people examples of how they can apply them into their lives...so that was really cool how the Lord answered my prayer and told me why. k next one...i was wondering how i coudl become more christlike...we work on attributes of Christ every week, but i wanted a better way to do that in my life...all of a sudden as i was pondering this, i thought, "Don't spend your time searching for Christ expecting Him to appear because of your faith, start loving your fellow brothers and sisters and you will begin to see parts of Christ in them". i thought that was kinda a cool thought :)...the Lord is amazing. k lastly, cuz i'm about to get booted off, is i was studying in the scriptures the other day in Doctrine and Covenants 84:85 it talks about study the words of life and it shall be given you the portion that is meted...out of nowhere i was directed back to John 1:1-2 where it talks about, in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...i thought for a second and realized what the Lord was trying to tell me. The words of Christ are the means by which we can achieve "eternal" life. We need to focus on Christ's teachings and when we do, while we're teaching we will remember thru the Holy Ghost what each person needs to hear. The Gospel of Jesus Christ answers ALL our questions. i know the power of the Holy Ghost is real and the power of prayer is real as well. God knows us, He tells us EXACTLY what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. i love and miss you all.

-Elder Lang "Danny"

4th week in the MTC- BIG NEWS!

last night Elder L. Tom Perry came and spoke to us...so cool. he talked about a lot of stuff, companions and testimonies, really neat. Thanks for the package i got it today...and thank you carly and katie for your letters, you'd be surprised how much they brighten up my day. i heard a really good talk on sunday, a story was used from the New Era jan 2007 elder holland's talk....it was a really good story. thanks dad for the story on the houston temple, it was really neat to read about it. so another guy i know is in our zone, i met him when i was visiting skyler and clint up in idaho , so sweet. the new district is way cool, i like all of them. my spanish is coming along pretty good, the Lord is really blessing me, which means i gotta make my prayers longer so i can thank Him for everything lol but that's ok i think He deserves it. it seems like i've been here for a long time but at the same time it seems like i just got here yesterday. one of the districts in our zone leaves next week, so that will be kinda sad, but we just keep going. i've been sleeping a lil better lately so that's been kinda nice. volleyball and basketball during gym are way fun...i'm getting really good at volleyball. i also run like a 1/2 mile before playing everyday. my diabetes is going pretty good, i had to split my night shot cuz doin it at 6 wasn't lasting me till the next morning so now i just do it right before bed. umm not a whole lot else to report...we teach the first lesson on saturday and next tuesday entirely in spanish. i'm kinda nervous cuz we're just kinda gettin the hang of it in english...i know all the lessons really well, better than most, but i don't know how to apply them to my "investigator's" needs in spanish yet...kinda hard, but it'll be fun. tell everyone that i love them tremendously, and thank you uncle reed for the letter, it was really nice hearing from you. tell grandpa and grandma that i miss them. sorry i didn't get a chance to record anything this week, we're always so busy...i'm almost more busy on P-day than a normal day. but i'll try next week. hope everything is going well...Love you all :)

-Elder Daniel Lang

TA DA! (3rd Week of the MTC)

So we're 3 weeks in now...it's going by soo fast...we taught the first
lesson now twice in spanish, i do most of the talking cuz i'm picking up on
the spanish faster than my companions so i do that and then memorize scriptures.
the teaching experiences are so much fun, but very nerve wracking cuz we're
never prepared enough. but the Lord knows us and what we're capable of. i
know the Lord answers prayers. i had some cool experiences this week with the
spirit and being led by it nin discussions. we taught another spanish teacher
like one on one, he was talking to my teacher afterwards and said how impressed
he was with my spanish and the spirit that he felt...it was then that i realized
just HOW much the Lord is really doing for me, i'm not doing anything, the
Lord is doing everything, and allowing me to be the tool. How's Erik doing?
his papers coming along? i'm really excited for him. has cassie's
swim season started? how are katie and julie doing in school? how's carly
doing gettin ready for school? i heard she sang he came to me...how did that go?
I miss all of you tremendously...thank you so much for your prayers, spanish is
coming so smoothly, and i know it's because of your prayers and the
Lord's help. i'm gonna try and get a very short letter home today with
one of the memory cards of the camera, there aren't too many pics but i
figured you guys would want to see them. and mom i'm sending my notes from
devotionals home as well in there, the notes are good for me, but all the things
i need to remember i copy into my journal so i think you'll enjoy reading
about the talks that have been given. food is always welcome :) i've loved
the stuff you've sent already...thanks for the letters as well. i especially
enjoyed the pictures you sent :) one of the glass parts broke, but the pictures
are still ok so it's all good. i had a very spirirtual experience in the
temple today, i don't have time to write about it this week but maybe
i'll share it next week...doesn't really pertain to missionary work so
don't worry you aren't missing anything. i think i like the first
rendition of the scripture that you had, but i can't remember and liek a
dork i left the letter in my room...oh well i liked them both so it doesn't
matter. thank you mom for always pushing me, and thank you dad for being such a
great example to me, i can't thank you both enough. well i gotta go,
it's about to boot me off. I love you all...write me :)

It's me again- Second week of the MTC- March 4th, 2009

So briefly before I post the letter, a short story. So, last year I had a roommate, Ashley Storer who is going to be serving a mission on Temple Square. She reported a week ago, on March 4th and I went to the MTC to say goodbye to her. She told me when she was reporting but then I couldn't get ahold of her that morning. So I went about 10 minutes beforehand and waited for her in the parking lot. Then, what do you know, I see someone who looks an awful lot like my brother. And we're told specifically not to stalk the temple route (which includes the parking lot I was in) to look for our missionaries. But this wasn't planned. Well I've had the same car since I was 16- so 8 years now, so of course Danny recognized it. So we had a brief meeting, but I didn't want him to get in trouble, so it was also kinda awkward. I rolled down the window and said, "I promise I'm not stalking the temple route. I don't want to get you in trouble, I came to say goodbye to Ashley. If you see her in the MTC tell her to write me. Love ya! I'll write!" Something like that... so anyways, it was kinda fun, even though it's against the rules to do something like that on purpose. I don't think it can be helped if it's on accident. :) So now, onto the letter he sent via e-mail later that day.

"K so i've only go tlike 20 minutes so i'm gonna try to make this really quick.....everything is going well, spanish is coming relatively easy and the spiritual experiences are amazing. even in the TEC when we teach teachers we still are led by the spirit. it's so cool. so how's everyone doing? thank you for the package it really made my day.... and that is a huge bag of pistachios lol. half our district is going to be leaving on tuesday so it will only be me and my two companions and then another companionship...weird...but it's been fun...we play volleyball for gym, i play with an elder in my district from vegas...he's way good, he's a lot like me too so i like him...umm send some pictures...cuz i don't have ANY...although i do enjoy the drawings...they are so cute and i enjoy looking at them in the mornings and at night...umm what else....Erik...what's goin on there? how's it working out? I'm excited for him. i didn't sleep last night, but I'm awake, so i can definitely attest to that if you're obedient to the curfew rules then God will bless you lol. how's grandpa? how is it with gabriella gone? well, can't say i particularly enjoy being in class from 7-9 at night but i don't have much of a choice...we don't have much free time which is probably better cuz i'd get kinda down if i wasn't busy all the time...the food is alright...we have lunch at the temple on wednesdays...i saw jamie today in the parking lot, she was trying to see ashley before she reported and i saw her as i was walking back from the temple...so that was cool. there's a scripture for my plaque but i don't know exactly what the reference is...it's alma talking i believe and it's i believe in the 20's chapters he says i do not boast of myself but i do glory in my God or something like that. [side note: not in the letter- the scripture he is referring to is the same one I had on my plaque when I served but a different part of the scripture, it is in Alma 29:9] that is a good one. anyhows...i'm doing well...don't know how i'm gonna survive 7 more weeks in here but whatev, the harder i work the easier it is. k well i gotta get off now...i love you all... even you mom :) and please let me know how grandpa is doing.

Love,

Danny"

First letter from the MTC

Dear everyone,

So I've made it through the first week. It has been a lot of hard work and studying, but the Spirit is so strong, I love it! I have had many spiritual experiences this week, the firesides and devotionals are amazing. My testimony has been strengthened and i know i am supposed to be here. Learning spanish is hard. I'm starting to catch on though. We taught a man in the TRC the other day, we were supposed to be teaching the first lesson, but all his questions were directed toward content of the second lesson...so we addressed his needs. Although we did not teach what we had planned as a companionship we taught what the Lord had planned for us to teach. I love my companions Elder Bradshaw from Ely , Nevada and Elder Thompson from Salt Lake . I'd like to say Erik I am so happy for you. I have been praying for a long time for you to receive that answer, and the first night i prayed for it here in the MTC, then BAM next day you send me a letter saying you're gonna come join me. The power of prayer is real, and i know the Lord answers prayers, however big or small they are. I know that this is the true gospel, i know that the Savior lives and that because he lives i live and will live. This knowledge has brought such an amazing joy to my life and i'm excited to go share it with the people of the Texas Houston Mission . I hope everything is going well at home. How is Grandpa doing? well we've got very limited time on the computers and it's while we're doing laundry so i gotta get off now... i love you all and please send lots of letters...they're what we look forward to every day...and mom and dad...i'm gonna need some more insulin kinda soon, like in two weeks or so cuz they didn't give you a full prescription. and the chips and queso was a huge hit with the elders in my zone :) well Love you all and hope to hear from you soon. well....back to the Lord's work :)

Love, Danny

Elder Danny Lang

Hey friends and family!  This is Danny's blog while he is out serving a mission.  I will post his letters and comments are accepted but I would suggest instead writing Danny a letter as mail is very important to a missionary.  He is serving for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will be serving in the Houston Texas Mission, Spanish speaking.  If you feel there is a movie that came out that he would love, I'm going to be compiling a list for him for when he gets home, as he will be out of the loop for 2 years.  I am doing the same for music and he also wants sports news- if there is anything else you feel he would like to catch up on, please let me know that as well. :)