Powering through! Write more letters friends and fam!! (Feb 19th)

Hey Mom!

I am NOT warmed up yet lol. It's so cold here! Golly!

Yeah, all four of us that live together are in the same ward. The
Poughkeepsie 1st ward. and yes. We go to the building on Spakenkill Rd
at 9 am. Jeez mom...You're a pretty great stocker. It makes me curious
to how you stocked dad when you liked him lol just messin.

That's awesome about the diners drive in and dives! Hyde Park is in my
area haha. What is the name of the restaurant? I wanna go! It's funny
how when you watch tv and you hear the city name and you're like: "Oh
cool" But then if you have any relation to that city' like me being
here' you're like: "No way! Thats awesome!". I had no clue that this
city of Wappingers Falls existed lol. Such a strange name.

So, Elders have already tried to talk to James Earl Jones. He isin't
interested. That's why i didn't specify on actually wanting to teach
him' haha. I said the exact same thing when my comp told me tho. I was
like: 'Whoa! We should bring him the truth!!" haha

That's awesome that President messaged you! Yeah, he really wanted to
take a picture with us to send to our families. That tie i am wearing
in the picture is extra special now. That is the tie i wore when i
went through the temple the first time and now its the tie i wore when
i met president Morgan! Yes...I Planned for that to happen lol.

OH MAN. That picture of dad easily made my week. I love it! HAHA I
love you guys!!

Yes! I  definitely got your package! I loved the card, mom. Thank you
for your support. I ate all the candy haha. It's gone. I am also half
way through all the other snacks...and i've barely shared lol. Only
cause they don't want any. Mom...I'm 230lbs :( I don't know what
happened. So...Much...Food! haha. We are getting me a gym pass at
Planet Fitness. It's only $10 a month and we are gonna go every
morning during the week. So maybe i will lose weight. NO MORE SACKS!
haha. Maybe just not as much.

I haven't found out where we are moving yet :( We are still painting
the apartment.

Okay. So Facebook. I don't have permission to use it yet because i'm
training. But what we do is we create events. And we create it for
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. And we create a certain topic. Ex:
"How has Jesus Christ blessed you in your life". And then we invite a
lot of our friends to participate in the event at said time. Then, we
invite the members to invite their nonmember friends to the event. So
then when all of us are discussing all of this jesus stuff, the non
members can see and experience. I'm not a huge fan of facebook, so we
will see how this goes for me.

I'm having a pretty rough time mom. I don't know how to explain it but
i went from having great friends who laughed with me and i laughed
with them. The missionaries here just don't do that. They make me feel
like i'm stupid every time i talk. So, instead of being the talkative
crazy Branndin that you all know, i'm really quiet and not as open.
Only cause every time i speak i feel stupid. They are completely
different people than me. It's just hard. Also' we are rebuilding up
this area so we are doing almost NO work. So i feel like a lazy
missionary because we are only teaching about 6-8 lessons a week when
we should be teaching 20plus. I've tried using prayer and everything
but i'm still having a hard time adjusting. Gah! I just miss
everything at home. It was so good there. I'm not planning on coming
home early or anything, i just miss it that's all.

Anyway, enough complaining. I love you so much!! Thank you for
sacrificing your only son to New York. I am trying my best out here. I
hope your back is getting better. And i hope it' safe in good ol
Aurora! Miss you all!

Love,
         Elder Branndin Brian Long

Mission President

This is Elder Long with President Morgan and his wife! He's looking good!

Letter from Feb. 12th

Hey family!

Thank you soooo much for everything!!! I got both packages. My blanket
with tons of delicious food (my mom knows me) and a super awesome
camera!!! I totally didn't expect it! And it works with the memory
cards too! Thank you so much mom! I am so grateful for these wonderful
things that you sent me. Especially my blanket. It's just a little bit
of home, and that's all I need :)

Man is it cold as a yold up here. It's so bitter and freezing! It's
definitely not the kinda cold that Colorado has. That's wimpy cold
lol. It was about 4 degrees this morning when my companion and I went
to go do laundry. But it felt way colder than that. I guess the
humidity had an affect on that lol. We are suppose to get dumped on
tonight. I've heard 4 to 8 inches and I've heard 12 to 18...so
probably about a foot. We already have about a foot on the ground
right now from last week. So yay!!! Snow :) good thing I was raised in
Colorado. Although, since I was raised there, I'm halfway expecting it
to be 90 tomorrow. Yeah...that doesn't happen here.

Man! So much has happened in the last week. I wrote stuff down as the
week went by. I'm the only elder here who still keeps his planner in
his white shirt pocket. They all make fun of me lol. They don't keep
theirs anymore because we have these iPads ( from which I'm emailing
from...and yes, I can face time/skype on Mother's Day and Christmas).
I like having the planner on me just in case. I also got really used
to it from the MTC, so now when I don't have it there I kinda panic
lol. So, like I said, I wrote them down in my planner. So bare with me
as it will probably sound like an ADD letter lol.

I thought dad my think it's cool, but the scouts in my ward just got
back from Klondike. I have no idea where they go but they are a lot
braver than Colorado troops. Like i said, it's cold! Haha. They call
us (the four missionaries) the C.L.A.W. Which stands for: Cloward,
Long, Alivio, Witbeck. I found that amusing haha. Elder Alivio, who is
from the Philippines, is so funny. His accent is the best. The way he
says his companions name is funny too. His companions name is Elder
Witbeck, and he calls him Elder Wetback. Which is funny cause when we
discovered this, we were in a Hispanic lady's house....If you're not
up to date on derogatory terms, then calling someone a wetback is
similar to the N word for African Americans. Yeah, anyway. It was just
funny cause the Hispanic lady had no idea what it meant, so we are
good lol. We have access to Facebook as missionaries now. I don't yet,
but I will soon. We are known as "online proselyters". We have events
about 3 times a week and talk with people on Facebook about the
gospel. It's pretty sweet I guess. I'm not a huge fan of Facebook, but
I guess whatever brings forth the gospel to those who are prepared for
it! So, I think I told you, but each companionship here has a car. We
have a Subaru Legacy AWD. Most days, we blast hymns or voice male.
Haha, it's so cool. It turns out, I'm a lot better at singing than I
thought I was. I guess I'm not a failure to the musical Long family
after all! Lol. My companion and I taught a less active member
yesterday and he had two cockatiels and Malta Goya! Which by the way,
they sell here at Walmart!!! I already bought some haha. Anyway, the
guy we taught is super cool. He works in the city. I find it really
easy to love people here. It's really cool. I barely meet them, and I
love them! I've never really done that before. We ate at a members
house last night and when the father opened the door...boom! Oregon
Ducks shirt! He went there for his MBA there. He works for IMB. He is
super smart. As I was smiling and clapping in happiness, I was talking
to his wife, and i told her that my dad grew up in Oregon. She asked
which high school and I told her Springfield high. Apparently, she
went to dad's rival school. Thurston High School. Haha, when she told
me that I laughed. Pretty funny I guess. That's one thing I've noticed
while being a missionary. The things I used to find dumb and not
funny, I find to be hilarious. I'm always laughing! My humor is being
sucked dry! Haha.

That's cool that sister Malm used to live here! I'm glad she taught
you how to say it correctly. The missionaries get scolded a lot here
for saying it wrong. Most don't pronounce the "s". So like "Wappinger"
instead of "Wappingers". Our area is ginormous. We cover from
Wappingers falls to Pawling. James Earl Jones lives in Pawling. Some
elders take pictures in front of his front gate. I'll try and do the
same and send it to you lol. Good for Sione!! That's so cool! A sister
from the singles ward at home is serving in that mission. She went to
Mexico City for Spanish as well. Super cool! Filipe and I had a great
talk when we took that picture. He and I have changed so much already!
We appreciated the love and brotherhood we have for each other even
more. He is gonna do so great in Argentina. That Hispanic lady I told
you about earlier in this letter. She is from Salta, Argentina. I told
her I had a friend there.

Anyway. I love you all! I will try to write you all individually! I am
doing well here in New York, so don't worry. We are going to the city,
hopefully on Saturday for a baptism. If not Saturday we are gonna go
to the temple next Wednesday! I'm really excited! Like I said in my
farewell talk, send me things! Even if it's the lamest thing you can
think of lol. The joy and excitement is immense when I receive a
letter or package. I guess it's just a missionary thing. Dad can
relate, I'm sure.

With much much love,
                                    Elder Branndin Brian Long

P.s. I will be attaching some pictures for you. I took all of these
with my iPad.

Photos from Wappingers Falls

 These are some pictures from his first area in Wappingers Falls. He's still his happy, silly self! We are so glad to see him still smiling!

One of his first companions!

His awesome Ipad that missionaries now get to use!

In New York!!!

Elder Long arrived in New York on Tuesday around 2:40 with 9 other missionaries! He has been busy busy busy!

Hi mom!
So, I know yesterday was p day, but they are giving me time to email you today. So, I'm here! My companions name is Elder Cloward. He is from Layton Utah. He is way awesome, and he is a hard worker. We live in an "okay" place lol. It's a little beaten up on the inside but its a place to live. So i'm grateful. My address is 35 Wenliss Terrace, Wappingers Falls NY 12590. We will probably only live there for a month because the lease is up and we might move at the end of the month. But yeah! Have dad look it up on google earth. It's a town home. We also have a subaru legacy for a car :))) Super cool lol. I'm at the clerks office right now. We just got done shoveling a fart ton of snow that we got on wednesday. We probably got about a foot and a half of snow and there is still another storm coming on sunday. Woohoo! Thanks Colorado for raising me right, lol. I'm just glad we have a all wheel drive subaru to help us haha. We have 2 others living with us. It's pretty cool. We had transfers today too. There was so many missionaries there!! Jeez louise. We just had one of our roomates tansfer so now we have a new roomate from the phillipines. He is so funny. Very great guy, but his english is funny. So, the rumor of us having ipads is true! I have a brand new ipad mini. It's so helpful! We use it for everything! I will also email you from that along with pictures, but for now it's not working so i wont be able to send pictures for a while. We are also getting iPhones soon too. That will be another helpful tool in harvesting souls unto god :) haha. That story of Filipe is so awesome! That's ma boy! I loved talking with him the other day! He is such an inspiration. So, the memory card problem is the 4000000 year old camera that i have lol. I put the memory cards that i have in my companions camera and they work. So it's the camera. Yes, i got my blanket, but it's still at the mission office and i wont get it til the weekend, but that's okay. It's pretty warm in the apartment. I hope to send you all pictures soon!!! I'm working on it. I think i'm just gonna buy an SD card here. It's awesome out here. Tons of trees! Tons of snow! I'm betting it's way gorgeous here in the fall and spring. Well, i love you all! I will talk to you next wednesday!! 

Your Stripling Warrior,

                              Elder Branndin Brian Long

Last week in the MTC- Jan 31, 2014

Hey momma!
This week has been a crazy knowledge filled week. I have learned sooo much! I don't know if dad did this when he was here, but they have something called a TRC. It's a person portraying an investigator and you and your companion have to teach them as if it is real. It is so cool! We are teaching this guy names Peter. He is from New Zealand. We have met with him about 3 times and last night we got him to read and pray about the Book of Mormon! He loved it and felt the spirit. I am way too excited to get out into the field! When i get to the field, i will send you my SD card of the pictures i took in the MTC. Sounds good? Also, if people wanna write me, i would rather them send me a physical letter. it's more exciting to receive a letter than email lol. My companion is like this hottie and he has gotten so many packages and letters from girls. I'm jealous haha. Not really. Thank you for the socks!!! So needed! thank you so much! My companion and myself welcomed the new elders this week. One of our new elders is a football player for BYU. He is about 6'7" and 280 pounds. He will more than likely go to the NFL. I'm calling it right now. Oh! Also, our investigator told me that Peyton Manning broke his arm...Yeah. Considering i have NO ACCESS TO THEY OUTSIDE WORLD, i was going crazy lol. I found out that he didin't, thank goodness haha. Anyway, I hope your back gets better mom. You definitely need it. I hope that shot worked for you :( I love you more than ever!

Your Son,

             Elder Branndin Brian Long

Here are some pictures from the MTC!

Elder Long and Elder Johanson (His MTC companion)

MTC district

 Seems like they got along great!

Elder Long and his teachers

Elder Long ran into one of his great friends from our home ward; Elder Fifita!

His mission president and his wife!