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.