Transfer results! Drumroll please....

Hey everyone! Transfer texts came on Saturday - I'll be staying here for the next 3 months, training Elder Langford. We'll have Elder Winegar with us for 3 weeks starting tomorrow, and then he goes home, and it's just me and Elder Langford for the rest of the time. We're pretty excited! He and I get along pretty well so I think we'll work well together. He's a fantastic missionary already. As far as the work goes, his strengths lie where my weaknesses are, and my strengths are where his weaknesses are. We'll be sort of training each other! I'm looking forward to it. Also - Elder Winegar isn't allowed to drive, so that means I'm driving for the next 3 months, at least. This scares me a bit, since Boston driving is a little crazy, but I'm excited as well. =D

So, Adam Sandler is filming a movie here – in Swampscott, specifically. We do service each week at an elderly home and the set is near there. I heard it’s “Grown Ups 2”…sounds like a GREAT movie…NOT. I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Sandler, but that’s okay. It’s made things a little more interesting around here.

I’ve officially been introduced to humidity now. It’s a totally different kind of heat and discomfort than I’m used to. And the summer is JUST getting started…joy. The temperatures have been really nice and warm though. It’s cooled down the past couple of days and we actually had a HUGE thunder-and-lightning rainstorm last night! It reminded me of monsoons back home. =D

Darline and Hans got baptized this last Sunday! It was a really great service. They asked me to sing for it, so I did an arrangement of "Be Still, My Soul" - it turned out good. They are so happy now...that is the BEST part about being a missionary: seeing lives change. =]

We got to go to the temple on Monday, which is always wonderful. After the session, we got to witness a live sealing - a woman who joined the church 4 years ago was getting sealed to her husband who died in 2000. She was then sealed to her parents. It was a really special experience.

I got another haircut the other night - it seems like I have to get one about once a month or so in order to remain in line with the missionary standards. I'm fine with that though - I like having my hair short, especially in the summer!

Much love,

Elder DeLong

Greetings (for maybe the last time!) from Revere, MA...

Mission life is insane. Can I just say that? End of email. Goodbye.

Just kidding! But seriously, I can't even believe the things that happen - from really strange people with psycho self-made religions to solid investigators who are well on their way towards baptism, to people who outright HATE us to funny, kind, and caring members of our ward. My goodness. It's hard to believe the amount of things, and the variety of things, that we come across on a regular basis. What's even crazier is that I'm almost 1/4 of the way through my mission...whoa. THAT scares me. I can't believe it...well, at least it's a good kick in the rear to make sure I'm giving the Lord my all each and every day! The time I have to serve Him is so limited. I wouldn't trade this for anything.

Darline and Hans are set for baptism THIS SUNDAY! We are so happy and excited for them. Frank needs a little more time to get over coffee, and then he'll be good. Ed is going to quit smoking this time around, I just know it! We had a group fast this last Sunday and we gave him a priesthood blessing as well. I have faith that the Lord will give him the strength he needs to overcome this addiction. THIS is it. =] 

Well, I'm in a trio again. Not sure how long this will last, since transfers are next week, but for now, Elder Aaron Langford is with us! He's from Aurora, Colorado, and was reassigned from Cambodia to here for medical reasons. He's a stellar missionary and is already "gung-ho" about the work. I'm excited to see what his mission will hold for him - he's dedicated, fearless, optimistic, and faithful. He's basically a better missionary than I am. I have a lot that I can learn from him. We'll find out on Saturday who's training him, and who's going to a new area...or if we'll be in a trio. At any rate, there's many possibilities, and I'm really nervous to see what's going to happen. This is the first transfer where I actually might have something changed!

Something cool from this week - we were over at the Sen's home for dinner on Friday (our ONE active Cambodian family in the ward), and while we were teaching them I had this wonderful realization...I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING THAT SISTER SEN WAS SAYING. =D It is truly remarkable how much I've learned and grown in the language since I'm been out here. It's been rough, since we hardly ever use the language, but up until now, I had to give my full concentration and effort to focusing on what they said. On Friday, I was listening and speaking with them as easily as if it was English. It was a beautiful realization and to be honest, a bit emotional for me. The Lord truly helps His missionaries.

Our new ward mission leader, Bro. Bateman, is pretty much the bomb. He's already such a great help to us, I'm so glad to have him working with us. Cotter passed the sacrament for the first time yesterday - it was so cool to see! When I took a cup of water from his tray, I was just BEAMING. I'm so happy for him. He's on his way to preparing for the temple and probably a mission in a year. =]

Much love and excitement!
Elder DeLong

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to each and every one of you mothers out there, but especially to my own mother. =]
I sang a song called "An Angel to Watch Over Me" by Sally DeFord in sacrament meeting for our ward at the request of our ward music coordinator - that was a cool experience. I hope my mom can feel my love for her all the way from here. =]

It was so awesome to get to call home yesterday, but strange to hear that my 8-year-old brother's voice has changed slightly...not in a puberty sense, he just sounds different. Although, my 10-year-old brother may very well start "growing up" while I'm out here serving. It makes me think about what I might be missing at home, especially in being there at this critical time in their lives as they form their values and personalities...but then I realize that it's just as important, if not more important, that I am a missionary and serving the Lord, setting the example for them during this time. I miss my family very much, and I've grown in love and appreciation for them since I've been serving, but I'm not homesick. I know I'm where I should be, doing what I should be doing.

Last week on P-day we took a tour of Fenway Park, and today we're going to try and go check out the zoo here in Boston. The other thing happening today is that we're getting another companion! He's flying in tonight and then starting right away with us at our evening appointments. His name is Elder Langford, and he was reassigned here - he was originally supposed to go to Cambodia, but now he's coming here and will be a trio with me and Elder Wayne, at least for 2 weeks when transfers come. Then, I don't know what's going to happen...I may or may not be training him...or maybe I'm getting transferred (I really hope not, I love this ward!!!) and Elder Wayne is training him, or maybe he's going somewhere else after 2 weeks...maybe Elder Wayne will be zone leader in Providence. I brought this up with him and he was like "Well maybe YOU will be Zone Leader in Providence!" - that would be even crazier. My goodness, so many different things could be happening...so many possibilities! It's scary and stressful, but hey, that's the mission. Whatever happens will be the will of God, and thus, He will prepare me to fulfill His will, whatever it may be. I'm just doing my best not to freak out about all of this.

We had a great zone conference this last week! It was a fun time, and I learned a lot. I was asked to sing there as well! I sang Rob Gardner's "Make Me Whole" from "Lamb of God", which I was a part of last September. The work here continues to progress VERY rapidly - our investigator Frank is just about ready to be baptized, his date is the 27th of this month! Darlene and Hanz are getting really close too, and we're going to try and prepare them for the 27th as well.

Something interesting I discovered this week - the ward music coordinator (who played piano for my musical number in sacrament meeting) was talking to me about his degree. He just graduated from Berkley with a bachelor's in Film Scoring (writing music for movies, in layman's terms, haha)! The idea to do that has crossed my mind a few times, but as he talked with me about it I just got so excited. It sounds so cool! Maybe that's what I'll do when I get back! I don't know what I'm going to do for sure, or where I want to go once I get back, but we'll see what happens. I'm trying not to worry about it for now, I've got a couple years to figure it out. ;]

I know that the Lord is VERY involved in this work - it's His work, after all! I'm honored and thrilled to be one of His missionaries. I'm really growing to love this place, this area, and this people. I hope things are well for each of you and for your loved ones.

Sincerely,
Elder DeLong

Florance and Damari's baptisms

5 months down.....19 to go?

Today marks 5 months as a missionary. WOW, time flies. I feel like that seems to be a common theme for missionaries. Speaking of time, there's never enough of it, either...so this will be another short email.

Funny story from last P-day...we had to break into a car. Yes, I'm telling the truth! It was a mission car, though. Elder Swasey and Elder Hanberg locked their keys in their car by accident, so we ended up getting hangers, untwisting them, and we actually managed to get them through the frame of the door and unlock the car, open the door, and then get the keys out. It was a crazy experience! We then drove up to Marblehead and had a good time there, took a bunch of pictures, and explored a couple areas by the coast. It was beautiful!

Florance and Damari got confirmed in sacrament meeting yesterday! That brings the number of converts I've had since I've been here to 5. We have been SO incredibly blessed, the work here is going well, beyond belief. Also in church yesterday, David and Diego passed the sacrament. That was amazing for me to see. It felt like they were my brothers, or even my sons, or something. I was so happy and proud of them. They also went to the temple last week for the first time to do baptisms for the dead. It's so thrilling to see them progress in the gospel! Cotter's getting there, too. 4 of our investigators are seriously progressing towards baptism, and the rest...we're working on things with them. This work is just what it says it is - work! But I'm loving it more and more. And the members here are just awesome. I can't say that enough. I LOVE this ward. I hope I don't get transferred for a long time. -knock on wood-

One extra special experience this week - we were trying to contact a referral that we got, and as we walked up to the house, I got this feeling that the referral, a guy named Arthur, wouldn't really be interested. Just then, a different guy walks out of the house (his apartment is on the second floor, Arthur lived on the first floor). I was struck with this feeling that HE was the reason why we were here, that HE was the reason the other missionaries talked to Arthur, why Arthur had given them his information, and why Arthur had set for us to come back at that specific time. So we talked to this guy, whose name is Rich - turns out to be a really nice guy, in his early 20s, and really willing to listen and very receptive to the gospel. We taught him there on his porch, gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon, and set up a return appointment. He's solid. I'm really excited to be teaching him! And then, it turns out that Arthur wasn't really interested. The hand of the Lord is DEFINITELY in this work, I have gained a testimony of that many times over since I've been out here.

Well, this Sunday is Mother's Day, and that means I get to call home! The ward music coordinator asked me to sing in sacrament meeting, as well. I found a beautiful song about mothers that I'm going to sing. I also got asked to sing for our zone conference this Thursday by Pres. and Sis. Evans, so I'll be singing for that as well. I'm glad to finally be able to use what I'm good at here in the field. And then all the residents at the retirement home we do service at found out that I play the piano, and they now have me playing something for them every week on the piano there when we go. No worries Mom, I'm not "getting rusty" anytime soon. =]

I hope things are going well for all of you. I'm feeling great and really learning to love life!

Much love,
Elder DeLong