Count Your Many Blessings

We FINALLY got our car back this last Friday. What a sweet relief that was. I realized just how spoiled we are in comparison to other missionaries in other areas of the mission and other areas of the world. Riding a bike will humble you, it seems. We did rack up a nice amount of miles on bike, though. Oh, and this last Wednesday, we had a torrential downpour of rain, and guess who got stuck in it because they had no other choice? We did. That was really a great experience - once I got over the fact that I was soaked and sort of muddy, I had a fun time. Our dinner appointment was shocked when we showed up sopping wet, and made us put on other clothes while they put our waterlogged clothes in the dryer for a while. This is going to be a great story for my grandkids! Also, you get made fun of and ridiculed more often when you're on bikes than when you're walking. I love it though, because it means that they know who we are, and I rejoice to be counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ (see Acts 5:41). Being a missionary is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me!

We have 3 progressing investigators with baptismal dates for this month, and all 3 of them are opening up to us more and more. Trust is very important for us as missionaries, and it feels amazing when your investigators ask you for help in their personal lives and problems.

You know what else is an amazing feeling? Being led by the Spirit without even realizing it. Honestly, it happens so much more often than we realize, but I am honored and humbled during the times I do recognize it. We had one such event on Thursday, in where so many circumstances lined up perfectly to meet this one guy on the subway, who needed some questions answered. He lives out of our area, so we gave him the address and time for the ward he would have gone to. Hopefully he went or will go this next Sunday; either way though, it was an awesome experience when everything clicked together in my head to show how we had been led to that one specific moment.

Member missionary work here in the Revere 2nd ward continues to progress! Our bishop has now started giving us assignments of things to get done, people to find, etc. and it's a huge blessing to be gaining his trust as well. We're now on an ongoing expedition during whatever free time we have to find several of these recently-moved-in, less-active members!

Today I decided to be more fully committed to my morning workout schedule that Elder Langford and I put together. He says that in order to gain the muscle I want, then I need to be pushing myself to my limit each and every day. I did that this morning, and despite the soreness afterwards, I felt really really good about myself. I feel like I'll finally be able to make some progress here - that goes for every aspect of life and of this work, I think. A greater resolve leads to more things accomplished!

Yesterday, Darline bore her testimony in sacrament meeting. She and her son are my first recent converts for whom I've been privileged to be a part of the process from the beginning - from finding to baptism, and beyond! Hearing her testify of things she knows to be true brought tears to my eyes, because they're things I know to be true, and I had the honor of helping her come to know those things as well. It was an emotional moment for me. THAT'S what this work is all about: bringing others unto Christ. It's amazing to be part of this great work, to see lives change, and to feel of the love that our Heavenly Father has for each of His children. My own love for these people who I've taught continues to grow. I feel so indescribably and undeniably blessed.

Love,
Elder Justin DeLong