WOO-STAH!!! =D

The Cambodian sisters in Lowell

 

 

Well, no reason to keep you all in suspense. I'm getting transferred! Lowell is now officially an English area. It already was, technically, but I was still here and translating for sacrament meeting every week. I'm not sure what the ward is going to do without me to help communicate with the elderly Cambodian sisters, but I know that the Lord will provide a way.

Anyway, I'm going to be serving in the Worcester 1st Ward of the Boston Stake! No, it's not pronounced "wor-chest-er," it's pronounced "woo-ster." Like the double-O sound in the word "book." If you've got the local accent though, it's "woo-stah." Remember, any R at the end of a word is replaced with an AH. Then, Rs are added where they're not supposed to be. "Idear" for idea and "Almer" instead of Alma. Conservation of consonants, Boston style. My new companion is Elder Escobar, in case any of you were wondering. He's of Hispanic descent, but doesn't speak any Spanish at all. Haha!

The last 6 or 7 months here in Lowell have really flown by, now that I'm looking back on my time here. I've been through a lot, learned a lot from the Lord and from different companions, and I've grown more than I can say; probably even more than I realize. My heart is heavy as I think about leaving this place and these people, because I truly have grown to love them. However, I feel ready to leave at the same time. The Lord has had a work for me to do here, and He has a work for me to do in my new area. I'm really excited to go to Worcester and fall in love with a people and an area all over again. The Lord truly does bless us with an increasing capacity to love as we serve others. Their needs become more important than ours, and they enter in to our hearts as we do all we can to bring them unto Christ. On the flip-side, it's incredible to see just how much we mean to them and how much they love us as missionaries. Saying goodbye to people is difficult, but it isn't really a goodbye; it's a see-you-later. =]

I know that Elder Johnson is going to do well here - I've already seen him taking charge of the area and teaching the people who I won't be here to teach with power and authority. He's the one to be here in Lowell right now. We really have become a companionship during our two transfers together. We've worked hard and seen miracles take place through our faith, both with members and investigators.

Not much else to say this week, everybody. It's been really really busy, with a lot going on, but I don't know what else to include in this letter. It's my last day in Lowell - a place that I never thought would mean so much to me.

With love,
Elder DeLong