Happy Memorial Day!

Hope everyone had a good time yesterday with their families. I didn't get to write yesterday because all of the libraries were closed, so here I am today! We got to go to the temple yesterday morning, which was a beautiful experience for me, even more so than normal. I'm thankful for the scriptures, for personal revelation, for friends, and for mission leaders that are aware and compassionate to the needs of those whom they have stewardship over. I have great zone leaders and an awesome district leader! There was a surprise at the temple, too - who else should happen to walk into the celestial room as I sat there after our session than Matt Phillips (formerly Elder Phillips, from my very first district in the mission field)! He's here visiting with his family, and it was great to see him. 

Another eventful happening yesterday was the arrival of an unwelcome guest upon my scalp. I was sitting under some trees, writing letters, while other missionaries in our zone played soccer on an open field. Suddenly, I have a strange feeling on the top of my head, and I go to brush it away, but it doesn't move...almost like when you have a scab or something and it doesn't come off of your skin. I asked the Elder next to me to look at my head, and he was like, "uhm....that's definitely a tick." There's a first time for everything, I guess, and this was my first time having a tick on me. I have no idea how it got there, but I didn't care at that point, I wanted it OFF. I didn't have any on my anywhere else, and we managed to get it out and off successfully. I'm surprised at how calm I remained during the whole thing - I'm learning to manage my stress! Look mom, I'm growing up! 

Elder Moser (one of my zone leaders) and I got asked to do a duet of "How Great Thou Art" for this next upcoming musical fireside (this Saturday) - him on guitar, and me on piano. We've been working on it, and it's coming along really well! I'm excited for it, and for the rest of the normal program. Also on the music front, I played a piano solo of  "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" in sacrament meeting on Sunday. (Sorry mom, I forgot to record it...) The ward loved it, and the music coordinator wants me to sing next month, too. I'm honored at the opportunity to bless the lives of others. 

We went on exchanges last week with Elder Soares (our district leader) and his companion, Elder Hanberg. I got to serve with Elder Hanberg again, in Framingham. It was really cool to be with an old mission friend from my first area and apartment! I'm also currently on exchanges with Elder Moser. 

Great things happening with a couple of less-active and part-member families here. There are a lot of issues to resolve in this ward and in this area, but I know that the Lord will bless us as we work hard and give Him our all! One less-active member, Maria, came to church this week for the first time in years! She's Brazilian (and an AMAZING cook), and I'm so glad we've been able to help her on the path back to the fold. Trials may come, but all we have to do is trust in our Savior. Nothing can stop His work, and being part of it is the best thing I could ask for! 

With love, 

Elder DeLong

My shortest email yet!

Justin on way to district meeting and lunch in the big van

I apologize - we have no time today. This email is going to be VERY short. Quick recap of this week!

We had zone conference (which was awesome!). Stake conference was this weekend and there was a priesthood conference Saturday morning, adult session in the evening, and then a general session (broadcast from Salt Lake City to 35 stakes and 2 districts in New England, with Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Sis. Linda K. Burton, Elder L. Tom Perry, and Pres. Boyd K. Packer speaking - it was wonderful!) Sunday morning. My companion and I are working hard to get to know this area and get things up and running. We've been meeting with ward leaders like the Bishop and the Elders Quorum President to understand the situation here more and discern what we can to do help. There have been lots of roadblocks but things are getting better. 

I really love being a missionary! My best wishes and love to my cousin Leah and my friend Meagan, both of whom are leaving within the next couple of weeks for their missions. I really don't have much to say this week. The work is tough but I'm feeling good - VERY good. =D

Much love to you all!

Sincerely, 

Elder DeLong

Happy Mother's Day!

This is going to be really short - not much time today!

Thank you to all you mothers out there. It was wonderful to be able to talk to my family yesterday, and especially my Mom. The First Presidency made a statement many years ago, and I really like it: "Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels."

Kate's baptism! Elders Johnson and Metcalf, her husband, Chris, and me

 

 

So much has happened over the past 4 days. I was able to attend the baptism for Kate Duncan, an investigator I had in Lowell, on Saturday afternoon. We had an amazing musical fireside on Saturday night in Nashua (every time we do this fireside, it gets more and more special to me!). There was an emergency transfer - an Elder in another area had one of his YSA, female investigators fall in love with him...so he had to get out of there, stat! He had to be moved, and people got switched around to accommodate the need for the emergency transfer. Elder Escobar was transferred to Avon, CT and my new companion is Elder Williams. It's tough, because I've only been here for a couple of weeks, and I don't know many people here. However, I know more than I would know otherwise, and so for that I'm thankful. We're just working hard to get our companionship going (we've only been together for 3 full days!) and at the same time, get the work up and running in this area. I tell you what though, I'm learning a lot. So, that being said, we also went to a baptism in Elder Williams' previous area this weekend. Saturday and Sunday were crazy! We've barely been able to breathe.

The work of the Lord is truly hastening. I really love being a missionary, especially in such an exciting time to serve. This area is tough, but I know that our Heavenly Father's blessings are with us as we give Him our all each day. As we give ourselves over to Him, He transforms us into true disciples of Christ. I'm grateful for that, for this chance to serve, and also for my amazing mother. =]

Love,

Elder DeLong

"Forget not to be happy now." - Pres. Uchtdorf

Lots of new experiences this week: I tried fresh milk for the first time (milked that day, homogenized and pasteurized on site, then on the dinner table that night at a member's home), we volunteered at a blood drive helping people sign in and whatnot, we were waiters for the lunch and babysitters for the rest of the time during the stake's women's conference that took place all day Saturday, and we had dinner a different night with a member family where the husband is Jewish (literally, FROM Israel, and is a member of the Church) and the wife is Thai. Very interesting combination - they both speak Hebrew fluently since they lived together in Israel for 10 years, and Thai is the wife's first language. It was cool to compare notes with her about differences between the languages of  Cambodian and Thai. Some very similar words, and I caught some of the things she said as she prayed. The husband has translated a few hymns into Hebrew, and he taught us a couple of them. It was way cool!

Church yesterday was really great - we had an awesome testimony meeting, and a few people we've been working with (less-actives and part-member families) came! The Primary kids and leaders are still thrilled with how cool my "cameo appearance" was last week. One little girl came up to me and said, "HELLO, Joseph Smith!" and another little girl came up and randomly started telling me about her family's recent trip to the Sacred Grove.

As a ward, we fasted yesterday for the Church to be strengthened in this area, and as a ward, we broke our fast together! We had a massive, Cinco de Mayo potluck, which was tons of fun with lots of great food!

Last night, I had a wonderful experience as I was guided by the Spirit. I felt prompted to go and see one of the less-active young single adults we have been trying to meet with. His mother is the Brazilian member who invited us in for dinner on a whim last weekend when we went by there to try and see him. The young man wasn't there, but his mother, Maria, was, and she invited us in and gave us some dessert. We asked if we could share a message with her and her husband, but he was busy working on something. She agreed though, and as I flipped through my copy of the Book of Mormon that I was holding (we hadn't planned for this lesson since there was no way to have known we would be sitting down with her!), I felt prompted to stop on a certain page, then flip the back back one, and read what I found. It was Moroni 7:27-29, which tells us that miracles have not ceased. I read it for her, and then felt prompted to read a related verse that I know, Mormon 9:15 - God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. We ended up having a fantastic discussion on miracles, and she disclosed some of her personal struggles with us. She told us of her health problems and of her desire to quit smoking. The Spirit was present, and I felt guided to offer her two things: first, a blessing, and second, a stop-smoking workshop that I have taught several times on my mission. She agreed to both, and we gave her the blessing at that time and set up another appointment to do the workshop. We would have never been able to give her the help she needed if we had never known her needs, and we wouldn't have known her needs if we hadn't had the conversations we did. We wouldn't have had those conversations if I hadn't read those verses, and I wouldn't have read those verses if I wasn't inspired to turn to that page. None of this would even have happened if I hadn't heeded the prompting to visit their home last night. I know for certain that the Spirit guided us in every aspect of that visit, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been used as an instrument in the hands of God to help one of His daughters who is suffering. It's a great comfort to me that He finds me worthy to send me on His errand to accomplish His work here on the earth. 

I have also come to gain a testimony of the power of our thoughts, for good and for bad. I noticed on one occasion this week that as I focused on a negative or self-loathing thought, my mood worsened and I felt a loss of Light and the Spirit. As I contemplated what had happened to me throughout the day, I realized that I was the only one preventing me from being happy or from moving on. I decided right then to pray and from that point on to be happy, and the entire course of my day changed. It was powerful! And so, "Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power," as we read in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, as we serve the Master and take whatever part He has for us in His great work. May the Lord bless each of you as you strive to repent daily, to heed the promptings of His Spirit, and to endure to the end through faith, hope, and happiness. 

With love, 

Elder DeLong