Worldwide MIssionary Broadcast

I hope you all had the chance to watch that last night - it was incredible! If you didn't get to see it, it's online. Watch it whenever you have 2 hours of free time! This is a very exciting time to be serving a mission. I love it! things here in our area have been difficult for the past couple of months, but things are really looking up now. We must be doing something right, because we have a couple of potential investigators, and we've been able to contact and fellowship several less-active members that the ward hasn't been able to get ahold of in ages! No specific inspiring stories to share, but one random thing: I saw a firefly for the first time in my life the other night! It got into our apartment from an open window, and so I filmed it for a couple minutes, haha! My emails seem to be getting shorter and shorter in the past few weeks...the work here has been different than in any of my other areas. We've been mostly trying to contact less-actives and find people to teach, without tremendous amounts of success. Like I said though, things are looking up, and I love being here! I have come to love this ward much faster than the first two areas I served in, and I have such a desire to see them succeed in missionary work. We're working really hard, and I know the Lord will bless us in His own timing. He's already been doing so! I love being part of this sacred work. My mission has truly changed my life, and is still changing me! I'm eternally grateful for the time that the Lord has given me to spend in His service. 

Love, 

Elder DeLong

I have to WHAT?

Well, the time has come that my mission president has given me permission to start applying to schools and calling admissions offices and whatnot. It's a weird feeling, and time is passing MUCH more quickly than I'd like. However, I know that the Lord will guide me in my decisions as I take them to Him! 

You'll have to forgive me for making this short. I only have 5 minutes left on this computer at the public library. Just know that I'm doing VERY well. I had a fantastic interview with Pres. Packard the other day. Things are coming along in this area slowly, but surely. Elder Broadhead and I are getting along great and we're working hard! 

Happy Father's Day to all you fathers out there, especially to my own father, and grandfathers. It was strange - the young women of the ward I'm serving in gave me and Elder Broadhead bags of cookies along with all of the other adult men in the ward...that's a first for me. Time certainly does fly! 

Keep up the awesome work everyone. Always remember that the Lord has a work for you to do, no matter who you are or where you live. He can use you as an instrument in His hands, if you let Him. =] 

With love, 

Elder DeLong 

Things are looking up!

This past week, I hit 18 months of being a missionary. That's a hard concept to grasp, especially since I know that these last 6 months are going to by much faster than I'd like them to. I really wish I could serve for a few months longer, but I know that the Lord has other things in mind for me after my full-time service to Him is complete. He has richly blessed me here, and I know I need to follow His will for me. 

We had another musical fireside this weekend - this time, we were in Warwick, RI. It was cool to see another part of the mission as we drove through many towns there, including the city of Providence (which reminded me a LOT of Lynn, from my first area). I've realized that at each of these firesides, I learn something new about myself, about my Heavenly Father, and about my relationship with him, and this fireside was no different! I'm grateful for personal revelation and for the powerful Spirit that always seems to attend these firesides. 

Speaking of music, I got asked to sing for the Gospel Doctrine class yesterday. The teacher spoke with me earlier in the week and asked me to sing "Jesus, Once of Humble Birth" for his class, and I did so yesterday. It was a cool experience to do my own arrangement and perform it, playing the piano and singing at the same time. I can't take the credit for everything I did though, since with the limited time I drew on other arrangements and things I had heard before. Don't worry Mom, I recorded it for you. =]

This area is definitely a difficult one. We don't have any real investigators and only a couple of potentials at the moment. The members of our ward aren't too helpful when it comes to missionary work, although we have a few select families that really do "get it," including our Bishop and Elders Quorum President and their families. All of that being said, though, things are beginning to look up. Ward council is doing better, we're formulating a better plan for how to help the members and find investigators, and Elder Broadhead and I are putting in work! We're building the Kingdom of God, little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept. =] 

Elder Broadhead and I are doing well together, and we're excited to get things done here. We have an additional companionship of sisters in this area, making 8 missionaries in the Worcester wards! One companionship of Elders and one companionship of Sisters for each ward. Our new sisters, Sis. Buchanan and Sis. Hobbs are both awesome, and we're working together to move things along.  I'm really looking forward to this transfer! I feel very happy and upbeat about the potential that this area holds. 

With love, 

Elder DeLong

This is the end of one of the longest and shortest transfers of my mission

District meeting right before transfers with President and Sister Packard. Elder Williams is in the upper left corner.

This has truly felt like the longest transfer I've had yet, but it also went by really quickly. That's a prime example of the mission time paradox for you. =P

Well, no sense in keeping you all waiting. I'll be staying here in Worcester for another transfer, and Elder Williams will be getting transfers. My new companion is Elder Broadhead, and he's a farmboy from Idaho who loves to work hard - I'm very excited to get things going here with him! I've met him once before, and I'll be getting him as my companion tomorrow morning. Our whole district got shaken up - the Framingham Elders got moved to a different district, and the Marlborough Elders will be taking their place with us. We're getting ANOTHER set of sisters in our ward (hooray!!!) and the Spanish-speaking sisters will be focusing on creating a Spanish branch here in Worcester. Every companionship is changing as well, meaning that one is staying here and a new one will be coming in. It's going to be a fresh start this transfer, and I'm really looking forward to it. There's lots to be done here! 

The past week has been quite eventful. Our car had to get the brakes fixed, but the catch is that we were at a different area's apartment since we had been on exchanges that day with our Zone Leaders...so we ended up having to stay the night there at that apartment. Going about the next day, waiting for the car to be fixed, not having shaved or showered, was...interesting. I hope I never have to do that again! Also this week, we learned how to make Brazilian food with Maria, a less-active member who has been coming back to church. It was delicious! She's an awesome cook. We also got to go with the youth of our ward to the temple, because they needed more Melchizedek Priesthood holders. I was ALSO able to make a large map of our area this week for our apartment, and now I'm plotting all of the members on it (color-coded!) with thumbtacks! 

I've come to gain a real appreciation for good friends and quality leaders out here on my mission. Elder Soares (my district leader) and Elder Moser (one of my zone leaders) have touched my heart in meaningful ways and have helped me in my personal struggles, whether they fully realize it or not. Part of the joys of missionary service is being able to help other missionaries to overcome their trials and difficulties. =] 

This week, I hit 18 months being out on my mission. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. I would gladly extend for another year or two if I could, but the Lord has other things in store for me. Hopefully my suits last for the next 6 months though - they're beginning to really wear out! The good news is that summer is here, and so I won't be needing to wear the suit coats as often, and pants are much easier to match to a coat, and less-expensive to purchase. 

We did musical firesides in Mystic, CT and Marlborough, MA this weekend - they both went very well. I love being a part of this program. This upcoming Saturday we'll be doing one in Warwick, RI, and then the next ones we do will be almost every Saturday of July: New Haven, Nantucket, and Hartford! Then we have one in August in Hingham, and we'll be doing one way out Springfield at some point between now and then. =D 

Keep up the great work everyone: be an example and a light to those around you. Godspeed! 

Love, 

Elder DeLong

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