E-mail from Neal - Received 5/21/09 *TRANSFER!*

Hello to my AMAZING Family!!!!

I did have a really great birthday, thank you!! I must be really turning into a missionary, because my favourite present came from the Lord. We found a great new investigator named Tom on my birthday!!!! It was a really great lesson. He is 17 and the most open and thoughtful 17 year old I have ever met. We have taught him a couple times now, but alas there will be no more teaching him………… I am now serving in Blackburn.

Yes the change came, and it was very, very, very, very unexpected!!!!!!! Me and E. Wheat got white-washed. I think that Porter calls it doubled out or something crazy! We got split up and moved out, and we have a baptism next week. Emma and Kim were totally gutted. Emma Burst out into tears during Sacrament meeting. The real bummer is that I will probably not be able to go back for the Baptism. It is way too far away and it would be way expensive. I am still looking into it, but it is probably not going to happen. Emma is probably never going to forgive me, but its what the Lords wants. I am sad to leave, but at the same time it was needed. There is going to be a senior couple going in there on Saturday. I am really hoping and praying that all goes well with that! It was a real pleasure to serve there and teach them!!

I am now in Blackburn as I said, which is just up the road from Chorley. I am in the same district!!!! I will be going on exchanges to Chorley, and seeing all the old friends and people there! I am really excited! Do you remember Clifford Dawson? I taught him a ton. He is the Chorley LEGEND, and he is now getting baptized! I will get to go to his baptism!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited. My new companion is Elder Driscoll. He is a stud!!!! He is from Worthing in the south of England. He was actually in E. Lloyd's MTC group. He is a really good missionary, and he is a lot like me! We are going to really do some amazing things here in the next 6 weeks. I think that this is the first time that I have wanted to serve with a comp for longer than 6 weeks right from the beginning! We are going to do amazing things. There has been a ton of kinda lame stuff going on in the ward as of late, so we are having to play clean up. I had to do it in Shrewsbury, so I am practiced! I am having to get used to the Lancashire accent again. It is so different to Manchester and Shropshire, and I never realized that until now. I am going to really love this area. I have been struggling this past 3 months for many different reasons, and now I am getting a fresh start! Today I have been on fire. Excited to talk to people, excited to plan, excited to do everything! Shrewsbury changed me for the better, and now I get to reap the fruits! My new address is……

Apt. 10 Signal Court
2a Pickup Street
Accrington BB5 0EY

It is going to be really really great!!!!!!

This is probably going to be short email because I will get to email again on Tuesday, but I just wanted to tell you all what is going on. I am really happy to be where I am. I am ready to go to work and hit it hard. I will let you know how it all goes.

Ok one last funny story before I shoot….. So we all mentioned on how much we loved the fact that President Packer was just a normal person when he was with us. Well I think that all too often we forget that President Bullock is the same way. We were all at the Manchester South Chapel on transfer day, and all the Preston/Chorley missionaries were waiting for the coach (bus) to leave. Well Elder Phillips (my new Zone Leader, great kid) pulls out an American football. President sees it, and comes over and asks for it. Now president used to play and coach football. He tells me to go long. We are all there in Shirts and Ties and Suits, and we are playing football, in the parking lot, with our Mission President! It was great. It was an amazing start to what is going to be an amazing transfer, and it really showed us just how much he loves us.

I love my mission. There is no place that I would rather be. Trials, and problems considered, I just don’t care. The Lord wants me here and that is where I am going to be. I am so grateful for all the trials that I have had to face in the past 3 months. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I am dancing in the rain because I learned how to in Shrewsbury!!!!!

I love you all!!!!
Elder Neal