The call came on Saturday evening. "Elder Low is being transferred on Tuesday." It's weird. I've been in this area for so long that I have real mixed feelings about leaving. Missionaries have a term meaning the area in which you started, and that term is "being born." Apparently I was "born" in Bedford; and oddly enough the literal meaning of the word isn't too far off with the feelings I associate the euphemism with. I feel like I've really "grown up" in this branch. It's weird when you can actually perceive the progress you've made and I can honestly say that I wasn't the same missionary I was when I came into this area. And I'm going to miss it.
Of all my years growing up in the Church back in Calgary, I probably couldn't name more than three missionaries that have served in my homewards, let alone describe who they were. This kind of set me with an attitude of realizing the reality of how temporary and insignificant my impact is on the members I serve. However, when I told Brother Gates (our branch mission leader) that I was being transferred everything blew up from there. The news trickled through the ward auxiliaries and pretty soon everyone knew. The most surprising reaction probably came from our Branch President; when he first heard the news he looked at me and called me a Benedict Arnold, mumbled with words like "no..." and "you can't..." It surprised me even more when he actually announced my departure in the branch business portion of our Sacrament Meeting, very sincerely speaking directly to me from the pulpit in front of a congregation of people of how great of an Elder I have been, and that there will be people here who will remember my name forever.
Going back and reading that last paragraph makes me sound SUPER egotistical, but it was just so different from what I expected. I mean I think I was trained by the greatest missionary ever, I don't understand why I was awarded with such congratulation. Either way it made me feel really good. And even if those were just words that will pass away in a week or two, the sincerity of the members' salutations were genuine enough to soften this young Elder's heart.
I said goodbye to my long-time investigator Paul yesterday as well. I probably mentioned him before, but Elder Zaleski and I found him on my second day here. He was pretty devastated when I told him I was leaving, and through these 4 and half months that I've known and taught him, I've seen us both grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul currently has a baptismal date for September 24th and although I won't be here for when he gets baptized I just hope he'll continue to grow without me. Because from the second day I've been here to the second last day I've seen the changes that Paul has made for this marvelous work. It truly is a life-changing thing.
But I know it's time for me to move on to my next adventure. Change is hard. And although there are so many investigators, formers, and members I'll miss, I truly feel that I've done all I can in this area.
Bedford doesn't need Elder Low anymore.
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