A letter from England from the Bishop's wife.

I got this great email today from another member of his ward in Middleton.

Hi Sister Ferguson,

My name is Chris Bushnell and I've been a member of Middleton Ward for over 50 years.  My husband is Bishop at present and so we have worked with your son at times, giving him lifts home many times. I have had two sons serve missions and would have loved to have heard from a sister in the ward they were serving in, and I know I ought to have written before, but since my husband had a big heart attack and myself a stroke,  Elder Ferguson joining us just after, I haven't felt up to it so please forgive me.  I hope you don't mind my writing.

In 52 years I've met a lot of new missionaries. Mission President's seem to think we are good at unnerving the new trainee's, but Elder Ferguson has been one of the special one's.   He came to us so timid.  I don't really think he could understand my English accent at all.  He just smiled.  He started to play piano for us, as our pianist had stopped doing it, and as nervous as he must have been, he plodded on regardless.  He has been able to play his jazz for us during our ward activity evenings, and we've even had a few notes out of his trumpet.  (I have watched your youtube to Bro. Maurice , and he is excellent).  I, having a musician for a dad, a pianist for a sister and four children learning and playing piano, and trombone, appreciate your son's abilities.

I'm writing to tell you that I have seen Elder Ferguson overcome his shyness, not that he has become a loud missionary, I've seen him teach the gospel with his own parables so that the sister they were teaching could grasp something; I've witnessed him speaking in Sacrament meeting and bearing his testimony to us.   He is a very special young man and you, as I usually describe our feelings, must be 'well pleased' with him.   He is a gentle giant and I 've warned him he will be in big trouble if he doesn't come back to see us at the end of his mission. :)

The sisters in our ward are very kind and motherly and they, we, have loved mothering him.  We hope he is happy in his new area, Crosby.  If he thinks he's had trouble with our accents, I've told him he is going to have big trouble there, in the Liverpool area. They really do have an accent of their own, but will be lovely people and he will enjoy the challenge.   

Sincerely 

Sister B