Okay, so in a past blog I mentioned that I had written some things and was proud of one thing that I'd written. It's about what a mission is to me. The reason I chose to post this tonight is two fold, really. One reason is that I recently found a TON of old letters that friends and family had sent me while I was in WI, and I was reading through them and reminiscing about those amazing 18 months. The other reason is that I've been in a VERY terrible mood the past 2 days, and when Scott isn't around to make me laugh, I like to think back on happy times in my life to cheer me up. I mean, I'm incredibly happy with my life now, but we all have those down times, right? Okay so this is something that I wrote all throughout the 18 months I spent as a missionary, as I experienced different things. It means a lot to me, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
WHAT IS A MISSION
A mission is boarding a plane at 6 am to fly to an unknown destination where unknown people and experiences await you. It is feeling terribly inadequate as you knock on that first door. It is spending hours on end trying to figure our your companion, and then realizing it is you that needs to be figured out. It is teaching 11 year old Samantha and watching her eyes light up with excitement as she learns. It is hearing her pray in Serbian and feeling the spirit SO strongly, even though you can't understand a word. It is delivering Christmas to an impoverished mother of 2, and seeing her disabled son drag himself to the tree so he can gaze at the presents with tear-filled eyes. It is hearing a man named Larry tell of a dream he had when God himself told him the Book of Mormon was true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. It is seeing a companion's devastation as she receives a phone call from her mother who just learned that she is dying of cancer. It is meeting Louise Butler and feeling her extraordinary spirit. It is seeing her be baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then two weeks later kneeling in prayer at a hospital as her soul slips silently back to our Father in Heaven. It is meeting an 18 year old girl named Beky and watching her learn and grow in the gospel. It is seeing the glow of her eyes as she accepts the teachings and is baptized. But then it is seeing the adversary take strong hold on her and watching helplessly as she digresses and goes back to old habits. It is coming to understand what Nephi meant when he said he prayed all day and wept all night for the welfare of the souls of the people. It is going to the temple with 72 year old Gunter Fitchler and watching tears stream down his face as a young woman is baptized for his wife of 37 years, and knowing the first step is completed for them to be sealed to each other forever. It is falling down a flight of stairs in front of 30 people and luckily only hurting your pride. A mission is getting a little taste of the Celestial Kingdom when you get to go back to an old area for a baptism and being greeted by familiar faces and friendly smiles. It is seeing Vivian rebaptized into the church after an abusive husband forced her to have her records removed. It is watching her change completely and knowing that all it took was faith in the Lord and His timing. It is teaching Marcia at the Brown County Jail and knowing that her life will be completely different when she leaves. It is knowing that your life will be changed once you leave the mission field. It is boarding a plane to go home, only to feel that you are leaving home, rather than going there.
This is actually only a small portion of the actual one I wrote. That part is what I shared during my homecoming talk. I have the whole thing written in my missionary journal, and will share it with anyone who requests it.
I just have such a strong testimony of missionary work. It's wierd, because all my life I always said I would never go on a mission, and that if people were meant to join the church they would find it on their own. Little did I know that people do find it on their own - through missionaries. I wouldn't change a moment of those 18 months - even through the hard times, it was the most amazing experience I have ever had. It's been almost 4 years now since I have been home, and it breaks my heart that I have been so bad at keeping in touch with all the people I met. My life was touched far more than anyone I met, of that I am sure. Those people, each and every one of them, formed me little by little into the person I am today. I can't WAIT to send my children off on missions - to experience the things that await them. I can't WAIT to retire and spend my elderly years with Scottie at my side as we serve the Lord as couple missionaries. It is something I knew I was supposed to do, and I'm extremely glad I did it!
And now for your entertainment - some of my mission pictures! Yay! Please excuse my scanning talent - it's pretty, well, terrible. If you'll look closely, you will see Scottie in one of the pics! That was when we hated each other. In fact, in the picture, I'm glaring at him because he kept pulling on my beanie and it was making me mad. Who knew we'd end up married? Ha ha!
1 comments:
That was awesome...and really beautifully written. I remember when you told me you were going to go on a mission and I remember being so excited. You were totally meant to be a missionary. It's funny, all through high school I wanted to go on a mission and, like you said in your post, you didn't. I prayed about it and my answer was no; you did and yours was yes. It's just incredible how the Lord works in our life - He truly knows what's best for us (isn't it also funny how that single decision affected who we'd marry? I met Kevin just a couple months after praying about the mission and you met Scott on yours. Hmmmmmm...). Anyway, long post, but I want the whole copy (you said we could request it - I'd love to have that!). Thanks for sharing!
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