One year ago I was absolutely CLUELESS. I remember everything that happened that day, from Garrett betting me $100 that I couldn't stop cracking my knuckles (you're still on), to five missionaries being on board headed to Salt Lake, to Madison locking the keys in the car in downtown Salt Lake, to Grandpa tearing up and saying, "All I ever wanted was for my grandchildren to serve missions", to Leeloo falling dead asleep driving from Salt Lake to Provo, to the lady that put on my nametag and started crying when she saw my face, to Elder Verdine running up to me telling me he was my zone leader, to being companionless until 8:30 that night and every other little thing inbetween. It seems like it was just yesterday.
I reread my journal entry from that night and it ended with, "I feel overwhelmed and a bit like, WHAT DID I JUST DO?! But I keep living by baby steps- one thing to the next. If I think of the big picture, I basically want to go home. Now. But I can do this!"
As I went to sleep that night, the question that was on repeat in my mind was, "WHAT DID I JUST DO?!"
Honestly, I wish I would have better understood what the next year would have in store for me. I feel like I could have said to myself, just like I now say to investigators- more happiness awaits you then you could have ever imagined. I wish I could have seen the bigger picture because it would have brought me so much peace and comfort knowing that I had made one of the best decisions of my life.
I wish I could fully explain everything that I have experienced over the last year, but I can't because they were experiences that I needed to have to make me into who I am today. That's what is so cool about a mission, it's unique and every mission fits exactly the person that is serving. You truly just have to experience it for yourself.
I still feel like I have been in the mission field for a week... but I love it here and I love the people. I feel so blessed to have spent the last year in Tampa. God lives and loves each one of us so much. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and I am grateful to be able to wear His name each and every day.
Our ward mission leaders wife just texted us and sent this quote, "Ours is no a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of the Almighty God, and it is to change the world" -Elder Holland.
How blessed are we to be apart of it?
Love you all!
Sister Mal
No comments:
Post a Comment