June 11, 2018 -- The Sweetest Reunion
Howdy all!
I don't think I could ever correctly describe the joy that I felt yesterday. It might be really sappy, but it is true. With the difficulty of the past few weeks (from a general lack of progression with the people we are teaching to emotional stressors galore) I think it was safe to say that I had become discouraged. I was feeling as though my mission was useless, and maybe I should never have come in the first place. I had been praying about this issue for a while, and though I wasn't receiving any answers I had hope that I would. That answer came to me in the form of my best friend/favorite human on the PLANET, Autumn. Which is usually how my answers seem to come. <3
This past week was Stake Conference, and so all the congregations in our area met together for one large meeting. That means that the Pace and the Fox Run wards were both under one roof. I cannot describe how wonderful it is to have all the people you love most in the world in the same place. I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to say hello to everyone that I love so much. The greatest moment was when I saw Autumn. I wanted to run up and hug her and cry with her, but we were late for choir practice so I just sat down and waited until it was over so that I could hug her again. Autumn and I got to sit next to each other and the stand and sing together again. For two hours, I got to sit with my arm around my favorite person and listen to uplifting and inspired messages from church leaders, including Elder Alba, a member of the 6th Quorum of the Seventy. Sitting next to Autumn and talking to her and hugging her again reminded me why I needed to serve a mission.
It made me think of the closing scene from the movie "Wreck-it-Ralph". Ralph looks at his friend Venelope and says "If that little girl likes me, how bad can I be?" That is how I feel about Autumn. If I met Autumn on my mission, and we get to be friends for the rest of our lives, then that is enough for me. If she is in my mission, how bad could it be? I have also met lots of other people that I absolutely adore, but if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, Autumn makes every moment of missionary service worth it. Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don't come on their missions to convert strangers, we come to find our best friends. People that we know and love and probably always have. That is why we do what we do.
Also, Brother Tom is doing incredibly! He is enjoying teaching in the primary and he came to Stake Conference. He gave me a box of envelopes so that when I leave, I have no excuse for not writing him. It made me smile, and was very bitter-sweet, because I have some news-
I am getting transferred. After almost a year in Pensacola, I will be leaving and heading to Tallahassee. I am going to be serving on Tallahassee Community College Campus, which means a few things.
1- My Pday will now be on Saturdays. So if you want to not miss me this week, you'll have to write to me before then. This will certainly be a change because my Pday has always been Monday before. I guess this will be a test to see who actually reads my general email! ;D
2- I am going to be serving in a Young Single Adult Ward! Apparently it is a crazy paradigm shift from the kind of work that I am used to. There are zero meal appointments, and a lot more activities to go to. I will also be able to attend institute, which I really miss from back home.
3-I will be working a campus in the summer. I've been told that there is a lot less people out and about, the work is a little harder, and I'll be out in the sun all day. So I have no excuses to not get a really nice tan. :D
I am so excited for the changes coming up soon! I will miss Pensacola with my whole heart, but it's only good-bye for time. I've already decided I am going to come back and live here one day. (Or at least visit often). Now that I have fallen in love with the beach, there is no going back!
Talk to you all soon! (And by soon, I mean on Saturday! Remember, my Pday is changing. Don't forget because I still want emails and I don't want to be sad and not have any!!)
Love you all, see you very soon, and hey- read the Book of Mormon?
I don't think I could ever correctly describe the joy that I felt yesterday. It might be really sappy, but it is true. With the difficulty of the past few weeks (from a general lack of progression with the people we are teaching to emotional stressors galore) I think it was safe to say that I had become discouraged. I was feeling as though my mission was useless, and maybe I should never have come in the first place. I had been praying about this issue for a while, and though I wasn't receiving any answers I had hope that I would. That answer came to me in the form of my best friend/favorite human on the PLANET, Autumn. Which is usually how my answers seem to come. <3
This past week was Stake Conference, and so all the congregations in our area met together for one large meeting. That means that the Pace and the Fox Run wards were both under one roof. I cannot describe how wonderful it is to have all the people you love most in the world in the same place. I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to say hello to everyone that I love so much. The greatest moment was when I saw Autumn. I wanted to run up and hug her and cry with her, but we were late for choir practice so I just sat down and waited until it was over so that I could hug her again. Autumn and I got to sit next to each other and the stand and sing together again. For two hours, I got to sit with my arm around my favorite person and listen to uplifting and inspired messages from church leaders, including Elder Alba, a member of the 6th Quorum of the Seventy. Sitting next to Autumn and talking to her and hugging her again reminded me why I needed to serve a mission.
It made me think of the closing scene from the movie "Wreck-it-Ralph". Ralph looks at his friend Venelope and says "If that little girl likes me, how bad can I be?" That is how I feel about Autumn. If I met Autumn on my mission, and we get to be friends for the rest of our lives, then that is enough for me. If she is in my mission, how bad could it be? I have also met lots of other people that I absolutely adore, but if I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, Autumn makes every moment of missionary service worth it. Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don't come on their missions to convert strangers, we come to find our best friends. People that we know and love and probably always have. That is why we do what we do.
Also, Brother Tom is doing incredibly! He is enjoying teaching in the primary and he came to Stake Conference. He gave me a box of envelopes so that when I leave, I have no excuse for not writing him. It made me smile, and was very bitter-sweet, because I have some news-
I am getting transferred. After almost a year in Pensacola, I will be leaving and heading to Tallahassee. I am going to be serving on Tallahassee Community College Campus, which means a few things.
1- My Pday will now be on Saturdays. So if you want to not miss me this week, you'll have to write to me before then. This will certainly be a change because my Pday has always been Monday before. I guess this will be a test to see who actually reads my general email! ;D
2- I am going to be serving in a Young Single Adult Ward! Apparently it is a crazy paradigm shift from the kind of work that I am used to. There are zero meal appointments, and a lot more activities to go to. I will also be able to attend institute, which I really miss from back home.
3-I will be working a campus in the summer. I've been told that there is a lot less people out and about, the work is a little harder, and I'll be out in the sun all day. So I have no excuses to not get a really nice tan. :D
I am so excited for the changes coming up soon! I will miss Pensacola with my whole heart, but it's only good-bye for time. I've already decided I am going to come back and live here one day. (Or at least visit often). Now that I have fallen in love with the beach, there is no going back!
Talk to you all soon! (And by soon, I mean on Saturday! Remember, my Pday is changing. Don't forget because I still want emails and I don't want to be sad and not have any!!)
Love you all, see you very soon, and hey- read the Book of Mormon?
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