Awesome! Today is actually the first time I've been excited
to come home, but I’ll explain that a little bit later. p.s. Bishop emailed me but didn’t tell me
what to talk about. He just gave me
advice for when I get home. Yeah I got
the package! we ate the cookies in like
2 days
A few thoughts...
1. Heavenly Father loves His
children and takes care of them in ways we could NEVER imagine. If people would
consciously watch for things like that and actively tried to find the evidences
of that, all the worlds’ books and blog sites and email accounts couldn't
contain them. But it doesn't happen like a light switch getting flipped on or
off, it’s like watching the sun rise. Second by second and minute by minute
nothing changes, but we notice something different about every hour, and the
difference between early morning and lunchtime is a noticeably stark contrast.
We only notice them as they've come and passed.
2. A smooth sea never made a
skilled sailor. A roof never needs fixing if the sun is always shining. Growth
cannot come without struggle just as a field will never grow by us turning it
over in our minds.
3. If I really trust Heavenly
Father, it doesn't matter what I don't understand. As the weeks go by, I realize
how much the Atonement of Jesus Christ has changed me. I no longer consider it difficult or
burdensome to be obedient I have learned to love the people, even those who
persecute us and poke fun at the work we do. And when I think that some people
will never experience what I have experienced, it makes me so sad. I feel like
the sons of Mosiah after their conversion to the Gospel. Elder Nielson of the
Area Presidency said to us "We as the General Authorities of the church
would consider it a success all over the world if we never had ONE convert
baptism, but ever missionary left the field 100% converted to the Gospel"
and I didn't understand that until I came to grips with the fact that I'm going
home soon.
4. Sometimes you've got to see the
world to find out what you left behind. I remember days in high school I would
complain about slow internet or going to school in a car that was still cold. I
never ever thought that I would see a place where people struggle every day of
their lives. Sometimes we don't like the fact that our hands can't fit into the
bottom of the Pringles can or when have to take two trips from the car to the
kitchen because of the copious amounts of groceries we have. I've met parents
here that don't eat anything but rice just so their children can have something
to put on their own rice, like chicken or corned beef. In my third area we only
had a water tank outside of our house, we had to bring it inside for
everything: Washing dishes, mopping the floor, taking a shower, or cooking. And
I remember the times I would be angry all day because my apartment at college
ran out of hot water while I was showering.
5. The idea of time is such a trivial thing. The
world measures times based of the rotation of the sun, but so what? in an
interview with President, I once asked him why the time goes by so fast and he
said Eventually you get so involved in the Lord's work time just becomes...
Obsolete. I don't know if it’s easy to understand what I'm saying; it might not
be unless someone has experienced it also. Imagine what it would feel like if
you sat in a chair for 24 hours. Then imagine what it would feel like if every
hour passed by in what seemed to you the space of one minute. That's how it was
for me.well anyway my time is up. i love you! I'll see you soon.
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