It has taken me a while to sit down and actually write my last post. I have been home for two months now and I just haven't been able to get myself to do it. I guess it has been hard because I miss my mission like crazy. I did not expect it to be this hard to adjust back to life. My mission means the world to me, I learned so much about myself, the gospel, and life in general. It has totally changed me, to say the least. I try to keep in mind the things my mission president taught me; to not make the last 18 months the best of my life, but the beginning of the best of my life. My mission isn't over per say, it is just beginning. My mission was like the MTC for the rest of my life. I will never forget the experiences and the changes that I had on my mission. Now I have so many new experiences and resources to apply in my life.
I might be a little biased, just as any missionary may be about their mission president, but I had the best mission president and presidency I could have ever asked for. They did wonders for me. I feel so blessed to have had them as my leaders. They are such a powerhouse presidency!! First, we have the incredible President Packard, with his texan accent and his quickened excitement and enthusiasm, the fatherly figure and great love that you can tangibly feel emanating from him. Then, President Christensen, the humble, wise, peaceful, friend, but so incredibly strong example to us all. Last, but not least, President Haight. I just love and respect him so so much. He is very tender, proper, genius, can totally see right through you, but the kindest, happiest, most loving person you will ever meet. I can never truly explain how much they have changed my life, because "you cannot explain in words things that can only be experienced". Every time any one of them taught us, I was just filled to the brim with light, knowledge, understanding, love, and excitement for the gospel. I will forever miss those sweet experiences.
So I started writing this probably around November 2014. It is now October 20, 2015. As you can see I have been putting this off for a lot longer than a while.. But Now I have decided to keep up a blog! So naturally I have to finish this one off just to make me feel better. This past year has been full of wonderful and scary up's and down's. I have learned so much about myself and how to apply the gospel more to my life after the mission. I went to BYUI one last semester and got my associates. Afterwards, I went on a Baltic Cruise with my dad's side of the family, went to Boston for the fourth of July with some mission friends, decided to attend Utah State University, attend my best friend, Andrea's wedding in B.C. Canada, go backpacking with my brother, Andrew, and made an awesome new life in Logan, Utah. It's been quite the year! Nothing like I had imagined or expected.
Relating this to the end of my mission in New England, and how I am applying my experiences to my life now, I have been more able to rely on the Lord and trust in His timing. Of course, it hasn't been easy but my relationship with Him has definitely been strengthened even more since I have returned home. For a while I felt a dip in my spirituality, and I may still feel that at times, but I know it has been strengthened because I think of Him all the time, I remember my mission, I read my scriptures and pray everyday, I attend church and the temple. On my mission my main focus was on God and bringing others to Christ, but now, after my mission I have a lot more on my mind; school, money/job, friends, future and present family, and above all incorporating the gospel in every aspect of my life. Definitely isn't easy, but I am managing and I am loving life!
This is basically a very short summary of what I learned on my mission; how to apply the gospel to my everyday life. I loved when President Packard would talk to us about this subject and he would always say, "from now on, your main priority is your future family. Everything you do, every choice you make is for the benefit of your future spouse and children. Whether or not you do your homework, where you go to school, the friends you make, how you spend your time and money, etc... Everything will lead to your future family, they are what matter the most." I love President Packard and his always awe inspiring advice and wisdom. I hope I have made good choices this past year that will strengthen my future family. I am grateful for my mission and for the experiences I had there, and the incredible people I met who changed my life. I definitely got more out of my mission than anyone I served, taught, was companions with, served around and so on. It was the best decision I have made in my entire life (so far :) ).
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