Several weeks ago, we found out we need to sign our lease for the next year even though it doesn't come due until August. In order to do that, we needed to know our release date for our mission --July 5, 2015. I honestly wanted to just sit down on the curb and cry. That info sent us to the next step which was to calculate how long we have been on our mission -- 8 months today! More tears. How could one third of our mission already be over? A major wake up call! It honestly feels like we are just getting started. Shouldn't they start counting time when you figure out your mission? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to stay away from family and friends forever, I just thought I would be smarter and better faster. We only have 4 more weeks until Spring Semester is over and I am starting to feel like a mother sending her children away wishing she could teach them just a few more things before they go off on their own. Do you think they will mind if class time is bumped up to three hours each?
Sometimes we feel like we lose our identity because we are missionaries, but we are also CES and so we often serve two masters -- good thing they both have the same goal of bringing souls to Christ or we would be in trouble. Anyway, the point is that Institute comes first and being a full time missionary comes second, so we often miss zone meetings, interviews, etc. A lot of our study goes into our classes and not as much into Preach My Gospel. So now, knowing the sands of time are adding up way too quickly, I have made some resolutions.
Take more pictures
Study Preach My Gospel and learn how to cross reference more scriptures
Write in my journal and on the blog more.
Pack each day more fully - Wear myself out in the service of the Lord everyday!
Express more gratitude for everything and to everyone -- call me on it if I don't tell you how much I appreciate you.
Memorize - I am not as good at this as I used to be--slow mind.
These scriptures were new when we left on our mission. I have made so many notes, etc, that I can hardly bear to send them back as defective, but I'm not sure I can fix them. I feel like I have lost the 116 pages of my mission manuscript so to speak. I am going through using a new triple to transfer some of the most important insights, plus I know that I can save some online. Thank goodness for LDS accounts and icloud.
Some Great Things I have learned in the last 8 months are:
I love my family more than ever even if I don't see them or talk to them as often as I did at home.
To Love my Great Companion even more --it is more apparent every day why I married my awesome, great, kind, loving, wonderful, nice, funny, spiritual husband.
You can live a lot smaller and simpler than you think.
We still love antiques and making our space "homey"
You grow to love others you serve and the Gospel is the same everywhere even if they have different customs and ways of doing things. Just so you know, I never say "that isn't the way we do it in Zion." Like one Brother said, "I'm not the one with the accent, you are!" Don't worry, I still sound like I'm from good old Utah.
Sometimes we feel like we lose our identity because we are missionaries, but we are also CES and so we often serve two masters -- good thing they both have the same goal of bringing souls to Christ or we would be in trouble. Anyway, the point is that Institute comes first and being a full time missionary comes second, so we often miss zone meetings, interviews, etc. A lot of our study goes into our classes and not as much into Preach My Gospel. So now, knowing the sands of time are adding up way too quickly, I have made some resolutions.
Take more pictures
Study Preach My Gospel and learn how to cross reference more scriptures
Write in my journal and on the blog more.
Pack each day more fully - Wear myself out in the service of the Lord everyday!
Express more gratitude for everything and to everyone -- call me on it if I don't tell you how much I appreciate you.
Memorize - I am not as good at this as I used to be--slow mind.
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| My Scriptures broke their back, I must have stepped on a crack |
Some Great Things I have learned in the last 8 months are:
I love my family more than ever even if I don't see them or talk to them as often as I did at home.
To Love my Great Companion even more --it is more apparent every day why I married my awesome, great, kind, loving, wonderful, nice, funny, spiritual husband.
You can live a lot smaller and simpler than you think.
We still love antiques and making our space "homey"
You grow to love others you serve and the Gospel is the same everywhere even if they have different customs and ways of doing things. Just so you know, I never say "that isn't the way we do it in Zion." Like one Brother said, "I'm not the one with the accent, you are!" Don't worry, I still sound like I'm from good old Utah.
We Love Ya'll So Much! Thank ya'll for bringing so much love into our lives!-Martin O'Laughlin
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe you've already been there for 8 months! Loved your reflections and new goals for moving forward. You are both amazing!!!
ReplyDelete--Flori