Remembering my Mission

Sunday night, there was a missionary fireside at our Bishop's house. Every month or two, he invites a returned missionary to his house to do a fireside and tell the youth in the ward about their mission. I was so nervous! This is a big deal--he is hoping you will inspire the youth to serve missions somehow communicate what a great thing it is. And I have such a hard time expressing myself and all of these strong feelings I have inside. They are there, and they are powerful but I stutter and my mind goes blank and my speech is so inadequate for it all. Anyway, in preparation for this night, this week I got out all of my mission journals and scrapbook and lived the journey all over again from the months before getting my call until coming home from my mission. Oh how glad I am to have kept a journal! All of the things I had forgotten! It has been like reading the best book ever. I made some blinchiki (Russian pancakes) and honeycake and Bishop Sitton and his wife Jennifer made some other refreshments. There were a ton of youth and leaders there, and it was really fun! I probably shared more than they ever wanted to know and it was just the tip of the iceberg. I had no problems filling the 45 + minutes that I was given.


A friend watched Micah and Ammon, while we brought Noah and Kaden with us. Noah played the opening and closing songs--and after the fireside, he came up to me and said "Mom, why in the world have you not told me all of those things you told everyone!? I never knew any of those things!" and Later "Mom, I never knew you could make such good Russian food!".....(I resisted the urge to add wheat flour and substite ingredients, but I didn't fry the pancakes the way my trainer taught me!).

So I got caught up reading more in my journal. I used to be so much better at writing things down! Now there is always so much I want to write but never seem to find the time. When I do write it, it's just summing things up and not really writing about them. But reading through those few years has given me such insight into who I am, and helped me to see the blessings and guidance I received when I didn't even realize it. It's been so amazing and baffling and I am so grateful I have those journals. I have felt all day these overwhelming feelings of gratitude for where I am today, and especially for a wonderful husband who is so perfectly matched to me. I don't like to even think it, but what if our paths hadn't crossed? I just can't imagine.

Well, I wanted to copy and paste some of my notes from my mission, the short summary that I wrote as I tried to think what parts to share with the youth. But it won't copy and paste, and I don't have time to type it out. Let's just say what a unique time of life and what a growing and amazing experience a mission is. Full of ups and downs, and constantly challenging you and showing you your weaknesses, and all the while experiencing such amazing joy and awesome experiences.