Mission

This past week or so has been interesting and emotional for me, as I have been reminiscing about my mission and missing those good times. Those who know me well know that those 18 months were not a cake walk.. I'm sure they heard more complaints than about blessings! Whether it was the third world country and all that that entails, the humidity and heat, the burnt hair, ugly clothes and struggles with the language, or frustrations and pressures to baptize, I still remember all those hardships but I'm lately remembering why it was so worth it.

In my first area, the night before I got transferred I was able to see my favorite girls, Iandra and Iangela finally get baptized, but after my mission, they had moved and we lost contact. Having found them online this week after more than 2 years, it just reminds me of those wonderful people of Brazil and how grateful I am to have had that experience. I can't imagine not having gone and not meeting that family that I came to love so much.

I also learned that a woman I had taught who refused the invitation to get baptized had finally gotten baptized a year later, and it occurred to me that the fruits of our labors still surface even years after the mission. Seeing her join the Church just helped me feel more connected and that we can relate to each other; we speak the same language in the gospel. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in life and forget those miracles and experiences that once brought us so much joy. Even those difficult trials on my mission seem minor compared to the wonderful outcomes of serving and strengthening the testimonies of others and especially for myself.