Nine Years Back

Nine years ago today I returned from serving a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I served for 18 months in the England London South Mission and it truly was the best mission in the world!

I was recently talking to some of my mission friends and we were reminiscing on our last nights in the mission. I think at the end of something as intense and trying as a mission you can't help but reflect and wonder if you did a good enough job, if you worked hard enough or if God was pleased with you. We all came to the same conclusion- that not matter how much we had seen ourselves fail and struggle we had ultimately worked every single day and completed our time as missionaries with honor. We felt peace that we had done enough, that our work and sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord and that He loved us for how we'd served.

I was eventually companions with all three sisters in this picture of my very first district.

I have often looked back and wondered what more I could have done for those that I taught and served with. While serving I always felt that I was working my hardest but it is so easy to look back and let your failures get the best of you. I am grateful for the members I am still friends with who help me to see that I made a small impact in their wards. I am grateful for the people I taught who continue to live according to the Gospel. I am grateful for those I taught who never accepted the gospel but whose experiences in learning about it changed me forever. And I am especially grateful for my companions who pushed me, loved me, taught me and sometimes annoyed me. I learned so much from them and will always treasure our time together!

Since returning from the best 18 months of my life I have had the best 9 years of my life. It's been filled with struggles and hardships but I can say that it's been wonderful overall. I am not a big goal setting person (don't tell President Swinton) but when I returned from my mission I made it a point to visit the temple as often as I could. In Utah that was easy, I never lived more than 15 minutes from a temple, but when I moved to California it took a little more work to travel the 100 miles to Los Angeles. I decided that I could reasonably go at least once a month and set it as a goal. I often took carloads of friends to LA on Fridays and made a day of it. Other times I went alone or sat in traffic for hours but it was always a good time anyway.

That seemingly simple plan to attend the temple every month has made all the difference in my life. I have been thinking about it's significance lately and it really is the thing that has kept my testimony of the Gospel strong no matter what else seemed to be going wrong. I have gone every single month for the last nine years no matter what- if we were traveling, had a tiny baby, or were so busy our calendars were about to explode. Since the passing of my brother it has meant even more to me and I feel such peace when I am there. I will forever be grateful for my decision to serve a mission and how it set a strong foundation of service in the Church that continues to make my life wonderful today. 

This year I have added to my goal and plan to take Topher there once a month to see the temple and walk around the grounds. I am hoping it will help him love it there as much as I do!