Things have been absolutely crazy! The mission is only a week away. Am I ready? I really don't know. This past weekend had to be the biggest of my adult life thus far. Friday night, I left my wonderful college town for my home town. Before going home, my mom and I stopped by the church activity that was going on. The Young Women were had put on a potato bar and fundraising auction for the ward. It was a really great event! I enjoyed talking to all of the ward members who I had really not seen much of over the last two and a half years aside from the occasional times I would come home.
On Saturday, I went through the temple for the first time with relatives, friends, and fellow ward members. I can say that it was special solely because it was a first and because it's sort of a rite of passage in Mormon culture. Otherwise, and I won't lie, it didn't make my "favorite things I've done" list. In fact, it didn't even make the list of "positive events of my life". Perhaps I don't understand it--that'll come in time, I know. I've been told to go again. I know that I'll go while I'm in the MTC, but honestly I'd be perfectly fine if I never went again. I'm so young and naive--I really wish I could say more positive things about the experience.
Sunday was my farewell. Many of my friends and relatives attended and that meant a lot to me. My younger sister spoke on prayer and then I spoke on missionary work. A musical number was given and then the bishop's wife spoke and the bishop said a few words as well. Then the meeting ended and I got bombarded by all of my visitors and half the regular congregation before being dragged out by the bishop's secretary to speak with the bishop. We spoke about some random stuff. He is the new bishop and I've grown up with him being one of the boys' youth leaders so I've always looked up to him.
After church (my family stayed for the whole block) we went home and had a ton of people over--relatives, family friends, and ward members. We just did a "make-your-own-sandwich" thing. I believe it went very well. I know some people do the "relatives first" thing but honestly my family's never had a missionary go out and so we had nothing to go by so we did a "people come when they come" type of thing. It was very nice and my family and I really appreciated all those who came out to support me throughout the weekend. It was, indeed, a big weekend for me.
Although I really enjoyed the weekend, I am so glad to have it over with. It did cause me a lot of anxiety because, frankly, I've been trying to ignore the fact that next week I will be on my mission. I'm not in denial and I really do want to go, but I'm scared. I'm not too worried about leaving my family behind. It's the fact that when I come back that I'll have nothing here for me and I'll have to start from scratch all over again. All my friends will be graduated, moved back to their other states or countries, and just moved on.
I look forward to the challenges of being a missionary. I look forward to the new experiences and I look forward to all that is out there, but I am a home-body. I like the place that I call home to stay the same and ready for me to come back to. Things will most certainly be different when I get back and I don't like that.
On Saturday, I went through the temple for the first time with relatives, friends, and fellow ward members. I can say that it was special solely because it was a first and because it's sort of a rite of passage in Mormon culture. Otherwise, and I won't lie, it didn't make my "favorite things I've done" list. In fact, it didn't even make the list of "positive events of my life". Perhaps I don't understand it--that'll come in time, I know. I've been told to go again. I know that I'll go while I'm in the MTC, but honestly I'd be perfectly fine if I never went again. I'm so young and naive--I really wish I could say more positive things about the experience.
Sunday was my farewell. Many of my friends and relatives attended and that meant a lot to me. My younger sister spoke on prayer and then I spoke on missionary work. A musical number was given and then the bishop's wife spoke and the bishop said a few words as well. Then the meeting ended and I got bombarded by all of my visitors and half the regular congregation before being dragged out by the bishop's secretary to speak with the bishop. We spoke about some random stuff. He is the new bishop and I've grown up with him being one of the boys' youth leaders so I've always looked up to him.
After church (my family stayed for the whole block) we went home and had a ton of people over--relatives, family friends, and ward members. We just did a "make-your-own-sandwich" thing. I believe it went very well. I know some people do the "relatives first" thing but honestly my family's never had a missionary go out and so we had nothing to go by so we did a "people come when they come" type of thing. It was very nice and my family and I really appreciated all those who came out to support me throughout the weekend. It was, indeed, a big weekend for me.
Although I really enjoyed the weekend, I am so glad to have it over with. It did cause me a lot of anxiety because, frankly, I've been trying to ignore the fact that next week I will be on my mission. I'm not in denial and I really do want to go, but I'm scared. I'm not too worried about leaving my family behind. It's the fact that when I come back that I'll have nothing here for me and I'll have to start from scratch all over again. All my friends will be graduated, moved back to their other states or countries, and just moved on.
I look forward to the challenges of being a missionary. I look forward to the new experiences and I look forward to all that is out there, but I am a home-body. I like the place that I call home to stay the same and ready for me to come back to. Things will most certainly be different when I get back and I don't like that.
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