Once Upon a Mission

Almost four years ago in a land far and foreign to this one, I came home from pretty much the best year and a half of my life.

It's odd to me that I ever questioned whether or not I should go. Now it seems so obvious that I couldn't have chosen better. I'm currently working on a project and trying to find other students to get involved and one wrote, saying that he will be leaving on a mission in the fall, but wants to be involved with anything before then. I can't even describe how ecstatic I got on his behalf! No matter how excited he may be, I don't think he can even start to consider quite how excited he should be.

When another girl I know talked to me today about how she's going to serve a mission, it really made me think about what my mission meant to me.


Missions are taxing, difficult, heart wrenching, exhilarating, exciting, hopeful, uplifting, and defining times. They're a million things that words will never be able to explain. My mission has not only made me who I am, it has brought me every good thing since that time--sometimes literally and others through the values and traits I gained being a missionary. There are many people to thank including parents to helped send me off and people who took care of me in the great (and warm) land of Florida! It was the place I never knew I wanted to serve :)

To the kiddos and friends I know out there, start looking forward to your chance to be a missionary. There is nothing greater than doing service on behalf of the Lord. For my friends who don't share my beliefs: I still promise that the moment you think outside yourself and serve others great things start to happen.

Here's to working towards a lifetime of sharing and giving back!

Me four years ago with my last two mission companions.