Gratitude and New Definitions
Lately I have been feeling...well, not such successful thoughts. Here's why.
So, once upon a time I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a...hard time for me. I went out on my mission and got sick with Goob, my infected gallbladder, in December. When did I get to get rid of Goob? June. I apologize to all the companions that I had during that time as I am sure that often I was...less than a ray of sunshine.
So I went home for surgery. Then I recovered and went back to the Washington DC South Mission (Northern Virginia). And after a few WEEKS I was sick again. Goob Jr decided to attack my body. I had no idea what was going on. I had no idea how to make it stop. Worse...neither did any of the doctors. So I came home for good in October.
I served for eleven months. I served as best as I could for eleven months, but still sometimes I still feel like I could have done more. You have to understand, I know without a doubt that I served the mission that I was called to serve. I went where I was supposed to go, found and contacted and smiled at people I was supposed to meet. But every now and then, usually when people ask me if I knew such a such an Elder or Sister on my mission or if I was a successful missionary...I wonder if I could have done more. If I should have stayed longer. (As soon as Abby Holt sees this, she is going to laugh, because she knows how I could barely get out of bed the last month of my mission because my body was so sick, but still, these are my thoughts.)
Until today. Yesterday I was given the most beautiful gift. In my mission, missionaries have journals that they have one another sign (like a yearbook) throughout their mission or as they are going home to remind them of the people they have come so close to. I didn't get to do this since I didn't actually know I was going home until I went...so I left a journal with my dearest friend Abby Holt and had her do so for me.
I am overwhelmed by the love that exists on those pages. The things that she wrote to me. The things that other missionaries wrote to me, that members wrote, that people I taught wrote. I was shown just how much of an impact I DID have as a missionary, that I did do exactly what I was supposed to do out there in DC. I was on the Lord's errand, and am still being blessed for it.
So today, I am grateful. Grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with people in my life who took the time to show their gratitude to me for their service. Grateful to Abby for making such a wonderful gift for me. Grateful that I could go on a mission, even with the challenges that I faced. Because I was blessed. I was blessed to see miracles out there. I redefined my definition of success out there. Now, success is doing what the Lord would have me do...not what the world would. And if I did that there, if I am doing that here, I know that I am being a Daughter that He would be proud of.
So, take time to show that you are grateful. Don't be scared to show your love to other people. Because you never know how much they are going to need it like I did today.
So, to you...all of you. Success.
So, once upon a time I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a...hard time for me. I went out on my mission and got sick with Goob, my infected gallbladder, in December. When did I get to get rid of Goob? June. I apologize to all the companions that I had during that time as I am sure that often I was...less than a ray of sunshine.
So I went home for surgery. Then I recovered and went back to the Washington DC South Mission (Northern Virginia). And after a few WEEKS I was sick again. Goob Jr decided to attack my body. I had no idea what was going on. I had no idea how to make it stop. Worse...neither did any of the doctors. So I came home for good in October.
I served for eleven months. I served as best as I could for eleven months, but still sometimes I still feel like I could have done more. You have to understand, I know without a doubt that I served the mission that I was called to serve. I went where I was supposed to go, found and contacted and smiled at people I was supposed to meet. But every now and then, usually when people ask me if I knew such a such an Elder or Sister on my mission or if I was a successful missionary...I wonder if I could have done more. If I should have stayed longer. (As soon as Abby Holt sees this, she is going to laugh, because she knows how I could barely get out of bed the last month of my mission because my body was so sick, but still, these are my thoughts.)
Until today. Yesterday I was given the most beautiful gift. In my mission, missionaries have journals that they have one another sign (like a yearbook) throughout their mission or as they are going home to remind them of the people they have come so close to. I didn't get to do this since I didn't actually know I was going home until I went...so I left a journal with my dearest friend Abby Holt and had her do so for me.
I am overwhelmed by the love that exists on those pages. The things that she wrote to me. The things that other missionaries wrote to me, that members wrote, that people I taught wrote. I was shown just how much of an impact I DID have as a missionary, that I did do exactly what I was supposed to do out there in DC. I was on the Lord's errand, and am still being blessed for it.
So today, I am grateful. Grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with people in my life who took the time to show their gratitude to me for their service. Grateful to Abby for making such a wonderful gift for me. Grateful that I could go on a mission, even with the challenges that I faced. Because I was blessed. I was blessed to see miracles out there. I redefined my definition of success out there. Now, success is doing what the Lord would have me do...not what the world would. And if I did that there, if I am doing that here, I know that I am being a Daughter that He would be proud of.
So, take time to show that you are grateful. Don't be scared to show your love to other people. Because you never know how much they are going to need it like I did today.
So, to you...all of you. Success.
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