I'm
not exactly the best writer or the most creative mind out there, but these are
just stories from my point of view being a returned missionary. I'm not trying
to glorify myself, just trying to better express who I am.
Yesterday marked the 1st year of me being home from my LDS
mission in Veracruz, Mexico. And the saying is true, those were the absolute
best 2 years of my entire life. But what many don't know is that the year that
has followed has probably been the hardest year of my life. Maybe I'm the only
one that thinks life after the mission is hard or maybe there are many others
that feel the same. Let me first tell you what an amazing experience it was to
be of this world, but not apart of it for 2 years.
Imagine being able to be 100% dedicated to something that
you love so much. Imagine not being distracted by social media, television,
computers, movies and cell phones. Imagine knowing that there is nothing better
that you could be doing with your life at that moment and being 100% sure that,
that is where you should be. Imagine waking up every single day knowing that
you were going to be able to change someone's life. Imagine being able to
dedicate all day every day to sharing love and kindness with every person you
come into contact with. Imagine that the only thing you were stressed about is
how you were going to be able to help out people that you loved so much.
Imagine knowing that as you put yourself, your worries, your problems and your
thoughts behind you to serve others, you were going to become a better person.
Imagine being a literal representative of the most perfect man to walk on this
earth, Jesus Christ. This is only a small fraction of the joy that comes out of
those 2 years.
Now imagine feeling like you are soaring through the sky and
your fly time runs out and everything comes to a screeching halt for you to
realize it is time to go back to reality. The time comes that you have to come
home and it's a love/hate relationship with that decision because you love your
family that has not seen you for 2 years, but you hate to leave this new family
that you have grown to love. As the time ticks down and you say your good-byes
to these people and missionaries who have become your brothers and sisters and to
an amazing couple that have become your 2nd set of parents. They have guided,
uplifted, motivated, and strengthened you in the hardest of times.
You step on
the plane only to realize that it is all over. The last 2 years of your life
literally felt like a dream. They flew by faster than a blink of an eye.
Reality sets in as you are on the airplane just imagining what it will be like
to see your family all over again. The questions start in your head, Who will
be there? Will they look different? What will be the first food I eat? Will I
recognize my family members? As we landed in Salt Lake City, the dream was over
and reality set in, I'm really home. I'm not a missionary anymore. It takes
awhile to accept because you have become so accustom to living this life that
you didn't know any other way of life.
I remember it was 6:45 p.m. another missionary and I had
just been on flights and lay overs for over 13 hours. We left at 6:05 a.m. and
went back in hour in time zones. We walked through the airport with undecided
anticipation. As we come down the escalator I see my mother, my step-dad, my
step-sister, my brother-in-law, and my grandma in a wheel chair. The escalator
felt like it was going in slow-mo. We walked towards are families and as we are
entering in the luggage pick-up room, this person came from the side of me and
hugged me. I had absolutely no idea who it was. It was only about 15 minutes
later I half way accepted that, that was my little brother, who wasn't so
little anymore. Of course what followed was lots of hug and tears and catching
up as they all made fun of my new found Mexican Accent.
Now this post isn't all about my LDS mission, but more of
what happens after that. But fast forward a year later and there hasn't been a
day that has gone by that I don't remember those amazing experiences and
amazing people I met. The first question you ask yourself when you come home
is, what now? Will I go to school? Where will I go to school? What will I do?
Do I get a job? Where should I apply? After things settle down and you get some
of those things figured out an even more serious question starts to come to
mind, Marriage?. Now before you start criticizing the typical Mormon idea of
getting married so quickly, let me tell you my perspective on the subject. And
believe me, before my mission I criticized the returned missionaries that would
get married 6 months after being home. But after living 2 years side by side a
companion, having someone around you literally 24/7, and being around someone
you share the same intentions with; it becomes something you like to have. So
upon returning from my mission, the first few weeks were rough because I didn't
have a companion. I felt extremely weird going anywhere alone. I felt a little
alone because there was no one around that I had that deep of relationship
with, no one that I could share my thoughts and feelings with that would
understand what is going on. It was then that I realized why missionaries get
married so soon after being home from their missions. You want someone with
whom you can share your interests, goals, desires, thoughts and feelings. Of
course everyone will tell you to live up the single life while you can and I
understand that, but why not get started on your life and have someone to go
through that with you? Apart from that the Presidency of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Apostles have advised to get married before
you become to focused on your career or education. I know it seems kind of
radical, but my perspective on it is; How much more focused and how much more
can you accomplish in your career and education, if you don't have to worry
about the opposite sex and dating because you are already married. And apart
from that how great would it be to have someone there 24/7 for you, supporting
and encouraging you through your education and career? Now I'm not trying to
convert you or persuade you on getting married early, I'm just helping you see
it through my eyes. For me, this has been the real struggle knowing what has been
counseled, trying to follow it and not being able to reach it. The one thing
that will always motivate me and I hope can motivate you, is that God loves
each and everyone of us and He his plan for us is perfect. He will do
everything in his own time. We just have to give Him our hand so He can lead us
to reach our full potential that we can not see. I love you all and Thank you
for taking your time to read this. I would love any comments or feedback.
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