Mom. Wow. Never did I think a computer screen would bring as much spirit and emotion as it has today. As I've been reading your and dad's emails and others and going through MyPlan has caused me a lot of reflection. And I am just overflowing with gratitude as I reflect on these amazing, spirit-filled past 2 years. I'll never forget them or the impact they have had and will have on me for the rest of my life. I'm excited, and even though I am pretty undecided about much of the future and don't know what it holds, I am excited for the transition and to see what Heavenly Father has in store for me. It's interesting that both you and dad both mentioned being in the moment. For our departing interviews president asks the departing missionaries to answer 2 questions: 1. Something we've learned that will help us the rest of our lives. 2. Something we learned from one or more of our companions. Being around President Badger for a while I've gotten to hear many of the common answers to #1: How to love people, study habits, personal prayer/relationship with Heavenly Father, how to be personable. And those are definitely all at the top of my list as well. But as I sat down last week in studies and made my list of things I have learned, 1 stuck out that I moved up in the list and that I decided to share with President Badger that surprised me: How to live in the moment, and still plan for the future.
I realized in reflection that at the beginning of my mission, when I was being trained and experiencing the usual homesickness, that much of my homesickness was from the "disconnected" feeling. I feel like in today's world we always have so many text/snapchat/facebook conversations and other things going on that it keeps our minds from being fully invested in the task at hand. Of course as a missionary you get out of that mindset technology wise. But it teaches a very important skill of being able to be fully invested and being able to fully enjoy whatever it is that is happening. I feel like that has helped me so much these past few weeks be able to enjoy the end of my mission to the fullest because I haven't been longing for the day that I go home to come, like I have unfortunately seen some missionaries do so it was a blessing to know not to focus on that. I think President and Sister Badger think I'm in denial that I'm going home because I never talk about it but that's ok :) I love it here, I have loved every day the past 24 months and 1 day, I am going to love the next 5 days, and I'm going to love getting home and getting off that airplane on Friday. When the time comes.
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"
"Come what may and love it"
Love you mom,
Love, for the last time, ELDER Cox
No comments:
Post a Comment