Some of my Favorite Missionary Things

I thought I would mix things up just a little and share some things I found about return missionaries. Here is a video created about the church:

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/collection/mormon-channel-videos/the-value-of-a-full-time-mission

Here is one of my favorite talks:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-opportunity-of-a-lifetime?lang=eng&query=return+missionary



                                          

I wish I had something to remind me that I actually did go on a mission other than pictures and memories. I miss it daily, I know I have mentioned that multiple times, but it's true. When I think about the people so far away I get teary-eyed thinking about how much I miss them. It's okay. We just have to remember that they will always be apart of our family.

Preparing for General Conference

General Conference is coming up next week, for those of you who do not know what this is, it's where our prophet, apostles, and other church leaders speak to us and give us directions for life. It happens twice a year and for us mormons, it feels like Christmas morning.... ha okay that may be a little extreme, but it is pretty great.

The cool thing about conference is that if you come prepared to learn you will learn. I had never done that before I served as a missionary. I loved waking up Sunday morning, staying in my pajamas and eating muddie buddies, while my mom told us to sit up straight. My dad always told us he was "resting his eyes" we believed him until he would start to snore. 

When I was in Wisconsin, that changed, and I learned the importance of preparing. A week or two before conference I started to think of some questions that I had for my life. Examples being; what can I do to better improve my relationship with my Heavenly Father, or what is in my life that is keeping me from being completely happy. You know those cool soul searching kind of things. 

The first time I did this I was blown away. I wrote down my questions in my study journal and then next to every time I received an answer I put a little A with a square around it. The whole thing was dotted with A after A. I couldn't believe it. Things that were so specific and so sacred to me were being answered by men and women I had never met. My testimony of conference changed after that and I knew that if this could happen to me, it could happen to anyone. 

I want you guys to know that the reasons why I know this is cause I tested it. I wanted to try it so I did. So instead of just getting excited to eat muddy buddies, I am pretty darn excited for the teachings that are coming. For the men and women who after months and months have sought inspiration to know what we need to know. I am so thankful for them.

On lds.org there are so many examples of how to prepare for general conference but I have included a couple of links to blogs who have great tips as well. Enjoy :) 

http://becksome.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-i-study-general-conference.html

http://foodstorageandbeyond.com/2013/03/the-ultimate-general-conference-activity-packet/

Sharing the Gospel... Member Style!

Hello all! This post may be a wee bit different than my usual rants, but I wanted to share about how I have continued to share my beliefs with others now that I don't have that nice little name tag to hide behind.

It can still be totally scary sharing something so personal to you with others. I think that goes for anything you hold dear to your heart. But like almost all missionaries, I made a promise that I would do better at fulfilling my calling as a member missionary. I had big plans, big plans people. I was going to convert the world and be the best member missionary that's ever been. Ask me if that has happened, and I will tell you, sadly, not even close. But this is what I have been doing to try and make a difference.

I got lucky. I have an incredible friend who is getting back on the path that rocks of righteousness. She is a member of the church and she is super stellar. I adore the girl, she has been a great friend and recently has decided she wants to do things right and prepare to get married in the temple. She actually just got engaged to a guy who is a great support. Cool huh, the reason I am sharing this is because when I got home she asked me if I could go over the missionary lessons with her. I was so touched.... and teared up a little. We haven't done them a ton and that is totally my bad, but when we do it feels a lot like the good old days. She knows the gospel is true and we've talked to missionaries but we all agreed her and I could just talk about it. Whenever there is truth, you will find the spirit and man that is a good feeling. This was one way that was kind of handed to me but I have enjoyed every minute of it because it has strengthened my testimony. Especially regarding the fact that you can still feel the spirit as you share your testimony with others around you.

Another thing I do is making sure I am fulfilling my calling. I am in the Relief Society Presidency and so when I am there I try and sit by someone new and awkwardly ask them to be my friend :) Worked in elementary school and it works now! I have met some way cool people like this. But even if you do not have a calling that puts you in a situation to meet new people. Do what you did on the mission and go through the ward list, pick out people you do not know and make cookies. I mean everyone loves cookies... especially me, you can swing by my house anytime :)

I have a couple of friends who are not members of the church, but let's be real we are in Utah here and believe it or not they have heard about the church before ;) They usually have preconceived notions about it and have made up their mind that this is not what they want in their life. That is okay, it does not mean we love them any differently, nor should we feel guilty they don't want it. That doesn't have anything to do with you. Just be yourself. When the gospel is the center of your life it will ooze out of you and you will have many opportunities to share your beliefs in a very non weirdo kind of way.

It is definitely harder to share the gospel in a natural kind of way, but when it comes up take any opportunity. I am still pretty awkward I feel like anyway. And when you've been gone for a year and a half there is not much you can talk to people about regarding world entertainment or what not. So naturally a lot of things relate back to experiences I had while serving. I don't think there is anything bad about that, and I am 100% it annoys some people but who cares. That was my life and I want to share it with anyone it just becomes a part of who you are.

Feeling Nostalgic?

I just hit my three month mark of being home yesterday. How crazy is that. It doesn't feel real, and when I think about it I still miss the mission so much. So I am going to mention a few of the things I miss about being a missionary.

1. Meeting so many new people every day -- I feel that you just don't meet people on the mission. You get to know them in a very personal and intimate way because you are always talking about spirituality, pretty much all the time. I really miss that. I miss hearing about why people are the way they are.

2. Learning -- There is nothing quite as fulfilling as sitting in a meeting soaking in so much knowledge that feels so good and so right. I mean school is cool.... but it's nothing like sitting in a zone conference.

3. The purpose of doing something you know is important -- You are able to impact lives on the mission. Every day you know you are doing something that is worthwhile. Something you know is so important to everyone and you get to share it with others. It's a pretty good feeling to be able to do that every day.

4. The people -- I sure miss all of the friends I made in Wisconsin. They feel like family, well now they are apart of my family, and I miss them as much as ever.

5. Recognizing the spirit -- I know I know, you can still feel the spirit when you are not a missionary. No doubt about that. But it is also different. Back in the "Real World" you are so busy with things you know are not the most important things, but are still things you have to do... if that makes sense. Like worrying about school, bills, friends, church callings etc. They are all good things, but man they make you busy. I felt that on the mission you have a calling to bring the truth to people and that gives you some pretty powerful revelation. Back home, I feel anyway, that because you are so busy it is harder to recognize that. I need to find a way to be better with this. Let me know if you have any ideas.

There are lots of things I miss. But I also love being able to be home. I am so grateful I can go home on the weekends and my mom will cook me food. :)  I also love that when I am sick or struggling in anyway I now know the tools I have to get through things, especially with our very loving Heavenly Father.... and my very loving parents.

 I was reading in my scriptures the other day and I will just share a quick thing of what I learned. This is revelation given to Oliver Cowdery in Doctrine and Covenants Section 8 (you can find this on lds.org) it says:

"Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of the old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture which has been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit."

I think this is so cool because of what we are doing in our lives right now. I don't know about you, but I am not translating scripture. I am just trying to do well in school, but I know the Lord cares about that. I know that He knows my mission, and He knows the things I have learned. And He knows that I miss it, but if I learned anything at all from the Mission and from our Savior, it is that he pushes us out of our comfort zone again and again and again. So now it's time to move forward and makes this next year and a half, the best one I've ever had by remembering and living the things I learned from being a missionary.

If you would like some additional information, here is an awesome link I found for some advice.
http://www.thereturnedmissionary.com/advice-for-returned-missionaries/

Funny Awkward Return Missionary Stories

So what is better than an awkward missionary story? Multiple awkward missionary stories. I tell ya, these are good!! I asked some of my friends and family to share a little something something about when they came home. It is hilarious. This is definitely my favorite post so far. Enjoy, and let me know what you think :)

Bryce shared this little number:

"One evening within the first few days of me being back... My family and I were leaving out the front door to go somewhere. I was in front of everyone ready to leave and then I had "missionary muscle memory" kick in as I began to kneel to pray before we left out the door. My whole family thought it was the funniest thing ! I did to.. I was dyin."

Kami shared this:

"So the fellas expect a hug and the end of the date. And instead of giving a hug you change the conversation to.... Giving his car a name. Then he gives you a hug and you lean in like Sheldon off the Big Bang Theory and awkwardly embrace!" -- Who can relate to this? Hands in the air!!

Kaohi said:

"So my funny is story is coming home and not understanding social media and what is the "in" site to use. My cousins had to explain it to me in different examples of the same experience to help me understand what I should post on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter because it has changed.

Also getting a phone and asking my 9 year old sister to help me figure out how to work it. And then her shaking her head and saying, "oh kaohi!"

Oh and not being able to leave my mothers side or be alone. Sometimes I would have to resort to taking my dog with me so I'm not alone :)"

Lorri shared this, I was laughing really hard on this one because I almost shared a mormon.org card with a girl in Cafe Rio in Salt Lake City when I first got home... pretty sure she had heard about the church before:

"After boarding the New York Chinatown bus around midnight, I found an empty seat and hoped to relax and maybe even sleep during the four hour trip to Washington DC. I was on my way to meet my mission trainer, who was getting married, and college friend, who randomly knew my trainer.  A flustered girl about my age plopped down on the seat next to me. She thought for a few moments then turned to me and said "I'm sorry by I just have to talk with someone. I just lost my favorite shoes in a cab." I listened to her recount her terrible day of an interview and then losing her shoes, which sounds like it would be brief but I got no sleep on the 4 hour bus ride. Since I had contacted lots of people on public transportation on my mission, it felt totally natural and normal to bring up the gospel with this girl. I don’t remember how I did it exactly but I awkwardly invited her to learn about Jesus Christ. She shot me down before I even had the whole sentence out. She wanted to talk forever about things important to her: the shoes and the interview. I wanted to talk about something important to me: religion. It seemed like a fair and normal exchange except I had brought up the taboo subject of my personal belief in Jesus Christ. Apparently I had a lot to learn and remember about how to deal with strangers in America."

Adam, my brother-in-law shared this, one of the first things he said to me was referring to this... followed by that lovely little question: 

"Not the most awkward, but rather, the most common awkward event that happens to all RM's all came down to a single, solitary, yet extremely loaded, question: "How was your mission?

This frequently used question is rarely used in a setting in which a RM has an appropriate amount of time to give a quality summary of past years events, But typically used in the place of casual salutations in situation like waiting in line at a grocery store, in the hall between church meetings, or mid-wave from the old guy in his garden while you are on your morning jog.

How does one expect a quality crisp answer in such candid situations? And how could a person abridge 1 1/2 - 2 years into small phrase or paragraph while still doing your mission justice?

Also, there are serious ramifications if you answer poorly. If you answer the question with "It was fun", People are quick to judge you as a Goof-off. If your answer is "It was tough", then you are a sissy because "garden grandpa's" granddaughter served and it was not tough. If "it was a good time", then you didnt take the mission serious and you short-changed the Lord.

It's awkward.  It's an inevitable question. I personal chose to use the response, "It was great!" then nothing more to preserve the integrity of my mission and the reputation I have in the mind of the old folk in the neighborhood.

As much as I hate that question. I undoubtedly use it on every recently returned missionary.... Because it part of the RM experience."

Lexi said:

"So my family isn't really into public praying over food and stuff like that. We live by the spirit of having a prayer in your heart. However, on my mission I got into the habit of saying a vocal prayer when at restaurants. My first lunch after getting home we went to a local restaurant that I love. We got our food and I folded my arms and looked expectantly at my parents. They both looked at me like I was a little crazy, then at each other. They laughed and reluctantly folded their arms and I said the prayer. They teased me for a while after that one. I said prayers in my head at restaurants when I was with them after that. 

Justin said: 

"I would always answer the phone by saying, 'Hey, this is Elder Brown."

Kelly shared:

"One time I said "gracias" to an Asian lady in a candy store!" and "there's the classic you shake a man's hand, not hug. And a guy goes in for a hug and you extend your hand and he awkwardly body shakes you!"

Okay this one is probably my favorite Carson said:

"I work at SUU, and we had to make phone calls out to students to promote something for the school. If they didn’t answer, we were supposed to leave a message. As I was leaving a message to a student, I gave him the information about the activity and accidentally ended it with “And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.” I caught myself right before I finished the whole phrase by hanging up."

Well I sure hope you have enjoyed these as much as I have. Holy smokes, at least they help you realize you are so not alone in being this awkward... and if you haven't experienced this well, you've got some work to do.