i've been trying to soak in every last day i have here in salt lake city. and by soak in, i mean stuff my face with all my favorite foods. i'm just getting a head start on that inevitable weight gain (or so i'm told) that apparently all missionaries experience. but someone please tell me it isn't true, weight gain doesn't have to happen does it? the calories not pictured, but totally worth mentioning: cafe rio, eggs in the city, farr's fresh ice cream, and homemade banana cream pie. i even have a list of places i have yet to eat but deem a must before i leave: chick-fil-a, super grinders, the dodo, and the cheesecake factory. i'll spare you the list of homemade meals and treats i'm dying to eat too… my life has become a giant calorie overload and i don't even care. not only am i enjoying a million last meals before the big departure, but i'm also preparing to experience some other lasts. last time listening to bon iver, last time downloading new music, last time watching seinfeld, last time wearing open toed shoes, last time reading blogs… the list could keep going, but i think we've all had enough lists for one day.
to those who may not know much about the life of a full-time missionary, you might be thinking why on earth would she choose to leave so much behind? and why so many "rules"? there's a reason i can't blog stalk, watch television, or call up my friends. for one, i'll be far too busy. the life of a missionary is like having 5 full-time jobs that last 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. needless to say, missionaries work hard. for the next 18 months, my life will be solely dedicated to the work of the lord. he will be my "boss" and my mentor, my mission president will be the "store manager", my companions will be my "co-workers", and my investigators will be the "customers". our "payment"? blessings, happiness, and eternal progression. our "product"? the beautiful, perfect, everlasting gospel of jesus christ. i use quotations in my analogy because i don't want people to think that missionaries try to "sell" anything – no, no! that's not it at all! we don't sell, we share! we share happiness and blessings, we share knowledge and light, we share the gift of the holy ghost and the power of priesthood, we share the words of prophets (both past and present), we share the scriptures (particularly the book of mormon), we share the power of prayer and heavenly love, we share our testimonies and life experiences. we share the truth, the absolute truth. we share the gospel of jesus christ.
i couldn't have picked a better way to spend the next 18 months of my life and i can't think of a better reason to leave so much behind. i love this church i belong to, the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, and i want to share that with everyone and anyone! and that means you too! missionary work has no departure date or homecoming, missionary work is now and forever. if you have questions or you want to know more, please don't hesitate to ask. if you'd rather explore than ask, start here at lds.org.
Post a Comment