I would do my best to compile the amazing past 18 months of my life
into an email. Idea credit on this one goes to my lovely Hermana
Traub, a friend of mine who just finished her mission last month and
did this same thing. So, here's 18 things I've learned in 18 months:
1. SPANISH! Finally :)
2. This gospel is completely and totally true. I think that before my
mission I strongly believed it and knew certain truths of the gospel,
but I now know without a doubt that it is completely true.
3. Being a missionary is a privilege, responsibility, and a blessing.
If you take it as such, it will have the most incredible impact on
your life.
4. If someone gives you a chili pepper smaller than your pinky finger,
it's probably going to make you cry. If it's bigger, you're probably
safe. Unless you're a wimp.
5. Christlike attributes will get you a whole lot further in life than
you think.
6. Trials and tribulations are a huuuuge blessing. Without them, we
could never become who we need to be.
7. When the spirit prompts you to do something, DON'T question it! If
you do, it might be to late and you'll regret it forever (okay maybe
not forever, but no degree of regret is fun, so just don't risk it).
8. When you stop thinking about yourself and just turn outward, life
takes on a whole new meaning. And it's a better one.
9. When a gate has a "beware of dog" but you assume it's just the
typical Hispanic home with a chihuahua, ALWAYS have an escape plan,
just in case. If not, you may get chased by a Rottweiler and have to
bang your way through a broken gate.
10. Repentance is a blessing, not a burden. And we should be doing it daily.
11. In the grand scheme of things, the only person you can really
change is you. So rather than trying to take away the agency of
others, use your agency to teach lead by example, showing people the
right way.
12. The atonement is there not only to heal and redeem us, but to
enable us and let us be strengthened. Christ didn't just suffer so we
could be forgiven, he suffered so that we could turn to him in any and
every circumstance and have him help us to be perfected, little by
little.
13. Taking a "my way or the highway" approach with God is a bad idea.
I know it's easier said than done, but his way is always better so
just take it. The thing is, God has a perfect plan for each and every
one of us, but he will never force us to follow it. Although if we do,
it will bring us more happiness than we could imagine.
14. There's not much comfort in the growth zone, but there's also not
much growth in the comfort zone.
15. Spending all day every day for 18 months with a female has been a
lot more fun than I thought it would be. With that said, it makes me
very grateful that the person I will be spending eternity with is
going to be a male, not a female haha
16. If you just have faith (and I mean actual faith- the kind you
actually act on, not just something you believe and don't do anything
about) things are gonna turn out okay.
17. Morning essentials: a glass of milk, guacamole takis, sincere
prayer, and scripture study. If you have those four things in the
morning, the day is always better :)
18. Nothing in this world makes me happier than the gospel of our
savior Jesus Christ.
Well, friends, that just about sums it up. I couldn't have asked for a
better way to spend the last year and a half of my life, and I
couldn't be more grateful for the things I have learned. It sure
doesn't feel real, and I sure don't feel ready, but I guess my time
has come to start the next chapter of my life.
If any of you would like to be at the airport when I arrive, I believe
my flight is scheduled to get in at 2:12pm on Tuesday august 9th!
Also, my homecoming will be on the 14th at 1:00pm. If you have any
questions or whatever just talk to my mom :)
I am so grateful to each and every one of you for your love and
support through this incredible journey. And I applaud you for putting
up with roughly 78 emails full of awkward stories, details you don't
care about, awful grammar and writing structure, random spiritual
tangents, and one weirdly happy sister missionary.
"Well done, good and faithful [readers]" -Matthew 25:23 :)
Love,
Hermana Lewis
Pictures:
1. MLC this week with my faves :)
2. Just a lovely reminder!
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