Day

I've decided to shift gears. Redesign if you will. For future missionaries, family, friends, and the rest of the internet world, here are my experiences. This is what it is like to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the beautiful Nasvhille, Tennessee.
 I'll start off with yesterday. Oh, yesterday... I was warned well in advance and multiple times that missions are hard. Yesterday was one of those days. I was wondering if my work was amounting to anything, if I was here for the right reasons, am I really listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, etc. Just missionarywhoneedstofocusonthework syndrome. I admit I was pretty bummed that, within the space of a week, the two investigators Sister Valentine and I had who had the most amazing spiritual experiences decided to make choices that weren't in line with the gospel. Dang it. And to top it all off, I received no mail for about a week and a half. None. And as a missionary, getting mail is better than payday (which we don't have actually... we pay to come out and serve).
  So I was quiet. When I am quiet, it's usually because I don't want to concern others with the sad things in my mind. And then I just look depressing. I am no poker champion when it comes to emotions. I was at the library writing down and organizing my thoughts and how I might conquer them. Right after that, Sister Valentine and I left to go to an appointment. Our apartment was on the way, so we stopped to check mail and grab a few small things. To the mailbox it is. Sister Valentine opened it up, and there were not one, not two, but SIX letters!! Two for Sister Valentine and four for me! I could not believe it. Then I saw the return addresses... I had no idea who these people were. I saw the name "elder" (the term we use for boy missionaries) written on every single one. Sister Valentine's dear sweet missionary friend serving in Washington state had some of the elders in his district write me a few letters welcoming me to the mission field. I've been out for about four weeks now. Each letter had its own words of encouragement for me to pray, focus on the gospel, and stay happy, because this gospel is a happy one!
  Those four elders did so much for me yesterday that they don't even know. They related to me what it is like to be new, to not know your way around as well as you'd like in the life of a missionary, and how you can overcome it. It was exactly what I needed.
  So, this new start goes out to Elder Ottley, Elder Smith, Elder Bale, and Elder Liu from the Kennewick, Washington mission. Props to you for helping this missionary remember her purpose and helping her come closer to Christ!