The Three Things I Learned on My Mission.

The Three Things I Learned on My Mission.

There were plenty of things that Wisconsin taught me. Plenty of experiences that shaped me to become the Mother, friend, daughter, wife, child, member, neighbor, or human that I am today. Things that I don’t recognize now, but I recognized then. Things that I do recognize now, that I never thought about then. I am sure this will be a pattern and years from now I will still think of the mid-western state of Wisconsin as my own personal, Holy Place.

I have often thought that Wisconsin was sacred ground. A place where blood, tears, and sweat were shed. I never have felt that my mission was hard. It was fun. It was happy. It was a trial. It was faith building. It was friendship building. It was the most perfect place and time for me. August 1, 2007 until November 29, 2008 was one of the greatest times in my life.

Nic and I laughed last night as we ate Taco Bell (second time in three days!) that we both discovered the ol’ crunch wrap supreme from our missions. And how grateful we are if that’s all we learned. But luckily I learned a little more.

PLAN

I learned how important it is to spiritually create something before you actually do it. If it’s something as simple as thinking up a grocery list and planning what meals you are going to make. I think the odds in my case are 90% better that we will actually have dinner at home then if I didn’t spiritually create the idea of a meal plan. That’s something that applies now to my life more than ever. I have to think through my days, my weeks and my months to make them happen. But it has a lot to do with spiritually creating goals for myself too. Creating goals that I will serve those around me before I actually do the service.

This happened just a few months ago, when I was continually thinking of my sweet MIL, Tami. Tam Tam (as Ruby calls her) is going through a divorce. I think any divorce is ugly and painful and sad. But this makes me even more sad because of my immediate (as in, I know this person so well/they are so close to me and my family) connection to one of this relationship. I had the idea or thought or prompting (didn’t recognize that then) to go and visit her at work. To go work next to her (she had just started at jetBlue). Of course I thought it was a nice gesture. But then I didn’t realize that spiritually planning to help her, would affect her so much. She always talks about how helpful that was to her and in creating a good situation out of a bad one.

And of course my story of Lori Edgar and the Leatherbees caramel sauce. It still hits home so many times a day. And I love the Lord for teaching me these things through fun experiences and not just through trials.

BE ACTIVE IN THE GOSPEL AND BE ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH

Truth be told, I thought all Mormons were the same before my mission and still before I got married. I thought there was a pamphlet on how to be a Mormon, and if you were you would follow it. I mean if you were committed to the gospel you were doing what you should. It was a lie. A hoaxe. Many of us Mormons get by with the bare minimum. But, there were families in Wisconsin who took me in and loved me and showed me that the bare minimum doesn’t get you far. It takes time, effort, money, energy to be active in both the gospel and the church. One isn’t sufficient and one will not bring happiness without the other.

Thank you to those who loved me enough to teach me this. I love you, forever you have shaped my life. Including Mama and Papa Barr who gave up their life for three years, grandbabies were born, children were married, missionaries were called but they left those things to serve ME! And I wanna be more like them every single day. So I’m starting by going to the adult session of Stake Conference. Because President Barrett said that is where the elect hang out, and I wanna be numbered with them.

THE LORD BLESSES US

Oh my goodness! I think the phrase I used the most in 18 months, (besides “get me out of here, get me out of here, get me out heeeere” thanks Imogen!) was “THE LORD BLESSES US!” He takes care of his babies. He is the ultimate Father. And I saw it so often, so frequently was I blessed because of his care and his understanding of me, and what I needed. I have felt his hand in my life every day of my mission and literally every single day after. He doesn’t leave me, even when I’m feeling down and dirty and out and not worthy, he will never leave me!

Anyway… just a little break from doing what I should, you know SCHOOL WORK! But I love to talk about my mission. And I felt like I better write this down now before I forget how grateful I am for the great state of Wisconsin.