It's weird thinking back on the Monday mornings where I've thought to
myself, "It's gonna be nuts having to write that last email"....and
now that it's here, I'm not sure what to say. The only thing that
really stands out in my mind is what came to me when I gave my final
testimony at zone conference two weeks ago.
With that being said...My first mission president, President Fenn,
told us something early on in my mission that really stuck with
me...he said, " A mission is a series of disappointing events,
interrupted occasionally by moments of indescribable joy". Yes. I
think any reasonable return missionary or current missionary could and
would agree with that statement - or I would at least hope so.
Either way, that's been the last 18 months of my life in a nutshell.
Some of the hardest, darkest moments- sprinkled here and there with
experiences that have forever changed me; easily to be ranked with the
most joyous times of my life.
As hard as it is to remember, honestly, the "disappointing
events"...the truth is, none of those things matter, or ever will. For
example. The incorrect/embarrassing things I've said in Spanish, or
the many times I've been made fun of for not communicating that well.
Doesn't matter. Or the countless times of being rejected. The
"problem" companions (?)...the ones that have become some of my
closest friends now. My personal favorite, all of the 3 or sometimes
4-a-day eating appointments, and feeling like my body would never
recover. I swear I've eaten a few thousand tortillas in the last
18months. Haha. But for real, Some of the worst times ....when one of
your investigators relapses ...or change their mind about receiving
us, after hearing anti-Mormon stuff. Oh, and can't forget the -40
degree, sometimes even colder, weather that Miss Mother Nature threw
at us this past winter. That was pretty rough too.
Okay, but here's the good part. All of that was replaced with even
better little tender mercies. Just off the top of my head... the 11yr
old investigator telling us about the "happy feeling he feels in his
stomach" when we teach him, and then him telling us the following week
about when he shared everything he learned with his little friends at
school....or his grandma who hasn't been to church in years, but cries
tears of joy when she tells us about how happy she is now that she's
going.
Haha, or while on exchanges, contacting a homeless man in the street
and crying with him as we watch "Because of Him" <----- if you haven't
seen it....DO IT NOW!!!
Or the sweet little 80something yr old investigator walking at his
slow pace into church, even though he doesn't feel well and he should
probably be back home.
The grandparents of two other investigators, the ones who haven't been
to church in 20+ yrs but ask what they need to do to start taking the
sacrament again, because they want the happiness they once had, back
in their family.
And my personal favorite? Ending all of this with a nice bike ride
home in the dark, surrounded by the little fireflies. As cheesy as it
sounds-- it's really the best thing ever.
I guess that is what my mission has been. So much "hard", filled with
so much "better". I've found that the best always comes after the days
that seemed would never end. I'm so thankful for the decision I made
almost 2 years ago to serve. I left some, but gained even more.
I know that God loves us all so much. It's easy to see! He has given
us our families. The gospel. And more importantly, He has given us His
son, Jesus Christ. I know Christ lives and is the way for us to return
spotless to our Heavenly Father.
I can't wait to see all of you shortly! Thanks a million for the
support and love you've sent out here to me over the last year and a
half!
Love you all!
Hermana Mortensen
First day. Last day.
I LOVE CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
....mind you it was supposed to rain today, but I was blessed with
some killer blue skies! #Imgoingtomissthisplace
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