Well, I'm staying in Coldwater for another transfer. Pretty excited about it though, we have a lot of really cool stuff going on. Should have a couple more baptisms. We have one scheduled for New Year's Eve and he's solid as a rock, hasn't missed a day in four months. It's going to be a good transfer, even if my new companion Elder Rawlins is supposed to be a little nerdy.
I'm done training. It's weird. This has been the slowest, quickest three months of my life. December is almost half over. Then it'll be 2012. I remember last December like it was yesterday. In another year, I'll be out for almost 16 months. I'm getting ahead of myself though. So let's review the last three months....
I ....got dropped off at the MTC by my Seth and Nolan. It was pretty fun couple days before I went in. Then, met my new companion an a couple good friends. Learned that I actually have a lot stronger testimony than I thought I did. I've read the Book of Mormon twice now. Left the MTC, went to Michigan, the poorest, trashiest state ever. Almost came home (twice), saw a psychiatrist, got medicated and went my way. I threw up on a front lawn. I almost got in a fight on the basketball court with our first counselor of the bishopric. I chased around a goat a bunch. Saw a redneck kid play the banjo. Learned how to play the banjo (sort of). Knocked on a lot of doors. Went to Indiana and Ohio (oops). I met one of the coolest families ever. Helped a kid get to baptism. Have had many sleepwalking adventures. (I wake up every night at around 12:30 to 1 am and think it's morning and that we slept in) I've been sworn at a lot. Overall, I think I've grown up just a little bit... inwardly, on the surface I'm still me.
One huge thing I've learned in the last 3.5 months is that we choose whether or not we want to be successful or be happy, to a certain extent. Once we have all the tools to be happy or successful, it's all dependent upon our attitude. I could have used my mental health issues as a crutch and been lazy. I could have used them to go home. I almost did. But, for reasons unknown, I always stayed. Now, it's really fun. I love it. Sure, I miss home and doing stuff I did back then, but it's more exciting to be doing this, even if people aren't always stoked to open their doors or hear what we have to say. It's a lot more important than hanging out at the lake everyday or staying up super late. Even if those are my two favorite activities.
I thank God everyday I'm not stuck in the same situation I was stuck in two or three years ago. I really do miss a few big things though. My family being home, having the holidays without me is a sucky thought. I try to push it out of my mind. I really miss Washington state. Michigan isn't even close to as good. I really miss looking out and seeing sagebrush and desert. Why? I'm not sure. There's just something cool about it. I hate seeing dead trees. It's so depressing. But, it's pretty when it snows. But, I don't miss school at all. I do miss my friends. But, the majority of my friends are on missions too, so we're in the same boat.
But, we'll see what the next 20 months have in store for me.
Till next time,
Damon.
No comments:
Post a Comment