Have some fun :)

9. Work as if everything depends on you... because it does. But when the day is over, be finished with it. NO REGRETS.

I feel like I've touched on this already... but I seriously can't stress this enough. Just like Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Forget yourself and get to work." That's what we are out there to do. We're there to work, to serve, to love. And if you go to bed every night completely exhausted and when you finish your prayers, you truly feel like you've done everything you could possibly do that day, then that's all that matters.

(Hay... from the field!!! ha ha get it??! ...sad missionary humor)

10. If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong.

I've touched on this too... but I really did struggle with this. And after a few weeks of feeling like a "robot" I had had enough. I was seriously comtemplating going home because how could I really feel good about what I was doing for 18 months not having fun? Once I realized that I needed to be myself and I needed to have a little fun, it seriously made all the difference in the world. It kind of goes along with this post, because everyone needs a little pick-me-up now and then... so do it. As long as you're being obedient, have a little fun :)

(preaching to anyone who will listen)

Well, there ya have it. This was seriously so much fun being able to reminisce about my time as a missionary. Maybe more fun for me then for all of you, ha! Anyway... I hope you're all excited because my final posts from Europe are coming up next! Come back soon, okay?? :)

Miracles

8. Remember, God is an UNCHANGING God of miracles. Believe in miracles. BE THE MIRACLE.

Be ready for them. Because you'll witness miracles. Every. Single. Day. They might not be the huge, in your face kind of miracles. But they will happen. I'll share a story with you that I don't share too often...

In my first area of my mission, the first apartment we were living in just so happened to be right above a bar. Fitting for the missionaries right?? We didn't mind at all, but it probably wasn't the best idea for our living quarters. So, after living in a sister's attic for a few weeks (bless her heart. we loved it up there.) We got our very own cute little house. A house! It was a two story house with 3 bedrooms upstairs. Anyway, one night I got woken up around 2:30 a.m. by someone banging on our back door. I'm a very light sleeper, so of course I sit right up and freeze. It happens again. So I wake up my companion...

"Sister... SISTER... Someone is at our back door."

My poor companion... still trying to wake up... now hears the banging because they keep doing it. So we jump out of bed and try to look out the windows to see if we could see anyone outside. Then the banging turns into jiggling the door handle. (I should also tell you that all of our windows were open, it was super nice outside. AND our cell phone and car keys were all downstairs. We. Are. Brilliant.) So, we panic knowing that someone is trying to get INSIDE our house at 2:30 in the morning... and hide in the nearest closet. And... to make matters worse... just as we were trying to close the closet door, we hear our back door open and footsteps make their way into our house.

Just a little side note: If any of you know me... you KNOW that my biggest fear is someone breaking into my house... so you can imagine what was going through my head at that moment. The closet we hid in had those accordion type doors that you could only close completely from the outside... So we couldn't close the door all the way. We only had a teensy little crack that we could look through and you better believe that I was focused on that crack of light the entire time we were huddled in that closet.

("the" closet. I went back and had to get a picture)

My companion and I were squatting (yes, squatting. not sitting) and holding hands for over an hour just praying to know what to do. I can't even begin to tell you how hard I was praying for some sort of miracle to get us out of there. We both kept whispering to each other not to move... and after squatting and praying, squatting and praying, we both looked at each other and said, "let's go!" And we did.

I picture us being in some high action movie busting out of the closet and running down the stairs... grabbing our car keys and cell phone and getting the heck out of there! We never did find out who was in our house... they never came upstairs and didn't take a single thing. (unless they helped themselves to a BoM or a Word of Wisdom pamphlet) But I do know that God was watching over us that night... That we were part of a huge miracle... And I'm so grateful that nothing happened and we got the heck out of there!

Be yourself.

6. Remember, God never asked you to be perfect. He just asked for you to try your best.

I kind of touched on this in my last post. And I feel like this applies not only to missionaries, but to everyone. I think sometimes we get caught up in trying to do everything and wanting it all to turn out perfect... and when it doesn't, we feel like we failed. NOT true. I remember meeting with my mission president for the first time on the mission and having a TOTAL breakdown. (I'm not crazy I promise.) But I could not get over the fact that I felt like I wasn't doing all that I could and that I wasn't being myself. My mission president's wife looked at me and said:

"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."

I can't tell you how much that helped me. They also told me that I just need to be myself and that Heavenly Father will be happy with that. From that moment on, I did just that. And I was content. I knew that I was putting my best self forward and in turn, I was doing my best. And that was all that mattered.

(some of the sisters in the NHMM at zone conference)

7. Be 100% obedient. Because you want to. Not because you have to.

I love this one. And I couldn't agree more. We all know the mission rules guidelines. I put it like that because they are not rules. We're out there all on our own for the most part. Yes, we check in with District Leaders and our Mission President... but we all know how easy it could be to not follow the schedule set out for us. The thing is, is that before we submit our papers and before we get out mission call, we know what we're in for. So why not live it. And love it. If you're going to DO the missionary work, BE obedient. It's one of the only ways that missionary work WORKS the way that it does.

(my first baptism in the field. Sister PJ Bushee was baptized in Westport, NY)

happiness and treats

4. you can go home... perfect your language, go please every missionary or member who you weren't able to get through to... you can have the best number record left behind you... but you cannot get back being happy.

I have to admit, I struggled with this at the beginning of my mission... not that I like to admit that or anything. But man, missionary work is hard! You can't help but feel like you could've done MORE every night when you go to sleep. Often times, I prayed to know that was I was doing was enough... that I was doing all that I could. Once I understood what true missionary work was all about, I was able to let go of those fears and worries and just do my thing. And I was happy. I was happy with my work, I was happy with my studies, I was happy with my companion. Happy is a key word to a successful mission.

(ps. this was a huge mistake! 90 degrees outside and 90% humidity... and then having to wear a sweater all day? not smart.)

5. Treat yourself. Everyday. Whether it be a scoop of ice cream, a nice shower, or jammin out to the hymns before bed (or jumping on the bed... we've done that too) everyday. DO IT.

AMEN. TO. THAT. I should leave it at that... but I won't. Because my saving grace during my mission happened to be McDonalds or Taco Bell every single p-day. Yes, I chose to treat myself with fatty, non healthy foods once a week. And yes, I loved it. My weekly diet coke was seriously a life saver. I'm not sure if it was the extra dose of caffiene that helped me throughout the week, but I don't even care. I needed that. And so will you. Maybe not caffiene. Or french fries. Or a bean and cheese burrito. But everyone needs a treat. So make sure that when you "forget yourself and get to work" that you take a treat or two along the way.

(the "colossal" breakfast... which the owner told us it was free if we ate the whole thing. and I'm a little embarassed to say I did. however, my companion did not... which meant that we did pay for our breakfast. shooooot.)