Mission Life

Today we had the opportunity to speak with the High Council at church and tell them about our mission. We sat down at a conference table that was surrounded by about 12 men in suits and were given 10 minutes to share our mission experiences.

Everytime we have the opportunity to talk about our mission I get so homesick for Ukraine and our dear friends there. It is impossible to sum up 18 months of missionary service in 10 minutes. I couldn't sleep last night as I thought about the most important things I should remember to share.

My mind raced...... I must remember to mention the Health Fair,

and the Strengthening Families classes,

oh......... and I should tell the wonderful stories some of the members of the church shared with us about how their families were using some of the skills they learned in the classes,

and oh.................... I have to mention how much we loved having the missionaries in our home for district meetings each week, and how much we learned from them,

and what a miracle it was to see Olga get baptized and to see she and Vitaly married and planning to go to the temple,

and I have to mention sweet Anya, and Marina and her family and what an inspiration they were to us,

and I must tell them about the faithful Saints who save all year to go to the temple in Freiberg,

and I have to mention our wonderful Mission Presidents and their wives and how much we felt loved and supported by them,

and I must remember to share how much my testimony of Jesus Christ grew, and how our marriage was strengthened, and I can't leave out the wonderful experience we had at the Missionary Training Center,

and finally, I must remember to mention that we thought we were going to Ukraine to serve the people of Ukraine but after serving their for 18 months we learned that we went to Ukraine for our own personal growth.

Which really is the most important thing.......................

Bruce and I learned so much about ourselves, and one another, things we could have only learned through this incredible experience.

My mind raced all night........

and as I sat around that table and tried to convey the feelings of my heart and how much I loved being a missionary I simply had to trust the Lord would help me to find the words that would convey the truly life changing experience UKRAINE was for us.

I remember a conversation with President Fry shortly before we left as he counciled us to share the wonderful experiences we had as missionaries and not to focus on the challenges we faced.

Looking back, the challenges seem small and insignificant.

There is nothing left to say.

A part of me will always be in Ukraine. I will hold a very special place in my heart for the incredible people I met in Ukraine.

.