Week 99- Chances, not a countdown



Aloha 皆さん、

There's probably gonna be a theme with my last few emails but I've always treated my emails as more of a journal or a place to write my thoughts down anyways so, sorry not sorry. 

I think maybe 6 months ago (dang already?) at an MLC President Boss handed us a piece of paper with a bunch of circles on it. Each circle on the paper represented a week of time in our mission. And for each week we completed we were to color in a circle. I remember him saying 

“This paper is NOT intended to make you trunky, but a chance for you to realize these remaining circles are CHANCES. Each circle is a chance to become a better missionary, a better disciple and to help others do the same.”

I remember at the time all of my friends and people who I started the mission with back in 2023 were leaving either that transfer or the next. At the time I tried to take his words seriously but in my mind it still looked like a countdown to the finish line to me. 

Fast forward to last transfer. In my interview with President he brought up the topic of chances again. Again the words registered in my brain but the impact wasn't very heavy. I agreed with him that the chances were important but it didn't hit me very hard. I kinda brushed it off. 

Even as my very last transfer began it was and (kinda) still is this mixed feeling of I REALLY cannot wait until I get home, and I don't wanna go home (my mom feels the same way, she wants me to come home but doesnt LOL rude). But yesterday we had stake conference (on miyako we joined on zoom so I didn't get to see everybody😢) and a young man got up to speak. He said that he had just come back from his mission the day before (I was like bruh I do NOT wanna hear this) and waking up he was putting on his suit jacket. His missionary name tag was still on the suit pocket and he realized he had to take it off, and as he took it off it was a sad realization that his mission was over. 

Now I've heard missionaries talk about not wanting to take off the name tag or preach about how different it feels. Or how precious our time with it is. It's lowkey a missionary cliche, but when he said that I lowkey had this fat feeling of dread. The past week just happened to be a really good week, with a lot of good missionary work getting done. With some aspects it's probably been the hardest I've tried in my entire mission. And that's when I realized that these last few weeks really are CHANCES. I'm pretty hard headed so of course it takes me until the very last bit of my mission to realize the weight of that but better late than never ? 

D&C 64:33

Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

Kay Das all

Shoots!

エリス長老
愛してるぜ~
TheRisingSon

 


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