Variety

Well this week has seen some interesting happenings, none of which are really connected so I have no choice but to title this post variety.  Let me start with the exciting news I received on Monday.  After checking my e-mail I was surprised to see three e-mails from my girlfriend.  I was so surprised I almost deleted them thinking it might be spam or a hacker.  However I did read them and found that she had received permission from her mission president to write me and I can e-mail back.  This speeds up the communication process substantially.  Second on the list of things is that I put together a poster to present my research in Washington DC this following week.  Somehow the Print Shop managed to take my beautiful poster that I had printed and completely destroy it in the process of laminating it.  I am still in the process of getting other copies.  In addition I have re-discovered my talents in sports I have no played in a long time such as football and volleyball.  For football I discovered that I make quite the quarterback, able to throw 50 yard touchdowns with perfect precision.  My aim in throwing the ball surprised me a great deal, especially because I never played as quarterback before.  In volleyball I was surprised that I could play with those who take volleyball seriously.  Most of my volleyball experience comes from random get together groups who hardly know how to play the sport.  It was refreshing to see that being cooped up in the basement laboratory hasn't completely killed my athleticism completely.  Well, this will have to end my list for now due to an overwhelming desire to sleep.  Haha, maybe I am getting lazy after all.

Sentimental

The other day I wrote a heartfelt letter to my future children encouraging them to serve a mission.  Tonight I wanted to share a slightly edited excerpt from that letter.  I apologize to any I may offend by my comments, but they are according to my beliefs and I cannot deny the feelings I know to be true.  I think it safe to assume that the majority of my reader pool will share some beliefs in common with me or else interest would have waned early on. 

The most important teaching you learn from a mission is that none of us can make it back to Heavenly Father alone. Christ was the perfect example of this because He paid the ultimate sacrifice for each of us.  Jesus states in Matthew chapter 16 verses 24-25: “Then said Jesus, unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Clearly we cannot afford to be selfish our entire lives and I can testify to the happiness that accompanies a life of service to others.  A mission is the first real opportunity that one has to truely devote oneself to service.

When I began my mission I was 19, and when I finished I was 21. I’ve often thought about why we are asked to serve our mission at such a young age and at a time that seems so critical to our future. Serving a two year mission at the age of about 20 brought to mind tithing. It just so happened that I served what was then 10% of my life. For me it meant that I was putting aside the appropriate time for God in my life. Of course that age is critical to the future. Many of life’s most important decisions are made around that age. I chose a career, how and where to further my education, who I should marry, and how my money and time would be spent for the rest of my life. If you can afford to give 10% of your life to God at such a critical time in your life then you are on the right track to succeeding along God’s path of happiness. Just think about it, in a time when your priorities are being set God asks you to put Him first. I did; I put God before my career, before my education, before money and time, and even before a spouse. If you can make that choice and continue with that choice every day after that, then you will have set yourself up for a mortal life of happiness and eternal exaltation.  Nothing can compare or compensate for the things that are learned through missionary service and the blessings that inevitably follow.

Letter for the future

Have you ever written a letter for someone later in your life?  Perhaps your children or another loved one?  Well, that is precisely what I did today.  Now that "My Fair Lady" is safely in the Philippines serving away as missionaries do, I thought of how much I want my children to share the experience of what a mission is like.  One of the hardest problems with writing to such an invisible audience is finding a style that will convey your message.  After all, what are my children going to be like?  What age should I finally give them the letter?  With so many variables it makes you second guess nearly every sentence, kind of like writing on a blog.  Those who may read this are just as invisible to me as are my future children.  So invisibles.....what is it that would stir a desire in you to serve a mission?  What are your fears and concerns?  What can I possibly tell you that would make you feel like a warm blanket of comfort and concern has been lovingly placed around you, enveloping your entire being with the heated desire to do more and be more.  How would you know that I loved you and cared about what your decision might be?

Well, your silence is very reassuring.  Haha, ok so obviously you cannot answer me before I write that which is already written, but these thoughts all went into the making of a beautiful letter.  If nothing else I want to serve a mission again...and again and again.  Alas, for the time being tis' proposterous to dream of such things.  Someday I will return to the mission field and this time I will get to choose my companion.  Well actually I have already chosen, but I hope she chooses me too.  My sweetheart is so very far, as if distance weren't enough they put an international dateline between us also, putting me a whole day behind her.  I miss her a great deal.  To her aide I pledge my continual support, whatever the need.