Five Years

It's been five years to the day since I entered the Missionary Training Center to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  What a wonderful, difficult, sacred experience that was!  I am incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to serve my Savior and my brothers and sisters in such a unique capacity.

I was called to the Alaska Anchorage Mission, English speaking, though many of you know that after 6 weeks I was called to the Spanish Branch in Anchorage and spent the next 9 months working with the wonderful Spanish speaking population in Alaska (yes there are actually LOTS of Spanish speakers in Alaska, and yes I learned Spanish is Alaska which is very strange).  Though I live in Texas now, I am proud to remind Texans that if Alaska was cut in half, then Texas would become the third largest state instead of the second.  So take that.

The MTC was unique for me because I had spent the four previous years working there, as a student supervisor in the cafeteria.  My best friend, Tiffanie, worked there, my Aunt Lisa worked there, I was buddies with the MTC president, and the mailroom lady.  In short, going to the MTC was like going home.  Plus my cool brother Jonathan entered the MTC just two weeks after me on his was to the California Roseville Mission.  Here I am with all but one (Daniel) of my incredibly good looking brothers when they were dropping off Jonathan.

(Philip is now serving a mission in Denver Colorado, which is pretty cool!)

I spent the next 18 months serving the amazing people of Alaska, learning another language, learning to cope with darker, colder winters and longer, wetter summers.  But mostly I spent 18 months learning more about my Savior Jesus Christ, His love for me, and His infinite love for each us.  I came to better appreciate His life as I spent all my time devoted to teaching others about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation, and the restoration of Christ's gospel to the earth in it's entirety.  I know the things I taught are true.  I knew it had brought immense peace to my own life, but to watch it light up the lives of others was true a miracle and a blessing.

Plus, I had lots of fun.