Cheers to 2018

I saw a post on social media the other day saying that 2018 has been so long that we’ve had an Olympics and everyone forgot...


Honestly that got me thinking A LOT.

Where I am now is nowhere near where I thought I would be when the year started.

When 2018 started I was a missionary months away from ending her mission and completely freaked at the idea she would have to “adult” soon.


When 2018 started I had this idea of love and I thought it honestly couldn’t get much better.

When 2018 started I was a struggling Relief Society President, and all I wanted was my girls to know the love I had for them.

When 2018 started I was completely freaked at the idea of who I would be by the end of the year and what would happen in 12 short months.

Honestly I’m so grateful for 2018. I know 2016 killed all our favorite celebrities and 2017 was absolutely the worst, but 2018, it’s been a good one.

The girl who was a scared missionary has now almost been released for 9 months. NINE. That’s crazy to me! I never thought I would serve a mission let alone be released for 9 full months from one. And now I’m the girl that misses her mission so much. I’m the girl that looks back and is so grateful for the opportunities I was provided with, and the people I met.

Did you know that starting in 2019 both proselytizing and service missionaries will get calls signed from our prophet (mine was signed by my stake president!)? Starting in 2019 everyone wanting to serve will fill out the same forms, and through revelation from the Lord, a call will be issued to serve. In 2019 there will be service missions all over the United States. The girl that finished her mission 9 months ago never could have imagined that. The girl that finished her mission 9 months ago cried happy tears with that announcement.

The girl who started 2018 with this idea, this idea that she knew what love was, heck she had no idea. And honestly the girl ending 2018 has no idea if she even knows what love is. But she can feel it. The love from family and friends, from those you never expect it from. And I couldn't be more grateful for those people that love me in my life.


The girl that started 2018 as a struggling Relief Society President, well she’s still trying to figure it out. But man do I love my ward. I love my sisters. I would do anything for them. Now I’m not sure how many of them understand that, but this still struggling Relief Society President ending 2018 hopes more understand than at the start of the year.

I always tell people I’m just waiting to be released. That I wasn’t made for this calling. One thing I’ve learned is that you’re never made for a calling. I joke about being released at least once a week, but I don’t know where I’d be without my calling. I hope 2019 has a few more Relief Society struggles for me.


Now the girl that started 2018 completely freaked out about the next 12 months, she’s a little calmer now. I’ve been looking back on everything: the trials, the joy, the friendships. How could so much happen in such a short amount of time?!

I’ve been to multiple weddings, multiple states, and even a different country! I started a job that I am less than qualified for, but that I love. I’ve celebrated many birthdays, and I’ve even celebrated life with the passing of my great grandmother. I’ve laughed (a lot), cried (a lot), and just had a blast of a year learning who I am.



So cheers to 2018. I’m extremely grateful for the time it gave me, the memories it provided, and the joy I was given. If 2019 is anything like 2018, it’ll be quite the year.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Peace Be Unto Thy Soul

Image
I have been trying to think of the words for this post for a few weeks now... I know we may think in these times that we have been abandoned, but we haven't been! I think of Joseph Smith when he asks, "O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?" But the Lord answers telling us to  have peace ! He says, "...thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high..." I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that there is a true prophet on this earth and that he receives true revelation from the Lord for us, and for ME. I wouldn't be who I am today without this gospel. This past Sunday, like many other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my family had the amazing opportunity to hold our Sunday Service in our home. It was amazing to see the hand of the Lord in all of these changes as we met together in my pa...
Read more

The Beautiful Struggle of Life

Image
This week will be three weeks since I was released as a Young Church Service Missionary in the GREAT San Diego YCSM Mission. As I had my exit interview with my Mission President (and many other interviews for that matter) he told me that he hopes the year after being released is the hardest year. Well he'll be glad to hear that this last three weeks have been rough... I'll definitely say that I've been oh so blessed! I have so many great friends and family members who have been nothing but supportive as I have been awkwardly transitioning from Full-Time Service Missionary to Full-Time Adult. I've had one too many emotional breakdowns and I've probably had absolutely no reason for the majority of them. I bring up my mission EVERY chance I get. I also still look for my name tag on my chest when wearing church dress. THIS. IS. HARD. I've always been the type to have a plan, even if it wasn't the Lord's plan. I've had a plan for me and where...
Read more

It's Not The End

Image
"Everything has a happy ending. If you're not happy, it's not the end."  This is what I read the other day as I was eating some Dove chocolate and reading the cute notes on the wrappers. It is funny to me how impeccable God's timing can be. I have had a rough few weeks and to be completely honest it involved a lot of crying , throwing things (mainly tissues), and asking God not only "why," but for as much strength as He could possibly give me. It is a joke in the military that when your spouse leaves something bad is bound to happen. I feel like I have spent the last few weeks dealing with trouble after trouble. It started out simple, I locked my keys inside my car. Luckily I was at work and I was trying to get myself to see that small positive (shout out to AAA). Then there were MULTIPLE spiders. Those who know me, know I do not do spiders. I would rather burn the house down. But I was brave and I used the vacuum and took care of that problem. Next, ant...
Read more