Mission Reunion & Conference

Wow! This weekend was seriously one if the best since arriving home.

Probably because I felt like I was back on my mission...Haha 

My first official mission reunion was last Friday, and let me tell you, it was a blast! I love my mission friends so much and getting to hear from president Ames was such a blessing. Seriously, I have so much respect for that man.
I got off work at 5:00 and Sheena drove me to the home of one of the sisters from my mission who was also going to the reunion. We carpooled up together stopping at Chick-fil-a for a quick snack to hold us over until the reunion was finished. 

The reunion started at 7 and was "suppose" to end at 9. However, after much socializing, listening to Pres. and sister Ames address us, more socializing, and a thirty minute line to say buy to President one last time, we filed out of the church building around 11:00 at night. :) Never on the mission could we have stayed out that late! ;)
Afterwards, we hit IHOP for a late night dinner. I got back at 1:00 in the morning. Such a fun day!! But only the beginning;)

The next morning was the first session of GC. I watched it with Sheena and Tyler at our apartment. I was filled with gratitude as conference begin knowing that we were about to have a spiritual feast. 

It was a breath of fresh air for me. If there is one thing I miss the most about my mission it is the spirit. When I feel the spirit, I feel at home. When I feel at home, I feel like I'm on my mission. And when I feel like I'm on my mission, it's because I feel the spirit. It's just all intricately entwined ;)
Anyways, as soon as the first session was over Sheena raced me to the Trax station where I caught a ride to temple square. It took about an hour and with each stop the train got fuller and fuller. I had a wonderful family sit next to me that had travelled from California to attend conference. I had easily made friends with them by the end of the ride. I told them about my mission to Texas and they knew an elder who I served around because he was from their stake back home. We were practically best friends by the time we arrived! ;) 

I contacted Sister Benson on the phone and had a plan to meet her and Terry at the reflection pool by the Salt Lake Temple. On my way there I happened upon Sister Ames who was sitting with some of her kids eating lunch. I went up to say hello and sister Ames first motherly instinct was to offer me food. Thank goodness for her because I had totally spaced lunch for the day. So I went along my way crunchin' on my little cucumbers right through a line of men singin' hymns on temple square. Haha It was great!
I met up with sister B but Terry hadn't located us yet. We were becoming concerned when around the corner comes Terry. Wow! Over 8 months since the three of us had been together. Only last time, we were sister missionaries and he had just been baptized. After hugs, Terry, with a concerned tone in his voice said, "Sisters I missed placed the tickets. I can't find them anywhere!" We were so panicked! No this can't happen!! To which he reaches into his pocket laughing and says just kidding here they are!! ...Atleast one thing is certain and that is after 9 months he still can't help teasing sister B and I. Haha we left to get in line for conference 30 minutes before. The lines were sooo long and the ticket said we should be in our seats by now. I was panicked again! This can't happen!! To our great luck, we made it in our seats in time for the opening prayer. I was impressed!! The session was amazing, and very missionary focused. What a more fitting session to take our recent convert too. I was thrilled when they announced that the intermediate hymn would be Called to Serve. In the Texas Fort Worth mission we have our own special way if singing it and when they announced the song, I leaned over to sister B and said, "Texas Fort Worth Style!" I think everyone around heard me announce it too! Haha :/

After the session we went to Chick-fil-a for dinner and had a great time catching up. Neal even found us there and I got to introduce Terry and Sister B to him.
As we ate, Terry had some questions about the word of wisdom so Sister B and I got to put on our teaching caps just like old times. :)
Terry had a ticket for the priesthood session so he left us and I got back onto the Trax to head home. It was a beautiful day:) Sheena and I went out for Ice cream when I got back just before the Ice Cream shops got run over by men coming out of the priesthood session. It was actually quite fun to sit in the back corner and observe ;)
Terry texted me later that night telling me I needed to go watch Elder Holland's talk from the Priesthood session. In his talk he described a man who had lost all hope after his little boys death and couldn't pick himself back up. Only after faithful members of the church intervened did he find strength and fulfilment again in his life. This story had almost brought Terry to tears he later told me because he too had suffered intense depression after his only daughter was killed in a car accident. Then one faithful day not even a year later, he was introduced to two sisters missionaries serving in Temple Texas (Sister B and I!) who completely turned his life around and helped him find strength through the Lord to pick himself back up and continue forward. I was almost brought to tears too as I read his text and listened to Elder Holland. I remember having to carry some of that burden with Terry. I remember the pain, the sorrow, the encouraging. It's amazing to look back and see the ground that has been covered (literally!) 

Also, how wonderful it is to know that the sacrifice of a mission had such a powerful effect on one soul. As was said in conference, this church is about the one. When I think of my mission, I couldn't agree more! My mission, like the gospel, was all about the one. :) 

Sunday morning session was spent with many YSA friends. It was lots of fun! I had arranged to watch the second session with Derek at one if his friends house near SLC but because of traffic, he got held back and so we no longer had time to drive there without missing half the session. Sheena and Tyler had gone to his parents house for the day so we broke in to their apartment (with a key;) and watched it there. 

After conference was over Derek and I talked in the kitchen until 9:00 at night while I crushed day old pancakes in my hands until they were nothing but fine powder...haha Sounds entertaining right?? :)

When Sheena and Tyler finally got back, I asked if I could have work off tomorrow because not only was it Terry's last day in Utah but also my MTC companion's last day too (she had traveled from Kentucky for the mission reunion!). Both wanted to see me one last time. To my surprise Sheena let me have the day off, sooo I arranged to have breakfast with my old MTC comp. at a little breakfast place called the Egg and I. We didn't have breakfast until 10:30 in the morning and I didn't get back until 12:00. It was so fun to catch up with her and reminisce about the mission while discussing what it's like to be a new RM. After I got home I contacted Terry who wanted to take me to lunch before he left. So I jumped in the car only 10 minutes after arriving home from breakfast to go to lunch with Terry at a little restaurant called Food for Thought. Haha two meals, two restaurants, back to back!! I was making my way around this town today! I was concerned I wouldn't be able to eat so much, as are you I am sure, but lucky for me I was so hungry it didn't matter!

It's because, I had totally spaced food on Sunday. I ate a little breakfast with the YSA, but nothing after that for the whole day so I was hungry today!! 

It was so nice with Terry! How I love the connections and friends I have made from my mission. I told him I would text my mom and see if he couldn't stop by on his way out of Utah that evening...but as I write this blog post at 10:30 at night I am reminded that I actually never did that. Sorry family!! :/ Too late now.

I had so much to remind me of my mission these past two days and with general conference my resolve to live closer to the spirit as an RM was increased. Oh my, how we need the powerful spirit that comes from our daily scripture study, prayer, and service. You don't even know the difference it makes!!

I was telling my singles ward friends at our activity tonight, as we discussed our thoughts about conference, that the only time the scriptures are a burden to me is when I am not reading them. Because whenever I have taken the time to read, I am never disappointed. :)

In a nut shell, my weekend was wonderful because not only did I spend it with some of my all time favorite people, BUT I did some of my all time favorite things!! 

I want to relive it again!! :)