You're NOT Amazing Just The Way You Are....

December 28, 2014

Random thought for the week:

You can conveniently visit a temple prep class in your ward, or attend a mission prep class at your local institute building, but the best marriage prep comes through the sacrifice of serving a full-time mission for 18 months - 2 years.  

All of us sisters serving in HCMC are on the final leg of our missions; consequently, the topic of marriage comes up a lot, like a lot a lot. I mean, you go on a mission and then you're expected to go home and get married in the temple. It makes sense, you spend a chunk of your life telling people all about the Plan of Salvation and eternal families, obviously you want that for yourself. 

I don't really know what to say about all of this. Marriage is scary. I can't even deal with a companion for over two transfers. What I do know though is that going on a mission has changed my entire life. I think back at who I was before and who I am now and I can't believe it. I barely resemble the person I was before this. For a long time I wanted to go home and go back to my normal life. Now, I think of everything that's waiting for me back at home, and I don't want any of that anymore. That's a really scary thing. All of the things that I've had my entire life, all of the things I've tried so hard to get, I don't really want them anymore. All of the times I tried to "be cool", I don't even know what the heck it means to be cool anymore!

Last week I had a conversation with an elder about the changes we've seen in ourselves while serving. This elder and I are probably the two most stubborn, hard headed, and straight forward missionaries around here. Seventeen months ago I thought it was funny that I'm a jerk. Like Beyonce said, "A diva is a female version of a hustler." Haha.

Some crazy stuff has been happening though, and I actually feel bad when I do something mean. Weird, right? Emily Egelund actually feels bad about being sarcastic. 

How many times have I done something that other people don't like and I only replied "that's just who I am." I  know that I say it all the time, and I know that almost every single one of you say it too! 

This is who I am, but it's not who the Lord wants me to be.

Jesus Christ did not die for us so that we can say "this is who I am and I'm not going to change." The Atonement is here for each of us to become - become someone better.

That's all I have to say for today. Remember, you are who you are, but that's not who you should be. The Lord has a greater plan for each of us and as we choose to change we will see more clearly the person he wants us to become. 

Keep it real. Learn the gospel and live it. 

With love, 

Sister Egelund

Here's a lot of pictures:

The parents of the American missionaries put together these awesome gifts for the local missionaries in Vietnam and Cambodia. Thank you so much to everyone that donated and helped to make this an awesome Christmas!

Duy finally got baptized!!

Frisbee!