Home. Not again, but for the first time.

I made it. 4 weeks ago I was stepping off of the plane that had flown me from Montreal, Canada, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Two years of teaching, praying, wading through sorrow and affliction and growing into something bigger and better. Finished. Never have I experienced so many hard things...And never have I thanked God so many times for the chance to experience them. Folks, I grew up, and I saw a side of the world I never thought I'd see. It was dark, and cold more often than not, but the prettiest diamonds are always in the darkest corners of the mine. And find them I did. The characters I met in the True North could not be created by anyone's imagination, completely original. They each left their brand on my soul, their own watermark on the lesson they taught me. I cannot help but smile with each thought of my Canadian brothers and Sisters. This....new, me is a direct product of the faith and confidence they placed in the old me, as I changed. It's interesting how that works, isn't it? Before anyone becomes something great, they often have friends and family around them who insist on treating them according to their potential. I feel that this is love, interacting with one another's best possible (even if imaginary at the time being) versions of themselves, refusing to perceive each other as the horrible messes we often are. Let's face it, in reality we often resemble Frankenstein's Monster a lot more than we would like. Good Intentions sewed sloppily together to half-baked determination, with distraction and nearsightedness filling in the gaps--this monster gallivanting around on his magnificent steed, the scapegoat of circumstance. Our best friends, and deepest bonds, have nothing to do with who we are, but who we want to become. And there is nothing more gratifying than watching your faith realized, your confidence vindicated. It's that I told you so feeling, but yet answered with gratitude for being told so.  Sadly, this happens rarely.

There are many, many adjectives to describe this generation, quite a few of them being negative. Ungodly, and Godless are there, a label worn proudly by some, hid ashamedly by most. When we love like we described, we cannot help but remove ourselves from these titles. And that we could all be a Godly people! What peace would reside in that world! For that is the Gospel, friends. 


Here I am, in Kaysville, Utah. Everything has changed. It is not a new place, but all the people have changed in one way or another. Either they've changed or my relationship with them has changed. Nothing stayed the same. In fact the only thing I can ever count on is that things will continue to change. My family grew to include siblings-in-law, a niece, and little brothers no longer qualify for the definition of "little." Life is real now, not a game. No longer a Missionary life coach observing from the side-lines, I'm in the game again. How Exciting!  And what an adventure it will be, as long as I stay on the bright side of change.

Wish me luck.