Week 101: It's a Maravilhosa Life

Morning all. First, disclaimer: my preparation day is Wednesday next week. We're going to see Wicked next week for my last preparation day. Yeah, I know you're jealous. Our mission president permits us to see one musical during our time in the mission. We get to choose between Lion King and Wicked. We chose Wicked haha. Anyways, that's next week and so don't expect any emails on Monday. Also, next week will be my last email. So yeah, time flies.

This week was a fairly normal one. I had my last interview with Sister Checketts. She is amazing. She has become such a good example and friend to me as I have been here in England. She asked me what my first meal would be and I told her there was a 24 hour Mexican restaurant not too far from the airport. Mom, Dad, I hope you're reading this :-) Anyways, we talked about how the next chapter of my life looms (that sounds ominous, it's a lot more exciting than that) over me. It's a strange place of mind to be in. I've been thinking a way to describe this for a while. It's like standing on the edge of a cliff, looking off into the distance. You see all these possibilities ahead of you, but moving forward requires you to first make your way down the side of the cliff, down to sea level. Coming down from the cliff requires a lot of patience. You have to exercise restraint and watch your step. Part of you feels downhearted because it's taking you so long to climb the cliff, and now you've got to come down. You worked so hard and climbed for so long, and now you've got to come down. 

Yet, the ground beneath the cliff is no less valuable than the ground at the top. Coming down from the cliff is not a lowering of standards or aspiration, but a necessary change of location and perspective. After all, the cliff, at one point in time, seemed insurmountable, but you knew that the only way forward was to climb. And now the only way forward is to climb down. 

The muscles you've strained, the stamina strengthened, the persistence nurtured, the drive forged in times of trial: these all will aid you in your next steps. However, there are different terrains ahead. Sometimes you will descend into valleys, trudge through deserts, swim through oceans, and walk through meadows. Throughout it all, these same traits and strengths discovered and developed will carry you. It's in these moments that you realise it's not so much the journey that matters, but rather the character of the traveller, the principles learned, and the lessons the journey taught you. 

Two weeks. 

Two more weeks and my mother and brother and sister will storm the gates of Hyde Park Chapel and we will meet face to face once again. But this floodgate effect will go both ways: they and the outside world will flood back into my life, but I and the person I've become will flood out into the world. To think about the changes, repercussions, the future; it's complicated. 

But. 

I'm ready. 

I'm ready to serve the Lord with all I've got these last few days. 

I'm ready to continue serving Him when I go home, just in different capacities. 

I'm ready to start school. 

I'm ready to apply the life lessons learned to the life I've yet to learn. 

I'm ready to say goodbye. 

I'm ready to say hello. 

I'm ready. 

The title of this email comes from someone we are teaching. As we were walking them back to the bus after church yesterday, we were talking about life and about the winding down of my mission. She spoke about how sad it must be that it's coming to a close. And then she said something to the effect of "mas como maravilhosa. Você teve a oportunidade a servir os filhos de Deus e compartilhar seu evangelho com eles. Maravilhosa." She's right. For those of you that don't know or haven't guessed, maravilhosa means marvellous. It's more fin to say in Portuguese for sure. This has been marvellous. It's been amazing. It's been life changing. Every day for the rest of my life will be changed because of what I learned and what I will continue to apply. Thanks be to God, and to each of you, for support, for love, and for strength. Until next week. 

Comp comic: Elder Coelho looked for his glasses for two minutes and then realised they were already on his face. Love him. 

Scripture of the week: D&C 62:3-4

Photos: England's got a new pm

Someone lost their hat 

"We sale mobile phone accessories"