Some of you may know, I teach Spanish at the MTC in Provo. At a training mission for all the teachers, they were talking about the conversion process of the missionaries and how we help them begin that process as teachers. The man giving the presentation showed us before-and-after photos of some elders with whom he's had the opportunity to work over the years. It was amazing to see the change in some of the young men and women before their missions and at the very end of it all. Then the question was posed, which has been occupying much of my thought since then. It is the same question I pose to you, reader. It is this,
"If you were to hold up a photo of yourself from the last day of your mission and a photo of you today side by side, how would they compare?"
The question struck me. Obviously the comparison may (and ought to) go far beyond the physical appearance between your mission you and your right-this-second you. You could compare yourself not only physically, but spiritually as well. The question led me to another question equally as intimidating,
"If Elder/Sister ______ were to see me, (whatever amount of time) after the mission, what would he/she think of me? What would he/she say?"
It is not an overly assertive thing to say that the wide majority of us were the best we've ever been when we were missionaries, and shortly (sometimes very shortly) thereafter. Who are we now? Elder Bednar said to the missionaries in a devotional at the MTC once, "Come home from your mission, but never leave the mission field." What would your missionary self say to who you are today? Would he/she be approving? Proud? Disappointed? Shocked? Happy? We all came home from our missions as close to the Savior and His teachings as we've ever been. Reading and praying daily, maintaining clean thoughts and actions, thinking of others before ourselves. Truly the mission impacted and changed all of us. Where are we now? What would those two pictures side by side reveal in us, not only in our physical appearances, but also in our countenances? It is a lofty thought, but I believe one worth considering. We can all remember our dreams and goals and how we pictured our lives would be once the mission was over. I would dare to say that in the last weeks of our mission we had our priorities pretty well if not perfectly straight.
Who are you today, in comparison to who you were as your very best self--as a missionary? What would Elder or Sister YOU say?
I know Hermana Keele would have a word or two to say to me. How about your missionary you?
Some of my favorite friends and family missionaries:
Elder Peter Taylor, Italy Milan
Elder Daniel Scoma, Chile Vina del Mar
Elder Casey Keele, Tennessee Knoxville
Elder Andrew Keele, Ecuador Guayaquil North
Hermana Samantha Jo Keele & Hermana Larissa Cannon, Texas Houston East
Elder Adam Lutz, Washington DC South
Hermana Dena Reay, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic
Elder Thomas Beach, San Pedro Sula Honduras
Elder Austin Simmons, California Ventura
"What will be your greatest work? What will be your most important creation? I will tell you. Your greatest work, your most important creation is and ever will be you. What kind of person will you become? By this I do not mean what kind of role in life you will take. I don't mean will you be a lawyer, surfer, homemaker, engineer, computer programmer, accountant or the like. I do not refer to what kind of car you will drive; what kind of clothes you will wear; what kind of house you will live in; what kind of spouse you will marry; or what kind of family you will raise. I mean, when all of that is removed and there you stand alone, who will you be? I mean, you."
-Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge
