It's hard to explain the mixed bag of emotions that keep spinning around inside my chest, each taking their turn to make me burst into tears or gleefully laugh out loud. Only 5 more days, and our first 'Elder Judd' will be home safe and sound. I thought I'd share his last email to home. Part of me thinks the boy I will be hugging at the airport is someone I've never met before...hi mom!
life is great here in clarion and despite the bad weather we are sowing seeds! my feelings have been very near the surface these past few days. the feeling of approaching loss can’t be described. life is good, and the work is wonderful. I love my mission. It's absolutely impossible for me to articulate how these two years have affected me. I KNOW that it has literally changed me and set a course for my life. While I long to see the beautiful faces of my family, my heart aches to stay. I, along with more than fifty thousand others, am ” set apart from the world to a higher plane of thought and activity”, and I don’t want to come back down. Not yet.
I have become consumed by the fire of this work. I have consecrated these two years to my Heavenly Father and because of it so many things seem clearer to me. And there are so many things I need to learn. BUT I have learned things that could not have possibly been taught to me in any other place! This has given me fresh eyes and a fresh heart.
The lord gave me my mission as a gift. This is my errand from the Lord. I could never have served anywhere else. The Lord has given me this portion of his vineyard and I have been hard on myself and have done my best of every waking moment to humbly and prayerfully serve Him. consistency is a blessing of humility. I was thinking the other night of home and how exited I am, how happy I am and how absolutely scared I am to be coming home – when almost immediately these words of the apostle came to my mind……
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
NAY!, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I know that things will work out. I love my Savior and he loves me. I know that I am nothing, I know this church is true, and that Christ is at it's head. I know that our wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they are in harmony with our thoughts and actions. Joseph Smith was an honest man. What an incredible testimony Elder Holland gave this past weekend.
How are things at home? the pictures of the boys with the cougarettes were hilarious. and sarah is a beautiful young woman. dad's talk was simply great. pretty sure i was crying in the subway as i was reading it. regrets and reunions. I love you and hug benji and parker and sarah for me.
Elder judd
I have become consumed by the fire of this work. I have consecrated these two years to my Heavenly Father and because of it so many things seem clearer to me. And there are so many things I need to learn. BUT I have learned things that could not have possibly been taught to me in any other place! This has given me fresh eyes and a fresh heart.
The lord gave me my mission as a gift. This is my errand from the Lord. I could never have served anywhere else. The Lord has given me this portion of his vineyard and I have been hard on myself and have done my best of every waking moment to humbly and prayerfully serve Him. consistency is a blessing of humility. I was thinking the other night of home and how exited I am, how happy I am and how absolutely scared I am to be coming home – when almost immediately these words of the apostle came to my mind……
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
NAY!, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I know that things will work out. I love my Savior and he loves me. I know that I am nothing, I know this church is true, and that Christ is at it's head. I know that our wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they are in harmony with our thoughts and actions. Joseph Smith was an honest man. What an incredible testimony Elder Holland gave this past weekend.
How are things at home? the pictures of the boys with the cougarettes were hilarious. and sarah is a beautiful young woman. dad's talk was simply great. pretty sure i was crying in the subway as i was reading it. regrets and reunions. I love you and hug benji and parker and sarah for me.
Elder judd
8 comments:
You have wonderful children. I love the feeling you get seconds before you know you are going to see someone that you love so dearly. Emily
Oh my goodness Julene!! What an incredible young man! He's got such a mature feel about him, and I don't even know him! I'm sure he was just an amazing missionary and he will miss the work dearly! Good thing he has an awesome family to come home to, that will let him re-adjust in his time and his way... but I'll tell you what... Let that darling sister of his help to de-geek him...(as in ... help him pick out the new clothing.). but that's all. It will take time to come back.. mentally... but that's alright. Let him hold on to that missionary glow as long as he can! He is awesome! I hope to meet him someday soon!
I love you! Even if you ARE a BYU fan :) ;)
Thank you for sharing that amazing letter. This truly is an amazing work and it changes all for the better. Take lots of pictures of that boy. I hate that we can't be there. We love you and enjoy your son.
Oh, how I long for a letter like that from my boy some day. That is just great!
Wow, what a beautiful letter! You can tell from reading that letter that you have such a wonderful family!
I'm so excited for you. He has grown up so much!! I'm excited to see his reaction when he sees Sarah. I guess he has seen pictures but man...look at her in that family picture!
I'm so inspired by your family. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Your son is wonderful and I am so excited for you all! The blessings of the gospel are so amazing.
I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!
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