26 April 2015

Letter 78: Thoughts of an RM

Maayong gab-i!

Hannah here, so .. . . yup, it's a weird thing to say! I'm home!
Mom was kinda excited
 It was crazy, going to Iloilo on Monday, having that last interview with President Aquino. I'm happy to see that when he realized that I'm STILL 20, he actually said, "ahh.. Still young. You don't need to get married right away." (Hallelujah, Praise the Ginuo)

We bore our last testimonies to the Office Elders and they gave us a farewell song, and President gave us one last Book of Mormon to give away before being realized (I gave mine to a nice woman in the airport, Sherry, moving to Florida to join her parents. It was nice, to give away one last Book of Mormon as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

We got up on Tuesday and did NOT go to Manila in the morning so we could go to the Temple >:( You might say that I'm still a little tiny bit bitter. Just a bit. So instead we went to a Career Meeting. Helpful. . . . but I got the exact same help from LDS employment center here on Thursday. (which is why normally only the Filipinos go to the career workshop, and the Foreigners go to the TEMPLE. . . ok. I'm over it. I promise.)

So we left in the afternoon, and we all headed to Manila. I sat next to an Elder who turns out to be my Bro in the mission (my first district leader is his trainer. which makes us family.)

and then we waited. . . and waited.. . borrowed a cellphone. . and waited some more for a car to come get us. Sister Quent and I decided that it just had to happen that way, because that's what happened the FIRST time we came to Iloilo, hahaha.

Eventually the car came, and we went to the hotel so that we could leave in the morning. All the missions in the Philippines with the same transfer day as us were there. . except our MTC district of Bacolod. Another thing that just made Sister Quent and I annoyed. We wanted to see Sisters Moser, Kumar, and Watkins. . . but noooo....

And then we left for Tokyo 9:30 am 22 April, left Tokyo 2:30 pm 22 April, and got home to Seattle 9:00am 22 April. How's that for a time change? Might as well paint the plane blue and call it a Tardis, because I went back in time! (Doctor Who joke, anyone?)

And then Seattle to SALT LAKE CITY.

No words now. . . Just pictures


Mom and Dad

Grandma and Grandpa

The Bytheways
I can't believe she got
 so tall and gorgeous!
My Favorite Nieces made me signs!
She surprised me!
This little boy did not
want anything to do with me
But after an hour or so of
Babysitting, we became friends :)
 So yeah. Went home, got released and all that good stuff. I've been to LDS Employment Offices (I'm so bored, oh my gulay I need a job. actually. I just need a schedule again.) I babysat my nephew, went to my sister's Madrigal State thing. it was great to hear chamber music again, and had to go buy new jeans because ALL MY OLD PANTS ARE TOO SMALL. It was a terrifyingly sad moment that I knew was coming. There is no way that after 18 months of daily rice intake and walking for hours would dare let me fit into my old jeans from highschool. *sigh*
 
Also, It's weird to wear all my old clothes again. (also, why do I have so many clothes? goodness, I'm glad I'm used to going without and I can just hand them down now) I feel like I've woken from some weird dream called a mission, and I'm just Hannah again. It's really weird. I'm trying REALLY HARD not to turn into what I was before (a useless couch potato that does nothing and should get a life) it's definitely a trial.
 
Scripture study is good. :) Future RMs, you hear it all the time. NEVER STOP STUDYING. Praying is really good. Talking in Sacrament was just as nerve-wracking the first time, but that helped too.
 
I'm doing good with adjustment to Babylon, I really think the hardest thing is not knowing what to really do with myself. (still have to unpack that last suitcase. . ahem). I think I might have thought of it as truly a dream, if it weren't for this missing piece over my heart (literally, it feels like physical yet emotional thing. I'm so AWARE that there is no more tag)
 
Don't know what I want for a job, just want to work. I'm thinking of going to SLCC for the summer. :/ I'm sure I'll have more of my life figured out next week I've only been home 4 days you know. . .
 
So yeah, this will be the last time this blog will have a post, thank you for all who have read these, and thank you so much for all the prayers.
 
I love my mission, and I will always carry it in my heart. It was truly God's plan for me, and I know I did the work He sent me to do.
 
The Church is True.
Christ is our Savior.
This Mission is the BEST 2 YEARS (or 18 months. ahem) truly and undeniably.
 
I love you all.
 
Love,
Hannah

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