The Power of Missions

Church was awesome today! Two of the speakers in our first meeting were young women who had just returned home after 18 months of serving as full-time missionaries, teaching people about Jesus Christ and His gospel, about the purpose of this life, and about what they need to do to gain eternal life and to live with God and their families forever. Listening to these young women speak about their experiences reminded me how powerful and transformative missions can be, both for the people whose lives are changed as they learn about God's plan and act on Christ's teachings, and for the missionaries themselves who are doing the teaching.

If I haven't mentioned it before in this blog, I am an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes referred to as the Mormon church due to The Book of Mormon, another book of scripture written by ancient prophets that teaches about Jesus Christ and that we study along with The Bible. I served an 18 month mission myself in the south of France from 2006-2007. It was one of the hardest, most worthwhile things I have ever done in my life. I learned and grew so much from that experience, and listening to those young women speak today, I was reminded of my own time as a missionary and the powerful lessons I learned during that time. I'm thinking of starting a second blog to use as a place to record some of my mission experiences and the lessons I learned from them: stay tuned. 

Anyway, so church was awesome, and I felt the presence of the Holy Ghost so strongly as I listened to those young women speak and share their testimonies of Jesus Christ, His role as our Savior, and the very real presence He can be in each of our lives as we pray and seek to know Him and to follow His teachings. You could feel the inner strength and conviction these young women had developed as they gave their all to serve Christ and God's children. It was very inspiring. I love missions and the power they have to change people's lives.

The Job Hunt

Two months after graduation, Ted is still job hunting. It doesn't seem like Mechanical Engineering should be that difficult of a field to find a job in, but I guess in today's economy every field is tough to find a job in. 

There was a time when I would have been very concerned about Ted not having a job lined up as soon as he graduated. Somehow, I'm not so concerned about it anymore. What Ted does for a job doesn't seem as important as it once did. Of course, I want Ted to be happy at work, and of course, we would like to be able to afford to live in our own place again one day and not have to live with my parents forever, but we're getting by for now, and I'm sure other job opportunities will come along.

I just feel like whatever happens, whatever stepping stone jobs Ted has to take to work up to what he really wants to do, we'll make it work. We'll find ways to meet our financial obligations and provide for our family. I don't need many material goods to be happy; I just need to be able to spend time with people I love. I'm so grateful for the family and friends I have in my life and for the happiness they bring me. I'm grateful for my husband and son and that we'll always have each other as we figure out this mortal life together. And I'm grateful that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me and who is looking out for me and my little family and will guide us in the best path for us to learn and grow and find joy in this life and in the life after. I feel at peace about my future, despite the uncertainty of the present, and I'm grateful for that blessing from the Lord, and for this time living with my family before we go wherever Ted's next employment opportunity takes us.