The last round of a mission is always the saddest and the most fun. It's sad because you begin to realize that that you're about to leave the life that you've known for over a year or so. In my last area, I found myself thrown to the wolves. I got sent back to Norman and given a bike area (as a sister!). I was opening that area for sisters and training as well.
After wondering whether or not I would end up killing my future trainee, I got pretty excited about the opportunity and went into preperation mode. I made cheat sheets for my would be "baby". Training was a great learning experience! I learned patience, how to be continuously happy, and how to stay positive despite my circumstances (for example: I learned to loving biking hills in the 105 degree weather with 90% humidity).
We had some of the coolest Zone Leaders ever to work with! We shared the ward with them and, of course, I had my "I hate elders" days (but honestly what sister doesn't?) but they were always giving us laughs. That really helped out my companion whenever things were rough for her.
My companion was pretty dang awesome! I really admire her ability to just be happy, to laugh things off, and to get along with everybody. She was my greatest asset when it came to working with the youth. She became the best friend of the young women and of the primary kids.
Saying goodbye to Norman was tough. It was my home for half my mission. I learned to love the color red (a huge feat for a BYU gal like me). I made so many friends and there was just an awesome feeling to the town. The moment that I arrived back there, I could feel it. It is my home away from home. I love the OU stadium, the OU insignia being everywhere, biking or driving up and down Lindsey street (the main street), and seeing the Oklahoma sky above me. I think that I will always consider that town my second home.
I loved working with the people there. Work-wise, we were in a drought but it gave us the opportunity to really concentrate on those that we were there to work with. This is one of the main families that we were able to work with. They were recent converts and we were able to see the youngest of them baptized as well. It was amazing getting to see them progress and to start coming to church again.
One of the really cool privileges that I had was going on exchanges in the Noble Ward. I did that plenty while I had a Sister Training Leader companion during my last round in Norman. This time, though, I was able to go to Lexington (Noble Ward area) and see my best friend's grandparents several times. That was legit! It really meant a lot to me that I was able to do that!
I will never forget the many people that I came in contact with in this town. I will never forget the love that was showed to us missionaries. I will never forget the hospitality and the lessons that members taught us. In this picture, I am arm wrestling Brother Swaim or, as I call him, "Grandpa Swaim". I swear he fed us 3-4 times during my last week. That man sure took care of us as did many others. The Norman 1st Ward was an amazing ward to serve in!
After wondering whether or not I would end up killing my future trainee, I got pretty excited about the opportunity and went into preperation mode. I made cheat sheets for my would be "baby". Training was a great learning experience! I learned patience, how to be continuously happy, and how to stay positive despite my circumstances (for example: I learned to loving biking hills in the 105 degree weather with 90% humidity).We had some of the coolest Zone Leaders ever to work with! We shared the ward with them and, of course, I had my "I hate elders" days (but honestly what sister doesn't?) but they were always giving us laughs. That really helped out my companion whenever things were rough for her.My companion was pretty dang awesome! I really admire her ability to just be happy, to laugh things off, and to get along with everybody. She was my greatest asset when it came to working with the youth. She became the best friend of the young women and of the primary kids.
My favorite part of working this area was working with our Zone Leaders and our District Leader. Well, we never really saw much of our DL because he was in a different ward than the ZLs and us. However, they were all awesome. Shaving cream slip-n-slide Zone P-days. Doorstep conversations. Stopping at the Asian market on the way home from the doctors. And acting childish in any and every way possible. Gotta love elders!
I had the opportunity to go back up to Stillwater for a baptism. Five of my previous companions were there. It was awesome getting caught up with everybody from the Spanish group and my old district and everybody. The kids were excited to see me, but they were upset that they hadn't grown taller than me in the mere weeks that I had been gone.
Saying goodbye to Norman was tough. It was my home for half my mission. I learned to love the color red (a huge feat for a BYU gal like me). I made so many friends and there was just an awesome feeling to the town. The moment that I arrived back there, I could feel it. It is my home away from home. I love the OU stadium, the OU insignia being everywhere, biking or driving up and down Lindsey street (the main street), and seeing the Oklahoma sky above me. I think that I will always consider that town my second home.I loved working with the people there. Work-wise, we were in a drought but it gave us the opportunity to really concentrate on those that we were there to work with. This is one of the main families that we were able to work with. They were recent converts and we were able to see the youngest of them baptized as well. It was amazing getting to see them progress and to start coming to church again. One of the really cool privileges that I had was going on exchanges in the Noble Ward. I did that plenty while I had a Sister Training Leader companion during my last round in Norman. This time, though, I was able to go to Lexington (Noble Ward area) and see my best friend's grandparents several times. That was legit! It really meant a lot to me that I was able to do that!I will never forget the many people that I came in contact with in this town. I will never forget the love that was showed to us missionaries. I will never forget the hospitality and the lessons that members taught us. In this picture, I am arm wrestling Brother Swaim or, as I call him, "Grandpa Swaim". I swear he fed us 3-4 times during my last week. That man sure took care of us as did many others. The Norman 1st Ward was an amazing ward to serve in!
So that is that. That is my last moments in the mission. I loved it so darn much that I cried my first 3 weeks back. Going to Oklahoma, I felt like I was going to a strange land. I had never been east of the Wasatch Front of Utah. I had never been so restricted and so limited in terms of rules. However, it had to be one of the most liberating experiences of my life. It allowed me to forgive my past entirely. It allowed me to open up my heart and to love strangers. It allowed me to see life in a way that I had always limited myself from being able to. Thank you, Oklahoma. Thank you for all that you gave me. So, yes, I went into a land of strangers and I learned to love it. However, coming back home I felt the same way as I did going to Oklahoma. My heart denied that I was going home. I felt like I was going to a strange land. Oklahoma will always have a piece of my heart, but I am sure that any missionary would say that about where they are going.
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