Once upon a time I woke up at 4:15 am, rolled over onto my stomach, and slowly knelt and began to pray. I remember distinctly the feeling I had but it is hard for me to describe. It was a mix between exhaustion, excitement, accomplishment, and pure bliss. It was going to be a great day, I just knew it. When I finished praying, I got down from the top of the bunkbed and changed into the skirt and blouse that I had laid out the previous night. I walked out of my room and the whole floor was buzzing, I was to leave Provo, Utah with 28 other sister missionaries for Temple Square that morning. In building 5 on the fourth floor the excitement was tangible. I quickly ran down the three flights of stairs and put my pajamas in my suitcase, which I had left in the stairwell on the ground floor the night before, because you know, who wants to carry luggage down three flights of stairs that early in the morning? ;) I walked back up the stairs and into the restroom to finish getting ready (aka put on mascara and a pair of boots and call it good) where I saw a very flustered Sister missionary. She was straightening her hair and putting on her makeup and freaking out. In the brief interaction I had with her, she mentioned she still hadn't taken her luggage downstairs, to be loaded on the bus. I told her not to worry about it because I was ready to go and would take her bag down for her. I received a quick hug and a thank you before I retrieved a big pink suitcase. I rolled it to the stairwell and slowly walked down the first staircase. I stopped on the second to take a breather and get ready for the next set of stairs. During my little break the suitcase tipped over knocking me down. I fell down all fifteen tiled steps with the 75 pound bag on top of me. I hit the bottom of the steps and pushed the bag off of me as I rolled over on my back. I could hear sisters running to my rescue from the bottom and top floors. The sister that got to me first helped me sit up. My ankle hurt so bad, so we tried to take off my boot and look at it. However my ankle was too swollen to. We made a game plan and I made it down the final flight of stairs with much help. I was then carried on a 19 year old girl's back. She ran to the front office, with sisters running alongside and behind, "spotting" her. Tears streamed down my face, I knew something was really wrong.
This was just the beginning of a long crazy day in the Provo Missionary Training Center, and it was just the beginning of a long crazy 2 years.
Just in the past few months a lot has changed.
The story obviously didn't end in the lobby of the MTC. On January 14, 2016, a nerve was surgically removed from my left ankle. Some complications led to another procedure that was done on January 20, 2016.
In March of 2016 I moved to Logan, Utah. That July I became a certified phlebotomist.I started working in the hospital in August. In September, I started studying Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. In December I was hired as a Peer Mentor for Incoming Students here at USU. Last week I was able to visit home for the first time in a year.
For a long time I have viewed life with a tentative perspective. Things come to pass. Nothing is permanent. No one and nothing is here to stay. Good health can be fragile, good relationships can be fragile. This is has correct principles behind it, and has helped me through a lot. So much that I allowed it to become a part of me and how a see the world. This is a lonely philosophy.
I still see things this way to an extent. Good or bad, things (and people) come to leave. Someday this seemingly endless winter will end and summer will be here. I am so grateful for that fact.
When used incorrectly this idea can be used to discourage but discouragement doesn't come from Heavenly Father. God is love, God is hope. When used properly the thought that the good and the bad comes to pass inspires hope.
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