Sevier Happiness: 2 Years Back from My Missouri Independence Mission

I can't even believe that it has been 2 whole years since I returned home from serving my mission in the most beautiful place- Independence, Missouri. I was so blessed to serve with the greatest companions, and to serve around the most wonderful senior couples, members, and investigators.

Serving at the Historic Liberty Jail

I remember when I was interviewing with my stake president prior to entering the MTC and he looked at me and said, "Sister Conrow, not a day goes by that I don't think about my mission, not one single day, and it will be the same for you." To be honest, I didn't quite comprehend what he meant by that- I thought, surely there's a day where you haven't thought about your mission, but since returning home I fully understand what he meant. Because I too, have not gone 1 day without thinking about my mission. I believe it's because the things I learned on my mission have left a lasting impression, and the lessons I learned I am applying to my everyday life.

I am also learning, however, that you can have just as many missionary experiences as a regular ole' member without a name tag as you can as a missionary. I'll admit, I have a lot of work to do in the member missionary department. It's certainly not as easy to be so bold and upfront with people as it was on my mission. It's almost like that name tag makes you feel invincible- you truly are so focused on the Savior, it's a lot easier to not care about what people think. Nevertheless, I have no excuse not to be better. I loved Elder Bednar's talk this last conference about why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints love sharing the gospel. He hit it right on the head! We do not want to annoy or force anyone into this church, we're simply sharing something that is so precious to us and something that has made us so incredibly happy. We just can't contain our desire to share! I need to remember this whenever I feel the world watching.

There are so many things that I reflect back on when I think about my opportunity to serve. I swear something new comes to my mind every day- I wish I had some unique story to share that's never been shared, but I think the greatest things I gained from my mission were the relationships that were made with others and with my Heavenly Father and Savior, along with a stronger testimony and desire to live the Gospel more fully. I'm so incredibly grateful for those whom I was able to teach and thankful for amazing companions who taught me more than I'll ever be able to thank them for. I love that I gained so many tools in that short 18 month period that have helped me to be a better wife, friend, mother, and member of the church. I was blessed to serve under an inspired mission president, and to serve around so many other great leaders of the church.

At times, since returning home, the adversary has made me feel insecure about my service. There have been moments where I look back and think, "I could have done so much better, I really wasn't that great of a missionary. Why didn't I do this or that, why couldn't have I done this or that... I must not have been a very good companion because of this..." You get the idea. It's been so bad, that sometimes I just plain cry about it because I want nothing more than to be the best I can be. But then, the sweet spirit swoops in and reminds me that although I wasn't perfect, I was trying my best. MY BEST- not my companions best, or my missions presidents best, but my best. And that thought usually accompanies some good day in my mission.

Like just the other day, I was having a hard moment, and in church the lesson was on always being a member missionary... And I started thinking about what I was doing to fulfill my part, and if I endured to the end well as a missionary. I remember the day before I was to come home from my mission, my feelings were all over the place. I had such mixed emotions about leaving the place I had grown to love so much and was searching for any opportunity to teach just one more lesson, or give out one more Book of Mormon with my name tag on.

There's one experience I can recall very clearly- all of us missionaries returning home were eating at Subway before hopping in the van to head to the mission home. Everyone was busy ordering and eating their sandwiches, when I noticed a man, probably in his 30's sitting alone at a table. He had his laptop propped open with a picture of his family in the background (I had glanced at it before heading back to my seat). I knew I needed to talk to him. So, I went back up to get another drink (even though mine was still full) as an excuse to pass by this guy one more time and introduce myself. When I started walking back to my seat I commented on what a beautiful family he had, not knowing how he'd respond. He lit right up and was more than happy to share with me how much he loved his family. I ended up sitting at his table and we had a nice little conversation about his family and what church he had gone to. He said, "Ya know, I'm a Christian, but I haven't really gone to any specific church in a long time, and was just thinking that I need to find a church for my wife and kids." You can bet I didn't hesitate to introduce him to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I gave him a pass along card to order a Book of Mormon, and a pamphlet that shared more about our beliefs. I think I even had him look up the church website on his laptop. He was so interested, and when I asked him where he was from he said he was actually from Texas and just on a business trip here. I tried to get him set up with missionaries in Texas but he wanted to talk to his wife first, so I respected that. I'll never forget his name, it was Case. And to this day I've tried to track him down to see if anything came from our conversation. No, nothing monumental happened that I know of, but I was so grateful Heavenly Father gave me another missionary opportunity like that before leaving a place I now call home.

Coming home from any mission is tough- it's such an adjustment. You go from focusing on the Savior, others, and the Gospel 24/7 to having to make big life decisions that are all about you. I'll never forget walking down those stairs at the Salt Lake airport on November 9, 2012 at 11pm exhausted and just feeling so overwhelmed that my 18 month journey in Missouri was over, it was such a surreal feeling. And then being released at 2 am that morning by my Stake President in his home. But from the moment I stepped off that plane, I have been so immensely blessed by my Heavenly Father- He has helped me, and continues to help me in ways that I know I can't even comprehend nor see. And as I strive to continue to live the Gospel more blessings are poured out upon me and my family. Isn't it so great to know that when we keep the commandments and follow our Savior that we will always be taken care of? It may not be in the way we think, but I always want to have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ on my side.

Missouri Independence Mission- a part of my heart still, and always will, remain with you!

P.S.- I started going through all of my mission pics to post some here, and I was way too overwhelmed. There are too many to choose from! So, I just picked some random ones..