At the beginning of my mission, I wrote a lot in my journal, and every week I wrote what felt like a novel to my family! I told them how I was doing, my struggles, and what I enjoyed doing that I didn’t previously do at home. Over time, missionary life started to feel normal and part of a routine. I stopped noticing those little details that used to amaze me, so I stopped writing them down.
Because I was living such a full and intense life, I took for granted that I would be able to remember everything. “This is super important to me right now, it’s impossible for me to forget it”, I thought. So I got confident, and my writing and emails slowly turned into a weekly report. I didn’t understand, though I do now, the impact those words and experiences could have on my future self.
Today, I’m home and married, and my life looks completely different from the mission grind. Still, I often find myself thinking back to my mission and reflecting on those important experiences. I like to reread my emails and remember what I was feeling, what motivated me, what experiences I went through, and how I faced them. Those spiritual highs from back then keep me grounded today and motivated to continually improve. I just wish that I had stayed consistent in writing throughout my mission, because I can’t remember anything that I didn’t write down, and I know that I would have benefitted today from having that record!
Future missionaries, I recommend that you always write. It’s probably not the first time you’ve heard this, but it is SO important! Write about everything in your emails, there is always someone who wants to listen to you, and your future self is part of that list of receivers.
Write about those little details: How is the weather? What bothered you at first that doesn’t anymore? Did you notice any progress and write about it? How did it feel to try a certain food for the first time? How were those first experiences on the mission, and how were the last ones? Write about those inside jokes, ordinary and everyday moments.
Write simply, about your true thoughts, beliefs, and doubts. Years from now, you can read it and see how much you changed and progressed. You will see if your questions got answers, and understand everything from a new perspective. It’s the best way to see your mental and spiritual growth. Be consistent and keep up the motivation when writing your emails or journals!
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