Growing Up (14)

Anyone that has been on a mission knows how it is coming home and getting resituated with everything. To be honest, my adjustment has been really good and healthy I think. While I was on my mission, I knew that was where I was supposed to be. Being here at BYU now and living on campus, I know I am exactly where I need to be. I have been back from my mission almost 4 months now (?!?@^^%%!!@#????) That's kind of how I feel about it. Time just keeps going faster and faster. As I've thought about my mission and the things I learned there, I have realized that I learned just as many indirect lessons as I did direct ones. What I mean by that is that there were direct lessons I learned, like being more effective in teaching investigators, how to ask inspired questions, talking to people, etc. We had trainings and lessons to teach us skills. Well, little did I know that all of that practice would literally shape me into who I am today. I needed that year and a half of struggling, loving, serving, and everything else I did to get me started on the right path. 
I remember before my mission I basically knew who I was and all, but I struggled being alone or going to places where I didn't know anyone. I was still insecure. Now, being home, and not due to any specific event on my mission, I am confident in who I am. Ya, that can be bad and become a fault because then I'm TOO confident in myself, so I'm still balancing, but I just feel so comfortable being myself all the time. I love that everyone that knows me knows who I am all the time, that I don't put up a façade. It's not worth it to me anymore. I love that I now know how to deal with the stresses of school, work, dating, roommates with patience and a more optimistic attitude. My whole mission had a lot of stress, but I learned how to deal with it, and I am applying that now to my daily life. I remember having questions in the gospel and not really knowing how to find all the answers to questions. Now, I know how to study the scriptures and find answers to my questions and prayers. I always knew the church was true, but now I know I will stand by and even defend the knowledge I have for the rest of my life.