This week was bad... but then good! Yay!! I want to forego the "only the good stuff" kind of email that you often get because believe it or not, being a missionary isn't always puppies and rainbows! More often than not, it can be boring, exhausting, degrading, scary and a myriad of other uncomfortable adjectives.
Honestly, I had a pretty bad mindset at the beginning of the week and what they say is true—attitude is everything. I didn't want to do anything, just mope and lolly gag. And so I let myself just be and rest for a few hours. And then I didn't feel better.
Many things had culminated to me feeling so blah, but what the "natural man" thought would solve it didn't do much for me. I knew that the last thing I wanted to do was probably what would make me feel better—go to work.
And I'm a little embarrassed to admit my rationalizing and slacking off this week because no one wants to say they're a slacker or too sad or struggling, but I feel it's better that you know the truth, and what did eventually help me feel better.
It was taking care of the basics (eating good, getting sunshine, getting enough sleep, staying off my phone) and nurturing my spirit—doing missionary work to the best of my ability, turning to scriptures and prayer, daily repentance.
So, when I finally put what I needed to do over what I wanted to do, things started to turn up. It wasn't perfect and the last few days, though they were better, weren't very memorable, and that's okay!
But if any of you reading this are in a slump, here's my advice:
- Be kind to yourself. Recognize that you are human and you're not wrong for feeling the way you do.
- Do the basics. Make sure you're doing all the things your physical and spiritual balance needs to feel okay.
- Give yourself time to get where you want to be. It's not going to happen overnight.
I've given you my spiritual thought before the highlights but here's the haps!
- Hit 13 months on the mission!
- My piano chords playing abilities have been put to use 4 days this week, don't tell anyone you can play the piano on your mission if you don't want to play at every event!! (I secretly love it)
- We had new missionary training for Sister Pratt at the office and it was so good! I felt the Spirit so strongly as the greenies testified of overcoming the struggles of their first few weeks.
- President treated us all to American style burgers after and I yapped with him for about an hour!! No transfer spoilers unfortunately
- Lots of parking lot church invites. We get lots of no's, but some yes's! And they make it all worth it.
- Had a sleepover with the sisters!! Socially fun, sleepily not. I was very tired the next day.
- Music devotional Sunday night wahoo!! It's the best night of the transfer I swear! It was light themed and we ate and I'm gonna miss Sister Walters and her talents so much.
We have transfers this week, so I'll let you know what happens next week!
Anyways, I'm proud of all of you wherever you're at. I'm here for you if you need anything and remember, you're doing better than you think you are.
Love,
Sister Kline