Reflections of a Returned Chinatown Missionary

I wrote this yesterday, but lacked the internet signal to post. :)

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Dear Readers, 

Sitting in the Chinatown chapel with an afternoon ahead of me, it seems only appropriate for me to write a blog entry.

It’s been four months and seven days since I returned home from my mission in the New York New York North mission.  My mission was a time of immense growth and spiritual development, and the last four months have been a crash course in real-life application of what I learned there.  Going back to real life, even real life at a school run by my church, has been somewhat surreal.  There have been nights I have cried myself to sleep right alongside the days I have been so grateful to be home I could explode.  I have thrown myself back into my creative love, theatre, and been a part of incredible productions, using much of what I learned as a missionary to fuel my actions and my art.

I have become the return missionary I swore I would never be, one that jumps at an opportunity to swap mission stories, or to just tell them to (mostly) willing audiences.  I realize now why return missionaries tell the stories.  It isn’t to draw attention or to brag about what we have done, it is so we will never forget the lessons we learned and the Spirit we felt while serving.

As a return missionary, it is harder to find specific times to study my scriptures and have good conversations with my Heavenly Father.  There isn’t a little white handbook telling me what I have to do every day, defining success so I cannot misunderstand.  What there is, though, is satisfaction at doing what I know God wants me to, joy in temple attendance, and a whole slew of wonderful experiences that are helping grow my testimony even more.

Coming home from my mission was hard.  I wasn’t sure how I could be as happy as I was when serving.  Looking at my life now, though, I am happy.  I still see miracles every day.  I am inspired by the incredible people who surround me, and I am so grateful for their influence. 

So thank you, people that I love.  You make my life a better place.  Thanks for supporting me both on and off the mission, and helping me to be the person I want to be.

Much love,

Caitlin

Splits and meetings and splits and meetings and splits and meetings and.....

Starting this cycle we have eight sister companionships in Manhattan, which means that we average about two splits a week.  Add onto that the zone conference, leadership council, and other meetings we have and it makes for a busy next few weeks.  We'll see how much time Sister Woo and I have to breathe.

All that being said, it beats having an empty schedule.  Never a dull moment as a Manhattan missionary.

Actually, I really love splits.  It is sometimes difficult to be away from my companion as long as I have to be, but there is so much learning that happens on exchanges and I really enjoy getting to know all the sisters here in the city.  We have some awesome people here, and they all have incredible stories of how they got on a mission, and why they have decided to stay.

That has been something I have been thinking about recently, actually.  So many people talk about why they come on missions.  What interests me at this point is what keeps people serving.  Why do we continue to serve, even when it is difficult?  This isn't restricted to missionary work, it's encompasses any calling or service within the Church, or really any responsibility that we have in life.  What keeps us going?  For me, I think the answer lies in the blessings that I see in my life and the lives of others.  Too many good things happen as a result of doing what the Lord asks.  And to add on to that, every time a good thing happens I realize even more how much the Lord cares and how much more I want to serve Him in return.  It's an awesome cycle.

I would love to hear what you all have to think about the subject.  What keeps you going?

You are an incredible group of people.  Thanks for your love and support as we serve!

Love,

Sister Beer

Aaaaaand:

Finally some pictures!

Sister Woo and me in front of Yankee's Stadium at the ball game.  Super fun, by the way.

 

The subway is sending subliminal messages!  The coolest thing about this picture is that about two weeks later I sat down on the subway, looked up, and saw this EXACT seat.  New York dream number 12 of being on the same subway car twice fulfilled, right there.

I got a haircut!  It's pretty short, now.  I cut off about 7 inches, so I have a lot less hair now.

We went to The Art of the Brick exhibit at the Discovery museum today, and it was super fun.  There were a whole bunch of pieces of artwork that were all made entirely out of Legos!  Sister Woo, Brother Chen and I enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.