This is It
Good heavens I can't believe I'm actually writing this email. I never really thought I'd get here. As most of you know I will be finishing my mission up here next week and will be returning home on August 3! I'm excited to see my family and friends, but I have loved my mission, and have learned so many things. My dad said it would be good idea to share some of those things, so I think I will take this email area by area and ponder on the most important thing I learned from that area... I'll try to make it long since I got subtweet roasted by my grandpa for only sending a haiku one week, so this one's for you Grandpa... and everyone else who has supported me over the last two years.
My first area of Great Bend! What a simple time that was lol. Back when we could just go knock on doors, eat with whomever our hearts desired, and all that fun pre-covid jazz. I spent 4 blessed transfers in Great Bend. 2 being trained and 2 as a district leader trainer. I feel it would be best to focus on the last two transfers in Great Bend. I had just gotten out of training and was called to be a District Leader and trainer. So not only was I asked to train a new missionary (after only being out 3 or so months) I was supposed to essentially preside over about 3 other companionships... why they trusted me with this... I have no idea. I had no idea what I was doing, how to train, or how to be a DL, but I survived. I would say the big lesson from Great Bend was that it is okay to admit you don't know what you’re doing or don't have all the answers. I had to ask for help countless times while in Great Bend either while I was being trained, or while I was training. So remember... it's okay to say I don't know
My second area was the great land of Hutchinson KS with one of my fav comps. I spent a transfer and a week in Hutch because Covid got me yeeted to Whaletown (we'll get there tho). Hutch man what a time. I had only been out around 6 months and my beautiful comp had been out maybe 4 so we were both pretty fresh. I had a decent idea of what I was doing, but still not positive. I think Hutch was where I learned to have fun as a missionary. Not the kind of fun that distracts you from the work, but the kind that memories are made around. I got along so well with my comp, and we have some great memories together. I learned the importance of addressing your own needs at times. As a missionary it is so easy to always focus on others, but at times you have to focus on yourself. And that isn't a bad thing... but I will say on an airplane when the oxygen masks drop down what do they tell you? They say make sure your own mask is secured before you help others. So make sure you're safe before trying to help others. If we don't take time for ourselves then we won't have the energy we need to help others. We will be so worn out and beaten down that we'll end up useless to others. So strangely enough sometimes the key to being selfless is to be a little selfish. So take time for yourself.
Wellington. AKA Whaletown. The peak of covid. As I reflect on my time in Wellington my thoughts are turned to the countless hours I spent playing piano and reading the scriptures as covid was in full swing and no one had any idea what to do. That first transfer I was a lowly junior comp so i just went with the flow, but then someone got the great idea to make me the DL there for my second transfer. IDK who did that, but it was a great prank. I'll remember that one. In Wellington I learned the difference in feeling productive and being productive. As a DL i was told to make sure my stewardship as it is called all had full schedules and that all their time was accounted for... this was a challenge seeing as my whole day wasn't even full. I had NO idea what to do. It was easy to say "hey lets go fishing and if we talk to someone we'll be fulfilling our missionary purpose" and the funny thing is people like thought that was the greatest idea ever. I spent many hours either at the lake or in that little two bedroom apartment. I found that most of the time we were doing things to feel productive as opposed to actually being productive. (more to come on that later) I remember giving advice to my stewardship as to what they could do and it was the simple stuff like call people and study. I do however remember telling some elders to just schedule in periodic bathroom breaks... but hey it filled their schedule which was the goal. so lesson from Wellington... there is a difference in being productive and feeling productive. Not just in missionary work, but in real life too. So ponder on activities you do and thing what's the actual benefit of this. You may need to reconsider what you are spending time doing.
After getting yoinked out of Whaletown I went to the promised land of Lawrence. Arguably my favorite area. I was in the same district as my MTC comp Elder Baily Scroggins who I so dearly love. My companion and I got along great, the ysa was a party (Go jayhawks), and we were starting to figure things out. It's hard to say what exactly I learned in Lawrence, but I think I'm gonna go with the importance of good friends. There were some AMAZING missionaries up in Lawrence when I was there. I made a lot of good friendships there that I think will last for a while, so always choose good friends who will support you and help you reach your goals. So yeah Lawrence was a little shorter, but choose good friends.
After Lawrence came my short time at home. I learned more here than I think I had the last 14 months of my mission. I won't get into it, but I learned a lot about my Savior Jesus Christ and His Atonement. For our EQ lesson we read the talk "What has Jesus Christ done for us?" from this last General Conference. That is a question I think we all could ponder. Truly what has Jesus Christ done for us. Just think about it. If its something ya'll wanna talk about more I'd love to talk about it more with whoever wants to. You know where to reach me. I truly can say that I know of the love God has for all of us. There just isn't a doubt in my mind that He doesn't love us. I enjoyed my time at home, but was always looking to return to Kansas where I knew I belonged. That day happened in earlyish December.
My first area back was McPherson. It was an interesting area. Definitely not my favorite, but i had a good enough time there. My second comp while I was there was a little hard to get along with. So in McPherson I definitely learned how to get along with people a little different than you. He liked all these things I really didn't care for, he left dishes out, he was a little messy, and he just had some other little habits that over time really got to me. I knew my situation was unavoidable so I figured I'd better learn how to survive. After some counseling I figured it out. It all comes down to service. I had this idea that if I left his dishes in the sink he would magically do them... I was sorely mistaken. I finally started just doing his dishes and you know what eventually he was doing his own dishes. I tried to find other ways to serve him and to just let the little things go. I wasn't perfect at it, and I'm still not, but I survived.
And that brings me to my last area. Wichita Kansas in the Rock Road YSA (go shockers) What a party honestly. I've spent the last 3 or so months here and I've loved it. I always said i never wanted to serve in Wichita, but I love it. Being in a ysa helps because i get to talk to people my age, which is good and bad, but I think more times it is good. What have I learned here...? Well I'd say the lesson I learned here is one every missionary should learn early on... and it's one I’ve known from the beginning. But if you wanna see success then you gotta work! Crazy how that works. I feel like I've had the most numerical success here in that I've had two baptisms (which baptisms don't make a successful missionary, but they sure are nice haha). I feel like I’ve left my all here. There is SO much potential for this area in the next few months and I'm excited about the potential and all the success that will be had in the YSA. Now obviously this principle can apply to more than just missions. But if you wanna see improvement or success or change or anything you gotta work for it. It ain't just gonna happen overnight. So work hard. in everything.
My brain is a little fried, but I had just a few more general thoughts. I was asked the other day "Why are there people that just everyone likes?" I thought that's a great question and honestly I’m not sure. But you know the type. they always see the best in others, the lift others up, they're dependable, you know who they are. But strive to be like that.
I want to close with my testimony. I don't often share my testimony in my emails. This last week I was asked "how has the gospel blessed your life?" boy how hasn't the gospel blessed my life. I love teaching others how they can find lasting happiness and seeing them change their life and actually seeing that happiness I promised. I think the two strongest parts of my testimony are the fact that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that the temple is the house of God. Now I know those are two very different things, but allow me to elaborate. Joseph smith endured hell while alive. He went through the ringer. I think it's fascinating that while the professors of religion at the time couldn't agree on anything they could all agree that Joseph Smith was a liar and a fraud. and that to me is a good indicator that what Joseph what doing was good. Why else would Satan put it into the hearts of those men to stop him? kinda sounds like Moses... or even Jesus Christ. Funny how that works. Whenever Satan knows someone is doing something good he tries to stop it. So if you ever feel those fiery darts just remember you're not alone. You're in good company. There have been others far greater to suffer much more. I love Joseph Smith.
My second part was about temples. I'll keep it brief because I don't actually think anyone wants to read all this. I just had a powerful experience in the temple a few weeks back. I hadn't been in close to 2 years so to enter that holy house was amazing. The spirit present in the temple is so real. It was amazing to be able to hear our two recent converts speak of their experience after. They recognized how special that place is.
ANYWAY I'm def
rambling now, but despite what anyone thinks or tries to say I loved my
mission. I loved being able to serve in the heartland. In the great Kansas
Wichita Mission. I love my Savior, I love this gospel, and I know what I've
taught the last two years is true. If you've strayed from that fold, please
come back. Come see what you're missing. You won't regret it. Elder Nixon
signing off.
Elder
Nixon
