Hey Everyone!
Just another beautiful day here in Crossett! Happy December to everyone too! Though at 74 degrees outside it doesn't exactly feel like it. The 39 degrees back home would probably feel a little more like December and the upcoming holiday.
We plan on washing the car and going shopping. Exciting I know. Maybe swinging by the bowling alley a little later. Also, I am frying up some chicken for dinner (we have almost a whole bag of chicken breasts in the fridge that need using, and last time I fried up some chicken, it was REALLY good...which was two weeks ago I think.) That's pretty much our p-day for the day.
My last p-day.
It's weird to think that this is coming to a close. I wont deny that it is. I know President Uchtdorf said that you should always be in the "middle of your mission". Forgive me for what may be considered by some a "negative" attitude towards the end of my mission and by acknowledging the close of my mission (I have to pack sometime after all). It's not the end though, it is really only the beginning. The beginning of an eternity of service to my Heavenly Father and service to my Savior, Jesus Christ. Serving a mission and being a missionary has better led me and trained me to do that. To become whom he would have me be.
What are my feelings this last week of my mission? Excitement. Sadness. Nervousness. Calmness. Knowledge.
I may not know what the future might hold or what I may be doing in life, but I know that I will press forward and always be anxiously engaged in a good cause.
Maybe after a day of rest. Because I am also tired, oh so tired. :)
Exchanges went well this last week. We had a very successful day out in Oak Grove, LA. We contacted a referral we had which turned out to be a part member family, who was really excited to come to church yesterday! Only they didn't. None of our investigators did. A member did bring a friend of his to church with him who had never been before. He fit right in. The branch does a pretty good job of that (for the most part).
I will be speaking in church next week for about 5 minutes or so, just about my mission. Elder Durrant and I are also singing with the young men (Hymn #202). Then I am speaking in church the following week too. Only it will be in a different ward, a different stake, a different state, a different world.
I love the people here. I truly, truly do. I love the South. It is a second home to me. I have family here now. I know I can always come back and there will be open arms to receive me.
No matter where I go though, no matter where life takes me, I believe that Mt Pleasant, Utah (even as small as it is) will always hold a place in my heart. I will always love it there. But I've come to realize something. The place doesn't make the home. It's the people. And I know several people that I will get to see a week from Wednesday that will ALWAYS be home. Don't worry, I'll bring tissues. :)
Speaking of that! Oh! I almost forgot. I leave the Jackson airport at 10:10 AM on December 12th. I have about a three hour layover in Dallas, and then my plan lands at 5:00 PM in the SLC airport. I kind of wish it was earlier. Oh well.
I will talk to y'all probably next Tuesday (at which point I will be in Clinton, MS). Until then, I love y'all :)
Love,
Elder
Dwight
Mendenhall
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