Two whole months gone?

Coming home after being gone for two months is a strange feeling.

The last few weeks in Africa were spent working hard with Your Sisters, and our time spent with them was incredible.  Those seven little girls and Frank and Libby became my African family; I love them so much, and it was so hard to leave them!  The videos I took of them singing make me cry every time I watch them.  It will be a happy day when Frank and Libby come to Utah.


It was hard to say goodbye to Spear, too.  He is one of the most amazing men I've ever met.  He has the most contagious smile; even when I'm in a totally awful mood, 30 seconds sitting across from Spear makes me happy for the rest of the day.  His testimony withstands everything, and he relies on it for every part of his life.  I can't wait for him to come visit America this year.


Six weeks was a long time to be in Africa, and when I look back and try to imagine being in Europe, it feels like so long ago.  On the other hand, when I think about how many nights I slept in my squeaky bunk bed or how many malaria pills I took, they both don't seem like they've been done 42 times.

It's been a couple days, and I still can't believe that I'm home and that I've been gone for two months.  I can't believe how much I learned over the last two months, either...
I learned that I enjoy being well-rounded in a lot of aspects rather than being extremely talented at one thing.  I learned who I really am away from the influences of some of the people at home; I could be whoever I wanted to be while I was gone, and I like who I was there the most.  I learned to not seat the little things and to find adventure in misfortunes; the world goes on, and everything will work out fine.  I learned to trust myself.  I learned patience.  I learned what things and what people I really care about back home.  My testimony of the gospel grew, and I learned how to share that more openly.  I learned that I don't like strangers touching me, and that I'm stronger and braver than I ever knew.  Going abroad for two months is the easiest way to learn about yourself.  I actually feel like an adult now.  I feel like I could don anything on my own and take care of myself.  It's a good feeling.