A decade! A decade! That's how long it's been since I have returned back from a mission for my church in Mexico City. Technically it been 10 years and 4 months, but let's just round down. This last weekend I attended my mission reunion. Years ago we would have these twice a year. Then as time marched on, we moved to once a year. The last one we had was about 5 years ago. At this pace the next one should be in about 20 years.
I was expecting just a really small group of us, like 10 or so. But to my surprise the chapel was halfway filled with old missionaries and mostly the 3 or 4 kids each one had. My mission president, Elder Craig Christensen, is now a Seventy and gave a great little talk. After came the truly great part of the night...tacos! Now if I were to die today and be granted one last thing to eat, it would be street corner tacos, particularly tacos-al-pastor. This is marinated pork cooked on a rotating skewer and they put hot pineapple in the taco. Top it off with a little salsa and you have a little piece of Mexican heaven.
I brought Abby to the reunion (I'll explain all that in a later post). She was a good sport about it. I warned her that Sister Christensen would probably grab her hand (for a slightly uncomfortably long time), stare penetratingly long in her eyes and say something to the effect of how the Lord lead Abby and I together, maybe mentioning the kids we would have and how much she knew Abby and I were right for each other. True to form, she did just that. AKWARD! Luckily Abby took it well when Sister Christensen said, while grabbing her hand and deeply gazing in her eyes at close proximity, "I have been praying for you two to be together. I have been praying for this day." To which Abby replied, "Well, I'll let you know if we make any important announcements."
All in all, a good time.
I also began scanning old mission pictures into my computer, just in case the house burns down, I only really have to worry about grabbing one thing. doing this I remembered how great an experience that was and how much of an effect serving a mission had on my life and shaping the person I have become. Reminiscing on these photos, I felt how much I miss those days and those people. I hope my sons, nephews, grandchildren, etc. are able to have the opportunity to experience what it is like to forget yourself for 2 years and be fixated on something bigger as you can watch the effect and joy it brings to those around you. Here are a few great gems from 1996 to 1998 in Mexico City.
I was expecting just a really small group of us, like 10 or so. But to my surprise the chapel was halfway filled with old missionaries and mostly the 3 or 4 kids each one had. My mission president, Elder Craig Christensen, is now a Seventy and gave a great little talk. After came the truly great part of the night...tacos! Now if I were to die today and be granted one last thing to eat, it would be street corner tacos, particularly tacos-al-pastor. This is marinated pork cooked on a rotating skewer and they put hot pineapple in the taco. Top it off with a little salsa and you have a little piece of Mexican heaven.I brought Abby to the reunion (I'll explain all that in a later post). She was a good sport about it. I warned her that Sister Christensen would probably grab her hand (for a slightly uncomfortably long time), stare penetratingly long in her eyes and say something to the effect of how the Lord lead Abby and I together, maybe mentioning the kids we would have and how much she knew Abby and I were right for each other. True to form, she did just that. AKWARD! Luckily Abby took it well when Sister Christensen said, while grabbing her hand and deeply gazing in her eyes at close proximity, "I have been praying for you two to be together. I have been praying for this day." To which Abby replied, "Well, I'll let you know if we make any important announcements."
All in all, a good time.
I also began scanning old mission pictures into my computer, just in case the house burns down, I only really have to worry about grabbing one thing. doing this I remembered how great an experience that was and how much of an effect serving a mission had on my life and shaping the person I have become. Reminiscing on these photos, I felt how much I miss those days and those people. I hope my sons, nephews, grandchildren, etc. are able to have the opportunity to experience what it is like to forget yourself for 2 years and be fixated on something bigger as you can watch the effect and joy it brings to those around you. Here are a few great gems from 1996 to 1998 in Mexico City.
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