Next Chapter

"Our life is our own story that we are writing every day." I came up with that one on my own, and I really like it, and it speaks a truth. We are constantly writing the story of our lives in everything that we do. Like any novel,we have new story lines, new characters who come and go, regular characters who come and go, and we even have new chapters. Those new chapters are what I want to talk about today.
One great chapter from my book of life took place from July 31, 2008-February 22, 2010. I like to call this chapter "The Grand Adventure" or "Southern Exposure." I was called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Alabama Birmingham Mission. Cliche or not, it was the best 18 months of my life! I won't go into all the details, because we would all be here for years as I retold all of my adventures, mishaps, joys, sorrows, and growth. Instead, I will summarize. My mission is where I came to know who I am, what I am capable of, and who I want to be. It was as easy as people say it is. It was harder than people say it is. I felt the Spirit more than I had ever felt before. I cried more than I had ever cried before. I laughed more than I had ever laughed before. I loved more than I ever had before. It was amazing. But like all chapters in a book, this one came to a close all too soon. My mission in the South ended, and it was time to go home.
I remember driving to the airport the morning that we (my parents came to pick me up) flew out, and as soon as I saw the airport my heart seemed to stop, I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't see for the tears that had suddenly pooled in my eyes. It was real. The chapter was closing, and the airport was the final scene. Leaving Utah for my mission was hard, but I have to admit that leaving Alabama for Utah was the hardest thing that I have ever done. To ad-lib the popular song, "I left my heart in Alabama."
The nice thing about a chapter ending is that a new one begins. My new chapter began when I landed in Utah and saw the rest of my family for the first time in 18 months. It was great to hug them and feel them, to love them in person. I also had two new members of my family to meet; my 3-month old nephew, Sam, and my brother's girlfriend (now wife!) Felicia. It was a great homecoming. My brother had even made a sign that he draped across the front of our house that said "Sweet home Grantsville, Utah." With a new chapter came new challenges, but I made it through that first chapter of being home.
I have now officially been home for two years today, and I have experienced a few chapter beginnings and endings. It hasn't always been easy, but it has been great. I was reflecting on the past two years today, and I came to the realization that I have accomplished so much in these two years. I started school again, and I am one year away from graduation and becoming a teacher. I have experienced the joy of watching my brother and his sweetheart sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, as well as the excitement and anticipation of the birth of my new nephew, Mark. I have spent so much good time with my family and friends, and have even made new friends! These new chapters really have been so good to me!
My opening sentence came from a text conversation that I had with a friend, and I would like to end with another part of that message. "It's all about the heart that we put into writing our story." Sometimes life is hard and boring, but if we put some effort into writing even those parts of our stories they can become just as meaningful as the more preferred parts of our stories. As I realized that I had been home for two years today I became a bit panicked, but thinking about my recently written chapters has helped me to realize the value of what I have done, and what I am continuing to do. I look forward to the coming chapters and the characters that I hope they produce, and let's admit it, the romance, but I'm not going to worry about those parts right now. Right now it's one page at a time, one adventure at a time.