Keep Your Head Up

So this whole week has been very missionary-esque in my world. Not in the sense that I all of a sudden feel the need to go on a mission, but just in the sense that I have had a lot of opportunities to think about the missionaries in my life right now.

1. Gonzo. AKA: Angela Glade. I have not written her in ages and Check does so much better at staying in touch with her so I just keep caught up that way. But apparently Gonz keeps bringing up how she hasn't heard from me in ages, so I finally took some time to write her a letter.

Gonz and I at Oakcrest

2. Marissa. AKA: Riss. Love this girl's guts. She is one of the few girlfriends that I made in high school that I still associate with. She is one of the best friends I have ever had. I got my first letter from her in months this last week. She sent it to my parents house so I had to wait a few days to get it, but I was thrilled. It was a perfect missionary letter and she sounds so great. She even wrote it on orange paper for me, that's how good of a friend she is. Hahaha. Also, I ran into her parents at Shay's wedding last night and spent a little while talking to Mama Purser and getting a full update on all things Marissa/all things Purser, it was wonderful.

Riss and I at a football game

3. Little Brother. AKA: Travis. We got to talk to him on Sunday for Mother's Day and it was soooooooooo great!! Sheesh that boy amazes me. He is learning and growing so much, I am so proud of him. He was still the same old funny Travis on the phone. We all sat in the same room and took turns using the two phones to talk and listen and then had the third one on speaker so that we could all hear and chime in. My whole life I felt like I had to be an example for my little brother, but with him serving a mission now, he is an example for me. We talked to him for two hours and I literally fell asleep with the phone on my ear by the end just listening to the sound of my little brother's voice. I try not to miss him too much, but sometimes, I do. However, there is nowhere else that I would rather have him be right now than serving the Lord in Honduras with everything he's got.

Me and Little Brother after his

Prince Charming competition.

As for all my other friends serving missions, sorry you got left out, but these three have been on my mind all week.

Final missionary thought for the day: As a few of us were driving back from dinner tonight, I noticed two Elders walking down a side street, probably heading to their apartment because it was getting late. I noticed that they were both slightly dragging their feet and that their heads were both down. All I wanted to do was pull them aside and say "Boys, if you are going to take on the world, you've got to lift your head up and look it in the eye." This is something that doesn't just apply to missionaries, but to all of us. I don't remember who it was that said this to me, or if it was in a general conference talk or something, all I know is that it has always stuck with me.

I used to be one of those people that would just stare at my feet when I walked not really worried about everything else around me, but the day I heard this and started practicing it, my whole view of the world changed. Literally, haha. But really, look the world in the face, have confidence in yourself and in what you are doing. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, and love every moment for what it is.