If you served one, do you remember the excitement leading up to leaving on your mission? There was all the studying, mission and temple prep classes, buying what felt like an entirely new wardrobe, going to the temple for your first time, and of course, saying goodbye to everyone. These missionary photos at the Provo City Center Temple, and a little bit at the historic courthouse across the street, brought back all of these memories for me. It really is an exciting and confusing and anxious time all at once! I remember feeling confused because I didn't quite know what to really expect, anxious because I didn't know if I was going to do a very good job, but also excited because I definitely thought I was going to be the best missionary ever! In all of this there was one more feeling, a feeling of calm. I knew that what I was doing was what I wanted and that it was going to be good for me, I knew that I wanted to share something that I held dear to my heart.
I could see some of these same feelings in Austin as we were doing his missionary session. Austin, I'm sure that every person you talk to right now feels the need to give you their most sage advice as you prepare for your mission but here's mine. Focus on the individuals you meet, not everyone has the same needs and when you really get to know someone for who they really are you can be in tune to what their needs really are. You are going to learn a lot on your mission about the gospel, about other people, about yourself, and you're going to learn some things that you may not have known you needed to learn! I think that one of the things I learned on my mission was to love myself as I am and how to love others as they are. Focus on the individuals that you meet and what they need and I think you will be a great missionary! Good luck to you!
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