Of Returning and Adjusting

The time came. 

I finished my mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I said my goodbyes and left the Idaho Pocatello Mission. 

My flight landed and I was greeted by my wonderful, loving family. 

We went to meet my Stake President who lovingly listened as I talked about my experience and then said, "Sister Rawlins, you are hereby honorably released. You may take off the name tag." 

Looking at the tag in my hands, tears started streaming down my face. I knew that season of my life was over. I was no longer a full-time missionary. Immediately though I felt an immense surge of love and appreciation from my Heavenly Father. So that when my Stake President asked how I felt, all I could get through the tears was, "I feel as though the Lord accepts of all that I have offered Him." The stake president began crying and assured me he could tell by the Spirit that was true. 

The song I'd long thought of and had carried me through my mission was fulfilled.

Oh, that each in the day of [her returning] may say,

"I have fought my way thru; 

I have finished the work thou didst give me to do."

Oh, that each from his Lord may receive the glad word: 

"Well and faithfully done;

Enter into my joy and sit down on my throne."

Hymn: Come, Let us Anew

While I love being home and being with my family, this week has definitely been an adjustment. 

The hardest adjustment is figuring out who I am now. 

I'm not the person I was before the mission, nor am I the person I was during the mission.

 Those seasons of life are over. Those time have passed.

 I need to now become the person I am during this season of life. 

Everything I've learned and everything I've become will carry over into this season of life, but like any change, this change requires adjustment. And I'm working on being patient with myself during the adjustment.

So you may ask me:

What am I doing now? 

What's next for me? 

Where will I live?

And the answer will be:

I don't know.

But what I do know is that God has a perfect plan for His children. 

I don't see it.
Only at times does He allow me a glimpse.
I know that His plan is greater than any other plan I could make for myself. 

So I practice patience. 

I trust. I wait. I hope. 

I remember Him during the time in between and listen to my current favorite song. 

And I remind myself, "I know that He loveth His children; 

nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." 

1 Nephi 11:17