So the first thing that everyone told me when I mentioned that I was called to serve a mission in Vancouver, Washington was that first, I better have a warm raincoat, and secondly that it is so beautiful there. Both of which I have come to agree with, but what I didn't know, was how majestic the trees really are. They are so big and tall, to me they never seemed to end. I remember getting off the plane and as we were driving around, just staring at them. I was so in awe of them and I still am. Also being from the brown and dry state of Utah, I didn't realize that so many shades of green could exist. President Thomas S. Monson quoted a poem in the last general conference by Douglas Malloch that describes the trees and people so well:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
I know that is true. Life isn't easy and it isn't supposed to be. If it was we wouldn't grow as much, we wouldn't know our strengths, we would take for granted all that our loving Heavenly Father has done for us and our Savior Jesus Christ. If we didn't have winds or storms in life we wouldn't stretch to reach our true potential to be like Christ.
I have felt this in my life, especially as I have been out on a mission. There are rough days, and I have never been so far out of my comfort zone as I am now when I talk to people I don't know, and try to help them through things that I have never experienced because I am only 19 years old and haven't even been to college or lived away from home until now. Also I have no clue how to blog so bear with me. But because of all those hard times I have grown so much and learned so much. I have learned to lean on my Savior and He has helped me through. I am not a giant, majestic tree yet but I do have some good timber and I am in the process of sprouting as we all are.
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