"Look Not Behind Thee"

I love looking at this every night, especially during
the Christmas season

Merry Christmas! I am so happy I was able to talk to the family on Christmas day! It was so great to hear your voices! I am counting down the days where I can see Sister Kylie Udall as an actual missionary before she enters the MTC. It is even in my planner. Hey Uncle John! What's up!!

All I can say is that being a missionary during Christmas time is the most amazing experience. I am so happy that so many of our cousins and friends have a desire to serve because it is just the best feeling in the world. Just being here at Temple Square on such a special night was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It was worth not being able to be with family and doing some of the things I normally do on the holiday. That was definitely one of the best Christmas's I have ever had and I know it is because it was all focused on helping others to realize what is truly important and the reason why we celebrate Christmas. Sorry Mom but I think I'll extend my mission a couple of weeks so I can be here for next Christmas too!

One of the best parts of my mission is getting to interact with people with special needs when they come visit the square.  I just love those people and we get to see them often.  Here is a picture of Bob doing tricks in his wheelchair.  He comes to visit quite often.

Christmas Eve the square closed at 5pm and we had dinner, watched the nativity movie, and had a spiritual Christmas activity called the Christmas Posada. It's a family tradition for one of our AP's and also very common in Mexico. Many of our senior couples and mission presidencies dressed up as different characters from the Nativity like the three wise men, shepherds, Isaiah, angels, and Roman guards. They were all in different buildings or stations on Temple Square and we went in groups to "search for the Christ child." Each person would tell us their story of how they were involved with Christ's birth. It was a very powerful and spiritual activity and such a great way to help us feel the Christmas spirit that night.  Dinner was brought into us by Café Rio.  I had enchiladas and it was awesome because we eat enchiladas every Christmas at home.

  

 

 Christmas Day the square closed at 5pm again.  During the day we had a couple of hours to make our phone calls and then worked.  After the square closed we went down to the South Visitors Center for our party.  For dinner we had ham sandwiches with Doritos.  Then all 200 of us got wonderful presents from the missionary presidency.  They gave each of us a Wal-Mart gift card, a box of chocolates, a Jenny Oaks Baker CD, a Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD, a pencil, a scarf, fuzzy socks,

$50, and so much more!  It was so nice!  A former senior missionary who is crazy and funny and acts like Uncle Darin came dressed up as Santa Claus and gave them to us! We all went up one by one to get our gifts and he grabbed me and hugged me even though I am a missionary. It was so funny!  We watched 2 movies. One was Christmas for a dollar and the other was Happy Feet! We all wore our pajamas and it was so much fun. 




Santa visits the Temple Square Missionaries 

It was so cool getting to see my family last week but I was amazed at how easy it was to walk away from you when it was time for you to leave. This mission is so important to me and I know that I am here for a specific reason. When it was time for our visit to end, I just felt like I needed to get back to the square and do the things that I was called here to do. 

 

One of my favorite sayings is "A Missionary is someone who leaves their family for two years so others can be with their family for eternity."  Even though I struggled a little at the beginning of my mission, I quickly came to realize how special my calling as a missionary is.  In Alma 34:32 it says:

 

"For behold this is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors."

 

That scripture really hit me hard when I first read it. I like to share this scripture with my investigators but I feel like it really applies to my mission as well. As we prepare to meet our Father in Heaven we must also work hard to do our part in building up the kingdom of God and bringing others to Christ. Being a good person and just hanging out on the sidelines doesn't make the cut. This scripture reminds me that I need to go the extra mile and do everything that Heavenly Father has asked me to do. 

 

I am so happy because for most of the year of 2014 I get to be a missionary! My New Year's resolution is to make the most of my time here and to not waste a minute of it. Heavenly Father trusts us missionaries with our callings and expects us to do our best. I am so excited to just start fresh and leave everything behind me! I want to share one of my favorite Mormon Messages! It is all about the New Year and "Look Not Behind Thee" which is one of my favorite stories in the bible. It is the story of Lot and his wife when they are leaving Sodom and Gomorrah.  The Lord told them to flee the city and don't look back.  It's not that literally looking back as she left was bad; but she was looking back with longing.  She wanted and already missed all the things Sodom and Gomorrah gave her even though it was an evil city.  You should watch the video.  Here is the link: 

 

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=910930409001

 

It is so important that we leave the past behind us and look forward to what we can do in the future.  That's why New Year's is such an awesome opportunity.  I have a love hate relationship when New Years Day! I like to reflect on the past and think about all of the good times that I have had and everything I have learned- but sometimes all of those memories make me miss the past and I don't want a new year to start! I also love the New Year because it is a time to make resolutions and changes to be better. It is so exciting because we get 365 new days and we don't even know what will occur! 

 

2013 was the most interesting, amazing and shocking year of my life so far. This time last year I had decided not to serve a mission and I enrolled in nursing school. So many changes and ups and downs were going on but I am so happy that I made the decision to serve. And I am so excited to see what Heavenly Father has in store for the year 2014!

 

I challenge each of you to look forward to the new year and "look not behind thee" so that you may focus on what lies ahead.  The past is in the past and because of the loving sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the future is bright!

 

 

Thanks to my wonderful family and friends for the awesome Christmas gifts and Christmas cards.  You all are so good to me and make serving my mission such an amazing experience because of your support.

 

Thanks to:

Grandpa and Grandma Wellman

GiGi

Grams and Mac

Papa Rick & Grandma Laurie

Grandpa Herb & Terry

Aunt Tonya

The Udall Fam

The Inman Fam

Sterling

Sister Weng

Dad and Keli

Mom and Jeremy

 

If I didn't mention you yet, it's probably because we haven't received everything yet.  There was lots of mail coming in and they are still sorting through it.  But thank you so much to everyone!

 

Sister Macy Park