Tips For Return Missionaries (From a Convert)

As it says in the title, and as I have mentioned in my previous blog posts, I am a Mormon Convert. Before I knew the gospel, I was stuck in habits I never thought I'd live without. I was living a self-destructive pattern that only the gospel could fix. After I was baptized, my challenges did not go away, but they DID become easier to tackle. The gospel brought light into the darkest areas of my mind, and helped mend the broken pieces of my heart; for that I am forever grateful. I changed because I finally had the form of help I needed: the restored gospel. *Read more about that change here, and here.* Of course, I wouldn't have made this transition if it hadn't been for the help and guidance of the missionaries.

 Missionary (noun): someone who leaves their families for a short time, so that others may be with their families for eternity.

Even though I have only been a member for a few years, I have gotten to know a number of missionaries. I express my deepest appreciation for those who have gone and served a mission, whether they served their entire mission or not. It amazes me to think about how much my life, with effort, completely changed because I made the decision to talk to two Sisters. Both of them have returned home from their mission, and are doing well. I am grateful for their testimonies and their example.

I haven't dealt with coming home from a mission, but I have experienced other transitions. Let's face it: life is hard. Satan is tricky. One day, we may think, "I'm too tired. I will just read my scriptures tomorrow." Let me ask you this. If you put off your scripture reading for ONE day, how easy would it be to neglect to read your scriptures the following day? Brothers and Sisters, faith cannot wait for tomorrow. Start today. Don't quit. It won't be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.

"Write down your goals and what you plan to do to achieve them. Aim high, for you are capable of eternal blessings." - President Thomas S. Monson

There is nothing that saddens me more than to see returned missionaries come home, and lose their faith. I think seeing return missionaries who grow to be less motivated in the gospel once they get home hurts my heart particularly because I know what it's like to live without the gospel for so long. I've heard stories of return missionaries who chose to neglect their covenants and unfortunately were excommunicated. I have also met return missionaries who flourish at reading their scriptures every day, while others slowly let it go. Brothers and Sisters, I am not saying you should wake up at 6:30am and go tracting every day once you return home, but don't take the habits you formed on your mission for granted. I know life is hard and Satan is tricky, but keeping your faith stronger than your struggles is what will keep you going. Your testimony is like a candle. Are you going to keep it lit, or let it burn out? You have to exercise your faith in order to prevent from slowly losing it.
  

Here are some tips to help you keep your testimony "lit."

1. READ YOUR SCRIPTURES

As President Thomas S. Monson counseled, "Spending time each day in scripture study will, without doubt, strengthen our foundations of faith and our testimonies of truth." Whether you've served a mission or not, reading your scriptures is not a habit that should be put on the back burner, EVER. I highly recommend studying your scriptures every.single.day. If you're married, I strongly encourage you and your spouse to not only read scriptures together everyday, but independently everyday as well. Believe me when I say that Satan can make daily scripture reading challenging to do sometimes, but don't give in! Be consistent with your scripture studying. Struggles are inevitable no matter who you are, but if you commit to daily scripture reading, the trying times will feel a little bit easier.

2. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INVESTIGATORS

I think keeping in contact with the people you baptized on your mission is essential not only for them, but for you. Keeping in touch with investigators might be easier said then done, but I think it's very important, even if you are only able to touch base every once in awhile. Social media, like Facebook, makes this simple and easy. Even an occasional text message can go a long way.

3. BE MINDFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU WATCH/LISTEN TO

The world makes this one very hard to do sometimes, but our Prophet and Apostles have counseled it time and time again: be careful what you invite into your minds. As President Monson said, "Our minds should be filled with uplifting and ennobling thoughts and kept free from those things which will pollute." I don't necessarily think you have to limit your entertainment strictly to Mormon Tabernacle Choir or LDS videos, but when it comes to things like television/movies and music, be wise and pay attention to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. "Stand ye in holy places and be not moved" (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8). Desire to have your physical environment and your mind be a holy place where the Spirit can be present.

4. ATTEND THE TEMPLE

Church authorities have counseled us to always keep the temple in our sights. Remember the temple and the covenants you've made there in every moment. Missionaries attend the temple when they can, and that should continue both on and off the mission field. Don't push the temple to the bottom of your list once you get home. Do the best you can to make it a priority. You don't want the Lord to think you have a spotty temple attendance, especially if you have a temple close to where you live. If you don't have a temple near you or are unable to attend for some other reason, you can still participate in the work by doing family history. *If you would like to go to the temple but are unable to do so at this time, read here.*

"After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel." 
- Joseph Smith

5. #SPREADTHEGOSPEL

 The phrase "I served a mission..." is often used in our church conversation. Some of us may have served missions for 18 months or two years, but is your mission really over when you step off that plane? No. You are currently serving a mission simply by being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although it's not the same as when you wore the name tag, your mission is not over once you're released, it's just beginning. Don't keep the Gospel to yourself. Never assume that people don't want to hear about Christ. The Gospel is meant to be shared - so share it always!

From Addicted to Converted

Instagram: @vannessagunnell

When the church released their 12 Steps to Change video series, I immediately found myself putting on my headphones and watching each video. They brought me to tears. Not just because of the stories shared, but because they reminded me so much of myself. They reminded me of the experiences I had before I discovered the church; how just weeks before I reached out to the missionaries I'd almost lost my life from my habits. By opening up and sharing some personal experiences, I am hoping to spread the message that the gospel can heal all afflictions if you let the gospel work in your life. In order for the gospel to work in your life, you have to be willing to let it change you if necessary. You don't need to be perfect, you just need to be willing. Life was a fight from the moment I came into this world. I was born almost four months early at one pound eight ounces. My parents were constantly sharing stories of their miracle baby, though I didn't feel like a miracle. I felt like a burden, and I didn't know why. Somewhere between the tiaras and dolls, these feelings triggered a major depression at a young age. Because of my mental health I was hospitalized and in residential treatment center all before the age of thirteen. During residential treatment I learned coping skills, the importance of asserting your needs, and a bit more about Vannessa. It was helpful for awhile, but I had another problem that I wasn't aware of at the time. "So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend" (Jeffrey R. Holland). It started out with skipping meals. I remember stepping on the scale and seeing the number had decreased, and I felt overwhelmed with happiness. I was proud of myself; I was finally doing something "right." I started living for numbers. I wanted to weigh X pounds by eating X amount of calories, exercising X amount of time at the gym and purging X amount of times throughout the day. I would wake up early to go run, and exercise in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep. Eventually I started using laxatives, diuretics, and diet pills. I would drink nothing but coffee and diet coke. I was masking the pain of past abuse by abusing myself. I guess you could say I was hiding behind my addictions. After struggling for longer than I'll admit, I finally sought help for my problems through a treatment center for eating disorders when I was eighteen. Little did a know that the next two years of treatment would be the longest, most life changing years of my life. Before I called the missionaries, I remember sitting in the hospital shaking and crying, physically aching to do eating disorder behaviors. I wanted to be numb. I didn't want to keep going. Like they said in the 12 Steps to Change videos, it took hitting rock bottom for me to realize what I was doing. After two years of being in and out of treatment, I unknowingly hit the first of the twelve steps to change: honesty. The doctor had told me that I had maybe a week of living with my habits of eating little, getting rid of food, and over exercising before I wouldn't wake up again. I knew that I wouldn't make it far without doing myself a favor - which was discovering that my life has meaning. Discovering the gospel helped me realize what it meant to be whole and complete. I remember telling myself "You were born at one pound eight ounces. People say you were a miracle baby. Why do you keep treating your life like it has no value?" I finally realized that my life was a gift. It's about time that I treated it like one. Recovery isn't easy. I didn't just wake up one morning, read the Book of Mormon and become magically healed. Addiction, like Satan, can be tricky. I have to make a choice every day, every meal. And if I ever make the wrong choice, I fight with every ounce of my being to try again tomorrow. So what do I do when living in recovery gets hard? When the adversary causes feelings of inadequacy, I remember that Jesus has felt every emotion that I have or ever will feel. When I feel hopeless or stressed, I remember that Jesus has felt that. If I feel anxious and overwhelmed, I remember that Jesus has felt that way too. Jesus was perfect; He didn't have to suffer, He chose to suffer both physically and emotionally because He loves us. He loves us more than we will ever be able to grasp. He suffered for us because He wanted to be able to honestly say, "Yes, my child, I have been there too. I know that this trial is hard. Keep me and my Father close. We will help you through this difficult time." When Satan tells me that I should use eating disorder behaviors, I cling to the Word of Wisdom like a child holds on to a teddy bear. I remind myself of the temple and how I want to be worthy to attend. I tell myself that the gospel is like oxygen, I won't live without it. I can't survive without spiritual or nutritional nourishment. So I try my best to improve in the gospel instead of decreasing the number on a scale. God is my Shepherd, and I am His sheep; I know He will not let me go astray without leading me back to Him. God has a plan for my life that is greater than I could ever imagine for myself. His timing always has and always will be better than my own. If you are struggling with addiction, I encourage you to hold on. Keep fighting and keep moving. The road to recovery may seem foggy at times, but it's not impossible. Nothing is impossible with God. Your Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ, will be there for you every step of the way. The atonement is there for each and every one of us. Choose to embrace it! No matter what we go through in this mortal life, we do not have to be strong all of the time. It is not bad to acknowledge our weaknesses. "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble" (Ether 12:27). I am not perfect. I screw up. I make mistakes. I get down on myself for things that I shouldn't. But I know that I'm blessed with a merciful God who gives us tomorrow's so we can try again. I am not perfect, but I am a child of God, and that is more than enough. What will you do today in order to show God that you love Him, by loving yourself? "In the sight of the Lord, it is not so much what we have done or where we have been but much more where we are willing to go" (Elder Edward Dube).

Courtesy of LDS Church