Continuing to learn

It's just a little over a week before we will leave Sun City, AZ. As wonderful as the people here are, we are getting anxious to get on to this next phase of our life. I have wanted to serve a mission for many years and, although I don't regret any of the time we have spent helping members of our family, I am excited to finally be able to serve a full-time mission for my Lord. I can't express enough how grateful I am for the good people in my life and for the wonderful opportunities we have had to travel, build relationships, and experience things that have broadened our understanding of the purpose of life.I sometimes wish I could be witty and entertaining to be able to make people laugh. I'm just not. But I am genuine in wanting to love people and make them feel good. My greatest hope is that no-one will ever be relieved to have me gone. I don't ever want to be an obstacle to someone's progress. That doesn't mean I expect to always be of assistance in the way people want. I am slowly learning the wisdom of knowing when to pick up and carry and when to stand by and cheer on. It's hard to watch anyone suffer in any way. However, I am learning that it is part of our existence. We each get to feel pain and sorrow. We each get to watch others we care about feel pain and sorrow. Sometimes the only thing we can do is hold a hand or provide a listening ear or shoulder to cry on. But we can't make it all better. It's the same for our Heavenly Father. He loves us enough that He wants us to gain strength and wisdom. We don't do that by having Him step in and make it all better every time. Learning to trust His wisdom is a long, difficult process. When we can do that, we will feel His peace. He has promised us that. But it's like learning patience- it takes time.