October 6, 2014

Oct. 6, 2014

It is strange knowing that this is the last time I will send you an email as a missionary. Yesterday I felt quite weird about the fact that I had finished my mission, but today I woke up with a sense of accomplishment and I knew that I had finished the work I came here to do—almost finished, that is. Tonight we will hold one more baptismal meeting for C, D and K (granddaughter of M. L., who we baptized a couple of weeks ago). So thankfully, I still get to be a missionary for a little bit longer.

I caught all four regular conference sessions but missed the priesthood one because it was transmitted too late in the evening, and mission rules didn’t allow me to attend. But that is all right. Next time I’ll watch it in the conference center with the guys and eat pastrami burgers afterward, so I’m chill. It was fun watching Elder Godoy’s talk in Portuguese. I enjoyed it a lot because there was no translator swallowing words. (Once in a while I didn’t understand something that someone said because of a bad translation).

On Tuesday I went to the temple and met up with all of the guys from my group. That was fun, and it was great seeing everyone again (it had been a while since I’d seen some of them). On Thursday, Elder P. got super sick, so we took him to the hospital, and it turns out he has pneumonia. He has been recovering since then though, and there is no imminent danger. I didn’t exactly want to spend the last few days of my mission at the house, so we organized divisions with the young men so that I could keep working with one while the other took care of P. at home. It wasn’t exactly how I had planned to finish my last week as a missionary, but that’s okay. We got done what we needed to get done.

As for my own personal improvement, I know that I have made a lot of progress, but I’m still me—just a better me. Who knows, seeing as how I’ve been away from everything for so long, when I get home it might feel like (to quote Joe Walsh): “Everybody’s different but I haven’t changed.” Nerk.

I’m excited that the gramps are going to be there when I get home. My welcome home itinerary looks like fun, the most important thing being that I will be with my family. Hmm, this is going to be weird after two years.

Well, I don’t really know what else to say. This last week seems like a dream, and so do these last two years. But either way, I’m done, I did it, I accomplished what I set out to do, and now I’m coming home. I love you guys and I am excited to see you on Thursday.

To finish up, I will quote an Ozzy Osbourne song. Why Ozzy? Because the song fits perfectly, and I invite you to listen to it so that you know the tune. I think that you will like it. It is called “Mama, I’m Comin’ home.” I changed some of the lyrics to meet the occasion, but you will get the idea.

Times have changed and times are strange

Here I come but I ain’t the same

Mama I’m comin’ home

Time passed me by and now it seems

The entire thing was just a dream.

Mama I’m comin’ home.

It’s been so long since I’ve been there

That I don’t know what to say.

But there’s one thing I know for sure

That this time I will stay.

With a swollen heart and tear-filled eyes

I comprehend now how time flies.

Mama I’m comin’ home.

I hope you know, I love you so

When I see you there my tears will flow

Mama I’m comin’ home

Oh Mama, Mama, I’m coming home, I’m coming home

Mission accomplished. My adventure is coming to an end.

There and back again,

Elder Morris