* Well folks, I have dug myself out of my 3 snow day bliss. I never left the house on Saturday, church was cancelled on Sunday, and no work on Monday! I'm back at work and getting ready to get on a plane to join the modern exodus to Salt Lake. Hope to see many of you soon! Love you all!
When: Mid January 2005
Where: Cleveland/Kirtland Ohio
My first two days in the mission field are too good to only focus on one thing. I will NEVER forget looking out the airplane window over the rows and rows of Cleveland houses and seeing the sun sparkle over Lake Erie. I weeped. I felt the strongest feeling of love for everyone on the plane and everyone out my window. The Lord said, "Go to the Ohio. There I will give unto you my law, and there, ye shall be endowed with power from on high." I was endowed with a pure love for each of God's children who lived within my mission. I was so grateful to be there and ready to start working.
I was picked up by the APs and the Mission President and wife and taken directly to the Kirtland Historical Sites. We toured with Karl Anderson, Kirtland scholar and author. I was nerdy enough and prepared enough to bring along my copy of Joseph Smith's Kirtland, which my awesome cousins, Dan and Jaclyn England, had given me. At the end of the tour I asked for an autograph, and the group of Elders looked at me like, "Who does she think she is?" They had no idea who he was.
We were taken to the upper room in the Newel K. Whitney Store, called the School of the Prophets. There, I knelt on the hard, tobacco stained, wood planks and I bawled my little eyes out. I dedicated my mission to the Lord and I made promises to Him. I asked for blessings in return, but mostly I bawled in gratitude for such a wonderful blessing in my life to serve the Lord.
The Mission President's wife, Sister Motzkus, asked me if I was ok, because I was such a crybaby mess. Yep. I was fine. Just emotional. I was then taken to the Greyhound station in downtown Cleveland and Sister Motzkus took me to meet my trainer. I walked up to a tall, pretty, blonde sister missionary, and I'll never forget when she turned her head, smiling at me, and threw her arms around me. My life was changed at that point. I knew everything was going to be ok.
Alisa Christensen Harrison taught me everything I know about how to be a missionary, how to love people, how to through my arms around people, even if I don't know if I should or not, how to conduct myself in a classy and dignified way, and definitely about how to laugh and have fun. Her husband, Ryan, has been a great friend to me and a support when I needed advice from not only a male perspective but from a priesthood holder as well. They are expecting their first baby any day now, and my heart is bursting with joy for them. All I can say is that if Alisa and Ryan can raise a child as well as Alisa raised me as a missionary, then the world is in good hands.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
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2 comments:
ah....you're making me cry. i love you mags (my maggie!!), i mean, sister leak! really, this means a lot! can't wait for baby harrison to meet you! safe travels!!
That was a great post. So glad you were prepared with you book for an autograph, you rock. We are still so grateful that we were able to see you on your mission, that was so much fun. You are an incredible person and a wonderful example to all of us. I hope we have a chance to see you while you're in UT.
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