That Moment When....

When you realize how much work you have to do these next 16 months.

When you realize how wonderful these people are, even if some drive you batty.

When you feel Heavenly Father's love for every single person you meet, and you are the instrument through which they can realize that love for themselves.

When you have to completely rely on the spirit to know how to best help an investigator who has no hearing, basic language skills, and little eyesight.

When Elder Cardon from the Seventy comes down to zone conference and just feeds us spiritual knowledge.

When someone stops you randomly somewhere and compliments you on your red hair and you say "Thank you!" but secretly wonder if any of these people have seen a red-head before.

When you realize that your district is your family, and we all support each other in everything, no matter what.

When you finish a long day at the Mata Deaf Expo (where 2000 deaf people gather to buy/sell crafts, t-shirts, and deaf technology) and you look down at the three pages full of contact information and think, "Yes! I love this! So many people we can teach! Let's do this!"

Sister Crawford and Sister Pendleton

Sister Crawford and Sister Pendleton with some Deaf Children at the MATA Deaf Expo, watching some interpreted ASL videos.

When you finish the fifth day in a row, completely exhausted, a headache, and hungry, but knowing that you worked your hardest, and that is exactly what you needed to do, and the satisfaction that comes from that.

When you are half awake in the middle of the night having a half awake dream where you are supposed to be planning for an investigator, because that is what your body is used to doing, and you manage to wake yourself up, laugh, then go back to sleep.

When you cannot stop laughing because the elders in your district created their own version to "My Girl" but it is "My Sister" and they sing to your companion at the surprise 9-month party you threw for her.

When you finally get through to someone and know that you are only a couple of lessons away before they finally agree to be baptized.

When the other sisters call you saying they have an investigator with a baptismal date and all the other elders tell you they got a baptismal date that day, and the joy you feel when you realize that that is one more person receiving salvation.

When you have p-day on Wednesday instead of Monday and you know that your mama is going to kill you for not writing her on Monday :)  (Mama here, I will admit, I was concerned! :))

When you hear for the 4,985th time, "So if you are from Alabama, why don't you have an accent?" and you have to turn to your companion so they can explain, "She does, but it comes out the more she talks, I promise." because you don't want to explain it again.

When you have to really control your impatience with California traffic.

When you realize that since you are an ASL missionary, you will be dealing with said California traffic for about three to four hours every day.

When you think, "Wait, it's Sunday?? Again?? Man, this time is moving fast." and then you realize you have already finished two months of your mission and think, "There is not enough time for all of this!"

When you hope that everything you write in your letter home makes sense, even if it is all whims of thought that you want to tell people.

When Sister Crawford says to everyone reading this letter, "I love you all! Thank you for your support; I feel it everyday. :) :) "

Love,

Sister Smyly Crawford