eighteen months

Discussion in 'BOARDANIA' started by plaid, Apr 12, 2007.

  1. Buzzfloyd Spelling Bee

    Cool! Are you more or less nervous now you know where you're going?
  2. TamyraMcG Active Member

    Calgary is a pretty cool place from what I've seen on tv anyway. It will be quite a bit cooler (temperature wise at least), then what your used to but there are a lot of cowboys to convert so you should have some fun.
  3. plaid New Member

    i think i'm less nervous. i feel like i should be absolutely crazy with all the uncertainty and how strange it's going to be, and all the stuff i have to get ready...

    but i'm okay about it. it'll all sort itself out.
  4. spiky Bar Wench

    Wow you got one of those backward out of touch places that doesn't have email!

    Have fun, eh.
  5. Hsing Moderator

    I've been to Calgary, I've got relatives there.
    Hm. If they don't allow you any emailing, drop your postal adress so we can entertain you. :)
  6. KaptenKaries New Member

    Good luck in Calgary, Plaid, I hope you find your stay rewarding and unforgettable. :smile:

    My advice to you, on this journey, is to try and appreciate the beauty and love of all people you meet, unprejudiced, no matter their religious or political beliefs. By showing true understanding and love the impact of your encounters will be so much greater.

    Try to learn something from the people you meet, and listen to what people have to say. Really listen. A conversation is more than a one way communication, and truly rewarding only when all parties are participating in it.

    I believe that the radiance of understanding, respect, love and interest can't be faked.

    These are, of course, only the opinions of an agnostic northener far from prophethood, and shouldn't be taken as dogma. :smile:

    Have a great 18 months, Plaid!
  7. Rincewind Number One Doorman

    Pfft, I say you give up on this religion malarky and go join a circus for 18 months. It would be way more fun. They have e-mails AND bearded ladies!
  8. missy New Member

    Pffft why join a circus when they have all that in Mansfield, just north of Nottingham.
  9. Buzzfloyd Spelling Bee

    Excellent advice!
  10. fairyliquid New Member

    KK is right, best thing to do when your in a new place is be open minded.

    Hopefully homesickness shouldn't be a problem. The first few months are the worst and best. It's when everything is new, exciting and intimidating so don't let it overwhelm you.

    It's a wonderful commitment your making and I hope you make the best of it.

    Incidently Canada is a wonderful place and the people are generally very friendly and the country itself is beautiful - though I can't speak for Calgary as I've never been there.

    Good luck!
  11. plaid New Member

    so... this is it.
    i'm leaving on monday, handing myself over on wednesday...

    i'm crazy. this is crazy.
  12. Orrdos God

    Well, we'll miss you!

    I'm sure we'll still be here when you get back though, and I hear canada is nice.

    Try not to get into too much trouble. I've heard tales of those rampaging gangs of Mormons being up to nonsense and hijinks.

    You are crazy. Very crazy, but, kudos (thats a word I've never had call to use before) for having the, er, balls to follow through with something you beleive in. In a way, I envy you. You have the power of conviction, and you're doing something exciting and throwing yourself out of your safety net. Not many people can do that, let alone twice.

    Just, look after yourself, ok?

    Oh, and have fun :smile:
  13. mowgli New Member

    ::hugs Plaid::

    Not that it's going to happen, but if you DO get fed up and decide to run away, Brad and I have a couch and a couple of comfortable cats you can crash on!
  14. Orrdos God

    Cats are no good to crash on. They just get crushed, and you get covered in blood and things.

    If they do survive the crashing part, then they just scratch your face off.

    Unless, of course, it is the armchair cat of the lower andes. But I don't imagine the browglis (i am now going to insist people refer to them as that) have one of those.
  15. Ba Lord of the Pies

    Just remember, Canadians are vulnerable to silver. Stab them once with a silver knife, and they back right off. Don't trust them for a second, though. They are Canadian, after all. They'll try to lie about the fact that they have gills and rocket packs, but that's just to put Plaid into a false sense of security.
  16. Hsing Moderator

    Well, almost everybody is vulnerable to silver knives. other than that, I think Ba has confused a few things.
  17. Ba Lord of the Pies

    It's true! Ba saw it on a website somewhere!
  18. Buzzfloyd Spelling Bee

    Good luck, Plaid! I hope this is an enriching experience for you and for those with whom you come into contact.
  19. plaid New Member

    thanks everyone.

    i'll be back...
  20. sampanna New Member

    Bit late, but I hope you see this - good luck!
  21. sybil ramkin New Member

    Mostly, have fun. That's important. So, where were you going?
  22. Stercus Stercus New Member

    Good luck, and enjoy yourself.

    While you're away I'm gonna get around to reading the Plaid Identity so I'll be ready for more when you get back.
  23. Katcal I Aten't French !

    I'm with Doors on this one (ouch) kudos for having the... guts to do this and make the most of it, it will certainly be an experience... And as Stercus says, it'll give us time to catch up with the plaid identity :wink: We'll miss you, but I'm sure 18 months will just fly by !
  24. Marcia Executive Onion

    Good luck Plaid (if this post isn't too late.) We'll all miss you.
  25. plaid New Member

    so it ended up being eighteen and a two thirds of a month, really.
    and it was beautiful.

    i am at a loss to even explain all the wonderful bits of life as a missionary. i learned so much. i met so many amazing people. how will i ever remember them all? how did i get to be so lucky?

    start asking me questions. maybe that would help me be able to properly share the experience.
  26. mowgli New Member

    Weeee :)!!!

    Where did you live? How did you go about converting people? Did anyone end up converting you? Did you miss us? What are you going to do now?

    There, that ought to start things out nicely...
  27. spiky Bar Wench

    Welcome back! Although there was a thread dedicated for this purpose but you came back late so we'll do it again here :)

    Lessee questions...

    Are you more devoted to your religion, which I noted in the first post you described as 'crazy'?
    How were the other missionaries? What did you do in a typical day? Was it like the Mormon I saw in central Sydney trying to convert the guy stacking fruit and veges at the supermarket?
  28. Ba Lord of the Pies

  29. plaid New Member

    i was transfered a few times and ended up in four different areas. two in Lethbridge, one in Calgary, and one in a tiny little mormon town called Raymond, all in southern Alberta (aka the Utah of Canada).

    every day we woke up at 6:30 am (this was hard), got ready for the day, studied from 8 til 10 am. then we went out and tried to talk to as many people as possible about the church, the book of mormon, families, Jesus Christ...everything.

    almost all of my conversations in the last 18 months have been with strangers on their doorsteps. all sorts of amazing people, most friendly, some not so... but it was so much fun.

    whenever anyone showed any sign of interest, we'd either make appointments to teach them more or try and follow up later. sometimes it was a lot of work preparing people to accept and live the gospel... we helped them quit smoking, get to church every week, understand the scriptures. but it was a miraculous experience when it all worked out.

    i definitely find myself more committed to this simply because i understand it more. i have more experience with how all these principles really work. i am extremely grateful for the chance i had to be a part of so many lives.

    there were a lot of things i missed.... reading and writing most of all. but now i find myself missing that life. all the people in my last area... how are they? how will i be able to find out what happens to them? why can't i be there to teach them and love them? but i know i have other things to do now. and i know there will be future missionaries that need those experiences too. if i converted the whole world, what would be left for my little brothers when they go on their missions? heh.

    speaking of which, i really have no idea where to go now. i just need a job. there are so many questions and decisions i need to figure out. sigh.
  30. TamyraMcG Active Member

    Plaid it sounds as if the experience of sharing your faith made it even stronger, I would count that as a blessing. I also imagine that the rest of your life will bring many opportunities to remember this last 18 months and build upon the strong foundation you laid then. I hope you find the next step as fulfilling.
  31. Buzzfloyd Spelling Bee

    Did you encounter any hostility?
  32. Ba Lord of the Pies

    Yes, how did Plaid deal with the Canadians and their rocket packs? Did Plaid remember to bring silver?
  33. plaid New Member

    not much hostility. i think the elders get more of that than we sisters...
    i remember just twice being sworn at, a handful of people who tried to argue about things, but mostly people were polite enough in their rejection.

    we always appreciated when people were honest and just said straightforwardly they weren't interested, instead of leading us on with "not today, it's really busy... maybe later" type junk.
    on the other hand, it always boggled my mind that they could say "no thanks" without even letting us say one word. how do they know what they're "not interested" in? but then of course, they've probably seen us before.

    i came to the conclusion that it had a lot to do with timing. some people are ready, some people aren't yet. that's my theory, anyway.


    Canadians aren't that strange, are they Ba? there are some strange words. and different kinds of food. i love nanaimo bars. and perogies. and i even sort of like poutine, if it has less gravy and more cheese. but not too much cheese, and it has to be very melty.
  34. Ba Lord of the Pies

    It was all a trick to keep Plaid from suspecting the horrible, horrible truth.

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