21 Years Ago Today!

Today is the 21st anniversary of my missionary homecoming.  21 years ago today -- July 23, 1993 -- I flew home to Orem, Utah from Tampa, Florida.  It was a bittersweet day -- but more sweet than bitter :-).  I was a little sad to leave my mission and the lifestyle that I had lived for the past 18 months but I was certainly ready to go home and move on with my life.

I remember stepping off the plane in Salt Lake City and see my family waiting for me at the terminal.  It was a wonderful reunion.  I remember Juliet commenting on my long blonde hair -- I had brown hair when I left :-). Interestingly enough I never dyed my hair on my mission.  It was a combination of the hot blazing Florida Sun and tracting for at least 15 hours every week, with a little help from some Sun In ;-) that turned my hair blonde.  I liked it so much that I kept it up the rest of my life.  :-)

Anyway, interestingly enough this anniversary makes my mission the center of my life at this point.  I was 21 when I left on my mission and I've lived 21 years after my mission.  I thought that was interesting fact.  I'll tell you, the 21 years after my mission sure seem to have gone a lot faster than the 21 years before my mission. It's hard to believe that I've lived as long after my mission as before!  That's just too crazy.

I know we have pictures of when I came home from my mission at the airport and stuff. but I don't know where they are and don't have them scanned into my computer :-(.  Maybe I will go find a couple of pictures from my mission to post on here even though I've already posted them previously :-).

An interesting sidenote -- when we got back home to 192 after picking me up from the airport, Lisa's missionary call was waiting in the mailbox.  So that was cool that I was home when she opened it. For those of you who might not know, Lisa was called to the Iowa Des Moines mission.  She completed her mission in Tempe Arizona.

 Lisa and I were able to have a combined missionary homecoming/farewell sacrament meeting program.  This was back in the day when they did such things.  Anyway it was cool.

Just as my life bookends my mission-- here are some pictures from both ends of my mission.  Did I change much in 18 months?

pictures from the beginning of my mission -- MTC

pictures from the end of my mission -- my last area: Seminole, Florida

 

  I certainly did change a lot during those 18 months!  Even though it was challenging at times, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything!  It was a privilege to be able to serve the Lord full-time for 18 months.

It's hard to believe I came home from my mission 21 years ago today!  Time sure flies.