Final Missionary Email, First of Other Posts?

Dear Family and friends,  

So, I’m back in America for the first time in a year. America is a weird place. For all my friends on missions- I returned home early (and it was absolutely terrifying). I’ll give you a rundown of how the week went.

Sunday: Really bad back day

Monday: Really bad back day part 2

Tuesday: Went to the doctor in the morning. I had my native companion who is FLUENT (who knew), talk to the doctor and get the scoop. The real very detailed scoop. She gave me the very real detailed scoop in missionary Japanese so I could understand. I had understood what the doctor had said the problem was but because of the language barior, the urgency of the problem was missed. He said the only way to recover was to rest. And resting is not something a missionary has time for. I talked to Kaicho [mission president] that night and we decided to each pray about the decision and talk about our answer in the morning. It was the hardest thing to pray about. Because I wanted to stay so bad. But I wasn’t praying to tell God what I wanted (He already knew); I was praying to know what He wanted for me. And I got the strongest feeling that it was time to go home. That I was needed there.

Wednesday: Kaicho called during studies. He asked how I was. And then he asked the Big Question: did you get an answer. I couldn’t answer his question- I was crying. I finally said that I felt like I needed to go home. He answered that he had got the same answer.

The next two days were a flurry of packing and doing everything I love about Japan. It was nuts. But I was fun. I flew out on Friday (a day that was actually 36 hours long). It was so sad to come home. But IT was cool to see how I could still be a missionary as I was flying home.

I met five really cool people on the way home.

On my flight from Fukuoka to Tokyo I met this really cool guy named S. I sat next to him and he tried to say his piece in English. And I think I surprised him by answering in Japanese. We chatted the entire 1½ hour flight. It was so fun. He knows the Mormon church. Even though he’s not necessarily interested in church and religion he love taking pictures of religious buildings. I told him to go check out the Tokyo or the Fukuoka temple when he had time because they’re pretty awesome buildings to talk a picture of.

Then going though immigration I met a nice lady named B. She’s from Oklahoma but was living in Sasebo on a base. She was holding a book about the power of prayer. So we talked about that for a while. When we got on the plane she said “if you pray in the front of the plane, I’ll pray in the back and our journey will be super safe!” She came and gave me a yummy Japanese snack during the flight.

On my flight from Tokyo to Dallas two absolutely adorable Japanese girls sat behind me. Half way though the flight I decided I needed to pass them a note saying they were cute (because they were. Come on, they’re Japanese. That’s inevitable). I think it made their day. They passed me a note back. When we got to customs I was able to help them know where to go (they had no idea where the English signs were pointing them).  They asked why I knew Japanese and I said “well…” and of course went all missionary on them. I’ll miss Japanese people.

On my last flight I sat next to a nice guy who does business in Japan so we just talked about how awesome Japan is. It was great.

Let me tell you, I got off the plane in Baltimore and I was super nervous to see my family. Who knows why. But I cried when I saw them. Well, all of them except Josh. He decided to run off to Seattle. Because he doesn’t love me or something.

Now I’m no longer a full-time missionary. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still a missionary. I can still share God’s love.

I think the biggest thing I learned on my mission was that the most important choice have is to trust God. Because when we do that everything else works out. Life (or missions) never goes the way we plan. I had no plans on coming home early. And when I realized that I would be going home, I was devastated. But because I trust God, and know He has a plan for me, I wasn’t worried. When we trust in Him it will all work out. That’s a promise.  

Love love love

ベアマン姉妹^_^

Editors Note:  I am working on convincing Emma to keep on blogging.  I will let you know how that goes.  Feel free to encourage her ;).  She thinks she won't have anything interesting to say now that she is here in America.  I think she is always interesting, but she doesn't believe me since we are related.  Either way, thank you for your love and support!