These are not supposed to be the best two years...

This week marks nine years since I returned from serving a two-year church service mission in Lima, Perú. The best two years of my life is cliché, and in my opinion completely untrue. Indeed, up to that point they may have been the best, but the nine since have been incredible. It is likely that my time since returning from serving a mission has been so satisfying because of the time I gave in missionary service; because of everything I learned and experienced south of the equator. For me, communication was a key lesson learned; communicating in the Spanish language, communication with a loving Heavenly through prayer, and learning just how the Holy Ghost can communicate to the listening ear. The Spanish was foreign for only a month or two before becoming a joy to speak. In every opportunity I’ve had to use the language post-mission I can still feel the love that I have for the Peruvian people I served in every syllable I speak. Communication through prayer took on a whole new life in Perú. For me I learned to make it more personal through keeping in mind the needs of others. Answers became evident as I learned to recognize communication through the spirit. Still small voice is right. If you were to condition yourself to be able to listen to an actual still small voice, a whisper, at all times, you’d be just fine. The trick with being able to hear the communication of the spirit is to be able to block out the rest of the noise around you. Noise comes in a myriad of forms; visual, situational, musical, etc… It’s the shiny object in the corner of your eye that gets you to take your eye off the ball. Missionaries aren’t exempt from the noise; putting on the name tag doesn’t automatically make it go away. The practice, however, of keeping focused only on the gospel for such a long time period has definitely helped recognize and block the noise I encounter each day. The past nine years have provided a number of missionary opportunities as well. Very different opportunities than knocking doors and teaching discussions, but very special. Communicating the joy that I feel as I recognize the blessings given to the human family in our Heavenly Father’s great plan of salvation is a relished interaction to me; especially when the listener’s ear can tune out the noise in their sphere.