For an update on me...
I am back to working. I'm at the credit union where I worked before my mission and I absolutely love my job! I am surrounded by incredible people who, weird for some to believe, genuinely love me for me. I am more myself at work than probably anywhere else. And my co-workers still like me, and they keep cheering me on. They listen when I vent, they encourage me when I'm down, they laugh when I'm funny, and they support me in being happy (and yes, I also work with men-not just women). They're the kind of people I want to be, and I'm glad I can take parts of them and apply it to making me. It is truly the greatest gift and an answer to my prayers. I am surrounded by some of God's choicest children, and He put them in my path for a reason.
I am volunteering as a youth mentor for the juvenile courts. I am in the process of being assigned a youth to work with. I am so excited for this opportunity to work with kids who have gotten into trouble and be a force for good for them. It is truly my dream volunteer work, maybe even job.
Which has helped to open my eyes for school. I am planning on attending SLCC or LDSBC in the fall to finish up my last few credits of my associates. Then I am hopefully headed off to Rexburg, Idaho to jump into my bachelors! Or, since I am loving my volunteer stuff, I might just stick around and attend the University of Utah or Weber State. The possiblities are endless, the money is not. :) My major changes every day in my mind between accounting, teaching, recreational therapy, psychology, and social work. I would probably love to be a probation officer. But mostly, I am just so excited to be a mom!
I spend a lot of time with my family, my cousins and all. My little cousins I absolutely ADORE-they each have me wrapped around their fingers. I would spend all of my time playing with them if I could. My family is well, their health is well. My brother got hit by a car on Monday, but he just walked away with scratches and bruises. He basically has a big purpose in this life apparently.
I am adjusting to life better. I don't freak out as much about talking to people about anything outside of missionary work (it's about dang time!) and I am spending time with my friends, and making new friends. More weddings, more showers, and hopefully more babies. Not from me though. I have been on a few dates-that's always fun. I am up for seeing what happens if anyone has their heart set on who my soul mate is. But, I'm not in a hurry. I have a lot of living left to do too.
My health.. is another story. Some days are good, some days are bad. I am still fighting with the virus that I got a bit ago. More problems have come up with random things, more specialists, more doctors appointments, more tests. I'm now having problems with my hands and my neck, so that's the next to be check by the big MD. But my headaches have decreased, my ulcers have healed, and I am able to keep food down. Hazzahh!!
Just like for most, life is life. Some days are good, some days are bad. The one constant I have is my faith and testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, I sit and try and figure out how to make myself the way I was pre-mission, thinking I'll make friends better/keep the ones I had, I'll have more to do, life will be different, etc. I keep reminding myself that I will never be that Olivia again. I won't be who I was before my mission. Just like any major, life changing event, I am changed. My mission brought new light into my eyes, changed my testimony and my Spirit, and for that, I will never be the same. And I love it! I love who I am becoming and who the Lord is molding me into. I'm not perfect, and I have many, many flaws. I have quite a few Christlike attributes that I should more earnestly acquire. But I am changed. I am overcoming the natural man, I am yeilding more to the enticings of the Spirit, and I am becoming something more. I have always believed that I am designed for greatness, because I was made by God Almighty, and I still am being made. And we all are. Despite the trials, experiences, mistakes, or disadvantages we might have, we are all destined to be great.
I am learning to love, and love in an entirely different way. I feel like as life continues to shape us, we continue to learn different aspects and perspectives of different things. Love is one of those. And most importantly, I am learning to love me. I've always been my own worst critic, and I've always absorbed and believed the harsh, unkind things that others may say about me. And since I have actively tried to love being me, I have felt undescribable happiness. I am now beginning to see what Heavenly Father sees in me, and it helps me to understand why every picture of Christ I see, He is smiling back at me. I am weak, insecure, imperfect, sinful, prideful, unkind, and wicked-but I am His. He is my Shepard, and He is healing me despite my short comings.
I am a child of God. I am His daughter. And no matter what happens in this life or to me, He will always be my Greatest Fan.
