The Hardest Part

Many people who are familiar with LDS return missionaries are aware that when a missionary comes home, there is an adjustment that needs to be made and that it is rarely easy. For every missionary, there is a different adjustment phase. Here's my transitioning.

When I first came home, I - like many RMs - was on fire. I wanted to go and do things with meaning. I couldn't stand sitting around being idle. "Hanging out" was kind of seen as a form of cruel and unusual punishment. And you know what? It still kind of is. I have a hard time going places knowing that the purpose is to "hang out". So, no. I will not go to the dances, where I feel like my ears are going to implode with music I still haven't listened to even though I've been home for almost 3 months.

Not having a companion is surprisingly hard for me. Not that I particularly enjoyed the whole "sight and sound" thing, but I miss the constant support that my companions were on my mission. I often feel lost and when I have a problem, question, or just need someone to listen to an idea I don't know where to go. This is typically when I start to shut down socially and retreat into myself. I was blessed with very loving, patient and caring companions who not only listened to what was weighing me down, but forced it out of me. On a mission you have the time for that. I haven't found that time since being home, yet.

Maybe I'm just blaming all the build up of stress on adjusting. Maybe I'm just really tired of being tired. I thought I wasn't supposed to be so tired after being released? Maybe I feel like I'm going to go completely crazy if I don't tell someone what the heck is going on in my head. Maybe I really really really want to go out to the west so I can visit my friends from the mission that I love and miss so stinking much. Maybe I'm just really impatient. Maybe I just need someone to sit down and say "yeah. I'll listen to you. You're important to me." Maybe I'm just tired of being the one who reaches out.

The hardest part about being home has not been a lack of feeling the Spirit, feeling like I learned all these beautiful teaching skills for nothing or feeling like I no longer have a purpose. The hardest part for me is feeling completely and utterly alone in social life. I never thought this would be such a hard thing for me. I guess I learned the importance of socializing on my mission, now I just have to adapt that learning from "Hi, I'm Sister Davis" to "Hi, I'm Arletta"

I Like What I Like

For those of you who know me, you know that I am a person of many hobbies. I like to do things that I find interesting, fun, exciting, and relaxing. I really like hobbies. Maybe because I love doing things that other people love doing. There is a certain thrill and excitement that comes with being new and inexperienced. Then there is that profound feeling of success when one has reached a level of confidence in a field.

So, my hobbies:





Biking: I've enjoyed biking for a long time, but recently it has become a bit of an obsession (and my main source of transportation). I often find myself thinking about biking gear, stories I've heard about biking, that position that I applied for at the bike store down the street, and how great it would be to bike across the country.




Ted Talks: There is something about the community of Ted that always leaves me feeling more educated and well rounded than I was before I watched a specific Ted Talk. One of my recent favorites would be: Meg Washington. It's pretty amazing. I highly recommend it. (It's one of the shorter ones, so that's nice)




Ukulele: I LOVE the ukulele. Even more than I love biking... by at least a little... I am most definitely more proud of my ukulele than anything else. I made that thing, so I believe it is the most beautiful - in appearance and sound - ukulele ever created.


Guitar: Before I learned the uke, I learned to play the guitar. I still like to play the guitar, especially on more complicated songs, but it's just not as amazing to me as my little ukulele.


Art: Okay, this one comes with sub-levels:

- Drawing: Drawing and I have been good friends since I was a freshman in high school. It has allowed me to express what I really think and feel without having to say a word.

- Painting: Since I am very untrained in the world of painting, it is very rare for me to paint, but I use it when I am in need of a serious emotional release. I love being covered in paint.

- Ceramics: Clay and I have had a very on and off friendship, but since I am taking a ceramics class, I am more committed to making it work. We're actually getting along pretty well.

People Watching: This is a hobby that goes very well with art, especially drawing. I love sitting in a public place and just quickly capturing people and who they portray themselves to be.

Thinking: This goes well with just about all of my hobbies.





Archery: Like ceramics, I had a little bit of exposure to archery when I was younger and started picking it back up in my young adulthood. I should look for a place to practice in Orlando...



Writing: Every now and then I like to write, with the occasional blog post, poem, journal entry, short story. You know how it goes. I'm not very good at it, but I do enjoy it.

Reading: I haven't done much of this lately (besides studying) but I do thoroughly enjoy it. Any kind of book. Fiction, non-fiction... Anything well written.

That might be it. I believe it is incredibly important and powerful to find and do things that we enjoy. Everyone should have things they love to do.