Remember this boy post? Well, here goes another one.
Except he's more man than boy now.
I know it's crazy to think, but that was already a full YEAR ago! Whaaa?!?! Yup. He's 20.
Old man...not sure how I feel about that... ;)
And I can assure you that he is even more amazing. I mean, he was already pretty great, but missions have a way of bringing out the very best and strengthening any weak spots. It's been exciting to see the transformations we've both undergone so far,
but him especially.
Not gonna lie, it's been a tough year. We've both realized major weaknesses in ourselves, and we've had to deal with some difficult issues. But old-fashioned snail-mail does wonders, and we still manage to help and support each other through trials even from 2,210 miles away. We're still best friends, and most importantly, we know that it will all just add up to better versions of ourselves if we let it.
In all honesty, not having each other around has been way easier than I think either of us expected. We said our goodbyes, bawled our eyes out for a good 2 hours, and after that, an overwhelming sense of peace settled, and we knew everything would be ok. And mercifully, that Divine feeling of peace has never left. Yes, sometimes when we go places or see things, our immediate reaction is still to tell the other, and then we realize we can't. And of course I miss him. A lot. But overall, it hasn't been hard. Most of the time, we send and receive letters once a week and creative packages with pictures, candy, our recorder, and whatever else about every 3 to 4 months, and even after a year, I still get nervous opening envelopes. Not sure why. :)
I guess the bottom line is that I wouldn't trade this time for anything. He's where he should be doing what he should be doing: giving every ounce of himself to the Lord. And the lessons that come from that have been immense. We've both learned so much about humility, compassion, getting along with people who are different from you and loving them, repenting, asking for forgiveness, forgiving, utilizing the Atonement, being submissive, and countless others. He spends all day every day studying the scriptures, praying, teaching, serving, and exhausting himself in the service of the Lord. And I work hard to keep good grades, work and save money, magnify my church calling, make new friends, read good books, live a healthy life, and even go on a date every now and then (though I'm taking an indefinite break from that right now due to all the unnecessary stress and drama it was adding to my life). When Tucker told me he wanted me to wait, I told him it had always been the plan, and we left it at that. No pressure. No stress. No freaking out if a letter is late. Just working hard to each become the best we can be in this short amount of time.
So happy birthday, Elder Denton. Keep working hard. Remember what you've learned. And I'll see you in a year. :)
Love you, bud!
Love, Karli Jo
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