Sassy Mormon

I lost Anna this week. Transfers finally came to Barbados and for the first time in the entire process I felt anxiety. Sure, I have lost little sisters before. Sister Buhrley got transferred to Six Roads and ALMOST KILLED ME , Sister Koger got transferred to Enterprise and I found a way to survive and Sister Stewart ended her mission and returned to Oregon and almost broke me but in everything my Anna Banana always kept me grounded. She always reminded me that it was okay to be goofy There were the days of goofing off and being silly at church to the more serious moments in lessons where we addressed everything under the sun. For the six months she was here, she was my adoptive little sister and as much as she taught me, there were things I also let her know. As someone who was never blessed with siblings, the missionaries can fast become additional family members. I tease the Elders and joke around with the sisters but Anna Banana always held a special place. I know if s...

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' -  Eleanor Roosevelt The Webster dictionary describes the word courage as a mental or moral state strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear and difficulty. The Webster definition goes on to state that courage is the firmness of mind and will in the face of danger and extreme difficultly yet with my first talk at church in a few short weeks, I have as much courage as a pea. In Caribbean life, where it is a sign of weakness to show fear or to submit yourself to your emotions, showing courage in the face of difficulty was always something I struggled with. During my school years, I lived in the shadows, afraid to speak up for myself and be the dynamic person I knew I could be. Now as I sit here typing this post, I realise the finality of e...