Day 1: A short explanation

 I dislike the month of February. A whole lot. And it isn't for the reason most would assume.

This month is a reminder of when I left one of the most dear places on earth. While I was only in Chile for 18 months, I grew to love the land and the people in it. I asked my mission president if I could stay and he said no. It was time for me to continue to grow and take new steps into uncharted territory in new places.

The bittersweet moment comes in that not only did I return in the month of February, but the same week as Valentine's Day. Now, it wasn't all bad because I had someone here waiting for me. But in the week that perhaps I should have been thinking about my future with this young man, all I could think about were the people I left behind.

I wasn't a loved or revered missionary, but I loved them and worked to teach them each day by the Spirit. In fact most would say I was pesa'o. But it was there where I learned to sacrifice and love and let my heart be broken. I still think about those people all the time.

Chile will always hold a special place in my heart. When people ask if I could move anywhere in the world I always quickly respond it would be Chile. The people are loving and kind and passionate about what they do. And they are welcoming to all.

While Hallmark has made this month a further reminder of my inability to move on to those next steps I so desire (this my fb profile pic), I have decided this month is about finding "true love." Now, don't go falling off your chair. Perhaps I will not find the love of my life, my best friend I want to be with for eternity. But I will find each day a quality of what true love looks like for me in my life, and not necessarily in the sense of relationships.

These things may come in the form of photography, blog posts, or videos I find. But I am determined to look for something each day that says something good about this world. Over the past few weeks, and even months, I have found it is so easy to find the negative in life. I am tired of that. So I am looking for love in everyday life.

Heavenly Father has blessed me immensely with wonderful people in my life who help me believe it is possible to love. These people have opened their heart to me and blessed me in uncountable ways. There are also new people who have come into my life and they have helped me to realize and appreciate the small things.