Hello. Well, this is going to seem outrageously early, completely unexpected, and though two days away, 100% true. I've been a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for six months. SIX MONTHS. six months. Personally, I don't believe it one bit. It has to have been at least six years, and at the same time could have been but six weeks. There is so much I want to say for the "six month" email home. But here's the problem: I've simply learned too much, experienced too much joy, led too many hands down the baptismal font in Siniloan to attempt a summary email. For items like those, I advise hitting the "Next Post" or "Previous Post" button, becuase this week is different. I hope you smile.
Smell, pala, is one of our strongest senses, intimately linked to our long term memory. Check wikipedia for the facts, cause I'm just going off what I remember from Psych 2 years ago. When we smell something familiar, we can be taken back to very specific moments in time, where our booger-ridden noses first encountered that smell. Can you see where this is going? Although I am literally on the other side of the world, typing in an unknown internet shop in a small Filipino town as now a grown 19 year old man, I have been taken back in time on multiple occasions over the last six months; I call these memories "smemmories". They range from walking the curb of Santa Maria on the way to find my best friend Kathryn, to learning how to ride a bike, to working for La Jolla Group just 7 months ago. And I've written a few down. They're in the order I smelt them, not lived them:
Running to the 'creek' and back at Salt Creek Jr. Guards; trying to fight through feet of loose sand on a 100 two-stroke at Johnson Valley; taking pictures with Meredith Chapman at the ocean museum thingy in Dana Point; waiting in the sun for Space Mountain with McKelle Coleman; sitting on my bed resting, while watching my dad try to paint my room red and blue (you need to be careful with bright colors); eating curly fries and drinking Dr. Pepper after a night swim in Laguna; snacking on a gooey, warm Pedro's quesadilla with Michael Rex after we drove to T Street on a cloudy day; walking from Fat Burger to the Aliso Creek Regal to see Harry Potter 7, redbull in hand; mom pouring melted button on popcorn out of the foofy Christmas mugs we used year-round; trying to pry off a small wetsuit on a cold morning in the T-Street bathroom before middle school started; reading the Book of Mormon on the downstairs couch, waiting for Mim to pick me up for Jr. Guards; struggling as a 4'6" boy told to mow the lawn with a push-mower; opening up my gear bag to find smelly socks that had festered in summer heat for 3 months; walking into the Kimball's house at who-knows-what-time (thanks Cherbs); stealing Presto's shirt for Lost Connection 2009; painting posters with Avery Miyahara for Clash of the Classes; stumbling into an outhouse at the Whiting reunion; playing Brawl with Shane; sitting on the top of the world 2 years ago with my best friend; running through swarms of mosquitoes with Presto after a sunset surf at lowers; visiting Aunt May and drinking a cold Gatorade in the shade of an Arizona parking garage; standing on the Springville skate park mini ramp, scared to drop in for the first time; strolling the RSM lake; basking in the december sun with a pin in my finger at Park City Mountain Resort, M&M's in hand; pulling the "Mobster" (Pop's car) into the parking lot for the Loft; waking up to pancakes in Ocotillo...
Smell, pala, is one of our strongest senses, intimately linked to our long term memory. Check wikipedia for the facts, cause I'm just going off what I remember from Psych 2 years ago. When we smell something familiar, we can be taken back to very specific moments in time, where our booger-ridden noses first encountered that smell. Can you see where this is going? Although I am literally on the other side of the world, typing in an unknown internet shop in a small Filipino town as now a grown 19 year old man, I have been taken back in time on multiple occasions over the last six months; I call these memories "smemmories". They range from walking the curb of Santa Maria on the way to find my best friend Kathryn, to learning how to ride a bike, to working for La Jolla Group just 7 months ago. And I've written a few down. They're in the order I smelt them, not lived them:
Running to the 'creek' and back at Salt Creek Jr. Guards; trying to fight through feet of loose sand on a 100 two-stroke at Johnson Valley; taking pictures with Meredith Chapman at the ocean museum thingy in Dana Point; waiting in the sun for Space Mountain with McKelle Coleman; sitting on my bed resting, while watching my dad try to paint my room red and blue (you need to be careful with bright colors); eating curly fries and drinking Dr. Pepper after a night swim in Laguna; snacking on a gooey, warm Pedro's quesadilla with Michael Rex after we drove to T Street on a cloudy day; walking from Fat Burger to the Aliso Creek Regal to see Harry Potter 7, redbull in hand; mom pouring melted button on popcorn out of the foofy Christmas mugs we used year-round; trying to pry off a small wetsuit on a cold morning in the T-Street bathroom before middle school started; reading the Book of Mormon on the downstairs couch, waiting for Mim to pick me up for Jr. Guards; struggling as a 4'6" boy told to mow the lawn with a push-mower; opening up my gear bag to find smelly socks that had festered in summer heat for 3 months; walking into the Kimball's house at who-knows-what-time (thanks Cherbs); stealing Presto's shirt for Lost Connection 2009; painting posters with Avery Miyahara for Clash of the Classes; stumbling into an outhouse at the Whiting reunion; playing Brawl with Shane; sitting on the top of the world 2 years ago with my best friend; running through swarms of mosquitoes with Presto after a sunset surf at lowers; visiting Aunt May and drinking a cold Gatorade in the shade of an Arizona parking garage; standing on the Springville skate park mini ramp, scared to drop in for the first time; strolling the RSM lake; basking in the december sun with a pin in my finger at Park City Mountain Resort, M&M's in hand; pulling the "Mobster" (Pop's car) into the parking lot for the Loft; waking up to pancakes in Ocotillo...
I think you get the point. And if not.. here's what I was getting at. I really, really love this work. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and if you're not reading it, my dear friends, start now. I love all of you so much and though I am completely focused on my friends that I teach every day, my nosey senses can't help but remind me of how awesome you are. Keep up the good work.
PS - we went hiking today. it was fun. and the people are doing well, hopefully we have two baptisms on Sunday.
Out of time! I love you!
Elder Brown
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