A new start, mission over view, and blessings!

My life has changed so much since I last posted. I have served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My mission was the Washington, Spokane mission and in that mission I served the Spanish community. What an experience that was! It all started when I entered the MTC (Missionary Training Center). My first day there as I entered what was to be my class room for the next few weeks all I heard was Spanish. I hardly knew anything of the language I had been called to serve in but there I was trying to understand all these strange words and learn how to teach in a language that seemed to want to trip over my tongue. At times it was frustrating but I fought for it. I knew why I was there but it was not until I had been left behind by my district (group of missionaries that shared the same classroom) and my companions (missionaries are put in companionships with either one or two other missionaries). That I started learning in my heart why I was there. I had been put on what is called a medical extension. I have what I thought were chronic hiccups, after many doctor appointments later (which included a neurologist, and throat and ear doctor, a psychologist, and a MRI) I was told that those pesky noises that according to the Elders (Male missionaries) in my district were awesome and there was a record of my having 80 in one hour; what I thought were chronic hiccups were actually the effect of a genetic tic. So my next question was, 'what on earth is a tic?' Well according to Dr. Grossman on childbrain.com 
 'Tics are involuntary twitches that may involve any voluntary muscle groups. Tics may be partially controlled, usually for a short duration during which a person makes a strong effort to control them. Later, however, the tics will reoccur and may be stronger due to the compensation attempt. Tics may consist of eye blinking, facial grimacing, nasal flaring, or mouth opening. To best understand how a person with a tic disorder feels, one may try to refrain from blinking his own eyes for a long period of time. This will be easy initially, but after about 30 seconds the blinking will occur almost automatically. This is how a person with a tic disorder feels constantly. Tics become worse when people are under stressful situations. Usually presenting for the first time when a family emergency or a move from a safe environment occurs.What are Tics?               
Tics usually fluctuate in intensity and if they occur only temporarily, they do not qualify for any specific tic disorder.
Tics may be motor or vocal; the vocal tics include humming, grunting, or saying actual words, usually in an explosive, spastic fashion, (the words may be curses).
Tics may be simple or complex. A simple tic is purposeless, such as an eye blink, any other muscle twitch, a grunt, or a production of a noise. A complex tic consists of a muscle movement with a purpose, such as scratching, throwing, or chewing. A vocal complex tic is one that actually produces a word, not just a sound. '
 To be honest I still tell people that I have chronic hiccups because it is easier for most people to understand.  I have had these ever changing sounds for coming on nine years now. So while I am accustomed to people asking about them or simply giving me strange looks, I have learned so much because of them.
 For example I was in the MTC an extra three weeks than the rest of my district. During that time I not only met some amazing people, or became more comfortable and proficient in Spanish,  but I also came to understand my purpose as a missionary to bring others to Christ.
 After the MTC my mission seemed to go by on hyper speed. There are moments and experiences that changed me, but I do not want to lessen their significance by sharing them in a way that they are not understood, or appreciated fully. I promise that I will share some of them as they are pertinent to what I share. For I truly desire to remember and continue allow my mission to change my life. For it truly has been the most life changing eighteen months of my life!
 Since I have been home it seems as if my life has been a constant round of work and sickness. But every time I become seriously ill there is something I learned that would not have other wise. Every day I thank God for the life he has given me.  Right now I may be looking for work due to my having a four week illness, but I am excited for what God has in store for me. Because since this illness has started I have been accepted into one of the colleges I was trying to transfer to, I am still waiting to hear from another, but I have truly come to realize how committed I am not only to the gospel but to my dreams. Let us go forth in faith and see what God has in store!