The toothless grin

Let's talk about a kid with a missing tooth. Most likely, it hurt when he lost it… bonked his mouth, the tooth got yanked out, probs some blood and tears. For awhile afterwards, the kid must walk around with a giant, gaping hole in his teeth. The salty taste of drying blood is a constant reminder to the trauma-to-da-mouth he just experienced.

(…gross...)

It must have hurt a lot when he went sliding full speed into the counter, even though his mom told him to take his socks off in the house. And yeah, it probably was kinda weird adjusting to feeling a weird hole in his mouth where his old tooth once was. The whole process of losing a tooth is painful, and then there's the terrible waiting game of watching the new tooth grow in…. boooo.

BUT…
have you ever seen a kid with a missing tooth? Better yet, when he is smiling?

His smile stretches from ear to ear, and his eyes shine with triumphant joy. With the initial pain and shock of the tooth-losing process long forgotten, the little boy cannot wait to show everyone his missing tooth! I'm not talking about a specific child necessarily… but have you ever seen a kid who's NOT showing off his toothless grin?

(Just tryna paint an image here…)

Maybe he liked his baby tooth, and wasn't exactly planning to part ways with it… BUT, this kid took a painful and embarrassing and unexpected situation and ROCKED IT. Now, I'm not advising that all kids should go sliding face first into kitchen counters. But what I am saying.. is if YOU are going to accidentally (or not) find yourself in a not-so-pleasant situation, remember the toothless grin. The little boy may have been sad at first to say bye to his baby tooth, but now he is proud of his battle wound and eagerly awaits the growth of a bigger, better "big kid" chomper.

Sometimes the tooth-pulling biz of trials and setbacks ain't no fun, but you are one tough cookie for getting through it! Whatever your trial or goof-up is... give yourself some credit! Then after the self-help pat on the back, try and (honestly…) look on the bright side. Be proud of your toothless grin, or any other battle scar you may have gotten. More often than not, you can't change your situation. But you sure as heck can change how you THINK about it. Then when you do, you just might surprise yourself when you actually find some good that comes from it.

Here's my example story: *feels..you've been warned*

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Tough, independent, and all-knowing Brie enters the mission field. I was motivated. excited. focused.

-grit your teeth and flex your bicep for effect- 

Here's some of my "legit (dramatized)" thoughts before and during my training at the MTC:
"dang, this is kinda hard." ----> It's okay cuz I'm tough!
"hopefully I won't get homesick…" ----> psssh, I'm independent, i got dis.
"Learning spanish is going to be hard, and being an effective teacher? even harder."

----> duuuuude, I am ALL-KNOWING, remember?!

so obviously, I was ready to take on anything in the world.

Except… a reality check.

A two short weeks after the commencement of my training, I had an accident. I'll spare you the details, but basically, my tough, independent, all-knowing self was just a leeeeetle too much of all three. We were playing soccer… crazy close game, tied up with a few minutes left. Teammate takes the corner kick, and sends it flying through the air, right in line for me to make the best goal in the history of missionaries. ---------> Jump and land goes Brie!!!!!!……..

SNAP went my knee.

It wasn't quite as smooth as that rhyme, though..

Two weeks later, I was on a plane headed back home to the states.
On March 12th, I had emergency surgery on a torn ligament and two other important things in my knee. My complete ACL reconstruction/2x Meniscus repair surgery took about 3 hours… and the recovery?

6 months. 
at home. 

no walking for a month, and then 5 months of trying to get my strength back. 

Lots of sitting…waiting… definitely NOT on my mission.

"not exactly what I had in mind."

I'm sure that's what the little kid was thinking too before his counter-smacking-tooth-losing scenario.

(sock-skating and soccer bicycle kicks seemed like good ideas…)

I get that sometimes things just happen with no real explanation… but in my case (and the kid), the consequence was a direct result of a voluntary action. Honestly, I don't think that's what God had in mind either. He didn't MAKE me play soccer, or force me to hurt myself. He definitely knew it would happen, because as His children, he knows us pretty dang well. But he also loves us sooooo much, that he allows us to make our own choices. And sometimes, we make less-than the greatest choices, and have to deal with less-than the greatest outcomes.

#agency #weallhaveit

But GOD, our loving… kind… forgiving… and gentle Heavenly Father, will take all of the crappy times, sad times, and unfortunate events -even the ones that are our fault- and He will work all of them together for OUR GOOD. (D&C 98:3) Even when we goof up, make a stupid choice, and all that… He can and will use it to shape us and turn it into something grand. Preeeety awesome, I think.

The other day while reading, I came across a quote about pain and trials that caused a really cool "ah-ha" moment. It says:

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility…It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come [to earth] to acquire." -Elder Orson F. Whitney.

Similarly, Elder Robert D. Hales has said:
"Pain brings you to a humility that allows you to ponder. It is an experience I am grateful to have endured…"

whaaaaaat?! mess-ups and boo-boos and and uh-ohs are good things? … I actually think I agree with that. I hurt my knee, returned home from my 18-month mission after only 4 weeks, and instead spent the summer in the states learning these weird things called "life lessons" that, looking back, I couldn't have experienced anywhere else. I also made sure to have some fun too…cuz I mean, why not?

SIX friends got married… and my sister and I planned (and ran) a bridal shower, wedding reception, and a co-ed baby shower.  I celebrated my 21st birthday and ate the best cupcake I've ever had. I went on THREE road trips and read EIGHT books. We completely organized the inside and outside of our house, garage, and backyard (All in like a week… just sayin) We had a family reunion with all 5 of my siblings and their families, something we haven't been able to do for a few years.

You see, God took this really unfortunate, frustrating, crud-bucket situation and said, "Okay, this'll work… Let's have her learn these lessons [here]." And that's what happened.

I really wish I could explain it better, because I have grown SO MUCH. 

I've learned to be tough and resilient, yet gentle. I've learned the value of family and the blessing of maintaining relationships. I've grown to see more of the eternal perspective of my life, and as a result, God's Presence has been even more real to me. I am more excited, more motivated, and more prepared in the right ways to finally serve as a missionary. I've learned that it is not about me... It never was :) It is about showing my Father I love Him by loving and serving His children. It's definitely still a work in progress… but I'm realizing that progress is the point! 

In less than 30 days, I will be RETURNING TO THE MISSION FIELD. Back to the Peru MTC on August 10th to finish my training (and avoid the soccer field…) then on the 25th I will fly to Cochabamba, Bolivia! 
ASNLDJCN IDJSLKJFLSDH:SALKJ!!!!!!!!!!!! GAAAH I'M SO PUMPED!

Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and prayers. I have felt your genuine love and concern. By the time I leave {again} for my mission, I will have been home for 6 months. 6 months that I was NOT planning on turning out how they did… but then again, I'm so grateful that I'm not the one in control. Remember the car driver I talked about in Episode 6 of my Reality TV Show? (blog post #5)… yep. He's still drivin. Re-do's, plan B's, and second chances give us a unique perspective and strength that God can help us use for the next crazy turn that Life takes us on.
Next stop, Bolivia!!!




Before….

…After!