[ensignavenger]

Not something just anyone can do, but I was a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two years. I became much more outgoing during this time, and developed a greater love for other people and a greater understanding of those in different situations and with different viewpoints. My appreciation and admiration for diversity was increased.

I was in Utah and southern Idaho, a place that as it turns out is very different from where I grew up in Southwest Missouri. I interacted and discussed religion regularly with former Mormons, preachers in other Churches, atheists, and others. I tried to find ways to serve and help them, we would frequently see someone moving or working in their yard and just stop and ask if we could help out.

I was also involved with coordination of efforts across many different groups and areas. This was a great experience for someone as young as I was to learn about leadership and working together with many people of different backgrounds to accomplish a larger goal.

[brookside]

That is an amazing personal experience. I had similar when younger on Christian-organized "Medial Missions". Reflecting on these trips now however, I must say I am ashamed to have participated in the spreading of...to put it the most bluntly...superstitious nonsense. It's becoming even more evident to me recently how non-harmless the mystical beliefs I was condoning are and the role large role they play in the social climate and political outcomes in both our and other countries (for example: Trump and the first FARC peace initiative failing in Colombia). It was hard to reconcile the life-changing nature of those trips for me with what I now see as their counterproductive aims.