Personal Narrative: The Four Missions That Changed My Life

WHen looking back on one’s life it can be hard to pinpoint instances that changed who you are as a person. However for me it is quite easy. Some of the happiest and most influential points of my life were during any of my four mission trips. Alongside members from my Methodist church I had the privilege of traveling beyond the comfort of my home to serve others much more in need than myself. One of these missions in particular had a huge impact on me, shaping my character and altering the way I view the world around me.

In 2015 I to a Ute Native American reservation in Utah to help at a local summer school. I worked with a class of third graders for the week, many of which were in summer school to escape their home life. While getting to know

As the children opened up to me, it became apparent that many of these eight to nine year old kids were frequently exposed to drug and alcohol abuse. Their stories humbled me and made me thankful for my childhood. One of my happiest memories came from the last day on our trip; we help a mini triathlon for the kids instead of going to school that day. I volunteered to be a group leader. A girl in my group named Summer volunteered to run the mile long section of the race. As her event grew closer and the other members of our team completed their sections, Summer grew scared. She wasn’t in the best shape and was afraid she wouldn't be able to complete the mile. She was so upset that she began to cry, I was able to calm her down by promising to run alongside her. One of the adults on the trip strongly discouraged me from running since the trail was unpaved and I was dressed for a day at the lake, wearing flip-flops and a swim suit. However, I knew that Summer would not run without me so I decided to run barefoot. We started out strong with me constantly telling Summer she could do it, but as the end of the race grew near we made lots of stops and she began to get discouraged. Then, a crowd began to line the