one year flashback

On the 11th of July, I celebrated being home from my mission for a year. 

Well, technically... I was released a year ago...I was lucky enough to travel a bit before coming home. But still- I remember this day as if it was yesterday. 

aaaaand scene:

I couldn't sleep the night before. I was just praying and crying all night. (My companion later told me she could hear me- which made HER cry. haha oops) 

I woke up and finished packing, because I had put it off- of course.

As I packed, my cute mini missionary companion made me the best blini ever. 

(Blini is the Russian version of crepes) 

And we headed to the mission office. I was fighting tears the whole time.
I looked over and saw that Cectpa Klimash drew something on her planner that just cracked me up

She wrote in English "Sister Irion...Never Forget" on the tomb stone. haha She's hilarious. 

The next page/day on her planner she wrote "Return Sister Irion! I miss her!"

We made it to the office and I got all of my suitcases together. 

I traveled around, and ended up in a new area the last 3 weeks of my mission, so I was just living out of a carry-on at that point. Made me realize I packed too much...

It was so much fun to see all of the missionaries- as always. They would try and talk to me about home and I'd just say I couldn't talk about it. I was just trying to soak in every second. 

At one point, the Sr. Couple Elder that works in the office came up to me and asked what my twin brother looks like and how tall he was...cause he was about to go to the airport to pick him up.
WHAT?!

I obviously knew that Russ was coming, but I never asked when he was coming! I assumed it would be the next day! I got SO excited at that point- but tried to hide it so the other missionaries wouldn't get real trunky or anything...but woah. I became REAL curious at that moment!

We had our transfer meeting where 2 missionaries were randomly chosen to testify about our purpose as missionaries...then it was my turn to testify.

I was the only exiting missionary, so when Pres. Clark was saying the program, he said I would testify because I was finishing my missionary service today...in fact, that NIGHT because I was going to skype my Stake Pres. back home and be released in a few hours..

WHAT?!

Again - I had NO clue that would be happening so soon! 

I was probably put into shock right then. In fact, I gasped and reached for my name tag. 

haha What a nerd. Guess it was a bad idea not to ask specifics about my last days in the field?

So with that...it was my turn to testify...

Ah it was just so hard to do. In English, for one.. but to talk about missionary work and

try to express how much it meant to me and to try and inspire those there to give it their all. 

Also, not fun to look down at past companions just crying as I was trying not to cry. Pshh..yeah right.

After the meeting, we sang our mission song that Cectpa Clark wrote that just makes me cry every time anyway. And said a few goodbyes. The worst. 

 Did NOT look great. But what do ya do. 

(Cectpa Kovalenko from Moscow, and Cectpa Denisenko from Ukraine)

 Pres. Clark decided to have my exit interview at his office at home when he got finished with things... So I helped Cectpa Clark carry things over to the home and helped her finish up preparing my exit dinner. I kept looking around for my companion.. so weird.

My interview was so good with President. A lot of reflecting on favorite experiences, what I loved and learned from companions, hardest experiences, etc. 

Aaaand since I can write about it now- He asked about boys. To which I said that I had been writing someone for 3 years and hoped something would come of it. He asked his name, where he was from, where he served...but that was pretty much it. 

He didn't go into marriage advice because all of the sudden- the doorbell rang...and we both smiled SO big at each other!

We booked it to the door (along with Cectpa Clark) to see that Russ was on the other side of the door! AHHH! ALREADY!

 THAT was one AWESOME and CRAZY moment! Weirdest/best hug ever!

The Clarks couldn't get enough of us twins together. haha (or Russ' beard. hilarious)

A bit after Russ got there, he and President went to the store to grab something while I would have my skyping/releasing session. (fun fact- Russ and Pres. would speak to each other in German because that's where Pres. served his mission.) 

So, I went in the office and there was President Daw and also had my parents listening in on his cell phone! (they were in the middle of a zone conference or something- bless their hearts for leaving to listen in on this!) We talked about my mission and the church is St. Petersburg, I testified, and then boom...like that he released me. I ended the video and I just sat in there and cried a bit. 

Luckily though, he didn't tell me to take off my tag...which I was dreading that moment...

so I kept it on :)

After I controlled myself a bit, I went in the room and apparently still had cry-face cause 

Cectpa Clark was walkin towards me with her arms out saying "ohhh....this is hard isnt it?"

cried. again..... shocker. 

BUT Russ and Pres. came back and  dinner was ready - so that cheered me up real fast :)

They spoiled us with Cectpa Clark's amazing cooking. Complete with a traditional Russian bread for celebrations. Cectpa Clark is incredible. oh my world. 

At one point as we ate, Pres. mentioned to Cectpa Clark that I was writing someone- she just lit up and

said "ohh! We have to wait till the end to ask these questions! I have good questions!" haha They didn't ask too much, but every once in a while, they would just randomly say "...Kody Wood..."

I loved it. 

After dinner, we had a mini testimony meeting, us 4, where Russ testified in German. Then we had family prayers and they went to bed while Russ and I stayed up (PAST 10:30!) and talked. 

It was a roller-coaster day to say the least. But most of the tears were tears of joy.

I can't believe it's already been a year...but at the same time. I can. 

I just wanted to share a bit of what it was like that specific day, because it's hard to really put all of my thoughts and feelings together about my precious mission, or the year that has passed since then. Plus it's just fun to have detailed flashbacks and share them :) 

I miss my mission so much. I loved it with all of my being. 

Russia, the people, the missionaries, the food, the embarrassing/awkward moments, even the hard ones. All of it. 

Still love it. 

I am changed forever because of it.