How Do You Measure a Year?

I have been a missionary for 365 days, 52 weeks, 12 months, ONE YEAR!
I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. I sorta panicked the
other day when I realised that I had been out for a year, and that I
only have 6 months left. But amid the mid-mission crisis and stresses
about what I have/haven't accomplished this year, and through the many
tears that have been shed this week over it, I've thought of a few
valuable lessons I have learned during my adventure here.

I have learned:
* To love the people in England
* How to ride a bike in a skirt
* How to love the rain, even though we have a love-hate relationship.
* Not to call your trousers pants
* How to interpret even the thickest of English accents
* Kind of how to figure out London's tube system
* How to teach gospel principles lesson, or any lesson, with no preparation
* That marmite is to be used in small portions
* How to cope with bi polar weather that can't make up its mind.
* That boldness can be my friend
* Learning about diverse cultures from around the world
* To trust in the spirit
* How to find English humour hilarious
* That squash and juice are not the same thing.
* Confidence
* How to really study the scriptures
* The importance of fire safety, especially when cooking. (I still
haven't cooked with oil since the fire.. Haha)
* That the atonement is there for each one of us

And so so much more! I have learned so much this past year, and have
so much more to learn.

So in reflecting on how I can measure this year, the answer is that I
can't measure it in days, weeks or months, but rather on all of the
amazing experiences and memories that I have made here. As a wise man
once told me "count the blessings, not the days." 
I sure love The gospel, England, and I sure love all of you! 🇬🇧
Love,
Sister McFarland

“Suddenly, in the space of a moment, I realized what it was that I
loved about Britain - which is to say, all of it. Every last bit of
it, good and bad - Marmite, village fetes, country lanes, people
saying 'mustn't grumble' and 'I'm terribly sorry but', people
apologizing to me when I conk them with a nameless elbow, milk in
bottles, beans on toast, haymaking in June, stinging nettles, seaside
piers, Ordnance Survey maps, crumpets, hot-water bottles as a
necessity, drizzly Sundays - every bit of it."
- Bill Bryson