Human. Kind.

I don't blog about my job for various reasons.

A. It's not very interesting.

B. I try to leave work at work.

C. Work is not meant for this little corner of my world.

However, the other day I had an experience at work that left somewhat of an impression on my heart.

A little background: I work in the product store for a locally based MLM(that's a multi-level marketing company, for you newbs). I deal with people from all walks of life. From the hippie tree hugger to the beauty queens of Northern Utah. Every day is a new adventure.

Last week, we had a particularly snarky crowd come through our product store.

People who sometimes forget that we little worker bees are humans too.

Humans with slow fingers, tired brains, and fatigued bodies.

I called for the next customer in line and a very small woman came forward.

She was donning a "Hot n' Ready" t-shirt from Little Caesar's.

"I talked to the bank and they said my card has enough money on it."

"Okay." I tried really hard to smile sensing that this woman had some sort of disability.

I ran her card for her small purchase and proceeded to pull her order.

I was halfway across the product store when she yelled across "My neighbor has lupus. I'm going to sign her up so I can help her with her lupus."

"Oh that is so great." I tried to feign excitement.

"Are you proud of me?" she asked sincerely.

My answer was lodged in my throat as I tried to choke back tears.

"Yes. I'm very proud of you."

Sometimes I am lost in my own little world of worries and troubles.

I was grateful for this reminder that we are all fighting our own battles and it is oh so important to let those we come into contact that we are so proud of their effort.

If no one else has told you so today, know that I am proud of you for fighting whatever battle you fight.

xo

Called

On Friday my family drove to Utah county with a big white envelope from the Church headquarters.

I was not nervous about the next 18 months of my life until I saw it.

I worried about a lot of things once it was in my hands like:

-what if I couldn't do this?

-what if I couldn't adapt to the culture/food/people?

-what if's

I even joked about driving to the church office in Salt Lake handing them my envelope and saying "Changed my mind."

But surrounded by the most important people to me (some via cell phone) I opened my mission call and read the following words:

"Dear Sister Perkins: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. You are assigned to labor in the Canada Montreal Mission. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language."

With those few words I became all sorts of emotion.

Mostly shock.

Then came joy.

Then absolute gratitude.

I can't possibly explain how but I already feel a love for those people in the Montreal.

I can think of no other explanation than that of the love of Christ which stems from His Gospel.

I am so grateful for the testimony I have of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the atonement is real. I know that Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son and that he restored the true and living gospel. I know that man will know no great joy than coming unto the Savior.

And that is what I plan to share with the people of Montreal.

xo

I've got a perfect body, cause my eyelashes catch my sweat.

Have you ever cheated death?

I have.

Multiple times in the past few months.

I'm a cautious person.

But even cautious people are vulnerable.

Vulnerable to hurt, pain, sickness, and other objects.

But again, today, I cheated death. I'm not trying to be dramatic. Just grateful.

After the trauma of seeing my beloved towed away from me and crying way too many tears on someone's handsome peacoat, I sat on my bed folding laundry.

As strange as it seems that mundane task made me feel human again.

I felt like I was back inside my body and not living this strange out of body experience.

I sat there folding shirts and pairing socks listening to Pandora as if my day had gone as planned.

The song "Folding Chair" by Regina Spektor came on and I lost it.

Tears all over again.

How lucky I am to be alive.

How lucky I am to have the family I do.

How lucky I am to have the friends I do.

And how lucky I am to have a perfect body from a loving Heavenly Father.

xo