Feeling homesick.

After a very busy and exhausting Monday, I sat down to get on Facebook for a few minutes today. Which turned into half an hour of looking at my pictures from Europe. And then my heart began to miss the streets of Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland more than ever.

It's that kind of missing that you feel when your sister moves to Pittsburgh for 3 years. Or when your best friend leaves on a mission for 18 months. Or even when your sweet grandma passes away after a life of dedication.

I knew I loved those streets while I was there, but I never realized how much I would look back on my days spent there and yearn for them. I miss talking with old Irish men about their childhoods, I miss seeing eternal green rolling hills, I miss singing hymns with the African sisters in my London ward, I miss visiting the places I'd dreamt about my whole life.

What I'm getting at is that I think left a piece of my heart in the UK. I would always say that while I was there, but I think it really is true. There is a piece of my heart that will forever cherish the memories of walking through the streets of Paris eating a crepe, sitting in the park near St. Paul's cathedral and talking with my girls, dressing up at Jane Austen's house, and going to church in Scotland. 

I think one of my biggest challenges is learning to live in the moment--not focusing too much on the past on the past or the future and just enjoying the present. Because in reality, my life is good. Reaaaal good. I have so much to be thankful for and I truly am. But that doesn't change the fact that a piece of my heart stayed in the UK, and will likely stay there, forever. 

{big ben}

{jane austen's house}

{hampton court}

{stonehenge}

{the cliffs of moher}

{eiffel tower}

Dear men of BYU

My ride: "Alissa, did you serve a mission?"

Me: "No."

My ride: "Well are you going to serve a mission?"

Me: "No."
My ride: "Well are you getting married?"
Me: "No."

My ride: *laughs*, and then says, "Well what are you doing with your life?"

Hey, buddy. You may only have been home from your mission for 4 weeks, but I would expect you to know those probably aren't the questions you should be asking in a "getting-to-know-you" situation with a stranger. 

Don't get me wrong, I whole-heartedly respect and support missionaries. I have a strong testimony of missionary work and I do my best to be a member missionary, but you're missing the point. 

Here's the thing that 95% of you can't seem to understand: 

Missions aren't right for everyone.

Marriage isn't the only reason girls don't go on missions. 

It's not because we're any less spiritual. 

Some of us are just happy where we're at. 

We don't feel a pull to serve a mission because that's not always part of our role as women in this church.

So what am I doing with my life?

I'm living the gospel, educating myself, working hard, preparing for my future, and trying to weed out inconsiderate dweebs like you from my dating life.