A Brief Recess

This is an account of Jim’s and my history together as recorded in January of 2004 whilst I was a missionary. 

The Story of Mr and Mrs James Stancombe 

(through my eyes)  

Jim and I would laugh constantly.  We had so much fun together and in the following weeks became close.  My relationships with my friends by the sea seemed to quickly diminish as the days rolled on.  I wondered if I wasn’t being a little foolish, ending a relationship with one young man primarily because he wasn’t a member of my faith and then beginning to date Jim who wasn’t a member of the church either.  

It was at this very moment of contemplation that a young Returned Missionary entered my life.  This young RM and I dated exclusively for the best part of a year and on and off for a few months longer.  This relationship came with its fair share of ups and downs.  It was around that time that the group Savage Garden played on the radio often.  The words to their song 'Affirmation' run through my mind when I think of this time in my life “I believe you can’t appreciate real love ‘til you’ve been burned”.  And burned I was. 

One thing I have learned from serving a mission myself is that whilst you are away you devote your time to being in the Lord’s service.  Every day is made up of a strict schedule of arising at 6am, an hour personal study and an hour companionship study, then get ready for the day and out the door at 9am.  As a missionary you pray often, all the time.  You pray individually and as a companionship multiple times throughout the day and there is the constant sharing of your personal testimony of the Saviour and His divinity.  It is a time when you can become very close to the Saviour and very close to the Spirit.  When you see those young missionaries in areas throughout the world, don’t they look good?  Don’t they look clean and like they have a light about them?  I’m not saying for one minute they are perfect, but I know from experience that a life in the service of others (no matter what religion – or none at all), has the potential to make you shine from the inside out.

I really think that it was that light and perhaps the piercing blue eyes of this young man that attracted me to him in the first place.

I truly believe that people come into our lives for a reason.  If not for this RM, I perhaps wouldn't have severed those ties with the people that I desperately needed to in order for me to 'find' myself.  For that I give thanks.

In the meantime, Jim had moved to Hobart for university and we still kept in touch now and then via email.

The RM and I finally made an end to things and after mending my broken heart, I began enjoying life as a young SINGLE adult.  I really hadn’t been single in such a long time so it was new for me and I was starting to enjoy being active in the single adult program of the church.  Jim was still in the picture.  He was my friend and I felt like I could totally be myself around him.  I remember feeling a little pressure with the boys at church.  I found it hard not to send the wrong signals.  I only wanted friendship, but I was naturally flirtatious which I think was subconsciously due to the fact that I had very little self esteem and the attention filled that void somehow.  Sad, I know, but if I am to be truly honest with myself and to my future posterity, it needs to be said.

I came to a place in time where I felt done with boys.  I couldn’t be bothered with them, so I just got busy doing those things that I knew to be right and focussing on my personal growth. 

I felt happy and like my life was where it should be.  I had a job I enjoyed.  After about 10 months at the medical centre almost by coincidence I scored a full-time position back at the LGH as a Ward Clerk/Receptionist in the Endoscopy and Day Surgery Unit.  I loved that job and the people I worked with.

I was really enjoying serving in the Young Women’s Program of the church as a Laurel Advisor.  My mum and dad were in the finishing stages of building their new home next door to my brother – who I was living with at the time – and for me, life couldn’t have been better.  I had found happiness.  

to be continued.....