Prompt #1!

Writing Prompt: Significant Experience

Evan Moreland

I have had a lot of meaningful experiences in my life. Although there have been many important experiences, the one that sticks out most to me is going on mission trips with my church. I go to Peace Lutheran Church and every summer since the 6^th grade I have gone on a mission trip. These trips renew my faith and make me feel good about helping others. Going on mission trips with my church is meaningful to me because I get to bond with peers, connect with God, and help people in need.

          One of the most enjoyable parts of the mission trips is the time I get to bond with my peers. I have built long-lasting friendships from the trips and have met people that I would have never met otherwise. When the trip starts, groups are randomly divided specifically to spilt up close friends. This allows the group to be more open and not segmented. By being put in a group with people I might not have chosen my self, I get to know people who I might have written off too soon in everyday life. Peer bonding on mission trips is a vital component to the meaningful experience.

          Another meaningful piece of a mission trip is my chance to connect with God. Going to a church service every weekend can get monotonous and the informal setting of the mission trip helps break that schedule. Also, having a whole week dedicated to God and doing God’s work really helps me move forward with my spiritual life. The more casual setting of the mission trips is refreshing to me and it helps me “recharge” my metaphoric batteries in terms of church and faith in general. At the end of these trips I feel more connected to God and knowing that gives me a good feeling.

          The last and perhaps most important piece of the mission trip experience is having the chance to help people in need. One of the most satisfying experiences in my life was when I saw the looks of the people I helped and the genuine thankfulness they extend toward me. Moments like these make the problems in my life seem petty, and I see just how good I actually have it. Overall the driving force that keeps me going on these mission trips is the knowledge that I helped change someone’s quality of life for the better.

          I have been on seven mission trips in the past 6 years and plan on continuing to go on them in the future. Mission trips are a great place to have fun, make new friends, and serve God all at the same time. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who has the opportunity. The reasons mission trips are meaningful to me are that I get to bond with peers, connect with God, and help people in need. Above all else I like going on mission trips because it is simply a good thing to do and it makes me happy.