MTC Week 6 - The Fire of Christ

Hello Everyone! 

   The highlight of this week was having the opportunity to hear Quentin L. Cook come speak to us on Tuesday. He is such an amazing speaker and I learned so much from him. My favorite part of his talk was how he talked about keeping the "Fire of Christ" in our hearts. Christ is the center of everything in our church and if we have a great love for him in our hearts always, we can help other people realize how amazing He is and how we can use the Atonement in our lives. 

    I don't think I've shared this yet but I'm the pianist for our branch! It's been a great opportunity and I've gotten to meet a lot of people as I practice with them. I love music so much and it has been a huge help while here. So interesting to see how much it can effect you when you choose to listen and play things that will bring you closer to Christ. I love singing about the Church and it gives me a lot of peace as well. 

     We have been growing even closer as a District this week and it's been great. We play sports together, study together, go to Devotional together, and so much more. It's going to be very hard to say goodbye to our Elders (they are all going to Canada) but they all live in Utah so we'll get the chance to see them again. They have been such a help and they are all such great examples. 

      Thank you all for all the support and love I have been receiving. It's been such a huge help. I love the gospel and I know this is the right place for me to be. I am so excited to be here and even more excited to begin serving the people of Taiwan. 

     Loves you all, 

        Sister Jessica Meeks​

MTC Week 5 - Halfway there

Hello Friends and Family, 

    We have officially made it to the halfway point of our MTC experience! Seems like it had been forever (because it has) but I have loved every second of the experience. It is crazy to think that in 30 more days, I will be in Taiwan serving the people there as a full-time missionary. Couldn't be more excited to come to love the people there. 

     This week has been a crazy one. We started playing volleyball as a District and one of the Elders got a little to excited to get the ball and we both ran into the pole...hard! So I come to find out I have a minor concussion and the Elder twisted is ankle as he fell. You have to love the Elders, just not as much when they play volleyball :) I am just supposed to take it a little easy this week. 

     Spiritual high of this week was committing one of our investigators to baptism! It was a very spiritual experience. We have been meeting with him for three weeks and he has been very hesitant to make the commitment. We explained the importance of baptism and then I bore my testimony. The Spirit was so incredibly strong. My companion then, with flawless Chinese, asked him to be baptized and he said yes. It was such a good feeling and I'm so happy my companions and I could experience that together. 

      Something fun that's been happening is I have been giving all the Elders in our District piano lessons. It is so fun and they are loving it. One of them, after two weeks of 'lessons,' can play Come Follow Me in the Hymnbook. So proud of them all. It's a fun way for our District to bond and get to know each other outside of class. 

      This week my companions and I got the opportunity to teach Relief Society on repentance. It was a very good experience. This is something I have been thinking a lot about as of late and how important it is. Christ and his Atonement are central to God's Plan of Happiness. Without him, we could not repent and return back to him. This is so important. I am so happy I have the ability to repent daily and from closer to God and my Savior. In Alma 7:11-13 it says, 

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. 

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

I love these scriptures and this testimony is in my also. I know my Savior lives and he loves me more than anything. He knows my pains and through him, I can return to live with God. 

I love and miss you all so much. I hope you have an amazing week. I love getting emails from you all and hearing about what is going on in your lives. 

Sister Jessica Meeks

MTC Week 4 - In Sickness and Health

Hello everyone! 

   Thanks for all the support I'm constantly getting! I could not get through this MTC experience without it. My district leader keeps joking about giving me the mail code so he doesn't have to bring me stuff anymore (district leaders get the mail at the MTC). But really, thank you so much. 

    This week as been an interesting one for sure! It started out normal but on Thursday, I got really sick and I haven't been able to recover since then! Even though it's been hard, it really shows how much of a family you are here at the MTC. My companions have been so loving and supporting. The Elders in my district made a cute card for me and made it one of our District goals for me to stop being sick. SO sweet. I'm hoping over the next couple of days I'll continue to get better. 

    Besides that it's been a great week. We got to listen to the 2nd Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric speak and it was really neat. He spoke of how being a missionary, and a full time missionary are different things. It really motivated me to work my hardest so I could help more people. The gospel is so special and it is such an amazing opportunity to go and share it with everyone! 

     I have come to love role plays here at the MTC. We have been teaching the same too investigators for about a week now and we're finally starting to get the hang of it. It's amazing how much you can rely on the Spirit for help with the language. Sometimes my companions will bear testimony and it is so powerful. We will come out of lessons so full of the spirit. Other times, it's harder. More often then not, our investigator will say a whole sentence we understand, but one word we don't know changes the whole sentence. It's really helpful because it's realistic but also really hard because lessons can be long and difficult. I've learning the most important thing is to try your best and it will work out. 

      Love you all and miss you even more. I have loved getting letters. I really love hearing about your lives and I love seeing pictures even more. 

      The Church is true and I love being a missionary more than anything. 

       All my love, 

            Sister Meeks