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

MTC Week 3 - Routine Routine Routine

Hello Everyone! 

   Thank you all so much for all the love you have given me. Little notes and prayers are what pull me through everyday. I have realized how luck I am to have so many special people I can turn to for advice and help. It really is amazing. 

   Now that we've been here awhile, we have our set routine that won't change for the next seven weeks! It's nice to know what is going on but also a little mundane. I am loving my Chinese class. It's really hard but the Gift of Tongues is real! The harder you work, the easier it comes. Which is true for almost everything in life, but especially learning Chinese. I have two wonderful teachers. One who served in California and one who served in Australia. They are a good balance for each other. They work one-on-one with us and really care that we understand the language, as well as the gospel. 

   Something spiritual that happened this week was when we studied scriptures together as a district. Our teacher asked us to think of a question and then think about it as we read 1 Nephi 1:1. I had been worried about being safe in Taiwan so I asked God if he would protect while I was serving. I had an overwhelming feeling that everything would be 100% ok. It was amazing and it shows how powerful scripture study and prayer can be together. 

    One thing that's kinda crazy is my zone's service assignment. We have a really nice gym to work out in everyday, but our assignment is to turn it into a makeshift conference center! We pull out a HUGE mat to put down and set up so many chairs. We use string and wooden blocks to make the rows perfectly straight, wheel in a organ, and set up a stage with a wooden front and all! It really is quite amazing how so many people can come together and make something beautiful. 

   Another thing I have discovered is that I actually like four-square! Kinda random. But people are really nice and it's just a chill way to have some fun in the morning. Also, we have a "Sister Spikeball Club" every Thursday and Saturday. I've been teaching a group the rules and our goal is to be able to beat the Elder's by the end! :) We will see if that actually ends up happening. 

   The Spirit is real and I can testify of it's power. I have been opening my heart and beginning to learn how to be humble and it's helped me so much. I love the MTC and can't wait to continue my adventure. 

    Love you all, 

      Sister Jessica Meeks

MTC Week 2 - I'm alive.

Hi Everyone, 

   This week has for sure been a roller coaster. One second you're feeling the spirit so strongly because of the amazing atmosphere and the next second you're dying because you can't figure out what your investigator is saying! But it has been an amazing experience. 

    Something that is unique about the experience so far is that I'm in a trio companionship instead of the normal double. This for sure has benefits and downsides. My two companions are Sister Swanson and Sister Austad. They are totally different but each bring strong suits to the table. I am so blessed to have two people supporting me instead of just one. I am the only one who has studied Chinese before so we're at different levels which causes some challenges.  But my teacher does a really good job of helping everyone at their own level. 

    In the MTC, you never stop moving. We are going from breakfast to class to studying time, to a devotional, to back to class, etc, etc, etc! Because of this we're all a little tired but it has all been good movement. The spirit here at the MTC is so incredibly strong. I can't beleive how much I've learned about the gospel in such a short time. The very first day we had a devotional with all the new missionaries and we sang ' Armies of Helamen' and they change the line from "We will be the Lord's Missionaries" to "We are now the Lord's missionaries" and it was a cry fest for sure. Such an amazing spirit came over the room and I couldn't deny any of it. 

    We taught our investigator all in Chinese the 2nd day. That was pretty much a total train wreck! But a learning experience none the less. Our investigator's name is Peng Li Ming and he doesn't speak any English! We barely speak Chinese. It's really hard to know what you want to teach but not be able to speak the language. But I know that through studying and the gift of tongues we will be able to help him. 

    Funny story, I have met a lot of people here who know my older brother Andrew. (Who also served in Taiwan Taipei) One of my teachers was in his Zone in the MTC and he says he remembers him because he sang Lion King songs in the shower :) That made me smile and reminded about home and how much support I have. 

    I know the church is true. It's easy to have a testimony here because if you waver a little bit, someone is there to build you right back up. There is a constant spirit testifying of the truthfulness of the gospel. I am so happy to be here and I'm so happy to learn more in Chinese and more about the spirit. 

Love you all, 

Sister Meeks

We have a competition to see who gets the most mail and I'm winning so far! Please send anything if you get a chance. Small letters in the mail or through DearElder really help me make it through the day. 

Picture 1: Me and my amazing companions! 

Picture 2: Our district! We are the smallest by far. All the Elders are going to different missions in Canada and my companions are going to Taiwan with me. 

Picture 3: We ask each other one get-to-know-you question every night and I asked if they had any hidden talents. A head stand competition then came from it :) 

MTC Week 1 - I made it!

First email from the MTC.  I also got a wonderful text message from my neighbor who volunteers at the MTC.  She said they had over 700 missionaries enter the MTC today - the most all year.  She said Sister Meeks looked happy and well.  Whew!


Hi Fam! 

   I made it to the MTC! My first day was amazing. I can already feel the spirit and it's awesome. I'm in a trio companionship so that's neat! I love you all and miss you already. Just letting you know I'm alive and made it through the day :) 

   THANKS! 

        Sister Meeks

The Drop Off

Yummy lunch at Los Hermons with everyone but Daniel. Then off to the Provo City Center temple for some pics.  See you in two Sister Meeks.  We love you.