We are so excited to share Elder Meanea's first letter from the MTC! It sounds like he is doing great and working hard. We are so proud of him!
Hello my amazing family!
Thank you so much for all the support and love you've been sending to me. I feel it all, and I am so blessed. My week has been short/long/hard/great as I'm sure Allyse can explain to you all.
This is a very true story! There is a saying in the MTC and throughout the mission: "The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days." -Allyse
Wednesday, July 13
You dropped me on my head once again, I got all my books and such picked up, and then we had "People and your Purpose," where we actually answered investigators questions. It was quite the first night experience! The same day we were also dropped head-first into some Chinese lessons! It's going to come. And I definitely think it is supposed to humble me. A big focus of this week has been to trust in our Diligence, and not our intelligence. I think I'm pretty smart, but I know the Lord knows better!
You dropped me on my head once again, I got all my books and such picked up, and then we had "People and your Purpose," where we actually answered investigators questions. It was quite the first night experience! The same day we were also dropped head-first into some Chinese lessons! It's going to come. And I definitely think it is supposed to humble me. A big focus of this week has been to trust in our Diligence, and not our intelligence. I think I'm pretty smart, but I know the Lord knows better!
Thursday, July 14
We continued Chinese lessons, met with our branch presidency, and had another "People and your purpose" activity. I was feeling a little down, but as soon as I started to try and think about the needs of those in the lessons, the spirit buoyed me up.
We continued Chinese lessons, met with our branch presidency, and had another "People and your purpose" activity. I was feeling a little down, but as soon as I started to try and think about the needs of those in the lessons, the spirit buoyed me up.
Friday, July 15
We got our first investigator today! Her name is Yang, and Elder Potts (My companion) and I taught the first lesson to her. She was really excited to learn about it, and we were able to use some phrases from our lesson book to get the point across we needed. We also had Zone kickball today for exercise time, which was really fun!
We got our first investigator today! Her name is Yang, and Elder Potts (My companion) and I taught the first lesson to her. She was really excited to learn about it, and we were able to use some phrases from our lesson book to get the point across we needed. We also had Zone kickball today for exercise time, which was really fun!
Saturday, July 16
Elder Potts was made a District Leader during our Branch meeting on Thursday! That means we're in charge of picking up the mail and Lunch and Dinner everyday. We played frisbee for exercise this morning, which I'm not the best at, but it was still fun.
Elder Potts was made a District Leader during our Branch meeting on Thursday! That means we're in charge of picking up the mail and Lunch and Dinner everyday. We played frisbee for exercise this morning, which I'm not the best at, but it was still fun.
Sunday, July 17
Everyone kept telling me to just "make it to Sunday," and they were definitely right. Our sabbath day was amazing! We had sacrament as a Branch, for which we have to prepare talks every week and translate them to Mandarin. So you can bet they're short and simple. We then had priesthood and District meeting. I went to choir practice, and we're going to sing for Nashville Tribute which is coming to the MTC this next Sunday! After that, instead of having a devotional, we were surprisingly told we were going to watch "The Character of Christ," a great MTC movie about an Elder Bednar talk given at the MTC a while back. Usually movies come after the devotionals, but when the movie finished, suddenly everyone was standing, and Elder Bednar walked on stage! He told us he wanted to visit us that day when he knew they were playing "Character of Christ," and we had a Q and A session with the whole MTC with Elder Bednar there! It was a great experience. It really made me think about being a representative of Christ.
Everyone kept telling me to just "make it to Sunday," and they were definitely right. Our sabbath day was amazing! We had sacrament as a Branch, for which we have to prepare talks every week and translate them to Mandarin. So you can bet they're short and simple. We then had priesthood and District meeting. I went to choir practice, and we're going to sing for Nashville Tribute which is coming to the MTC this next Sunday! After that, instead of having a devotional, we were surprisingly told we were going to watch "The Character of Christ," a great MTC movie about an Elder Bednar talk given at the MTC a while back. Usually movies come after the devotionals, but when the movie finished, suddenly everyone was standing, and Elder Bednar walked on stage! He told us he wanted to visit us that day when he knew they were playing "Character of Christ," and we had a Q and A session with the whole MTC with Elder Bednar there! It was a great experience. It really made me think about being a representative of Christ.
Monday, July 18
Yeah, Chinese is hard, but I'm definitely learning a lot. We commited Yang to baptism today, and told her how she can share the gospel with her family back in China. Well... that's probably what we said. xD We have what's called a "Basic Core" words and phrases that our teacher has challenged us to have memorized by this upcoming Saturday. Words are coming along well, but phrases I'm struggling on. This evening my companion Elder Potts asked me to give him a blessing, and everyone in our room gathered and I gave him a blessing of comfort. He is such an example and has taught me so much about being like Christ. We are different, that's sure, but I have already learned so much from him.
Yeah, Chinese is hard, but I'm definitely learning a lot. We commited Yang to baptism today, and told her how she can share the gospel with her family back in China. Well... that's probably what we said. xD We have what's called a "Basic Core" words and phrases that our teacher has challenged us to have memorized by this upcoming Saturday. Words are coming along well, but phrases I'm struggling on. This evening my companion Elder Potts asked me to give him a blessing, and everyone in our room gathered and I gave him a blessing of comfort. He is such an example and has taught me so much about being like Christ. We are different, that's sure, but I have already learned so much from him.
Tuesday, July 19
We had another devotional tonight from Elder Clarke of the emeritus 70. It was a great talk about how important our time that we have consecrated to the Lord is. I enjoyed it a lot. He talked a lot about how it's not exactly what we do, but the kind of people we are that touches people. If we are Christlike, they can feel his love through us.
We had another devotional tonight from Elder Clarke of the emeritus 70. It was a great talk about how important our time that we have consecrated to the Lord is. I enjoyed it a lot. He talked a lot about how it's not exactly what we do, but the kind of people we are that touches people. If we are Christlike, they can feel his love through us.
Wednesday, July 20
P-Day! I got some amazing emails from friends and family, and it made me so happy! We went to the temple and did a session at 7:50 this morning. Then we did laundry and emailed. We have class later tonight, but it's been a great day and an amazing week. I saw Dallin Henry, Luke Orison, and haven't spotted Sandon yet.
P-Day! I got some amazing emails from friends and family, and it made me so happy! We went to the temple and did a session at 7:50 this morning. Then we did laundry and emailed. We have class later tonight, but it's been a great day and an amazing week. I saw Dallin Henry, Luke Orison, and haven't spotted Sandon yet.
My amazing family, I love you all so much. I have learned much, and have so much more to learn and do. Thank you for standing by me in all this. Thank you all so much for taking such good care of me. Have a wonderful week, and it won't be long until I talk to you again!
Elder Meanea
We also had a list of questions that we asked Elder Meanea and he answered:
Who is your companion?
Elder Potts
Elder Potts
Where is he from?
From Northern Utah
From Northern Utah
Is he going to your mission?
My mission
My mission
Are all of the missionaries in your district going to your mission?
Yes
Yes
How many missionaries are in your district?
8
8
Is your district leader a cool guy?
He is my comp and yes, very cool
He is my comp and yes, very cool
What is the funnest thing that has happened to you this week?
All our guys are hilarious and had a spirited discussion about Lord of the Rings last night.
All our guys are hilarious and had a spirited discussion about Lord of the Rings last night.
What is the hardest thing that you have had to do this week?
Teach lessons in Chinese
Teach lessons in Chinese
After one week have you already passed what you had learned in a semester at CHS?
Yes
Yes
After a week of MTC food, do you have bad gas yet?
No
No
Do you get to have any exercise time?
Yes
Yes
Did you find any Narnia holes?
Yes, just a rock up there though
Yes, just a rock up there though
Have you been Baby Powder bombed yet? (when I was there 30 years ago there was a fairly good gap below the room door and the hall. At night other missionaries would take two towels and fill that gap, leaving a space between the towels to place the open end of a small bottle of baby powder. They would then jump down on the bottle of baby powder, blowing the baby powder under the door and into the dark bedroom full of sleeping missionaries. We would wake up gagging on the baby powder that was floating airborne throughout the room, trying to find our way to the door to pour out into the hall for fresh air to breath. The perpetrating missionaries would be out in the hall laughing their heads off -John).
No. That's awful!
No. That's awful!
Have you seen any missionaries in the MTC that you know from Cedar or from anywhere else?
Saw Dallin Henry and Luke Orison.
Saw Dallin Henry and Luke Orison.
How was church on Sunday in the MTC
Amazing.
Amazing.
What is something that really impressed you that you learned about the Gospel this week?
Diligence, not intelligence determines your success.
Diligence, not intelligence determines your success.
Elder Meanea wasn't able to send any pictures this week so here is one from when we dropped him off at the MTC a week ago.
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