In My End of the Earth: Army of Helman

¡Hola! ¿Que pasa?

This week has not even been real. For our service the past couple weeks we´ve been hostesses for the new missionaries, but I swear that was just me. And all of a sudden I´m leaving the beautiful prison del CCM en uno semana? es imposible pero es verdad.

This week has been full of chastising. Yay! But that is what it's about, always improving. Obedience was the first lesson learned. We´ve always tried to be obedient, in the first week we even wrote a poster for our mirror to remind us to strive for perfect obedience no matter what. But here's one thing, our district is so chatty. A few days ago our morning teacher told us he felt impressed to tell us about obedience. The spirit was so strong as he bore testimony of the blessings it brings. He also said that we´re already making a difference as missionaries and he remembers us, whenever he´s faced with trials and knows when he´s obedient he will be able to teach us with the spirit. It was beautiful.

Then that afternoon we had Book of Mormon study with our night teacher. He asked us to share some of the questions we have as we read our scriptures then together we read Alma 56, the chapter of the Army of Helaman. It was incredible. We compared us to the stripling warriors preparing for battle. We noted the difference between the army of Antipus to the army of Helaman and what we can to be prepare our best. Vs. 44-48 are magic, well the whole chapter really. I really just have such an appreciation for the people in my life that have helped me prepare for this battle. It has been hard and I have wanted to sleep as the warrior of Antipus and maybe I have a little, but then I´m reminded who I´m fighting this battle for and the things I´ve "been taught by my mother" and the "liberty of my father". (vs. 56) and I know if I "fight with the strength of God" "not one soul of them shall fall to the earth".
We also had to say goodbye to this teacher yesterday. He´s seriously just been so incredible and just what we needed. He´s only 24 and in the bishopric and I think I can promise, he´ll be a general authority someday. It gave me a little taste of what it'll be like to say goodbye to all these people in 7 days. Tears for dayzzz man. Not fair that I´ll have to do that a million times over in the mission.

On Sunday we listened to a talk by Jeffery R. Holland to the missionaries, from a little while ago. I could have just died in that moment. He talked about how blessed we are to have Preach my Gospel. It is the perfect guide to become the kind of missionary God would have me be! Because the lesson are not planned out in memorized phrases we must be more prepared; we must KNOW the doctrine, we must KNOW the investigator, and we must KNOW the spirit. Apparently we have to be a better missionary that he was on his mission... eek! #stepitup. he then talked of "sweet Peter" who after Christ died took the disciples and went back to their own comfort of fishing. He was an apostle of the Lord yet when Christ died he was scared and didn't know he could do it. Then of course Jesus came and asks "do you love me?" and after a few times Peter finally says with conviction that he does and he´d do anything for Him. Christ pretty much tells him "well then, forget your fishing, when I asked you to leave it the first time I meant forever; FEED MY SHEEP". When the Lord asked for the Army of Helaman, He meant forever! This is the hour that Christ is asking us "do you love me?" and we must answer in terms of FOREVER and always be willing to do the work of the Lord, even in small and simple ways.

Yesterday we taught our last lesson with Daniel, a sixteen year old boy who always falls asleep and texts during the lesson. This is the same one we took to look at the pictures of Christ. We´ve had a lot of up and downs with him but we were determined to have our last lesson beautiful. We did lots of studying and preparing but we didn´t make a step by step plan like we´ve done before. We really wanted this lesson to be lead by the spirit through Daniel. After the prayer we immediately asked him who Christ was to him. He gave a simple answer "el salvador" and we waited. He started to get uncomfortable so we asked "como?". Next thing we knew he was bearing his testimony of the Savior and we were all in tears. It reminded me that teaching lessons isn't about telling people the things we know, it´s about letting them discover what they know. We just have to help them open their mind.

Us at the beautiful Mexico City Templo....
SO MUCH LOVE <3

Mexico's Church Hall of Beauty

Today we went to the visitor's center at the temple! We left the gates! (and of course all we wanted to sing, was the song from Frozen). I had forgotten there was a real world out there with real people living their ordinary lives and I got so excited to just talk to people! It was so happy. I wish we could just roam the streets and hand out Book of Mormon´s and give people besitos on the cheek and eat tacos. Soon enough though!

WE GET TO PASS THE GATES!!!

Love you all more than life. Thank you so much for your prayers, I truly am being blessed everyday. xoxo Hermana Meacham

Bonus info....
I did get your package! thank you sososososo much. seriously. It was so nice to get that. It's funny how something so simple can be so fun to get. Its just nice to have something familiar from someone familiar. The pictures made me cry. I want to look at them all the time, not in like a distracting way but just cause it reminds me of how blessed I am and how wonderful it is that I get to share the message of eternal families. So THANK YOU.

this was like GOLD

I can't believe this is my last week!! Time went so fast. I still dont feel totally prepared but I guess you never really will and you just have to do it kind of thing. The Spanish is getting better I think, though I struggle with past tense like crazy, well pretty much all conjugations. hahaha but it'll come I'm sure. Its just hard to know if your doing all you can to learn the best you can. It's just between me and the Lord I guess!

Today we went through the gates!!! I can't wait to teach real people. They talk so fast. There was a couple at the temple that wanted to take a picture with us. hahah. We´ve even had Latino missionaries want to take pictures with us.They just like the idea of American missionaries I guess.

We didn't get to go inside the temple. So sad. But the visitor center was awesome! Some sister missionaries took us on a tour and then we stopped at a little tienda and I got a cute little Mexican shirt.

We think the sounds are cannons from a catholic or Christan church . no say porque.

the Spanish is coming! I hate conjugations but I'm getting better. No doubt I'll be pretty quite in Chile though! I got my flight plans, I leave Monday at 8pm. I´ll arrive in Santiago about 7 the next morning. I fly with all the elders in my district but my comp flies out 6 hours later than me!! sad day. Then from Santiago 2 elders and I fly to Osorno around noon. I can't believe its almost here!!! Teachings have it's ups and downs but I definitely feel like I'm getting better.