weeeeeeeek 2!

Hello, dear family!

Another week down. Hard to believe it. It had a little more variety than the first, which was quite nice. I'll write up a little highlight reel and see how far I get.

With the new mission presidents' seminar, we had the opportunity to be in close contact with several general authorities this week. I had the honor and daunting task of offering the benediction after the MTC devotional on Thursday. Sister Brady and I got prime seats. The elder that gave the opening prayer also has parents that were newly called to be mission presidents. Elder Bednar spoke. It was really quite incredible. I haven't ever seen him get all that emotional, but he told us over and over that he's certain Jesus Christ would tell us that we can do this. It was powerful. I believed him. Elder Bednar, Elder Nelson, Elder Oaks, Elder Ballard, Elder Scott, Elder Holland, and Elder Andersen were all in attendance...yes, seven apostles. After Elder Bednar spoke, I walked up to the stand and Elder Ballard offered his hand. A kind gesture. I was really glad I got to close my eyes. It made me feel like I was alone and made me less aware of the power that sat behind me and more aware of the power of the spirit. It was comforting to pretend to be alone. On the way down I shook hands with Elder Nelson, Elder Oaks, and Elder Ballard, who incidentally told me it was a "beautiful prayer." So cool. A really great honor. Thanks to Mom and Dad for accepting the call to serve in Guam so I could be in the presence of great spiritual power.

Afterward I was a minor celebrity. Everyone wanted to know how and why I got to do that. When I changed my clothes and no one could recognize me anymore celeb status was terminated. Thank goodness. It was a little weird.

Sister Brady, Sister McComber and I (all three sisters currently in the MTC and going to Busan, Korea) got to meet our new mission president and his wife after the devotional. President Gilbert and Sister Gilbert are from Orem. President Gilbert is one of the most understated men, but speaks with great clarity and power. I think we will be charged with great obedience with him at the helm. I look forward to that. He talked about how rather than just "serving our time" we need to let our missions pass through us, and by doing so that we will become new people. I guess two presidents ago, the Busan mission was called the running Busan mission because the mission president read a quote from Neal A Maxwell about how if we knew the importance of what we are teaching we would run and crawl to preach the gospel. We'll see if that is still an apt title when I get there. Sister Gilbert is the talker of the two of them, but everything she says is warm and wise. I was inspired by her to be more. She said that we often hold on to our weaknesses like they're some kind of treasure, but that if we understand what we really can be that we will put those behind us, we won't be bound to them. I look forward to learning and serving with them.

I did run into Mom and Dad this week several times. On Wednesday as we were walking to the field across the street for gym, I saw a lot of new mission presidents and their wifes unpacking their things and entering the MTC for the first time. I was kind of on the look out for Mom and Dad and wondered what kind of situation would be most fitting to see them in. I didn't really want it to be a big scene or be too distracting for me or anyone else. When we were at the corner waiting to cross the street, a charcoal gray Honda Accord was honking at us as it prepared to turn the corner. I thought it was just Provo's friendliest hollering at the missionaries. Nope. Mom and Dad waved and said hello as they turned the corner to enter the MTC. It was a perfect situation. They must have recognized those thrashed ol' bball shorts and stocky stature from a mile away. They also got to hand off a few of my worldly possessions I needed later that day. On Sunday, they waited as the dinner line dragged on and as I finally saw them I asked if they were leaving and of course Mom's eyes teared up. We hugged and I gave Dad a hug and that was it. I think if they had come much later in my MTC experience it would have been a lot harder, but I really enjoyed having them here. I can't wait to hear about their adventures!

The language plugs along slowly. We're getting better. I have said my fair share of hillarious (accidental and incidental) things. I have told people that I AM the truth about Jesus Christ instead of that I have the truth about Jesus Christ....it's always easy to see others mistakes, but an Elder in our district commited our teacher to honorifically cry about the gospel, instead of pray about the gospel. One fun thing about learning a new language is that I now have material for a million new puns. It has caused those around me to groan in agony, but it's just too punny. I can't stop. The word for vocabulary (romanized) is "dawn-oh." I try to trick the sisters around me by saying "dawn-oh oz-seh-moan" and letting them guess what that means in Korean. (A pun on Donny Osmond.) Many more to come, I'm afraid.

Sister Brady and I are still working well together. She is a very organized, goal-oriented person and is pushing me to be more than I normally choose to be, for which I am very grateful. Her pushing, however, is not forceful, but just a desire to be more, which is motivating by example alone. I like her and am grateful for her. We both like sports, which has made gym time more enjoyable.

Our Branch President, President Shin, is from Korea and is also understated, wise and hilarious. He works for Samsung and told us that we need to start our misisons with the end in mind. I hadn't thought of what I want to be when my mission is through, but that advice has helped me focus more on what my end goal might be.

Yesterday, we had about ten native Korean missionaries come to the MTC. They will be here for 3 weeks or so. I look forward to flubbing my Korean around them. It will be funny.

Shout out to: Laura, Whitney, Ty, Kimberlee, Nick, Megan, Mom, Charlotte, and Julie for writing to me! The abundance of letters in the first two weeks was unexpected. Thank you! It is really nice to hear from you. DearElder rulezzzzzzzzzz. Those are not sleeping "z's," or Utah sports team "z's," just excited to hear from you and so happy to be on a mission "z's." It is hard. Already. But it is well worth it.

Love to you!

Sis. Julia Mecham

June 21, 2011 - Ahhhhhhh

Hello Family!

Whirlwind, I tell you.  It's been a crazy week of self-discovery, frustration, excitement, technology issues etc.

First off, thanks to Ladi and Chucky for your Dear Elder letters! That may be the easiest way for me to actually read and receive your letters. It was such a nice surprise to see those the past few days! It's also nice to hear advice from experienced sisters who know about the MTC.

My companion, Sister Brady, is great. I like her a lot. She is really intelligent and wise. With some prying, I discovered she currently has a 3.98 GPA at BYU in Philosophy/Spanish and took the LSAT and got a 164. Her scores from her second time taking the LSAT will come this week. She's hoping for a 170 so she can get into a top ten school. She is from Charlottesville, VA. She was home-schooled, but doesn't seem like it. I hate to stereotype people...but I'll do it anyway, I suppose. She catches on to languages really fast. She has high expectations for herself, and in turn, our companionship. She is good fro me. She has been really gracious in helping me along the way thus far.

Korean is crazy. That is, I don't understand it at all! Thus far we have learned to pray, testify, and have a brief conversation. If this is me learning Korean with the gift of tongues, I would hate to see how I'd do without it! Stumbling expressions extraordinaire. I guess I'm really learning two languages: the language of the spirit and Korean, in that order.

The MTC is a good place for the most part. The food is subpar, but I've been enjoying the salads and soups. The main entrees are ugly. My weight maintainence plan consists of only drinking water or milk (sometimes chocolate milk for dessert), taking only one trip through the line regardless of how good the breadsticks are, and not having dessert except on Sundays. So far so good, I guess. I saw Chris Morey the other day while he was serving me dinner. It was funny. Exercise time has been a nice relief. I've been ballin. Haven't ventured to play with the elders yet.

Mom and Dad, I'm so excited for you! Your time is fast approaching. While I very well may not be seeing you, you will certainly see me! On Friday, President Brown (MTC President) called me into his office and asked if I would offer the benediction for the devotional for new mission presidents this coming Friday. It just happens to be the meeting where the general authorities will be in attendance. He said that it would sort of be like offering a prayer in general conference....no pressure. So while I will have my eyes closed and babble on about whatever I feel inspired to say, you will both be out there in the congregation. I'm looking forward to it. If you can sneak a blazer into the MTC for me I'd appreciate it. I don't have one.

This morning we went to the temple. It was my second time, but it might as well have been my first. I forgot how to put on any of those clothes. As some of you may know, my past is a nervous one. I am a little jumpy and don't like being on the spot or being helped. Generally, if I can't do it on my own, I'm not going to do it. Anyway, people were very gracious with their smiles, instruction, time, etc. as I struggled to keep up in the temple ceremonies. I am independent to a fault at times. In class I sometimes get frustrated with the language and sort of figuratively throw my hands up in the air because I don't want to ask for help. I don't want to inconvenience others, or Heavenly Father, but in so doing I fail to meet the potential I have. When I got through the temple ceremony this morning and sat in the Celestial Room, I asked myself what I was supposed to learn from the session this morning. I think I was supposed to learn how to let others help me. I can't do any of this on my own, and arrogantly enough, I kind of thought I could. It seemed to represent my entire mission. Those who were helping me were like God's angels helping me fulfill his purpose. I cried and cried in the Celestial Room this morning because of this realization. I need to learn how to let people and Heavenly Father make more of me. I'm looking forward to this endeavor.

I love you all very much. Thank you for your letters and prayers! Laura, forward this at your disgression. I'll leave it up to you to edit out the embarrassing parts.

LOVE!

Sis. Julia Mecham

contd....

My companion has a little extra time on her email, so she's letting me use it. I told you she was great.

What I was really trying to say is that I need to learn how to receive instruction and take the risks necessary to learn. I have taken the risk to be here, but I think I need to take more risks to really let Heavenly Father make more of me than I ever could be on my own.

When I was crying in the Celestial Room a middle aged temple worker came up and tried to hug me and tell me that I didn't need to be embarrassed about how things went in the ceremonies. Not a good idea to talk to me while I'm crying. Through the tears I tried to explain to her that I wasn't embarrassed about that, to which she responded, "Your face is bright red!" Her intentions were good, but it didn't help matters at all. Anyway, it was a good experience for me to learn.

The MTC is wired! People are always talking to us from the ceilings and asking us questions. "Is Sister so and so there?" And then you can respond and they can hear you....ANYWHERE! It's crazy. Also, yesterday after class we had some personal study time in our classroom after our teacher left. About five minutes into that time two individuals came into our room and asked with an accusatory tone if we had been on mormon.org. We said no, but that our teacher may have been on it. They asked how long ago he was there. We told them he had left five minutes ago and they said that was TOO LONG, that the activity had been more recent....ball and chain, I tell you.

Though it's only been one week, you guys feel far away. The days here are long and the weeks short. I didn't believe it, but it's true. I'm enjoying my time here and I feel truth resound with my spirit every single day. There are a lot of good people here. Our teachers are great. I'm excited to serve!

Love to you!

Write me!

Sis. Julia Mecham

So long, farewell...