Off To The Philippines 

 Well, it is my last P-day at the MTC.  Weird.  I cant believe my 9 weeks is almost up.  It has flown by so fast and I have really loved every minute of it.  I know that it is time to go now though, we have been working hard for weeks in preparation for this part of our journey. We can only learn and do so much here in the mtc and now it is time to go out and begin the next part of my journey, the part that I came here to do.  I dont have any regrets about the MTC I think we worked hard and gave it our all.  I have learned so much about myself, the gospel and my relationship with my Father in Heaven over the past 8.5 weeks and I am so grateful every single day for the opportunity I have to be here.  I still have 5 days left though, five days to finish strong and work hard every minute.  I have thought about how in soccer when we would run sprints for conditioning.  The trick to getting a faster time was to sprint past the finish line.  If I began to slow up as the finish line got closer i wouldnt end as strong.  That is how I am going to try to look at these next 5 days.  I need to sprint all the way through my 9 week stay at the MTC and learn as much as I can so that the next leg of the adventure will be just as rewarding. 

We got our travel plans - did you get the letter I sent to you about them?  I am excited to talk to you! It will be so weird to have instant communication with anyone haha.  It will also be weird to once again be in the real world and not on planet MTC.  We fly into Hong Kong and then to Manila.  I will stay in Manila for one night and then fly to Naga the next day (or so I understand).  Our Branch president said we can listen to music on the flight which will be such a blessing so thanks in advanced dad for putting that all together for me!

This week has been great! Our teacher, who is also our hardest investegator shared with us his conversion story.  I didnt even know that he was a convert for many weeks but he has an incredible story.  He also said he was proud of us and had no reservations about sending us to the field! When brother Langer was 18, he began taking the missionary discussions because he had some LDS friends.  He, at the time, was a devout Catholic and really had no interest in  the church.  When he told his parents he was taking the missionary discussions they were livid.  They took away all of his money and phone and would no longer pay for his college tuition.  He had to move home because he could not support himself and when he decided he wanted to be baptized they kicked him out.  He moved in with a member friend until he was called to serve in the Manila Philppines mission.  His father wrote him 5 letters on his mission, 3 of them being very negative.  He now goes to BYU and supports himself completely.  His parents do not support him or any relation he has with the church.  He is 22 and has one of the most incredible testimonies I have ever heard.  Every time he bares his testimony mine is strengthened and It is so hard for me to understand how they do not see the light of christ in him when He is so strong and changes my life everyday.  But it is a strong example of how hard hearts can be.  It also makes me so grateful for the strength i have behind me and my choice to serve a mission.  I want to be a better missionary because of that, because so many have given up for me to be here.  Because I have been given much I must give and give and give. 

Well I hope everyone is feeling better (mom) and that everyone returned home safe and sound.  I am glad to hear you ate a TK for me haha! cant wait to hear about the peruvian adventures.  The rest of this week is teaching and then we have in-field oreintation on Friday, departing devotional on Sunday night and fly out Monday afternoon!!! Yay!!

I know that the time to prepare is over.  It is time for me to be bold and give everything I have both physically and spiritually to the Lord.  I feel as ready as I can be. I am nervous and excited but I know that the Lord will help me and strengthen me.  One thing I have learned is that there are no comfort zones on the mission.  When you start to feel better about something it changes and you have to learn all over again.  I know the next month of my life will hold more surprises than I can really even prepare for.  I know there will be very low days but that there will be wonderful moments and the overall picture will be incredible.  I am so excited to begin this work.  "shall we not go on in so great a cause?" All of the heart ache and stomach ache and heat ache that is headed my way is so worth it! I am humbled by the amount of trust the Lord has in me to be able to be a missionary in Naga.

Well I love you all! It is weird that i will hear your voices in just 6 days and the next email i write will be in a different country half way around the world!! Cant wait!

I love you and am so grateful for you and your many prayers! they are felt more than you know so thank you. 

Love,

your missionary - Sister meish