Allyse on a Mission: Return of the P-Day

John: Following is the letter we received from Allyse yesterday (Thursday, October 10th). She is 1/2 way through her Mexico City CCM (MTC) experience. Thanks again for your love and support of Hermana Meanea!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Allyse Meanea
Date: Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 1:56 PM
Subject: 3rd Email Home

Wow! On one hand, this week seems to have gone by so fast, but on the other, it seems to have dragged by so slowly! It was a good week, still super super hard, but getting better!

Here, we typically teach one of our progressing investigators, we have 2 right now, each day. We also teach constantly with each other so that we can practice different things. Saturday and Sunday were 2 of my favorite days here so far. Conference was amazing!!!!!!!! I can´t wait to go back and study all of the talks more!!!! Wasn´t it so neat to hear President Monson talk about the 80,333 missionaries out and know I am One of those!!! Elder Soares talk really hit me. I also loved President Uchtdorf saying: "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith!" I truly felt love, and peace, and joy, while I listened to Conference this weekend. By the way, were you able to see the LDS World Report on the Mexico MTC after the morning session on both Saturday and Sunday? If not, you should try to find it because it shows a lot of the stuff about what I am living right now!!! I also really loved Elder Ballard´s talk: "It is impossible for me to fail when I do my best & am on the Lord´s errand." The Relief Society Meeting was so great too! We got to watch it Saturday night when the Elders were in Priesthood. On Sunday the sessions were incredible too! When we watched Music and the Spoken Word I did start crying because it shows all of the pictures of the West and they were all places I have been with my family!!! I loved Sister Oscarson´s talk on Conversion and Elder Scott´s. Elder Vinson´s really hit me hard too! Sorry this is so scattered, there is just so much to say and I don´t know where to begin!

After Conference, we had some Personal Study time. I was really feeling the desire to have more meaningful study of the Book of Mormon. I prayed to be able to find the things that Heavenly Father wanted me to read and I started reading where I was at in 1 Nephi 15. It was incredible! Every verse hit me and the revelation just flowed!!!!! It was such a testimony to me that Heavenly Father does here our prayers, does love us so much, and does answer us, especially through the Book of Mormon! That evening, for our Sunday Video we watched The Testaments, which is one of my favorites, and it was the perfect end to such an incredible weekend!

Monday was a pretty normal day. We taught and studied. Spanish is coming well. I am at the point where I can speak and teach an investigator mostly what I want to say. Now it is just understanding all of the grammar and building up my vocabulary so I can speak correctly and not sound so much like a gringo!!!

Tuesday was one of my hardest days so far! I was sooooooooo homesick. All I could think was how much I wanted to be at home with my family. I was praying all day for the desire to be here and to be doing this work. I was trying to be perky but I just missed my family. Tuesday night was such a testimony to me that the Lord is aware of me and wants to help me. Our Tuesday night devotional was one from Elder Holland from the Provo MTC. If you think he gets in your face sometimes in Conference, you have no idea!!!! It was so amazing and exactly what I needed to hear. The big message was: Don´t you dare come home and not have this change you forever!!!! This hit me really hard because I have been thinking; once I get through my mission I can get home to my family. I know I need to change my attitude to think about how amazing this really is. Also he talked about how this is Real Life. The devotional really impacted me and helped me to understand why I am out here and the next 18 months, I will be useless if i don´t understand why I am here. It was a big wake up call to all of us!

Wednesday was a better day. I was feeling strengthened and comforted by the Lord so much. I know that there is no way I can do this without Him. I have always understood that we need to trust and rely on the Lord. But until I got out here, I have never really needed to rely on Him for all of my strength before. Now, i am starting to understand.

Today at the Temple was great. I did it all in Spanish and am surprised at what I am able to pick out.

Here are some random things I have been writing a list that I have wanted to say or ask.....

Did you guys start playing Christmas music & spraying apples and cinnamon stuff on October 1st?

I heard about this movie called Three Amigos, it has Steve Martin in it, that is apparently sooo funny and is about Mexico I think. It sounds like it might be a fun movie for you guys to find and watch with Clearplay :)

Here is some of the food I have had recently that you should try: Carne Asada (definitely one of my favorites here, it is soooo good!), Chicken Cordon Bleu, Waffle Sandwich (Literally one morning for breakfast we had a waffle with chicken, lettuce and tomato on top of it), and my favorite ice cream is a popsicle that is called Leche de Cajeta.

See if you can find "Holland on Peter" on YouTube. We watched it and it really gets you thinking.

I love being a missionary! It is just incredible to think that the thing I have been waiting my whole life to be is happening now!!! I have a for real name tag! I can´t wait to get out there and invite others to Christ.

It´s time :( I have loved talking to you guys so incredibly much!!!! I can feel your love and support so strongly!!!!! I can´t wait for next Thursday to be able to talk with you more! I love you and know that the Lord will help us all through this!!! I love love love love you!!!!!!!

Hermana Meanea

Tayson: This has been another illegal letter-cast from Meanea incorporated!

Thank you all for your support of our missionary!