Sister Anna Meredith

Friday, August 10, 2018

Home (August 8, 2018)

What a wonderful ending to the best 18 months. Minnesota will forever hold a special place in my heart.

"For me, it's all about love" (August 6, 2018)

I really don't know what to say.

I must honestly say my heart is here. The pain I felt to say goodbye to my family for these 18 months, is nothing compared to the heartbreak I feel to have to leave this beautiful land and these beloved people and this sacred calling. They have truly changed my life. My heart has been scattered amongst St. Paul, Lakeville, Minneapolis, Rochester, and Richfield. A part of my heart that I never want to have back, because what I have learned in return has changed me. The people and the God I have learned to love here have changed me forever. Every goodbye at every transfer has brought heartache as a I leave a part of who I was and who I am with the people I have served. However, every change has always been positive, and as hard as endings are, I know it’s part of a wonderful new adventure. I have full faith that this change will be no different, that as painful as it is to say goodbye, it is the beginning of a wonderful new life I have with the privilege to live serving Jesus Christ.

This week we have seen so many miracles, and been so blessed to be guided by the spirit, oh the stories I will be telling for the rest of eternity of the miracles I have seen here. We have kept going until the last minute, and seen God bring us to people who are still in need and it has been incredible.

In Conference last April, Elder De Feo gave a talk about how love is the true sign of every true disciple of Jesus Christ. He said

“Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of love. The greatest commandment is about love. For me, it’s all about love…

I love my Heavenly Father. I love my Savior. I love the gospel. I love this Church. I love my family. I love this wonderful life. For me, it’s all about love"

I echo his words and testify that it's all about love. The more I study, the more I learn, the more people I meet, the more challenges I face, and the more miracles I see, I have learned that, yes, it's all about love. Love is what changes weak and imperfect children of God into the divine beings he knows we can be.

Since the beginning of my mission I've been making a list of the life lessons I've learned, so I thought it would be appropriate to sign off with a selected few from that list.

Thank you all for the wonderful support you have given. I look forward to seeing you in a few days! Thank you for sharing some of these wonderful memories with me. I know that to live will be an awfully big adventure.

Hermana Anna Meredith

Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

101 things I’ve learned

The Book of Mormon is the word of God.
Joseph Smith was a prophet called by God who restored the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.
Never judge who may or may not need the gospel. Everyone does.
God's timing is perfect
You literally can't do it by yourself.
Agency is one of the greatest gifts God has given us, and you have to respect everyone's else's
Sarcasm always drives away the Spirit.
There is a big difference between missionaries who come to change themselves and missionaries who come to help others change. And the latter are the ones who always change the most
Finding joy in your life begins when you choose it. "My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." (President Nelson, October 2016). So choose Christ now.
Obedience is the only intelligent choice.
Your will is the only thing you can give to Christ that he didn't give you.
Work hard, give it your all, no matter what everyone else is doing.
Don't sacrifice quality for popularity
Miracles don't serve as testimony builders unless you already have a belief in their divine origin.
The most dangerous words in the world are "It's always been done this way"
Be who you are, and love what you love, and don't waste time worrying about what other people think.
People are more important than things.
Exercise makes you feel better.
The only way to be irreplaceable is to be yourself, the world has enough people trying to be someone else.
Missionaries have so many rules because we need to learn and experience the power of repentance and the cleansing power of the atonement in our lives.
God does not expect us to be perfect on our own, he expects us to repent and be perfected through Christ.
Life is not about perfection, it's about progression.
We are not expected, nor should we try to do it all by ourselves.
How beautiful the knowledge we have that God is our LOVING Heavenly Father.
Everyone has a conversion story. Everyone has a point in their lives where they had to decide, and they knew that this was the truth.
Teach and have your children speak your native language.
Pray to Heavenly Father as your friend and Father, because he is.
Don't take yourself too darn seriously.
Its not about you, God doesn't need you to do this work, he lets you be a part of it. It is a privilege to be a servant of the Lord.
I have a hero, and his name is Christ.
Don't pray for a lighter burden, pray for a stronger back.
You can't convert someone past your own conversion.
None of this is about you. If you try to stand in Gods way, he will wait, he will work around you if you try to stand in the way, because we are nothing without him.
The blessings I have seen come to my family because of my missionary service, even if I never saw any fruit of my labors in the field, would make every moment of every day of every week of every month worth it
Salvation does not come by comparison. The call is to become like Christ, not to be more righteous than your neighbor.
We are to convert people to Christ, not to the church,
Mormons are the happiest people.
Your happiness has nothing to do with your wordly circumstances. The happiest people I met over the last 18 months are the ones who had nothing worldly, but had everything through Christ.
Neither members nor missionaries are infallible.
Stick with it, don't give up on God, even if the only thing getting you from day to day is "no more than a desire to believe"
It truly is astounding, the love parents have for their children. People who are willing to give up anything for them, which gives us just a glimpse at the love Heavenly Father has for us.
The hardest thing to do sometimes is realize you just need to plant the seeds, and walk away, and leave the rest to God.
Be prepared, or you'll look like a fool
Never, ever, ever, ever be too busy for the church, too busy for the gospel, too busy for scriptures, too busy for prayers, too busy for Christ. It's the little things that make the biggest difference in the end.
Prayer is the answer to every question.
One of the hardest things is finding motivation to keep working hard when no one else around you is. Always work hard, even when no one else is.
Its ok if you dont know whats going on. No one does. As long as you have the spirit, you will be amazing.
I had a lot more pride then i was ever willing to admit, and I still do, but I'm learning.
When you are a Mormon, you must always live as an example of that name. You never know what that example may mean to someone.
The gospel makes life better. “The most satisfying experience I have is to see what this gospel does for people. It gives them a new outlook on life. It gives them a perspective that they have never felt before. It raises their sights to things noble and divine. Something happens to them that is miraculous to behold. They look to Christ and come alive.” - President Hinckley
Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world.
Missionaries are made of what you do at 8:00 pm when it's 10 degrees, and none of your plans have worked
"You are capable of much more than looking hot"
Being right is not more important than being kind
Be a good example to your kids
Never, ever give up on anyone
Families our only hope in this crazy world.
The first step, the first and foremost thing we should always do in any situation, good or bad, is pray.
When you're sick, it's ok to take a break and sleep it off.
Hispanics say "I love you" two ways: "te quiero" and "Come más!"
How to love. How to truly love as Christ did. To meet someone, and within 30 seconds of talking to them, you would do anything to help them because you feel Christ's love for them.
Handwarmers are the greatest invention since the printing press
Spend as much time with your grandparents as you can. You have a lot to learn from them, even if they tell you the same stories every time.
Revelation comes on the move. Get up and get going even if you don't know where, and the Lord will tell you.
Don't let a first impression become a definition of someone.
How to talk on the phone, and not feel severe anxiety every time I do.
Don't become dependant on substances
God uses imperfect people to bring about his perfect purposes, so never postpone a prompting or don't not help someone because you think you're not good enough He makes up the differences, and can send you to help his children in need.
If you can make your life's work about service, you'll never work a day in your life
The organization of the church is perfect because it is done out of love. Church leaders are motivated solely by love, not power.
There are so many naturally good people in the world, we can't give up.
This is gospel is for everyone, even those who seem so far gone, the Atonement is for them too.
Even though we don't know everyone's needs, God does, and he will help us serve to them even when we don't know why
Being kind and patient will get you much further then being rude and short.
Gods purpose is different from our purpose.
Everything I've learned about the gospel my whole life is true, coming on a mission just helped me put it all together and now it makes sense.
People are much more effective, perform better, and are happier when they are doing something they are passionate about.
A complaining voice/tone is 3 things: unattractive, unattractive, and unattractive.
Be a disciple of Christ who astonishes, be so bold they don't know how to react.
There really are 10,000 lakes in Minnesota
Parents don't know what they're doing either, and that's ok. We're all making it up and relying on our savior and hoping for the best.
EVERYONE should go on a mission.
The importance of having an open mind. If you expect something to go wrong, it will.
You are made of the little decisions you make every day.
Never be too busy for the Lord, for your family, or the church.
I have gained a vision of how imperfect I am, but how completely perfect the Savior is.
Salvation is not a competition.
Learning to happily embrace the Lord's will and timing is a key to finding joy.
Biking in the rain, in a skirt, in a Minnesota summer is happiness
Los hispanos son increíbles, no tienen nada, pero ellos dan todo al señor y sus misioneros.
“The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it.”
Be Scrooge! Lose yourself in your service to others.
You have the power to make your dreams come true.
This isn't a religion, this is real-life. And how great the urgency to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth.
The importance of having an open mind and being willing to listen to the opinions of others.
See others for what they can become, because people change, they change every day.
The only way we can ever find ourselves is to completely give it all over to the Lord. When we give our hearts to the people we serve, they become a part of our heart forever.
Consecration is the way we become the most like ourselves, because we are living closer to our divine identity then we ever have before.
If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.
None of it is about you. It doesn't matter if anyone remembers you, they probably won't. You didn't come here to change the world. You came to serve the Lord.
It's easier to keep the commandments 100% of the time than 98% of the time.
Never leave this church.

Never leave the Lord.

Never stand against His servants.

Never turn from His truths.

Never look back, ever!

"We are here to have Joy!" (July 30, 2018)

This has been an amazing week!

This week we got to be part of our first bike gang, haha. Almost though! The youth in our ward had an activity where they all brought their bikes and met at the church, then biked all together to and around a nearby lake. One of the advisers asked us to come to help support and as part of our continuing efforts to help strengthen the youth of the ward, and it was a blast! We proved to the whole ward that yes, you really can bike in a skirt, and a bunch of kids came who usually don't, and we got to know a lot of them and help them get pumped about missionary work. And it did feel pretty cool to be biking around the streets of Minneapolis in our own little posse of bicycles, shouting the directions at each other in Spanish.

LEO WENT TO THE TEMPLE!!!!! You might not remember him, but he is a member we taught in Lakeville and he was hesitant about going to the temple for so long, and we prayed and worked long and hard that he would have a change of heart and a desire to enter the house of the Lord. I am so proud of him because he conquered his fears, and decided to act in faith, and went for the first time to do baptisms!! It was a perfect day. The temple is in St. Paul in my first area, and I got to see Leo and many other beloved members from the Lakeville branch for the first time since I left almost 9 months ago. And the bishop and his family from the Rochester ward also happened to be there and it was wonderful to see them again. It felt like coming home, and it was a perfect conclusion to see so many of the people from so many of the places I have grown to love so dearly, not to mention the many other past companions and other Hermanas who were there and we all got to share in that special day with Leo. Words cannot describe how perfect that day was, and I am so grateful I got to be there for it.

We have met a lot of cool people this week, and I am so determined to keep working hard and keep seeing miracles up until the very last minute. I still learn so much each and every day. One day it was pouring rain, buckets of rain, and a member had invited us to her daughter's birthday party to come for dinner. So we were running down the street to get there, and turned the corner past the fence, and saw half of the families in our ward huddled on the porch or inside the little apartment waiting for the rain to pass. But they hadn't let that stop their celebration! With the little room and space they had they made do, and continued to be happy even though it seemed all of their plans had been ruined. And I felt like that is a perfect metaphor for life. Sometimes we will have everything all planned, and an unpredicted rainstorm will come and seem to ruin all the plans we have. And then there are people who give up and get frustrated and cancel the whole thing. Then there are the people who don't let it stop them from having the party and being happy. It isn't ideal, but life never is, and we should never let a wrench in our plans stop us from living our lives with our true purpose in mind, to find joy! A few of my fondest mission memories involve pouring rain, whether they be storm clouds above us or the trials that God sends our way or to the lives of people I have taught, but I know that despite all of that, we can choose to smile and be happy, even dance, because Christ is our savior and we know that despite whatever happens it will be ok.

It reminded me of one of my favorite talks from the October 2016 General Conference called "Joy and Spiritual Survival" by President Russell M Nelson,

"Life is filled with detours and dead ends, trials and challenges of every kind. Each of us has likely had times when distress, anguish, and despair almost consumed us. Yet we are here to have joy?
Yes! The answer is a resounding yes!...Saints can be happy under every circumstance. We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year!
My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.
When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!"

I can testify that absolutely nothing about these last 18 months has gone the way I have planned it, but I am so grateful for every unexpected journey, every little detour, every tempest, because each has brought me closer to my Savior and helped me see how I can find joy through Him.

There is so much more I could share, but time is running short. And next week will be the last time you hear from me and there is a lot of stuff to do today to get things ready. But I know this is the work of the Lord, and that this is his church, and that through Him, no matter what is or isn't happening in our lives, we can find joy! I love you all!

Hermana Meredith

Baseball games, temple, and bike trip to Lake Harriet

Saturday, July 28, 2018

"Wrongs to make right, Truths to share, and Good to do" (July 23, 2018)

Buenos dias!! What a week! Everything is happening so fast and I can hardly keep my head straight, and the transfer is almost over. I feel like this roller coaster has just kept getting faster and faster and when it suddenly end it's gonna be a big surprise.

So this week, I know many have long since stopped reading my emails, but that's ok! I still love you! I love writing my adventures for anyone who may want to hear, but mostly for my family, haha. So fun stuff, this week I learned how to make the perfect quesadilla. I thought I already had some pretty good skills, but a hispanic member taught us the real way and now I am ready to take on the world. Also this last week was the 49 year anniversary since we went to the moon! Don't forget to celebrate it!

Ok, now on to the real stuff. Like I said, this week has been insane! I have learned so much. We are teaching someone, Luz, who is so awesome. The Hermanas before were teaching her, then we hadn't had contact with her in the last few weeks. But this week we went over, and she gladly welcomed us in and told us her story, and what she thought about the church. She is really sick and can't work, and struggling to raise her kids. She told us how much she loves the missionaries coming and teaching her though, because it lifts her spirits. We talked about the Book of Mormon, and she told us how much she loves it, but said she always forgets to read it when we only come once a week, then asked "Hermanas, could you just come over here for a little bit every day to read with me so I don't forget?" She lives right by our apartment, so we happily said "Yes!" And have been able to visit Luz every day this week. Her progress has been insane!! She loves the Book of Mormon and told us on Saturday she knows it's true, because of how good she feels every time she reads it. It's been inspiring to see how much it has changed her and helped bring peace and harmony to her family.

There is a less-active hermana we have been praying for help to get in with, and we have gone and knocked on their door when we know they're home because we can hear them inside, but they don't come to the door, and we were just praying that the Lord would provide a way because we felt we were doing all we could. Then this Thursday, there was a relief society activity at the church, and we were waiting to meet with a few members, sitting on the couches outside. There was an Hermano there, and we started talking with him, and lo and behold he is the husband and dad of the family we were trying to get in with! We had absolutely no idea who their family was or who we were even looking for, and he was right there waiting at the church for his son to get out of young mens. We got to know him and talk to him and set up a time to come visit their family. It was so cool how Heavenly Father lead us right to the people we needed to talk to.

Missionary work is amazing!! I love every single minute, even the hard ones, especially the hard ones. The Lord does not cease to amaze me with miracles every day. I have loved being able to take some time to reflect on all the miracles I have seen, on all the people I have loved, on all the prayers I have said, and how all these things have brought me closer to God than I have ever been before in a way I never would have expected.

Jeffrey R. Holland said,

"Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world...We have wrongs to make right, truths to share, and good to do. In short we have a life of devoted discipleship to give in demonstrating our love of the Lord. We can't quit, and we can't go back. After an encounter with the living Son of the living God, nothing is ever again to be as it was before."

If that doesn't't get you fired up about sharing the gospel, I don't know what will. People we meet every day try to tell me that I'm wasting my time, and that people will never listen, and people will never change, and it would be best to give up and go get a good education or do something else that would be more useful for me. But it's not true! I know I still have wrongs to make right, truths to share, and good to do. No one could ever convince me otherwise, and I intend to spend all the time I have doing just that.

Have a blessed week!!