Last week at the CCM

Hola
       Not much to report but my time here is almost up. We still play volleyball every day for gym and someone also taught me how to throw a rugby ball. I think I'm actually pretty good at it. Its very fun to learn new sports and my capabilities. Other then that not much has happened. Just a lot of studying and classes. 

       So this week is my last week here at the CCM and it feels so crazy to be close to the end. After a while the days start to fly bye and when I look back, it seems so crazy how long I've been here. Six weeks, and now I´m off to California. It is nerve racking to think its about time for me to head to the field. I'm very nervous but so excited to learn and grow more. 

These are all the sisters in our zone.

Our whole zone.

       I have definitely grown so much here at the CCM. My testimony is so strong and I can feel it growing everyday. My desire to do good and teach others grows stronger everyday as well. I'm just so blessed to have the opportunity to come out here. Although it is very difficult at times and I feel like giving up, I know that Christ is helping me in all things. Thank you all so much for your support and love and I hope each of you are doing amazing. Keep in contact! 

THIS IS MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF OUR ZONE!!!! I LOVE IT

With Love,

Hermana Gilchrist

*Note: Don't send any more letters to the MTC/CCM. You can now send packages & letters to the mission home address (found in the right hand column).

I CAN DO THIS!!!

Hola everyone!

       First off I want to start with some highlights of my week. I was able to teach an ENTIRE lesson without a dictionary or any books other then my Spanish Bible and Book of Mormon. How cool is that ?!? Sure it was very broken Spanish, and I spoke very slow, but I did it. It was very exciting for me. My volleyball skills are slowly improving. This may seem unimportant but this has to be the first sport I've actually started to get and like, so it is very cool to me. And on Sunday I had the opportunity to give a talk on prayer. I wasn’t able to do it without notes but it was definitely good practice to write it out and read it out loud.

       Some other cool news, I have two friends here at the CCM (Mexico Missionary Training Center) that I know from back home. The first to come was Hermana Tonga.

She was one of my best friends when I attended SVU and we still have a ton of fun together here. The other is Hermana Hemingway. 

She and I have grown to be best friends over the years and it is so cool to have her here. It´s nice seeing people you know from back home. 

       To sum it all up, this week has been amazing. In all honesty when I first got here it was the hardest thing I had ever done. I didn't feel like I was getting the language and I was most definitely homesick. I wondered "Why am I here?" and "What did I get myself into?" I was completely freaked out.

       It took me three weeks to get to where I am now, but I am finally doing it. No…I´m not a pro at the language, but I´m finally feeling comfortable here. I can definitely tell you that I CAN DO THIS!!!! 

       This week has just been so amazing. On Saturday, Elder Neil L. Anderson came to talk with the CCM. It was so cool to shake his hand and to hear him speak directly to us. 

He talked to us, a lot, about missionary work and what we need to do in order to truly submit ourselves to the work. One thing he said really stood out to me. It was something along the lines of:

´For every person who has ever lived, nothing is more important then the Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore it is so critical that everyone knows him.´

That really got to me. I knew why I had come out here, but I had somehow lost the reason along the way. It just reminded me of the love Heavenly Father and Christ have for each and everyone one of us. They love us, each individually so much it is miraculous. I want others to feel that love as well. To feel that sense of comfort and love, and how great it is that I can help them return to our Father in Heaven. 

       I can honestly tell you that I know this is where I need to be. God loves each and every one of us completely. I know that although I am not the best at the language or the scripture references, with the help of the lord, I will be able to serve a full time mission. Because through him I can do all things

I love and miss you all so much! I’ll see you in 17 months!

Love,

Hermana Gilchrist

Volleyball Graduate

My Dearest Family and Friends, 

This week has been pretty good! I finally feel like I´m starting to actually learn the language. It´s very broken Spanish, but I can now teach a lesson without notes. It feels so good. I can also understand pretty well as long as the person talking to me is speaking slowly, and in very simple terms.

During the week we mostly study. We do have class every morning and night and then during the day we have two investigators that we are teaching. They are just teachers who are acting as investigators but it is good practice. I'm still very nervous teaching but I seem to have opened up a lot more. It´s definitely a huge adjustment to be here. 

My district and I normally play volleyball everyday for gym. It’s a ton of fun but I am not that good at it. I actually have two big bruises, one on each hand, from playing. I finally however learned how to actually serve the ball. It took two weeks but I got it! Before I would just throw the ball over. Everyone told me I "graduated" from volleyball once I got it over. It’s just nice to have a break from studying everyday and to just laugh. It’s a lot of fun. 

Other than that there isn´t much to report but I would love to hear from all of you! I miss each and every one of you so much! This is honestly so hard but I know in the end it will be worth it. I love you all!!!

Love, Hermana Gilchrist

Mexico City, Mexico Temple

We didn't receive a letter today...just a few pictures of a trip to the temple.

Temple Facts

The México City México Temple was the first temple built in México.

The México City México Temple was the second temple built in a Spanish-speaking country, following the Santiago Chile Temple (1983). 

The México City México Temple is the largest temple outside of the United States.

The México City México Temple is one of five temples featuring an angel Moroni statue holding the gold plates. (The other four temples are the Los Angeles California Temple, Washington D.C. Temple, Jordan River Utah Temple, and Seattle Washington Temple.)

Even since endowments were first given in Spanish in 1945 in the Mesa Arizona Temple, faithful Mexican Saints looked forward with anticipation to the time when they might be blessed with a temple in their own country.

When Church architect Emil B. Fetzer received the assignment to design the México City México Temple, he turned to a book on Mayan architecture, which Heber Grant Taylor and his wife felt inspired to give him 18 years earlier from the library of his grandfather President Heber J. Grant.

An incredible 9,000 attended the one-hour groundbreaking ceremony of the México City México Temple. Elder Boyd K. Packer offered the prayer dedicating the site in Spanish.

During its 10-day open house, more than 110,000 visitors toured the México City México Temple including thousands of government, business, and civic leaders. Mission presidents estimated 2,900 requested visits as a direct result of the open house.

At the dedication of the México City México Temple, Elder Ezra Taft Benson received the distinct impression that God was not pleased with Church members' neglect of the Book of Mormon. Stressing the importance of the Book of Mormon would later become one of the hallmarks of his presidency.

Following its completion, the México City México Temple received an international award for artistic use of precast concrete.

The México City México Temple has received favorable attention from the school of architecture at the University of Mexico, becoming the subject of much study.

In March 2007, the México City México Temple was closed for a year-and-a-half renovation and remodeling project, which included seismic enhancements, replacement of the precast concrete exterior panels, refurbishment of the angel Moroni statue, revamping of the landscaping, and remodeling of the baptistry, main lobby, corridors, sealing rooms, and ordinance rooms.

By its 25th anniversary, the México City México Temple had dropped at least eight feet in elevation due to the rapid subsidence of Mexico's capital city.

Adjustments & Compromise

My dearest family and friends, 

First I would like to apologize for my terrible writing skills. I don't have much time to write so I am not checking grammar as much as I can. Maybe my mom will edit it for me.

Her companion in the MTC, Sister Griffes

This week has been tough. A mission is definitely not easy and neither is Español. I have however had many spiritually uplifting moments that have helped me build my testimony. Not only that, but my district is amazing. I love each and every one of them so much!

So Mexico is beautiful, and least from where the CCM is. Its so cool to observe other cultures and see the ways they are different from us here. There are definitely some really horrible drivers here. We constantly hear car horns and police sirens going off. Another thing we hear all the time is fireworks. They let them off every single day. They definitely love their country here!

Mexico is beautiful but it is definitely so hard to be here. A mission is a huge adjustment. You are with the same person all day, everyday. I never realized how much we take advantage of our individuality in our everyday lives. We don't need someone to go with us when we need to use the restroom and our decisions don't have to depend on others preferences, they are just our own. Here we must compromise and follow one another everywhere. The rule is that your companion must be within seeing and hearing distance of you. Individuality to me was just one of those things I didn't realize was a huge blessing in my life until I gave it up. My companion and I however, have a ton of fun together and we laugh all the time. Her name is Hermana Griffes and she is just wonderful. 

Spanish is so hard. I'm kind of getting the language but not as well as I would have hoped. I don't know what I was expecting but for some reason I can memorize words but I can never seem to form a sentence. I also tend to forget the words when I need them most. 

This is a danger zone in case the fire alarms go off - haha!

I will say this, although it is hard and I feel overwhelmed at times I know that this is where I must be. I am not here for my own reasons but I am here to serve the Lord. This few sacrifices are nothing compared to the blessings I know will come. I would encourage everyone who is close to the missionary age to pray to know if they should go on a mission. 

Also don't forget to write! You can send letter directly to me and I will get them the next day if you send them off of this website. 

www.missionarypackagemx.com - (Send to Mexico MTC, her full name is Hermana Kendyll Gilchrist)

You can also send snacks if you want ;) but I would deeply appreciate the support if you could write me! 

Anyways, as Brielle would say...

Stay Fierce!

Love, 

Hermana Gilchrist