The 2nd Letter!

Words you should know:


TRC: Teaching Resource Center


Contact: A person you just start to talk to who is a stranger (found on the street, park, train..ect...) with whom you have intentions of sharing the gospel.


Spirit/Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit: The third Person in the Godhead and his mission is to "testify of the Father and the Son, to reveal the truth (Book of Mormon,Moroni 10:4,5), to comfort us (John 14:26), and to sanctify us. He is a divine guide and teacher." (mormon.org)


Testimony: "A testimony is a spiritual witness given to an individual by the Holy Ghost. The foundation of a Mormon’s testimony is the knowledge that Heavenly Father lives and loves us; that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Son of God, and that He carried out the infinite Atonement; that Joseph Smith is a prophet, which God called to restore Jesus Christ’s church to the earth; that we are led today by a living prophet; and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Savior’s Church restored on the earth today." (Mormon.org)


First Vision


Investigator: An individual who is learning more about the Church, normally with the intention of deciding whether or not they would like to become a member.

2.  An individual who is being taught by the missionaries.

Nonmember: A person who does not belong to the Church. (Mormonjargon.com)


Zones and Districts are just ways of organizing the Mission area. NYNY north Mission-> Zone-> District-> Companionship-> Missionary.


Preparation day (p-day): A day for missionaries to write family and friends,wash clothes, get a hair cut, clean apartment, shop, wash car, preparing to proselyte for the rest of the week. (p. 19, Missionary Handbook, 2006)

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who wrote me. It was so fun to hear from everyone, and I definitely felt everyone's love.  The easiest way for mail to me is through DearElder.com.  I don't have time to read emails on this account. 

I feel like I have so much to say and so little time.  I love the MTC!  That is not to say that it is always easy.  The adversary is as real here as anywhere else, but what a perfect place to be to learn about myself and my relationship with my Heavenly Father. 

There is an early morning exercise class for sisters only, and I went once this week.  It was aerobics, and I had to laugh at the hip-hop hymns that were used for music.  It was nice to have music.  (We are not permitted to listen to music, except hymns that we sing ourselves.)  I love gym!  We have it for a half an hour 5 days a week.  I usually run a mile or so.  My foot is not completely healed, but it is getting better.  Then I go play volleyball or four-square.  It is really funny.  Most of the people who play four-square are from the Chinese program.  That says something about us.  Hehe! 

I spend most of the day in the classroom learning Chinese and how to teach the gospel.  I love my spot in the classroom because I can see the beautiful mountains so close and also Angel Moroni from the Provo Temple.  I frequently reflect on how beautiful this Earth is that God created for us.  What a great gift!  We have had a lot of substitute teachers, since I have been here.  It will be nice when we have consistently.  I have two teachers, and I really like one of them.  Her name is Wei Laoshi, or Sister Whipple.  She reminds me of someone I would be friends with.  She knows Fenny, a friend from Taiwan. 

I taught my first real lesson.  Every Saturday, we go to the TRC.  We had to pretend to contact in the park IN CHINESE!  And then we taught a lesson in English to one of the three people that we contacted.  The Spirit was strong and it was a good experience.  I get super nervous when I have to teach, or even when role-playing, so I am praying for that and for me to have the Spirit direct my words. 

I am developing a really strong testimony of the First Vision.  For those of you who don't know what that is, Rachel can put a link on my blog.  Rachel, if you could also sometime define lds jargon, that would help save me on time.  I was being an "investigator" and sone elders in my zone were teaching me.  One of them started to recite the First Vision, and I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly.  I got that same feeling when Sister Jorgensen and I were teaching our investigator about.  (He wasn't a real investigator, but a man who volunteers so that we can practice.  Some people though who volunteer are nonmembers.  You just never know who you are going to get.)  I know that God, the Father, and Jesus Christ did appear to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove. 

One of the elders in my zone adores me.  Haha!  He told me a few days ago that I am his favorite sister missionary.  And yesterday, he told me that my spirit brightens the room and everyone can't help but love me. That was the nicest thing.  :o)

I am going to answer some questions now.

I have preparation day on Mondays and that lasts until 6:00pm.  Then my p-day is over. We go to the Temple on Monday mornings after breakfast.  I spend about 6-7 hours in class everyday, split between Chinese language study and teaching skills.  My teachers speak mostly in Chinse, and we are immersed in the language.  I am getting better slowly, very slowly, but surely.  I can't send pictures via the internet here, but I will print some off soon.  My roommates are all awesome.  Only my companion is in my district.  The other four girls are in a different district.  I like them all.  I especially adore my companion Sister Jorgensen.  She is perfect for me.  I do believe that companionships are inspired.  We are definitely very different people, but our strengths and weaknesses balance eachother out.  She always has me laughing, because she is hilarious. 

I love you all very much!  I am grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary!  What a wonderful gift from my Heavenly Father!  And thank you to everyone who has helped to make this possible for me.  Wo ai nimen! 

Love,

Sister Yancey

Yan Jie Mei

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original m

DearElder.com

So Sister Megan Yancey mentioned how she loves mail and I know some of you aren't sure how to use Dearelder.com. I am hear to do a tutorial of how to use the website dearelder.com. But remember you can only use it until she leaves the MTC which she mentioned was May 3, 2011. So I encourage you all to write her frequently with DearElder.com until she leaves the MTC and then send her snail mail! She will love it!

1. Type Dearelder.com in your URL bar.
2. Click on the "Write a Letter" tab at the top middle of the page.
3. Select "Provo MTC" in the Letter Selection area and then click on the "Write a Missionary" button below the Letter Selection area.
4. Fill in the necessary information about your self and Sister Yancey. Her MTC box # is 313.
5. Write the letter and click on the "Send Letter" button.

She will receive the letter printed and hand delivered the same day you send it!

First Letter from Sister Yancey!

Hello!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to those of you who have emailed me!  It is so fun and encouraging to get mail.  Tell everyone to useDEARELDER.COM!  It is the best getting mail everyday!  I can't send pictures via email here..  I will have to print them out and snail mail them.

I have to be quick because this email systems limits my time to 25 minutes (that includes reading emails sent to this address) and then it locks me out whether I have sent an email or not.  I am so happy that I am a missionary, and I recieve confirmation everyday that this is where I am supposed to be.  That is not to say that this is easy.  Being a missionary is hard work.  I have never been so busy in my life.  When I got to the MTC, a host got me my books and showed me my room.  I met my companion shortly after arriving, Sister Meg Jorgensen.  I love her!  She is perfect for me and so funny.  She is going to Taipei.  She is 22 and from Kaysville, majoring in Dance Education at BYU, is really good friends with Jasmine Gille, and is engaged!  The Lord works in mysterious ways.  Everyone in the Chinese program is going to Taiwan, except for me and one elder, Elder Vatcher.  We are both going to NYNY-North.  At first I felt jealous that everyone is going to Taiwan, but I know that the Lord needs me in New York.  My Branch President said something cool too.  He said that he has been here for a while and they have never sent an English speaking sister to my mission for Chinese since he has been here.  That made me feel special, and the Lord has confidence in my abilities.  People who already speak Chinese are usually called there. 

I live in a room with 5 other girls, they are going to Taichung, Taiwan.  It is definitely tight quarters but big enough for our needs.  I am on a top bunk.  Hehe!  Everyone in my district is going to Taipei but me.  It is me and my companion (tongban) and four jianglao (elders).  My zone has about 40 people in it and that is my ward. The food is good.  There are a lot of delicious options.  Don't worry mom, I am eating lots of fresh foods.  Our schedule is jam packed.  We got started learning chinese the moment I got to my class.  I can bear my testimony now and say a simple prayer.  It is crazy.  I think about Chinese constantly, and I even dream about it.  In my dreams though, it is mostly jibberish.  Hahha!  I am a bit overwhelmed with learning Chinese.  It is super hard, but I know that the Lord is helping.  When I look back over the past couple of days and all that I know in Chinese already, I can see the Lord's miracle working in action.  It is so amazing!  I got a Chinese name.  It is Yan Jie Mei.  (Sister Yan)!  Cool, huh! 

I teach my first lesson in Chinese on Saturday, and I am super scared.  I know I can do it though.  There simply are not enough hours in the day.  My favorite part of the day is Personal Study.  If you seek the Lord, he will send you blessings.  I have truely been blessed.  This is going to be the best thing ever.

I ship out to New York on May 3, 2011.  It seems so soon. I haven't met anyone else going to New York except Elder Vatcher, because I associate mostly with Chinese speaking missionaries. 

I went to the Temple this morning and I felt so strongly of the love that the Lord has for each and every one of us.  This truely is the Lord's work.  I know that as I stay close to the Spirit, the Lord will direct me.  I love you all, and I thank you for your support! 

Love,

Yan Jie Mei

(Sister Meg Yancey)

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of

I love to see the Temple!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I went through the Temple for the first time today.  It was such a wonderfully spiritual experience!  While in the temple, I felt so strongly of my own individual worth and divine destiny.  It made me feel very special.  I loved it! I am a daughter of Heavenly Father.  I can’t wait to go back.  I went with my family.  I thought about how families can be together forever.  Heavenly Father’s plan is so great!  It truly is the Plan of Happiness.  I hope I can go again before I report to the MTC.  I feel like there is so much for me to learn.  The temple Matron told me that President Hinckley at the age of 98, said that he was still learning.  Line upon line, precept upon precept.  I feel such a renewed determination to be the best disciple of Christ that I can be.  Best day of my life, no doubt about it!

Las Vegas Temple

We were told we could take pictures in the atrium.

Rachel, Me, Amber

Perry, Me, Rachel
I insisted on being in the middle. Hehe!

Best Day Ever!

A most wonderful day!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Saturday was a wonderful day!  Kristi and I got up early and went to the temple in Taipei, and that is always a wonderful thing.  We did a bit of souvenir shopping at Chang Kai-Shek Memorial.  We got home from Taipei at around 5:30pm.

After coming up the stairs, we passed the kitchen and Erin informed me that I had mail on my bed.  Could it be!?  Could it be!?  I hurried to my room to find a large envelope on my bed!  That was the most beautiful piece of mail have ever seen!  It was from the Church, of course.  I just had to admire it.  All of the sudden, I felt scared.  I wasn't ready to open it.  I had to feel ready.  Whatever it said in the envelope would change my life and I had to feel ready.  I cleaned my room and went to the lounge to say a private prayer.  The Spirit confirmed to me that whatever the call was, it would be the best for me.

I was driving my roommates nuts with the waiting, but I wanted all of my roommates to be here.  Whitney was absent.  She finally came home close to 6:30pm.  Then I skyped my family, so they could "be there."  I felt a little bad because it was in the middle of the night for them. I don't think they minded, especially for this reason. It had been one day short of seven weeks since I handed over my papers to the Stake President.  It felt like an eternity, but now it is finally here.  My family was on skype and all my roommates were in the room, plus Randy.  Lien filmed the joyous moment.  I openned the envelope and pulled out the letter.  I wanted to read the letter and not cheat and read ahead.  I quickly covered the letter with the other booklet in the envelope.  I read the letter line by line.  (This play-by-play is for those who can't get the video to work.)

"Dear Sister Yancey:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."  Me!  A missionary!  The tears started to flow and the Spirit enveloped me with its warmth.  "You are assigned to labor in the"....

New York New York North Mission!!!!!!

I couldn't believe it!  I still can't believe it.  New York!  Me a missionary in New York!  Everyone screamed when I read it.  The Spirit told me that that is the best place for me and that is where I am needed.  I continued reading:

"It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.  You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, February 16, 2011."  In two months!  That is just so perfect!  But wait, it gets better!  I wasn't expecting this next part.  "You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Mandarin Chinese language."  Are you kidding me!?  Everyone screamed again of course.  That was the cherry on top of the most delicious sundae!  I am so excited!  I am going to New York and I get to learn Chinese!!!