tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91734877373827250182024-03-13T05:46:41.786-07:00Goodbye Utah, Hello Washington!The letters, life, and awesomeness of Sister Whitney Elizabeth Mecham as she serves in the Washington Kennewick mission from 2012 until 2014.
Want to know why she's so happy? Head on over here: http://mormon.org Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-9133007621835579252014-04-22T10:55:00.006-07:002014-04-22T10:55:58.388-07:00A (last) Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 21, 2014<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Subject: Because of Him</div>
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Hello there my dear sweet family! This last week has been a great week full of lost of GREAT things! So first I will explain the pictures. </div>
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<br />#1. Me with the Roberts. I was granted permission this last week that I could go and have lunch with the Roberts before I left. It was so great!! We had lunch, talked a lot and took some pictures and cried a little. haha I love them more than life it's self and I am so grateful for the chance that I've had to know them and have them in my life. Such a blessing to me. </div>
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#2. Us with Ron and Rachel! We had an amazing couple of lessons with them this week. We watched the "Because of Him" video. ( if you haven't seen it.. watch it! Your life will change forever! <a href="http://mormon.org/BecauseofHim" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://mormon.org/BecauseofHim</a><wbr></wbr>) We talked all about what is possible through our Savior and what is possible for them through the Savior. It was so wonderful! They had a tough we this last week with different things coming up and they were really searching for peace. Rachel said she just wanted to be happy so she picked up the Book of Mormon, went to the index and searched happiness and then went to the scriptures that it listed. She said she felt peace and happiness after she did that and felt like it gave her the strength she needed to comfort the challenges that she would face that day. She said that when it all came down it she said that it helped her to respond in a more Christlike way. </div>
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<br /><br />It was such a testimony builder for me! In Preach my Gospel it says that as we gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon, we will have the confidence and conviction that our investigators will be able to receive a witness that the Book of Mormon is true by the Holy Ghost. In that moment that truth became real to me. Ron gave the closer prayer in that lesson and it was amazing!! He ended the prayer and we asked him how he felt and he just cried.. He said he felt sad from all that was going but we got to bare testimony on the reality of a loving Heavenly Father and that he hears and answers our prayers. They came to church yesterday and loved it! It was so amazing!!<br /></div>
#3. Taken a little ride in Pam's super beautiful Lexus. This is Pam and her beautiful car! Pam was a miracle this week. One of our members came and picked us up for dinner because they live clear out at the end of our area. We get in the car and she tells us that she invited a friend for dinner but her friend hasn't called back and she doesn't know if she is coming or not. We told her that it was totally fine and thanked her for inviting! That is where it all starts. We get to her home, sit down for dinner and her friend Pam calls and says she is on her way. Pam gets there and we start chatting with her and it leads to us teaching her the first lesson all about the Apostasy and Joseph Smith. It was so wonderful! We shared the same video, " Because of Him" and she loved it!! We talked for 2 HOURS!! She just wants to serve the Lord and come closer to him. It was so amazing!! She then offered to give us a ride back to our car where we sat and talked for another HOUR!! At the end of our long chat she said, " I will do ANYTHING to come closer the Lord." She said that she feels so alone and needs comfort and peace. We got to bare testimony of the Book of Mormon and promise her blessings. It was amazing!! One of the coolest moments of my mission. We left her with Mosiah 18 to read.. </div>
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We saw so many miracles this week as we met with our investigators! It was so wonderful! I am really sad to leave but something that the Lord has been trying to teach him is that His will is always good and if full of security and hope and we trust in the Lord. I have grown so much from the things that I have learned here on the mission and it has changed me forever. I have loved being a set apart servant of the Lord and the feeling of the Spirit that comes with it and the closeness that I have felt and the testimony that I gained. I know my Savior lives and that he loves us. I know that He is always there. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that through it we gain the knowledge and the strength to follow THEE Doctrine of Christ. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know that through him they restored the fulness of the Gospel on the earth today.<br /></div>
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I love you all. Enjoy you day and I will see you all tomorrow!<br /></div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-83692906231419366352014-04-22T10:53:00.001-07:002014-04-22T10:53:49.132-07:00A (second to last) Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 14, 2014<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: He is Risen</div>
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Hello my dear family! </div>
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I love this time of year!! The meaning behind it and the feeling that comes with it. Just like there is a spirit about Christmas, there is a spirit about this time of year as we remember the Crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Chirst. It simply one of my favorite things.</div>
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We had a good week here in the area. We had a lot of appointments fall through but so far for this week we it is looking like we will be back up to reaching our member present lessons and our OYM goal. The members here are doing great. We got a new ward mission leader in the Rancho Reata ward yesterday, Brother Ransom. I think He is really going to help the members and he already has a great idea about how to make it simple and easy for the members to participate in missionary work.</div>
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We were able to have a lesson with Bre this week and she came to a fireside last night and felt the spirit really strongly! It was a great! Cheryl is not doing as well as we would like but we have an appointment set up this week to ask her where she is at with everything and where she stands.</div>
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I've been studying enduring to the end in a round-about way. I've been reading the story of Moses and the children of Israel. We have to teach about the passover this coming Sunday in Gospel Doctrine and it is just so amazing the things that I have learned in my short study of it. My testimony of the way that the Lord works on our livees, of Prophets called to be the mouth piece for God and of enduring to the end has grown so much!! I love the example of Moses. When Moses was commanded by the Lord to go and tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, he told the Lord of his fears. He didn't trust in what the Lord told him of how he shouldn't worry but despite that, the Lord still made it possible for him to accomplish the work that the Lord had commanded him by sending his brother Aaron with him. Moses led the children of Israel out of bondage and even after they left Eygpt, they still face trials and not once did Moses turn away from them or the Lord but he kept going. There are so many examples of this kind of conversion in the scriptures but this week this example became one of my new favorites. </div>
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I've been thinking about the meaning of enduring to the end and other ways that we can define it and the verse in Alma 26:27 came to mind. "... and bear with PATIENCE thin AFFLICTIONS and I will give unto success." When we endure to the end it means that we are "bearing with patience our afflictions" and the Lord gladly says "...ye shall have eternal life". It just really stood out to me how the Lord invites us to do that and then he promises us something in return. I love it so much!! It motivates me to be better and listen and want to do what is right. It makes me see that His plan truly is perfect and flawless.</div>
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This Gospel just means so much to me and how important it is for us to live it and live it constantly. It helps me to understand the importance of helping those that we teach to live it constantly too as my testimony grows. For the past little while, each time we talk with someone I just want them to really hear and feel that what I am sharing with them is true. I've always felt that way but I have been feeling it more urgently these past weeks. I just know how much it blesses me. I want it to bless other people.</div>
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I love you all! Have such a great week!!</div>
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2 Nephi 26:24-25</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-65251997540464383222014-04-07T13:10:00.001-07:002014-04-07T13:10:26.828-07:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 07, 2014<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: "The pleasant part of discipleship is sharing!" Elder Holland</div>
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Hello my dear family!</div>
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Didn't you just LOVE conference?!? That quote by Elder Holland was one of my favorites. We have to share the Gospel! That is the fun part! I was in heaven!! It was so great! As I got ready for conference this weekend I was trying to think about what my question would be going into conference and what I want to learn more about. As Hna. Robison and I talked about it on Saturday night, we each had different things that we were looking for and had questions about. But the most beautiful thing about it all is that we each received answered and not just once but many times. And even occasionally from the same talk! The Lord is in the details of our lives and sees the very need and desire of our hearts and because he loves us, he will answer them as we humbly seek his improvement and his guidance.</div>
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This week has been a great week!! With spring break here in Kennewick it has kinda cramped our style but that is okay! We have this week to get back in with lots of our investigators and some really great commitments that we are leaving with them. It makes a world of difference with wonderful fellowshipppers that work with you investigators when you are not there. I am so grateful for that this week! When we walk out the door the fellowshipppers still work to keep the fire going.</div>
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We had a short little visit with Cheryl this week and she said that she has been feeling really grumpy lately and just on edge and she realized that it was because she has cancelled our appointments the last little while. We talked about how she needs to keep reading her scriptures and saying her prayers that it will help her when we are not with her. We sang a hymn with her at the end of the lesson and it just added such a peaceful feeling. She needs that peace so bad!!</div>
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Our lessons with Bre are we cancelled this week because of scheduling conflicts but she did come to the De Santi's and watch General Conference with us on Sunday Afternoon. We really wanted her to hear the Prophet speak. She loved and said that it was really interesting. When President Packer talked about how he gained his own witness that the Gospel was true, I looked over at her and she just seemed to be thinking really deep. I loved how he talked about the role of the Holy Ghost in that and how it is something that no one could ever take away from him. I was really hope that Bre would catch onto that and make it personal to her. We are trying to leave her with commitments that will bring that to her more frequently and help her in creating that belief.</div>
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Ron and Rachel also watched conference with us. We went to their fellowshippers house, the Schlotfeldts, for the Sunday morning session. It was just so great! They were both so attentive! As they listened and watched, you could just see it on their faces that the spirit was working with them. Especially with Rachel. She is really truly searching. We have an appointment to go and take them around the temple on Friday morning with Bishop Frasso and his wife. We are so excited!! </div>
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My testimony this week has been strengthened so much. With being able to attend the temple and our leadership conference all being centered on the Atonement and conference to top it off. At the end of the night last night I just felt so exhausted! So many spiritual experiences and so much to learn from them. My testimony of the Savior and his atonement has been on my mind since the begin of last week and I don't think it is a coincidence of the things that I have learned this week to prepare me for conference and how each of them built on one another.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you so very much! Keep pressing forward. I know my Savior lives and that he loves us. Love you all!!</div>
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D&C 33: 7-10</div>
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Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-22568433810139467202014-04-02T16:10:00.003-07:002014-04-02T16:10:43.395-07:00A Letter from Kennewick: April 02, 2014<br />
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Hello my dear family!!! My goodness this week has been great! Sorry I didn't email on Monday. Our P-day was switched to today so that we could attend the Temple this morning! Can't complain at all! It was great!</div>
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Hna. Robison and I are truly having too much fun!! We are just two little peas in a pod and we get along super great!! I just lover her dearly! She is from Lehi so it will be easy to get together after the mission.</div>
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This week we have had some super experiences and lessons. Things here in the area are going well. We love these members and we are so excited to see the progression that will be made as we work with them more. I feel like I was so distracted by how I was going to do the work here in the area that I forgot about the tools that the Lord has given me to help our investigators and find people to teach. My love for members and their willingness to work with us has grown so much this week and I just could not be more grateful. When we missionaries say we can't do the work without the members, we REALLY mean it. We can't. The members make all the difference.</div>
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We had some great lessons this week with Cheryl and Bre and Sterling and Ron & Rachel! They are all going really great. We have somethings to work on with Cheryl and Bre with helping them to commit to come to church on a regular basis. They say yes and then they back out last minute. We have lessons with them in next couple of days so it will be great to get down the root of things. We are also working on getting our members to invite our investigators over for conference this weekend.</div>
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Rachel came on Saturday night to the Women's Conference and it was AMAZING!! The feeling of sitting there with an investigator just brought tears to my eyes. I love these people and their desire to learn and grow and work through the struggles and questions that they have just to find truth. Each of them are so remarkable to me! At the end of the conference, all of us (Sister Schlotfeldt, Rachel, Hna. Robison and me) all gathered in this little circle and we talked about the importance and the value of each on of our Father in Heavens children and how we matter as daughter of God. The spirit was so strong and we all teared up. I love bearing testimony to of that each day!! It is something that has affected my life so much and I love sharing it with other people.</div>
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We got to attend the Temple today and it was wonderful! I was reminded of a principle that we learn in the scriptures in Genesis where it gives an account of the creation; the principle of return and report. As I thought about my temple experience I understood just a little bit more the importance of it and how it helps us to be accountable. It also gave me more clarity on the fact of where we need to be seeking approval. We don't seek it from outside sources, we seek it from our Father in Heaven. It can give us the ultimate approval. I learned so much from the Temple today. It was amazing!!! I also learned more about the importance of a Savior. I just really can't express my love and the feelings I had as I listen to what was being said in the Temple today! Our savior is our only way. I don't know a lot of things but what I do is that we do have a Savior and that he is our Redeemer and advocate with the Father. It is a simple truth that our Father in Heaven pleads with us to understand.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all so very much!! Have such a great week.</div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
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1 Nephi 21: 14-16</div>
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Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-64140671448719853492014-03-27T12:36:00.002-07:002014-03-27T12:36:48.556-07:00Letters from Kennewick<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
March 24, 2014</div>
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Subject: "God uses faith to mold character."</div>
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Hello there family!! I found that little saying in my journal the other day and I don't know where it came from but I really touched me. Acting in faith diligently is the act and process of sanctification.<br /><br />Our week this week in our area was great! We had some really great lessons with a lot of them with members. We had two with Cheryl. She is doing great and she came to church!! She is progressing. We taught her about the Law of Chastity this week and we are working on other commandments. We need to help her to understand and feel the spirit confirm to her that they are the way of the Lord. We are inviting her to live them so that she can gain a testimony of them. Her desire to do her best is so strong and I know and have all the confidence in the Lord that he will prepare a way for her as she keeps working hard to follow him.<br /><br />We also got to meet with Bre this week a couple of times. Our first lesson was really great! We talked all about the Plan of Salvation. At first she was having a hard time with it but at the end of the lesson she asked if she could take a picture of the layout of the plan so that she could look at it later. We invited her to pray about what we taught her that day and she committed to do it. When we saw her next we followed up on what she had been feeling and thinking about it all. She told us that she had been studying the picture and praying about it. She said that as she continued to look at it she just felt it sink in. We asked her if she feels like she has received an answer and she said she feels that that could be her answer and she thinks that it might be. We had the opportunity to testify of how the spirit works with each one of us and how it is going to be different but how He usually speaks to us through of thoughts and feels. It was such a great moment!! All of this led into talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we talked, we just felt impressed to talk about the date to be baptized. We invited her to pray about April 19th. She got emotional and said that if it were up to her than she would do it in a heart beat. It was so wonderful!! Sister Coleman was there and able to bare testimony. It was just so great!! Bre didn't come to church yesterday but as we've talked we know that we need to read from the Book of Mormon with her. We need to help her build a stronger foundation.<br /><br />We have found some really great investigators this week! Sterling, Carla and Logan. Sterling is a young man who comes to one of our wards with a friend and is interested but he is also looking into other religions. We are working hard to help go to the Lord and not rely on everyone else around him. Carla and Logan are a mother and son that we found tracting. They are so wonderful! We taught them the restoration and the spirit was so strong! At first they weren't interested really in joining or really learning more but after we talked for a little bit they agreed to learn more and how a return appointment with them.<br /><br />I need to be work on my faith and I know that I need to constantly exercise faith and rely on the Lord. I just see now that the Lord is trying to help me understand that is truly is ONLY by faith that he can do things. He can bless us and help up but until we really have faith and believe him, He can't help us as much as he truly could. I love you all and I know this all my heart that this church is true! Have such a wonderful week!<br /><br />Love Sister Mecham</div>
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March 17, 2014</div>
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Subject: Called to serve our King</div>
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Hello my dear family!!!</div>
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We had a great week this week! We taught Cheryl this week in Sister Cornia's home and it went so well! We talked all about prayer and the why it is important. We talked with her and set a goal for her to work toward being baptized on April 19th. She thought that it was too soon but we promised her that as she prayed and read the Book of Mormon she would continue to have the strength and determination to quite smoking and drinking. At the end of the lesson, Sister Cornia ran to one of her back rooms and brought out this rug. On the rug at the bottom it had the word "pray". She told Cheryl that she could have the rug to remind her to pray morning and night. Cheryl was so excited and loved it! When we saw her again the next day when went to do service for her, she told us that she had been saying her prayers morning and night! I love members and their willingness to help our investigators keep their commitments!! We saw Cheryl again on Sunday and as we walked into her house I noticed a different feeling in her home. It was more peaceful. I can't help but think it's because she is working her hardest to live the commandments given to us and that she connecting with our Father in Heaven on a daily basis. It is a testimony to me that as we live the commandments the promised blessings of the gospel are truly ours.<br /><br />We had some really great miracles happen this weekend! We had a Family History open house on Saturday and some of the members of the ward brought non-members with them! Sister Flint, the Bishops wife, actually had us take her friend Myra on a church tour of the building. Myra wasn't interested but it was so great! She is still interested in family history work and will keep working with Sister Flint to keep things moving with her family tree.<br /><br />At church yesterday we had TWO people come up to us and tell us that they were ready for the missionary lessons. One of them is a young man that has been coming to church with a family for a really long time. They gave him a Book of Mormon on Friday and by Sunday he had decided he was ready. We came out of helping a class and he was looking for us to set up an appointment. So we will be teaching him to night in the members home.<br /><br />The other person is a Women in the ward and she had adopted a 14 year old boy from China 6 months ago and she feels he is ready to have us teach him and to be baptized. He is just a great kid and is doing so well in the ward with the other young men! He doesn't speak much english but there is a member in the ward that speaks Mandarin who will translate for us. Such a great way to get so many people involved!!</div>
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I know that as we press forward with faith that the Lords promised blessings for this area specifically will be a reality for us here. I feel the overwhelming determination to really help the members here and to work with them to find those that are ready.</div>
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The Lord is out ahead of this work and that is the most comforting thing. I love you all. I know that this Gospel is true and I know that it is through the infinite power of the Atonement that all things are made possible. I know it is through His everlasting Gospel that happiness and joy are ours. I love you all! Have a great week!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
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March 10, 2014</div>
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Subject: Transfer week....</div>
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We got transfer calls and.... I'M STAYING! But Hermana Gifford is leaving me :( I'm so sad to see her go but I know that the Lord is in charge and He always knows best. I will be getting Hermana Robison. She is fantastic as well!!<br /><br />This week as been a great week. We had a great Sunday yesterday. Lots of members stood and shared simple testimonies of the gospel and of missionary work. It was so great! I that sometimes I have my blinders on and I don't see the little ways that members are trying to do missionary work. We were at the a members house yesterday and they were telling us all about the little things that they have heard from members and what they are trying to do. It was a moment for me to re-evaluate my thoughts and my feelings and see things with a stronger eye of faith. Lots of ward members are lifting their eye of faith and talking with more people and following the promptings that they receive.<br /><br />We had a great lesson this week with our new investigator Bri on Friday night! She is a friend of a family in our ward. The spirit was so strong! She recognizes the spirit so well! As she was talking with a friend of hers who just recently was baptized, they talked about the role of the Holy Ghost and what it feels like. She was able to look back at the different times where she has felt that and a lot of the situations that she talked about was when she was involved with our church and different activities. She said she had always thought about it a little bit but after a recent experience with a friend in the church, the idea of learning more just kept coming back. As we talked about the desire that she has to learn more, you could just see how she really wants it and how it is going to change her life. It is amazing to me each day how the Lord is preparing and changing peoples hearts.<br /><br />We were able to get in and see Ruby who we haven't been able to meet with for a while now. You can tell that she isn't quite ready yet. She does have a desire to read it and will barley commit to read the introduction. She is so sweet and the Lord is preparing her but she needs more time. Even after we tried so hard to help her to feel and understand the importance of it and she just wasn't there. I know that she feels something when we come over and talk with her or she wouldn't say that we could come back.. When we got back we're going to talk with her about our purpose and help her to understand that and probably stop trying to see her on a regular bases. She will be ready one day. Just not now.<br /><br />We had a quick follow up lesson with Cheryl and she is still doing really good with her smoking. She is smoking less and less and she is happier! I love it! Ron and Rachel had to cancel last weeks appointment but we have a return appointment this week that we are really excited for. We are working to put them on date!<br /><br />I realized the blessings that we have seen from the big fast that our mission did at the beginning of February. We fasted that our investigators would progress and that people would be ready to be baptized. The Lord really has blessed each and everyone of us. Our mission exceeded our goal of 60 baptisms this transfer. We got<b> </b><span style="background-color: #f1c232;"></span><b>95</b> <b>BAPTISMS!! </b>It was amazing! The work is hastening!<br /><br />My family has been so great at helping me to prepare for when I go home. I'm working my hardest to prepare the right way. I think the right way is just to give it my all and let the Lord do the rest. That is all that I can do. This next transfer, I am focusing more on Charity and diligence. My older sister and I are studying different topics together and sharing what we learn as we study them last week was grace and this week is diligence. It works out so perfectly!<br /><br />This week I have learned a lot about the love and nature of our Savior Jesus Christ. I finished Believing Christ this week. That last chapter was just amazing! It helped me to see the importance of the suffering of Christ and better understand and feel how the Atonement has played a role in my life and how it continues to do so. My love for the savior and my deep appreciation of the Atonement grew so much! I know that it really is the infinite gift that heals us and compensates us as we do our very best to follow Him. I know that it is true.<br /></div>
Well my dear family, I love you all!! Have such a great week. I know the Lord is with us.<br /></div>
Love Sister Mecham</div>
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March 03, 2014</div>
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Subject: "We seek his truth to be ours."</div>
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Hi there my great family!! I hope your week has gone well!!</div>
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This week was great! We received a referral for a less-active women in one of our wards and we had the opportunity to meet with her! She has made some really rough choices in her life that have led her away from the Gospel. As we talked with her she just told us all about her desire to come back to church and have a fresh new start. She is the process of getting a divorce and from what she said it doesn't sound like it was something that she wanted. As we sat and talked with her it just kept coming back to me how much she needs the Atonement and how what we teach can really help her so much!! She didn't come to church yesterday but we are going back this week and going to work on getting her there.</div>
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We had some really great lessons with Cheryl this week! She has had a rough week but has still been reading in the Book of Mormon!! We were really excited about that! She also told us that she only had 2 cigeretts on Saturday and that she just doesn't have a desire to smoke anymore! She said that she doesn't know why and that it is really weird for her to not want to smoke but that she has always wanted to quite and she feels that God is helping her to do that now. Amazing!! We have some obstacles right now with her in coming to church. She feels that she will be judged. She has come once and I know that she just needs to come again to remind her of why she liked it so much the first time.</div>
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We are still teaching Ron and Rachel. This week in our lesson, we watched the Joseph Smith movie and talked all about it. We asked if they believed what we were teaching them and Ron said it is beginning to believe it. It was amazing!!! I loved it so much!! I really wanted to jump and shout for joy!</div>
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I've been studying Believing Christ some more and I am at the part in the book where he talks about our best and how our best varies. But no matter what our best is, our best plus the atonement always equals 100%. It was a powerful thing for me learn this week. I also loved how talks all about how grace is something that is all along the way. It isn't the finishing touch but rather the thing that makes all the difference. I also learned, Grace is something that we have received/ will receive all along the way. Grace along the way is the way and the plan that our Father in Heaven has for us. Each moment of each day we are trying. Trying indicates desire/ faith and progression. As we try and exercise faith each day, we are automatically entitled to Grace. It is such a powerful concept! I love it and I know that it is true. I know that grace is really the difference along the path back to our Heavenly Father.</div>
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I love you all!! Have a fantastic week.</div>
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Moroni 9:6!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-64587654287892448192014-02-26T08:46:00.000-08:002014-02-26T08:46:03.798-08:00Letters from Kennewick: (The last month)<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
February 24, 2014:</div>
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Subject: "In short, He can't if you don't believe."</div>
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Hello there my dear family! We have had some really great things happen this week!</div>
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So this week in our area we were able to see some really great miracles with our investigators!! Each day I wake up and I am grateful for the people that I have to teach! I'm grateful for the way that they have affected my life and changed it. It is really the best thing in the world.</div>
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Ron and Rachel came to church yesterday! It was so amazing!! When we had our lesson with then Friday they started asking all these questions about the word of wisdom and we told them that we would answer their questions but that we were first going to talk about Joseph Smith and talk about the Priesthood. As we talked about it, they listened really well and the spirit was really strong. I love bearing testimony. I know that that is something that no one can ever take away from me. As we shared our testimonies of Joseph Smith and the Priesthood everything just fell right into place. They committed to come to church. It was such a great lesson! So Sunday comes and we get out of our meetings and go in for sacrament meeting and we can't see them anywhere. They were coming with their fellowshippers but they were nowhere to be found. We sat down and the meeting started. As we sat there I got more and more nervous that they had forgotten. Just when I had come to terms that they weren't there, I looked up and there they were sitting just ahead of us! They looked so different that I didn't recognize them! Hna. Gifford and I did a slight reverent happy dance. The first talk of the meeting was on obeying the commandments specifically the Word of Wisdom. It was all focused on how our bodies are given to us as a gift from God and that we need to respect our bodies by keeping them clean. It was so perfect!</div>
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After the meeting they came up to us and we asked how they liked it. Rachel just started to cry. She said that everything that was said is what she needed to hear. She said it was so different from what she had experienced before in going to church. She said it was so good!! Ron loved it too and said it was nice to have people that experience the same things you do everyday be able to share their testimonies and experiences of how they are able to make it through their trials. They loved that everything was on such a personal level! I just couldn't be happier!</div>
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I was thinking about why we bring our investigators to church and how important it is. I was sitting there thinking about why I get so nervous about having my investigators at church and something that just kept coming back to me was how we need to trust in the Lord and not in ourselves. The spirit is what makes the experience lasting, not by what we do or say. It's the spirit that touches their hearts and helps them to feel that it is true. I am so grateful for the role of the Holy Ghost!! If it weren't for the Holy Ghost, we really would be lost.</div>
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This area is looking up. I know that as we work harder and be more diligent everyday that better things will continue to come. I love that the Lord is willing to bless us as we follow and do our best.</div>
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We haven't been able to get in with some of our investigators because a lot of them are out of town. We did get to meet with Cheryl this week! She said that when we come she feels so good! Just before we come over she said she starts to feel warm inside and when we are there she feels it and then when we leave it stays with her.... I LOVE IT! The Holy Ghost is amazing!!</div>
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We have a return appt. with Stan and Kris tonight. They have been out of town and so this will be kind of like a catch up lesson with them. I just love them so much!</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all! Have a wonderful week!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
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February 18, 2014:</div>
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Subject: "The BEST way to spread Valentines' cheer is sharing the GOSPEL for all the hear!"</div>
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Hi there my dear family!</div>
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We have seen a lot of miracles this week in this area! Miracles in lessons, with members and within myself. It all starts with our faith. I know that the Lord does work by our faith. He needs us to exercise that faith so that he can work mighty miracles! We were able to teach some investigators, Ron and Rachel, that haven't been taught for a long time. It was so great!! We taught them on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. We took them a church tour on Sunday and ya know family I was surprised that when we extended the invitation to come to church that they actually said yes! haha The church tour was off because there were 2 different groups practicing songs... one in the chapel and one in the primary room. Both rooms we needed but tender mercies of the Lord! It all ended up working out and we at least got the time that we wanted in the Chapel. We have a return appointment with them this week. I'm really excited!! I just love them!<br /><br />We also got into see Cheryl this week. We had some great lessons!! We were able to teach her on Friday and Saturday. On Friday we talked a lot about the Book of Mormon. Cheryl told us that she has a hard time understanding a lot of things. She told us that is it going to be like teaching a kindergartner. I love it because it helps me to remember truly how simple it all is! What the Book of Mormon restores and why it is so important that we have it. At the next lesson, we brought a member with us. This member invited Cheryl to church and told her that she would pick her up and bring her to church the next day. IT WAS SO PERFECT! All we told her on the phone before the lesson was that we were going to invited Cheryl to church and if it would be possible if she could bring her. I was jumping for joy on the inside! It was probably one of the best member present lessons that I have ever been in. Cheryl ended up waking up late and not being able to make it but we are going back tonight with another Sister from the ward.</div>
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We had a great lesson with a less-active/ part-member family last night, the LaDow family. We talked to them about the Book of Mormon and how it has played a role in their lives. They pretty much told us that it really hasn't. Perfect! Now is the best time to let it! :) We talked about how it helps us to gain peace and happiness in this life and eternal salvation in life to come. Brother LaDow said that he has been searching for peace for 30 years as he has turned away from the gospel. He said that he hasn't been able to find it. It was such a neat opportunity to bare testimony of how living the gospel and trusting in the Lord brings us that peace that we need to know that it will all be okay. It was so fantastic! I love being able to share my testimony! It helps me to love it even more and strengthen it each time. </div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all so very much! I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that He lives and loves us and leads us along the way. I know that it is through our Savior that we are made strong, even in our weakest moments. I love you all!! </div>
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Love Sister Mecham </div>
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February 10, 2014</div>
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Subject: Happy Monday!</div>
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Hello family!!<br />
Hope you all have had a great week! Our week here was great! A little slow this week with lots of snow and bad weather haha. They ended up canceling church yesterday due to the snow. It was probably one of the weirdest days ever! I didn't know what to do with myself seeing as we had to have our cars parked too. Pres. Ware told us to make it a day of rest and worship and service. I'm glad it's behind us. haha We've got some great plans this week in working with the ward members and helping our investigators. It is going to be great!<br />
We had a neat experience this week as we taught Cheryl. We were able to have a great lesson in Sister Cornia's home! Cheryl had questions about Joseph Smith so we talked to her about the apostasy and the restoration. After we talked about that Hna. Gifford asked what she desired. Cheryl stopped and said, " To be baptized." It was one of those moments where it was just peaceful. We talked about baptism and then we invited her to be baptized. She said yes! She thinks that she will be ready in like a year but I think as we are able to get with her on a regular bases her desire will grow and she will realize that she is ready.<br /><br />We had another really great moment this week with one of our less-active/ part member families. We took a young women from one of the wards with us to visit her. It was so great! They young women was right there testifying and teaching with us. As we were leaving, the mom gave us a hug and said that she really needed that. We had invited her to church but then it was canceled so we will be going back and inviting her for this coming week.<br /><br />Well my dear family, sorry it is so short today but I hope you all have a great week. I learned this week about how the Lord really does keep his promises to us and how important it is that we keep our commitments to him. I know that as we do that and trust in the Lord and believe in good things to come, we will see that the Lord is always right there beside us.<br />
Alma 37:16-17<br />
Love Sister Mecham<br />
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February 03, 2014:<br />
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Subject: Preachin' and teachin' the good word of God<br />
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Hello Family!!</div>
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Well transfers have come and gone and I just couldn't be more happy to have Hermana Gifford as my companion! Hermana Gifford is called Spanish but she will be here in Kennewick doing English work with me. :) She is just the best! She is from Logan Utah. She is the 3rd of 4 kids and has 3 brothers. We both can relate on the brothers thing :) She has been out just under a year.</div>
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This week has been great here in Rancho Reata and Cottonwood Springs! With transfers happening and what not, it has been a little slow but we have some really great plans for this week with some really great lessons! I'm really grateful for the members here in our area and their growing desire to work with us! We had a young women come up to us yesterday at church and ask us when she could come out with us this week! It was so great! She is coming on Wednesday with us to visit Colleen.</div>
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Kris and Stan are out of town right now but we are going to try them in the middle of the week. We want to set up a church tour with them! They were hesitant to come to church when we invited them last time we were there but they said they would love to come and do a church tour. There is no doubt in my mind that they will feel the spirit and see how it is different. I know I feel it each time I go. Amazing!!</div>
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We were able to find two new investigators this week and plan to invite some people to be baptized! We have been trying to find lots and lots and the Lord is blessings us by putting more people in our path. So the next step is to invite!</div>
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Carlos and Trisha are our two new investigators. Carlos was a referral from the Elders in Benton City. From what Carlos says, they've talked to him a lot. We had talked with his son Nate, last Sunday and set up a return appt. for the following Wednesday. Hermana Gifford and I went over that night and we were able to finally meet Carlos and his wife Trisha. We had a kind of scattered lesson with them but told them when we come back we'll talk more about the Book of Mormon and more about Joseph Smith. I'm excited to go back and see how they feel the spirit when we talk to them about it.</div>
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It is amazing to me each day how my love of the Book of Mormon grows. I love telling people about it!! I love being able to teach people about how they can come to know their savior better and how they can come to feel and know that he has a perfect plan for us. It really is just amazing!! I love the Book of Mormon so much and I feel how it has made a difference in my life. I really do love that I know that I can go to the Book of Mormon and receive direction and clarity in my everyday challenges. I know that it is true and I know it does bring us closer to God. I know it is his word. </div>
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I love you all!! Have a great week!! I know that this is the fullness of the Gospel and that Christ is THE only way to make it back to our Father in Heaven.</div>
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Love, Sister Mecham</div>
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January 27, 2014</div>
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Subject: Transfer Calls!</div>
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We got transfer calls and...... I'm staying here in Kennewick!! Sister Brand is leaving me though. She will be headed to Ephreta! I'll be getting Sister Gifford who is fantastic as well!! My first transfer here in Kennewick, we were in the same Zone. I just love her dearly!<br /><br /> <div class="MsoNormal">
This week I have felt the strength of the spirit with me! We had an amazing miracle this week! We were able to find two new investigators! We were on exchanges on Thursday with the sisters in Desert Hills. Sister Love was here with me. The night before we decided that one of our goals was that we were going to talk to everyone we saw. We were on our way to try a potential investigator and saw some people working on a house so we jumped out of the car and ran over and talked with him. He wasn't interested but we still had a great chat. We walked back to our car, got in and looked to find the address of our potential when a lady was walking to the mailbox. We got out and talked with her. Her name is Kris and turns out her granddaughter is serving a mission in New York! She told us that she wasn't really that interested because she had heard somethings about the church that she didn't agree with. We talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she still just said she wasn't all that interested but that we could come to her house for some hot chocolate and lunch. We talked a little more and said that we would love to come and have some hot chocolate! She lives with her boyfriend Stan who is so kind! We sat down with them and got to know them and it just naturally went into teaching more about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. The spirit was so strong and you could see how hungry they are for the Gospel!! We invited them to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. They both agreed. Kris kept insisting that she pay for the book! haha We made a return appointment with them to come back in a couple of days to see how it went. We brought a member from the ward, Sister Stapleton this time and it was perfect!! She did such a great job and asked some really great questions and gave some really great insight. As we followed up with them we found out that they had read the intro, the testimonies of all the witnesses and the chapter we left as well as the pamphlet. It was amazing!! Something that we are going to have to focus on with them is the feeling to know so that it can bless their lives. Really helping them see how this applies to them.</div>
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I've been studying this week about the Book of Mormon and something that I didn't realize that I wasn't doing is asking them to ponder it. Just as important as praying about it, we have to ponder it. Study it out in our minds and then ask. I know that is what I did to gain a testimony and have to continue to do to help my testimony grow stronger each day. As I've studied it more and more the spirit that comes with the Book of Mormon is so incredible! I love being able to testify to people that it really does bring me that peace and comfort each day.</div>
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Yesterday in Relief Society they talked all about being converted to the Gospel. The Kennewick Stake was picked to be one of the stakes that is incorporating the pilot program for the new adult youth program. It was the first Sunday of the new curriculum and it was amazing!! I love so much that it really isn't enough to have a testimony that the Gospel is true, we really have to be converted. Here is a little quote by Elder Bednar :) </div>
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" Knowing by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ is important and necessary. But earnestly coming unto Him and giving our whole souls as an offering requires much more than merely knowing. Conversion requires all of our heart, all of our might, and all of our mind and strength." How that is!! Conversion is action. It takes time. </div>
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We had some great lessons with Ben this week! I need to search better on how we can best help him apply the Gospel to his life and his struggles. That I feel is our biggest hold up. He is going to do this all on his own time but there are somethings that he isn't letting the Atonement work on right now. I know that all I can do is pray, invite him and follow the spirit.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you so very much! Have such a great week!! I know that the Lord is with us each step of the way. I know that through our faith in the Savior, all things are possible. </div>
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Love Sister Mecham </div>
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Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-36035843159742604592014-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:002014-01-27T08:44:00.494-08:00Letters from Kennewick (The last month):I've been a wonderfully lazy older sister. Here are Sister Mecham's letters from the last month:<br />
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January 21, 2014:<br />
Subject: Miracle Moments!!<br />
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Hello there my dear family! This week has been really great! We've seen some really amazing miracles this week! They maybe little ones but a miracle is a miracle.</div>
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Everything here in Kennewick is going great! I'm loving it and I love serving with Sister Brand. She helps me more than she knows.<br />Monday night we were going to try a potential investigator Jeff. We knocked on the door and his wife Linda answered. In the past, there were missionaries that said that she wasn't very nice to them. As we talked with Linda she let us into her house and invited us to sit down. We sat and talked with her for about 30 mins all about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless her and why our Father in Heaven would want us to have it. As we talked you could see her softening. It was so amazing! We left her with a Book of Mormon and asked if we could come back. She told us we could in a week. She seemed interested but still hesitant. She said that she is a more a scientific thinker and that she would need some time to read.</div>
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We were trying some less-active during the day on Tuesday and everyone we were trying wasn't home. We decided to try one more. Larry Menter. He hasn't been active in the church since he was young. We pulled up to his house, said a prayer and started walking up to the drive-way. He was standing outside smoking. We asked him if he was Brother Menter. He said he wasn't Brother Menter but he was Larry. haha at the beginning of us talking to him he seems to have this big wall up. But as we kept talking and finding more out about him, he lightened up. We asked him if he still reads the Book of Mormon and he hasn't been. We shared with him how it can and will bless him as he reads it. We told him that with the Book of Mormon comes prayer and that through prayer peace and direction does come. After we bore testimony, he asked us when we would be back and asked if we would come back in a coulple of weeks to follow up with him on his reading. It was amazing!!!</div>
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So many little things happened like that this week. One day we told the Lord that we were going to focus all on finding and that we would return and report to him how it went. As we did that we had a really amazing experience. We decided to go up into a part of the area that we are hardly in to go find a less-active women. When we couldn't find the street we decided to just go tracting. The last door that we knocked on, this girl answered and she was just a little rough around the edges. She told us she wasn't interested in what we had to share. We told her that we would love to leave her with our card so that we she meets someone that needs some help that she could give them our card. She stopped and said " Ya know, I have someone for you. Get out your paper and pen and write this number down. Her name is Kelly Dawson." Sister Brand and I just looked at each other and couldn't believe it. We both know Kelly Dawson from when we each served in West Richland. She is a less active women whose family has struggled for a really long time but I guess it has gotten even worse. We told her that we know the missionaries in that area and said that we would give them a call and let them know. We called the sisters and told them all about it. They told us they had just been talking about her with a member of the bishopric the night before. It was amazing!!</div>
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We were able to find two new investigators this week!! We were so excited!! On Friday night we went to go and see if Ruby was home. Ruby was a referral that we got when we were first here and we haven't been able to get in with her because she is always gone. Well we pulled up to her house and her car was finally there. We were going to go until we talked to Ruby. After knocked a two times she came to the door and let us in. We got to teach her all about Joseph Smith and the prophets. That lesson has got to be one of the best if not the best lesson I've ever been in!! The spirit was so strong!! She said that we could come back and teach her in a couple of weeks. At the end of the lesson I just felt like I needed to tell her that she is going to hear a lot of things about Mormons but that if she will just take it back to God and go to him, she will find the truth about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. I felt the spirit work through me as I said that. It was powerful!!</div>
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I love my mission. I love everything about it. I know that is was apart of Gods plan for me to be here. To experience all of these amazing things and to grow more than I could ever imagine. I love it with all my heart. </div>
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I love you all! Have such a great week. I know that it really is by faith that so many miracles happen and that the Lord can give us those miracles. I know that this church is true and that Christ stands at the head of it.</div>
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Love you all!</div>
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Sister Mecham</div>
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January 13, 2014:<br />
Subject: Success!!!<br />
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Hello there my dear family! This week has been really great! We've seen some really amazing miracles this week! They maybe little ones but a miracle is a miracle.</div>
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Everything here in Kennewick is going great! I'm loving it and I love serving with Sister Brand. She helps me more than she knows.<br />Monday night we were going to try a potential investigator Jeff. We knocked on the door and his wife Linda answered. In the past, there were missionaries that said that she wasn't very nice to them. As we talked with Linda she let us into her house and invited us to sit down. We sat and talked with her for about 30 mins all about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless her and why our Father in Heaven would want us to have it. As we talked you could see her softening. It was so amazing! We left her with a Book of Mormon and asked if we could come back. She told us we could in a week. She seemed interested but still hesitant. She said that she is a more a scientific thinker and that she would need some time to read.</div>
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We were trying some less-active during the day on Tuesday and everyone we were trying wasn't home. We decided to try one more. Larry Menter. He hasn't been active in the church since he was young. We pulled up to his house, said a prayer and started walking up to the drive-way. He was standing outside smoking. We asked him if he was Brother Menter. He said he wasn't Brother Menter but he was Larry. haha at the beginning of us talking to him he seems to have this big wall up. But as we kept talking and finding more out about him, he lightened up. We asked him if he still reads the Book of Mormon and he hasn't been. We shared with him how it can and will bless him as he reads it. We told him that with the Book of Mormon comes prayer and that through prayer peace and direction does come. After we bore testimony, he asked us when we would be back and asked if we would come back in a couple of weeks to follow up with him on his reading. It was amazing!!!</div>
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So many little things happened like that this week. One day we told the Lord that we were going to focus all on finding and that we would return and report to him how it went. As we did that we had a really amazing experience. We decided to go up into a part of the area that we are hardly in to go find a less-active women. When we couldn't find the street we decided to just go tracting. The last door that we knocked on, this girl answered and she was just a little rough around the edges. She told us she wasn't interested in what we had to share. We told her that we would love to leave her with our card so that we she meets someone that needs some help that she could give them our card. She stopped and said " Ya know, I have someone for you. Get out your paper and pen and write this number down. Her name is Kelly Dawson." Sister Brand and I just looked at each other and couldn't believe it. We both know Kelly Dawson from when we each served in West Richland. She is a less active women whose family has struggled for a really long time but I guess it has gotten even worse. We told her that we know the missionaries in that area and said that we would give them a call and let them know. We called the sisters and told them all about it. They told us they had just been talking about her with a member of the bishopric the night before. It was amazing!!</div>
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We were able to find two new investigators this week!! We were so excited!! On Friday night we went to go and see if Ruby was home. Ruby was a referral that we got when we were first here and we haven't been able to get in with her because she is always gone. Well we pulled up to her house and her car was finally there. We were going to go until we talked to Ruby. After knocked a two times she came to the door and let us in. We got to teach her all about Joseph Smith and the prophets. That lesson has got to be one of the best if not the best lesson I've ever been in!! The spirit was so strong!! She said that we could come back and teach her in a couple of weeks. At the end of the lesson I just felt like I needed to tell her that she is going to hear a lot of things about Mormons but that if she will just take it back to God and go to him, she will find the truth about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. I felt the spirit work through me as I said that. It was powerful!!</div>
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I love my mission. I love everything about it. I know that is was apart of Gods plan for me to be here. To experience all of these amazing things and to grow more than I could ever imagine. I love it with all my heart. </div>
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I love you all! Have such a great week. I know that it really is by faith that so many miracles happen and that the Lord can give us those miracles. I know that this church is true and that Christ stands at the head of it.</div>
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Love you all!</div>
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Sister Mecham</div>
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January 06, 2014:<br />
Subject: Happy 2014!<br />
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When I write the date, it still throws me off.. I just can't get used to it! haha</div>
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This week has been a great week!! I feel like each day and each week I learn so much that it is hard to remember everything. We were able teach a little bit more this week. We are still trying to find new investigators and trying to be in the right place at the right time. Something that I am trying to learn is that success comes through inviting and we know that we are successful when we feel the spirit working through us. Not necessarily by the outcome but by what leads you do to what the savior would do. It is all about learning how to trust in the Lord more than ourselves, yet still have confidence that you can do the things that the Lord has commanded. It's about balance. I think it is a lot easier sad than done.</div>
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I think that I have told you about the 4 essential truths... 1. Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer. 2. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. 3. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. 4.Priesthood. So we have been focusing a lot on teaching these 4 essential truths. We had a really cool experience teaching about the Book of Mormon on Thursday night. We were teaching Brenda. We met Brenda while we were tracting. She is interested in learning more about the Book of Mormon when we talked to her the first time so when we went back we followed up with her. The spirit was just really strong as we were teaching her and asking inspired questions. More than anything, I love asking questions that get them talking about what they are feeling. When Elder Ballard came to the mission he said "In conversion or reactivation, it is always what they feel rather than what they know." I know that they has been true for me. Feeling first and then that feeling leads to knowing and the pattern just keeps on going! Brenda is 22 so we will either have to hand her over to the Hermana's or to the YSA Elders.. fooey but that's okay.</div>
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We got to meet Colleen finally this week. We have a return appointment with her on Wednesday! :)</div>
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Also, Did I tell you about Ron and Rachel? Ron and Rachel were found by the sisters that were here before us. They have a crazy work schedule and so teaching them has been hard. We got to finally meet them and teach them right after Christmas! It was really fantastic! We taught them about the Book of Mormon! Ron has been the reading it for a really long time and knows so much about it! When we were teaching he was even helping us explain things as we were going. Rachel said that she has narrowed it down to 3 religions... Mormons, Roman Catholics, and Greek Orthodox. haha She said everything else is just doesn't seem right. Because of their work schedule, getting a return appointment is hard but we are going back this week. They really want to come to church! Sister Brand and I are speaking in church on Sunday so maybe that will get them to come. Something that I learned in teaching them is, that when people have questions, we can't just have a lesson on answering questions. As we teach them their questions will be answered. It's amazing how much that makes a difference.</div>
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Well my dear family! There is so much more but those are the highlights for the week. We are also trying to improve the quality of our tracting approaches. Talking to people is what really makes me happy. There have been so many times where we are at a door and we can just feel the spirit so strong! It's frustrating when they reject it.</div>
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I was thinking about why this makes me so happy and really is because I am keeping my covenants. We had a lesson on this in one of the wards yesterday in Relief Society. It was by Sister Burtons talk this last September. She says in there "Are we joyfully keeping our covenants?" It reminds me of the story in Mosiah 18 after Alma teaches them all about baptism " they clapped their hands for joy and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts." They shared this fantastic quote by Elder Holland:</div>
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"A covenant is a binding spiritual contract, a solemn promise to God our Father that we will love and think and act a certain way- the way of His son the Lord Jesus Christ. In return, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost promise us the full splendor of eternal life."</div>
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I just loved that so much!! When we simply really do our part, the Lord is bound to give us the blessings that he promises us! It helps me to be more motivated each day to do his work.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all! Have a great week this week! The church is true.</div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
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December 31. 2013:<br />
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Subject: Happy New Year!!<br />
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Hey there my dear family! It was so great to see you all last week! I can't believe that it was last week! It seems like just yesterday. I hope that the rest of the Christmas season was great for you all!<br /></div>
So I didn't get to tell you much on skype about what happened when we first got here. Sister Brand and I got here about 2 weeks ago. We started looking through the area book and trying to find people that we could go and see. The sisters that were here before us told me that there was this lady named Colleen that they wish they could go back and teach. Sister Brand and I decided to go for it! The teaching record didn't have an address on it so that meant we would be tracting the street out trying to find her. We parked our car and out we went. As we kept knocking and trying, lots of people weren't home. Our intention was to ask every person at their door if they knew Colleen and where she lived... That's kinda hard to do when no one answers their door. haha Finally a lady named Kris answered her door and we started talking with her. As we talked she told us that she wasn't really interested in the church. We asked her if she knew Colleen. She asked us to stay there and came back with Colleen's full name, address and phone number. It was amazing!!!! We told her thank you and all but ran to Colleens house! As we got closer I realized that we parked almost right in front of Colleens house.. hahaha. Colleen wasn't home but we got to talk to her son and ask him when a good time to see Colleen would be.<br /><br /></div>
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The next night all of our plans fell through and we didn't know where to go. We had spent forever trying to find this referral that we got but we couldn't find it anywhere. We decided to go and see Colleen. I wasn't too sure about it but Sister Brand was and I am so grateful for that! We went and knocked on Colleens door and her husband Walt answered the door. We had another sister with us that night which gave us the perfect opportunity to go in and talk with him. We shared with him the Joseph Smith experience and it was amazing and absolutely fantastic! Walt has been searching and needs the gospel! After we shared the first vision, it was quite. The spirit was so strong and it was amazing! One of my favorite things is baring testimony of Joseph Smith and of the love that God has for his children to bring back the gospel in it's fullness through a prophet. It is always one of the most spiritual moments for me. We had a return appointment for the next day but we needed to reschedule for after the first of the year. So later this week :)<br /></div>
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The wards are so great and they were so inviting and accepting of us on Christmas! They wanted to make sure that we were well taken care of and had places to be. It was one of the best Christmas' that I have every had. I love it. I couldn't have asked for a better place to be. :)<br /></div>
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I got to go to the Roberts sealing on Saturday. Oh my! Talk about a Merry Christmas! It was so amazing!!! Sister Meyers got to come down from Yakima to the sealing and we got to sit next to each other and watch them be sealed. It was one of the most tender and spiritual moments of my mission. I just thought, this is what it is all about. This is why we do what we do. We leave our homes and share the gospel so that other families can be together for ever. As the sealing ended, the Roberts stood there and hugged everyone. I hugged Sister Roberts and the girls and shook Brother Roberts hand and we just cried. They kept thanking us and I kept thanking them! It was just amazing!! I could not have asked for a better amazing experience where I got to witness the fruits of our labors and workings of the spirit. FANTASTIC!!<br /></div>
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Just yesterday we had another great moment when we were trying some part member families. We stopped by the Webbs house. Sister Webb is a member but Brother Webb is not. Sister Webb is from Okinawa and had some cool amazing stories to tell us! We started talked to Brother Webb about his beliefs and boy howdy is he fighting the spirit!! He will be baptized one day. We are working on it :) The spirit was so strong while we were talking with him. It was another moment when I realized again the importance of teaching simply and truly only by the spirit.<br /></div>
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Okay I promise this is the last story :) haha The Gentry's are another part-member family in one of the wards. We are teaching Brother Gentry. Brother Gentry has been taking the lessons for 3 years. His brother-in-law who is in our other ward told us on Christmas after shared a message with his family about Christ being our personal savior that that is what Brother Gentry needs to hear. So we went in and started sharing with him the message. The whole time he just kept telling us that he knows all this stuff. He really just doesn't know it in his heart yet. The Atonement is going </div>
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to be the biggest thing for him to come to understand and know. I just know that it will come over time. He invited him to pray and ask God to help him be forgiven through the Atonement. He said he would so now we just have to help him in realizing the fruits of repentance and change and the blessings and miracles that come from it.<br /></div>
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Well my dear family, that has been my week. I love you all so very much. Thank you for all your support. I know that our Savior lives and that he does love us. I know that he is our advocate with the Father and that through him eternal life with our Father in Heaven is possible.<br /></div>
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Happy New year!!<br /></div>
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Love, Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-26481843820756421172013-12-23T15:18:00.000-08:002013-12-23T15:18:06.250-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, December 23, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Merry Christmas!!</div>
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Hello my dear family!! Merry Christmas!! I feel like this month has flown by and I just don't know where it went!! I want a do over. haha I was really excited to get out and bear testimony of Jesus Christ but I seems like I was so busy doing it that I forgot that that is what I wanted to do! haha</div>
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It's been a crazy last couple of days! With transfers and meetings with our ward leaders and trying to figure out the best plans to get us all united in the vision of our mission. We have experienced a lot of really amazing miracles this week as we have been doubled in to these wards. When I left Kennewick Park it was really hard. We said goodbye to all of our investigators. It just hit me how much the gospel unifies us with people and how as we share the gospel we are literally connecting spirit to spirit with one another. I felt that as I had to say goodbye but it makes it easier knowing that it is all apart of God's will and that everything will work out.</div>
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It has been amazing how as we have been explaining and sharing the vision of our mission it has helped me to keep it in my mind and working hard to reach that goal. Our mission is focusing on baptizing weekly and when they first told us about it I didn't think that it would really be possible but as I prayed about it and shared it with the members it just has been amazing to see how for me it has become real. I love it!!</div>
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Sorry this is such a small email but I have some much to tell you about on Wednesday when I see you!</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you lots and lots. I love being here as a missionary and teaching people about Christ and feeling how important it is to be living where Christ is the center of my life. I love you all! Merry Christmas!</div>
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Love, Sister Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-48287297796086417862013-12-17T09:16:00.001-08:002013-12-23T15:18:18.125-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, December 16, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Transfer....!!!!</div>
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My goodness!! So lots and lots is happening!! There were a lot of changes this week in the Mission with transfers happening. Me and my companions are being tripled out of Kennewick park and Elders are being put into our ward. I will be transfered still living in Kennewick, being doubled into Rancho Reata and Cottonwood Springs wards serving with Sister Brand! Sister Brand and I have worked to together and I just love that girl!!! She is amazing!! Our Zone consisted of the Kennewick Stake and the Kennewick East Stake and they have just now split the zone into the Kennewick Zone and the Kennewick East Zone. So many other things have happened and lots of really good changes are taking place!!</div>
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This week here in the Kennewick Park ward has been amazing! We have been able to be a part of some amazing experience. One of them being our PEC meeting yesterday. I know that the way the Lord has always wanted his work to be done is by working together. Yesterday as we were in PEC it was so great to see how the ward council members are trying so hard to figure out an effective way and the best way to accomplish the Lords work. It was just amazing! The spirit in that room was powerful!! The Elders better take good care of that ;)</div>
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We had an amazing week this week! I think I talked about Sarah last week in my letter. Sarah just moved into our ward and we got to finally teach her on Friday night!! She had 3 questions: The Priesthood, The Atonement, The Godhead. Each of us took a principle and explained it simply and then she taught it back to us!! As a mission that is something that we are focusing on! Teaching simply so that there is no confusion! We asked simple inspired questions and as she answered she taught herself. The spirit in that room was thrilling!!!! She is definitely learning and wanting to learn for all the right reasons! It is fantastic!!</div>
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I don't have much more time but I know that the Lord is in all things. He is in the details of our lives. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and redeemer. I know that His Atonement is real and that is really truly completely heals us as we let it. I love you all!! Have a great week!! Merry Christmas!!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-75747254645149219642013-12-10T08:05:00.001-08:002013-12-10T08:05:45.869-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, December 09, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hi there my dear family!!</div>
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This week has been a crazy week full of fun and really wonderful amazing experiences!! First, can I just say that I really do love Christmas time?! It's amazing!! Nothing like sharing the message of our Savior Jesus Christ to bring people together and provide a message and a way of life that heals the heart. It is so fantastic!</div>
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This week we get to see Sister Leslie! She is doing great! We didn't get to meet with the whole Leslie family because Brother Leslie was so tired and beat after work this week. We are going to try to see them tonight. But with Sister Leslie, we got a text last Monday while we were emailing and she asked us when we would be coming back over. Here is to show how little faith I had, I thought "perfect. She is going to have us come over and then tell us that they are done taking the lessons and that this just isn't for them and they feel too pressured to pray and read and life is just crazy right now for them..." and so on. But thank goodness that is not what happened! haha She told us that she had some hard things that she wanted to talk about with us. We went over on Wednesday and before we went in we prayed and the thought came to us that we needed to take in a Family: A Proclamation to the World. So we did! She confided in us about different struggles that she is has had in her life. She told us that she just wanted to be a good mom. She just wants to give her children the best life that they can have. Right then we pulled out the proclamation and got to bare testimony of her role as a mom and her role as a wife. We got to tell her that as she lived true to what it says in the proclamation then she will receive divine help and she will feel that she is doing her part. It was amazing!! Just how subtle the spirit works and how amazing it is when you listen.</div>
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Another great thing that happened was with our investigator Jenn. She is so wonderful!! We have been trying to see how we can help her in feeling the spirit more in her home. She is having a really hard time right now. Her fiance is not feeling well, she can't get baptized yet because they aren't married yet and she just trying to do things that don't create big waves for their relationship. She is amazing! Really trying to do all she can to become better each day and also waiting for the right moment to be able to take the next step. We talked to Sister Madison her fellowshipper about helping her come to church. Sister Madison thought about it and said she felt really uneasy about that being our focus for the lesson. Jenn's fiance hasn't warmed up to that yet. She told us that she just kept getting this really strong feeling of helping her to do FHE in her home. So we told Sister Madison that she could prepare ways for Jenn to do FHE in her home and that we would love her at the lesson. Well Sister Madison was really listening to the spirit. I don't think it could have gone better! Jenn was so excited and we talked about ways that she could do this with having her fiance involved in it too but having it be low key and a time where he can feel the spirit and see the change in her and in their family. I'm so grateful for fellowshippers and the chance that we have to work so closely together! It's amazing!!</div>
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We did pick up a new investigator this week that the Elders are handing over to us. Her name is Sarah and she is so prepared! She is married to a less-active member and apparently she drags him to church. Haha Sister Bledsoe and Sister Davenport helped them move in this week while I was in a meeting. I'm so excited to meet them this week!!</div>
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Something that I learned this week is the principle of Happy and Hard. When Elder and Sister Richards came to talk to us a couple of weeks ago they talked about this and it really didn't hit me till just this morning. For my personal study I looked up happiness in the index. I read through some and ended up reading about Ammon and the Anti-Nehpi-Lehi's and how they are trying to leave because the people are being destroyed. Ammon talks to the King about leaving and the King tells him to go to the Lord. Ammon goes to the Lord and the Lord tell him to get those people out of there. Ammon is devastated for his people and just wants the best for them and for them to be safe. He meets up with Alma, Aaron, Omner, and Himni. It says that Ammon was so filled with joy that he fell to the ground. Then is says" Now was this not exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble SEEKER of happiness." I thought that was just amazing!! Here is Ammon with this really big responsibility on his shoulders and trying to free these people and his heart is still penitent and humble. He still is happy even when all of this is going on. It was such a huge lesson for me to start learning today. This really spoke to me and I just know with all my heart that as we are truly seekers of humility and happiness and joy the Lord will bless us in the darkest time. He always does.</div>
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I just want to share my testimony that I do know that our Savior lives. I know that the Atonement is real. I know it with all my heart and soul. I know that he is the "Prince of peace" that through him we don't have to wait for happiness and peace. That can happen right here and now as we accept Him and believe him. Merry Christmas!! Have a wonderful week!! I love you all!!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-32164781001194719732013-12-02T12:11:00.002-08:002013-12-02T12:11:59.210-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, December 02, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hello my dearest family and friends!</div>
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How are you all?! I hope you are doing well and that you had a lovely thanksgiving! It was wonderful here! We went to a couple of families houses and just enjoyed being with them. We finished the night by playing phase10 at a members house. It was great!</div>
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We've had some really cool teaching experiences this week. We taught the Leslie family twice this week. On Tuesday we shared with them the Restoration video. I love that movie! It always brings in the spirit so strong and helps investigators feel the spirit. They loved! We talked to them about how important it is to pray and to know that these things are true. They asked us a whole bunch of questions about our family lives and what our parents taught us. They asked if we ever had the choice to believe in this or the choice to leave it. It was a really wonderful experience for me to be able to share with him my experience in growing up and the way that my parents honored/ still do honor my agency. It was so great! At the end of the lesson Sis. Davenport invited Brother Leslie to say the closing prayer. He was kinda mad but.. HE DID IT! It was great!! And they wanted us to come back! We went back on Saturday and started reading the Book of Mormon with them. We started in 1 Nephi 1. It was really great! We kept it really simple and explained as we went what was being talked about.</div>
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Something that really hit me as we were reading that chapter with them was that, this whole principle and concept of God speaking to his children and the way he does with Lehi through a vision is something that we are familiar with in the Bible. The Book of Mormon is not new doctrine, just more of the same doctrine found in the Bible on a very simple bases. How much I love the Book of Mormon!! It is so fantastic!</div>
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When we had Elder Richards come to us, he talked to us about teaching truth and teaching it simply. We aren't to be using things that make the gospel principles complicated and confusing. The simpler we teach the more our investigators will understand the essential truths:</div>
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1.Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer</div>
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2.Joseph smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ</div>
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3.The Book of Mormon is the word of God</div>
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4. The Priesthood</div>
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We are just learning how to teach simply and to teach so they gain these testimonies. It has been really wonderful to see the change that happens!</div>
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We had another lesson this week with another investigator family that didn't receive the message the same way that the Leslie family did... It is really hard when that happens but when people aren't ready, we can't force them to be. If we want to know the gospel is true then we have put of faith to the test and pray. Simple.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all. Have a wonderful week! I love you all!</div>
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Sis. Mecham</div>
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Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-50021287291077336222013-11-25T13:33:00.001-08:002013-11-25T13:33:12.227-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, November 25, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Thanks for Thanksgiving!</div>
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Hello family! So I hope this email gets to you all. My email isn't letting me compose an email so I had to do some little tricky things. Haha</div>
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This week has been so great! We had Elder Richards from the second quorum of the seventy come and talk with us! He spent 3 days in our mission going around and teaching. It was so wonderful! We were able to receive a lot of council and direction in how we can be more effective instruments. He focused on teaching truth and teaching truth simply. He told us to get rid of our anologies and our gimmics and focus on what the spirit is telling us. Sis. Davenport and I have been working really hard on at that this week and it has helped us to be more direct in addressing the needs of our investigators. I am loving it! We still have a lot to learn but we are already seeing the difference that it is making.</div>
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I'm so sorry that this email has to be so short! haha We have such a great week ahead of us and some really great lessons planned. I will have to explain a little more next week in my email.</div>
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I love you all so much! Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. The Lord lives and loves us. He has created a plan that is perfect for us all to be be able to return to him again. I love you all!</div>
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Love Sister Mecham</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-32666368475647006032013-11-21T09:43:00.004-08:002013-11-21T09:43:49.400-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, November 18, 2013<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Subject: And...the wind is here.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The wind is crazy here!! It blows all the time. haha I thought I loved the wind.. I'm starting to re-evaluate my feelings toward it. Despite the wind, I am still loving Kennewick! People here are just great! We are working hard with the members in the ward and enjoying their enthusiasm for the work! People are really catching the wave and it is inspiring. </span><br />
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We have been given a lot of opportunities to work with the members. On Friday we have a FANTASTIC church tour with the Cortina's. Brother and Sister Cortina are a young married couple in the ward. They came to do a church tour on Friday night with Sister Davenport and me. We had Sister Cortina pretend to be the investigator and Brother Cortina was the member that brought her down to the church. They did awesome! It was so cool to see how they reacted to the challenge. Sister Cortina asked a lot of really cool questions! Brother Cortina was able to bear strong testimony on the sacrament and baptism. It was a blast! </div>
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We met with a semi-active family this week and shared with them the Doctrine of Christ. It was a really neat experience. They have a son with Down Syndrome and Autism, James is his name. He is so sweet! He sat and listened to the whole lesson and did really well. I'm really excited to work with this family and be apart of their growing experience that they are going to have. James is a very big blessing in their family. </div>
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We have this women that we are helping to learn English. Her name is Inhyang. She is from South Korea. We have a program here called Daily Dose and they help people in learning English and communicating. They are called as missionaries. It is a really cool experience for non-members to be apart of! They get to learn and better their language skills. It also offers them an opportunity to learn more about the gospel and eventually take the lessons from the us Full-time missionaries. We have an appointment on Wednesday with her and two of the Daily Does missionaries to help her. We'll hand her off to them and then when she is ready to receive the Gospel we will teach her :)</div>
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We are working on finding new investigators! Something that Sis. Davenport and I are working on is a challenge/promise that Elder Ballard gave to us when he came, if we talked to 10 people each day then our baptisms would double. We need to put our faith in that because that is where is all starts! Opening you mouth. The Lord promises us that they will be filled as we do that. Believing him is a step a faith that we are taking more seriously now then ever before. It is going to be s blast! </div>
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We have Elder Kent Richards coming to us tomorrow to talk to us. We're really excited!! We have some really awesome meetings with him this week that I just can't wait for! </div>
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Well my dear family, there is so much more but not enough time to tell you all about it. I know this church is true and I know that our Savior lives. It is through his Atonement that all things are made possible. I love you all!! </div>
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Love Sister Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-47023307048266357292013-11-21T09:43:00.001-08:002013-11-21T09:44:06.145-08:00A Letter from Kennewick: Wednesday, November 13, 2013<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Subject: Hello Kennewick :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hi family!! So I'm in Kennewick and I am loving it!! It is so wonderful here! There is a different feeling here than anywhere else. The temple is so close and being so close to President and Sister Ware is so fantastic! We've had a lot of opportunities already to be around them more and it is such a strength to me. </span><br />
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Sister Davenport is my new companion and she is so fantastic! She is so good at listening to the spirit and discerning peoples needs. She has helped me to better understand and fulfill my purpose. I really feel the change that is happening in me and it is so cool. The word cool doesn't even do it justice. I feel like that is such a lame word to use but it is more like empowering. It is empowering to feel the spirit change me and work within me. I love being a missionary. Sis. D is from St. George and she is the 4th of 4 and the only girl in her family. She loves cameo and working so hard. She is such a blessing. </div>
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We've been able to teach some lessons in the short time that I have been here and met a lot of the ward council and the ward and getting me connected with them. The Leslie family is a family that we got to teach on Saturday. They had referred themselves on Mormon.org. Sister Leslie is has watch a YouTube segment on a Mormon family and she loved how they are so family oriented. This family talks about what they believe and share their testimonies. Sister Leslie loved it so much that she wanted to learn more! So we went over for their second lesson on Saturday and taught them the plan of Salvation. They loved it! We were explaining our purpose here on earth and what happens after we leave this life and they really loved that! They took so much comfort in what we were saying. Brother Leslie grew up Jehovah Witness and didn't really agree with some of the things that he was taught. We have a return appt. with them tomorrow! </div>
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We had some really cool training's that we were apart of this week and it was a blast! We got to learn so much from President and Sister Ware. They talked about internalizing the Doctrine on Christ, goal setting, building a strong base in the Doctrine of Christ. It was inspiring! We had a training last night all on working with our ward council and the ward mission plan. If there is one thing that we learned there, is that the gospel is simple and so our plan needs to be simple too. I really love the way that missionary work is now going and changing. </div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all! Have such a wonderful week! I know that Jesus Christ lives and I know that this church is true. </div>
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Love, Sister Mecham </div>
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2 Nephi 31:21 </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-87409914500590040882013-11-21T09:42:00.000-08:002013-11-21T09:42:08.008-08:00A (Last) Letter from Naches: Monday, November 04, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Subject: Kennewick here I come!!</div>
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Transfer calls came and..... I'm going to Kennewick!!! I will be serving in the Kennewick Zone and serving with Sister Davenport! I have met her and boy is she the sweetest person that you will ever meet! I will tell you more about her next week after I get play 20 questions with her. :)</div>
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I'm really sad to leave Naches. I love this place! I love the people and the scenery is absolutely beautiful! All the orchards and the mountains. For the first 8 months of my mission I had never served where there were mountains or what I call a mountain and then I come here and these are more like mountains than rolling hills. BUT! I'm so very excited to Kennewick! I have wanted to serve there so bad! It is beautiful there too and I know that I am going to love it.</div>
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This week we got to meet with lots of the members and have some really cool experiences inviting them to embrace missionary work and knowing they are called to serve too. It is really cute to see the little kids love it when we give them a <a href="http://mormon.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">mormon.org</a> card to hand out or invite their friend to church or hand out a Book of Mormon. They get excited and start thinking of all the people they know and who they want to give it too. It is such an example to me of how we really do need to become as little child, humble and meek and submissive. It is so fantastic to watch and be apart of!</div>
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Finding new people to teach has been a struggle this week but I know the Lord will bless us as we are bold and have charity in our hearts for those that we are inviting to come unto Christ.</div>
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We got to see Lisa a lot this week. It was sooo good!! I really just love her so much! She is so solid and I'm so proud of her and her diligence to being continually converted to the gospel. She is such an example to me! I am going to miss her terribly. But I know that it is what needs to happen. </div>
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We had a great halloween! We got to teach a new investigator named Geobany. I think I told you about her last week. She is so darling! We got to teach her using the Restoration pamphlet. You teach them with the pamphlet and you teach by the pictures. As you do this it always leads to the invitation to baptism. I have come to understand the importance of commitments and invitations. I invited Geobany to be baptized and right aways it brought us concerns that she has and ways that we can help. It also let us see where is was at in her commitment level. She right now isn't really commited BUT she is still being prepared and she was invited so she was given the opportunity to repent and change. It was a really cool experience! I love inviting people to be baptized! I didn't realize how much I loved it untill I just did it on faith. We were on exchanges that day and the Sister Training Leader in our zone helped me to understand that. I really needed that exchange to help me gain a testimony of that. So cool!!! </div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all!! I am so grateful for you all and I can't wait to hear from you all next week. Have a fantastic week!! Love you!! </div>
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Love Sister Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-52259028984058967132013-11-21T09:40:00.001-08:002013-11-21T09:40:19.231-08:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, October 28, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: "Lucifer is raging in the hearts of men. We are living in the last days. They are being swept away. WE'VE GOT TO BE GOOD AND WE'VE GOT TO BE BRAVE!"</div>
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This was something that Elder Ballard told us on Saturday when he came to speak to our mission. It was amazing!! I was standing about a foot away from an Apostle of the Lord for about 3-4 hours. Literally sitting at his feet and listening to the council he had to give. Knowing that the whole time he was speaking by the spirit. It is something that I will never forget. We got to also hear from Elder Maynes and Elder Risenmay. Everything that they said to us was so inspiring!! Some of the things that I learned from our conference:</div>
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<li style="margin-left: 15px;">The power of diligence and the power of a testimony.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">The power of my calling as a missionary and as a member of church.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Talk to EVERYBODY</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">We've got to be good and we've got be brave.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Don't let anything dampen your enthusiasm or desire to serve.</li>
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Something he also said about our work and the gospel is: " Anxiously engage in giving it away" I LOVED THAT! So good!! As you sat and listened to him you could feel that love of the Lord has for all of his children. I want so badly to repeat that day!! It was amazing! At the end of our conference as he was finishing his remarks he left of blessing on us. It was so powerful! I can't even describe the feelings that I felt. It was truly life changing.</div>
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This week we again weren't able to get in with Amanda. We sent her a text and never heard back from her but we are going to call her today and try to get in with her. We talked to the ward about it and ask for some assistance in helping her and fellowshipping the family. I'm really excited to see the way that this is taking the ward and how they are going to be more involved.</div>
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Stacey is doing great! She had a lot of homework this week and so we didn't get to teach her but we did have dinner with her on Monday night and it was so great!! She was the cutest! She made us real authentic Mexican food!! It was delicious! We got to chat with her and got to know her better. It was most definitely needed. Her husband came home after we had finished dinner and we got to finally meet him! It was really good. We were laughing and talking and just helping him see that we are human too. Really wonderful experience. She then came up to Camp Zarahemla on Friday night for the Relief Society retreat. She got there and Sister Pratt and I had been there for about 2 hours and had to go. We thought she would be up there sooner but life happened and it pushed her schedule back. She got there and just cried. She had a math test that didn't go well and she was just stressed. We talked about how this was going to be something good for her and Satan knew it so he was putting everything in her path to make her not go. But she made it! She pushed through and did it! The women welcomed her and it was wonderful!! We left her and knew that those women would take really good care of her.</div>
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We've been having a really successful week in meeting with the members and helping them with their missionary work! They all have responded really well to the invitations and the challenges that we have left with them. It is great!! Lisa and Brother Moore are really catching the vision and always make sure that when they have us for dinner that they have someone there for us to teach and help. It is wonderful!</div>
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Well my dear family, Things are going really well and they are starting to pick up. Transfer calls are on Saturday night and I just have a feeling that I will be leaving Naches. Sis. Pratt will be done with her training at the end of this week so she will need to spread her wings and fly. ;) haha It will all work out the way it is suppose to. </div>
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I love you all!! Have a great week!!!</div>
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Love, Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-39554472970371781802013-11-21T09:38:00.003-08:002013-11-21T09:38:41.404-08:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, October 21, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: "Faith in the Lord is always faith in his timing."-Elder Neal A. Maxwell</div>
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Hey there family!! The little quote above is a quote that Sister Ware shared with us at zone conference this week. I loved it so much! It is so true! When we have faith in the Lord that means that we trust is Him and we have faith in His will that it is what is best and we wait patiently for his promised blessings.</div>
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This week was great! We had some rough spots but it was really good. When you have challenges it makes you appreciate the really good times. I told you last week that we had just gone to the Temple. It was amazing! Loved every minute of it!! We then had the opportunity to have Zone Conference last Thursday and hear from President and Sister Ware. The training that they gave us was amazing and so inspired! I had fast last Sunday to know how to best help the ward here and to be able to influence them in their missionary work. Pres. and Sis. Ware talked all about member work and how to help your members in their missionary work and how to teach them and open the way for them to be successful. It was so powerful!! I know that that training was so inspired!! I left there feeling so spiritually uplifted. It was fantastic! We are starting a new key indicator, member lessons. We are going to be reporting each Sunday how many lessons that we are able to share with members and teach them. It is fantastic! He gave us a lot of different tools to use to help the members and support them. I'm so excited to see how this helps and changes missionary work! Pres. Ware also talked to us about a 40 day fast. He told us about an experience that he has had since he has been here in the WKM. He said that he was being distracted by things. Things that necessarily weren't bad but just wasn't bringing him an added measure of the spirit. He read this little talk about fasting from our distractions and gave it to each of us. He said that he wanted each of us to participate in this. We start this process with a fast and while we are fasting we and and ask Heavenly Father to help us in knowing what we need to fast from so that we can have the spirit with us more fully. As we fast and pray and with the Lord come up with the things that we need to eliminate from our lives, we promise him that we will work with him to remove these things so that we can be the missionaries that he needs. It was amazing when Sis. Pratt and I started this! We started Thursday night and I knew that night that it is something that is going to change me. Satan starts to work really hard on you when you start to shove him out the door. It has been hard but I have already seen the blessings from acting. </div>
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We were given the opportunity to teach Elders quorum yesterday. haha It was a different experience that is for sure. It was really fun though! We got to talk about missionary work and teach out of the Lorenzo Snow book. Sis. Pratt and I thought a lot about how we felt the lesson should go. Being able to teach the fathers and priesthood holders about the blessings of missionary work and helping them fulfill their priesthood duties. It was so great!! The spirit was really strong!! </div>
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We didn't get to teach Amanda this week. She had some family stuff come up on Friday and wasn't able to meet with us. We got to see Stacey this week but not Yesenia. Stacey asked us some more questions on our beliefs and we had a really great discussion. She invited us for dinner tonight! We are really excited!!</div>
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Things are starting to pick up around here. As we continue to teach the members and help them and they help us the Lord is going to bless us and miracles will start to happen.</div>
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Lisa is doing great!! She has been so great at studying her scriptures and everything. Brother Moores mom passed away this week and Lisa said that reading her scriptures gave her so much peace and comfort during it all. She is so solid!! I do love her so much!</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all!! I know that this church is true and know that our Savior stands at the head of it. I so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost and the direction that it brings into our lives. Again, I love you all!! Have a great week!!</div>
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Love, Sister Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-72721342953898337302013-10-16T08:51:00.000-07:002013-10-16T08:51:36.435-07:00A Letter from Naches: Tuesday, October 15, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: If the bitter cup doesn't pass, drink it and be strong"</div>
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Hi family!! Boy has today been fantastic!! We got to go to the temple today and I just want to say how much I love the temple. I love sitting in there listening to the words and knowing that what I'm doing there is what the Lord wants for all of his children. Beautiful!! I learned so much today and it just makes me so excited to go back again and again!</div>
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We have had a really good week this week! We were able to get into see some less-active that we haven't been able to get into see. One of them being this fantastic lady named Sis. McCoy. She is absolutely lovely! She has had some really unfortunate things happen in her life but goodness does she ever know that the Lord is there. She takes care of some of her children and some of her grandchildren and even a great nephew. All of those kids just adore her and respect her. It was such a humbling experience to be there and see them all interact and to feel of the love that they have for each other and the love that the Lord has for them. We shared with her an article out of the September ensign. It was the first presidency message by Pres. Uchtdorf. It's called, " Saints for all seasons." It was so great!! She really responded well and now we just have to keep going back and help her get back to church with her family.</div>
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This last Tuesday we went by and tried a former investigator that we had tried a million times before but she never answered. Her name is Bianey. She has a darling family! She has 3 kids. One is in college, one is in high school and then her youngest is 2. She let us in and we talked her about our purpose and what she thought about what the missionaries taught her before. She didn't remember a lot of it but said that she did like some of it and that she had some questions and that we could come back! We set up a return appointment for Friday to go back and teach her. We went on Friday and talked with her about the Plan of Salvation. Her mother wanted to sit in on the lesson but because she doesn't speak English Bianey needed to translate for her. Each time Bianey would tell her what we said she was smile and nod her head and say"Si!" She told Bianey that what we were teaching was the truth. We asked them if it would be better if some missionaries that spoke Spanish should come and teach them and they both agreed that would be better. Sis. Pratt and I were sad that we couldn't keep teaching them. I love them so much!! We will though being going back tomorrow to teach the first lesson with the Elders.</div>
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We've had a couple other little miracles happen this week. Sunday a women walks up to me as I am greeting people and tells me that she needs some help to find the restroom and that she hasn't been to church in 30 years and she this is her first time back. I took her to the restroom and then told her to meet me back at the door and I would take her to where Sis. Pratt and I were sitting. She was so kind and sweet! Her name is Sis. Adams and she is just the nicest women you will ever meet. That was a little miracle this week and we'll be going to see her this week and get to know her better.</div>
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Yesterday we were on exchanges with the Hermanas. It was so good!! I love being able to see how other areas work and to see how other missionaries do missionary. It helps you to grow. But miracles happen on exchanges! Sis. Pratt and Hna. Lambert were working here in Naches. They got into see a part-member family that we have been trying to get into see for the longest time! The Harris family. They have two little boys and they are just the cutest things! They were able to teach the Harris family all about the Plan of Salvation and answer some questions that they had. Sis. Harris had taken the lessons a while back but then moved here and hasn't met with missionaries since. Brother Harris hasn't been active since he graduated from high school. They loved the lesson and said that we could come back on Friday during the day. So the Lord blessed us to find another new investigator!! I was excited! This family is ready.</div>
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Well my dear family, that is all that I have for you today. It has been another great week here!! I can't believe how fast the time flies. WAY TOO FAST! I love this work! I'm so grateful to be here and be apart this. It is marvelous. I love you all!!</div>
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Love Sis. Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-43795465121013392842013-10-16T08:50:00.001-07:002013-10-16T08:50:25.474-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, October 07, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."</div>
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That was one of my favorite quotes from conference! My goodness!! I loved that General Conference!! Seriously everything that was said was "delicious to my soul"! I just could not get enough of it. I want a redue! haha This conference was so inspiring and so down right what the church members needed and what those investigating needed! There is no doubt in my mind that this church is led by the hand of God. Some of my favorite talks were President Uchtdorf's talk, Sister Stephens talk, Elder Bednar, Elder Christofferson,Elder Hollands,Elder Ballard, Pres. Eyring's, Elder Oaks, Elder Scott's, Pres. Monson's. Man I feel like I could go on! Hahah But there were some key subjects that I felt were talked about a lot. First one is the role that the creation plays in our lives and how vital it is that we realize that with that creation there were no mistakes made. Second point is the importance of sustaining our church leaders and developing Christlike attributes. And third, remembering our covenants and living up to those covenants and honoring them. How amazing!!! I loved all the talks on the role of women and the priesthood. I was so impressed with how the messages were delivered and how clear they were to point out the role of each of God's children. </div>
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That topic was so vital for Sis Pratt and I this week. We got to go and see Stacey and Yesenia again on Thursday. We talked more about the Restoration and about the priesthood. Stacey asked us why she could hold the priesthood and be able to give her children blessings. She was so worried about it. Her husband isn't interested in the church and learning more right now and she didn't know what she would do without that priesthood in her home. We explained to her the role that husband and wife play together and the responsibility of the priesthood and how we each have different responsibilties but we are to help eachother with those responsibilities and that if she does not have a priesthood holder in the home than she can always call on the bishop and her home teachers. As we left that lesson I felt like good about what we had shared but I also felt like maybe there could have been more to her question and that we could answer it just a little bit better. And then conference happens!! We had invited her to watch it but I get the feeling that she didn't watch it. The good news is though we can answer her question better this time.</div>
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I love teaching them! They want to come to church but Stacey's husband doesn't want her taking the little boys to church.She said she is going to keep working on him though :) We are going back again this week.</div>
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We have been trying to find different ways to work with the ward members and help them in their missionary work. All the talks on members and missionaries coming together in conference were amazing! Something that changed for me in hearing that council again was that it was literally coming from the prophet. It was something he asked us to do. Like living the word of wisdom. It put it into a whole new prespective for me. We either follow the council from the prophet of we don't, it's as simple as that. It's a struggle and has required me to think outside of the box and change my way of thinking.</div>
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Something really cool that we found out about a week ago is that on the 26th of October, one of the 12 is coming to talk to the mission. We don't know who it is but we're really excited!!</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all!! I hope you all have a marvelous week! I'm so grateful for a Prophet on the earth today. It truly does show the love that our Father in Heaven has for us that he would give us such a beautiful and remarkable gift. I have such a big testimony of modern day revelation and listening to the council from our Heavenly Father given to us by his prophet.</div>
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Love you all!!</div>
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Sis. Mecham</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-23027860086781779392013-10-16T08:49:00.000-07:002013-10-16T08:49:05.120-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, September 30, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Hello my dear family!! This week have been great! The Lord has really blessed us this week.<br /></div>
We have been trying to get in to see a referral that we have received about a month ago from Sister Warnick a missionary that serves at Camp Zarahemla. I think I told you all about this but she gave us a referral for someone that she had met up there. Her name is Stacey. Stacey is in her 40's and she has 4 kids. Her oldest is 20 and her youngest is 3. She is the sweetest!! We had tried to go over there a couple of times to get in with her but every time something was a bad time and she was busy and had stuff going on. We had an appointment scheduled with Jennifer our new investigator at 3 on Wednesday but she ended up not showing up so we decided to go and stop by Stacey. When we knocked on her door and she opened it she looked like she was going to turn us away and not lets us in. She asked us how long this was going to take and we told her that it could be a short visit. She lets us in and we sat down. Well turns out that Stacey has a whole lot of questions! She asked if her daughter Yesenia could sit in and so she did. We were there for 2 hours. haha She asked us all sorts of stuff from our life her on earth to morals and standards. They were so receptive! It was a miracle!! We have a return appointment with them this Wednesday at 3:30.<br /></div>
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We got a text message from Adrian this week on Tuesday asking us if he could get a ride to church on Sunday. We were so excited and got everything set up for someone to meet us at his house to pick up and take him to church. We got a text from him Sunday morning telling us that his Mom and Dad don't want him coming to church with us and that they have chosen to go to a different church. It made me sad to think that he had such an amazing experience knowing that God listens to him and hears his prayers but he wasn't able to receive the fulness of the gospel because of his parents. BUT! One day he will be able to make that choice for himself and listen to the missionaries. He will always remember that experience. It makes me think of that scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 101:16 where the Lord says for us to be comforted concerning Zion because all flesh is in his hands. He knows what need to happen for Adrian and his family. What we did was plant a seed.<br /></div>
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We had a really crazy experience this last weekend. So Long story short is, Lainey was driving to work on Friday morning and this car at the end of our lane and this girl sleeping in this sleeping bag next to it. She called Sis. Prest and told her that she thinks that she should make her some toast or something and take it to her. So after I had gotten in the shower I walked downstairs and started making my breakfast, Sis. Prest was making this breakfast to take to this women and told me everything that was going on. She leaves and hops on her bike and heads down the lane. About 10 mins later she come back and there is this car that is following her. She comes inside and tells me that this girl didn't know whether to got Utah or back to Seattle.... haha So this girl somes in the house and sits down and we start chatting. We find out her name is Lynn and she is from Texas. She has been living in Seattle for a while now and she wants to go to Utah because there is a boy there that she thinks is the right one for her. She met this boy when she was in China about 5 years ago.. she tells us this big huge story about when she first went to Utah and it really is just the craziest thing that I don't even know where to start. She realized that we were all mormons and just couldn't believe it. She said she has wanted to learn more about what we believe. She has been to temple square and said she just felt so much peace there. This was probably the only time that I will ever teach the lessons in my pajamas at 7:30 in the morning with a towel on my head. It was so crazy!! She stayed with the Prests all of Friday and spent the night there on Friday night. We ended up teaching her again on Friday night all about prayer and about Heavenly Father. It was a really surial experience and just really interesting and really cool!! How she ended up on our lane, at the only house in the area that houses missionaries, is really only by God. While she was here she met 3 different sets of missionaries. If there is one thing that I have learned from this is that the Lord really is on the details of our lives.</div>
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Well my dear family, I love you all!! This week has been another really fantastic growing experience and being able to see that the Lord is willing to grant us our desires. We just have to push through our adversities to see the light.</div>
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I know this church is true. Have a great week!!</div>
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Love, Sis. Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-31051842297116757622013-10-16T08:48:00.000-07:002013-10-16T08:48:16.315-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, September 23, 2013<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Subject: Hi there!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hi there my dear family! I hope you all had a great week this week! We have had quite the week. Sis. Pratt was really sick this week with this nasty cold that is going around. Knocked her out for a few days. We were able to get in and see some people during the time of her being on her death bed. This week we actually found a NEW INVESTIGATOR! Her name is Jennifer. She is 17. The Spanish Elders actually tracted into her. They talked to her all about the Restoration and then realized that they would probably never make it back to see her seeing as she lives at the furthest part of their area which is an area that we cover as well. Her parents don't speak any English but they did tell us that it was okay that Jennifer took the lessons and learned more. We went and saw her on Wednesday and took a darling girl from the ward with us. Jennifer has a desire to learn more. Sis. Pratt and I were talking and we think we are going to have to teach her a little bit more about who our Heavenly Father is. I know that if she understands that just a little bit better than she will have even more of a desire. We have a return appointment for this Wednesday. :)</span><br />
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Yesterday was one of those roller coaster days. We got to church yesterday and everything was so good! Sacrament meeting was wonderful! One of our less-actives, Brother Harris, came to church yesterday! We walked up to him and told him how happy we were to see him. Haha I was so surprised to him there. He looked at us and said " Well... I told ya I'd be here didn't I?".. haha He and his wife are just so fantastic! We love going to see them! They are trying hard to make some changes.They know what they have to do. Now we just have to keep encouraging them and feeding them with the spirit so they don't give into Satan. </div>
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The hardest part of yesterday was our lesson with Sis. Summa. I have felt sad for people on my mission, people that I see and try and teach and they reject it. People that we actually get in to teach and they decided that it just isn't the right time for them but I don't think that I have ever felt this sad for someone. We have spent so many hours sitting at her kitchen table trying to help her understand why the fullness of the Gospel is the very best and there is nothing that compares to it. We went over yesterday because we finally decided that we needed to sit down with her and have more of a heart to heart with her and really be up front and honest with her. She didn't really care for that all too much. After trying so hard to teach her by the spirit and bare testimony, we had to tell her that if she wasn't going to keep her commitments then we couldn't come over a teach her as often as we have been. We told her that we have to work harder at finding those that want to change and embrace the Gospel. </div>
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The thing that stuck out to me the very most is this. If we don't wake up everyday and decided that we choose Christ than that is one more day that Satan has more control over us. I was reading in Mormon 3 today and he says "Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts." I read this this morning and thought about Sis. Summa. In the footnotes it directs you to James 1:6 where it talks about Asking in faith "nothing wavering because he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." I thought about that and how powerful that is. When we waver and we let doubt enter our hearts, we immediately decide that faith in the Lord isn't enough for us. We decide that what he has to offer us just won't cut it. </div>
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I know that as long has we have faith, doesn't matter how much faith we have, big or small, that faith is the answer to all of our problems. For ourselves, we need to hold to that faith like it is all we have because at the end of the day it really is what matters most.</div>
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My faith has been strengthened this week. Knowing that the Lord really does know our hearts and that his Atonement is real. I know that he does lead and guide us. He always will when we put our trust in him. </div>
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I love you all!! Have a great week!! This church is true. </div>
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Love, Sister Mecham :) </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-52933502284963650202013-10-16T08:47:00.001-07:002013-10-16T08:47:21.324-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, September 16, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Line upon line</div>
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Hello my dear wonderful family!!</div>
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This week in Naches has been great! We've been able to see some more Less-active people in the last week. We haven't found any new investigators this week but we are trying and that is what the Lord sees and the desire that we have in our hearts.</div>
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Last week Sis. Summa came to church and she was doing so well. I was so proud of her and just saw such a change in her. We went back on Tuesday and she was still doing great and then we went back on Thursday... something happened between those visits and I'm not quite sure what happened. We went over on Thursday and right when we get there she is the bathroom and tells us to come and make ourselves comfortable and she'll be out in a minute. We walk into her kitchen and sitting on the kitchen counter was a coffe cup... Sis. Pratt and I just look at each other pick up the cup, smell it and gosh darn that sweet women and given in to satan and got a cup of coffee at the doctors that day! We put it back down and set our things down in on the couch. I was the watchman while Sis. Pratt looked through her cubbards to see if she was stashing anymore coffee. Sure enough there was this HUGE costco sized Starbucks coffee beans bag right there. We put it back in the cubbard and waited for her to come back. We didn't know what we were going to do about it but I know that the Lord knew what he was going to do. All we needed to do was listen. We sat there and talked with her and asked her how her week was going and what not. We started talking about her goal to get to the temple. We asked her what could be holding her back from making that convenant with God.. It was quite for a minute. I have never been so grateful for how the spirit works on a person than in that moment. She came clean and told us all about how she got coffee at the doctors office and then she went to her cubbard and pulled out the bag. I looked at her and told her to hand it over and we were going to get rid of it. The bag had never been opened. We could have taken it back to the store but instead we found a lovely trash can that needed to be filled and left it there. I am so amazed at how the Lord works on the lives of his children. Those that I am teaching and myself.</div>
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Something that I have learned this week in watchin our less-actives and those that we teach and looking into myself is that God is always here. He is always there beside us. We have to turn to him inorder for us to know him. There is no way that that relationship can happen unless we decided that his will is always better then our own. That is something that has really strengthened me this week and something that I needed to learn again. I studied this morning the talk by Jeffery R. Holland called " The Grandeur of God." It changed the way that I thought about my Father in heaven and my Savior and they relationship they have and how unified they are. It is amazing to see that we too can have a very close relationship with our Father in heaven and know him and his nature.</div>
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Well my dear family, those are just a couple highlights from my week this week. I wish I had unlimited time to tell you everything but I don't. I love you all!! Have a wonderful week!!</div>
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Love Sis. Mecham</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-29472087716498414282013-09-09T14:24:00.002-07:002013-09-09T14:24:02.997-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, September 09, 2013<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Subject: Hey there family!</span><br />
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So first things first, we tried to get Adrian who I told you about last week, to church but.. We think his parents aren't too happy about him wanting to come. We went over on Saturday night to invite him to church and Sis. Pratt saw him run in the back room and then his mom told us that he wasn't there.... We aren't too sure what to do but I feel like we at least need to try him one more time and just know what the questions are see where they stand as far as at least letting him take the lessons. We will just see what the Lord says. </div>
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So we have been working with a lot of the Less-actives in the ward and helping them come back to church. Sis. Summa is doing awesome!! We had a break through with her this week! So she had been canceling on us a lot and not keeping her appointments. She we just stopped by unannounced on Wednesday night. She let us come in and sit down and we chatted for a little bit then shared a spiritual thought. I love how the spirit just come in and opens peoples hearts and they are able to talk to you from their heart. She shared with us why she doesn't come to church. She said she feels like because of what happened in her past she feels like she isn't worthy to be there. She talked about things that happened early on in her life before she was a member. We got to help her understand that she is worthy to be there. Satan wants to hold us from those opportunities to feel whole and new again. That is what the sacrament does for us. It fills in the gaps and wholes in our hearts and heals us with the Atoning sacrifice of our Lord and savior. We talked about how also because it was before her baptism as she repented before she was baptized, she was washed clean of those things. It was powerful to sit in that room with her that night. At the end, we were all just in tears. It was amazing. </div>
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So here come for our adventure for the week, we had set up for Sis. Udell, a sister in the ward, to come and pick up Sis. Summa and take her to stake conference yesterday. Well we called Sis. Summa in the morning and woke her up and she was so excited to come to church and so happy. We thought great! This is going to be perfect. Sis. Pratt and I show up to the stake center about 45 mins before the meeting is suppose to start and we save seats. We are waiting and talking with the Elders and other members there then we see Sis. Udell. We run over to her and she tells us she forgot to pick up Sis. Summa. She says she is just going to call her after church and explain... Sis. Pratt and I just looked at her then looked at each other. That was not going to work. So that is when the Lord took over. We ran up to Lainey Prest ( the daughter of the people we live with) and ask her to take us to get Sis. Summa. This was about 20 mins from when the meeting is suppose to start. Sis. Summa lives like 25 mins away. Haha we rush out to the car and head out. We get there pick up Sis. Summa and head back over to the church. We got there about 35 mins into the meeting and sit down. </div>
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It was the best feeling ever being there with Sis. Summa in church. I knew that if we didn't go and get her that the whole meeting I would be sick knowing that Sis. Summa should have been sitting next to me and I didn't go the extra mile to get her there. </div>
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I'm so grateful for my Savior and the Love he offers me and the people that I love so much. I know that this church is true. With all my heart. I love you all! Have a great week!! </div>
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Love Sis. Mecham </div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-44233171344119696642013-09-09T08:34:00.002-07:002013-09-09T08:34:15.676-07:00A Letter from Naches: Tuesday, September 3, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Miracles!</div>
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Hello there my dear family! So this week has been wonderful! We've had some really cool things happen in the area, beautiful weather and so on. What more could you ask for?! We've been able to get into some less-active that we haven't been able to get into and find some people that are ready to hear the gospel.</div>
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Last Thursday all of our appoitments fell through and we were in an area where tracting is really hard to do. The house are a mile or more apart from each other and between the houses are... cows... and fields. haha so we decided to go and try this member who hasn't been to church in a really long time. Her name is Sasha and her husband is not a member. She has 3 boys and a little baby girl who is about 2 months old. We stopped in and they had just gotten home. She thought we were Jehovah Witnesses at first and then realized who we were. haha She let us in and we got to chat with her for a little while. She usually works on Sundays and but she isn't right how because of the new baby. She told us that we could come back today actually and see her. We decided that with her we just need to take it really easy and simple and slow. Her parents are in the ward and so she has a lot of support. We love them already!</div>
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We had another really cool less-active lesson with a darling sister in the ward, Sis. Harris. She and her husband haven't been active for a long time and everyone in the ward just loves her and she is just the sweetest lady in the world. She is from North Korea. She was telling us about the things in her life that have been really difficult for her. She was telling us how her daughter had a really hard time and got pregnant while she was in high school. Sis. Harris talked to us about how she feels like she was too hard one her daughter and all of these other things. While we were sitting there, the Atonement was the one thing that just stood out to Sis. Pratt and I the very most. We told her about how through our Savior we can recieve forgiveness and also he healed from the things that we innocently endure. It was so powerful. I felt the incredible about of love that the Lord has for her. We promised her blessing after blessing and she said she will be coming to church this coming Sunday.</div>
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On Thursday night, our district leader and his companion came and did a blitz in our area. We tracted one street and they tracted another street. After 30 mins, we met back up with the Elders and talked about how it went. Sis. Pratt and I met some really cool people but we didn't find very many people who wanted us to come back and teach them. But the Elders did! They found one lady named Geovana and she said she would love for us to come back and teach her. The Elders told us that they felt like we really needed to tract the other side of the street. It was getting dark and so we decided that we would go back on Saturday. So Saturday comes and we go to the street, say a prayer and go to work. The first house we knock on, a teenage boy, about 16-17 come to the door. His name is Adrian and We start talking to him and he tells us to come and sit down at his patio table. So we sit down and he tells us how crazy it is that we knocked on his door just now. He tells us about how he was watching T.V. and he felt like he needed to go and pray and ask for forgiveness and so he did. He was asking God to help him know what religion was right for him. And then a couple of seconds later, we knocked on his door. It was THE COOLEST THING EVER! We told him about the Book of Mormon and we told him about how we can recieve forgiveness. He said he would come to church the next day and was so excited. He just kept saying " I feel like I'm in a dream!" haha He ended up not being at church the next day. He ended up having to go to Pasco for something. BUT! There is always next sunday and we aren't giving up on him.</div>
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My testimony of being in the right place at the right time, following the spirt, was strengthen yet again this week. We may not have a whole lot of investigators but there are still miracles happening and seeds being planted.</div>
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I love you all. Have a wonderful week! My simple testimony is that I know that this church is true and know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. Again, I love you all!</div>
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Love, Sister Mecham</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9173487737382725018.post-72409151597078813222013-09-09T08:33:00.001-07:002013-09-09T08:33:23.551-07:00A Letter from Naches: Monday, August 26, 2013<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Subject: Hello there!</div>
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Hi my dear family!! I hope you all are doing well and having a wonderful week so far.</div>
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This week has been wonderful! We found a new investigator. Her name is Lori. When Sis. Zink and I were on exchanges with some other sisters back in July, Sis. Clegg and I tracted into Lori. We talked to her about the Book of Morman and prophets. It was just really cool. She seemed really interested at the time and she told us that we could come back. So we've been going back and going back. We always would talk to her on her porch and never inside her house. Her fiance is a chain smoker and so her little tiny trailer just would smell of smoke when we would go over. We finally got her at home without the fiance there. We got into her house and told her we would love to share with her a short video about the Restorationa and we got it all set up. We hit play and it was amazing!! The spirit was so strong!!! We hadn't been able to teach the Restoration is ages it felt like! It felt so good to share the experience of Joseph Smith. We finished the video and started answering her questions. She told us that if it was true that Christ true church was on the earth than she would want to be a part of it. Sis. Pratt and I didn't feel right about asking her to be baptized yet but we will definitley be bringing it up at our appointment this Wednesday.</div>
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We were trying some more people in the area book this week. We were on exchanges again and I was here in Naches with Sis. LaRue. We found a wonderful potential investigator! We talked to Lesha for about 30 mins. on her porch. She and her boyfriend just had a baby and she is very much a dedicated Christian. She has all the right pieces to put all of it together. She just needs the fulness of the gospel. She told us that we could come back anytime. The spirit was so strong. I just had this really strong feeling that eternal families are going to be one of the key elements for her. She is amazing!</div>
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We also got to talk to another man this week names Ronald. He is in our area book and the Elders were teaching him about a year ago. We went over and met him and started chatting with him. The thing that stood out to me the very most in talking with him is that he needs to badly to know that there is more than just what he is settling for. I don't think he is quite ready yet to have the missionaries over to teach him again but one day he will realize why we are so different than any other religion.</div>
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We got a referral about a week ago from a lady in our ward. She and her husband are missionaries at Camp Zarahemla. People go up there all the time and they get to talk with people about the gospel. Sister Warnick is a fantastic missionary! She told us about this women that has been up there with her family for a while camping and that she has asked a lot of questions since she has been there. Sister Warnick told her a lot about the plan of salvation and then told her that when she was done at camp that she would send the sister missionaries over to teach her all about it. So we called up Stacey this week. We had an appoitnemt with her but something came up so we had to plan for this week. I'm so excited to teach her!</div>
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Well my dear family, that is just a few of the little miracles that we have seen this week. The Lord does love us and he does want us to be happy. He is always willing to show is hand to us, but he does tell us that is comes after the trial of our faith. I know that that is true. I know that we will continue to see trials but as we look to the Lord all things are possible to those that believe. I love you all! Have a wonderful week!!</div>
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Love Sis. Mecham :)</div>
Mal Mechamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03857660470192069626noreply@blogger.com0