A (last) Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 21, 2014

Subject: Because of Him

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. 

#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. 

 

#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! http://mormon.org/BecauseofHim)  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. 

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!!

#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.. 

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.

I love you all. Enjoy you day and I will see you all tomorrow!

Love Sister Mecham

A (second to last) Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 14, 2014

Subject: He is Risen

Hello my dear family! 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.  

 

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.

 

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.

 

 I love you all! Have such a great week!!

 

2 Nephi 26:24-25

A Letter from Kennewick: Monday, April 07, 2014

Subject: "The pleasant part of discipleship is sharing!" Elder Holland

Hello my dear family!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!!

 

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.

 

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!! 

 

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.

 

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!!

 

D&C 33: 7-10

A Letter from Kennewick: April 02, 2014

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!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Well my dear family, I love you all so very much!! Have such a great week.

Love Sister Mecham

 

1 Nephi 21: 14-16

Plus pictures!!

Letters from Kennewick

March 24, 2014

Subject: "God uses faith to mold character."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Love Sister Mecham

March 17, 2014

Subject: Called to serve our King

Hello my dear family!!!

 

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.

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.

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.

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!!

 

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.

 

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!

 

Love Sister Mecham

March 10, 2014

Subject: Transfer week....

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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 95 BAPTISMS!! It was amazing! The work is hastening!

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!

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.

Well my dear family, I love you all!! Have such a great week. I know the Lord is with us.

Love Sister Mecham

March 03, 2014

Subject: "We seek his truth to be ours."

Hi there my great family!! I hope your week has gone well!!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!

 

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.

 

I love you all!! Have a fantastic week.

 

Moroni 9:6!

 

Love Sister Mecham :)

Letters from Kennewick: (The last month)

February 24, 2014:

Subject: "In short, He can't if you don't believe."

Hello there my dear family! We have had some really great things happen this week!

 

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.

 

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!

 

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!

 

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.

 

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.

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!!

 

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!

 

Well my dear family, I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

 

Love Sister Mecham

February 18, 2014:

Subject: "The BEST way to spread Valentines' cheer is sharing the GOSPEL for all the hear!"

Hi there my dear family!

 

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!

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.

 

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. 

 

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!! 

 

Love Sister Mecham 

February 10, 2014

Subject: Happy Monday!

Hello family!!
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!
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.

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.

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.
Alma 37:16-17
Love Sister Mecham

February 03, 2014:

Subject: Preachin' and teachin' the good word of God

Hello Family!!

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!!

 

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!

 

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.

 

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. 

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.

 

Love,  Sister Mecham

January 27, 2014

Subject: Transfer Calls!

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!

 

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.

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.

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 :) 

" 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.     

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.

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. 

Love Sister Mecham 

Letters from Kennewick (The last month):

I've been a wonderfully lazy older sister. Here are Sister Mecham's letters from the last month:

January 21, 2014:
Subject: Miracle Moments!!

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.

 

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.
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.

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!!!

 

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!!

 

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!!

 

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. 

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.

 

Love you all!

Sister Mecham

January 13, 2014:
Subject: Success!!!

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.

 

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.
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.

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!!!

 

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!!

 

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!!

 

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. 

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.

 

Love you all!

Sister Mecham

January 06, 2014:
Subject: Happy 2014!

When I write the date, it still throws me off.. I just can't get used to it! haha

 

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.

 

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.

 

We got to meet Colleen finally this week. We have a return appointment with her on Wednesday! :)

 

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.

 

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.

 

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:

 

"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."

 

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.

 

Well my dear family, I love you all! Have a great week this week! The church is true.

 

Love Sister Mecham

December 31. 2013:

Subject: Happy New Year!!

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!

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.

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 :)

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. :)

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!!

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.

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 

 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.

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.

Happy New year!!

Love, Sister Mecham :)