A Letter from Naches: Monday, August 26, 2013

Subject: Hello there!

Hi my dear family!! I hope you all are doing well and having a wonderful week so far.

 

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.

 

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!

 

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.

 

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!

 

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!!

 

Love Sis. Mecham :)

A Letter from Naches: Monday, August 19, 2013

Subject: Naches...it doesn't get much better than this!

Hello family! So this week has been a wonderful week! We have transfers on Wednesday and I got to welcome in Sis. Pratt to the Naches ward! Sis. Pratt is from Logan Utah and she is... ready for this... number 1 of 11... yup you got that right. 11. She is fantastic! I love her already. She has red hair and just the best personality. We have gotten really good and just laughing really hard and trying to find people to teach. She is really great and getting out and finding and she does so well at making people feel great as she is talking to them.  

Each week we teach gospel essentials class and we do our best. Yesterday was our first time teaching the class together and may I say that the spirit did a fantastic job. About a month ago our class consisted of Sis. Zink, me and Lisa. Now our class has grown and we had about 10 people attend yesterday. The spirit was really strong and we had so many ward members participate and it was fantastic! 

This last week we have done again a lot of less-active work. We went and saw some people on Friday night that I hadn't met before so it was a brand new experience for us both. It was really interesting as we asked them to attend church. I just felt like before we went in to one family, the Zazzaro's, that they needed to know that they needed the ward and the ward needed them in return. We invited them and they told us that they will see if they they can come. But as we were leaving the Mom just walked us out the door and all the way to our car. She said " I don't know why I'm doing this.." She didn't want us to leave. She just kept thanking us for coming over and for sharing our spiritual thought. They didn't come to church but we will be going back there again this week and seeing them. They are just such a loving family and they need the gospel in their lives so bad. 

The next family we saw was the Harris family. They are a couple whose children have grown and have left the house. Their children aren't active and neither are they. We went over and Sis. Harris let us right in the door. We sat down and talked for a little while and then asked if we could share a spiritual thought. We shared with her Omni 1:26 and talked about how the Lord wants us to continue to come to him and partake of his everlasting gifts that he has given us. We talked about how we needed to show our faith in him. We hadn't even invited them to church when Sis. Harris said, " I know I just need to show my faith by coming to church. I just need to do it." It gave us a perfect platform for us to extend the invitation.  

I know that the Lord works through his servants and I know that he works through the spirit. Neither one of these families came to church yesterday but I feel like the Lord has helped us to build upon these things and help them get back on the straight and narrow path. 

I've learned this week that what the Lord needs from us is a willing heart. He needs us to be open and ready for his council and his direction. It isn't always easy for us to change our will to his but it is always so much more worth our time. When we use our agency for good, we will be restored with good things in the life to come. That to me sounds so much more rewarding then anything else. 

I know that this church is true. I know that Jesus is our loving brother, savior and redeemer. I know that it is by him and through him that we obtain salvation. I love you all and hope that we have a fantastic week. 

Love Sister Mecham 

A Letter from Naches: Monday, August 12, 2013

Subject: Transfers :)

So we got our transfer calls and DUN DUNNA NA!!!....... I'll be staying here in Naches! And being receiving a new missionary. I will have to tell you all about her in my email next week. Sis. Zink is going down to Kennewick and serving with a sister that just finished her training. Naches is going to be a great place to bring this new Sister into. Full of love and lots of potential.

 

This week was a wonderful week for us! We were able to meet a lot of Less-Actives that we have been trying and dying to get into. When we visit these people it just breaks my heart. I just want them to get to church and to be there and feel the spirit!! Sis. Summa didn't come to church yesterday. We were on exchanges on Thursday and I was here with one of the Spanish Sisters. Hna. Alhstrom came with me to see Sis. Summa and we talked about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Hna. Alhstrom shared this analogy of an ice cream sundae and what we want to put on our ice cream sundae's and if we had ketchup and mustard out on the table would we want to put those things in our sundae? Of course no we don't but they are good every other day of the week on our hot dogs but just not on our sundae's but if we had caramel and hot fudge.. we want that on our sundae's! Caramel and hot fudge are like going to church and reading our scriptures and ketchup and mustard are like going to the grocery store and going fishing.. good things to do but just not on the Sabbath. I loved it!! I love exchanges for that reason! You learn something new and then you get to apply it to your teaching style. Amazing! I thought that Sis. Summa got the message but apparently, we need to go over a couple more times which is always good :)

 

We got to have a wonderful lesson with another Less-active and her name is Sis. Hager. Sis. Hager has some really life challenges and family things that if only the people in her house and life would listen to the gospel, things could be so much better. I loved being able to teach her this week! We talked about the Restoration and about the Atonement. We didn't plan to make such an emphasis on the Atonement but as we kept talking to her our lesson just moved to that. Definitely the Lord and not us. Each time I talk about the Atonement I learn something new each time. It is amazing  how the Atonement is tailored to each individual and how the Atonement in a broad way is the same for each person but when you really sink deep down into it, it is different and is used to help each person accomplish the tasks at hand. Our invitation to her is to pray and ask God to help her use the Atonement more fully in her life so she can feel healed and cleansed. It was a BEAUTIFUL lesson!

 

Well my dear family, those are just a couple of my highlights from this week. I love the Lord. I know that he lives and that he is our Savior and Redeemer. This is the true church and it is led by a man called of God. I love you all! Have a fantastic week!

 

Love Sis. Mecham :)

 

A Letter from Naches: Monday, August 05, 2013

Subject: Hello!

So this week we worked really hard to find some new investigators but none yet. We are going to keep working really hard to find them. We are trying to think what is the best way to get people excited about missionary work and how we can work with our members as a team. We are trying to plan a fireside and work on getting that accomplished. But we have also thought a lot about making sure that we are getting into see the less-active members. If we can to get people excited, bringing people that haven't been to church in a long time is a great way to help the members see that we are working hard to strengthen them. A lot of these less-active people are part member families. Families are what we want to find and teach and baptize!! ;)

We teach this most darling women. Her name is Tara Summa and she is a less-active. She came to church with some of her friends that were visiting about a month ago and I just have fallen in love with her! She is one of my favorite people on the earth! I wish you all could meet her. She has one of the most kind and loving hearts I ever did meet. We are visiting her a lot and just having a blast with her. We have met a lot of other less-active members this week and we look forward to meeting with them this week and doing a lot of service for them. Since I have been here I have been trying so hard to figure out what this area needs. I really feel strongly that before we can find more people to bring into the gospel we need to bring back those that have lost their way. Good things are ahead just as long as we stay positive and upbeat :)

Well my dear family, That is all I have to report for this week. Lisa is going so super well!! She came to church yesterday. Sis. Zink and I teach the gospel essentials class for right now and yesterdays class was just off the hook. It was perfect!! What a difference our members make as they come to that class and strength the recent coverts. 

I love you all!! Have a fantastic week!! The Lord lives and this gospel is the evidence of His love for us. 

A Letter from Naches: Monday, July 29, 2013

Subject: Here we go again!

Hello there my dear family! So this week we have had a lot of ups and downs. We finished our week with a wonderful baptism!! Lisa more was baptized Saturday and it went really well! She came about an hour early and Sister Zink and I were just finishing getting everything put together and we had the Robles family on ( a video we love to show people from The District). She walks in and we ran up and gave her the biggest huge. She was so happy to be there. You could tell she was nervous. We showed her were everything was and had her sit down and watch the Robles family from the beginning. The spirit was so powerful! It was so strong you could have almost touched it. That has to be one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission. Sister Zink and I love her and Brother Moore so much and we just could be more thrilled for her to be a member now and work her way to getting to the temple with Brother Moore. 

Yesterday we had what we thought was a miracle. There is a lady that lives in Naches that was in need of some help. The ward helped her with what she needed and she also said that she would be interested in learning more about the gospel. She was sitting out in the foyer after sacrament meeting and we went up and talked with her. She was so happy to meet us! We chatted with her and did some of the how to begin teachings right there. We told her we would meet her after church just downtown to give her what the ward was helping her with. So that is exactly what we did. We met with her and had a great lesson and it felt really good. Well that night we got a call from one of her acquaintances and this women told us somethings that raised some concern for Sister Zink and me. We told this women to call and talk to the bishop. 

It was a really hard one for me to swallow last night. I was having a hard time with thinking that we were seeing miracles and then to see the set backs. But as I got on my knees last night to say my prayers, I just felt this overwhelming sense of peace. I know that the Lord will direct us and I know that we will find those that are waiting for the gospel. It isn't easy but it is possible. I know the Lord tests us to help us turn to him and to make us better. 

We are right back at the beginning with finding more investigators. It is a challenge but it is necessary for us to learn to trust the Lord. 

Well my dear family, I love you all so very much and pray that your week goes well. I know that this church is true and that Jesus Christ is our leader and Savior. 

Love you all! 

Sister Mecham 

A Letter from Naches: Monday, July 22, 2013

Subject: Hello from one excited missionary!

Hello there family!! My goodness! This week has been a wonderful week filled with some really great things!

 

We had our Zone Conference with Pres. and Sister Ware and they are just so wonderfully fantastic! They are so inspired and so many good things have and already are coming out of them coming in to be here with us. We talked a lot about unity and unity with the Savior and in our mission and in our companionships and it was wonderful!! I really enjoyed it all.

 

We have had a great week in trying to find new investigators. I told you about a man named Ken, that Sister Zink and I saw our very first day here in Naches. His wife had cancer and his friend from Idaho called us and told us that we needed to come and teach him all about the plan of salvation and the priesthood. So we did! We also set up for the afternoon for the Elders to go and give his wife a blessing. Brother Gram, the brother from Idaho, told him that it would be a blessing of healing and that she could be healed from this cancer. So the Elders came and gave her a blessing. That experience was a miracle to Sister Zink and I. We had only been here for less than 24 hours and we already had a potential investigator. Well since that experience we have been trying to hard to get in with Ken to teach him. About 2 weeks ago we gave him a call and he told us that his wife had passed away. He was crying so hard on the phone and hung up. We figured that we needed to let him settle some more before we tried to go in and help. But Brother Gram called us on Thursday night and told us to call him and set up a time to see him the next day so we did. We got there Friday morning around 10:30 and taught him all about he plan of salvation. It was one of the hardest lessons I've ever been in. As much as we tried to help him and explain things to him he just couldn't let it in. It was a testimony to me that the Lord is really in the details of our lives. I know that this have happened in his life to prepare him to receive the gospel. He told us that he felt comfortable and that he felt calm as we were talking to him. We tried to help him understand that that was the spirit but it just wasn't sinking in. Over time though, He will be ready. Maybe just not right now. It was a really neat experience though to sit there and just feel the love that our Heavenly Father has for him. 

 

Lisa is doing great and his so ready to get baptized this weekend!! I couldn't be more thrilled!! She ready. We have a couple of lessons with her this week that are just going to be wonderful! 

 

We also tracted into this less active man and his family. His wife is not a member and his children haven't been baptized. He said we could come back and teach his family! We have an appointment this week with them to go back. I'm so excited!

 

Well my dear family, I love you and wish you all wonderful week!! The Lord lives!

 

Love Sister Mecham

A Letter from Naches: Monday, July 15, 2013

Subject: Hello there!

Hello my dear family! So this week has been kind of slow and a little hard. We have tried really hard to find a lot of people to teach but everyone seems to be out of town and working. We are still trying and still looking.

Our week started out really well with us being about to go to the temple on Tuesday. It was so magnificent!! I always leave here so excited to do missionary work and so relaxed and calm. I am so grateful for that opportunity.

We had lesson with Lisa on Monday night. Her horse that she has had for about 18 years died on Monday morning. She was having a really hard time listenig and paying attention to our lesson on monday night. We felt so bad, after we tried and tried to just bring the spirit in to help her and give her some comfort, she didn't really want anything to do with it on Monday night. She told us that she just needed a couple of days to get over it and then she would be back to good. Sure enough, friday was her baptismal interview and she looked so much better. She was just beaming when we saw her after her interview. I just can't wait to see what she looks like after she has been baptized. We had another lesson with her on Saturday and she just soaks it all in. She was so happy to know that her Gospels Principles book and her relief society book was all hers. haha she is so ready and I just can't wait for her.

This week other than our lessons with Lisa, it has been pretty slow. It has given us an opportunity to learn new ways to plan and to exicute our plan. Each area we are in teaches us new things. I'm grateful for that.

Well my dear family, I love you all a whole lot and wish you well. I love you all!!