January 25, 2015

Well this week we spent most of our time preparing our investigator Blanca Santos for her baptism. On Tuesday we went and visited her and she said that she had a lot of doubts about getting baptized. She told us that she wanted to delay her baptism until the problems in her life had stopped and when she felt ready.

We knew that she was ready now, so we listened to all of her concerns and gave her our full support. We then shared scriptures of strength and comfort with her. Then we shared our testimonies with her. Then elder Jarman challenged her to be baptized again. We waited in silence as she decided what she was going to do. 1 or 2 minutes passed in silence. The holy ghost was working on her. Then she responded that she was ready to get baptized. 

Then Thursday she past her baptismal interview. To be honest she was in the interview for over two hours... she loves to talk... during that time my companion, I and Elder Nordhoff sat around and talked. We also had to watch over Leonardo Blancas little boy. Leonardo is a trouble maker...

Saturday the baptismal was planned at 4 o clock but everything in Peru seems to run late, I guess it is just their culture. We showed up at 230 to clean up the chapel and make sure the font was good. That was a hassle by itself. By time the font was ready it was already 4. Yet no one was there yet. The baptism did not start until 530. 

The part that was the most strange is when Blanca went to get into the font her kid would not let go of her. He screamed and cried and he would not leave his mom. After 15 minutes of his crying... meanwhile my companion is still standing in the font...the ward mission leader just picked up the kid and ran him outside. Blanca was baptized and all was well. Leonardo was fine afterwards but man way to make a scene.

Sunday we went on splits with members of the bishopric to pickup and invite people to church. Then it was sacrament meeting. Blanca didn´t show up until half way through. We were worried she would not come and be confirmed into the church and receive the holy ghost, but all in all everything went well.

Well I have one complete change in the mission field and 2 complete changes overall. One baptismal down and more people to teach.

This sunday we heard of all the transfers happening around the district and zone. Luckily my comp and I were not being transferred, but my district leader was leaving and his companion elder Nordhoff. I will really miss them... Elder Nordhoff is from sandy, utah he was really cool to get to know. I am glad he has transfers though because he has been in Dorado for over 6 months since the beginning of his mission. Sadly dorado, my zone, is one of the worst in the mission. It is dangerous... and there is not much to do on pdays. But I still love it.
 Today we played soccer and went to the grocery store for pday.

January 19

This week was okay... We were able to do another service project for the one of our investigators. Her name is Gina Vidrate and basically we sanded the wall for her family, so that later the could paint. My companion talked with her as we worked. Right now I am not really able to say to much in spanish, so I just kept on a sanding away. It was kind of funny becuase the room was a greenish color, so afterwords we both looked like the same color as hulk. I enjoy giving service to the people of peru. This investigator is leaving to Lima for work, so maybe in the future we will be able to keep her progressing. It is always sad to see someone stop progressing, but god gave everyone their agency.

My study is going alright. This week one day I decided to study in chp 2 of Preach My Gospel which is about studying effectively. There was a little excerpt about receiving light and Joseph F. Smith. I read about his vision and then I got a little side track and read the Official Declarations in the back of the doctrine and covenants. That night one of the lessons at the family that was less active the daughter asked about polygamy in the church. A hard question, but with the help of my companion and having read the official declaration in the morning we were able to help her out and provide where she could find the answers for herself. 

I thought it was a cool experience of how the study of the scriptures can bless the lives of others. Even if it was on a tangent of what I was originally was studying haha.

I will keep working hard to preach and teach and enjoy.. Mission Life in Peru

Elder Mecham

Thanks so much for you prayers... I feel so loved. My haircut just turned into me having a buzzed head, but hey whatever it will grow back. Sadly this week I was sick. It must have been something I ate but I vomited and my stomach just felt terrible. We didn't end up going out that day because of me... sad... but it happens. This Saturday my companion woke up with a terrible pain in his side. I thought he was going to need to go to the hospital... It went away with time but he might have a kidney stone which would really suck for him.. I pray he doesn't have to experience a kidney stone.

I liked how to mentioned that problems seemed easier to bear in you email. It is the enabling power of the atonement working hand and hand in your life. I send this talk to dad, but I want to send it to you too because I really enjoyed it. Haha I will just paste it below.

I will hang in here.... There are a lot of fears and doubts that I will need to conquer but I know that I can with the help of the atonement. I miss you all. Love you to pieces.

January 5-11

Greetings from Peru

The parties have settled down and people and finished with their holiday craziness. This week I was able to do some service with my companion for the the family that owns the shop we live above. We helped him make a new sign for the store. It took most of the day, but I was just glad to help Hno. Jimmy and his family out. In the process of helping them make a sign I ended up tearing my Utah shirt, funny yet sad at the same time. It is okay though because I still have more clothes with the symbol of the best school.

This week I had my first zone meeting. I gave a short spiritual thought for the meeting which basically consisted of me reading a scripture and saying we were called to serve. Then I got a sweet letter from Pappy (Jerry Hansen). I love how it had garfield drawn on the front. It was a really good pick me up. 

By far the highlight of my week was and one of our investigators accepted a baptismal date. Her name is Blanca Santos and she is seems excited for baptism. She knows the book of morm is true and I hope she follows through with her comittment. 

My testimony of fasting was really strengthend this week. Elder Jarman and I decided to start a special fast for Blanca Santos to accept the baptismal date, and she DID!!!.
Elder Mecham

 

 

January 1, 2015

Happy New years!!!!

I am so excited to start this new year, it feels so good to have a clean slate. To be honest these first couple weeks in the mission field have been really hard. At times I have just wanted to quit, but I know I am out here for a reason. I am out here to find souls and bring them to Christ. My companion shared amazing talks with me that have lifted my spirit in times of trouble. One speaker that I have really enjoyed is Brad Wilcox, he gave a talk on Grace, call His Grace is Sufficient. I invite everyone to go and watch it. My favorite part of the talk is when he compares the saving grace to Piano lessons. Piano¨/French horn lessons for me. Piano lessons have a price which must be paid, so the mom pays this price. She does not pay a little bit of it, or most of it; she pays for all of it. Then what she requires from her kid is practice. Practice is not paying the piano teacher, or his mom for paying for the piano lessons, but it is how the child shows appreciation for mom´¨s marvelous gift. The mom represents Christ. Christ paid in full the price justice demands. Then Christ expects practice from us or keeping his commandments and making covenants with him.

Anyways watch or listen to this talk, my words do not give it justice.

My christmas package arrived! Thanks so much for all the candy and junk food. Elder Jarman said he really likes the Reeses. 

Well I have a far way to go, but I know poco a poco, and by small things are great things brought to pass. I am so grateful to be your son. I am realizes how much things I have taken for granted. I miss you, and I hope I will make you pround.

Next monday is my next pday, and from then on it should stay on monday. This holiday season has been fun. The Peruvians know how to do a firework show. New Year´s is a crazy time in Peru. People are so busy preparing their Muñecos to burn at night. Some of the Muñecos stood as tall as a 3 story building. The only sad thing about this time is the work slows down because so many people are focused on partying. Story short, I saw the best firework show in my life.

P day we woke up cleaned up the room, cleanliness is next to Godliness, and played soccer with the district at the Chapel in my area. My companion kicked butt at soccer, he played striker for his high school team, and he basically can beat the latinos. I had a lot of fun, even though it was super hot. Then a couple of us went out to eat.

I know that God listens and answers prayers, and that he has a plan for each of us. Godspeed everyone. 

I love you guys,

Elder Joshua Mecham

Take pics of Brook

Tell her l love her, and that she should focus on her feelings of the baptism and the receiving of the Holy Ghost.

Until Monday.

Paz y Amor

Merry Christmas

 December 25, 2014


Feliz Navidad

I am off in the field now preaching the gospel. My first week in the field has shown me how much Spanish I don´t know. My trainer is from Orange County California. His name is Elder Jarman. He is a cool guy and he is fluent in Spanish. The area I am in is called El dorado like the name of a movie, but it really doesn´t look like the movie. The zone I am in is Kennedy. The area I am in now does not have Hermanas in it because it is a little dangerous.

 I really like the food here. We have a penisionista ( she basically buys the food and cooks for us). There is a lot of rice and chicken, but I enjoy the food. We only get to eat with the members oncce a week on wednesdays. I guess the mission has had a history of missionary getting really sick , so they reduced the number. Any way life is good in the mission field. 

I really like Peru, the dirt streets which blow dust in your eyes. The hot days. The people are really friendly. The ward I am serving in is sweet! We have gone teaching with some members. One who was really cool was named Moroni. His first name was actually Angel, so his name was Angel Moroni. He is a RM who teaches with power and with the spirit. The other cool thing about him is he knows English, so I can actually talk with him. 

Christmas is cool in Peru. People here stay up on Christmas eve until midnight. At midnight they then eat a big dinner, and people all over shoot off fireworks. As a missionary I could not shoot some fireworks. They also have a tradition where they make dolls and they burn them in the streets. Some people fill their dolls with even more fireworks, so it really looks cool when they burn. My companion said there will even be more fireworks and dolls burning on New Years.

I love the mission

I made it alive

 December 16, 2014

Well I made it to my mission. We had to wake up at 2 in the morning to get to the airport. so I am really tired right now. My trainer is elder Jarmen. He seems like a cool guy. I start in Dorado Zone, Kenedy area.

Happy late birthday brooklyn I am sorry I forgot to email you last week. 

I hope I can do my best to serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

I have no clue when I will get to write again.

Also the package was not here at the mission home, so I hope it comes

Birthday and Leaving the CCM

 December 10, 2014

Well the end of the CCM is approaching; my spanish is not where I want it but hey whatevs that is life. It will come if I am diligent.

 

I am really going to miss my district. I will especially miss the elders. The picture send was of all the elders. Elder Secody is of the Navajo tribe. I love him to death. We already have plans on doing a district reuninon after the mission at lake powell and the Navajo reservation. He is going to the Arequipa mission. His companion is elder Nelson. He is a quiet, yet very intelligent young man. He was really fun to get to know. He is also going to the Arequipa mission.

Then there are the two other elders are heading off to Lima East which is basically where the CCM is. There is Elder Gibson and Elder Shurtz. Elder Gibson has a people personality and loves to learn new things. He is a MMA fighter and before the mission he served in a Spanish branch for 2 years with his dad in Alabama. He is cool but sometimes he is very annoying because he likes attention.

Elder Shurtz on the other hand is so funny. He lives to make people laugh he thrives on happiness. He is from Arizona also.

 

Elder Romrell is a nice guy. He is from Idaho and he played basketball for his highschool team. He loves to exercise. It was funny because he went for the behind the back pushup after doing over 150 pushups to show off. And cracked his chin open. Today his got his stitches out and his is good. Also yes he is going to Chiclayo.

So are the other 4 Hermanas in my district.

 

Personally I like all of my district. I tend to get along with people really well.

 

On sunday I was able to bless the sacrament in spanish. That was really nerve racking.. Trying to pronounce the prayer perfectly, but it was a really great experience. Speaking of sundays I have found that I really enjoy them. I cannot beleive how much I took them for granted while being at home. I love all the classes. I feel like am learning so much about the gospel.

 

I am also sang in the Christmas choir for the CCMs annual christmas light ceremony. We sang silent night. I was really cool because we actually sang in English this time. There was a devotional with area general authorities and a lot of mission presidents came. The talks were of course in Spanish, but I really enjoyed it. They decorated the entire CCM with lights. After the Devotional we mingled and drank hot chocolate.

 

Because my mission president was far away he didnt come. I am really excited to meet him though.

Well thanks so much for the birthday wishes. It is weird not being woken up to a birthday cake or icecream at home. Here you can give gifts and sing when the MTC president isnt arround. I guess the dont like singing in the comedor. But since it was P day my district sang right as we left for the temple. I received 2 gifts from Latinos I just barely met. One was a gospel art book which is actually going to be super useful, and the other were some peruvian aji Lays chips. I am just happy to get to write home and go to the temple though.

 

 

There was a new group of latinos and 8 of them are going to Chiclayo.

I am ready to get out into the field, but as you can guess I am a little nervous.

 

 

Love you a lot and miss you

 

 

Elder Joshua Leo Mecham