Wednesday, August 7, 2013

this is her email a week after her grandparents died.


A Long Week - Buntis na ako


Ashley Mecham <ashley.mecham@myldsmail.net>
Jul 1

to me, Amanda, Austin, Patrick, Lindsey, Jamie, Eliza, Elizabeth, kendra.knudsen
My dearest loved ones,

I'm sure some of you are just dying because you didn't receive my weekly letter last week. Sorry about it. To the family only last week. Pero, suwerte kayo lahat kasi dito na ako.

So this week was hard hard hard, of course beginning with the passing of my two sweet grandparents. It is a love story. I got a call Monday morning during studies from President Stucki about grandpa. Then that night, during planning, I got another call from him about grandma. Grandpa went first to prepare the way and grandma knew that she could pass on now to meet him there. But I am surrounded by people here that love me and I feel your prayers from home. The Burts also bought me flowers. So really, I'm okay here. I just have to keep working hard in the Lord's vineyard. 

President Stucki also called me again on Tuesday evening. I'll tell you that I did not answer the phone and made Sister Lamberte do it. (My track record with calls from President is not too pleasant.)  But the news this time is that I will be training. And shotgunning an area here on Palawan. So, still not so pleasant. JOKES. I'm excited. But super nervous because I don't know the first thing about shotgunning an area. Okay, sorry about the lingo, "shotgunning" means that I will be opening up a new area here - one where there haven't been missionaries for a while or maybe ever. I don't know yet where that area is. But because I knew a week in advance about transfers, I have had a nonstop influx of dinner appointments. At least one every day, sometimes two. It's crazy and delicious. But yes, I am going to have an anak. And I am hoping like crazy that she's pinay.

Thirdly, HANZEL WAS BAPTIZED. My last baptism in this area and I'm so happy about it. And hopefully I'll be close enough here to attend the baptisms of Antoneth and the Caabay family before I'm transferred back to the main land. Her baptism was beautiful and I'm so so happy for her. There is no way to explain the joy you feel when you help to bring someone unto the waters of baptism - when you fulfill your purpose as a missionary to invite others to come unto Christ through living the principles of the gospel. 

So I'm good here. Scared out of my mind about training and shotgunning, but I know I can do anything the Lord commands me to do. I don't know if you watched the Worldwide Leadership Training (which was real good, I would recommend giving it a watch) but Elder Holland said something like, "On your own, this is far beyond your capacity, but with the Lord's help, it is possible." That sums up my feelings. 

Oh, one last thing and the reason my email is so late today. WE WENT TO THE UNDERGROUND RIVER THIS MORNING. No big deal, just one of the 7 wonders of nature or something. That has been bawal for missionaries here (not allowed) because of how expensive it is and far from our areas. BUT because our zone has been doing so well here, President Stucki allowed it for our zone activity. So be excited for pictures next week because I forgot my cord today. But it was beautiful  and I got to ride in boats in the ocean and it was AWESOME. That's all.

Mahal ko kayo lahat. Sana okay lang kayo doon. Huwag makalimutan ninyo ako, ha? :)

Sister Mecham

1 comment:

  1. Ashley is so strong in the spirit, the week her grandparents died. she wrote a very special email that Ron read at the funeral. She said it was not for the blog but it is so neat I think I will share it. I'll show you if you come and ask. I also got a nice letter from President Stucki about him making Ashley a "New Missionary trainer".

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