Puerto Princeeeeeesaaaaa

Personal/Ashley's Mission Emails

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Ashley Mecham	7:48 PM (23 hours ago)
to me, Amanda, Austin, Elizabeth, Liza, Jamie, Kendra, Lindsey, Patrick, D, Ryan

Yeah, I spent the week in Puerto. It was amazing. I saw so many of the people I found who got baptized after I left. I think there are too many experiences in my brain to write them all to you.

 

The best was that I saw the Rosas family. I don't know if you remember, but I opened the area over there in Puerto Branch 2. There was absolutely no one there that the elders were teaching. So, using the CMIS (like a ward list), we located a ton of less active members that the elders didn't know were there and that the branch forgot about. Brother Jun Rosas was one of those less active members we found. His wife, Nida, was super receptive but there are very poor and live far from the church. It was really hard for them to get to church, especially because Brother Jun would spend all their money on alcohol and was almost always drunk when we went there. But, when we were there before, he started to change and they started coming to church. Brother Jun returned and Sister Nida was baptized right after I left. Now, their whole family has been baptized and they're preparing to enter the temple next year. Seeing them this week was a HUGE miracle. I was shocked by how much they have changed. Sister Nida worked with us for a whole day and bore strong testimony of the restoration of the gospel and how much the gospel has changed their family. I truly got to see how happy they were now. Before, Sister Nida would always cry to us about how much her and Jun fought and about his drinking and everything. Now, there is just pure joy. I even got to see them at church because there was a baptism. It was such a blessing to see how much they belonged there. I truly testify how much truly living the gospel changes people and brings real happiness to families. They made me promise I would come back and visit after my mission and bring my husband? So I have to start saving up the money and looking for a husband... hah.

 

There has been so much progression on Palawan and they're preparing to become a stake. I feel so blessed to have been a part of their progress, even if only slightly.

 

BUT, I was really happy to return back to Paranaque. As much as I LOVE Palawan, I was surprised to feel that I don't really belong there anymore. The Lord needs me here in Paranaque. Our area did struggle because we weren't here for a week. The members weren't able to make it to our investigators and less actives, which was disappointing. But, we still have some really great and progressing investigators. The Danong family is really golden. Brother Medison went from smoking a pack a day to 3 sticks a day in this past week, even though we weren't there. We're so blessed. I really feel the love the Lord has for the people here and I love seeing their progression.

Sister Mecham

STL = Sige Tambay Lang

Oh hey hey there kids!

This week. It was quick quick. 

We got to go to the temple and do a session again. We're so blessed to be so close. It's great to be able to receive revelation for my life as well as how to better help the people we teach come unto Christ. I also saw some members from Pasay which was the best. I saw Joshua Samonte! Who gave me a hundred letters that he and his brothers had written including pictures of their baptisms :) Their whole family has been baptized now. Including Elias Samonte. I don't know if you remember, but he was my biggest stress in Pasay. He was the one that I prayed to get sick and he did and then quick smoking because of it. Then he moved to Makati and the AP's baptized him there. I talked with the AP's about it at MLC and they said that it was the easiest baptism they ever had because he was so prepared by the time he got to them. SO, I experienced all the stress for that fella. But I am so so happy that he's been baptized. I cried when I saw the pictures. The best best best. 

Then we also had MLC on Thursday. MY how things have changed. When I was there before, there were only four sister trainer leaders and 14 zone leaders. Now, there are twice the amount of zone leaders and 12 sister trainer leaders! It's crazy. The Lord is hastening His work and He needs leaders to help do it. It was the best, as always. President Stucki is so inspired and Sister Dumayas and I are so excited to apply the things we learned. We already started that day, and have been experiencing miracles because of it. Even though we only had not very much time in our area, we had great work. I love having Sister Dumayas as a companion because I finally feel like we're doing an even amount of work instead of always feeling like I have to push my companion to be diligent. But, that was a blessing too, to help others. Anyway, that's that.

We are meeting such great people. Our faith is skyrocketing. I love being a missionary. 

I will call you through Skype on Mother's day. I will be calling from here at about 10:45 a.m. on Monday Philippines time. Which should be sometime on Sunday night for you. Please be at the computer at that time! Tell Amanda too so the kids will be there hopefully! 

I love you all huh! Don't forget it. They're making me go to a thing to train me on how to return to normal life and get jobs when I come home. So that means it's getting here. Prepare the rice cooker.

Love you!

Sister Mecham

Mga Luha ng Kagalakan

Personal/Ashley's Mission Emails

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Ashley Mecham	Apr 28 (7 days ago)
to me, Amanda, Austin, Elizabeth, Liza, Jamie, Kendra, Lindsey, Patrick, D, Ryan

This week was wonderful. But this email will be short because we're going to the temple in a few minutes.

• I got my new companion. Sister Dumayas. She is little and I love her. Finally another Filipina.
• We've been finding among the middle class - knocking on doors of really nice houses. It's been awesome. The door slams are not discouraging. Seriously.
• Hideki Villegas was baptized. He is going to be a great leader in the Lord's church. See attached picture. Don't focus on his area, he is just a cool kid.
• Sister Dumayas studied at culinary school before her mission. I will be fatter when I come home.
• Being STL again isn't different yet. Except now my roommates are afraid of us. Pasaway kasi.
• This is the best part (after Hideki's baptism, because that is really the best part.) Sister Stucki emailed this morning. SISTER DUMAYAS AND I ARE GOING TO SPEND A WEEK IN PALAWAN DOING EXCHANGES WITH THE SISTERS OVER THERE. I get to return to my first and second area. Mahal ako ng Diyos. I cried big tears of joy when I read that. 

Sister Mecham