Sunday, June 29, 2014

Zone Training Meeting Week 52

What a week.
So last Monday we had a lovely P-day. One of our cute members washed our clothes for us (she is an angel) and so we could just do all our shopping and such, then we didn't have anytime to teach because we had to go to Cabuyao for exchanges. We were afraid there would be tons of traffic, so we left early. Luckily there wasn't much traffic so we had time to swing by Jollibee, eat a Yum and fries and then head to the STL's apartment. 
Background muna...

I have definitely been thinking about what I want for the last few months of my mission and creating a vision of those things, so I had written tons of goals down and was just still lost and not really feeling sure of myself and just struggling. I had decided a couple weeks earlier that I would ask our zone leader for a blessing so it could be in English and I just really wanted to get some answers and assurance from Heavenly Father. So I already had this planned that I would ask our zone leader for this blessing at our zone training on Wednesday. In the back of my head I always said to myself, "man. If I ever had the opportunity to just sit and talk to President Peterson and get his feedback on things and just counsel with him and get a blessing from him, I would take it in a heartbeat." Well Heavenly Father definitely heard that thought and heard my prayers that whole week. So last Monday night when we got to the STL's house the first thing they said was "GUESS WHO'S COMING TO ZONE MEETING.......PRESIDENT!!!!" I was pretty much shocked! But then that thought I had came rushing back to my mind and I couldn't stop smiling. I am sure he felt there were other reasons for him to go to our zone meeting but I really feel like he needed to come for me. So Monday night I tossed and turned wondering of I should ask him to give me a blessing or not, but I finally decided to ask him and he said he would be more than happy too.

 Tuesday we had exchanges in Cabuyao, I was with sister Malig again. and Sister Woodruff was with Sister Kerr. It was a fun exchange and we had a good time. They have some really good investigators and it was fun to get some more ideas from her.

 Wednesday we went to Zone training. It was really good, plus president and Sister Peterson were there:) It ended up going on really long and so around 1 when one of the workshops was still going, President called me out right in the middle of it and we went and talked in a little classroom.

And it was perfect. I definitely broke down and just told him all these insecurities I had and was definitely crying and he just told me over and over to be happy. He told me he wants me to lift my head up and feel the joy and the work that  I have accomplished. He kept saying over and over too, "Sister, I am SO happy. I am just happy." and I felt so incredibly strongly the love he has for me and even more the love Heavenly Father has for me. He said that our purpose is to invite others to Christ, not to have a certain number of baptisms or areas or companions or callings. Just to invite others to come to Christ.

 He shared experiences from his mission and from his son's who served in Ireland. And just built my courage up again. He said he was so happy with what I had learned and the service I have given to these people. And more so too that I had this new knowledge about the Atonement and how I will always have this knowledge that I will be able to use and draw from for the rest of my life whenever I will experience trials. But the whole time he we were talking, it felt so familiar. I can't really describe it, but it was almost like a dejavu kind of thing but pure happiness. It just felt like I was talking to dad again.
God's love radiates through him and I needed that 15, 20, however long talk with him. After that he gave me a blessing and went over the basics of the gospel and what we are all here trying to accomplish and what our goal in life should be, to be prepared for Christ to come to earth again. He blessed me with a lot of other things, like help from angels and the ability to recognize their role and the protection and guidance I have received from the spirit. He also said that the work I have done here is not wasted and I may not see the fruits of my labors, but there will be fruit in the future and I will be able to rejoice with those souls in the future, maybe not in this life, but in the life to come. And that Heavenly Father is pleased with my work.

 I gave him a hug and just felt at peace again. Then I promised him that I will be down to Arizona in December to give him a report of my mission and he said "what a happy reunion that will be." Seriously I love that man. I feel like the most spoiled missionary in the whole San Pablo Mission to have spent some precious minutes talking with him before he left.

 I read in the Bible about how Christ during his ministry had just arrived somewhere and tried to have it unknown to the people, but immediately a woman saw him and ran to him to have Him heal her daughter, and in the Joseph Smith Translation it says that He could not deny her because he had compassion on all. And I know that that is exactly what president Peterson does. He spent one of his last days as a mission president to help one of his missionaries.
I know that this mission is exactly what I needed. I know that it had to be the Philippines San Pablo Mission with President and Sister Peterson to have gained this knowledge and testimony that I have now and I know that President Mangum is called of God to continue the work here. I know God has a perfect plan for all of us! Friday We will get to meet them and I can't wait!
I love you all so much and hope you have a good week!
Love,
Sister Mecham

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