Kumusta po!
Holy cow. This is it. The very last email I will send to you as "Sister Mecham". I literally have so many emotions right now.
I just wanted to tell you all how much I love you all so much. There are SO many things I have learned as a missionary and the absolutely greatest spiritual growth I have ever experienced in my entire life. I look forward to the day when I will be able to serve the Lord again as a full time missionary and wear a name tag again. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ here in the Philippines. I am going to miss these beautiful people so much. I wish you all could have experienced this with me, because I have so many sweet cherished memories here and a completely new world of dear, close friends.
The greatest lesson I have learned here as a missionary, is about the Atonement. President Mangum, during my exit interview last night asked "How has your relationship with the Savior changed over the course of your mission?". Right behind President's desk is a huge beautiful picture of Christ in the red robe and after I was finally able to compose myself after the tears, I just told President that I feel like I KNOW Christ better than I did before.
In Tagalog there are 2 words for 'know'. One means to 'know something' the other means to 'know someone'. Before I came here I was scratching through the surface of the second 'know' but now I feel like I have been able to go so much deeper and feel His love and guidance in such a completely different way.
I really do feel like "I Stand All Amazed" was written for me and that is exactly how I feel at this time. I don't know why Heavenly Father gave a 'sinner such as I' such INCREDIBLE amounts of miracles and strength and knowledge and blessings to me. I do not understand the love of God, but I have felt it SO many times as a missionary. I am so grateful for the refinement I have gone through here and there literally are so many things that I am going to do when I go home to use my time, in our short lives on earth more fully. There is so much good to be done in the world and I am so grateful I was able to have my eyes opened more fully.
This last transfer has been full of emotions and so much stress (that last part was NOT fun) but I know that God's ways are so much greater than mine and that it was requisite that I should have been assigned to serve in Darasa with Sister Ghouri and that all my other companions have been the ones I have needed at the specific parts of my mission.
I really had been feeling a lot of doubts that I hadn't done enough, but last night as I was able to talk to President Mangum, he told me that the experiences I had here were definitely part of the specific 'training' I needed for the rest of my life. He said that because of my more nurturing personality, my mission required different things from me than compared to other missionaries, but it really is what God had in mind for me. It was the real reassurance I needed and what I needed to hear. I know that I was needed here to help others and more importantly to refine myself.
My last lesson I was able to teach, was with Melchor and Agnes and their 2yr old boy, Jacob. They came to church last Sunday when we were in Candelaria and Agnes came again yesterday (Melchor had to work). At our lesson though on Saturday, Melchor told us that he has been living the word of wisdom and hasn't smoked for like 2 weeks now or drank. He told us that when people or his friends offer him cigarettes he just refuses them. As he was speaking you could see the Holy Ghost working on him and I could really see a change in him and even just the atmosphere of their house. We have been really bold with them in trying to get them married and for him to live the word of wisdom but most importantly we have shown them love. As they are doing these good things (and reading SO much of the Book of Mormon!!!!!!) their lives are being blessed and I think they are finally seeing the good changes as well. Melchor's sister is actually a member and he told us she is really shocked as well with all the changes in them.
I am so amazed at the power of the gospel. I took being a member for granted. I finally realize what we have now and I know it is the only way to happiness. I want to keep sharing the gospel for the rest of my life and of course continue to live according to the commandments and keep my covenants.
These next few days will be so fun. We had a workshop earlier today to help us know how to apply for jobs and such, now we are at SM for some stuff and emails, and then at 5 we have dinner then a FHE and testimony meeting.
Tomorrow we are headed to Manila! I literally can't wait to go to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't realize how much I've really missed it. I am so ready to be able to go and feel the spirit there and to be able to sit in the Celestial room again and just have time to ponder.
I am so happy. God is so good. The Church is true. Jesus Christ IS our Savior and His atonement is real. Joseph Smith was God's chosen prophet to restore this church and to translate the Book of Mormon. Thomas S. Monson and his counselors and the 12 apostles are leading our church today through the power of the priesthood and revelation. I know that I have been apart of the largest and strongest royal army this earth has ever seen and I can't wait for all of us to leave the safety of the mission and be in the world again to fight Satan and to lift others around us. I know that I was able to follow the example of Mormon when he said in 3 Nephi 5:13
"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."
Mahal na mahal ko kayo!! Kita kitz sa Wednesday!!!!!!
Love,
Sister Mecham
