Aug. 20, 2012

My goodness. Best week ever. The C____ family got baptized! This past week we've been going by every week to help them continue to prepare for their baptism and it's been wonderful. They are so converted to the Gospel. Ansberto C______ wants to serve a senior couple mission and said he's going to start saving now. He wants to come visit me in Michigan and Elder Wilson in Las Vegas, and then have our families come down to meet them sometime. They are the coolest family in the world!
The baptismal service was the biggest I've ever seen. Since Leo was going to the Mercedes ward, half the ward came to support Leo's family. Two of the families I baptized in Mercedes came too! Then we had half of the Edinburg ward; haha it was hilarious. It was basically like another sacrament meeting. Leo was so appreciative for us teaching his family. We are so grateful for all that he did to help his family out. We couldn't have done it without him.
As the baptismal service ended, it took about half an hour for everyone to clear out because I got to talk and take pictures with everyone I knew. It was awesome :) Ansberto invited us to their home that evening to have dinner with them. Finally, when everyone had left, we went back into the church because the two other elders in our apartment were also baptizing a family and we wanted to be there with them. As we walked back into the building, Elder Wilson and I looked out the doors and Ansberto and his wife were walking hand in hand to their car with their three kids, Angel (18), Leo (16) and Emily (12). They looked brilliant. There is a whole new light inside of them. It's so amazing.
We had an awesome evening eating dinner at their house. They talked about the blessings they've received since meeting with us and how good they felt after the baptism. It was hard for all of us to keep back tears. Then, I had to bear the awful news: I'm getting transferred to Hidalgo. The entire family started to cry. Ansberto told me that he knew God had sent me to Edinburg to find, teach, and baptize his family and that there is another family in Hidalgo waiting for me. I know what he said is true. I'm so excited to meet more people in Hidalgo, but I am sooo sad to leave Edinburg. I've never wanted to stay in an area so bad. Fortunately, Hidalgo isn't too far away and we're thinking that maybe on Monday's we can still get together for soccer or something. I sure hope so. We are going by tonight to have a family home evening with them. We're also getting together this afternoon to play some volleyball and soccer. I can't wait.
I can't wait to tell you more about this family (and all the other families) when I get back home. It's just too hard to be detailed in an email.
I love y'all mucho!

-Elder Brett

Aug. 13, 2012

Greetings family :)
You're not going to believe this but...This past week was the best week of my entire mission. May I explain?

So remember the story from last week about the family? Well they are the C____ family and they are the best family in the world. For the past month, we have been teaching them about the Gospel and they have seen so many changes and blessings in their family. We invited them to be baptized on the 19th of August and they have expressed numerous times that they felt that that day was too soon. We assured them that they could be ready by that date, and in the mean time, to keep praying, reading, and coming to church. Lesson after lesson, they kept progressing and soon the son, Angel, and the daughter, Emily, both said that they were ready for baptism. Then, the mom told us that she was ready. Last week, we had an awesome lesson and when we asked him about baptism on the 19th, he said "Who knows, anything can happen." Elder Wilson and I were basically ecstatic because that was the most positive answer he's given yet. Since then, we finished teaching them everything they need to know before baptism and then we started watching some great church produced videos like the John Tanner Story, If Only a Stonecutter, Mountain of the Lord, Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, and others. They were in tears with every movie.
Well this Sunday, we got to church at about 8:50 and walked inside and there was the C____ family sitting in the row with their Book of Mormon and Bible in their laps. Church was great, and afterwards they invited us to their house that night for tacos to celebrate the mom's cumpleanos. Elder Wilson and I were stoked; we love Mexican tacos.
We were planning on going over there at 8, but at about 6 or so the dad, Ansberto, texted us and said that he had news for us and that he would tell us that night. Elder Wilson and I weren't sure if we should be nervous or excited. We got there at 8 with them all ready for us like always, we sat down, and within a few minutes the dad said, "me voy a bautizar". Translated into english being, I'm going to be baptized. Elder Wilson and I were super excited and I patted Ansberto on the back but he had his face in his hands and just started to weep. For the next hour, he told my companion and I about all the amazing blessings that he and his family have received since meeting with us and going to church.
I'm running out of time. But, the family is getting baptized this Sunday :) I'll write more about them next time.
Love you!
-Elder Brett Mecham

Aug. 6, 2012

Oh boy. Here I am in the library again after another one of those "best week ever" weeks. Where do I begin?
First, we are teaching some of the coolest people in the entire world.
Second, my companion is awesome.
Third, the elders in my apartment are awesome.
Fourth, my entire zone is awesome.
Fifth, it's super hot outside and makes me appreciate Michigan and it's wonderful weather.
Sixth, a couple families who we are teaching came to church on Sunday and loved it. It was one of the better fast and testimony meetings.
Seventh, I'm still in Edinburg and it's one of the greatest places on earth.
Eighth, I'm guaranteed to be here for at least two more weeks, and I'm stoked.
Okay, there's more but I just don't have time to explain it all. Man I love being a missionary. So we're teaching this awesome family. Let me explain (I'm not sure if I have already. Sorry if I did). When I was in Mercedes, there was a recent convert that I got to know pretty well and became good friends with. He's 16 and is the only member in his family. He lived in Mercedes with a member from church because he didn't get along with his family very well, especially after joining the church. One day while here in Edinburg, Elder Covington and I were riding our bikes and a lady parked her car and jumped out and asked if we were the mormons. We said yes and she then went on to explain how her son was a member and that she just wanted to know where the church was so that he could start going here in Edinburg once he moves here from Mercedes. We told her where it was at, gave her our number, and asked if we could stop by once he moved in with the family here in Edinburg. She said of course.
After a few weeks, we were finally able to sit down with the family. The 16 year old kid was still in Mercedes, but we were able to begin teaching the family. That sunday, the dad and brother came to church! We told them to tell their son who is a member because he would without a doubt be super excited. The next week was the week of the mini missionaries. The 16 year old kid was on his mini mission here in Edinburg since he turned in his papers from Mercedes! He was with a different companionship here in Edinburg but it was cool because we could give him updates on how his family was doing. That sunday, the brother and dad came to church while the kid was there too! It was great. Then this past week, we continued to have some amazing lessons (The 16 year old kid now lives there at the home with his family) and yesterday the whole family came to church! They had such an amazing experience too. Today we are going to the church to play basketball and volleyball with the dad and the two sons, and then we are going to their house at 7 to have a family home evening and a barbeque. I can't wait.
Man, I really hope y'all understand the story. It's difficult to explain, but it's such an amazing story! Oh, I want to tell you all one more spiritual experience with this family. Two Sundays ago, the dad and I were talking after church. We were talking about a variety of different things, but then he asked if I had a number or address from back home that I could give him so we could talk after my mission. I told him that I always give my number and address to all the people I meet here in the mission so that we can stay in contact for the rest of our lives. When I said that, he clenched his chest and started to cry. He then pulled me over to a corner and asked what it was that he felt in his chest and why he started to cry. He said he felt "alegria" and "gozo". It was super cool because I could feel it too. I told him what he was feeling and then shared 3 Nephi 4:33 to explain the feelings that he had. It was awesome.
Alright, gotta run. Love ya all mucho!
-Elder Brett