January 21, 2014

Dear Family,

I have really enjoyed this week! First I must tell you of two new food preferences that I have. I love Pacific Rose apples! I can't remember having so many apple choices in California or Utah. Washington has great apples! Also, you should try eating cookies and cream ice cream with pretzels. That's such a good ice cream topping. Why didn't I think of it before?

We had some really great lessons this week, and then some really great disappointments afterwards. But it's ok. Sister Kirschner and I are learning that people's agency can be frustrating. We had a lesson with one man named Tom who has talked to many missionaries in the past. Now he just tries to get them to play chess with him. Anyways, we ran into him and had an hour long conversation with him and then we bore our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith being a prophet and of Jesus Christ being our Savior and he ended up having tears in his eyes. The Spirit was so strong! We gave a him a pamphlet to read of Joseph Smith's testimony and he said he would read it. We came back on Friday and he completely rejected the message after having admitted that he felt the Spirit when we talked to him before. He said he wasn't willing to make changes in his life or to search for the truth. We were devastated! It's sad to see that as human beings sometimes we hold ourselves back from blessings when we aren't willing to change. We had another family reject the church before we could even come sit down and teach them. They were all set up for a church tour and to go to church on Sunday, and then they did some of their own "research" and they asked us not to come back, without even reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. That was heart breaking, knowing that if they had read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, the Spirit would have told them that this is Jesus Christ's church restored on the earth by a prophet. It's sad when they won't even give themselves a chance to find truth. The Book of Mormon is true, I know it! When I read it, I have the Spirit of God with me, just like I do as I read the Bible. But the Book of Mormon helps me to better understand our Savior Jesus Christ and to realize that He has a specific way for each of us to be forgiven of our sins and to return to live with our Father in Heaven. The Plan is wonderful! I want everyone to know about it!

Something else I realized this week is that as I do things because I love God, they become much easier to do. It seems like I would have learned that a long time ago! But actually feeling that in my heart isn't the easiest thing for me to learn. So instead of saying, "I need to go talk to that person, because they need the gospel or because I just know I need to," I say, "Heavenly Father, I love you, so I'm just going to do it." And then it's so much easier to do hard things, and then I love the people more. And there is obviously a lot more to it. We are imperfect human beings who can't just know how to love God, a perfect and infinitely merciful Heavenly Father. But I do see that as I turn my heart to Him more often, I feel of His love more, and I learn more how to love Him.

Sister Kirschner and I have slowly become goofier and goofier. She says I bring it out in her like no one else, and I'm not sure that's a compliment! I feel like I've reigned in a lot of my weirdness on my mission, too! Haha! I guess I'm just weird. I really love Sister Kirschner. She is teaching me so much. This girl has so much faith. I feel like these last two transfers have been a whirlwind of change, adjustment, growth, and learning. I'm secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that I get to stay my whole mission in Maple Valley. I LOVE this place, maybe just because I've seen myself grow so much here. And I love the people. And I might have anxiety attacks if I go anywhere that is remotely ghetto. Oh, well!

I love you all! Have a wonderful week! I invite you to pray with greater faith and more specificity. I'm always working on that. I know that as you do, you will see the blessings and you will see God's hand in your life!  Ether 12:12-"For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith." Story of my mission! And of life! God will bless you as you show Him your faith. He loves you!

Love,

Sister Mecate