Sept 27 & Oct 4 2010

Well! How we doing??
I´m very happy, healthy, and in one piece =) (Wow sure glad he let me, his mother, know that)...About Elder Peña, he actually lives about 20 minutes from this area...haha but he has lived in Atlanta, Georgia for a big portion of his life. He is 28 and has 15 months in the mission....I saw 2 guys from Salt Lake in the supermarket today...they are on a Jet Blue tour for 30 days...and they go wherever they want for those 30 days...it was WEIRD to see them...he asked me...want me to send something to your mommy?? haha..classic mormon from salt lake. We went to the Olympic center and played baseball...it was a blast! We also went to the office...and I received a package! The camera and everything is there! THANK YOU! I OWE YOU!
Question - Where did you watch Conference?
Answer - Loved conference. It was in my church because ours is the stake center! Missionaries can't go to the Priesthood session because it´s too late.
Question- Can you eat with the Members?
Answer - Nope..strictly no eating with the members
Question - How are your Showers?
Answer - bucket showers are great! =) it has been cold lately...so I only shower at night or in the afternoon...the morning puts me through shock if I shower!
...keep the faith and press forward! Love you all!
Elder Mecham

September 20, 2010

Ethans new Companion is Elder Pena and he is serving in Villa Mella 3. It is North of the Capital Santo Domingo
Okay, thank you for the camera! Oh...random thought! I just bought two betty crocker candles...cinnamon bun...and fresh cut melon....i´m sick of never smelling something good...so I am going to have them on my desk when I study..yay! I´m quite excited =)
Okay...Elder Peña...he is 28 years old..haha...and served in Iraq. Kuay..Diwania...Niyaf...Tigrif. Are is areas. I doubt he ever met my uncle matt....but I told him how he was a sniper. Francotirador in spanish. He is very...set in his ways..haha but we are getting along...the dominicans have a very set personality...and it´s the caribbean life...the...relax take it easy attitude. Well we are working with quite a few families...they had like 2 people when I came in...haha wow...but we are working hard!the ward is great...the members are way more punctual haha. THe house rarely loses light...but if it does...it´s in the morning...which doesn´t matter cause the sun is up. I shower with water from a bucket, and we always have water...

I have my own study room!!!!!!! LOVE THAT.
Love you all
Elder Mecham

Ethan and Fellow Missionaries at the Santo Domingo Temple

Ethans Wicked Pasta.. He is quite the cook now!

What a handsome Missionary He Is!!!

September 13, 2010

Sorry this computer is wicked slow...anyway....drum roll please.....Me Voy! I´m leaving...haha and guess what....Elder Beltré...se va! He is leaving too....they are taking both of us out...but our area is on FIRE and we have over 10 baptismal dates...2 other americans are coming in....we were SHOCKED to say the least about that. We passed our first counselor to the Bishopric today and told him...and he said...NO...that will destroy this ward....and said he was going to call president...haha...good luck! But my new area is Villa Mella 4. Elder Beltré is going to Villa Mella 3...haha...and we think it´s a 4 man house and that we will be there together...haha WHAT A CHANGE! Anyway...I´m ready for whatever comes...but don´t worry about the President changing his mind...he is very inspired, and wouldn´t plan on a change! Now I¨m just trying to fit EVERYTHING in my suitcases!

So about the camera...yeah I´ll need a new one...haha....I can´t help but smile...I¨m sure dad is saying ¨bonehead¨ haha...it is fine except for i have to turn it on and off until the lens focuses well...and it keeps popping up ´¨lens error¨ more often. sorry! But just make sure my new one is touch screen...
has Wii connections and can receive satellite transmission....sound good? SORRY! Whatever is fine as long as it reads SD and not Memory Stick Duo!
I will probably get rae´s package tomorrow during transfers! Thank you!
Grandpa Call is in my prayers.
I love you so much! Take care! Pray always!
Your Missionary son!
Elder Mecham

Aug 16-Sept 6

I will not have P Day next monday...rather tuesday...guess why! CAUSE WE ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE!!!!! Finally! One thing President Antivilo said when we asked him about going to the temple more often...is that, ¨Some work for the dead...some work for the living!¨ haha
ALso...:I gave one of my long sleeve shirts away...haha...oops! I gave it to Yossin...an incredible member in our ward. He lives very poorly! But I´m fine because I have another.
I love you all. I¨m working my hardest and doing my best out here....OH!!! WAIT! Before I go! I received your package mom..and I don´t think I¨ve shed quite as many tears..haha don´t feel bad! I loved it! When I pulled out the smoke smelling shirt.......wow.....thanks mommy.(This was a Shirt that the Call Family signed for him when we were at Whitney Reservoir) I loved it beyond explanation. PLEASE tell everyone it meant the world to me. I love you all! Remember....the gospel cannot be thought about logically! IT CAN¨T! It´s about what you feel!
SO excited to hear about Connie going through the temple! Wow! Tell her congrats for me! Also to take advantage of the ability to go! That goes to everyone!
The pictures are of the man from belgium that met the Dominican lady...whom is a member of our ward. She asked that I baptize Stheisy (stacy) because she knows me well...If you go to itunes and search for ¨Hermanos de Rosario¨ or Doño Rosario you will find a spanish singing man...I met him awhile ago...and stheisy...is his grand daughter! Apparently he is really famous here!
Yes this sunday we will receive the call about transfers! We´ll see what happens...I have 6 months here already...so we´ll see! I personally thing I am going to get transfered...nadie sabe!
The shoe man put a hiking sole on my old hush puppies...haha...they´re SWEET! I´m gonna go 4 wheeling in them after! =)

August 16th

His Shoes are a bit worn I would say!

Even Though Ethan was Serving A Mission His presence

was still felt at the Call Reunion at Whitney Reservoir
Ethan loves to Haul Wood
Nothing like a good old Roasted Marshmellow!
Hanging out with the boys enjoying a cold Coke! LOL

Copper was so ashamed or Scared!

Ryan, Ethan, and Brady Hanging out at the Trailer..:)

Great Week! I´m doing fine! I´m going to get my shoes re soled...but I still would like to see what you can do with getting a new pair. ..and will probably have to to replace my shoes.... My other shoes aren´t very comfortable, and i have not had a problem wiht my feet with the hush puppy slip ons I¨ve been wearing...I love them. So I will let you know how the re sole..ing goes. No I didn´t burn a tie...sorry that I don´t do those traditions! I don´t know when I would have time anyway!

FLORANGEL IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY =)=) I can´t even describe my excitement. She has born her testimony to us multiple times and has stopped smoking and left all other things behind. She´s awesome! I¨ll take pics! I¨m praying for you and the family always!
Love your Missionary Son...in the form of cardboard =) haha

August 10th

Clean up duty for the flooded apartment!
This is a Lighthouse by where they had their PDay

August 8th
ÚPDATE! I¨m learing how to cook! I´ve made some wicked good pastas lately! I got SO SO SO sick of sandwiches and what not...so I¨m using garlic, peppers, onions, sauteing....but I cook all the vegetables in butter and everything....so I´m learning how to make food! And I made the rice a roni yesterday! Reminded me of a sunday dinner cause I cooked chicken with it too! I´m learning to cook from a man named Alain. He is a professional chef from belgium...he won the biggest award they have...the GOLDFISH award. He is our investigator and is only waiting on his divorce papers from belgium so he can get married nancy (a member) and get baptized. He is a huge testimony to me that the Lord answers us when whe really try to ask...he is one of my best friends here...he is going to come visit us he said! He speaks english and is like 50 years oldish. I hope to be here to see him get baptized

August 2nd
NOthing changes this transfer...I stay...and so does my comp...so does our whole District...so yeah! 6 more here or more! OCTAVIO bore his testimony in testimony meeting yesterday...i absolutely could not hold back my smile! I am so close to him. One of my friends for life! We are working with a family with 4 kids right now...it´s very rare that you find a family like this here...very organized...and basically waiting for the gospel! So excited to stay here and work with them!

July 26th
I was thinking about you all on the 24th! I assume labarge didn´t go down? That´s okay...I¨ll be reviving that soon! Have a good time at whitney! I´ll be there soon enough! And after being here...sewer duty won´t be anything! Did you know I have to throw my toilet paper away?? =) Transfers are this tuesday! I think I¨m going to stay! We´ll see! Love you so much! =) press forward!

July 19th
Wow....well....I´m just plain stinkin´ happy right now =) those were all great emails I received! I LOVED LOVED the pictures! I let Elder Beltré look at them and he loved them...said our house was very pretty. I told him he always has a house in Utah...just so you know =) he wants to go right after his mission in about 8 months. I´m feeling great! Physically, emotionally, spiritually....it´s hard when you get in those ruts...and I´m sure any missionary can testify of that...but the Lord brings you out of them. Sometimes it´s scary to look ahead and think...WAIT! If I have faith...the Lord is going to try me...then it´s going to be hard! It´s an interesting topic...so why do we do it? The same reasons the Pioneers pressed forward...a favorite phrase of mine is ¨Let´s not make every sickness (or hardship) a punishment from God! From Jonathon on the Work and the Glory...the last one...that´s how he helps us...our faith doesn´t mean we´ll be without trials! It means we´ll have faith and peach through them! D and C 59 23 ....Jacob 2 21

July 5 & 12

July 5th

Ethan and Elder Beltre

Well our house flooded tuesday night...don´t worry though!! Our beds absorped it all...haha! the sink hose came of and filled the WHOLE HOUSE with water...my suitcases got soaked but the stuff mostly stayed dry! So...we have a baptism for this saturday will probably get moved...and then 7 for the 17th...wow! We also found a family last night! Very rare....but listen to this...4 kids and STILL together! That doesn´thappen here! Now they just need to get married!
I love being here...it´s an incredible place...and also...tell Matt Hinck...he´s the one who began my love for the country...when I saw him start to cry at labarge as we put up the flag...wow...and since I have been here...we have NO IDEA what we have. Living is so easy...& we are truly blessed there...I´m proud to be an American. & part Dominican!
I love you! Press forward
Elder Mecham

July 12
Hi there! WOW! Sorry all the internet places were packed...so I we were looking for awhile & these ones are slow as well...so I have hardly no time! But! We move on...we get over it! Oh man I miss the Grinch! Great movie =) Okay...first of all....everyone in the east mission knows I´m the most loved missionary!!! =) 3 PACKAGES!!! And wow...you are all way too kind to me. I know you always ask what I liked....& I of course loved it all!!! How is your Spanish...Spanish is coming with prayer! How is your Mattress...My mattress was soaked...but was fan dried in a day! Does it cost alot to get married there?? 30 dollars to get married here...but people just like to live together! Thank you for all of the pictures! I love them!!!!!!!!!! I love mountains =) count your blessings to see wide open spaces everyday!I love you all! Stay happy!
Love Elder Mecham

June 21 & 28

June 21th
Well!! Life is good! Oh! Para que sepa! Just so you know! I am staying her! I will be here for six weeks more! I love this work and thank you for your prayers! I´m constantly praying for you all! Elder Blake is leaving! So a 15 month dominican missionary is coming here and he will be district leader...I am praying I´ll maintain the success we´ve been having! 18 in church! 18 INVESTIGATORS in church! WOW! When was the last time you saw a new investigator the ward??? It´s definitely different over here! We live on the top floor of the house in the picture. I got soaked in a rain storm today and loved it!
Octavio is an investigator that is so funny...he always acts like he´s playing mortal combat and dragonball z when we come around. So we hide behind trees and fight back and stuff. haha! Nothing very noticeable...just something that´s funny and makes me laugh everytime! he lives in this Hindu temple so he needs to move! Oh! Gertrudis brought a friend to church! Adela! And Adela is progressing faster than gertrudis so now Gertrudis is working more for her answer!!! =) yay! They will both most likely get baptized...but it will take time! Always go to temples! I definitely took them for granted and miss them!

Elder Blake in front of Ethans Apartment...Top Floor
June 28
Elder Beltre is my companion. No...doesn´t speak Spanish...but we don´t have problems communicating...he´s trying to learn english adn has 15 months in the mission.
I conducted a Mission slash ward coordination meeting yesterday...we put it together to get the members involved and it worked quite well!
My companion and I get along good...the culture here is VERY blunt...if something needs to be said...it´s said! haha but as far as transfers go...I went with another missionary while they transferred...missionaries are NEVER alone! They go with others during that time! Since I was the one that stayed...I´m quite frankly the one responsible for all of them so it has been a stressful week! Thank you for the package! I´m excited to get it!!!
DAVID!!!!!!! AH!!!! Arizona eh??? WOW... COngrats man! I¨m stoked for you! You´re going to do awesome! Congratulate Connie and Jenni for me please!
Thank you for your prayers....no doubt they are hoping me carry on. Thank you for packages and always being concerned about me! Thank you! So we have gotten A LOT of rain. I mean A LOT. I haven´t seen rain like this in Utah! haha so I am using my umbrella...and my drawstring backpack while it´s raining. It´s hasn´t rained today!
I¨m working hard! Thank you for your prayers...they help immensely. Tell the family I love them and I'm praying for them. Press forward!
Love Elder Mecham

June 14th

Well!....this was by FAR the fastest week...I feel like yesterday I was emailing you all! Wow.. Love it out hear. I love being around this people....just happy and very kind. So as a missionary... you have billions of thoughts and feelings every week just like everyone else...but unlike everyone else, you have to cram it into a 15 minute email! So...que me disculpen for not being awesome with that! Thank you for your positive thoughts and packages!! Loved it! ALL of it. THE CHOCOLATE!!! OH....the chocolate....wowwwwwwwwwwwwwww. My shoes are getting worn down! Haha in a couple months I´m sure I¨ll be asking for more! Thank you for the money ! That´s how I will make up for the packages...the just take it out of my account and then when they put money in my account i get less...so then I´ll use the cash to make up for the money! Thank you! So yeah! I´m doing great! Working hard...keeping busy! Transfers are on the 22, so we´ll see! Oh! So Luiz went to church!! Yay! We had a good talk about humility and keeping the commandments last night...Florangel got kicked out of work!!! YAY!! She will be able to go to church! Gertrudis read...but said she´s too old to remember anything...haha oh gertrudis! Love that old lady! Can´t wait to visit her after! Yeah! Love you all!

Oh! Last tuesday...we got SOAKED. Lighting struck 30 feet away from us in the street as we were getting to leave...haha! WoW! We stayed for a few minutes then left! Biggest storm I have ever been in! I love you all and am always praying for you! Stay strong always! Mormon 5 11...we will feel bad if we don´t share what we know!
Elder Mecham

Moving Day for Ethan and Elder Blake
Baptism of Esmerelda
Lunch???Hotdog in a bun, Bread with Salami,

Bread with Peanut Butter..

Roynol.. what a cute little Guy

This is what Missionaries do in their spare time.. Make Snowmen in their Freezers LOL

They had great fun it sounds like!

June 7th

Hey everyone! Well...we got the fridge, stove, and washer! WOW...we had to bring them up to 3rd floor....so we carried the stove and washer up the spiral stair case...(there is a bit of paint missing there!) Then the fridge we carried up normal stairs to a second floor then out to the patio and set it on a 55 gallon water container like we camp with, then went to the 3rd floor and pulled it up by a rope haha! wow...we prayed! no worries! the fridge stopped working the next morning...so we asked neighbor for a screwdriver and I took it apart...from what I figure...ants like heat...because they had crawled inside the defrost timer and had all gotten singed and died! THOUSANDS! So they were getting mashed into the gears, so the gears were slipping, so it took a long time for the fridge to continue cooling itself after it was in defrost mode...so I took it apart and cleaned it and it works now! Hopefully they don´t do it again! love the tomatoe bed! Looks way good! Save something for me to do! I love seeing pictures of the house by they way...seeing the backyard put a smile on my face (in the picture with Dad holding the shovel) Dinner in member´s homes...no. It´s a rule we can´t because missionaries were wasting too much time in the houses! Transfers are the 22 of this Month. AH! Well! All is well! I´m loving it out here...I´m learning a lot, and gaining a better testimony... I love you all. Thank you for your support. The happiest news I will ever get from you, is that you are all happy and strong in the Gospel. Stay happy and press forward! Talk to you in practically 2 seconds! Elder Mecham

May 31

The apartment was only about 5 minutes away...but we´re in our area now! It´s a lot more quiet with only two missionaries! But we´re not in the house very often anyway! The stove and stuff...yeah...hasn´t come! The lady that lives on the bottom floor, Hermana Mary, or Maria de Jesus...haha she´s funny...LOVES to talk! Hard when missionaries don´t have time and every morning when we come down we have to pass by her! But she is SO SO sweet! (70 years old)She gave us a water thermos and gives us ice to put in it all the time! We bought pizza hut the other day and so to refrigerate it, we put it in a ziploc bag and put it in the water thermos! HA! it works! For dinner...usually we buy bread from a colmado and just put peanut butter on it...sometimes we have meals at night but usually I just snack on cookies and then have something small for breakfast and...pica pollo (kfc) for lunch or something! I bought pop tarts..but that will be rare since they´re about 4 dollars here for each box!Well, I´m here, I¨m happy. so happy. I love this work. It´s absolutely incredible...I have a long way to go in being a good person and missionary...but WOW. I love this work..

I love you all. He lives...That´s all that matters...because through Him...we are saved! And if we do what we should, here is what we get! 1 Nephi 13 37 Enos 1 27. Love Elder Mecham!

May 24th

Wow! I Love My Mission! I'm learning loads!..Mail is only coming or going 3 times a transfer(6 weeks)now. I'm not sure why but its a trial for sure. Well! Quite the day! We Moved! Elder Blake and I. We are on the 3rd floor. Just a little house and quite nice! Problem...we dont have a fridge, stove, or clothes washer.. and we wont get that stuff for 4 weeks. haha! quite funny! Alot of missionaries are dealing with that right now though because they are trying to get every companionship living in their area. And when they send out the Island Missionaries (in 4 weeks in the transfer when they start doing that!(I dont think theyll get much mail)there will be a surplus of fridges and what not! So we'll see what happens!

Well I love Life! Luiz is doing good.. The Lord is permitting a great work here! I am coming so close to him. I have a desire to serve Him and it grows everyday.

I am praying for you all. This is his work! He leads this Church!

Adelante!!!

Love Elder Mecham

Ethans Scripture covers that

he had made for him

May 17th

Ethan and Elder Blake at a Baptismn
Streets after it Rained
Rosanna, Ethan and Elder Blake ..

Ethan Buzzed his hair, and hopes we all still love him.

I do believe he looks a bit more like his Father now!
A very cute Puppy

A Great Sunset from Ethans Zone Leaders Apartment
Ethan Loves Sunsets

May 3rd Email

My Compantion is great. VERY smart. we get along great! He is going to BYU! SO I hope to see a lot of the people I¨ve met here! Transfers are next tuesday...but we don´t find out if we´re moving until sunday!
Well this week was great! We had a baptism, Oliver, he is 13 and is going to be the first young man in the ward! We have ZERO. So we are working on that! Estamos en eso! we usually have light at night and then it leaves in the middle of the night and don´t have it in the morning! we don´t really need it though...mainly for the fans! We are baptizing two little 10 year olds Lismin and Roselia (girls) on the 15th. And probable and 14 year old Named Gabriel. He is a GENIUS. Wow. The D.R. you see on a cruise is not what you see here! It´s definitely different! A lot of garbage alleys...& you don´t really notice you´re in the Carribbean...it´s just another place! The only hints you have is the weather, palm trees, and the people! But I love it...I really do... I´m doing good and loving it! I love all these people! I don´t have much time...but I am doing great! I´m happy, & doing my very best everyday. Trying my hardest not to waste a second! I love you all so much! Miss you like crazy & so grateful I have you! I love my Savior. He´s everything to me...and I want to do everything I can to be the best for Him...in every way possible. Onward, Onward!!! He lives and has a plan for us! =)
Love Elder mecham...

Ozama Mama

Hi!
I haven´t read your e mail yet! but we´re in a different internet place today and it is faster so it should go better! thank you for putting me there in carboard! I can´t believe shes married! I´m so happy for her! Teaching is...coming...haha you´d be surprised how hard it is to express your deepest emotions (the gospel) in another language! But the Lord is helping me! yes we baptized baslai and meres, two haitians! Thank you for the notes, and the memory card. i really want jelly beans, SWEDISH FISH reeses, snack stuff like that!
I got through it SO fast!!! Notecards!! just the regular size with lines on one side! Different colors please! I am doing them for scripture memorization daily and each month is going to have a color!
.i am in zone-ozama....area-alma rosa....yeah! sorry i don´t know what to tell you! we´re booked each day! you´ll have to let me know what you want for the blog...cause i LOVE talking like this! and i will just answer questions for the blog
i will be calling from our cell phone though! i´m sorry what that costs! i need to go!

So Official

These are some pictures sent home on his memory card

Don't really know for sure what & where they are

so will update that when we get it!

I really love this one, he looks like an

official tourist/missionary!

His companion Elder Blake

This is just cool looking!

Try packing those home. . . .haha

He is an official Dominican Republican now!

Oh! this is kind of big!

(sorry it is constantly hectic and cannot remember anything!) I baptized someone on Saturday! Ellis Rosanna Botello Nuñez. she is awesome! great faith! and speaks english! she is about 40 and is now a member! uh....we have two getting baptized on Saturday, two haitians Jonathon and basely.

We had a haitian member translate for us and jonathon speaks english creole and spanish! thats nice! i dont know what to say! i will always email from an internet cafe! its not really a cafe...but it is a place with computers! Im still in the city...is isnt necessarily far from the beach...but i still havent seen the beach yet! and one of the more richer areas!
....pdays we went to the park today! just a big soccer field! i got some sun! no glasses!contacts are great thus far! dont have a microwave...but we have already opened a pack of popcorn and put it in a pan...didnt work so well! haha!spanish is coming! i dont know what else to say! slowly but surely! theyve said i know a lot more than others!

Always on the clock

Well I am doing great! I don't know exactly what to say!

First I'll answer questions as best I can!

I live with my comp and two others, Elder Clase and Elder Cabrall. Two natives!

Schedule:

6:30, wake up, i write letters new scripture to memorize and review the others,
7:00 get ready,
7:30 make breakfast, (whatever I can find)
8:00 is personal study,
9:00 is comp study,
10:00 - 1:00 we go to appointments and such,
1:00 - 3:00 we go back to the house and eat lunch and study,
3:00 - 9:00/9:30 if we're in an appointment we go to appointment or tract if we need to.
then i shower at night, eat and go to bed!

Well, our area is on fire right now. We have 19 people in church...that is MONUMENTAL. My companion said up to now he has never seen this kind of success at all. This was supposedly the hardest area...but the Spirit is doing a great work.

cooking..i'm learning how to make pastas! i boil noodles and put condensed queso in it, and today i bouth sharp queso and sour cream and onion seasoning. we'll see how that goes!

humidity is great! if you're going to sweat, sweat a lot right!

there is absolutely NO TIME out here. it flies by and so you need to learn to master it!

i'm doing great...thank you for your prayers! they are needed! this work is moving forward and no one can stop it! one quick thing...GET INVOLVED you can't imagine how much missionaries have to do! David A Bednar counseled us...it is the job of the members to find, and the job of the missionaries to teach. just befriend them, reference them to the missionaries, and do what you can to help the missionaries! itis the greatest work!

i love you all! remember God as He remembers you!
D & C 101...7-9

Alma Rosa!

Alma Rosa is the area where Ethan is Serving at:

Elder Mecham & Elder Blake

This is Ethan with his companion & trainer Elder Blake

Oh so cold in the Caribbean. . .

Hello!

Well...13 days without a pday really throws you off!

I’m here and safe and all is well! .I just think I will do my

best to tell you what is going on! so first of all...the

keyboard isn’t that great...so pardon my grammar...

2nd I’m doing great!

The apartment... nice...kinda...all showers are freezing

...the toilet has to flushed with a bucket of water,

the shower is the only access to water we have...

i sleep on a mattress on the ground and

so far i have been sleeping fine! Thank you SO

much for the package!!!! Í love all the food and

especially the chocolate! The washer is tiny and

basically just mixes your clothes around.

I’m doing great! Staying busy!

My trainer is elder Blake...and yup his mom is a MM! :)

he is a hard worker and is teaching me well! i love you all!

I’m going to send this in hopes that you are there

More info.. We have a lot of investigators

that are doing great! I’m loving it. Just getting settled in!
SO hectic right now! Love you all so much! He lives!!!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Talk to you on Monday

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