week 6

happy missionaries 

Okay Family (and whoever else is going to read this) but especially YOU mother, here is some big news. Seriously you are going to have a heart attack. Sit down or be ready to scream. I now leave the 8th of May. Yes you did read that correct. I leave in exactly 2 weeks and a day. You know what that means right? I GET A MOTHERS DAY CALL!! I will be arriving in Japan the 9th of May and will be at the mission home until that Sunday, then I will be leaving to my first area after phone calls home. Yes we are all freaking out so hard. Our 12 weeks in the MTC became 9 which now became 8. We are the only district that is leaving the 8th (a week earlier than normal) and we don't know why. Apparently it has always been planned this way, but we just did not know about it. We had lots of hints, but found out for real this Sunday. We found out because our Nihonjin (Japanese missionaries) are here. They always arrive 2 weeks before the next group leaves, because the group leaving will fly to Japan with the Nihonjin. Because my Companion and I are zone leaders, we have to pick up the Nihonjin when they arrive, so that is how we found out that they will be arriving. That is when we found out we are leaving early. I leave wednesday the 8th! AHHHHH!! You have no idea how excited I am. We are all so nervous, but so happy. We don't know the language nearly well enough to be leaving early, but we are still so ready to go out there and learn. That is the biggest thing that happened this week, but still not all of it. Yes it was just a very emotional week.

Previously on the Empty-Sea week...6? (I don't know anymore)

So right after I finished my email from last week something amazing happened. I went to my room to take my beautiful weekly nap, then woke up and went to choir. We saw that they were putting teleprompters up so we thought that somebody important would be speaking to us. Sure enough it was. Elder Richard G. Scott came and spoke to us. I wanted him to come so bad. Why? Because at conference I noticed that he was really short and I really wanted to see him in real life. Not only is he short, but he is the greatest person ever. He look just like a hobbit, it blows my mind. He brought such an amazing spirit to the MTC and we all could feel it. He talked about prayer and how important it is. The really special part was having a apostle of the Lord evoke a blessing upon each and every one of the missionaries. That was very very cool. And that was just Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday were super busy because they were Nihongo dake days. Which means we only spoke Japanese on those days. That was so hard for me and I got so angry. I wanted to speak so bad, but I couldn't. I ended up going the full time and after I felt weird speaking English. It was a really cool experience. So next was Friday. Friday was great just as always. We had a great lesson in class where I learned about how important it is for me to work my best. There are times when I just want to slack off a little bit and give 95% rather than 100%. I learned that if I don't give my 100% then neither will the Lord, and I ALWAYS need His help. Saturday was emotional. We found out that our Sensei is being transfered. Because there are so many new missionaries coming in there are so many new teachers that need to be hired. Our Sensei is amazing and they need him to be put with a new teacher to help that teacher, rather than 2 new teachers working together. So for our last 2 weeks in the MTC we are getting a new Sensei. This was super hard for all of us to hear because we become especially close to our teachers. They help us out sooo much and we love them a lot. Not only do we lose our teachers, but we lose the investigator they are pretending to be. This was a great learning experience for all of us. We learned how we will be transfered and life will happen that will take us away from the ones we love, but it is God's plan and it will all work out. Our Sensei shared a story about while she was on her mission the earthquake happened so they transfered all the missionaries in Tokyo to other missions. She was sent to Okinawa and felt like she abandoned all of her friends and those she loved. She said it was very hard for her, but she really learned how the Lord knows what is best. While in Okinawa our Sensei had 3 baptisms in 6 weeks. She was then sent right back to Tokyo. The Lord really does know. Sunday was our last sunday with the Nihonjin and the Senpai before they leave to Japan. That was also extremely emotional. We not only were losing our teacher, but our best friends, the people we love so much. The Nihonjin in Sacrament meeting sang the medley of "As sisters in Zion" and "The Army of Heleman". Wow. I don't know what happened during that song. This was right after we found out we are leaving early too so I was already very emotional. From the very second they started singing I got chills. I had this huge lump in my throat like I was going to cry, but I just wasn't crying. Suddenly they all started singing together and my body started shaking. This sounds so cheesy and weird, but I felt the spirit like I have never felt it before. It was like something inside of me was jumping around everywhere because it was so excited and so happy. I was shaking and my whole body was leaking. I was crying so hard, and my nose was exploding, and I was shaking. It looked like I was having a seizure. I could not stop crying the whole rest of Sacrament. MY CALL IS INSPIRED. I am called so Japan for a reason. I already love the Japanese people so much and I know that this is EXACTLY where the Lord needs me. That was such a strong testimony builder and I am so grateful for that. Monday everyone left and we all were very emotional. It was a last lesson with our Teacher who is leaving so we were all a mess. Then the new Nihonjin got here at 5:30 yesterday and we had to welcome them to America. We talked to them only in Japanese and very broken English that they knew. It was so fun. They are all so funny and so full of love. Well I am way out of time, but this has been an amazing week and is going to even get better. We get knew Kohai tomorrow and we have to welcome them to the MTC as well. Yes it is crazy here. I love all of you so much and I am so grateful for this church and the opportunity to serve the Lord.  The Church is True and Be excellent to each other.

Oh. And I get my travel plans on Thursday.

Love-

Mecham Choro.

So the last picture is what happened last night. Dignam Choro wanted to say goodbye to us and somehow he had a spare key to our room but never told us. We never knew and last night he snuck in our room when we were asleep and decorated it for us without us knowing. It was so funny. 

Week 5

Previously on week 5 of the Empty-Sea,

Minasan Konichiwa! Hello Everyone! Let me start off by saying this was one of the best, but hardest weeks.  It was our awkward phase from moving from the half-way mark to having only 4 weeks left.  Yes that is right. Less than a month left in the MTC. I am freaking out.  So I will start off by reviewing this last weeks events.

First on Tuesday exactly a week a ago from today, we had the best devotional I have been to so far.  The speaker was one of the released General Authorities. I didn't bring my notebook so I can't remember his name, but the talk was amazing.  It was on receiving personal revelation.  Something that is extremely important for missionaries, but very hard to discern and understand.  He talked about false revelation and realizing whether or not our revelation was from ourselves or from God.  It was amazing.  He told us a story that really hit home.  He said that revelation is receiving direction without explanation.  He told a story about a Sister companionship in Japan. They were out biking 5 miles away from their homes and the border of the boundries.  They had a feeling they should go down this one street and knock and a random door.  They went to the door and a little 10 year old girl came to the door.  They asked if their parents were home, and they were.  The mother was deaf and dumb.  The Sister Missionaries taught the mother the lessons through her 10 year old daughter.  This was not what they had expected when they received the revelation to go there.  They had no idea where the ward sign language master was and did not know what to do. Turns out the sign language person lived only 3 houses down. Direction without explanation. He said how he would love to tell us that they proceeded to teach them and the mother got baptized, but that didn't happen.  Instead the 10 year old little girl who translated for her mother was baptized.  Revlation=direction without explanation.  When he told us that story we all got chills. It was so good. He talked about being humble to recieve revelation. It was great. Wednesday was a normal day and on Thursday we taught our progressing investigator. Our progressing investigator wanted to receive baptism! It was great. Oh yeah in Japanese you don't say to be baptized. They say receive baptism. Super funny.  On Friday I got a little sick, but got over it. Saturday was great. We had TRC and taught two return missionaries.  It was really fun.  They were very helpful with us trying to speak the language and they really felt the spirit and I really felt if from them.  It was great.  Sunday we had a devotional about how the work is being hastened. (my spelling is getting super good now that I don't use English anymore) The speaker was the director of the Media department. He showed us all the bilboards the church has bought in New York City, and what is happening in the U.K. The book of Mormom Musical just made it to UK and that play is not nice. BUT it served as a great opportunity to spread the gospel. The church bought so many signs and busses and posters to invite people to go tomormon.org. They even bought advertisments for the programs in the book of mormon play. Saying you have heard about the book and seen the play, now go read it for yourself. Super funny. Well you know how I was district leader, but they forgot to release me? Well Dignam Choro and Cascardi Choro made jokes by saying Four more years! Turns out they were right. They did release me, but they called my companion and I to be Zone leaders. This means that we are in charge of more people now! I don't have to get mail anymore, but I have to really use Japanese. I have to help the Nihonjin, (Japanese Missionaries) with anything they need, and I have to help all the new missionaries. It is really fun. I don't exactly know what I do yet, because I was just called to be a Zone Leader on Sunday, but I will find out more. Today we had to teach the Nihonjin about P-day. We had to show them how to do laundry and how to get to the temple. It was so much fun, but so hard. In the temple we found out about Boston. That was a big shock for us. I am so glad Julie, Jen and Sarah are okay. It always is so sad to hear about these terrorist attacks happening. I don't understand. That is what I love about the gospel. It is for everyone and no matter what we will live again and if we live righteously we will live with our families forever. I am currently sick, but I am getting over it! Fever and sore throat, are not allowed on any Delta flight and while being in the MTC. I am loving being here, but I am so excited to leave in 28 days. WOOOOO TAKO! (octopus.)

-Mecham Choro

Week 4

Previously on Empty-Sea Week 4 (Start week 5 tomorrow)

HOLY TAKO!!! Tako is octopus in Japanese. One of my favorite words. I can't believe I have been here for a month. That is insane! I feel like I have been here forever, but at the same time I feel like I just barely got here. The language is coming along pretty great. I am starting to understand the bunpo (grammar) and the tango (vocabulary) I am working on. I am doing pretty well at understanding what others are saying. It is starting to turn into Spanish class. In High School I could understand what my teachers were saying to me in Spanish, but I would just sit and stare because I wouldn't know how to respond. It is always an adventure. So here has what has happened this last week.

On Wednesday my companion and I taught our best lesson ever. We taught Nishimura Shimai. She is the 95 year old investigator that we have. We started off by asking her if she had any questions about our last lessons.  She said that she is still confused about the atonement of Jesus Christ, and wants to understand how it will help her.  We began to tell her what we know about it.  We taught her from our hearts, rather than what was on the paper.  We used zero notes, and my companion even gave an analogy.  Roopinia Choro (my Companion) said that God is the bank and we are the debtors. We owe God money, but we don't have it.  Christ is our mediator and saves us from our debts.  It was a simple analogy describing how Christ saved us from our debts so that we can return to live with the banker (God), but it was what our investigator understood and needed to hear.  She loved it and even though our teachers are not supposed to break character and tell us how our lessons go, (if you are confused it is because our progessing investigators are actually our teachers pretending to be somebody they actually know and taught) but our sensei Sister Sandberg, told us that it was the best lesson she has ever heard from any missionaries who have been in the MTC for 3-4 weeks.  That was such a great confidence booster and helped me to know how important it is to teach with the spirit.  It was so great to have the spirit with us and I was amazed by how much we taught through the spirit.  Trusting in the Lord was really hard, because we went in with no notes and just left if up to the spirit to teach the lesson.  It worked out so much better that way and we all could feel it.  Thursday was another thursday of studying and learning.  We do a lot of Mogi's (role plays) in English to help us understand how to be better teachers.  We did that on Thursday and Friday and it was amazing to see how words come to your mouth without you even thinking about it.  When I got over being nervous about what to say next, or how to really connect with the investigator, the sprit really kicks in and brings the words to my mouth so that the spirit can teach the investigator.  This is how I am going to learn the language.  Not by thinking about myself and how it would be great if I could teach, but if I focus on my investigators and work my hardest so that the spirit can teach the investigators.  That is the biggest lesson I learned this last week. 

Saturday and Sunday was General Conference.  It was so amazing in the MTC.  Missionaries get very excited about everything and this was a big excitement.  I knew about the Rio temple, but hearing that Cedar City is getting a temple was very cool.  There were a lot of Utahns that gasped when they heard that.  Saturday was great because I was able to understand how I can feel peace.  I learned a lot about how to create and find peace when life becomes stressful in the empty-sea.  I recieved a lot of Keiji. (revelation) Keiji is the greatest.  There are so many talks that were my favorite.  I don't think it is possible to pick one.  One that I really did like on Saturday though was President Deiter F. Uchtdorf's talk at Preisthood session.  It was exactly what I needed to hear.  He taught about not mistaking others personalities for sins.  We are all individuals and all different.  It is important to remember that being different is essential to God's plan.  I learned to not compare myself to other missionaries and try to become a missionary that I am not.  I was told a few times this last week that I am immature, but I was totally fine with it.  I know that I am and that is fine with me.  I know that there is a time and a place for everything and I need to make sure that I act accordingly.  That is what I learned this last week.  I was called immature because I needed somebody to Mogi (roleplay) with so I drew a face on my water bottle and named her Mizu. (Mizu means water in Japanese) Some people thought I was being immature, but hey I was learning and it helped me have the best lesson ever! Sunday was super funny because we were all wanting to hear Elder Holland speak. The second we heard the words, "We will now be pleased to hear from Elder Holland" everyone was so happy.  I think I heard people clapping, either way most of the missionaries were cheering.  It was such a great talk to.  I loved how he talked about believing in yourself.  It is extremely important to remember this.  Faith is a very hard thing to develop and continue to use.  It is essential for building a testimony, but requires a lot of trust and effort.  I know that if we have the desire to believe, we will develop the faith we need to strengthen our testimonies so that we can say, "I know!" That was very great.

Later that night Vocalpoint came and sang to us for our sunday devotional.  That was pretty cool. It was the closest thing I will get to going to a concert for the next 23 months! They sang a few of their favorite hymns and then had us sing with them on a few of their songs.  Every single member of Vocal Point is a return missionary.  They shared a lot of their expereinces while they were on their missions and how music has blessed their lives.  I know how much music has blessed my life, and it is amazing to see how much it impacts me while I am on my mission.  I want to listed to music SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. It hurts. Litterally hurts.  I sing so much it annoys me. But it is the only way I can "listen" to music.  I am developing a even stronger love for Hymns through not being able to listen music.  It is amazing how much music influences our lives, and can invite the spirit in such strong ways.  That is what I learned this Sunday.

Monday is service day. I hate/love service.  It is way fun and I love serving, but it means that I get 45 less minutes of sleep because I have to wake up to go do service.  It was fun though. I had the great opportunity to sweep the bathroom floors and clean some classrooms.  It was very great.  Monday was also my first "off" day while in the MTC. It was the first day where I let all the stress get to me and really distract me from what I should be doing.  I did not listen very well during the lessons and my mind was off in other places.  I learned how easy it is to have the spirit leave when I am not focusing on what I should be doing.  That night I learned how important it is to focus on my mission and like my stake president said, "to not look back" It was a great last week in the MTC. A lot of learning and a lot of growing.  Everything I will constantly be doing while on my mission.  Missions are great. I love it.  I love this Church. I love you all. I love toast.

-Mecham Choro.

Previously on Week 2 of the Empty-Sea, (I am on Week 3 right now)

Hi It's me Elder Mecham!

So yes it is p-day for me. The greatest nap day of the week. If you ever need a good nap, sleep on a Tuesday. I am having so much fun here. It is incredible how excited senkyoshi tachi (missionaries) get about the littlest things. We played a game in class yesterday to help us study and learn and it got out of control. We were screaming and yelling we were so exctied to play a game. It was way funny. I am in Distrct 27 C. We are the only Kohai (young missionary) group in our Branch because our Brach was split into two because we are getting a ton of gaijin kohai (foreign new missionaries) tomorrow. We are getting 6 new districts in total and 3 new districts in our branch. Tomorrow I will become Senpai (wiser learner/missionary) it is crazy. I can't believe I have already been here for almost 3 weeks. Almost all of the missionaries in my district are going to Sapporo, there are 7 of us that are going to Sapporo, and 5 going to Sendai (the mission right below us) The Gaijin coming in tommorow are all going to Fukuoaka or Nagoya or Kobe. They are the south missions and we are the north missions. Our Senpai are going to the South missions so they will be the Dai Senpai (wisest missionaries, basically just here for the longest is what Dai Senpai means) for the new Gaijin.  My Dai Senpai left this Monday. I was not as close with them, and most of them are going to Tokyo anyway. They are all so awesome thought. But I am way closer to the Senpai I have right now. Moving on to the next question, most Elders do have backpacks. Shoulder packs are hard to bike with and get in the way. I like my back pack. We are smart. Amen. That is true. I do not need sheets. I will be sleeping on the ground loving my life. So now I will talk about the Easters. "Are you unaware that I have had the diarhea since Easters" -Nacho Libre. So Easter was amazing. I sang in the MTC choir so that I could get a spot saved for me in the devotional for sure. The meeting was so memorable. There were over 3000 missionaries taking the Sacrament at the same time. We watched as the 16 tables of Sacrament were blessed and passed to everyone. It was so amazing and the spirit was so strong. I learned so much about Sacrafice and the Atonement, just from watching that. I was able to see Christ in the tomb, then see Him resurected as the sacrament was passed to everyone and He was risen. It was a really cool experience to look at the Sacrament like that. The speaker was kind of a let down. We were expecting a general authority, but we got the presiding bishop, who spoke crazy enlgish. He is from France so his accent really kept me interested. He talked about having faith and knowing that Christ is our Savior. Being able to say that when we return to heaven and see him, that we will KNOW that it is Him. He said, "love Chirst more everyday you live" it was amazing to hear. The rest of the day was just as amazing, actually better. I had class where we had a lesson about the Spirit and we all shared some great stories about our conversion through the spirit. I was able to feel the spirit so strong and recieive keiji (revelation) throught the stories of others.  Testimony meeting was also great. The Nihonjin (those from Japan) all bore their testimonies and sang to us. It was so powerful. They sang I know that my Reedemer lives (or something like that) I couldn't understand them anyway, but I really felt the spirit. We had temple walk after and I will be delivering beautiful pictures of that very soon. The best part of the day for me though was the Sunday night devotional. I was getting sick from fasting all day, and I had a slight fever. I went to the devotional and guess who the speaker was, Sheri Dew. I have heard she is an amazing speaker and I was so excited to hear from her. We started off with an amazing musical number, where we all sang Called to Serve. We started off whispering the words, then progressed into standing on our feet singing with such power that God is our King and we are serving Him. It was amazing. Sheri Dew spoke had I recieved even more keiji!! She talked about praying to know our language of revelation and to never miss an opportunity to listen to the spirit. She is an incredible speaker. I loved everything she said. The closing Hymn was Nearer my God to Thee. Needless to say I cried the whole time. I then watched the Joseph Smith movie in Japanese. AH it was an amazing day. Best Sunday so far. I want to write more, but I am out of time and my computer is going to shut down on me soon, but I will write home with more stories and like such as. I want everyone who wants to read this to be able to! I love hearing from everyone and I want everyone who wants to to hear from me! I got a Dear Elder Yesterday from a Sister I don't know in Florida. She sent me a letter because my dear friend (Alena Helzer shoutout #yolo) put my info on her blog. The sister from Florida gave me words of encouragement and sharred wtih me her conversion story and how she is preparing to serve a mission. It is amazing to see how the gospel affects everyone. I was so happy to hear from her and my spirits were definitely lifted. I learned today in the Temple that we are all just people that want to return to our Heavenly Father. We neeed to help everyone! There is not a single person on this earth that does not want to feel loved. So love everyone! In the words of Bill and Ted "be excellent to each other"

Ai Shite Masu (I love you)

-Elder Jake Snow Mecham

Hi it's Me Elder Mecham (Week 2)

Previously at the MTC,

Hello! How are you all? I can't believe it is Tuesday already and I am back having to do laundry and send emails. I love Tuesdays. Best day of the week. Anyways let me start off with a funny story.  So there is a screen in the lunchroom and it displays a bunch of missionaries names and if you name is on there they need you at the front desk.  I saw my name on there on Friday or Saturday and I went to the front desk where I got a letter.  This letter was addressed to Andrea Dunkle, but was supposed to be sent to me.  I later found Sister Dunkle and talked to her about the contents of the letter.  And I quote "I was really confused when I got the letter from you mom. I thought this is a strange letter to get, I haven't even sent my letter back to her yet, and she is already asking me this... weird questions." In the letter sent by my mother the first line said, "We finally got your letters today!!!!!! Happy day to us!!!!! I thought we would hear more about your schedule. I thought you would describe your poops..." Oh mother.  This was so great for Sister Dunkle to read. She thought it was so funny and I did too. That is the funny story of this week. Now to answer all of your questions. 

My p-day is today. It is always on tuesday and I send letters, do laundry, go the the temple, eat, study, and sleep. Today I am singing in the devotional so I have to go to choir practice at 4:30 to practice for tonight. We are singing Joseph Smith's first prayer. It is very very pretty. I am also singing on Sunday. I don't know the song yet, but I know I am singing.  But mostly on P-days I sleep and it feels so good. When Do I write my emails? Anytime on Tuesday before 5:00. I should only have 30 minutes on the computers, but there are some computers that don't time me so I can be on a little bit longer, but I should not be on too long. Plus I get sick of typing. Can I write letters on regular days? I am not supposed to unless it is at night, but then there is still hardly any time.  I am always busy studying or preparing my next lesson.  But I am working on sending more letters. Last week I wrote 17. This week I don't know. My duties as a District Leader are pretty confusing. I don't even know all of them.  Basically I get the mail twice a day and I pick people to say prayer for class. I have to organize one meeting on Sunday that is like Sunday School, but other than that I basically just need to be an example and a leader.  If anybody has questions they ask me, and I usually don't know so I ask the zone leaders.  It is pretty fun.  I have the best district ever.  There are 6 Choro tachi (Elders) and 6 Shimai tachi (sisters) It is so great to have the Shimai tachi.  They are so spiritual and know so much.  My companion is not a district leader also. I am the only district leader for my district.  Whenever I have meetings or something Elder Roopinia (my companion) stays with another companionship.  Oh how you pronounce his last name Row-(like row your boat) oh-pee-knee-ah. All together now Row-oh-pee-knee-ah. He is the greatest. Seriously I think he is one of the three Nephites. Our communication is getting better. It started off pretty choppy because it was tough to understand what he was trying to tell me, and it would take him a really long time to try and explain what he needs to say to me.  He is getting A LOT better.  This week we have been talking a lot more and his english is getting a lot better. He is still pretty slow to try and explain himself, but other than that we are doing great.  I am learning no French. I pretend like I understand what he is saying when he is talking to me, but really I have no idea. I am trying to learn some French, but my priority is Japanese (someone needs set out their priorities) Name that movie!!! Oh good! It is Harry Potter. So I think 5/7 days of the week I have gym. Maybe 4/7. I used to run a lot and actually exercise, but then I got over it because showering is the worst. I hate having to wait in line, and the showers are boring and a waste of time.  If I am ever having a hard day I run a lot, but most of the time (as in I have only ran twice) I play Volleyball. It really reminds me of Lake Powell, because there are people who are pretty good and people that really have sweet spirits.  It is not like Jungle Ball Lake Powell ( I wish it was ) but any kind of VolleyBall always reminds me of Lake Powell. Somehow that reminds me! You can email me here and send me pictures to this email! I can respond to almost everyone, but no matter what I can see them.  It would be very nice to see some fantastic pictures.  Specifically of Lake Powell this upcoming summer (when it happens of course)  So now it is time to get back to the details. This last Sunday I played the paino for the Senpai (wiser district) who sang, "I'll go where you want me to go" in Nihongo.  It was a really good song, but a weird arrangement, so it sounded "sweet spirited" I am playing again the next time we have Sacrament meeting, and Two Shimai tachi in my district are singing a really cool arrangement of "be still my soul" It is called Olive something I can't remember, but it is a amazing song.  I have used my piano skills every single Sunday and I think I will continue to use them every Sunday, because everyone else likes to hide under a bushel, and that is fine with me.  Oh mother my pants are fine. The belt loop just came off because I love the gospel so much and got too excited about it I guess. My Nihongo is getting better.  We got two new investigators this last week.  One is Nishimura Shimai who is a 95 year old woman whose Husband died at war when she was 35 and her only daughter died from cancer.  She is an amazing persong.  Although it is just my Sensei pretending to be this investigator, she acts just like the investigator did because these are real people.  It is amazing to experience a real investigator.  The spirit really takes over and it feels like I am in Japan talking to the real Nishimura Shimai. She loves God a lot. When we asked her if she believes in God she started to scream, "HAI HAI HAI HAI HAI! Kamisama wa honto ni taisetsu desu yo! (God is very important) She was pounding on the chair and screamed. It was so funny.  When we pray she likes to tell us thank you while we bless her or show appreciation for things.  She is so funny. She prays every day to God and her Husband.  She is partially deaf so speaking to her is an adventure.  She also slammed the door on the Shimai Tachi when they went to teach her. They are really working to make this a real experience for us. It is so much fun.  Our other investigator is Suzuki San. I have not taught him yet, so I don't know much about him.  I know he is 20 and in College. I know he likes Ping Pong and to ask qeustions. I heard he is really great to teach, because he really wants to know, but also really wants to make sure that you know what you are teaching him is true, and that we know what we are saying. He is my other teacher Powell Sensei. Both of my teachers are Powell Sensei (brother Powell) and Sandberg Sensei (sister Sandberg) They are both such amazing teachers and they are really helping my testimony grow. I am so glad that I am able to serve a mission. There is so much work that needs to be done and it is amazing to see all of it happening in real life.  During the Devotional we had this last Sunday the speaker had everyone who is speaking a foreign language to stand up. It felt like almost everyone there stood up. It was amazing to see the Gospel being spread to the world in languages we don't even know how to speak yet.  The gospel it true. I am so happy to have it in my life. It brings me so much happiness and peace. I love being here and being able to feel the spirit so much. Personal revelation is a flowin' while I am here. There are some times where it gets really hard, but to quote Imagine Dragons, "The path to Heaven runs through miles of clouded Hell." I know that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and I am where I am suppposed to be.  I love you all! OH and mom please don't stop sending me dear elders. They are easily the best part of the day. They keep everyone going. This one Shimai has recieved 5 packages in 2 days and gets a least 8 letters a day. So it is definitely okay to send a lot of letters. I love hearing from everyone and I will do my best to reply! The Church is true, be excellent to each other!

 

Ai Shitte Masu! (I love you)

-Elder Jake Snow Mecham

first email

Elder Roopinia and Elder Mecham

The New Kids 

First off let me start by saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENALYN!!!! I really wish I could be there to celebrate this day with you, but I know you are having a great day.  You are a great young woman and we all love you so much.  I love and miss you, but it is really good that I am here.  So I am sorry that I was not able to send my letter earlier.  I actually wrote one the first day that I was here, but I did not have time to send it.  I will send it today, and hopefully it will get there tomorrow.  
So here has what has happened since being in the empty-sea,
After first being dropped off, I did not cry.  I know you were all probably thinking that I was going to cry, but I still have not.  It has hit me that I am gone, but it doesn't quite feel like it yet.  The first day I went to class and met my sensei.  He is Powell Sensei and looks like Ditty Kong. (If you don't know who that is, look him up.  You have the internet. I do not.)  I understood nothing that he said, and then we went to a meeting.  We learned about the rules and like such as, then we all went to dinner.  The MTC food is pretty nasty, but it can be good sometimes.  The wraps are good, but the food gets old and gross pretty fast.  We went to the Temple today and getting Temple food was pretty great.  There are some things that I will need to get, but I will send that in my letter.  Thank you so much for the package! I had no idea I was going to be getting Kneaders bread. Actually I did.  Sorry I lied.  I still have a few slices left, and I eat one every night before I go to sleep.  I think I talked about it in my letter, but my companion is Elder Roopinia, from Tahiti.  He is a awesome Elder.  He is 22 years old (had his birthday on Saturday) and is a convert from 5 years ago.  He is learning English as a second language, and Japanese as a third from his Second language.  He is doing so well for how much he has to be learning.  Thursday Friday and Saturday were basically a blur.  The days all meshed together.  I learned how to pray and bear my testimony the second day being in here.  I no longer pray in English and only in Japanese now.  Which by the way, thank you so much for your prayers.  I really do feel it.  We taught our first 'investigator' on Friday and on Saturday.  Seriously so stressful.  I have the hardest time preparing the lesson, because I am basically doing it on my own, because it is hard for Roopinia Choro to understand what I am saying and for him to create sentences.  The lessons are progressively getting better, but for some reason, finding inspiration through the spirit is pretty hard for me.  On Sunday I was made District Leader and there are 12 people in my district.  There are 6 choros and 6 shimais.  Shimai's are sisters and they are the best.  Seriously they know everything and they always feel the spirit.  The time I felt the spirit the most was on Sunday.  We were in sacrament and the branch next to us started to sing Nearer my God to thee.  The message was extremely powerful, about sacrifice and becoming truly converted to the Lord, rather than just having a testimony.  For the Sunday night fireside we sang, How Firm A Foundation.  We sang all 5 verses and it was so amazing.  I really felt the spirit during that song.  On Monday we taught our investigator another lesson.  She asked a lot of questions that I had no idea how to answer.  I just flipped through my notebooks and tried to find out how to answer it, but I had no idea how to do that in Japanese.  She asked what the gospel was, and it was so hard to answer.  We bore our testimony and tried our best to answer, but I have no idea what she felt of understood.  Today I saw Grandma Mecham in the Temple.  It was great to see her there.  We talked for about 30 seconds and then I had to go eat delicious food.  I want to write more, but there are about 800 people down in the laundry room waiting for this computer, and my companion is waiting for me.  Oh mom you wanted detail about "everything" well that "everything" is called special tahitian time.  That is when we know that somebody has to go to the bathroom.  Probably the funniest thing that has happened here so far.  I love you all so much. The church is true.  Thank you so much for the letters.  They mean a lot to me.  Jenalyn I love you so much.  You are such an amazing older sister. Heavenly Father is always there to help you out with anything you need.  I know that He answers our prayers and He loves us.  Happy Birthday Jenalyn you are so incredible.  "I'm never changing who I am." 
-Mecham Choro 

Elder Mecham entering in the provo MTC

The moment before he enters the MTC

There he is jumping for joy

We love our Elder

Families can be together forever

As close to Japan as you can get

Friends forever

Brothers

Goodbye Elder

Don't look back....

He didn't look back. He is going forward...