Wow!
What a week! IT's so weird the days blend into the weeks and the weeks blend into the rest of the mission! I normally keep notes on what I want to write about but this week just flew y and now its time to write and I haven't written anything down. But don't worry I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve.
First off, Friday was the was the ward christmas party. How I love the ward. I live in a big Spanish Ward and the Latino Ward Parties are just way different than than the normal ones back home and such. Sister Stephens and I actually ended up stopping by the English ward party the next night for some odd reason and we commented on how the two contrasted. The English ward was peaceful music with christmas lights and nice ettiquette dinner where everything is cleaned up and put away nicely by 10pm where the Spanish is Loud fun mexican christmas music, lots of decorations, dancing, authentic food and the party doesn't even start until an hour after the prearranged time of 7:30 and etc. Haha oh I love it and the ward members just love on me and sister Stephens. they are so good to us. We have 8 missionaries in our ward. Sister stephens and me, and then 6 other elders. Sista's I have the funniest story to tell you about the christmas party and the bishops daughter. You ahve to remind me. The elders made me promise I wouldn't tell it till I talked to the fam on christmas.
The other really cool Christmas even that took place last night was the Christmas Concert with Chad Hoopes and his 2 sisters. Chad Hoopes is a 16 year old violinist and his 2 sisters who study at Julliard. They are absolutely phenomenal. It was put together by the mission and was for all of those in the the mission boundary. It was so beautiful and had a really great Christmas message behind it. All three of them are members of the church and told how for them they expressed their testimonies through their talents god had given them through their music. They were super awesome and it was just mezmerizing to watch and listen. Plus it was fun for me to see some of the other missionaries that I flew into the mission with. It is so crazy to me to think I made it through my first transfer already and there is a new batch of greenies coming in on Tuesday.... weird. Sister Stephens could have gone home last weekend! Yet she didn't because she extended and now because of that she has got to train me and we will be staying this next transfer together as well. I told her she has to teach me all she knows and leave her legacy behind. I feel so lucky to have had her as my companion. I dont know what I'm going to do when she goes home in February! That will leave me as the trained greeny in the area and I will have to show my new companion the ropes of the area. Pray for Sister Stephens and I that we will thrive this last transfer together. That our hearts and desires will work together in unity to bring about the work of the Lord and see the miracles that are waiting for us this transfer. Pray that she will be filled with a new light and hope to finish the mission strong and that we will accomplish both our goals together. So many of our investigators are so close to baptism and the committment it takes to leave old habits behind and pick up a new life to start a new but it really takes a burning of the spirit and the desire. I pray for that every night.
Ana came to church this week again! Yeah for Ana! She really is so awesome! I can't wait! I really would like her to be baptized! Come on ana your almost there! "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" She is so close! We just need to get her moved out and living the law of chastity and then I think we will be prettty much good.
This is what I've kind of formulated in my head. I LOVE the latino people. They are so kind, usually humble, and so nice to always listen what you have to say. They listen and they love to learn and then they commit to and want to change to be better for almost anything. But what I DON"T like about the culture is USUALLY it is all talk and they RARELY follow through. Haha but I guess you have a little struggle with it that in every mission. People in New York just have no time to listen. They are always on the run. Running running running. Remember the song "BE Still my soul" it is a necessity in life people for receiving revelation. I'm telling you its essential. :)
We had a really neat experience this last week about acting on the spirit. My companion is super awesome about following the spirit. We had our night all planned out as usual yet my companion says, " I feel that we should go look up this former that is in the records" We had never met her yet we both agreed to head out on the far side of our area to go and find her. We got there and her son Antonio let us in to the building he went to go find his mom Rosa for us and we followed him to the door. He came back trying to tell us she was busy and about to head out when all of the sudden she decided to come to the door and she automatically said "Pasan, Pasan" which means come in. So that was a good sign. We ended up teaching her a beautiful lesson about the importance of the book of mormon. She talked about how she just loves to read and she will read the book. I felt the spirit so strong and we read with her a little bit. At this point in her life she is just so prepared and has been humbled. Is really concerned about her two boys and wants to know how to help them. She cares about her family. We talked about how the gospel blesses and strengthens families. How through god we can overcome all things. She really ate that up and we are going to go and visit her later this week I think. Pray that she has read and that her heart will be open to looking up more. Then after that we had a really great time going to teach Louis. We actually got a baptismal commit from him for the 16th of January. First lesson with him but his parents are members and were sitting in on the lesson with us. They are from Equador and were converted by the missionaries there a couple of years back. Oh man it would be awesome if we could get him prepared. What a good chrismtas gift for his family. He just works all the time! So we will pray things will work out there but. BUt the work is progressing and I have good experiences every day. Its the best. Very much an emotional rollercoaster which is weird but I 'm growing lots.
Talk to you this week! Love you all
Love hermana Lewis
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sup
FAM!
I hope your holiday season is just going awesome! I love you so much! Ah this week has been absolutely amazing!
Yeippee! We had 2 investigators come to church this week! Ana for the 2nd week in a row! And another answer to prayer we found her a room so she can separate from her novio in order to prepare for baptism! Better yet this room is with a member and it is the perfect set up for her to have the support system she needs once she becomes a member. Pray for her to have the strength to follow through on the promptings that she has received and remain strong in her decisions. These baptism candidates are super awesome but it is a continuous battle for them until they are actually out of the font. lol. So Ana is our Golden star for the week.
Adriano was our other investigator that FINALLY came to church. We have been wanting him to come for the past month and he finally said he would come. We were worried that he would blow us off because he wouldn't let us come get him but he said he would come by himself. And guess what, HE DID. He was awesome. I was so excited. There are a lot of things that he is struggling with in his personal life right now yet he also knows that the things we are teaching him are good and that there are a lot of things he "should" be doing. We taught him the law of Chastity last lesson and asked him to live it. He said he would talk to Sandra his girlfriend. He knows it would be better for their 2 boys but isn't sure how Sandra is going to react. Pray that her heart is softened and that she too will be able to be excited and enthused about the great blessings that come from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Experience #1 that I just loved for this week. Sister Nelson (mission prez's wife) will often go out with the sister missionaries to help with the work. She is awesome. I spent some time with her when I flew into the mission home but have not spent much time with her since then. She scheduled a time to go out with me and Sister Stephens a couple of weeks ago when we had zone conference. We met her at the office. All the missionaries that are leaving to go home at the end of the transfer were having their departing interviews. So Sister Nelson was a temporary companion to Sister Ball who was waiting in the office to go home. It ended up that Sister Ball and Sister Nelson both came with us to our appointment with Altagracia and Tairis. They are the cute little family we have been teaching from the Dominican Republic. As we were walking over we came up with the grand idea to do splits since Sister Ball had unexpectedly been able to come with us and we and 4 people instead of 3. We had another former investigator we had wanted to look up. So guess what that meant.... I got to go teach Altagracia and Tairis with Sister Nelson while the other two sisters went to look up our former estella. BAH!!! Wha?! I had no prep time and I have never taught a lesson by myself in Spanish. Was this possible? I wasn't sure but I knew that it would go one way or the other and you just press forward in the work. It turned out to be one of the best experiences I've had yet. We got there and Tairis (13 year old girl) was asleep. Altagracia is the mom and she graciously invited us into her home. She doesn't speak any English. So we taught her some English in the beginning and then we taught her the lesson afterwards. It was so good!!!! I so felt the spirit of the Lord working through me. Sister Nelson was awesome as well. She served her mission in Chile back in the day and so she knows quite a bit of Spanish as well. I felt so blessed by the hand of the Lord. Sister Nelson and I extended a baptismal commitment. Altagracia doesn't feel ready but she is thinking it is a definite possibility. We taught her the rest of the plan of Salvation and the Kingdoms of Glory. When I walked out of that lesson, I finally knew why it was so rewarding to be a missionary. I knew why people said they loved their mission. I finally understood what my purpose is in NY. It was awesome and I just felt like nothing was going to hold me down!! Boohya! Sister Nelson and I had a really nice talk on the way back and she really built me up. I appreciated her and the words of support she gave. She just told me how impressed she was with the lesson and she couldn't believe I've only been here a month and could understand Altagracia as much as I did. She pointed out it doesn't take perfect Spanish to teach with the spirit and help people understand the gospel. That God will always make up the difference where we fall short as long as we are preparing and doing our best. She is awesome. I really appreciate her and all that she does. It was exactly the growing experience I needed and its given me a lot of hope for the future.
The lord is aware of each of us. I know we are his children and God loves each of us very much. It's so wonderful how God just works miracles in our lives. Our greatest happiness come by living those commandments God has given us to help us receive certain blessings. God promises us those blessings if we are willing to live those commandments. It's a very simple equation yet so many of us are unhappy or think things could be a different way if only this one thing were different.... no we have the opportunity to choose happiness. Happiness come through faith, charity, selflessness, love, and service of your fellow men with an eye single to the glory of God. Forget yourself and go to work. That's what I've been told; that's what I get to do. I love you so much and wish the spirit of Christmas, the presence of our lord and redeemer, to be with you the whole year through and more.
Love, Hermana Lewis.
P.S. mom, I agree with you. A.J. emails rock! I love reading them. Tell Boonseon and fam I said hello. Seems Elder Gudmundsen is rocking Thailand! Good for him! They need more missionaries like him in the world. God Bless :)
I hope your holiday season is just going awesome! I love you so much! Ah this week has been absolutely amazing!
Yeippee! We had 2 investigators come to church this week! Ana for the 2nd week in a row! And another answer to prayer we found her a room so she can separate from her novio in order to prepare for baptism! Better yet this room is with a member and it is the perfect set up for her to have the support system she needs once she becomes a member. Pray for her to have the strength to follow through on the promptings that she has received and remain strong in her decisions. These baptism candidates are super awesome but it is a continuous battle for them until they are actually out of the font. lol. So Ana is our Golden star for the week.
Adriano was our other investigator that FINALLY came to church. We have been wanting him to come for the past month and he finally said he would come. We were worried that he would blow us off because he wouldn't let us come get him but he said he would come by himself. And guess what, HE DID. He was awesome. I was so excited. There are a lot of things that he is struggling with in his personal life right now yet he also knows that the things we are teaching him are good and that there are a lot of things he "should" be doing. We taught him the law of Chastity last lesson and asked him to live it. He said he would talk to Sandra his girlfriend. He knows it would be better for their 2 boys but isn't sure how Sandra is going to react. Pray that her heart is softened and that she too will be able to be excited and enthused about the great blessings that come from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Experience #1 that I just loved for this week. Sister Nelson (mission prez's wife) will often go out with the sister missionaries to help with the work. She is awesome. I spent some time with her when I flew into the mission home but have not spent much time with her since then. She scheduled a time to go out with me and Sister Stephens a couple of weeks ago when we had zone conference. We met her at the office. All the missionaries that are leaving to go home at the end of the transfer were having their departing interviews. So Sister Nelson was a temporary companion to Sister Ball who was waiting in the office to go home. It ended up that Sister Ball and Sister Nelson both came with us to our appointment with Altagracia and Tairis. They are the cute little family we have been teaching from the Dominican Republic. As we were walking over we came up with the grand idea to do splits since Sister Ball had unexpectedly been able to come with us and we and 4 people instead of 3. We had another former investigator we had wanted to look up. So guess what that meant.... I got to go teach Altagracia and Tairis with Sister Nelson while the other two sisters went to look up our former estella. BAH!!! Wha?! I had no prep time and I have never taught a lesson by myself in Spanish. Was this possible? I wasn't sure but I knew that it would go one way or the other and you just press forward in the work. It turned out to be one of the best experiences I've had yet. We got there and Tairis (13 year old girl) was asleep. Altagracia is the mom and she graciously invited us into her home. She doesn't speak any English. So we taught her some English in the beginning and then we taught her the lesson afterwards. It was so good!!!! I so felt the spirit of the Lord working through me. Sister Nelson was awesome as well. She served her mission in Chile back in the day and so she knows quite a bit of Spanish as well. I felt so blessed by the hand of the Lord. Sister Nelson and I extended a baptismal commitment. Altagracia doesn't feel ready but she is thinking it is a definite possibility. We taught her the rest of the plan of Salvation and the Kingdoms of Glory. When I walked out of that lesson, I finally knew why it was so rewarding to be a missionary. I knew why people said they loved their mission. I finally understood what my purpose is in NY. It was awesome and I just felt like nothing was going to hold me down!! Boohya! Sister Nelson and I had a really nice talk on the way back and she really built me up. I appreciated her and the words of support she gave. She just told me how impressed she was with the lesson and she couldn't believe I've only been here a month and could understand Altagracia as much as I did. She pointed out it doesn't take perfect Spanish to teach with the spirit and help people understand the gospel. That God will always make up the difference where we fall short as long as we are preparing and doing our best. She is awesome. I really appreciate her and all that she does. It was exactly the growing experience I needed and its given me a lot of hope for the future.
The lord is aware of each of us. I know we are his children and God loves each of us very much. It's so wonderful how God just works miracles in our lives. Our greatest happiness come by living those commandments God has given us to help us receive certain blessings. God promises us those blessings if we are willing to live those commandments. It's a very simple equation yet so many of us are unhappy or think things could be a different way if only this one thing were different.... no we have the opportunity to choose happiness. Happiness come through faith, charity, selflessness, love, and service of your fellow men with an eye single to the glory of God. Forget yourself and go to work. That's what I've been told; that's what I get to do. I love you so much and wish the spirit of Christmas, the presence of our lord and redeemer, to be with you the whole year through and more.
Love, Hermana Lewis.
P.S. mom, I agree with you. A.J. emails rock! I love reading them. Tell Boonseon and fam I said hello. Seems Elder Gudmundsen is rocking Thailand! Good for him! They need more missionaries like him in the world. God Bless :)
Monday, December 6, 2010
So I am in Queens not Brooklyn
From: Krisina Lewis [krisina.lewis@myldsmail.net]
Sent: 12/6/2010 8:23:01 AM
To: Janette Lewis [mjjklewis@mstarmetro.net]
Subject: Feliz Navidad!
Dearest Family!
How are you!???? It's so good to hear from you. Love you all much! Happy December! It has changed from colorful fall to blizzardly winter almost over night. It's snowing today and I am LOVING my coat mom. It is the bomb.com! Seriously in all honesty I love it much. Thanks so much!
Okay, so first and foremost I need to make a little correction. Mom, you wrote me a letter and said " My Krisina, in Brooklyn!" I was thinking to myself, "I'm not in Brooklyn" so I looked through my emails and found that the first week I told you I was in Brooklyn. Bahhaha. I think I was a little delusional when I wrote that first email lol. In reality, I am located smack in the middle of Queens! (NOT Brooklyn) lol. But my area in Queens is called Rego Park. The reason I haven't given you another address is because I go into the mission office for mail a couple of times a week. The mission office is in my area and it's been really fun to get to know all the couple missionaries that work in the office. I see the President and his wife often. So it's really the fastest address to send mail to because I pick it straight up from there. So yes I've rectified the problem. I am located in Queens in a dense area of Latinos which is awesome.
Oh there are so many great things going on right now. We had some really great lessons this week. One of our investigators came to church this week! Yeah! Ana Ramirez is our shining star. She is really trying to make some really great changes in her life. That is one thing about the gospel that I just love. When people have a sincere belief and testimony of Jesus Christ it gives them the faith to follow throught on those promptings that they have. The biggest thing that we have been working on is trying to get her married or separated from her novio (bf). When the law of chastity was presented she was not down for the whole idea but when we went back she told us she is looking for another room. She feels the spirit when we come and she feels that we are helping her. There are always other issues that we have to work through such as money, but the point is that the desire is there and she is willing. She came to church and is planning to continue to come. She really is awesome. I love it.
We had zone conference this last week. It was really awesome. We are getting ready to start the new year. We are looking for themes and things that we want to accomplish. This last year the mission theme "was the year for miracles". The mission has had just over 500 baptisms this year. This is the most since 2002 and we continue to press forward in finding and preparing those who are to come unto Christ through baptism. We had a mission fast yesterday and it was really great. We had a fireside last night and I was asked to share some thoughts in order to start off our discussion. I studied in the BOM about Moroni and the title of liberty.The title of liberty stood for truth, righteousness, and protecting the freedoms of their families, their wives, and children. They were able to save the kingdom from evil because they united and put their trust in God by obeying and pressing forward in Christ. As missionaries, we strive to obey, serve, and love. We will have the Lord's power as long as we do those things he has asked us to do. To go forth with a united purpose and love.
Merry Christmas Family! I'm thinking of you and I appreciate all your love and concern and prayers. They mean the world.
Love Hermana Lewis
Sent: 12/6/2010 8:23:01 AM
To: Janette Lewis [mjjklewis@mstarmetro.net]
Subject: Feliz Navidad!
Dearest Family!
How are you!???? It's so good to hear from you. Love you all much! Happy December! It has changed from colorful fall to blizzardly winter almost over night. It's snowing today and I am LOVING my coat mom. It is the bomb.com! Seriously in all honesty I love it much. Thanks so much!
Okay, so first and foremost I need to make a little correction. Mom, you wrote me a letter and said " My Krisina, in Brooklyn!" I was thinking to myself, "I'm not in Brooklyn" so I looked through my emails and found that the first week I told you I was in Brooklyn. Bahhaha. I think I was a little delusional when I wrote that first email lol. In reality, I am located smack in the middle of Queens! (NOT Brooklyn) lol. But my area in Queens is called Rego Park. The reason I haven't given you another address is because I go into the mission office for mail a couple of times a week. The mission office is in my area and it's been really fun to get to know all the couple missionaries that work in the office. I see the President and his wife often. So it's really the fastest address to send mail to because I pick it straight up from there. So yes I've rectified the problem. I am located in Queens in a dense area of Latinos which is awesome.
Oh there are so many great things going on right now. We had some really great lessons this week. One of our investigators came to church this week! Yeah! Ana Ramirez is our shining star. She is really trying to make some really great changes in her life. That is one thing about the gospel that I just love. When people have a sincere belief and testimony of Jesus Christ it gives them the faith to follow throught on those promptings that they have. The biggest thing that we have been working on is trying to get her married or separated from her novio (bf). When the law of chastity was presented she was not down for the whole idea but when we went back she told us she is looking for another room. She feels the spirit when we come and she feels that we are helping her. There are always other issues that we have to work through such as money, but the point is that the desire is there and she is willing. She came to church and is planning to continue to come. She really is awesome. I love it.
We had zone conference this last week. It was really awesome. We are getting ready to start the new year. We are looking for themes and things that we want to accomplish. This last year the mission theme "was the year for miracles". The mission has had just over 500 baptisms this year. This is the most since 2002 and we continue to press forward in finding and preparing those who are to come unto Christ through baptism. We had a mission fast yesterday and it was really great. We had a fireside last night and I was asked to share some thoughts in order to start off our discussion. I studied in the BOM about Moroni and the title of liberty.The title of liberty stood for truth, righteousness, and protecting the freedoms of their families, their wives, and children. They were able to save the kingdom from evil because they united and put their trust in God by obeying and pressing forward in Christ. As missionaries, we strive to obey, serve, and love. We will have the Lord's power as long as we do those things he has asked us to do. To go forth with a united purpose and love.
Merry Christmas Family! I'm thinking of you and I appreciate all your love and concern and prayers. They mean the world.
Love Hermana Lewis
Monday, November 29, 2010
After Thanksgiving Gratitude
Querida Familia!
I love hearing from you. It lifts my heart higher than you could imagine and even though I've been gone from home for several years the mission has deepened my understanding of the importance of the family unit. It is so hard to be grateful for things that you have always taken for granted. I know I still enjoy many of those wonderful blessings each day and take them for granted. I meet so many people every day from all over the world. God has blessed me so dearly with a wonderful family of love and security. Taught me how to be self sufficient and lift, love, and encourage others.
Mom! You freakin rock! That's all I have to say. All those things I was asking for were alreadycoming . Your package got there later that day and I didn't have to remind you about any of them. Thank you so much. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my coat thank you. It's absolutely perfect and its so warm! Do you want to hear something sweet? The weather here has been really nice. I've barely needed my jacket at all. But no joke, the day my coat got in, the very next day it turned to winter and I've been grateful that I've had it every single day. Thanks for paying my credit bill. My bags actually weren't over at all. I gave all my extra weight to Elder Lewis because his bags were light. I just had to pay for my baggage in general and then they reimbursed me on my mission card. Then I had to get some groceries when I first got in and I didn't have my mission card yet so it worked out perfect. I got my new one activated that you sent etc. Thanks. Oh and you should have seen our faces mom as we opened the package and found all those Christmas gifts in the bottom. We have had so much fun finding all of the gifts to open throughout the season. Sister Stephens says thank you so much! Symbria I know you helped mom a lot! Thanks for the advent calendars! We love them! We made our little craft the other morning and we will send you a picture later in the season. It's so cute. We also have a little pine tree that we had in our pad earlier so we put all the gifts under the tree. Our little pad is so cute. I lucked out. In the mission it's called the "celestial pad". We don't have any roach or bug problems like some of the others which is awesome. I guess I'll deal with that as it comes. lol. What do you all want for Christmas from big old NY? What can I send home for you?
I had another really bitter sweet experience earlier this week that has helped me think alot about life and why things happen in life. We've been working with a less active part member family the Viterri's. Mario (the father) is less active and he lives with his wife daughter and a few grandkids. We went over just last week to teach and share a message and invite him back to church. They had a new arrival in the home. The daughter and her husband had just had their new baby girl that was barely 2 weeks old. It was their second child. Both girls are just beautiful. The other little girl is about 2 years old. The newborn girl was born a few weeks premature but was doing well and they just were adoring the new member of their family. Yet Friday we got a call from Mario telling us that the newborn had passed away and they would like our presence at the funeral. It was really tradgic for the mom. They don't know what happened. The autopsy and such didn't tell them anything. Of course we went. It was very different than any other funeral I've been too. The rest of the family is catholic and they did it according to that fashion. The mom was in such pain, I've never seen that type of pain on someone's face before. I've never been to an infant funeral before but it was so sad. It's sparked her attention to a bunch of different questions though. She's heard things that we can see people again, even after death. That God has not only given us families for this life but for the life to come. She wants to know more, how is it possible. So we have scheduled an appointment with them and we are going over later this evening to teach them about the plan of salvation. We are going to teach her about life after death and the knowledge that we can be with the members of our family again. God has prepared this plan for us and he's ordained families. The family unit is important and is to be forever. As missionaries, We sang a few hymns for her and I hope it provided some sort of comfort for her in her time of sorrow. I know that hard things happen in this life but everything happens for a reason. God has a timetable that we are not aware of but that we will understand some day. God loves us and he will not leave us in our hard times.
How was thanksgiving?! Lots of good food? Did you have pumpkin upside down pie? Jenna I bet you rocked those pies. I had a big thanksgiving dinner with the ward earlier in the week. It was my first official Latino festivity. It's so fun to get the mixed cultures here. It cracks me up but I love every moment of it. They have loud mexican music, dancing, traditional and Latino food. I'm eatin all sorts of good stuff here. Yet My Thanksgiving day turned out perfect as well. It was quite different than I expected. Initially my companion and I had a fun day planned with a few appointments in the morning and a few Dinner Appointments with member families in the evening. Yet Wednesday my companion was hit with El Gripe (the flu) and wasn't keeping anything down. She was really bummed about the timing and so she went to sleep about 4pm on Wednesday and did not resurrect until 8pm Thursday evening. I think half the mission called while she was out. President Nelson called to check up on her a couple of times and the A.P's would make runs to the store to buy Zero Sprite and Saltines for her. Yet she did survive and we are out and about again. At first it seemed like a bummer deal but I quite enjoyed my Thanksgiving. It seems as if time is something that doesn't really exist on the mission and I was able to step back and really focus and center myself on the things I'm truly grateful for in my life. I cleaned our whole apartment and decorated for Christmas. I was able to sit down in the evening turn on the christmas tree, christmas lights, lit the gingerbread candle, ate a polmagranite while I read of Christs life, wrote in my journal of all my blessings and the cool things that are happening in the mission. I felt the spirit and the love of my heavenly father. It was the perfect way to start out the holidays. I love you family. Jael sounds like you where amazing at the Ballroom concert. You are amazing. Some guy is going to be extremely lucky to have you. Keep up the good work. Mom I'm glad you and grandma are back safe from China. Sounds like you had an amazing experience. I believe God will bless you with the wonderful desires of your heart to serve there. Times are coming and the work is pressing forward. May God bless you and may you feel an abundant portion of his spirit all throught this holiday season.
Love,
Hermana Lewis
I love hearing from you. It lifts my heart higher than you could imagine and even though I've been gone from home for several years the mission has deepened my understanding of the importance of the family unit. It is so hard to be grateful for things that you have always taken for granted. I know I still enjoy many of those wonderful blessings each day and take them for granted. I meet so many people every day from all over the world. God has blessed me so dearly with a wonderful family of love and security. Taught me how to be self sufficient and lift, love, and encourage others.
Mom! You freakin rock! That's all I have to say. All those things I was asking for were alreadycoming . Your package got there later that day and I didn't have to remind you about any of them. Thank you so much. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my coat thank you. It's absolutely perfect and its so warm! Do you want to hear something sweet? The weather here has been really nice. I've barely needed my jacket at all. But no joke, the day my coat got in, the very next day it turned to winter and I've been grateful that I've had it every single day. Thanks for paying my credit bill. My bags actually weren't over at all. I gave all my extra weight to Elder Lewis because his bags were light. I just had to pay for my baggage in general and then they reimbursed me on my mission card. Then I had to get some groceries when I first got in and I didn't have my mission card yet so it worked out perfect. I got my new one activated that you sent etc. Thanks. Oh and you should have seen our faces mom as we opened the package and found all those Christmas gifts in the bottom. We have had so much fun finding all of the gifts to open throughout the season. Sister Stephens says thank you so much! Symbria I know you helped mom a lot! Thanks for the advent calendars! We love them! We made our little craft the other morning and we will send you a picture later in the season. It's so cute. We also have a little pine tree that we had in our pad earlier so we put all the gifts under the tree. Our little pad is so cute. I lucked out. In the mission it's called the "celestial pad". We don't have any roach or bug problems like some of the others which is awesome. I guess I'll deal with that as it comes. lol. What do you all want for Christmas from big old NY? What can I send home for you?
I had another really bitter sweet experience earlier this week that has helped me think alot about life and why things happen in life. We've been working with a less active part member family the Viterri's. Mario (the father) is less active and he lives with his wife daughter and a few grandkids. We went over just last week to teach and share a message and invite him back to church. They had a new arrival in the home. The daughter and her husband had just had their new baby girl that was barely 2 weeks old. It was their second child. Both girls are just beautiful. The other little girl is about 2 years old. The newborn girl was born a few weeks premature but was doing well and they just were adoring the new member of their family. Yet Friday we got a call from Mario telling us that the newborn had passed away and they would like our presence at the funeral. It was really tradgic for the mom. They don't know what happened. The autopsy and such didn't tell them anything. Of course we went. It was very different than any other funeral I've been too. The rest of the family is catholic and they did it according to that fashion. The mom was in such pain, I've never seen that type of pain on someone's face before. I've never been to an infant funeral before but it was so sad. It's sparked her attention to a bunch of different questions though. She's heard things that we can see people again, even after death. That God has not only given us families for this life but for the life to come. She wants to know more, how is it possible. So we have scheduled an appointment with them and we are going over later this evening to teach them about the plan of salvation. We are going to teach her about life after death and the knowledge that we can be with the members of our family again. God has prepared this plan for us and he's ordained families. The family unit is important and is to be forever. As missionaries, We sang a few hymns for her and I hope it provided some sort of comfort for her in her time of sorrow. I know that hard things happen in this life but everything happens for a reason. God has a timetable that we are not aware of but that we will understand some day. God loves us and he will not leave us in our hard times.
How was thanksgiving?! Lots of good food? Did you have pumpkin upside down pie? Jenna I bet you rocked those pies. I had a big thanksgiving dinner with the ward earlier in the week. It was my first official Latino festivity. It's so fun to get the mixed cultures here. It cracks me up but I love every moment of it. They have loud mexican music, dancing, traditional and Latino food. I'm eatin all sorts of good stuff here. Yet My Thanksgiving day turned out perfect as well. It was quite different than I expected. Initially my companion and I had a fun day planned with a few appointments in the morning and a few Dinner Appointments with member families in the evening. Yet Wednesday my companion was hit with El Gripe (the flu) and wasn't keeping anything down. She was really bummed about the timing and so she went to sleep about 4pm on Wednesday and did not resurrect until 8pm Thursday evening. I think half the mission called while she was out. President Nelson called to check up on her a couple of times and the A.P's would make runs to the store to buy Zero Sprite and Saltines for her. Yet she did survive and we are out and about again. At first it seemed like a bummer deal but I quite enjoyed my Thanksgiving. It seems as if time is something that doesn't really exist on the mission and I was able to step back and really focus and center myself on the things I'm truly grateful for in my life. I cleaned our whole apartment and decorated for Christmas. I was able to sit down in the evening turn on the christmas tree, christmas lights, lit the gingerbread candle, ate a polmagranite while I read of Christs life, wrote in my journal of all my blessings and the cool things that are happening in the mission. I felt the spirit and the love of my heavenly father. It was the perfect way to start out the holidays. I love you family. Jael sounds like you where amazing at the Ballroom concert. You are amazing. Some guy is going to be extremely lucky to have you. Keep up the good work. Mom I'm glad you and grandma are back safe from China. Sounds like you had an amazing experience. I believe God will bless you with the wonderful desires of your heart to serve there. Times are coming and the work is pressing forward. May God bless you and may you feel an abundant portion of his spirit all throught this holiday season.
Love,
Hermana Lewis
Monday, November 22, 2010
New York South is the bomb.com
Querida Madre y familia!
Como les va? Sorry the past emails have not been enough flavor of what has really been going on. Time is such a funny thing out here in the mission and finding a computer is a trick. How to even describe my experiences in New York and the mission in general is just something else. It's impossible to explain in a few sentences. All I can say is that New York is completely opposite of my cozy little home in murray and I am making adjustments in order to adapt. Its such a good growing experience and its stretching me to my true potential. New York has so many different types of people here.
Mom, thanks for your letters. Thanks for the forwards from A.J., Rissa, & Jaci. Their letters and the way I relate to their stories mean a lot to me. They are amazing people.They are always inspiring and I love reading each one of them. I just barely got that dear elder you sent me before I left. One of the sisters in the MTC left the day after me and she picked it up and mailed it to me which I thought was sweet of her. Once again please know that I loved all those thoughtful packages you sent to the MTC as well. A couple of nights before my district and I left the MTC we had a little farewell night. We used the sparkling cider and pumpkin bread to toast to the upcoming mission and the good things we hoped to accomplish through the Lord for the next 16 months. It was really fun so thank you for your thoughtful gifts. It always makes me feel loved and adored.
Yes mom, I will try to keep a list of the questions that I receive from you in my mail and emails from now on and answer them. I've been trying to do that since I got that letter but just remind me if I don't get back to you right away. If you send me mail it usually takes about a week for it to reach the mission home so keep that in mind. I also have a little more time than I did at the MTC to write email so if you want to shoot me a quick email monday mornings before I write I can answer any questions you have for me there. Its hard communicating through mail all the time. lol. Yet I'll be talking to you in a few weeks for Christmas though so don't worry about it too much. :)
Mother I have a favor to ask you. When I checked my bags at the airport and bought groceries my first week I used my visa. Would you be willing to check my card and pay that off for me asap?! You would be my favorite mother in the whole wide world forever and always. And that card expires at the end of the month and I'm not sure if they send me a new one or what. I don't need it necessarily but I just want to make sure it gets put someplace safe. So look into that new card that should be coming or if you forwarded it here. Just let me know.
You asked me what I want for Christmas? I have no idea madre. Your support for the mission and the letters mean more than you know. You've given me the greatest gift I could ever want right now. I'm so thankful. I mean there are practical things I could use for the mission yet I feel like by the time you have to send it, it would be cheaper for me to just buy it here. I'm good with what I have honestly. However, have you sent my coat yet? :) I'm not quite sure how much longer the weather is going to hold out here and my winter accessories are limited. My liner to my coat would be delightful, earlier that later desirably. I would like letters and pictures from the family for Christmas. If there is any healthy recipes you would like to send, or healthy food... I would be spoiled rotten by that type of stuff. I miss your home cookin ma! Even thought I have all the time in the world in the mish, there is no time at all. It is the weirdest theory. Oh and I would like some recent pictures of Paisley, fam, etc. What fun things are you all doing while I'm gone. Send me pics of SunValley etc! You should ask callie if she has a 4x6 or wallet size that she could send of Paisley for Christmas. Oh I bet she is growing up so fast! Aunt Cheryl sent me a really fun Thanksgiving card and told me about life. She always sends me the funniest cards. I love them and I'm grateful for such good family. It's so fun to hear what a proud g-ma she is. I love it.
My first weekend I was able to attend two baptisms that took place in my district. Franklin is from the Dominican Republic. He has family that are members and he has been coming with his cousin to our ward. He was supposed to travel to the DR but decided out of no where he really felt strongly he needed to get baptized. So the Elders taught him EVERYTHING in a week.They were really busy with him and getting him prepared for the step he wanted to take. Yet he had been coming to church for a couple of months and had this sudden prompting that he needed to do it so he acted. Crazy no? And he is solid and has this burning desire to feast on the word of God. It is the perfect example of how God has prepared people and we simply are the instruments to help them learn and obtain covenants to make with God. Francisco is from Equador. he also was one of those miracle baptisms that seems to appear. He was baptized and its just so great to see people changing their lives for good as they obtain this faith in God. I feel the spirit so strong everyday when we have the opportunity to teach and be instruments for good. Its a great feeling.
Yesterday was the primary program in the ward. I love church. We had a couple of really hard days this past week with people juking our appointments and increasing our pool to a point that we would like etc. Yet when I go to church my spirits are lifted and the ward members love me despite the fact that I struggle with the language and I don't necessarily understand everything that is going on etc. The primary children always warm the soul and it was good for me because I could understand the simple truths they were teaching in their speaking parts etc. We had a legit potential investigator show up at church yesterday that wanted to experience the church and what it was all about. She just "happened" to be in Sister Stephens and my area so we arranged to visit with her later this week. I'm hoping something good will come from that.
Last night we had some appointments fall through and so as a backup plan we decided to visit one of our investigators unannounced. Adriano is from Ecuador I believe. He practiced a Christian religion with some other prophet when he lived there. He has a hard time with the prophet Joseph Smith yet he loves the Book of Mormon. We've been giving him some space lately just because he hasn't been following through on his committments as well as we would like etc. Yet we felt we needed to visit last night. It was such an answer to our prayers. Adriano was home and the lesson and the things we talked about were beautiful. I was really blessed in that I understood the conversation and the words that my companion taught. I was able to bear testimony when my companion looked over to me. Basically what it comes down to is "Is the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints true or not?" At the end of our lesson we knelt in prayer with Adriano where he gave a beautiful and sincere prayer. I felt it. Sister Stephens felt it. I know he felt it. What a wonderful God in heaven we have. He works in many mysterious ways yet his timing is always the right timing.
There are so many good things, people, and places out there. They lead us to do good things and even bring us closer to God. Yet why would you ever just want part of the reward instead of all of when it so freely accessible. By living the gospel of Jesus Christ we are able to truely feel all the blessing that God intends for us. By following Jesus Christ and changing our lives we experience those blessings of happiness we've always wanted but didn't know could be so sure. God does care about us as his children and we have the gospel of Jesus Christ as the rod that ensures that we experience those good things that God intends for us. A home built upon the principles of the gospel is a place of love, security, and learning. We raise a righteous generation that is successful, competent, prosperous. I can add my testimony that I have never lived a principle of the gospel and ever regretted it. I know that God lives. I know that he has purpose and expectations for each one of us. If we truely want certain blessings of family, love, and purpose we can find it by following our faith in Jesus Christ and obeying the laws of obedience he has set for us.
I love you all with all my heart. Your in my prayers and know that you are my love and inspiration.
Con Amor,
Hermana Lewis
Como les va? Sorry the past emails have not been enough flavor of what has really been going on. Time is such a funny thing out here in the mission and finding a computer is a trick. How to even describe my experiences in New York and the mission in general is just something else. It's impossible to explain in a few sentences. All I can say is that New York is completely opposite of my cozy little home in murray and I am making adjustments in order to adapt. Its such a good growing experience and its stretching me to my true potential. New York has so many different types of people here.
Mom, thanks for your letters. Thanks for the forwards from A.J., Rissa, & Jaci. Their letters and the way I relate to their stories mean a lot to me. They are amazing people.They are always inspiring and I love reading each one of them. I just barely got that dear elder you sent me before I left. One of the sisters in the MTC left the day after me and she picked it up and mailed it to me which I thought was sweet of her. Once again please know that I loved all those thoughtful packages you sent to the MTC as well. A couple of nights before my district and I left the MTC we had a little farewell night. We used the sparkling cider and pumpkin bread to toast to the upcoming mission and the good things we hoped to accomplish through the Lord for the next 16 months. It was really fun so thank you for your thoughtful gifts. It always makes me feel loved and adored.
Yes mom, I will try to keep a list of the questions that I receive from you in my mail and emails from now on and answer them. I've been trying to do that since I got that letter but just remind me if I don't get back to you right away. If you send me mail it usually takes about a week for it to reach the mission home so keep that in mind. I also have a little more time than I did at the MTC to write email so if you want to shoot me a quick email monday mornings before I write I can answer any questions you have for me there. Its hard communicating through mail all the time. lol. Yet I'll be talking to you in a few weeks for Christmas though so don't worry about it too much. :)
Mother I have a favor to ask you. When I checked my bags at the airport and bought groceries my first week I used my visa. Would you be willing to check my card and pay that off for me asap?! You would be my favorite mother in the whole wide world forever and always. And that card expires at the end of the month and I'm not sure if they send me a new one or what. I don't need it necessarily but I just want to make sure it gets put someplace safe. So look into that new card that should be coming or if you forwarded it here. Just let me know.
You asked me what I want for Christmas? I have no idea madre. Your support for the mission and the letters mean more than you know. You've given me the greatest gift I could ever want right now. I'm so thankful. I mean there are practical things I could use for the mission yet I feel like by the time you have to send it, it would be cheaper for me to just buy it here. I'm good with what I have honestly. However, have you sent my coat yet? :) I'm not quite sure how much longer the weather is going to hold out here and my winter accessories are limited. My liner to my coat would be delightful, earlier that later desirably. I would like letters and pictures from the family for Christmas. If there is any healthy recipes you would like to send, or healthy food... I would be spoiled rotten by that type of stuff. I miss your home cookin ma! Even thought I have all the time in the world in the mish, there is no time at all. It is the weirdest theory. Oh and I would like some recent pictures of Paisley, fam, etc. What fun things are you all doing while I'm gone. Send me pics of SunValley etc! You should ask callie if she has a 4x6 or wallet size that she could send of Paisley for Christmas. Oh I bet she is growing up so fast! Aunt Cheryl sent me a really fun Thanksgiving card and told me about life. She always sends me the funniest cards. I love them and I'm grateful for such good family. It's so fun to hear what a proud g-ma she is. I love it.
My first weekend I was able to attend two baptisms that took place in my district. Franklin is from the Dominican Republic. He has family that are members and he has been coming with his cousin to our ward. He was supposed to travel to the DR but decided out of no where he really felt strongly he needed to get baptized. So the Elders taught him EVERYTHING in a week.They were really busy with him and getting him prepared for the step he wanted to take. Yet he had been coming to church for a couple of months and had this sudden prompting that he needed to do it so he acted. Crazy no? And he is solid and has this burning desire to feast on the word of God. It is the perfect example of how God has prepared people and we simply are the instruments to help them learn and obtain covenants to make with God. Francisco is from Equador. he also was one of those miracle baptisms that seems to appear. He was baptized and its just so great to see people changing their lives for good as they obtain this faith in God. I feel the spirit so strong everyday when we have the opportunity to teach and be instruments for good. Its a great feeling.
Yesterday was the primary program in the ward. I love church. We had a couple of really hard days this past week with people juking our appointments and increasing our pool to a point that we would like etc. Yet when I go to church my spirits are lifted and the ward members love me despite the fact that I struggle with the language and I don't necessarily understand everything that is going on etc. The primary children always warm the soul and it was good for me because I could understand the simple truths they were teaching in their speaking parts etc. We had a legit potential investigator show up at church yesterday that wanted to experience the church and what it was all about. She just "happened" to be in Sister Stephens and my area so we arranged to visit with her later this week. I'm hoping something good will come from that.
Last night we had some appointments fall through and so as a backup plan we decided to visit one of our investigators unannounced. Adriano is from Ecuador I believe. He practiced a Christian religion with some other prophet when he lived there. He has a hard time with the prophet Joseph Smith yet he loves the Book of Mormon. We've been giving him some space lately just because he hasn't been following through on his committments as well as we would like etc. Yet we felt we needed to visit last night. It was such an answer to our prayers. Adriano was home and the lesson and the things we talked about were beautiful. I was really blessed in that I understood the conversation and the words that my companion taught. I was able to bear testimony when my companion looked over to me. Basically what it comes down to is "Is the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints true or not?" At the end of our lesson we knelt in prayer with Adriano where he gave a beautiful and sincere prayer. I felt it. Sister Stephens felt it. I know he felt it. What a wonderful God in heaven we have. He works in many mysterious ways yet his timing is always the right timing.
There are so many good things, people, and places out there. They lead us to do good things and even bring us closer to God. Yet why would you ever just want part of the reward instead of all of when it so freely accessible. By living the gospel of Jesus Christ we are able to truely feel all the blessing that God intends for us. By following Jesus Christ and changing our lives we experience those blessings of happiness we've always wanted but didn't know could be so sure. God does care about us as his children and we have the gospel of Jesus Christ as the rod that ensures that we experience those good things that God intends for us. A home built upon the principles of the gospel is a place of love, security, and learning. We raise a righteous generation that is successful, competent, prosperous. I can add my testimony that I have never lived a principle of the gospel and ever regretted it. I know that God lives. I know that he has purpose and expectations for each one of us. If we truely want certain blessings of family, love, and purpose we can find it by following our faith in Jesus Christ and obeying the laws of obedience he has set for us.
I love you all with all my heart. Your in my prayers and know that you are my love and inspiration.
Con Amor,
Hermana Lewis
I have arrived. Rego Park Brooklyn NYC
How I love New York! I'm in an area of Brooklyn called Rego Park. It is amazing! I went to the Spanish ward for the first time yesterday. It's an all Spanish ward which is awesome! So much diversity in New York; it is nuts! My area is very heavily populated by Spanish speakers. It is very rare I walk down the street of New York and hear English. When I do hear English I barely recognize it as English. There are so many types of people here. Lots of languages and lots of people from all over the world. A good part of the ward is from columbia, mexico, and ecuador. The ward takes really great care of us. I've been getting to know many of them from the dinner appointments and such. I've eaten so many types of new food this week. It is so good! Food from Columbia, Mexico, Bolivia.... etc etc etc. I was able to understand some of the church meeting but by the end of church my head was swimming. El obispo called me up to the stand to introduce myself and bear my testimony in spanish in front of the ward. It was a good experience.
My trainer is AMAZING! I love her. We live in a place just outside of our area with a couple of English sisters. They tease me that I'm a mini Hermana Stephens. We have many similar interests etc. My trainer is from Kansas. She had appointments scheduled for us from day one. My first day in the feild we had three appointments. We are teaching this cute family from the Dominican Republic. We are also teaching Adriano from Ecuador and another little lady from Mexico. She is teaching me some awesome things and I feel so grateful to have her. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts in my behalf. It's almost like I can feel them carrying me and I know that the Lord is with me. Anyway i love you so much ! Today is packed and I don't have my full time to email today but I will give you more details as I can. :) The church is true and God will show his hands in your life as you reach out to him and look. Love you all.
Sister Lewis
My trainer is AMAZING! I love her. We live in a place just outside of our area with a couple of English sisters. They tease me that I'm a mini Hermana Stephens. We have many similar interests etc. My trainer is from Kansas. She had appointments scheduled for us from day one. My first day in the feild we had three appointments. We are teaching this cute family from the Dominican Republic. We are also teaching Adriano from Ecuador and another little lady from Mexico. She is teaching me some awesome things and I feel so grateful to have her. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts in my behalf. It's almost like I can feel them carrying me and I know that the Lord is with me. Anyway i love you so much ! Today is packed and I don't have my full time to email today but I will give you more details as I can. :) The church is true and God will show his hands in your life as you reach out to him and look. Love you all.
Sister Lewis
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Ak fin de esta Semana ab el CCE
Familia!
So I had some really good moments this week. I think I wrote about Elder Nelson's talk last week. This Tuesday Elder Richard G. Scott came to talk the CCE (MTC) and it was legit! Really powerful speaker. He spoke on the Holy Ghost and receiving revelation and increasing your comprehension. He made a handout for all of the missionaries with his points and we received a copy in our district meetings. I wrote so many personal notes that night. The spirit was so strong and I received a lot of personal insight into my own life. I love it. Elder Scott was specifically warm towards the sisters. He has such a special place for us in his heart it made me melt. I never felt love from an apostle like that before. He said some really neat things that I know will be a helpful reminder on my mission. In his words he said, " by the authority of the authority of the apostleship I invoke a protective sheild on the sister missionaries. As you exercise your faith in this sheild you will be protected. you will be aware of any inpending danger so that you can be protected by the lord." He also invoked "the gift of Tongues. Through faith as missionaires we will find it easier and more quickly. with faith you will communicate, learn, and retain more effectively. I invoke the blessing of confidence. For you are far more prepared for your mission than you could possibly imagine".
Story #2 (which is awesome I might add) - Mother I received your dear Elders earlier this week. In my opinion I think that they should call it dear.sister but whatever. They must be bias. Entonces, I read your letter about that Mongolian sister that you sat by on the plane ride home. I loved hearing the story but inside I was doubtion the chances of me running into her. There are so many asian people running around the MTC and the majority of them don't speak English. And if they do I don't know it because we are all trying to learn or practice the language we will be procelyting in. So the chance that I will run into this Mongolian sister out of 2500 missionaries is very slight in my head. Especially if I can't even communicate effectively. I even told the missionaries in my district the story and they rolled their eyes thinking it was near impossible for me to meet this sister. Yet I did notice my eyes glancing at sister missionary tags more often trying to find a wierd mongolian last name. I had almost given up by the end of the week and was sitting in the fireside last night with my companion minding my own business. 2 sister missionaries walked passed me and for some weird reason they drew my attention as they were walking past. All I could see were their backs as they were walking away but I could tell one of them was Asian. And then it happened. The spirit just said, "That's her, go talk to her". I hadn't even seen her face! nor her name tag and I just knew it was that girl that you were talking about mom. It was the wierdest thing! So anyway, the fireside started and the girls sat down in a section of the auditorium within eye distance. I occasionally glanced over thinking how crazy it was that I was actually going to just go up and assume this random girl was the same girl you met on that plane on the way home from China. Yet it would be even more of a waste if I ignored the feeling and did nothing at all. After the fireside I quickly went over to the 2 sister missionaries. The Asian sister had hair covering her tag and I couldn't see what it said but I was standing right in front of her so I had to say something. So I said, "are you from Mongolia?" she said yes. I then said, "Are you serving in Czech Republic?" and she looked at me in surprise and in broken English and astonishment said "Yes". My heart skipped a beat. I then went into the process of trying to explain that my mom had sent me to find her. And it didn't take too long for us to connect the dots and we immediately imbraced in a hug and became instantaneous friends. She excitedly flipped through her book and looked at my name tag and told me she had been looking for me. IT was AWESOME! She thought you were really awesome mom ;) It was the greatest feeling. I also talked to her companion to try and find out any more details. Her companion is from the states and told me that this Mongolian sister had been trying to tell her about me the day she got here and that she wanted to find the daughter of this girl's mom she had met on the plane. The companion had thought the same thing as me in that there is no way in the world we are going to be able to find some random sister missionary out of 2500. Yet the Lord intervenes sometimes and grants tender little mercies every day. Anyway mom, I thought you should know I met her. I still can't say her name right, or spell it for that matter but she is a wonderful young woman and she does have a wonderful spirit that will bless many people's lives.
I don't know if I will be able to write next week. Quei sas... pero no se. I'm flying out on Monday Morning for New York!!!!! I'm so excited! I love you family!
So I had some really good moments this week. I think I wrote about Elder Nelson's talk last week. This Tuesday Elder Richard G. Scott came to talk the CCE (MTC) and it was legit! Really powerful speaker. He spoke on the Holy Ghost and receiving revelation and increasing your comprehension. He made a handout for all of the missionaries with his points and we received a copy in our district meetings. I wrote so many personal notes that night. The spirit was so strong and I received a lot of personal insight into my own life. I love it. Elder Scott was specifically warm towards the sisters. He has such a special place for us in his heart it made me melt. I never felt love from an apostle like that before. He said some really neat things that I know will be a helpful reminder on my mission. In his words he said, " by the authority of the authority of the apostleship I invoke a protective sheild on the sister missionaries. As you exercise your faith in this sheild you will be protected. you will be aware of any inpending danger so that you can be protected by the lord." He also invoked "the gift of Tongues. Through faith as missionaires we will find it easier and more quickly. with faith you will communicate, learn, and retain more effectively. I invoke the blessing of confidence. For you are far more prepared for your mission than you could possibly imagine".
Story #2 (which is awesome I might add) - Mother I received your dear Elders earlier this week. In my opinion I think that they should call it dear.sister but whatever. They must be bias. Entonces, I read your letter about that Mongolian sister that you sat by on the plane ride home. I loved hearing the story but inside I was doubtion the chances of me running into her. There are so many asian people running around the MTC and the majority of them don't speak English. And if they do I don't know it because we are all trying to learn or practice the language we will be procelyting in. So the chance that I will run into this Mongolian sister out of 2500 missionaries is very slight in my head. Especially if I can't even communicate effectively. I even told the missionaries in my district the story and they rolled their eyes thinking it was near impossible for me to meet this sister. Yet I did notice my eyes glancing at sister missionary tags more often trying to find a wierd mongolian last name. I had almost given up by the end of the week and was sitting in the fireside last night with my companion minding my own business. 2 sister missionaries walked passed me and for some weird reason they drew my attention as they were walking past. All I could see were their backs as they were walking away but I could tell one of them was Asian. And then it happened. The spirit just said, "That's her, go talk to her". I hadn't even seen her face! nor her name tag and I just knew it was that girl that you were talking about mom. It was the wierdest thing! So anyway, the fireside started and the girls sat down in a section of the auditorium within eye distance. I occasionally glanced over thinking how crazy it was that I was actually going to just go up and assume this random girl was the same girl you met on that plane on the way home from China. Yet it would be even more of a waste if I ignored the feeling and did nothing at all. After the fireside I quickly went over to the 2 sister missionaries. The Asian sister had hair covering her tag and I couldn't see what it said but I was standing right in front of her so I had to say something. So I said, "are you from Mongolia?" she said yes. I then said, "Are you serving in Czech Republic?" and she looked at me in surprise and in broken English and astonishment said "Yes". My heart skipped a beat. I then went into the process of trying to explain that my mom had sent me to find her. And it didn't take too long for us to connect the dots and we immediately imbraced in a hug and became instantaneous friends. She excitedly flipped through her book and looked at my name tag and told me she had been looking for me. IT was AWESOME! She thought you were really awesome mom ;) It was the greatest feeling. I also talked to her companion to try and find out any more details. Her companion is from the states and told me that this Mongolian sister had been trying to tell her about me the day she got here and that she wanted to find the daughter of this girl's mom she had met on the plane. The companion had thought the same thing as me in that there is no way in the world we are going to be able to find some random sister missionary out of 2500. Yet the Lord intervenes sometimes and grants tender little mercies every day. Anyway mom, I thought you should know I met her. I still can't say her name right, or spell it for that matter but she is a wonderful young woman and she does have a wonderful spirit that will bless many people's lives.
I don't know if I will be able to write next week. Quei sas... pero no se. I'm flying out on Monday Morning for New York!!!!! I'm so excited! I love you family!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Dos Semanas mas
Querido familia
Como le van? Ah! How I love the weather lately. I was walking to the temple this morning when I saw all the beautiful snow on the mountain. Oh how I love the snow but despise not being able to go snowboarding in it for the winter....lol. Hermanitas don't forget to live it up this winter without me and do enough for me as well. Snowboarding will be dearly missed this season :).
So funny story dad/family....
Entonces, so when I arrived at the MTC we were missing an Elder. He just never showed up to our district. So his supposed companion, Elder Patchett ( who is serving in my mission/best mission ever) was put in a trio with two of the other Elders. We never heard from the elder that was supposedly supposed to be in our mission. Yet throughout the weeks we kept getting mail for this elder and we got letters from his mom.... so we were wondering what had happened to this dear elder....muy triste. However about 2 weeks ago we finally found out he had been switched to an alternate district for some weird reason and they had just never switched his mailing information over or switched his old records for the district over to his new district. So we quit worrying about it. Part II as a missionary we practice contacting messages around the grounds and meet lots of random missionaries in the process. One morning I was thinking to myself. "I know that Trent Hunt told me to look for his step son that is going to NY south mission and I haven't bumped into him once." Right after that I went contacting and low and behold guess who I bumped into? Elder Roberts who just happened to be going to NY-NYS mission Spanish speaking. I asked him where he was from and then asked him if his step dad happened to be Trent Hunt. He said of course and then we made the connection that we were the missionaries our crazy parents had been telling us to keep an eye out for. So weird. Don't worry it has a full circle ending.. Part III- So excitedly I find the rest of my district with my companion and we tell Elder Patchett and Elder Lewis ( who are also serving in NY- South) that we had just met another missionary flying out the same time as us. I tell them his name is Elder Roberts and that he will be flying out with us on the 8th and Elder Patchett says " Oh, that's the Elder that was 'supposed' to be my companion!" I thought it was so ironic how everything just came around. Haven't seen Elder Roberts since, but....he'll be on our same flight out to the mission in 2 weeks! Wow, I can't believe I've already been out for 2 months. Weird.... but good. :)
This last week, the apostle Elder Nelson came to speak at the MTC. It is so amazing to know that we have apostles and prophets on the earth today. As Elder Nelson walked into the room you could feel the spirit he brought into the room. He spoke with power and made some really neat promises and just reconfirmed all the things that were hesitations on the mission. Some of the things I had been thinking about before the mission and the pro's and cons were my career-after just graduation with no experience, safety, and my relationships. Some prettty basic elements of life I know but Elder Nelson spoke and made some specific promises to us missionaries in the room. He told us that the service in the mission now will bring rich divident in your careers later in life. He said those of you who are worried about your safety or your relatives that are worried for your safety- be of good comfort. I promise you that you will be much safer as a missionary than those at home. I promise you that as you obey the mission rules and the laws of the land that no harm will come upon you. The mission is the best thing we could be doing with our lives at this point and that it would only improve our lives for the future. It was really great. "We follow Jesus Christ" It is that simple. Always be ready to share your purpose of why you have come. With celestial sight and hearing your pathway will be blessed and guided by the hand of the Lord. D&C 138. He also talked about how we go to teach people not lessons. The people we teach are our sheep/ our fold. We are to care for our flock and keep up on their progress through the years.
Mom~you rock for writing me everyday even though you are half way across the world. Sounds like you are having the trip of a life time right now. My heart is happy for you to hear of the wonderful people you are finding and the cool Elders you met going to Thailand. Ah Thailand is so awesome. Did you find anything about Duang's family and Wisans family/ the Typhoon? Everyone doing swell? I'm glad your Thai seems to be well. Spanish is going swell as well. I can't wait till it's not a struggle anymore and I have an expanded vocabulary lol.
Jenna~Will you please tell the Y/W and Trina thank you for the packages that you guys sent? I loved those thoughtful packages so much. Our ward rocks. Im touched by the thoughtfulness. I use my shoe shiner all the time! I love it! Love you!
Krisina!
Como le van? Ah! How I love the weather lately. I was walking to the temple this morning when I saw all the beautiful snow on the mountain. Oh how I love the snow but despise not being able to go snowboarding in it for the winter....lol. Hermanitas don't forget to live it up this winter without me and do enough for me as well. Snowboarding will be dearly missed this season :).
So funny story dad/family....
Entonces, so when I arrived at the MTC we were missing an Elder. He just never showed up to our district. So his supposed companion, Elder Patchett ( who is serving in my mission/best mission ever) was put in a trio with two of the other Elders. We never heard from the elder that was supposedly supposed to be in our mission. Yet throughout the weeks we kept getting mail for this elder and we got letters from his mom.... so we were wondering what had happened to this dear elder....muy triste. However about 2 weeks ago we finally found out he had been switched to an alternate district for some weird reason and they had just never switched his mailing information over or switched his old records for the district over to his new district. So we quit worrying about it. Part II as a missionary we practice contacting messages around the grounds and meet lots of random missionaries in the process. One morning I was thinking to myself. "I know that Trent Hunt told me to look for his step son that is going to NY south mission and I haven't bumped into him once." Right after that I went contacting and low and behold guess who I bumped into? Elder Roberts who just happened to be going to NY-NYS mission Spanish speaking. I asked him where he was from and then asked him if his step dad happened to be Trent Hunt. He said of course and then we made the connection that we were the missionaries our crazy parents had been telling us to keep an eye out for. So weird. Don't worry it has a full circle ending.. Part III- So excitedly I find the rest of my district with my companion and we tell Elder Patchett and Elder Lewis ( who are also serving in NY- South) that we had just met another missionary flying out the same time as us. I tell them his name is Elder Roberts and that he will be flying out with us on the 8th and Elder Patchett says " Oh, that's the Elder that was 'supposed' to be my companion!" I thought it was so ironic how everything just came around. Haven't seen Elder Roberts since, but....he'll be on our same flight out to the mission in 2 weeks! Wow, I can't believe I've already been out for 2 months. Weird.... but good. :)
This last week, the apostle Elder Nelson came to speak at the MTC. It is so amazing to know that we have apostles and prophets on the earth today. As Elder Nelson walked into the room you could feel the spirit he brought into the room. He spoke with power and made some really neat promises and just reconfirmed all the things that were hesitations on the mission. Some of the things I had been thinking about before the mission and the pro's and cons were my career-after just graduation with no experience, safety, and my relationships. Some prettty basic elements of life I know but Elder Nelson spoke and made some specific promises to us missionaries in the room. He told us that the service in the mission now will bring rich divident in your careers later in life. He said those of you who are worried about your safety or your relatives that are worried for your safety- be of good comfort. I promise you that you will be much safer as a missionary than those at home. I promise you that as you obey the mission rules and the laws of the land that no harm will come upon you. The mission is the best thing we could be doing with our lives at this point and that it would only improve our lives for the future. It was really great. "We follow Jesus Christ" It is that simple. Always be ready to share your purpose of why you have come. With celestial sight and hearing your pathway will be blessed and guided by the hand of the Lord. D&C 138. He also talked about how we go to teach people not lessons. The people we teach are our sheep/ our fold. We are to care for our flock and keep up on their progress through the years.
Mom~you rock for writing me everyday even though you are half way across the world. Sounds like you are having the trip of a life time right now. My heart is happy for you to hear of the wonderful people you are finding and the cool Elders you met going to Thailand. Ah Thailand is so awesome. Did you find anything about Duang's family and Wisans family/ the Typhoon? Everyone doing swell? I'm glad your Thai seems to be well. Spanish is going swell as well. I can't wait till it's not a struggle anymore and I have an expanded vocabulary lol.
Jenna~Will you please tell the Y/W and Trina thank you for the packages that you guys sent? I loved those thoughtful packages so much. Our ward rocks. Im touched by the thoughtfulness. I use my shoe shiner all the time! I love it! Love you!
Krisina!
Esta Semana
Hola familia!
Jael Happy birthday tomorrow! Just so you know I'm sending a card to you in the mail yet you don't have a SUU address so just look for it next time you go home. I love you and am so proud of all the good you are doing with SUU. You are awesome. How is ballroom? Your biology with Jake and Hillary? Say hello to all my friends for me. ;)
Today is going awesome. I got to go to the temple and it was awesome. First off, there was a Thai lady at the temple today that didn't speak English and and needed the session translated. Naturally I was so excited to see a Thai person that I immediately went up and started talking to her. Mom you won't believe this but everytime I tried to say what I wanted to in Thai, Spanish came out instead and she kept looking at me like I was crazy and then I would repeat myself in Thai and all of the sudden she would know what I was saying haha. But then when she realized I spoke some Thai she started speaking way fast and I couldn't understand her anymore lol. So, basically then I just said I had been in Thailand for the summer and it was nice to meet her. But it was cool to talk to someone from Thailand and kinda have a conversation. I bet A.J. is having the time of his life in Thailand right now and I can't believe he has already surpassed me in my language skills. lol
Then after I did a session with the Thai lady, my companion and I went to help with laundry in the basement of the temple. The lady that showed us how to do things spoke spanish so she helped us out by speaking spanish with us and giving us some more practice. It is way awesome. This whole Spanish deal is legit. I think about being here for 5 weeks and I am amazed at how fast the language progresses. My companion and I, Sister Casiano, had an awesome experience on Saturday. As many of you probably know we practice giving lessons to investigators. It's really helpful because many native speakers will come in and voluteer to be taught. Almost all of them are already members but the language is so different when a native is speaking it. Its so helpful. Entonces, my companion and I gave a lesson in the TRC on Saturday as usual. This week however was the first week we were expected to do the full teaching session in Spanish. Not just the contacting part. So we gave a 35 minute lesson on the restoration in SPANISH. I couldn't have done that 5 weeks ago if my life depended on it. Our investigator was Brother Meza. In real life he is from mexico and his mother has a mayan history from guatemala. He is very kind and was really good at being a legit investigator. He listened intensely and asked us many questions so it made it easier to direct the lesson according to the needs of the investigator. I could really feel the spirit. It was interesting to me to know that even though everyone in the room knew it was just practice for us the things we were teaching we could still were true. Our investigator asked the common question of " how do you know we have a prophet of God on the earth today?" My companion shared a powerful testimony of prophets and her witness that she knew Thomas S. Monson was a called prophet of God through the Holy Ghost. Brother Meza's eyes filled up with tears as he heard her words, and then us being girls we all started crying too. It was a very tender experience for all three of us. We talk about prophets every day in the MTC and we study the restoration as part of the lessons on a regular basis; however, as we study as missionaries the lord will fill our mouths with the words we need to say to touch the children of men. The spirit will always testify of truth no matter the situation if you look for it in your life and listen. He later thanked us for our time and service in going out to serve after the lesson. He didn't speak very good English at all so we just continued talking in Spanish. IT's So COOL!! My companion is a lot better at picking up what they are saying but I'm definitely getting better and she helps me out all the time :) I'm learning lots about spanish, myself, and how to unify a successful companionship. It will only continue to be better.
Dad, I don't have my travel plans yet. I head out on that same day... that would be so weird if I bumped into you on at the airport.... I don't know if I could handle it. lol. But what are the chances right? lol. I guess we shall see. If it does then it would be fate. Entonces, congrats on your trip to Japan and your wonderful achievements. I think the Cherry Blossoms will be awesome!
Thanks for the letters, emails, packages. It is so wonderful. I told my district at the beginning my fam didn't believe in packages till Christmas. You sure made a liar out of me. :) I like it. The granola, apples, cherries, etc are DELICIOUS! I love healthy food!
Food for thought with misisonary work: " Give a man a fish, feed him for a day or teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime. As missionaries we are not in the fish selling business but teaching. In order to teach you need to know how to catch the fish yourself and have success in reaping your own gospel knowledge. I know this is Gods work and his glory :)
Love you :)
Hermana Lewis
Jael Happy birthday tomorrow! Just so you know I'm sending a card to you in the mail yet you don't have a SUU address so just look for it next time you go home. I love you and am so proud of all the good you are doing with SUU. You are awesome. How is ballroom? Your biology with Jake and Hillary? Say hello to all my friends for me. ;)
Today is going awesome. I got to go to the temple and it was awesome. First off, there was a Thai lady at the temple today that didn't speak English and and needed the session translated. Naturally I was so excited to see a Thai person that I immediately went up and started talking to her. Mom you won't believe this but everytime I tried to say what I wanted to in Thai, Spanish came out instead and she kept looking at me like I was crazy and then I would repeat myself in Thai and all of the sudden she would know what I was saying haha. But then when she realized I spoke some Thai she started speaking way fast and I couldn't understand her anymore lol. So, basically then I just said I had been in Thailand for the summer and it was nice to meet her. But it was cool to talk to someone from Thailand and kinda have a conversation. I bet A.J. is having the time of his life in Thailand right now and I can't believe he has already surpassed me in my language skills. lol
Then after I did a session with the Thai lady, my companion and I went to help with laundry in the basement of the temple. The lady that showed us how to do things spoke spanish so she helped us out by speaking spanish with us and giving us some more practice. It is way awesome. This whole Spanish deal is legit. I think about being here for 5 weeks and I am amazed at how fast the language progresses. My companion and I, Sister Casiano, had an awesome experience on Saturday. As many of you probably know we practice giving lessons to investigators. It's really helpful because many native speakers will come in and voluteer to be taught. Almost all of them are already members but the language is so different when a native is speaking it. Its so helpful. Entonces, my companion and I gave a lesson in the TRC on Saturday as usual. This week however was the first week we were expected to do the full teaching session in Spanish. Not just the contacting part. So we gave a 35 minute lesson on the restoration in SPANISH. I couldn't have done that 5 weeks ago if my life depended on it. Our investigator was Brother Meza. In real life he is from mexico and his mother has a mayan history from guatemala. He is very kind and was really good at being a legit investigator. He listened intensely and asked us many questions so it made it easier to direct the lesson according to the needs of the investigator. I could really feel the spirit. It was interesting to me to know that even though everyone in the room knew it was just practice for us the things we were teaching we could still were true. Our investigator asked the common question of " how do you know we have a prophet of God on the earth today?" My companion shared a powerful testimony of prophets and her witness that she knew Thomas S. Monson was a called prophet of God through the Holy Ghost. Brother Meza's eyes filled up with tears as he heard her words, and then us being girls we all started crying too. It was a very tender experience for all three of us. We talk about prophets every day in the MTC and we study the restoration as part of the lessons on a regular basis; however, as we study as missionaries the lord will fill our mouths with the words we need to say to touch the children of men. The spirit will always testify of truth no matter the situation if you look for it in your life and listen. He later thanked us for our time and service in going out to serve after the lesson. He didn't speak very good English at all so we just continued talking in Spanish. IT's So COOL!! My companion is a lot better at picking up what they are saying but I'm definitely getting better and she helps me out all the time :) I'm learning lots about spanish, myself, and how to unify a successful companionship. It will only continue to be better.
Dad, I don't have my travel plans yet. I head out on that same day... that would be so weird if I bumped into you on at the airport.... I don't know if I could handle it. lol. But what are the chances right? lol. I guess we shall see. If it does then it would be fate. Entonces, congrats on your trip to Japan and your wonderful achievements. I think the Cherry Blossoms will be awesome!
Thanks for the letters, emails, packages. It is so wonderful. I told my district at the beginning my fam didn't believe in packages till Christmas. You sure made a liar out of me. :) I like it. The granola, apples, cherries, etc are DELICIOUS! I love healthy food!
Food for thought with misisonary work: " Give a man a fish, feed him for a day or teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime. As missionaries we are not in the fish selling business but teaching. In order to teach you need to know how to catch the fish yourself and have success in reaping your own gospel knowledge. I know this is Gods work and his glory :)
Love you :)
Hermana Lewis
I love the MTC
SYMBRIA & Auntie Cheryl HaPpY BiRtHdAy! You are so awesome! Know that I am thinking of you and I'm so glad you belong to a part of my life/family. I am a lucky soul :)
Madre!
I can't believe you are going to CHINA this week! That is so insane it has come so fast. Is dad going? I can't believe it! You are going to have so much fun! Remember how I thought about extending my papers for like 5 seconds in hopes that I might come with you? lol Tell Allen hello for me. I'm sure he'll be lovin on Grams just like always. lol. And don't worry about getting me anything in china or whatever you find is fine. I was thinking... do you think that the beds will aready have comforters int he mission home? Will I want to carry that from transfer to transfer? I will need a comferter I just don't know if I need to bring one to the mission feild or not. They just told me to bring sheets. If you find an awesome sweet twin one for my mission buy it and send it for Christmas, if not just one for the queen bed at home is fine. I hear there is a big bed bug epidemic going on in New York right now. No se. I'm not too worried. :) Postcard would be SWEET from China!
Thank you for the music. Its awesome. I 've played a couple of times. Would you be willing to send me that Yiruma song. I am dying to figure it out it's been playing in my head and it's reverent.... lol. I got your other package!!!!!!!!!! Jenna, Mom, YW.... you rock! I can't tell you how happy it made me to get the sweet notes, candy, bread, jam, etc. Our ward rocks!! P.S. mom, Elder Mills stopped me in the cafeteria the other day to make sure I told you thank you for the bread. He devoured the whole thing in one sitting he said. He loved it muchas mas. Gracias Senora, from Elder Mills. :) YOu make some happy missionaries around here.
Hey when you send my coat liner to the Mission home could you do me a favor and stick that black wool skirt that I took out of my suitcase last minute in there? I think its so cute and I could really use it this winter. That would be awesome if you could find it in that spare room.
Mom, and family, I can't thank you enough for your thoughts prayers and letters. Mom I feel very privledged for a wonderful mom that never leaves me out of her prayers and writes me daily. It means the world to me. :) Happy Missionary right here. :) I love gettting Jaclyn's letters. I don't have enough time to read them on the computer and its too much hassle to try and find a printer for the computer but that day you forwarded it on DEARELDER works great! I love hearing what Jaclyn is up to. I would also love it if you could forward me Marissa's emails when you get the chance for the next little bit. I know her mom posts them to her blog as well. If you could slip them in Dearelders.com every now and again that works awesome. Hey if you think about it.. I got that dearelder from Boonseon about the grapeseed extract. I'm out of the airborne and vitamins I was taking. Do you think you could find some of that grapeseed extract she was talking about in her email? I looked for some at the bookstore. They didn't have any. If not, its okay. I'll survive just fine. I've just been trying to do everything to keep my immune system up. So far its worked :)
Dad! Wow, I wanted to offer my congrats on the big business recognition!!!!!! How was the dinner in Texas with the big boys? Wahoo! Mom says they gave you a trip to Japan? What does that entail? You go with other business people or mom or family or waht? :) Congratulations. I'm so proud of you. You definitely deserve it. There is no man more phenomenal than my daddy. "my daddy is my favorite pal and I love him all the day. Its plain to see I want to be like you in every way" That's my favorite primary song that we sung at the fathers day primary program each year. Very true. I want to thank you for giving me every good opportunity in this life and being the wonderful man that you are. I look up to you a lot.
So I made a cool connection this week. My companion Sister Casiano get mail from all these random people in her family and I looked at one of the return addresses on one of her letters this week and noticed it said Brandermill Cove Murray UT. I thought to myself. "Self, that address is right next to my house. Those people are in my ward I do believe." Come to find out, Carissa Lords is her cousin. Jenna, isn't Carissa Lords one of your friends? Aren't they in our ward? I thought it was kind of a cool small world connection. It's a small world and an even smaller world in the church lol.
Symbria- I was wondering. Do you remember where we stopped reading in the New Testament. I know we were in Luke but I was hoping you had it marked or knew. Otherwise, we should start over in Luke and then we can start talking about what we are reading about and finish the new testament together.
This experience is wonderful. Its a kind of richness and joy I have never experienced before. I love it. I thank god every day for the opportunity he has given me to serve. This is his church. He restored it through the prophet Joseph Smith. I feel so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and am so excited to serve. I love you all.
Love
Hermana Lewis
Madre!
I can't believe you are going to CHINA this week! That is so insane it has come so fast. Is dad going? I can't believe it! You are going to have so much fun! Remember how I thought about extending my papers for like 5 seconds in hopes that I might come with you? lol Tell Allen hello for me. I'm sure he'll be lovin on Grams just like always. lol. And don't worry about getting me anything in china or whatever you find is fine. I was thinking... do you think that the beds will aready have comforters int he mission home? Will I want to carry that from transfer to transfer? I will need a comferter I just don't know if I need to bring one to the mission feild or not. They just told me to bring sheets. If you find an awesome sweet twin one for my mission buy it and send it for Christmas, if not just one for the queen bed at home is fine. I hear there is a big bed bug epidemic going on in New York right now. No se. I'm not too worried. :) Postcard would be SWEET from China!
Thank you for the music. Its awesome. I 've played a couple of times. Would you be willing to send me that Yiruma song. I am dying to figure it out it's been playing in my head and it's reverent.... lol. I got your other package!!!!!!!!!! Jenna, Mom, YW.... you rock! I can't tell you how happy it made me to get the sweet notes, candy, bread, jam, etc. Our ward rocks!! P.S. mom, Elder Mills stopped me in the cafeteria the other day to make sure I told you thank you for the bread. He devoured the whole thing in one sitting he said. He loved it muchas mas. Gracias Senora, from Elder Mills. :) YOu make some happy missionaries around here.
Hey when you send my coat liner to the Mission home could you do me a favor and stick that black wool skirt that I took out of my suitcase last minute in there? I think its so cute and I could really use it this winter. That would be awesome if you could find it in that spare room.
Mom, and family, I can't thank you enough for your thoughts prayers and letters. Mom I feel very privledged for a wonderful mom that never leaves me out of her prayers and writes me daily. It means the world to me. :) Happy Missionary right here. :) I love gettting Jaclyn's letters. I don't have enough time to read them on the computer and its too much hassle to try and find a printer for the computer but that day you forwarded it on DEARELDER works great! I love hearing what Jaclyn is up to. I would also love it if you could forward me Marissa's emails when you get the chance for the next little bit. I know her mom posts them to her blog as well. If you could slip them in Dearelders.com every now and again that works awesome. Hey if you think about it.. I got that dearelder from Boonseon about the grapeseed extract. I'm out of the airborne and vitamins I was taking. Do you think you could find some of that grapeseed extract she was talking about in her email? I looked for some at the bookstore. They didn't have any. If not, its okay. I'll survive just fine. I've just been trying to do everything to keep my immune system up. So far its worked :)
Dad! Wow, I wanted to offer my congrats on the big business recognition!!!!!! How was the dinner in Texas with the big boys? Wahoo! Mom says they gave you a trip to Japan? What does that entail? You go with other business people or mom or family or waht? :) Congratulations. I'm so proud of you. You definitely deserve it. There is no man more phenomenal than my daddy. "my daddy is my favorite pal and I love him all the day. Its plain to see I want to be like you in every way" That's my favorite primary song that we sung at the fathers day primary program each year. Very true. I want to thank you for giving me every good opportunity in this life and being the wonderful man that you are. I look up to you a lot.
So I made a cool connection this week. My companion Sister Casiano get mail from all these random people in her family and I looked at one of the return addresses on one of her letters this week and noticed it said Brandermill Cove Murray UT. I thought to myself. "Self, that address is right next to my house. Those people are in my ward I do believe." Come to find out, Carissa Lords is her cousin. Jenna, isn't Carissa Lords one of your friends? Aren't they in our ward? I thought it was kind of a cool small world connection. It's a small world and an even smaller world in the church lol.
Symbria- I was wondering. Do you remember where we stopped reading in the New Testament. I know we were in Luke but I was hoping you had it marked or knew. Otherwise, we should start over in Luke and then we can start talking about what we are reading about and finish the new testament together.
This experience is wonderful. Its a kind of richness and joy I have never experienced before. I love it. I thank god every day for the opportunity he has given me to serve. This is his church. He restored it through the prophet Joseph Smith. I feel so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and am so excited to serve. I love you all.
Love
Hermana Lewis
Monday, October 4, 2010
General Conferece in the MTC
Madre!
Hey! :) So awesome week. It's so good to be here and just get the confirming feeling that you are where you are supposed to be. I feel it almost everyday and doing the right thing, at the right time, at the right place always feels good! :)
It was SO good to get all your letters familia! Seriously thank you so much! I went and played the piano yesterday and it was so good! Its was like the missing part of my soul got put back in place. Music really has a great way of affecting the soul. Our devotional last night after conference was centered around music. Hymns ect. Speaking of conference, wasn't it AMAZING! I started out in first session putting stars next to all the talks that dealt with missionary work and pertained but then I quite about half way through second session because it was pointless. They all had stars next to the talks. haha. Mom, when elder gong told the story of homeade bread it made me think of my wonderful mother. And madre! AHHHHH! I can't tell you how much the bread and jam was enjoyed along with the music. THHANKKKYOU!!!!!! There is just nothing like home cooking in regards after eating cafeteria food straight for 4 weeks. haha.
Conference was definitely meaningful for me and very enjoyable since I had NO outside distractions and was dedicated to listening. I heard answers to all the questions I had been pondering for myself and other people. I really enjoyed it. They are definitely inspired men of God and very aware of the worlds needs right now.
Mom, I sent grams a letter and asked her to tell you but i don't know if you got the memo... But jeans would be AWESome from china... $20 bucks? that's awesome! I also need a comforter for New York... so that would be a pretty sweet gift from China too.... yet I probably would open it before christmas so i would have something to sleep on for winter lol. You are awesome though and whatever you find I would love. No need to worry about me.
Spanish is coming great! Loving it! Slowly but surely. One of my MTC spanish teachers Hermano Jensen is hearing impaired so he knows sign language as well. So super animated young man with just a heart of gold. Really inpires our district. My companion, sister casiano, also signs quite a bit. They often talk with their hands out of habit instead of just spanish so I think i'm learving sign language at the same time as Spanish.
I love you so much! Thank you for all your love and prayers.
Love
Hermana Lewis
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hola! Krisina is good at the MTC
I know that is such a lame subject line. Sorry :) lol.
This week has turned out to be a superb week! Things have definitely started progressing and things are good. We have 2 elders in my district leaving to finish their training int the Guatemala MTC for their last 6 week. Hermana Bozeman was supposed to go to spain but just like mexico Visa's are being delayed and so she doesn't know how long it is going to take for the visa to actually come through. I'm happy though because that leaves more sisters in the district. The elders should get to Guatemala right about the same time as the Hurricane storm. lol. We will miss them dearly there is always a new dynamic to the group when members leave. Exciting stuff though.
I am so stinkin excited for Conference next week! Ah! It should be exciting. They have a MTC priesthood choir singing at one of the sessions so you will have to look for Elder Lewis from my district. Not that you know what he looks like but we get asked all the time if we are related. He is spanish speaking to the NY South mission as well so it's just funny. We are going to tell the mission prez that we are cousins when we get to NYC. He is from Oregen and has been going to the Y. Ironically we figured out that his sister was my visiting teacher the summer that I lived in Provo. Laura Lewis was one of the best people I met when I lived in Provo. She is the ONLY visiting teacher that has ever come to visit me regularly and she even continued to check up on me when I went down to Cedar city for the next semester. She was the awesome. Elder Lewis says he and his sister are 2 or the 14 lewis's in his family. His poor mother... haha I can only imagine. Actually I guess I can't but I wouldn't ever want to have to. haha.
Uh... So Madre, do you think you could put some church music together and send it to me? Branch President would like me to put a musical number together with the otra hermana's. They have a music department here where I can rent a violin and stuff. Ijust need some music... And not to mention the fact that I miss playing a lot more than I thought I would. Any church arrangements for violin or piano, voice, would be lovely! :) Thanks Oh and P.S> I got Caitie's talks. Thank you! I see her pretty much every day. She just radiates light. Ya know that?
I've met this Elder named, Elder Resabala, from NY. He is from my mission area and gave me a bunch of referrals and people to see when I get there. He is so stinkin awesome about pumping me up for the mission. I'm so Stoked. He is an older missionary being a convert and he shared with my companion and I how his family came to know the gospel. Seeing the gospel bring families together like that is so why I want to go on a mission! The atonement of Jesus Christ is amazing and has the power to overcome all adversity and heal all pain. It's a tricky thing sometimes in figuring out how to use it but it is so worth it.
I see Elder Schreyer pretty much breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He just got made district president and I wish you could see the light and excitement its put into his soul. IT's Awesome! Just like him. He is going to accomplish great things as he nurtures the light and love of Jesus Christ and it's quite the journey to experience :) I love it. It's so funny to walk around the MTC and find all the family friends and jael's little elder friends. I found out today that all the elders are intimidated to teach me and my companion. We are the "sister missionaries" the "all knowing" BAH! I wish! I am truely amazed at all the missionaries here and how they do and desire good. Missionaries are really just able to step up to the plate and become just so much more than they are with god. "With God All things are possible.".
Mom tell brad I leave the 8 or 9 th of November I'm not sure but one of those 2 days.
El hogar es el mejor lugar para ensenar aprender y poner en practica los principios del evangelio de jesucristo. El hogar que esta establecido en los principios del evangelio sera un lugar de fefugio y seguridad.
love krisina
This week has turned out to be a superb week! Things have definitely started progressing and things are good. We have 2 elders in my district leaving to finish their training int the Guatemala MTC for their last 6 week. Hermana Bozeman was supposed to go to spain but just like mexico Visa's are being delayed and so she doesn't know how long it is going to take for the visa to actually come through. I'm happy though because that leaves more sisters in the district. The elders should get to Guatemala right about the same time as the Hurricane storm. lol. We will miss them dearly there is always a new dynamic to the group when members leave. Exciting stuff though.
I am so stinkin excited for Conference next week! Ah! It should be exciting. They have a MTC priesthood choir singing at one of the sessions so you will have to look for Elder Lewis from my district. Not that you know what he looks like but we get asked all the time if we are related. He is spanish speaking to the NY South mission as well so it's just funny. We are going to tell the mission prez that we are cousins when we get to NYC. He is from Oregen and has been going to the Y. Ironically we figured out that his sister was my visiting teacher the summer that I lived in Provo. Laura Lewis was one of the best people I met when I lived in Provo. She is the ONLY visiting teacher that has ever come to visit me regularly and she even continued to check up on me when I went down to Cedar city for the next semester. She was the awesome. Elder Lewis says he and his sister are 2 or the 14 lewis's in his family. His poor mother... haha I can only imagine. Actually I guess I can't but I wouldn't ever want to have to. haha.
Uh... So Madre, do you think you could put some church music together and send it to me? Branch President would like me to put a musical number together with the otra hermana's. They have a music department here where I can rent a violin and stuff. Ijust need some music... And not to mention the fact that I miss playing a lot more than I thought I would. Any church arrangements for violin or piano, voice, would be lovely! :) Thanks Oh and P.S> I got Caitie's talks. Thank you! I see her pretty much every day. She just radiates light. Ya know that?
I've met this Elder named, Elder Resabala, from NY. He is from my mission area and gave me a bunch of referrals and people to see when I get there. He is so stinkin awesome about pumping me up for the mission. I'm so Stoked. He is an older missionary being a convert and he shared with my companion and I how his family came to know the gospel. Seeing the gospel bring families together like that is so why I want to go on a mission! The atonement of Jesus Christ is amazing and has the power to overcome all adversity and heal all pain. It's a tricky thing sometimes in figuring out how to use it but it is so worth it.
I see Elder Schreyer pretty much breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He just got made district president and I wish you could see the light and excitement its put into his soul. IT's Awesome! Just like him. He is going to accomplish great things as he nurtures the light and love of Jesus Christ and it's quite the journey to experience :) I love it. It's so funny to walk around the MTC and find all the family friends and jael's little elder friends. I found out today that all the elders are intimidated to teach me and my companion. We are the "sister missionaries" the "all knowing" BAH! I wish! I am truely amazed at all the missionaries here and how they do and desire good. Missionaries are really just able to step up to the plate and become just so much more than they are with god. "With God All things are possible.".
Mom tell brad I leave the 8 or 9 th of November I'm not sure but one of those 2 days.
El hogar es el mejor lugar para ensenar aprender y poner en practica los principios del evangelio de jesucristo. El hogar que esta establecido en los principios del evangelio sera un lugar de fefugio y seguridad.
love krisina
Monday, September 20, 2010
Segunda Semana
Hey Fam!
Segundo semana is going great. Always new things to learn in and out of the classroom. I'm giving fair warning in advance that I've noticed as I've been switching my sentences back and forth daily from english to spanish, grammar in english is getting worse and worse..... not that it was ever perfect before but its getting worse haha. So forgive me.
Okay so I think I mentioned I was in the Matthew Cowley building but might have failed to mention the ghettoness of it.... lol. I had the great privledge of coming home after class earlier this week to find all the doors propped open. Evidently the sewage had backed up 2 inches in the basement and the smell was welll..... you know.... fragrant. So I'm pretty sure the rest of this week all my clothes and everything have had a lovely aroma I am more than anxious to go away. Flu season has definitely hit and I am chuggin the vitamins. I think I went through a whole bottle of AirBourne this week and I'm taking multivitamins everyday. My companion has been sick along with another hermana in my room but so far i'm doing fine. Llavamos los manos!
Mom I seriously had the perfect stuff to write you this week but I left all my notes in my backpack and my 1/2 hour of time is about to expire in 3 minutos. That's what happens when I get wonderful emails from my sisters. Life is good though. I promise to write you some stuff in spanish this next p-day. I had to give the openiing prayer in sacrament in spanish this last sunday. I could barely think straight I was thinking so hard in spanish haha. It was good though. Spanish is coming along well though. Love it.
I see Caitie Swallow almost every day. It's like a party in the MTC. I run into jordan mills, Caitie swallow, Tj Schreyer, Ethan Michaels, Kyle Stephens, Shalae Steadman, Ryan Margetts. It's a party from SUU etc. haha its great though I love it. Missionary work galore!
Love,
Hermana Lewis
Segundo semana is going great. Always new things to learn in and out of the classroom. I'm giving fair warning in advance that I've noticed as I've been switching my sentences back and forth daily from english to spanish, grammar in english is getting worse and worse..... not that it was ever perfect before but its getting worse haha. So forgive me.
Okay so I think I mentioned I was in the Matthew Cowley building but might have failed to mention the ghettoness of it.... lol. I had the great privledge of coming home after class earlier this week to find all the doors propped open. Evidently the sewage had backed up 2 inches in the basement and the smell was welll..... you know.... fragrant. So I'm pretty sure the rest of this week all my clothes and everything have had a lovely aroma I am more than anxious to go away. Flu season has definitely hit and I am chuggin the vitamins. I think I went through a whole bottle of AirBourne this week and I'm taking multivitamins everyday. My companion has been sick along with another hermana in my room but so far i'm doing fine. Llavamos los manos!
Mom I seriously had the perfect stuff to write you this week but I left all my notes in my backpack and my 1/2 hour of time is about to expire in 3 minutos. That's what happens when I get wonderful emails from my sisters. Life is good though. I promise to write you some stuff in spanish this next p-day. I had to give the openiing prayer in sacrament in spanish this last sunday. I could barely think straight I was thinking so hard in spanish haha. It was good though. Spanish is coming along well though. Love it.
I see Caitie Swallow almost every day. It's like a party in the MTC. I run into jordan mills, Caitie swallow, Tj Schreyer, Ethan Michaels, Kyle Stephens, Shalae Steadman, Ryan Margetts. It's a party from SUU etc. haha its great though I love it. Missionary work galore!
Love,
Hermana Lewis
Friday, September 17, 2010
Finally the Adventure Begins
Family!
Oh it is so good to finally write you! Thank you so much for the Letters! The MTC is so much different than I was expecting yet I love it at the same time. Mi companera is awesome! My companion, Hermana Casiano, is from Eugene, Oregon. She is serving in Arizona and will be leaving the same time as me. I think God knows me all too well. He blessed me with the only sister who is a gym junky just like myself. We get up every morning and do the early morning classes the offer for the sisters as additional gym time. The other two sisters in my room are amazing as well. We get along great and the work is awesome because of it.
I think of Sister Cowley every day. My residence hall is the Matthew Cowley Building. The mission presidents wife talked about Matthew Cowley in her introduction to all the new missionaries that entered the MTC on Wednesday. I was amazed at all of the wonderful things I learned about him. No wonder the Cowley family is so amazing! They have an Amazing heritage. Did you know that Matthew Cowley served a 5 year mission in New Zealand at the age of 17? After he finished his service he was called back to watch over the mission and later became a mission president of the whole south pacific mission for another 8 years. He learned Mowry (don't know how to spell it) by himself and just went forth to preach the work. He was also the one who later became responsible for translating the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine & Covenants into Mowry after his service in the south Pacific. So it was kind of a neat connection that I made.
We had over 500 missionaries come into the MTC on Wednesday! I hear about 2500 Missionaries are at the MTC right now. It's the largest group they've gotten in a long time. My branch got 3 new districts. My district is one of the three. They haven't had sisters in the branch for over a month and the Presidency was very glad to have us. There are 4 sisters in my branch and 3 sisters in one of the other new districts. All 7 of us were asked to sing in church in front of the rest of the district of Elders. It turned out really well. There are about 60 members total in my Spanish Branch. There are so many more elders than sisters in the MTC I feel like an endangered species. Is that bad? haha. It's really great though and I've really bonded well with the sisters in my district.
Things are very fast paced. I don't say any english prayers anymore. I had to prepare a talk in Spanish for sacrament. We prepare talks on a different topic from the president every week in Spanish and then the President just calls a couple of us to speak spur of the moment. It's quite intense. I love the feeling here though. The spirit is so strong and I'm feel like I always have plenty to do. I love being busy. I love you so much and once again just want you to know I'm doing great, loving what i'm doing, and so excited for New York. The work is pressing forward and there will always be those that are prepared to hear the word of God.
Love you!
Hermana Lewis
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Adventure Begins- The MTC
Well the tale will start when Krisina's mother figures out how to paste Krisina's letter into the blog. Stay tuned for when she recieves help from a technological wizard.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
New York, New York here I come!
For the past three days Krisina has been eating her favorite meals. Things she won't have for 18 months. Krisina was set apart tonight as an official missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She reports to the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utay tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Look out World here she comes!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Off with the old and on with the New
Well I'm getting ready for New York now. I was able to go through the temple with my family. It was a wonderful day. I have just under month until I leave for the MTC. I'm anxious to go and serve in New York. I can't wait.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sea of Fog
So I took a cool trip with some of Duang's family friends. We went river rafting through the jungle. The next morning we went to the mountains that were covered in Fog. I've never seen anything like it. After breakfast we went to Hong Cave were we explored and were attacked by bats. Who knows, maybe I'll come back to the states half vampire :)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Hunt
So tonight I picked up my book to read before I went to bed. I had left it on the bed from the previous reading and as I picked it up I was also looking for something else over my shoulder. I felt odd that one of the pages was brushing my hand after just opening it up so I looked back to find a giant cockroach climbing over my book and hand! It’s not everyday I unexpectedly have a bug the size of my finger crawling over my hand. I yelped in surprise and leaped off the bed. The roach scattered for cover as I ran to get Khun Pa. I came back into the room with the “terminator”. We chased that roach all around my room. We finally got it and let it go outside.
Anyway so sat back down on the bed and about a half hour later I look up to see this huge roach climbing down the water pipe in front of me! Strike two! So, naturally I run back outside my room to Duang’s room. “There’s another one! There’s another one!” -I’m such a baby. Khun Pa is asleep so Khun Ma comes to my rescue. So we looked like cats about to pounce on our pray. Her with the hand towel and me with the Mosquito whacker! So she went for the kill! MISS! It charged my feet and under my bed went the roach! I screamed as I dodged the roach attack! Khun Ma just laughed in excitement. I’m sure she thought I was ridiculous. But we couldn’t find it again.
From then on out, it was my battle. It became frenzy and I would not rest until I knew where the roach had gone. The roach blended right under the black bed and moving the bed around was no avail. So I waited and watched the perimeter. I felt like those crazy guys off mouse hunt trying to catch that poor innocent mouse. I watched, and waited, and about 5 minutes after stillness I noticed movement. Move the bed to the left, to the right! No down! Then I saw it! Attack! “Where’d it go?” Oh tricky little booger. It was fast. And then I saw it move under the door crack into the living room. I pushed the door open and shined the flashlight in the dark corner… victory! Now all I had to do was catch it. Easier said than done. So I grabbed a glass. I didn’t want to kill the thing, just wanted to put it outside. Can you imagine the crunch of the exoskeleton of a bug the size of your finger? Ya, not a pretty sight- better to put it outside.
Glass ready in hand. I could see my prey and I knew I had one chance. Vwalah! Three times is a charm. I had caught it by the hairs of its chinny chin chin. Well not really but I had barely trapped it by one of the antenna, preventing it from running away. The rest was taken care of. I checked the remainder of my room and could at last sleep. :)
Anyway so sat back down on the bed and about a half hour later I look up to see this huge roach climbing down the water pipe in front of me! Strike two! So, naturally I run back outside my room to Duang’s room. “There’s another one! There’s another one!” -I’m such a baby. Khun Pa is asleep so Khun Ma comes to my rescue. So we looked like cats about to pounce on our pray. Her with the hand towel and me with the Mosquito whacker! So she went for the kill! MISS! It charged my feet and under my bed went the roach! I screamed as I dodged the roach attack! Khun Ma just laughed in excitement. I’m sure she thought I was ridiculous. But we couldn’t find it again.
From then on out, it was my battle. It became frenzy and I would not rest until I knew where the roach had gone. The roach blended right under the black bed and moving the bed around was no avail. So I waited and watched the perimeter. I felt like those crazy guys off mouse hunt trying to catch that poor innocent mouse. I watched, and waited, and about 5 minutes after stillness I noticed movement. Move the bed to the left, to the right! No down! Then I saw it! Attack! “Where’d it go?” Oh tricky little booger. It was fast. And then I saw it move under the door crack into the living room. I pushed the door open and shined the flashlight in the dark corner… victory! Now all I had to do was catch it. Easier said than done. So I grabbed a glass. I didn’t want to kill the thing, just wanted to put it outside. Can you imagine the crunch of the exoskeleton of a bug the size of your finger? Ya, not a pretty sight- better to put it outside.
Glass ready in hand. I could see my prey and I knew I had one chance. Vwalah! Three times is a charm. I had caught it by the hairs of its chinny chin chin. Well not really but I had barely trapped it by one of the antenna, preventing it from running away. The rest was taken care of. I checked the remainder of my room and could at last sleep. :)
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Waterfalls
I went to the waterfalls in the mountains today. Went with all the girls. Yie, Khun Ma, Little, Duang, Yok, Mok, Ploy, and Khun Ma's sister. We ate a lovely brunch by the falls that consisted of soup, noodles, veggies, chicken, and soda beverage. So good. We all showered in the falls and played with each other. There were tonz of fish in the water that loved our leftovers and just went crazy when you dropped the rice into the water. It was so fun to play around in the heat of the day.
Mueng Nakkon Palace
Went to one of the palaces today near Nakkon Si Thammarat. It was very interesting. What would it be like to live as royalty and travel around the country and stay in exotic palaces? That would be the life. I stand in awe at the respect and deep gratitude that the people of Thailand have for their King. He stands for an idea and position of love for the people. I think that when a group of people agree on a idea or thing it brings great unity and strength.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Childrens Orphanage
Today was one of those days that you bow your head in gratitude and thank god for all of the wonderful blessings that he has given to you. I got to go to the childrens orphanage today. I'm bac in the south in Nakkon si Thammarat. We didn't do much while we were there. The children that were old enough were at school so the majority of the children were away. It was only the toddlers or the ones younger than age 4. We had bought some treats with us so we passed them out and helped the little ones eat their cupcakes. It was nothing really spectacular but I did feel very blessed to live with my wonderful family and have 2 wonderful parents that have raised me in the gospel that inspire hope and motivation in my soul. These children were beautiful but many of the toddlers were sick and the didn't look happy. One of the girls was crying the whole time. She couldn't have been more than 2 years old. Evidently she was new to the orphanage.
God gives all of us challenges in life but none too great to bear with our Savior Jesus Christ. There are always going to be tradgedies we never find or know because we haven't experienced them. But always have a gratified heart for the life you have been given.Yesterday was history, tomorrow is mystery, but today is a gift. That's why they call it the present. Christ gives us hope and the power to change to the good we desire in life. Life is a precious gift so take advantage of every moment. Blame is an empty game for opportunities never taken. There are always those that will have more and those that will have less. Happiness is a perspective and its up to you to attain it.
God gives all of us challenges in life but none too great to bear with our Savior Jesus Christ. There are always going to be tradgedies we never find or know because we haven't experienced them. But always have a gratified heart for the life you have been given.Yesterday was history, tomorrow is mystery, but today is a gift. That's why they call it the present. Christ gives us hope and the power to change to the good we desire in life. Life is a precious gift so take advantage of every moment. Blame is an empty game for opportunities never taken. There are always those that will have more and those that will have less. Happiness is a perspective and its up to you to attain it.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Elephants, Tigers, Monkey Galore
Guess what I did today?! I went to an elephant camp and played with elephants! I was able to feed them with bamboo and banannas. We watched them in a show. They painted pictures with their trunks! They sell the paintings for good money too. I also went on an elephant ride to the village of the long necks. The people that live there think the longer your neck... the more beautiful you are. So they put lot of necklaces on their neck and add more to their neck to stretch out their necks. I got to play with a baby monkey today and I had another monkey come up and give me a kiss on the cheek. The coolest thing I did though was I got to take pictures playing with tigers! I saw lots of tigers today. Big ones, little ones, and even baby ones. I have one picture with me laying on top of the tiger. Chaing Mai is beautiful!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Fish massage
Ok, so I did the COOLEST thing today. I've never heard of it.... till now. So I went to the mall in Siam (which is the biggest mall I've ever seen in my life) and was shopping around. We walked past this spa and there were some girls getting their feet massaged....by fish! I was like Duang! Look! haha. So I went in and got one too. I can't wait to post the pic so you can see. All you do is rinse your feet off and then you stick it in a gigantic fish tank that has 100's of little fish about an inch long. As you stick your feet into the fish tank they swarm to your feet and start their work. I don't know if its sanitary.... but it was way cool. They eat all the dead skin off your feet and it is the weirdest sensation. With all the fish it feels like a vibrating sensation that just tickles like crazy! It's an awesome massage. I've never done it before so it was an exciting experience.
Bangkok
So I've been in Bangkok for the last week. Went and saw some amazing temples. I also saw what most people know as the grand palace and the emerald Buddha. It was amazing! All of the intricate detail was so fine and all hand crafted into its masterpeice. It has given me great appreciation for other beliefs and culture. I love this place so much.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Legit Thai Cook
So I got to go to the little Thai Kitchen Restaurant today. Peabooh (the maid) was able to drop me off from her little motor bike and the cooks just let me come right on into the kitchen. It was SO COOL! I loved it! I just got to spend the next couple of hours in the restaurant's kitchen cooking and watching the other Thai cooks make authentic dishes. They asked me if I spoke any Thai and I was able to tell them "Nit Noey" which means "a little bit". Haha so they would talk to each other and then teach me the names of the different dishes and tell me to repeat the words after them. It was so good! They were so kind to me. I tell ya... cooking is hard work.... I don't know how they do it all day everyday. It was so fun though.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Communication can be such a barrier.
I love it here. It truly is a beautiful country. I feel so loved and adored by the people. I am very grateful for the Khaothongs and their hospitality of letting me stay with them. The language is really hard for me. I was hoping to pick it up faster but its really been a struggle for me. It makes it difficult because I can't really get around on my own because I can't understand anything anyone is saying to me. I tried to go out on my own today. lol. So, I went on a little shopping spree. It started out fine but then once I wanted to buy my stuff they wanted to barter and like I said I really struggle with the language so then I was just getting all confused! I ended up paying and buying a lot of things I typically don't think I would have bought at home...lol But it was still fun. On the bright side of things... now I have some fun clothes to wear. Good experience. It's been so much fun to go and look at all the little markets. Everyone has little shops here. The typical set up here is people live in the top part of their shops and then during the day they are downstairs working the business. Its been a huge learning experience for me in so many ways. I can't believe I'm almost half way done with my trip! It blows my socks off I've almost been gone for a whole month. I can't wait to go to Bangkok at the end of the week!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The White Asian
So my whole life in the states people ask me if I am part Asian....Well yesterday we went to the passport office to renew Duangs. The Thai guy told Duang if I wasn't so dang white he would have thought I was Thai. Then just after that we went to the beach and one of the Thai ladies started speaking to me from a little aways. Then when she came up close she apologized saying that she had thought I was one of her Thai friends.... Ya, even the Asians think I"m asian! This is awesome. I just need to get a good tan while I am here and I will be a legit asian. lol. jk but still. Just to clarify... I do look like my dad and I am all white. :)
Hat Yai
Went on an excursion to the very southern part of Thailand called Hat Yai. It was the bomb.com! I loved it. We went to the beach, got Duang's passport renewed, at good food! Took the whole day. 12 hours later... lol.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Drivin around town.
I don't know if you have ever seen the streets of Thailand but they are so much different than Utah. I got to ride with the maid on her little scooter to the market to buy lunch yesterday. It was quite exhilarating for me. All the cooks at the market loved me. Then afterwards peaboo took me to the bakery and I got some ice cream. Pretty sure I had to eat it fast because it was dripping away like 2 seconds after I bought it. I tried another exotic food of Pork liver today. Glad I asked what it was after I ate it. Not too bad...
I"m going to be buff when I come home because the gym is my new found home. I love it there and the Khaothongs love it because they can just drop me off for a few hours while I have a party at the gym.
I think there is a lizard that has made its way into my bedroom because it kept making noises last night. It kept waking me up. You wouldn't think they would be that noisy since they are so tiny! The lizards run around all over the walls outside but Duang says some of them make it into the house too... lucky me. :) lol But it could be worse. I've only seen 2 cockroaches since i've gotten here. I love it here. The outdoors are so beautiful. Well g2g.
I"m going to be buff when I come home because the gym is my new found home. I love it there and the Khaothongs love it because they can just drop me off for a few hours while I have a party at the gym.
I think there is a lizard that has made its way into my bedroom because it kept making noises last night. It kept waking me up. You wouldn't think they would be that noisy since they are so tiny! The lizards run around all over the walls outside but Duang says some of them make it into the house too... lucky me. :) lol But it could be worse. I've only seen 2 cockroaches since i've gotten here. I love it here. The outdoors are so beautiful. Well g2g.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Successful Gym Trip
I FINALLY FOUND A GYM! Halalujah! And man did it feel good to exercise in an air conditioned space! I loved it I felt so good. Then to top it off I killed all those hard worked calories with NOI NAH! Oh man, that stuff is heavy duty heaven! I loved it! My first time trying it. Today I bought my plane tickets to fly up for Bangkok for a week and then we are going to go to Chaing Mai for another week after that. I’m excited to get out of the house a bit more and see a little bit more of the country.
Thailand sure has a sense of humor
Tiip, she has got to be the funniest Thai lady I have ever met. She is hilarious! I think that she is going to take Duang and me to Phuket sometime before I leave in July. I think it will be a lot of fun. Hopefully it won’t be too windy and we will be able to go to Phi Phi Island.
Birthday Today! :)
Birthday was great! I got to skype with my family in the morning. I had wonderful sisters that savataged my suit case before I left the states and they not only slipped cute inspirational quotes and little candies into all my bags, but slipped birthday letters into my pocket as well. Thank you girls! You almost made me cry. =) Khun Ma and Pa bought me American food for my birthday. They figured what American girl wouldn’t like pizza and soda for her birthday. They were right. I’ve also been wanting to go to the market to buy young coconut. Kuhn Ma made sure I had some fresh to try for my birthday.
God must know I love the rain because it poured for my birthday. I went and played in it and before two minutes was up I was literally soaked. Dinner we had a big party with singing, food, cake, and more. I love this family so much. They made it a special day for me
God must know I love the rain because it poured for my birthday. I went and played in it and before two minutes was up I was literally soaked. Dinner we had a big party with singing, food, cake, and more. I love this family so much. They made it a special day for me
American Idol in Thailand? haha
I met Duang’s uncle. He spoke a little bit of English. From the impression I got he is some sort of DJ and music artist. When he found out I was from America he got super excited and wanted me to sing as an American on one of his shows. He treated me like some future celebrity or something. However I’ve never heard of half the songs he wanted me to sing so I told him we will see…
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Well today is my birthday and what a wonderful day it has been. Thank you for all my dear wonderful friends and your birthday wishes. I'm very grateful for you all. =) My birthday has been really fun. I woke up this morning and got to skype my family and a few friends. For dinner we had a big birthday party for me, Duang, and her mom. We all were born in the best month of the year which was of course... MAY! We sang, ate cake, and had a lot of fun partying :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Went golfing for the very first time in my life. I wish I could say I was a natural but.... that isn't the case lol... I was lucky to hit it past 50. The owner of the court even came out and kindly told me next time he would give me private instruction to help me work on my swing. I must have looked desperate. haha. But the good news is I had so much fun! I also went to the park to feed the catfish, took a walk to the turtle park, and ate dinner at Duangs Aunts restaurant. It was great! Love thailand.
Went golfing for the very first time in my life. I wish I could say I was a natural but.... that isn't the case lol... I was lucky to hit it past 50. The owner of the court even came out and kindly told me next time he would give me private instruction to help me work on my swing. I must have looked desperate. haha. But the good news is I had so much fun! I also went to the park to feed the catfish, took a walk to the turtle park, and ate dinner at Duangs Aunts restaurant. It was great! Love thailand.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Day of Buddha
Yesterday I went back to the temples to get more photos (since the others are gone :( ! ) It ended up being a much more succesful day than the first because they were celebrating a holiday for Buddha. The way Coon Ma phrased it was the day they celebrated their god being born, enlightened, and died. There was music, ceremonies, altars, and signs all around. I even got to go up into the pagoda with D and Coon Ma. They said it doesn't happen very often.
Well, I have a sad blog to post today. All of the pictures I have taken up to this point are gone! Somehow my disk got a virus from the computer I was using them to download and when we were trying to fix the disk it messed up my photos and they are all gone! So now I can't use that disk anymore and I have to start over on the photos. Good thing it was only a week into the trip. Still, I had about 200 photos... Anyway in order to avoid that sadness again I'm sorry to say it but I will not be narrating my blog with anymore pictures until I have them safely uploaded to a CD where i know they aren't going to dissapear. That would be tradgic if it happened again. So I'll still write what I'm doing but just not illustrate it with pics till I get home.... Sorry folks. I don't want to start a riot.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Lucky Gong
This gong is the wish maker. Thai's come here in the temple to make a wish and then they rub that middle part of the gong with their hands. If they can make the rubbing make loud ringing noises then your wish will come true. I believe it. I saw a guy do it while I was there! :) It was cool!
Buddha's
I've never seen so many Buddha's in all my life. Most of the Thai homes have a Buddha room where they go and worship. The hand positions of the buddha mean different things. When the hand are both up like they are saying stop that is Buddha reminding us to avoid temptation and to stop that which does not bring us unto God. There is a Buddha with lots of arms and 4 faces. The faces represent North, South, East, and West which are symbolic of all seeing. Duang says the multiple arms are to symbolize Buddha doing multiple things at the same time. The Buddha with the okay sign on both hands in the Lotus pose is wisdom and meditation. And the Buddha that is sitting and looks like he is sitting in a chair with spikes coming out is the Monday Buddha. There is a Buddha for each day of the week. There is a Buddha to pray for for each situation. Rain, guidance, fertility, love, etc. I think its interesting that most businesses are still closed on Sunday but that Duang says that it has nothing to do with religious orientation... she didn't know why they do that.
White Blood
There are many stories that go along with Thai culture. Many of the monument Statues have stories to go along with them. There is a statue at the temple of an old queen and king. The king was told that the queen committed a crime. He sentenced her to death since all the people were enraged by this accusation that was made against her. The queen refused to admit her crime and plead innocent. None the less she was sentenced to death. She said that if her blood was red when they cut off her head then she was guilty of the crime but if they killed her and her blood was white then she was innocent. The people said that on that day when they killed her that her blood was White...
Stories within ancient Thai Tradition
Many years ago, Thailand used to be ocean just like a lot of other places. There is a statue of two people sailing a ship. Many Thai people burn incense and bring flowers in memory and honor the first 2 people that sailed here and settled Thailand. It is over 3000 years old.
Sunday was good. It wasn't like my typical Sunday but still uplifting and I feel like a lot of good things came from it. It was the first time I had slept all the way through the night and I woke up very early. I read and studied for a couple of hours before I came out to have breakfast with the family.
Duang knew that I would be sad we didn't get to go to church this week so had our own spiritual lesson. She brought out the piano and I was able to play hymns for quite a while. Little and Duang sang with me the opening song. Duang said the opening prayer and then we taught Duangs sister Little about the Godhead. Little goes to a Catholic school right now so she is familiar with Christian teachings. Duang asked her at the end if she believed what she said was true and Little said she did. I could tell she was intently listening to what Duang was saying. I am amazed at the great missionary Duang is. Everywhere she goes whether it was on our plane ride home or talking to her family or extended family she is never afraid or reserved about sharing the gospel. It's like on the plane ride to Thailand she would always ask who ever we were sitting by what they believed and proceed to talk about the LDS faith. She would then turn to me and ask me to explain more in depth questions and explain to our plane neighbors that I was going to be serving in NYC as a missionary. She really is an example of light and truth. Her family are "good people". I'm coming to love them more and more. Now that Duang has been reading Thai scripture she is able to explain the gospel to them in her language I can feel her testimony and conviction of the gospel principles. She is an example to me of courage and what we should all be more like. I love her and I'm so grateful to be a guest in her home this summer.
After our little Sunday school lesson, we went to her Aunts house where her grandma had made all the family and delicious meal. We ate talked and visited. Duang once again talked to her Aunt and Grandma about LDS faith and answered their questions. Her family is so intrigued that I'm planning on going to NY in September to be a missionary. Then Duang Family and I left to go to the park. This park wasn't like the parks in the U.S. It is much bigger. There is still the parkway trail with hills, and ponds, etc. Everything is so much more green and lush with color. It's truely beautiful. They also had a miniature zoo. Coon Ma knows how much I loved going to see the Monkeys in Petburi so we went and saw the monkeys at the park. I was loving it but the rest of the family didn't like the way the animals smelt lol. They kept saying "Mhen" which means "it stinks!" So we had to leave sooner than I would have liked but it was a fun day. Different from most my Sunday's in Utah. Still full of the same spirit though.
Duang knew that I would be sad we didn't get to go to church this week so had our own spiritual lesson. She brought out the piano and I was able to play hymns for quite a while. Little and Duang sang with me the opening song. Duang said the opening prayer and then we taught Duangs sister Little about the Godhead. Little goes to a Catholic school right now so she is familiar with Christian teachings. Duang asked her at the end if she believed what she said was true and Little said she did. I could tell she was intently listening to what Duang was saying. I am amazed at the great missionary Duang is. Everywhere she goes whether it was on our plane ride home or talking to her family or extended family she is never afraid or reserved about sharing the gospel. It's like on the plane ride to Thailand she would always ask who ever we were sitting by what they believed and proceed to talk about the LDS faith. She would then turn to me and ask me to explain more in depth questions and explain to our plane neighbors that I was going to be serving in NYC as a missionary. She really is an example of light and truth. Her family are "good people". I'm coming to love them more and more. Now that Duang has been reading Thai scripture she is able to explain the gospel to them in her language I can feel her testimony and conviction of the gospel principles. She is an example to me of courage and what we should all be more like. I love her and I'm so grateful to be a guest in her home this summer.
After our little Sunday school lesson, we went to her Aunts house where her grandma had made all the family and delicious meal. We ate talked and visited. Duang once again talked to her Aunt and Grandma about LDS faith and answered their questions. Her family is so intrigued that I'm planning on going to NY in September to be a missionary. Then Duang Family and I left to go to the park. This park wasn't like the parks in the U.S. It is much bigger. There is still the parkway trail with hills, and ponds, etc. Everything is so much more green and lush with color. It's truely beautiful. They also had a miniature zoo. Coon Ma knows how much I loved going to see the Monkeys in Petburi so we went and saw the monkeys at the park. I was loving it but the rest of the family didn't like the way the animals smelt lol. They kept saying "Mhen" which means "it stinks!" So we had to leave sooner than I would have liked but it was a fun day. Different from most my Sunday's in Utah. Still full of the same spirit though.
Buddhist Temple Feild Trip
I went to one of the Buddhist temples yesterday with Duang and Coon Ma. It was good to go with her mom because she was able to answer a lot of questions I had about the Buddhist faith. I enjoyed the beautiful buildings very much. I have many pictures of the large pagoda that is located in the center of the temple yard. You will notice the large pagoda in the background and the smaller memorials that look like miniature pagoda's. Evidently the Pagoda was built in such a way that it never casts a shadow. I don't know how they did it. It doesn't make sense to me, but I still think its cool. Duang says the one time in history that the people say they did see a shadow that something bad happened to the rest of the people. It's just this particular pagoda that was built this way though. The smaller pagoda's around us can be compared to the equivlents of our cemetaries. People are buried all around but the large pagoda is reserved for the Buddhist God. They don't open the doors ascending to the pagoda very often but since it was a Buddhist holiday I got to go up and walk around the Pagoda. It was rad!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Ling (Monkey) Galore
So we drove to the South Yesterday since the riots are so bad in Bangkok. We did a couple of really cool things along the way. I had lunch at a restaurant with Duang and her parents. We seem to eat a lot of fish. It is coon Pa's favorite. I ate it for breakfast lunch and dinner yesterday. I had a iced ovaltine drink. They love ovaltine here. It had so much sugar in it though! I had a hard time drinking all of it. Duang's was a strawberry milk drink. We also stopped on the street so I could take picutres of all the
monkeys on the street. Petburi is the name of the city we stopped in to take pictures with the monkeys. Duang said we would find nicer monkey's to pet but that we could still get out to see them. Notice in the background of the picture all of the school children. The student uniform is associated with the particular school the student attends. These children would walk up to the monkey's and then jump back and run around the monkeys. It was so funny to watch.
monkeys on the street. Petburi is the name of the city we stopped in to take pictures with the monkeys. Duang said we would find nicer monkey's to pet but that we could still get out to see them. Notice in the background of the picture all of the school children. The student uniform is associated with the particular school the student attends. These children would walk up to the monkey's and then jump back and run around the monkeys. It was so funny to watch.
So the food here is amazing! This is a picture of just breakfast my first day here. Every meal looks like this. We go to the market almost every day to pick up some food. I've tried lots of cool things here so far. Monkut, Rumbatan, chickens feet soup(nails and bones intact), chicken blood, siphoon, curry, etc. I'm getting quite the culture experience. I don't know how Asian's stay so small! I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the food we eat all the time. It's so good though!
Duang's Family
I'm staying with Duang's family. I call her dad and mom, coon pa and coon ma. She has an older brother that is my age. His name is Top and he goes to school in Bangkok. He will be joining us in Nakkon Sri Thammarat after he finishes his final. Duang is 18 and my friend from school that lived in my same complex this last semester. I met her sister today when we went to go pick her up from school. Her name is Little (Pronounced Liton) and is 14. She is darling and so nice. All of her family speaks Thai but her brother and sister understand most of the English I say. They just have a hard time talking back to me. Duang is the only fluent English speaker in her home. I made a deal with Little today that I would give her English lessons if she would give me Thai lessons. It's really hard for me to be the only one that can't talk in the house. I lost Duang today in the house and I couldn't even ask any of the family or workers where she went. They just looked at me like I was crazy when I asked "Duang?" But don't worry once I found her I immediately learned the phrase "Duang, eu ni cha?" Means- "where is Duang?" :) I have put the phrase to good use.
Friendly Buggers
Well I'm in Thailand and I have made new friends very quickly... I don't know why the misquitos like me so much. I think the garlic helps but what can I say... I'm irresistable :) Anyway, other than that Thailand is Awesome! I love it here! Duang's family has taken me in and made me feel so at home. Everything here is so pretty.
The streets here have put a new definition of crazy driving. Colton, never say that cali has crazy driving. It's all a matter of perspective. I feel disoriented because cars drive on the opposite side of the road from the states. And the drivers wheel is on the right hand side of the car instead of the left. haha. The streets here are very crowded and lots and lots of motor bike scooters that zoom up and down the car lanes. People don't use their blinkers very often and usually just honk if they are worried about someone moving over as they are passing their lane. People drive very fast and I don't think speed limit is enforced very much. I've stopped looking at the speedometer because I get nervous. It is usually some where between 80 and 100. Although I don't know if that is in miles per hour because the car goes to almost 200. Lots of people drive small trucks. Kids pile in after school to carpool home. When I say pile I really mean pile. I think I counted 15 kids in the back of the small pickup truck today driving home from school. It's so normal but it would be considered so dangerous in the states. haha It's cool...
The streets here have put a new definition of crazy driving. Colton, never say that cali has crazy driving. It's all a matter of perspective. I feel disoriented because cars drive on the opposite side of the road from the states. And the drivers wheel is on the right hand side of the car instead of the left. haha. The streets here are very crowded and lots and lots of motor bike scooters that zoom up and down the car lanes. People don't use their blinkers very often and usually just honk if they are worried about someone moving over as they are passing their lane. People drive very fast and I don't think speed limit is enforced very much. I've stopped looking at the speedometer because I get nervous. It is usually some where between 80 and 100. Although I don't know if that is in miles per hour because the car goes to almost 200. Lots of people drive small trucks. Kids pile in after school to carpool home. When I say pile I really mean pile. I think I counted 15 kids in the back of the small pickup truck today driving home from school. It's so normal but it would be considered so dangerous in the states. haha It's cool...
Thursday, May 13, 2010
I Leave for Thailand in 4 Days!
Today has been awesome! I leave for Thailand in approximately 4 days. For those of you that might care I opened my mission call today. I will be serving in New York, New York South Mission. Spanish Speaking and I leave September 8th! I am so excited! =) More details of my life to come soon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)