Bautismo

Krisina’s new address is

Hermana Krisina Lewis

84-35 108 st #2

Richmond Hill, NY11418

Bautismo		X
	January 30, 2012 10:54 AM

Ya friends and family! Hey another short week has come and gone.  I'm scared to blink because I feel like time is just flying!  Guess WHHATTT!!!!

Miracle #1 for the week!  Hermano Mite went through and got baptized yesterday!  Yes!!!!! It was such a wonderful day filled with lots of love, spirit, and wonderfulness.  I can't remember what I wrote about Hermano Mite last week but to review and clue you in I will give a brief overview.  The familia Mite lives right across the street from us.  They have an 18 year old daughter that lives with them and is a member.  They also have a member daughter in Ecuador and another non-member daughter that lives in Flushing.  Hermano Mite and his wife have been investigating the church for years and I can only imagine the hundreds of prayers that have been said for him and his family over the last couple of years praying for the day when he would finally enter that water! Boo YAh!  The mites were the first investigators that I met when I came to Richmond Hill.  I remember teaching a wonderful lesson with them my first night of the transfer and just thinking afterwards what in the world is going to help them get baptized. I thought to myself "it will take a miracle". Then, Hermana Harry said we have GOT to get the members in there.  That's one thing that I just love about sister harry is that she is all about the members and goes out of her way to make sure she gets them in those lessons.  Anyway so we brought Hermano Carlos Ramirez to the lesson with us the following week. Hermana Harry said every time that she had tried to arrange it before, the member or the investigator had always juked the appointment but this one actually went through. I have never sat in a lesson quite like it.  He is a bold and powerful teacher the spirit was so strong in that lesson you could have cut it with a knife.  It was a really neat experience to be a part of and its experiences like that where you just can't deny the power of God. His conversion story is incredible and I am just amazed at how God gives us our own set of experiences that really are personal and unique for us. He has a way of taking and leading us by the hand. I know it’s real and that God is our father and that this truly is his work.  Anyway long story short,  Hermano Mite accepted the invitation to be baptized for the 29th of January and I just walked out of the lesson thinking God really is a God of miracles.  His power never ceases.  His wife still wouldn't commit to a date but her husband and daughters are both members.  She'll be coming a long soon I believe.  They were in New Jersey all day Saturday and due to different complications didn’t make it back to New York until

Four in the morning.  They still made it to church and he made sure that he was ready for his baptism.  Hermano Ramirez baptized him and it was a really wonderful day for all of us. I played violin for the 'Abide with me" melody and the other missionaries of the ward sang for the musical number.  I feel so privileged and lucky to be a part of that experience.  Hermano mite is going to be wonderful and faithful member and that is just really makes me happy.  To see those true conversions in Christ and people's heart change to see true conversions in Christ.

We also had zone conference this last week.  It was really great and I learned so much.  It's so great how the spirit can teach you so many things as you prepare your heart and mind to receive revelation.  Lunch was really good.  The senior couples prepared a baked potato bar.   We had some training on how to prepare the pathway to baptism and also how to use and recognize the spirit.

The thing that really caught me off guard was when president pulled me aside and nicely reminded me that I would be giving my departing testimony at the end of the meeting.  WEIRD!  I had completely not connected the dots that it was my last zone conference and my last opportunity to say some departing words. It was the first time I actually felt the reality that my mission was not going to last forever settle in. I felt a little overwhelmed and wanted to cry. I didn't have any prepared thoughts so I quickly jotted down some notes.  I was so filled up with different emotions that it was hard for me to express myself.  I'll try and share some of my thoughts that I wrote down and that I felt like have been important to my mission:

I have felt like the course of my mission has been a blessing that I will never ever be able to pay back.  I know that missions are a huge blessing.  I love my mission and I will never forget the sacred and memorable experiences that I have had here in New York.  I have never lived in a more worldy place yet I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father in all my life.  The streets of New York have become hallowed ground for me; hallowed meaning sacred, consecrated, sanctified, and reverent.  It has taught me that I am a creator of circumstances rather than a creature of circumstances.  I have found the mission to be exactly what I put into it.  Diligence and work reveals capacity.  The mission is Holy because of what you do.

If I could choose 3 things that would make a successful missionary I would choose.

1. Love

2. Desire

3. Attitude

Love is the power to change the heart.  The greatest act of love that has ever been shown is through our savior Jesus Christ.  He is our Eldest Brother who came to redeem all mankind.  The only greater miracle than a conversion in Christ is the atonement Jesus Christ. That is because it is through our savior Jesus Christ and his atonement that we can have a true conversion. I have learned that real conversion comes through repentance.  Average is an enemy to excellence.

Desire is what gives you the drive to reveal capacity.  Desire reveals the path for vision.  When you envision what you want it endows you with power to accomplish your goals.  The mission is built on eternal principles that not only work in the mission but real world scenarios.  As we increase our desire our faith grows and God help us on our mission to accomplish his work.  We are filled with his light and we see miracles. I have learned who my boss is what he is willing to do for me in order for me to complete my job.  I have a pretty cool boss.

Attitude is closely related to accountability.  Accountability represents our ability to become. As we increase our accountability, our capacity will also increase.  Time is one of the most valuable resources we have been given in this life, especially on a mission.  It is how we use our time that makes it really count.  Because of our mantle we are spiritually quickened and we are choosing to form a foundation for the rest of our lives.  It very much forms and shapes what we will do after our mission.

The Lord is not content with sacrifice.  It is about consecrating all that you have.  I have experienced a joy that has been beyond my happiest moments in life.  I believe in the scripture that says, "He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matt 10:39.  I know that Jesus is the Savior of the world.  He is the only way that we can return to live as part of Gods eternal family.  God will always give us exactly what we need, and not exactly what we want.  There is no doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that he really did restore the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I have learned that the book of Mormon has a power and is the most correct book on earth.  I know that God loves us.  As we read the book of Mormon we will find that the spirit is with us and that we become closer to God.  We come to understand our purpose and fill richness to our lives.  I say these things in the name of our savior, Jesus Christ Amen.

~Herman Lewis