Service in Jersey

So this was a fun week.  A little bit different and really interesting.  The mission as well as the wards and branches in New York were asked to make time to go and help New Jersey clean up from the Hurricane this last week.  So President split the mission up and sent us different days of the week.  We went to New Jersey on Friday to help with clean up.  It was really surprising to me to see all the damage that was done.  When we arrived to New Jersey i wasn't thinking it looked too damaged and i wondered why we were there but in the end, it I was so wrong.  The flooding really did some damaged.  These people lost their homes and really are starting from scratch.  The outsides look fine driving down the streets but when you go in there is pretty much nothing left.  We were ripping out walls, carpets, floor boards, door frames, cupboards etc.  I never knew all the levels of wood and flooring in a house.  I took one apart, I think that I could probably build one up now. A lot of the electrical and pipes had been ruined so there has been sewage and power outage in a lot of the homes. The water level in the homes was about up to my chest which meant anything from countertops down was ruined and needed to be taken out.  Dad you would be so proud of me I wore a dust mask! I thought of you in the process.  It was this funny lookin  thing that reminded me of a duck.  Everyone thought it was halarious but it saved me a few particles of dust ect.  It was fun to work with the missionaries in the other mission and hear what types of demographics work in their area.  We took a big tour bus down to Jersey and wore the big helping hands yellow t-shirts. New Jersey asked 2000 volunteers from the church and they received 3000 which was cool becuase it showed a lot of support and love. 

 

We also did some service with the ward this last week around the area and found some new investigators.  We will hope to see some good stuff to follow.  We are teaching some really fun good people right now.  I'm a big fan of this area and i love being in the car and being able to teach 7 or 8 appointments in 1 day no sweat.  So sweet!  our goal is to hit 50 lessons for the week.  We probably will be able to get that for next week.  It's pretty sweet because in the trio we can do member splits.  One of us goes with a member while the others go to a different appointment.  That could be like 4 member presents in like 2 hours!

 

Okay peeps! So this is what I'm deciding on my mission.  No one needs to go on a mission to help people have conversions in Christ.  In fact I think that the members are the most awesome and key part in the member's work.  There is nothing like member work.  When the members are involved the retention of the converts are better, more people get baptized, and the ward pulls together to be stronger.  So if you want to help the missionary work, pray for missionary experiences that you can be a part of.  Give the missionaries referrals, pray to find someone that is ready to receive the discussions and invite non members into your homes for activities and discussions.  We all have a huge impact on the lives of other people.  Sometimes people feel like the missionaries aren't real because they view them more like angels or something. When they meet the members they see it's a way of life and that it really does bring true joy and works to bring success into our lives personally.  So get out there and do it.  Mom, your awesome! It's a beautiful thing.  I am so impressed with the wards here in New York and all that they do  to strive and build up the kingdom of God.

 

Love you all

 

hermana Lewis.

New Jammies

Hey family! 

 

How ya'll doing? :)  okay so this week was really fun and trio is actually a lot better than I thought it was going to be.  I'm quite enjoying it.  Sister Jewkes and Sister Nelson are cracks and a half.  Guess what they made me do this week?  Yes we went and we bought onesies at Target this week!  You know those little jammies you put on the little babies with the footies in them?  Yes I bought one of those and it fits me quite nicely actually.  My comps just think they are the best thing that came to town since who knows when.  We've even talked the rest of the elders to buy them in our district I think.  How? I dont' know but I have pictures to show you of my wonderful jammies.  They are blue with little frogs and so forth.  Mom, your going to love them.

 

Lots of interesting stuff happened this week.  I had a very interesting experience with one of the recent converts that we are teaching.  My new fascination in life is the Holy Ghost.  The Spirit is pretty legit.  Sister Nelson made a little joke that missionaries are kind of like x-men with super powers.  I think that's true. If you are in tune with the spirit it will tell you exactly what's going on, be your comforter, as well as warn you of danger. When I was in this lesson I knew exactly what she was thinking and I was able to tell her exactly what I needed to in order to fulfill my purpose with that lesson. No one else in that lesson could have possible known what was going on besides me and her.  I can't tell you how grateful I am for all the experiences that I've had on my mission.  I have met people from all different  countries, cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs.  I mean EVERY thing, good and bad.  New York is crazy and i think its pretty much amazing gods journey for each one of us and how the gospel applies to everyone's lives because it is centered around the atonement of Jesus Christ.  HE is the Christ and this is his work.  We will be saved only by and through him.  I know this to be true.

 

Jennifer got baptized yesterday!  As always there are always a bunch of things that tend to go awry but in the end it all worked out and it was well worth it.  I'll have to send pictures as well.  It was so rewarding.  Sister Nelson and I decided all our hard work from Rego Park is starting to pay off.  We worked our butts off in Rego and were so dissappointed when we weren't able to baptize together but now it all paid off and we can say we had a wonderful baptism together.  Jennifer is 11 and reminds me very much of Symbria.  She is beautiful and has long long think hair that I braided for her in a crown for the baptism.  All the missionaries sang that arrangement of Teach me to walk in the light.  I messed up on the accompaniment a lot but I think it all worked out in the end.  You could just tell her whole family was so happy and that she felt so special. she was just glowing.

 

Sorry this is short but the libraries are down and not being very cooperative today.  I love you all.

 

Mom my address is.

 

22 Woodlawn Ave

Central Islip, NY 11722

 

Lost on the Island

You would not believe all the stuff that happened.  All in this last week... it's funny how things all work out in the end. I'm in the ISLAND! So, lets just start at transfer meeting last week shall we?  So, here is what went down.  I arrive at transfer meeting with Sister Young. She is just nervous beyond belief to train and so excited at the same time I think she almost made herself sick.  She was training this girl from Hawaii and they are beyond perfect for each other.  We have a couple of Baptismal commits for them to work towards in flushing so that should be exciting for her.  Eduardo is awesome and I talked to him right before I left and he said he was going to sort out his life so that he could become closer to god.  He is pretty legit but needs some time.  Pray for him please. :)

So as we walk into the mission office President calls me into his office before transfer meeting.  President tells me that they are sending another set of sisters to open a new area up on the island and that he is going to blind me and sister Porter in to open the area.  Say what?! That was pretty exciting.  I have ALWAYS wanted to serve with Sister Porter. She is an amazing, spiritual, hard working missionary.  She came in the same transfer as Sister Jasso so she has just about 9 months in the mission.  Yet sister Porter is so hard working that she overworked herself in Midwood last transfer and got heat exhaustion pretty bad.  She was training last transfer and so she felt in order to keep the work going she needed to work through it.  I know the crazy sisters that sometimes don't think logically.  So ended up making herself pretty sick and president heard about it and called her into the mission home to rest.  So she has been at the mission home recuperating for the last 2 weeks and seemed to be getting better.  President thought that a car area would help her not have to exert so much energy walking all day so that meant he would be sending her there. How would be her companion.   THat's right, Yo (I). Sister Porter had 2 more nights that she was supposedly going to rest at the mission home before she came out to the island with me so that meant that I would open up the area w/o her.  President said he was going to pull Sister Jewkes, from the english program to come and help me for a few days while I figure my way around the area and sister porter is recuperating. Great. Where do I start? She has been in a trio for the last little while and so she offered to come and help me.  I guess President was talking to her about it 2 weekends ago when everyone from the island got evacuated and was hanging out in the mission home for the hurricane. 

Boy can I tell you how grateful I was for sister Jewkes. Yes TawnLee I already asked her if she knew any Jewkes from farren yet she unfortunately does not. But she is from Taylorsville and she knows a bunch of people I know like my freshman roomate Breeann Howe, Tyler Bell, Ashley Moutso's, Dallin and Kevin Tye, etc etc etc.  I accidently call her Hermana Tawn all the time.  We had a lot of little heart to hearts during our first few days together.  She was my GPS system thank heavens.  She was located in Bayshore which is the area right next to ours for 5 transfers and she used to live in the same pad as we do  now so that was really convenient.  She knows this area like the back of her hand.  Just not a lick of Spanish. I felt kind of like a fish out of water.

Guess who are the other sisters out on the island right now?  That's right Hermana KoriAnn Nelson (mi hija) and Sister Heiner.  Sister Heiner has been on the island for 5 transfers. I hear they are just killing it out her and it because of them that they asked to send more sisters out her. So that was super fun to come home and see the my favorite people of all time. The only problem is that Sister Heiner hasn't been doing well either so she had to go home on Tuesday.  She was able to say all her goodbye's though.  La familia Majano were so sad to see her go.  They are like parents to us in the mission and take such good care of us. We live in the upstairs of a house of the familia Majano.  They are in our ward and they are just great.  I love them so much.  They are from El Salvador and the cutest family you could ever imagine.  So sister Nelson came in a trio with me and sister jewkes for the day until sister porter came.

So Wednesday Sister Porter comes with President's wife Sister Nelson to drop her off.  She still was feeling just awful. We were going to be operating off the medical leave status until she was fully recuperated.  So me and sister porter went on our lovely way after conquering New York.  She is such a trooper. If you could imagine an angel with blond hair and lights in her eyes,  This is sister porter.  We had a plan to get her better and then go baptize all of new york. Good plan right? Heck ya it is!  Her mom is very much like you mom.  Really healthy, all organic, exercise, pretty, outgoing, full of energy, and all about the gospel.  So naturally her mom had sent her a bunch of stuff in the mail to help her get better.  I was trying to do some light therapy and imaging with her as well as a bunch of other stuff.  I actually think it was working too.  Until Sunday.

Sunday she was so sick.  It was "explosive", just hit her like a rock.  We were inside ALL day, we couldn't leave.  After much counsel and thoughtful pondering she finally accepted that she needed to go home for a time in order to get better and work her best. After a month and ahalf it was getting worse not better. President promised her that she could come back when she was fully recuperated.So she left on a plane this afternoon.  It was all so fast and I haven't had a week quite like it.  I made president promise that I could serve with her again when she comes back.  I feel jipped of a priceless experience.So Sister Porter is planning on giving it a transfer.  I'm just hoping in less than 6 months. She's a champ and I learned so much from her in just the short week that I was with her. She radiates the spirit and is so amazing.  I look up to her a lot and New York is lucky to have her.She so awesome and always serving others no matter what. Always in good spirits, for example: She was laying on the bathroom floor puking her guts out and she was still making funny jokes and we were rolling on the floor from laughter.  Mom she might be coming to Utah to recooperate because Arizona is so hot so I told her to give you a call so she could stop by "when she is feeling" better.

So in the end, I had an interview with President today and he put me, sister Jewkes, and Hermana Nelson in a trio and we are going to put it back to one area. It's kinda cool that sister Jewkes gets to stay and work spanish before she finishes her mission in two transfers. Coincidence that I'm back with my favorite companion of all time?  I think not! :) I'm so excited to work with Hermana Nelson again.  She is quite the missionary.  I'm stoked for a transfer filled with miracles and good spirits.  Baptize! :)Through the help of our loving heavenly father we will.  Island is crazy different from the city but i'm really liking it... :) Siga adalante! Love you all!

P.S. Mom- sorry about the credit card but I was kinda stranded my first days here on the island and so I bought all my new stuff because my other card didn't get refilled until later this week.  So your going to have to check that bill for me and would you pay it off for me?  YOu are the best mother in the whole wide world.  I'm glad that you all liked the package.  :) Thanks for all you do for me.  Mom, my address is

22 Woodlawn Ave
Central Islip NY and I forgot the zip code.  that doesn't work sorry.   or look it up I'm pretty sure it is 11722

Hermana Lewis.

service project painting over grafitti

New York Earthquake and Hurricane

Que Honda Familia?

 

Well this was definitely an exciting week.  Wasn't too effective as far as numbers for the week go but do have lots of stories to tell.  As you can imagine the Hurricane was quite the event.  I'm SO glad to hear Jacki is okay.  It's funny because  as I felt the earthquake and later the Hurricane I knew Sherryl would be worried and I wish I had some way to let her know that both her babies were just fine.  :)  I knew Jacki was fine too even though I bet she got a lot more of the hit.  Mission Presidents are great things and they really take good care of us.  I know that these are inspired men of god.  Way earlier this transfer president started stressing our 72 hours kits and making sure that we had all our equipment and water. That was way before we knew natural disasters could be underway. So we were all pretty much ready when we got news of the hurricane.  He took every measure and precaution to make sure that we were safe.  Queens is a lot higher up and so we didn't have to worry too much.  All the missionaries were indoors by 5:30 on Saturday and he had us indoors all day on Sunday until the storm passed.  They had evacuation plans for areas like Far Rockaway and the islands that are closer to sea level.  Little Flushing was good to go though we had lots of rain and wind but not too much damage.  I think the mayor did a really good job though being prepared and the people of new york are really lucky to have him. It was a little annoying not to have the transit system after noon on saturday and also down on sunday but I think it was okay. It's always better to be prepared and not have to use it than to need resources that you don't have.  I learned that one from my wise and all knowing father ;)  Love ya dad.   

 

So basically Tuesday with the earthquake.  We went to visit a less active, Flor Camacho, to help her put up some curtains in her house.  She is super old and can't do a lot of things for herself and she is halarious.  She cracks me up.  She bought my groceries a few months back when we were with her for that Whole food mint pie that I love so much.  So I told her we would bring her a peice of it.  So we went over and were just finishing up the curtains.  I sat down because I wasn't feeling too good.  I was really sick the weekend before with a virus and so I sat down to catch my breath and recoop.  Then sister young walked over the the other side of the living room to start putting the covers on the couch.  We were almost finished.  Then I could feel a little rumble.  It kind of felt like when the trains went by a building when i was in Rego and it shook the buidings a little bit but I hadn't felt that in Flushing.  The trains don't run through flushing and their too far away so then I was thinking if maybe something funny could be going on with the elevator outside.  Then in the midst of this thought process sister Young looks at me like, " what is going on?"  Then I realize the rumble is getting worse and it's not really a rumble anymore because the mirror on the wall is about to fall off from shaking so heavy.  It was really weird because of all the random thoughts that were going through my mind at the time.  I was thinking to myself, I know I shouldn't sit here and do nothing.  Yet at the same time I couldn't really believe I was experiencing what we call an earthquake on the 6th floor of an apartment building in New York.  If the earthquake did decide to get worse it doesn't do me a whole lot of good to try and run down 6 flights of stairs in 100 year old building because I'll probably get smashed anyway.  Not to mention the little 80 year old lady I'm with wouldn't be able to run down stairs and we couldn't just leave her there.  Then we have Hermana Camacho that starts freaking out that the building is shaking and she starts praying at the top of her lungs while trying to hold the mirror from falling off the wall. "Senor, Poderoso! Ayuda nos! Senor Poderoso Protegenos." etc. etc. etc.  It's just this little 4' 10" little lady and Sister Young grabs her being like 5' 10 and just envelopes her in this big hug of love.  "Esta bien hermana. Todo va estar bien. No se preocupel."  Then like a few minutes later the earthquake stops and Hermana Camacho tells us we have to stop what we are doing so that we can pray.  She says this big old prayer and asks hiim to protect us and the house.  It worked pretty good I think.  I'm still here :) No damage done.  It was kinda a funny though to hear other people's experiences. There were people that were running in the streets and all scared that it was going to be the end of New York.  Then there were other in the park or walking down the street that didn't feel anything at all and thought the rest of us are all crazy.   We only got the leftovers from Virginia I think.  I hear it was pretty big there.

 

Tuesday Night we went on sister exchanges and I left and went to the new area that they just opened up in Woodside this last transfer.  Sister Jasso and Sister Montes opened the area last transfer and they are working to build that area right now.  Sister Young stayed in our area and worked it with sister smith.  I went to woodside with Sister Montes.  Sister Jasso left and went to Rego with Sister Reed.  It was really good I always enjoy exchanges and getting a new flavor of missionary work with different people.  It was fun because sister Montes is from Veracruz Mexico and it is fun to be with the natives.  Spanish just bond to their native missionaries and relate in a way unlike other missionaries can and i always love to observe and see how I can build stronger member connections.  I really enjoyed learning from sister montes and seeing what types of things I could improve and other skills I developed since I last saw her.  I got to sleep in the old pad that I used to live in when I worked in Rego because we live with the other 2 sisters.  That was really fun and I enjoyed it immensely.   One of the things we did on transfers was go to visit this really sick lady in their ward.  She is 94 and has a son in the quorum of the 70 right now.  She has a home attenedent that let us come visit.  This little 94 year old was so sick when we went but she was so glad to have us.  She is a pretty good humored lady.  Despite being sick the last time they were there Sister Montes was telling me she was cracking jokes and had them all laughing on the floor.  This time the lady was barely strong enough to lift her head out of bed but you could feel the spirit and she had such a sincere love for the missionaries she asked us if we were working hard and building up the lords kingdom.  It was clear how important she knew missionary work was.  We also visited this sweet lady in the ward that has been a member for about 20 years now.  She told us how she still keeps in touch with her missionaries that taught and baptized her.  She shared how much the gospel has changed her life and how grateful she is for those missionaries that chose to serve so that her life could be blessed for the better.  She is so willing to help the missionary and support the work in any way that she can. 

 

Thursday Sister young and i had to go to Rego Park because she had a meeting with President and Some other missionaries that will be training the Greenies that are coming in.  Sister young is training this upcoming transfer which I am so excited about.  She is so excited!  She is ready and i think it will help her become and feel the missionary that she wants to be.  I'm really excited for her and she will love it but I'm sad because that means that i am leaving and off to a new area.  I've only been in Flushing for 2 transfers which seems like practically nothing but I do believe that i have made the impact that I am suppposed to and that it is my time to leave. Sad news but with changes come other experiences and other opportunities.  So mom, hold off on any mail that you are planning on sending to the pad.  You can just send it back to the mission office until I get you my new address. They will send it to me from the mission home.  I think I'm going to Brooklyn or Long Island.  We will have to see.  I'll let you know next week.   But to go along with that I got to go on splits with Sister Smith and visit Rego Area again which I loved! We went and taught one of their investigators Felipe.  He is thinking about maybe getting baptized on the 4th of Septembeer and he said some really great things during the lesson.  We taught with Jonnathan Vargas our member in the bishopbric and then we talked to him about church and the law of chastity.  It was funny because I just kinda got thrown into the lesson. Sister Smith is newer in the mission and she didn't tell me before the lesson that she didn't understand when Felipe was talking.  So I was just going to let her lead when she turns and looks at me right after his first comment and I almost died of embarrassment because I hadn't been listening intently on what he was saying. So from then on I just took turns asking the 4 of us in the room different questions and it worked out well.  I'm excited for Felipe.  He said that from the moment he started meeting witht he missionaries he began to notice his life change.  He was so excited and he could feel the difference and the goodness start to enter his life.  He is bomb.com!  I love being able to teach those good moments.  They are just so rich and I forget so quickly how when I think I'm teaching, in reality these people are teaching me. 

 

Thursday night I was running around with sister Young trying to see all of our investigators to say goodbye. It was kinda crazy. We were over at the familia calle when we went outside and noticed the sun!  It was so awesome!  It was huge and was setting against the Manhatten skyline.  It was so big and was just pure red.  It kind of looked like an eclipse except it was the sun not the moon.  I think they call it the summer solstice.  We called David and his friends out and they told us that the summer solstice only happens onnce a year and it only happens for about 8 minutes.  I could barely get a picture before it went down.  It set really fast but it was so beautiful.  I will have to try and send the picutres.  They don't do it justice but I barely had the time to even snap a shot much less play around with the setting before it had gone down.  It was really pretty though.

 

We went on Friday morning to play soccer with all the missionaries, Youth, recent converts, and any investigators that want to play at college point.  I met this blonde guy that looked so familiar but I couldn't place where I had seen him before.  He was from the English ward and he said that he went to school at Utah state but I still could not make the connection.  Then I found out that his wife is Natalie Clank!   Small world, pretty sure that their wedding announcement was on our fridge or maybe Kris Craddock's last year and so I had seen him in their announcements.  So then i told him that I had know Natalie in Highschool from Dance and Cheer and so I asked him how they like new york and such.  It was really funny to finally figure out where I knew him from. 

 

Friday afternoon we went and said goodbye to the Leons.  They are doing good but there are a lot of things they still aren't getting.  We talked about Reading and praying in order to find revelation for our lives and that it is the only way that we will be able to know if Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God.  Moises has a really hard time believing that Joseph Smith saw God the Father considering there are very very few times that The Father has ever appeared to man in the flesh.  One of the only other times that I can think of in the bible is when chrsit was transfigured in the presence of his 3 apostles, Peter James and John.  Even then it says he was in a cloud.  But Moises did say that he likes the church a lot.  He loves learning but he said unlike Lina it is going to take him some time to decide if he wants to be baptized but when he does it he will do it for reals becuase it is where his heart is.  I told him all I ask is that he does his part by praying and reading and attending church and working towards that goal of finding out if it reallying  is the truth.  Either Joseph Smith is a prophet and it all is true or else it didn't and all these miracles, love, good works, and salvation are a big fat lie.  There is no inbetween.  It is god's church.  Plain and simple and we can see it through the fruits that come to pass and the way that people are when we are living the gospel.  It works that's how it is.  Moises paid me a really nice complement and told me that besides being beautiful on the outside, I'm just as beautiful on the inside if not more so and that it shows.  He thanked me for all that I had done for his family and that out of all the missionaries that had visited his house, Sister Harry and i were the first that were able to help him see why this church was important.  That felt really good and Lina just told me that I have to come back and visit and I told her I would be back for her baptism.  I hope they keep going and progressing and really understanding why they need this for their family to be complete and whole.  The gospel blesses families and helps them heal and become what we have always wanted. 

 

Then we went home because the storm was starting to set in and the rain had started.  Sister Young being the example that she is gave her umbrella to some little homeless lady that was getting soaked in the rain.  She is always a Chrsitlike example to me.  I love her and she has taught me a lot about love and service.  So we rean home and that and i think Sister Young just about died of boredom in the house. We did some major studies, baking, and games but after runnning around as a missionary all the time it is a little bit different being grounded to the apartment for over 24 hours.  lol.  You would not believe the rain and the wind we had.  It was crazy and we didni't even get very much of the storm in Flushing.  It was really fun.  There was NO ONE in the street.  Which is really weird being in the city of New York.  there are always people out and about doing things.  So this was serious.  All the buses and trains had been shut down. Church was cancelled on Sunday and the Mission President  asked all the missionaries to do sacrameent among themselves.  That was really cool because I have never been a part of sacrament outside of the church.  Usually people are pretty strict about blessing sacrament outside of sacrament room meetings so that will be Something that was very special and memory I will cherish.  It's funny I knew that there was a lot of hussle and bussle about the Hurricane but as missionaries we were just excited to see what was going to happen.  Being a missionary I've never felt more safe in my life.  I know I'm still human but I do feel pretty much like I can't loose either way.  Chances are, God is just going to protect me.  But even if anything did happen to me in the slight chance that it did, I think Celestial kingdom seems pretty good anyway. :)  God loves us.  AS WE do our part we never have any reason to fear.  Being a missionary or not, the only reason we ever feel fear is when we are not prepared.  Why do you think god gives us the gospel?  So that we can be prepared..  It makes sense don't ya think?  IT's like you said dad.  It's our 72 hour kit back to eternal life.  We can say that our mortal life is only the 72 hours in comparison to the eternities that we have after this. 72 hours is not that long but it's still enough time that you have to have some supplies to make it though.  You can't do it cold turkey.  We need food, clothers, shelter, water etc.  Just like here on earth you can't do it cold turkey and expect to make it well up to meet god.  You still need the scriptures, prayer, church, and prophet,   Do you think that we can use the kit god has given us to face the currents and challenges that face us here on earth so that we can successfully face god in the end and he can say " Well done my good and faithful servant".  72 hours really isn't that long.  Having that kit though sure makes all the difference and can make life a lot easier to face the disasters that face us.  Right? Right.  Well I'm safe and well.  Hope that was enough details for ya all.  I"ll let you know more about the new area next week.

 

Love you all,

 

Hermana Lewis

Hola mis amors,

 

Como estan? I hope you are all doing well.  Girls how was the first week of school?  I hope it went well mom told me your all up to great and magnificent things.  Mom how is your training going?  Dad whats new?  This week we as pretty good. 

 

Monday we had an activity at the ward with an FHE.  They did a really great job.  This branch is so cute and has a lot of primary kids.I played piano for a musical number for the missionaries.  Mom, I know you would be pleased to here that I use my piano a lot out here.  I've been the ward pianist since my 3rd transfer so thanks for all the battling you do to help us kids develop those types of skills. The musical number went well.  Our investigators bailed out on the activity last minute which always makes me a little sad but not much I can do about it.    We have been working with the Calle family this week.  We went over and helped David cook molten lava cakes.  I finally met the dad after weeks of begging Tania to let us come over and teach them as a family again.  Jaime the dad told us we could come over on Tuesday for an FHE.  I so excited but then again, I just found out that Im going on exchanges on Tuesday so I wont be there but it's all good I know sister young will rock it and then someday in the new future hopefully they will all get baptized.  In New york I meet so many wonderful people everyday yet they don't understand that there is more to life tme han work and sleeping.  All they can think about is how they are going to get money for the next monthly payment.What kind of life is that?  It's not a long term perspective either.  It's more of a matter of how to get from point A to point B.  David Calle was baptized almost 6 months ago but without the support of his family, he slowly falls away.  The things that are most important to the parents become the most important thing for the kids.  Its hard it really is.

 

Guess what?  Guess who came to ALL of church  yesterday together for the first time as a whole family?  That's right the family Leon.  I was so happy. We called and told them we were going to come over and help them make breakfast to help them get ready for church on time.  Lina called last minute and told us not to worry and that we didin't need to bother but that she was going to come to church.  This would be the 3rd week in a row that she hasn't let us come over to teach and so we weasled our way in and told her that we really wanted to see them.  She ended up letting us come and we read the first presidency message out of the  ensign with them as they ate a gourmet breakfast that lina already cooked by the time we got over there.  The first presidency message is about family by prophet Thomas S. Monson.  The roles of the family members.  Moses and Lina were kind of arguing about see!1!1 It says to treat your spouse with respect!  Lina told us she wished Moses would not spend so much time on the TV and Moses said he wanted his wife to not be so insistent, I just kind of laughed as I thought back to past family experiences. Who does that sound like?  But by the end we talked about the importance of working as a team.  Different roles of the family and working with the strengths to find and develop the unity in the family.  So ya they were getting ready for church really fast. Lina and Moises came together and they brought their 2 beautiful children.  Our ward correlator taught the gospel priniciples class afterwards on the organization and importance of the the restored church.  It was so good.  Moses was paying a lot of attention and he seemed to be having a lot of questions which means he is learning right?  Now all we need is them to start praying and reading everyday as a family and they will get that testimony they need to be baptized.

 

We have this member named Kati who is bomb for missionary referrals.  We were teaching an investigator in her house.  She makes me laugh.  So great.  Marlen is the investigator that we are teaching.  She hadn't read so while we finished up lunch she hurried and read a little bit in her BOM.  She is really funny.  She read for like 5 minutes and she got so much out of it.  We asked her why she didin't do that everyday. She said, "Ya, I should.  I know its really good for me".  Her room mate Maritza was taught in El Salvador but didn't get baptized because she didn't like baptisms for the dead and vicarious work.  Which I think is a little funny because that's one of the most beautiful parts about the church.  She she's both points of the wheel but she does not like it and I don't know what to say to change her mind.  Kati the member gave a good old powerful testimony about is and it was awesome but sometimes you just can't change peoples minds no matter what you say.

 

Walking back from Kati's house we had a man stop us on the street.  He said, " are you girls from this world?"  lol.  We htought it was a strange question so we had him repeat it again to make sure that we heard him right.  He said it again, "are you from this world?"  We thorught it was funny but it was clear he was being serious.  So we just looked at him for a few seconds so he went on to explain himself.  He said, " I've seen you pass by her a few times and every time you do its like lights just walk out of no where. You aren't from New York and you do something really special.  It shows and I can tell.  Who are you and what do you do here? What are you doing? What is it that makes you the way you are?"  We told him we were missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ. He had us repeat the church.  He wanted to make sure he knew who we represented.  We were late for an appointment by like 20 minutes already and so we got his info and told him we would be by within the next week. It's so amazing to know thayou are a representative of Jesus Christ and a part of the most important work on the earth that has eternal significance. If yu are doing your part people recognize you for who you are ande ch they see your difference.  They want it and they find curiousity to find out what it is that you have that they don't.  Never forget that we are representatives of Jesus christ and we are his disciples.

 

 

Juanna is back from Spain which made me really happy. Her mom seems to be progressing along nicely and she seems to be excited to get baptized.  We also hdad a really good conversation with her husband Ismael who hasn't taken very much interest in the church before.  She is planning on bringing her autistic son to church sometime in the near future so that they can be baptized together.  I am so excited fo r her.  They wont' be baptized for a few more months so I probably won't be here but I am excited for them.  They are some of my favorite people that I have met on my mission.

 

Lots of Love,

Hermana Lewis.

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Grasias

Hey fam!

 

So it is Monday and I Am writing :)  I love you so much and I am so grate for you in my life.  You have been a direct strength to me in my mission.  Your prayers guide me, protect me, and give me the strength I need to get this work done. So thanks so much I really appreciate it.

 

Last night we went over to the Ramos Family.  It was really really good.  The Carpintero family came from College point and we had a noche de hogar ( FHE)  Right now the Elders are teaching Hermana Ramos.  She has been investigating for a long time.  Hermano is a member and the have a really cute little girl that is just about to turn 2.  The spirit was really strong and I seriously am amazed every single time how much members help in creating the atmosphere for a powerful lesson.  Hermano Ramos gave the lesson on the Priesthood.  By the end of the lesson I had a strong prompting to speak and so I did.  Hermana Ramos was crying through the whole thing. I think she was feeling the spirit working on her. It's going to be her time that she will be ready to accept the gospel and show it through baptism.  It was a really powerful experience for me.  Hermano Ramos said a comment about how the missionaries radiate the spirit of Christ. He can see it in our countenances and by the way we interact with other people. We do have a very specific  calling and role as missionaries and god chooses to bless us because of it.  I think it a really cool thing sister Young and i were talking about it after.  We were walking out of a building and some guy we had never met commented and said "You to are Mormons from salt lake aren't you?" We said yes we are. He then said ya I knew it because your too pretty to be new yorkers. Men in Utah must be really lucky because all the women just are beautiful. We just tell people like that "it the light that comes through Christ ways".  When we live in accordance to Gods standards he truly does bless us.  It helps us and it really makes us beautiful on the inside which shines through to the outside. 

 

Anyway I know there was some other stuff that I was going to ask you but I can't remember right now.  Thanks for the stories mom.  Love you much.  Oh and Sister Young gave her family your info so you can do dinner.  She thinks that would be really fun.  Thanks so much.  I love you.  Oh mom, she also says thank you for the letter! She loved it!

 

Hermana Lewis

 

Mom I sent a package with the Ovalle's and she said she would get it to you. Have you seen it yet? lol.  I sent Jenna's birthday present in it.