When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window

8-26-13

Dear Family,

Things are finally cooling off um poco here in SC and I forgot how much I LOVE when I am not in a constant sweat from being outside. That was tender mercy #1 this week :)

We actually had a pretty challenging week - I was planning on getting back from an exchange in Goose Creek Sat AM just in time for Joan's baptism, but Joan called and bailed out last second. She couldn't sleep that morning because she felt like she needed to talk to her pastor before getting baptized in another church. So we talked her thru it and hopefully prepped her for most likely a pretty intimidating experience. But I know she will get there eventually just might not be as soon as I would like.

I really am 100% in the Lord's hands as a missionary, because the things that I want more than anything right now, and where all of my energy is focused on is not in my control. No matter how hard I work or what I do I cannot force people to change, only the Lord can, so it was a very good humbling experience. We had 2 baptisms get pushed back and 2 other on-dates who kinda fell thru, but it was amazing to see that despite these challenges we can still find blessings of the Lord and we definitely saw that with some unexpected miracles. At church we had several unexpected less-actives show up and one investigator family that we didn't expect. We were feeling a little bummed that morning with all the let downs in the previous 24 hours, but when I got to church it was so nice to sit there in sacrament meeting and look around and see a few of our recent converts there, a few less-actives that we've helped bring back, and all these members that I love so much and realize that we have really been blessed so much!

Sis D and I were reading an article from the Ensign this week about the this indescribable, incomprehensible universe we live in and we were a bit overwhelmed by how much the Lord offers us for doing relatively so little. We were able to go in and have 3 of the best lessons we have ever taught where we really did call to repentance some people who are much older and wiser than we are. It’s always amazing afterward to realize how you end up saying things that you would never normally say, but you are speaking with the power and authority of God. I think one of the biggest differences is in this case we saw them with the potential to have all that we had just talked about, and they really took it so well and you could see them just really change their heart and finally open up the scriptures and do what we had been asking of them.

Another quick cool experience is that we have 2 investigators right now who both in their first lessons could not get over how strong and powerful the feelings of the spirit were when we came. John had an LDS friend and he knew there was something different about him and when we came over he said it was the first time since then he had felt that way. He just kept telling us how in shock he was by this "positive energy" and calm and happiness that he was feeling. He couldn't get over it. It was so cool :) With Heather we had a pretty similar experience. Both of them definitely recognize the spirit that the gospel brings, it’s just taking that witness that you receive and acting on it! It is so incredible that as a missionary we get to be the instruments to bring that witness!

For several different reasons I'm feeling like there is a very good chance that this will be my last week in South Carolina so if you are planning on sending me anything make sure you do it in the next couple of days because I could very well be leaving next week! Since this is more than likely our last week together in Summerville, Sister Dougherty and I are really going to focus on giving it everything we have this week and leaving our best out there and we're going to see lots of miracles!

Love yall so much! Keep being the wonderful examples you are!

Love, Sister Lewis

THIS is why it's best 18 months

8-19-13

Dear Family,

Sounds like the reunion was such a success! What a blessing that so many of you could be there together!

This week was a challenge, but with challenges there's always even more blessings that come our way! I had a fever all week and head cold and couldn't sleep one night because my stomach hurt so bad, but it was the "Big Lift" week for us so I was sleeping at other areas all the time and just had to push thru it! And we saw so many miracles this week! The Lawrence family is a part-member that we didn't know was here for a few years that we found and they are SO ready to come back! Dalensa (mom) committed to baptism right away and just asked for prayers as this won't be taken well from her family, but she said ever since the first night we showed up at her door she hasn't been able to stop thinking about it and she knows it’s right and she has been feeling a push lately that she and G need to get married so they are so ready to just make these changes right now and it has been so cool to be a part of seeing their change and helping them see the long term goal of getting sealed in the temple as a family!

We also had Joan who has been meeting with us for a while finally decide to get baptized this weekend! There were tons of miracles in that story alone, but there has been so much change in her since the day we started teaching her and she stayed for all 3 hours of church on Sunday and just gave up tea and coffee like it was nothin!

Marcus is getting baptized this Saturday too!!!

I came to a realization this week - when I first got out it was like all I wanted to do was baptize people, and I loved being able to report high key indicators. Now that we've been really blessed to be a part of more baptisms than is common to this area and have exceeded pretty much all our key indicator goals each week I've realized those moments were great but the happiest most fulfilling moments in my mission really weren't about those. It was the experience of really seeing people change. It was seeing Rhi get up and share her testimony even though she was scared to death and teaching her friends the plan of salvation with a diagram she made, and seeing Joan recognize that she wanted to be with her family forever and feeling prompted by those on the other side that she needed to do her work so she could then do there’s, and seeing a 15 yr. old tough kid cry when he felt the power of forgiveness for the first time, or Mary feeling the love that comes from church, and seeing a less active step in the chapel after being away for 20 years; seeing young women come teaching with us and realize they want to be missionaries; or breaking down in tears myself when inviting a less active father of a family that is probably most dear to me in South Carolina to take his role and read the Book of Mormon with his family and see him do it. It's those moments of seeing people change that make every moment of a mission worth it. And especially during a week where it seemed like everything to hold me back physically was happening. I appreciated the Lord's tender mercies in letting me be a part of these people’s lives!

The gospel really does change people and that is why a mission is the best 2 yrs/18 months of our lives thus far!

We had a really interesting lesson last night with a man named Dave to whom we had taught the 1st lesson. He spent 4-5 hours studying both the church's websites and a lot of anti stuff and when we came over he tried explaining to us how we had been psychologically mislead. He shared with us all the "evidences" that the Book of Mormon isn't true, Joseph Smith isn't a prophet, etc. It was interesting because he sees the bible as completely perfect and all the anti against the bible isn't true. I have to admit it was very frustrating because we just couldn't reach him. It's very true that all you can really do is testify because if they want to believe its false they can find reasons to believe it is. The same works with the Bible and the Book of Mormon. But it is those people who see what the gospel brings and want it that can at least have that desire to believe. Its amazing how when you simply start with that faith, it is confirmed over and over again and IT JUST MAKES SENSE! You can't make people understand that, but it always blows my mind a bit when people are willing to take the time and still don't understand that the restoration of the gospel, the plan of salvation, etc. just makes sense; that it should be that way! Anyway it was just a testimony to me of how important that faith is and how as members all we can do is be that example, testify and invite and if their hearts are open they will recognize it!

I love yall!

Sister Lewis

2 pix

Sis. Houston (another Brazil visa waiter) & Sis. Lewis

in front of the temple

Lynette spotted her first alligator!

"without charity ye are nothing", but with it you're a powerhouse missionary.. *cough* Lynette Lewis *cough*

Dear Family,

I'm so excited to hear you all get to be together this week in St. George! Family reunions are the best so I am just a little bit jealous I'm not there with you.

We had another crazy but wonderful week! Saturday was Rhi's baptism which is always such a special experience to be a part of. On Sunday we stopped by her house. Her mom was so sweet and just expressed so much gratitude to us for helping Rhi change so much. It was really cool to help her see that, that is what Jesus Christ does! He changes us. Her having that faith in Him and a willingness to act is what is changing her and can change anyone and everyone! We have so many wonderful young women and leaders who have really just taken her in and acted as Disciples of Christ. I am so blessed to have such a great ward to take in these new investigators!

It's been really interesting trying to keep up with all of these investigators because we have at least 2 exchanges a week for the rest of the transfer. We have the largest number of sisters in our zones so I feel like I'm never here to teach my investigators. But Sis Dougherty is awesome and just keeps things moving with all her different companions. I have Loved getting to go help out the other sisters in this area they are wonderful! And I don't think there are too many things that are more fun for me than helping other missionaries and seeing them grow too! It has been so cool and I have seen so many miracles. The Lord has really blessed me to be able to say and do things that definitely are not me!

I was training our district this week on one of the 3 promises we make to Pres. Holm when we get here. We promise to 1. Work hard, 2. Be obedient and 3. Love the people. I talked to my district about how important that 3rd one is: loving the people. There's a reason it says ‘without charity we are nothing’. It was incredible to think about the people we have been able to touch just by sharing with them that we love them. So many people in this world really are just lonely and need some where to turn. We really do just love them the moment we meet them. It's the coolest thing! So many of our investigators I could think back to seeing them really change just when we expressed the love the Lord has for them and the sincere love we have for them, but we have to be willing to not just feel that, but to tell them that! Think about our apostles and prophets. Every time they talk to us they express their love for us. I think there's a reason that John recorded that ‘Jesus wept’. Even the master of self-mastery showed emotion. People can feel the spirit when they also feel that love.

So family I hope you take advantage of the chance you have to be together this week and make sure you let each other know how much you love each other!  I hope each of you know how much I love you and pray for you! I have the best family in the whole wide world. :)

Love yall!

Sister Lewis

the power of the Spirit

Dear Family, 

It has been another wonderful week here in Summerville, South Carolina! But so, so busy and I absolutely love it! 

Tuesday we went to MLC (Mission Leaders Conference) up in Columbia all day and had the coolest surprise - our mission president had the 6 companionships of Sister Training Leaders and all the Zone Leaders go to the Columbia temple and he baptized all of us! So cool! The Temple President came and spoke to us and said he knew when we got there because he could feel such a strong spirit enter the temple and I believe it. It was incredible to be in that room with all these wonderful missionaries I love so much and we have the best leadership!

 We went straight from Columbia into exchanges and every day since then we've been  training other missionaries, or teaching lessons for the ward, etc. so there have been some days we forget to even eat lunch. I don't think I've ever been this tired before but it's so fun to be able to do so much and be involved in the most important work on the earth right now!

I feel like I had my first real taste of what I thought South Carolina would really be like: a couple of nights ago we knocked into this big black AME Deacon and he had quite a bit to say to us. It was amazing. He just went on for about 15 min non-stop on one of his sermons, which actually was pretty inspiring at times, but I think the coolest part was he just got right in our faces (I seriously felt like I was covered in spit afterward) but it was the most incredible feeling to have someone just going at it and trying to be really intimidating and powerful and told us all about his many degrees and PhDs in religion and philosophy and everything. We both just felt so confident and when he finally finished we were able to testify boldly to him and even though we don't have any degrees and have lived 1/3 of his lifetime I felt so confident because we had the spirit with us. I went away feeling like Ammon when he says that he will boast of his God because in Him we can do all things!

I was reading in Mosiah 4 yesterday and thought it was kind of ironic how he says 'my people, kindred and brethren', and then calls them unworthy creatures and remarks on their nothingness. And that's exactly how I felt. I felt like I really am so small and insignificant yet I am so confident and at that moment I felt like we could just preach to the world because we have been called by God to represent our Savior and his spirit is with us! We were both saying how amazing it is that we make such a bold claim with the promise of Moroni that anyone who will read the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ will have a witness from God that this book is true, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that His gospel has been restored with prophets today. But I really have 0 doubt in my mind that anyone who will test that promise will get an answer! That is incredible!!!

One quick highlight of the week: Our investigator Rhi who is getting baptized this Saturday has had all kinds of issues in her life for a long time. Yesterday she came to church for only her 2nd time and she got up in Sacrament meeting and testified of how the Lord has changed her. How usually when hard things happen she falls into depression and she would do a lot of crazy stuff, but now she just wants to share with everyone what she knows and that God has changed her!  She said her family keeps asking about it because she is so different. It was especially cool for us that she would share that testimony and not once did she even mention us! Which was such a huge step! She's recognizing that God is the one changing her and that thru our Savior she will continue to change! I turned to Sister Dougherty and said "Sister Dougherty, our job is the best!!!" Because it is! We get to watch people change their lives. I love it!

I love yall! Keep being the wonderful examples you are!

Love,

Sister Lewis