Week 73

It's been an eventful week!

After emailing last week, Erika Taylor (an RM from the Manchester Mission) took us to the Sea to Sky Highway for P-day and we got all the way to Squamish! It was beautiful! It was so fun! And she also gave us so many tips from her mission, which we have been applying this week, and it's been amazing! We are so blessed!

We came back and had FHE with the Rosales family and ate tacos. It was so great! And then we got to visit a LA and we tried to help her out with some issues, but it wasn't wanted. 

Tuesday was holy. In the morning, we went and got Sister Hoffman her BC license and prepared to do some service projects for the members. Then we split off. Sister Hoffman and I were going to see a former from a couple different areas in the hospital, while Sister Grant went to teach Illiana* with Tita Mangabat. As Sister Hoffman and I were walking to the hospital, I was calling Stacy to see if she could come to a lesson with us. She said she had been hit by a car just before and didn't feel too good. And then her daughter, Valerie, took the phone and started talking to us (yes! The Valerie who had a baptismal date but then had to be moved to Burnaby)! She was home but was only going to be there for another hour! But we were on our way to another lesson and only had 25 minutes before Valerie would leave! We told her we would figure something out. Right after we got off the phone, our lesson cancelled with the former, Eileen*, and we ran back to the car as fast as we could and drove to Stacy's house.

Stacy was walking home from her English class and a man in a car hit her and drove off. She had a really bad headache and didn't look very good at all. But she was there spending special time with her granddaughter, Anna. We got Valerie on date again and set expectations. She had a friend over as well, who was interested in coming to church. We got to have a lesson with them and also set up a time for Stacy to get a priesthood blessing. In the mean time, Sister Grant went with Sister Mangabat to teach Andrea and Isabel. Andrea was drug free! And then she went to teach Irene and get her a priesthood blessing with Elder and Sister Johnson and Brother Rosales. Sister Hoffman and I went to teach a referral from a member in another ward, named Blair*. She cancelled on us when we got there, but we headed right back to Irene's to pick up Sister Grant, and we headed to Dinner at the Sloan's house! They fed us delicious Greek food and we had a really nice visit!

We left their house running and went to Sister Saenz's house. She also fed us dinner (it was supposed to be just a visit, but she always feeds us)! Steak and rice with watermelon and a drink. We had a good visit with her and were exercising when she wasn't looking to make room for more food. We laughed a lot! 

Then we ran to the church and gave a new investigator a church tour. Her name is Vanessa*! She's now being taught by the Langley YSA Elders, but she enjoyed herself! And then our next church tour started with Star!! During that tour, Sister Hoffman and I left and grabbed another member to finish off splits with Sister Grant while she stayed with a Young Women's leader in the tour. We took the member to the church and then we realized we forgot to find someone to give Stacy a blessing! There were some Elders in the parking lot and we asked them if they could do it. They said they could, so we just had to find a male to be in the house. But at this point it's 8:45  and no one was going to be available. But Stacy's neighbors are potentials we met that she referred to us, and we called them and asked if they could help us out. They were more than willing. So three of them, Robert*, Isaiah*, and John*, came over and we explained what was happening, and then Stacy got a blessing. We asked the three guys what they thought and they said they could feel something intense but peaceful and they could see a change in her countenance after the blessing. 

And that ended our night! It was so crazy but we kept to it! 

On Wednesday, we did some service for some members and then visited one of our favorite people, Maud Robinson! It was such a sweet visit! We have grown to love her a ton! 

On Thursday, we got to eat delicious Korean food from Helen Lee, a ward member. It was so good and she is an amazing woman! We had dinner with the Bandong family. Then we had scripture study and Suzie led the discussion. We focused on light this week. It was really cool! 

On Friday, we had a day full of lessons and finding and getting prepared for Irene's baptism! I got to go over to dinner on splits with Sister Taylor to teach Patricia* (from Brazil) and eat dinner with her, Carlo*, and Dmitri*! Roberto made us homemade calzones, and then we had guava cake for dessert! While I was there, Sister Grant and Sister Hoffman picked up our two mini missionaries for the weekend, Sister Harvey and Sister Milad! 

The rest of the weekend was a crazy blur of fun and miracles and hard work. We had double plans all day. We taught lessons and went finding and if we had time, ate food. We did a social media blitz, like last year. This one was a lot smaller, but it's #minimissions2016

Irene had a sweet baptism on Saturday morning, which was mostly just missionaries and mini missionaries. 

Sunday was fantastic as well, and then we dropped off our mini missionaries. Sister Grant and I went on a crazy adventure to an addiction recovery home and had an experience of a life time. I'll just say that the topic of conversation was stuck on spiritual gardens for a while. 

And yesterday was Victoria Day. Happy Victoria day! We saw so many miracles! And got to teach Chris* from the other week, as well as his brother Alex*, and their cousin, Vi*. 

If you didn't read that all, I don't blame you. In summary, this week was fantastic. We saw so many miracles! We are working hard and loving every second! God is so merciful! Christ is the Master! 

On Saturday night, we were knocking doors and knocked into George*. He had recently overcome cancer on his vocal chords, but was only left with one. He was so cool. He told us right up front that he didn't believe in God, but as we kept talking, he started talking more and more about God and his nature. It was a really cool conversation, but a couple things really stood out to me that I wanted to share!

One day we will come to a knowledge of what reality really is. We will have a perfect knowledge of everything, and we will know exactly what things were really important. What really was important in this life, and what wasn't. Are the things we are doing each day the things that matter most? 

He told us he was scared of the dark. He is a scuba diver and dives all over, especially in Honduras where there is the second largest reef in the world. When he first started, everyone asked him if he was scared of sharks and other creatures in the water, but it never bothered. Him. What bothered him was the dark. He hated not knowing what was in the dark. But his favorite thing in the world was nighttime diving. Naturally, we asked him why, and he told us that it was his favorite because he's in the water and all he can see is the small circle of light that his lamp creates. And whatever is in that light is his world.

That hit me pretty hard. We live in a world of darkness and we each have been given light and tools to increase our light. But no matter the size of our light or how bright it is, we just need to focus on what is in our light and make that our world. We can't spend time fearing what could be in the dark, but if we focus on the light, we will be ok! Everything will turn out! We just have to trust. 

Anyway, everything is good! This work is the best! I love it! Hurrah for Israel! 

Con amor,

Hermana Lewis

Sorry for no pictures this week! I was super excited to send some, but I left my chord at home. Next week!

(These photos were taken from the Canada Vancouver Mission Facebook Page)

Week 72

Feliz semana!

This week we did a lot of preparation for Zone Meeting on Friday! We came up with new ideas on how we could help the Elders and Sisters apply what we have learned and been committed to do, and we ended up having everyone bring a lunch to zone meeting, we sang How Firm a Foundation standing up, said a prayer, and the zone leaders split and left with two different companionships of elders to go and apply for a blitz in another area immediately, and we did as well. I went to White Rock, Sister Grant went to Surrey 3, and Sister Hoffman went to Surrey Span. It was so successful! 

At Zone Meeting, we were talking about planning out our studies for our investigators.

Elder Ellis: It prevents the stream of unconsciousness. You're reading the Book of Mormon, and then you read the footnote, then you're reading Doctrine and Covenants, and next, Jesus the Christ, and all of a sudden your companion looks over and you are reading the Quran.

We got 5 new investigators this week and it wasn't even hard! Which is saying something! We worked hard, but these people just came!

We are planning for a baptism this weekend, so pray for Irene that she will go through!

We visited a member in the ward yesterday for our relief society president. We are still trying to put pieces together, but from what she has told us that we know isn't a joke is that she had a blood clot, and she couldn't move. She went to the hospital and has been there for 5 months. She can move how, but she can't walk. Meanwhile, her toes are dying on her feet and turning black. We asked her what happened and she said she shot her toe. And from what it looked like, we believed her. But it's just because of the blood clot. While we visited, the nurse came in and gave her her medication.

Kathy: I think it's some type of narcotic. It's supposed to kill pain, but it don't do diddley-crap.

Also, we walked into her room, in the neurology unit, and it was a quarantined area! We feel pretty cool.

We did exchanges with the White Rock Sisters, Sister Gartside and Sister Steele! I went with Sister Hoffman to White Rock with Sister Steele. It was so fun! We saw so many miracles! And then on Saturday, we did a blitz in both Surrey 3rd and White Rock!

I was studying this week a lot about charity and love. Christ is so wonderful! I love when Christ was talking to Peter and he asked him three times if he loved Him. Peter said yes three times, and the response was to feed his sheep. That is what He wants from us! If we love Him, we will feed his sheep! I was remembering the talk from conference, where the speaker said the first commandment of the gospel is love the Lord they God with all thine heart, but the first truth of the gospel is that God loves us! We need to love him, and then feed his sheep!

Naturally, I was moved upon by the Spirit to show a little more love and charity for everyone I am around. I studied charity and read Moroni 7. I thought back to the Savior's life and the first story that came to mind was when he was talking to the woman taken in adultry. After talking with her, He says, "Neither do I condemn thee" (John 3:16-17). If the Savior completely forgives and does not judge others, I should do the same. I shouldn't bother myself and waste precious time and efforts judging others. Christ was perfect and didn't use his perfection as a means of condemnation, but rather forgave her because He understood exactly who she was and her situation.

That's a lot of love! I'm so far away from that level of love, but I am working on it!

Other quotes:

Sister Grant: I prefer wetsuits.

In a lesson with Stacy talking about agency:

Sister Grant: (To Marcus*) Would you rather have an ice cream cone or a bowl of dirt? 

Marcus: A bowl of dirt!! 

Us: Why?!

Marcus: I want to make a sand castle!!!!!

All in all, it's been a great week! I love being  a missionary! It's the best!

Con amor, paz, y bendiciones,

Hermana Lewis

Best view in the car!

They helped us teach Morgan!

The salad I ate!

Keep them in your prayers!

Week 71

Last P-day, we went to White Rock with all the Sisters in the zone, enjoyed a hot day on the pier (the one in Psych), and enjoyed fantastic gelato! We had FHE with Bishop De Vera and his wife and it was so fantastic! I got them to show us pictures from their wedding! Bishop had the best mustache and they were so cute! We then got to teach a miracle lesson! Jerry Douglas*. He called us Sunday night and told us he was googling things and came across our website. He liked it a lot and asked how he could get the process started of meeting with us! It was a really cool lesson! We taught the beginning of the Restoration and invited him to be baptized. He agreed to June 4th, and then asked if he would have to stop drinking. After explaining briefly the Word of Wisdom, he agreed to live it! We're excited to continue to help him!

I did exchanges with Sister Macaso this week! We had a lot of fun and did a lot of good missionary work! she is the greatest!

We enjoyed May the 4th and 5 de Mayo this week, and ate Ninja Turtle cookies! We met with Morgan and Leroy* and they are doing awesome! Last night, we got to teach Morgan the Word of Wisdom. She readily accepted it! We are so blessed with the people we have been meeting and teaching! Stacy and Tiffany came and helped us teach and Stacy and Morgan connected on a level we would have never been able to reach (casavas, cucumbers, etc). 

We had MLC on Friday and it was amazing as usual! So much good! And I am so thrilled to continue to keep trying and to improve! 

On Saturday, we got to do service for Bishop and his wife! I weed -wacked and pulled while Sister Grant and Sister Hoffman raked moss out of the grass! It was so fun! I felt like I had stepped into an exotic garden! It was beautiful! 

This whole week was filled with so many miracles and tender mercies. I am grateful for an Eternal Father who loves us each enough to plan out little surprises and blessings on the daily, just to encourage us! 

Here are some thoughts for the week:

1. There is the council the church announced a couple General Conferences ago, and they have trainings they give to every bishop around the world, through the proper delegation. We got to watch one of the videos, and President Eyring said, "You're trying. You're trying to do the right things. All you need is more of Their help!" I love that so much! Heavenly Father knows how hard we are working towards whatever it is we are doing. A lot of times we wear ourselves out and aren't happy with the results. We just have to remember to allow Them to help us. But that help comes as we invite Them and put God first in our lives.

2. Ezekiel 20:19-20 

"I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." I love that the way we spend our Sundays shows the Lord what He means to us. It shows our relationship with Him! I have been pondering it a lot recently. It's just beautiful and simple.

3. Acts 20:35

" It is more blessed to give than to receive." What are we willing to give? What are we willing to sacrifice? How can we become more Savior-like in our sacrifices? I love this video! There is always something more we can do! Those men had to make sacrifices, but they learned so much in return!

And with that, I challenge you to serve more. Give up some personal comfort or personal time to help someone else. It is so simple. We are not re-inventing the wheel! And I would give examples, but there are so many! By small and simple things are great things brought to pass! Go serve, and see what Heavenly Father wants to bless you with! And if you're busy (like we all are and all have been) what better day to do it than the sabbath, just as Christ did?

Also, if anyone was interested, if you read 15 pages every day in the Book of Mormon, you can finish a couple weeks before I get home! If you're up for the challenge... ;)

Love you all!

Hermana Lewis

PS Happy Mothers Day! I'm grateful for a whole bunch of moms, especially my own!

White Rock

Mission Leadership Council

Week 70

I don't have too much time this week. Things are looking bright over here in Surrey! The past few days have been sunny, and the work hot!

This week we worked super hard! Don't expect anything less! 

We were able to teach Valerie, but then found out later that she was going to be taken to Burnaby to live for a month. Keep her in your prayers!

We set a goal as a zone fore everyone to set one more baptismal date than they already had in one week. We went from 4 dates to 19! 

We went to the Sacred Rooms in the hospital and filled up the "Mormon", "Latter-day Saint", and "Christian" supply boxes with pamphlets and other materials. It was super fun!

I went on exchanges with Sister Hoth in the Spanish ward and got 2 dinners! Don't miss that!

We met with some really amazing people this week! Kathleen*, Jay*, Amyas*, Joe*, Caroline*, and Morgan*! 

It's the best! I love this work! 

Love, 

Hermana Lewis

Filling up the supplies in the Sacred Rooms at Surrey Memorial Hospital!

They had this one...

And this one... in the same closet.

Visiting with Maud!

Por fin!! 

We knocked the doors of the lucky numbers from my fortune cookie!

Pedro. He asked to wear my tag. He's going to be a missionary one day!