Week 78

Hola! 

Zone Conference was this week and it was the best! I had been preparing and had a list of questions I had been praying about. We went to Zone Conference, and one by one, all my questions were answered. Heavenly Father is so good and knows us too well! 

Suggested readings for the week:

1. Of Regrets and Resolutions 

2. Safety for the Soul

3. The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent

It was another one of those weeks. I just can't get enough of these talks! I was just shouting it all week! Go and study them! My natural man just drowns in truth! 

Highlights: 

"I am not speaking here of climbing the ladder of success in our various professions. That ladder, no matter how lofty it may appear on this earth, barely amounts to a single step in the great eternal journey awaiting us.

Rather, I am speaking of becoming the person God, our Heavenly Father, intended us to be" (1).

I had actually been thinking about something along these lines a lot recently. Even before I read the talk and it totally confirms the revelation I received. 

"Wishing to be more faithful to our covenants is good; actually being faithful to sacred covenants-- including living a virtuous life, paying our tithes and offerings, keeping the Word of Wisdom,and serving those in need-- is much better."

"Discipleship is the pursuit of holiness and happiness. It is the path to our best and happiest self. 

Let us resolve to follow the Savior and work with diligence to become the person we were designed to become. Let us listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As we do so, Heavenly Father will reveal to us things we never knew about ourselves."

"The older we get, the more we look back and realize that external circumstances don't really matter or determine our happiness."

Ok, so yes. I'm freaking out about all 3 of those talks. 

We had a really powerful lesson with Lila*, Sierra*, and Brielle* on Saturday night! They are progressing! They also fed us dinner, which we lack in this neck of the woods (everywhere). 

We had a member visit with the Rauma family. They are fantastic. Their testimonies literally are just shouting out of them! We ate healthy food for dinner and taught them the Restoration, and they gave us a family referral! They are so amazing! They offered their home for us to teach in!

Cindy* is really progressing quite nicely! She came to church yesterday and is really comfortable there! We taught Law of Chastity and Word of Wisdom and things are going smoothly! Keep her in your prayers!

Love you all! Sorry for the strange email! 

Hermana Lewis

With Sierra and their 6 kittens!

Week 77

I loved this week! It wasn't anything unheard of, but it was nice. We tracted a lot and didn't teach too much. But we loved doing what we did!

Valerie moved back to Burnaby and we are teaching her again! 

We saw a lot of small miracles this week! 

We had dinner scheduled with a member family one day this week. We got a text in the afternoon from the member explaining that her and her husband just found out their temple recommends expired a month ago, but they needed to renew them to help clean the temple the next night, and the only time the bishop and stake president could meet with them was during our dinner appointment time, but we told them that their recommends were more important than feeding us dinner (we are such saints ;)). We had to change our plans to save Ks because all our back-ups were in the part of town where the members would be. We were driving and I had a really strong prompting to tract a certain street. We went there and started knocking on doors. A lot of people weren't interested, but we found 6 people who were! 6 people! We passed out pamphlets and set up return appointments. 

We knocked on one door, and Joni* answered. We asked her about her religious background and she told us she reads the bible, but doesn't go to church. We talked about the bible for a bit, and then I whipped out the Book of Mormon and invited her to read from it! She was so excited!! She had been waiting to read from the Book of Mormon for years but had never had one! We explained a little about it and she was so grateful! And we ended with a prayer. We're seeing her next week to follow up when she gets back in town!

From Robin!

And before we were finished, we saw a lady mowing her lawn. Her name was Robin*. We asked if we could help, but she didn't need it. She said we could ask her landlord if she needed help, though. We knocked the door and asked, but she didn't. We went back and talked to her a little longer and gave her our number just in case she needed more help. We walked to go to the next door when it hit me that we didn't even tell her our purpose! We went back and we told her that we are sharing a message about Jesus Christ... and at the end of the conversation, she cut us a bouquet of flowers from her garden. 

We ran into Eduardo (former investigator from 1st transfer) a couple times this week! Maybe he is more prepared now! 

Kiersten came to church yesterday and is back on date for July 19th! She has been reading from the Book of Mormon over the past week and felt the Spirit so strongly, and knew that she needed to continue learning more. She made really good friends with some of the members. 

And a great member missionary in Utah named Gary told his friend Marilyn*, who lives in Seattle, to go to church. She was here visiting her aunt, Missy*, and they came to church yesterday! We're going to be meeting with them soon to teach them more, but they stayed all day and asked great questions! 

A couple days ago, we were heading to have a lesson with Chloe*, the potential we found, and we got lost in the rain for 40 minutes beforehand. We were soaked. We didn't have our raincoats and were drenched. Completely. One lady stopped and gave us directions, and then offered to drive us to the main road. She was an angel! We spent the rest of the day in wet clothes. It was fun!! Really, it was such an adventure! How often can you say you did that? 

Well, that's all for now! Love you!

Hermana Lewis

I think that's all for this week!

We LOVE Maryam. She tells the best stories. She acts out the best stories!

Car battery died and no one helped for an hour! We tracted to ask for help and we waved people down on the side of the road, but no one stopped. We called ward members, but no one answered. We remembered a member lived somewhat nearby, walked to her place, and she called another member to help us out.

Valerie and Anna moved to Burnaby!

Deer Lake, once again. In the far right back corner, they were getting ready to film a bonfire for some Canadian netflix show. 

We took away two vaporizers after teaching the Word of Wisdom! 

Week 76

Ok. I'm just going to get to it as fast as I can. 

Last Monday, we met with a potential we found on Saturday, William*, from Uganda. We taught him the Restoration, he loved it. We invited him to be baptized, and he was so grateful because he had never been given the opportunity before. He's on date for July 9th! We had daily contact with him this week and he loves the Book of Mormon! We taught him the Plan of Salvation yesterday, and you could just tell he was so prepared by the Lord. The Spirit was so strong and he taught us back parts of the lesson. But we also had to pass him to the Surrey Elders. But we have no doubt he will be baptized!

We met with Chastity and Adam a couple times. Adam (the 10 year old boy) is showing so much desire and commitment! It just blows me away! He gets it! And he reads his Book of Mormon to us in french and his accent is to die for. Chastity doesn't quite understand why any of it is important. She knows it's good, but is having a hard time acting in faith on the knowledge she does have. But she is showing a little more commitment after this morning. 

Kiersten is focusing a little more on other things at the moment so we are most likely going to drop her date for July 19th, and give her some time to thing and figure some things out.

We stopped by a former, Arletta*, and she was in the middle of teaching piano lessons. She told us she couldn't talk, but asked us to contact her later. I made a comment about how they kids sounded playing the piano, and then she had us come in and had her students play the songs they were playing. They were 3 brothers there, ages 11, 12, and 14. They played 3 songs, including Fur Elise and Clair de lune. And they were beautiful. And they had only been playing for less than a year! We are going to find that family and teach them because they recognize it's a gift from God! 

We were in the church after District Meeting and Bishop Iwaasa was there and found us. He told us a woman was on the phone who wanted to be taught! It was Mae, from Vancouver with the 6 kids, who we used to teach! She had moved to New West and wanted to meet with missionaries again. We haven't been able to meet with her yet, nor does she know it's me, but we're hoping to this week!

We knocked lots and lots of doors this week. We also talked to a lot of people on the streets. We were let into a home by a woman named, Aarev*, from India, and she talked to us about our purpose and fed us Mango juice. We also got a free slice of pizza from a man from Afghanistan who owns a pizza store and has seen us talking to people and helping people on the streets and wanted to know more about what we do. We have planted so many seeds, and one day, they will be reaped. And we're just enjoying every minute of the season!

I am just so blessed to be a missionary! We're going to make this week awesome! Can't wait to tell you about it!

Hermana Lewis

I almost forgot! We were getting gas the other day, and we were walking in to pay, and this guy says "hi sisters!", which never happens. So I ran after him and asked if he was a member and he was! Devon, from the Coquitlam ward. We talked to him and he told us how much he appreciated our service. He then gave us $20 for lunch and told us about his mission in Anaheim, and how nice it was when people would say hi and help out. We were so grateful. Huge tender mercy!

Week 75

Everyone! Get ready... 

My new companion is Sister Miller from Columbus, Ohio! She is the best! We knew we were going to be companions from the first time we met! We like a lot of the same things! For example:

1. Loves food (like pizza)

2. We both love to dance

3. Everyone thinks we're twins..

4. We both always say "remember that one time" when it recently happened

5. We have the same camera

6. We love being adventurous

7. Dogs are our world!

8. We fought each other in the national MMA championships 4 years ago.

That last one was a lie, but the rest were all true!

It's been a crazy week! We said goodbye to Sister Yonk on Tuesday morning, and then spent almost the rest of the day driving around new missionaries for transfers! I was exhausted by the end. And then I went to be companions with Sister Wilson. Wednesday, we worked all day, and then Thursday morning, we headed to Richmond for transfer meeting!  

We were waiting around, eating breakfast, and all the new missionaries walked in. I met all the Sisters and knew Sister Miller would be my companion! President met with all of the trainers before, and then we went in to where the new missionaries were. He said who the different companionships would be and I was right! Then we had a couple trainings given, and then finished with a late lunch. Because we were opening an area, we had to grab some supplies. We didn't know how much or what we were going to need, and so we didn't grab too much. Which was good because we had all of our luggage and 3 lamps in a little Subaru. We drove out to our area, and eventually arrived at our apartment. We walked in and realized we really had nothing. Haha we had 2 Book of Mormons, 15 pamphlets, a leftover pizza from transfer meeting, a bag of salad, and one bed. In our area book we had about 15 formers, all of which were pretty much ones and dones.

We got things figured out miraculously, and then we went to the store and bought some food and supplies we would need. It was a super long day and we finished it with talking to everyone on the streets. We ran into some inactive members who were waiting for Sisters in the ward again! We're meeting with them tonight! We are prepared to help answer questions and concerns with the Book of Mormon!

Friday was a good day and we saw so many miracles! We walked and tracted a lot. This is the first day people kept asking if we were twins. We met Kiersten*, an investigator, outside Metrotown mall, and it was an interesting lesson! She came to church the Sunday before, and we met with her to get to know her and see where she was. She keeps us entertained, for sure! She couldn't make it to church yesterday because the buses don't go as far as the church, but we're seeing her on Tuesday!

Saturday was so long! It was so hot and hot and hot! If you were wondering, New Westminster is all hills. We walked around 8 miles by the time we came home for dinner, and it was all up-hill. Both ways. Which seems impossible, but it's not. We ate dinner and finished off the night talking to people at parks and at the pier, and contacting the few former investigators we had. By the end of the day, we had 5 committed to church!

Sunday, we went to church and it was good! No one we had committed came, but we did have a member bring a friend, Stella*. We got to church early and were able to teach her part of the Restoration as well as answer a bunch of questions she had. We had a really good testimony meeting, a fantastic Gospel principles lesson, and a wonderful Relief Society lesson. 

After church, we tracted in the hot 90+ degree weather and found a lot of miracles! We finally came home for dinner and broke our fasts on rice and left-over pizza (haha the same meal we have eaten since Thursday). 

We went to meet with a former, Cheri*, but she wasn't able to make it. Instead, we taught about the Book of Mormon to Vladimir*, a man on the street, and helped two deaf men, Charles* and Samuel*! We felt like we were really able to fulfill our purpose during the time we had planned for Cheri*. 

We met with Chastity and her son, Adam, and went hard core about authority. And it worked! They both have baptismal dates for July 23! They are really excited and so are we!

Sister Miller and I are both so excited to continue to see all of these miracles! Heavenly Father has an awesome plan for us! We love it! 

And once more, hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Lewis

Helping Valerie move back with Sister Blaikie!

Valerie!

Tracting for miracles in the rain!

Jeremiah's* baptism!

Goodbyes with Valerie and Rachel

New desks and chairs...

Jajaja

Meet Sister Miller!

Week 74

This week went by fast. This transfer went by fast! We got transfer calls Sunday morning. Sister Hoffman will be going to Victoria YSA to be a Sister Training Leader with Sister Kartchner, Sister Grant will be staying here and Sister Tripp will come and they will also be training a new missionary, and I am opening a new area and training! I'm going to New West or Burnaby! Which I already am pretty familiar with the area since I was there for 9 months. I'm super excited!!

Tuesday, we taught Robert, Isaiah and John. It was a pretty great lesson, but my favorite part was when Stacy told them at the end: "The church is true. You have to come to know. But I know it is true. It is Jesus Christ's church. You can come with me!" They said they weren't ready to come to church, and afterwards she was talking to us, so confused on why they wouldn't try church and told us over and over that they would know it was true if they would just come. She also told us we should probably show them a video about Jesus Christ because those always help. She is such a great missionary! And she asked us about Morgan, who she helped us teach!

We met with Morgan this week and set expectations again. It was a really good lesson and the Spirit was really strong. And we got her to our ward activity! She missed church again, but she called twice to apologize. She is showing more commitment, and is still keeping the Word of Wisdom!

Valerie moved back from Burnaby this week! I went with one of the members in the Relief Society and we helped move her and Anna back into Stacy's house! It's a miracle! And she came to the ward activity on Saturday as well!

And I suppose I should talk about this ward activity! It was a long time in the makings, but it finally happened. We had a ward multi-cultural night. In our congregation, we speak 28 different languages. Everyone was supposed to bring food from their native countries. It was fantastic! I ate balut! And I loved it!

How to eat balut:

1. Crack the egg

2. Peal shell to the yolk

3. Drink the juice

4. Continue to peel shell back as you eat the yolk and duck embryo

All the Filipino members love me! I'm in the club!!

On Sunday, for 5th Sunday, we taught YM/YW with Elder Sigrest, Elder Persson, and Elder Morris. It actually went really well! And then we did a youth fireside Sunday night! Which we only knew we were doing late Saturday night. But we planned it and executed it and we had 13 youth come and a couple leaders and they all had fun! It was so sweet! 

Thank you for faithfully reading. That's all for this week, I think!

Con amor, 

Hermana Lewis

Lunch before Sea to Sky

The saint, herself! Erika Taylor!

Shannon Falls from a distance.

Chillin' with Maud <3<3

Breakfast part I