Week 5

This past week has gone by so fast! I'm not really sure where to begin. 

This is my last email from the MTC! I'm going to miss this so much, it's unreal!!!!!!!

Last Thursday, instead of the normal member TRC lessons in person, we skyped natives. Hermana Cobb and I got to skype Hermana Perez*. She is from Brazil but is living in Costa Rica right now. She had a different accent, but it was really cool. We had a really good lesson with her about commandments, their importance, and how they are for us, to help us become better, and not to restrict us. We told the story about the boy and his kite, and what happened when he cut the string so the kite could go higher. The Spirit was there, but the coolest part was el don de lenguas. Man. It was crazy. But I could understand what she was saying, but I was also able to talk to her in unbroken Spanish. Once I stopped thinking in my head what I was saying, I was able to just talk. And talk fast. It was such a cool blessing and experience. Can't wait for our next one tomorrow!

Your weekly Spanish joke:

*Por qué José Smith tenía las ropas arrugados?

-Porque el angél Moroni sacó las planchas. 

Also, what pet did Lehi's family have?

Flea. Take your family and flea into the wilderness.

You're welcome.

I was listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir 24/7 music stream during personal study the other day. You will never guess what song came on. "Concerning Hobbits" except the version with the words. But I don't remember what it's called. But it totally threw me off. Jajaja

Today Hermana Cobb and I did a 40 minute run around the MTC. I feel so proper fit, RN. So proper fit.

We also met an Elder and a Sister who go with us to Vancouver next week, English speaking. Is this real life?

Hermanas Bagley, Ramos, Thompsen, y Hollander, y Elders Larsen, Lawson, Anderson, y Cary left Monday morning for Uruguay. I keep seeing their phantoms all over the place. We miss them, but on the bright side, I started unpacking today. Glad it only took until week 6. 

And, I am officially a Sister Training Leader. I got called last week, but this week it is official. Hermana Cobb and I are also the last sisters in our zone. 

Guess who came in last week that I forgot to mention! Hermana Rachel Howard! From Oakridge! And yes, she remembers "Mother, May I" and brought it up before I could even ask about it! She is going to the California Anaheim mission, Spanish speaking.

This week I also saw Sister Miller - Portugal, Sister Kindt - Romania, and Sister Kennard - Ukraine (?). So that's pretty cool! 

We had great lessons this week. As we usually do. One of our lessons was just talking a chapter of scripture, going in with questions, and then searching for answers. Boy, was it great. I challenge you all to do it. Even if you have before. Everyone can use personal revelation. Another class was about getting as much as we could out of this last week here, and then out of the rest of our missions. Some of the points our teacher made were focus on the work, don't let the little things tempt you, use exact obedience, seal your heart to God, be diligent, be consistent, and that God is intimately involved in both things we can and cannot control. Trust Him. 

There was a great devotional last night on helping investigators understand the Book of Mormon. It was straight forward and so simple. I love the gospel. 

We got our travel plans last Friday! We are out of here next Wednesday! We have to be at the Travel Office at 3:25am.  Then we get to the airport, fly to San Fran, and then to Vancouver! We are super excited for it all, but we are going to miss el CCM so much! 

We had some great lessons this week. And also one that was not our favorite. But we had so many good ones. The spirit was there and we followed it. Baptismal dates down! And we made our teacher cry. So bonus points to us. 

I love you all. I love the gospel. I love the church. I love people. I love cookies and milk. I love running. I love to share the gospel. I love to read the scriptures and receive personal revelation. I love Heavenly Father. I love Jesus Christ. I love that Jesus Christ atoned for me. I love that I have second chances. I love MoTab. I love being a missionary. I love being set apart to help others come unto Christ. I love the MTC and I love Canada.  

Sorry for the lack of details. I'll get better at this. Promise! 

Love, 

Hermana Lewis

This is our friend Alex. He is in charge of the service in our Spanish building and we are buddies. We had to take pictures before we leave. 

Through the peephole.

Flight plans.

Practicing Spanish.

Stolen camera.  Again.

Love these mountains.  I'm super obsessed.

Last picture of the zone before 38B left!

Before we went to bed, we said whoever let go first was the weakest in our companionship. We were like this for 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

Our best side.

We're almost out!

Today at the temple.

Week 4

This week has been one of learning and miracles. 

I found out Monday morning at 7:50 after service that the Patriots won!!!!! I may have been persecuted, but I have remained faithful. Just like Joseph Smith. 

So that was cool.

This week we had some super powerful lessons, and then some not so great ones. They weren't bad, but they also weren't our favorite. At the finish of our lesson with Julio*, we felt soooo good. We prepared a lesson about how the Atonement applies to him individually. We really tried to get it in his head that it was for him because he felt like he could not be forgiven for things he had done in the past. Our lesson also applied perfectly to a concern he brought up, and so we focused on how it could help him overcome some challenges. The Spirit was super strong and we just felt good. Afterwards, my companion and I were talking about how it went. Then Hermano Adlish came over and asked if there was anything the Spirit prompted us to say, but we didn't. It did. It was inviting him to be baptized again. We did the first lesson, but we didn't again, and he said he could feel the Spirit and could tell we were listening to it, but if the Spirit is telling us to do something, say it. Another cool thing about that is we weren't even supposed to teach that day, but Hno Adlish wanted us to, so he gave us 10 minutes to prep for the lesson, and we got that experience.

Also, Monday, Hno Kent, who is a teacher who helps out multiple classes in the MTC, was subbing for Hno Adlish, and taught us about how it is a commandment to say the things that the Holy Ghost prompts us to say. I just thought it was cool. Read Doctrine and Covenants 11: 5-8.

We have seen lots of miracles this week and prayers being answered. It might be in the simplest ways, but they are being answered and the answers are miraculous. Heavenly Father answers prayers. He knows us individually. He has a plan for us. Individually. The Atonement is for each of us. Christ experienced everything for us. Individually. They know and love us perfectly and know what is best for us. Submit to the will of the Father. Let Him, who is all knowing, be the author and finisher of your faith. Let Him mold you into who he needs you to be. 

The Thursday after we arrived, we met our Branch Presidency. President Lisonbee invited us to read the Book of Mormon (English) while we were here. As in from start to finish. For a week and a half I was right on track, but then we became more busy with more and more lessons, and so it was hard to find time for it all, so I just read as much as I could. But now, I have been able to start catching up. I am at the end of Alma. The scriptures are the best. I cannot believe how much personal revelation I have received. How much comfort and encouragement I feel every time I read. It blows my mind. I have been marking promises the Lord makes to us, and the things we have to do in order to receive those blessings. READ THE SCRIPTURES. MAKE THEM A PRIORITY. 

I think it was this week that I was reading about the Law of Sacrifice. And I was reading a talk by M. Russell Ballard. A conversation he mentioned in his talk was between Brother Madsen and President Brown. 

Brother Madsen: What are the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

President Brown: Posterity.

Brother M: Why, then, was Abraham commanded to go to Mount Moriah and offer his only hope of posterity?

Pres. Brown: Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham.

I love that so much. So often, we think what we want is what will be best for us. We cannot doubt that our Creator and the Father of our spirits don't know what they are doing. Don't doubt what He knows. Forget yourself and do His work. Honor and renew your covenants. Follow the Savior and stay focused on Him.Maintain a spirit of faith. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son so that Abraham could learn for himself that he would keep all the covenants he made with God, and not just when it's convenient. God asking Abraham to sacrifice may have been a test for Abraham to see if he would consistently be obedient, but also a blessing where Abraham was able to see for himself how converted he was. You must act on your faith in order to become converted. 

Elder Howard and Sister Goodman came this past week! Woo!

There is an elder from Chile. Today during lunch, we were trying to talk to him, but he was kind of being shy. Then we decided to talk in Spanish, duh. Oh my goodness. It was so fun! He thinks we are crazy, but whatever! 

I've met so many great people here. Sadly, all those great people are leaving and I'm leaving. 

Oh! We got a new district this week! There are 9 elders all going to Argentina except for 2 going to Bolivia. So that was fun. Next Monday en la mañana, the older district than us (they got here the week before us) are leaving. I'm going to miss them so much! That means we are just one week behind them. That means next P Day, we pack. We haven't even unpacked yet because there is no room. So that will be interesting. 

Well, I guess that is all for now. I've got to go. Be righteous! 

Con todo el amor tengo de Dios, el gozo del evangelio, y el queso en mi corazón,

Hermana Lewis

We did cornrows last P-day

Cuz.

The rebel lyfe chose her.

1/28/2015

This week has gone by so fast! But it has been so good! 

A couple days ago I was studying the Refiner's fire because it is the best. 

"I wish to speak... to those who feel they have had more trials, sorrows, pricks, and thorns than they can bear and in their adversity are almost drowned in the waters of bitterness"

"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. The thorns that prick us, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change often comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way, the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner's fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process."

Is that not just one of the best things you have ever heard? I love it! We need to allow our souls to become soft like clay in the Master's hands. The more willing we are to let that happen, the easier it will be. Hno Adlish, in response to a question, wrote an equation on the board for change. I'll send the picture later. It is the coolest. 

This week Elder Garcia and Sister Goodman came in! 

Thank you for the package and the letters! You are all the best! 

Last night we had another lesson with Maria*. The missionaries who were in with her before went 10 minutes over, and already our lessons with her are scheduled for only 25 minutes. We went in and we talked a little bit and asked if she was able to go to Church on Sunday, as we challenged her on Thursday. She said not this week because she went out of town with her family. They went to Vegas to get a passport for their daughter, and Maria told us how she doesn't like Las Vegas because of all the bad influences and you can really just feel negativity. She started talking about how her daughter wanted a drink, but the only drinks had alcohol. Her daughter was 21, so Maria didn't tell her if she could or couldn't, but she said her daughter decided a long time ago she would never have alcohol. Which was perfect, because our lesson was on la Palabra de Sabiduría. Instead of taking 15 minutes, we took 50! So that changed a couple of our plans for the rest of the night, but it was so good! The spirit was strong!

In our lesson with Julio*, we got his attention. We were teaching about covenants so he could understand that as members of the church, we make promises and commitments with God, and we believe in keeping them, as opposed to just being a member. I told a story about my life, and how when I was true to the commitments I made, I was blessed. My initial thought was "I did it!" but then later realized I was definitely strengthened in my time of need. Without Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I would not have been able to make it. Then Hna Cobb explained why we make promises to God, and that we call them covenants. He seemed really interested. The teacher investigators always exaggerate boredom or lack of interest when we teach so we can pick up on it, but this lesson was super different. We ran out of time though as we were about to apply the story of the Strippling Warrios to him and his life, but he asked if we could continue our next lesson, which is tonight. So we are pretty excited to see how that goes.

One thing I just remembered from our first day here was we taught "investigators" in group form. They separated all the new missionaries into 3 groups and we taught some people. The worker in charge of our group had the best accent. It took me a while to figure out what it reminded me of, but I finally put my finger on it. It sounds like Shawn Spencer when he talks in his Swedish accent. Needless to say, it was great!

On Monday we had an ayuna [fasting] de Ingles. It was super fun. We got into it and did so well! Even planning our lessons was in Spanish, which is harder than it sounds. It went pretty perfectly until class after lunch, where we had to do a lot of things in English, and then for the rest of the night it was a struggle to remember. 

Congratulations to all those who got their mission calls! I'm so excited!

I don't know what to share! So much has happened, but it is also just the same every week. 

OH MY GOODNESS. Family, you wont believe me, but two nights ago I suffered through growing pains! I got no sleep. Why am I still growing? 

I have perfected my head stands. 

I played the piano for the first time on Saturday! And then I played for Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. It was the best.

Before every week for Sacrament meeting, we have to write a 3-5 minute talk in Spanish. This week was super busy, so I didn't have much time at all to write my talk. But I'll write it here for all of you so you know we do mission related things. The topic was faith in Christ. Don't mind the grammar at all because I wrote it in as much time as it would take to read. 

La fe en Jesucristo nos ayuda llegar a ser las personas mejor. Mediante la fe en Cristo, podemos ser limpio para eternidad. Sin fe en Cristo no podemos volver y vivir con Dios otra vez. 

Uno de mis escrituras preferado es Mateo 14,31. Pedro fue en un barco y veó Cristo sobre el agua. Pedro quiere caminar sobre el agua y Cristo dicho, si tiene la fe, usted puede caminar sobre el agua. Pedro tienó fey empreza caminar, pero Pedro veó el océano tempestuoso y tiene miedo. 

Versiculo 14 dice ...

Me gusta much que dice ¨y al momento Jesús, extendiendo la mano¨. Jesucristo no empreso. Él fue allí. Tambien, me gusta mucho que Jesús dice ¨Por qué dudaste¨. Si nosotros conocemos a Cristo, nosotros no tenemos que tener los préocupaciones. Si tenemos la fe en Cristo, todos seran bueno. 

Testimonio.

Ya. We have to write them down. 

I'm really excited for all the time I have over the next 17 months and 1 week to completely change. I hope none of you know me by the time I get home. I love being able to devote myself to Christ and his gospel all day. I had an interview with one of my teachers yesterday, and he was just checking how things were going, one on one. I realized that even though nothing huge has changed, there has been change on the inside and change on my heart, and over time it will completely change me. I cannot wait.

Anyway, love you all. The gospel is true. 

Oh. One more cool thing. In Spanish, to know is the verb saber. Pero, to know personally is the verb conocer. In the scriptures it uses conocer when talking about knowing Christ. We need to gain testimony and then conversion in Christ. 

Con amor, paz, y felicidad,

Hermana Lewis

Studying for days.

Schedule

Equation for change. En español.

Last week at the temple.

Partial district.

We have, no lie, eaten a million of these giant chocolate chip cookies. Also, I have gained weight...

"All by myself"

This man in charge of Cafeteria Administration gave Hna Cobb and me some fresh picked oranges because he saw me getting some. IT WAS SO GOOD! 

Hna Bagley thought you would want a picture of me, Mamacita.

Elder Passey likes to pose for the camera.

Our Class Schedule

Elder Arce steals my camera almost daily.

The Elders promised they wouldn't steal my camera.

After our lesson with Maria last night.