Called to Serve

Mom I'm so glad you got my email!! I was hoping one of those addresses were the right one. I loved your email. It made me laugh out loud, smile and even tear up a little, with lots joy. Yes, I left SO MANY THINGS... Surprise, surprise. Hahah. They had us send you a letter last week, so hopefully you'll have it within the next few days; it has everything I need written in it.

I'm grateful to hear that you all had such a beautiful Christmas, and that Janelle did as well. Christmas here was beautiful! The best Christmas I've ever had... (don't be offended because it would have been MUCH BETTER if you were with me; but it truly was incredible to rejoice in our Savior offering Him praise and service all the day long!) He also made sure I had a beautiful birthday :) At our Christmas Eve fireside President Brown called down all the Christmas Eve/day birthdays and the whole MTC sang to us. I was kind of hoping no one would find out... but in the end I was grateful for it. All day long people wished me happy birthday in 100's of different languages as I passed them on the way to classes. Elder Bednar also came and spoke to us of the Savior and through the spirit he lifted all of our hearts and minds to understand more of the Savior Jesus Christ, and how we can become like Him.

Life in the MTC is so incredible!!! I'm loving every minute of it. It's pushing me to be more than I am. It's hard, but beautiful, because I feel the atonement of our Savior at work throughout the whole day. There have been so many times I have felt him lift my heart as I have started at my own inadequecy and unability to preform His work as it needs to be done. I know He is with us, and will help us to fulfill our work if we will give Him everything.

My companions are incredible!!! I love them SO MUCH! Sister Richardson and Sister Sibbett (Mara!!!!) Hahah.... how amazing is that!?! We were so excited to find out. Sister Richardson actually was called to the Independence, Missouri mission two years ago, but she didn't end up going. Then 7 weeks ago she felt impressed she still needed to serve a mission, so she left behind her family and boyfriend to come! When she got called to Independence Missouri again, she knew that was where she needed to be! Then a few weeks later the 1st presidency called her and asked her to move her departure date to Dec 21st! We all truly feel like the Lord placed us as companions for a reason, everything fits together so well.

We sing and pray all the time. We feel like the the Holy Ghost (our fourth companion) told us that an important aspect of our companionship would be to sing. That if we would sing a lot, we would draw the spirit into our companionship, unifying it. Also, that if we would sing we would be able to touch our specific investigators with the Spirit of the Lord. We also run everywhere! It seems like we can never get everything done! We love being so busy. The first time we ran to class Sister Richardson turned to me and said, "are we allowed to run?" Hahah. We're so happy! The work of the Lord brings so much joy; the other day Sister Richardson said, "I feel like we're exemplified Jamba juice employee's" Hahah. Sister Richardson and Sister Sibbett both bring such a beautiful spirit and contribution to our companionship, I am so grateful for them.

Also, I've seen Marissa's brother (Elder Murrey) here a lot!!! AND PASS THIS ALONG TO KRISTINA!!! ELDER THORN (DAVID THORN) IS MY ZONE LEADER! He was less-active and I believe coming back to the church when Kristina met him. She helped him a lot, in coming back to Christ and getting on a mission. She has actually told me about him a lot, and when I met him we instantly made the connection!! He talked about the wonderful influence Kristina was on him, how much she helped him. He actually carries a poem she gave him around in his scriptures. He is an incredible zone-leader. We know it was not a coincidence that the Lord placed us in the same zone. He wrote me a letter for my birthday that made me cry, I just love him SO MUCH (in a sister-missionary way!) The Lord knows us, and places the right people in our lives at the right times.

My time is running short but I want to share a few quick experiences with you before I leave. The first day here we instantly went to work, they had us teach 3 investigators before we even had the chance to unpack. A group of 30 or so brand new missionaries went into a room where we met an individual investigating the chruch (2 of them were not members... the 3rd I'm not sure on... he may be an actor, and he may be an investigator...) As we sat in the first meeting with Paul, we began talking about "one true church" the spirit instantly testified to me that we were not on the right path. We weren't getting any where with him when the spirit told me to show him a scripture in 2 Nephi 29; and to testify that God loves all of His children, and would not share the gospel with only a portion of them-- he helped me relate it back to his family and in that moment Paul stopped and said... that's a good point.... i'll have to think about it. Then the meeting ended and we went into the next room. The 2nd guy Junichi , was not interested in anything we said, until the spirit whispered that we needed to talk to him about His father, and relate it back to how Jesus Christ felt about his Father. When I asked him about his father he began to cry. It was the first time he engaged (even thought it was only for a moment) into the lesson. It was beautiful. The final women, Barbara, we taught without the spirit. We got no where with her. The lesson was terrible. Afterward I felt to go up to her and bear her a simple testimony of God's love for her and that she could see her father who had died in a car accident again. Me and my companions went up to her after the meeting and talked with her, I bore her my testimony as directed by the spirit and she began to cry. Afterward she gave me a hug and thanked us for being there during Christmas. It was so beautiful! This truly is the Lords work, and we can do nothing without Him!! Our goal is to simply let the spirit teach, and say exactly as he directs. It requries so much mental energy!!! I'm loving it.

Anyways times up! I love you all SO MUCH. I'll send pictures next week.

P.S. put this letter on the blog!!

All my love, Sister Lewis!!

I know Jesus Lives!!! He is God's Son, and our Savior!!