Called to Serve

December 3rd
Hi! Merry Christmas!! Glad to hear things are going well. :) Also, I can't believe I have spent that much. Yikes. I guess I'm glad to be building up my credit, but I don't think I'll spend too much more. I have to live off something when I come home, and 800 won't last very long. lol. Hope things are going well with Kristina. Glad all is still okay and all the scares end up being minor things.

Things here are great! This winter is so warm. The last 3-4 days have been in the 70's. It's great for us... maybe not so great for the crops and economy. People are talking about it being a dust bowl out here next year if things keep going the way they are. The work is going well. We're teaching 3 families right now. One of them showed up to church last Sunday and introduced themselves as "investigators" Haha. We're teaching so many beautiful people, the Lord is blessing this area so much. Last week we had 13 non-members at church. We have more lessons to teach and people to help than we have time for- we end up planning a lot of splits. We should have a baptism this week as well. Arnold is his name. He is such a good man! He bore his testimony this Sunday and it was beautiful.  Our wards are being so helpful. I love them and I am so grateful for their example. I am surrounded by wonderful people, who teach me everyday. I am grateful for their example, and the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. These souls are so precious and I am so grateful to see them grasp and embrace the truth. The truth changes our lives. It opens us up to feel how much God loves us, to understand our worth and potential, and that we don't need to keep making the same mistakes. We can change.

Well this is a short letter, but I'm sending home pictures.
I want you to know I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is our Savior. This is His restored church. He is at the head of it. His plan for us is beautiful and possible if we are faithful. I love Him. I have learned so much from trying to represent Him. It's quite the challenge, acting as a representative of a perfect person- especially when I am so imperfect, but it has taught me more of Him, and His character. As the primary song goes, "I'm trying to be like Jesus" it's humbling. I'm grateful for friends and associates, and family members who teach me more everyday about what this really means. I am grateful to see the people we teach grow and change. I love them. I wish I could tell you every detail about their lives and what we talk about- but their lives are private, their experiences sacred, and I want to be careful with what I share. But know that they are beautiful children of God, who the Lord loves. They set an example for me as they act in faith and embrace truth that is new to them. I love seeing their faith as they make changes, they stop doing things that they've been told their whole lives was okay. They act in faith, they trust what they feel and do things that are sometimes hard, and by doing that the Lord blesses them abundantly. I hope I can introduce you all to most of them. I want you to meet them so badly, I want them to meet you. Their stories of faith are inspiring. Maybe I can do better about writing those stories.

Well I love you so much!

Love Sister Lewis.