Week 7: Heathens Greetings!

Haha that subject line would be how our district leader's companion greets us on the phone! Haha just kidding, he said season's greetings but he says heathen a lot so we thought that's what he said.

So this week was CRAZY but SO amazing!

So, first an update on Sarah! She is doing so good! We went over last night to have dinner with her and her boyfriend Josh at Josh's aunt's house. You'll probably have to read that twice. Josh is a member of our ward- that's how Sarah got introduced to the church =) Anyway, we had a lesson about the Book of Mormon after a Family Home Evening watching "Labor of Love." If you have ever seen that movie you know how cheesy it is, but also how awesome it is. I cried especially having my first investigator sitting right next to me. (The movie is about a missionary coming home and talking to the guy on the plane about his mission.) After the movie she said she felt the Spirit telling her to read the Book of Mormon a lot more, like every day. Ha! Not a coincidence that that was the commitment we had planned to extend! She says she already knows the Book of Mormon is true because it talks about Christ. Talk about golden investigator! Oh my lanta she is the best! She still hasn't picked a date but that's only because she doesn't want it to stress her out. She wants it to be a happy experience. We're not worried! Sorry for rambling haha she is just so awesome!

We picked up TWO new investigators this week. That's right TWO! That is a miracle!

I told you all about Devinity a little bit. She is one of our new investigators! She has a son but we have special permission to teach her since her boyfriend Davonte is in our ward =) Last Monday night we had dinner with her, Davonte, and Davonte's sister Tete. We taught her about the Holy Ghost and asked her if she would be baptized when she finds out that these things are true and she said YES!! WOO!

On Saturday, our ward had a super fun Thanksgiving activity with a dinner and service auction. We donated the money to House of Ruth, a shelter for abused women and children in Baltimore. It was a sweet experience to see the blessings of service!

One of our members Catherine brought two of her friends to the activity and we gave them a church tour! One of them- Idris- is really looking for a closer relationship to God. She is Jewish so she feels a little bit like she is betraying her religion, but she feels something different at Christian churches and especially the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is so sweet and we will meet with her this week! She is our third new investigator!

We had a sweet miracle on Thursday! That day we had a car fast and it was hard to get around but we worked our behinds (haha) off all day! We hadn't really felt like our work was effective that day, at least with return appointments and such, and then, at 9:01, a member (Christian) called us with an AWESOME referral named Amita! Referrals from the members are seriously THE BEST! If you haven't noticed, all three of our investigators are through members...NOT a coincidence! So, member missionaries, you are SO important in the hastening of the work! Believe it! Live it! We are going to meet with Christian and Amita tonight! We are so excited!!

Funny story of the week: we were street contacting last night and this man named Tony was talking to us and at first he was really nice. But then he told us that the Bible says women are seductresses and that white people are pedophiles. Yeah, we zipped outta there REAL fast haha!

I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you for your support and prayers! I know that my Redeemer lives! He is my light, my joy, and my peace!

Love,

Sister Lewis

Week 5 & 6

Well I have five minutes to tell you about the last two weeks so here goes nothin'!

We didn't end up going to the temple with our investigator Sarah 2 weekends ago but we did go this past Saturday! It was so much fun and she LOVED the visitors center! She cried the whole time haha! We watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration and if you know me and that video you know it's like my favorite church movie of ALL TIME! It is so amazing to have investigators watch it because it really helps them to understand the kind of man Joseph Smith was and to feel the Spirit testify the truth of the things he experienced! I am VERY grateful for that man's faith!

The past two weeks we did a lot of street contacting and finding and such. We are really working hard on actually getting people to teach, building our relationships with the members, and making sure that recent converts and less actives feel loved! Sometimes our work is tedious and it is definitely long (these people need lots of love) but it is so worth it! I am growing to love this area more every single day!

As for funny stuff that happened I am having a hard time remembering because I am terrible at writing in my journal. I did meet this girl last week named Nelly! She is SO funny! She talked to me for about 15 minutes about her weave haha! She is trying so hard to improve her life and draw closer to the Savior.

We still only officially have one investigator but we are working with a girl named Divinity! She is so darling and so prepared for the gospel! Her boyfriend is a member of our ward. She has a kid from a previous relationship and loves him to pieces. She has the softest heart it is amazing! I love her!

We are also trying to teach a girl named Ashley. She has a learning disability so it's tough. Sometimes she doesn't remember us when we visit her house!

A miracle that happened this past week is that we got in touch with, had at a ward activity, and went over to the house of a recent convert who hasn't come to church in a while! She also made us breakfast which is a miracle all on its own haha! She is the best and such a solid member but super busy! She is getting her nursing degree and traveling back and forth between Baltimore and Annapolis. Her boyfriend is a midshipman on base in Annapolis! We have a return appointment with her tomorrow it's going to be awesome!

The members who were struggling that we were working with are doing much better now! One of them went to the temple this past Saturday! She has such a light about her!! Love it!!

Well...I guess I'll share a goofy thing that happened last night. We were talking to our district leader and his companion on the phone and when they hung up Sister Sirrine called them dumb dumbs and I immediately imagined little dum dum suckers walking around the streets of Baltimore with missionary tags on hahahah! Okay maybe it's not that funny but I hope you appreciate my goofy sense of huor that is keeping me smiling!

I will try harder to keep track of everything that happens!

OH! Two preparation days ago we went down to the inner harbor in Baltimore and went to the famous tag alley! That's the only place in Baltimore where it's legal to do graffiti! We found some spray paint bottles that people had left with tons of paint and I spray painted my name! I love this city!

 

 

Photos: 

My MTC District at the Provo Temple, Elder Abraham (top left), Elder Willicome, Elda Crowell, Elder Burgess (top right), Sister Blanchard (bottom left), Sister Shepherd, Sister Rowley, Me (bottom right, in case anyone forgot what I look like)

 

 

 Angel Moroni atop Provo Temple

 

 

Week 4: Onward, Christian soldiers!

This week went by really fast! We had a really awesome week but I somehow have difficulty recalling all of the awesome things we did haha.

As for our investigator Sarah she is still moving forward! She attended a baptism with us on Saturday and we had a short lesson with her on the Restoration. It was pretty sweet! She liked learning about Joseph Smith and she really felt the Spirit at the baptism. At church on Sunday she also had a really awesome time. Yesterday was testimony meeting and the Spirit was really strong!

On Saturday my companion and I also went to a YSA activity in another stake and played Quidditch. It was quite hilarious and also lots of fun.

The best part of this week was helping a few members of our ward who are struggling. I can already see how the Atonement is working within them to change their hearts. A cool experience I had in that regard was when a YSA in our ward was expressing her struggles to us and she felt bad because she didn't want to be a burden. I was filled with love. I told her that she didn't have to worry because I have the best job in the world. I'm here to listen to people's struggles and help them feel happy. Heavenly Father has prepared me for this day and the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ is REAL. This work is hard but it is SO rewarding and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

I have been feeling sick this week...I just shake so many people's hands and it's that season so keep praying for me and my health.

Last week I forgot to include some funny things that happened...so I want to do that this week. I hope these experiences make you smile!

On my first day proselyting we met a man named Reginald. He was SO excited to see us! As far as he was concerned we were godsents! Haha he was so excited to talk about Jesus and afterward he wanted to pray with us...right there on the sidewalk! Haha I was a bit concerned he was trying to distract us and have us close our eyes while a friend would steal stuff from our bags but he actually really wanted to pray with us! Haha after the prayer he told us to keep praying for him and that he would pray for us...then he kissed us!!! Hahahaha you're not even supposed to HUG as missionaries and he kissed us! Lol that was a hoot...

We also met a man the next day in the city who was just eatin some chicken, happy as can be, and when we walked up to him, he saw "Jesus Christ" on our name tags and just started BEAMING at us and said, "Yeah, yeah! I believe in Jesus!!" Then we talked a little while he just kept chompin on that chicken hahaha! We gave him a picture of Christ and he kissed it with those greasy lips haha! People in Baltimore love kissing.

Something fun that happened this week was getting to know our district leader and his companion...they are just some kinda special...I think that's a requirement to be district leader haha!

Love you all!

~Sister Lewis