This last week has been great! Things slowed
down a little bit with our investigators, but their progress is sure and
steady. We are currently teaching Jessica, Denise, and Mary. Jessica's
mom had surgery so we weren't able to visit a ton this week, but we had
an awesome Family Home Evening on Monday
with her and her two sons! We talked about prayer, she made cookies,
and a couple from the branch came! It was so great! We love her!
We went to the D.C. Temple Visitors Center with Denise on Tuesday,
and she LOVED it! She is definitely a visual learner so that helped a
lot. We also drew a map of the Earth and used it to explain where the
Book of Mormon came from, and boy were the light bulbs turning on in her
mind! She is the sweetest. I love that woman!
We
saw Mary three times this week, and it was great. We noticed that we had
been skipping over the opening prayer for our lessons, although we
always pray just before going into investigators' houses. In any event,
we realized we had been skipping the opening prayer because she loves to
jump right into talking about what we are studying. So, we recommitted
to say an opening prayer with her, and it made all the difference! The prayer of faith will
change people's hearts. We were able to understand her better, she was
able to express herself more clearly, and we were able to teach more by
the Spirit, all because of the prayer of faith and the Holy Ghost that
was invited by it!
"Sister Lewis,
You
are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. You have been assigned to labor in the
Maryland Baltimore Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a
period of 18 months."
My mission has been far beyond anything I expected in the moment that I read those words.
I have often considered those words, "It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months." I am grateful for the precious opportunity
that I have been given for full-time service for this period of 18
months, and now I look ahead with anticipation for the opportunities
that I will have to be a full-time servant in many other capacities. As
it says in D&C 4:3, "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work." I know this is true.
My dear friends and family, I want to express my deep love and gratitude for each of you. Thank you so much
for all you have done for me. I express gratitude for the prayers you
have offered on mine and others' behalves. Thank you to all who have
contributed in temporal and spiritual ways to make it possible for me to
serve this mission with energy and zeal.
I love you. The Lord loves you. I know that there is a plan for us. Heavenly Father wants us to have joy and to become like Him. He loves us. He loves us. It
doesn't matter how many times I say it, I just hope you feel it. He
sent His Son to remove every obstacle that stood in our way to return to
Father in Heaven. All He asks for is our faith and continual efforts to
turn from the world and turn to Him. This is possible through our
Savior, Jesus Christ.
This life is a precious
opportunity to be refined and purified, and we can and will find joy
through that process. This life is the beginning of a grand and
beautiful process of becoming as God made us to be. He knows who we can
be, and His vision for us is far greater than anything we could ever
dream we might be. His vision is clear and perfect.
Well, it has been a journey here in the Maryland Baltimore Mission, but, truly, my journey has just begun.
I love you! See you soon 
Love,
Sister Lewis
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