Week 20

1-24-11
Dear Friends and Family,

Well even though everyone told me that February is going to be the
coldest thing I will have ever lived through, I kept telling myself
that it would be coldest in the beginning of January since it's
supposedly the middle of Winter, but they were all right, it is sooooo
cold here!!! We need to do more finding and tracting, but it is quite
possibly the most miserable experience of my life when we're out
knocking doors at night in ghetto neighborhoods and my whole body is
numb and my toes have frost bite, but I guess it builds character or
something like that  My comp always tells me "We knock doors to show
God that we have faith, and then he gives us investigators through
other routes, because of our faith." So hopefully we'll find someone
soon since right now the only good find has been Antonio (I'll get to
how he's doing later) so we're just working away and looking for a
miracle! 
I'm on week 6 of my 2nd transfer now and I (as usual) cannot believe
how quickly this transfer flew by! Seems like Elder Kerby left just
last week! I keep hearing that it's only going to get faster and
faster, but I don't know how that'd be possible, or else I'd be back
home in no time! I guess I just need to cherish every minute and work
harder in the limited time that I have! So this week! Monday we didn't
do anything for P-Day for the first time, just went to the other
elder's pad (so all 8 of us gathered in one little pad, there aren't
enough chairs, but most of them were lifting weights anyway) and I got
a chance to catch up on writing letters which was nice. That night we
were invited over to the house of a less-active member and it was fun
getting to know that family. They're Dominican and talk the fastest
and loudest of any family I have yet to meet. Sometimes I'm truly at a
loss as to what she was saying to me and I think she'd try to talk
louder to help me understand, but it was still too fast I couldn't
tell which words were which! Oh the joys of learning a foreign
language in your own country! It's funny how the Hispanics when they
ask me questions about home they refer to "my country" and I'm not
sure if it's impolite to point out to them that even though I'm VERY
far from home, I'm still living in "my country"=) Also a brother in
the ward called us and asked us to meet him at the chapel so we could
give him a blessing. We called the Elder's Quorom Pres. to ask who
Bro.Munoz' Home Teacher was so next time he could give the blessing
since we want to give the members opportunities to learn grow and
fulfill their responsibilities, but he didn't know. That's the one
thing with this branch which I'm finding very frustrating. They have
the priesthood holders and the number of members numbers necessary to
do things, but they really slack on Home and Visiting Teaching. In our
specific area all the "members" are less/inactive and we are
struggling getting the active members to help out. They don't even
visit each other let alone the inactives! It's too bad. I wish I would
have done more for our inactive families that I used to home teach.
Missions teach you SO much, and make you wish you'd been very
different before. Tues we had Deep Cleaning! Although we moved in not
too long ago, when we got here our apt was kind of a mess, basically
still a construction site, so we spent several hours continuing the
process of cleaning. It's extremely hard to sweep a wooden floor that
is still rough and has never been sanded. I resorted to using a vacuum
on a wood floor, just using the hose end.lol We did a lot of walking
around that day, had some near death experiences on the ice, visited
the Lee family and had a good lesson with the mom and kids and gave
them a reading assignment. We also taught English Class We only have
one student. He's a recently reactivated member from Mexico City and
knows next to nothing in English so it's good for me to get to teach
(or attempt to) English in my limited Spanish. Both student and
teacher learn together! McDonalds has promotion right now where on hot
drinks there are little stickers and if you get 4 then you get a free
Med. Hot choc. so every time I see one on the street (which is a lot
since litter is a disease here) I look for a sticker and then throw
away the cup. Slowly but surely I'm saving the environment, and I get
a free hot choc out of it! So after English class I went and got my
free Hot Choc.  Wed. we visited Antonio in the morning when all the
girls and family are at school etc. since he works from 2-11 so we
teach him in the morning. We had a good lesson reviewing the first
vision and covering stuff we didn't have time for the first time we
taught it, and he remembered everything really well! We also taught
about the Word of Wisdom. We were a little worried about that because
we had heard he used to drink-- from him and other members, but he
said that it made sense and he would pray about it. Also I had a
delicious DA with the Luna family who are Mexican. It's quite ironic
how my whole life I was told I was going to go to Mexico on my mission
since I don't like that type of food, but now I actually love it! I
still don't like hot stuff, but I can handle a little and it's all
great! Thur. we did lots of knocking and looking up potentials etc.
We've been going through all the old lists of people that old
missionaries had talked to and gotten info abt. but never taught. We
have lists of each "zone" inside our area and when we are in the zone
we look up all the names. It's weeding out a LOT of people since most
everyone has moved or is not interested or lies to us that they aren't
that person etc. but we're just giving them a gift and if they choose
not to accept, it's too bad for them and their loss. I'm just glad I
have it!=) We also did weekly planning which was good. Ever since my
Greenie Conference we always do a lot better planning our lessons and
trying to address our investigators specific needs and I think our
lessons go better now! At Hna. Flores we had stuffed peppers, they
were yummy! I'm loving getting to try such a variety of foods. Fri.we
had district meeting. We're sad because our District will only have 2
baptisms at the end of this month, but we had good lessons focusing on
our mission theme for the year and on using the Book of Mormon. Its
funny how we get similar lessons so many times, but I always feel
edified! We had a ‘Street Sweep’ in Bushwick and I was SO cold! But
it’s fun to be out among the people just fearlessing every single
person and being with all the missionaries in the zone. We taught a
new investigator we found, named Javier. It was just a ‘getting to
know him’ lesson, but it was really good. We had a good lesson with
the Lee family. We watched the Restoration in Spanish and I remember
watching it in the MTC and understanding next to nothing, but this
time I got most everything! It was great since their dad (who I've
never met), actually came in and watched it with us and the wife and
kids told us that he didn't like the church anymore-- although they
were only baptized less than 2 years ago. They've basically been
inactive ever since, but after watching the movie Hna. Lee turned to
us and said she knows that the First Vision is true and she believes
it. The spirit was really strong. They had also done the reading
assignment we left them. We explained it and the Dad gave a good
insight, then he asked us to stay and they fed us! They came to church
on Sunday (well the mom and 2 kids) too for the first time in like a
year! I was very excited about that. There is lots of reactivation
work to do in our area. Also Tue night we had a DA with the Viera
family, but when we got there the mom had forgotten and so they
ordered Chinese and we watched Testaments. I've never ordered Chinese,
but apparently delivery is free, as I learned in the movie "While You
Were Sleeping" but they don't deliver Christmas Trees. Sat. we had
breakfast at the Dorantes. Mexican scrambled eggs are seriously the
best! I loved it, and french fries, beans etc. I’m telling you, it's a
miracle that I just gobble up this food that before I could barely
choke down. Weird. We looked up a lot of potentials, still not much
success, then we had a lesson at Roxanna's. She is seriously
struggling, she never reads or keeps any commitments so I feel bad but
we'll probably have to drop her, after so much work! Yesterday we
walked with Antonio's family to church, it was awesome! We had a good
lesson with them and the whole family after church. I love that
family, they're the best! We finally made contact with a less active,
Ana, from Mexico. It's sad the hardships that people go through here
in New York, I wish there was more we could do for them.

So yeah, that's my super long and overly detailed letter. Sorry, I
just love my investigators and this work, even though when I'm out
tracting it's miserable, I know it's where I’m supposed to be! I know
this church is true. Every day when I get the opportunity to share my
testimony or hear other people's testimony, mine is strengthened so
much. I'm so blessed to be here at this time. Now I’m going to go see
the Brooklyn Bridge one last time before I get transferred probably
next week. It'll be exciting! I love you all!

Love, Elder Lewis

Missionary Letter #19

1-17-11

Dear Family and Friends,

This is going to be a very poorly written and scattered letter so I thought I'd warn you straight off. I forgot my planner in my other jacket so I don't have my notes that I write in it to help organize my letters.

A recent development in our branch is that Pres. Nelson wants us to go separately to our dinner apps. at the members and no longer have both companionships there (I think this is how it's supposed to be, but for some reason our branch has always just had all the elders come every time). Several of the members don't like that and complained that they want all 4 of us and they'd feel bad inviting 2 and not the other 2, and we tried to explain that they could have us just alternate weeks and we wouldn't feel bad, but they wouldn't listen to logic, anyway, one sister that really likes having us over wanted all 4 us to come but we couldn't during the week because there isn't a night where neither of us didn't already have a DA(Dinner App) so she said we had to come over on Mon. since the kids wouldn't have school for MLK Day, so today it's all weird and we didn't do things like we normally do since we went to their house for breakfast. We did laundry for the first time at a Laundromat near our new house, and then breakfast at Hna. Flores'. We had these yummy scrambled eggs that were like red, and also really good pancakes. So that's what we've done today. But back to the week:

Mon. we played basketball with the whole zone, it was really fun being all together with the eldersJ Also we got a new phone, it's a slider blackberry or something like that. Apparently the phone we've had has been here forever and it was time for an upgrade, so now I'm scared to touch the phone since I don't want to break it. It doesn't have a thick rubber covering and doesn't look as durable as the brick we used to use, but I can actually understand people over the phone now, and even when they're speaking Spanish! It's amazing what an improvement it is. After that, all the days kinda blend together (that's what happens when you have the exact same schedule every single day without a minute of variation, hard to remember-- they are just a blur). I'll try and remember the key points from the week.

When we went to teach Ermithon he wasn't home, but this crazy member that followed us out with burning incense was there again blasting vulgar music out his door and attempting to break dance or something in the hallway. When he saw us he started asking us what we were doing and why we were there (with lots of expletives), and when we tried politely saying that we were preaching about Jesus Christ's restored church, he kept interrupting and cussing us out, and going off about how he knows we're little devils because he is God and knows. He is literally insane. We tried going to visit a couple of other inactive members in that building but he just followed us cackling maniacally and yelling. It would have been comical if he hadn't been preventing us from being able to talk to the members since we couldn't hear them over the noise, and they were busy but we couldn't schedule a time to visit them since "James" was there so they're supposed to call us but they haven't and they haven't answered their phones eitherL Crazy New York! Another event on a happier note was our lesson with Antonio. They made us this soup, but it had whole chicken wings on the bone and whole corn on the cob, so I guess you just set down your spoon and eat the corn on the cob normally, it's just dripping in broth, rather odd. The lesson went really well, we taught about the Gospel of Christ in more detail and I love teaching about the Atonement and our wonderful blessing to be able to repent, and also the Gift of the Holy Ghost and it's guiding influence in our lives. Well I guess, just the whole lesson is awesome! It's difficult since Elder Watkins can speak Spanish better than me he just talks the whole time, and doesn't give me a chance to try. I know how to say everything he says, just I can't say it as flowingly, but I want to try, but he never gives me a chance so that's frustrating when I want to contribute and I think of something I want to say that I think would help, but I can't get a word in edgewise until he's already taught it to such an extent I would feel redundant saying my comment that is basically a reiteration with a slight few added points I feel are important, so I have to content myself with bearing my testimony, which I don't mind doing at all, but I guess I'll just have to keep reminding him to let me talk tooJ Oh well, it was a good lesson and then on Sat. we were able to go again and Antonio had done his reading. We’d assigned him1 nefi 3, he read 3&4! He then explained everything that had happened better than I could've and without us even asking. He talked about how he could apply these scriptures to his life. When we give a comment about a scripture that has special significance for us he takes our comment and expounds even more on it! He's the smartest person I've yet to have the pleasure to teach, not just smart like Augustine who can read comprehensively fast, but he is also spiritually mature! I don't know why he hasn't found the gospel before, but he is so prepared! When we asked him if he'd prayed he said that during his prayer to know if the Book of Mormon was true he was so overcome with emotion that he started crying and that he normally never cries! I am so excited for him. I just wish they could figure out their marriage! Mariela needs to get divorced and they need to get married, but she doesn't seem as excited for that.L Their kids are so cute and the baby twins are absolutely adorable all wrapped up in swaddling clothes. One has a little scrunched up face and the other always has his eyes open huge and just staring around at everything. It's been far too long since I'd seen a new born! I've missed so many of my own nieces and nephews first years it's pathetic!

Another highlight of the week was our lesson with Roxana. That woman is like a rollercoaster! One week we have an awesome lesson and she seems all ready to accept the gospel and progress, and then we can't get ahold of her etc. and she isn't reading and won't come to church! This last week we had a lesson with the whole family there that was pretty good. We were reading the introduction with the 17 yr old nephew Jeffrey who also lives there (gotta love hispanics and all 4 generations that live in one house) then she came and randomly shared a scripture that just talked about the unrighteous burning at the last day and then she started going off about how her kids are "bad creations" apparently a common Spanish phrase when kids are bad? Go figure. It was an awkward time with Roxana and her daughter yelling at each other. We tried to get some peace and eventually got back to the lesson, but it was not too good of a feeling. Later though when we stopped by we were able to help Rosalba(15 yr old daughter) with her homework I helped her study for her history final, and we taught them all, and it was a really good lesson. On Sunday we finally got Sergio(11 yr old son) to sit down and talk to us. She wants him to be better and I encouraged her to pray with him every night and to help him grow spiritually, hopefully it will benefit both of them. The best thing of the week was Leadership training on Sat! Randomly this month Pres. Nelson decided to have a separate meeting with all the greenies from the last 3 transfers and it was awesome!! Elder Patchett and I got to do an exchange for the day and had a really fun time catching up and talking about our different areas while taking the trains and busses there, and in the meeting we learned a lot about how we can more fully understand the Doctrine of Christ that He teaches in 3 nefi 11, and also about having love and serving our investigators, being humble, how to listen to the spirit and be worthy to receive it, obedience. All stuff that I'm sure I've heard a million talks on, but it was so powerful and I really hope that I can apply those things. I learned more fully in my area and to be worthy so the Lord can trust me with his children so we can bring them closer to him and also accomplish our goals. Also during the week I got to have my Mission President Interview, my first one since my first day here over 2 months ago, and it was good feeling his love and support. The best part was the ending prayer and hearing his true pleading to the Lord for help and guidance to bless me and my investigators and all of our mission.

In our district meeting on Fri. Elder Watkins and I got to give a workshop on prayer and receiving revelation, it was really good getting to study that. Teaching is the best thing ever! You learn so much more when you're the one preparing to teach it!!! I love this church, I love this gospel and I KNOW it is TRUE!! I love all of you and I am so grateful for the wonderful letters(and stamps from the sweet Pease Family) and the packages. Thank you Brenley and Spencer! I love all of you and pray for you! Keep being missionariesJ

Love, Elder Lewis

A New Year in New York - - 3 January 2011

1-3-11

Dear everyone,

Happy New Years!!!! Can you believe it's 2011?! I'll have been graduated from high school for almost 2 years in June! Weird. I'm very excited though for the new year! This week was quite a struggle, not the best of the mission, but it's okay, we're ready to start the new year with more energy and enthusiasim then ever before! Lots of people to find, no time to lose!

So most of our days this week were filled with trying to get a hold of people and them not answering the phone, looking up former investigators, knocking doors, and no one ever answering their doorbells, luckily there are 5 doorbells on every house so you can try lots of people without even having to walk very far=) Our knew updates with investigators: Jordyn we finally got to answer the door and he seemed like he still wanted to meet with us, just was out of town in PA for Christmas or something, but when we went back for our app. we had scheduled with him his mom just shouted at us from their upstiars window that he was sleeping and then slammed it shut before we could talk to her, not a good sign=( Agustine was stuck in Boston after Christmas because of all the snow so we didn't get to meet with him, but we have an app. scheduled for tomorrow! Roxana's house is always an adventure with 3 generations living there. When we came to our app. we'd scheduled before on Christmas, her mom said she wasn't there, but on New Years when we were walking by on our way to a different house we saw her brother Nicholas (a recent convert) out playing in the snow with his cute daughter and his nephews, we called Roxana and scheduled an app. for later that night, and when we came by it was a great opportunity to read the scriptures with her, and have Nicholas and Alexandra (Nick's wife and also recent convert) there to help. She had read a little of the chapter that we had left here, but we finished it with her, and tried to help her understand how to read the scriptures applying it to your lives and getting stuff out of it. Also another miracle was while we were sitting there waiting for Roxana to finish preparing food (she always has to feed us if we come over) we got to talking more to Keffery Roxana and Nick's nephew who's 17 and he was interested about the BoM so we taught him a lesson about what it is and how we got it. We've invited him into our lessons before, just like it says in PMG, but this time he actually stayed in the room and talked with us, and when we read with Roxana he read with us! Another awesome find was when we went to go visit this sister that the bishop asked Kerby and I to go visit, but she lives really far away and we could never find her house, finally watkins and I put it as a priority because I just felt like we really needed to go visit her, she had just had twin boys last month and hadn't been able to come to church in 2 months. When we got there no one answered the bell and the phone number wasn't working, right when we were about to leaved all discouraged, a guy came up to the door and was able to get us in, he turned out to be Mariela's husband! They have 4 little girls (the oldest 10) and just had twin boys end of November). They're such a cute family and apparently he isn't a member, and so we turned what was going to be just a spiritual thought on the importnace of reading the BoM into a first lesson. He hadn't ever been taught before and was interested, and we got him to read it with us and pray at the end of the lesson. It was a very spiritual expreience and his wife was crying while he prayed. We have a return app. this week with them and hope we can bring that family together. I talked with the bishop though and the problem is they probably aren't legal and aren't married so that's gonna be a struggle=( Knew i'd run into it eventually! So that was our week! Some great finds, but they were few and far between so our umbers were very low this week, but it's not about numbers, it's about the people, and if we can help these people to change their lives to come unto Christ and be better stronger families it will all have been worth it!

As for the day to day affairs of life, not much different, still wading through snow which through the week progressively just turned into muddy sluch that got my suits very dirty and splattered (I need to find a dry cleaner, there are tons all over, but they all look kinda sketch and I don't know how much it's gonna cost, I don't really want to find out.lol) The other day I saw some lady walking through the snow with plastic bags wrapped around her feet and it reminded me of Hyrum and the older brothers doing that when we went to the snow.lol On New Years we had to be in our house by 6 PM since there are lots of drunk people out and craziness going on. On the way home I saw so many people with cases of alcohol, it's too bad people think they can only have a good time if they're drunk. They just need the gospel! That's why I'm here I guess=) we did our weekly planning and then went to bed at 10, and slept through all the chaos of the night. It's weird, the first time I don't watch the ball drop and I'm just a couple miles away from it! The Seminary class that gave us missionaries a gift basket had a bottle of Martinelli's inside so we had that during our planning, but other than that it wasn't too eventful.lol Oh I also got a sweet Christmas Card from Sis. Batey, my old primary teacher from when I was like 6. She is so kind to remember me all the way out here! Last night we went to the Branch Pres.'s house and his wife is Peruvian so she made us papa a la huancayna and also lomo saltado. The first is a baked potatoe without the skin, and it has this delicious spicy yellow sauce on it, the latter is veggies and meat with rice, and there were french fries mixed with the veggie/meat it was delicious! I love getting to try foods from Mexico/Dominican Rep/Puerta Rica/El Salvador/Honduras/Peru and then also good ol American food sometimes at mission events=)

Life is god on the mission! I'm loving all the new experiences, even the hard ones. Like mom always quotes grandpa to me "It's either good for you or you deserve it." , so I'm trying my best to deserve as many blessings as I can get! It's been fun, every week is so different, but they all have one thing in common, I'm still preaching the same thing! The gospel is so great! I love getting to share it with people every day and bearing my testimony that I know it is true! I loved our fast and testimony meeting, getting to hear all the sweet testimonies of the members and what's awesome is all of them are converts so all of them bore witnss of the importance of missionary work and how important it is! I hope we can utilize that enthusiasim to get the members more imvolved in our teaching. Getting to talk to my family on Christmas has got me all fired up to do better. Thanks all my great older siblings, and especially mom and dad! I love each and every one of you!

I hope your year is full of wonderful growth and learning and sharing the gospel. keep being missionaries, because we need you!

love,

Elder Lewis