2/22/11
Dear Family and Friends,
First off, congratulations to LaDawn and Danny on #8! I can't wait to get pictures of adorable Katherine Lynette Mason! Also congrats to Aaron on his internship.
Sorry I'm not getting this letter out until today. Since yesterday was President's Day all the libraries were closed unfortunately so we didn't get a chance to write. Ironically today the libraries' systems are all down so we had to go to an internet cafe anyway, luckily my comp is beast friends with this crazy African lady that runs an internet cafe so she isn't charging us anything. Instead we're going to bring her a strawberry cheesecake for her birthday on the 27th.
So this last week was pretty exciting! At first the weather was super warm, but then it changed all of a sudden to being really cold and windy. Then 2 days ago we woke up to a blanket of snow everywhere. Right when you think you're rid of it for good... it just keeps coming back!! I can't wait for winter to be over. Oh well, it's not too bad when you're in a car, those are always extremely convenient!
Big event of the week was on Saturday, we had a temple trip! Since we have 5 recent converts (4 of which are youth) they all got to go on the District Youth Temple trip, so we got to go with them! I'm glad I got put in this pool when I did, I didn't even really do anything, but I got to go so I'm happy=) It was fun getting to ride in a car into Manhattan (last time I went there back when I was 14 we took a ferry from NJ), then the temple is right in the heart of it all! It was cool getting to see Central Park in the day time, and seeing Julliard and Broadway, but we didn't really have time for pictures since we were running late (of course). It’s a really cool set up with the temple on the first floor and then you can take an elevator up to a full sized church building with gym and everything; Kind of odd, but an interesting change. I loved the stained glass painting right at the entrance to the temple part, of the Savior on the road to Emmaus with the 2 disciples right after his resurrection. We got to do baptisms, confirmations, and everything! It was my first time where actually I got to help out, and we did some of them in Spanish which was pretty cool. Truly the temple is the house of the Lord on earth, the spirit is so strong there, it was especially touching seeing our converts the Castillo’s, the mother there with her 3 daughters, they were all so excited=) That's what makes a mission all worth it!
I also got a package from Esther's family with yummy cookies and a cute card for valentine’s day (I love having them close by), and even the Burton's were thinking of me and sent an adorable card written and signed by Eden, a bookmark she made for me which I get to look at every morning during breakfast when I read "Our Search for Happiness", and the hi-light was the fun Texan picture. I have NO pictures of my family except the tiny wallet sized one and some printed on family letters, but no ones to put in a photo album. I wish each of my siblings could send me a pic of their family, I want to show them all off!! Haha everyone freaks out when they find out how many siblings I have (even more so than before it seems), so I wish I had more than the black and white Christmas newsletter to show my wonderful family!
On Monday we had our zone activity and it was a little out of the ordinary... we went to a NY Islanders hockey game! My first hockey game ever! We beat the Boston(? not sure) Panthers 5-0 so it was pretty fun. Only one fight broke out which I guess was a little disappointing since all you ever hear about hockey is how great it is because it's legal to fight. It was a little odd seeing these players just kinda wrestling/punching each other and no one's even doing anything. I left my camera in my back pack of course so I don't have any photos, but hopefully I can get some from one of the other elders by copying it onto my camera. We also got free T-shirts out of the deal so that was fun=)
As for the mission work: we have lots of people that we find, it's pretty easy in the projects, and when we can teach everyone we talk to. A nice change from the city where 1/2 the people we talked to didn't live in our area, and we always had to turn over English speakers. Here we just teach anyone and everyone! It's awesome!! Our main investigators that have dates we were having a hard time getting a hold of, but we finally got a lesson in with them, solidified their date, got them excited but also emphasized the importance of it. The spirit was super strong and I'm way excited for them. Now that they're married and everything is good, Jason has overcome all his habits of smoking etc.. They really have changed around their lives and they always tell us about the amazing experiences they're having and how much God watches over them and is blessing them, but at the same time how hard the adversary is working to prevent them from making that vitally important covenant of baptism. We're going to meet with them again tonight, and again later in the week, then on Sunday they are going to be baptized! It's amazing how prepared the Lord has made them. Their journey to finding that this is Christ's church that he leads and guides it; their journey to baptism has been a long one, but they're finally ready! I feel so blessed just to be here to be a part of it!
we have some other stellar people that are really open and interested, but the problem is getting a hold of them or finding a time we can visit them. New York is seriously the busiest craziest place ever, no one stays still!!! I guess it's something that just comes with the territory=) Every day I meet new people that Simkins and Larson were teaching before I got here that we just haven't been able to get a hold of.
With recent converts we are trying hard to help these new members continue to strengthen their testimonies and ease their way into the very strange world/culture/language of the LDS community. I never fully appreciated how different it is, everything I just took for granted. It’s also interesting getting to see all the ways other religions do things and where we have similarities and differences. I don't think I'll ever see as many churches in any other part of the USA as I do here. There are dozens on every street corner, from little dingy ones squished between bodegas and pizza places, to grand cathedrals that dominate the whole street. Who knew that there were literally millions of types of churches, each one with a different name and doctrine. Crazy stuff!
We've had a pretty rough week with lots of ups and downs, being with one person 24/7 really isn't healthy no matter how hard you try, but I continue to re-find that service is the best way to love; selfless service, just cleaning up, doing small acts of kindness, making them breakfast, whatever, it makes you feel happier and remarkably if you don't expect anything in return you just feel better. We silly humans just keep making stupid mistakes, we never seem to learn. Oh well, I guess it makes the process all the more meaningful.
As for my Spanish, it comes and goes. Sometimes I think I'm pretty good, and then I'll try talking on the phone to Hna. Rivera and I'm not sure if anything she says is a coherent word or just a jumble of slurs. Then again I can't understand half the members over the phone in English either so I've decided that I rely way too much on facial expressions, hands etcetera to communicate=)
Well that's about it for us out here in Far Rockaway, New York! I still love living on the coast again, constantly miss the Oregon Coast, but every place has its unique beauty. I love every opportunity I get to share the gospel. Who would've thought that a mission could be this rewarding?!=) I love all of you and hope to hear from you eventually! The flow of letters is drying up, but everyone's busy. At least I can always count on my mom=) Love ya!
Love,
Elder Lewis
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