This post is long, but worth the read. It consists of a letter from Elder Lewis himself, some pictures, and then more experiences and detail in the recording that he sent his family at the very end. Enjoy!
It has been a very long time since I, myself, have written
something for this blog. As I have come to realize this week, there aren’t
enough hours in a day!
Cambios came and Elder Zuniga left, and I am now with Elder
Hildebrandt of Peru. No one here can pronounce his name! (His great grandfather
is German) he is sure a good guy and I have never worked so hard in my life! We
are really cooking now! We have had many amazing things happen this week
because we are both willing to work our tails off! I want to tell you about a
couple:
Familia Reyes: we got to their house and started a lesson
with them after some small talk and introducing my new comp. Mile, the mother,
told us that she had had a dream that all she needed was Jesus, no church. Well
that was a tough thing, but we were prompted to go on. We taught the Plan of
Salvation and Mile kept getting up and going to the kitchen, but returning
immediately. My companion extended the invitation to be baptized at the end.
John, the dad, began to explain that he didn’t need a church and that Mile felt
the same. Just then Mile cuts in and says “ I want to be baptized!” She
couldn’t have surprised me more if she had hit me in the head with a 2x4. She
began to explain that she felt something that she had never felt before. She
began to cry and explained that she tried to leave the room but couldn’t. John
fought hard against the feeling but had tears in his eyes as his wife expressed
her deep, heartfelt desire to be with him forever, and that somehow she knew
that this is the only way. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s amazing the
things that can happen when a couple of missionaries work hard and try to have
the spirit with them. Hermana Blanco, who gave us this reference, said that now
they both want to be baptized. I hope that the Lord will permit me to labor in
this area long enough to see that glorious day, but you never know.
On Saturday, I had the privilege of baptizing 2 of the
finest people I have ever met. Christian Javier Salcedo Ramirez, and Miladys
Patricia Henao Riveros! I cannot attempt to express the wonderful feeling that
swelled in my chest when I saw them dressed in white, smiling. I messed up the
baptismal prayer with Christian, I said “re Bautismos” instead of “te
bautismos” So I had to call him back and do it again! But it was wonderful and
the feeling of peace cannot be described.
Well, there are many other things that I would like to say, but
it sufficeth me to say this: Obedience and Sacrifice really do bring forth the
blessings of heaven. I know without a shadow of a doubt, more than I know that I’m
writing these things, that God lives! He has restored his kingdom with all the
ordinances and blessings that have ever been given to the children of men.
Truly God has a plan, grand and marvelous, for his Children, and central to it
is his perfect son, Jesus Christ. I testify of Him, His divinity, His majesty,
His love. Truly through him whose name we wear, all mankind can be redeemed if
they come unto him. Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, and the
Book of Mormon is the evidence of it all. I bear solemn testimony that if you
who are reading this have doubts, or want to know if this is true, read with a
willing heart and then pray “if these things are not true” (Moroni 10:4-5) I
know these things and I would that all the world would know it. I know deep
inside of the that God has called a prophet today, and we must heed his voice.
Ask God, and let him show you his wonders. I testify of these things, in the
name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
Elder Lewis
(L to R): Elder Hildebrandt, Hermano Cuadros, Miladys, Christian, Elder Lewis, Hermano Cruzado (1st counselor in the bishopric)
(L to R): Elder Hildebrandt, Miladys, Christian, Elder Lewis
Hola familia! Como estan?
This week has been very very good I am now with a new
companion, Elder Hildebrandt, he’ s pretty awesome. For the start of the week,
Monday we had changes, I hung out with Leiffer and Robinson for the day, and
then got a new companion. Tuesday, I
kinda got to know Elder Hildebrandt, and got him all settled in here, then
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we got to work! I have never worked so hard in
my life. Elder Hildebrandt is just awesome. Elder Zuniga was just a little bit
tired. Ok maybe a lot bit tired. So now we are really cooking. We had 25
lessons this week and hoping to do better this next week. Saturday was
absolutely amazing. I had the honor of baptizing Christian and Miladys. It
really was special. Theres no better feeling than getting all dressed in white
and then seeing them get all dressed in white. Almost made me cry. I love them
and they are stellar members of the church. I did mess up on the words of the
prayer, so I had to do it again, but it was super good. They told me that when
they came out of the water, that everything, their doubts, fears, and regrets
were gone. So that’s baptism. Their testimonies afterward were really special.
This really is the best time to be a missionary. When you’ve wished and worked and
prayed and fasted for these people to get baptized. Our work is not done, but
it’s a great first step. They were confirmed on Sunday by Hermano Cuadros. We
were in Gospel principles and Christian introduced himself and he said that he
had been working and searching for a long time,
and he always knew there was a god, but had never found a church, but
now he has found it and in three months they were baptized. (which is actually
pretty fast) but that now that the has found it, that nothing will stop him and
that he is here to serve. I almost cried. Saturday afternoon, we moved from the
3rd floor to the 2nd floor. Its exactly the same. Its
actually inhabitable!
Its always hard when you get a new companion, but over the
week I have been really happy about the change. We’ve been working hard and I
am really enjoying it. This is when missionary work is enjoyable, when you have
a companion that really wants to work.
A little about Elder Hildebrandt: He’s 23, He’s from San
Martin, Peru. He studied Business Administration and finished. That translates
well into the work. He knows what he’s doing. We really get a lot done. There
just aren’t enough hours in the day, but we try. He sings a lot, he likes
American Pop, we have similar tastes. He speaks some English, but we speak
Spanish. We played American Football, basketball and Micro (soccer) with the
Zone. It’s the first time that I had spoken English all week. It was weird. I
did have 4 people tell me that they thought I was about fluent. I don’t think
so, but we’re working on it.
The words of Isaiah: confusing, but if you take the time to
study them and look at the things the Lord has for the house of Israel, they
translate into our lives perfectly. Not only that, but those prophecies apply
to our people. I found a lot of joy in studying his words, especially 2 Nephi 7
talks about Jehovah, talks about how he didn’t leave the children of Israel,
the children of Israel left him and how he would like to have helped them. I
think this is important because its for us to understand that it is never him
leaving us, but us leaving him. If we want to get closer to him then we need to
take the steps to get there. He is anxiously awaiting us to make those steps.
With every investigator I see times when they are willing to take those steps
and times when they are not. When they do it, they are much happier.
I am happy and healthy and I will keep working hard, and
hopefully the Lord will allow me to stay here long enough to see some of our
other investigators baptized. I realize how short my time is here. It flies by.
To think that at the end of my transfer that I will be 6 months in, its
amazing. I’ll be home before I know it… that’s gonna rip me apart. I love you
all.
Elder Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment