update of the last month or so

Sorry for not posting in awhile! Here is a little re-cap of whats been going on...

5/26/14-- love, the FIRST and GREAT

Well, this week has been the highlight of my mission...I don't even know how to express it. It's like Heavenly Father saying, you've been working hard and are a good missionary even if you can't see the fruits of it. We met one of which i believe, was one of my best friends in heaven! She is such an amazing woman and so prepared to come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  But really, God is real. We are his children & he is our father. I've felt the love of Christ so strong this week. The scripture really hit me today, more than ever-- that the first and great COMMANDMENT is to LOVE god will ALL of my heart, might, mind & strength. Then, to love others. I've seen how true this really is. He is our strength, and we cannot gain that strength by ourselves or anyone else but Him. I am striving to remember this every day. For the side story-- I ate Balut this week. I almost puked. Balut is a duck, not yet hatched. Disgusting. I have a video of it on my camera so that will have to wait for another week. ;) oh and we are on our way to a mets game!! Have a lovely week!! #loveoneanother

6/2/14-- hearts were softened
It was a great week! Just got everything settled in and got Sister Cienfuegos in the loop! She is amazing, i love her! She is from Mexico and is just great! We have a lot in common and sometimes i feel like i'm living with myself. its weird haha. But she is amazing i'm really blessed to have her as a friend and companion! Sorry this email is just going to be a short little guy...but the theme of the week i would say is that many hearts are being softened. We visited a recent convert who told us in our last lesson that the scriptures aren't needed and the general conference talks don't mean anything. So we felt prompted this time to teach her the Restoration. And it was amazing! Night and day. All i could do was smile...she told us she believes in the Book of Mormon and will read it daily. She also told me i have to find her a mormon husband in utah cause she won't marry anyone else! haha. And she said she will start doing family history to prepare to go to the temple. Then later in the week we visited a former investigator. When we got there she was very sure to tell us that she was catholic and not going to change. After sharing our message and praying with them we gave her our number and invited them to church. She told us after that she would give us a call to come over again when her mom started feeling better. Then on saturday we were serving by doing the bishops store house, Manny came and i was talking to him about judism and what not...then i just said, manny...you know you are pretty much mormon right? and you can still be jewish as a mormon. and he was like, yeah thats true! So we now call him the " Jewmon ". It fits him perfect. :) We have a great transfer ahead of us! lots of cool meetings and 11 exchanges in 5 weeks! yikes! we are never going to stop. :) i can't wait! i love you all so much. thank you for your constant love, prayers, and support! Quote of the week..." If your always willing to do the hard things, you will be successful in life. " -President Calderwood 


6/7/14-- patience, a heavenly virtue

Familia!

Well this week i'm going to write this email a tad different, just to mix it up in case your getting bored of my emails. ;)

Monday-- We found out that one of our investigators, (J) is pregnant!!! So happy!! That cute family just needs to be eternal...we are working with them on getting married and having the faith to do so. We had an FHE with a family in our ward and after the lesson she thanked us for helping them feel love in their home. We had each of them write on hearts why they loved each other. I am so blessed and so grateful for how mom and dad raised us at home by telling each other we love each other. It is so important to feel loved and be told you are loved! So, if you haven't already today...tell someone you love them!

Tuesday--  So each week i'm trying to study a different christ like attribute, like i mentioned before. This week was patience. Oh how lovely the Lord teaches us. :) I needed it ALL week. I usually don't get impatient but man was it being tested! From the littlest things like hitting every. single. red. light. in one day, waiting for answers, people, etc, etc. I am grateful for these experiences i had though because i realized how important patience is! Then as i exercised it throughout the week i could see the blessings of being patient.

Wednesday-- We met a super cool less active family with a lot of potential!! So excited to get to know them better.
Thursday-- We had MLC all day. I love it! It is such a cool meeting to be a part of. There was a workshop about being a minister and what it means. One of the AP's had random missionaries tell each of us how we are a minister. One said about me..."she truly knows how to mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort."  During the meeting (A) texted us and told us about an experience she had and just felt like she needed to tell someone because she felt like it was Heavenly Father blessing her. The day before we had taught tithing..she accepted it well and everything. But in her text she told us on her way home she found 5$. she said she felt like it was gods way of telling her he is there watching out for her and she went home and prayed thanking him. I was almost in tears. She is so perfect. Later, we met up with her and took her to ice cream. Funny story...we show up to the ice cream shop, get out of the car and walk up to a vacant store. Nice one sister lewis. I know it existed, i don't know what happened.

Friday-- MEETINGS.

Saturaday-- I was on an exchange and we were at a reception for a couple who just got sealed. So we were helping carry in soda from the kitchen right? So Sister Dellrie and i both have 4 two liter bottles of soda in our arms and go to walk in the room. Everyone was looking at us funny and one table of people just started laughing. We were so confused?? Then as we get in the doorway the little "dun dun dun dun..." wedding song starts playing!! We just pause, sister dellrie keeps walking in, i turn around to leave and right behind me is the couple!!! i almost died. i felt so bad. and it was SO embarrassing! nothing new. haha. we went to the bathroom and just laughed for a good 5 minutes.

Sunday-- I taught the lesson in relief society about priesthood keys. I am so so thankful for the priesthood. i'm so grateful for all those in my life who hold it. It is an amazing power.

Okay so this ended up being way longer than normal. Sorry about that! But it was just a grand week. :) I love you all!! be safe on all your vacations!!