DON'T WORRY, JUST HAVE FAITH

the words from my father ^^^ could not be more true for me. these past two weeks have been...well LIFE. yes, life does come back around adventually. the life that we don't worry about until we start dying as missionaries. and, its nothing like i thought it would be like! i thought it would be a breeze...oh how i thought wrong. with looking back on my mission and looking ahead to what i have still, thinking about life when i go home, thinking about how to help others, etc, etc...it has been a little worry-some! but, because of it i am learning and growing a lot. still in the process, but its happening. i have faith that everything will work out in the end...or in five months...but its the faith i need to gain for the every day things that will get me to those points. i have been studying the scriptures, seeking my parents advice, praying a lot and trying to just take a big step forward on my own. a big step of FAITH.

"faith is the begining of all journies."

      "look behind you with gratitude and look ahead with faith."

"[faith] is what makes it so."

faith is an attribute i am striving to make strong. it may be a small word, but i means great things. i will do whatever it takes the gain the faith that i need and want. it will take time and hard work but it is how it will develop. i'm looking forward to strengthening my faith and can't wait for this journey.  the only way to make it perfect is through going to Christ every day. and seeking His help...because "with God all things are possible."

"a portion of [his] spirit"

Hello, hello! Sorry for the late email. I was visiting a beautiful place, Hunters Point. Sister Palu took me and it was much needed and appreciated. :)

 

 

brooklyn bridge

 

 

well this week was another good one, and man it flew by wayyyy too fast! Ah!! But, it's been awesome. We presented the 21 day promise to our ward yesterday and they are going to start it this next week! More miracles floating our way. So excited. We had a street sweep on Saturday and we were advertising general conference, on one poster we had a picture of president monson. This black guy came up to us and was like amazed that there was a prophet. He was like, "a prophet?? He's a PROPHET?!" And repeated that like six times, so funny. Haha! Unfortunately he took it in the wrong shocking way and thought we were crazy, but, he will remember that one day and then become a member. :) our investigator (G) is doing awesome! I've been praying so hard for her...we had Hermana viera come to the lesson with us and it was perfect. MEMBERS ARE THE KEY. she's just trying to seem an answer if this is right for her, she said she has a fear inside of her because if it is right she has to change religions and bring her family too. It really hit me and made me so grateful for her pure heart who really wants to know. (L) and (J) are doing AWESOME! Ah I love them. He just sat there and talked to us for like 20 minutes when before he would hardly let us know he was home. The ATONEMENT IS REAL PEOPLE. Our new less active friend (P), who we have been visiting came to our relief society birthday party!!! Everyone who asked her who she was and such would say, "Ellas son mis misioneras!" (They are my missionaries.) I cried a little. I love her! well this week lets just say has been...emotional. It's weird. Haha. Three transfers left is like NOTHING. I have felt the Holy Ghost a lot this week and I am so grateful for it. He gives me answers exactly how I have needed them but in his own time. I have received countless moments of comfort. I'm learning to seek for him more and make him more part of my daily life. So like the subject, a portion of my spirit, I've been thinking a lot, how indescribable the feeling of the Holy Ghost is and yet it is just a portion. I love this gospel so much. I love my savior. I love that families are eternal. I love you all!!!

the closest to manhattan i can get!

 

 

long island will always be my home...

happy st. patricks day

I love feeling like we have so much to do, and we do! It has been a really big learning week for me. This is kind of a run down of the week...

Tuesday morning (N) (the lady i met a few weeks ago) called us and said, "Sister Lewis, i need to talk to you. In person, today. I need help." So we left right away to go talk with her. She explained how she is losing everything, has no job and is getting kicked out of her house in a week. It is so hard to see people suffer and just plead for help. We talked to the bishop and he was so willing to talk to her but then she ended up not coming back the next day...i pray for her a lot and hope her and her kids are ok. That day i also had the prompting to call Hermana (V) from Patchogue. It seriously made me so happy to talk to her!! It was the best day ever. She said she is doing well and is going to go to the temple next time the branch goes!! She said that when we come back to visit we have to go see her! Also, one of her friends we were teaching...her son got baptized! She said, "hermana lewis, nuestras visitas no fueron en vano." pretty much saying that even though her friend didn't progress, with time she is and her son has become a member! So cool. Then we were teaching english class and one of the less actives in our ward who is recently coming back came! I was talking to her about how she was doing and such and i asked her how her boyfriend was. bad idea. haha but only for a moment! She said they broke up and aren't living together anymore BUT because of it she is realizing how she needs to change her life. It is so amazing to see the atonement working in peoples lives!! She asked me how she could get a temple recommend, i almost started crying.

So because Sister Palu and i are at the same exact points on our missions, we get along really well. haha! We have little panic attacks together often. :) One day we were walking down the street and i just needed to let it all out. (yes, i can do that now:) ) So i just started telling her how i felt and the feelings i was having! We are getting so old in the mission that we realize the things the adversary is trying to tempt or hurt us with. I'm so glad we have eachother to lift eachother up! She is such a good friend! On my mission i have overcome a lot of weaknesses, but also, i have noticed other weaknesses that i have. I am SO thankful for the Atonement of our Savior who helps me overcome these.

13 months down...5 to go...

we like to celbrate everything :)

Funny stuff for the week...we visited Russia! LIterally, i thought i was in a different country. We go into a grocery store asking if they do cash back...? They just give us the weirdest look and were like huh?? I tried explaining what it was and they just walked off and brought this worker to us who was hispanic?? He says, you speak spanish right? We were like yes...so he wanted us to try and explain to him which doesn't work because cash back is..cash back. Finally i was just like okay, thanks! We're going to get our groceries now. So we continue to shop and then ask another kid who worked there if they had chocolate chips? He just looks at us and runs to the back! We were like, what the heck?? Where are we?! And who doesn't know what chocolate chips are hahah. Oh my heavens...so they didn't have those so we go back to the front and i'm looking at the spices and the hispanic guy goes, "oh thats what you were looking for!" i couldn't help but laugh and just agreed. haha. Then one day it was SO SO windy!! like blew us away. So we are walking home and Sister Palu was walking all funny and i was like what are you doing?? haha she lifts up her skirt a little and says, "my tights are falling off!!!" they were seriously at her ankles! haha i peed my pants a little. Good thing in New York you can just be YOU. thats what i love about it. You don't have to pretend to be anyone else. Everyone accepts you for who you are. So, let us all be more like New Yorkers! :)

I love you and miss you all dearly!