Christmas Week

Hello! Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

 

We began our Christmas with exercise at 6:30. That was a first (I've never woken up at 6:30 on Christmas to exercise before.) But, missionaries have a schedule to keep! :) After our morning study I whipped up my mom's apple cake to take to The Carroll's for Christmas dinner #1. It just isn't Christmas without my mother's apple cake. I

 

Sister Carlson and I went to the Waite's an hour or so before Christmas dinner and I got to call home. :) My family was having our traditional Christmas breakfast. My Sister, Cecily, said the blessing on  the food, I made sure to tell my brothers to save me a cinnamon roll, my siblings told me about their new dogs, their children, mission stories, and all the "what's happening at home". I was a part of it all. :) I felt as if I were right there with them. It was my favorite part of Christmas.

 

Dinner (lunch) at the Carroll's was nice. Afterwards we visited a couple of potential investigators and headed over to Christmas dinner #2 at Sister Sullivan's. That was nice, too.  It was great to be around family, the ward here takes good care of their missionaries.

 

This whole week has been full! :) We see miracles weekly!  we're teaching a new family--we went to the first appointment and they weren't home, but we decided to walk around the block for a bit and we met Jade and Brayden. They were getting ready to go for a walk, but we were ale to talk with them for a few minutes and were able to teach them about the restoration. We're hoping to meet with them again soon. It is so rewarding to teach people that they can have a personal relationship with their Heavenly Father, and that they can receive personal revelation and direction for their own lives. I know that Heavenly Father cares about what we do and he wants us to counsel with him as we make important decisions. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and he can see which path will make us happiest in the long run. His work and His glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39) and "men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:27) So, don't forget to include Heavenly Father in your plans. (See: Doctrine and Covenants 9:7)

 

Much love,

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

 

1858 S. Business 31 Apt 2D

Peru, Indiana 46970

 

P.S. Be smart.

Merry Christmas AGAIN!

Merry Christmas!

I bet you didn't think you'd be getting two emails from me this week, did you? Well, it's Christmas and I just wanted to let you all know that I love you and I know that your Heavenly Father loves you. He knows you personally and he wants you to be happy. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, so that you can return to live with Them one day. Jesus Christ performed an infinite Atonement so you can have lasting peace. I know that Christ lives. I know He is our Savior and that without Him we are lost. He loves you and is reaching out for you to turn to Him. He wants you to take all your pain, worries, trials, and sorrows to Him so your burdens may be lightened. 

Come Unto Me

This is my testimony on this Christmas day. 

I love you, Merry Christmas, and God bless.

Yours,

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

Merry Christmas!

This week has been a busy one!

One of the highlights was definitely the mission Christmas conference in Muncie. It was fun to be able to see 1/2 of the mission there (my last companion, Sister Crosby was there). And Sister Benjamin and I had the opportunity to sing "Greater Love" by Kenneth Cope during the program. (If you haven't heard it before, give it a listen. It's a pretty song, the lyrics are wonderful.) Link to listen to 'Greater Love'

Yesterday, during Sacrament Meeting was our ward's Christmas Program. Our tiny ward choir (accompanied by angels, I'm sure) sang some Christmas hymns. Music has a special power to bring the Spirit in a way that mere words cannot.

I have no more time, preparation day has been shortened today because they're giving us preparation day on Wednesday.

Merry Christmas, I love you all!

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

The Reason Behind Christmas

:)The Spirit of Christmas

Just a Quick Email

I may be "kicked off" any second now, so bear with me if I don't get to finish my letter. And forgive any typos.

Hello all!

This week was wonderful. we found two new investigators! :) This week we had a zone conference and Elder Anthony D. Perkins of the Quorum of the Seventy came to train us. It was a wonderful and uplifting "revelatory experience" (revelatory experience sounds so much nicer than "meeting" so we use that, here).

We have been having lots of fun, getting stuck in snow banks and trudging through the fluffy stuff that seems to be everywhere. But we are about the Lord's work, and we have definitely been blessed for our hard work.

This week we have a Christmas conference coming up! They asked me to sing, and I'm hoping that my laryngitis clears up before then. If you can pray...I'd appreciate it. Teaching and singing is a little difficult when you don't have a voice. ha.

Things are just bustling here! I love this work, and I'm happy.

I've been thinking about the small things. President Monson reminds us:

The ancient Roman philosopher Horace admonished, “Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.”

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/finding-joy-in-the-journey

If you have a minute, give this a look. ^ It' will be well worth your time.

 “Do … human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?” -Our Town

I love you all! I'm grateful for all your support, emails, love, prayers, and most of all... I'm grateful for YOU! :)

Have a lovely week. Read the little blue book. It changed my life, it can change yours too.

Love,

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

1858 S. Business 31 Apt 2D

Peru, Indiana 46970

P.S. Be happy.

December Is Here!

Hello all!

 

December is here! Last night we had snow, and everything is covered with a thin layer of snow. The town looks like a gingerbread village dusted with powdered sugar. :) It's a cheery (Dad: "cherry") sight.

 

We had a miracle this week, Brother S. will be getting baptized this month after all! :) I'll keep you updated on the details as they come. I will just say, it was a miracle to have Brother S. back on track for baptism, and I can tell you with conviction that Heavenly Father answers prayers.

 

Last night Sister Carlson and I went to the McDonald's home to watch the annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was wonderful. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch it, take some time to do that this week.

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/christmas-devotional/2013/12?lang=eng

It was fun to see familiar faces in the choir, and I got to participate in my family's Christmas tradition, even hundreds of miles away.

 

This week I've been thinking about how Christmas will be different for me this year, but how really it will be the same. Just as President Monson said last night, the spirit of Christmas is truly the spirit of Christ. Each of us has so many blessings! Jobs, families, homes, food, health, school, toys, education, talents, etc. Heavenly Father has blessed each of us, richly. But, as it says in Mosiah 2:23-24 "Of what have ye to boast?" None of it is really ours. "And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him." My hope for each of you this season is that you remember where all your blessings come from, and do all you can to show your gratitude to "Him from whom all blessings flow."

 

Merry Christmas,

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

Thanksgiving Week

Hello all!

 

I don't have much time, but I thought I should let you know that my new companion is lovely. Her name is Sister Carlson, and guess what?? She's a redhead (just like my last companion!) from Oregon, but her family recently moved to Midway, UT. :) She's super sweet. I'll have to send a picture of us on transfer day.

 

We've seen miracles this week!  We went tracting Saturday morning. We picked a road and started walking. We talked to a couple of people, one man gave us a referral (his next-door neighbor). For some reason we had decided to skip that house, but Heavenly Father didn't want us to miss it I guess. We met a sweet lady, Alice. She gave us a couple of her paintings and said she'd join us for church! :)

 

Later that day we visited with our investigator who was scheduled for baptism this weekend. He's going through a rough patch and we're not sure he'll make it this week. We're praying that he'll pull through and still be baptized this month.

 

Thanksgiving morning we set out to visit some people, but I took a wrong turn and set us driving in the wrong direction. After 20 minutes of driving in the scenic country of Indiana (tornado-devastated homes, cute black cows lounging in the field, and some small frozen waterfalls), we decided to turn around. We had Thanksgiving dinner in a member's home. The sister who invited us is from Ukraine and fed us perogis (sp?) (they're a lot like ravioli--a pasta filled with mashed potatoes,  blueberries, meat, or cherries, etc). The whole family was there and the house was filled with people! It was good to be around a big family, it reminded me of the cousins' dinners we used to have at my Grandma Carr's house.

 

We came home and hung up some colored Christmas lights that we dug out of the closet.

 

All in all, it's been a good week.

 

With love,

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

Sarah Jane, Sister Crosby, and an investigator.

Sarah Jane and her new companion, Sister Carlson:)

More Photos from Sister Waite

I love this shot of Sister Crosby and Lewis. It fits their personalities perfectly, in my opinion. They had helped me clean the studio and so in re-setting the lights I got to take this one.

A recent surgery prevented me from finishing the apple picking this year. Fortunately these two came and helped.

Sister Crosby showing off her skill at hammering, or waving a hammer in the air. Ha. I've been tearing the outside boards off of this building but again, because of recent surgery, I needed help in getting it done before the snow flies too thick.

And then here at the bottom, Sister Crosby and Lewis are singing, "There is a green hill far away" to Pops (my step dad). He was very touched by their singing, and so was I.

Last Week a Tornado, This Week...Well, Read On.

Dear Family and Friends,

 

If you have been praying for me, THANK YOU. Last week we had a tornado, this week we were in a car accident on the way home fromSaturday evening Stake Conference.

We were approaching a car accident (fire trucks and police everywhere) and the sister who we were riding with wasn't anticipating the sheet of ice that sent us spinning right into the side of a parked fire truck. I truly believe that it was only prayers (mine offered while sliding and others offered in my behalf) that kept us and the men standing near the fire truck safe.

Car accidents aside, this week was a pretty great week!

Stake Conference was wonderful. The missionaries of the stake were asked to sing "Called to Serve" and "Hark All Ye Nations" Saturdaynight, and Sunday we rode up with a couple of members and one of our investigators, Brother S. who will be baptized this month!

President Porter, our Mission President, called this morning. Sister Crosby will be leaving Peru and will be going somewhere else as a sister training leader. I will be staying in Peru as a trainer. I was a bit surprised when President Porter asked me to train, though, since I am just finishing being trained myself. But, I am looking forward to this new opportunity I have to serve and learn from a new sister.

Just a new insight I had while studying this week: Enduring to the end isn't just to keep going, but to keep growing! After we are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us, we need to exercise faith and repent every single day. Heavenly Father has given us this life as a time for us to keep learning! :)

 

Happy Thanksgiving! Eat some of my favorite food! (pie...mmm)

 

Love you all! :)

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

 

P.S. Sorry if I haven't replied to your emails and letters-- I want to, but today is a bit hectic with transfers happening tomorrow.

 

Looks like I'll be here for a while!

Lots and Lots of Pictures from Sarah

Denver

Autumn Leaves.

Driving through Denver, Mexico, and Chili

Making cookies at an (78 year old) investigator's house. He wanted us to make him lunch to see if we could pass the "wife test".  He told us what to do the whole time, so I guess I don't know if I passed the wife test. Unless the test was about following directions.. haha. silly.

Tornado Warning...X4

Hello all!

 

I'll share a miracle we saw this week. We have been working with Brother S. for a while (since June) and a week or so ago we were raking leaves at a member's home (she lives in his parents' neighborhood). We finished raking the member's leaves and decided to see if Brother S.'s parents had any leaves that needed raking. We approached his parents' house and his car was parked outside. He came out to talk to us. He told us that we should stop by to see his brother who works in a hair salon. He said his brother's boss, Lori, might be interested in our message. We stopped by the salon this week (tuesday) and before we left we sang "Be Still My Soul." The Spirit was there, and they felt it. We stopped by again 2 days later, and Lori said she had felt at peace for the rest of the day "like nothing could touch [her]." Brother S.'s brother, Matt, said he thought we sounded like two angels and also remarked on the peaceful feeling that lingered in the salon the rest of that day. Lori told us that for the rest of the day customers would come in and say "it feels so peaceful here." Music is powerful!

I guess the Book of Mormon Class was a good idea. It's only the second week and we had 14 or 15 in attendance Wednesday night. It's actually pretty fun to teach!

So, it's November and it's unusual to have tornadoes at this time of year. At church one man warned us to not be out and about that afternoon, a "severe weather warning" had been issued. Well,  we asked a couple of other ward members and they told us not to worry about it. So, we went to the Waite's for supper around 2:30. At 3:18 we recieved an "Extreme Alert" text. Tornado warning. Another text at 3:20. Another at 3:42. So, like any curious human being, we went to the living room to look out the window. The wind was blowing a million miles an hour, and the rain made it pretty hard to see very far. It felt and soundedlike being in the middle of a tornado. The storm was violent enough that we decided to go into the basement, (possibly for my sake--I was trembling as much as, if not more than, the dog.)

 

I really don't like Indiana storms.

 

After 20 minutes in the basement, we surfaced. The storm did some damage, but no tornado. We saw a flattened barn, as well as several destroyed trees and on the drive home we got our 4th tornado warning text.

 

(I guess there was a tornado in Kokomo, a neighboring city.)

 

Anyway, it was pretty exciting. I have now made it through my first, (hopefully myonly) tornado experience.

 

The gospel is true. Tornadoes are scary. Read the Book of Mormon! A verse a day keeps the tornadoes away. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm still alive ;)

 

 

Love,

 

Sister Lewis

I'll Keep It Short

Well, I don't have a clever title, but this week was just as great as could be.

 

When we showed up at Jennifer's home for a lesson with her family, we were surprised when her boyfriend joined us. We've been praying for this to happen for a while now--their family is great and we want them to all enjoy the blessings of the gospel.

 

We'll be teaching the Book of Mormon class this week (the elders taught last week since Sister Crosby was at a meeting in Cincinnati). There were 4 people in attendance last week, and we're hoping to double that this week. I'm a little nervous (I'm no Book of Mormon scholar!) but I'm hoping that my love for the Book of Mormon will influence others. I know that reading the Book of Mormon is how we can gain a testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through reading daily that we build our faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I love that little blue book.

 

Anyway, yesterday we had a neat experience. Sister Waite invited us to sing a hymn for her Preach My Gospel class. Sister Crosby and I sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and by the end of the 4th verse, there were more than a few moist eyes. I love music, it invites the Spirit and has a power to touch hearts in a way that spoken words cannot.

 

I love you all,

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

PB, Bread, and Chili

Hello!

 

In Peru people eat peanut butter with their chili. I experienced this delicacy twice this week. One of the members took us to a chili cookoff held in the Circus building. (Have I mentioned that Peru used to be the winter quarters for the circus?)

 

This week was great! We went on exchanges with the sisters in Huntington, and the next day we had zone conference. Sister Crosby and I won the award for the cleanest car! (The cars from both zones were inspected). It was wonderful receive some additional training from President Porter and his wife, and to hear the testimonies of the missionaries in the surrounding areas.

 

We saw another miracle this Sunday, Jennifer and her family came to church! :)

 

We have a zone activity today, so I'll just share a quick insight from personal study. So often, people see God's commandments as restricting. But as I was reading in Preach My Gospel, I came across a line that said "God gives us commandments for our benefit. They are instructions from a loving Father in Heaven to help us have happy lives." (emphasis mine) I love that it uses the word instructions. Commandments are instructions to living a happy life. It's just like putting together a bike. Let's say you order a bike online and they send it to you in parts. If you open the box and start trying to put the bike together without reading the instructions, you might end up with something that looks like a bike, but it might not function properly. Or, you might end up with pieces left over, things you missed. ...and just imagine, without instructions, you might put the handle bars on backwards or incorrectly install the breaks. Heavenly Father gives us commandments to keep us safe and help us live happy lives, now and in eternity.

 

I love you all! Have a lovely week.

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

Birthday Week

Hello everyone!

Well, I'm another year older! It was a great birthday! Our ward had a chili cookoff and we had 9 investigators there. It was a bit overwhelming, but, hey! we're not complaining.

Also, if you read my emails and you're feeling guilty about not sending me a birthday present, you can be forgiven. ;) In lieu of gifts I would like you do something for me. I would like you to read "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. Link: http://www.lds.org/new-era/2012/08/his-grace-is-sufficient

We struggled a little this week finding new investigators. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but my area has about 30 churches. Everyone here goes to church. We love it--everyone believes in Jesus Christ, the only problem is that many of them are content with their church. Eh, but there are missionaries here for a reason! And every day we discover why!

Yesterday we had a miracle. Missionaries have been meeting with a sister in our ward since before I got to Peru. (I remember teaching her and her husband my first week here). Anyway, this sister's husband is not a member and has been pretty aloof as far as church things go. Yesterday he came to church with her! It was a miracle to see him there, but also to see her there as she's been struggling with some major health concerns.

Another miracle: We taught the Preach My Gospel class yesterday and I didn't pass out. :P

I love you all, have a fabulous week. Go out and serve someone today. It'll make you happier, I promise.

Love,

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

P.S. If you want a little taste of Indiana, look up a recipe for "Sugar Cream Pie." Yum.

Sarah and a corn field.

The Wabash River mist.

Just "Flappin' Jaws"

So, we raked leaves in the rain on Tuesday night with the Elders from Wabash. The next day, I woke up with the flu! Ew.

But don't worry, I'm much better now. :-)

Yesterday Sister Crosby spoke in church (she gave a fantastic talk). Well, we took advantage of that fact and invited all the investigators and less-active members we could. Brother Dwight brought his dog Dippy to church. (I'll try and attach the picture). Dippy waited in the truck while Brother Dwight went to Sacrament meeting and Sunday School. Raphael came as well (oh, he let me know I'd been spelling his name wrong the whole time).  Brother Stuber came as well. And Brother Hamblin came too. Sister Crosby has quite the following... ;-)

After church we had dinner with the Yards. It's a riot--Sister Yard pitches the biscuts, Brother Yard catches them and slathers them with peanut butter. :)

Because I was sick earlier in the week we had to make up for what we missed... we hadn't found any new investigators all week, and we'd made a goal to find 3, so we set out with faith. Heavenly Father pulled through again. We were walking around a neighborhood talking anyone we saw outside. We "flapped jaws" (Hoosier language for 'chatted') with a couple of men in a garage. They were happy to talk about anything but religion (he said he never discusses religion or politics with anyone). We parted and started down the street again when a man on a bike passed us. We said hello and he rode on. Well, he looped around the block and met us further down the street. When we saw him again we said something about "getting your exercise for the day?" ...an hour later we had an appointment set up to meet with him onTuesday. Apparently his dad was a Mormon, but he doesn't really know much about the religion. Brother Briscoe seems down to earth and we're very excited to teach him again.

Fun fact: I love hearing the Hoosiers speak. If you can't imagine it, picture me "settin'" on the porch and "flappin' jaws" with these folks while they pick their "tomatahs." :) Indiana's trying to steal my heart.

I love y'all!

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

The Elders made birthday cupcakes for Sarah and Sister Crosby. The candles were trick candles (the kind that don't go out)

Brother Waite and Brother Carroll

Some fun left-over cupcakes from a one-year-old's birthday party.

Dippy the dog came to church:)

Fall in Indiana:)

Making ghost lollies for Halloween.

Picking apples on a blustery day:)

Pretty fall leaves that Sister Crosby collected.

 A barn and a view of the changing leaves.

Leaves changing colors.

 Jennifer's son and daughter, RC and Ariel.

I'm Staying In Peru!

Hello, hello!

Happy Birthday to: my companion, my brothers, Sam and Thomas, and my friend Elder Will Christensen in Texas!

So, they announced transfers yesterday and I'm staying in Peru! (not surprising, since I have to finish the 12-week training.) But I'm excited to be here. Peru is great.

A photo with Rafael Rousseau at church!

This week Rafael came to church and he loved it. Hopefully we can start teaching him regularly. (I'll send a picture!)

Earlier this week we had a zone activity (we made zone t-shirts!) There are too many things to write about and I don't have much time, so I'll just share the miracle we had yesterday. Derrick Stapleton, our previous investigator had dropped off the map after his non-baptismal date (sept 28) and we hadn't been able to contact him. He wasn't ever home, he didn't answer phonecalls and we were a little concerned. So, yesterday after our thrift-store shopping trip to Wabash, Sister Crosby and i decided to rake the leaves in Derrick Stapleton's front yard. Well, it was inspired. 5 minutes after we began raking leaves, Brother Stapleton walked out of his house, looking stunned. We were able to talk to him about where he'd been/why he'd been avoiding us. He said he was a little overwhelmed with things and had just shut everything out and had been hiding in his house. He told us that he had been thinking about coming to church this past sunday but was nervous about being judged since he felt like he stood us up for his baptism. "Thought you had the tub all filled up and everything!" he said. Well, we were happy to tell him that he is always welcome at church, baptized or not. :) It was a miracle.

I love autumn in Peru! I love the smell of burning ditches, stargazing at 6:30 in the morning when we run, groups at curbside campfires on Grissom Base, the sound of trains in the distance as I fall asleep, porch swings, Christian biker dudes (every man 55+ in Peru has a Harley), cool breezes, the fields, the red and orange and yellow leafy trees, but I especially love the people, of course.  God is good to me.

I love you all,

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis

1858 S Business 31 Apt 2D

Peru, Indiana 46970

P.S. any suggestions for what to do on my 21st birthday? ;) So far all I have planned is the ward chili cookoff ...and missionary work, of course. :)

Quaker oval box made for me by Allen Stuber, investigator. age 78. it's walnut! :)

We were at a meal appointment when the elders showed up to our same restaurant. :) (they're in our district) coincidences...

Me + Sister McDonald's (Ward Relief Society President) giant St. Bernard, Isabelle. This is from our service day a couple of weeks ago. (even Isabelle helps with missionary work --you'll have to ask me to tell you the story of how she helped re-activate 3 members!)

It's A Jungle Out There!

Dear Friends and Family,

This week has been great. Sister Crosby and I are continuing to remain positive in our finding and teaching efforts. Last week I wrote a song to the tune of Book of Mormon Stories to help us remember to ask for referrals. It goes like this:

God has prepared many people right here in Peru,
We just have to ask for them and teach them what is true,
Members know so many and investigators too,
We can find all of them in Peru!

I don't imagine the Primary Songbook publishers will be asking me to include it in their book anytime soon, but it's been helpful for us here, in Peru.

We're focusing more on less-active members, and we've seen miracles. We've been trying to contact a woman named Carolyn for a long time, but whenever we stop by, she isn't home. Friday, while we were visiting another less-active woman, we met a man sitting on the porch of the neighboring house. After talking to him for a few minutes, we discovered it was Dave, Carolyn's non-member husband! We had the opportunity to testify to him of eternal families and temple marriage. We gave him a temple pass-along card and an invitation/info card for General Conference. He said he'd take it home to his wife. It was a miracle to run into him! :)

Also, Sister Crosby and I have a theme of our own D&C 64:33. :) I'm just praying the Lord wants me to finish training with Sister Crosby--she's wonderful. (Transfers are on her birthday Oct. 15th...it'd be a great birthday present if she got to stay!)

Also, I bet you didn't know Indiana was a zoo. I surely didn't. I've seen more wildlife here in a month than I saw in a year in Utah. (Maybe I wasn't looking?) It's pretty cool though. I've seen deer, mice, beavers, possums, a crane (just one lonely one down at the river), raccoons (mostly dead on the side of the road, though a couple live ones), bunny rabbits, cardinals, robins, long-horned steer, chipmunks, squirrels (they're so cute when they run!), gigantic spiders, frogs, slugs, walking sticks, horses, a bat, dogs (everyone in Indiana has a dog), cats, and even hairless cats! So if you can't afford a safari in Africa, might I suggest a trip to Indiana?

General Conference was wonderful! Rafael came to the Sunday Morning session. What a miracle! Saturday night when we gave him the invitation to come we had no expectation of his actually coming. But he did, and I was happy that he did. :)

Did you catch the theme of Saturday's talks? Missionary Work! :) We've been praying for something like this. Missionary work simply cannot be done without the help of members. :) I'm excited to witness more miracles as the hastening happens! Elder S. Gifford Nielson said that this time in Church history ranks in importance with the events of the First Vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pretty cool, yeah?

I love being spiritually fed at General Conference. What a blessing it is to have the knowledge that Heavenly Father speaks to us through a prophet and that Jesus Christ is at the head of His Church today.

I can't believe I've been in Peru for a month! Times flies when you're serving a mission.

I love you all!

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis
1858 S Business 31 Apt 2D
Peru, IN 46970
P.S. sorry about the typos and weird fonts. This computer is doing weird things

You Know You're a Missionary When...

Dear Friends and Family,

...You know you're a missionary when you schedule an appointment to get your hair cut by a man you want to invite to church. Last monday Sister Crosby and I went to Gold 'n' Beauty on Broadway so she could get her hair cut by the brother of an investigator. We went in around 11:00, determined to convert him (or at least invite him to church) and 30 minutes later we came out, very much the same as we went in. (Sister Crosby's hair looks great though!)

 

This week we've been tested. Appointments fell through, people weren't home, yada yada yada and we've decided that Heavenly Father is trying to tell us something. We must be working in the wrong places. So our resolve: to work with less-active members! We've got to take care of the people we have before we can get any new members.

 

Tuesday night we had dinner at the Suttons' home. During dinner Brother Sutton said something about my age (20, for 25 more days!). Well, I must look young, because Sister Sutton said that she thought I could pass for 12. 12 years old. Whoa there, Sister. The Indiana humidity is doing great things for my skin! I've only been here three weeks and I already look 8 years younger! haha :)

 

We got to serve the McDonald's on Friday afternoon, but I think they mixed things up--it seemed like they were serving us! Elder Jackson, Elder Bracken, Sister Crosby and I helped re-stain 4 or 5 picnic tables for the McDonalds, then they served us a picnic dinner around their campfire.

 

Wednesday we went on exchanges to Huntington. After district meeting we cleaned a garage for a lady and her daughter. Thursday we made more applesauce with Sister Waite. (I've never seen a tree with so many apples!)

 

Time's up. Wish I could write more!

 

Until next week,

 

Sister Sarah Jane Lewis