Week #43

Dearest Family and Friends

It's been another wild one is Suriname in the Munder/Geyersvlijt area. This week was a growing week. Not much went out way this week but nevertheless it was a very very very good and rewarding week! We are grateful and excited for our three baptisms this transfer being Kalof on the 7th of May, Christopher on the 14th of May and Anna on the 23 of May. These three are literally the most prepared people I have ever met. We don't have to do anything, just have to show up and present the doctrine and they are just edified from it. It's so cool. All three came to church! That was for sure a highlight! This transfer one of my goals is to become more like Jesus Christ and have spent a lot of time studying the Sermon on the Mount which is said to be "The blueprint to achieving perfection in the life"

3 Nephi 12 also Matthew 5 I wanted to highlight these verses this week.

14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

 15 Behold, do men light a candle‍ and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;

 16 Therefore let your light‍ so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify‍ your Father who is in heaven.

We are commanded above all to be an example. All who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ have become representatives of him and his gospel. Like a logo that every company has whether it be Nissan, Apple or what have you. Your logo, the second you came out of the waters of baptism the second the words "Receive the Holy Ghost" were uttered your logo became that of Jesus Christ and the Savior himself is asking us to share the light with others and do not hide it. And I invite you all to reach out, let your light so shine in those who know nothing but darkness to those who are searching for the truth but have no idea where to find it, I testify that they are out there if we but only ask to be put in those situations and diligently following the promptings of the holy ghost that WILL come IF we ask! I love you all so very much :)

-Elder Lewis

Week #42

Dearest Friends and Family,

I hope that you all are having a wonderful end of your school year. Transfer calls are in and........I'm staying!!!! At the end of this transfer I will have been in this area for 10 months. I am pumped though because we will probably be baptizing 2 for sure and 2 possibles but basically for sure. We are excited to see the results of our hard work and obedience. A personal victory this week is I can now confidently say I can understand all of Sranan Tango (Suriname Dialect). Speaking it is a whole other story but I can now understand it fully and it's fun to be able to do that. Dutch is also becoming stronger and stronger daily. Elder Hunt is doing fantastic. I have really enjoyed serving with him and we are working hard. This area that we are in is just exploding. We have two baptismal dates one of the 30th for a man named Kalof and one of the 14 of May for Christopher (who came to church for the first time yesterday) and then we also have this really awesome investigator named Anna who is so sincerely investigating the church. She said the other day how she is hungering for the truth and on another occasion she said how she knows she's not an angel or perfect but if she can at least be a servant of God that it will be enough for her. That's faith. We were able to testify to her about how we will all become perfect someday through Christ.

   The spiritual thought this week is about 3 Nephi 7:1-5  1 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.
 2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate‍ one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.
 3 And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.
 4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great.
 5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because‍ they did yield‍ themselves unto the power of Satan.
I want to point out the slippery slope of Sin. The Nephites fall into it often. But all this happened because they yielded themselves to Satan. I want you all the picture a yield sign and a stop sign and ponder about the difference. Now also ask yourself the question, How many times have I rolled through a stop sign? Everyone at least once. God gives us spiritual stop signs whether is be council from the prophets or commandments but these are there for a reason. And the moment we do a "California stop" and yield to that warning, we run the risk of being side swiped by the powerful effects of the adversary. But maybe we get through that intersection just fine by coasting, maybe every time but after awhile, through this numbing of our consciences, all stop signs turn into yield signs and before we know it we have been T-boned and are upside-down. I promise that the only way to blessings and spiritual protection is through obedience. If we stop all the way and never yield to the temptations of Satan we will save ourselves the grief, hurt and spiritual separation that comes from sin. But I also do know that if we do fall it is never too late. The Atonement in it's infinite reach and scope can bring light to even the darkest of tunnels. I know that it's healing, enabling and strengthening power is available to all those who need it and are willing to walk to Gethsemane and back. I love you all so much and thank you for the love you all show me! Have a good week everyone!
Lobi, Elder Lewis

Week #41

Dear People of The United States and scattered missionaries around the world,

Well, this week was very good. We taught a ton of lessons this week and have just been blessed like crazy as far as new investigators. One of the highlights is for sure Kalof. He is just on fire and has been changed by the Book of Mormon. He wasn't able to make it to church this last week because he got up and ready to go and his daughter had taken the car. He was very upset he couldn't go. It was a pretty cool moment with him last night when he asked when we were coming back after our missions and he was all hopefully after like five or so years. And then I said back to him yup I'll come back and I better see you in the church and he goes back, oh don't you worry you'll see me sitting in the church...with my wife with me. It made me so happy. It's been so fun to see him change and just be so willing to do whatever he can do. We have this one investigator who we have taught 3 times and has read all the way to 2 Nephi 9!! He's reading like crazy! It's so fun to teach him. The scripture for the week is Helaman 15:4. I love this scripture because it brings the quote alive "The Lord is more concerned about where you are now and what you are becoming than where you were" It's so true. Everyone has a certain potential and the Lord knows that potential. Samuel was a Lamanite and his purpose for his change was to change others. What's important to know is that God gives us credit for trying. I know that He loves us and is proud of our efforts to follow His son. I know that change is a daily en devour and I invite you all to examine how well you all keep your baptismal covenant and is you are really keeping allllll the commandments. It's a hard question but i know that as we strive to keep those commandments better I know it will play a huge role is the happiness of everyone who has taken upon the name of Christ and even those who have not yet. Let your light so shine and be an example to those around you, because you do stick out and you are watched. Anyways that's all from me. I hope ya'll have a good week!

-Elder Lewis

Week #40

Dear Everyone,

I am terrible at writing group emails but hello hello hello. This week was very good and crazy. With conference weekend everyone was very very excited. I loved Elder Renlund's talk on our relationship with God and also Daniel Hallstrom's talk on our heavenly identification as children of the almighty God. I know we were all spiritually fed this weekend and just like Elder Holland said, I would hope that none of us let tomorrow (today) get us down. I know that we are all children of our heavenly Father and that should supersede every form of identification that we have. I love this Gospel and I know it's true. We have a baptism coming up on the 16th, probably the 23 because we have things we must still teach but it will be good. Kalof came to conference and all he said was that was beautiful man and when is that happening again. It is so cool to see him experiencing the undeniable conformation of truth that the power of the holy ghost brings. I am grateful for it's converting power. Shout out to my best friend in the whole world BMO (Elder Brenden Morris) for entering the mission field this week. You are an inspiration to me and so many others. Other than those things this week was very good. I love you all so very much!

-Elder Lewis