Speechless.
Literally I am
speechless. Weak in writing. At a loss for words. My heart and soul are
just overflowing with joy and gratitude! :)
This week was just a week of miracles and goodness and light.
Then
Tuesday night we had a (mostly) great lesson with Michi! Great,
because it was totally focused on HER needs. We told her to come with
questions to ask, and we would just have a Q&A session. Well, the
first question she asks is, "Why does God want us to know him?"
ah.
This girl is a deep thinker.
Threw us off guard for a bit, but we ended up talking about the plan of salvation!
And this is where the "Mostly" part of the lesson comes in. . .
ya
see, Michi's mom is out of town, visiting family in Chile for 3
weeks. so her little brother, Drake, also came to the lesson.... and at
first, he was quiet.
But then, he just kept asking us about OUTER DARKNESS.
-_-
Seriously?
hahahaha
we didn't even know what to do. Because it wasn't just once. but at
least a dozen times, that he asked the same questions about it. even
though we answered it once!
Thank heavens for Julia Simmons
(Sis. Simmons' recently returned missionary daughter) she was a huge
help to us in staying on track.. haha
Mostly, we just had to laugh the whole situation off!
Thursday
we had our LAST lesson with Summer before her baptism! And we talked
all about priesthood, and temples and family history. The spirit was
incredibly strong when we were talking about why we have temples. And
Sister Stewart and I both felt impressed that Summer has a whole support
system of family members on the other side, cheering her on! The Spirit
testified to me that they were SO excited for Summer to be baptized!
And when we told this to her, she just lit up like a christmas tree:)
She's so adorable:)
But unfortunately, Satan was working REALLY hard against her.
Friday
afternoon, the day before her baptism, she was out in the woods,
playing "Hunger Games" with her sister... and she got POISON IVY ALL
OVER HER! :( and all over her face. poor poor girl. she was having a
rough time.
So Saturday morning, we went over with the elders, and they gave her a blessing. She felt lots better after it!
Then that afternoon....
Sis
Stewart and I were running around like chickens with our heads cut off!
There was still SO much to do before the baptism. And we were behind
schedule. We went to fill up the font, and it was disgusting! There were
dead stinkbugs, and cobwebs, and spiders, and grime everywhere! so we
had to clean that out.
Then, when our WML went to print the program, it was incorrect. so he had to run and go get that fixed.
We had to set up chairs and tables and table cloths all by ourselves.
Oh, and we had to change our spiritual thought, because we were afraid of offending Summer's aunt.
Also, the font water was FREEZING.
Things were crazy.
But it all turned out for the best, and in the end, none of the silly little things mattered because..... :
Summer
followed the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by immersion on
March 21, 2015!!!!!!! WOOOHOO! :) It was truly so awesome. The program
was beautiful, and the Spirit there was overwhelming. The young women
sang, "I know that My Redeemer lives" and the tears were just flowing
down my face.
I realized in that moment, how much my Savior loves me.
I
know that Jesus Lives. And I now understand more fully the reason WHY
he lives. He lives for me. He lives to grant me rich supply. He lives to
lead me to every happiness. He lives to comfort me when faint. He lives
to hear my souls complaint.
He lives for US. To help us. To
Love us. To listen. I know that, and have experienced his divine love
multiple times on my mission. I am beyond grateful for my Savior. :)
Sunday,
Summer was confirmed in sacrament meeting! It was amazing! Also, it was
another sister's homecoming. She just came home from... some mission I
can't remember in Brazil. She's adorable. Also, you can tell that she
was a consecrated missionary, and we are really excited to have her come
on splits with us!
Then that night..... the moment we have ALL been anticipating for the last 5 months....
CYNTHIA WAS BAPTIZED!!
And
the best part was, Rick was able to baptize her! Honestly, for the
past few months I had been so bummed that they were waiting on him..
because she was ready in November! But ya know what? This experience
taught me to truly trust in the Lord's timing. His plan for us, is far
better than our plan for ourselves! I know things all worked out the way
they were supposed to, and I am so excited for Cynthia and Richard to
be able to support each other over this next year, as they prepare to
enter the Lord's Temple, and be sealed for eternity! That's truly why we
are baptized. It's just preparation for more covenants, and a grander
vision of eternal families:)
Unfortunately, they will get sealed after I come home.... hmmm I guess i'll just have to come back out to D.C next March! ;)
I
was able to see lots of members of the Centreville 2nd ward! I missed
them sooo much! Right when I walked through the doors, I was welcomed by
so many warm hugs and "I love you's". Cynthia hugged me at least a
dozen times probably and said how much she had missed me and Sister
Chandler. She was just beaming! :) Also, It's always a good time when I
get to spend time with Sister Kailey Chandler! Plus, the old Centreville
gang was there! :)
Man this weekend was seriously too good to be true. So many spirit-filled meetings....
Oh!
Speaking of which, I almost forgot!
Friday,
we had a special training allllll day long! Because of the new ipads,
and the online training stuff, President and Sister Riggs had special
permission to go around and do trainings. So it was kind of like a
multi-zone conference. The focus was on planning, flooding the mission
with the Book of Mormon, and the 'why' of ipads and online proselyting!
I have been looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this all week long.
So why do we have the ipads?
Is it to help hasten the work?
Is it to make reaching every nation, kindred, tongue and people more convenient?
Is it to help us have more effective studies?
Is it to keep up with the world?
the answer to these questions is NO.
Let
me tell you why the Brethren of the Church, why our Latter-day Prophet,
have distributed ipads to missionaries... or in essence, why the Lord
is pushing for this adjustment in the work:
It is simply to Create a Righteous generation of people who know how to use technology appropriately.
Are you as shocked as I was?
Today,
we are facing and dealing with problems that will NOT go away until the
second coming. In fact, they will probably only get worse.
Elder David F. Evans said this,
"For many, this is the BEST and for some the FINAL chance to develop righteous technology habits."
wow wow wow! Crazy stuff!
We
all know about the dangers and the advantages of the internet.
Pornography is a real issue, and it's never going to go away. We aren't
going to be able to stop it, but we WILL, with divine aid, be able to
withstand the temptations of the adversary. That's a real promise, and I
have full faith in it!
The Prophet and Apostles can see
things that we cannot see.... and I know that all this is for a wise
purpose! They are trying to fight against this evil, and they ARE going
to succeed.
Think about it. The age lowering? The introduction of technology to the work? God has a plan.
I
had the strongest impression during the meeting that I was sent to this
mission, at this exact time, for the purpose of providing a better
future. Heavenly Father is trying to build up stronger families! And
He's preparing me for parenthood, in a day and age when the tares are
becoming ever more prevalent among the wheat!
During the
meeting, President Riggs turned to us few sisters there, and through
tears expressed to us that the Spirit had just spoken strongly to him
that WE would be like the mothers of the Sons of Helaman. We have a
strong effect on the coming generation, and would have the
responsibility of raising our sons and daughters firm in the Faith of
Christ.
That someday, because of our learning self-discipline,
we would raise a string of sin-resistant souls, who would one day echo
the words, "We do not doubt our mothers knew it."
So basically.
This week was just the best week ever.
I
love this Gospel, and I am grateful for our Prophet Thomas S. Monson! I
feel so blessed to be a missionary at this time. I am learning so much,
and truly feel that the Lord is refining me. I'm so excited for
conference that is JUST around the corner!
I am happy.
I am well.
I know that my Redeemer lives, and loves me.
I know this Gospel is true.
I
testify to you that Jesus Christ IS the WAY. It is only by him, and
through Him, that we will receive Eternal Life. I look forward with a
brightness of hope to that day when all the faithful will return to our
Father in Heaven, to live in a state of NEVER-ENDING HAPPINESS.
:)
Love,
Sister Carly Lewis
p.s.
SHOUT
OUT to my other half, my bff-jill, my twin, Amy Alysse Dymock for
submitting your mission papers! what! I am SO excited for you! Even
though that means 3-ish years without seeing you..... ;(
I know You'll rock it where ever the Lord sends you, and will be a light and marvelous influence to many:)
Pictures:
Summer
Cynthia! also sister chandler:)
The two Coolest elders in the mission
most of the Centreville district!
The Walter Family! :)
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