October 19, 2015

Fact: New Englanders like to 'endure' things. There is probably one
house in all of New England that has air conditioning, and they are
from Utah. Everyone just buys like 12 fans for the summer, it's so
crazy because it's wicked humid so it doesn't do much except blow the
water around in your face. But in the winter, they for reals only have
like these ancient metal heaters that are on one wall in one part of
the house, and then they just live in subzero clothing. It's nuts.

This week was chuck full of finding! We have been working on finding
people to teach and less actives to help. We had a lesson with
Katherine this week. She is such an awesome lady, with a heart of
gold.

We have a less active Billy that we meet with every week, she taught
us how to knit! She is more youthful than I am, it's so awesome! She
is hilarious. So she has been less active the past 20 years. She
attends a different church with her son but she has been coming a
little here and there, she is trying to find out where she really
needs to be, religion wise. So the other day we were talking to her
about the gospel, and she told us an awesome story: last Sunday, she
was really tired and wanted to sleep in and do yard work and have an
easy day, but then she kept getting this restless feeling and so she
prayed and asked Heavenly Father what she should be doing and which
church to go to, and she said the spirit was so clear, it said 'get
ready and be to church by 9.' Well, her other church doesn't start
until 10. She said it was so distinct and clear and she knows this is
where she should be.

My heart is full for this sweet city of Concord New Hampshire.
It's the craziest/hardest/greatest feeling when we tract. Well, it is
for me anyways. The 3-10 seconds before they answer the door, feels
like days. I get so excited and nervous thinking, "this persons it,
the Lord has prepared them, this is the moment we introduce them to
the greatest thing in the world!" The desire to share the gospel is so
strong, and so when they answer and I get the opportunity to say the
beautiful name of our wonderful church, and they start shaking their
head with a 'poor girl' look on their face, my heart just hurts. "In
my head I'm saying: "no! Please! This is so important! Just give me 2
minutes!" And sometimes those words literally do come out of my mouth,
and they just laugh and close the door.
BUT

The beauty of this, is that there are the elect few, there are
some who are prepared, and when those moments come, when they answer
with a curious face and say "sure I've got a minute." Man, that minute
is the greatest in the whole world! Being able to testify of the Book
of Mormon, plan of salvation, the restoration, and Gods love for them,
that is the best feeling to ever exist and experience.

This weeks finding/tracting was so rad. We prayerfully selected a
couple of streets and set aside a couple of hours to go tract there.
we met a lot empty houses, a Quaker, a gypsy, a couple of dogs, and a
man that, at first did not want to talk to us, but after my desperate
attempt to strike up conversation, he ended up interested! It's
awesome how fast people's minds change when they see that we are
normal humans like them. :)

I have come to know a lot about a lot of different religions out here. They are all such awesome people who love God and Jesus. But the questions that keeps coming to my mind are: Are we 'fans' or 'followers' of Christ? Most of us don't mind Jesus making some minor changes in our lives, but will we allow Jesus Christ to turn our lives upside down? Fans don't mind a little touch up work, but what if he wants a complete renovation? 

I hope that we can strive to be followers of Christ, dedicating all we have and are to the spreading of the gospel, and becoming our best selves through Christ. 

Love you all, have a stellar week! 

Sister Lewis