Bueno!
Heliodoro Ramos was baptized by David Ramos on Sunday, January 25th! It was a great experience and tons of people from the ward came to witness it. BOTH the parents came too, which is amazing cuz the Dad's not really supportive at all. Amalia Ramos (the Mom) is awesome though. She speaks mostly Spanish but Elder Rodriguez and I started teaching her last week because she told David that she wants to be baptized on Valentine's Day. Not sure what to do with her yet- Enlgish ward or Spanish ward... don't know. It would be weird to separate her from her kids y'know?
Elder Rodriguez is gone now. He was called to be a Zone Leaders in Cerritos and he departed this morning. Elder Esterholdt finished his mission today. He's probably on the plane right now. My new companion is ELDER BLISS and he's pretty cool. He came from a richer area so I got him excited about Buena Park by telling him how many people we could baptize this month. He seems really laid back and I'm excited to start working with him.
Bro. Stelly passed his interview with President Sexton so now we're waiting for the green light from the First Presidency. He's just itching to be baptized.
I haven't had a chance to contact Bishop Miller yet but hopefully I will sometime. Yeah I'm trying to write all the people that sent me mail and cards and stuff. I haven't wrote Shirley yet but she's DEFINITELY on my list. I only have one stamp left though so... If not this week then next week.
David and Dixie are pretty much the same. There's only so much we can do. The law is the law y'know? David is having issues being troubled by his gangster past. He actually got upset and left church this Sunday apparently. Dixie was really freaked out. He came to pick her and the kids up after church and he told Elder Rodriguez and I he wasn't coming back. But we testified to him and invited him to Helio's baptism and he and the fam came and that seemed to uplift them all. We visited them again that Sunday night and testified about the power of the Atonement and left David an article to read in an Ensign about anger management.
I do need something this week: a new journal por favor? All the journals at Wal-Mart are crap. And I'm going to send you Grandma and Grandpa Lewis's check because I just can't find time to go stop at Wells Fargo. I thought it would be a quick easy thing to do but there's other priorities interfering. I'll send you some pictures too. We took a great picture of Elder Rodriguez, Robbie Reed and I in Robbie's room. I don't think I've told you much about Robbie and I won't tell you most of the stuff he's told us about him but I will tell you this so you'll understand what the deal is with the giant Abercrombie & Fitch poster on his wall- he's not straight. I think the picture's hysterical. You probably will too. Yeah he's not straight and he's had a hard past few years but he has a testimony the church is true, he was baptized several years ago and he wants to choose the right. He's always wearing a CTR ring. He's a nice guy.
So esta todo bien en Buena Park! That's hilarious about Buster. Down Syndrome reincarnate. Bahah! That made me chuckle inside.
So what the heck? What's the deal with Grandpa Cox? When did that stuff start happening? Oh man that freaks me out. I sure hope he gets better.
Well, remember, I LOVE YOU!
Nos vemos!
-Elder Tyler Lewis
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
January 20th, 2009 (Email)
Hola!
George Baca is baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Elder Rodriguez got to baptize him Saturday and I got to confirm him on Sunday. It was an amazing experience and George was really really excited and happy about the whole thing. His parents and sisters were too.
Helio Ramos, David Ramos' 12-yr-old brother, is being baptized by David this Sunday, Jan. 25th. How cool is that?!?! David was just barely baptized and confirmed in November and then shortly after he received the Aaronic priesthood and I ordained him to the office of a Priest and now he's baptizing his little brother!!! I'm so excited for that.
So I've got a short story that'll make you squirm. A couple days ago Elder Rodriguez and I went to this Peruvian family's house so that Elder Rodriguez could interview these two women the Zone Leaders were baptizing on Sunday and one of the girls offered me some food. I said I'd just barely had dinner but then she told me what it was-- OCTOPUS! So I just had to try it. It was weird. It was this Peruvian dish that consisted of rice, crab, muscle, and tiny octopi. They weren't just pieces of octopi but entire bodies. They have this strange rubbery texture. Elder Rodriguez didn't like it so I ate one of his. I didn't particularly think that octopus was fantastic either but I enjoyed the fact that I was eating it. We have some leftovers in the fridge. I think I'll take a picture or two and send it to you.
That's awesome your work appreciates you so much Mom! That's some well-deserved positive feedback happening.
So Obama's the president now eh? Interesante. I don't really know what that implies so I don't really have an opinion. But according to the Book of Mormon the promised land must obey the commandments and follow the laws established by our fathers who were inspired by God to set the foundation for this country. Otherwise we will be cut off from God's presence and perish.
Elder Rodriguez and I were tracting yesterday and we ran into this man who was really interested in what we believed and asked us a bunch of questions out in some parking lot somewhere in Buena Park. He was a Bible buff and believed in God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost and believed that they were separate beings but One in purpose and he believed that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind can be saved and that no work of man can add to or diminish from what Christ did etc. etc. Pretty much everything he said was in accordance with our beliefs EXCEPT FOR ONE MAJOR COSA: He didn't believe that baptism was essential for one's salvation. He believed in Faith in Jesus Christ and Repentance, which is great, but he didn't believe that baptism was essential. He said that if you carefully study the Bible and compare different verses about baptism you'll find that the Bible doesn't contradict itself and that baptism isn't essential. He tried to justify this claim with the example of the thief on the cross next to Jesus. We rebuked his claim with John 3:5 and then he said something to the effect that water isn't pertaining to the waters of baptism or whatever and then we rebuked him again with the example of baptism for the dead but at that point he didn't know what we were talking about. He was a great guy and sincerely interested in the fact that we believe pretty much what he believes but he wasn't open to the Book of Mormon and he left us at that and that's too bad. But anyhow this morning I decided to follow some of his advice and I went to my Bible and compared different verses about baptism and found that baptism is absolutely positively without a fraction of a doubt essential for one's salvation. Check out Hebrews 6:1-2. What Paul is saying in what strikes me as a frustrated tone is that Jesus Christ and His apostles left us with a foundation for Christ's gospel and this foundation includes faith, repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands, resurrection and judgment. Paul said that he did not want to lay this foundation again. Or in other words, he was sick of all the disputations on those key principles and he didn't want to repeat himself on the matter that Christ's gospel was based on them. I know that the Bible says it loud in clear: baptism is essential. My knowledge is doubled with the testimony from another nation of Christians.
So Dad you'll have to tell me how the new Bruce Springsteen CD is. Despite this famine of rock I still know where my roots are.
Hmm... what else happened to me this week..... Sam Sakely! She has decided on her baptismal date. February 21st is the day. It's not nearly as soon as Elder Rodriguez and I'd hoped for but it's her decision and it's the soonest that her dad can attend so it has to be. Elder Rodriguez is sad because he's probably not going to be here to see the baptism through but despite that we're both happy that she's remained faithful and her testimony has survived all her family opposition and her mom's heart has softened. Cool beans.
That was my week in a nutshell! I hope all's well in the top of the mountains! Que tenga una buena dia y nos vemos!
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
George Baca is baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Elder Rodriguez got to baptize him Saturday and I got to confirm him on Sunday. It was an amazing experience and George was really really excited and happy about the whole thing. His parents and sisters were too.
Helio Ramos, David Ramos' 12-yr-old brother, is being baptized by David this Sunday, Jan. 25th. How cool is that?!?! David was just barely baptized and confirmed in November and then shortly after he received the Aaronic priesthood and I ordained him to the office of a Priest and now he's baptizing his little brother!!! I'm so excited for that.
So I've got a short story that'll make you squirm. A couple days ago Elder Rodriguez and I went to this Peruvian family's house so that Elder Rodriguez could interview these two women the Zone Leaders were baptizing on Sunday and one of the girls offered me some food. I said I'd just barely had dinner but then she told me what it was-- OCTOPUS! So I just had to try it. It was weird. It was this Peruvian dish that consisted of rice, crab, muscle, and tiny octopi. They weren't just pieces of octopi but entire bodies. They have this strange rubbery texture. Elder Rodriguez didn't like it so I ate one of his. I didn't particularly think that octopus was fantastic either but I enjoyed the fact that I was eating it. We have some leftovers in the fridge. I think I'll take a picture or two and send it to you.
That's awesome your work appreciates you so much Mom! That's some well-deserved positive feedback happening.
So Obama's the president now eh? Interesante. I don't really know what that implies so I don't really have an opinion. But according to the Book of Mormon the promised land must obey the commandments and follow the laws established by our fathers who were inspired by God to set the foundation for this country. Otherwise we will be cut off from God's presence and perish.
Elder Rodriguez and I were tracting yesterday and we ran into this man who was really interested in what we believed and asked us a bunch of questions out in some parking lot somewhere in Buena Park. He was a Bible buff and believed in God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost and believed that they were separate beings but One in purpose and he believed that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind can be saved and that no work of man can add to or diminish from what Christ did etc. etc. Pretty much everything he said was in accordance with our beliefs EXCEPT FOR ONE MAJOR COSA: He didn't believe that baptism was essential for one's salvation. He believed in Faith in Jesus Christ and Repentance, which is great, but he didn't believe that baptism was essential. He said that if you carefully study the Bible and compare different verses about baptism you'll find that the Bible doesn't contradict itself and that baptism isn't essential. He tried to justify this claim with the example of the thief on the cross next to Jesus. We rebuked his claim with John 3:5 and then he said something to the effect that water isn't pertaining to the waters of baptism or whatever and then we rebuked him again with the example of baptism for the dead but at that point he didn't know what we were talking about. He was a great guy and sincerely interested in the fact that we believe pretty much what he believes but he wasn't open to the Book of Mormon and he left us at that and that's too bad. But anyhow this morning I decided to follow some of his advice and I went to my Bible and compared different verses about baptism and found that baptism is absolutely positively without a fraction of a doubt essential for one's salvation. Check out Hebrews 6:1-2. What Paul is saying in what strikes me as a frustrated tone is that Jesus Christ and His apostles left us with a foundation for Christ's gospel and this foundation includes faith, repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands, resurrection and judgment. Paul said that he did not want to lay this foundation again. Or in other words, he was sick of all the disputations on those key principles and he didn't want to repeat himself on the matter that Christ's gospel was based on them. I know that the Bible says it loud in clear: baptism is essential. My knowledge is doubled with the testimony from another nation of Christians.
So Dad you'll have to tell me how the new Bruce Springsteen CD is. Despite this famine of rock I still know where my roots are.
Hmm... what else happened to me this week..... Sam Sakely! She has decided on her baptismal date. February 21st is the day. It's not nearly as soon as Elder Rodriguez and I'd hoped for but it's her decision and it's the soonest that her dad can attend so it has to be. Elder Rodriguez is sad because he's probably not going to be here to see the baptism through but despite that we're both happy that she's remained faithful and her testimony has survived all her family opposition and her mom's heart has softened. Cool beans.
That was my week in a nutshell! I hope all's well in the top of the mountains! Que tenga una buena dia y nos vemos!
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
Thursday, January 15, 2009
January 13th, 2009 (Email)
Hello again!
Oh California. Oh como le amo y su tiempo! (Oh how I love you and your weather!) It's mid January, right? Sunday I watched the thermometer in the car peak at 90 degrees. Right now the temperature is sitting around 70 something. I'm slightly sunburnt again.
Sunday was Stake Conference. That's the first Stake Conference that I've been to as far as I can remember. It was great! Two members of the 70 came and Elder Rodriguez and I met both of them because we were sitting right by the door when they entered. Elder Reynolds of the Seventy and Elder Rasband of the presidency of the Seventy. They asked both of us where we were from and how the work's going. That was cool. They gave great talks about the temple and about the family. "No success and life can compensate for failure in the home." I think David O. McCay said that. And then Elder Rasband discussed what constitutes failure in the home and he said that it's when the parents stop trying. That night we visited a lady who lets her 17-year-old son stay the weekends at his girlfriend's house. She wondered aloud why she has so many issues with her son. I don't mean to judge but... those last two sentences speak for themselves I think. We shared some quotes from Stake Conference with her. ;)
So the Stellys. They're cool. Bro. Stelly is left-handed so I can't play his guitar but Sis. Stelly let me hold it before he was released from prison. He was in prison for the whole year. I don't know what he did and I don't need to because he's good now. He immediately found a job after he was released. He seems like a great family man and his kids and wife all love him. He has to have an interview with Pres. Sexton himself after we finish teaching him all the lessons. Yeah I told them about our Jimi Hendrix trip. They thought that was neat.
Jason's the same. Still discussing his beliefs with his wife. Mayra moved. Jenny is still emotionally unstable and is still obsessed with the spanish ward guy. She gossips a lot and both her and the spanish guy seem to lie a lot. There's some sort of weird random drama going on between them and we're trying to stay out of it and just get Jenny baptized before she flees to Tahiti again. Sam's baptism could happen this Sunday. We're pushing pretty hard for it to happen. We even reserved the font. She's waited too long! George is almost ready for his baptism interview! We met Roxy's mom and she seems nice. I think she'll be baptized really soon. We're going to teach them a lesson tomorrow. We met a new investigator named Tony and he's commited to be baptized the 25th. He's really nice and positive. We think he may be living with his ex-wife though so we'll have to see what's going on there. Hopefully he'll be baptized on the date we've set.
David Ramos' 12-yr-old brother Helio is going to be baptized the 25th! We just finished teaching him the Plan of Salvation yesterday. He's a funny kid. It'd be so cool if David ends up baptizing his little brother.
I had a McDonald's burger and some Taco Bell chalupas for the first time in many many months this last week. The new McDonald's angus mushroom swiss is pretty good but it made me feel like crap. And the chalupas were nothing short of paradise. Good thing I'm still doing my crunches in the morning.
Apparently we had an earthquake during the night a couple nights ago. I didn't wake up but some of the members told us about it. It was a 4.2 or something like that. Anways I slept through it. Elder Rodriguez and the Elders his age all experienced a bigger earthquake last year. It was during their P-Day so a lot of them were in grocery stores. Elder Esterholdt said it was the weirdest thing he's ever experienced. Elder Rodriguez said he was e-mailing his fam when it happened. He said his e-mail was a lot like this "Dear family, not a lot has happened this week --!!!---!!!!-- well, we just had an earthquake..." No one was hurt or anything but they said a lot of stuff was knocked over.
I finished Isaiah. Now I'm studying the Articles of Faith. I finished the 9th one this morning. Elder Rodriguez said that Elder Bednar told his group in the MTC that if you know the Articles of Faith really well you will never be confounded. So I'm studying each article in more depth backed up with some scriptures.
I don't need money or anything. It's all good. I kind of want a coke but.... I'm going to be obedient. Someday, coke. Someday. In a couple years.
That's awesome Jeff Meacham's headed out! I hope the "Empty Sea" treats him well. He won't have to be in there very long eh? And that's great you're sport thingy turned out awesome Mom! And what?! Bruce Springsteen and U2 out with new tunes?! Someday, good music. Someday. Meanwhile I'll jam to some Joseph Smith tribute and EFY gospel pop... Joseph Smith Tribute actually isn't that bad. I dig.
So yep! Baptisms are gonna be happening! Transfer of miracles! Have fun be happy enjoy the snow and ILOVEYOU!
Love,
-Elder Tyler Lewis
Oh California. Oh como le amo y su tiempo! (Oh how I love you and your weather!) It's mid January, right? Sunday I watched the thermometer in the car peak at 90 degrees. Right now the temperature is sitting around 70 something. I'm slightly sunburnt again.
Sunday was Stake Conference. That's the first Stake Conference that I've been to as far as I can remember. It was great! Two members of the 70 came and Elder Rodriguez and I met both of them because we were sitting right by the door when they entered. Elder Reynolds of the Seventy and Elder Rasband of the presidency of the Seventy. They asked both of us where we were from and how the work's going. That was cool. They gave great talks about the temple and about the family. "No success and life can compensate for failure in the home." I think David O. McCay said that. And then Elder Rasband discussed what constitutes failure in the home and he said that it's when the parents stop trying. That night we visited a lady who lets her 17-year-old son stay the weekends at his girlfriend's house. She wondered aloud why she has so many issues with her son. I don't mean to judge but... those last two sentences speak for themselves I think. We shared some quotes from Stake Conference with her. ;)
So the Stellys. They're cool. Bro. Stelly is left-handed so I can't play his guitar but Sis. Stelly let me hold it before he was released from prison. He was in prison for the whole year. I don't know what he did and I don't need to because he's good now. He immediately found a job after he was released. He seems like a great family man and his kids and wife all love him. He has to have an interview with Pres. Sexton himself after we finish teaching him all the lessons. Yeah I told them about our Jimi Hendrix trip. They thought that was neat.
Jason's the same. Still discussing his beliefs with his wife. Mayra moved. Jenny is still emotionally unstable and is still obsessed with the spanish ward guy. She gossips a lot and both her and the spanish guy seem to lie a lot. There's some sort of weird random drama going on between them and we're trying to stay out of it and just get Jenny baptized before she flees to Tahiti again. Sam's baptism could happen this Sunday. We're pushing pretty hard for it to happen. We even reserved the font. She's waited too long! George is almost ready for his baptism interview! We met Roxy's mom and she seems nice. I think she'll be baptized really soon. We're going to teach them a lesson tomorrow. We met a new investigator named Tony and he's commited to be baptized the 25th. He's really nice and positive. We think he may be living with his ex-wife though so we'll have to see what's going on there. Hopefully he'll be baptized on the date we've set.
David Ramos' 12-yr-old brother Helio is going to be baptized the 25th! We just finished teaching him the Plan of Salvation yesterday. He's a funny kid. It'd be so cool if David ends up baptizing his little brother.
I had a McDonald's burger and some Taco Bell chalupas for the first time in many many months this last week. The new McDonald's angus mushroom swiss is pretty good but it made me feel like crap. And the chalupas were nothing short of paradise. Good thing I'm still doing my crunches in the morning.
Apparently we had an earthquake during the night a couple nights ago. I didn't wake up but some of the members told us about it. It was a 4.2 or something like that. Anways I slept through it. Elder Rodriguez and the Elders his age all experienced a bigger earthquake last year. It was during their P-Day so a lot of them were in grocery stores. Elder Esterholdt said it was the weirdest thing he's ever experienced. Elder Rodriguez said he was e-mailing his fam when it happened. He said his e-mail was a lot like this "Dear family, not a lot has happened this week --!!!---!!!!-- well, we just had an earthquake..." No one was hurt or anything but they said a lot of stuff was knocked over.
I finished Isaiah. Now I'm studying the Articles of Faith. I finished the 9th one this morning. Elder Rodriguez said that Elder Bednar told his group in the MTC that if you know the Articles of Faith really well you will never be confounded. So I'm studying each article in more depth backed up with some scriptures.
I don't need money or anything. It's all good. I kind of want a coke but.... I'm going to be obedient. Someday, coke. Someday. In a couple years.
That's awesome Jeff Meacham's headed out! I hope the "Empty Sea" treats him well. He won't have to be in there very long eh? And that's great you're sport thingy turned out awesome Mom! And what?! Bruce Springsteen and U2 out with new tunes?! Someday, good music. Someday. Meanwhile I'll jam to some Joseph Smith tribute and EFY gospel pop... Joseph Smith Tribute actually isn't that bad. I dig.
So yep! Baptisms are gonna be happening! Transfer of miracles! Have fun be happy enjoy the snow and ILOVEYOU!
Love,
-Elder Tyler Lewis
Pictures!!!
The baptism of William Peters
up 40lbs
Colored Pencil FX
Christmas Eve
Some videos a member gave Elder Rodriguez and I. We didn't know what to do with them.
Some cool magnets a member gave me.
My Christmas tree.
La calle cuatro
La Pelota Sagrada
The Sacred Ball
January 6th, 2009 Letter
Hey Fam!
Here's a bunch of pictures. I'll take a picture with David & Dixie and fam soon. We'll probably get a good one at George's baptism.
You know, it's odd, but I felt a lot more homesick in the MTC than I have in the field. Christmas was different but it wasn't bad at all. It was one of the best Christmases I've ever had, right up there with the Christmas where my aunt gave me those pink bunny suit pajamas. I got to go caroling in Spanish. I got to eat tamales, I got to make a Christmas tree out of a lamp. Best of all I got to call and talk to you. It was a lot less weird than when I called you in the airport. I was freaking out a little that morning. It still stands out in my mind as one of the most surreal days of my life.
New Years Day was awesome because of William Peters baptism. So now I have baptized someone, I've ordained someone to the Aaronic Priesthood, and I've confirmed the Gift of the Holy Ghost to someone. It's been a really productive couple of months and things are just getting started.
There's a scripture in Isaiah that describes kind of how I feel about this work, the Gathering of Israel. It's Isa. 49:18. I feel like most of the people we've taught have just gathered themselves together and come to us to be baptized. It's getting etched into my mind that the Lord does his own work. I say it again and again because it's so so so true. Israel is being gathered. We're being prepared for the Millennium. The ensign of standard has been lifted to prepare us to be worthy for the Millennium and it's awesome!
Hey by the way can you do me a favor? Can you sell all my rated R movies? I don't think I'm going to watch them anymore.
In three weeks Elder Rodriguez is most likely going to be transferred. It makes me kinda sad. Elder Esterholdt has always told me that I'm extremely lucky to have Elder Rodriguez as my trainer. He said "Basically he's teaching you how to baptize people."
So is it back to school time now? The most wonderful time of the year? I hope the snow's treating you okay. The constant sunshine isn't too bad once you get used to it.
I Love You Mom!
I Love You Dad!
I Love You Hannah!
And You Too Rosie!
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
Here's a bunch of pictures. I'll take a picture with David & Dixie and fam soon. We'll probably get a good one at George's baptism.
You know, it's odd, but I felt a lot more homesick in the MTC than I have in the field. Christmas was different but it wasn't bad at all. It was one of the best Christmases I've ever had, right up there with the Christmas where my aunt gave me those pink bunny suit pajamas. I got to go caroling in Spanish. I got to eat tamales, I got to make a Christmas tree out of a lamp. Best of all I got to call and talk to you. It was a lot less weird than when I called you in the airport. I was freaking out a little that morning. It still stands out in my mind as one of the most surreal days of my life.
New Years Day was awesome because of William Peters baptism. So now I have baptized someone, I've ordained someone to the Aaronic Priesthood, and I've confirmed the Gift of the Holy Ghost to someone. It's been a really productive couple of months and things are just getting started.
There's a scripture in Isaiah that describes kind of how I feel about this work, the Gathering of Israel. It's Isa. 49:18. I feel like most of the people we've taught have just gathered themselves together and come to us to be baptized. It's getting etched into my mind that the Lord does his own work. I say it again and again because it's so so so true. Israel is being gathered. We're being prepared for the Millennium. The ensign of standard has been lifted to prepare us to be worthy for the Millennium and it's awesome!
Hey by the way can you do me a favor? Can you sell all my rated R movies? I don't think I'm going to watch them anymore.
In three weeks Elder Rodriguez is most likely going to be transferred. It makes me kinda sad. Elder Esterholdt has always told me that I'm extremely lucky to have Elder Rodriguez as my trainer. He said "Basically he's teaching you how to baptize people."
So is it back to school time now? The most wonderful time of the year? I hope the snow's treating you okay. The constant sunshine isn't too bad once you get used to it.
I Love You Mom!
I Love You Dad!
I Love You Hannah!
And You Too Rosie!
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
January 6th, 2009 (Email)
Hey!
William Peters was baptized January 1st 2009! Elder Rodriguez baptized him and I confirmed him. That was a great experience. I felt the Spirit so strong when we were in the circle giving him his confimation blessing. William moved to Victorville a couple days later but he was so happy to finally be baptized. He wanted us to be involved with it so everything worked out great. And that was definitely the highlight of New Years. I think I heard fireworks in my dreams at midnight but I'm not entirely positive. Apparently I slept through a bunch of phone calls that night from some Spanish investigators. I'm a deep sleeper now but I still manage to wake up at 6:30.
So Mom it's interesting that you'd bring up David and Dixie's son George because I have an amazing story for you. I have a few good stories this time so I hope I have time to write them all. We visited David and Dixie about a week ago and we started teaching them about the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We'd planned this particular lesson out a little while ago so we knew what we needed to do and we just went through with it. We told them what a blessing it is to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood in the home. The wheels started turning in David and Dixie's heads ("I am able to do mine own work" -2Nephi 27:20) and before we knew it George commited to be baptized January 17th!
Friday I went on splits with another Greenie named Elder Mckinney. I know the area pretty well now that I've driven a few times. Elder McKinney and I visited Mayra and I decided to commit her to be baptized on the 11th since she's moving soon and she thought it sounded like a great idea. But after we left she talked with her mom and changed her mind. We're still meeting with her though. The mom asked us a bunch of questions yesterday and now we're going to visit with her too. That day we also visited this new lady from Tahiti named Jenny. Jenny is having difficulties with life but she likes meeting with us. She's going back to Tahiti in less than a month and she's interested in getting baptized before she returns. I took Elder McKinney to visit Jason Patterson later Friday night. We walked in to see that Jason was watching the new Emma Smith movie on BluRay on his giant flatscreen TV. Oh Jason. He's so cool. Elder McKinney was blown away at how Mormon Jason is. He just needs to be baptized.
Saturday I went on splits with Elder Esterholdt. I was really tired after 2 straight days of splits. Elder Esterholdt and I took a member named Scott to visit Sam Sakely. It was probably the most spiritually intense lesson I've ever been involved in. We talked about Mosiah 24 and likened it to her situation. Elder Esterholdt was bold like always and it was great. The Holy Ghost was telling us what to say. Sam cried. I cried a little. Scott cried a little. It was great. The Holy Ghost truly has a still small voice and on Saturday I had the rare priviledge to have him speak to me with actual words. He told me to challenge Sam to bear her testimony to her Mom again. She'd tried this before so I wasn't sure, but then I was prompted again so I went through with it. The Spirit was really really strong and we knew that Heavenly Father was giving Sam a promise. Sam went through with it and talked to her Mom that night. We called her later and Sam said her mom wants to bring friends and family to the baptism. It should happen soon.
Bro. Stelly just got released from prison! Have I told you about the Stellys? They're a really cool family. They've been less-active since Bro. Stelly went to prison but on Sunday they were all at church. Bro. Stelly read all the standard scriptures in prison. He read the Book of Mormon twice. He has a testimony and he wants to be baptized too. And to top it all off he loves Jimi Hendrix and he plays the guitar left-handed. We're going to start teaching him this week.
We haven't seen Roxy for a while but we're seeing her tonight. I hope she'll go through with her baptism. We've been preparing this lesson for a while. She's had some doubts because she thinks she's too young to be baptized (doubts courtesy of her mother. Mom & Dad, thank you for letting me make my own decisions with my life.) but we're going to tell her otherwise! She's so ready! Hopefully some Alma 19:6 will happen.
I'm almost done with Isaiah now. I'm on chapter fifty something. It's been great. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has strengthened a lot from it. After I finish I'm going to pick up where I left off toward the end of Alma with my Book of Mormon reading. Above all things its essential for a missionary to study the BoM.
Things are still great in Buena Park! I'm going to send some pictures home today so look forward to some Christmas pics and etc.!
I love you!
-Elder Tyler Lewis
P.S.- I'm starting a missionary binder now so could you send me a couple pictures- 1 of Nicoles' baptism and 1 of David Ramos' baptism? Thanks!
William Peters was baptized January 1st 2009! Elder Rodriguez baptized him and I confirmed him. That was a great experience. I felt the Spirit so strong when we were in the circle giving him his confimation blessing. William moved to Victorville a couple days later but he was so happy to finally be baptized. He wanted us to be involved with it so everything worked out great. And that was definitely the highlight of New Years. I think I heard fireworks in my dreams at midnight but I'm not entirely positive. Apparently I slept through a bunch of phone calls that night from some Spanish investigators. I'm a deep sleeper now but I still manage to wake up at 6:30.
So Mom it's interesting that you'd bring up David and Dixie's son George because I have an amazing story for you. I have a few good stories this time so I hope I have time to write them all. We visited David and Dixie about a week ago and we started teaching them about the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We'd planned this particular lesson out a little while ago so we knew what we needed to do and we just went through with it. We told them what a blessing it is to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost and the Priesthood in the home. The wheels started turning in David and Dixie's heads ("I am able to do mine own work" -2Nephi 27:20) and before we knew it George commited to be baptized January 17th!
Friday I went on splits with another Greenie named Elder Mckinney. I know the area pretty well now that I've driven a few times. Elder McKinney and I visited Mayra and I decided to commit her to be baptized on the 11th since she's moving soon and she thought it sounded like a great idea. But after we left she talked with her mom and changed her mind. We're still meeting with her though. The mom asked us a bunch of questions yesterday and now we're going to visit with her too. That day we also visited this new lady from Tahiti named Jenny. Jenny is having difficulties with life but she likes meeting with us. She's going back to Tahiti in less than a month and she's interested in getting baptized before she returns. I took Elder McKinney to visit Jason Patterson later Friday night. We walked in to see that Jason was watching the new Emma Smith movie on BluRay on his giant flatscreen TV. Oh Jason. He's so cool. Elder McKinney was blown away at how Mormon Jason is. He just needs to be baptized.
Saturday I went on splits with Elder Esterholdt. I was really tired after 2 straight days of splits. Elder Esterholdt and I took a member named Scott to visit Sam Sakely. It was probably the most spiritually intense lesson I've ever been involved in. We talked about Mosiah 24 and likened it to her situation. Elder Esterholdt was bold like always and it was great. The Holy Ghost was telling us what to say. Sam cried. I cried a little. Scott cried a little. It was great. The Holy Ghost truly has a still small voice and on Saturday I had the rare priviledge to have him speak to me with actual words. He told me to challenge Sam to bear her testimony to her Mom again. She'd tried this before so I wasn't sure, but then I was prompted again so I went through with it. The Spirit was really really strong and we knew that Heavenly Father was giving Sam a promise. Sam went through with it and talked to her Mom that night. We called her later and Sam said her mom wants to bring friends and family to the baptism. It should happen soon.
Bro. Stelly just got released from prison! Have I told you about the Stellys? They're a really cool family. They've been less-active since Bro. Stelly went to prison but on Sunday they were all at church. Bro. Stelly read all the standard scriptures in prison. He read the Book of Mormon twice. He has a testimony and he wants to be baptized too. And to top it all off he loves Jimi Hendrix and he plays the guitar left-handed. We're going to start teaching him this week.
We haven't seen Roxy for a while but we're seeing her tonight. I hope she'll go through with her baptism. We've been preparing this lesson for a while. She's had some doubts because she thinks she's too young to be baptized (doubts courtesy of her mother. Mom & Dad, thank you for letting me make my own decisions with my life.) but we're going to tell her otherwise! She's so ready! Hopefully some Alma 19:6 will happen.
I'm almost done with Isaiah now. I'm on chapter fifty something. It's been great. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has strengthened a lot from it. After I finish I'm going to pick up where I left off toward the end of Alma with my Book of Mormon reading. Above all things its essential for a missionary to study the BoM.
Things are still great in Buena Park! I'm going to send some pictures home today so look forward to some Christmas pics and etc.!
I love you!
-Elder Tyler Lewis
P.S.- I'm starting a missionary binder now so could you send me a couple pictures- 1 of Nicoles' baptism and 1 of David Ramos' baptism? Thanks!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Sabrina Sanchez's Baptism (December 2008)
(Elder Lewis, Sabrina Sanchez, Sabrina Sanchez's Father, Elder Rodriguez)December 30th, 2008 (Email)
Hey fam,
I forgot to tell you on the phone that President and Sister Sexton say "Merry Christmas!" Pres. Sexton commited me to say that, but I was so excited to get to call home that I just forgot.
Well Christmas was pretty good. I ate tomales for the first time in my life Christmas Eve. I had four dinners that night. It was nuts. We went caroling to the Spanish-Speaking people and they just kept feeding us and feeding us... No wonder I've gained weight so exponentially! I had six tomales that night. They're really good! I thought they'd just be like burritos but there's all sorts of types of tomales. Some of them were pinapple cake, some were spicy, some had beef, some just have cheese. But in any case they're all really good. And they take all day for the people to cook.
Well William Peters told us last night that he's moving to Victorville this Saturday. So we may not be able to baptize him. We'll see though. And Roxy told us that she's not sure if she's ready to be baptized yet. Her Mom's not entirely supportive. We're going to talk to both of them tonight. January's supposed to be our month of miracles! Well, this month was supposed to be our month of miracles too. But all sorts of things seem to be going wrong. Cold feet. Sandy foundations. Opposition and random happenstances. But it'll all turn out for the best. Esta todo bien! (It's all good!)
So before the phone died I was starting to tell you about how I'm studying Isaiah now. I've found that one of the big messages in the Book of Mormon is to read Isaiah. Even Jesus Christ himself flat out said "great are the words of Isaiah." In the New Testament the prophent Jesus quotes the most is Isaiah. In the Book of Mormon Nephi and Jacob and Jesus again quote Isaiah a ton. So now I'm figuring out why. Truly the words of Isaiah are great and they are helping me understand the Book of Mormon and its purpose to a much deeper degree. Isaiah has greatly increased my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and this church. He has even helped me understand the Temple ordinances better. Of course I won't delve into any explanations over this email, but I highly suggest you check out Isa. 22:20-25. I had to read it again and again, and if I had a celestial room available I'm sure I'd understand it even more, but during one of my studies that scripture absolutely knocked me over.
So why am I studying Isaiah? Because the Spirit randomly advised me to during one of my studies a couple weeks ago. I wasn't even studying anything related to Isaiah. The thought just popped into my head: "You NEED to read Isaiah." So I followed through and now my testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown even more solid. I can't wait to read the second half. Nephi says that only those filled with the spirit of prophecy can understand Isaiah. I learned what the spirit of prophecy is last zone conference: It's a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. -"...but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah, for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." 1Nephi 19:23. So anybody with a testimony of Jesus Christ can learn to understand the words of Isaiah.
Well I'll get off that subject before I get carried away. I'm pretty obsessed with it during my study time. So yesterday we visited David and Dixie and they fed us a pomegranite. Is that how you spell that? I don't know. But it was really really really good. They also gave us legit quesadias. Then we taught them about baptism. They really want to be baptized and they said that they even want to be married in the temple. They're full of questions now of course. It's great meeting with that wonderful family every week. We have a new investigator named Mayra and she came to church the day after our first lesson with her! Yeah she's pretty awesome.
Things are still going good! I'm loving the sunshine! Short sleeved shirts are where it's at! Sorry to rub that in! I'm sure you're enjoying the snow so it doesn't matter, right? ;)
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
I forgot to tell you on the phone that President and Sister Sexton say "Merry Christmas!" Pres. Sexton commited me to say that, but I was so excited to get to call home that I just forgot.
Well Christmas was pretty good. I ate tomales for the first time in my life Christmas Eve. I had four dinners that night. It was nuts. We went caroling to the Spanish-Speaking people and they just kept feeding us and feeding us... No wonder I've gained weight so exponentially! I had six tomales that night. They're really good! I thought they'd just be like burritos but there's all sorts of types of tomales. Some of them were pinapple cake, some were spicy, some had beef, some just have cheese. But in any case they're all really good. And they take all day for the people to cook.
Well William Peters told us last night that he's moving to Victorville this Saturday. So we may not be able to baptize him. We'll see though. And Roxy told us that she's not sure if she's ready to be baptized yet. Her Mom's not entirely supportive. We're going to talk to both of them tonight. January's supposed to be our month of miracles! Well, this month was supposed to be our month of miracles too. But all sorts of things seem to be going wrong. Cold feet. Sandy foundations. Opposition and random happenstances. But it'll all turn out for the best. Esta todo bien! (It's all good!)
So before the phone died I was starting to tell you about how I'm studying Isaiah now. I've found that one of the big messages in the Book of Mormon is to read Isaiah. Even Jesus Christ himself flat out said "great are the words of Isaiah." In the New Testament the prophent Jesus quotes the most is Isaiah. In the Book of Mormon Nephi and Jacob and Jesus again quote Isaiah a ton. So now I'm figuring out why. Truly the words of Isaiah are great and they are helping me understand the Book of Mormon and its purpose to a much deeper degree. Isaiah has greatly increased my testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and this church. He has even helped me understand the Temple ordinances better. Of course I won't delve into any explanations over this email, but I highly suggest you check out Isa. 22:20-25. I had to read it again and again, and if I had a celestial room available I'm sure I'd understand it even more, but during one of my studies that scripture absolutely knocked me over.
So why am I studying Isaiah? Because the Spirit randomly advised me to during one of my studies a couple weeks ago. I wasn't even studying anything related to Isaiah. The thought just popped into my head: "You NEED to read Isaiah." So I followed through and now my testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown even more solid. I can't wait to read the second half. Nephi says that only those filled with the spirit of prophecy can understand Isaiah. I learned what the spirit of prophecy is last zone conference: It's a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. -"...but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah, for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." 1Nephi 19:23. So anybody with a testimony of Jesus Christ can learn to understand the words of Isaiah.
Well I'll get off that subject before I get carried away. I'm pretty obsessed with it during my study time. So yesterday we visited David and Dixie and they fed us a pomegranite. Is that how you spell that? I don't know. But it was really really really good. They also gave us legit quesadias. Then we taught them about baptism. They really want to be baptized and they said that they even want to be married in the temple. They're full of questions now of course. It's great meeting with that wonderful family every week. We have a new investigator named Mayra and she came to church the day after our first lesson with her! Yeah she's pretty awesome.
Things are still going good! I'm loving the sunshine! Short sleeved shirts are where it's at! Sorry to rub that in! I'm sure you're enjoying the snow so it doesn't matter, right? ;)
Love,
Elder Tyler Lewis
