April 14th, 2009 (Email)

Hello!
It's been a pretty eventful week. Suli 'Alungamalie Crank was baptized Thursday April 9th and she was confirmed Easter Sunday! I had the privilege to perform the baptismal ordinance. That was pretty neat. Elder Bliss performed the confirmation. She was a little nervous to go up in front of the congregation but she survived.
Also on Easter Sunday David Ramos received the Melchezidik Priesthood. He asked Elder Bliss to ordain him. David was so excited to become an Elder! He's preparing to go on a mission. He's pretty prepared already.
I had an interesting phone call last Thursday. Jason Patterson called and had something to tell me. He watched General Conference and the talk by Elder Holland impacted Jason so much that he decided he wanted to be baptized Easter Saturday! He said he's been going to church alone over there and after that talk he realized that he didn't have to feel alone so he wanted to just finally go through with it once and for all. He wanted to know if he could be baptized into the Buena Park Ward. I called the Assistants and asked if that's possible and they said he'd have to be baptized into his own ward since he's in the Riverside Mission. So I called Jason back and asked if the Elders over there had contacted him yet. He said no. That disappointed me a little but I told Jason the deal and then I called Sis. Rose at the Mission Office and told her the situation and advised that the missionaries over there visit Jason IMMEDIATELY (as they should have done anyway.) Then I waited until Sunday and called Jason later in the afternoon (not sure if I'm supposed to do that but since the Elders over there failed to contact Jason once I thought I'd follow up.) I asked Jason if he was baptized yet. He said the Elders over there DIDN'T contact him so he had to contact them himself through a member. Then the Elders told Jason that they didn't think they should baptize him this weekend because the Elders want a lot of people from the ward to be at the baptism and they didn't think they should baptize him next weekend either for the same reason due to pioneer trek. Now here's why I'm frustrated about this situation: 1. Baptisms should NOT be limited to weekends. You can't see miracles in the mission if you limit the day you do baptisms. 2. A baptism needs requires the following: A. the baptismal candidate B. someone that at least holds the office of priest C. two witnesses. It does NOT require a lot of people from the ward to be there. Jason even expressed some concern about the matter to me. He said "Well, I hope something doesn't come up to change my mind again by then." And he's right. He's more than aware of the opposition that has tried him these past several years- his wife still doesn't completely approve of his decision. But if Jason feels that he should be baptized then nothing else should get in the way of that decision. Jason has been taught ALL the lessons more than twice. He has been to church several times. He owns a copy of Preach My Gospel and has studied it. He could teach the Elders the lessons! He already passed one interview a few months ago. All the Elders over there have to do is interview Jason again. Then he should be baptized a.s.a.p. I told the Zone Leaders about this ridiculous circumstance and they advised I call President Sexton. So I did. Hopefully Jason will be baptized sooner than April 25th.
Well, that's that. I have another cool story for you. We got a referral from the Mission office to go visit an ex-communicated man living in Buena Park. After obtaining permission from Bishop Redding we went and visited the person. His name is [edited by Jon]. He was surprised to see us so that means he was referred by another person. He told us he'd served a mission in Alberta Canada. So of course I brought up that my Dad served there too. So he asked what Dad's name is. I told him Jon Lewis. Then he asked when Dad served. I told him the mid-'80s, somewhere around '85. Then the guy said "I know your Dad!" He went and got his mission yearbook and read one of the signatures and said "Jon Christopher Lewis?" and I said "That's my Dad!" So [edited by Jon] was a Greenie back when Dad was getting ready to go home. Not sure why [edited by Jon] was ex-communicated and it's none of my business, but all I know is that he's a nice guy and he wants to come back so he volunteered to take the lessons again. We're going to start teaching him on Thursday.
Family, I have something funny to tell you. There's this older British couple in my ward named the Pummells and they're going to Logan tomorrow. They talked to me at the baptism and asked if there was anything I needed to send home and then they said they'd be more than happy to go visit you because you're just along the way. I said sure! So they're going to be visiting you either Thursday or Friday. They'll give you a call. I'm sending home some stuff that I don't need here and I don't use here so it's just taking up space. I'll want it after the mission though. Anyway the Pummells are awesome.
They're somewhere in their 70s I think. Bro. Pummell isn't all there though so be aware. He's pretty lost most of the time. Sis. Pummell's all there though. She's Suli Crank's Primary Teacher. Take a picture with them when they visit and send it to me that'd be awesome! Well, those are my fun stories of the week. Hopefully I'll get that package today. Fed-Ex is being ridiculoso. They said they were going to try again yesterday but apparently they failed. It'll get here eventually. Well, I love you! Have a great week!

Love,Elder Tyler Lewis