"I just have to think of Louis Armstrong" - April 7, 2014 - from Solothurn, Switzerland

Family!  I'm here! . . . In Solothurn.  So I've decided that transfers are more accurately described as transplants. And I have totally been transplanted. Now I know how plants feel. But it's good. Guess what I see mountains every day now!! But I don't think they're very big.

Quotes of the week:

Sister Blohm telling me something and she said: "Sister . . . Lewis . . ."

Me: "You forgot my name!"

Sister Blohm: "No! Just for a minute . . . I just have to think of Louis Armstrong."

It's so funny because I've never known what it was like to have a hard name. But some people here have a hard time with it. I get compared to Levi Strauss the brand all the time too. (This may seem like quite a stretch unless you know that in German a "w" is pronounced like an American "V". )

Sister Siems: "I don't think I will ever have so much fun again in my life." Me either, Sister Siems. Me either.

My cute little Schaffhauseners were really sweet about saying goodbye to me. You may have noticed from the pics that we did get permission to go to the klettergarten with our JAE's and Steven. (I never did find any of those pictures on Dropbox).  It was too good. And just lots of great things happened. Bruder De Marzi hosted a beautiful brunch for the four of us missionaries in Schaffhausen to say goodbye and he also came to the train station. I got a blessing from him before I left too just because I was so nervous. 

When it was announced the Sunday before I left that I was transferred, there was an audible gasp and everyone turned to look at me. Manuel Bolli said to his mom (Schwester Bolli told me this later): "At least we got to celebrate her birthday with her, or I wouldn't have gotten any cake. But you can always buy a cake, but not a Sister Lewis."

The Schaffhausen Missionaries

I'm feeling just a little lost. But I think that's normal. All of the sudden I'm in a new place and have no idea who anyone is or how to get anywhere or where I am even supposed to go.

Guess what President and Sister Miles came to our fireside and Sister Miles played the flute in the "Oh How Lovely was the Morning" choir piece and they both sang in "I Am A Child of God" with all the missionaries. This is what President Miles said to me in his email:"The fireside was amazing. Thanks so much". 

This is Sister Miles! 

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TARA!!! (Katie's sister-in-law)

As you will also notice from the pictures, I insisted that Sister Siems and I get pictures with the Missionsweg and Zionsweg in Zurich that the Schwamendingen Sisters had told us about. (I would love to know the origins of these street names!)

I hope you are happy with your pictures. Sister Siems and I tried to take a lot. As you can see, I need to be eating healthier . . . and guess what! This morning I discovered that we have a way nice Bosch mixer and a nice blender!! This weekend really is Christmas. First conference, and now a blender! But yeah. so send the healthy smoothie recipes my way. 

Was conference not THE BEST? (Twice a year, in April and October the LDS Church has what we call "General Conference". General Conference is four 2-hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday of Church of talks from leaders in the Church that is broadcast all over the world translated into almost 100 languages.  Lots of inspirational stuff!) Yes, it was. Family, sounds like you're all about to launch into some major study of PMG (see Elder Ballard's talk). Can't wait to hear what you learn!

So this ward has just gotten a new GML. We had our first GML meeting on Friday and I think the new GML will be great, even though he might still think my name is Sister Kelly and Elder Kelly's name is Elder Lewis. Have I ever mentioned Elder Kelly? Probably not but he is one of my best friend elders and I seem to be following him around. He left the Wien zone a transfer before I did and the Zurich zone a transfer before I did. He was my zone leader in Zurich for three transfers and he told me before he left that he hoped I would come to Solothorn after the next transfer to which I basically replied, "No thanks." But here I am! If you're thinking "Oh, you know sister missionaries and their zone leaders . . ." you can stop it right now. Elder Kelly is a baby 19-year-old Irish redhead. But he is a really good missionary.

We watched conference at our ward building. So I have gotten to meet a few members so far. This ward is big. I think it's bigger than Wien 1. I've heard we have the largest primary in Switzerland and the largest Young Womens in the stake.

Sister Blohm is from Denmark . . . She is cool. I will always be in awe of people like her who grew up in a place where hardly anyone  even knows about the church. Her German is . . . worse than mine. But I think Heavenly Father is just trying to tell me, "Sister Lewis, I need to be able to count on your German." This is my second companion with German worse than mine and so I'm just learning that I need to really work on mine. But it's very overwhelming. I miss Sister Siems . . .

 I am also emailing from the church! This church has two computers. We live only a 10-minute walk from the church and a 2-minute bus ride, but the bus only comes every 30 minutes. I don't actually live in Solothurn,  but in Bellach, which is very close.

Conference. I still can't get over it. Just a few little favorite phrases I wrote down. Some of these I'm not sure if they're my words or the speaker's. But mostly I think they're direct quotes.

"Defend with courtesy and compassion, but defend your beliefs."

"What would Jesus do does not always bring a popular response."

"Disciples are sometimes also called upon to worry, warn, and weep."

"Our greatest filter is a deep and abiding testimony." (so true!!!!).

"We are nothing without our roots and branches." (referring to our extended family)

"No matter how good your message is, it won't be received without consistent follow up." (soooooooooooo important for missionary work!).

"Families are the treasure of Heaven."

"All mankind may be saved by obedience."

I hold in my hands the happiness of more people than I can imagine.

Never neglect the most important meeting to assemble with the saints.

The last time Joseph Smith ever met with the quorum of the 12 was WHEN HE GAVE THEM THEIR ENDOWMENT. He lived just long enough to teach about redeeming the dead.

Don't wait to see the rainbow before thanking God for the rain (I could see that becoming some cute pinterest quote as soon as he said it).

Be grateful no matter what. This will bring us peace.

We have a short life, and an eternity to think back on it.

And soooooo many others. I was not planning on writing that many. Sister Blohm and I tried watching the relief society (slash primary and young womens?) session in German. Let's just say I should probably watch it again in English.

Well like always, here is another scatter-brained email. Hope you enjoyed it. I am especially grateful right now, like many of you, for the blessing of living prophets. I thought more about asking questions this time and trying to receive answers during conference and the answers were TOTALLY THERE. Life is good. God loves you.

As I have said before, some of my best stories never even get told to you in my letters  because sometimes I just don't like the ending!  For example, we met this miracle couple on the way home from conference on Saturday and invited them to come on Sunday . . . but they didn't. I was like the little boy in that story of the open house the way I kept checking for them. But, we have her phone number and maybe someday she will answer. But it was really cool to bear testimony to them of a living prophet having just come from a session of general conference.  And as I've said before, that doesn't mean it wasn't a miracle even if it doesn't end the way I would like! 

Love you all!