June 16, 2014
I've been avoiding the family
email because I don't know what to say. Yes, Sister Blohm and I are staying
together! And yes, it has been one of the hardest weeks of my whole mission.
And no, I did not have one lesson with an investigator all week. Pretty sure
that has never ever happened. And I just feel like I don't actually live in a
dead area! (mission speak for an area where it's "impossible" to teach anyone). There are people waiting to hear the greatest news of all time about
how we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again! We did have lessons with
less actives. We blow that key indicator out of the water every week. Sister
Blohm had the thought that Heavenly Father doesn't want us to have success with
investigators until we really take care of His lost children who are already in
the church. We did see several investigators this week, but for various reasons
we were never able to have a lesson. Sister Blohm just had a real struggle with things not going as well as we would have liked.
Yes, the Swiss were very happy to win their World Cup game
last night!! It was crazy with the nonstop honking of horns and people running
around in their patriotic garb and bringing their flag
with them wherever they went. You'll never guess what happened. We have
permission to watch two world cup matches!! I'm serious! I know, I was shocked
too. But we have to use this opportunity to do missionary work, and preferably
watch the games with investigators. We have to pick which two games, and they
can't be on Sunday, and we still can't be home later than 9:30. I had a less active look up for me on their phone yesterday which games
are at 6.
With last week being transfers Sister McEwen is headed to Austria, Sister Siems is
going to Italy, and Sister Kervinen is coming to Switzerland! (every six weeks are "transfers". Missionaries find out from their mission president that they are either staying in their current area with their current companion or one or both of them are being transferred to a different area within the mission. All missions are divided up into areas with zones and smaller districts within the zones.)
I asked our GML (FYI - The GML is the ward mission leader who has the "calling" to help the missionaries assigned to that ward - congregation - and also to help with the ward missionary work. Almost every active member of the ward will have a calling to serve in one capacity or another. It's a great blessing and encourages so much personal development, testimony building and love for those you serve). for advice on
Friday after GMK. He
talked to us about improving our backup plans and all that. Every week in
priesthood the elders and the GML stand up and give a super short something
that has to do with missionary work. Yesterday our GML asked the men in
priesthood to pray especially for the sisters because we had had a hard week. I
was really touched, especially because some of our best friends in the ward who
are men came up to us and let us know how that we have their support. We don't
do anything like that in relief society in this ward (but we did in Wien)
because the relief society presidency said we don't have enough time and they
already get our ward email.
The other day I
came into the bedroom to see that Sister Blohm had put my bed back together (I had
washed my sheets that day) and put two heart sticky notes on my pillow. One
said "Love you" and the other said "Sorry." She really is
sweet.
Quote of the week:
Elder Kelly: "Sister Lewis you can be my
child's godmother."
Yes Elder Kelly is getting a golden. That should be
fun.
We had four less actives in church yesterday!! XX came again with her daughter after we visited them on Saturday!
One of these less actives just came for the
Weidmanns, like so many other people from other wards did. Yesterday the chapel
was overflowing. It was just like being in a big ward in Utah. The Weidmanns
had their farewell. They are off to the MTC this week. They will do such a
great job. (The Weidmans are members of this ward that have been called on a mission. Lots of retired couples volunteer to serve missions and are called all over the world to serve in lots of ways).
Sister Couper and I celebrated our year birthday
together!! It was a super great austausch (exchange).
I'm still a happy missionary. The
church is true. I'm glad Mom sent me this quote
from Elder Holland:
"Anyone who does any kind of
missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it
go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people
joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles.
Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary
work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the
baptismal font?
You will have occasion to ask
those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my
personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ,
this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it
would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that
missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in
Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or
two toward the summit of Calvary."
Salvation isn't easy. But it is
worth it. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears my prayers and
wants me to be happy, in this life as well as in the life to come.
Love you family. Thanks for your support and
prayers.
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