More Miracles

Background: I've added two missionary couples that served with me in the California, Sacramento mission in 2006-2008 to Janell's weekly report.  They may be able to help me identify/locate Sister Johnston and the Carmichael Bishop (possibly through the Huff's) who met with the Ethiopian man named Ayalew.  Anyone else in Elk Grove who can help identify the family Ayalew watched conference with would also be wonderful.  Most of us realize these experiences are not coincidences as you will see in the two stories below.  Thanks for any help any of you can furnish.  -Val

Hello to my wonderful family. I can't believe that Trent is a missionary now. YES! I just saw the senior couple that is serving in the Baltimore mission. Their names are Elder and Sister Olsen and they said that they will be looking out for Elder Lewis! They work in the ghetto area and said that they would try to get Elder Lewis to be in their area. It is a pretty dangerous area I guess but they love it. I hope to see Elder Lewis soon!

So, so much has happened in the past week. Last week we had a general authority come and speak to us. Elder and Sister Kearon. They are so amazing! It was a wonderful conference and the Sprirt was so strong. Me and my companion and one other sister sang at the meeting. It was a pretty song. Anyway it was fun to hear from them. They are amazing people. Sunday we had stake conference where another general authority spoke. We had a man call us and want to come to the "mormon" church. He met us there. He is a very sophisticated man who is from Ethiopia. The conference was great. After the conference we talked with him and found out that he used to live in Sacramento. When I told him that I was from there he got super happy. He said that he met with mormons when he lived there and lost their information. So I need you pappy to do some detective work for me if you could. He was friends with a bishop and his family that lived in Carmicheal in May of 2006. He can't remember his name. He met with a sister missionary by the name of Sister Johnston in June 2006-Aug 2006. I know this is not a lot of information but I told him that I would try to find out his name and maybe find that missionary. He has come across missionaries many times in the past 7 years but has never really listened and accepted the belief. He loves the people though. He told me that he saw us as his soldiers and teachers and he will allow us to teach him. He is such a nice man. He also talked about a family that he spent time with in Elk Grove. He talked about the big church which I think he is talking about the Stake center. He was there in Oct 2007 and watched general conference with them I guess. I wish I had the names of the people. I will check with him. He is a professor at a university in Australia. He is a very kind man. I hope somehow we can find these people that he talked with. I will try to get more information from him. His name is Ayalew. I will try to get his last name. I think that he was a little miracle.

There is another miracle that has happened within the past couple of weeks. There was a lady that I met on the street about a few weeks ago while we were on our way to a members house. I looked behind me and she was walking to her car. I just suddenly turned around and asked her if she was a dancer. She kind of looked like one but I just had the feeling to ask her that. Turns out that is was a professional ballerina and she has been one for about 20 years. Last year she had surgery on her foot and she hasn't been able to dance since. She is super down about it. We chatted for like a half hour about dance and other things. She is having shots in her foot and it sounded like the same thing dad did with his shoulder. I think that gave her some hope that the pain would cease a little bit. We talked about the joy of dancing and sharing that joy with others. I told her that she was able to help so many people and bring joy to so many by dancing and sharing her gift and talent. I told her that she has a gift and that she still can share herself with others. She was such an amazing person. She said that she teaches yoga now and told me where she teaches. I told her that my member friend that I was visiting loves yoga so I would give her the information. So anyway, after we met with her I prayed that someday I would see her again. We went to the member's house and we told her the story of this amazing person that we just met. We told her her name and she said, "shut up, I get her mail sometimes". She pulled out of the trash this lady's mail. I laughed and we joked how Heavenly Father is so awesome. I told her to stop by her house and become friends with her so that she can meet up with missionaries. I knew at that time that I wasn't in that area but it would be awesome to teach her. Fast forward to now, I am in the Chevy Chase ward which is pretty much the same area but just not with the singles. I just got a call from that member friend that she had a amazing story to tell me and that Heavenly Father loves me. I called her back to get the scoop. What happened was this: The member was at her own yoga class and over heard a conversasion of this lady talking about ballet and her hurt foot. So she went over to the lady and asked what happened and said that she herself had the same type thing happen to her. She then asked her name and the lady said, Elizabeth Gaither. This was the lady. And then the member friend asked where she lived and yep, it was the same lady. She then told her that there was 2 weird things. First, she gets her junk mail sometimes and second, that her missionary friends knows her. Elizabeth I guess just stopped and said, "I knew you were going to say that. I haven't stopped thinking about them since I saw them. I can't believe we didn't exchange information. That missionary just filled me with so much hope and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. Do you have their number?" The member said that she invited us to dinner this week and then invited her. So funny that I have been thinking about this lady ever since I was transferred and have been praying to find her and teach her. Heavenly Father is so aware of all of us. Prayers are answered. I haven't met with Elizabeth yet but I do have her phone number now. I will keep you posted with more from this miracle.

I love this work. It is so wonderful. I know that our prayers are answered. I love that you all are doing so well. Sorry if my emails don't make too much sense sometimes because I am trying to write so fast. I love you all so much!!! Keep me updated!

LOVE

Sister Lewis