I don't have a ton of time today. We are trying to make a video for the VC sisters. It will be a funny training video. I will only be in a little bit of it because my companions don't really want to waste away their p-day. I understand. At the beginning of my mission my p-days were oh so precious but now I not tare really. I like being with the sisters.

We had some heart aches this week- our investigator who had a baptism date just told us that she needs some time and won't let us in her house. She was a more solid investigator as well. So sad! I really feel so sad about it but I still have a lot of hope for her. We had a couple of great lessons yesterday though. One guy that we have been working with who has been less active for 30 years, called after the lesson and said that he appreciated what I said in the lesson and that he felt something (aka the Spirit!). He wants to see us again this week. The gospel is so true.

Tonight we have an activity at the church- it is a RS African night! I'm excited. I hope all of our African investigators come. I love them.  It is so interesting how I love this area and the ward. I prayed to love it and now I really feel this overwhelming love for everyone. Prayer is essential here and always.  Last Sat and Sunday Alex Boye performed here at the VC. It was SO packed here! It was so crazy. 

I really wish I could have been at the anniversary party. I love you all so much and it sounds like you had so much fun. I got the video that you sent but I can't watch it according to the rules I think. Sister Olsen watched it and said that she wants to be apart of our family. I sure do love her. She said that the video was SO good. I can't wait to watch it.

I love you all so much! I love the pic of Dobes (Jodee) in the pool...I sure do miss my twin sister :-) Keep me updated with everything. I love and miss you all!

LOVE YOU!
Sister Lewis

Background:  This was a hard week for her to miss our 50th anniversary celebration. 

If you are interested, here is the mission blog: http://teachallnations5014.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2013-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=50  Val

Thank you thank you for all the details!!! You all had SO much fun. I cried. I'm so sad I wasn't there but I am SO happy that I have such and amazing family! I love that Lynda got a limo...not surprised all. Totally an awesome Lynda thing to do:)

It sounds like I missed so much fun! Six flags, reception, family dinner, videos, swimming, laughing...I hope there are many many pictures of all of this! I'm just a little jealous of the missionaries that got to be there:) I know that it was such a wonderful night. I know that so many were touched by it. I'm so glad that you decided to invite so many people. I love this gospel. I am so grateful that I was given the ultimate example of how a family should be and how it can be when it is centered on Jesus Christ and His gospel. I am so blessed.

I do want to see the video and everything but I may not be able to until I get home. You are welcome to send pictures though. They will just have to be attached to an email or sent in the mail. I cannot go to a link that you send. I wish I could.

It is hard now to remember what I did this week. We went to the baseball game last Thursday. It was so much fun. It was so fun to be at a stadium! Of course I bought a hot dog...had to and it was delicious!! It was a really fun day. The weather was perfect. There is a Mormon guy that plays on the Nationals. His name is Bryce Harper. He didn't play very well that day but it was still so good. I love baseball.

Last night was the Night of Music and Inspiration at the VC. I had to sing a song that I didn't know very well. I prayed like crazy that it would sound ok and that people would feel the Spirit. Perla came. She is so wonderful. It was so fun to see her! The night was full of the Spirit. The ending song was "I'm trying to be like Jesus" and all the missionaries in the audience came up to sing it. It was so good. The mission President was there and he and his wife cried. Elder Olsen finished off the night and I loved every second of everything he said. The Olsens are so great. I love them.
I'm glad that you got the video. Sister Olsen videoed me and sent it to Rene. I tried not to cry but it happened. Oh well. I miss you all a lot. Yesterday I had a dream and I realized for the first time how long it has been since I have seen you all. I got really home sick. It was weird to think that it has been over a year since I have seen you. I didn't like it. It is too long.

You know that you have been on your mission a long time when you see people from your first and second area and they say, "You are STILL on your mission?" or, "I thought you went home by now". Yep. That just shows that I have been out here FOREVER! The people are even getting sick of me. They want me to go home:) Usually people tell people that time has flown but not me. They think I should be home by now. Too long with Sister Lewis. hahahaha! The people in my ward right now say the same thing. "How long have you been here? You have been here a while now." That just shows that my mission is crawling by compared to others apparently. I can't believe that Mindy is in her last transfer. I know my last transfer will never come but it seems so crazy that this is her last one. Now her mission sure went by fast. Pretty sure she just left! I'm excited for her to get back. I sure do love that Mindy. And Reggie gets home soon too! Weird!

I found out last Friday that the VC will be closing down the month of August. I am super bummed. I will be a full proselyting missionary for a month or two. I love the VC so much! They just have to do some remodeling so it is needed I guess but I will miss it. It has been busy as a trainer. I have to deal with more stuff that you expect, but it is good to stay busy.

I love this work. It is so good. I recommend it to everyone. Especially all of my nieces and nephews (prepare now to serve a mission. You will never regret it)!

I love and miss you all so much. I'm so grateful for such a wonderful family. I can't wait to hear all about this past weekend when I get back home. I love you so much!

Your daughter,
Janell

Background: Our anniversary is June 8th.  We were married in the Salt Lake City temple by Joseph Fielding Smith in 1962. - Val

HELLO and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

It is your 50th wedding anniversary and my year anniversary of the mission. Weird. Seems like forever and yet not. I can't explain time here on the mission. So different than normal everyday life...even though it is now my normal everyday life.

Sounds like life is busy and fun. We have something fun today...BASEBALL GAME! I have been waiting a year for this and I am SO excited! It will be a full p-day and I get to watch baseball...life it good.

I just received  a new companion. Transfers were yesterday and Sister Lin and I stayed in Laurel and received Sister Gros. She is from France and  she is a rock star missionary. It will be fun to have her. Since I am a trainer at the VC I have to help with transfers so the call  outs of where everyone is going is not as exciting to me anymore because I kind of know...but it is still good.

I love that you are all playing right now. Sounds so fun that Devin and Kirsten are getting sealed! Yahoo! Tell them I love them and I say congrats! Wish I could have been there. So when exactly is Marie getting married? Will it be before or after I get back? So much for the mission idea huh?:) All my nieces and nephews will be married before me. Yikes.

I love you all very much. I'm so excited to hear about this week. Hopefully you will be able to email me before next Wed so I can hear everything.

The work here is good. Miracles always happen. The lady I talked to a long time ago who lives in Reno just called me at the VC and it turns out that after she just went through "hell" in life, she is the happiest person ever and it is because of prayer and the gospel. Go figure. I love hearing that. I was so happy to hear  her so happy since her life was terrible before. She says that she feels like a new person and feels like she has a new life. I know she will get baptized soon. I want to visit her when I get back since I haven't met her of course face to face. She said that we could ride horses:)

I know this gospel is true. The Atonement is real and it the only source for true healing. I love my Savior so much. My Heavenly Father is always answering my prayers no matter how small they are. What a blessing to know the truth! Oh my, it is the best thing ever!

I love you all so much. Have so much fun without me (just don't forget about me...:))

Talk to you soon!

Love,
Sister Lewis

Background:  Danny is a teenage member with autism that just loves Janell.  His dad brings him to the VC at least once a month because she has been so good for him.  -  Val

  

It has been an interesting week to say the least but it has been good. Monday, all of our appointments fell through. That was a bummer. We knocked on a lady's door and she invited us in. She was an Indian lady. She immediately started talking like crazy and started to make us food. I don't think she stopped talking. I didn't really know what to do. She was so nice and started cooking like everything in her house. She showed us everything that she had and told us how much everything cost. She then started talking about her nephew that lives in India and how he calls her all the time to find him a wife so he can move to the United States. She then gave us the invitation to go with her to India to marry her nephew. She advertised him for about 45 min. I tried to change the subject I don't know how many times but it always seemed to go back to her nephew and how it would only take a couple of weeks to meet and be married. My Taiwan companion was confused to say the least. I just had to laugh. The food was spicy but not too bad. There were a couple things that were terrible. Namely, the Indian potpourri that she fed us at the end of the meal. She said that it would make our breath smell good. It tasted like old woman perfume and looked like bird seed potpourri.  So gross! She was a really nice lady but I don't think she had any idea of who we were even though we tried to tell her. Funny times on the mission.

On Sunday I got to see Danny and his dad at the VC. They are so nice. He again offered to show us around if you plan on picking me up. I also met a girl who served at the VC when Sister Hogge served. She was there with her finance (they actually got engaged that same day). She was really nice. Come to find out she was my TA at BYU in one of my classes. Small world.

Well, I hope all is well. I love you all so much. This work is wonderful even though it can be hard at times. Know that Heavenly Father loves you and He is always there.

LOVE YOU!

Sister Lewis