New District

So because of transfers last week we got four new missionaries in the District and they are awesome. Two of them have 3 months left and then the new Sister missionary came to the field with me so I kinda know her, and the last one is about half way through his mission. All of them are really cool and I can't wait to get to know them more.

As far as lessons go we are really focusing our efforts to the Less-Actives because there are over 300 members but only around 60-90 come to church so we plan on re-activating them. We are also getting more opportunities to work with the members including the young men in our branch. A lot of them really want to work with us so we are excited for that.

Everything else is about the same here. One thing I did learn and I just learned this from my brother Aidan Lewis, "Happiness is a state of being happy. Joy is the state of great happiness." so instead of choosing to be happy we should choose joy. So I hope you can all follow through with this next challenge, choose joy over happiness. I know we choose to be joyful if we want so let's have joy.

Piliin ang kagalakan

Elder Lewis

Six Months In

So I can't believe it has already been six months, it feels like yesterday I just arrived at the MTC. These six months have been the most amazing blessing in my life. There were times where it was hard, times where I was more homesick than I could have ever imagined, I have had disappointments and discouragements but every time that it was hard it was more than worth it when we got that appointment when we got to teach and when we got to share. I love this gospel and all it has given me. This last week was pretty average but we did get to go to Laoag for a re training for trainers and trainees. We got to spend time with the Mission President and with his Wife. They are amazing. We have also been given the chance to go teaching with the members more.

For this letter I just want to share my testimony in some english and probably a lot of Tagalog.

Alam ko na totoo ang itong ebanghelyo at sa pamamgitan ng susunod ang mga utos ng Diyos magiging malapit tayo sa Diyos at sa Kanyang Anak si Jesucristo. Alam ko na sa pamamgitan ng pagbabayad-sala ni Jesucristo at sa pamamgitan ng pananampalataya kay Jesucristo we are unstopable. I know we can return to God, all we have to do is follow the commandments of God and strive to do good and be like Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that if we read it and follow what it says then we will be able to return back to our Heavenly Father. Alam ko na kinakailangang ang tagapagligtas at si Jesucristo ang tagapagligtas. Sobrung-saya ako dahil itong ebanghelyo. Alam ko na families can be together forever. I know that this is the one and only true church on Earth. I am so happy and grateful to be a missionary. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, Amen.

 I love all of you, thank you all for the love and support. Remember to be happy, it is your choice.

Elder Lewis

Pictures from Elder Pati-On (Dylan's companion)

Elder Lewis and Elder Pati-On

Nobody knows...

Sunset

Elder Lewis

After a long day. Very tired.

The Fastest Week Yet

So it has been a fast week. Not a whole lot of crazy things happened. We got to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. It was a lot of fun we were only able to teach one lesson but it was a really awesome lesson. The Zone Leader I was with, Elder Gallacci, gave me some advice on missionary work which really helped.

Also Thursday mornings we have District Meeting that the District Leader teaches the other missionaries in his district some thing to help them and we got a surprise visit from the AP's so we had the Ap's join in the District Meeting. They then gave me an evaluation on the District Meeting so that I know how to further improve my role as District Leader. I have learned a lot this week on how to be better and I am so grateful for it. I am so grateful for the tips and advice I have received so that I can be better.

I love all of you so much and remember to choose to be happy.

Elder Lewis

Dylan's Adventures

Never a "dull" moment 

Our new friend. We call him Max, and he follows us everywhere. He is NOT our pet though

Sometimes he gets cold. I love my companion. 

This one is for Gunter (Aidan). It's a bonzai tree. 

Time is Crazy Fast

So I can't believe it is already P-day, it feels like I was just doing this. This last week was amazing. We got a lot more referrals this week but have only been able to meet two of them. The work here is really exciting. We are going to be able to start working with branch missionaries now so we can get a lot more work done. This week we had the opportunity to do service for one of the members in our branch. We helped clean out some property by his house. We got to use machetes to cut down vines and trees. We also found thousands of red fire ants which when they bite is burns like fire so hindi masaya para sobrung-saya dito.

We also made some t-shirts as a companionship that look pretty cool. We also had the opportunity to have interviews with President Andrada. It was awesome he gave me some really good tips for learning Tagalog. President and Sister Andrada also got us and the Sister missionaries dinner and so we got to eat dinner with them also. Spending time with them is really amazing.

Church was also amazing as usual. We had some less actives of ours come to church and it was so great to see them there. We spent some time talking to them. I also got to teach my favorite topic in Elders Quorum, happiness. It was awesome.

So life is good and bad it just depends on how you look at it. Trials come and go and we can either choose to let them tear us down or we can use them to build us up. Alam ko na sa pamamagitan ng mga pagsubok magiging mas malakas tayo sa ating buhay. Sa pangalan ni Jesucristo, amen.

Mahal ko kayo,

Elder Lewis

Dito sa Sinait

Cleaning the bathroom

It finally rained

Just before sunrise

Me, Brother Robin and his son Hyrum

Our service project

Tuning into some good listenings

Loving Life

So this last week was great! We got so many referrals we will be booked with lessons for the next few weeks. We also got some more fellow-shippers which is absolutely amazing! Our lessons have been going fairly average but with new potential investigators we could really begin making a lot of progress.

This week I learned how to make graham cake, cake that you don't need an oven for, and adobo which is the most amazing way to have meat. All the missionaries got to attend a missionary conference about missionary work and it was so amazing. Elder Pati-on and I also had a miracle happen on the way to the meeting. So since we are both pretty new missionaries we weren't exactly sure where the Laoag Stake Center was so that we could get to the meeting and we were going to be late. So on the bus ride I said a prayer and I asked Heavenly Father for a miracle. We received the exact miracle we needed. The bus ended up going a different route than normal and drove right pass the church we needed to be at. We made it one minute before the conference started.

I know for a fact that God listens to us and through our faith he answers our prayers and helps us in the best way for us. I know Heavenly Father loves me and everyone else that has ever lived, that is living and that will live. We are His children and we are able to receive all that He has so long as we obey His commandments. He loves me and He loves you.

I love all of you so much, you are all amazing and no matter what trial you are going through, no matter how big or small it is remember God is bigger and is able to help you through anything. There is a quote and I don't remember who it's by but it goes, "Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is." I know this is the true church. Ti nagan ni Jesucristo, amen.

Elder Lewis

Life in Sinait

Adobo after it's done

Adobo while it's cooking

Adobo

Graham Cake after it's done

Graham cake

Making graham cake

How we take out the trash

Adobo before it's cooked