Sorry for the Wait!

Dear Family...

sorry... last week we pretty much ubos'ed (used up/ had no time) the PDAY...i became a member of Uga Uga... ill share THAT one with you for an FHE when i get home =P! and so we were going to try again on tuesday morning (or wed.) forget which day we tried...BASTA... not successful... brownout. Oh well... =P!

Read most of your emails from last week before the brownout...
finished em up today... and read the new ones.

So.... and in doing so... im pretty much out of time... 30 minutes still is the limit... one computer per companionship...hasnt been restored to regular computer terms... so... ill be brief!

ONE! can you please, in the next email, send me a list of all the Recent Convert baptisms? their names? I'd like to write them (ive wanted to for some time, but havent yet)

TWO! thank you so much for being the people you are for Sister Marjorie. It has been said that we, as a people, being Mormons, are known for many admirable characteristics. And the greatest of these, which we pursue... is that we "love one another." Let it be said of Us... that We loved One Another. This is worth striving for.

I would like to write Sis. Marjorie as well =)

THREE!
Elder Gardner makes me think of Mom a lot. Not anything in particular, except that he has full range of voice, is into ol' country stuff
(johnny cash soundin') and can imitate any voice like "seven brides for seven brothers" ol school types of voices. Makes me think of Mom =P she likes the classic movies and classic singing. (He is on darneddd good Bass!)

FOUR! Doing good with the Goals for the Area!
40 attendance back in the day... when I arrived here about 48... shot up to 70's... now 84. We can get 100. And the amazing thing is... it's completely the members. They are starting to be a Family =)

The youth program especially is being an example for us all... they wanted to help. they missed their friends. they loved their friends...fellowshipping. visiting. seminary. activities. Now they are at 23 kids at church in one room. What a wonderful example...of the church functioning, as it was ordained to be.

Many many Priesthood and Less Actives and Part Members are showing wonderful potential. It wasnt this sunday we were able to see them all at church. But it will be soon. (and we did see some)

FIVE! I'm glad for the puppies xD
I feel it a blessing for our Family. No, prolly not permanent (nope... not for mom!) however... at a time where our family could use some bonding... look at this wonderful gift the Lord has blessed us with.
Something to unite us! To laugh. To enjoy the house. to just be silly. I hope you all see this for what it can be xD

Thank you Sis. Marjorie. Thanks to our Father's Blessings.

SIX!

Hey. Yo. Sis. mmm... happy birthday?
haha! Nah, really, Happy Birthday!
You know kiddo... you're like the only Birthday I have NEVER forgotten. EVER. for some reason Aug. 22 ALWAYS has stayed in my mind. Others i take some time to remember. But i've never not known yours.
Been excited to tell you Happy Birthday. I will send you a small letter soon...awww man! now i have to send 2! A birthday one as well! *hmph*
timing...

Hope youre having fun! xD!


Soooo...
only one thing more to send... the one thing I wouldve send last monday because i had no time...but I absolutely love this one apostle... and i felt we all could benefit from what he shared.
(Learning to laugh xD!)

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=2fd5a0ad4843d110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

titled, (love this)
Come What May... And Love It!


Life is so...Amazing xD
Enjoy!

--Elder Christopher A. Lewis

A Good Moment for Me xDD!

Well... looks like I've only got a lil time, and there are a few items to be addressed:

ONE! sorry... however, i dont remember if i mentioned that this latest transfer, the one I will be in until Friday morning, has been with Elder Hill from Utah. (before him was Elder Hernandez from Idaho); Elder Hill i had seen in the MTC. He's the batch behind me. And we have been serving in Hinigaran 2nd Ward, somewhere between Pontevedra and Binalbagan (between Bacolod and Kabankalan). And i must say, having served two transfers in this area has been quite the experience for me. Quite. It would be some of my greatest hope that I follow through with how I feel of this past transfer... and take the initiative and change my being. Change my life. I'm so excited.

No...nope, sorry! Not on Ilo Ilo. Transfer announcements were earlier this morning. I'm transferring... and so is my companion, Elder Hill. He'll be going Senior now; exciting for him. He needs this responsibility... to lose the comfort of having 'someone else' to understand or adapt or decide. He'll grow amazingly... despite his charades of dismay about it =P!

The area will be whitewashed... 2 new missionaries; and we will need to prep the area for new missionaries. There is a lot of excitement going on in Bacolod Mission right now... President Tobias is a man who I could have never picture I might obtain as a Mission President... basta, in his humble, quite manner, I have learned more about being Called of God, Receiving Revelation, and being Inspired... than I might ever otherwise have been. I know that this Man Humbles himself before the Lord...
and thus, I know by whom come the commands. And I have faith, that The Lord Knows his Fold. "Do It." Has come to be a phrase that comes through my mind again and again.

We leave this area with many potential investigators, wala pa bunyag (hasnt been a baptism in this area for quite some time),
and a few progressing, as well as these key: 5 Families, the mothers and some of the children, active in reading the Book of Mormon, and excited about the Church; as well as 3 individuals who's conversion is at the same, a hunger for the scriptures, and a willingness to submit to the will of the Father. 8 potential baptisms for this area in the next month or two... followed by their family members as well. I am so Happy for them. And the Ward.

It seems the Mission is changing, Family. It seems it is changing. Today changed my life... for I felt a bit of truth, as it were, undiluted, poured from Heaven upon me. But a small realization. But if real... my gosh the Wonder.

The world is about to change, Mother, Father. Make no doubt about it. The Mission is changing, not just here, but the World over. Not the lessons. Not the Gospel. But the Committment. Even as Ammon, from the get go... from the moment, a person meets is... obtaining the desire to be baptized... inviting them, straightway... in power and testimony. Even from the first Moment...Let the World Recognize their Christ. It will take a great look within. It will take a great pondering on why we do what we do. But as one of the General Authorities remarked, "We are in a Hurry."

There's no longer time to be but a helper. It's time to Go forth with Faith. With Power. In the Spirit. And the Promise... They Shall Know, Who We Are.

The World is about to Change... when all Shall Know their Maker. I Believe in this. And I Hope to be a Part. From the President, the Apostles, the Prophet...

Let's Change the World. Do we believe in miracles? (we all want to say yes...); Then, Let's do It.

[...]

aaaaandd... time's up! 30 minutes na!

Transfers! Tell ya where I end up!

--Elder Christopher A. Lewis