South Carolina Columbia Mission

South Carolina Columbia Mission

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I first off want to say how much I love y'all! I hope that you had a Merry Christmas, and were able to see your loved ones; but most importantly, you spent that Christmas Sabbath reflecting on the things that Christ brings into our lives. There are many different ways that we can show love and appreciation to Him, and one of them is by spending time giving service to one another.

This week was quite eventful! I had my first southern meal, which is called Chicken Bog, and is actually pretty good! Most of the time when people make it, it is full of chicken bones and you have to take them out, but the Hudacko family were very kind, and didn't make Sister Fox and I do that. Our next meal with them is supposed to be something called Chicken Dump I think... I can't wait!! I love the South so much!

One of the cool things about the South is the fact that most families live so close together; like you walk down one road and pretty much everyone has the last name of Vereen, Bellemy, or Stalvey. So we got this referral named Ronya, and we have been teaching her. We have also have been asked to knock on the doors around their homes, so we did and we found her cousin Marva. We went back and were able to teach her the Restoration. When we were asking her if she could come to church we mentioned that she could carpool with Ronya and then we found out that they actually HATE EACH OTHER! It was kind of funny because we had been going back and forth between the two houses for a couple of days! But Marva still wants to take lessons which is really cool! PLEASE PRAY for them that they will make it to church this Sunday. We are really trying to help them both make it!

We also found out yesterday that pretty much everyone that is in the ward are somehow related to each other. They are all related to a Stalvey, which is really funny, and hard to follow sometimes! We try using last names but almost everyone is family so we have to include first names so we can keep track of who is who!

We also had tons of people at church this Sunday. Not as many as there would be in Utah, but pretty big compared to what we usually have. We even had to open the back section to fit everyone, which we never do!

Another cool experience that we had this week was on Thursday! We had planned on doing a service project, but the lady never showed up. We ended up leaving and changed into our proselyting clothes. As we were about to go knocking, we got a call from a member in the ward saying he had a lady he wanted us to teach the plan of Salvation to. We jumped at the chance because that NEVER happens (our ward struggles with missionary work). We drove about 20 minutes to get to this weird message-detox place, and Brother Selph paid for us to get our feet detoxed.  As the member was walking away, he leaned in to Sister Fox and I and said "Oh how I love MAKING people hear the lessons. Have fun!" It was so funny! So we had 30 minutes to teach her and she couldn't leave or run, because she was getting her feet detoxed too! How funny!!

I also heard in Utah that there was about 10 feet of snow! I just want y'all to know that here it was 80 degrees and people were tanning on Christmas Eve! It was so weird to see!

Sister Fox and I also found out that people in the south make Pig Head Cheese which is where you soak a pig's head in water and then make cheese out of it! I also got a picture of it. We weren't able to try it but I heard it was a delicacy, so I might be able to try it before I go home.

I hope y'all have an amazing New Year’s Weekend and BE SAFE! Know that this is the time to set goals and fulfill them. When we accomplish goals we get better, and that is what the purpose of this life is. It is to grow and to follow Christ as best that you can. He set the greatest example and I encourage y'all to take every step you can to follow him; like saying your prayers every day, serving others, loving people who wrong you, going to the temple, going to church, and spreading the gospel! Missionaries cannot do it alone but with the members help we can accomplish miracles!

I love y'all.

If you want to send letters or emails I love to get them so feel free!

Love,

Sister Lewis






Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Gold Christmas Trees

Hey Y'all 
I love being here in S.C. especially around Christmas time! It is finally getting cold here, but it's a huge change from Utah where there is snow... and you freeze your bunz off pretty much from October till March. Here, there is no snow and most of the leaves are FINALLY falling to the ground. We also get a lot of rain! Although I am going to miss the snow for Christmas, I love the fact that we get to go to the beach! 
Last week Sister Fox and I got to attend the ward Christmas party which came with a hot chocolate bar, a talent show, and yes, pictures with Santa! Our progressing investigator Peticia, her boyfriend, and their two kids came to the Christmas party, which was nice because we hardly see Brian because he works all the time! Peticia wanted to participate in the Christmas talent show, so Sister Fox and I got to sing Jungle Bells with her. It was so much fun!! The whole ward got so excited and even joined in the fun! 
I am loving all of the experiences that we have been able to have here at Myrtle Beach. The people here are just so warm, humble, loving and just kind. The people here feel like they are being rude if they don't let you into their house when we knock on their door. They also love to talk about Jesus Christ, which is awesome for us as missionaries. 
Christmas time is the best time to be a missionary, especially in S.C. We, as a district, got to make up Christmas skits. Our district has Elder Berry, who went to Tuacon High, and is basically a director. It is going to be so funny! It is called: "How Elder Green-ch Stalled Christmas!" In our district we have our District Leader who is from Texas, Elder Evans, Elder Green, Elder Berry, Elder Edwards, me and Sister Fox! Our district is very small but we get to do a lot of service projects with the Elders. It is a fun way to get to know them. Two of the Elders LOVE TO SWING DANCE! How cool! They are just so funny and so great. It's weird being the newbie because they don't know me very well yet, but it is still super fun!  As a part of our skit Elder Green throws Christmas cookies in the ocean which gave me the excuse to go to Myrtle Beach! It is so pretty there. We are allowed to go anytime that we have personal time. Last week when we went and took a ton of pictures and we were able to find full shells on the beach. We are also going today with the Conway Sisters in our Zone, Sister Kniffen and Sister Jensen. 
If you get the chance, look up 1 Nephi: 17:13 and 2 Nephi Chapter 16. There are some great verses that I read in personal study. 
I would love to recieve postcards or some letters from everyone. 
Sister Fox and I have been trying to find a tree for Christmas. One night we decided to be creative and drew one on a white bored. Then when we went over to the Stalveys to help set up their tree, and low and behold they had an extra little gold christmas tree and decorations for us to use. So we now have the cutest little gold christmas tree you ever did see! 
We also have had a great opportunity to sing for a members husband who is in the hospital. It was an amazing experience how two songs can bring the spirit with them! I also got the opportunity to invite the sweetest lady to be baptized, and she said yes! Sister Fox and I are doing great here in Myrtle Beach! I can't wait to see what Myrtle Beach has instore for me! 
Y'all better be excited for next week to recieve me and my companions Christmas card! 

I love you all!
Love 
Sister Lewis!










Monday, December 5, 2016

Too Blessed To Be Stressed

HEY Y'ALL!
It"s Sistah Lewis from SC!!! Oh my goodness gracious! So much has happened this week, it is so crazy! So first and foremost, I loved being at the MTC! It was so great, and having Thanksgiving there was wonderful! We were able to start off the day hearing from Elder Neil L. Anderson. He had his grandkids also make us a Thanksgiving card that we all got copies of. It was so so so cute! I loved hearing him talk and it is amazing how full of love our Prophet and His Apostles have for us missionaries, members of the church, non-members, and basically everyone! They are the truest examples of Charity, which is the Christ like attribute I am trying to improve on! I also got to shake his hand because my district got to Choir practice early, so that was pretty cool! After that I had to go and help set up for a service project for all of the Missionaries. My Branch president gave me the opportunity to be a leader in the service project that we did. It was so much fun! We ended up packaging meals for the families in Utah who don't have enough to eat. We created 359,000 meals. I can't even express how grateful I am that I was able to be a part of the service project and make it happen. I encourage all of you to look on LDS.org for the campaign they are doing through December called "Light The World". It gives you 25 days worth of things that you can do in order to help spread Love, kindness, and joy through this holiday season! 
I LOVE being a missionary! Now I am going to get to the good stuff! We left the MTC at 3:30 in the morning! We all got maybe 2 hours of sleep! Anywho, we were able to travel to the Airport and stayed pretty much as a district until we got to Atlanta. It was a miracle that us sisters made it to SC because we had to go from teminal A to terminal F in like 15 minutes and the Atlanta Airport is HUGE!!! We had to take a train to the terminal. It was sad to tell the Elders in our district goodbye, but I am excited to hear about the fun adventures that they are going to have while in Alabama. We ended up making it to the Columbia Airport, which, might I add, has only one plane; so it was super easy to find our belongings!! 
Sister Sherman and I were able to ride with the President and his wife to the mission home which was fun because they were able to give us all sorts of advice. Once we got to the mission home, we all got to take an hour nap before dinner. We had homemade Costa Vida which I love with all of my heart and soul!! It was soooo good!!! We also got to be interviewed by the President and then we went to bed early so that we wouldn't be as tired in the morning. 
The second day in SC was so much fun because we got to go to the stake center where we do transfers. We got to meet the mission office staff who are so sweet and nice. Then the time came to leave my dear sisters and companion. Now for the fun stuff!!!! MY FIRST AREA IS ................. MYRTLE BEACH!!!!!!!!! AND MY COMPANION IS SISTER FOX!! She is so awesome and goes home in 3 transfers whattttttttt???? She is from Kaysville Utah, and she is so funny. We have so much fun and take the BEST PICTURES! She is also a good singer. We have been asked to sing twice and it has only been four days since I arrived. 
One of the members, Sister Devincents, took us to Myrtle Beach. Her son went to the temple during our meeting because it is so far away. So we were able to go to the Temple and pick him up. I have never seen a temple so small in my life!!!! It is tiny!! Especially compared to the ones we have in Utah! It was cool that we were able to see it, because that almost never happens!! 
We also had the opportunity to teach two less active families,who both came to church on Sunday! My companion and I had so many people at church on Sunday we had to "sic" the Elders to people haha! I love being a missionary! 
We have been teaching a couple, Patecia and Brian, who want to be baptised. The problem is they have to get married first. We haven't been able to set a date because we need to get Patecia's birth certificate before they can get married. We just found out that we can order it online, so we are planning on a Christmas wedding and a New Years baptism! So many fun things! 
We have another investigator who is 17, her name is Ashley. It is so neat that she took it upon herself to learn about the gospel! She is awesome and we can't wait to set a date for her baptism.
Yesterday we contacted a referral who sent us to one of her neighbors who she thought would want to hear about the gospel. She is 92 years old and has the humblest of hearts. She had on a sweater that said "too blessed to be stressed". She was so cute and she let us read the Book of Mormon to her. We didn't leave her a copy because she can't see to read it. We also said a prayer with her! 
The people here are so kind and nice! I love being a missionary!
#BLESSED 
Love, 
Sister Lewis 
Find ways to spread the light of Christ this Christmas Season!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Too Soon To Say Goodbye

Hello Family and Friends,
It's crazy that last week I was saying hello to the wonderful MTC and on Tuesday I will be leaving! I have made lifelong friends here and it is so cool! I love all the people in my District and when you are a sister there are alot of tears and hugs. It was sad this week because district B left and it is so sad to walk by their room and not see them in there or giving us treats at night or just coming over to say hi! I love them so much and know that they are going to be amazing missionaries!! 
Speaking of which it is a sad goodbye but I cannot wait to see the things in store for me in South Carolina! I fly out on Tuesday so I will probably send out an email on a monday
I cannot wait for the things that the MTC has in store for us on thanksgiving. We have a huge devotional in the morning with an APOSTLE THAT MEANS WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO HEAR 2 APOSTLES SPEAK BEFORE WE FLY OUT COOL!! And the choir which I am happuily in are singing Come Thou Fount , the mo-tab version! It is quite cool actually! Also I was chosen in my zone along with sister Kniffen to be a table leader for the Thanksgiving service projec,t which is so cool because we get to feed over 350,000 children and families in Utah! I can't wait to assume my leadership role tomorrow! It is a great way to get to know more people and we get to wear very attractive hairnets let me tell ya! It will be so so fun! So just stay tuned! 
Also one fun thing about us Sisters is we do this thing every night called community prayer where all the sisters in our room say a prayer and then we do like a group huddle filled with all sorts of love and such! it is quite fun GIRLS CAMP IS THE BEST! (we call our residence that) How fun! Sunday was also a very cool time because I was able to teach the district meeting on the book of mormon by myself scary! I felt really anxious about it and was kind of scared but during my lesson I only felt the love and the spirit! When we have fear our faith disappears thy cannot coexsist! So don't be fearful when you have the lord in your corner, he will put words in your heart and all we have to do is say them! look how much I am learning! a cool part about the lesson was the book of Mormon is our key stone and is the best way to conversion... BUT... Jesus Christ is our corner stone and we cannot have the fullness of the gospel or truth without both which is why the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ! After my lesson before sacrament started Brother Ivins (in the branch presidency) told me that my lessons was one of the BEST lessons he has heard in the MTC and that it was full of power and by the spirit. So needless to say, I was freaking out for nothing! I also was able to teach relief society on repentence with sister Sherman and after one of the newer sisters who is going to Canada told me on our temple walk that it was something that she needed to hear! SO AWESOME! ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT IT WILL TESTIFY OF TRUTH! It is so great to be here because we teach all of the time and it is so easy to feel the spirit even if you are role playing! One of our investigators Jessica even commited to Baptism! YAY! But that was on our last lesson with her sad! The spirit can also tell us what to say in order to help people open up to us! That happened with our investigator Kai, he was very cautious when we first started meeting but I shared a personal experience of when I thought God wasn't there and how I realized that the Lord doesnt always answer our prayers in the way or time that we want! after that he was very specific on the struggles he was having in his life so always listen to the spirit!! 
Sorry for the grammer we only get a little bit of time to email and I got a B in english so sorry and I hope you can all understand my fun stories. I love you all dearly and hope that you have a fantastic Thanksgiving. Make sure to tell everyone who you are grateful for that you are! 
Count your blessings also if you can read Alma 34: 32 I think it talks about living in Thanksgiving everyday. I hope thats the right reference! But oh Whale!
Love you all!!
Sister Lewis