4/24/17

Today I am also short on time to email because my companion and I both did our hair today for Zone Conference tomorrow, and it took a bit longer than we expected. BUT! Here is a brief overview of my week-

Monday: After emailing, we went to the chapel and sat with Sister Buthelezi, Sister Anyango, Sister Nafula, and Sister Beckstead while Sister Buthelezi got her hair plaited. It was super fun just to sit and talk with them for a little bit! The only down side to that whole situation was it was FREEZING COLD OUTSIDE. So Bindura is so cold right now. As I am even typing this my toes are frozen in my shoes. Shout out to all of you who thought Africa doesn't get cold BECAUSE IT DOES MY FRIENDS. So cold. Anyway, my companion has asthma, and it was triggered by the cold. She could not even breathe and I was so stressed, but then she was able to get a Priesthood blessing and all was well! So that was our Monday haha. 

Tuesday: District Meeting!! Our car got a flat tire and it turns out that the spare that was in our car was ALSO FLAT. So thanks to the elders who were driving our car before us haha. It was also Zimbabwe Independence Day, but they did not really do anything to celebrate So a good chunk of our day was trying to find a place we could get our tire repaired. BUT we did get to teach some lessons! At the end of the day we went to go and see the Pepa Family (recent converts) and when we got there, Brother Pepa was bleeding everywhere. Turns out he had just sliced his hand open on a metal sheet. SO we went and got some people to give him a Priesthood blessing. He didn't even want to go to the hospital, but we made him go for a tetanus shot. Men are the same everywhere, let me tell you haha.

Wednesday: Crazy day of teaching a whole ton of lessons and climbing a mountain to get to one of our investigators again haha. We are teaching a family right now called the Muzaradope's and I LOVE THEM. Their Dad is probably the next district president, and the kids are super smart.

Thursday: Weekly Planning! Lessons akawanda (many).

Friday: Lessons and mountain climbing, again!

Saturday: We had a ton of lessons and we also got to go and see the other sisters baptizing some people! Cutest day.

Sunday: Church, church, church!  It was a good day. For those of you who know, it was my brother Jared's 6th year death anniversary. For those who asked, I did well! I cried like five tears only and then I was okay haha. My companion was the true champ of the day! She kept me happy and laughing all day.

Can I just say like five more times how much I love Sister Ndhlovu? She pushes me to be the best person that I can be. We have been SO OBEDIENT together and I love it! We are working so hard and I am enjoying her so much. We are praying to stay together next transfer!!

I AM SUPER HAPPY YALL! I am working hard, but I am good! I hope you have a great week! You are in my prayers!

Sister Lewis

4/17/17

Soul Sisters?

Hey guys! This week was incredible! Sister Ndhlovu and I are getting along GREAT!! This week was just crazy and so much happened that we feel like we have been together for longer than a week haha. I am feeling a little tired today and so I might not respond to everyone who emailed me, but for sure next week I will! I am fine, just tired!!

Monday: After I picked up Sister Ndhlovu, we went home and she unpacked. We talked just a little bit and then both passed out because we were so tired!

Tuesday: Would you guys even believe it if I told you that EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT that Sister Ndhlovu and I had planned for Tuesday fell through? And EVERY SINGLE BACKUP also fell through? Haha it was crazy. We literally just did not even teach one single lesson, which NEVER HAPPENS!! We went out after District Meeting and walked from like 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and NO ONE WAS HOME!! It was so weird haha. It was a good day, anyway! Sister Ndhlovu was a real champ. I was so worried she would be concerned about the area, but she just went with it. I don't know why it happened, but we just smiled through it all!!

Wednesday: Okay, for sure the Lord made up for Tuesday on Wednesday! We had some POWERFUL lessons and we invited so many people to be baptized. I also got to take Sister Ndhlovu up to Retreat, and she loves it just as much as I do!!

Thursday: Our first weekly planning together! It was good. Preparing for a whole family to be baptized in May, which is so awesome. They are from Retreat, obviously.  We saw a bunch of recent converts on Thursday, which is always good. They have such powerful testimonies as newly baptized members of the church!!!

Friday: Today was also powerful day for lessons. We had like 7 lessons or something crazy like that haha. Sister Ndhlovu and I are working!! Can I just tell you how amazing my companion is? On our drive to Retreat (it usually takes us about 20 minutes) she pulls out the missionary handbook and was like, "Do you want to study while we are driving?" So she seriously read me the handbook and then we talked about it AND IT WAS AMAZING. Most spiritual car ride I have ever had on mission? YEP!!! Sister Ndhlovu really pushes me to be a better missionary, and I love it! It was so awesome. WE ARE ENJOYING TOGETHER!!! Also something funny that happened on Friday haha. We have this investigator called Brother Gavvi and he was like, "There is someone who lived near me that wants to see you." So Brother Gavvi lives at the base of this mountain, right? SO SISTER NDHLOVU AND I CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN WITH BROTHER GAVVI TO SEE THIS GUY. It was so cool haha. I took a picture and sent it home of the view from the top. You see that city in between the two mountains? That is Bindura lol. I was blown away.

Saturday: Today was a crazy day. We had some lessons in the morning, and then we were told by our Zone Leaders that all of us had to attend this social media fireside. At first I was like, "For what? We can't even use social media?" But it was actually super good! AND THEN IT STARTED POURING RAIN. I thought the rain season was over, but Bindura's got jokes. We tried to do our best and work through the rain, but it was a bit hectic haha.

Sunday: Happy Easter! Church was awesome in Bindura Branch and then again in Retreat Group. I got to teach the Young Men and Young Women about the life of Jesus Christ, which was awesome. These youth knew so much about their Savior! It was so sweet. It also started to POUR RAIN again, so that was hard.

THIS WEEK WAS SO AWESOME! I literally am so tired I am dying right now haha but I promise I will email you all next week. Forgive me for being less-active in emailing for one week only? THANKS GUYS! I love you all!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

P.S. I am learning Shona like crazy from Sister Ndhlovu.

P.P.S. Sister Jili (now Sibahle) is doing good! She got a little sick when she went home, though, so keep her in your prayers for me!

Sister Lewis

Brutus, investigators dog!

View from the top!

My cute comp!

Sister Ndvlova and Me!

4/10/17

District Leader wrote, "Happy BDL"

My cute companion made me breckfast in bed!

Zone Leaders brought me cake!

Selfie!

Vanilla and Chocolate for life!

The DISTRICT! #fabulous

HEY FAM!!!

Here's the week!

Monday: Oh my way this day was so crazy. Sister Jili and I had so much to do and just no time to actually do it. We pretty much did all of our washing and cleaning in a superhuman amount of time, emailed, and then went to some member's house so that Sister Jili could get her hair done. I WAS SO TIRED I FELL ASLEEP ON THEIR COUCH. Haha sorry not sorry. It was like a 20 minute nap and then I was ready to go again!

Tuesday: District Meeting! Guys, I have the coolest District Leader ever. After District Meeting, Elder Tuua bought pizza for the whole district for my birthday! It was so sweet. We had cake the past two weeks in a row for Sister Jili and Sister Beckstead, so Elder Tuua decided to buy pizza for my birthday! He wrote, "Happy BDL (birthday lewis)" in these candies on the pizza. It was super fun. After District Meeting, we went to go teach some lessons with our good friend Moses! Haha Moses is one of the members of our branch. We taught some lessons and ended the night with some of my favorite recent converts, the Pepa Family.

Wednesday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! SO I have the cutest companion ever. Sister Jili woke me up at 6:30 in the morning to breakfast in bed! She woke up early just so she could make me breakfast and decorate our room a little bit. Sleep is her favorite thing, so I was touched that she woke up early for me haha. Right as we finish Personal and Companion Study, our Zone Leaders stopped by with a cake for me! They also brought a present that Sister Talemwa had sent me from Harare. I got lots of cute birthday wishes from missionaries, members, and investigators. It was a great 20th birthday! It might be my favorite birthday that I ever have haha. PLUS we got to end the day in Retreat, which was awesome.

Thursday: Weekly Planning! Sister Jili was such a trooper because she helped me to plan for this week even though she is going home. We had some good lessons on Thursday and just enjoyed the day together. We had a few fall throughs, but we also had a good day! I was so sad, though, because one of our investigators, Sister JoJo, left for kumusha. She was preparing to be baptized, but she told us, "I really want to be baptized, but I could leave at any time to go back to Masvingo. We will pray that I will stay!" I was so sad when we went to visit her on Thursday and her gogo told us that she was not even there. :( BUT the Lord will still take care of her!

Friday: Zone Meeting! It was our last meeting as a zone before we got changed up at transfers. It was a looonnnnggg meeting, but it was good! My companion bore her testimony which obviously made me cry because I did not want her to go home lol. We had some nice lessons at the chapel and in Retreat. I want to remember to take a picture of our chapel this week. It is super nice! Hopefully I will remember lol.

Saturday: CONFERENCE WOOT WOOT!! So Sister Jili and I got to watch the Women's Session and the Saturday Afternoon Session chete because we had to teach a lesson at 10 a.m., which was when the Saturday Morning Session started. In the Women's Session, my favorite speaker was Bonnie H. Cordon, "Trust in the Lord and Lean Not". On Saturday Afternoon, my favorite speaker was Elder Gary B. Sabin, "Stand Up Inside and be All In." I love conference so much! I can't wait to read all of the talks again. After conference, we found out our transfer news! I AM NOW GOING TO BE COMPANIONS WITH SISTER NDHLOVU!! She is from Zimbabwe and she is the cutest person ever. She is sitting next to me right now!! Anyway after that we had a few more lessons and then had dinner with the District President, President Limo. It was a great transfer!!

Sunday: CONFERENCE AGAIN AMIRITE!! I was so spiritually uplifted today. Can we talk please about these Seventies that had incredible talks?! My favorite Sunday Morning talk was a three-way tie between President Monson, "The Power of the Book of Mormon"; Yoon Hwan Choi, "Don't Look Around, Look Up!"; and President Utchdorf, "Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear." Man, I needed to hear that last talk so badly. Life does not even need to have anxiety, guys. Look to the Savior, and it will disappear!! On Sunday Afternoon, my favorite talk was by Elder Joaquin E. Costa, "To the Friends and Investigators of the Church." HOLY COW THAT TALK WAS SO STELLAR!!! I loved it so much. Joaquin in my hero. So after conference we went to the other sister's house for dinner. Can you even imagine that Sister Jili hadn't packed at all yet? But I can't blame her because I am sure when I go home I will be in the same boat. SO around 8 p.m. she started packing and finished by 12:30. I was just watching her like a sad puppy as she packed. I can't even tell you how many times I asked her not to go, BUT her mama misses her!

Monday....Again: So this morning I said goodbye to Sister Jili. Was it the hardest thing I have ever experienced on mission? Yep. Sister Jili is my best friend. I can't even imagine not talking to her everyday. I cried my eyes out when she left me this morning, but I know that she served a good mission and will do incredible things at home, too! PLUS like I said, I have Sister Ndhlovu now! She is so super sweet already. When we saw each other for the first time, we both just looked and each other and yelled, "COMPANION!!" and gave each other a big hug. SHE TOLD ME SHE IS GOING TO TEACH ME MORE SHONA SO BLESSED!! We are excited to take on Bindura together!!!

I am so happy. Even amid lots of change and tears, I wouldn't ask for it to be any other way. I am forever grateful that I got to spend Sister Jili's last 6 weeks with her. I have the Savior on my side, so there is no change that can make me fearful! Sister Ndhlovu and I are going to just party haha. GOSPEL PARTY!!! Anyway, I love you guys, I miss you guys, and I know that the church is true. I hope you are all happy and healthy!!

LOVE YOU TONS!! TOONANA NEXT WEEK!!

Sister Lewis

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4/3/17

Hey Fam!!

DID YÁLL HEAR THE NEWS?! The next time I email you I will be 20 years old! #sos So...am I officially an adult now? I am no longer a teenager? Seriously though I actually feel so weird about being 20 haha. I don't know how to handle it. Sister Jili and I are short on time, so I will write something like super fast!

Monday: After emailing, we went to an investigators house for family home evening. I was teaching the family how to make pizza when the electricity ran out! So Sister Jili and I ran to Pizza Inn, bought a pizza really fast, and then went back and we had a pizza night with the family! It was honestly so fun. The lesson we had was powerful, too. They are one of my favorite families. In my pictures look for a little boy who has his eyebrows drawn on...Lillian (his mom) is one of my absolute favorite people haha she is so funny

Tuesday: We had interviews with President! It was a good day. My interview was awesome. President Mkhabela told me how proud he was of me as a missionary! It was awesome. He also gave me some advice and stuff and was talking with me about the area. He is such a powerful man. His testimony of Jesus Christ is incredible.

Wednesday: Full day of lessons! Ended the night in Retreat. We went to visit Brother Noboth and we found a bunch of KITTENS at his house! So you can imagine how excited I was lol.

Thursday: Weekly planning! We had a good day of lessons. We were sort of all over the place because of a fall through, but it was a good day. We even got to take some members who were preparing for mission with us! It reminded me of me before mission! Too cute.

Friday: We spent most of the day in Retreat, which was too good!

Saturday: Full day of lessons!

Sunday: Church, church, church! Bindura branch and Retreat group!

Guys I know this is so bad, but I have like two minutes until the computer kicks me off! I had such an amazing week, though!

THIS IS SISTER JILI'S LAST WEEK! BOO! But I am so excited for her to go home and hug her mama! I will miss her like crazy.

I LOVE YOU! I hope you all have a good week!

I WANT A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FROM ALL OF YOU. It is a super simple birthday present, though. I would like to ask EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, no matter what religion you are, to read my favorite chapter from the Book of Mormon. ALMA 22. If you don't have a personal copy of the Book of Mormon, go to lds.org and you can find it there! Send me an email of your favorite verse! THANKS FOR THE BIRTHDAY GIFT, GUYS! YOU ARE THE BOMB.




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My hair being braded!

The final product!

The zebra cake we made Sister Lillian!

Lillian's son...she did his eyebrows SOS!

Sister Jili and I on St. Patrick's Day

Milliscent, Linah, Savior, Sister Jili, and I!

Me and my best friend Sharon

Cutest picture of Sharon

Sister Jili on her 24th Birthday!

Homegirl got messy!