I love my Arcadia Mission Presidency calling:  I have all of the joy full-time missionaries experience with seeing peoples' lives change by keeping God's commandments, but, unlike the missionaries, I get to kiss my "girlfriend" every night.

May was baptized today!  She is so awesome!  She is studying to be an elementary teacher and has been investigating for about 3 months.  When she first met the missionaries, she said that she was "born-again" and would never join the Mormon church.  With some excellent teaching from Elder Channel and North, and the many Alhambra Ward members who really love her, she worked through her most challenging questions:  1) How do I know that this is the true church?  This was resolved during a lesson that where I was able to tell my story of how I felt the influence of the Holy Ghost in a Baptist Church about 10 years before being baptized LDS.  During that former experience, that church did not have the proper authority, so there was no lasting influence or power either.  After the Elders shared their powerful conversion stories, they invited her to be baptized.  She felt that all 5 of us were staring at her, so she asked us to look away, so she could "inquire of the Lord."  After a few minutes, she flashed an knowing smile and said, "Yes." 2) How do I really know I am making the right choice?  She found her answer while reading in Alma.
She now teaches the Chinese ESL class in Alhambra where up to 70 mainly Mainland Chinese non-members attend.  She is amazing!  Ever since being called to be in the Arcadia Mission Presidency, and after I see anyone in the mission being baptized, I get an unmistakable feeling that causes me to tell the Lord, "I am delivering another child to you."  It gives me the feeling of great responsibility for the part I play in the mission work here.  Today, my joy is full!

Sister Zheng and her son Yoshi were baptized today.  The met the Elder Zheng and Brown at the ESL classes conducted by the full-time missionaries in Alhambra.  They came to the U.S. from PRC since Mr. Zheng is a visiting professor at USC.  Before accepting baptism, their family visited Temple Square in SLC and had a terrific time learning about the world-wide church and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  After their baptism today by Elder Brown, Sister Zheng was confirmed a member and the gift of the HG by Elder Zheng, since she will be returning to PRC in 1 week while her husband finishes his professorship here in January, 2013.  He did not accept baptism since he probably had to join the Communist Party and would be put in prison if he joined the Church.  What great faith his wife and child showed in being baptized despite the possible adversity they would face returning to a closed Communist country.  God bless them when they return. We will miss them greatly.  Hopefully, they will be the future of the Church's leadership in PRC.

Elder Channel and Freeman (fresh out of the MTC) taught May this evening.   Others were in attendance--Robert Kuo, Bro Chu's daughter and I.  I heard May had been reading anti-Mormon literature so I thought the lesson would be spent talking about how important it is to learn truth from the source rather than from detractors.
After introductions, May declared that she was Christian and believed in Jesus Christ.  Sincerely, she ask us when and how we knew that the Church was true.  We all shared our conversion stories.  The most touching was Elder Freeman's story of being raised in the church, then at the age of 14, going inactive for 4 years.  He was content with what was important in his life then--football and girls.  He then began to feel the emptiness of his life without the Spirit.  After being invited back to church by a friend, he felt that he had come back home when he returned to church.
We talked about the Great Apostasy and the need for a restoration of Christ's Church after those many years of spiritual void.
Elder Channel eloquently and deliberately read verses from the scriptures that related how Joseph Smith received the Melchezedek Priesthood at the hands of Peter, James and John.  Elder Channel also shared his priesthood line of authority tracing it back to Jesus Christ himself.
Contrast that with her pastor in the Chinese Church in Alhambra where she was baptized and served as a secretary for 4 years.  Without the details of her departure from that church, we mentioned that authority of given to her former pastor was from Biola College where he earned his Doctor of Divinity,  and not from Christ.
The Spirit impressed Elder Freeman to commit her to baptism.  With a facial expression of knowing that it was the right thing to do, she ask us to look away from her so she could have a moment to ponder privately.  When we look back at her, she smiled and nodded her head signaling that she would accept.  It was truly a precious moment.  She recognized the Spirit and she followed its prompting with faith.

I love it when people share their talents.

5 Piano Guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VqTwnAuHws

Alma 56

 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the ^aliberty of their ^bfathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their ^cmothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their ^amothers, saying: We ^bdo not doubt our mothers knew it.

This was the scripture that Kyle Lemmon chose to include in Andrea's Funeral Program.  As I grew to know her through the life sketches by her brother, remembrances by sisters and brother, talk by her father and remarks from her bishop is Las Vegas and Houston, and see her reflection of faith and courage in each of her darling little girls, I realized how she epitomized these poignant verses.  Thank you, Lemmons and Hastings, for honoring Andrea and the Savior so brilliantly!  Love and prayers to you, All.

Got Faith?

"There will always be a need for you to walk to the edge of the light of your knowledge and testimony into the twilight of faith. You will be asked to exercise faith in truths you have not yet come to prove through your own experience or through the sacred witness of the Holy Ghost."
--Elder Richard G. Scott

 Alma 18: 22 Now Ammon being ^awise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

 23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I ^awill believe all thy words. And thus he was caught with ^bguile.

 24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with ^aboldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

 25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth.

 26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a ^aGreat Spirit?

 27 And he said, Yea.

 28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?

Ammon teaches Lamoni a missionary lesson so deftly, discerning his thoughts, asking questions to know his current beliefs, and adding upon his understanding of spiritual things.  This interaction is a primer of how to use the Spirit in missionary work.

Love you all!  We are all praying for the families of Andrea and Kyle.

D&C 131: 7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All ^aspirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by^bpurer eyes;

 8 We cannot ^asee it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all ^bmatter.

As spirit is more fine or pure we must develop our finer senses to perceive it.  Developing this capacity through obedience to commandments and Christ-like service is both a blessing and valuable skill in missionary work.

Famous Awkward Moments in the Book of Mormon

Alma 18:
14 Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the king answered him not for the space of an ahour, according to their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him.

15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.

16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the aSpirit of God, therefore he perceived the bthoughts of the king. And he said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy servants and thy flocks, and slew cseven of their brethren with the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others, in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it this that causeth thy marvelings?

As full-time and member missionaries, if we "observe, listen and discern the spirit (Elder Bednar)," we will know what to say as Ammon was able to perceive Lamoni's unspoken thoughts. Accept the sometimes "awkward" silence as a time for discernment of the Spirit.
(a thought for my zone conference 10 minutes)

First Baptism in the Chinese Group in the Alhambra Ward

D&C 88: 

67 And if your eye be ^asingle to my ^bglory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light ^ccomprehendeth all things.

 68 Therefore, ^asanctify yourselves that your ^bminds become^csingle to God, and the days will come that you shall ^dsee him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.

I interviewed Michael Ma, a young man from Hunan, PRC, tonight. He has only been in the U.S. for 7 months and started attending the ESL classes conducted by the Chinese elders in Alhambra 2 months ago.  He started meeting with the elders just 2 weeks ago and has such a strong testimony of God, our Father and Jesus Christ.  He says that he secretly studied the Bible in China and believed it was true.   However, he did not know what to do with his newly found faith until he started meeting with the elders.  He says that he know that the Church was true, because it embodied all the truth that he learned from the Bible, and, now, from the Book of Mormon.  He will be baptized on July 8th in the Alhambra Ward.  How fortunate we are to have not only the living scriptures but also the true Church in our midst.

Companionship study rocketh

Ryan and I just had an awesome personal study/companion study with Josh Newton over here. It was profound! You know, there really is a special spirit that comes when "two or three are gathered together" because God really was "in the midst" of us, just like that scripture says. There's something about sharing what you learned. It motivates and inspires, not only yourself, but those that you share it with. 

- We talked about how much each person can influence the world. Whether acknowledged or gone unnoticed, everyone has an impact on us. 

- There's a balance and beauty in sharing with others the knowledge and experience that you've gained, and learning from those you associate with. [D&C 50: excellent chapter!] 

- When we look for the good, acknowledge, compliment, and let others know about their potential, abilities, and goodness, the spirit testifies that to them, and we pave the way of the Atonement to them, as they realize they can influence, and become better.

- Bear your testimony spontaneously throughout the day. Don't be afraid of it. It opens spiritual communication. Make everywhere you go a spiritual, holy ground. Stand in Holy Places.

Moral of the post: Take time to share your testimony with others; it could just be a one-liner. Also, acknowledge those who influence you for good; let them know about it!

Thanks parentals for teaching us the good principles of the Gospel through your words and examples :)

Meridian Magazine - Sisters, Can You Afford to Keep Working? - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

Meridian Magazine - Sisters, Can You Afford to Keep Working? - Meridian Magazine - LDS, Mormon and Latter-day Saint News and Views

Interesting article.  If one is just talking dollars, it doesn't pay to work if your husband makes more than $150,000 per year (not a bad goal for guys to strive for).  Also, it doesn't pay for wives to work unless you are making at least $50,000 per year if you add in all of the added expenses for doing so (not a bad goal for gals to strive for).  One factor that I think the author intentionally left out was the personal/other enrichment and contributions to society one would achieve if working at a significant job.  In my opinion, that significant job would have to far outweigh the significance of the incalculable influence of a mother at home.  I also believe that the choice to work or not outside the home is a personal choice that only women (with the inspired counsel of her husband) can make with the confirmation of the spirit.  In doing so, the purposes of the Lord will be accomplished and the choice will be a blessing to the family and others.  Your thoughts?

The Beauty of Technology

Some say that the rate of technology is sky-rocketing. Okay, well, no one has really said that exactly. But it's true. We live in an age where technology is a must for communication and entertainment.  It's everywhere. In every generation, even.  There's always that guy in class who is playing "Draw Something" on his iPad in front of you. Awkward situations can be simple solved by pulling out your cell phone and pretending to text someone. Some possibly more meaningful examples of technological uses would be emails and Skype that can connect family and friends who live far away from each other. Technology is a beauty. Which is why we're starting this Lew Family blog. I assume we won't be the only ones reading this blog in the future. I mean, it's gonna be great when our posterity look back and see are accomplishments, thoughts, experiences, and most of our, our humor. So go on ahead, express yourself. It's therapeutic. And informative. And fun. Let history begin, NOW. Congratulations, Lew Fam; we've got ourselves a blog.