Sorry for the delay, here we are with 2 weeks of emails!!

As you saw, we went to the beach last week and took a few photos. Not much more than that!

This was another good week, the weather has upped its game and we are seeing mostly blue skies which is exciting. It's still pretty cold but the sun helps, and the cold  as we walk up the steep hills.

 This week we had the oportunity to go visit another ward in our zone and help with an open chapel! My comp and I were in the baptismal room and explained to all the people that passed by what is baptism, why we do it, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We showed up a bit late, classic, and got started right away in our baptismal clothes. We had no time to prepare or practice, so it was a little stressful, but by the end of our 4 hour shift, we were crusin. 

This week was also one of the best in terms of the goals we reached. We planned well, worked hard, and got it done. It was rewarding to see that hard work, most of the time, pays off. Sometimes in the mission, you can work your tail off, but if you don't work smart, sometimes nothing gets done. 

Another accomplishment this week: I ate of full bag of Butter Toffees. Good stuff!

I also caught my comp eating chilean oreos by dunking them in pineapple juice. 

nice. 

I've been thinking a lot this week about the scriptures. As President Monson said, the Book of Mormon should be our goal. I'd like to challenge you to, if you're not already, get started in reading it! You can read it, but even better would be to STUDY IT. 

Go in with a question or a topic in mind, and bring some colored pencils and a dictionary, and really FEAST on the pages. It's the word of God given to us thanks to His prophets! 

I know the Book of Mormon is true and I know it blesses lives. I know it's the word of God, and that we have it in our lives so we can learn more! 

I love you all and thank you for your love and support. Stay safe and keep going forward!

much love,

-Elder Grant Lewis

I don't have time to write but heres some pics, 

we went to the beach!

 more next week!!

-Elder Lewis

GOOD MORNING AMERICA!

As your summer moves on, my winter is coming to a close. The cold days are starting to warm up, we are seeing more sun and less rain, and the street dogs are getting stinkier and STINKIER. 

We started off this past week with an exchange with the ASSISTANTS to the president! I led the sector here in Valle Hermoso with Elder Martinez, from Santiago. It was a good time and I learned a lot. Then we had zone conference, 

my favorite day of the transfer 

(besides cleaning day when we have 2 hours to clean the house). 

We learned about all the new changes that are happening to Preach My Gospel, and how we will get new booklets and pamphlets and stuff, in the next year. 

Today we went and hunted CRAWFISH! 

We linked up with our friends from Dichato and a member and went hunting. 

It was so good to go walk in the woods and get some fresh air. We found a flipped truck and did some climbing. 

Good times! We then went back to the house to cook up some crawdaddies and a nice stew. It wasn't a lot, but it was a new experience. 

This week, during the exchanges, we had the opportunity to go and interview a few investigators from the others sectors. During the interview, I was talking to a man named Yan, whos brother was being interviewed for baptism. As we started talking, Yan was a little brisk and didn't want to talk much. My missionary mode kicked in and I started trying to dig deeper and find out about his life and how he lives. After about an hour, Yan and I talked about his ongoing drug and alcohol problem, how he is about to lose his job, and how he doesn't have much to support his 5 year old daughter. As I told Yan, I dont have much experience in life, being only 19 years old, but what I do know is that God is real and helps us in very real ways. Yan told me that about a year ago, he was in the church, away from drugs and alcohol, and doing good. But he stopped going to church, and fell back into his old habits. I bore my testimony to Yan that the only way we will get the help we need is by doing what God asks of us; following the Commandments, going to church, and serving others. Yan started to cry, and expressed how thankful he was that he could have somebody there to listen to him, to talk with him, and to help him open his eyes. We both came away with a stronger testimony and a feeling of peace and a Godly love. 

I know that maybe you guys might not connect on the same level as Yan, but we all need the help that God has in store for us. And as I said, the way to recieve it, is doing what God asks of us. It's really that simple. 

I love you all and thank you for your love and support. You're all the best! 

See ya next week.

love,

-elder Grant Lewis

I'm short on time yet again, so here we go rapido!

This week was a tough one, real rainy and cold, but this past month, as a mission, we achieved 86 baptisms! A new record for the past 6 years of this mission. 

GO CHILE CONCEPTION! 

We started off this week with losing the power in just about our whole sector. We were out knocking doors, when all of the sudden, everything went black. We later returned home at night, still without power, and it finally came back about 10 minutes before we had to go to bed. 

This week we also planned an activity with the ward to watch Coco, and we made some treats called picarones, the activity was a success! My comp and I also watched Coco like 8 times during the week. We also lost our washing machine this week, so we will be getting a new fresh machine this week.

Im out of time, but i love you guys, keep killing it!! 

-Elder Grant Lewis 

Whats up gang?!

Another week on the books. 

Lots of rain, and cold, and fun times on the beach! We were out working one afternoon (the sun sets at 5:30pm right about now) and got some cool photos on the beach. 

Gotta love the coast life! 

A few days ago, I opened up a new toothbrush that I brought from home. When my comp realized that it was one of those vibrating toothbrushes, he was blown away and wanted to know where to get one! We will be on the hunt for vibrating toothbrushes for the next few weeks. 

We've been working with the Venezuelan family a lot, and this week we were able to help them out with some food from the Storehouse. 

As I said last week, they came here from Venezuela, 11 days in bus, with nothing. They lived off bread and water for their trip here. They've been here for 2 months, and the husband is still searching for work. They are a very humble and kind family. And they are very accepting of the Gospel, and attended church with us this Sunday, and loved it. The ward was warm and receptive to them, and everybody wants to help them out in whatever way they can. One family invited them over and gave them a whole bunch of clothes and shoes, and you could see how grateful the Venezuelan family was. 

We will be working more and more with them, until they can get married and BAPTIZED! 

I've been reading a bit in the book of Alma, about the missionaries in the ancient times and their trials and hardships. This work is no different, we have people that want nothing but to spit at us, close doors in our faces, and tell us that we are nothing. And there are also those who have been prepared by God, and are ready to recieve this wonderful Gospel. We keep working, rain or shine, cold or hot, to find and save those that have been prepared by the Lord. 

I love you all and thank you for your love and support! 

Have a great week and stay safe!

all love from Chile,

-Elder Grant Lewis