We are in Abidjan!  We arrived a few days ago and have been busy getting acquainted with this new home.  Next week we hope to go to Mali.  I’ve started a mission blog for these next 2 years where I’ll keep a record of what we are doing.  I’ll check in here too from time to time.  You can find me in Africa at:

Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission 

or at this WordPress url:  https://lewismission.home.blog

My Dad has rallied and has good days and hard days.   He’s able to communicate a bit with pictures and an occasional word, sometimes two.  We keep in touch with messages and prayers.  I love him and am grateful to Kris for taking such good care of him.

I’m so grateful for all the good in this world.  It’s really an amazing thing.  Thanks to each of you for your interest and friendship.  I’m only a click away, still writing my fingers to the bone!

Last night we had our 3rd Washington Yakima Mission Reunion here in Orem at our Stake Center.  It was incredible!  More than 200 loved ones came to celebrate and reminisce about the wonderful time we spent in Washington together.   It was wonderful.  We had rhythm sticks games going on, we distributed wedding gifts to any we’d missed, or any who are engaged (we’ve had 42 marriages since our April reunion!). We recognized who’s attending school where, who’s married, who’s engaged, and who’s working.

For dinner we served J-Dawgs with toppings, watermelon, grapes, chips and everyone brought desserts.  It was a magical evening, just like I imagine heaven to be, happily reuniting with dearest friends.

Pres Lewis and each said a few words to these dear friends, encouraging them to be faithful and true to their covenants and to each other.

When we were at the Mission President’s Seminar before we left for Washington, we were told that missionaries were called to serve with a particular mission president, more than to a particular area.  At the time, I thought “what a curious statement.”  But after meeting our missionaries, I began to feel the truth of that.  I also felt that we were called to them because we needed to learn from each of them.

There is not a missionary in our mission that we did not connect with in significant ways.  I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with that statement now.  They were there for us and we were there for them, like matches made in heaven.

Last night I reminded these friends that we need each other.  We were placed in each other’s paths for particular and sometimes sacred reasons.  I believe one of the reasons our missionaries are so close is because we communicate with each other all the time.  We have a private Facebook group where goings and comings are posted and events are celebrated.  We keep in touch and do things together.  We are family.

President Joseph Fielding Smith once said, “Why are we drawn towards certain persons, and they to us, as if we had always known each other? Is it a fact that we always have?
We believe that ties formed in this life, will be continued in the life to come; then why not believe that we had similar ties before we came into the world, and that some of them at least, have been resumed in this state of existence?”

These friendships are eternal and dear to me.  What a huge unbelievable gift I was given in these 460 faithful and good souls!  Here are just a few.  The other 100s of photos I took are in an album on Facebook.