My Sister Lewis

When I make new friends, they often are people born in the 1920's - 1950's.  I'm not sure why I'm drawn to them.  I have friends from other decades, too, but I there is nothing like an old man I call "the Swed," the Roni's saving me a seat, Sister Sorenson inviting me for an after school (college classes) snack, or Sister Lewis.

Sister Lewis

As a young teenager, my cousin and I started participating in the Ward Choir.  I'm not sure how we got started there but we went each Sunday.  Apparently we attended often enough that they gave us the job of calling choir members to invite them to choir every Sunday.  Then, Alleson got some music to play and I was playing warm-ups for the choir.  Time passed, and I was fully-engulfed in Ward Choir activities.  I don't have a solo-singing voice but I do enjoy blending my basic alto voice in a group.

Back story: I took piano lessons for 2-3 years in elementary school.  Then, I worked a lot on my own but never on purpose so I'm not sure how my skills developed.  During a junior high school choir class, I watched and learned how to play the chords we used to warm-up at the beginning of class.

Sister Lewis asked me to help the choir by playing warm-ups for our Ward Choir.  I agreed.  Then, she asked if I would play a hymn or two for the choir to practice.  I agreed.  I had become competent in playing most every hymn from the Hymn Book.

Then, I came home from school and discovered that this elderly lady (the age of my grandma) had quickly pulled a bait and switch.  There was sheet music on the piano.  And from there, it only got harder.  The sheet music began to include Cantatas, other instruments, and crazy piano-solos with music and instructions I had never seen.

I spent many evenings in Sister Lewis's living room with me at the piano and Sister Lewis standing behind me teaching me to follow a conductor.  A mirror hung over the piano and we worked together until I could play my music while watching her every move.  She was demanding, which meant we tried and tried again until I could follow her every movement and know exactly how she wanted me to play the music with every break, retard, repeat, volume, and feeling.

Once, I got so frustrated during a choir practice, I decided to quit.  I crumpled my music, tossed it in the waste basket, and walked home.  The next day after school, I came in the front door and there on the piano was my smoothed out music, a card, and a pie.  Sister Lewis didn't let me quit.  Not only that, she made me keep the crumpled music to teach me that giving up wasn't an option. 

I realized that Sister Lewis had performed a miracle the day I played an Easter Cantata that was the wildest, most difficult music I ever played, and I did it without one mistake.  I cannot forget the feeling of being amazed at myself while I played it and realizing, when it ended, that I had done it perfectly.  The choir had also performed without any mistake, and the music had invited a strong feeling to all those who heard it.

Sister Lewis gave me the gift of music.  She gave me the gift of practice.  She gave me the gift of discovering that I had a talent.  She gave me the gift of the feelings that can be felt and released by playing music.  She accomplished this by being selfless and sacrificing a lot of time for a teenaged girl.

Beyond music, she would visit with me about every part of my life; my friends, my family, and my goals.  Her and Brother Lewis often invited me into their home, outside of practicing music.  They even helped me with a report, by telling me about their lives and involvement in WWII.  I heard about both of their lives from pre-war, all the way to the day they moved into the house on my street in the mid-90's. 

After high school, I decided to move across the country to be a nanny.  Sister Lewis asked if I would have lunch with her before I left.  She picked me up in her big Mercedes and took me to Ye Lion's Den.  When we set the day and time, she instructed me to dress nicely to go out.  So, in my church clothes, Sister Lewis and I went to lunch.

"Things are different outside of Utah, Joey.  People are good and kind, but life is not the same."  She mentored me about adjusting to living outside of the Utah environment I was accustomed to.  She encouraged me to find friends and support in the Church in New Jersey but to not close myself off to the all of the other good people I would meet.  Sister Lewis encouraged me to make it my adventure, my time to learn about Joey - the adult.

Sister Lewis.  Her name is Alice, but I would never call her that.  She's my Sister Lewis.  And, I want to be just like her.

I'm a new aunt!

I forgot to post pictures of my new niece!  And, my new nephew!  We didn't get babies this time, we got teenagers!  Liza and Bryan are Jeremy's new step-kids.  Jer and Lilia were married Friday, June 13th!  We like to add to the Hansen family in lumps the last few times.  I added three people when I got married, and now Jeremy added three more!  We're very happy to have them!

The pay off

Sometimes, it's easier to let the kids keep watching their movie.  Sometimes, it's hard to be patient with their fidgety bodies while we sit at the table.  Sometimes, I think we should just wait until the weekend when Jake is home.  But, so far, I can see a positive result every time we sit down and study the scriptures together.

The kids and I started studying from Gospel Principles.  We read the chapter and any of the scripture verses from The Book of Mormon.  I thought that would be a less overwhelming way to begin for Abbi than flipping between the Bible, The Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Gospel Principles book.

Abbi's job is to read the scripture verses and Noah and I read from the book.  Tonight, Noah was repeating the words in a big voice.  A few minutes in he asked me if I knew why he was doing that.  I confirmed that, of course, I didn't know why he was using such a big voice.

"I want God to hear us."

A few minutes later, we were discussing why we would choose to make good choices.

"If we could remember God and when we lived with Him, we would make perfect choices so we could get back to Him."

That four year old boy made me stop in stunned amazement.  Pretty good pay off for our few minutes of scripture study, I would say.

I believe.

I believe in the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and hope to align myself with that gospel.

I believe that God directs His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through direct revelation given to the living prophet.

I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by a prophet who holds all of the keys of the priesthood.

I believe that the prophet and apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are human, but that God will not allow any one of them to lead His Church in error.

I believe that the priesthood of God is on the earth and is fully available to all mankind.

I believe that all worthy males can hold priesthood keys and administer in the capacity God calls them to.

I believe that women, through the priesthood, lead in their homes and callings.

I believe that women act through the priesthood when they worthily serve in callings God called them to do.

I believe that through covenants, women have every blessing a worthy male priesthood-holder has.

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I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.

I believe that individuals with heterosexual or same-sex attractions can choose to live lives that make all blessings and covenants available to them.

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I believe that when official members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints choose to believe, act, or encourage others in doctrine and principles that are not in accordance with God's revealed gospel they should not represent themselves as "official members" any longer.

I believe that priesthood leaders have the responsibility to direct the affairs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as God has called them to do.

I believe that priesthood leaders hold a burden of responsibility when they have to work through difficult situations with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who believe, act, or encourage others in doctrine and principles that are not in accordance with God's revealed gospel.

I believe that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who become dis-fellowshipped, excommunicated, or remove their own names from the records of the Church are loved sons and daughters of God.

I believe that God is waiting with open arms for all of His children to work through their sins, weaknesses, and shortcomings and to return to Him through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

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I believe that my feelings, beliefs, values, and testimony can define me and I hope that they do.

I believe that my testimony and beliefs are mine and their purpose is not in personal opposition of others beliefs, values, and desires.

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I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and I love Him.  I will stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places as I strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice & Accountability
Good Works
Integrity
Virtue

I believe as I come to accept and act upon these values I will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

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As a female member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I do not wish to be represented or affiliate with any organization other than the Church itself.  I do not want to be counted in a tally of "us vs. them."  I only hope to represent myself in a way that will eternally affiliate me with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as I believe that is the only way I can achieve my eternal goal of living with my Father in Heaven and my family in the eternities.  There is no other organization on the earth that can so fully fulfill my every desire and happiness as the Lord's gospel, as revealed through prophets in these latter days.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Now you see them ....

Now you don't.  My parents leave in the morning for their mission to the South Africa Johannesburg Mission Office.  Their little white handbooks say they finish December 2, 2015.  We'll see about that.  It's hard to say goodbye when so much of your life and thoughts and feelings go together.  We tested our Facetime and Vonage connections and they seem to work satisfactorily.  Jeremy put it well when he told my mom, "I can't be sad about you leaving when you're going to do something you have always wanted to do."  I'll work on thinking that too.  Until then, I'll secretly work on trying to figure out my feelings and turn whatever they are into happy ones.