December 25,2012

Today we had the opportunity to Skype with Elder Lowder on Christmas day! At first we had a lot of difficulty because the internet in Mexico is very poor. The video feed and the audio were very poor. We finally gave up and called him on his landlords cell phone and continued to use the video feed provided by Skype. Our first impression is that he looks excellent. He has a bright countenance and a never ending smile. He spoke of how he misses us and the traditions we have as a family at Christmas, but that he was enjoying his Christmas there and the family he was celebrating it with, who have taken him in and treats him like another Son. We are extremely grateful to them. His accent is very thick and he struggles to remember English words. I asked him if he feels fluent and like he can speak all types of Spanish, conversational, slang and formal. He says that he can without difficulty. English is more challenging to him now. He told us of his many successes that he has had in his current area. We asked if he could share more about the specific people he is working with in his letters and he agreed to do so. He told us about a family that he got a referral for that when he and his companion went to their door, they were told that they were not interested in religion and slammed the door in their face. They went and saw some members who gave them a referral to the same family, so they went back. This time they were warned they would call the police if they returned. During a visit with the Bishop of his Ward, he asked them to go visit the same family. He told the Bishop of their experiences, but said if that is who he was inspired to send them to, they would go. They did and this time were invited in. They gave a very spiritual lesson and this family was baptized a week later and are now active members of their Ward. What a great blessing it is to have a Son on a mission who is magnifying his calling. Our Christmas was terrific, but mostly because of our Missionary of whom we are very proud.

December 17,2012

Hola Familia!! So I'm way excited for next week. I will Skype on Tuesday at 1 then! So this week was way tiring! I'm exhausted! But it went great. We baptized and everything. I'm very happy also that I have sister Mimi here to help me and to let me use and have a great Christmas! This week is going to be short and sweet because of time but I love you and miss you all!! I hope you guys are living the traditions and that they are making you feel as happy as I do when I do them! Elder Lowder

December 10, 2012

Hey Guys!, So this week was great! A bunch of work I’m exhausted! But I’m happy feeling exhausted. Everyday my companion and I are waking up at 6 to go and run and all that, so it’s good stuff. So this past week we didn’t baptize. But this week we have a family of 4 with baptismal date so that’s way exciting! We might be able to baptize 5 but we have to talk to a lady. So the other day I killed my first dog! I felt terrible! But what happened was my companion and I went running and we were on our way back home. While I was running there was a dog in the corner of the street. Well the dog didn’t see me coming and so when I got close to it I guess the dog got scared so it took off running into the middle of the street and a car hit the crap out of it! So I stopped running and I yelled, holy crap!!! I felt so bad! But anyway it was time for it to go. So I’m very excited for the Holiday season. I’m loving it and learning a lot about Jesus Christ! About the second coming, it’s for a member in my ward. But its not like I can read that book here because I don’t have it and I wouldn’t have any idea in where to find it. So if you can send me that info that would be great! I love you guys and miss you all and can’t wait to talk to you guys on Christmas! Elder Lowder

December 3, 2012

Hey Guys!! So this week was good. We baptized and we’re really happy about that. So I got your packages and i’m way excited about that!! hahaha. The tie is super sweet! So I’m exhausted because I was running around all week to help my district baptize as well and because today I started at 7 and finished a 2:30 washing my clothes! So can you guys send that money for the family for Christmas as fast as possible? Let me know when you send it. So this week, I did an interview for one of the elders baptisms in my district. It was awesome! We took a long time but it was way spiritual. We both cried for how good we felt and she was baptized the very next day! Going into the interview, she was very scared and she didn’t know what to do. So I talked to her and we read scriptures and prayed and a lot of things but she was still nervous. I didn’t know what to do to make her feel comfortable. I felt like I should share how I felt and what I did coming into the mission. When I told her the story, the whole room filled with the spirit and I felt the Holy Ghost testifying to her that it was true. It was amazing! I Love what I’m doing here and I love what the Gospel does to help other people! I love you all and miss you all. I’m way excited to talk to you guys on Christmas day! Oh and can you send me an email about the Second Coming! Elder Lowder

November 26, 2012

Hey guys! So this week was good! We had success and we’re feeling good about the season. The only thing that’s a bother is that the Catholics are coming out to worship a bunch their Virgin Marias. On the 12th of December they walk for miles and miles and days and days to go visit a Virgin Maria statue here in Mexico, so it gets pretty crazy and hard to find people. So the packages you guys sent just got here today. Did you guys send me 2 for Christmas and one before these or just these 2? Let me know so I can make sure. I didn’t have time to get my money. So I don’t know if they sent it back or not. So the pics look like you guys enjoyed yourselves a lot! I can’t believe how big Uncle Michael and Aunt Susies kids are, holy cow! So about that question you guys asked me about the money and helping a family here for Christmas, I would absolutely love to do that again if you guys want to. I have a family chosen already that needs a lot of help and if they don’t get it they wont have a Christmas. But you guys talk about it and let me know. I love you guys and Miss you guys very much and hope you’re safe and happy! Elder Lowder

November 19, 2012

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Happy Thanksgiving Jensen and Lowder family! I hope that your Thanksgiving Day is a special one and that it’s a spiritual one. This Thanksgiving, I will be working but I will finish my day with Martinellis apple cider that I bought in Sams club! hahaha. I’m way excited about that. So next Tuesday i will be called as District Leader here in my area. My Zone leaders told me that President called them and told them to tell me. Im grateful that the Lord is trusting me with more responsibility here in the mission. I’m way excited to help the district learn and get better and most importantly find and learn what the Lord wants me to learn. My greenie is learning a lot, We are having fun together. He’s pretty nerdy but im grateful that the Lord has helped me learn how to get along with everyone because if not I might suffer. So this week we have 4 people to baptize and the next week 6, so we’re way excited about that and that the Lord keeps blessing us. So I just want to wish all of you guys a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that you guys can take time to thank the Lord more than normal on Thursday and really enjoy the presence of the family. If there’s one thing I’ve learned here is that the Family is so special and so important. I really cherish the opportunity we have to be related and to be able to help one another. I ask you all to think of those that aren’t going to be with you all and think and talk about how you can help them come back. I love you all and I love this work. I love that I have the opportunity to help the Lord even the smallest amount I can but that I can help him. This is the truth! We have everything we need to get back to live with Heavenly Father! WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD. I know that we are his children each and everyone of us is loved by Him. I know that things get hard in this life and that we sometimes lose focus. But when we keep holding on at all times to the Lords hand and never let go even for a moment, I know we will never get lost. I cherish this and give thanks every moment that I have a family that loves me and helps me stay strong and that knows what they need to do in this life and that we are a united family. There are so many that don’t have that opportunity. That have so many problems and that don’t know how to fix them. Thank you all for being who you are! I love you all and Miss you and just know that I am safe, happy and stronger then ever! John 3:16 I’m so thankful everyday for this. Elder Lowder

November 5,2012

Hey Guys!, So this week was great! A bunch of work im exausted! But im happy feeling exausted. Everyday my companion and I are waking up at 6 to go and run and all that so its good stuff.So this past week we didnt baptise. But this week we have a family of 4 with baptismal date so thats way exciting! We might be able to baptise 5 but we have to talk to a lady. So Dad if you guys want to send that many that will be fine with me but its your decision. But if you can let me know before the tonight that would be great! So the other day i killed my first dog! hahaha i felt terrible! But what happened was my companion and I went running and we were on our way back home. While i was running there was a dog in the corner of the street. Well the dog didnt see me coming and so when i got close to it i guess the dog got scared so it took of running into the middle of the street and a car hit the crap out of it! So i stopped running and i yelled holy crap!!! I felt so bad! But anyway it was time for it to go. So im very excited for the holiday season. Im loving it and learning a lot about Jesus Christ! About the second coming its for a memeber in my ward. But its not like i can read that book here because i dont i have it and i wouldnt have any idea in where to find it.So if you can send me that info that would be great! I love you guys and miss you all jand cant wait to talk to you guys on Christmas! Elder Lowder

Oct 29, 2012

Hey guys, So this week I got sick again for 2 days but im all the way better again so don’t worry haha But this week wee didn’t baptize but its all good we have 2 for this week ready. Send me some pics of you guys at the Halloween bash. So my companion and i are getting along pretty good at first he was way serious and didn’t talk and a lot of things but then we sat down and talked and I helped him feel more comfortable with me so he’s been a lot more relaxed and all that. So I am in need of 500 pesos because we have no food and we have no money until Saturday.... But I’m in need of some stuff for Christmas for a shoe shining kit but one of those that has the cream and the brushes not one of the quick shiners but the kit, Christmas treats i think know what im talking about haha I would love a Christmas tie the best one you find and just medicine like day and Nyquil but i think thats all. So my companion and I are planning 2 activity’s for the ward and other for the stake. The one for our ward is a thanksgiving dinner followed with a movie night everyones way excited the bishopric is gonna buy 3 turkeys and the relief society is going to cook the other plates that come with the dinner. Its gonna be on the 24th. And the Christmas activity were gonna have is a dinner also but were gonna bring Santa clause and the 3 kings and were gonna have a live nativity and a game area and a movie area for everyone and its gonna be an opportunity to enjoy the holiday and bring friends and family to the church to be able to see what its like and what we do and all that. So im pretty excited about that. So yeah its gonna be awesome. well I love you guys and miss you and hope everything is going great. Elder Lowder

Oct 22, 2012

Hey Family So this week was good except for I got sick again but im better now. So my companion is from Peru he’s alright he’s prideful and is kinda nerdy but oh well were gonna get along even if he’s like this. So something amazing happened this week. We didn’t have anyone to baptize and i was like crap its his first week and we have no one ready to be baptized. So all week i was running around like a chicken with his head cut off looking for someone to baptize. and no one! So Sunday morning i felt like telling my companion look bring your baptismal clothes were gonna baptize who? I don’t know but were gonna baptize. So he got everything ready and we went to church. When we got there i sat the praying and praying and waiting for a guy to come so that i could invite him to be baptized. But he never made it. But a miracle happened and one of my investigators that I taught like 2 months ago shows up and he says I want to be baptized. Im sure you can imagine my surprise and all when he told me. So we went into a room and started talking so I could check some things about him and he was good in everything. Afterwards i sent him to an interview with my zone leader and he passed and my trainee baptized him that day! It was amazing! Miracles exist and its just amazing! So I’m in need of something... a package! I have been craving really bad a lot of snack foods from the USA! Im gonna give you a list. Sun flower seeds ranch flavored, Pringles, Flaming hot cheetos, gum, mini chocolate donuts, peanut butter and peanut m&ms, popcorn, fruit snacks, GOLDFISH!, Reeses! hahahaha i really want these things so if you guys can send me a package with all that and a memory card that would make my year go by great! haha The reason the packages are being sent back is because the mission sent an email to all of us and said that alot of packages are being returned because when they go to drop of the package and someone’s not there they send it back to where it came from so you guys have to put this on the box. Mande en el horario de oficina (10:00a.m.- 2:00p.m.) They say thats why the packages are being sent back so please if you can send me that it would be awesome and if not its ok . So Im glad to hear and see that every things going great at home and that your all ready for Halloween! Enjoy it! Love you all and miss you! Elder Lowder

October 15, 2012

Hey guys! So I’m feeling way good, but at the same time a little bummed out because my companion is headed out. It’s hard because he’s become one of my best friends that I would do anything for. He’s a great guy and a great missionary and it’s going to be hard to let our companionship go but it’s time to do so. I’m excited to train and teach this new missionary what the mission is. I’m excited to be able to help him become who he can become. I’m nervous but I know I can do it. So yesterday my companion and I went to go eat. We got there and they told us were gonna eat enchiladas! I love enchiladas they’re my favorite! So he asked me how many I wanted and thinking that they were the ones I loved said, give me 8. ha. So we start eating and they bring me my plate of enchiladas, then I saw what kind they were. They were enchiladas made with mole. I was like crap, you have got to be kidding me! So I looked at my companion and he started laughing. Then they brought him his plate and he was like, these are bad. I was like great. So we ate and ate almost dying in the process. When we walked out I felt terrible! I felt so sick it was ridiculous. So we went walking to the church because I wanted to sit on the toilet. Right when I walked into the gate of the church I was like noooo! And it came out! I started throwing up but it wasn’t normal. It was like one shot of about 2 seconds and then I kept walking to the bathroom and when I got there I started cleaning everything and boooooom again into the toilet. Now all this time my companion is dying with laughter. I walked out of the bathroom and started to talk to him and he was like, oh no! and he took of running and I followed him and he started throwing up, which made me throw up again. We both were throwing up, but dying with laughter doing it. It was awesome, hahahahaha. But yeah, it killed us. So we baptized again this week. I am praying that the same success my companion and I have had, my new companion and I can have. Well I miss you guys and love you guys. Elder Lowder

October 8, 2012

Hey Guys! So this week was great! We baptized for the 12th week in a row! I’m so happy with what’s going on! Sadly, in a week my companion will be leaving and I’m going to train a new guy! so I’m excited for that but its gonna be tough to not have Elder Tapia as my companion. I know that the Lord only has more waiting for me. So iIsent you guys some pictures that some people sent me, hope you guys enjoy them. So I need a new memory card because I’m out of memory a year later, haha. So last week we baptized America. She is way awesome and received her answer in way that was awesome to be able to see! At church! We were talking about the revelation and the importance of it and I asked her, “America if God were next to us right now and he gave you some time to ask him the desires of your heart, what would you ask him?” She just sat there thinking and my companion and I could feel the spirit so strong working with us and teaching her. When she just started to cry out of no where. We gave her a little more time and then I asked how she felt and she said I know that this church is true and I know the book of Mormon is true. I want to be baptized on Saturday, so we baptized her, haha. It makes me feel emotional to know how much the Lord prepares the people and to see how much he loves them and just how capable we are as his children! I absolutely loved conference! I’m sure you guys know that my favorite talk was Elder Hollands. I felt the spirit so strongly in his testimony and it made me feel that much stronger about what I need to do in my life. As easy as Be Loyal to the Lord and work and do what he needs of me. I also loved President Monsons’ talk about how we should see people how they can become. That it doesn’t matter who it is in this world, they can become something amazing! We just have to open our mouth and share with them what we know to be true. I loved how he talked about the fact we should take an inventory on our lives to see the blessings we have received and what we need to change. Wow, great talks. So I just want to tell you guys I love you and miss you and hope that everything is ok because you’re putting your trust in the Lord! Elder Lowder

October 1, 2012

Hey guys, So this week was good! We baptized the Family that received their answer in the tour of the church building. It was an amazing experience to see the husband and wife who had so many problems with their relationship just put everything in the hands of the Savior and enter into the waters of baptism with the firm testimony that everything was going to be extremely better than ever. So I’m glad to hear everything is going good back home and that you guys are happy. I have been very full of the spirit lately, more then I ever have been in my life. I feel in these moments the desire to not only do everything I can for the Lord but to give him all that I have and ever will have. The opportunity that we all have to share this gospel is a blessing greater than anyone could ever imagine. When we share the Gospel with everyone, this world changes. Through the eyes of our brothers and sisters and through our eyes. I love thinking about how the Savior in his prayer to our Father in Heaven expressed his love for him and all of us. He said "And he said, Abba, Father, All things are possible unto thee ,Take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not what I will but what thou wilt." The love in this prayer the Lord expresses through the word Abba, his closeness and love that he has for his Father is such a great example to me. I feel in every moment of our lives we should think about and follow this example. My favorite song is Savior, Redeemer of my Soul. Every time I listen to that song I think of the Savior and our Father. The way this song expresses how I feel and how I want to be in every moment, is perfect. I think that we should always reflect this in our lives and think of what we can do better. The Lord loves us all. Every time I teach, I love telling the people of the love that our Father has for them and how possible it is to do what we should in this life. I think the strongest testimony I have is of that thing. Our Father is all mighty! He is who gave us all we have! What a message we all have to share! That He Loves us and He lives and has given his only begotten Son so that we have the opportunities we have. I was thinking the other day of how you Mom and Dad feel about how I’m in the mission. About how you guys have given me to the Lord for 2 years and have trusted in him with your greatest possession and that you know that what ever happens to me will be what he wants not what you want. I can’t express the gratitude I have for this. That you guys have taught me and have never given up on me. That I know before my mission I was’nt a very expressive person or someone that talked a lot about my life. But still you guys had the trust and love to know that I was ok and that I was doing what I needed to do. I can’t thank you guys enough. I love you guys and will always be in your debt for what you have given me. Not only will I be in your debt but I will ALWAYS be in debted to my Father in Heaven for giving me you two and letting me learn from you both. Love you guys and miss you! Love Elder Lowder

September 24, 2012

Hey guys!, So this week was great! We baptized an investigator that had been investigating the church for over 30 years and his daughter. The Lord really prepares the people! We also had an experience with a new family that was amazing! So on Friday we invited a family of investigators to go to the church for a tour and see what we have and all that. We went with them and started the tour with a prayer and we promised them that whatever problem or question they had would be solved here and that they only needed faith and to ask and the answers would come. So during the tour, they were very quiet and it made my companion and I nervous. We just kept going and we asked if everything was ok and they said yes, we’re good. Well, we finished the tour and went into the room and started to teach one of the most powerful lessons we have and that all missionaries have, the Book of Mormon. When we started, we made a lot of promises and gave them moments to be able to meditate about what we were teaching and focus in on the feelings. We told them that they should take some time to close their eyes and focus in on what the Lord was trying to teach them. The Mom started crying and her husband just sat there. We asked the husband first how he felt. He said I feel very calm and I feel like everything will be alright and that this is true. Then we asked the mom and she said I feel safe and sure about everything I’ve heard you guys teach me. I feel like I’m ready for anything. So we took advantage of the moment and invited them to be baptized September 30th and they accepted with a big smile on their face. It was amazing to see them have that change so fast and to see them receive their answers. It was such a powerful experience to see the promises of the Lord being put into practice! I’m so glad to be able to see that you guys are happy and that you’re fulfilling your purpose here on earth and are trying to progress everyday and if you can do more, do it! I wish you all could feel how I feel to see these people make these changes and to see them really receive their answers. So just to let you know, everything has calmed down here and there hasn’t been any problems. Well, I love you and miss you guys very much and hope you guys can feel what I feel everyday! Elder Lowder

September, 17 2012

Hey guys, So this week was good, we baptized 3 people last week, 1 the week before, and 4 this week. This week coming up we have 2, so we’re doing really well thanks to the members of our ward because they’re giving us references and working really hard. So Mom, good thing that you feel that way because I’m always safe without problem here, don’t get worried. So, I’m glad to hear that everything is going good at home. It feels absolutely crazy to have one year in the mission. Just thinking about how fast the first one went makes me scared to think about how fast the second will go! I’m not gonna lie, I love you guys a lot and miss you all a lot but I don’t want to come home, I love it here. I think everyone feels that way. So, I was thinking the other day about the change that has happened with me here in one year. Its honestly mind blowing to think of the power that the Lord has to be able to take someone so prideful, stubborn, and crazy like me and change me into who I am now. I can’t explain how happy I feel to be where I’m at and where I will be in one year. So I hope this week is good and that it’s a success for you guys. That you guys can take the bad and make it good and really apply the atonement in your lives everyday and enjoy all that we have received from it. I can’t explain to you guys how it feels to make sure everything is good with Father in Heaven and to do everything we can possibly do so that it stays the way he wants. I love you guys and thank my Father in Heaven everyday for what you guys and he has done for me. Love you and Miss you. Elder Lowder

September 10, 2012

Hey guys! So the activity was a success! Although Satan worked his butt off all week to make sure we didn’t have success. Well, I want to let you know what’s going on here but don’t be afraid. I’m very very protected and I feel more than safe where I’m at. So, as you may know, a new President was called here in Mexico and his name is Peña Nieto. The people here don’t like him and they do not want him as President. Because its very corrupted here, he won by cheating and buying votes. So the people are very very mad about it. So, what happened all week was there were mobs and marches in the streets, burning houses and stores and killing people. So as you can probably tell, the people didn’t want to leave their houses for anything, including the members. We worked like normal because there wasn’t any concern but we started receiving calls from the members saying, cancel the activity because no one’s gonna come and we’re not going to come and things like that. So my companion and I went from house to house trying to explain to them that the if we trust in the Lord and know that the plan of salvation is true, that nothing would happen that isn’t part of the Lord’s plan and other things like that. But nothing! So, we went to the Stake Presidents’ house and I was like, look what do we do, the members don’t want to go and they’re all saying cancel the activity because of what’s going on out there. I was like look, I don’t want to cancel it because i don’t think anything bad is going to happen. He only told me don’t worry, it’s going to happen. So I was sure it was going to happen. We went to church the next day and when we got there we sat there for an hour waiting for the members to get there, but no one showed up. So we said a prayer and the members started showing up! The activity was amazing! We had more success then I expected and the rooms turned out awesome!! I was so happy with the work of the members and their faith, to be able to see it in practice was a great blessing. To come to church and have the activity and not be worried about what could happen. So we ended the activity with everyone happy and me exhausted! We started getting the things ready for the baptism the next day. We got to church the next day ready to baptize when we were told the President of the Young Women passed away the night before. So they told me that we were gonna baptize but it may not have that much support because all the members were helping the family out. I was like, great, but at the same time I felt bad for them. But in spite of the sadness and all that happened, she was baptized and we received a lot of support. It was a great week! We have a family of 3 ready for baptism this week and 2 more for the next and 4 more for the next! So I’m pretty happy! Dad, make a new email and email me like a new account! Love you and miss you all talk to you next week! Love, Elder Lowder

September 3, 2012

Como estan Familia, Well this week was pretty good and tiring. We confirmed someone a member of the church and we were told by someone on Sunday that they want to be baptized this week along with about 2 other people, so that’s way exciting! Well I’m way tired today because we played basketball for like 3 hours in the blazing heat! So I’m sun burned and tired. So, I’m glad to hear everything is going good, how’s Brandon in school? That’s good to hear he played, but hopefully they win next week. So I’m not to sure what to talk about. Oh, so this week I went to my church building to an appointment I had and when I got there, some guy started talking to me and he was like, yeah, I served my mission in Veracruz and I was like, oh that’s cool. Do you know Dallas Reynolds? He was like, Yeah! I trained him! and I was like no way, that’s awesome! So we talked for a while about that. I thought it was pretty funny that I found someone that Dallas knows. I thought that Uncle Michael was going to have his baby in November? So Dad, start a new email please. I need to talk to you about something. It’s not bad but its just something I want to do and so if you can please do that and let me know. Well, we’re still doing great. I thought I would have transfers but I didn’t and the ward started getting sad when they asked me and I told them I didn’t know. I dint have transfers so I’ll still be here for the activity this Saturday that we’ve been planning.. All the members have promised to bring like 4 or 5 people, every single one, so it should be great. Well, I just want to end with something that happened this week. So we were teaching a family of 5 this week the plan of salvation. When we taught, it we did our best to help them feel that it was true. They told us that they want to change everything they were doing to be better people. On Saturday, we went with them again and asked them if they were still planning on going with us Sunday and they had a bunch of reasons why no,t so they said no and we left. We got to church the next day and they came and we asked what happened and they said, well we woke up and felt like we needed to come. It was way awesome. I love this! Love you guys miss you and pray for the activity to be good on Saturday! Elder Lowder

August 27, 2012

Hey guys! This week went really good! We baptized and had the opportunity to meet new people and share our message. We actually have to change apartments because President called me and said that he doesn’t want us to live there anymore because there’s not a priesthood holder in the home. I completely understand, so we looking for a new apartment. So I got the money, thank you guys very very much. I actually went today and bought me some new shoes. My clothes are fine. My shirts are yellow but its the style here in the mission. haha So that’s pretty crazy to think that Brandon’s already had his first day of high school. So I just want to share some words with Brandon about that experience he’s going to have. High school is what you make of it. You can really study and do what you’re supposed to do or not do that and be like me and just barely pass because it bores you. Im gonna be honest, ever since I’ve left school, I’ve had a fire to learn, I want to learn, I want to study. I don’t know if its because of the gospel or I just want to be smart, idk but I want to learn. Brandon, don’t give away this opportunity that you have to do good in school. There is time to study and time to pray. It’s honestly a lot easier to be able to study right when you get home so that you can have the time to rest afterwards. Don’t be lazy, do your school work and ask the teachers, study! Its doesn’t mean that you’re a "nerd" to study because everyone does it, so please Brandon, take advantage of it. Also, I want you to read a few verses for me; 3rd Nephi chapter 18 verses 18 and 19. Brandon, you need to pray always because you are going to have ALOT of temptations because like it says, Satan wants you to fall and doesn’t want you to do the things that the Lord does.Your favorite word needs to be NO. I want you to be strong. I know you will be, I trust you and I want you to please!!, PLEASE!! put time in your week to write me and ask me for help in whatever you need life, friends, stress, SPANISH haha. Love you Brandon be strong. So I feel great to be here and I’m in the same area as when we talked on Mothers day. It’s way small, but thanks to the blessings that the Lord has given me, I’ve been able to be a tool in his hands to help strengthen this ward, to make it bigger, and happier. Ether 12: 4, If we have a firm hope for a better world we will have nothing to worry about because our faith will be like an anchor, always abiding in good works and always putting the Lord first above all things. I love you guys and I hope you guys will make the chain that holds the anchor of your faith stronger everyday so that you will never pass for anything that will make you fall. I hope I can give you something to make you wake everyday and feel like I do everyday. Today is going to be great no matter what happens, it will be great because the Lord lives! With Love, Elder Lowder

August 20, 2012

Hey guys! This week was great, we didn’t baptize because they wanted to wait for family to be able to come so we called it off until their family could make it. Tomorrow at 3 o clock I will be baptizing, so just so you guys know and you can think about how one more soul is making a promise with our Father in Heaven. So the activity that my companion and I are planning with the Stake president is coming together great and it looks like we are gonna have a lot of success! Our ward is way excited for it and they are working hard so that it comes out to be what we want it to be. The stake president is way excited also and is really happy that we are working with him to get this activity going good for the stake. How did Brandon hurt himself? So this week we have about 4 people that will be baptized as long as we do everything we can to keep these blessing coming. I’m glad you guys liked the plaques. I wanted to do one of the family but they told me the faces wouldn’t come out very wel,l so I just did one of you guys. So I hope everything keeps going well and that you guys keep doing what you need to! I love you guys and miss you! P.S ask me questions more so that I can remember things about the week better, ha. Elder Lowder

August 13, 2012

Hey Guys!! I’m so glad to here that everyone’s doing great and is happy! I’m doing great! I’m not going to lie, I feel a lot older! It felt weird, I’m not gonna lie, to have my birthday here even though I had fiestas. It still felt way weird not having you guys there but i really enjoyed it! One day you will see pictures of things but it takes forever and I don’t like it, haha. So this week was great! We also had the opportunity to listen to a Seventy and WOW it was awesome to hear him talk about experiences he’s had as a member sharing the gospel. It was really a blessing to here it. We are still loving being companions and having a whole lot of fun helping everyone we can. I’m absolutely the happiest I’ve ever been in my life and its because we are having the opportunity more than once to here the words, I know this is the truth! Its the greatest thing I’ve ever heard and it really makes me feel amazing! So this week we are going to baptize 4 people that are way excited and want to be baptized and I’m so happy that they’re going to get this experience to be baptized as members of this only true gospel. Also, to be able to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost so that they have that help so much more in their lives! I just want you guys to know that I know for sure, like I know that the sky is blue, that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ LIVE and LOVE us all. That’s why they make things hard, so we learn and we become like them! I pray and hope every moment that I am doing what the Lord expects of me while I’m his servant for the rest of my life and onward. I pray everyday that I have some sort of experience to make me better so that I can be like them. I hope each one of us in our lives do the best we can to be able to be like him no matter what the circumstances are or what happens and that we die doing what we know the Lord wants and trying to apply something from them in our lives everyday! The Atonement has changed my life and I try to always use it so that my Lord and Savior didn’t suffer for nothing but suffered and gave me what I have so that I use it always! I hear everyday things like "Its hard to do things that he wants" or " I don’t have the strength to say no to my friends or to change" or" I forget sometimes". These things happen, yes but they don’t have to! Everything is possible if we want it to be. When we don’t do what we should is when these things run through our mind or come out of our mouths that its impossible. I know the opposite of that Its All Possible always! We just need to use our faith and trust our Father in Heaven so that we can do ONLY what he wants, not what we want! I know this without even the smallest doubt and I share that with everyone that reads this email with much Love and Hope that it will help you to be able to try and be better every day in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen Elder Lowder

August 6

HEY GUYS!! So this week was awesome! We had a lot of success and we are having so much fun doing it! We baptised 2 people and confirmed 3! We had 12 investigators at church and all the members are way excited and starting to support us alot more! Everyone here is just happy and working hard to complete our role as members and missionaries! I've never seen it before that everyone wants to work with us or wants to have a little part in our work and im super excited! I also can't accept that i'm going to turn 20 friday. My ward doesn't know i know but they're gonna throw me a little surprise birthday get together on friday and saturday another family of members are gonna throw me one to hahaha so you guys know ill be taken care of. So we have 11 people ready for baptism we have an activity almost ready for september 8th that is going great and that is going to be awesome! So i can't be happier with what's going on here! I cannot believe the blessings that we are receiving here! So I'm glad to hear that you guys are had a great time in san antonio. I'll make sure to pray for the bells and aunt jodi. So i love you guys and i miss you all and hope you guys keep doing your best! Elder Lowder

July 31

Hey guys! Thank you guys for your emails im sorry but time caught up to me today but next week im going to email all of you back! So this week was a great week! I got my new companion his name is Elder Tapia if you remember he was my companion for like 3 weeks when i was in the threesome. So i already know him really well and we get along great! So this we it felt wierd to actually have help in the work. Elder Tapia has 7 months in the mission so he is works hard. Which for me is a great blessing because now I can trust him to give him some responsabilites to haha. Im still senior companion and feeling great! We had the oportunity to baptise yesterday and it was one of the best baptisms of my mission. I really had the oportunity to see the support that the ward is giving us. The service was full of members, we didnt have enough room for the people which made me feel so great to know that all our work we have put into gaining the trust of the members has paid off. We have a new family of 4 that were teaching and we have 3 people prepared to be baptised the week!! Im so greatful that the Lord has blessed me again with the help ive needed to really be able to do what the Lord has called us here in this area to do. We had the oportunity to fast with the priesthood on saturday for the missionary work in this area and were really getting blessings from it. Also this week my companion and i took the iniciative to talk to the stake president and were planning an activity with his and the leaders of the stake! There all way excited with the idea and were recieving alot of support and blessings. What were doing is were going to have an open house as a stake here. The members are going to bring people to know more about our church and what we believe in. Were making this activity so big! In my ward we have a member that works at the MTC here in Mexico. We had the idea to bring all the missionarys from the MTC here to work with my companion and i and other missionarys in the zone. To be able to invite everyone to the activity! I called president and he gave us permission to do it and so that's also going to happen. My companion and i felt impatient because our leaders aren't doing things like this. So we took the initiative to do it and its looking awesome! So my companion and i are doing great!! It's great to hear from the whole family and to know that everything is going great! It blew my mind to see how old my cousins have gotten and i still can't accept some things haha. Well i love you all and miss you all and hope you all are doing the best you can! Mom Dad expect a package to get to the house here soon! I got the pictures! Elder Lowder

More July

hey guys! Well this week was good. My investigator Fransisca didn’t come to church again, so we let her go. Sandra and her 4 kids are progressing amazingly! They came to church yesterday and loved it! They should be baptized this week but we have to marry the mom and the dad so we have that to check off. So, tomorrow I get a new companion and Elder Dias is going home. My new companion is coming tomorrow and its gonna be Elder Tapia again, hahaha. We got along together really well and he’s way obedient also so we should have a lot of success together. Why did Papa have to have surgery? So, I’m kind of glad that my companion is heading home. My companion has been very depressing and quiet and very serious and he complains a lot. So the 3 last three months have been hard for that reason. elder Tapia has 6 months in the mission and I know him very well, so its gonna be a big change and a big help for me. Joe sent me an email and seems pretty excited and ready for things to come which is awesome to see. I know he will do great out there. So I miss you all and love you all I am really putting a lot of faith that this next month or however long will be, will be great. Elder Lowder

July

Hey! So this week was way, way good! We baptized Sunday! I was so happy to help Tania make that covenant! So this week I did finally get my money, thank you so much, Dad! I know that none of it was your fault its always the banks that cause the problem! Well this week I had the opportunity to talk to a Christian man. We knocked on his door and contacted him and he said I’m Christian, did you know you’re saved? So as I’m sure you know, I was great, here we go again. We started talking about what it means to be saved and what we need to do to be saved. He started to tell me that our works don’t matter only if we except Jesus in our lives. So I pulled out the verse in the bible in Matthew that says Faith without works is dead. He told me that it doesn’t mean the kind of works that we think but service and good works. I explained it to him what it means. Where I’m going with this is that this week when I had the opportunity to talk to him, it strengthened my testimony so much more that this is the truth, because a verse so clear and so easy to understand someone can take it completely differently! He ended telling us i we want to come back another time we were welcome to do so. Were gonna go visit him this week. So this week was pretty calm also here but it was a good week. I hope that you guys enjoy your time together and with the Cooks today! Be good and have fun out there! Be safe also! Oh and about time that Aunt Kim’s taking care of it! We’ll talk to you next week miss you all! Elder Lowder Hey guys! So this week was good but my baptism fell through. It was the Moms fault, haha. But it’s all good, we found 3 new families, one family of 4 and two families of 2! There great people! So the rain seasons started, so now it rains just out of nowhere. It will be sunny one second and the other start raining. So it’s pretty bipolar here in Mexico. I asked for the waffle recipe because my neighbor wants to make them for me! So, my companion is officially revived so don’t worry, he’s working hard with me every day! This week was pretty calm. Except yesterday, I had the opportunity to teach someone named Jesus who has been listening to the missionaries for about 10 years. He has problems with smoking and drinking. We went to visit him with a member and started talking to him and he told us his story of why he hasn’t been baptized. A lot of It was basically because of his smoking and drinking problems. So we talked to him and shared some scriptures with him and told him what he needed to do. He and his Mom started to cry and just felt the spirit so strongly and I did too. He accepted to be baptized and everything! So for me it was way special. Dad, you probably already know this but at least here, a lot of people that put off their baptism is because they don’t feel like they have enough knowledge of the Gospel or they don’t feel ready. Alma 32 has always helped a lot and explaining the importance of prayer and the answer that they need. If you talk to him, Dad and read that chapter with him and share your testimony from your heart of how this is true, I know he will be baptized. I just feel he doesn’t feel exactly sure about it all yet but if you help him feel that way I know he will do it. Just what I think, will help him a lot. Well Mom, buy ya some spray and hike it with ya! Nah don’t worry about the bugs it will be fun! Well I don’t have much to share this week either but I love you guys and I’m so thankful that you guys prepared me like you did to get to where I’m at right now! love you all and miss you all! Elder Lowder

May 8, 2012

Well, this week was good but hard. So, this week I went to get transferred and all that stuff on Tuesday. When I got there, I had no idea where I was going, who I was gonna get as my companion, nothing. I was pretty stressed out! I was sitting there listening to president call out the changes when I heard "Elder Lowder, Va a abrir area lousero en zona nesa pantitlan. Su compañero va a ser Elder Dias, Elder lowder como compeñero mejor." So, what that means is that I’m in a new area, opening the area with elder Dias with me serving as senior companion. This area, no one has worked here for a long time so it’s a little difficult. I got here and we got put in our house that didn’t have a bathroom door, has tile but not all of the house and was dirty so I’m sure you can imagine how I felt. We put our things in the house and I was like, well lets go to work. We left the house with a map and started to learn the area and contact people. Everyone told us no but we kept pushing along because the more people that say no, someone is going to have to say yes. The area is very, very small. The members here are great leaders and work very hard and are excited to have missionaries here again. In the ward, there’s about 300 or more members. Out of these 300 people, about 60 are active in the church. So I was praying the other day about what I needed to do in this area, what is it that the Lord wants me to do in this area. I felt I needed to do 2 things, baptize but more importantly as my central focus, activate the inactives. So I talked the Bishop and told him what our goals were and he’s very excited that we’re gonna help them with all the inactives here. So I’m very excited to work with these members and to just be here. Although it was way, way difficult to leave my past area and leave my converts and my friends and a lot of people that are like family, I’m very excited to be here and have this opportunity. So my companion is a good guy but he’s lazy to be honest, haha. He has 21 months in the mission so he’s kinda lost his umph. But it’s all good. We’re getting along very well and I’m trying my best to help him keep some excitement that he has left so that we can get this ward help and move forward the work. So since you put carpet in that means either you’re gonna move soon or you just needed new carpet. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and all of my 8 months in the mission and I want to live in Utah after my mission. I feel like that’s where I need to be after for many reasons. First, my exaltation, haha, the future wife. I hear that’s the best place to find one. Second, the atmosphere. Most of my mission friends live there and are gonna go to school in Utah. So I want to head up there with them. Third, I’m hoping that you guys will move up there so that we can all have some fun as a family and it won’t be hard to visit on holidays, haha. What’s been your recent thoughts on that subject lately since I’ve been gone? Well I’m glad to hear everything’s going great and that you guys are very happy! I love you guys and I miss you all! Elder Lowder

April 30, 2012

Well, this week stunk! My companion broke his foot last Monday, so we couldn’t leave all week. it’s all good though, we baptized the 2 people I told you about. Thanks for your help with the money! I’m leaving and going to another area with someone else. President said I’m going to be senior companion, so I’m gonna work my john brown hind parts off. Sorry guys, this is pretty short. I’ve been packing and tearing up all day with telling my converts goodbye and having to prepare to leave this area. This sucks. I’m pretty down but I’m also way excited to get to know a new place and new people! I love you guys. I’m sorry this is way short. I miss you and will talk to you Monday! Elder Lowder

April 16, 2012

Hey guys! So this week was crazy! This week on Tuesday we got a call from President telling my companion that he’s being switched to a different area as an emergency for problems he had with our district leader and Bishop. So I’m again in a trio! I have 2 new companions named Elder Tapia from Oaxaca and Elder Morales from Veracruz. They’re slow workers but they’re good guys. I’ve been working my butt off to keep our numbers up and keep the people listening to us. We’re going to baptize Karen and Victor, my neighbors, which for me is something huge because they have talked to a bunch of other missionaries and nothing, but I had the opportunity to answer their questions about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and they want to be baptized! So, we have to get them married this Saturday and then baptized Sunday!! Then we have Cornelio! Wow he was hard! He’s the kind of guy that says that Joseph Smith isn’t in the Bible so i don’t believe! My companion and I bore our testimony’s of him and told him to pray and he knew it was true. It’s been such a blessing here! Also this week, I again have a little stomach problem, but it’s gotten a lot better! So, I have a question. You guys never told me about this, but the week that Dallas and parts of East Texas had tornados, a bunch of members told me that this happened but you guys never said anything. How’s things going there? So, Dad that’s so awesome that he’s taking this chance. I’m gonna’ write him an email to congratulate him. If you can give it to him or read it to him, whatever you can do please. Sounds like things are pretty normal back at the house. Tell them, Mom that I said thank you and much love from Mexico! So, how’s Breanna and Dallas coming along? That’s so awesome that Uncle Michael and Aunt Susie are having a boy! Tell Uncle Michael to get on writing! Can you ask Granda and Papa if they got to send that letter to Uncle Thayne? Just want to say a few things to the Jensen family and Lowder Family. I hope everything is going good out where each and every one of you are! I think of you all often and pray for you always! I love you all and miss you! So I hope that the carpet goes good! I love you all and keep me in your prayers this week so that my companions will get their heads into the game! I love you all! Miss you! Elder Lowder

April 9, 2012

Hey guys!!
That’s so freaking awesome Spain!! I was hoping he would go somewhere Spanish speaking so we could talk in Spanish when i get back. But he’s got more of an advantage then most will in the MTC because he took 3 years in high school so that's gonna help him a whole lot! So Easter here is so crazy! They crucify a man lie bet him and hang him by the cross and everything with nails all of it. Im not even kidding its so crazy here with the Catholics. They have a tradicion that starts Saturday its called sabado de Gloria. During this day they do crazy things in the streets like wait until you pass and throw a whole bucket of water on you or a water balloon. It’s funny but no one got me except for my neighbor! But i got her way way bad her mom filled a tub full of water and i made her fall in haha it was way fun. So my companion is better enough to where were able to work. So were back at it we already have 6 with a baptism date so everything’s going great! But it’s a real miracle that we have these people because during this time the people are all in the center of DF watching some dude get basically beating and hung until hes at the point of death! And then after he’s one of the most famous people in Mexico. ha Its way crazy. But during these days we found some great people that were going to baptize which is such a blessing. So dad im going to go to center of DF next Monday so if it’s possible to send me some money im going to go to this bank thing and check how it works and let you know. That's good that McFarland’s going because he was a jerk hopefully Brandon will do better than me without him as coach. Well what did you guys get for Easter from the rabbit? Was the food good and fun?
Well I love you all and miss you all very much talk to you next week with more info!
Elder Lowder

April 2, 2012

Hey guys!

Well this week was bad until conference hit! It was because my companion
still isn’t better and he can’t work. He can’t walk for more than 30 minutes
without almost killing himself. So we’re constantly at a members house or
our converts houses. It’s kind of annoying because I want to work! At the
same time, I know that he’s my companion and I have to help him get better. It
really honestly wasn’t like I was frustrated, but when I reported our numbers
I about threw up. It was the worst set of numbers I’ve ever had in my mission.
Worse than my school grades! But i know there’s something that the Lord
wants me to learn in this, so I need to just keep moving forward and stay
positive. So, like you guys, i absolutely loved conference. It was so freaking
good. Elder Scott and I watched it in English in the secretary’s office at
the church. But it was soo good, every message that I heard was something
that needs to change that I’ve been starting to notice. I think my favorite
talks, that I got to hear because i didn’t get to hear all of them, (yet) were
Elder Uchtdorfs talks. All of them were way good. As well as Elder Andersons,
that was way powerful. Anyways, I’ve got to apply all the things i heard
and make sure I do what Elder, umm, I don’t remember his name right now, but he’s
a member of the 70. He wrote a talk in the Liahona. He was talking about
how he had to sell his new wife’s wedding ring because he wanted to be able
to follow the counsel of the prophet and have a 24 hour kit in the house.
Because he was poor, his wife and he decided to sell the
ring. The thing I liked is that they both sacrificed something very
special that had a lot of meaning in their lives because they had that
drive to follow the counsel they received. It was just a reminder to me of how we
need to live our lives here on earth. We need to sacrifice always in order
to receive what we want or need. When we sacrifice, we will always be
prepared for the best or the worst that will come. For me, that’s a
comforting feeling that I will always do my very best to keep. I know as I
follow the counsel I receive and the knowledge I have, I will always be
blessed. I know that I will receive the one thing that is the most
important for me and that is returning to the presence of my Father in Heaven
with you all and with my own wife and children; Just a quick thought that
I’ve been having. So, I’ve had a lot of time to be able to ponder and to study
since my companions been doing bad. This week I had an opportunity to
really ponder on the many blessing I have received in my life and how
much I have taken them for granted. When all the Lord asks of us is to pray
and give thanks, as well as keep his commandments, follow the prophet and to
study every single day, etc. A lot of times in my life I’ve been blessed so
so much and not gotten down on my knees to thank the Lord for his charity
and his amazingly perfect and enormous love he has for me. I pray and give
thanks a lot but I always feel like it’s literally impossible to give thanks
enough because every single little, big, bad, sad, hard, and pain we
receive is a blessing for us personally that a lot of times we don’t see.
Things in my life, for example, when i wrecked the car 3 times. That car was a
blessing. The ability to "drive" ( the quotations are for you, dad) is
because of my health and for the body that I have been blessed with and for
the parents that I have been blessed with in my life to teach me. After
each wreck, instead of thanking him for the lesson I learned or for the
safety I still have, I would complain or just be angry with myself and not
want to forgive myself. I was always so hard on myself
every time I made a mistake in my life or did not do things to the best of
my ability. When really, I should always pray and ask, for example, “Father I
feel weak, please strengthen me to the amount that I need to be able to
finish this day, Father I’m so angry with what just happened but thank you
so much for the trial and for the lesson I’m learning from this”. “Father I
have this problem right now and I’m so confused, what should I do that will
please thee”? As I’ve started to apply this in my life this week I’ve noticed
the changes and I’ve noticed the difference in my everyday life and in the many
things I’m learning. I know I’m not perfect, I know I have still so so so
much to learn. I know that I’m going to come across so many hard things in
my life that maybe I’ll just want to give up or it will be so hard I just
won’t know what to do. But one thing that helps me every day is I know
without even the tiniest doubt that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me.
I know he sent his only Son to suffer and die for us so that we
could be that much stronger and so that we can always pick ourselves up when we fall. I love my Father and his son Jesus Christ with all my soul. I know they live and they are always looking for a
way to help us or to teach us in our lives. I know that there is nothing that will make me fall because I have all confidence in the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

So, i think that Joe is going to be called to a foreign country but to
be honest, I’m not too sure which one. I could see him going to Peru. I’m pretty
excited to find out where he’s gonna’ go. He’s gonna’ love it as long as
he puts his heart into the work and doesn’t focus on anything else. But
he knows that, so I’m pretty excited that we’re gonna’ be able to share
experiences. So i still haven’t had the time to put the pictures on the
computer. I tried today, but they didn’t save. I don’t know why. I have to
check it out, but next week I’m sure that they will be up. I love you
guys and miss you all much. Keep going strong!

Love,
Elder Lowder

March 26, 2012

Hey!

So, I’ll start by answering your questions. We did feel it (the earthquake) here but i didn’t feel it personally because we were walking, so we didn’t notice until everyone was running out of there houses and the cars started shaking and all that. There wasn’t any damage down here that I know of. So, this week was pretty good. we baptized again, 2 more people, Ivon and Jesus. I didn’t know it until like 1 day before the baptism but Jesus is a native Chimaluacan. Basically, his grandparents and great grandparents and distant relatives are the first people to be here and they basically started this part of Mexico. I thought that was pretty cool. So, because my companion has had his health problem, the work has slowed down, so we don’t have anyone for this week. I’m not mad or anything, but i don’t want to fall into a drought again. Just because all these people that we baptized aren’t just people or numbers or any of that to me. It’s something different. I’m always happy when they tell me things like they’re so happy they have this or different things like that. Just being able to watch their progress is something so powerful. It’s a different feeling then anything else I‘ve ever felt. I’ve never been so happy, so I’m wanting to continue with this helping and searching and baptizing. So, I’m not mad at my companion. We don’t have problems or any of that, but I am getting annoyed that his problem is keeping us from working. Also, the way he "asks" for things or says things is very disrespectful and just not correct. He doesn’t show much respect for our leaders or anyone because he thinks he smarter and better. Idk, its annoying but we’re getting along. He’s only got a little time left so I’m trying to keep all these feelings to myself so that i can help him end his mission in a positive way. That will help so we can continue to have the spirit with us in our lessons. So, I didn’t end up calling the bank, I’m still waiting to get permission. I was also thinking that I could call my bank and cancel this account and all that and you guys can open a new one somewhere else, Well I love you guys very much. I’m gonna’ send another email today because I have class very shortly and so I have to get ready to go. Hey, I love you guys very much and thank you guys so, so much for all your help. I miss you guys, bye!

Elder Lowder

March 20., 2012

Hey guys!

It was another good week here in Mexico. This week we had 3 baptisms, Librado the husband of Wendy and Margarita, and Karina a Mom and daughter. It was way, way cool this week with these baptisms which were way spiritual. We have 2 people ready to go for this Saturday, Jesus and Ivon. Jesus is the friend of one of our converts, Teressa and Ivon is another one of Margaritas’ daughters. We had a little bit of a calm week of work because my companion is dying of a hemorrhoid and he isn’t shy about it. He’s always showing me stuff I don’t care to see. It’s seriously, freaking disgusting! We have to call the doctor tomorrow and find out if he’s going to be operated on. If he has surgery, he’s going home after for a 6 month recovery, so who knows. Mom, haha, that’s a month or so away. You’re already thinking about that? Yeah, you guys just have to buy a webcam and make an account on skype and that’s all. I’m planning on emailing all my pictures I have on this memory card home next week. Just remind me so i don’t forget, because I’m gonna’ explain some of them like who the people are and all that. Joe told me he put his papers in. I’m pretty excited about it. I told him he needs to get his call for my mission so I can train him, haha. Yes Mom, I promise I’ll do that next time I injure myself. My knee is all better, don’t worry Mom, haha. Dad I’m way mad about Peyton Manning but happy about Reggie Wayne. It should be interesting what happens with all that. I miss the temple, but I’ll be able to go a lot when I get back to live in the state of the factory of Mormonas, haha. So this week my companion and I watched Charley when he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. I cried more than i have in like 4 years, haha. That’s a good movie. My companion doesn’t let me live it down about crying and makes fun of me all the time and tells all the members about it. It’s all good though, I don’t care at all. Oh hey dad, she wrote me once and that was last week. She’s way cool. So I’m way glad to hear everything is going good and that you’re all having fun. Keep doing that! I love you guys and miss you. Hey watch Charley for me and have a good cry please. Love you!

Elder Lowder

March 12 , 2012

Hey guys!

Well this week was very good! We baptized again yesterday and it was way awesome! Before we entered into the faunt, Wendy (my investigator) started crying and I was thinking, ah dang she’s not gonna’ want to do it! So, I asked her what was wrong and she looked up and said that she’s never felt this happy in her whole life. The spirit was so strong and the ordinance was way special. We are going to baptize her husband on Wednesday and the kids Margarita and Karina on Sunday and Jesus next week. We’re being blessed so much and I’m so happy to be a part of such great a cause. So Last Monday we had an activity for our zone and we went to these soccer fields that were nice. They were artificial grass and we got a shirt for our zone and it’s the soccer team of England and on the back it says Lowder number 14 la perla because that’s my zone. It’s cool. When I was playing I was running with the ball and when I kicked the ball to try to score, I fell and scraped the crap out of my knee, hahaha. It was pretty funny, but I tore up my leg pretty badly and it was bleeding, but you know me, I kept playing with it and all that. I got back to the house and asked my neighbor for some alcohol to clean it. She gave it to me and I touched the leg and it stung so bad so i didn’t really clean it very well, which is a surprise because I’m pretty good with pain. My companion told me I didn’t clean it good enough, but I decided not to listen and put some Neosporin on it and a band aid. The next day I woke up and all was good and started working. Later that night, we were teaching the Golden family and it started leaking and so I took off the band aid and it was infected and the Mom of the family was like, ew its infected and told me I needed to clean it as fast as possible. I had a plan to do so when i got back to the house but we stopped at a member’s house so that they could go with us to teach someone. When the member saw my leg, He was like, no we aren’t leaving this house until I clean that leg! So they sat me down and my companion started cleaning it. He put agua hexonada on it and it hurt so bad every time he touched it I seriously was flopping everywhere. They ended up cleaning it for like 20 minutes and they used agua hexonada, alcohol and my favorite of them all limon! They asked me after how I felt and I said like I just got out of labor. They had a good laugh at that, but it’s still infected, but not bad, just a little. Ii visit a doctor that’s in my ward and she put a cream on it that’s working magic. So, my companion, this week I realized who he is. HEDGES! He is Brenden Hedges in Mexican form. I’m dead serious. He looks at his muscles and is always talking about them and football and baseball. He always thinks he’s right about everything. Every single story he tells, he has to put in there, “yeah and during this time I was a lot bigger muscle wise!” The best one so far is last night, we were teaching a family the word of wisdom. One of the members of the family that is 17 likes to drink. My companion started to tell a story about before his mission he liked hanging out with this friend that liked to party and they went to a party and his friend ended up saving his life. The funny part is that he starts talking about how his friend likes drinking and smoking but he was pretty nice muscle wise. He keeps going in the story but he stops and regresses just to tell them that he was much bigger than his friend. I about died laughing at him in the middle of the lesson. It was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard in my whole life! I’m losing my mind listening to his stories about muscles or this or that, but it’s all good. I’m staying calm and just ignoring him, but he doesn’t know it because I say si or que chaffa or que padre. Haha.
So to tell you about the Golden family, Wendy who I baptized on Sunday is the Mom of the family. It was way, way special teaching them because the spirit was, way strong every lesson. Her husband had a problem with smoking but we promised him that if he wanted to, he could quit smoking in one week and then gave him a blessing. He quit smoking in 4 days. What a miracle. It was way awesome! He told us after we fasted with them that he doesn’t have the urge anymore. I was so thankful for the power of the Priesthood and for the power of the fast that helped him change. He’s going to baptized on Wednesday. The kids aren’t old enough to be baptized yet but they’re obsessed with my eyes. The 2 daughters asked their parents if it was ok if I was the boyfriend, because in their words I’m the most handsome white boy they have ever seen, hahaha. They’re way cool this family.
So the pictures that are on facebook are pictures that my neighbor’s daughter took of me just being dumb or during times of fun. She tells me every time I walk in hey this person liked this picture or commented on this one. I have to say my favorite is that Breanna put in Spanish that she’s happy to know that this family is taking care of me. So Mom I can buy one here, yes, but I’m pretty unsure about sending my memory card home. I’m nervous because it has pictures of the MTC and here, so i don’t want anything to happen to it, but let me know what you want me to do and I’ll do it.

The colts are making a terrible decision! I’m so ticked! Joe told me also and I might have to change teams, who knows!

Well I love you guys and miss you guys a lot. I’m glad to hear everything is going good back home and that you guys are healthy, safe, and happy. Well I’ll talk to you next week!

Love Elder Lowder

February 20, 2012

Hey Guys!

This week was really a good week. We worked pretty hard. I had the opportunity to baptize Teresa and I had to do it 2 times because her foot went out of the water. So it’s way good to hear you guys had a good week and that everything went how you wanted it. Mom, honestly I’m way happy to hear about youth conference and that it was good. How did you find that out about them? Dad thank you so much that you fasted for me and my investigators. I honestly saw the fruits of it this week. We got 2 people for every week ready for baptism and a family of 4 for the last week of March and I’m way excited for them, they’re really great people.

So this past week was pretty spiritual. Our lessons, you could really see the changes happening and feel the love and spirit that Heavenly Father has for them. It was way awesome. So this week’s email isn’t going to be way long. So I just have some questions. You never answered my question about the second coming! So please answer that! Sister Cook sent me a picture of the conference. Looks like they had a lot of fun and everyone is way happy. There were a lot of people I don’t know in there. So I’m just tired because the work is good. We’re really doing a lot for this area and really being blessed by the Lord and really seeing the blessing of the things we’re doing. So when is Coach Clemons gonna be baptized?

So thank you guys for keeping me updated and really being there for me. I love you guys and miss you a lot. Sorry that it’s not very long this week. I just don’t have very many stories today, haha. Sorry guys, keep working hard, love you!

Elder Lowder

February 13, 2012

Hey guys!

So this week was good! Just want to clear things up. This week I realized I hadn’t lost focus or I hadn’t lost my vision. I had an interview with my zone leader who I have a lot of respect for. He was my district leader before my zone leader. He asked how I was doing and how I felt and I explained that I was pretty down. 2 weeks ago, because of the attitude of my companion and just things he said that got to me, I explained how he really killed my confidence in a lot of things. My Zone leader, Elder Ramirez, said look I want you to understand something about your companion. He is a disobedient, big headed punk who has had a lot of problems in his mission, so he does these things to make himself feel better as a missionary. He told me that President told my zone leader to check up on me and make sure I was doing ok and that I was keeping my head up. When I report to my President, I tell him how I feel and everything because I want to be able to receive help from him. Elder Ramirez told me, look I’ve know you since day one here in Mexico when you started, I’ve worked with you on divisions so i can say this and mean it. You are one of the best we have in this mission. I can’t say that about a lot of people who have the same time as you or who have a lot more time then you. You are going to do a lot for this mission. This is just a trial to test your faith and your ability and to help you learn what not to be. Enjoy it, learn from it, don’t get down, keep learning, obeying, and bettering yourself every day. I know you and I know you are ahead of a lot of missionaries in this mission with leadership, knowledge and the fire that you have. Love you Bro. I’m always here for you and you know if there’s ever a problem you know I’ll be there. I felt really appreciative for that interview with him because I got my confidence back as a missionary. I really gave thanks to Father in Heaven last night because of this blessing I have to learn from my companion. I also had the opportunity to talk to an inactive member in my neighbors house last night about a lot of things that were way special. The spirit was so strong with experiences that were being shared and the doctrine that was being shared. I was so thankful for that opportunity. I know that Heavenly Father puts special people in our lives to learn from them and to really help them or be helped by them. I have a month or so with my companion and I have already learned so much about how I need to never get down on myself and who I need to continue being and how I need to continue getting better and continue learning everything I can about the mission. I know that through experiences in the mission and before the mission that this is true. I’ve learned so much from people in my life and it’s such a testimony builder every time that I know that it’s all part of the plan and that there’s always lessons to be learned in every single situation in our lives. There’s never nothing to learn because that’s not how we progress.

To answer questions, Dad I want you to know that it wasn’t pride or anything that I had a problem with because with my other companion, the things my new companion wwere telling me were problems, I didn’t have with him, if that makes sense. I prayed and asked for help with those things I had problems with and it wasn’t ever an answer that had to do with those things my companion was telling me. Every time it was things of changing my ways of study or little things that I need to get better at. I hope I’m not sounding big headed or prideful because it’s the opposite of that. It’s just I know that it wasn’t my fault. I know that i did nothing wrong and wasn’t doing anything wrong. I have learned a lot of things from this. The blessing is that it’s not things that I was being told I had problems with. I know I was in the position I was in because Heavenly Father wanted me to realize that not everyone that has experience is correct. I hope this makes sense.

This week was way good. We worked really hard focusing on specific streets and specific people. We have 2 different people that have dates to baptize this week. I’m going to really put my whole heart into them to help them make this step in their lives. I don’t want anything to get in the way, so I’m going to really be there and check up on them a lot and help them.
So I had a conversation with a member who told me in the news a lot of people are hearing trumpets in the air. They’re saying that the signs of the second coming are starting to come because of these trumpets. I know that we still have a lot of things that need to come to pass but I know that these things can happen so fast. So I want to really know what you guys think about when the second coming will arrive? Please answer this question! Haha. I know that no one knows when it’s going to be here. I just want to know if maybe this whole thing is just people that are stressing out or freaking out about 2012 and so they’re saying they’re hearing things or what?

Mom Good luck with the YC. I’ll be praying that everything goes how you want it to go and that the spirit is there very strong and that they learn a lot. I know they will. Love you.

Dad, that’s so awesome that you had that opportunity to talk to Bro Clemons. He needs to take this opportunity in his life and really help his kids. Tell him I said that I have confidence in him and that I know that if he does this, it’s going to be the best decision he will make because it’s going to lead to eternity with his family and so much more. Love you.

Brandon, that’s way awesome that you had a good time with baptisms and with the Johnstons. Did you learn anything special in the temple? Get your grades up Brandon. I promise you I know how hard it is and how you don’t want to study or do your work but it’s going to pay off so much in the future. If you have trouble with something in school or life you have me, mom, dad, and especially Heavenly Father there to help! Read, study, believe me, it will pay off! Love you.

Hey I got my package from the ward for Christmas on Thursday, haha. So, tell them thank you so much I really enjoyed reading the cards and everything!

Love you guys and miss you. Keep doing what you’re doing. I’m doing great and really learning so much everyday. I love you guys. Thank you for everything you do!

Elder Lowder

February 6, 2012

Hey guys!

My companion is doing good. He’s working hard and I’m learning a lot from him. Today I was having a lot of trouble, really struggling, because this past week was terrible for me. I didn’t want to work. I was questioning myself and my abilities and while I’m talking to people, I’ve just been really down and sad. Today in my district class, I went there with a lot of anger just at my comp. because he wrote pres and said, my companion wasn’t focused this week and didn’t work very hard. So I was just way mad. I got there and the class was over the importance of receiving revelation at church. I was thinking about what I could talk to my companion about to let him know I didn’t like what he did and that I’m struggling and having a hard time with him and the work. While I was thinking about it, I had a thought about the MTC and how happy I was and how much I loved teaching and wanted to help the investigator and focused so much on them, which made me so happy. When I realized that I was faulting that here in Mexico with the people, I wasn’t focused on them and how I could help them, but more on how I don’t want to mess up or teach wrong or embarrass myself, just things like that. I realized that this is why I’m not as happy as I was and why this week I didn’t feel too happy. I am so ready to get out there tomorrow and start over and just work as hard as I can! I talked to my President and told him about it and how I got an answer and everything. I’m so thankful that I found this answer and that I know what I need to do to find and teach and to really focus not in the lessons and how perfect I teach or explain, but more on them and how they feel and if this lesson is what they need at this time.

I’m So happy to get emails from members telling me that you guys are really the strength of a lot of things and that you guys are helping move the work forward. I love it! Mom you’re awesome. I’m so amazed with your strength with your calling and work and everything that you wake up every day and continue to work and help those around you. Same with you, Dad that you’re being strong and helping the ward and visiting people and doing your calling the way you need to! I’m so proud of you guys and am so happy to be your kid! I want to read that book, Dad! I heard its way good and has a lot of cool and good information!

Well thank you guys so much for the money and for your patience and support! I love you guys and miss you!

Elder Lowder

January 16, 2012

Hey Family!

Hey you know you guys are my first priority but i really am this busy every day that it takes me forever to get to a computer! So This week was another week without a baptism but i have 2 for this week that i really feel are going to happen and that really know it’s true which is honestly my goal with all my investigators because without that testimony there baptism is nothing because they don’t that its the right thing or the best thing they can do its basically for me in vain. Thank you very very much for that email dad it honestly helped a lot I’ve been kinda down or feeling like I’m not doing things right or that i don’t have something that i need and sometimes i have even gotten the feeling like maybe I’m not worthy but I’ve noticed the power of the scriptures and prayer and applying in my life more in the past 4 or 5 months then i have ever felt. I knew it was true before the mission i had that testimony. But now i feel like my testimony i can use it for power and for authority that i need and I can feel that it is actually a thing that helps others feel the importance of the message we have the importance it is to me in my life the things that it has given me in my life and the the blessing i have received the things that the gospel does for us and the things the Lord has in store for are exactly perfect and there’s no way that someone if they actually want to know and actually want to use it in their life that can’t feel or know that for themselves.

So this week was good we have 3 more with a baptism date and i lead the lessons and asked more questions and invited and invited I’m starting to really get to where it’s easy to teach ,and easy to do this wonderful work. I really miss you guys and feel terrible a lot about brandon and i pray and pray and pray i fasted for a lot of things this week just to help. The work is moving along and my Spanish is getting a lot better every single day thank you guys so much for the prayers. So i want to share a story it was last week and i was struggling a little bit with this same question what do i need to change to get baptisms and so i was praying for revelation and an answer and i went to sleep and i got and answer in my dream. I was running and this man was chasing me and he caught me and it was way weird but right before he cut out my tongue i yelled D and C 124 verses 7 and 8. I read it and it hit me way hard so i invite you guys to read it.

I love you guys keep me updated and tell Brandon to write me please and i miss you guys i pray for you always thank you so much.

Love,
Elder Lowder

January 3, 2012

Familia,

Hey guys sounds like you guys had a great vacation and it was the fun i was hoping for you guys. To answer your questions i didn’t receive the pictures, I bought one of those shower heads but i have to buy more cables and do some work if there’s another way to do that besides buying cables if you could ask Dallas please. This week was not a very good week the work isn’t coming but i am really really focused right now. We have contacted 5 families and have goals to baptize all of them the week of the 15 on Sunday. I am really fired up about this because i feel good about these 5 families and i feel good about our goals we have for this week. We have a goal for 2 baptisms this week Ignacio and yadeni we are planning on visiting them every day this week to prepare them for Sunday. I praying for the people here to feel the need to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to really feel that its the path to take. I know if i am humble and i am praying with faith for these things that the Lord will put them in my way. I learned a very important lesson this week because i was asking and asking why i am not baptizing why I’m having these troubles. As i was reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma Ch 9 or 10 or 12 i was reading about the people and how Amulick was teaching them. After Amulick Amla helped and told them that the lord doesn’t bless those with hard hearts to things. When i read this it really stuck out to me and i started to think about if i had a hard heart to something in my work or in my life. I found that i have been holding back a lot because i didn’t want to change i wanted to be the same when i get back just stronger But that’s not how it works im here to change to become a stronger person to become more mature and to know what i need to do if any type of situation comes my way. I was just so scared about coming back the goofy returned missionary or something like that but i realized that its not about me and its not about when i get back its about these next 19 months of truly losing myself in the work and allowing myself to change however the Lord chooses and that’s where the success lies. But i know it was a dumb thing to come into the mission with that type f attitude but its changing fast.

This week was pretty slow also because the people were the same no i don’t want to listen or no i don’t have time or no this or that. But i know if i continue to contact and work that they will come. This week we were in the house at 6 again on Saturday and on Sunday inside all day it was good we got to talk to our neighbors and all that. So i know that trouble and stress and problems come but just to share something that helps me in D And C Section 121 verses 7-9 really helps and really comforts me so if you need comfort read it and really ponder.

So i have an investigator who has had a lot of revelation in her dreams one dream in particular i need help i have been searching and searching but its kicking my butt so if anyone dad mom,bre, Dallas Brandon papa granda aunts uncles anyone can help please do. So She is in a field and she sees Jesus Christ and she asks master is it you and he says yes and so she runs to him and asks is the path I’m on wrong and he says no She then sees an ark with a counter thing under it and through the ark she sees a big rock with a lot of pools of water in it which the water is crystal clear and inside one puddle is her 16 year old daughter in the fetal position, She then sees and bunch of flowers and in the middle of these flowers the like doing a pulsing thing. She then sees a Temple and that’s about its she received this dream after she asked if the Church was true when she was investigating the first time. Of course its an answer to her prayer. I have my ideas on it but i really want to get your guys take on this so everyone family give me your thoughts and i want to match them to mine please!!

Love you guys and miss you think of you all everyday!

Elder Lowder

December 27, 2011

I don’t have an accented voice! Hey guys i loved talking to you yesterday also! It made my Christmas to talk to you guys cause to be honest i was trying my hardest to make it fun but nobody has traditions here so i was feeling a little alone but as far as focusing on the meaning behind everything it was the best. I’m gonna make this one short and for you guys only. I know this church is true I know that there is no other religion that is so exactly perfect that there is no way that Heavenly Father is the head of this church. I know that our prophet for these days is Joseph Smith and that he restored this gospel through his powerful and strong faith. I know that for this time right now Thomas S. Monson is the true prophet on this earth right now and that he does talk with our Father and receive revelation for our church for us to know exactly what our loving Father wants for us. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God for these later days the power of the Book of Mormon is the missionary its all we have that changes the lives of our investigators as long as the Spirit is working together with it and the missionaries. I know that this work that i am a part of is so special to me and is the opportunity of the life time for every 19 year boy to enter into as long as they follow the example of Jesus Christ and understand the importance of keeping the commandments of God all of them that we receive through the prophets and all i know these things and if there is any doubt for anyone in he world i know if they ask they will feel it and receive that its true i know because ive seen it and felt it in my life. i know this i love you guys so much and so thankful for all you guys have done and still do for me in my life i am where i am because of each one of you guys and you awesome examples. I say this in the name of our loving savior redeemer Jesus Christ amen.

Love Elder Lowder