Hey family!,
Well its been a good week a lot of stuff has happened this week. So start off by answering your questions I got the package last week or 2 weeks ago..... haha i forgot to tell you guys that. no one tried to rob anything cause i have the iPod and everything was awesome in the package! The ipod has brought me some Christmas feeling in my house and the hot chocolate I'm saving until Christmas day! Because Christmas eve we have to be in the house at 6 unless were are eating dinner with a member but all the elders in my area and the area around us want me to cook an American Christmas dinner so we will see it depends on where my money is and all that. i have been doing good with it and making it last. ive learned the importance and a lot of stuff. So i live in Cuidad Algra idk if he will know where that is. So this week we did pretty good this week we didn't end up baptizing on Sunday because we couldnt marry the couple last week because the man got sick so we are taking care of that Friday and baptizing them for sure on Sunday i hope. the other 2 one we coudnt get a hold of him because he was pretty busy and the other went to visit her family in another part of the city because of some problems with her family shes coming back Wednesday and i'm getting her in that water shes the one that is always like idk i want to baptize her more then anyone because she has had her answer for like 2 weeks and is ready just wont go cause things keep coming up is what she says. But we got 4 new investigators last week it sounds low but its pretty good cause streets have been empty and doors not opening. Because of the holidays. I have my companion working hard now he now understand how important this work is and how important every action we make is and also the importance of our name tags. He got an email from his family today and it really got him going he started crying and ran and gave me a hug and thanked me. Because he has a difficult family situation due to the fact that none of his family are members and now they have excepted to be baptized and his brother wants to serve a mission. I helped him understand that its because he is serving the Lord the way he needs to and the Lord is blessing him for it. So I have some stories to tell. So the other night i forget which night but we were in the house for the night and we were talking about honesty and the importance of honesty because my companion has been telling these white lies to people so i was talking to him about it when out of no where my bed started shaking and the ground and the house and everything hahahaha it was an earthquake we ran out side and i of course thought it was hilarious because my companion was freaking out when it was maybe 30 seconds and we ran outside and was talking to the rent lady and told her what my comp was doing and she was getting a pretty good kick out of it they all love me there. There always wanting me to come over so they can feed me and also convince me to date there 16 year old daughter the conversation is always funny cause the daughter is always freaking out cause i embarrass her with her parents its a fun stuff. So the other day we were running back to the church from an appointment because it was time to tame the toilet and i was bookin it and my companion was doing everything he could to make his short legs move fast and all i could hear it espararme! which means wait for me wait for me! and i was laughing and running when i ran by some guy and just kept going after saying beunas tardes (good afternoon) and i turned around and saw my companion and he waved me to stop and come back so i did and he was like im tired lets walk were almost there so i we started walking when the guy i passed by run up to me and was like wait i need to talk to you! and we started talking to him an he said he wanted to change his life because he is into to drugs and has 2 kids he needs to focus on but cant very well because of the drugs and hes always feeling frustrated and pressured and hes hearing voices telling him to stop or to keep going and we talked to him and my companion started going off like it was a contact and i waited for the time where i could cut in and tell the guy that we could help him and we have the things that will change his life and help him to be the father for his kids he wants to be and he asked me to say a prayer for him in the street so i did and he shook my companions hand and gave me this huuge hug and thanked me and it felt way good. He doesn't live in our area so we cant teach him but its OK hes ready. So today i had to go with my buddy's from the MTC to immigration to sign some papers and to get my license things so i can be qualified to teach if an officer were to ask me for it. which was way good to get to talk to them and share experiences and stuff. I miss you and love you all i will call on the 25th at 1 and talk to you guys cant wait. Have fun don't focus on the sad parts of this season focus on the great parts. Love you and talk to you next week thank you for all you guys do and ill let you know what happens with the family for the Christmas presents and ill take pictures with them and email them to you and tell you about them. Oh one more thing if you could email me pics of the house all decorated and Christmas eve and day please! love you all bye!
Elder Lowder
Monday, December 12, 2011
December 5, 2011
Hey Everyone,
Well one more week is down and it went by so fast. No lie, it was crazy. Last night I was talking to my comp and it was time to plan and he said, we had this and that stuff we do on p day and I was like noooo, tomorrow isn’t p-day. He was like, yes it is and yeah it was crazy. Anyways, it was a good week. We had one baptism yesterday the other couldn’t make it, so it’s rescheduled to this week and we have 3 more so 4 this Sunday. The only problem is that we have to marry a couple so we can baptize the wife cause the husband is a member but was baptized before they were a thing. The wife isn’t very intelligent so she doesn’t really understand me when I talk which is frustrating because I want to teach her but she can’t understand. It’s ok, I talk and my comp helps her understand. The baptism yesterday was such a great experience. It felt so good to watch someone I helped teach take that step in their life to follow Christ. So I love the idea of doing the Christmas gift thing for a family. I have some people in mind but I will talk to my comp about it and we will decide but we will definitely do that. So if I spell something wrong I can’t do spell check because the computer is in Spanish so no matter what, all the words I type are spelled wrong because they’re in English, so just ignore the spelling, sorry haha. I got the package yesterday and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was a great spirit lifter because I was feeling a little down yesterday because I got mad at my companion pretty bad and we had a talk and stuff and I felt bad. Everything is good now and he understands how frustrated I’ve been with him working and everything and he’s been doing great, and I’ve been working on things about myself too, so things are great. So I have a question. I am aloud to call either 24 or 25 of December. Which day is best for you guys? Let me know please. So as you all know I hate fish and just hate it. So we went to a members house to eat and we walked in and it smelled amazing. She put the soup in front of me I ate it and it was awesome and then she put a plate in front of me and I couldn’t tell what it was and she didn’t tell us. So I just thought and came to the conclusion that it was chicken. I grabbed my tortilla and went to town and it was sooooo good and my companion knows I don’t like fish and I ate 2 plates of it and after I was done he looked at me and said, do you know what you just ate? I said, no and he said, fish and I was like noooo way, it was seriously soo freaking good. I thought of you guys cause I know how much you guys like fish and so yeah, it was way good. So another story. We were in a lesson and we were talking and teaching and I had to fart and I had been doing it all day. They were silent all day and didn’t stink and so I figured, it’s ok, no problem. So I let it go and it was loud and long and right when it happened I looked at my companion like it was him that did it cause the investigator was staring at me and laughing and she believed it was him. It was seriously one of the funniest situations I’ve ever been in. So another is, we were walking to an appointment and something happened to my comp, idk what it was but he just yells the f word and I was like Elder, what did you just say? He said it again and I said, do you know what that means? He said, no and I explained it and I just laughed about it. So everywhere I go, about 4 or 5 times a day a person stops us and says, I’m no interested in your church, but I need help with English and asks me a question and I help them . My comp decided to tell my bishop about this and so he decided that we’re going to have a thing every week where I teach English to people, investigators, members, random people. I was like, ok sounds good, so I’m teaching an English class each week. So I went and bought me a thing of sanitizer cause I’m still a clean freak about my body and now the house and all of my things and so every time I touch something and feel nasty, Ii throw a drop on my hands and go to town! so I’m pretty bugged right now because I was talking to my zone leaders today and one is white and he was like, you want to know something and I said sure and he said no matter what type, except for 2 types of water, all the other types turn your teeth yellow here in Mexico. I’m pretty ticked about this because I like my teeth white! Ho he was like, whiten your teeth before you go home. All day I’ve been looking in the mirror at my teeth and I can’t tell if they have changed or not, so I’m bugged about it. Well vie got to go. Sorry it took so long to get this off. Today was a busy, crazy p-day. It will be a lot earlier next week. Hey keep all the traditions going for me, do them all and have fun for me! I love you. Enjoy your hallmarks mom and dad, enjoy your Christmas football and Brandon, enjoy your sneaking around sniffin out the presents, haha. Have fun guys. I love you and talk to you next Monday!
Elder Lowder
Well one more week is down and it went by so fast. No lie, it was crazy. Last night I was talking to my comp and it was time to plan and he said, we had this and that stuff we do on p day and I was like noooo, tomorrow isn’t p-day. He was like, yes it is and yeah it was crazy. Anyways, it was a good week. We had one baptism yesterday the other couldn’t make it, so it’s rescheduled to this week and we have 3 more so 4 this Sunday. The only problem is that we have to marry a couple so we can baptize the wife cause the husband is a member but was baptized before they were a thing. The wife isn’t very intelligent so she doesn’t really understand me when I talk which is frustrating because I want to teach her but she can’t understand. It’s ok, I talk and my comp helps her understand. The baptism yesterday was such a great experience. It felt so good to watch someone I helped teach take that step in their life to follow Christ. So I love the idea of doing the Christmas gift thing for a family. I have some people in mind but I will talk to my comp about it and we will decide but we will definitely do that. So if I spell something wrong I can’t do spell check because the computer is in Spanish so no matter what, all the words I type are spelled wrong because they’re in English, so just ignore the spelling, sorry haha. I got the package yesterday and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was a great spirit lifter because I was feeling a little down yesterday because I got mad at my companion pretty bad and we had a talk and stuff and I felt bad. Everything is good now and he understands how frustrated I’ve been with him working and everything and he’s been doing great, and I’ve been working on things about myself too, so things are great. So I have a question. I am aloud to call either 24 or 25 of December. Which day is best for you guys? Let me know please. So as you all know I hate fish and just hate it. So we went to a members house to eat and we walked in and it smelled amazing. She put the soup in front of me I ate it and it was awesome and then she put a plate in front of me and I couldn’t tell what it was and she didn’t tell us. So I just thought and came to the conclusion that it was chicken. I grabbed my tortilla and went to town and it was sooooo good and my companion knows I don’t like fish and I ate 2 plates of it and after I was done he looked at me and said, do you know what you just ate? I said, no and he said, fish and I was like noooo way, it was seriously soo freaking good. I thought of you guys cause I know how much you guys like fish and so yeah, it was way good. So another story. We were in a lesson and we were talking and teaching and I had to fart and I had been doing it all day. They were silent all day and didn’t stink and so I figured, it’s ok, no problem. So I let it go and it was loud and long and right when it happened I looked at my companion like it was him that did it cause the investigator was staring at me and laughing and she believed it was him. It was seriously one of the funniest situations I’ve ever been in. So another is, we were walking to an appointment and something happened to my comp, idk what it was but he just yells the f word and I was like Elder, what did you just say? He said it again and I said, do you know what that means? He said, no and I explained it and I just laughed about it. So everywhere I go, about 4 or 5 times a day a person stops us and says, I’m no interested in your church, but I need help with English and asks me a question and I help them . My comp decided to tell my bishop about this and so he decided that we’re going to have a thing every week where I teach English to people, investigators, members, random people. I was like, ok sounds good, so I’m teaching an English class each week. So I went and bought me a thing of sanitizer cause I’m still a clean freak about my body and now the house and all of my things and so every time I touch something and feel nasty, Ii throw a drop on my hands and go to town! so I’m pretty bugged right now because I was talking to my zone leaders today and one is white and he was like, you want to know something and I said sure and he said no matter what type, except for 2 types of water, all the other types turn your teeth yellow here in Mexico. I’m pretty ticked about this because I like my teeth white! Ho he was like, whiten your teeth before you go home. All day I’ve been looking in the mirror at my teeth and I can’t tell if they have changed or not, so I’m bugged about it. Well vie got to go. Sorry it took so long to get this off. Today was a busy, crazy p-day. It will be a lot earlier next week. Hey keep all the traditions going for me, do them all and have fun for me! I love you. Enjoy your hallmarks mom and dad, enjoy your Christmas football and Brandon, enjoy your sneaking around sniffin out the presents, haha. Have fun guys. I love you and talk to you next Monday!
Elder Lowder
Monday, November 28, 2011
Week 2 in Mexico November 27, 2011
Hey My wonderful family!
Week 2 has come and gone and what a week it was! So to answer questions that I can remember people understand what i say and I can understand everyone except for the people that talk like 1000000 miles per hour which there aren’t very many of those. I have 2 investigators let’s just say I’m not to happy with just 2 we can do so much better than that my goal is for us to have 7 with baptism dates by Sunday. But right now i have 2 baptisms this week one on Sunday and one on Thursday. My first 2 baby! The spirit has really blessed me and I’m so thankful that the spirit is able to testify to the people of what I’m saying is true because my Spanish isn’t fluent so I’m just so grateful for the spirit. This week i have had to have some serious patience and some serious humbleness. My companion is a great guy but he’s not working to his fullest potential. I’ve really been pushing him and getting him better. I know I’m not but it feels like I’m training him because I’m always teaching him something or helping him or something. But he’s a good guy were gonna make it. Another one of my goals is to have at least one baptism a week I know I can get more than that but I don’t want to have an unreachable goal so I made it the way it is. I’m not gonna Thanksgiving was the longest day of the mission just cause I woke and started thinking about what yall were doing and stuff but it’s all good it got better haha So anyways that house is shinning like nothing you have ever seen! I whipped it into shape! We cleaned it again this morning and so its way clean! It felt good haha. So I realized I don’t have an ipod charger... there is a guy in my ward that is charging my ipod when I need it but f you guys can maybe send me one? I have a question so in the mtc my president was an anesthesiologist and he told me when I get here to buy cipro and it will keep me from getting sick. I had to get a receipt from a doctor to get it (we have the hook up with a foot doctor) but she said cipro would lower my defenses because it’s an antibiotic and so she suggested getting lactipan. i haven’t bought anything but if you think it’s a good idea let me know what you guys think I should do with that. So at church on Sundays I’ve noticed that Mexicans cannot sing worth nothing omg every time they sing i want to stop them and run out of the room it’s terrible! There is a man in my ward that I swear is the Mexican version of papa! I saw him and was like what!! Papa got dark and learned Spanish! It’s pretty weird! Umm the other day we ate at a member’s house and we ate molé its this type of food I’m sure Dallas could tell you what it is but it was my second time to eat it the first time was good but a different lady made it. This time it was seriously the worst thing to ever touch my tongue! so my comp got up to go open the door and i was sitting there alone and so I snuck my food on his plate and he lady came in and asked if I wanted more and I smiled and said no I’m full but thank you so much t was sooo good! hahahaha it was funny because i told my comp later that night and he was like i wondered how i got so much food on my plate I thought she just put more on there when i got up! funny stuff but anyways i only get mail like every 2 months.... that’s what my companion says so i don’t get letters until December 20th so you guys can send me stuff but just know i won’t get it for a while. So we had a lesson this week we one of the hermanas that I’m baptizing this sunday and i thought a lot and we taught about the restoration and how it was special because she was in the same situation Joseph Smith was in that she had all the other religions saying this and that and she was confused about what to do so i opened the Book of Mormon and we read about the story again and i bore my testimony and you could feel the spirit just talking to her i knew it the whole time and she looked up and said she had her answer so we are baptizing her sunday! }what an experience i was so happy that whole rest of the day I’m so grateful for the spirit and for everything my testimony has been strengthened so much and it’s so hard for me to put in words how grateful I am and the love i have for this gospel! So one thing I wanted to tell you guys but I forgot was I shower out of a bucket cause we don’t have hot water so I have to fill the bucket up and put this charger in and it heats it up boy let me tell you that’s quite the shower. But over all everything has been great! My president knows that I’ve been really struggling with the work ethic of my comp and emailed me and talked to me about how he’s grateful to have me here and other stuff because he said he needs people that work there hardest and push people and lead. it was very nice of him but I’m just blessed to have what I have because of my family and my loving Heavenly Father he’s helps so much! Well i love you all so much and pray for you always I’m safe and happy and working as hard as i can! I miss you guys talk to you next week!
Love Elder Lowder
Week 2 has come and gone and what a week it was! So to answer questions that I can remember people understand what i say and I can understand everyone except for the people that talk like 1000000 miles per hour which there aren’t very many of those. I have 2 investigators let’s just say I’m not to happy with just 2 we can do so much better than that my goal is for us to have 7 with baptism dates by Sunday. But right now i have 2 baptisms this week one on Sunday and one on Thursday. My first 2 baby! The spirit has really blessed me and I’m so thankful that the spirit is able to testify to the people of what I’m saying is true because my Spanish isn’t fluent so I’m just so grateful for the spirit. This week i have had to have some serious patience and some serious humbleness. My companion is a great guy but he’s not working to his fullest potential. I’ve really been pushing him and getting him better. I know I’m not but it feels like I’m training him because I’m always teaching him something or helping him or something. But he’s a good guy were gonna make it. Another one of my goals is to have at least one baptism a week I know I can get more than that but I don’t want to have an unreachable goal so I made it the way it is. I’m not gonna Thanksgiving was the longest day of the mission just cause I woke and started thinking about what yall were doing and stuff but it’s all good it got better haha So anyways that house is shinning like nothing you have ever seen! I whipped it into shape! We cleaned it again this morning and so its way clean! It felt good haha. So I realized I don’t have an ipod charger... there is a guy in my ward that is charging my ipod when I need it but f you guys can maybe send me one? I have a question so in the mtc my president was an anesthesiologist and he told me when I get here to buy cipro and it will keep me from getting sick. I had to get a receipt from a doctor to get it (we have the hook up with a foot doctor) but she said cipro would lower my defenses because it’s an antibiotic and so she suggested getting lactipan. i haven’t bought anything but if you think it’s a good idea let me know what you guys think I should do with that. So at church on Sundays I’ve noticed that Mexicans cannot sing worth nothing omg every time they sing i want to stop them and run out of the room it’s terrible! There is a man in my ward that I swear is the Mexican version of papa! I saw him and was like what!! Papa got dark and learned Spanish! It’s pretty weird! Umm the other day we ate at a member’s house and we ate molé its this type of food I’m sure Dallas could tell you what it is but it was my second time to eat it the first time was good but a different lady made it. This time it was seriously the worst thing to ever touch my tongue! so my comp got up to go open the door and i was sitting there alone and so I snuck my food on his plate and he lady came in and asked if I wanted more and I smiled and said no I’m full but thank you so much t was sooo good! hahahaha it was funny because i told my comp later that night and he was like i wondered how i got so much food on my plate I thought she just put more on there when i got up! funny stuff but anyways i only get mail like every 2 months.... that’s what my companion says so i don’t get letters until December 20th so you guys can send me stuff but just know i won’t get it for a while. So we had a lesson this week we one of the hermanas that I’m baptizing this sunday and i thought a lot and we taught about the restoration and how it was special because she was in the same situation Joseph Smith was in that she had all the other religions saying this and that and she was confused about what to do so i opened the Book of Mormon and we read about the story again and i bore my testimony and you could feel the spirit just talking to her i knew it the whole time and she looked up and said she had her answer so we are baptizing her sunday! }what an experience i was so happy that whole rest of the day I’m so grateful for the spirit and for everything my testimony has been strengthened so much and it’s so hard for me to put in words how grateful I am and the love i have for this gospel! So one thing I wanted to tell you guys but I forgot was I shower out of a bucket cause we don’t have hot water so I have to fill the bucket up and put this charger in and it heats it up boy let me tell you that’s quite the shower. But over all everything has been great! My president knows that I’ve been really struggling with the work ethic of my comp and emailed me and talked to me about how he’s grateful to have me here and other stuff because he said he needs people that work there hardest and push people and lead. it was very nice of him but I’m just blessed to have what I have because of my family and my loving Heavenly Father he’s helps so much! Well i love you all so much and pray for you always I’m safe and happy and working as hard as i can! I miss you guys talk to you next week!
Love Elder Lowder
Monday, November 21, 2011
Mexico!! November 21,2011
Hey family,
Hey im in mexico and safe! My companion is a native of mexico and doesnt speak an english except for wha ive taught him. Im not gonna lie There are things i like but there are things i dont like like there are a lot of dogs alot!! every where and there all way skinny and nasty its way sad. But its part of there culture. I have been struggling with the language and things and its very frustrating i pray alot! My areas name is the state of mexico and its a bigger area it baptises alot. the food here is good but some isnt like the other day i ate pig skin and i almost threw up but i held it in and just kepped eating. the people here feed you a lot im talking 5 times a day and i cant eat this much and so i feel bad when i have to tell them im not hungry. I dont know the whole peso to doller things so i rarely use my money. My apartment is disgusting so it was the second day here and my comp. asked if i had anyhting i wanted to say i told him yes and i sat him down and told him that we need to clean this place he said ok and we went to the store and bought some cleaning stuff and we are cleaning that sucker tonight! im gonna scrub the place till it shines! The people are very very small but very nice and very open to things we have to say. There arent any laws for driving so pretty everyone drives where ever and as fast as they can. its seriously crazy. I Really miss everyone alot but im trucking and not letting it affect anything. My first sunday was yesterday and i had to give a 5 minute ¨´talk´´ more like testimony but it was good. My companion is a good guy but there are some things about him that are affecting me. We do nothing but visit members and thats pretty much it and i really want to get out there and work and contact and contact and teach and all that i want to go back home everynight on the verge of falling over cause im so tired but he doesnt have that same work ethic which is frustrating because im the junior newby and hes been here 6 months so im slowl teaching him what it means to work. i told him this week i want 4 new investigators that are going to progress. He said it was a good goal. so we will do it once my spanish gets alot better im gonna really ge him working. But of course not over step him. He doesnt obey all the rules like watching movies or tv or listening the right music he does it anyway he told me he doenst care but im gonna give him a short lesson on obedience and how if we are exactly obedient we will see miricles but if we only obedient we will only recieve blessings hopefully he will change. I have already said this but i have been on my knees and praying more this week then i ever ever have i pray everytime i get a chance because i need help with this language so i can talk to people better i talk and they understand but they described it as like a caveman but not that bad. im just missing like little things that i will learn i know i will. My Book of Mormon is my best friend i read it everytime i get a chance and im learning so much. Thanksgiving is this week and i hope you guys have an awesome time with granda and papa give them my love and hugs and have them give you hugs from me. The area im in is poor and the houses are basically like a concrete floor roof and walls and they just move there suff in they have a front door a bathroom door and thats it the rest are covered by blankets at least in the houses ive been in. Everyone stares at me like im a frea or an alien or an amazing creature they have never seen its kinda funny and its kinda annoying. A lot of the time i feel alone as far as being white and american but i have my Heavenly Father with me and i know im not alone. Just know im safe im happy and i love you all and think of you always. My pday is on monday and i email each monday. I want everyone who reads this to remember one thing. Be greatful for where you live and what you have and how your life in America is one thing ive learned is that we have it so so so so great in America and its crazy how easy and fast you can take advantage of it so dont. I love you all and miss you and pray for you.
Have a wonerfully happy Thanksiving!!
Love
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
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