September 9, 2013

Hey guys!, Wow! haha. You guys have it all planned out! Sounds great! What's an ob-gyn or what ever you guys said that the Stake President is going to be doing? So I'm a little nervous about the transition but I'm sure that's normal, but I'm also excited. I still can't believe the fact that it's basically over. I still feel as though I had just walked into those MTC doors crying about the fact that I had just said goodbye to my family for 2 years to become part of the Lords army and see the lives of many change and be able to change myself. I haven't been the greatest missionary ever but I know the Lord is happy with the work I've done. I know with all my heart that this gospel is true and that this is what I need and everyone needs to be happy and to be able to get back to our Father in Heavens presence. I know that Christ died for us and has given us a chance to get back to His presence. He knows what we're going through and He knows that we need Him to get back to His presence. I have been studying a lot lately in Alma 5 and trying to answer the questions that are there and trying to find every single little problem there is with me and fix it and make myself better in all I do. I hope I can get home and know that I will be an instrument in the Lords hands. I feel that everyone will be watching me and my every move to see if I've changed or whatever, but I know it's not important what everyone thinks. I know I've done my best to change and that's what matters and I know that the Lord is happy with me and what I've done. I will write you guys on Monday, haha. I'm excited and nervous! WOOO! Elder Lowder

September 2, 2013

Hey Guys, So, just to answer your question real fast, I'm not at all trunky, hahaha. I'm very happy and I'm working just as hard as ever and looking in every moment to get better. I am excited to get home though to see you guys and all that. Kellen is back? haha. He just couldn't stay away could he. It's gonna be hard to get up in front of the ward again and speak and teach in English! That freaks me out, haha. Has any one mentioned anything about that? So it's been raining a lot here which is frustrating but other than that everyone always says that i look like I'm glowing with happiness hahahaha. That's wierd. But anyways, this week my comp and I are gonna baptise 2 people and then next week we're gonna baptise 5 on my last week here, so I'm pretty excited that. I'm going to go home baptising and helping the people. So I don't know why but it feels harder to write now that I'm almost home, haha. Oh yeah, so this Saturday we're gonna have an activity with the Ward. We're gonna do the Olympics. We made a video like for an opening ceremony and we're gonna have a fog machine and some lights to get everyone super psyched and then we're gonna go play. But yeah, that about it. Love you guys and miss you Elder Lowder

August 26th, 2013

Hey guys, We did baptize that family! So everything is going good! I feel good and I’m happy. It feels really weird for me that I’m already going to be home in 3 weeks. It feels like I still have a long long long ways to go. I sure hope I can fulfill whatever the Lord calls me to do when I get home. I don’t know what I should do about work. I’ve been thinking about working with Bro Cook. I guess I can figure it out when I get home. Honestly its been pretty hard for my comp and I to help the zone. This zone is definitely a lot harder than the other ones I’ve been in. We’ve been working very hard to help the zone but it’s not working. I feel like the goals and things we changed yesterday are gonna change a lot this week. I still am getting tired, haha. It’s the hardest zone I’ve had and some times I just don’t know what to do to help. My comp and I have been praying and looking for revelation a lot lately. So I feel like everything is going to get better. So this week we have 3 people to baptize. 2 are family members of the people we baptized last week and the other one is a lady that we have also been teaching. I’m pretty excited about that. Well 3 weeks and I’ll be back. Love you guys and miss you guys. Elder Lowder

August 19, 2013

Hey guys! So my birthday was good! I honestly forgot about it until like the day after when I got a phone call from my Pres, haha. It didn’t matter cause I didn’t know any one here yet, so they were’nt gonna do anything for me anyway. Other than that, it was good. I did get the package! I thought I put that in last weeks letter but I did get it and the money! Thank you guys so much, it was awesome! Honestly! So this week was good but weird because I saw a lot of people from my first, second and third areas, so I got to say hi to a lot of them and hear how they have been which filled me with a bunch of joy. They all reminded me of my time which was a wake up call for me, hahaha. So in 4 weeks, I will be home. Wow! So this week we have the baptism of that family I told you guys about, so I’m pretty excited about it. I don’t know what else to talk about, hahaha. Ummmmm. So today we got the zone together and talked about the Atonement with them. It was an awesome experience because the spirit is always so strong when we talk about the atonement. I know that we are going to see a lot of changes now that we understand more about our purpose. So sorry it’s going to be short cause I don’t know what to put. Love you guys! and Miss you guys! Elder Lowder

August 12, 2013

Hey guys!, So this week was good. It’s cool having a white comp again! It’s so weird to have only 5 weeks left on my mission! But don’t worry, I have the goal of 15 baptisms before I get home so I’m going to do it! So do what the mission president asked you guys to do! That’s what we’ve been doing all my mission, so it helps to have more success! Also, it helps you guys have more spiritual experiences and more conversion! When I get home, I’m going to do my best to do it. So to answer your questions, I’m down with what ever. I’m down to having everyone there that wants to be there or just family. It would be good to have a bunch of people there just to be able to see everyone fast and than not have to worry about having to receive visits or stuff like that. It’s up to you guys. So this week we went and taught a family that was having problems because the kids drink a lot. My comp and I got there and we could feel that there were problems with them. So we started to talk to them and help them see that the Lord doesn’t want that stuff to happen in their lives and other things like that. We could tell that they liked it and they accepted to get baptized! It’s a family of 7, so we’re pretty excited about that! So also I’m in Palmar. It’s nice. It’s like 15-20 minutes away from my area that I had for about 10 months so I already know a lot about it. My comps name is Elder Robinson. He’s from Wyoming, hahaha. He’s pretty cowboy! Ummm, The ward is very good. They look like they need a little help, but we’re gonna help them. The Zone is a lot smaller than my other one but they seem to have the same problems, hahaha. We have a meeting in about 20 minutes and we’re gonna talk to them and give them some new goals so that they can get better. My president sent me here and called me and told me I have to train my comp to be the next assistant but I’ve never been assistant, so I don’t know how to do that but we’re gonna see how it goes. I’m super excited about these last few weeks and I’m ready to explode as best as I can to do everything in my power to finish my mission well! Love you guys and miss you guys! Elder Lowder

August 5, 2013

Hey guys! So I have changes for my last six weeks! Let’s see what I can do in my new area in 6 weeks, hahaha. So this week was good! To answer your questions, I have been focusing on helping the missionaries more than looking for investigators but I will be focusing on helping people to baptize and all that on my last 6 weeks. So I’m honestly excited about these last 6 weeks of my mission because I’m going to do my best to dedicate my time and attention to everything I have’nt been able to change on my mission. My president already told me to relax and just learn everything I can in these last 6 weeks cause, I did it!, haha. So I will finish my mission with Elder Robinson. So I will have another American companion who it looks like will be Elder Willis! So I’m pretty excited about it because I feel like we are going to get along very well together. I’m so thankful for it because I honestly wasn’t happy with my comp that I have now but I know that I will get along with the new one, so I’m very happy about these changes. My 2 best friends that I have here on my mission are staying here in the zone. So that’s gonna be hard cause Elder Holley and Elder Pittman and I have gone through a lot together and so I’m pretty sad to leave them. I know that the Lord has something amazing prepared for me on these last 6 weeks of my mission. If you guys have any talks or any scriptures or anything I can study in these last 6 weeks of my mission please send it to me because I really want to learn more and more and dedicate my time to preparing myself more and more to the Lord. Any advice? Love you guys and thank you for everything you have done to help me out and support me in these last 2 years. I’m ready for whatever comes next! Elder Lowder

July 30, 2013

Hey guys! So this week was good! I’m happy to be a missionary and help the Lord! I am super scared about getting home! I’m not even kidding! Just thinking about life after the mission makes me scared haha, but I know I’m prepared and that the Lord has something huge prepared for me! I want to work for him in our ward! So this week was good! On Friday I went and did an interview for the assistants. I don’t know why but they called me and said, “Elder Lowder, we need your help because we have a couple that wants to get baptized but they always tell us no. Come to our church on Friday and interview them please.” On Friday I got on the bus and we went on an hour long drive to interview these people. I went into the interview and we started talking. I asked him how he felt about everything he had been learning and he told me he felt great and he felt different. As we talked the spirit was present and we both knew it. To make it fast, he decided to get baptized. Then his wife came in with me and expressed to me that she had never found anything to believe in in her whole entire life. That the message that the missionaries had been sharing with her had changed her life. We talked and read a little bit of scriptures. She asked me if she was ready to be baptized. I told her and promised her as a representative of Christ that she is ready to get baptized and that it would be what she needed in her life. As I told her that, she and I started crying as we felt the spirit of the Lord testify to her that He loves her and that she was ready. She told me thank you because we helped her find something to believe in and something to love. They were baptized on Saturday. After they were baptized my x companion who is an assistant called me and told me that it had been the best baptismal service he has ever had. After both of them were baptized they stayed in the font hugging and crying knowing that the Lord was there and that he excepted that baptism of water. I know that the Lord lives and that we are his servants. Without us this work would not be completed. We need everyone so that we can bless the lives of our brothers and sisters and help them know the plan of salvation. I know this is true. I love you all and miss you all. In the name of Jesus Christ amen. Elder Lowder

July 22, 2013

Hey guys, So this week was good. I went out of the area the whole week doing divisions with various missionarys that needed help working or just arent excited to be here or that are having hard times. I dont know why but i feel more happiness at this point of my mission doing that then working in my own area. I was thinking the other day about how i started my mission and how i had a lot of struggles and all that how i didnt have a trainer that helped me and how that affected me. I felt that now that i am almost done with my mission my greatest desire right now is to help the missionarys that are here that i can help so that there missions can be full of success and full of happiness. I feel like thats the best thing i can do for the Lord right now in my mission. So this week i met a new family the only day i was here in my area. Mariane and Eddie . They were references from a member family. When we went to go and talk to them she opened the door and wouldnt let us in but said she wanted to talk to us at that member familys house. So we set up an appointment to visit them there. When we got to that house we sat down and started talking to them about who we are and what we do then we gave them the time so they could tell us why they were lookig for us. When the mom started talking i felt the biggest feeling of sadness for her as i listened to her explain to us her problem. She told us that in May she was taking a shower while her nephew wathed her little girl of 8 years old. She said when she came out of the shower her nephew was trying to violate the little girl. She told us the only thing she could do was to grab her and hold on to her and tell her she was sorry while the mothers brother was hitting the teenager of 17 years old. I felt so bad for her and felt so many desires to just give her a hug and cry with her and tell her everything is going to be ok. We shared our lesson with her and told her that the Lord lives and will help her. She said she felt so calm and felt hope as she listened to the message we shared with her. I know that this is true and that there is so much power in the atonement and that it can heal any pain that we have. I desire to do what it says in Doctrine and Covenants 98 11-13 and give my life 100% to the Lord so that i can have Eternal Life as my reward. In the name of Jesus Christ amen. So to answer your questions dad yes i would love to work with Brother Cook. My comp and i are doing good working hard. The zone went so down hill that its working my butt off to get it back up again. Tonight at 6 im going to talk to the zone to help them get excited again and start working like they need to work. Were gonna see what happens. Dad the way you can help the missionarys is by finding the need of the investigator and applying it to the lesson and sharing experiences. The person will then feel trust with you and will have more desire to do the things you counsel him or her to do. Thank you guys for helping me and doing what your doing. I Love you guys and miss you guys! Lets go to work!! The Lord needs us all at 100%! Elder Lowder

July 15, 2013

Hey Guys, So this week was good. My comp and I talked and we started to make plans so that we can make everything better here in the zone and so we could start working together. So everything is getting better. We’re gonna go to work this week and we’re gonna have the success that the Lord blesses us with. On Sunday I completed 22 months in the mission, holy crap!! They called me and asked me about which airport and at what time and all that which was super crazy! So I just want to work as hard as I can to baptize as many people as I can and work as hard as I can before I go home. I also want to be able to have more knowledge as far as the scriptures before I get home. So I’m going to be dedicating a lot of time to reading the scriptures and learning as much as I can. So I’m doing good and I’m happy working hard out here and doing my best to get along with my comp and help the zone. I’ll make sure to get ready to get back and to check my email on Wednesday to see about the money. Love you guys and miss you guys. Elder Lowder

July 10, 2013

Hey guys! Sorry this week I didn’t get to write... My comp put appointments during our writing time and then I just haven’t had time to get here and write you guys. I’m so happy to see those pics. Honestly, that made me super happy to see my new niece all dressed up and ready to have her blessing. What a blessing! So, I received my call yesterday and they asked me about where I wanted to land, in which airport and at what time. That was weird to be honest with you guys. So you guys visited where I will be studying? So, my comp and I were having problems last week so we didn’t get to have many spiritual experiences and that makes me feel sad. I try talking to him but he just wants to do things his way and the Zone is going down hill. I just feel like there’s nothing else I can do when someone doesn’t want to cooperate. So that’s kinda hard. But I’ll be good because I know the Lord will help me learn something I need to learn from him and I will grow stronger from this experience. I love you guys and miss you guys. Give that baby a huge hug for me please! Elder Lowder

July 2, 2013

This stinks!! hahahaha I want to be there so freaking bad!!! She’s way cute! :( Hey guys! I haven’t had time to go get the money yet but I’m gonna go tomorrow or today, don’t worry. So this week was good, we broke the record woooo!!!!!!!!!! I’m honestly tired but it’s not physically that I feel tired. I don’t know what it is. I just feel tired, all out tired. I feel like I have given everything I have the last month to reach the goal and to help the Zone reach its full potential and now I’m tired. I’m kinda mad because my camera broke last month which stinks because now I won’t be able to take pics of my last months, Sorry. So I’m so glad to hear that Breanna had her baby! I printed a picture of her and I’m carrying it with me everywhere I go. Breanna, it makes me glad to know that you were strong in the process, love you and miss ya. So I’ve only got 2 months or so left here and I’m gonna work as hard as I can to baptize and help everyone around me have success. Pray for me so I can have strength again, hahaha. So I can’t wait to get home and see the baby! I’m way excited! A little sad that i didn’t get to be there and be part of the experience but I know that it’s part of the sacrifice. So I have a new comp named Elder Giron, he’s from Ecuador. He seems cool. I haven’t been with him that much because we have been out with all the other missionaries as much as we can so we haven’t had that much time to get to know one another quite yet. At the same time I feel like he only wants to be better than everyone else and that he doesn’t care what I want to do but I don’t know for sure. I’m gonna have to keep trying to get to know him. I’m not worried about it though. I know I’ll be alright and that I’ll be able to do it. I miss you guys and love you guys! I hope that you guys keep enjoying the new baby and that you guys have fun. Talk to y’all later. Love you guys Bye!

June 24, 2013

Hey guys!, So this week was good, I’m exhausted! We worked our butts off. We only need 4 baptisms to complete our goal this month. So I’m pretty excited about that. My comp leaves tomorrow to Monterey and so I will be getting a new comp. So I’m glad to hear everything at home is going good and that you guys are all happy. So today we went to a mountain here in our zone and we climbed it. It was so scary and I’m so tired from it, hahaha. It was scary because the mountain didn’t have trails, so we just free climbed it. I was so happy when we got to the top and I was safe, haha. So yesterday I was there at that meeting watching in the Stake center but half way through some missionaries in the Zone needed some help with some people that were giving them problems, so I missed the whole second part of the training. I heard that it was awesome! So is everything ok with Breanna? She’s not having problems or anything? Everything is going good? I’ll make sure to pray a lot for her so that everything goes well. So I love you guys and hope that you guys can keep staying strong. Pray for me so I can have more energy because I’m tired mentally and physically. I’m sorry my emails don’t really have that much information but I forget a lot of stuff! Elder Lowder

June 17, 2013

Hey guys!, We broke 3 mission RECORDS this weekend for our Lord and Savior, WOOOO!!!! We have 2 weeks left in this month and we already have 52 people baptized! We only need 18 more to have 70 and we have 25 people with baptismal dates for this week, WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 70!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday, I couldn’t write because I was stuck in traffic from 6:30 until 9:15 last night. So, I’m sorry about that. I’m glad to hear that everything is going good and that you guys are gonna be busy. What day is Breanna supposed to be having the baby? If you’re gonna be alone, dad, you should hang with the Cooks or visit a bunch of less actives so that they can go back to church. I’m feeling good. My comp and I are getting along because I talked to him and helped him out the best I could, so we’re doing good now and he’s only got 8 days left and then he’s out of here. So I got the protein, thanks guys! The other package was perfect! I’m still working on it, hahahaha. I’m so thankful for all that I have. There are so many days that I’m absolutely exhausted and I feel like I can’t do anything, but some how, some way I work and work and work without fail and I can just keep going. I know that the promises that the Lord and his servants make are true and will come to pass if we have faith and do what they tell us. So I pray that everyone that reads this email can do everything they can to obey everything that the Lord tells us and through his servants, so that we can be blessed. I know with all my heart that its the only way. I love you guys and I miss you guys. I know its been a long time, but 3 months left for me to work my butt off for the Lord and give him all i can so I can graduate from the mission and start my career out there in the real world. Elder Lowder

On the way to Meetings. Yep, he got a facial!

June 10, 2013

Hey guys, So this week was good. I sent my companion off to go work with the district leaders so I had a chance to work like I like to in my area this week. We baptized 3 people so I’m very happy about that! As a zone we baptized 18 this week and we want to baptize 70 this month as a zone and I know we can do it! Just to let you guys know, I took the money out today. Thank you guys very very much because it’s helping us out a whole bunch! Also, I got one package, the one with food and all that but the one with protein I didn’t get but I don’t know if you guys sent it late or what happened? But I’m sure it will get here. Im so so so so excited that Brandon finished his eagle scout project and that he’s at EFY! I also hope he really tries to enjoy himself. When I get home I’m gonna whip those guys into shape. Sounds perfect that Ammon’s headed out to study at LDS business college. So that i can get there knowing the little secrets, haha. I’m very happy to be here in the mission and I want to baptize as many as cross my path so that they can know more about the purpose in this life and they can receive the opportunity to get into our Father in Heavens presence. I was given a talk to study because one day we started to talk to some members during dinner about doctrine and things like that, so they told me about a talk they read on their mission called, “with what purpose.” It’s a talk given to missionaries in 1962 and it talks about the pre-mortal life and what’s to come and our purpose here as missionaries and all that. I have such a bigger testimony that our Father in Heaven is perfect and his plan as is perfect and oh how he loves us all as his children. I wish I could have the opportunity to scream it to the whole entire world and teach everyone about these things so that they can learn what we are so so so blessed to know as members of the church! I wish I could help everyone know! So, I need a favor so I can keep working for the Lord as much as I can when I get back. Please tell the Bishop to start thinking about a calling or something he can let me do to serve the ward and the people that live in the boundaries. hahahaha. Well, I love you guys very much and I miss you all and I hope that you guys have fun on your vacations in Texas without kids. When are you guys going to see the baby be born? Is everyone going? In those pictures, she looks very ready to explode! haha Love you guys and thank you guys very much for the prayers and all that you guys do for me! Elder Lowder

June 3,2013

Hey guys!, So to answer your questions, I haven’t had time to be able to do it yet. On Friday I’m gonna have my interview with President but I haven’t had much time to be able to do very much, I’ll have it done really really soon don’t worry. This week was good. We’re still getting better and better. This week we have 5 people to baptize so I’m excited about that. So because I don’t have much time today I’m just gonna write really fast. This week we have a meeting with President Morales and the other zone leaders where we talk about all the problems in the mission and all that. My comp and I are getting along so so because I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but there’s not any communication. Every time something happens I’ll tell him but he never tells me anything which is kind of frustrating even though I’ve talked to him about it like 5 times. He doesn’t seem to care. I don’t know if it’s because he’s leaving in 3 weeks or what’s going on but it’s frustrating. Other than that, everything’s going good and we’re working hard until the last moment. I’ll let you guys know when my packages get here. I love you guys and miss you guys. Elder Lowder

May 20,1988

Hey guys, So this week was good. We worked really hard to fix some of the stuff that’s going on in the Zone. I’m in Los Reyes. It’s pretty far from everywhere else I have been. My comp is from Monterey Mexico. His name is Elder Serrano. He’s not as good as other comps I’ve had because he’s kinda slow, haha. Everything is good though. I’ve got a lot of work to do but it’s all good, I want to do it. So, Elder Hallstrom and his wife came and spoke to our mission today. It was awesome! I learned a whole lot and received a lot of revelation about what I have to do to get better with my work and everything. So I hope everything at home is going great and that you guys keep working hard. I don’t really know what else to say. I love you guys and miss you guys. Elder Lowder

Recent Pictures

Elder Lowders new investigator, Inside a Catholic Church, Current Companion, Largest Pyramid

May 13, 2013

Hey guys, So today was a good day and I was super excited that I got to talk to you guys yesterday! So today was awesome when we went to the pyramids! I sent you guys a couple of pics but they’re not even close to being all of them. I loved it! So I just want you guys to know I’m a lot more calm about everything since you guys gave me that information and helped me out. I just need to have a plan of sorts for when I get home. It’s now time, I know, to finish my mish good and strong! I love you guys and miss you all! Love, Elder Lowder

May 6, 2013

Hey guys! So this week was good for us. We worked hard! I’m very very tired after talking to the mission and working and all the stress I have had. I’m working as hard as ever to be able to complete my goals and to work hard for the Lord. My comp and I talked to the mission on Friday and taught them about the importance of committing the people to change and to keep the invitations we give them. It went very well, according to what everyone told us. President loved it because the whole time he shook his head yes and had a huge smile on his face, haha. SO that went well. They have’nt told us anything about the calls we’re gonna make on Sunday so I don’t know what time yet, but I’ll let you guys know in an email during the week. So I have 4 months left in my mission! I have a lot to do before it ends so that I can finish my training for what comes afterwards. I know that the Lord loves us and that he needs every single one of our help. I know that we all have trials in our lives so that we can learn from our mistakes so that we can be the sons and daughters worthy of Him and so that we can serve him with all our strength. There is so much that I have to make better and that I have to learn but I will do so because I know that the Lord needs me to run his errands. I’ll write you guys this week to let you know about everything. Love you guys and miss you all so much! Elder Lowder