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