Built Upon His Rock Letter 2/24/2014

Dearest Family,

This week has been amazing and we have experienced so many tender mercies of the Lord. I only have time to share a few. We had six investigators at Church this week! But two investigators that came last week didn't come this week. It was good to have six but they were all girls and we are really trying to convert men because we need priesthood. One of our progressing investigators,  is doing so well. She received an answer to her prayers about the Book of Mormon and so we are super excited to continue teaching her the rest of the lessons. We have her baptism set for March 29. Please pray that all will go smoothly and that she as well as all of our investigators will have the strength to withstand opposition. There are so many people here who are ready to receive the gospel but opposition is present as well. In one Barangay (neighborhood) we have only visited about three times we have already noticed and on Sunday we heard that the Catholic priest told his congregation not to listen to us because Joseph Smith is our God and we don't believe in Christ. I don't think he's ever read our name tags... We are excited to continue working in that area and to invite them to come unto Christ through this wonderful Gospel. 

We taught a new family of investigators. The dad wasn't able to be there which was sad but we taught them with the a recent convert family and they are amazing. We just taught a few principles from Lesson 1 and were doing a typical first visit and we invited our recent convert to share her feelings about her conversion and how the Gospel has strengthened her family and she said something like this: "Okay, I'm going to be a little prideful, look at my husband. If we hadn't joined this Church, he would still be drinking and smoking and what not. And then our kids would have seen that example and they would have followed. We are so much closer as a family and so much stronger because of this Gospel." It was amazing to have them there and we are hopeful that the  family will progress even if it takes the Brother a second to come a long. Their daughter who is about 13 came to church on sunday. The sister coudn't because she has a baby who is only about 6 weeks old. Hopefully she will be able to come in the future. 

My companion asked me the question after reading Helaman 5:12 "How exactly do we Build upon the Rock for our Redeemer Jesus Christ?" As I thought about it, I related it to sports and well, any skill. The key is in mastering the basics. You have to learn and relearn and review the basics just like drilling "take-downs" or running plays over and over again. our drilling comes from daily scripture study, and regular personal prayer as well as repentance and many other simple things pertaining to the basic Doctrines of the Gospel. And thus we see that by "Small and Simple things are great things brought to pass." I'm so grateful for the gift of grace and the enabling power it gives us through the atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that if we build upon His Rock, we cannot fall. I love you all so much and I pray for you always. Keep the faith and may peace be the journey!

Love Elder Lowe

Elder Lowe's Castle that he lives in.