100% Sure. Blog Letter 2/23/2015

Dearest Family,

It has been a great week. The baptism of Sister J and Brother Ju was a success. I felt the spirit really strong at the baptismal service. J seemed to be trying to absorb every moment as she stood in the Baptismal font. They were baptized by the Elders Quorum President Brother S. 

Brother Ja is good but it's going to be a process helping him return back into full activity. He really opened up to us this past week. He wants to change and he has tried but he keeps falling. But that's the wonderful part about the Atonement, There is always another chance as long as we are willing to repent. He came to part of church yesterday which was good but when we returned to teach him last night he was drunk.. We love him though and we really want to help him change and we have faith that he can.

Earlier this week we were on a tricycle (a motor cycle with a side car) and I was right next to the driver and he looked at us and said, "Are you sure your Church is true." A little confused but confident nonetheless I replied, "yes.." He then said, "How sure?" Still unsure where this was going but sure that the church was true, immediately I said, "100% sure."  Then I asked what religion he was from and he said he was from the Reorganized Church. I was even more surprised at this fact but then he admitted to actually being a member and RM from Catarman. He was just messin around with us and we got a good laugh out of it afterwards. Later that day I was reflecting on the experience and even though I was a little unsure where this guy was going I was sure that the Church was true and I honestly don't know how else I would have responded.

The Work is going well here. I am excited for this next transfer and hopefully we will see a couple of more Baptisms. I love you all and hope all is well! You are in my prayers often. Keep the faith and may peace be the Journey!

Love Elder Lowe

We Got A New Phone Blog Letter 2/15/2015

Dear Family,

But really, Elder R. and I got a big kick out of the package. When I opened the box we were both shocked when I pulled out an iphone 6 box. I knew there was no way it was actually an iphone, but at first glance I was still pretty surprised. We laughed pretty hard at the iphone case inside and even played some pranks on the other missionaries convincing them that we had actually bought an iphone because our mission phone broke. The iphone box now makes a nice decoration on my desk. I loved the socks and the shirts as well! The socks smell so good! I haven't used them yet because they smell so good. Sometimes I just sit at my desk and smell them... Please also send my thanks to The Spanish Peak and YSA ward for their letters and Christmas messages. I particularly enjoyed the letter of Jessie J. so tell her hello and thank her for me. I got the Christmas card of Rob and Ali! You both look great. I also got the one year announcement thing where Hailey still looks like an alien (it's okay... all babies look that way when they are newly born). She is really cute though in the Christmas card.

The area is doing well and it gets better each week. J and J are preparing for their baptism coming up on Saturday and so we hope and pray all will go well there. We talked to their parents this past week when we filled out their baptism and confirmation record and they are okay with them being baptized but they don't want anything to do with the Church. I was maybe a little more persistent than I should have been but hopefully one day they will soften their hearts. The best place to learn and live the Gospel truly is in the family unit. On that note, we committed the wife of a recent convert to be baptized in March! And oh, of course the goal is that they, N and T will be able to attend the temple and be sealed.

We also met a man named J this past week. He used to be active a long time ago but for the past several years has been less active. He has a desire to come back though and he wants us to teach and baptize his girl friend. We have only taught him once and have an appointment with him and his girl friend on Tuesday but we are super excited to work with them. He has a really good heart and I hope we might be able to help him return to activity in the church.

We had a zone training earlier this week and then another training down in Tacloban later in the week for the missionaries who are in training. The training was good and arriving in Tacloban kind of felt like coming home but wow that ride is killer. Seven hours of windy road. I'm not one to get car sick but that ride always gives me a pretty good headache. The mode of transport is a van; A Toyota Hiace to be exact. The mission focus this month is Consecration and it is on that note that I would like to close. Like most things in life, consecrating oneself is a process. It happens one step at a time. I believe that God understands this concept and I believe that our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ love us unconditionally. Obeying His commandments and consecrating ourselves to Him and His work is how we show our love for Him. And then in His infinite goodness He makes us into something greater than we could ever become if left to ourselves. Because of His atonement which is infinite and eternal we can change and become better. As we obey Him and consecrate ourselves to Him we are exercising faith in His great atoning sacrifice. The master stated, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" and King Benjamin in his wisdom said, speaking of belief in God and repentance, "...and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." And then if we do, we will "be led to a land of promise." If I might personalize the scriptures, 1 Nephi 2:20 could read, "And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be [changed into a man] of promise; yea, even a [man] which I have [planned] for you; yea, a [manner of man] which is choice above all other [manner of men]." The Savior asked, 'What manner of men ought ye to be?' And then answering His own question He states, "Verily I say unto you, even as I am." If we will willingly obey his commandments and consecrate ourselves to Him and His work, He will make us into such a man. Yea, even a man of God. Perfection is a process. It occurs one step at a time as we strive to follow the great plan of happiness that has been given to us.

I love seeing miracles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the lives of all the people that we work with as well as in my own life. I know God lives and loves us regardless of our weaknesses. He wants us to succeed and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can and will.

I love you all! Keep the faith and may peace be the journey!

Love Elder Lowe

Four Seasons Blog Leter 2/9/2015

Dearest Family!

We had a great week up here in UEP! Nothing is more devastating than when investigators or Less-Actives don't keep commitments. On the other hand nothing is more rewarding than when they do. This week had a little bit of both. Our neighbors, the A. family came to Church and so we were happy about that other than the fact that they were late and didn't come in until after the Sacrament was over. But we are still glad they came. We have become really close with them over the past couple of weeks because we talk with them almost everyday. The father passed away a few years ago and they have their struggles but they are great.

Another Less Active we are working with is only 22 years old and was really active before but just got busy I guess. He wants to return but he's afraid. I know you all recognize the feared question by such a person, "What are you doing here?" or "Who are you?" We have a good relationship with him and we have had some great lessons with him but Missionaries can only do so much in such a situation. Hopefully we can work with the Elders Quorum to fellowship him. My testimony of Home teaching and Visiting teaching has grown so much as I have served as a missionary. The concept is brilliant if we will use it. Whodda thunk right?

We have investigators being baptized on the 21 of February. They were taught by the previous missionaries and I was reluctant to baptize them at first because their parents aren't members and one is 14 and the other is 11. But they've been coming to Church now for about three years now and So I think they're ready. The oldest is pretty smart. In fact I think she's smarter than some of our adult investigators. Her little brother has mental limitations though and so we have to take the lessons very slowly with him.

Elder R. is doing well and our training is going great. We have really developed a good relationship. His optimism and enthusiasm for the work is contagious and has really helped me a lot. I may be the trainer but I am being trained just as much. His dream is to play basketball at BYU and he really wants to experience what winter is like. He really liked the pictures of Jenny and Austin when they hiked to that snow river place. In fact, he told some members about it when we visited them this passed week. I honestly don't know what it's like to not have experienced snow or all four seasons for that matter.I love you all and love hearing from you! Keep the faith, always do your visiting and home teaching, and may peace be the journey!

Love Elder Lowe

Professors Lowe and R Blog Letter 2/2/2015

Dearest Family!

What a wonderful week it has been. Elder R and I are doing very well up here in UEP. We've really been striving to find professional and family investigators but of course we will teach anyone who will listen. 

We have on member who is a professor and this last week we had the opportunity to teach two of her sociology classes. The topic was the importance of a belief in Jesus Christ in our lives and in our society. It went really well and we had some great participation from the classes. We are now just hoping to get into contact with the students individually so that we can teach them in more detail about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The ward is also doing well. We attended their Ward Council meeting yesterday and they have some good goals set for the year. They are starting to gain a vision that I think has been heretofore lacking. 

I have much more to say but I am out of time. I do want you to know that I love you and appreciate your love and support. And in case you were wondering, I haven't used toilet paper for almost two years now. 

Keep the faith my friends, and may peace be the journey!! Love ya

Love Elder Lowe