Family Photo after five years

It’s been five years since we’ve been able to have a family photo with everybody in it since someone was always serving on a mission and the missions overlapped. Today was the day to finally get an updated family photo with everyone in it.

So precious to me!  I love these photos!  I’m so happy we have updated the family photo!!!!  Families a forever!!!

New Job for Betsy

Right before I left for Thailand, Debbie Chamberlin from Chesapeake Hospitality contacted me about a possible job at the Four Points by Sheraton near the airport.  The job would be an assistant to the Director of Sales for the hotel.

I interviewed for the job on December 21, 2017.  I met with Annetta Downs, the new General Manager.  We had a wonderful meeting, and I feel confident about the job opportunity.

I said I would not be available until after my ski trip, January 10, 2018.

I was offered the job, and accepted the position.  I will start in early January.

Kids come home for Christmas

Oh what a great night!!!  Devon, Robert, Jessica and Tate are all flying home together.  All of their flights are on time and connections are good.  This is such great news!!! So much better than last year when Devon was delayed in Denver.

We are so happy to have them home.

Jessica and Tate are in the England room.

Marissa is back in her room.

Devon and Robert are in the boys room.  Devon agreed to be on a mattress on the floor!  He is so kind to sacrifice.

A Christmas Carrol with Marissa

We are so excited to have Marissa home.  Last year we took everyone to see a Christmas Carroll.  I felt bad that Marissa could not be with us, so before she came home I reserved excellent seats for Mark and I to treat Marissa to see this fabulous Christmas story.

Marissa had only been home 2 days.  I didn't expect her to not want to see such a beautiful Christmas story.

It was a shame that Marissa didn't really want to be there.  I didn't expect that and I was sad that she couldn't enjoy the marvelous message of the story.

Marissa returns from her Mission

We are so excited ... but she is not.

We can't wait for Marissa to come home from her mission.  She arrives home on December 18, 2018, but in the emails leading up to her return, she constantly tells us that she does not want to leave her mission, and that she loves serving the Lord and the people in the Logan, Utah area.

I love that she loves what she is doing so much!  I wish there were a way for her to attend BYU and still continue to serve her mission.  I sincerely hope she keeps the sweet and super close spirit connection that she has created these 18 months on her mission with her the rest of her life.  It just shows how close you can be to the spirit without the distractions and confusion of the world, or the negativity of other people.

Betsy made up some posters and got some balloons to take to the airport.

A friend came up to Kentucky, Kaleb Phipps to welcome Marissa home too.  Betsy had invited many of Marissa's friends from church and high school to welcome her home, but with most of them taking finals, all but Kaleb were not able to come.  Betsy invited them, because everyone else from her family would not be there to greet her.

Welcome home Marissa

Welcome home sweetheart

Marissa with her parents and Kaleb Phipps
It was so nice he came up for her home coming

Betsy arranged for Jessica, Tate, Devon and Robert to go to the Salt Lake City Airport and surprise her there!!!  What a great surprise - IT ALL WENT WRONG!

The mission couple transporting the home bound missionaries was running late, while at the same time our crew arrived early and waited - thinking missionaries are never late.  Unfortunately, Jessica, Tate, Devon and Robert left 10 minutes before Marissa and the other missionaries arrived!  SO SAD!

Not to worry - they will see each other in just a few days when everyone else comes to Kentucky for Christmas.

Week 81 - 18 months & 18 days & 18 hours - Marissa comes home

Well I think my time is up now... the hourglass has run out... and I’m heading home today. I've been out serving Jesus Christ on the mission for 18 months and 18 day. It truly has been the best time of my life and I wish I could set the clocks back and do it again. It was hard coming on my mission. It was hard being on a mission. But the hardest thing will be leaving my mission.

It has been an amazing last week. We had 6 convert baptisms this Saturday. The Richey's (our senior couple) taught two and the other 4 were taught by us. They were amazing baptisms, the spirit was so strong, and there were many tears shed. I can't think of any better way to end my mission. I got to see them all get confirmed on Sunday which just made my sabbath day.

On the plane ride home I sat next to a women and got to teach her the whole restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon and I wrote my testimony in it. It was such a tender mercy from Heavenly Father, that I got to teach one last lesson:)

It's really gonna be hard for me to adjust to not doing this everyday all day. I just have felt the spirit so strongly on the mission. I never want this feeling to go away. I just don't want to lose this. I don't want to lose how pure I feel here. I don't want to lose the magnitude of the spirit I feel. I especially don't want to lose my focus on Christ. I want to dedicate my life to him. I want to serve him with everything I have in me. I want to please him and become who he wants me to be. I just have to put my trust and faith in him at this point because it is inevitable that my full time mission is ending and I guess that's apart of life and I will have to just act in faith and press forward. I am eternally grateful for the suffering Jesus Christ went through for me.

Where I am is just a fraction of where I am going. The plan that Heavenly Father has for me is so much greater than the plan I have for myself. In my last interview with my mission president he said to me that he knows it's going to be real hard for me to take off this name tag. I told him "it's okay President, I plan on super glueing it to me" haha just kidding but for real Jesus Christ's name is forever written on my heart. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ yesterday, today, and forever will be.

In Luke 19:30 it says "he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost"

Now as I am on my plane ride home I say "it is finished." My mission is complete and like how Jesus Christ still had a mission after his ministry, I still have a mission for the rest of my life. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ and follow him always.

"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become." - Elder Scott.

God never promised life would be easy but he did promise that it would be worth it.

My mission has been so worth it.

It's been the best thing for me.

Christ has changed me for the better.

Sister Lowe.

1-3. Kameron's baptism

4-6 Alejandro and Rico's baptism

7-8. Gary's baptism

9. Saying goodbye to brother Caron

10. Saying goodbye to the Alberchsons. We lived in their basement

11-13. Saying goodbye to my comp Sister Coakley and the Richey's (our

senior couple)

14-15. Temple trip

16-? Goodbyes

20. Home

At the Louisville airport with my mom and dad

Home after 566 (oops not 568) days

Week 80 - Snow Basin

Oh man another week gone. So much to tell and not enough time to write.

So this week I went on back to back exchanges with Sister white on Tuesday and then Sister Hunt on Wednesday. I didn't see my real comp for like 3 nights!! But it was good time!

We had 9 people at church this week! Another great sabbath. We had a cool miracle this week. We had just gotten dropped off in this neighborhood we've never knocked before and knocked on our first door...no answer. But we saw the houses neighbor outside about to get in his truck. So we walked over and introduced ourselves. Turns out the guy is not a member, his wife is a member, and his goal is to be sealed to her in the temple. We asked if he was baptized and he said not "yet" (his own words). So we set up a lesson to meet with him next week, he seems so prepared! Heavenly Father just keeps putting us in the places we need to be at the right time. If we had been dropped off any later we would have missed him. I just love these little moments.

Okay so now for the best part of the week... zone conference. This zone conference was honestly the best one I've been to my whole mission. I had to give my departing testimony along with a bunch of other missionaries going home this transfer.

President Allred taught us about the atonement and it was so powerful and moving. Jesus Christ truly suffered everything for us. President also showed us this video with the song savior redeemer of my soul. It was a video of Jesus being whipped, mocked, crowned with thorns nailed to the cross, and dying on the cross. I felt the spirit incredibly during the video. I had goosebumps all over as I saw my saviors soul be received into heaven. It brought tears to my eyes. I just was hit with feelings of so much love. I love Jesus Christ with my whole soul and will give him everything, even my whole self. He suffered so much for me, a sinner, a weak, insecure, mistaken 20 year old girl. It pains me to know how much pain I have caused Jesus Christ to feel and for the amount of blood he poured out for me and my sins. His love is infinite and his sacrifice covers all. I stand all amazed by the love Jesus offers me. He is incredible. He is my everything. I was touch this week in away I haven't been before. I was overwhelmed with the spirit and cannot deny it. I just want to sacrifice everything, all of my sins for Christ. I am eternally grateful for the suffering Jesus Christ went through for me. I love you all!

This isn't my last email, I'll send you one more on my last day:(

Sister Lowe

Lots of pics we went to Snow Basin for my last Pday

1. MTC crew

 2.-8.  Snow Basin!!!  Amazing P-day!

2. Kyla from my last area got baptized this week and I got to come back and speak at it.

Marissa with Kayla

3. Jackie and Bryan!! I love them!!

4. Met a reindeer!