Addiction Recover Class

To assist my sister and my niece in their efforts to quit drinking (Markel drinks beer; Sandy drinks hard liquor) I decided to go to the addiction recovery class in Louisville, KY while (hopefully) each of them attend the class in (VA - Sandy) and (WA - Markel). I think I went more often than they did, but I really appreciate the opportunity to better understand the addiction cycle and how strong it is.

Week 38: Birthday week the BIG 20

Well first I want to thank everyone for wishing me a happy birthday! I cant believe I am finally 20 but I guess it had to come eventually. I'm so grateful to be in Thailand surrounded by so many loving people. Also getting to call my family on my birthday was amazing! 

So a little recap of this week...

To start, it was a HOT WEEK! I'm not sure why but in Phuket I was legit just sweating all the time. I'm so tan now that people are going to think that I'm a คนไทย (thai person) soon. 

It was a week of a lot of teaching with many packed days. We have gotten a lot of referrals lately and are teaching so many people. It is so cool to see this place where it is now from where it started. We had very few people and the branch wasn't doing that great, but nowadays the branch is doing way good and we have soooooo many people to teach Miracles!! 

In terms of funny and cool stories this week, I will start with this Russian lady we are teaching. So at church this Russian lady, who is a member, begins talking to me and asks me if my companion and I could teach her friend who is not a member. We bike quite a long time to this lady's house and once we get there we realize that her friend doesn't speak English or thai. We would speak in English and the Russian member would translate everything over. It was so funny and one of the craziest Restoration lessons I have ever taught. I'm not sure how well she will progress but she did come to church yesterday which was way awesome. 

Last week we met this man named พร (pawn) and he is quite the character. So he has gone to church in Bangkok and has read the book of mormon before we met him. We tried to teach him the restoration this week and he said he already knew it all. I asked him if he believed the book of mormon to be true and he said yes. Then I asked if he believed that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and he did. Basically he knows this church is true but doesn't want to be baptized again (with proper authority)...so we are gonna have to work on that! 

Ok last thing for this week is that our mission president gave me and my companion a project. We are supposed to make an English ad that will be used all over Thailand. We don't have any proper equipment to make a good video so I'm just gonna hope and pray that it turns out good haha. 

I love you all!! This week I was able to memorize a 10 min and 30 sec video. It's a video with talks from President Eyring and Elder Holland who are so fire! I love what Elder Holland says about this work: "when we struggle, when we are rejected, when we are spit upon, and cast out, and made a hiss and a byword we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the best life this world has ever known. The only pure and perfect missionary that ever lived." I'm so grateful to be a part of the Lord's glorious work and I know as long as "we are faithful, He is with us."

I hope everyone has a great week. 

Love,

Elder Lowe เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

1) when teaching brother อาณาจักร (anajag), my companion took a photo. Pretty cool right!

2,4) teaching and playing with the little kids on the streets!

3,5) Branch service project. Picking up trash is the best!!

Video Chat with my family (added by mom)

Uber and Lift Driver

Since I can't work, I decided to become an Uber and Lift driver.

Occasionally, when I feel like it, I open the app to make myself available to give others a ride.  I make pretty good money, considering all I am doing is driving people around like a taxi driver.  I can pick the rides I take, so it's only the rides on my way!  Most of the time I pick them up around Prospect or Crestwood and take them to the airport or downtown.  Then from there I get a few more rides downtown or back to the airport. 

The only downfall is that I worry about the extra milage and maintenance requirements I am putting on the car.

I love the peace of the night

There is something so comforting and peaceful about my home after 11 PM at night. I don’t know why but I just really enjoy the evening quiet hours where I have freedom to be creative to sew to do art to write to be creative and scrapbooks or whatever it is I want to do.

Contingent Contract on the HOUSE

YAHOO!!  Mark and I are so excited to finally have a contract on the house!  It is a contingent contract which means it could fall through but at least someone liked the house enough to write one.

So let me go back and explain this interesting prospect:  After I painted the house the realtor invited the above couple to come back to look at the house.

 They loved it so much that they wrote a contingent contract on the house over the weekend.  Now they just need to sell their house and the contract will be final.

Our realtor said it should only take them approximately two weeks to sell their house.  It's so not fair that their house will sell in two weeks and it took us 4-5 months to sell ours.  There are several differences (she explained). 1) our house is over 100,000 over the price of their current home. 2) We listed our house after the school year started and then over the dry "hard to sell months" while they are listing their home just before the "spring" rush on houses.  3) We have a traditional two story house which some people like and others do not.  Typically in Louisville, people prefer a 1 ½ story house (with the master bedroom on the first floor).

Honestly, both Mark and I were thrilled that our house didn't sell until after the new year.  We were very worried about what we would do for Christmas, and Devon's wedding reception if it did sell before then.

*** March comment:  Now looking backwards, we are so blessed that our house didn't sell until now.  IF it had sold any earlier, we would have ended up in Memphis (where many people live happily, however it is now the third highest ranked crime city in America).  Since we had to wait, Mark's boss decided it would be better for us to live in Austin Texas - however he didn't decide that Until March 11th, 2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Betsy's Trip to Chicago

I am so excited!!!! I got to go to Chicago to visit with Sandra Orr, my very best friend from Louisville.  She moved to Utah, back to Louisville, then to Michigan, and back to Louisville and then back to Utah, but from there they moved to Chicago.  She is one of the sweetest, kindest and soft hearted ladies I know.  She and I love to scrapbook, talk, decorate, and just feel good with each other.  

I drove up from Louisville.  The drive was great - it was about 5 hours long but really no bad traffic.  I found her house easily thanks to modern GPS technology.

The first night we spent the day and night together at her house.  We drove around the area so I could see where the kids go to school, where she shops, etc.  It was just great to be with her again.  She is such a good friend.  It was great to see Emma, and Adam, too.  They both have grown up so much.  Emma's a teenager and has the most darling room!  Adam's room is all about camping - so cute!  Darrin came home - it was nice to see him again.  He and Mark have similar job situations, but Darrin does more tax than finance.  Sandra and I went out to do some shopping and then scrapbooked the rest of the night.  Sandra and Darrin bought a home that is over 100 years old and renovated it.  They are almost done with all the renovations - it is amazing!  It looks fantastic, but they have spent 8 months living in chaos (according to Sandra).  

The next day we went to see Hamilton at 2:00 pm.  It is this very modern and popular broadway show about Alexander Hamilton.  The drive into Chicago was easy, but the weather was so thick with fog.   You couldn't even see to the top of most buildings.

Sandra Orr and Betsy - best friends!

After the play we spent the day together talking, laughing, crying and sharing stories.  Our love and compassion for each other runs so deep.  We share about our kids, our selves, our callings - we can talk about anything with each other.  She truly is one of my very best friends.  I hope I am as good of a friend to her as she is to me.

Sunday I drove back to Louisville.

Thailand Storm headed to Robert

Robert is serving in Phuket at this time.  The news is tracking this huge typhoon that is going to hit right on the east side of the peninsula - just east of Phuket. 

I watched the new and saw all the destruction that happened to the islands to the east of the peninsula and the destruction to the land as it came ashore.  It took lives of people and caused massive destruction because the property is not built to withstand the wind.

The news is tracking the storm and it is projected to pass directly over the heart of Phuket, where Robert lives.  My heart sinks because we have a brand new Mission President and we don't what his awareness is of the storm.  It is concerning because Robert and Elder Tu are the most remote and southern placed missionaries in the mission.  Luckily the mission president does advise them to stock up on food and water and stay inside.  YAY!!!

The waves are massive and distructive

Here are photos from the internet of what people did to protect their property and stock up.

Boats ended up on the streets.  It's insane.

The storm was supposed to track directly over Phuket, but at the very last minute the storm took a turn to the north and just missed Phuket.  In the end Robert and Elder Tu and all the saints in Phuket didn't get put just a little bit of rain.  I'm sure Robert thought I was making a big thing about nothing, but it could have gone very different if the storm didn't turn north.  I'm so relieved that he is safe and ready to start working again.

They still had some destruction in their area, so Robert and Elder Tu were able to provide some service cleaning up debri and trash around their area.

I will say I am so grateful for the power of prayer.  HE was safe - I prayed every day, several times a day.  I didn't pray only for Robert's safety because that would be very selfish - I prayed for everyone on the island to be protected.   We were so blessed!!!

Week 37: Happy Valentines Day - love you family!

Wow in terms of being a missionary there have been so many changes this week! First missionary emails were changed to end in @missionary.org. So I think my new email will be lowe.robert@missionary.org if you would like to email me anything! Second and the crazier change is that I am now able to contact my family every p day and on holidays and on my parents' birthday. What a huge blessing it was that I got to call and see my family this morning. Love you all so much, you truly are the best family ever. The central message of the gospel is centered on families so I think it is such a wonderful experience that I get to talk with them every week :)

This week was super cool and full of different miracles and cool experiences. To start with the miracles, we had 13 new people we are teaching this week and are constantly teaching and finding at every opportunity. Additionally we had 8 people that we are teaching come to church, but unfortunately only 6 of them came in time to take the sacrament. I believe these miracles came from fervent prayer because me and my companion were just "praying always" this week - never ceasing. In the end น้อง William came to church so he can still be baptized on March 3rd if he comes the next 2 weeks! 

Some cool experiences is that we got 6 new referrals this week. It has been hard to get any referrals in this area but I guess all the members decided to give us more people to teach at the same time haha. 

Another insane experience was that we were out finding on Saturday and we saw one of the people we had taught about 3 months ago. When we approached her she introduced us to her sister and it turns out that her sister happened to be a member of the church who didn't know where the church in Phuket was. Basically this member was baptized in Bangkok and moved to Phuket not too long ago. She has a very strong testimony and she wants her sister to be baptized and go to church. How sweet is that?! 

Also on Valentine's Day night the power went out all over Phuket and so when we got home at 9 that night we couldn't turn on the AC. Me and my companion were just were drenched in sweat until we woke up in the middle of the night and figured out it was back on. Wow am I grateful for electricity!!

All in all, it was a great week. We had the opportunity to give a blessing to one of our investigators' cousins, I had the best โรตี (roti) ever, and so many people came to church. I know the Savior loves each and everyone of you. He continues to bless me and my family as I serve a mission. I know as we turn to the Savior when we have pains or struggles in this life, he will heal us and make our burdens light! 

A few weeks ago I finished reading the Book of Mormon in Thai.  I know this book to be the word of God.  The promises of the Book of Mormon are true and I feel them and see them as I serve as a missionary.  I am now reading the Doctrine and Covenants.  I am so impressed by the modern revelations given to the prophets at the time.  

Love, 

Elder Lowe

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1) me and ไก่ (guy) - he is a christian and loved the message of the gospel. He has so many pictures of Jesus in his house! 

2) Happy Valentine's Day! Love you mom! Love you all too!

3) the awesome Filipinos in our branch that have us a referral this week!!

4) this different version of checkers they have in Thailand which was nuts! I got destroyed by all the คนไทย (thai people)

 5) My boys from the MTC. Love you Elders! 

Elder ?, Elder ?, Robert, Elder Ward, Elder, Elder ? Wilson ??

Teaching Special Needs Again

Today was a great day. 

So on Sunday I was talking with Nancy Beaman and her friend Laurie about Nancy's grandchild, Molly, whom has recently been diagnosed on the ASD Spectrum.  Molly is six and exhibits several characteristics that are similar to Devon's when he was that age.  We were sharing/swapping stories that brought back so many endearing memories of our adventures with Devon.

At the end of the conversation I offered to help in whatever way I can.  If they needed me to go to a meeting at the school with them, or just come over and share some things that worked for me in helping Devon develop, grow and learn ... whatever they wanted I was willing to do.

Well, before the sun set that day, Nancy had called.  We arranged for me to come over to her house on Wednesday morning to go over some tools and techniques to help, Nancy's daughter, Kristen, with her daughter, Molly.

I arrived at 10:00.  I shared ideas for hours

• Facial expressions and feelings
• We went over the importance of a schedule
• What to expect from the school
• 504 vs IEP
• social interaction:  social skills classes
• speech:  pragmatic speech
• my ladder theory
• ABA positive reinforcement charts

I ended up being there for four hours.  Time flew.  It was such a joy to share my knowledge and experience with them.  

Molly was such a sweetheart.  

This experience has made me really reconsider what I should do with my time in regards to my future career.  Maybe I should start a consulting business when we settle in our new place.

Lunch with Kim Whitehouse

Kim moved into the home Mike and Terri used to live in - 6100 Laurel Lane.  Their house is directly beside/behind ours (since our lot has slanted lines).  They moved in over the summer and we connected immediately, but with me working and her adjusting to the new area we had a hard time finding time to go out.

Mark and I really shared good will and kindness with them.  It was so strange how their son, Jacob was a lot like Robert - very dedicated to his studies as well as playing soccer.  I told them all about NOHS and the OSC, KY fire, Javanon teams, etc.  It was great to share info.

Mark and I would go to the NOHS games and see the team and see Jacob play.  It was always nice to sit with our Glen Oaks crew.  We introduced Kim and her husband, Aaron to everyone.

Today Kim and I finally had a chance to go to lunch together.  We went to Pot Belly's sandwich/sub shop.  We had such a good connection!  I'm sad that we are moving away.  I learned she runs her own non-profit organization writing cards to cancer patience.  She does this because she is a cancer surviver.  There is so much we don't know about people until we sit down and take time to get to know each other.

Garrett Gong in Louisville and Lexington

What a great opportunity for the saints in the Louisville area!  Elder Garrett Gong from the 12 apostles came to visit the area.  He spoke on Sunday in the Crestwood stake.  I love his style of speaking - it's like he is speaking directly to me, and yet it is also so poignant - direct - to the heart of the matter.

 I had the extra special opportunity to hear him speak to the missionaries in Lexington.  How is that?  I drove the sister missionaries from Louisville to Lexington so they could be at the Mission Conference.  He gave such great counsel.  I recorded as much as I could from his talk as well as the other speakers: his wife, (whom happens to be related to Mark through Linda and Dave), and the mission president and his wife.  I wish Robert could have been here!  The counsel they shared was so perfect and spot on for everything that is going on in their lives as missionaries, but it also transfers over into personal development as well.

When the conference was over, I had the opportunity to thank them and let Sister Gong know that we are related.  She was surprised, and excited but there was not the time to go into details.  She was so sweet about it though.

Week 36: Zone Conference in Bangkok and 10 new People at church

This week was a bit different. To start we flew to Bangkok on Monday night for our zone conference on Tuesday. The missionaries from Myanmar came, and I hadn't seen them since the MTC. Zone conference was very spiritually uplifting and honestly was a nice opportunity to see so many people that I haven't seen in such a long time. I got to talk to my mission president, President Hammonds, for a while and he is full of so much wisdom. He told me that he had been getting calls about the video I posted and that it was wonderful! Thank you to everyone that liked, shared, or viewed it!! 

After zone conference, I stayed in Bangkok for a day on a switch off with the Thonburi Elders. I switched off with a Filipino Elder who is on his 3rd transfer. He was awesome and seemed to open his mouth a lot even though he is a new missionary. He was a great example to me! Later that night we had to catch our flight back to Phuket but we ran into some problems. Since we are in a foreign land, we keep our passports in the office of our mission and we use these cards that kind of "replace" the actual passport. Basically I have flown about 8 times using this card (which is totally not a passport) to fly around this country, but this night they weren't letting anything fly. We had to go to this police station and work something out. All in all, I got back to Phuket that night with my companion and we were all good. It was such a miracle that we even got on that flight and then got home safely!

We are continuing our finding February efforts and this week we actually had miracles. We found 10 people in 4 days! When you are motivated and have the spirit with you, the Lord will just hand you people to teach. Additionally, President Hammond gave my companion and I a referral...they are way elect. They want to be baptized so bad, so I am very excited to continue to teach them. Their name is เปียโน (piano) so that is fun too! 

Last thing I want to share is this crazy experience I had on Saturday. I was out inviting and talking to a bunch of people. Then I come across this guy and I got the feeling that I should talk to him, so I approached him and he acted in a way like we had already known each other. He told me to make myself at home, he got me a glass of water, and he legit seemed as if he knew me from somewhere. Then he starts telling me that he knows that I am a missionary and that I teach about Jesus Christ. I told him that is correct, and then he said that he was the opposite of me. At first I thought he meant that he was Buddhist, but as I talked with him he let me know that he worships Satan. It was the strangest thing but he told me he loves listening to satanic things. However, he did tell me that he had been studying all religions his whole life and wants to learn more. I pulled out the book of mormon and asked if he had ever heard of it. He said he has been looking for it for so long and was practically begging me for it. Overall it was a strange experience but I know the importance of testifying so that's what I began to do. I really hope this man will read the book of mormon and get a witness that it is true!!! 

I love you all so much! Sorry that was a long story and a long email. This week I just finished the book of mormon again for the 6th time. I know that it is true and that God has restored his true church through the prophet Joseph Smith. If anyone is struggling with their faith I suggest 2 things: 1) READ the book of mormon 2) pray to know if it is TRUE. Not very hard but that is all it takes. Just as Moroni promises if we pray with real intent we WILL receive an answer. I love this gospel and I know it brings joy to individuals and families more than anything else in this world. 

Love,

Elder Lowe 

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1) Out finding anyone that will listen to us

2) zone conference

3) Missionaries with birthdays this transfer haha 

4) cutting up some pork for service. The other side is legit the skin of a pig with all its hair still on it. Fun times!

Anniversary Dinner of a kind

Saturday's are usually busy for Mark and I.  Today was no exception.  Mark went to umpire a basketball game at the Stake Center at 9:00 AM, and I went with him.  I volunteer to do the score book.  I used to do this for our kids, and now that my kids aren't playing, I volunteer so other parents can sit and enjoy the game.  I like keeping a record of what happened.

Mark went to work out at the YMCA while I went home to work on a sewing project.  I love to sew and my Etsy account (selling items over the Internet) allows me to sew for other people at very little expense to me.  I sew t-shirt quilts for others as a memory quilt or a senior graduation gift.

Around 3:00 PM Mark and I went to Red Lobster for dinner.  It was 28 years ago that he asked me out for our first date this weekend.  From that weekend on, Mark and I have always been there for each other.  We have now entered a new chapter in our relationship - after raising kids for 26 years - we are empty nesters.  Although we love and miss having our kids around the house, I really love that Mark and I have this time to re-connect (not really re-connect) but focus on our relationship.  We have more time for each other now that we are not "dividing and conquering" in order to be at all of our kids extra-curricular activities.  Some people get to this point in their relationship and find that they don't have anything in common with their spouse or that they have lost interest.  How sad!  I think this is a wonderful time in our lives because we can reflect back on what we did together ... how we accomplished all that we did and still stay sane (haha).  Mark's personality is one that doesn't take things too seriously, and I am one that does, but I also am one that forgives, forgets and moves on quickly.  He puts up with my weakness of perfectionism, and I overlook his perception that everything is great - even when emotions are fragile.  I feel very blessed to have Mark as my husband.  HE IS AMAZING!  I am truly blessed by his good nature and gentleness.

Lunch with Maureen

It's hard to believe I have had Maureen as a neighbor for nearly 17 years.  She has been one of my truest friends, longest friends and most respected persons.

I also love that our boys get along so well.  Robert and Aaron did most everything together.

Today Maureen and I went to lunch together.  We walked down memory lane - we laughed - we cried.

She told me that She and Harley are also moving, which in a strange way makes the sting of my move away from Louisville easier to accept.  They are moving to North Carolina.  They have always loved that area of the country.  She is having a magnificent beautiful lake side house built.  They are building it from the ground up.  The photos she showed me look amazing!  I am happy for her.  I would much rather prefer to move to North Carolina over Memphis, but the hope of Dallas stays in my mind.

I shared with her how, at the moment, we don't even know the city we are moving.  It is so strange.  Surprisingly, I am not worried.  I think it is because I am anxious and hopeful that Flex will change their mind and allow us to move to Dallas.

We will have to make an extra effort to get together once we both move away.

Lessons from Alma 28

On Tue, Jan 29, 2019, 1:14 PM Betsy Lowe <betsy4kids@gmail.com wrote:

After your favorite verse ... a few verses later Ammon continues... Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

I believe in your success through your love, patience, long suffering and acts of kindness/service.  Keep up all your great work! 

I’m sooo proud of you!! 
Love ️, Mom

Have a great day,
Betsy Lowe
Sent from my iPhone

I love that scripture mom. that is hung up on a sticky note in my room!!

Week 35: Plan of Salvation and 5000 views

So this week was a bit different than usual. For the month of February we are focusing on finding families! So we are calling this month Finding February. We have been finding so much lately so we decided to take a new approach with finding. We drew out a giant plan of salvation and took a video of me explaining what it is and why it is important. We weren't sure how much success it would have, but right now there have been over 3,000 views in just a couple of days! It has been so cool to see the benefits of using technology to share the message of the gospel. All it takes is some chalk and a desire to share the gospel. We actually made 2 other plan of salvation drawings in other locations, and so many people would stop and ask what it is that we were drawing. We left our phone number at the end of the video and I've already had people call me asking questions about the video!!

Another success story from this week has been teaching English. Our English class is really starting to grow. We had about 25 people come on Tuesday which was awesome!! We have also visited some people and have had the opportunity to serve them by teaching English for about 20 minutes. 

Lately I have been given the opportunity to give a lot of blessings in Thai and English which has been awesome. To be able to use my priesthood to help others is just amazing. 

But to be honest, it was a tough week and consisted of so many disappointments. Appointments fell through, we couldn't find anyone that was interested this week, and only 1 person we are teaching came to church this week. 

Elder Lowe 

เอ็ลเดอร์โลว์

Plan of Salvation #1

Plan of Salvation #2

Video of Plan of Salvation #3