Week 76

So it's only been 4 days since I wrote, so I'll just give a quick update on how our weeks been!

We had such a good week, like our lessons didn't cancel, we found lots of new, and put 5 people on date for baptism. Good week, am I right? The person that I want to talk about though is Alejandro! We were tracting in the trailer park and this dog came running towards us so we picked him up and then the owner came out and was so thankful we caught her dog. She told us she wasn't Mormon and wasn't too interested but she said her kids were really interested. So we came back another day and met Alejandro. He is 9 and really wanted to come to church and be baptized. His mom said she'll drop him off but he’d be going all alone. So Sunday rolled around and he came all by himself and sat with us. He is the cutest and I know I wasn't like that at 9. He's so great. I'm excited to teach him.

Yep so that's my update for the week, sorry it's so short. I really like this area. There is so much potential here. I wish I could be here another 6 months to see all the progress these people are making. Conversion takes time and I'm just sad I only get 6 weeks to see it now. I love being on a mission. It's the greatest thing in the world. And I'm just so happy being here.

Love you All!

Sister Lowe

1-2. Sorry had like no pics this week so we just took some with the Book of Mormon

3. Saw Sister Davis on Sunday at the my plan meeting:/

4. The MTC crew, the sisters I came out with.

5. A whole year ago yesterday, jasmine was baptized!!!

Questions from Devon

Devon wrote me and asked me 20 questions and I thought you guys might want to know them too so here's what I wrote devon:

So happy to hear from you!!! To answer all your questions okay:

1. How have you been?

I'm doing really great! Loving the mission!

2. What is one of your favorite scriptures?

Hmm there are so many but I think it Alma 26: 11-12, 16, 35-36

3. What are your top three favorite companions?

Sister brunt (trainer), Sister Schultz(traine) , and Sister Davis (comp for 3 transfers)

4. What are your top two area's?

USU and Nibley!!

5. Who do you think has had the most impact to you on your mission, besides the Godhead and scriptures?

PMG, my trainer, and president Allred

6.What do you want to major in?

???? Don't know yet still got to figure that out...

7. What does it mean to you for a missionary to be consecrated?

It means there mind is centered on their missionary purpose (teach repentance and baptize converts). They are focused on the Lords work. They are exactly obedient and have the doctrine of Christ embedded in their hearts.

8. What is the hardest thing you have had to do on your mission?

I thought it would be people rejecting me or being tired and stuff but it's not. The hardest thing is teaching someone and see the spirit work in them to believe in this gospel and then they reject it. It breaks my heart because you just love the people you teach and you can see how this gospel will bless their life and then they let it go.

9. What were some of your most spiritual experiences on your mission?

Ohhhh dang, there are so many. When Lansing was baptized that was such a spiritual experience for me. I taught her in the summer and she was ready for baptism and felt she needed to be baptized. Well she chickened out and then moved to Texas for her PHD and I thought I’d never see her again. Well I kept emailing her and then in December she emailed me and said she was coming to Logan for a week and wants to be baptized. It was a miracle and the baptism was so spiritual. I've had other lessons that were super spiritual but it would be too much to write. Mission is full of spiritual experiences.

10. What is your main goal before your mission is over?

My goal when I started my mission was first 1 baptism, haha which happened within the first 3 weeks.. so then I changed it to baptize every month. So I've had 16 baptisms so far and so I want to have 18 baptisms for 18 months. But my main goal is just to fulfill my purpose and keep being diligent in the Lords work.

11. What would be your perfect P day?

Going on a hike in the mountains and playing zone sports.

12. How often do you get to go to the Temple?

Every 5 months I think, I've only gone a couple times on the mission:(

13. On a scale of 1-10 how much do you miss Jasper?

1000000000000000000000000000000000 billion

14. Did you like the MTC?

Yeah I loved the MTC. My teachers were amazing. My companion was hard but I just loved how spiritual it was and how much I felt the spirit there. It is such a righteous environment.

15. Are you coming home and then going to school right away or staying at home for a while?

Yep I get home dec 18th and go to school in January

16. What was your first day like, what were you like, and what stood out to you?

Hahaha, okay so my first day I met my trainer and my trainer and I dropped my stuff and then our investigator and his girl friend picked us up and drove us to their favorite nature spot which they said was only 10 minutes away. Well we kept driving and driving and driving for like 45 minutes and we made it to Tony's grove which actually is out of my mission... whoops. Well we taught them the plan of salvation and then came back and on the way back we were like so this was really far away and they were like "yeah we knew it was so that why we had to lie to you". Yep that was fun. And then we had 2 other lessons that day. So it was a busy day and I went out of the mission on the first day. I was scared my first day but everything went well.

17. Have you almost been in a life threatening or really hurt experience?

Hmmm, well one day on exchanges we came home and we found this 40 year old crazy lady in our apartment who had broken in and was wearing our pjs and used our tooth brushes and shower. She was crazy and talked to herself, and I think was schizophrenic! We called the cops and they arrested her.

18. What do you think is your biggest change for before mission to now?

Waking up every day at 6:30am. I've done it for the past 15 months but man is that hard. But also understanding the atonement and Jesus Christ more. I get to experience a part of what he went through when he was here on the earth and that been change for me.

19. What are your top three Christlike attribute that you think you excel at?

Knowledge, humility, obedience

20. On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love being a missionary?

100000000000000000000000000000000000 trillion

Week 71 - North Ogden with Sister Coakley

What an interesting week! The area we cover is huge! It's my biggest area so far for sure. We live outside of our area so we do a lot of walking or try to get rides.

This weeks been good. Just trying to learn the area more and figure out where we are going. We cover a lot of trailer parks and they are so interesting. The people in there are a bit crazy but they are so humble. Every time we go tracting over there, I am just so grateful for what I have been given and the environment I was raised in.

Okay so some highlights of the week:

Tyler is getting baptized this Saturday at 5pm!!! Whoot! I think this is the fastest conversion experience I've witnessed on my mission. It's been awesome teaching him everyday!

We helped at a funeral for a man named Joe. He is Catholic but because of the death of his daughter he has become so open to the gospel. He asked us at the funeral to come visit him and teach him more about what we believe about life after death. He's taking his daughters death really hard because she overdosed and was not a 'believer' so he's scared for her salvation. I'm excited to meet with him and give him some peace to his soul.

Funny story/scary: we were tracting in the trailer park and knocked on this door and the woman was a bit coo coo but was nice. We later saw her and her husband walking and her husband came up to us and said "next time you knock our door without calling I'm going to pull out my 45 gun and shoot ya".... yeah I was so creeped out and scared but we told him we won't go over anymore and kept walking. ITS OKAY MOM IM SAFE.

We also were walking and saw a group of 6 men out talking a laughing. As we passed they started talking to us. They were drinking and were pretty wasted... and were trying to make jokes about Mormons.

Thankfully one of their wives pulled up and said "stop harassing the missionaries." And then she told us to keep going. So yeah this area is a lot more sketchy than my other areas, but like my favorite scripture says in romans 8:31 "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

On a more spiritual note, we had MLC (mission leadership counsel) this week! It was so amazing as usual! They talked a lot about the power of the Book of Mormon, and someone said "we do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The Book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it."

I love that. The Book of Mormon proves its self. I know that to be true as I have read a prayed about the Book of Mormon. Everyone I have taught on my mission hasn't been converted because of anything I say or do, but it's been because of the Book of Mormon and the spirt. Without those two there'd be no point to missionary work. That's why I love the Book of Mormon so much. It is my joy and peace. It testifies of Christ. It is so powerful. I just love it.

Sister Lowe

1. Got to see Sister Davis at MLC! Whoot whoot!

2. Sister Coakley and I after district meeting

3. Driving through the canyon to MLC (it's fall)

Week 68 - Love Nibley

First I want to say THANK YOU MOM for the package!!! You're the best.

Second Utah is like a light switch. It was 80 degrees one day and yesterday it was 40 degrees! Yikes...

Okay now I'll start. So we had an amazing week!

First, funny thing. We got cussed out this week.... yeah that was super fun. We just knocked her door 3 times (like we do every door) and she swung open the door and then said like the F word I think 10 times...yeah she was having a bad morning. She definitely needs Jesus. I had two exchanges this week. I was with Sister Davis for one of them and it was like the best day ever!!! We got to visit all of the people we love here in Nibley! #Lovisforever

On my other exchange I was with Sister Mortenson. She's been out 3 weeks. We had a lesson with one of my investigators, Miranda and Scott. We taught the restoration and I had her ask them to be baptized on October 14th and they said yes, and Miranda even said "I've been thinking about baptism." She also came to church this Sunday!! We just need to get them married now, since they live together and have two twin baby girls together.

We got a text from Jimmy our investigator and he said, "Hi girls, I prayed for a sign from God. And I got my answer. I'll tell you in person:)".... YEAH!!! I'm so excited! We talked to his wife and she said it's a good thing, so I think he got the answer that this is true! Whoot! Which is great because he's been struggling to know if Jospeh smith is a prophet and if the Book of Mormon is true.

We went on splits for church because we had 5 investigators come to church but they were at different church buildings at the same time, so that was fun! We have 5 investigations on date which is also great. Nibley rocks! I love this area so much:)

We had zone conference this week and something someone said that stood out to me was "pray like it all depends on God, and work like it all depends on you." If we put our faith in God and work our hardest miracles can happen. I know this because I've been working so hard in this area.  There's no time to waste when you're doing the Lords work. I feel exhausted every night I come home, but I'm so grateful for it. I love it so much here and as I've worked hard, God has blessed us with so many miracles and tender mercies.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Lowe

Lots of pics this week!!

1. #LovisBackTogetherForADay

2. Exchange with Sister Mortenson

3. Pumpkin season already!!

4. Idk just a pic of me

5-6. The scheens, our senior couple!

7. IDA! Ida is my recent convert and she came to the 10th ward ice

cream social. She's so cute!

8-9. Sunday funday

10. Oh how I love Nibley

Week 66 - Saved a Dog's life

15 MONTHS... That's how long I've been out... crazy

I'm hoping in general conference they'll announce sisters can be out for two years, that would be awesome! Because 18 months isn't enough!

Okay this week was another tough one:/ First, it's Labor Day weekend so like everyone wasn't home this week. Second it was the week of cancellations. We'd have lessons scheduled all day and then one after another each appointment would cancel... at least they rescheduled for next week but still it was a bummer.

Cool thing this week, we met this lady who was a heroine addict and now has been off it for a year. Both her parents over dosed and died and now she has a 1 year old baby and her boy friend is trying to kick her out of their house because they broke up this week. So yeah, she’s going through a lot of problems but wants to find some peace in her life. So we have been meeting with her and helping her use the atonement in her life!

We also put Gracie on date now for September 23rd! Woot, we finally got to talk with her mom and set a solid date for her because Gracie is so ready to be baptized...just waiting on the mom. But the mom is supportive and drops her off at church and so Gracie sits with us:)

Oh coolest thing of the week is we saved a dogs life!! We walked by this car and there was a dog in it and it was super hot outside so I couldn't imagine how hot it was in the car! But we passed the car and walked to our car and drove off, as we passed the dog in the car, I pulled over and got out. I just couldn't go home that night thinking this dog died of heat. So we knocked on the door of the house where the car was and we told them we saw the dog and everything and they had completely forgotten to get the dog out of the car and were just so so so grateful we saved their dog. Also this family is inactive so we got to show them that we missionaries save dogs lives... and also we shared a message with them and they seemed more open!

Yep it's been a tough week but that's how missions are sometimes. You have some good weeks and bad weeks and some in between weeks. But no matter how hard it can be, I'm just grateful I'm not alone in this work. Jesus Christ is with me every step of the way. I'm grateful for his love for all of us and I'm grateful to be his servant here in Nibley. Love you all! Also I heard there's a hurricane in Texas so my prayers go out to them!

Sister Lowe

1. Wellsville parade

2. Jackie and bryan took us to breakfast this morning, love them

 3. We had interviews this week, so here's a pic with the mission presidents wife

4. My mom sent all my comps Louisville shirts, so we wore them today for Pday!

5. Horsey

Week 61 - Ty and Jackie's Baptism

This week was definitely one I'm gonna remember for the rest of my life. (Be prepared for a long read...sorry)

First Ty was baptized! I met him back in March when his step brother David, who we taught, was baptized, but Ty was never interested then. Well 3 weeks ago we stopped by to see how David was doing, and we saw Ty there. He told us he wanted to be baptized as soon as possible! Well 3 weeks later Ty was baptized! He's such a cute kid and it's been cool to see how much his heart has changed since March when I first met him. 

Sister Vea, Ty and Marissa at Ty's Baptism

Second, JACKIE WAS BAPTIZED! Let me just tell you WOW! Her baptism was amazing. The spirit was so strong, there were many tears shed. I don't think you could be in that room and not feel it. Jackie's story starts with Sister Davis and I knocking on her door in April, she told us she wasn't interested, but she was super nice. Well later she was invited by her neighbors to go to a family history activity (she's into genealogy) and she went and loved it. Well about a month later, we were walking in her neighborhood and it started to down poor. So being the sissys we are, we ran to the closest house we could find and that was Jackie's. Before we knocked we kind of were panicking because Jackie had already told us no, so usually we don't go back to a house where the people said no to us. Well we knocked it anyways and she opened the door and said, "I've been thinking of you girls lately, I think I want to take the lessons." Yep. I think my mouth literally dropped open. So then we started teaching her in June and she had to give up her coffee addiction which was so hard for her, but she did it! Bryan her husband got re-activated after 30 years of not being active. Jackie bore her testimony in sacrament yesterday and now She is the newest member of Jesus Christ's church! Amazing right. God truly works miracles. I know he led us to her door and I know he softened her heart to let us in the second time. God is so good.

Jackie and Bryan

Sister Davis and her companion, Jackie and Bryan, Marissa and Sister Vea

Sister Davis and Marissa with Jackie and Bryan, they are so happy for them

The sisters with Jackie!!!

All the Sisters with JACKIE!  Jackie looks so happy!

Such an amazing day for Jackie!

Sister Vea, Jackie and Marissa on Jackie's baptism day

Bryan and Jackie!!!  True happiness

If that wasn't already enough of how much I loved this week, we also had many other miracles...

One night we decided to visit all of our flakey investigators (people who told us they were interested but always reschedule or are never home). Well we visited all 6 of them and all of them were home and set up actual appointments with us and said they still were interested. We said a prayer before each door, and I know it was Heavenly Fathers hand that let us get all of those appointments set. It was a miracle because some of the people we visited we've been trying to get in contact with over the past month! 

Also we were tracting one night to go visit an inactive lady who just moved in who the relief society president texted us about. Well she was outside her house in a bikini and cow boy boots working on her car.... yeah a bit awkward, but we went for it anyways. She was super nice and told us she's trying to get back to church and has gone the past 2 times. We asked about how many kids she had and she told us she had a 9 year old girl. We asked if she was baptized and she then said, "hmmm, actually Gracie hasn't been baptized. Wait isn't that something you guys do? Could you teach her so she can get baptized?" We obviously said yes! We taught her on Sunday and she said yes to being baptized August 26th! Just another miracle Heavenly Father blessed us with. I just love this work so much. I feel so close to Heavenly Father and I can see his miracles everyday. 

It truly was an amazing week, full of love, the spirit, and miracles. I never want these feelings to go away. Can I just be a missionary forever? I wish. 

Heavenly Father has blessed this area so much. I know he is watching over us here and giving us miracles after miracles according to our faith in him. I know everything that has happened on my mission is because of him and I am so so grateful.   My joy is full:) 

Sister Lowe 

Week 60 - Exchanges

First HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST DAD EVER! This will be the second

birthday I've missed:( love ya dad! (It was the 22nd)

So we were super busy this week, I went on two exchanges, and left Sister Vea in the area for a day and she did awesome! She even found a new investigator and invited them to baptism on the door step and he said yes and is on date for August 19th!

Exchanges - I went with Sister Davis and Sister Vea went with her companion

Exchanges always bring so many miracles! When I was on an exchange with my STL (Sister Davis!!) we talked with like literally everyone that we saw on the street and we found two new investigators from doing it! It was awesome!

We had some lessons with Jackie and Ty. Both of them are ready for baptism on Saturday and both came to church! I'm so excited. Ty’s baptism is at 10:30am and Jackie's is at 2pm!! Woot woot!

Lessons with Jackie!  Always a treat

There's a lot more that happened this week, but the main thing I wanted to talk about is the Book of Mormon. I finished the Book of Mormon today. And just WOW!

 I. Love. This. Book.

It literally fills my heart with such exceeding joy. I think I could just read it all day everyday and never put it down. The scriptures truly have so much power to them and they bring the spirit right into your heart. The Book of Mormon truly testifies of our Savior, Jesus Christ, in every aspect of it. It only brings us nearer to God. Every time I read I just am in awe in how marvelous Gods work really is. He gave us this book for our benefit to know how to follow him. I am so grateful for this book. It has saved my life. It has brought me so much happiness. And it is how I have a testimony of this wonderful gospel. I just love it.

Pioneer Parade:  Sister Lowe and Sister Vea

Sister Lowe

Week 59

Hellllooooo!

This week was a week full of unplanned opportunities. Like everything we planned to do in the day would get changed around. #missionarylife

There were so many instances this week where we'd drive by a house and I would just pull over (even though it wasn't planned) and we'd go knock their door. We got to meet with a lot of people who we've been trying to get in contact with over the past month and got a new investigator out of it! Having a car has been so great and is such a blessing.

We taught Ty this week. He's so awesome! I remember when we were teaching David, his step brother, in March and we asked about Ty and he told us he just wasn't interested. Well now he's interested! It’s cool to see how God prepares people to be ready for the gospel. He came to church and we've taught him two lessons and he's still on date for July 29th woot!

Jackie's been out of town this week:/ So we didn't see her at all. The hard thing about summer is that a lot of people leave for vacation or go out and do fun things so they aren't home. It's been kind of hard to catch people at home lately because everyone is so busy with summer. But we are still finding miracles each day and trying our best to find more people.

Marissa and Sister Davis . Best Friends!

Marissa - GOT A CAR!  It's actually a SUV!  Rogue One!

Marissa and her new companion, Sister Vea

This week we did So. Much. Role. Play. Since Sister Vea is trying to learn English we just role play all the time like when we're walking, eating lunch, driving, etc. She really likes it because it helps her work on her English. I used to hate role playing because I thought it was so awkward and stuff, but it's really been so helpful these past two weeks.

Marissa and Sister Vea

Well that's about it for this week, it was just another fast week.  A scripture that really stood out to me this week was Alma 26:16 it says, "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

Marissa loves cats

First, Ammon is such an awesome missionary. And second, I sometimes can't say the smallest part which I feel.' I can not describe how much I love being a missionary. I've just felt complete happiness on my mission and it's not because of anything I do, but it is because I get to see the gospel change people's lives for the better. I get to feel the presence of the Holy Ghost at all times. And everyday I get to become more and more like my Savior Jesus Christ who is my perfect example. Missions are awesome, I'm telling you. The gospel is true and I can't wait for another awesome week:) Hope you all have a great week!

Sister Lowe

Week 58 - New House and Transfers

Sorry, but this will be another long one, just too much happens in a week!

Transfers were this week! 

On Tuesday night we got a call from the APs and they asked if I would train... yep so I'm training again! Woot, I was excited, but I always get so nervous because this is the missionaries first experience to the mission, so I got to make it awesome! I also am staying in Nibley which I'm so happy about it, I love it here:) also Sister Davis is just gonna be in Hyrum so she's gonna be in my zone still! Woot woot!

I met my new trainee Thursday and she is already so amazing! Her name is Sister Vea. Her grandparents raised her in Tonga and she lived there her whole life up until a year or two ago when she moved to Seattle, Washington to live with her real parents. So I have another islander companion, Sweet! She has 9 sibling (huge family) and she's the first missionary in her family and is a convert! She's still trying to learn English, but for the most part she speaks it pretty well. She's very shy, but we've been doing a lot of role plays as we walk and in studies so I'm helping her get out of her comfort zone and talk to people. She has a huge desire to share the gospel and is happy all the time. All she wants to do is go to work. I love it! 

Also she calls me Sister Low-E, it's so cute, haha.

Marissa with her new trainee, Sister Vea

Oh I almost forgot...we got a CAR! No joke. My whole mission I haven't had a car and because we live so far away now, we have a car! I've missed driving so much.

So for miracles this week...

When we were walking to our next lesson, I had this feeling to walk down a different road which takes longer, but I did it anyways. I saw a women walk out of her house so I yelled "how's it going" and asked her for her name and she said her name was Karla... Okay, so now back story. A few weeks ago we got a referral from the Elders of a girl named Karla. We've knocked that house so many times and called her and no one ever answers. Well we started talking to Karla right there, and she told us she is interested and wants to come to church and learn more...MIRACLE! I know God placed us in Karla's path. If we didn't walk past her house at that exact time we would of missed her. I'm grateful that I listened to the prompting of the Holy Ghost without even realizing it. I just love the way Heavenly Father works.

Also after church, I had this feeling to go to one of our recent converts house, David. So we went and his step brother, Ty, was there and told us he went to church today and liked it and wants to be baptized as soon as possible!!! MIRACLE. We asked him to be baptized July 29th and he said yes! I fasted on Sunday for a miracle because I really want the work to keep progressing here and sure enough Heavenly Father blessed us with a miracle of a golden! I love this work.

Well it was another great week. I can't believe it's Monday already. Fasted. Week. Ever. It's cool to be training right now because a whole year ago I was a trainee and was just like Sister Vea. I can't believe how fast time has gone. I keep telling Sister Vea how lucky she is that she's still got 18 more months of complete bliss on the mission. I love this mission. I love this gospel. There's literally no greater work than this one and I'm so happy to be apart of it. Love you all!

Sister Lowe

Morning Bike Ride!  So beautiful

I also moved:  Here are pictures of my new house!