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 ??

Cayson's Blessing on Mark's Birthday

Happy Birthday to Mark Lowe:  Today is his birthday, but also and equally worth celebrating is Cayson's Blessing.  Cayson Mark Russell Murphey was blessed on 7/22/19.  His blessing was proclaimed at the home of Spencer and Alecia (Tate's sister and brother-in-law).  They are very close, and Spencer is a Bishop of another ward.  (The bishop in Tate and Jessica's ward refused to let them hold the baby blessing on this date - even though all of Tate's and Jessica's family are in town and only in town for this weekend).  WHAT????  Well, they worked around that and had Cayson blessed "in another ward".  Luckily a blessing does not have to be done in a church, so they chose to have it done at Spencer and Alecia's home.  Tate pronounced a beautiful blessing upon delicate Cayson.  He was only 11 days old when he received his blessing. 

Mark, Betsy, Jessica with Cayson, Tate, Marissa and Devon

It was such a special day for everyone that was there:  our family:  Mark, Betsy, Devon, Sierra, Marissa, Uncle Alan, Kayloni, and Makeyla.  

So happy to have all these people there:  Kayloni, Uncle Alan, Betsy and Mark, Jessica with Cayson, Tate, Marissa, Devon and Sierra, and Makayla.

Adoring baby Cayson while he screamed

Jessica with Cayson, Tate with Uncle Alan, Makayla (left) and Kayloni (right)

   

Grandma Betsy and Grandpa Mark with our adorable new family

With just Mark and I 

The beautiful new Murphey Family

Pure Joy

I feel so blessed to be a grandma to this precious baby boy.  He is more precious than anything I can think of.  He is so tender and dear coming straight from our Heavenly Father's presence.  I wanted to do something very special for him so I designed and sewed together his baby blessing outfit out of white linen.  I designed it especially for him.  I also made the comfortably wrapped baby blanket to wrap him in, and to keep him snuggled and warm.  Theses are talents God gave me that I desire to use as an expression of love - to use my God given talents to bless the life of another. 

          

Mark and Cayson

Mark feels especially humbled to have Cayson named after him and Cayson's other Grandpa, Russell Murphey.  Both are amazing, honorable, great men.  Cayson is so blessed to have such strong committed, good character men that hold and honor the priesthood as a father and grandfathers. 

He is so blessed to have both sets of Grandparents with him
Mark and Betsy Lowe
Russell and Debbie Murphey

Proud Parents of precious baby Cayson

Such a beautiful family

We were so happy that Uncle Alan, Mark's brother and his daughters, Kayloni and Makayla could come for the blessing and festivities.

Betsy was glad to have this time as another opportunity to get to know Sierra better.  Devon is head over heels in love with her and we were so happy she could come with him to this special family event.  It probably wont be long before she is a part of our growing family.

Cutest thing - Cooper and Devon matched.

Everyone adores baby Cayson

I can't get enough of this - What a blessed addition to our family.

All the Men with Tate and Cayson:  Combined Murphey and Lowe sides of the family

It was so nice of Spencer and Alecia to open their home for this special event.

Mark's office is closing

When we moved to Louisville we prayed to stay in Louisville until our last child graduated from High School.

Well ...

Robert graduated in June 2017, and started college starting September 2017.  Six months after he started college at BYU - Mark finds out that the Flex office in Louisville is closing.

Six months later!!!  That's timing you can't misunderstand.  The Lord clearly answered our prayer to stay in Louisville until our last child graduated. 

Despite not wanting to leave (friendships, schools, work, etc) we are grateful we were able to stay in Louisville for all seventeen years.