Week 68: Consecration

Hey everybody! This week I almost had an entire week in my area. Last week p day was on a Tuesday and we went to a waterfall. It was way big, but we couldn't go in the water and swim. Regardless it was a ton of fun and we got a couple of really cool pics. 

Wednesday I got to do a "switch off" with elder Halversen again. We both had to renew our visas in Bangkok because we have been in Thailand for a while. I actually got to see my whole group from the MTC again which is always a good time! 

Our mission President came to our area and gave a training about the importance of using technology. He told us that Thailand is the country that uses social media/technology the most(85% of the population). Even all the old people are on social media, so we need to utilize technology to preach the gospel. As a result, me and my comp came up with a ton of ideas of videos we can make. You all are about to see a good amount of videos on my Facebook sometime soon. Hope you like them!!

Sunday was miracle day like usual! I continue to see the Lord bless us on his blessed Sabbath Day. We got more people back to church this week! When I first came to this area we had about 55 people going to church. I made a goal to try and get the church attendance to be 100 consistently.  Guess what? Yesterday there were 94 people so we are almost there already! On top of that we had 8 people we are teaching there as well!! What a miracle :) This family of 3 walked into the church and there are so cool! I'll let you know how their progression is in the coming weeks. 

As a missionary I serve for a period of 2 years. I am more than half way done and I took some time this week to reflect on how my time has been. I read a talk called "The fourth missionary", which talks about 4 different kind of missionaries. The 3rd missionary is the average missionary, but the difference between him and the 4th missionary is consecration. What I mean by that is to give yourself to the Lord. Align your will with His! I have made the decision this week to become a more consecrated missionary/servant of the Lord. I have about 8 months left and I want to give it all to the Lord! 

I love you all so much. The mission is the best thing ever!!

Love, 

Elder Lowe

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MTC reunion in Bangkok to update Visas

Great P-day at a Thai Waterfall

Standing for something

At the waterfall

Free lemonade at English Classes

Nature Walk with Marissa, Devon and Sierra

Glen Oaks has the perfect nature walks.  We have always enjoyed walking down to the waterfall and this year was no exception.  It was especially nice to show Sierra where Devon and the kids would spend many a summer day or night.  We loved to hike down to the waterfall and play in the water.  Today the water was too cold to get into, but it was so beautiful. 




  

We also walked over to the fallen tree bridge.  This is the same tree bridge that Marissa fell off of (while Betsy, Jessica and Devon were at a Trek fireside) and poor Mark had several guests over that couldn't drive.  Anyway, Marissa decided today was the day to overcome her fears and walk across the tree bridge again.  We are so proud of her for having the courage to overcome her fears.



It also took a lot of courage for Sierra to cross the tree bridge.  She had never done anything like that and she wasn't dressed in the right shoes.  I am so grateful that she didn't get hurt and that she made it safely across the bridge.

Sierra on the tree bridge

Devon going over the tree bridge

  



It was great to be here one last time.

Mark, Marissa and Devon

Marissa with Dad

Marissa with Mom
I love that Marissa likes to take photos to remember moments

We ended the walk by walking past the club house where the reception will be held in a few days and past the Glen Oaks snack bar and pool.  Lots of happy moments took place over the summers at the Glen Oaks Pool (they would say not such fond memories of swim team - but everything else).

Trip to Yellowstone with Marissa

On Saturday, September 29, 2018

Mark, Betsy and Marissa drove up from Rexburg, ID to Yellowstone West Entrance to see the amazing natural wonders of the National Park.

At the very beginning of our journey we on set of directions told us to get off at an early exit and continue for 50 miles.  We got off but then we noticed there were no more signs for Yellowstone. After about 7 minutes, we pulled over and checked directions from another source on Betsy's phone.  Sure enough, we were on the wrong road.  We quickly returned to the main road and continued up another one and a half through Idaho and over to Montana before entering Yellowstone Park in Wyoming.

Mark had been to Yellowstone once before as a child, but Betsy and Marissa had never been there.  It was so exciting to see so many amazing and different natural landforms, and animals that we had never seen before in the wild.

We saw buffalo and elk.  We were actually able to get within 10 feet of seeing a huge buffalo.  We also got to walk in a pasture with two dozen buffalo grazing or laying around.  It was incredible.  We saw geysers and hot pools where the water is over 212 degrees Fahrenheit (over boiling hot). 

We went to see Ole' Faithful blow.  We were there about 15 minutes before the geyser blew, but sure enough, it blew just as expected and it blew about 80 fee straight up in the air.  This geyser doesn't blow for very long, but it is very predictable and that is why it is so famous.  We walked around the trails that take people to see other geysers.  Some were erupting and some were calm.  Even the calm ones were amazing to me.  It is just amazing to witness natural powers coming up from the core of our planet.

At around 4:00 we stopped to take another path out to see a waterfall.  On the map it looked like it was only a half mile walk - it turned out to be a 5 mile walk round trip.  Once we realized we were on a longer than expected path we had to decide if we would continue or not.  We committed to the path and continued on.  Half way on the path we saw another path to an observation point.  We walked up the mountain to the plateau from where we could oversee the amazing painted mineral stains of another geyser.  This is one of the things Marissa wanted to see while we were in the park.  It was so beautiful.  We realized we would have never seen this amazing sight if we had turned back.

Continuing on, it seemed to take forever to get to the waterfall.  We walked through woods with no one else around.  Betsy even started to worry about bears (there were warning signs).  Luckily with the three of us we were loud enough to scare off any bear (not that there were any).  Finally we made it to a beautiful waterfall; we were able to get right up next to it.  We could have gone it but it was much colder in Wyoming and it was near sunset.  We knew we had to walk briskly to get back to the car before it started to get dark.

As we were leaving there was a huge back up of cars.  We couldn't figure out what was causing the delay.  We had hoped it wasn't an accident since it's a small road.  Betsy climbed out her window to get a better look.  The delay was a three buffalo crossing the road.  No getting around that.  After they finished crossing the road, it was still a very slow drive because everyone wanted to see the buffalo.  One of the buffalo was rolling around on the ground as if he were playing.  It was spectacular to watch.

We had a wonderful time.  We wish we had more time to spend in Yellowstone.  It really requires a whole day or even a few days to see it all.  So many natural wonders to see and admire.

When we returned to Rexburg we had a wonderful dinner at Applebees with Marissa before taking her back to her apartment and us to the hotel.