Hello Family!
This week has been another crazy busy week for Elder Lowry... but it is over and I am pleased with what we were able to accomplish in our area despite being gone for the majority of it. The Lord has really helped us alot here that investigators and our less active members we are working with will still progress even though we aren't able to visit them as much. I was really pleased again this weekend as I was able to sit down at church and see our investigators walk in and to have great experiences at the church. It makes you really rely on Him more when you have weeks like this last week. I think that might be one of the things I have learned here. TO just to the very best I can and then the Lord will take care of the rest for me. This last week was FULL of training and meetings. By the fourth day of meetings and just sitting there listening I thought for sure I was going to go crazy... but I left Iloilo feeling a lot better about carrying out my responsibilities as a Zone Leader. In fact tomorrow I will teach my very first zone meeting. It should just be like the weekly district meetings I taught in Molo but it will just have a bigger audience. SO I am really excited to be able to pass the training that I was able to receive this past week on to the zone here in Antique.
I was confused by Dad's question last week. He asked abut the workings of a District and I misunderstood it to mean a district of missionaries... but he meant a District as in a group of church units that aren't a stake yet. Stupid me... So as a zone leader in a District it actually isn't too different than a stake. We just have President Pagaduan involved more with our correlations and stuff like that. But I don't actually have to carry any church leadership responsibilities due to the fact that we are only a district. The units here in Antique district are actually pretty stroing right now and I think they will be ready to become a stake within 5 years. They just need to get more of their priesthood active in order to fill up more of their callings and they will be good to go. The biggest difference is that we have no wards here... they are all branches and that does make a difference. The missionaries still are depended on alot and it is kinda tough for us to help these people become more self reliant so that they don't have to have the Elders do everything for them. So as the Zone Leaders we just correlate closely with the District President and our Mission President to help the whole province progress.
As for this last week of work, I was really surprised that we achieved almost all of our goals. We still got quite a few lessons even though we only got to work three days (we went on splits). We still had four investigators come to church and had a couple less active families come to church as well. The Elders that are here in Hamtic with us also had a baptism this last weekend. It was a young couple (both got baptized) that have the CUTEST little 7 month old little girl. Like this is honestly the cutest little baby I've ever seen in my life. I don't have any pictures but I will get one this week and you all will agree with me... she is adorable. I just can't even help but to play with little kids whenever I see them here. They aren't shy at all usually and love Americans. It was a wonderful baptism service and these two were so ready to be baptized. I actually got to interview them... that was my first baptismal interview I ever conducted. I thought it was awesome to just be able to sit down with them and discuss the covenant of baptism and what they have done to prepare themselves for it. I was very honored to talk to them and feel of their spirit and how excited they both were to become members of the church.
We should actually have a baptism of our own this weekend for a little part member kid whose name is Irvin. His family is returning to activity as well and seem to be doing well. We have lots to review this week for his baptism, but seeing that we have no meetings or anything big on the schedule for this week it is definitely possible. This week we will also be focused on getting some more families in our teaching pool. I really wanna find a cool family to bring to the church. We just have lots of individuals in our teaching pool right now. So that will be a tough one to find but, again, I think we have lots of time this week and it is possible.
I got Mom's package this last week while I was in the city and have already given away/ eaten all the candy and toys. I am loving the Book of Mormon she sent and of course the jump rope has gotten used once or twice. I've gotta start working out and running now... I've only got 7 months til I am home. Shoot that is sneaking up. I only have four transfers after this one. Then it is PARTY TIME.
I also got some more pants made... it was sorely needed. I had some Holy pants these past few months. I think the fabric I got was way gwapo and when I picked them up today they fit perfectly. I will get some pictures in them this week and send them next week. I was way bad about taking pictures this past week and feel bad that I don't have anything to sent home. I will repent and get some next week. Promise. I also had a jersey made for me while I was still in the city and finally got to get it this last week while I was there. It was a fake Miami Heat jersey with my name on it. I was way impressed with how good it turned out for being so cheap. I am about to go play some basketball right now so I will get a picture in it... you all are gonna get to see some nasty tan lines with those pictures. I love missionary tans... so attractive.
Well that is all I have to report I think. This week was another good week and I am a happy missionary. This transfer sure is flying by and time doesn't seem like it is gonna slow down anytime soon. I am blown away by how fast 18 moths has gone by. Can you believe I've been gone for that long already? Another 7 months and I will see you all again. I love you all and pray for you all often. I love reading your letters and emails... keep sending 'em! I also got Shelby's letter this week! Thanks!
Love,
Elder Lowry
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