The Name's Lowry. Elder Lowry.: Week 106

Friday, September 28, 2012

Week 106

Hello Family!!!

Well another great week here in Jordan!... not gonna be able to say that too many more times. But really the work here is moving along and I am really enjoying being able to work here for the last part of my mission. Guimaras is such an interesting place and provides lots of challenges to the work here. The biggest thing is how new the church is here in Guimaras. I think we are only going back about 10 years here on this island so things are just now starting here. I'm sure the work has to be different in America where the church has been established alot more and we have been around for a couple hundred years. Elder Sefeti and I are working hard here to get the church more established here in Jordan. That is really what's lacking and new converts are not going to get the support they need until we fix some of the problems we have right now. So we are trying to help the members be more established here in Jordan so they can support new converts when they come.

I cannot even believe how close I am to coming home. I am trying not to think about it too much but I can't even help it anymore. I have this week of work and then next week of work and then I am homeward bound. I still do have quite a bit I wanna get done so I still have motivation to get me through the tough times ahead. But the upside is that this weekend is festival here in Jordan so we will have some awesome dinner appointments this weekend and then my last week of the mission I will have a dinner appointment every night. So I expect to put on 20 lbs. before I get back to Augusta. I am so excited to eat delicious food and soak up my last two weeks in the Philippines.

We are having some success with helping our LA members come to church. We are close to "rescuing" two less active members from Balabag, Jordan. Sis Amor and Bro Malcon are both really doing well and have realy desires to return back to activity. Technically if they both go to church this next weekend they will both be considered active members. So that is super good to see. Right now this is really the focus of the Philippines area. They are more concerned with rescuing people than they are about new baptisms. We feel really confident that they will continue to be strong in the church and really become contributing members for the Jordan branch. I am glad I am at least seeing some success my last couple weeks in the mission. We are not able to get any investigators to do anything but our LA work is taking off. I have been pounding away at these people for the entire time I have been on Guimaras and just now we are seeing some positive results.

I am so excited to finish my mission strong and to get back and see everyone again. You all don't know how much I love and miss you. I am super happy to be here serving the people but I am just ready to be back with my family. I have so many stories and things t tell and show you. I really am excited to let you all see all my pictures and introduce you all to all my Filipino friends and tell the stories behind the pictures. Today we went and played mini golf in Nueva Valencia and later today we will be playing football and basketball again. These last few weeks are really turning out to be really fun for us Guimaras Elders. This is my last P- day on this island. Next p-day we got to Iloilo to withdraw support (no ATM's on this island) and then the next p-day after that I will go to the city to get my exit interview. So we are close ladies and gentlemen and it is really starting to hit me. Well, I am ready for another week of work... wish me luck.

Love,

Elder Lowry

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Need a little clarification?

Feel free to ask any questions you might have in the comment area! Here are a few things I thought might help, in case you need them:

-Iloilo is pronounced "Ee-low-Ee-low"
-MTC stands for Missionary Training Center. All missionaries report to an MTC before going to their assigned mission to be trained to teach by the Spirit, to answer questions and to rely on the Lord in order to serve the people in their missions.
-District Leader (DL) is just what Scott describes in his 1st letter home, while in the MTC at least! In the MTC DL's are definitely the ones to inspire their district to be the best they can be and achieve and keep all their goals, keep everyone motivated and in line and pretty much just be an amazing example for the others to follow. Scott's got this one in the bag ;) In the mission, it's only a bit different; it's an assignment given in which you are responsible for checking in on the other missionaries in your district and assisting them as needed, as well as gathering information and reporting to the Zone Leaders, who then report to the Assistants to the President, who then report to the Mission President!
-P-Day (Preparation Day) is the 1 day they get in the week to do laundry, write home, exercise, play sports, go grocery shopping, whatever they need to do. They get to wear "street clothes" with their name tag on P-Day and it's of course the day we all look forward to because we get e-mail (looks like his P-Day in the MTC is Mondays)! (At least while he's still in the MTC... we don't know what the situation will be when he gets to the Philippines.)