Week 29 - Baptism!

Hey everyone!

My Thanksgiving dinner at Jollibee 

Happy Thanksgiving! I actually totally forgot until the other Americans here told me last week it was Thanksgiving, haha.. I'm telling you, being on the other side of the world and being focused on the mission messes with your brain sometimes. Wow, miss you guys tons, especially now during the holiday seasons, but life is still going on here and things are great and crazy as usual! This past week we had lots of ups and downs- welcome to missionary life, haha. Seriously though, it's incredible how you can be on top of the world at one moment and then just devastated or vice versa.  I'll start with the bad news first so we can end on the good news ok? K. 

So, On Saturday we went to Joy's house like normal and began the lesson and were following up on her preparation for baptism- which we weren't worried about at all because she is seriously so prepared and golden and SO excited for her baptism on Dec 7. But when we asked, all of the sudden she just started crying and we were like, “oh no, what happened what's wrong??” She then told us she knows that this church is true and that she wants to be a member of the church more than anything, but her Dad told her that if she gets baptized he will disown her. She's only 16 years old and still living at home and, of course, loves and depends on her family. She just threw her arms around me and cried and just kept repeating, "ano ko gagawin? ano ko gagawin?" aka "what am I going to do?". We told her to keep doing what she is doing, reading the scriptures, praying coming to church and to keep the faith. Sometimes we are given trials to test us and see where our faith is, but we can't let them defeat us. I shared Alma 34:30-41 in the Book of Mormon which talks about patience and that if we do our best and endure we will one day rest from our afflictions. A peace came into the room and I have no doubt that Joy will be baptized. Maybe not this month, maybe not this year, but I know one day she will be able enter the waters of baptism and come out clean and become an amazing member of the church. 

Ohmi & Edrei's baptism - so happy for their family

So now for the next news, Ohmi and Edrei we baptized yesterday!!! And their less active/ not so less active anymore parents attended and were so excited for them! It was such a happy day and to see their whole family together at church, smiling and full of hope is something I won't forget. Missionary is hard BUT it is worth it. I love you all so so so much and hope you have a great week!

Ingat po kayo palagi! 

Jessica drinking from a coconut

Love, 

Sister Lowe 

Week 28

Hey everyone!

How are you all doing? School, work, sports? I hope everything is going well over there! Things are starting to calm down a bit over here from the super typhoon but there are still so many repercussions from the damage of the storm and the people who were killed :( One of the Elders in my mission found out both his parents were killed in the storm and that his house is gone. I can't imagine the pain and hurt he as well as so many of the people here are going through... please keep them in your prayers. But my companion found out her family is safe and she still has a house to go home to so we are very happy about that! 

So this week has been another challenging but great week! We got rejected pretty bad this week BUT sister Lariosa and I didn't let that get us down! haha we just kept trying and trying and we actually found some really progressing and truth-seeking investigators. 

And on top of that, I literally think I had the best day of my entire mission earlier this week! So who wants to hear what happened?? Well hope there is someone who ants to know because I'm telling you anyways haha. K so here's the story :D Last sunday our investigator Joy came to church and she said she liked it and we were super excited to teach her the next day, but something came up and she said we could come on Wednesday. We were a little worried when we began the lesson on Wednesday because before we had started she asked if she could just go to church and not be baptized. My mind was going everywhere while we were singing the opening hymn trying to think of what I could say to her to help her in our lesson. We opened up with a prayer and I just prayed so hard that my mind would be cleared and be able to listen to the spirit and that Joy would be able to feel the spirit in the lesson. As soon as we ended the prayer I asked her how her Book of Mormon reading is. Get this, she got the Book of Mormon on Nov 5 and by Nov 13 she was in Mosiah!!! She said she loves it and just can't get enough of it. 

me and Sis Lariosa at zone conference

Sister Mack, Sister Garrett at me at Zone conference

She said every time she reads it she feels so much peace and happiness she doesn’t want it to end or put it down. I then felt prompted to ask a series of questions to her. The first was "why do you think you feel that way when you read the book of mormon?" She thoughtfor a couple seconds and then simply stated "because I know it's true. It is the word of God for us in our day and contains the fulness of the gospel." (all of this took place in Tagalog by the way haha this is just in english for your convenience) :) So then I asked her if the Book of Mormon is true, which she just said it was, what does that mean for her? Once again she thought for a second and then with tears in her eyes she said "that means God restored his true church back to the earth after centuries of it being lost after the death of Christ and his apostles through the prophet Joseph Smith because He loves us. It means Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. which means this church, the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true." 

The spirit was so strong and I seriously felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest it was burning so deeply and sister Lariosa and I could barely even speak. I told her yes, yes it is. We bore our testimonies to her and all 3 of us were crying and just feeling the spirit SO strongly, like it was almost tangible in the room. Then I asked her, "so Joy, if you know the church is true what must you do to be a member of the true church?" she just smiled and then whispered "be baptized". I am so excited for Joy to be baptized Dec 3rd and she cannot wait! I have not felt the spirit so strongly my entire mission and I have never felt so guided by the spirit orthat I (me, Sister Lowe) was truly able to help someone. On the days where it gets tough or I miss home, its moments like this that make it all worth it and more. I love being a missionary and sometimes can't imagine what it will be like in a year when I am not wearing this black badge. I love my Heavenly Father and my savior Jesus Christ and know they are very aware and mindful of us. I love you all and you are always in my prayers. Mahal ko kayo at ingat po kayo palagi!

Love always,

Sister Lowe  

Week 27 - Typhoon Hayain hit

Hey everyone!!!

So we've had a little rain over here if you haven't heard haha. Apparently we just went through a super typhoon here which has been pretty devastating to many parts of the Philippines. So many people have died and many areas of the Philippines are in a state of calamity. It's been quite the adventure but don't worry we are all safe here in Hermosa! My companion Sister Lariosa is from Bacolad which is in a state of calamity right now and still hasn't heard from her family so that's been pretty hard for her (please pray for them), but she is so strong and we are working hard and doing our best to help the families here in Hermosa. (At this point Jessica doesn't even know how bad the storm was because they have no contact with the news).

Despite the crazy weather this week was one of the best of my mission so far! This week we found 3 new really great investigators and they are so amazing! Their names are Joy, Shania and Martha and they came to church this week and loved it. Joy is loving the Book of Mormon and said to me that she feels something different when she reads it, a peaceful calming feeling that makes her feel happy. She said she is addicted to it and can't put it down at night, haha. She is such an inspiration to me and I can't wait to see her progress even further and become closer to her heavenly father and Jesus Christ. 

We also had Ohmi and Edrei Robles at church this week and they are so excited for their baptism on November 24th! They always talk about it when we come over and hug us and kiss us and tell us their experiences and readings in the Book of Mormon. I have grown to love their family so so much and I can not wait to see them enter into the waters of baptism to begin their journey back to our Heavenly Father. They are just the nicest family and they will truly always have a place in my heart. Then on top of that Anthony (our less active who hasn't been to church in 5 years) came to church again this sunday! He talked to us later and said that he is so grateful for us, and the day that we knocked on his door. At first he would barely talk to us but now we are great friends and we love talking about the gospel and how it helps us in our lives. He told me that many missionaries have come and gone but he could really feel our love for him and he is glad that we didn't give up on him. I told him of course we won't give up on you! kahit matigas and ulo nyo (even if you have a hard head sometimes) haha he just laughed and said totoo po yan (that is true). We are so close to him and his family and I almost cried when he shook my hand and told me I never have to worry about him because he will never leave the church again, it is true and the only way to receive true happiness :)

I seriously love being a missionary!!! The people I meet, the lives ive seen change, the hearts that have been softened  make every moment worth it. I know God lives, he loves each and every one of us and is aware of our struggles and trials. He will help us if we just let him and put our trust in him. I love you all so much and hope you are safe and happy :)

love always,

sister Lowe

Week 26 - Monday before the storm

Hey everyone!

This week was seriously one of the best weeks of my mission so far! We have been working so hard here to reactivate the less actives as well as find new people to teach and man oh man has the Lord blessed us! 

One family that is very special to me is the Robles family. We only met them a month ago but I love them so much and we have gotten so close! Anthony and Aliw are the parents, and Edrei, Ohmi, Eden, and Endzel are their four children. Anthony and Aliw are long time less actives (the last time they came to church was 5 years ago) and none of the others in the family are members. It’s so funny for me to look back on when we first met them and how things are now. When we first met the Robles family, they cracked open the door and talked to us for maybe a minute before saying they were busy and were not interested in coming to church. Many of the members here in Hermosa told us we would be wasting our time with them, that many many missionaries had gone and taught them but no success or change. But sister Lariosa and I both felt very strongly that we shouldn't give up on them. And I'm so glad we didn't because not only are they happy, reading their scriptures everyday and having family prayer, but yesterday for the first time in 5 years the Robles Family came to church! I can not describe to you the feeling that came over me when I saw them walk through the church doors and shake my hands with big smiles on their faces. Moments like this are what make every sacrifice of being thousands of miles away from everything i love and know worth it. I love being a missionary and being able to bring the gospel to by brothers and sisters here in the Philippines and help to strengthen families here. I love the gospel. The church is true! There is no better work than this! I love you all and hope you are safe and happy! 

Mahal ko kayo!

love always,

sister Lowe :)

Jessica at 27 weeks of her mission