Week 50 - One of Those Weeks

Hey hey hey! 

So its been quite an interesting week! Usually people are just so willing and excited to listen to us, but this week was a completely 180 flip haha. Sometimes me and Sister Burt play a game to see who can invite the most people to listen to the gospel message we have in one day and its usually super effective, BUT this week people literally just rolled their eyes at us when we said good morning and some people would just laugh or yell out rude things to us which was a good experience, because obviously everyday can't be smiles and rainbows haha. It really pushed us to work harder and give our all even though it was super super hot and I literally had sweat just streaming down my face into my eyes (thats a pretty picture huh? haha) . But you know what? Even though it was a tougher week we still managed to get 23 new investigators and we felt peace knowing we worked hard and did our best. Sometimes the Lord tries us to see how far our faith in him will go. Plus, we really have been truly blessed the entire month of March and April with so many amazing investigators and now recent converts!! :) 

Hajie came out with us Saturday to our appointments and worked with us and Mhae took us to her grandma's house and her cousins house so that we can share the gospel massage with them as well! I'm just so proud of them and the changes they've both made in their lives, gotta love those two! Plus me and Sister Burt are trying to play matchmaker with them because hey would be so cute together haha. This week we found this new investigator named PJ. He is 18 years old and just moved here from the middle east, but he's Filipino. The thing that's funny about PJ is that he speaks fluent english! In fact he prefers english more than tagalog! I had such a hard time teaching him in english haha I'm just so so used to speaking non stop tagalog... it's weird haha 

But other than that life is good and I actually got to play basketball this morning at the mission home because it's P-Day and we live so close! I totally schooled the AP's it was awesome! (probably just because I'm so much taller than them haha) But I love you all and pray for you all the time and hope you are safe and well! Mahal ko kayo!

Love,

Sister Lowe

Jessica giving Sister Burt a ride on a tri-bike

Week 49 - Holy Week

Happy Easter Everyone!!!!

Wow, we really all do have so much to be grateful for in our lives especially the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Over the coarse of my mission I have come to a greater understanding of his great sacrifice for us and how we can apply that enabling power to our everyday lives. So we've had another amazing week! I got to have exchanges with the other sisters in my zone because I'm the STL which means I'm kind of like the mom over all the sisters in my area. Exchanges is when I go to another area with one of the other sisters and her companion goes to my area for a day. It was really good to work with sister Adol (who is a newer missionary) and help her improve her teaching skills and see success in her area. They has been really struggling getting investigators to church for the past couple months, but yesterday they had 7 so we were so excited for them! 

Holy Week:  So this week is Holy Week and it is a pretty big deal here in the Philippines. But they "celebrate" it a little bit different than we do. So we were walking down the street to go to our first lesson on friday, and what do we see? a huge group of men coming our way with masks/ or black sacks over their head so you cant see their face. If thats not creepy enough, to add on to that they were flogging/ whipping themselves with chains and wood! Blood was everywhere and when you looked at their backs it was just covered in wounds or just red from blood. ya. happy easter haha. So I had one of my investigators explain it to me and they said the Catholics here every year do this to show Jesus their... faith or commitment to him. It was just really sad to me because they were causing themselves so much pain I just wanted to say, don't you know, the atonement already happened! Jesus already suffered for you! Some people here even drag huge crosses through the streets up to the mountain and get crucified! Yes they tell their friends to crucify them and then hang there until they can't do it anymore or some even die! most only do it for 3 hours but iv'e met some who did it for 5! I am so glad I know Jesus already sacrificed for us and that through him we can be free from our sins and live again :) 

Baptism:  So guess what yall??? Hajie and Mhae got BAPTIZED!!! ahhhhhhhh! oh my gosh, seriously one of the BEST days of my mission for sure. These 2 are so strong in the gospel and probably the most converted investigators that i've ever had besides Saricris. At the baptism they both bore BEAUTIFUL testimonies about how they both used to be SUCH different people, but how the gospel and the Book of Mormon changed their lives. I love them so so so much! Mom and Dad I cannot wait for you to meet them when you come out next oct or nov!!!! they are excited to meet you :) Yesterday at church Hajie gave the closing prayer and everyone was just amazed by him. President Querido attended our church service yesterday and personally came and congratulated Hajie and told him that in one year he would serve a mission. Oh that just made my day/year/mission/life! haha Just think, Me and sister Burt helped Hajie and Mhae and Saricris receive the gospel in their life, and now all 3 of them want to serve missions too! Just think of how many they will bring to the gospel, and how many of their converts will bring to the gospel and so on and so on. God really does love his children and is hastening his work. I love this work, I love Hajie and Mhae, I love my mission, I love my savior and my Heavenly Father, AND I love all of you :) 

INGAT!

Sister Lowe

PICTURES

The guys whipping their backs. This would stop traffic there would be so many of them. It is like a parade. Expect there were probably a total of 30 parades throughout the week.

They would also dress like the guards and Jesus. 

 The last one is one of the MANY guys that would carry crosses. he is the one in the white kneeling with it on his shoulder taking a minor break. 

Week 48

Hey guys!! 

So another transfer day has come and gone and guess what? I get to stay in Calapacuan with sister Burt!!! Sister Barlow transferred out of our apartment though so that was sad, but sister Talent moved in and she's super nice so no problems there :) Me and sister Burt were so excited that we got to stay together again because we are literally so so close now and just work so well together and have 2 more baptisms this Saturday!! whoooooooo! 

Mhae and Hajie are getting baptized!!! We are sooooo excited for those two, because they have gone through A LOT to get here. Mhae has such an amazing and strong testimony of the gospel and is such and amazing inspiration to me. Everyone in her compound (the area where she lives) is rude to her, makes fun of her, and swears at her for listening to us and for getting baptized, but she told me she doesn't care. She said in her own words " this gospel now means everything to me, becoming a member of the true church of Jesus Christ is an opportunity that I must grab at the first chance I have. This is my eternal life and happiness I am talking about, not just my short time here on earth." Then just a few days later her house got robbed and they took all their appliances (which means their rice cookers)  and all their money! You know what she said when it happened? "Sisters don't worry this is just a trial, they can take my money, but they can't take my desire to follow Christ and be baptized." I just wanted to cry for her because she literally has nothing now, but because of her strong faith I know miracles are coming her way. 

Hajie is also doing amazing and has had a rough journey to get to where he is now. His mom is Adela who just got baptized last month. His Dad and his brother are pastors at another church and just rip into him anytime he mentions the church. One time he didn't come to church which was weird because he loves coming to church, so we came over later to see if he was ok and we found out his brother got in a fight with him because Hajie told him he's getting baptized. We asked hajie if he was ok and just simple stated "of course sisters! I don't care what he says or does to me, he just doesn't understand. My decision to get baptized is the best one I will probably make in my whole life and I feel at peace to know I will be in the true church." Ahhhhh seriously, nothing better than hearing the people you've taught from day one say things like that. I just love those two.. 

But for other events, lets talk about general conference! Oh my gosh how amazing was that??? I loved it! Its so weird to think by next conference I will about to be coming home! I'ts slowly creeping up but I'm just gonna keep working harder than ever here! Well I gotta go but I love you all and miss you tons!!! Be good! :)  

Love,

Sister Lowe 

PS sorry no pics again... I don't know why this computer wont let me send them... where's Devon when I need him haha

PS - please tell everyone I love them and miss them!!!!

Week 47 - 11 month anniversary

Hey guys!!! 

Ok so sorry there was no email last week, I know thats all of your favorite part of your whole week, getting my emails … haha joking, but it was because we had an awesome mission activity for achieving our goals!!! It was sooo fun and I got to see all my best friends from the mission like Sister Leakehe, Sister Mack, Sister Garrett, Sister Lariosa, Sister Ila, Sister Paciano, and Sister Hess … and we got to play basketball (yayy!) volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and play with water balloons! 188 missionaries + waterballoons = best day ever haha. Talk about a good week. 

Hi, yes it's me in the far corner

Jessica was on the podium seating because
she is a Sister Leader Trainer.

Together again with such amazing sisters:
Sister Calaunan, Sister Hess, Sister ??, Me
??, Sister Ilsa, Sister McNaught, ??

Sister Burt and I working

Jessica doesn't even know they are taking photos

candid - wow, look at that adorable smile - said her mother

We miss Sister Diosan

But in other news, the work here is just amazing! I thought I would miss Lubao for the rest of my mission (which I still do haha) but this area in Calapacuan in the bomb! The people are so prepared here and God is just showering us with blessings and miracles. So last week, Saricris and Tommy got baptized!!!!! It was amazing and they are both so strong now in the church. Saricris comes and works with us everyday because she wants us to teach everyone in her town so they can enjoy the blessings of the gospel too. Im literally amazed by her faith and testimony everyday. She told me yesterday that she is going on a mission in a year or 2! Hearing things like that just make all the hardships of your mission melt away and just makes everything worth it. We also took her last Saturday to the Relief Society Broadcast and she told me she had never felt the spirit so strong. She started crying when she saw Thomas S. Monson on the screen and kept elbowing me saying "look! its the Prophet!" haha she is soooo cute. I told her we have General Conference next week where we get to listen to the prophet again but its going to be broadcasted all the way in Olongapo so its pretty expensive to get their for them. She just smiled and said "well I guess that just means I need to work everyday so I can earn the money to go!" I just love this girl haha. 

Hajie (Adela's son) and Mhae are doing great too! their baptism is on April 19th and they are just stoked! Mhae told me yesterday she wishes it was tomorrow haha. Hajie (hes 23) is literally one the smartest people I’ve ever taught. I'm pretty sure he could teach us the lessons haha. When we first met him, he was SO shy and could barely look us in the eye, but now we are besties and he always asks when we are coming back and what he should study in the Book of Mormon for the next lesson. I just love the kid haha. what else, what else... Me and sister Burt are just lov'n life repp'n america, and laughing wherever we go. Sometime i wonder if we have too much fun haha but dont worry we are exactly obedient and just enjoy the work we do. I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!!! nothing better. welp, I gotta go but I love you alllllll!!! be good and stay safe! Ingat kayo!

Love 

Sister Lowe 

Week 46 - Met Missionary Monthly Goal

Hey mom we have an activity this monday so i wont be able to email so president told me to email you real quick just so you know that I’m ok and theres no problem, I’m just going to be attending a mission activity on monday. but just wanted to say ...

 I LOVE YOUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

and I hope you have a great day! Youre the best! 

Love Jessica

ps we just had 2 baptisms today!!! whooo!