Hey Everyone!
Yeah that would be great if I could speak the Sunday that I get home. I’ve thought a little about what I want to say but I can finish when I get home.
Well can you believe that the end has finally come? It seems like a dream to me still. This is officially the last email that I will be sending to you- It’s so weird. It still hasn’t fully clicked yet but it might only click when I’m on the plane coming home.
A lot of incredible things happened this week and I couldn’t have finished my mission off any better. I was in Livramento on Tuesday and Wednesday and Tuesday night I was able to go to Elton and Eliara’s house for a dinner! It was so nice to see them again. When I got into their house, we talked for a while and then Eliara opened one of the doors and a bunch of people in the ward came in and started singing happy birthday to me. They said they wanted to do this on my birthday but since I was transferred they made it up to me. It was so nice! I ate and ate and ate till I was about to explode and as usual, Eliara made three desserts and when we left I could barely walk. It was so nice to see them.
There were two families that I really wanted to see that I didn’t see on Tuesday-the bishop’s family, and Claudia and Clenesi’s family. I was kind of sad because I was only planning on being in my old area Tuesday night. Then on Wednesday I ran into the bishop and was able to give him a hug and talk to him. Also that night we had a meeting at the church and then I was able to see Claudia’s daughter and she invited us to teach a reference that she had at her house so I was able to see Claudia’s family too. I was able to leave the city knowing that I saw everyone that I wanted to.
Oh and another great thing happened this week. Dan called me on the phone from Rio! We had an awesome conversation and I could barely believe that it was happening.
On Friday I ate lunch with Pres. Flores and his family. They showed me pictures of their family and of his mission. He has a picture of Uncle Jess but he wasn’t able to find it at the moment. He will email it to Uncle Jess when he finds it. It was so nice to be able to talk to their family. They absolutely love Uncle Jess. Because Uncle Jess baptized Pres Flores, he went on a mission and baptized people that have already gone on missions and those people too have gone on missions. Its incredible how many generations have been affected.
Today we went to a park and played soccer and made a churrasco. We were at a Baptist camp and we were able to talk to some Americans from California that were there. My legs are killing me but it was definitely worth it.
I am so excited to see you all! It’s been such an amazing experience these last 2 years and I will never forget the lessons I’ve learned and the people I’ve taught. It’s definitely a weird experience in finishing my mission. Each day that passes though I get more and more excited to see you all. There’s a scripture that describes how I feel right now but I can’t write it since I only have scriptures in Portuguese so you’ll have to look it up. It’s II John 1:12.
(Here is the scripture. “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.”)
I love you all and will see you soon!
I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Week 103 July 5, 2008
Family,
That’s so awesome that you were able to hear Elder Hales at church. That must have been a great experience. I’m so amazed at the spirituality of the apostles and general authorities. It’s too bad I wasn’t able to hear Chris’s homecoming talk but I guess it’s fair since I was able to hear his farewell talk.
These last few weeks the mission office has been reformed and yesterday we moved back in for the first time. It is really really nice. Me and Elder M. Lopes have our own room to work in and it’s a lot of fun. It’s too bad that I only have a couple more times to be in the office though.
This week was another really amazing week for me. It was definitely more laid back than the last few weeks. We didn’t have any trainings to give to missionaries and we didn’t have any conferences. We went to a city called Cruz Alta- if I remember right, Uncle Jesse served there. We did a division with some missionaries for 3 days. I did a division with Elder Ball! He was one of my companions in Livramento and it was me and him the found the family of Elton and Eliara. It was so awesome to be with him again. He’s doing really great and already has almost a year his mission.
One of the greatest parts was that me and Elder Ball called Elton and Eliara to say to their family. Eliara started crying immediately. The day before, Elder Santiago (also one of my old companions in Livramento) did a division with some of the elders in Livramento and ate a dinner and Elton and Eliara’s house. It was Elder Ball, me and Elder Santiago who were in the area to see their conversion and this family has a big love for us three. It has been a little while now since all three of us have been transferred and this last week, all three of us have been able to see this family again or talk on the phone.
This last week of the mission will be really interesting. I’m very very excited because on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be doing divisions with the Zone Leaders in Livramento and I’ll be able to see Elton and Eliara one more time. They’ve already planned a dinner for us and I’m so excited to see them. I’m going to give them a cheesecake mix and bottle of maple.
Here at the end of my mission I definitely have a lot of mixed feelings. It will be really hard to leave Brazil and say goodbye to these wonderful people. Leaving Santa Maria won’t be that hard though because I haven’t really been here that long and I’m always traveling or doing divisions so no one really knows me that well. I don’t feel like I’m actually close to going home and at the same time I don’t feel like I’m going to stay here on the mission. It’s kind of weird I know. I’m going to try to take advantage of every minute I have left this next week and a half.
I’m very very excited to see you at the airport and give you a huge hug. I’ll be arriving at the airport together with Elder Crose and Elder Blackhurst. Elder Crose is Dan’s friend and Elder Blackhurst lives in Centerville. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and I’ll talk to you next week for the last time here on the mission. I love you all!!!
Thanks for everything.
I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler
That’s so awesome that you were able to hear Elder Hales at church. That must have been a great experience. I’m so amazed at the spirituality of the apostles and general authorities. It’s too bad I wasn’t able to hear Chris’s homecoming talk but I guess it’s fair since I was able to hear his farewell talk.
These last few weeks the mission office has been reformed and yesterday we moved back in for the first time. It is really really nice. Me and Elder M. Lopes have our own room to work in and it’s a lot of fun. It’s too bad that I only have a couple more times to be in the office though.
This week was another really amazing week for me. It was definitely more laid back than the last few weeks. We didn’t have any trainings to give to missionaries and we didn’t have any conferences. We went to a city called Cruz Alta- if I remember right, Uncle Jesse served there. We did a division with some missionaries for 3 days. I did a division with Elder Ball! He was one of my companions in Livramento and it was me and him the found the family of Elton and Eliara. It was so awesome to be with him again. He’s doing really great and already has almost a year his mission.
One of the greatest parts was that me and Elder Ball called Elton and Eliara to say to their family. Eliara started crying immediately. The day before, Elder Santiago (also one of my old companions in Livramento) did a division with some of the elders in Livramento and ate a dinner and Elton and Eliara’s house. It was Elder Ball, me and Elder Santiago who were in the area to see their conversion and this family has a big love for us three. It has been a little while now since all three of us have been transferred and this last week, all three of us have been able to see this family again or talk on the phone.
This last week of the mission will be really interesting. I’m very very excited because on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be doing divisions with the Zone Leaders in Livramento and I’ll be able to see Elton and Eliara one more time. They’ve already planned a dinner for us and I’m so excited to see them. I’m going to give them a cheesecake mix and bottle of maple.
Here at the end of my mission I definitely have a lot of mixed feelings. It will be really hard to leave Brazil and say goodbye to these wonderful people. Leaving Santa Maria won’t be that hard though because I haven’t really been here that long and I’m always traveling or doing divisions so no one really knows me that well. I don’t feel like I’m actually close to going home and at the same time I don’t feel like I’m going to stay here on the mission. It’s kind of weird I know. I’m going to try to take advantage of every minute I have left this next week and a half.
I’m very very excited to see you at the airport and give you a huge hug. I’ll be arriving at the airport together with Elder Crose and Elder Blackhurst. Elder Crose is Dan’s friend and Elder Blackhurst lives in Centerville. I hope that you all have a wonderful week and I’ll talk to you next week for the last time here on the mission. I love you all!!!
Thanks for everything.
I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler
Monday, June 30, 2008
Week 102 June 28, 2008
Family,
Hey I’m really glad to hear that you’re all well. This last week was a very busy week but full of amazing experiences that I’ll never forget. We had 4 conferences this week with the whole mission divided in different cities. We had a guy named Elder Newman and his wife that came to talk to us all too. They’re in charge of the health of the missions in Brazil and they traveled in the car with us. Me and my companion Elder M. Lopes traveled with Pres and Sister Myrrha and Elder and Sister Newman. We sang hymns and talked a lot. Pres Myrrha was driving like a mad man. He drives sooo fast and was passing everyone on the freeway.
We had some really amazing privileges like we were able to sleep in the best hotel in the mission one night. Me and my companion had our own apartment. Also we were able to eat at nice restaurants a couple of nights, one of them was in Uruguay and was really really good.
During the Zone Conferences, me and Elder M. Lopes had a training that we gave and it was a lot of fun. I wasn’t nervous at all and the missionaries seemed to like it. We talked about the importance of using the scriptures in a clear form that our investigators will understand. We had a little movie clip that we passed and we invited some missionaries to come up and do a demonstration for us.
Pres Myrrha gave an incredible message and I was really glad to be able to hear it four times. I’ll tell you about it when I get home. I won’t have enough time to write about it to you.
Well at this point in the transfer, the hard stuff is done. All the trainings, and meetings and stuff are done so now we just divide with some of the Zone Leaders in the other cities.
Oh, I have to tell you about the best thing that happened this week. We had one of the Zone conferences in Livrament so Elton and Eliara came by with Carla their 9 year old daughter and they gave me some letters, and some sweets that Eliara made. It was sooooo nice to see them. Carla ran up to me and gave me a big hug.
Elder Santiago, my companion a couple of transfers ago in Livramento, was there too and we got permission from the President to leave and go visit some of the members in our old area. It was so awesome to be with Elder Santiago and relive the old times there.
I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I love you and will talk to you later!
Oh and tell Chris and Mitchell hi for me when they give their homecoming talks.
I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler
Hey I’m really glad to hear that you’re all well. This last week was a very busy week but full of amazing experiences that I’ll never forget. We had 4 conferences this week with the whole mission divided in different cities. We had a guy named Elder Newman and his wife that came to talk to us all too. They’re in charge of the health of the missions in Brazil and they traveled in the car with us. Me and my companion Elder M. Lopes traveled with Pres and Sister Myrrha and Elder and Sister Newman. We sang hymns and talked a lot. Pres Myrrha was driving like a mad man. He drives sooo fast and was passing everyone on the freeway.
We had some really amazing privileges like we were able to sleep in the best hotel in the mission one night. Me and my companion had our own apartment. Also we were able to eat at nice restaurants a couple of nights, one of them was in Uruguay and was really really good.
During the Zone Conferences, me and Elder M. Lopes had a training that we gave and it was a lot of fun. I wasn’t nervous at all and the missionaries seemed to like it. We talked about the importance of using the scriptures in a clear form that our investigators will understand. We had a little movie clip that we passed and we invited some missionaries to come up and do a demonstration for us.
Pres Myrrha gave an incredible message and I was really glad to be able to hear it four times. I’ll tell you about it when I get home. I won’t have enough time to write about it to you.
Well at this point in the transfer, the hard stuff is done. All the trainings, and meetings and stuff are done so now we just divide with some of the Zone Leaders in the other cities.
Oh, I have to tell you about the best thing that happened this week. We had one of the Zone conferences in Livrament so Elton and Eliara came by with Carla their 9 year old daughter and they gave me some letters, and some sweets that Eliara made. It was sooooo nice to see them. Carla ran up to me and gave me a big hug.
Elder Santiago, my companion a couple of transfers ago in Livramento, was there too and we got permission from the President to leave and go visit some of the members in our old area. It was so awesome to be with Elder Santiago and relive the old times there.
I hope that you all have a wonderful week! I love you and will talk to you later!
Oh and tell Chris and Mitchell hi for me when they give their homecoming talks.
I love you infinity!!!
Elder Fowler
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Week 101 June 21, 2008
Family,
Wow so many wonderful things have happened this week and I don’t even know where to start. I guess I need to start off by saying that I don’t have a lot of time to write, so sorry if this email is short.
One of the coolest things that happened this week was that I met a guy named President Flores. I was in the mission office (actually I was at one of the churches here which is now our office because the mission office is being remodeled). We were working on the numbers of the mission and then President Flores walked in and said, “Where is Elder Fowler”. I told him that was me and he said that Uncle Jess baptized him 37 years ago! It was such an amazing feeling to see some of the fruits of Uncle Jesses work when he was here. President Flores has done such an amazing job for the church. President Myrrha said that President Flores and his family over the years have been one of the most helpful families here in the south. I took a picture with him and he said that he would invite me over for dinner and show me some pictures of Jesse. I’m so excited.
Wow so many wonderful things have happened this week and I don’t even know where to start. I guess I need to start off by saying that I don’t have a lot of time to write, so sorry if this email is short.
One of the coolest things that happened this week was that I met a guy named President Flores. I was in the mission office (actually I was at one of the churches here which is now our office because the mission office is being remodeled). We were working on the numbers of the mission and then President Flores walked in and said, “Where is Elder Fowler”. I told him that was me and he said that Uncle Jess baptized him 37 years ago! It was such an amazing feeling to see some of the fruits of Uncle Jesses work when he was here. President Flores has done such an amazing job for the church. President Myrrha said that President Flores and his family over the years have been one of the most helpful families here in the south. I took a picture with him and he said that he would invite me over for dinner and show me some pictures of Jesse. I’m so excited.
This week me and Elder M. Lopes did a lot of trainings. This next week we’re going to be traveling with the President every day to do Zone Conferences. I’m really excited. There’s going to be some medical guy that’s going to talk to us too about health and safety. Dad told me to see if I could tell you a little bit about my position that I have now. I basically am in charge of receiving the numbers from every missionary every week. Numbers of lessons they taught, people they talked to, baptisms, and a bunch of other stuff. On excel I have to organize it and make a total and then give it to the President. Also me and my companion give a lot of trainings to the other missionaries. We’ve given a lot of trainings this last week and this next week we will be traveling with the President to the other cities. It’s going to be really fun. There are also a lot of advantages too- president takes us out to really nice restaurants sometimes.
This last week has been so amazing. I’m learning so many great lessons just by watching President Myrrha. He’s such an amazing President. We also have had a lot of fun. This last week we went on an hour drive with Pres and Sister Myrrha to see some really beautiful sites. It was a lot of fun. Today we just made a BBQ and then we’re going to go to the President’s house to watch a movie and eat ice-cream... there are definitely a lot of advantages that I have now that I didn’t have before. To mention one of them- here in Santa Maria, ice-cream is incredibly cheap. I bought 2 liters today for $3! I’m way excited.
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