Adios a Nuestro Barrior Amado~Goodbye to our Beloved Ward

Querido Familia y Amigos,

Because the Christmas Holidays and our departure date aligned it seemed that our last two weeks were a continuous round of parties.  So many tender moments as we said goodbye to our dear friends.

CHRISTMAS ZONE CONFERENCE:  What a wonderful celebration of the birth of Christ through music and testimony.  We felt spirit of the season deeply and were grateful that we were insulated from the hustle and bustle of Christmas. President Carter's opening teaching on becoming a true disciple of Christ was powerful. Later he called on several missionaries to quote their favorite passage from the Living Christ Proclamation and explain why it was important to them. He is truly trying to establish a mission culture centered around Jesus Christ.  After lunch the afternoon session was a Christmas musical program. We have some very talented missionaries playing the cello, flute, piano, and singing. The songs brought momentary tears to my eyes.

CHRISTMAS AT VISTA MANOR:  During the past year we built a sweet relationship with the managers of the Vista Manor trailer park. Our Vista Zone of missionaries had donated more than 700 hours of service to the aged and disabled members of this mobile home community.  We were invited as special guests to their Christmas dinner as a thank you for our service. While we were not permitted to proselyte many of the residents will long remember the service they received by the hands of our young missionaries. Gui and Joshua, the park managers, have become our dear friends and it was sad to say goodbye.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE KIDS: The very best part of this mission has been the blessing of being close to our kids, Brad and Sarah and the grandkids.  We celebrated Christmas Eve and Brad, Becky and the girls and Christmas morning with Sarah, Mark and their kids who had all come home for Christmas.  The holiday is so much sweeter when we are with family even while serving a mission.

A SURPRISE GOODBYE:  We were invited to the Aguirre's home for dinner.  We had served closely with this family since he was in the Bishopric and she served as the YW's president. We were so honored that they would think to invite us to their home, but when we arrived at their home, Brother Aguirre announced that there was a change of plans and that we needed to go to Brother Marin's Barn/reception center.  So we drove to the Barn on Taylor street.  We approached the darkened building as brother Aguirre swung open the big barn door.  The light came on and there were about 80 ward members clapping and cheering.  Luci teared up instantly. Several came running up to greets us with big hugs. I felt the love and fellowship of so many good people with whom we have spent the last year in our ministering mission.  Food was plentiful with Brother Orduña grilling carne asada. We went from table to table taking pictures of people we will not soon forget. We will miss these beloved friends.

COUPLES GOODBYE DINNER:  We seniors who served in the Southern part of the Newport Beach mission hung together and have become dear friends.  They hosted a farewell beautiful dinner for laughed until our sides hurt and shed a few tears at the parting.

TEACHING THEM TO MINISTER: On our last Sunday in the Vista Spanish ward, the bishopric asked us to take the second hour, it being the 5th Sunday.  They wanted us to explain what we did to bring so many people back to the gospel circle.  They wanted us to help them set goals for the new year.  After the opening prayer we quoted scripture on how Christ ministered.  Then we read in the leadership manual about ministering. This ministering applies to both members and non-members.  We talked about how to meet the basic physical human needs first. You can't teach a hungry child. Then we discussed building trust and making emotional connections with each of them individually.  We discussed how to bring them into the social circle of the church and how they can contribute to that circle. We taught that it is not sufficient to invite. One must physically bring them back to the fold, like Christ carried the lamb on his shoulders. It is the missionaries responsibility to bring them to the waters of baptism.  However it is the members responsibility to get these new converts to the temple to receive the next ordinance and make the next covenant with God. In closing we bore testimony that it can be done.  Fill the empty seats with the lost sheep.  It was a good bookend to our labors in that ward over the past year.

NEW YEAR'S DAY ZONE BREAKFAST:  We hosted a breakfast for the Vista Zone on January 1 to show our appreciation for their remarkable service.  These young people are among the best!

SENIOR BEACH PARTY:  On the very last day of our mission we joined the rest of the senior missionaries for a cookout on the beach.  Brad and the girls joined us to say a final goodbye.  We will cherish these dear people forever!

DRIVE HOME-ST. GEORGE TEMPLE.  After a week of sweet farewells, we finally found time to pack up the car and finish up our last few phone calls to special friends.  Bright and early Jan. 2 we drove out of Vista, hopped on the I15 and headed north. As the door closed on our mission our hearts turned to home.  We stopped in St. George for a day to look for property hoping to find a place on which to put our tiny house.  A storm was brewing and it was blustery and cold and our search was not too productive.  We spent a few hours in the St. George temple before we started for home.  It is truly magnificent! What a beautiful end to our service as we wandered around the halls of this sacred House of the Lord. 

 

FINAL SUNSET ON OUR MISSION:

This past year as missionaries has been filled with joys and sorrows, health and sickness, struggles and success. As we leave this mission, we wish to testify that we were never allow. Our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ walked beside us and guided the work.  We love him and joyfully proclaim that He lives!

Adios,

Con mucho amor por todos,

Elder and Hermana Fowers

FINISHING STRONG

A DAY IN THE NEWPORT BEACH TEMPLE: One of the wonderful tradition we have in the Newport Beach Mission is for all departing missionaries to attend the temple the President and Sister Carter.  We attended a 9:15 temple session on Dec. 8 with a very animated group of young missionaries who where on their way home.  It is hard to believe that a year has nearly past and we will be come home in a few short weeks.  What a joy is has been to serve with these remarkable people!  After the session, we joined the group for lunch and everyone was bubbling with happiness.  Once they all departed, we remained in Newport Beach and in the evening returned to the temple and met our friend Maria. After a long road of making many changes in her life Maria joined us at the temple for the first time in many years! It was so awesome to accompany her as she was baptized for her antepasados (ancestors), while Elder Fowers joined her in the font and did the baptizing.

Rejoicing with the Armies of Helaman. (On the very back row, left!)

As few days later we had our departing interview with President Carter. He walked us through the highlights of our service in the Vista Ward.  It was humbling to consider how guided and blessed we had been in the work.  He gave us the parting scripture of D&C 126:1-3 in which it tells us that our work has been acceptable to the Lord and that we are to now take "especial care of your family, from this time forth".  It was a tender mercy to feel His love through the words of our mission President.

TIJUANA TEMPLE WITH FIDELA:  The very next day we attended the Tijuana Temple and met Fidela there.  She came with her ward from Ensenada who rented a bus for the two hour journey. This was her first time in the temple since her baptism just three weeks ago.  The good ward members helped her prepare the names of her mother, father and grandfather for baptisims and confirmations. She was in awe with beautiful edifice and the feeling of peace and beauty within.  Elder Fowers Journal Entry~Dec. 8:  Fidela was excited as we entered the holy structure.  Her knees were working very well today and she did not have to use her cane much. We descended into the baptistry at the recommend desk and I pointed out the paintings and their meanings. In the baptistry I explained the symbolism of the twelve oxen.  She was overwhelmed with everything.  Luci kept near as she received her clothing and entered the changing room.  I did the same, changing into the white temple jumpsuits.  There were other youth present from the Hidalgo ward. We sat and watched the baptisms and I explained in detail the process, principles and importance of this vicarious work.  Fidela was taking it all in.  Finally it was our turn.  I entered the water first and was baptized for her father and her deceased husband.  Then I stayed in and Fidela entered the font.  I escorted her down the stairs caring for her fragile knees.  She felt comfortable with me in that just three weeks ago I had baptized her.  The spirit was strong as I baptized her for her mother and an aunt.  She felt the importance of the work and I know this will deepen her testimony of the work.  After changing we did the confirmations.  Again we all felt something special.  I told her that she is no longer the only member of her family and that her parents were pleased with the work she did for them that day."

ELDER STEVENSON YSA FIRESIDE:  After two very long days of driving between temples in NewPort Beach and Tijuana, We were exhausted.  We endured a four hour border wait returning to the USA. However with "one more strain of praise" we decided to attend the Gary Stevenson's YSA fireside on Sunday evening.  It isn't often that we have the privilege of hearing an apostle of the Lord, live! When we arrived in Escondido, all the older people were asked to sit in the back of the long Cultural hall/Gym, joining many other senior couples from the adjacent San Diego mission. His remarks were inspiring and directed to the YSA specifically.  Social media is both good and bad.  Elder Stevenson admonished everyone to set aside virtual reality and view reality like read the scriptures, listen to modern prophets. He asked everyone to love, share and invite during this Christmas season. He talked about the billboard presentation of Christ and the Nativity on Times Square in New York City. It was posted on YouTube and has been viewed by 180 million people.  This shows how the church is using the media in a good way to spread the message of Christ. As Elder Stevenson spoke the spirit grew and grew as he told meaningful stories. There were more than a 1000 YSAs there. When he concluded his talk, no one wanted to leave and lose the profound feeling of the spirit.  I am so grateful that I went and took the opportunity fill my vessel.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  We helped Elder Prater celebrate his birthday at the Texas Road House.  He didn't hold back when they offered to let him ride their sawhorse saddle. Such great friends.  We will miss them terribly!

WARD CHRISTMAS PARTY: One area where the Spanish ward needs no help from us is putting together a party and this year the Vista Spanish Ward Christmas party was no exception. As with all holiday parties the serve, pazole, tamales, pan dulce, flan and more.  They asked Sister Fowers to make a manger to display at the party.  So I found an abandon wooden pallet so we took it apart and in two hours Luci produced a beautiful little manger.  We placed it on the stage with palm boughs and lights.   As with all parties it just was getting started an hour late.  Fidela came early with her son and we had some time to talk about the church with him.  He is very positive and supportive of his mother's baptism and has become our friend.  This is a good first step as Fidela desperately wants her family to embrace Christ as she has recently done.  Other friends, joined us at our table including Victoria and Maria.  Luci had English on one side and Spanish on the other. She held her own with little help from me.  The programs was the sharing of tradition from other countries such as Tonga, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, etc.   I was then asked to represent traditions in the USA.  I started off by telling how we hung stocking by the fireplace waiting for Santa to come down the chimney.  However in Spanish instead of saying Santa Claus I slipped said "Santanas" which means Satan is coming down the chimney. That slip of the tongue drew a roar of laughter.  I tried to repair the damage but with little success.  All in all the attendance was more than 120 members and friends, which I think that is a good measure for the momentum the ward is finally realizing.

Pallet Manger

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Beautiful Manger Display

Gathered with Friends

Never too Old for Santa.

BOAT PARADE: Every year the Newport Beach senior missionaries attend the Christmas Lights Boat Parade at the NewPort harbor.  It isn't so much about watching the boats as it is about having time to sit and visit with our friends. Of the hundreds of boats we viewed only one had any representation of the nativity or the Christ child in the manger, and that was the boat sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Good times was had by all.

Senior Missionary Friends

The church boat's message:  Wise Men Still Seek Him

At the very end of our evening together, President and Sister Carter presented us with a commemorative pillow as a token of gratitude for our service.  We will treasure the memories associated with this gift forever.

Sweet Gift!

SERVICE...THE HEART OF OUR MISSION

Querido Amigos y Familia,

DONATIONS TO THE HOMELESS:  In response to my request to other senior couples and family members we were able make a generous donation of Christmas gifts and children's toys to "Solutions for Change", a campus which houses and educates homeless families in North San Diego County.  There are major homeless encampments every where you turn in our area.  We had the opportunity to take of a tour of their facility and get an in-depth look at their program. We were given a tour by Karina, the mother of four who spent 5 years living in a tent in the river bottom.  We were so impressed by her transformation made possible through her participation in "Solutions for Change".  She is now a contributing citizen and has custody of her kids again.  We did a toy drive...and everyone was so generous!  Thank you all for making a difference.  The Spencer's joined us when we delivered the toys to their campus.

Donations contributed by Senior Missionaries

Fowers and Spencers donating TOYS to local homeless kids.

FAMILY HISTORY:  I remember the last day at the MTC in Provo.  We had a very good couple teach us how to use Family Search on our missions. I kept the presentation in the back of my mind thinking it could have possibilities.   Once we arrived in our field of labor we found ourselves tripping over the younger missionaries trying to visit the ward members.  With us there were 8 missionaries vying for visits to 125 members in the Vista ward.  It was near the same situation in our other Carlsbad ward, Buena Vista.  So we started offering to do Family Search with everyone we visited.  Slowly it grew.  We begun to find many unknown ancestors in a Mexico and El Salvador which thrilled the members.  This lended itself to return visits to find even more.  Most of the homes we visited initially they did not have FamilySearch accounts or had lost their passwords.  I made so many call to the password recovery center in Salt Lake that the operators had me on a first name basis.  We have helped several new members prepare and take names to the temple of their deceased ancestors.  This FamilySearch experience has deepened their testimonies and has brought them of the temple with the Spirit of Elijah .  Presently I have a spreadsheet of 31 FamilySearch accounts of all the people we have helped.

Elder Fowers and Bro. Gutierrez doing Family Search

FENDER BENDER:  When we first arrived in the mission we mentioned to each other, that SoCal traffic it would be a miracle if we made it through the mission without an accident. Well, we almost made it. Last week  Elder Fowers backed into a car that was in his blind spot.  The impact did quite a number on our left rear fender!  Luckily we connected with the Mexican underground body guys and will get it fixed for less than a hundred bucks. Incidentally, we did not have to look very far, there are large portions of Vista that are virtually 100% Mexican/Latino. It like living in a foreign country.

Whoops!

JULIO'S IS WALKING:  I has been 4 months since Julio got into that nasty accident and his recovery has been quite miraculous.  His is now able to negotiate stairs and walk with just the help of a cane.  He testifies all the time how God preserved his life.  He is back to church, and also starting back and some simple mechanic jobs.  He has a long list of people who have waited for him to repairs their cars.  He invited me over to his room that he shares with Cirilo and Roseno, his two brother-in-laws who are not members. Over the period of Julio's recovery I have developed a friendship with both of them as we have shared transportation responsibilities to therapy and doctor visits. Julio told me that Cirilo had been asking questions about the church and specifically wanted to know where in the Bible it mentions the Book of Mormon.  So tonight I took advantage of the captive bedroom audience and asked Cirilo if he would like his questions answered.  He consented, so sitting on the edge of the bed we began with a prayer and I started to teach.  After pointing out scriptures in Ezekiel and John that reference the Book of Mormon, I told then briefly the story starting with Lehi through to Moroni. "This book is about your people and it has been brought forth in the last days specifically for you to read, understand and grow closer to God and Jesus Christ."  I challenged them to read and find out for themselves.  They received the teaching well and even asked a few questions. A seed was planted.  We will follow up.

Julio with just his cane.  Such a miracle.

THANKSGIVING WITH BRAD'S FAMILY: We snuck away from our missionary duties to share Thanksgiving with Brad and family.  It was a quiet, happy day full of fun traditions, coloring contest, games, puzzles, cooking, eating, and catching up.  It is days like this that brings such a deep sense of blessed gratitude. 

Coloring Contest

Thanks Becky for the perfect Thanksgiving Feast!

TANYA'S TRAILER MAKE OVER: We have spoken about our friend Tanya in a previous blog post.  She lives in the trailer park where we do community service quite frequently.  Last post we shared how we fixed her broken water line restoring indoor water to her trailer for the first time in many years. But that was just the beginning. We have since gone inside the trailer and done the following: replaced two broken toilets, replaced bathroom and kitchen sinks, repaired two bath and shower faucets, replaced washer, dryer and stove range hood, and finally sealed a leaking window frame to keep out the rain.  A big thanks to Elder Prater who gave us valuable guidance. Before serving this senior mission, he was a 40 year journeyman plumber.  Actually I can not comprehend how this humble 65 year old lady from Thailand lived for so many years in this trailer without these basic necessities that we take for granted everyday.  She was so thankful and over joyed from our simple service.

Bro. Prater, our plumber hero during Tanya's trailer makeover.

A toilet that actually flushes!

Elders Prater, Spencer and Fowers installing washer and dryer.

Tanya and Sister Fowers

P-DAY ADVENTURE: Luci has been struggling with some kind of fever for several days, so thinking she is likely contagious, we stayed in our apartment. Finally after 5 straight days we decided to break out and take the local Sprinter train to Oceanside.  We wandered around for a bit and found an empty little fish house for lunch.  It was nice to be out in the warm sunshine. As we wandered about, we came upon the Tom Cruise house made famous by the first "Top Gun" movie.

 The"Top Gun" House, Oceanside

MYSTERY FOOD DELIVERY:  We had the weirdest thing happen a couple of days ago.  Elder Fowers was out teaching a lesson and I was home alone when the doorbell rang.  I went to answer the door and there was no one there, but there were 7 bags of groceries that had been dropped off at our door.  Elder Fowers came home just at that moment. Who would send us groceries? This was way too much for us to eat! Who would have sent them?  We began to think that maybe it was intended to be a donation for the homeless center we have been working with.  So about 10 minutes into our debate about what to do with the food, we heard another knock on the door.  It was a young couple from our complex that lived in the adjacent building. "Hey, did you have some groceries delivered to your door?  A...they are ours." After a rather awkward apology we helped them carry everything to their  home,  Apparently, the grocery delivery guys dropped them at the wrong door. Mystery solved!

Mystery food.

SCROOGE: We returned just last night from our first Christmas event.  All the girls in Brad's family were in a modified version of the Scrooge, put on by their local theatre group.  Becky played Christmas Present, Mallory was Agnes, Leah was Teddy the dog and Penny was Tiny Tim.  It was a great production and they are all so very talented.  This will likely be the last show we will see for a while.  We were able to enjoy four different productions during this past year.  It has been a wonderful blessing of our mission.  After the matinee, we went back to Brad's house to give a little service, to help build out the closet in their new bedroom addition.

Take a bow, Becky as Christmas Present

Mallory in her element.

A Family Affair

Theatre... A Family Affair

Closet Install

MARIA'S RETURN: Over the period of the last four months, I have been chatting with this beautiful lady during her journey back to Jesus Christ.  We have had many hours of conversation about the power of the atonement and the purifying process of repentance.  She has made so much progress and is fully committed to change. She invited me to join her during her appointment with the Stake President to be able to get her temple recommend renewed and return to the temple after many years. Clearly, this picture is evidence of the joy she felt with recommend in hand.

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers