Sunday, June 11, 2023

DIVERSITY IN THE WORK

Querido Familias and Amigos,

No two days are ever the same.  One day we are teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in words and then next moment we are teaching by deeds.  We can go from a sacred lesson when we feel the spirit profoundly and the next minute we are helping a sister sort through 30 years of "stuff" so that she can sell her house. We love it all.

SPECIAL TRAINING:  Every now and then you listen to a lesson or attend a training that totally changes your perspective--a paradigm shift that changes your lens forever.  We had such an experience last week at the San Marco Stake Missionary Correlation meeting.  A brother Lindsey talked about the idea that each one of us has a passion, hobby or talent that brings us great joy.  We look forward to finding time to engage in it and when we do, we loose all track of time.  He then explained that many of us have a negative, guilt reaction to missionary work, or family history work and even ministering work.  But in reality, it is all "God's work and his glory", so it is just His WORK.  What he suggested we do is that we take the "JOY" thing that we are passionate about the and try to figure out how we can use it to bring others closer to Christ.  


Let me give a simple example.  You all know how much I love woodworking. The other day I noticed that a sister we were visiting needed her butcher block countertop refinished.  I offered to help her.  I was so excited to spend a morning just sanding that beautiful wood and in the meantime I built a relationship as we talked and laughed working side by side.  I loved every minute of it and we were being a good missionaries.  President Nelson said, "anytime we do anything for anyone on either side of the veil..."  I used my passion to do  a simple service and it was joyful for me and a blessing for her.  Her non-member husband was so happy that we would spend time to help his family, that he decided to attend the ward party so he could thank us.



FINDING BENNY and ANNIE: In our ward list was the name of Benny Serrano and his sister Annie.  No address was listed but we found a phone number in the area book.  We called and Benny invited us to visit him.  The address he gave us was in the adjacent stake and another ward boundary.  With that information we called the missionaries in that area and arranged to meet them at Serrano's door.  Upon arrival we met Benny, a 19 year old who had joined the church with his sister Annie just before Covid.  Church was closed and the stake was divided and these two new converts became "lost coins".  Benny greeted the missionaries and committed to go to church next Sunday at his new ward and take his sister.  He wondered what happened to the church who left him behind.  This was truly finding the lost sheep.  We did the hand off.  The next Sunday we learned Benny was sick so priesthood holders from the new ward went over and gave him a blessing.  A sheep had been brought back to the fold. It totally made our day to find them. 

WHITE SHIRTS:  I have been collecting white shirts and ties from the mission office and in missionaries apartments.  These items are left behind as missionaries depart for home.  So I brought several shirts and ties home to clean them up and pass them out to some of our Spanish Young Men who need them.  Tonight we took a size 18 white shirt and a tie to the home of Jason who is 15 and has been less active.  He is really shy but when he put on the shirt he cracked a big smile and I could see he was happy.  We hope this will encourage him to come to church on Sunday.


TEACHING FIDELA: Today we were finally able to give Fidela another lesson.  She has been in Ensenada where she lives and has been recuperating from knee problems.  Today we started out reviewing the Gospel of Jesus Christ which we had taught her on our whiteboard,  she could recite some of the steps.  She has been studying the Joseph Smith story and is slowly gaining and understanding which is leading her toward baptism.  We then taught the commandments, sabbath day observance, and prayer.  When we came to the commandment to follow the prophet, I opened my Ipad to a recording of President Nelson bearing his testimony of Christ in the holy land on the Mount of Olives.  It was powerful.  Fidela listened closely, her eyes welled with tears as she felt the spirit.  It was amazing.  It was why we do what we do.  Both Luci and I could see and feel the Holy Ghost telling her the truth in her heart.  Even though she can not read very well, she is growing as she listens.  She committed to pray, to continue to read, and study the Gospel. She will be gone for about another month in Mexico.  When she returns she will set a date to be baptized.  It will be truly a thrill to see her become a member of the church.


HELPING SARAH WITH MUSEUM DISPLAY:  Last month we planned for a day of service for Brad to help him jackhammer his patio, so this month we offered to help Sarah for a day to install a display at her local historical museum.  She is a member of the Board the the Lemon Grove Historical Society and spent hundreds of hours developing an informational display that filled a whole room, about the local woman's  organization called the "Forward Club" which was started in 1922.  We volunteered to spend a day to bring her vision to reality with the tedious work of placing each graphic on the walls.  What a fun day and the finished product was amazing.  If you are ever in Lemon Grove you will have drop by and see it!




Sarah and Luci, finishing up a service day installing display.


MALLORY'S BIRTHDAY: Last Monday we were able to sneak away for a quiet lunch for Mallory's birthday!  It's hard to believe that she is 15 years old.  It has been a blessing for us to be close enough to see her theatre performances.  Next week we have tickets see "Peter Pan"...Becky, Penny and Mallory are in that show AND Leah and Penny's annual dance recital. They are incredibly talented! It is  certainly the most special part of our mission...taking time to connect as grandchildren.

Brad, Becky and Family

Mallory, Sweet 15!


DIA DE PADRE FIESTA:  Brother and Sister Flor offered to host a party at their home for Father's Day.  Throughout the week the missionaries canvased the ward making certain that all were invited.  We had four non-member friends that joined in the festivities and some members that we had never met before. How our latino friends love to eat and dance! Fun was had by all.

Los Flores dancing with their bird, Lucy

Elder Fowers and Julio (the mechanic), teaching
non-member friends at fiesta.

Vista Ward Misionerios: 
Elders Hales/Call, Hermanas Palmer/Beam

NEW CONVERT NIGHT: We were recently called to serve as New Convert Night Coordinators for the four southern stakes of our mission.  So once a month we promote and organize a time with the San Diego temple where newly baptized members can have their first temple experience by being baptized for the dead.  It is a sweet experience to be with them as they feel the sacred feeling of holiness in the temple for the first time.  


Angel Moroni against the night sky.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder and Hermana Fowers


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 ...