Losing our Lives to Found Them!

Querido Amigos y Familia,

This morning I woke up with Spanish words and phrases running through my mind.  I realized I was trying to figure out how to frame the sentences to bare my testimony in Spanish.  I spent some time lying in bed trying to organize the phrases to talk about what was in my heart.  It is still pretty frustrating to me to only be able to speak in simple kindergarten Spanish when I have so very much I want to say.  But I have come to realize that the workings of the Spirit can easily cross over the language barrier.  Our new friends, both in and out of the church know that we love them.  It comes down to relationships.  We can't share any doctrine or testimony until they know we sincerely care about them.  We try to show that love through service... on many levels. That can be evidenced by hauling junk, doing repairs, teaching them about a loving God and inviting them to come to Christ, or simply wrapping them in a big hug.  It is still so stunning to realize that God truly orchestrates every interaction, every detail and prepares the way before us.  The joy of our work is very tangible but impossible to describe.  Perhaps the following pictures of our beloved members and new friends will give you some sense of the joy we get to feel everyday!

Hna. Mariano (a member) and her friend

Hna. Fidela (an investigator, on my left) who is joyfully 

receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sofia, an 8-year-old friend who I have been teaching to prepare her for baptism.  

Our granddaughter Sophie helped us by sending a special letter to Sofia with her 

testimony and this CTR necklace. Sophie's thoughtful gesture has made such a difference.

 

                                             Meet the Gonzalez family.  

 

They have become such dear friends. While little sister Sofia has  been preparing for baptism, her older brother Martin has been ordained to the Priesthood and their non-member Dad, Hector is receiving the lessons to prepare for baptism. 

                         Hna. Trasvina, whom we have been helping with

                                     her family history work, along with several other sisters 

                                     in our ward.  We had an amazing break through finding 

                                     her great grandparents in Nayarit Mexico

We continue to give a great deal of time and effort to finding, inviting and loving the youth of this ward  back to activity by helping them feel the strength of righteous friends.  Over the last couple of weeks we can feel the shift in momentum as more and more youth are choosing to return.  These are awesome youth who are fighting to stand strong.

Just looking at this picture brings tears to my eyes.  For so many, it was their first time in the temple!

Sacred time in the San Diego Temple with the Vista Barrio Jovenes.

Elder Fowers instructing the newly activated YM in how 
to prepare and pass the sacrament.

Practicing their Priesthood duties.

Spring break pool fun and Hermano Flor's home. 
Please notice: no snow!

Hna. Aguirre, YW's President, catching the perfect photo.

 

Service is an important part of our work.  During Christ ministry, he didn't just serve those who he thought would hear his word and follow Him.  He served everybody, in every circumstance.  That is what we have been trying to do in our service to the residents of Vista Manor mobile home park, a non-profit organization to support low-income housing.  The park was developed in the 1960's and many of the residents are as old as their trailers!  We organized a zone of missionaries for a Helping-Hands day in the park.  These awesome missionaries worked for three hours hauling junk and pulling weeds in about 25 different mobile homes

Our Vista Zone super service heros!

I took a hard fall about 10 days ago.  I was walking over to the church along on a cold, rainy night because Elder Fowers went early to set up.  Since we live next door to the church, I thought I would just come later.  I stepped off a curb that I didn't see and rolled my ankle and fell like a sack of bricks.  Several people came running to help me up.  At that point I was more embarrassed than anything.  As the evening worn on, not only was my foot throbbing, but I was having trouble taking a deep breathe.  By bedtime I couldn't even roll over in bed and had bruises all over.  The mission nurse diagnosed a fracture rib, so I have been moving pretty slow the last little bit.  I am getting better everyday and even played a bit of Pickleball this morning.   

We love the other Senior Couples who serve along side us in the work.  Every month or so we have a gathering.  Saturday morning, 12 couples met up for a behind-the-scenes guided tour of the Mission San Luis Rey.  The guide was stellar and we were delighted to find out about the role that the Mormon Battalion played in it's early development.  By far the best part of the day was just chatting over lunch and getting to know these amazing couples.

Mission San Luis Rey, built in 1798.

200 year old Pepper Tree, the seedling was imported from Peru in 1790

Monument to the Mormon Battalion 

In the summer of 2009, I was hired as the founding Principal of the Goethe International Charter School in the LA Unified School District.  I worked for two grueling years to launch the school and then retired to serve our first mission to Africa. The school has not only survived but it has thrived!  It was just awarded the California Distinguished School Award. I was invited to their Annual Gala as an honored guest.  With permission of our mission president, we drove 2 hours north to attend the celebration on Saturday evening.

Founding Board of Directors (Roaring 20's Theme)

Dear friends and colleagues. 

Fancy Affair!

If you have never had the chance to attend the beautiful oratorio, The LAMB of GOD, you should do so.  Last evening we attended this moving production of the last week of Christ's life, performed by the San Diego Saints Choir.  The Escondido Stake centers was filled to the walls with standing room only.  It was deeply touching. A beautiful way to prepare for Easter.

Love you all,

The Fowers

P.S.  After publishing our blog a few hours ago.  Becky (our daughter-in-law) excitedly sent the following text:  ...the monument to the Mormon Battalion on the mission property was built by the YM and YW of the Riverside West Stake in 1996. I was there and helped to put it together.  There is also a time capsule inside!  

Here is the photo of Becky and Friends (Becky is level with the top of the monument to the right, poking her head out by the guy in a white t-shirt.  Thanks for sharing Becky!  What a cool connection after 27 years.

Riverside West Stake Youth 1996

The Fire of the Covenant

Hola a Todos,

We are still on the hunt for Young Men who have simply fallen through the cracks. In the very first ward council we attend during our first week here in the Vista Ward, we were informally assigned to try to support the Young Men's (Jovenes Varones) program. There was no leadership, no advisors, no planned activities, no direction and most importantly no young men.  Bro. La Barge (the Sunday School President) was trying valiantly to organize something with his three severely autistic sons and the one active young man. We decided we would help him plan a real activity EVERY week no matter what. Here is Elder Fowers' narrative about our latest event: This evening we held our big YM activity, a campfire at Guajome park.  Luci and I went all out to prepare, plan and invite. We borrowed camping equipment and a dutch oven from Brad.  I secured local firewood. We had about 6 boys with some parents attending.  Luci made a nice dutch oven and the boys cooked hot dogs over the fire.  Elder Low, a young missionary from Logan Utah sang and played his guitar.  He is an accomplished cowboy/bluegrass singer and songwriter.  His music set a receptive mode for all around the campfire.  Luci and I talked about the pioneers' sacrifice and faith.  We talked to them about modern pioneers asking them if any were modern day pioneers, being the first in their family to join and to mark the path. I think it was well received. Next time we will keep our activities simpler as we strive to build a solid quorum attendance.  

We are supporting the Young Women's program as well.  A couple of weeks ago, I taught the Young Women how to make a simple wooden phone stand.  They were pretty excited to learn how to use a jig saw and had a fun evening sanding, decorating and finishing the stands with this year's youth logo.  

We fill most of our Mondays serving the young missionaries with shoeshines and haircuts.  Last Monday I gave seven haircuts and Elder shined an equal number of shoes.  In reality, it is the perfect way to get to know these great young missionaries! Often times the service comes with a side of hot cookies.

Luci's Journal Entry March 3:  I came home from our visit this evening with bubbling sense of joy of the spirit in my whole being.  This mission have have become more aware of the promptings and more responsive to them.  This afternoon, after I finished teaching little 8-year-old Emmanuel his baptism lesson, I felt a clear impression to make a bold promise to his Dad who had joined the lesson.  I promised Bro. Reyes, by the power of my calling as a missionary that if he would read the scriptures and tend to his personal worship and worthiness that he would not need to worry about his teenage sons. (His 15 and 16 year old sons are being pulled into the world and losing interest in the church). When I spoke those words the spirit filled me and I saw tears glistening in his eyes.  Wow!  It was so random and unrelated to what I was teaching Mannie.  It come directly from Spirit, I was just the mouth piece.  

Later that same day, we dropped by to chat with Bro. Mariano, our ward mission leader about some ideas of improving our rescue efforts. The following are Clarke's words: "When we entered their home we were introduced to Fidelia, an older lady who is their neighbor an long-time friend. We talked for about 30 minutes about missionary work while Fidela sat quietly at the table across the room.Then Luci turned and approached her and asked her if she believed in God? Did she believe that Christ died for us? Did she have a church?. Sí, Sí, Sí!  (Now mind you, this was all in Spanish so it was really out of her comfort zone.)  A conversation followed.  I told her that we could add to her knowledge about God.  She agreed to take the lessons, we set an appointment, and Tuesday we returned and taught her.  I did the main teaching and Luci added what she could.  At first she was a little defensive, then the Spirit came and she began to really listen and learn.  Fildela does not read, so we downloaded the Gospel Library app and gave her the assignment to read a couple of chapters in the Book of Mormon. She is a simple woman with simple faith, but what light she has in her eyes.  We left feeling the powers of the Spirit guiding our path and putting people in our path."  It was amazing to me that the words came through the spirit and in Spanish!

I think I shared with some of you, that part of the reason we choose to come the Newport Beach was so we could interact with our SoCal grand daughters more often.  We consider it part of our mission and our mission president has made it clear that we can take time to be with them.  We call it our Grandparent ministry. So last Saturday we drove to the San Diego Temple early and after the session we met Sarah and picked up Audrey and Joy and took them back up to Tustin to watch Mallory (as Dorothy) and Penny (as Toto) perform in the Wizard of Oz.  Mallory is so incredible talented and I love it that her cousins wanted to see her play.  And, of course, Penny stole the show as the youngest performer. Afterwards we had a Grandma lunch date. I took all five of my CA grand girls to a quick lunch. We chatted and laughed and made some plans for our summer reunion.  We are so blessed to have this special time with them while we are serving our mission.

Luci's Journal Entry March 5: At our last (and only Youth Council held in the last year) the Bishop was invite to host a Bishop's Fireside. Plans were made and publicized for a gathering at the Flor's house. It being a first for this ward, we expected it to be poorly attended thinking that the youth didn't even know what a fireside was. When we arrived at the Flor home there were cars everywhere. When we went inside, it was standing room only! More and more kids and parents trickled in until they couldn't even close the front door. We felt the shift in momentum. Wow! It was a special evening with a wonderful talk by Micah, a young man who is preparing to leave on his mission in a month. Bro. Flor and Obispo Cordada gave powerful testimonies. And of course, there was food and lots of it.I know that working with the youth in this ward is one of the reasons we have been called here. Alex, Juan, Martin and Issac have each come back because we were directed by the spirit to cross their paths...in actually they were found by God.

Luci's Journal Entry March 6: After much prayer and fellowshipping a little miracle happened today. Hector (the non-member Dad to a family we have been working with since we first arrived), agreed to receive the lessons and study the gospel with us. It was a sacred experience as we discussed his "next steps" on his journey to Jesus Christ. He was so humble and spoke about how he feels so much stronger and how the family is healing as well. We invited Martin (14 year-old son) to join him to help prepare him to receive the Priesthood and he agreed. Rosio jumped in and talked about how God sent us to their family at this time. How they love the younger missionaries but know that we are the right ones to teach her family. Hector had a question about "eternal life" and I explained that the highest degree of heaven is reserved for families, and that in a year they could be sealed in the temple. There was a powerful and humbling spirit in the room. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that the Holy Ghost is working with us so closely.

I am starting with a nasty cold, so I am headed to bed.

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers

BIG 70th BIRTHDAY SURPRISE!

Dear Friends and Family,

Last Sunday afternoon we called Hermana Socorro and asked if she would let us come visit.  She said sure, you can come right not. We quickly got ready and drove all the way over to the far side of the area.  Delighted to finally have an opportunity to meet her.  When we arrived 30 minutes later, there was a bag of hot tamales hanging in a bag on the doorknob with a little note saying "Sorry, I had to leave." We got ghosted! We were discouraged and a bit tired, but we decided that we would try to visit Moises and Bernice who lived nearby. We took the hot tamales and boldly went to the door with no appointment.  When we knocked, Moises answered with a big smile on his face."Hi, We brought you some hot tamales!" He and Bernice joined the church about a year ago, but have not attended church since then.  We soon learned why.  She had brain surgery a few years back and is blind, epileptic and can't walk without support.  She needs 24-7 care.  He is a devoted and loyal husband and cares for her with such tenderness.  He had an amazing testimony with an amazing connection to Christ. It was humbling to talk to him and learn of his courage and faith through an unfathomable trial.

We started going to the Senior Center for lunch a couple of times a week just to try to reach out into the community.  I am not too excited to go because the "army-issue" food is very questionable and the residents are so old that they are sometimes difficult to communicate with.  We were originally thinking we could volunteer there do a bit of service. The first time we went we sat by Judy who had no teeth and no memory, but what light she had in her eyes...a 39 year Marine veteran. The next time we meet Agnes and she told me the same 10 sentences on replay for the entire hour.  But the last few times we met lovely people and had real conversions.  Friday we went again and met Betty who had clearly had a stroke, but was bright and engaging.  After finding out she need some repairs done in her mobile home, we volunteered to drop by and help fix her awning. Last week they had live music and a dance.  What a hoot!

Elder Fowers at Senior Center

We have been very involved in the youth programs of the Vista Spanish Ward. We are finding that each mission is very different from the previous.  While we will still visit a good number of less active families and new converts, we feel this ward needs leadership support, especially in the Young Mens.  We see many couples who come to church and leave their teenage children home because there is nothing planned for them at church. We have been working hard to change that! We have found 6 or 7 young men ages 14 to 17 that are un-ordained to the Priesthood.  Our goal will be to help the leaders prepare and ordain these young men as we build unity through the Priesthood. We had a crazy activity of indoor soccer with the youth this week. Sister Fowers got kicked in the head with a ball that knocked her right down. She got up and kept playing. The first Youth Council meeting ever held in Vista Spanish Ward happened today. Our very traditional, Hispanic gentleman "Obisbo" has been having a hard time adapting to the changes, especially in regards, to his responsibilities to the youth. The meeting was amazing! The youth spoke up and directed the meeting.  We really only have one young man who is capable of leadership, but Jaden was there and prepared.  The young women are doing very well, and we will help the young men rise to their potential.  They even organized a Bishop's Fireside. That same evening a small miracle occurred. The young women’s leaders, know little about planning and executing girls camp, so I volunteered to mentor. They did not even have a camp location reserved at this late date. I agreed to help find an adequate site.  While I was on the computer checking out state parks, I felt inspired to call the LDS Camp Wildwood.  This camp is booked all throughout the summer with 10 stake camps and is nearly impossible to book at this late date.  To my surprise one ward had just canceled and there was an opening exactly when and what our little ward needed.  God is truly in the details and helped this little miracle happen.

Indoor soccer with Bishop playing Goalie and Elder Blocking

Hector in the foreground steeling the ball.

A new senior couple, Elder and Sister Prater arrived in our mission last week and they live in our complex, just across the way.  They are a lovely, salt-of-earth couple from South Carolina.  He spent his career as a plumber. We offered to teach them how to play Pickleball and they have become our Pickleball buddies.  They serve in the English wards in this area so we will never work together in our service.  It amazing how quickly we become close to other senior couples as we serve in the trenches to build the kingdom.  The kids even gave us new Pickleball shirts for my birthday.

Elder and Sister Prater

Ready for the Game!

I had the most amazing Birthday surprise during the past 24 hours.  Being in the mission, field I expected that my Birthday would be a rather quiet affair.  We were planning to take a quiet day to go buy a new phone for me and have a quiet dinner with Brad's and Sarah's families because they live close enough to drive to us.  I was quite content with that prospect, but the birthday celebration that I unfolded was wild, crazy and wonderful! Upon returning from shopping, I unlock the door to enter what I thought would be a quiet, dark apartment~ SURPRISE! What I found was my house filled with family...I nearly had a heart attack! After a moment of shock, I was able to embrace my family.  Beyond Sarah and Brad's families,  there  was Amy, Tim and Jesse, who had all flown in along with bundles of grandkids.  I was so surprised that I couldn't even process that they were all in the same room to celebrate my birthday.  The fun didn't end there... We continued through the evening with an amazing party complete with a fantastic cake, delicious food, bundles of cards and well wishes from back home and the unexpected attendance of old Bonita Ward friends. I relished the bubbling joy that filled the room.  It was a surprise that kept on giving.  Everyone stayed the night in our tiny two bedroom apartment and attended church with us the next morning.  They all sat through Spanish church as a show of support for our mission and met many of our friends.  At church, the Gonzales family surprised me a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  A sweet sister in our ward invited us to her magnificent home, overlooking the valley, and we feasted on fish tacos.  I had died and gone to heaven!  I tear up just thinking about how special these last 24 hours were to me and the love and honor my kids showered on me.  I am blessed beyond measure!

Hanging Out Sunday Afternoon 

Beyond Creative...Luci's Bday Cake

Cousin Times

Beautiful Vista Villa

Chocolate Flan

Our Sunday Lunch Host, Hermana Marin

Magnificent View

During this mission we are writing all of our grandchildren an old-fashion snail-mail letter and encouraging them to write us back.  I am certain that we love the letters as much as they do! Here is our collection of letters the grandkids proudly taped to our fridge.

Love Letters!

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers

God is in the Details

Hello Dear Friends and Family,

The Strawberries are on in SoCal!   Fresh picked and so delicious.

My plan was to write our blog every other week, but we have had such an amazing week that we decided that we would write a quick blog so that we would not forget all the tender mercies of this week.  I think that in this mission, more that ever before, we are so much more reliant on the gentle nudgings and guidance of the spirit.  Recently, we have been specifically tasked with trying to build up the YM program which currently has 1-2 young men and no adult leadership.  So during this past week, while we have been out passing out invitations to the Dia de Amor Fiesta, we found 6 young men that had fallen through the cracks. None of which have ever received the Priesthood.  We explained the FSY program to them and their families, inviting them to enroll.  After much work and coordination 4 of them have enrolled in FSY and 3 attended church today.  Our seeking out these boys was not intentional on our part, rather, evidence that God put us in the right place at the right time so we could find them. We pray that the Rivera brothers, the Reyes brothers, the Ortega boy and the Gonzales boy will all be on the bus to FSY in July.  Even more, that they can be taught and ordained to function in their priesthood responsibilities.

We were blessed with the opportunity to attend the Newport Beach Temple on Thursday.  Without sharing the details, I felt as if the temple was renewed by the clarity of the changes to the ordinance.  It was a sacred experience to understand our covenant to Jesus Christ with fresh eyes and new understanding.  If you haven't gone recently, GO!

Newport Beach Temple

After we left the temple, we headed to Corona Del Mar Beach for Senior Sunset Cookout with nine other senior couples.  So sweet to rub shoulders with such remarkable people! 

For a couple of weeks now we have been struggling with the feeling that we are tripping over the six other young missionaries that are assigned to each of our wards where we serve. We have been praying for opportunities to push out into the community to do service. There is a big trailer park in our area called Vista Manor.  It has 160 mobile homes where  several members reside.  We could not find the Tapia family listed in our ward records when we went there to visit them.  We stopped at the entrance of the Park to consider our next move when the lady manager drove up in a golf cart and asked us to move out of the way.  We explained our dilemma and she offered to take us to her office and call the Tapia family for us.  Due to privacy issues, she could not give out residents information.  At her office I saw on the wall the mission statement and ownership.  To my surprise, this trailer park was a non-profit organization providing affordable housing to low income families.  She introduced herself as Mary.  She then explained that because of their non-profit status, the state/federal mandated certain requirements of the tenants.  They are required to keep each trailer tidy and well presented. Many of the people living are older and can not maintain their premises as required. Mary had been searching several community groups requesting volunteers to help, but to no avail. Luci quickly responded, that as missionaries we would like to offer our volunteer services.  We suggested that we could personally do interior repairs and simple fixes. (Glad I brought my tools.) Mary became very interested in our offer.  We suggested that  our zone of 20 missionaries could also provide a Helping Hands day of yard cleaning where needed.  She was to the point of tears, realizing that help was on the way for her trailer park.  We had been praying for opportunities to reach out into the community and here this one fell into our laps.  It will be a great opportunity to meet people, serve them as Christ would have and open an opportunity to invite them to know more about the true Gospel.  The Lord was in the details with us today.

Our new Latino friends know how to party!  All week our cadre of eight missionaries canvased the entire ward to invite every last member to the Fiesta de Dia de Amor (Valentine's Day Party).  It was a really slow start, but about 90 minutes after it was supposed to start it really heated up.  Lots of homemade food, sweets and of course loud music and dancing.  Fun was had by all.  The coolest blessing of the night was that the Gonzales family showed up.  They are a less active family that we have been working with for the last couple of weeks.  The dad isn't a member. We had the chance to just laugh and talk together in a relaxed setting and get to know them. 

Another wonderful week in paradise.

Mucho Amor and Oraciones,

Los Fowers