#59: Time in the city of Rubio

My week has been pretty good.  I was in Rubio with my District on Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday as well.  It was a good time that's for sure.  I really like the city of Rubio.  It reminds me a lot of Guerrero which is really cool!

We don't really have training meetings with President Montoya as often as we did with President Chavez but it's still really good.  On day President Montoya came out to our house in the morning to teach us personally!!!  I love him.

Thanks for the update on the family and the friends back at home.  I like getting updates on everyone, but wow, I can't believe how crazy the last couple weeks have been for everyone..What an emotional week, that's for sure.  (I let him know about the death of Alisa Hardy-Orton and her unborn baby girl, Ellis-hard week with the funeral being this past weekend)  That sounds like a great fireside with Elder Lynn G. Robbins.  idk why but I feel like he goes to Reno a lot. Am I right?

(This Wednesday marks 1 year that Elder Fowler left the missionary training center in Mexico and got to the mission field in Chihuahua)  This Wednesday will also mark one year that I have been in the same Stake!!!  The Cuauhtemoc Stake.  Pretty crazy, that's for sure!!  We have a couple of our investigators that are progressing and keeping their commitments, so that is good.  I feel like Elder Merlo and I are getting even closer.  He trusts me and tells me things that worry him and questions that he has.  It's cool.
Love your son,
Elder Fowler

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" is:
Doctrine & Covenants 4:5-6

 5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherlykindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

Elder Stockton and Elder Fowler walking throughout an apple orchard.

(I will let you guess what this is)

All cooked up and ready to eat.

Hermano Ricardo Ordoñez

Elders Stockton, Heindel, Hernandez and Fowler playing basketball on their P-Day.

#58: Loaded with Pictures ;)

I'm glad to hear about the updates on the family and on the house!  Can't believe that Brecken is a Senior and Kylah is a Sophomore!! Crazy to think that I will be home right after Brecken's graduation!  Wish I could be there for that though.

I thought of some things that I could/want in the next package...Tooth flossers, nutella! hahaha  Teeth whiteners 'cause two years without a dentist sucks!! hahaha  Also, last week when I washed my clothes with another missionaries, he had forgotten to take out a RED pen, so they are now covered in red blotches!!

Again this week we didn't have any investigators or less actives come to church with us.  To be honest, I wasn't too upset because President Montoya told me this last week that the success that I have as a missionary won't be based on how many baptisms I have, but rather my DESIRE to find, teach, baptize and confirm converts.  That was something really powerful and a testimony builder to me as well.

I love and pray for you each day!
Love your son,
Elder Fowler

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" is:
Isaiah 41:10 & 13
10 ¶Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
13 For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

(This week, our son-in-law's cousin died from his injuries due from slipping off a bridge while with a group of friends-it's been an emotional week, but here is what Preston wrote to his sister Brooke today)

Thanks for the update today on Carson.  I've been really praying this week for him and his family.  I will continue praying and thinking about  him and his family.  I LOVE the atonement and the knowledge that we have of the gospel and that after this life, we will all be together forever without any pain or heartache.  I love the gospel and for the chance that I have each day to share my testimony of the glorious message which the Savior has given us.

Trying raw coconut for the first time.

Elder Fowler, Elder Merlo and Hermana Ordoñez-Her son
is 26 and plays ball with us each week.

Broken umbrella-time to get a replacement

Where we play basketball every week.

We ate as  a district at a place called Smokehouse!
We spent 530 pesos (about $15 each) between me and Elder Stockton
for all the food in the two pictures above.

Elders: Merlo, Stockton, Fuentes & Fowler

Having to climb into another set of Elder's apartment
because they locked themselves out.

Success!

#57: An email from Elder Merlo

(The following is from Elder Merlo, who is Elder Fowler's companion.  It was sent in Spanish, but my sweet friend Norma translated it for us :)  Thanks Norma!!  This was such a sweet reward for us to hear from him.  I know Preston really enjoys him)

Hiiii, I hope you are doing well and are enjoying the blessings that come from a son who is serving a mission. First off thank you for the work you did in raising your son Elder Fowler, he helps me a lot in the mission and now that he is my father (trainer) he helps me a lot.  He has taught me so much about being obedient, and how that is so important. He is so good to everyone and I’m happy he is my trainer/father ha ha.

Thank God that you have such a wonderful son, Elder Fowler, and that he is doing this great work for the Lord.

Thank you for everything take care of yourselves and many blessings to you and your family, say hi from me.

(Elder Merlo)

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" is:

James 1:19-20

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

(No pictures form him this week, but this is how it makes me feel)

#56: A Sweet Surprise

From Elder Fowler's mom:

 (On Wednesday, July 20th, I received a friend request on FaceBook from a man in Mexico.  I thought that was cool, but wanted to talk to Preston about it first before adding him.   A little later, I saw that I had a voicemail on my cell phone.   My phone had only been on silent for 15 minutes.  I listened to the voicemail message and was sad that I had missed the call by only 5 minutes.  It was from a member in Preston's area, Hermano Marquez.  His message said, "Hello Miss Alison, this is Mr. Octavio Marquez from Chihuahua.  I'm a friend of Fowler.  He just wanted to say hi to you.  He is eating with me today, on Wednesday.  I just want to say thank you for sending him down here to Mexico.  He's a very good friend of mine. Have a great day, and God bless."    

At first I was so sad that I had missed this call, but it is really nice to have the recording so that I could share it with my family.  This made me wonder if he had left me a personal message on FaceBook.  On FaceBook, if you're not "friends" with someone and they send you a message, it can end up in another area and you have to search a bit for it.  Well, I was right, he had sent me a message AND a picture of my missionary!!  I was able to correspond back and forth with this member through FaceBook a bit.  He is the mission leader there in the area and he takes the missionaries out to eat each Wednesday.  He also told me, "He is a great missionary and working hard to bring others unto Christ. He is in good hands.  He is part of my family. They are special to me."  These words from this man mean so much to a missionary momma.  I'm so grateful that he is so good and kind to Elder Fowler and Elder Merlo.  My heart is full.)

(Gracias Hermano Marquez for being so kind
and feeding these missionaries each Wednesday!)

(Now from Elder Fowler's email this week)

  I really loved the pictures that you sent me this week!  I can't believe how big Krew is...he's HUGE!! jaja   ("jaja" is used for LOL-or haha) I love the "Flat Uncle Preston"! (see pictures below) I'm glad that you had great week with the birthday party and that surprise message and pictures from Octavio!!! hahaha  He's a cool member for sure!!  He buys us burritos...HUGE burritos for 25 pesos each!! pretty great deal!

Really!!! More home improvement projects!!!  I think you had this all planned before I left to do all the renovations while I'm gone! hahaha I seriously won't feel like it's home 'cause of all the changes that you guys have done!! haha

This week has been good!  We FINALLY brought one of our investigators to church.  We were told of someone that needed a blessing, and that is how we were able to have this investigator.  I was seriously so happy after never bringing anyone to church with us in this new area, to finally having one.  Elder Merlo and I made sure to give muchas gracias to our Heavenly Father!  We also have more investigators that are progressing, so I believe that  our work is finally showing improvement!

Today we played basketball with a member in a huge arena where the PRO team of Cuautemoc plays!  We didn't play with the them (the pros), but it was a blast... we played for like 2 ½ hours! I will send pictures next week.

Love, Elder Fowler

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" is great for missionary work:

Mosiah 26:22

For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.

(His nephew Krew was born 2 week's after he left on his mission.
To be sure Elder Fowler was still part of the festivities, I made
a "Flat Uncle Preston". Here, Krew is giving him kisses!)

(At one point, "Flat Uncle Preston" was placed
on to of the cake.)

#55: No Beans About it!!

Well, as far as changes (transfers), we are the same, and I'm in the same difficult area, and am with Elder Merlo!!!  So that's good :)

This past week I went to Chihuahua to take fingerprints and all that so I can live here for another year!  It was a fun trip! :)

Each Sunday here is pretty hard to bring people to church...I get really frustrated and down the whole day... but Elder Merlo and I are working better on bringing our investigators to church!  The Lord does put ways to find new people.  (His dad gave him great advice and told him to think outside the box) Remember Elder Beeson from the CCM?  Well, he is now President Montoya's secretary!!  I'm enjoying being a District Leader.  My district baptized 5 this last week, so I'm pretty happy!

Something crazy that happened this week was that we were cooking beans and we had to leave the house.  We forgot to turn off the stove, so when we came back, about 1 ½ hours later, the whole house was FULL of smoke!!!!!! Now my clothes smell like tobacco!!! hahahaha  So, I'm getting my suit dry cleaned and my clothes washed AGAIN!!!hahaha (sure glad they didn't burn down their apartment)

Love,your son,
Elder Fowler

This week's scripture:

Ether 4:12
And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believemy words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

I went to IHop when we were in Chihuahua.
(Elders-Pettingill, Borgel and Fowler)

A bowl of Chocolate Rice Krispies
(He can now have better tasting cereal)

Ether 2:12
(This was last week's scripture-I love that he marked his
like I did mine)

#54: ONE YEAR DOWN, ONE TO GO

Hola!  How is everything in the 775? Everything is super awesome and great in the 625, hahaha-that's the area code here if you were wondering!  I did get the smaller package that had the rockin' nacho socks!! Thanks

Honestly, on my one year mark, (JULY 8th) it was just another day as a missionary.  I didn't do anything special, so sorry about that.  (I had asked him to take pictures of how he celebrated it)  But, every P-Day, me, my zone leader Elder Larsen, and the elders in my district, Elder Brown and Elder Stockton play basketball.  We played for like 3 hours today...HARD!!!  It was super fun and we all loved it! :)

To be honest...the work here in my area is really hard...it's almost impossible to bring people to the church each week and it's really disappointing.  But, there's so much to be happy about here in the mission! :)  

Also, we found out the new rules for the food.....and there aren't any rules!!!!  Only that we can't drink soda... but everything else is good!! :)  

(When asked if he feels like he is fluent in Spanish now he replied)  I wouldn't say I'm fluent but I'm getting better, especial now that I'm the senior companion and having to train.

Love your son, 

Elder Fowler

(From Preston's journal on July 8, 2016)

  Well, here I am at this milestone of having been in the mission for 1 year, with 1 year ahead of me.  I can't help but think about the amazing things I've seen and done.  My knowledge and understanding of the Gospel has grown like never before.  So at this time,  I want to write my testimony down.  I know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves and cares for us so much.  I know that there is nothing else that He wants, but that we are happy and that we return to live in His presence.  He loves us so much that He sent His son, Jesus Christ to pay the price of sin, that through Him we may be clean and worthy to live eternally with our Heavenly Father.  I know the Atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ has power, and that through the atonement, we can feel God's love for us.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored through His prophet, Joseph Smith.  I know that he restored the blessings and ordinances of the gospel, and that Priesthood power has once again been restored to the earth.  I know Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and that it is  the most correct book upon the face of the earth.  I have read it many times with the same confirming feeling that it is true.  I know that the Lord has a modern, living prophet today, named Thomas S. Monson, who is leading the church today.  I am so grateful for the gospel in my life, and the opportunity to share this glad message with others around me.  I know these things are true and share them in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" is:

Ether 2:12

Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

(Here's what 1 year looks like on the countdown app)

This week's scripture to "Ponderize" Ether 2:12

My companion and I came across this and wondered,
"Why is there a door there?"

(Happy "HUMP" Day to Elder Fowler!!  We sent these items
to him for his one year mark.)

My home in my new area

(We told Elder Fowler that his nephew tries to say, "Jesus".
He then asked what Krew does when he sees a picture of him,
well....he points up to his picture....so cute!!!)

#53: Meeting the New Mission President

This week has been really good.  We met our new mission president, President and Sister Montoya on Tuesday and they are really sweet.  I like them a lot actually! :) I'm sure I will learn a lot from them during this last year that I have here!!!  Wow, that's crazy to think about!
Sister Montoya said that we can eat pancakes now, but only twice a week!  But hey, that's better than nothing.  But only if they are the kind made with integral wheat or something!! hahaha (We had no idea this was ever something he couldn't have)

I did get my ONE YEAR package but I won't open it until Friday when it's my actual one year mark! Elder Merlo is doing pretty good!  He's still a bit shy like how I was, speaking in lessons and all that but it's all good.  It will come with practice.  My district is pretty dope.  It's me, my companion and another companionship.  They like to play b-ball on Mondays  so that's the district activity that we do in the mornings so it's fun!  I actually am able to use my b-ball shoes that I brought from home-finally!  There's a gym here in town to play!

The weather here has been super bipolar!!  It's sunny in the mornings and then mid afternoon it rains....HARD!! On Saturday, there were RIVERS in the streets....they don't have gutters here and it's a bit humid here...more than I've felt in Reno.

Hope you have a great 4th of July!!!
Love your son,
Elder Fowler

This week's scripture is:

1 Nephi 17:3

And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

New Mission President-President Montoya and his wife
with my zone. June 28, 2016
(Love how most of the Elders are wearing blue ties)

Last picture of my zone with President and Sister Chavez
before they leave the mission.
June 2016