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Favorite Scripture

Alma 37:37
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

First Pictures and Letter from the Mission President!

What a great surprise it was to get the mail today and see a letter from the Mission President in Minnesota, along with pictures! So exciting to see pictures of Elder Mower looking so happy! They also sent a map of his first area....Eagan, Minnesota.


 

 

 

 
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Monday, June 27, 2011

Elder Mower Letter #4

Hello from Minnesota!!!!

All is well! i cant believe that i am finally in the mission field! its pretty exciting that i have the opportunity to serve the Lord for real now! I cant wait to be a part of REAL miracles instead of the practice miracles in the MTC! My first reaction when i saw Minnesota was "wow...that is a LOT of lakes." LOL. Also when i was riding my bike along the road, it was raining pretty hard and because Minnesota is sooooooooooo green, sometimes i felt like i was in a rainforest haha Oh and my first area is Eagan, Not too far from the Twin cities! Its a great area to be tracting and serving the Lord. Overall, Minnesota is such a BEAUTIFUL place and has very nice people. of course not all the people are nice and i learned that from proselyting in the first week haha

So it was pretty crazy coming into the mission home. My mission president, President Howell, is such an amazing man and his wife is awesome too! they took us in the mission home, fed us dinner and treated us like we were their children. It was neat. Its also impressive of how in-tune they are with the Spirit. They would do anything for each missionary individually. For example, President Howell woke up at 1 in the morning to drive across the mission and to give a missionary a blessing who felt homesick and unsuccessful. There's soo much love there and he sets a great example of how we show love our fellow men. President Howell had his farewell fireside yesterday because there is a new mission president coming on Wednesday, President Clements. President Howell and his wife will be missed by so many missionaries and recent converts whom the Howells have touched their lives. President Howell is a man of God and im thankful for the example he sets for well over 200 missionaries.

So some cool facts about the mission: we have one of the highest retention rates in the stateside missions. That means that not as many people fall away from the church as soon as they are baptized. Thats sooo awesome and just says how great the missionaries are here in helping people receive an unshakable testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel. The mission REALLLLYYYYY emphasizes the importance of having a profile at mormon.org because it is how we plant seeds. Within the mission, we have more mormon.org profiles than anywhere on earth. That is a powerful tool in converting people to the gospel. So each of you SHOULD get a mormon.org profile because it also gives you an opportunity to reflect on how you obtained a testimony of the gospel and to share it to all the internet users throughout the world. Pretty amazing right???

My new companion is Elder Baker and if any of you knew the Bills in my ward, he looks a lot like Matt Bills. He is from Tuscon, Arizona, he's a wrestler, and He's been in the mission field for about 9 months (i think he reported on the same day that Elder Gingrich entered the field). He's a pretty sweet companion! We only have a 2 Elder apartment so it is just me and him. Gets pretty quiet but thats ok. haha. He's a dedicated Elder and im already learing alot from him.

Alright so as far as the missionary work goes...i don't have a whole lot of info yet because we Elder Baker never scheduled any appointments this week so it was ALOT of tracting. So bear with me as i try to talk about the work!!! So our biggest progressing investigator is a 16 year old boy named Dylan. His mom, Tina, is a member and loves the missionaries. She is divorced and Dylan is with his dad right now but we are teaching him this Thursday. He has shown a TREMENDOUS desire to be baptized and he wants to change his life. He is on probation but his time for that is almost over. We are going to set a date for July this week. We cant wait! We received a referral from mormon.org right as I was coming in. So Elder Baker thinks that this man, Timothy, needs to hear the gospel from me. I don't know that but the Lord does so we'll see! We received 2 new investigators this week named Ravi and Monika. They are Hindu but after hearing about what they believe, I'd say they have a similar view as Christians. They have 2 little girls, 4 and 2 years old, and they are VERY open about the gospel. One thing that will make it easier to team them the gospel than with other Hindus is that they do not believe in reincarnation. I think that the Lord has prepared them well and that they are ready to recieve the gospel. Other than that we have been getting some potential investigators and doing ALOT of proselyting. So the work has been going kind of slow this week but we have a lot of lesson plans this week so ill give you more info next week on the work here in Eagan.

My scripture for the week is D&C 58:3-4. As we go about our trials and afflictions in life, let us see them in a way that our Heavenly Father sees them. We should view our trials as faith boosters and struggles only for a short time that will strengthen us and prepare us to partake of eternal life.

Before i go, I'd like to share a miracle that happened to me personally last Friday: So this whole week i have been sick with a pretty bad cold with a really bad congested throat, so bad that i could barely talk. If you know me well i sometimes use the "i cant do it because im sick" excuse. Well i decided that I know why i am out here and that i am on the Lord's time, not mine. So i still went out regardless of how sick i was. Not to mention me and Elder Baker were fasting that day. I was afraid that i wouldn't be able to talk to people. But i knew that i was on the Lords errand and because i was, I knew that he would provide a way for me to find and talk to these people that were out looking for something that they don't know they are looking for. So that whole day i was able to talk to people and we got a few potential investigators and we gave out a Book of Mormon to a man. It was an amazing day and when i came home that night i was drained but filled with the Spirit. That's what keeps me going, the Spirit. I think i am starting to understand what i must to to "lose myself in the work." I know that the Lord will bless us with even more miracles and I know that some days may not be easy but it will be worth it because the Lord is with us. I know that I am His eyes, His mouth, His feet, His ears, and His hands as i serve Him. Thank you for all your support and may the Lord continue to shower His blessings and love upon you!

Love,

Elder Mower




Hey fam!

As you can tell i am doing well!!! i do have to be honest, im trying to get over being homesick but im fighting through it and im finding a lot of joy in serving the Lord at the same time. dad i definitely see how a mission is so difficult sometimes. i know that i will be ok though because the Lord is on my side. All i have to do is pray my heart out and He will help me. I have found soooo much joy in serving the Lord and nothing can take that away from me.

Im sorry i couldnt talk alot at the airport. It was a CRAZY DAY. but i definitely look forward to calling you in christmas!!!

There are a few things that i do need: 2 Bed Liners (The stretchy sheets that go under the bed sheets), Pull up bar ofcourse, my bigger suit pants for my new suit (my smaller ones dont fit and the zipper is crooked), a tie for president howell because he is leaving (just a going away present for him), more missionary journals (not now but soon), and my RUGBY BALL for PDAY along with my ball pump PLEASE!!! hahahaha

Thank you for all of your support and love. I know that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I wouldnt be here if it wasnt. Jesus is the Christ and He has the enabling power to ransom us and heal us from anything that we have done in our lives if we have faith in Him. Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God and has brought forth the Book of Mormon to bless our lives and to show us the way back to our Heavenly Father. I know that through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, recieving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, we can all return to our Heavenly Father as an eternal family. im so grateful for your sweet examples that you set for me and i miss that. But i know that i am where i need to be. I love each of you sooooo much and ill talk to you soon!!! :]

Much love from your son brother and missionary,

Elder Mower

Monday, June 20, 2011

Elder Mower Letter #3

hello everybody!!!

I'm sorry i couldn't get around to email on Saturday like i said but the MTC computer system never let me go on email because its not my real P day. oh well. here i am so that's all that matters right??? haha. So I'm sooooooooo excited to leave for Minnesota tomorrow!!! i cant wait to actually get out there with real people! Also because the food is officially KILLING me hahaha. I'm stoked for the real deal with real investigators!

So here is one last update on my mTC investigators: Gene unfortunately has not shown faith in Jesus Christ and he believes that it takes time to get an answer about the BOM. Me and my companion are trying to teach him that that's not always the case but nothing changed. :/ We committed MANY investigators to baptism! Mike first had a problem with praying in front of people and wouldn't pray with us. He finally did and now he has shown faith in Jesus Christ with a repentant heart and now hes willing to be baptized. Randy was by far our biggest success!!! he read up to 2 Nephi between a period of 2 days!!!!! he is legally blind so he bought it on iTunes and listens to it while he does yoga in the morning! He had a willing heart to come unto Jesus Christ and he committed to be baptized without hesitation! sooooo amazing! We taught Steve as a district in our last lesson with him. We thought it would be a mess but instead, we all taught with unity!. Steve had faith in the Atonement but he felt like he couldn't forgive himself. We gave the most powerful lesson on Gods love for His children in relation to the Atonement. I couldn't hold back tears! Steve has shown such a great desire to change his life more than any investigator. We had one chance to teach a firefighter paramedic named Bob and he was very receptive. He even had the faith to get on his knees (he has BAD knees)
and to pray to his Heavenly Father. soooo cool! I also taught a retired helicopter pilot named Jim. He was super interested in the gospel. We only met with him once but he showed so much faith and i know that the next missionaries that teach him will teach him what he needs to hear.

So i was released from my calling as zone leader yesterday in sacrament. its bittersweet because it was stressful on top of missionary work nut i absolutely LOVED it. Preaching the gospel has brought me soooo much happiness but now its going to be more joyful when i preach to the people of Minnesota. All i can say is that the MTC prepared me well to serve out in the mission field.


My scripture for the week is 3 Nephi 27:27.

I know that this gospel is true. i know that God lives and that He loves all of His children perfectly and unconditionally. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He suffered the Atonement that we may be forgiven everyday of our lives of all that we've done that we regret. I know that it has a sanctifying power and enables us to someday become like our Father in Heaven.

I love you all and I cant wait to share my next 2years of missionary work in Minnesota!

Love,

Elder Mower



hey family!!!

First off i want to wish Jacob a happy birthday!!!! I'm sorry i could email on Saturday. the system wouldn't let me email that day so i had to do it today. but i hope this is a good late birthday present for you Jacob. you are a great example to me. I MEAN that. Keep on being help-ful Jay!!! i know you will be an amazing example to the younger ones! Dad, i just wanted to wish you a happy fathers day (late one day of course) but I'm so happy that i can talk to you today since i couldn't on Saturday. I just wanted to let you know how awesome you are as a dad. I was watching music and the spoken word with the Mo Tab yesterday and the theme was how wonderful fathers really are!!! i put me to tears how amazing you really are dad! i absolutely mean that! i love you!

So here is my flight info: I leave from SLC to Denver at 730 am. Ill arrive at 853 am. my next flight to Minneapolis does not go until 1133 am so ill call you in between the two flights so keep your phones on you!!! (remember this not in California time).

Ive gotten LOTS of mail and packages so no need to worry about that!

Well I'm out of time so i just wanted to say HOW AWESOME you are! i cant wait to go to Minnesota and bless lives and bring good news, hope, and miracles to peoples lives! I love you all sooo much and ill talk to you soon!!! :]

MUCH LOVE,

Elder Mower

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Elder Mower's Letter... June 13, 2011

Hello once again!!!

Well this has been yet another interesting but amazing week at the MTC! by the way, I'm very sorry i couldn't get the email out in the morning. I didn't have enough time to finish before i went to the temple.

so where do i start...OH! so i was in the cafeteria with Elder Haupt, my companion. He yelled "ELDER MOWER!? WHERE ARE YOU?!" There were ALOT of people in the cafeteria that day. so then next thing i know, someone next to me says "YES???" and i read his name tag which said: "Elder Mower" then i was thinking wowwwwww!!! more than one Elder Mower out there haha EVEN BETTER!!! hahahahahaha suprisingly, he didnt have any family connections with me. he's from Utah, which is where a lot of my dads side of the family lives haha oh well. makes it even cooler to find another elder mower out there haha.

This week in the MTC has been VERY CHALLENGING and DEMANDING. I was able to teach lessons very well but i was struggling with discerning the needs of people i teach by asking them inspired questions. I was getting REALLY discouraged! So after a few days of disappointment, I prayed and prayed and prayed even harder. a few days later, i started to improve and i was doing pretty good. so then when my companion challenged me the other day, he told me that i did really good and i was able to discern what he needed to hear. But that was NOT ME, i KNOW that it was the Spirit! i have never seen the Lord help me SOOOO much in my life with my weaknesses. It was such a HUGE testimony builder!!!

So I'm still getting by with the MTC food. I wouldn't say its to friendly to the belly but its food so ill live right? haha Oh! and there is a HUGE nara virus out break in the MTC hahaha so that means being EXTRA CAREFUL on whos hand you shake haha i had the opportunity to speak with the MTC President, President Brown, after my sacrament meeting yesterday but I COULDN'T SHAKE HIS HAND!!!! :[ oh well haha also he is getting released within the next week or 2 and the FIRST PRESIDENCY will do that!!! i SURE HOPE that i will be able to shake their hands if they come while I'm here hahaha

Last Tuesday was AMAZING, for MTC devotional, i got to meet the general authority whose one of many talks i based my farewell talk off of. His name is Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi! it was such a neat experience!!! He counseled us to "find our own sacred grove." I encourage all of you to do so as well. I have and the Lord has answered COUNTLESS prayers!

I absolutely love my calling as zone leader although sometimes its stressful!!!!!!!! sometimes i wouldn't even have time to prepare a lesson!!! time is precious now!!! (at least a lot more now) haha

So me and the elders are trying to see who is studlier so keep the packages and letters coming! if you cant, don't worry about it and i still love you! but i cant guarantee that ill write everyone back because I'm SUPER BUSY but i promise that i will do my best!!!

I decided to get you a scripture for each week of my mission so my scripture for the week is Ether 12:27. I cant put it on here due to time but I want each of you to know that i have a testimony of the gospel and i know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that this is His kingdom here ion earth. I know that if we pray , humble our hearts and do our very best, then the Lord WILL take care of the rest! have a great week everybody and i love you all!!!

Much Love,

Elder Mower



Dear mom, dad, and family:

I got my contact lens and I'm sooooooo grateful for that! I'm am doing well as you can see. very tough week but i carried on and the Lord gave me strength that i thought that i could never have. He truly does hear our prayers and I'm beginning to obtain and ever more clear perspective of the divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How are you guys!? Tell me everything! How are the grading plans and house plans??? Is the house pretty crazy??? Hows work dad?! are the kiddos being helpful? Hows Jacob doing in football??? Taylor in dance? oh and about football, Elder Kingsford and I were talking: he loves football and rugby but he prefers rugby. Sorry Jay! :D jk hahahaha but i just want you to know that all is well! classes and teaching are great. My teachers, Brother Farley and Prawitt are awesome! life is amazing in the MTC and i absolutely love it! sad that i leave on the 21st but i cant wait for the mission field!!!!!! so my last PDAY in the MTC is SATURDAY ill send out an email and the plan to call you at the airport! its not a direct flight its from Utah to Denver to Minnesota i flt out first at 7 05 am so ill probably call you at Denver! I've got a minute left only so i love you all sooo soooo sooooo much and i thank you for your love support, prayers and your burning testimonies wihich will keep me warm!

I love you all FOREVER!

Much love to you,

Elder Jordan Mower

Your son, brother, and missionary

Monday, June 6, 2011

Our First Letter

hello everybody!!!

The MTC has been soooooooooooo amazing! The work is VERY fast paced but it keeps me going throughout my day. So far, I haven't fallen asleep as much in class as much as i thought i would! Quite frankly, I think that it is the Spirit that is keeping me awake. haha But I have come to know that there is nothing like the Spirit here in the MTC. The highlight of my first day was when the new missionaries sang "Army of Helaman". Instead of the words being "we WILL BE the Lords missionaries", it was "we ARE NOW the Lords missionaries." If i had to guess, there were probably about 400 elders and sisters singing this but honestly, it sounded like 2000. Such a powerful experience!!! It was difficult to hold back the tears of joy.

Well now I think that i should share a little bit of humor about the MTC food. For the first few days, as clueless as I am known to be, I thought it'd be a good idea to eat hard boiled eggs and i failed to realize that they give you THE WORST gas in the world. So the elders that i room with almost made me sleep outside. haha one elder even said that he cant even be mad about it stinking up the residence hall because he was impressed? hahahaha never thought that bad gas can impress missionaries. hahaha

My district is sooooooo AWESOME! we all feel like brothers even from day 1. There are 11 of us and we all love each other. My companion is Elder Haupt [How-Pt] and he is SO cool! i knew him at BYU Idaho and I played soccer with him alot. he is a little energetic but i see it in a way that he is soooooo happy and excited to be here in the MTC with me as his companion!!! We room with Elder Kingsford and Sheppard. Elder Kingsford played scrum half on the rugby team at University of Utah while a senior in High School. He played on the B-side team. So all of you can imagine that we are rugby buddies then haha All 10 other elders are strong stripling warriors who help me become a better instrument in the Lords hands.

Well on Sunday, Elder Haupt and I were called as zone leaders ALREADY!!! Shocking right?! We are fresh in the MTC and we already have to help the incoming missionaries this Wednesday! so its pretty overwhelming but at the same time, i cant wait to serve in this calling to help me become a better leader. Most importantly, I cant wait for the blessings that the Lord has in store for me as i serve the elders in my zone. Elder Haupt is excited as well!!!

Me and Elder Haupt are teaching 2 proxy investigators: Mike and Steve. Mike is not grasping the message like we wished he would. He declined our invitation to him to be baptized but he said that we can continue teaching him. Steve loves how families are centered around the Church and we already got him to say the closing prayer of our first meeting! things are well with steve! so with mike, we fasted yesterday for him and we are praying that his heart will be softened. Cant wait to see what happens next!

Overall the MTC is sooooo amazing! thank you brother and sisters for the love and support you have given me as i serve the Lord. I know that this is God's kingdom on earth today. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that he died for us. thank you all for everything and God be with you till we meet again!

Much love,
Elder Jordan Robert Mower


Hey family!!!

Ive got LOTS of letters!!! most out of my district!!! haha keep em coming include that in my general letter! i saw Wes but is till need to give him his surprise haha i also saw many friends haha pday is on Monday and im doing good with sleep hahahaha my instructors are sooo amazing!!! i miss you and i love you!!! id go on and on but i only have a minute left with my timer so i have to go!!! May the Lord be with you always!!! i love you soooo much and ill write to you to give more details on the first week!!! miss you! Tell Heidi ill write her!!!
All the love in the world from your son and brother and missionary,

Elder Jordan Robert Mower

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Elder Mower Reports to the MTC

Today was the big day. Elder Mower reported to the MTC. I let him sleep in on his last day (til 8:30!), we got ready, and were off to eat at Tucano's Brazilian BBQ. We had a nice lunch, then went to the Provo Temple for pictures and goodbyes. It was bittersweet. There was much crying going on around us, which made it harder to stay strong. We drove from the Provo Temple down the road a little to the MTC. There, they directed us where to drive and park (space 16), we unloaded his luggage, took a couple pictures, and he was off. We drove in at 1:08 and were out by 1:14. Just that quick and he was gone. It was hard seeing him walk away, but there was such a great spirit at the MTC, and so many smiling faces and missionaries waving to us. We left the MTC, drove straight to the Wilkinson Center, and mailed him a package full of cookies, kit kats, and a few random things he forgot. We can't wait to get our first letter from him and to hear how his first week has gone!

Our Last Photo Together

At the Provo Temple
Hmmmmm......
The jeep we promised him if he served a faithful mission!!! LOL!!!!!
Dad straigtening his tie, giving him some last words of advice

Rob and Elder Mower
Mom's moment!
Walking away toward the MTC
Walking away, I get one last look!!!