Latest from Thailand 2/27/08

Hey family....Well another week another email.....I hope you are all ready for the 'exciting' update.haha. Well...we sure have had an exciting week here in the pakkret area this past week. We got our monthly show list of the different places we will be playing this upcoming month.....really quite unbelieveable. We have about 30 shows linned up for the upcoming month, including a tour of the eastern easaun side of thailand that will be for about one week long. So we are all really excited to go out and perform in all the different places. We just hope we will be ready being that we just got two new members in the band and have only practiced about 3 or 4 times. So hopefully all will go well. It all starts with one show this sat. here in bangkok. I'll let you know how it goes. As for me and E.Howell we are doing way good. We have found some awesome new investigators that we hope will be getting baptism dates soon....although we will have to hand them over to the assistants to president and the office elders as we are going to be going around the country performing....we won't have enough time to be with them and teach them. But we will see how it all goes, it will all work out. It's kind of an interesting 'opportunity cost', I actually had an opportunity to talk with President about it...because as a missionary our main priority is our investigators....but he said he knows that it is a big hit to take 8 elders out of the mission but he says that he believes it is worth what our band does for other areas. O yeah elder howells' dad is going to be a mission pres. in the minnisota mission...so he is way excited..for that. His mom and dad were in the recent church news so he was so excited to see them. Well anyways...life is great....our areas are picking up and I feel like our purpose in being in this music group is showing in bright colors....we are seeing so many people be touched and open their hearts to the gospel through it. It's so cool to be a part of this ...I love every minute of it. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now. I've loved the last couple weeks as I've looked back and seen the growth I've experienced on my mission. It's so awesome to see what happens and how much you progress when you trust in the lord and do it his way...I love it. I'll never leave it, I am starting to see what people mean when they say they think about their mission everyday of their life....because I do it everyday, even though mine is still going...I constantly think about past experiences I've had. Well I love you all and hope you all are well . elder lowrey

Tanner's Work...

Last year Tanner took a photography class...and I am so proud of his creativity! These are just a few of his shots...

Valentines Day...

I can honestly say that I have never had a valentines day like this one...dinner with an ocean view and a movie with great freinds would of sufficed...but Dana may have gone overboard...4 dozen roses later, chocolates :) jewlery (copper and tourmaline stone) and a strand of pearls almost as tall as I am! What a day it was. Hmmm am I spoiled?
Not everyone during a life time that we are close to has our best interest at heart all of the time...UNDERSTATEMENT!! but despite the gifts (don't get me wrong...it was an exciting day!!) I know Dana's main objective is to be my friend and a companion that I can honor and who honors me. I am sooo grateful for his integrity and honest heart.
I know...many of you have had that love for years...but for me, I have never quite experienced life with someone who loves me for who I am, and is striving to build me up.
So I am, today, grateful for the friend I have and the companionship that we do share.

A look on the inside...2/19

Hey great to hear from everyone...sounds like everyone is doing good. That's too bad that your computer crashed but oh well sometimes starting new is the best thing to do...(that might not be true...)?? Well anyways, I'll answer your question,....the calcium tablets helped a ton and I'm feeling alot better......So this past week has been an interesting one. One of my companions, Elder Pyper, will be moving to a city called Don Muang. Elder Mcconnell , our music leader, is leaving SYS...so E. Pyper was called to replace him. We are also getting a new sound tech. which is a Thai elder named natawhut and Elder Ensign, my mtc companion, is also joing the group this week. As for me I believe I'll be staying with E. Howell in my area. So it will be an interesting moves, we thought for sure that President wouldn't move anyone because we have a big week long tour in march and we didn't think we could be ready for that if we had new people come in...but aparently the Lord thinks different..haha.but all in all I am excited. This past week my two companions and I had an oppertunity to eat dinner with the old Ambassador to the U.S. and his wife. They are one of the royal family contacts that we work with for public relations and governmental purposes. It was awesome!! When working with such key individuals its so important to be always be building good relationships with them....these are the people who have say in us being here in thailand and being recognized as a church...I really see us as young missionaries being guided to know what to say and do to be improving those relationships..it's such a cool thing to be a part of:) Anyways, other than that we had an English Evaluation Night...in which we played games and watched 'Finding Faith in Christ'. We have been seeing some good investigators come through the english program so I've always enjoyed having a part in it. Well, it sounds like things are coming along back home...and sounds like the cabin is getting there too. I can't believe how fast time is moving, some of my best friends in the mission are going home in like 2 days and alot more in 6 weeks ahhhhh...it's so crazy to see all the changes and to look back and realize how much time has passed....time is such and interesting thing when you only have one goal, one objective or purpose....I've been doing missionary work for so long everyday....It's engraved into me...I can't even keep track of time...it's a wild experience....I'd recommend it to everyone....well I love you guys ....i love this work so much...I know that there is so much work to be done....so do it. Have a good week too:)love you> elder lowrey

Make today count...

Yes, today is the day...make the effort!

You will feel better!

GARTH 08, LA I was there...

Yes the big weekend came, and like all good things went way too fast!
Amanda did win, got all her pics up first! What a beauty of a belly you are getting girl! So fun to see her in her nesting get up! What a cute momma!
It was a really fun (tiring) time. But what is better than a girls weekend...sisters, neices and cousins...and Tommy?? I was excited to meet Jessie's Tommy...totally approving of course (as long as he is still paying :) I love my family so much! I never realize how much I miss my sister, until she is here, or I am there... and there is giggling...and memories of our lifetime friendship...what a weekend.
Prior to the family's arrival- Megan flew in for some fun! We took Megan (Emma and I) before everyone came Thursday, to see 'Wicked' in Hollywood at the Pantages Theater--which was amazing. --The theater and the musical. (belated birthday celebration) yes she is 22! I didn't think I would enjoy the play as much as I did. I think we all did--digging for quarters, trying to fit under 1 umbrella (thank you Emma!) and all!! With this amazing weekend planned, of course the black clouds creeps in, as they tend to do, but did not spoil the mood--goodness prevails! We took a day trip Saturday to Newport and Balboa Island to see the sights, walk on the pier, take the ferry...and the best watching Lauren busting some moves...too much fun for one weekend!
Garth was amazing, as we knew he would be! (Even better than our ice cream!) We did get to see Trisha and Huey Lewis perform a couple of tunes which was such a bonus to the absolutely packed center. Still lovin the triplet hoodies...we looked good!
I have this blurred memory of a bridal store?? What was that about? Thanks to all who helped --in the midst of turmoil surprising me once again, to make this a never to be forgotten weekend!

the road is long...1/29/08

Hey family, man did you guys miss an awesome week.(wish you were here haha) Well lets see, we had so many shows i can't believe it. We had one on Sat. which was awesome....there were so many people there. Mostly because it was set up right outside the skytrain station in downtown bangkok...so there were hundreds of people coming and going throughout our show.....anyways it was a great sucess....the elders and sisters in the area got a ton of new investigators and alot of potentials. Then we had a baptism on sunday and also had a fireside in asoke again, this fireside was about pa work in thailand and whats been taking place recently with regaurds to sys' part in helping missionary work in thailand... it was awesome. Then on mon. we had a show in the office elders area.....not so much as a sucess as the other shows but it was still pretty good. It is so exhausting to be hauling all that equipment around again...it reminds me of past work with corporate events and old days in the band....man its tiring ...loading then unloading then doing it again...then going teaching...it is a way tiring way to do missionary work. Then yesterday we had our zone conference which was way good...president dodge talked about changes that will be taking place within the church with regards to president hinkleys' passing away. Then today we went to ayuttaya and went around with the other elders there, which was a nice needed break:) It was good to see E.Witt , who I served with there for 3 months....who is a good friend. It was so good to talk about the investigators that I had left there and see their continual progression in the gospel...it is so awesome to see results from hard efforts. This saturday we actually will be going back to ayutthaya for a show so we are looking forward to that. Other news.....I got my suit that I had ordered , it is the coolest suit ever....thanks for the christmas gift mom. Well how is everyone doing at home? It sounded like your get together was fun.....one of those much needed breaks:) Hey how are things going back in the ward there? How is the new bishop and things going? How are the kids doing in school? How are the out of school activities going? Wow, I can't believe I'll be coming up on a year in country in a week or so ....crazy to think how the time is flying by. I've learned so much since i've been out here...so manythings that i don't think i could've learned anyother way besides coming here. It has been good to reflect on my personal growth since i've been here on a mission. It is an awesome thing to see how so many things i believed before are actually engraved in my thoughts and speech and actions. It's things that can only happen by living the principles and teachings of the gospel. It is so sweet to look back and see what my mission has done for others and of course myself. The gospel is the sweetest thing in the world, I love it. My new assignment here has taught me alot, its defiently been a growing experience for me .....well its been a good week, thanks for the love and support from all you guys......love elder lowrey