Lots of running around but loving it !!!

          WEEK 57 , REEDLEY , CALIFORNIA

Hola Everyone,

Alrighty so I have my brand new companion and he is awesome. His name is Elder Gracia and we are having a blast. I was really stressed out this past week because we are shaping up to have 5 baptisms this weekend. I am so excited! We have been seeing alot of blessings from the Lord.

 

Most of last week we spent running around making sure that our investigators knew everything that they needed to know and that we had the interviews set up. It was a really intense week because with a new elder coming in and Elder Illu leaving I really felt the weight of everything on my shoulders. I really don't think that I got a good nights rest till Friday. Elder Gracia really helps alot, he is picking things up really quick and we have alot of fun. We are alot alike so we are happy all the time and hard working, we are doing everything possible and I know that the Lord is blessings us more and more.

 

These people that we teach and try and bring unto Christ are more then just numbers, they are my brothers and sisters . I am so privileged to know each and every one of them. The five people getting baptized are Ivan Garcia and Aimee Garcia, Yesina and Cassandra Zaragoza and Robbie Nielsen. They are all so amazing.

 

Ivan and Aimee are brother and sister and really want to be baptized . They have gone through a lot and know that the church is true they have really solid testimonies. Ivan is 18 and is done high school and works for his dad in construction. He is really humble and doesn't want to do anything wrong ,he always thinks of others before himself. Aimee is 15 and is still in high school.  She is so excited to come to church and be apart of young women, she feels so happy and loved .I know that its good leaders and fellowship that make all the difference.I have a great testimony of church auxiliaries and of what these Presidents and leaders can do .

 

Yesina and Cassandra they are a mother and Daughter who have been taught for a year or 2. They are really fun and have a great spirit about them. Cassandra is 12 and is really, really hyper, I don't remember being that hyper when I was that age but I may have been so sorry mom and dad for that. Anyway, they really want to be baptized and recognize the spirit. We took them on a church tour  back in October and they are going to be baptized on the date that we set. Before we showed her the "First Vision" video we told her to pay attention to her feelings. Yesina had a really spiritual experience as she watched the video she cried and felt the spirit so strongly, she knows without a doubt that this is what she needs to do, it is amazing. We have been kinda struggling alittle while to keep them solid for there dates but I want to relate a miracle that comes with following the spirit of the Lord. Two weeks before this one, what they were struggling with  knowing for sure that this was really what they needed to do. So the spirit prompted me to tell them  to keep reading and praying and that they did they would receive their answer on the 20th of November. The weeks went by and last Saturday we went by and sat down and talked about anything and everything they needed to. As we did that Yesina told us that she and Cassandra would be getting baptized on the 27th.! And so guess what day last Saturday was, thats right it was the 20th! I couldn't believe ,just as I have promised weeks before the Lord fulfilled what he told me to say, it was an amazing miracle one that I will not soon forget.

 

And last but not least, Robbie Nielsen ,he is awesome he is a 10 year old that is super smart and pretty much knows everything that we teach him. He gets shy kinda easy but is really bright. He is getting baptized by his older brother who just got home from a mission in Arizona and we wont see it but it will happen.

 

That is basically what happened this week ,running around and transfers. We are doing well and I know that the Lord will provide always as we do our part. I love you all and thank you for you support and kindness.  I'll write down my 2 favourite scriptures next week just remind me again because I forgot my sword in the car..... I know not the best thing to do but yea so ill answer that next week.

 

I love you all and thank you for everything, this is the Lords work and Christ is our redeemer and advocate with the Father and I get to proclaim that truth every single day! Keep being amazing and remember to give the missionaries referrals.

 

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

P.s.

Dad I remember that episode of Bugs bunny a lot, I can't wait to watch that stuff with you again, my favourite was always the one where bugs fights the crusher. "Whats the matter crusher"

 

P.p.s.

pictures will be there soon.

 

P.p.p.s

Could you send me some stamps to Canada and some american stamps and ask uncle Timmy if he got my letter.

 

I'm staying in Reedley !!!!

WEEK 56 , REEDLEY , CALIFORNIA

Hola from my beautiful home of Reedley.

 

Alright first things first , mom I got my packages 2 weeks ago I just kept forgetting to tell you, sorry about that I get my packages about a week or 2 after they are sent. Life is going great .To answer one of Dads questions yes ,Elder Illu and I are getting along great and we are working hard as always.

 

So its transfer time again! And I have been freaking out a bit because I love Reedley and don't want to leave. So we got them this morning because President had literally no time this week to do them. I'll explain why in a little bit. So back to transfers I'M STAYING IN REEDLEY!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy its awesome I didn't think I would service another transfer call its awesome. I'm so happy we are going to have 12 baptisms!!!!!! The only down fall or sad part is, is that Elder Illu leaving he is going up to Pattersen, California. Which is in the north part of the mission. So I wont see him for awhile which is really sad because we have had so much fun and great times together .I know he will do great and I am so glad for the opportunity I have had to train Elder Illu.

 

I really feel like he has trained me I feel more comfortable as a missionary in my own skin , I guess you can say. My new companion is Elder Gracia. He was best friends with Elder Illu in the MTC and so I'm what is called "step-training" so I'm his second companion. It's really cool, elder Illu says I will like him and I'm really excited. Who am I kidding I'm always excited!

 

So this week we had our zone conference and guess what, yea that's right we got instructed by a 70! Elder Sybrowsky .He is awesome and guess what he served his mission in Montreal and his wife is also from Montreal and their son is serving in the Laval area right now! So according to him I'm going to the celestial kingdom (which isn't a bad thing to hear from a general authority) It was so great. He taught us how to work better and smarter by using what we have at our disposal. Man, who would have ever thought up that. Its funny what you realize when someone tells you. It's so simple and odious but its something what we over look constantly.It was great to get instruction from him and see the light in his eyes as he testified for truth. I love it ,I know for a fact that our general authorities are called of God and that they have all the rights and powers to preside and help the church grow. I am so blessed and grateful to be here, thank you for your fast I know that we will reach our goal.

 

Hey so how long have the elders been out that are in our ward right now? Anyone end up meeting Ben? Or me? 

 

As of right now we have 5 people committed for a specific date of baptism. I learned something interesting at zone conference, we have in total about 18-20 investigators we are actively teaching, 5 of which have a baptismal dates set. As I heard that I thought wow we are seeing so many miracles and are so blessed .Then Elder Sybrowskys said something that hit me to my core. It wasn't specifically to me because we all pooled are investigators and baptisms dates to see how the south end of the mission is doing. He said we are doing great but asked a very simple and direct question. "Why out of all the people you teach do only  a quarter have baptismal dates?" So Elder Illu and I pondered on this and we learned about action plans for our investigators .So we did that for every single one of them and we now know what date we are going to get them to committed for and how. I'm so excited we are going to see so many miracles this transfer!

 

I want to specifically talk about one of our investigators that means the world to me .I am so honoured and privileged to know David and Cassandra. Mom and dad they are a couple who I have taught pretty much since the first day I got to Reedley. I have seen them progress and fall .Now they are happiest people in the world, they are amazing. I love them with all my heart. I just didn't know or understand the true love that I would feel on my mission. These people are not just numbers, another notch on my baptismal belt they are people and I love them so much. I truly want to do my everything to get them baptized. We have talked with them a lot and they are ready they just need to be married. So Elder Illu and I are going to commit them for the 11 of December and it looks like we are going to have a wedding also. They are awesome, David is one of the very few truth seekers that I have found and Cassandra is just amazing always fun and in a great spirit they are truly amazing. I have seen the face of my Saviour as I have seen them smile.

 

So mom thank you for making me go early with you to all the dances and parties to help decorate .I think your interior design and planing really have rubbed off. So I can now plan and help with weddings and interior design...... of course its in a man-ly way ,but from what I hear its a good thing to have. LOL! I'm excited to use it to help David and Cassandra.

 

Dad thanks for teaching me always with your example, with patience . Teaching me to have fun and love ever part of whatever I do, if it wasn't for you I don't think I would be the missionary I am. The person who is able to connect and have fun with my investigators and members of the ward.

 

I am the way I am because of the example of righteous parents.This is as much your mission as it is mine. I always hear from everyone I meet that " I love the way you talk about your parents ,I can see that you have alot of love for them and they for you" I am so happy and blessed beyond words, thank you, thank you thank you. For making me the Elder Glowa I am today a reality.  I love you all that thank you for everything.

 

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

P.s.

Alright so this week I will be writing Vava and uncle mike and Grandpa glowa to thank him for serving and keeping our country safe. Hey can you tell Paulline and Merr and everyone else that I have  written them back, thank you!

 

P.p.s.

Alright Christmas time..... hmmmmmm.......... Can I get like 3 short sleeves ,18 neck white shirts because my white shirts are have are turning off white. Oh and also 1 long sleeve shirt . And maybe a new belt. I think that's about it ,thats all I need. Oh and anything cool you want to send me from Concordia like a t-shirt or hat or what ever. And some more syrup , and cheese kerds please. That's all I want/need from Santa, so thank you in advance.

 

P.p.p.s

Mom I'm making a cd copy of everysingle picture that I have taken so far on my mission which is 1222 so im sending them either this week or next week so.... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!1

Hoping to stay in Reedley a little longer.

              WEEK 55 ....... Reedley , California

Hola everybody,

All right so I'm really sorry but I literally have no time to write this week, I have like 5 mins because we have been gone all day and we still need to go shopping. I'm really sorry because I was going to address all the things mom wants me to in this email ,but I guess it will have to wait a week. To make up for this next week I will write out my basic life's story of the week as well as answer questions from this week and next week . Also I'm printing cd's of all 1077 plus pictures that I have ,so mom it looks like you'll get an early Christmas courtesy of Elder Glowa the first (That's me Elder Jason Glowa) .

All right, so we find out about transfers this Saturday and as always I'm freaking out. I don't want to leave and most of all I don't want to leave Elder Illu we are the most unified companions in the district and are doing amazing. Ummm yea we changed our sacrifice on letters a bit so we are just holding off on letter stuff till Monday so I will write and respond to mail  on Monday, so anyone can send me letters again. Thank you everyone for understanding. This week has been crazy we have so much to do and so little time just when I think we have time to breath we just turn and get another appointment or teach some more, it's a great problem to have .I'm excited because miracles and baptisms are right around the corner. This week we are having one of the 70 tour in our mission . We had a super zone conference and I got to see all the elders that I have made friends with in the past year that I have been out on my mission.

Please forgive the briefness of my email but I'll make it up to you if you have any further question please refer to 1 Nephi 13:22 that will answer any questions you have for me.

I'm safe and happy and healthy and I am doing a great work. God lives ,we have a living prophet and I know that we will all be with our Heavenly Father together one day. I love you all

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

Elder Glowa answers some question we asked ( FINALLY !!)

WEEK 54 ...........Reedley , California !!!

Hola from cooling and beautiful Reedley California!

Alright well we had to do a missionary survey so time is running down I think I have like 20 mins or so but anyway I will start by answering all your questions then I'll go into describing my week.

How was your week-end ?

-My week-end was really good we had our Halloween party and a great miracle, we had our ward Halloween party which was really fun but the best part was that we had investigators there! David Cassandra and Elizabeth. It was so amazing , there were games and a spooky haunted house. Our investigators had a great time. Then at the end of the night there was a trunker treat. It was cool its like trick or treating but from trunks of cars, and of course Elder Illu and I put our heads together and came up with the coolest thing ever! We carved a pumpkin and got dry ice and made our trunk all freaky with the fog and a glowing pumpkin. It was great fun and laughts was had by all and of course we had to dress up so we put on sunglasses and went as the MIB! DON'T WORRY MOM I HAVE PICTURES OF THE MAIN POINTS OF THE EVENT.

Did your investigators come to church?

-Yes they did not all of them but we had 4 investigators at church this week, it was awesome. We had Ivan who will be baptized this weekend and also we had Randy an amazing and humble investigator in the sequoia branch area . We also had Yesena and Cassandra they also have a baptismal date its on the 27th. It's amazing, I'm so excited for this week and the miracles that lay in wait, because after investigators come to church there is always a great leap in the commitment and in their desire to grow in the gospel.

How many baptismal commitments do you have now ?Right now we have 5 people committed to be baptized to a specific date and it is great by the end of the week we want to have 8. We have to recommit two people who didn't come to church this week but I know that they will accept.

 Did you get lots of Candy  for Halloween ? Did you go trick or treating ?

- Not to much candy this year just alot of giving it out and nope, no trick or treating..... I just realized that it's my first year ever of not trick or treating because I did it last year in the MTC.

Is it still hot there ?

-Not really it's cooling down its between 60's and 70's so nice but not hot anymore

Are you riding a bike ?

-Yes, that's how we are having so much fun and success. We are only using the car to get to the towns and then riding bikes all around. This way lets us talk to everyone and it makes me feel like a better missionary because there is no barrier between me and the people I'm trying to serve.

Did you get your packages ?

-Nope I'm going to get them soon though, this week sometime.

Did you get your dear-elders ? How long has it take you to receive them  once I send them?

-Yes, I got the dear Elders they take about 2 days to get here from the when you send it..... or something like that.

Who has been writing you ? 

-Umm the Blakemores have been writing me and the Ohrans and of course you guys, hey can you ask uncle Timmy if he got my letter, cuz I sent him one like 2 months ago and I haven't heard a word, I think there are more people who have written but right now I can't remember I will write the rest next week.

Mom ,Please Thank everyone who has written  and tell them how much those letters mean to me. Tell them I'm may not be a good letter writer , but I'll try to get better. It's not that I don't want ,it's just I have so little free time.

How much money are you getting from the church per month ?  

I get 135 for food and supplies like office stuff and most of my other needs.

Any pictures in my future ?

Yes, PICTURES ARE COMING SOON!, can you please stop telling sister Ayers that I don't send any pictures I have sent you guys like 700 and the others are on there way soon, its been a year and I have taken 1017 pictures .Alright so hold on Im sending them next week I just need to print them onto CD's this week.

Alright I only have 7 mins left on my computer so I'll try to describe my week and some awesome things that happened. We had Ivan come to church and it was amazing.

Ivan is really excited to be baptized and then to be able to baptize his sister the week after. It's going to be a great site to see.

To think that Ivan is  someone that I found with my companion and see he baptized,WOW , Hooray for miracles!

So Halloween Sunday was a blast we had a great dinner with the Aro family, they are the bomb, there just always willing to help us out and do all they can for us. They are so going to the celestial kingdom. Alright then we had a spilt with the Elders Quorum presidency to be more effective because we can cover a lot more ground, but not super because it was Halloween and no one was home. So we met back at the church and didn't have anywhere else to go,so we ate leftover nachos from the day before. We talked and built a greater unity between us and the newest member of the elders quorum presidency Justin Smith .

 Dang ,I'm out of time but I'll write more next week and go into better detail sorry, it's not my fault this week. I had to do a missionary survey that took up all my time. Anyway I love you, I'm safe and I'm fully trusting in God.

I love you all

Love Elder Jason Glowa

P.s

Alright so the first 2 pictures are for mom and the last one is for you daddy in loving memory of all the fun Will Ferrell movie times. The first one is Elder Illu and I ,with our trunk of wonders, the fog had left by then..... sorry mom!

The second one is of Elder Illu and I being awesome as always.

The third one is for my daddy, its of me with "the lone wolf on my back there" "cuz I'm a lone wolf like on my back there". Hope you guys like them.

Elder Illu and I are sacrificing a lot ,so that we can stay focused on the work and the Lord

     WEEK 53 ... Reedley, California

Hola everyone!

 

This is Elder Glowa reporting form still beautiful and sunny Reedley California!

This week we had our zone meeting. There we came up with the zone sacrifice to not listen to music in the coming month so that we can reach our personal goals for the month (ours is 7) and our zone goal of 31 baptisms. This has not been done before in our mission, we are truly trying to call down the powers of Heaven. I know that as we sacrifice we will see our Father's hand in his work. I want to ask you guys at home to be praying for our goal of 12 baptisms by the end of the year in every prayer so we can rally our faith together and call down miracles.

 

All right to achieve our goal of baptisms Elder Illu and I are sacrificing a lot ,so that we can stay focused on the work and the Lord. So that we can receive the blessings that we need to baptize that 12 by the end of the year. We are sacrificing music, we are not listening to it and are focusing our minds and conversations on the Saviour and the gospel and our investigators. We are also not buying or eating fast food, and finally we are not I repeat not writing anyone but family during the month of November. We are not reading anything but family stuff and so we can really be focused so tell everyone this and that if I don't write them back for the next month it's not because I don't love them its because we really need to pull out all the stops to get our goal .We are leaving behind the very hardest and closest things to us and pressing forward for the good of the Lord and his children.

 

During our trainer/trainee meeting with president , we learned about communication and about how to be better missionaries. It is amazing to receive council from our mission president, he is truly inspired for God and I know that we are more blessed then we can imagine in this mission because of him.  

 All right so this week had its ups and downs but we are doing amazing we are going to have our first baptism this weekend, and would you believe that it's going to be in Arizona. We are doing everything here and because Robbie's (our amazing investigator) family is in Arizona they are going there so that his brother can baptize him. He is one of our baptisms ,the service is just in a different state. It is really great! That will be the first of the 12 and the miracles will keep on coming!

 

This week has been a real blur, I really understand what missionaries mean when they say how fast time fly after your year mark, its crazy I feel like I just wrote you guys yesterday. So last Tuesday we had the opportunity to teach one of my favourite investigators that we have, David and Cassandra. They are amazing, we have been teaching them about the plan of salvation and they are eating it up. We saw a great miracle with that lesson when we gave Cassandra the book of Mormon to read. She read the verse and then could not put the book down, it was amazing. She expressed that she had not been able to pick up a book for 4 months because nothing caught her interest. But when she picked up the book of Mormon she said that she was really interested and takes that as a sign from God, that she had the interest to read this book . I saw in that moment the true and awesome power that the Book of Mormon has, we need to use it more then anything as we teach and testify of our Church and of Jesus Christ because that is how people will know that it is true ( our message).

 

On Wednesday we didn't see to many people but we were able that night to see one of our other investigators Randy, he is awesome. He has been investigating the church since June and comes every week to church we have to wait to get permission from President to baptize him. He is a really humble man and loves the gospel with all his heart. I cannot believe the love and the truth that I can feel when someone who is not a member of the church tells me how he knows that it is true. Its is such a testimony builder and such a strength to my testimony of the truthfulness of this work and the power that is in the truth.

 

 One last investigator what we have that I want to mention . His name is Ivan and he is awesome, he knows that all we are saying is true and that what he is listening to the truth. We are so excited for him, he is going to be baptized on the 6th of November, he always tries his best in everything we ask him to do and loves the gospel, his family and our Heavenly Father.

 

I am so privileged and blessed to be in this area and to see all that I do. There are more miracles that lay in wait and I am so excited for them. Its time to sacrifice, and I know it will be hard but it will be worth it.

 

HORRAY FOR ISREAL!

 

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

 

 

Elder Glowa hit the half way mark on OCTOBER 14th

Hola everyone

 

This is Elder Jason Glowa checking in. Everything is going great here in Reedley we are seeing so many blessings and are truly seeing miracles left right and centre. Elder Illu and I have been kicking it into overdrive here and are doing amazing!

 Alright so as you all know we here in the miracle metropolitan of Reedley have the goal to get 12 baptisms before the end of December. So we have been working harder and harder and harder every single day. It's amazing I thought I was working hard before but it turns out I still have more.It's amazing we com home and literally want to collapse into bed, but can't because there's still more to do. Even though that sounds like we are working really hard we can still do more, I'm so excited I've never been so happy and so tired in my life.

 

So this week we have been blessed to see 3 of our investigators accept the invitation to be baptized. So we now have 6 people so far preparing to be baptized in November! We have been blessed with so many great investigators.

 

Ivan,Amy, Roman Garcia , Santiago Aguayo, Yesena and Cassandra are the amazing people who have been prepared and have committed to be baptized. I really wish I had time to explain them all to you but I will do that next week, please remind me because as my mission has progressed I have been worse and worse at remembering anything but Spanish and stuff about the gospel. So please remind me about that.

 

I really want to tell you everything that has been going on I really want you to know its annoying that I have this desire to write fast but these huge fingers that hit like 5 keys at a time when I try and write you so yea, I wish I could write more and fast but I guess that will come after this life when I have my awesome celestial fingers! 

 

I know that this email is really vague and not to much filled with my day to day but it will come next week because I have to go, we have to much to do and literal no time to do it.

 

I will make up for it next week I promise.

 

I love you guys so much and thank you for your love and patience.

 

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

One Year already on Thursday October 14th 2010.

Hola Everyone!

All right bad new I can only write for like 10 mins so it's going to be a short one, sorry about that but I'll write more next week. The reason being for my short email is that we only have 30 mins to write because its Tuesday and yesterday was Columbus day so libraries were closed. Anyway my new companion is Elder Illu! I still can't believe I'm training a brand new missionary, more importantly one that met Anziano Glowa in the MTC! It was super funny and to make life weirder he was born the same day as Ben July 30,1991. That's right, isn't that cool how that Lord prepares a way for all things.

 

My new companion is so amazing he is super in-tune with the spirit and we are going to have a ton of success. I'm so excited and he is also, he is a lot like me and Ben it is so awesome! We get along so well, he's like my brother and we are going to baptize all of Reedley, our goal is to have 12 baptisms in our area by the end of December so we have 2 and a half months to do it, the Lord is behind us on this goal and we are continuing to seek guidance and revelation from the Lord on how we can be better to reach our goal and so we can help others come unto Christ!

 

So I got my companion last Thursday and we arrived back in our area at about 5 right in time for our DA. So the last part of the week has been running around and trying to get people to come to church and we were able to see almost all our solid investigators. We saw a great miracle and had 4 people at church, it was awesome. I'm so happy, I wish I could share more with you but we have to get going so I know that this is really not much to wet your appetite for my mission but just hold on for another week and I'll jam pack the next one with everything!

 

I love you all, stay safe!

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

P.S.

The pictures are for me and my new companion!

 

P.p..s

The Ayers family gave us Canadian Thanksgiving diner so I got one this year, hurray for Canada!