On my mission I have really understood what it means to put your shoulder to the wheel.

WEEK 67 ....... TULARE , CALIFORNIA

Hola Beautiful Winterlogged Montreal,

 

This is Elder Jason Glowa reporting from beautiful sunny Tulare California! (sorry mom I just had to let you know that its prefect missionary short sleeve bike weather.) So this week was transfers and I now have my brand new companion Elder Jolley. He is really a great missionary, we are having alot of fun and really working hard.  He is from Texas.... Well actually all over because his dad is in the military but yea, he is a great person and we have alot in common. I can tell this transfer is going to be a good one.

 

Soo, from you message I read that Hamish is home, first off I want you to tell him that he owes me a letter and punk and second...........What the heck I can't believe it. That means everyone I saw leave is now home. I hate time, it just sucks away until you have none left, that's why I have to make every second count.  I can't believe it, just everytime I think that my best friends are at home it seems really weird to me, just wow, I can't even think right now.

 

Man I have no idea what's wrong with me today but I cannot think straight, anyway. So mission life is great as always. Oh that reminds me I got a letter for uncle Timmy yesterday. Tell him I say thank you he is awesome. I remember all the stuff we used to do, for some reason I keep remembering the video that  Kam, Alex, Ben, Jon, Cody,Jordan, uncle Timmy and I did. It was about some loser kid trying to be cool, it was awesome. I tell all my companions about it. Ha good times. 

 

We had the funniest thing happen to us the other day, well two really funny experiences. Alright so the first one was we were in an assisted living place.....(by the way you guys are never going to live there, they are not cool so yea don't worry Ben and I will take care of you guys) So we walk in to see one of the members that we have living there and this old man is just hanging out in his wheelchair and just saying hey over and over again. We didn't think anything of it, until we started walking near him and the pasted him he saw us and piped up saying "hey" alittle louder and so we looked at him and he went. Hey........hey.........hey.........hey........hey.........help............help.........help........me.........me................. Needless to say it was really weird and we didn't know what to do so we just kept going. It was kinda funny looking back on it but weird when it was happening.

 

The second experience is we were biking and some guy flagged us down and says "I'm a catholic and I don't need religion" so we start leaving thinking that he was just wanting waste our time. Then he says " I love Brigham Young" and we perked up and he paused and says "university that is...... great basketball team". So we laughed a bit with him then went on our way.

 

On my mission I have really understood what it means to put your shoulder to the wheel. We have been doing that alot with Church tours and with helping our investigators. Especially Nick and A.J. (They have baptismal dates for the 27th of Feb.) They are doing great the only thing that is holding them back is the same hold up most people have which is coming to church. I have no idea what it is but that is like that hardest thing to get people to do. Anyway they are great kids and are on track for baptism. I'm so excited I have missionary work. I see members sacrifice to help and investigators do all they can to get the truth it really builds my testimony of these things. This church is true there is no doubt because if it wasn't true there would be no way that anyone would sacrifice for it. This is true, I have not given myself to a lie, I know that to be true and I am so grateful that I can testify of the everyday.

 

Thank you guys so much for everything. I have to get going but I want you to know that I love you all very much. It is because of you mom and dad that I am here and because of your example and willingness to serve that we will live together eternally. Thank you for starting the fire in me, because you started it in me, I can start it in others and we will all be happy someday together forever.

 

I love you very much and thank you for everything.

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

  

P.s.

Can you send me Kameron's mission address because I need to write him and Thiago! Thanks a million!

 

p.p.s

Merr still hasn't written me can you ask her what the deal is?

I'M STAYING! But sadly Elder Pipit is leaving he is going up north and I remain as king of the South

Week 66 .... Tulare, Califorina

Hello everyone,

So Ben wrote me and told me he had his first baptism, leave it to Ben to get a baptism in one of the hardest baptizing areas in the world. That kid, I miss him sometimes, its kinda funny because with companions you talk a lot about your home life and your families and by doing that I realize that I have amazing stories. Especially stories with Ben and the guys and I. 

Oh yea Pat came home, that bum he still hasn't written me back.
Oh well I know he is doing awesome, hope he is adjusting well. I still can't believe it, its like yesterday that I saw Jono leaving on his mission, and now Patrick is home from his. Life is going way to fast because its already February. I still can't believe how much time flies its insane I wish I could slow time down, yea that would be cool then I could baptize like I was in the matrix all slow-mo and awesome !!!! LOL!!
Alright well that was really random, I can't believe I still have such random thoughts from time to time. Well it just prove that I'm still me. I've grown up a least a little, if not in waist size then mind and spiritually also. 

All right so we got transfer calls this past Saturday and well.........I'M STAYING! But sadly Elder Pipit is leaving he is going up north and I remain as king of the South.March 10th I'll have been in the south of the mission a whole year. Yea that's right march 10th is when I first went to Lindsay.I've planed to do an exchange with the Lindsay Elders that day. It's an awesome coincidence. So I'm still here in Tulare 2nd ward. I'm still the district leader, my new companion has been out I think like 6 months or something, his name is Elder Jolly.

 

I'm excited to stay but sad because Elder Pipit is leaving. Oh and something else really crazy, so if you all remember My Elder Illu (the elder I trained) Well he is coming down from Turloc to be in the Tulare first ward. So I'm pretty much going to get to see him all the time and I'm going to get to go on an exchange with him! I'm so excited for that, in fact I get to see him tomorrow!

 

There is always good and bad with transfers. I have really learned to role with the punches of transfer and get to what's really important,which is that we are all here doing the Lords work. So we have an amazing ward here and are getting a new assistant ward mission leader Brother Lemons. (the man who baptized James.) We are shaping up to have 2 baptisms by the end of the month. My district is doing really well we have seen non stop miracles, as we have done everything that we need to. We are seeing baptisms left right and centre. I have to do a lot of interviews which isn't a bad thing...... it's an awesome thing.

 

So life is going great I don't know if I told you but it's A.J., Nick and Miguel with the baptismal dates for the end of the month.I'm pretty sure that I've talked about them but if I haven't please tell me so I can give you the info. In short life is good and I'm so grateful to be a missionary. I know that God lives and loves us, this is his church and we are called to be the light in the dark.

 

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

p.s

 

One last thing, just to answer some question I remembered The Blakmores wrote me so please send me there address so I can write them back tell them thank you for me. I write to Ben regularly and so its awesome, I love writing him it's a lot of fun. Yea..... I pretty much don't get mail I like to call the mailbox the box of disappointment because I've been told things will come but they never do. Anyways not complaining just saying. I LOVE YOU ALL ANYWAYS!

We are an INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT!

          Week 65 .... Tulare, California

Hey Everyone,

So this is Elder Jason Glowa just checking in from Tulare California. So we just had our last district meeting before transfers. Its hard to believe that on Saturday I find out what is going to happen to me for the next 6 weeks. You think after a year I would be used to this sort of stuff but nope, I still get antsy for transfer calls. I always wonder what's going to happen. I think that our district is pretty much going to stay the same. My district is really awesome, it's a weird one because we are pretty much the only district in the mission with everyone from a different country. I Elder Glowa am from Canada, Elder Pipit my companion is from the Philippines, Elder Oliveira is from Brazil, Elder Nelson is from America(Utah), Elder Rodriguez is from Mexico and Elder Martinez is from El Salvador. So thus we get the INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT!

We saw a great miracle on Sunday and we had a BAPTISM! For a man named James Herrera. He is blackanese (half black, half Japanese) It was a great service not to many people were there but it was a really powerful one. The spirit was there and it was just a great thing. I can't believe the great love and power that comes from the spirit, baptisms are so amazing, I can't begin to describe the great joy and peace that comes from witnessing our brothers and sisters make covenants with God. James is a really great and unique person, he has mild down syndrome but has a strong faith in Christ and desire to follow him.

 

I'm sorry, I'm really spacey today. Ever since I became a missionary its just a swirl of ideas and impressions and thoughts are always coming to my mind its awesome but kinda hard to maintain focus all the time. Especially in emailing, thats probably why I'm so bad at them because I just can't seem to keep up my train of thought.

 

Anyways, my area is amazing, we are in the last week of the transfer and I only have 1 more exchange to do this week and then I'm done. Our area has great members that are really fun and love to do missionary work. We can always rely on them to help where they can and we are seeing so many blessings as we move forward. We are now teaching 2 boys in a part member family named Nick and A.J. Miguel. They are awesome. They're really fun to teach and they really want to get baptized. I look at them (they're 11 and 12) and I think of how I was at the age and how I felt about the gospel. Its funny,I don't think I ever really took it seriously at that age but these guys pray and read and they will be coming to church soon enough.

 

Its been a really great transfer. I have learned alot and am excited to see what will happen next transfer, personally I think I'm going to stay here in Tulare for another 6 weeks. But who knows, what ever happens the Lord is above all and as I trust in Him all will turn out alright.

 

Well, my time is running out I'm glad that you (my parents) are still amazing and funny like I remember you guys. From the pictures I remember all the fun times we had especially the ones of Courtney and Bunny. I remember how much we made that dog suffer. Throwing her in the snow and in the pool LOL!!  I remember all the joke and laughs and the hard and sad time also (I don't really remember to many of those ) But they are all there and I am grateful for you my parents for all you love and laughs and sacrifices and steadfastness in the Lord. I love you all as well as my family ward back home. Tell everyone I say hi when you go and bare your testimonies this Sunday, tell them I love and miss them and that I wouldn't be who I am without them. To all who read my blog who ever you are I want you to know that you are loved and that you have played a great big part in my life.

 

I love you all and thank you for everything

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

 

p.s

 

Oh one last note I was talking to Elder Hawes one of my zone leaders and he opened an area called Groveland. It's basically like the sequoia area. As we were talk I though about my beloved Sequoia area and how amazing it would be to be able to serve there just in that area and open it before I leave. I think that would be super fun. Even though it probably won't happen the idea still rocks! GO SEQUOIAS!

 

 

Loving to serve in Tulare !

Week 64 ....Tulare, California

          Hola everyone,

Alright so today we had a zone meeting and president interviews and they went really long. It's 3:30 here and we have an appointment in 30 mins so I have to keep it short this week, but I'll make up for it next week I promise.

 

We had a really good week this week. We saw alot of miracles and we are going to be having a baptism this coming up Sunday. We are really excited.  His name is James Herrera and he is living with a member family here in Tulare. He has mild down syndrome but has a great desire to follow Jesus Christ, he really wants to be baptized and loves to learn about Jesus. He is one of the coolest people I know.

 

Tulare is a great place by the way, I still think about good old Reedley/Sequoia every now and again and all the people there that I served around and with. The mission is a very great thing. I have been having alot of great experiences as a district leader and feel a great responsibility. Its hard at times, but most of the time its great fun getting to seeing not only my area but all the districts areas progressing.

 

Oh one last note we played football as a zone yesterday and I dominated, I still haven't lost my talent at the game so I'm excited to see what I can do once I started training for it.

 

I have to end my email here because we have to go. I'm sorry for the shortness but know that its for a greater purpose and that I love you all very much. I never knew how much I could really love until I came on my mission and learned to be able to love every person on the street simply because we are all children of God and have a divine destiny.

 

I Love you all

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa