I'm sick today and I can't really look at a computer screen

Week 71...... Tulare, California

Hello Family,

So yea I'm really sorry because I can't write as well as I normally do.I'm sick today and I can't really look at a computer screen so this is going to be my email this week. We are doing well minus my cold. Lots of great things happening. When I feel better which will be by next email I will right a true blue epistle. But until then I'm sorry I love you and dad very much and I am forever grateful for all you have done for me.

I wish I would have taken the church more serious in my youth,

WEEK 70 ..... Tulare , California

Hey everybody,

 

So I don't have to much time to write today because I have to get to work, but everything is going great. I love being a missionary, there is nothing more fulfilling and great and happy and peaceful. I love this life and I could live like this forever. That's probably why they give us a time limit because no one wants to leave so they force us to. I wish I would have taken the church more serious in my youth, man the kids who are born into the church or even into a gospel setting don't know how good they have it. I have seen so many things on my mission. Just the different walks of life people have taken and where it leads them. I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have had to learn and grow with people. In reality that's what it all is, is that we all come together and learn and grow.

 

Not to much happened this week other then Monday, we had a zone activity, we played football and the whole zone bought shirts so we have amazing shirts and pictures to which I will send copies home......someday. This week I'm going to get to go on an exchange in Lindsay on the 10th which is the first day I got their last year. So it's really amazing. I have been in the south of the mission for a whole year! That's right people will have to start calling me King of the South! Not really but I think it would be funny.

 

We are really focused on finding new investigators and trying to help other come unto Christ through that, so we are doing all we can and I know that the Lord will bless us. I am so grateful for you guys my parents and for all you have done for me. On my mission I have been able to really know that my redeemer lives and that he loves me. This is a great time and I have to get to work, to help my brothers and sisters come home.

 

I love you guys a lot

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

P.s.

Peace, Love, and Temple Marriage. (a quote from one of my zone leaders bishops)

 

p.p.s

I have the packages and everything is great, thank you so much you guys are amazing! Oh and I promise I'll write more next week.

The message we share changes lives, not only has it changed my life but I have seen people be able to accept Christ in there lives.

WEEK 69 ..... Tulare, California

Hey everybody,

 

Alright to start off tell Becca and Bruno congratulations for me that's so awesome! Oh and to Patrick (this it to be quoted to him as I would say it) "WHAT THE HECK, you can't wait like 4 months for one of your best friends to see the wedding." (then follow up with) "Im proud of you though brother, my best wishes and even though I can't be there I'll be there in spirit." So I need you to tell him that for me.

 

To answer some questions before I get into what's going on with me. So I got Merr's letter and I haven't finished the reply. I'm going to be done next week so i'll send it next Monday. As for packages I'll get them on Thursday because my zone leaders have them and that's when I'm going to see them. So I'll finally get my Valentines day package and the flags! So the flag isn't for my companion but another missionary I know it was his birthday and we are good friends so I wanted to give it to him because he is from Minnesota which as we all know is Canada #2 or so I joke with him. Anyway so yea and the other flag is for some awesome people I'm teaching.

 

So I think that answers all your questions alrighty as for whats going on with me. I have some shocking news! President Gonzalez is getting released! His 3 years are up as my mission president July 1st. He is awesome so we are sad to see him go.He and sister Gonzalez have done an amazing job and we love them alot. Our new mission president (yes I know who it is) Is going to be President Larry Gelwix and his wife. He coached the highland rugby team and is the coach in the movie forever strong. (It's not really him but an actor is playing president Gelwix). So yea I'm sad and excited, sad to see President Gonzalez go, but excited for the new adventures ahead. I bet President Gelwix is going to tell us awesome sports analogies! Hurray for sports!

 

Oh yea that's something that I have really learned to love and appreciate, is that opportunity to be outside and have fun. Apart from taking football back up I want to play tennis and basketball and a whole bunch of stuff. I love begin outdoors it's so much fun. Don't get me wrong I love to work hard every single day preaching the gospel but I also love a good Preparation day. Having fun with a bunch of missionaries playing sports and making memories is super fun. I have learned that when you work right as a missionary you really need those preparation days. Oh speaking of preparation days next week we are going to play against our neighbouring zone the Visalia zone in flag football. We are going to dominate! I'll tell you how it goes next week.

 

So to talk about some of the people that I teach for the sake of time I'm going to talk about one couple in particular. Andrew and Maria, they are awesome. I think they are some of the funniest people that I have taught on my mission. Andrew is in web design and really good at it so if anyone back home needs help, like dads company or anything like that he is the man for the job. So I'll get you his email address so you can get in contact with him if anyone needs it. Maria goes to school, and works with kids. The both of them are really funny and love to learn and understand what we are saying. They have such great spirits about them I just love going over and teaching them.

 

Oh that reminds me, they have this friend I met once who is pretty funny too,his name is Hampster. I think he has a real name but I'm not sure what it is. I've been trying to figure out where the name came from too. He doesn't drive a ball or anything but he has a white patch of hair on his chin so it could be that. I've never been to his house so it could be that his room has pellets on the floor, an exercise wheel and a big bottle of drinking water, but I don't know because he lives out of our area. I guess its one of those mysteries of life, I'll have to ask him, maybe if I give him some lettuce he'll tell me. I'm just playing around, Hampster is a great guy from when we were talking with him and what I know he's pretty cool. When we were talking he absorbed all we were talking about quick, he is a fast learned I just wished he lived in my area because then I could actually teach him. But them's the breaks.

 

Life is great, it's so amazing to be a missionary, to run around each day and talk to everyone, I love it. The message we share changes lives, not only has it changed my life but I have seen people be able to accept Christ in there lives. I'm so grateful for this time I have to share the gospel and to really know and understand that these things are true. I know that I'm not prefect and I know that I have weaknesses but I can and will be made strong through Christ. "Whom the Lord calls he qualifies" He as called me to be a missionary and so because of that I will not quit, until the time my tag comes off I will not stop because I have work to do and a loyalty to God to do it. Thank you guys for everything you have given me and for all the support that I have from you guys. It makes things easier here knowing that your alright back home.

 

Tell Vava and vovo I love them very much and that they are always in my prayers, I know that because of them being guided to where they are now and following the spirit. Thank them for everything and tell vovo to hang in there I'll be home soon to baptize him so get him ready so we can be an eternal family all together. I love you all with all my heart.

 

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

 

I am having a great time and I am so grateful for this opportunity to be on a mission.

WEEK 68.......Tulare, California

Hey everyone,

Alrighty so this is Elder Glowa the original Elder Glowa that is. Not saying anything against Ben but I was here first so I'm Elder Glowa sr. or #1 what ever, that's not important!!!! LOL!!! So my week went by really fast and really well. I am having a great time and I am so grateful for this opportunity to be on a mission. Some times I really can't believe I'm here. It's funny, I look back at all the things that have happened on the mission and I truly see the blessings of the Lord.

So right now I'm writing my email for my ever so familiar Lindsay library. I'm on an exchange with Elder Martinez and so I'm back in Lindsay! That's one of the perks of being me and where I am in the mission.

Before I forget something really amazing that I learned this week is how I can know if I'm doing good as a missionary or not. Before I was always looking to others to say I was a good person and even sometimes I would ask if I was a good missionary, but no one can tell me because they don't know all my works or my hearts actions and desires. Only Heavenly Father can do that. As I turn to Him instead of the world I can really find where and how I need to be better. That is truly what it is all about, its about becoming better and really doing all that you can to become who God needs you to be.

Sorry I just wanted to share a little bit of revelation that I got this week. Everything is going well in our area of Tulare it's great. The members love us and we are really focusing on finding people who are looking for the gosple. We have some really solid investigators and we really are doing all we can.

 Elder Jolley and I get along very well and have a lot in common. I can't believe it sometimes, we are really unified it kind of reminds me of when I was with Elder Larsen last year. Except the roles have changed and well I'm older and somewhat a better missionary.

Its weird to know exactly where you were last year at this time. But hey life goes on, I'm excited to the rest of the day as I have the exchange and the chance to be in wonderful Lindsay once again.

Mom and Dad I want you to know that I love my mission with all my heart and that I'm doing very well, everything is good and I am happier then I have ever been. This work is true, I know it with all the energy of my heart and soul I know that it is true.

Mom I want you to do me a favour, can you email the elders who baptized you and tell them thank for me and for you. Just write them and tell them what a great blessing they have been to us, because you are here so am I. When you do if you can send me there address' because I want to write them and personally say thank you.

I have to get going but thank you for everything.

Love Elder Jason A. Glowa

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!