WEEK 36  ( 9 months !!!!)  from COALINGA , CALIFORNIA

Hola Everyone,

 

So this week we were able to help out the ward with baptisms in the Temple, and it was awesome. It was a great time but I wish we could have been out working. The ward I'm in now doesn't have that many people or priesthood. It's about the size of a larger branch. Anyway most of the ward members have been here on and off because summer vacation just started up so everyone's going on vacation and what not.

Man, being a missionary is great you are so detached from the world it's amazing. This is true freedom. I finally realized that this is true joy and freedom. I don't have to care about anything other then the eternal welfare of my investigators! Its amazing and I am so glad for this great experience, I am growing so much and what is even greater is that I'm able to see the progression of people to eternal life.I have seen the greatest miracles that Heavenly Father can give, which is that change of heart. As we listen to the spirit and do all we can to progress He changes our heart for us and makes it better. He does this because it will make us happy. I'm so glad for the opportunity to see this change of heart in people.

This week we were able to commit two of our Heavenly Father's children to baptism. It is an older couple that we are working with, the Ramirez family. They are so amazing and are some of the sweetest and most kinda people I have ever met. It is such a great blessing to know them and have them in my life. My companion Elder Eagar is really great, he has been on his mission for about 20 months so he knows how to be quietly dignified and has that great experience that keeps making me better. I need to be better, I know that I'm a good missionary but I still have so much to learn .I wish that I could just stop time and learn how to be a perfect missionary then keep going and do the very best I can.

I know that the Lord puts us where we can do the most good so even though I'm learning I know that I'll learn the most here and be the best I can for the people and my companion. Everything is going great and I can't wait to see the great miracles that will happen this week. Alright, that's all for this week, hope that I can hear from you next week.

 

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

P.s.

(For DAD)

HAPPY FATHERS DAY! I'm saying is now because next email you get will be after it so ill write it again then but till then. HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

          WEEK 35 ..... First week in COALINGA 

Hola From my new area COALINGA!

 

Ok so this area is really cool, its an older ward so there's not to many middle age people, just kids and parents and 5 younger couples. It's really awsome the members are so nice. It's another small town, it kinda reminds me a little of Vulcan, Alberta. It's out in farm country. It's awsome to get here you just go past the middle of nowhere and then keep going and you find the sweet little town of Coalinga. We also cover 3 outlining towns called Avenel, Huron, and Kellington city. We don't really have to much time to get to the out to thoughs towns to much because we have alot of work here in Coalinga.

We have a bunch of investigators here and its really amazing. There is one family, the Ramirez family, they are coming to church and we are going to commit them to baptism tonight for the 26th of June! I'm really excited because this area is amazing. I can't wait to see what blessings unfold from Heavenly Father this week.

My new companion is of course a district leader that's the 5th companion in a row. It's funny because Elder Larsen, my old companion was released as district leader to become a trainer so of course I had to get moved. My new companion's name is Elder Eagar. He is a really good missionary, he is really humble and has alot of love for the area, people and for the work. We get along very well and all is going great, this is going to be a great transfer I can feel it.

So fun fact about Coalinga is that it's the hottest place in the mission. So hooray, its going to be like biking into an oven pretty soon. Good thing though because I'll just sweat out all of the fat and as long as I eat well I'll shed some major pounds.

This last Saturday I was able to go to the Temple and better yet we went with a recently reactivated family and got to see them get sealed for time and all eternity.

It was one of the greatest things I have ever seen and I am so grateful for the chance that I have to be able to do that someday, as we live the commandments and do all the things we need to, that is when we can enjoy true and everlasting happiness.

So if that wasn't cool enough it turns out that Madera 3rd ward had there temple trip that day! So I got to see the first ward I served in at the Temple! It was awesome and even better one of my recent converts was there! It was great to see the Gospel bless the lives of the people I knew and worked with, and they even remembered me :D so it was great they all said they missed me a ton and that they wanted me to come back to Madera.

That would be way cool and I know that the Lord will send me back one day. But right now I found out my MTC companion, Elder Kirk is now serving in Madera! Its awesome, man I'm so glad that I am here on a mission, there is nothing better that I could be doing right now. There are so many blessings that I have seen and I know that I will never be able to deny the truthfulness of this church. I know I have said it before but I declare with Job " I know that my Redeemer liveth". I'm so grateful for the great opportunity I have to serve, and I can't wait for the miracles this week.

Thank you for all that you do and for all the prayers and love. That's going to do it for me this week, till next time you stay classy Montreal.

 

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

                    WEEK 34 .... He's going to COALINGA

Hola Everybody!

 

Ok Mom and dad you really have to save my email or something because it's a major bummer every time I come to the computer and there is no email from you. Ok  I'm sure Vava is nagging like crazy so tell her that Elder Glowa says hi and he loves her and that he is safe almost.........some of the time. Haven't goten stabbed yet but I'm planning on coming home with some sort of stab scar or bullet hole so be prepared to see me with something new or missing something. Now that your all freaked out right now know that, that statement is just a joke. LOL!

Alright  this was the last week of the transfer and Elder Larsen and I really gave it all we got to finish it off right so we did all we could and saw a bunch of miracles! First at the beginning of every month we council with Heavenly Father about what our goals will be for the month coming and then we work towards that. With the work and faith of the missionaries and members combined we were able to have all of our goals reached or surpassed. This is the first time that it has happened to me on my mission and I am so happy right now. We were able to set 3 baptism dates last week projected to be baptized in the month of June.  And last week we had a BAPTISM!!!!!!! Isaac got baptized and it was one of the greatest experiences of my mission. To see that change of heart happen to someone as they learn and grow and come unto Christ. Hoary for the Spirit, it is the really worker, we just do the best we can and sit there while the spirit takes our message to the hearts of the investigators. 

The dream team (Me and Elder Larsen) were able to see all these miracles because of the great love and mercy from our Heavenly Father. So we got transfer calls this Saturday that just passed and well you guessed it, there breaking up the dream team. I"m headed out of Lindsay and going to a place called Coalinga. Elder Larsen is staying here in Lindsay and is going to be training a brand new fresh from the MTC missionary. Would you guess it, my next companion is another District leader. I have been a companion to a district leader every transfer of my mission, even in the MTC. I think president wants to keep an eye on me, which is why he's doing this :P. Just messing, I know that it is all inspired of the Lord for me to become better and there is someone in Coalinga for me to go find and teach because the great thing about the Lord , He always puts us were we will do the most good and learn the most and with a companion who we can learn and teach the most.

Everything is for our benefit and so I'm excited to see what adventures lay in wait for me. It's really sad leaving an area because you really come to love the people like your own family. Its really cool to see this change in me. I see the people as my brothers and sisters, I mean I know it's true and everything but its different now, I honestly care about there salvation and I'm sad when we get turned down to teach. I know that everything is a process and one day they may accept the gospel, but still. I honestly feel for these people and I have been here for 3 months so its hard to say good bye. But just like the song says we must press forward with steadfast faith in Christ, the Scripture that corresponds to that part is 2 Nephi 31:20. Look it up its one of my favourites.

Al-rightly well that's it for this week, next week I will probably write you on Monday because in Coalinga I think the library is open on Mondays. So be ready to write me Sunday night next week.

 

I love you and thank you for everything.

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

P.s.

You stay classy Montreal.

WEEK 33 ......... Lindsay ,California

¡Hola Familia!

 

How is everyone doing? I'm doing great. Ok so that mom doesn't go crazy with anticipation I'll answer questions first this week. Alright so first off , yup I got three presents that you sent me I got the sweet multi gym which I am using and am going to get really ripped. I got the CD's which are awesome, that you so much for that it is so amazing to have up lifting and really great music.

I got the one with my sweet jaguar head that i have been using to hold my pens and highlights so the mouth is full of stuff. Thank you for all the presents especially the socks and bathing stuff. Now I don't have to buy it. YES! I love gifts i can use, and ¡thank you so much for the Spiderman piñada!

I'm going to break it with the Ashcraft kids on Wednesday (Our ward mission leader). Ummm I haven't goten any dear Elders yet so yea I have no idea being in the south of the mission we don't really get packages to often. Hope it's not food :P I'm sure ill get it next week or something like that.

Mom you would be so proud of me I got in some really amazing pictures for my birthday so yes I'm taking alot of great pictures and I'll send the new ones and ones you didn't get in a CD really soon.

For my Birthday we had our presents interviews and so that was nice and we taught our golden investigator and also we had an amazing lesson with the Mcgill family. They are amazing the dad isn't doing to well and is in the part of his life where he wants spiritual guidance and so he had us over. We gave him a blessing after teaching the restoration and I know that he will make a full recovery he just needs to have faith and patience. We finished off with Dinner at the Mora family's house and it was really fun we had my favourite, which is ¡carne asada and 3 leche cake! Amazing. The best part was that the cake was miss spelled because the cake people obviously can't spell. So it read Happy Birthalay Elda Glowa! It was awsomebroso and yes I took a picture. It was a great day and our week was awesome too.

We are completely on track to meet all of our month goals so it's really exciting to see the Lord's blessings unfold in front of my eyes. Ok but the best part about being 20 is that the first thing I did as a woke up was had to barf so I prayed and then barfed. It was amazing I had been joking all week that my life was over and that i was going to be so old and so i wake up and I figure my fortunes came true. It was funny, I was only sick for like a hour or so the rest of the day was great.

Umm other then that I think that's about it for updates, we have Isaac who is going to get baptized for this Saturday and we are super excited. I am so happy! The only sad thing is that transfer calls are this week and I don't know what's going to happen, what ever it is its in the Lord's hands and I'll do whatever he needs me to do. I am so grateful for everything, the mission is something that has changed me, I have been looking back a little at who I used to be and I realize that I'm not that person anymore. Sure I still am me but I'm a better me. Life is good, and there's really nothing more to say so I'll email you next week and thank you all so much for your love and support.

 

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

P.s.

Tell Brigitte that I love her and for all her letters and support. ¡She is amazing!

 

P.P.S

Ok so I forgot one thing and we did it yesterday so I can't believe that I forgot but here in the valley there are a lot of nature hikes and stuff that Dad would really love and we went on one yesterday. We went to the Sequoias national park and it was amazing, I took alot of pictures and I have developed a love for the outside and doing this nature stuff. So dad not to get you over excited or anything but expect alot of fun when we come and visit my old areas because there's gonna be some hiking and stuff, plus we are doing to do it tons more in the coming years. So don't get to excited but except fun and adventure!

WEEK 32 ........ LINDSAY, CALIFORNIA

Hola!

 

Ok so first off, thank you so much for the birthday wishes! It's hard to believe that I'm going to be20 in 3 days ,where does the time go?

And second off BEN'S GOING TO ITALY!!!!!! Honestly that has made my day, I'm so glad he got his mission call and I know that he is going to do awesome work there. Miracles are something that can be seen in any mission.

I have 2 miracle stories that I want to share today in the spirit of missionary awesomeness. Ok so the first person is Isaac and he is the definition of Golden. We took him on a church tour and he is going to be baptized the 28th of May! We are so blessed to have this miracle in our area and we know that we really had nothing to do with it. We followed the Spirit and it really is the only thing that converts people and changes there hearts.

The second story just happened today. As we were going to district meeting today we got a call from one of the members asking us what we were up to. As we were talking she told us that one of her friends had Cancer, a and that he was looking for spiritual enlightenment, and specifically asked for the LDS missionaries. So not only are we going to teach him but his whole family wants to learn and grow with this as well. We are setting up a time to meet with the whole family and I know that this is so amazing! The Lord is literally placing people in our path because we are doing all that we need to. He is blessing us with all that he can. Our unity and area is on fire! I love it, we are going to work harder then we have ever worked before. There is something about Miracles that makes you want to be better to receive more. And Miracles happen like this because this is the Lords work, the only thing that is done by missionaries is that we go out and try and be 100 percent obedient and teach with the spirit and when all is said and done, the work moves forward and the Lord blesses us.

It is only through him that all this comes to pass. In reality missionaries do very little, sure the stuff we do maybe hard at times but there is a great tendency to boast about ones own skills and that pride is what takes away the blessing of Heaven that we need so badly. I am often reminded of the account of Ammon when he boasts of his God and I know that it is true all things can be done with Him, we have to let Him work through us. I feel really strongly about bearing my testimony to you to I declare with Job "I know that my redeemer liveth!" It's true, I cannot deny it, I am a witness of Him, sent forth to show the people in Lindsay that he lives.

Like wise Ben will soon be set apart and the mantle will be placed on him also, we are His witnesses and His light shines through us. There is nothing more to say other then thank you mom and dad for raising us in truth, because of your righteous concealing with our Father in Heaven ,Ben and I have been able to grow up strong and true. Thank you for everything. I love you with all my heart.

 

Thank you for your prayers and love.

Love Elder Jason Glowa

 

 

P.S. I have taken more pictures I guess it couldn't hold more then that . I'll make a CD of my newer pictures and send though to you.  I haven't goten the packages yet, I may get them on my birthday because that's when we have presidents interviews. Let me  were Kameron goes on his mission !!!

        WEEK 31 ..... LINDSAY , CALIFORNIA

Hola Everyone!

 

It was great to talk to you on Sunday, I am so blessed to have a family that really loves and cares about me. Thank you so much for all that you do.

I learned this week how to fix my bike basically from top to bottom ,so all I have to do is buy the tools and no more service charge for stuff I can just do on my own.

I love this work so much! There is just something about this work that fills me with so much joy. I can't believe that 7 months has already gone by. I have no idea where time goes but if I did I think I would want some back. There is such a great joy and spirit that comes from the work. More then anything in my mission I have come to understand not to work with your head but your heart.

You can know how to teach and be full of doctrine but if you can't feel out the spirit then the work cannot move forward completely.

I am so grateful for the Lord, I am truly feeling the power of prayer. I am gaining a great testimony of it. As Elder Larsen and I have visited with members and committed them to pray for our one baptism this month we have seen none stop miracles. We are going to commit one of our investigators to baptism tomorrow for the 28th. The Lord's hand works with all that we do we have seen many new investigators and people be open and want to learn more and more as we go through and talk to everyone. We have to work and work and work and that is how we show our faith. We show are faith by how hard we work and the diligence that we have drives us forward. Everything is going great and the Lord is with me and Elder Larsen we are very united and are heeding all that councils that we need.

We must all be the best we can be, for Him, for ourselves but more importantly the people. Sorry I have to cut the e-mail short this week I really don't have much time on the computer, but I'll write more next week, plus I kinda already said everything in my call. I love you all and thank you very much for your prayers and obedience.

          Write me the second Ben gets his call!

 I love you all!

Love Elder Jason Glowa

WEEK 30 ..... Lindsay , California

Hola Familia!
These two pictures that I'm sending are of me and Elder Larsen.  The tie is actually two ties that I
tied together and I actually figured out how to make one knot out of it so its my Double Decker Windsor!

Alright mom so the moment you have been waiting for, my phone call will be between 2 and 3 o'clock here,
so since you're in the future it's probably going to be around 5 or 6.

Now remember I only have 40 mins no more. So if I go over I could get my call privileges taken away. So basically keep vava
at bay and only let her get 3 mins and life will be good. So that covers your call info. I will be calling from the mission phone
so when I call we can talk right away.

As for pictures your going to have to wait and see what comes. I dunno about it though.

Umm lets see this week we had an amazing week the Lord blessed us so much he has given us 5 new investigators and this month we have the goal to
baptize one person. I know that it may not seem like alot and I know that the Lord can do all things but we haven't seen a baptism in
Lindsay in the past 2 months and so we have set our focus as this. We are going around to the members and asking them to pray for this baptism so that together the ward and missionaries can own this goal, this is our goal and we will get it.

We must reach out to all so that even the one can be affected.

Some may baptize a ton but the fact is, we worry about the one so that we can bring them home.
That is something that I have been blessed to learn, the significance of the one. That may be just a number to alot of people but reading D&C
15:6 I feel it is much more.  It's not just a number it represents our brother or sister, one of our Heavenly Fathers children that we can bring home. It matters to that

one individual and if that is the only effect I have as on my mission then that is all that is I needed to feel successful. I'm not saying not to work hard, you work your tail off
and when heavenly father blesses you with that one person, the joy is so great it is amazing, I can't even begin to imagine how happy our
Heavenly Father is but I can feel some of that joy as I can help them feel the spirit and follow the path way home. That quote from a
knights tale really hits home because its true . "Father how will i know that way home?"
"Don't worry just follow your feet. " We are helping them remember what they already know and I am loving
every minute of it. This is the way home in more ways then one. I really understand what Alma meant when he said "oh that I were and
angel and could cry repentance unto the whole earth" I can't cry unto the whole earth but i have Lindsay and thats a start.
I am so grateful to you for all that you have thought me and for the love I am still able to feel from back home. Thank you for everything
and I can't wait to talk to you on Sunday!

I'll talk to you very soon
Love Elder Jason Glowa

P.S
Sorry for the rant, but I can't help it i still have liberal arts in me
plus mom and dad so I get really caught up in what I'm doing :P

P.P.S
happy birthday Grandma!!! and have a happy anniversary grandma and grandpa!

P.P.P.S
and happy birthday pres. Kaufman and Elder Jono, and Chris and  M.J. and Auntie
Nat again and everyone else!