February 3, 2013

Hey everyone!!

How are you all doing? I'm doing good. It is super warm here. My arms are already tan. Ha Ha - jk. Now I realized that when they told me to bring an umbrella it wasn't just to use in the rain. It is to use for shade from the sun. I'm wondering how hot it is going to get in the summer. I'm serving in Baliwag right now. Our lessons have been going good, but it is still super hard because I can't say what I want to say. The first time we taught this older couple then I didn't say much of anything. They knew I was new and I didn't really know the language. And then the second time we taught them I said more. Every time I would start talking the guy would look at me and have this huge smile on his face. You could tell he was just so happy that I could say alittle bit more. Even though my grammar was still not perfect he was so happy.  Ha Ha.  I thought that was the cutest thing. I have already had times where I would try to say something and I would accidentally say some false doctrine haha. My companion would have to hurry and jump in and save me haha. That's super awkward haha. I feel super bad for my companion because I stop and talk to people alot but I don't know how to say anything yet so I get as far as asking them how they are dong and then she has to jump in there and talk about the church and teach them. haha I hope I get better at that soon.

Church here is hard because I don't really understand anything. I just sit there for 3 hours and wait for it to be over. I have a headache at the end of each day haha. I have noticed that alot of things I have done in life like taking singing lessons has prepared me for this mission. I know it sounds stupid but I got here the first Sunday they told me that we sing in the choir with all of the sisters on Sundays. We have sung so many other times to. Also I think because I got used to not having AC in the summer at the house then the constant heat all day and all night isn't so bad.  Ha Ha  I would like to think that God knew it would already be super hard for me to be here that he prepared me for the little things.

I met this guy in the ward. His name is Rowell he and another member helped us teach one day. He kept trying to get me to agree to try Balot. That is a egg that has a chick inside. It makes me sick thinking about it. haha Finally I agreed to try it. He kept saying "You think I will forget to bring some to you and your companion, but I'm not going to haha" After the end of the day when me and my companion were walking home then I told here. " I'm not trying it, I don't care!" haha I hope he doesn't buy some for us. They said it was safe to eat it, but one of the elders said that it might make us sick because our stomachs aren't used to eating that. I haven't tried any weird food yet. I'm scared to haha. I teach in a really poor area, but they are all super nice. They really do take us in and treat us like family.
I'm going to send you some pictures in the mail because I don't want my SD card to get a virus. You should be getting them soon.

Here is my address for those that didn't get it last time

Quezon City North Mission
P.O. Box 1243
Quezon City Central Post Office
Nia Road, Diliman
1100 Quezon City
Philippines

Happy Birthday Bec! Sorry I forgot to tell you last week. I'm sending you and Merlin a Letter\Card for your Birthdays. I'm sending it in one envelope and I'm going to send it to moms..So don't forget to get it from Mom

I better go. Love you all and I miss you tonz!!

Love Sister Orlean Stowell

January 22, 2013

Hey all!!

Today is the day!! I'm super excited to talk to you all! I bought two phone calls so I will call Rob and Carl as well.

This week has been good. We didn't do a lot of studying because this week was just an extra week. Our teachers already went over everything with us last week. This week was just mainly for review.
On Tuesday Jeffery R. Holland came to the MTC and talked to us again. He is an awesome speaker! He really knows how to get his point across. The cool thing was that at the end of his talk then he dedicated a couple of buildings here at the MTC. After he was almost done with his prayer he dedicated all of us as missionaries. That was super cool!

Meeting the Ambassador was good. Him and his wife came on Thursday. President Hinckley's son didn't end up coming. Sad! but oh well. so here is a funny and embarrassing story about the language. When the ambassador and his wife was getting ready to leave then I decided I would say Mahal Kita to them ( it means I love you) I didn't think it would be a big deal because we all say it to everyone everyday. Ha Ha.  Well right when I said it then the ambassadors wife looked at me super weird. I felt like a pile.  Ha Ha.  I wondered what I did wrong. later that day we were all in the cafeteria eating. I overheard someone saying that Mahal Kita means that you love someone romantically.........Ha Ha.  I freaked out when I heard that. I felt even worse of course.  Ha Ha. I told one of the Counselors in our presidency and he started laughing at me! Ha Ha.  Luckily later that day I asked one of our teachers what mahal kita really means haha. She said that It means I love you but its not a proper way to say it. The meaning is not in a romantic way at all...Ha Ha.   I was not a fan of Tagalog that day haha

I'm super nervous to go to the Philippines. A lot of the missionaries left yesterday. And one of my companions. There is just six of us left to leave today. Anyways sorry this is super short I don't have alot of time. I still need to finish packing. I'm super excited to talk to you all tonight! I love you all!

Sister Orlean Stowell

January 15, 2013

Kumusta Pamilya!!

I got my flight plans last Thursday. I leave SLC on Jan 22nd at 8:30pm. I arrive at Los Angeles at 9:35 pm and leave at 12:05 AM. I arrive at Hong Kong at 7:40 AM Jan 24 and leave at 9:05 AM. I will arrive in Manila Philippines Jan 24 at 11:15 am. I will be traveling with most of the missionaries in my district. I'm so happy about that. I didn't want to go alone. Family members are not suppose to meet us at the airport, but we can call when we get to the airport. I will call either when I am at the SLC airport or at the Los Angeles airport. I'm not sure yet but either way you all should be at moms house so I can talk to you all. I bought a calling card with 500 minutes on there but for every call I make It takes around 120 of the minutes for charges. These arrivals and departure times are not in the SLC time zone so its going to be late when I call but make sure you are awake. And all of you are at moms cuz I want to talk to you all. Just make sure you all are their between the times of 8:30pm- 12:00am.

This week is going to be crazy because for some reason our class is being chosen for everything. Ha Ha. Tomorrow the new MTC president is coming to our class to teach us. and on Thursday then The Ambassador of the Philippines is coming and also.....ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?..............PRESIDENT HINCKLEY'S son is coming also!! I'm so excited for that. I'm kinda super nervous to though because we all have to come up with a good question to ask the Ambassador. They told us it was rude if most of us don't ask a question. But here is the nerve racking part. He leads the conversation language...so if he talks in English we can speak English, but if he talks to us in Tagalog then we have to have the conversation in Tagalog...Ha Ha.   should be quite interesting. We are going to have our picture taken so I will send that to you when I get it. All of these visitors are only coming to our class. When the guy came into tell us they were coming then he looks at me and he asked me if I was the girl that got her picture taken in the hair salon. haha He then said " Oh wow that's funny its the same class" then he told us who was coming. He asked all of the elders..." who likes guns" I raised my hand haha then he said " There is going to be cops here with guns so don't make things awkward and ask them what kind of gun they have haha.. that was pretty funny.

The 22nd is coming sooo fast! It so hard to focus on learning the language! President Smith said that usually the week before the missionaries leave they buckle down and learn alot. haha that is not the case for me. It's super hard to focus when I know that in a week I will be leaving the country haha.

I was super excited to email you this week because I actually had something to tell you. It wasn't the same thing every week haha.

Anyways I better go. I love you all! and miss you tonz!

Mahal Kita

Sister Orlean Stowell

January 8, 2013

Wow this week went by super fast!  I guess since my brain is pounded with the language and learning how to teach all day it makes all the days mesh together.  And makes the weeks go by fast.  Ha Ha.  We haven't gotten our travel plans yet.  We should be getting them sometime this week.  It feels so good knowing I only have two weeks left in the MTC.  I love it here, but it will be good to have a change.  Ha Ha.  Elder Choi came and talked to us last Tuesday.  He said that we all need to tell ourselves that we are the most handsome and Beautiful people in the places we are serving and we need to go out in the world like that.  His talk was so good.  It was one of those motivating talks where after you listened to it you feel like you could do anything.  Oh ya, I told you before that Greg Olson came and talked on Christmas.  I don't remember what I all said about that so I will tell you about it again.  He is an artist that paints most of the pictures of Christ.  It was cool because he showed some of his paintings, and told the background of them and why he painted them.  He painted my favorite picture.  The one where the young girl is sitting on Jesus's lap.

The language is still coming super slow.  Ha Ha.  I am getting a little bit bigger vocabulary, but my grammar is pretty bad.  Ha Ha.  I can only imagine what it's going to be like when I get to the Philippines.  Ha Ha.

Mom I got your letter yesterday.  I sent you and Merlin a letter last week.  Did you not get it?  I'll send you another one.  I like to receive both letters and emails.  On my p-days I print out all of my emails so I can have enough time to read them and then I go back and email.

Oh ya, I got up in sacrament meeting on Sunday and bore my testimony.  At first I was going to say it in Tagalog but then I decided this was going to be the last time I can bare my testimony in English until I get home.  And it just seemed alot easier to say it in English.  I know it's lazy of me.  Ha Ha.

How is everyone doing?  K, I need to say something in Tagalog so I don't forget it.  Ha Ha.

Alam ko po na buhay po si Jesucristo.  Alam ko po na mahal po si Jesuscristo ako at lahat kayo.  Alam ko po na si Jesucristo ang atin Tagapaglitas at Manunubos.  Totoo po ang aklat ni mormon at totoo propeta po si Joseph Smith.  Sa pangalan ni Jesuscristo Amen.  (I know Jesus Christ lives.  I know Jesus Christ loves me and all of you.  I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith is a true Prophet.  I the name of Jesus Christ Amen.)  I'm pretty sure the grammar isn't right but oh well, I'm trying.  Ha Ha.

We got to go to the temple this morning.  It was pretty sweet.  We haven't been able to go for awhile because it has been closed for the last few weeks.

I went and got my hair cut today.  I was the only one in there getting my hair cut when some guys with cameras came in and said they wanted to get a picture of an Elder getting his hair cut.  I didn't say anything because I didn't really want my picture taken.  Then the lady cutting my hair said, "Oh well this is a Sister Missionary."  Ha Ha.  Then they came over and took my picture.  Ha Ha.  I don't know where that picture will end up, but it is very possible it will be in the newspaper.  Ha Ha.

Anyways, I better go.  Love you all! 

Love Sister Stowell

January 1, 2013

Masaganang Bagong Taon Pamilya! (Happy New Year)

How is everyone doing?  I miss everyone so much!  Another district in our zone is leaving today for the Philippines.  That means my district and another one are the oldest districts in the zone.  We are the next ones to leave.  Its coming so fast!  Ready or not here it comes right?  Anything new happening at home?  I love getting emails and letters from you all.  Seriously they are like gold to me. Ha Ha.  Thanks again for all the package.  I have felt soo much love from you all.  I love you all!  :)

The language is still coming slowly.  I felt like my vocabulary is slowly growing.  The last couple of lessons we taught were really good.  I feel like I was able to communicate better. 

Thanks for sending the Ipod with all the Christmas wishes.  It was soo good to see everyone again!  Watching that was the best part of Christmas.  Oh ya Rob, Carl, Willy, Joe, and Bec, will you send me your cell phone numbers?  That way if I can't get a hold of Mom then I can call one of you.  We might be getting our travel plans this week.

Joe I'm sending your letter in the mail today so you should get it soon.  Thanks soo much for the package.  :)  Oh ya, I think there was a posting in the Desert News or the other newspaper about Russell M. Nelson coming to the MTC.  They took pictures of us in the choir.  The pictures might be in there as well.  Ha Ha.

Sorry this email is super short.  I'm going to attach some pictures.  Bec I'll send that picture you requested next week because I haven't had time to take it yet, sorry.

I love you all!

P.S.  That Happy New Year is really long, huh?  Ha Ha

Love Sister Stowell

December 25, 2012 - Part 2

Maligayan Pasko Pamilya!!!

How was opening presents?  I wish I could have been there with all of you.  Christmas has been good soo far.  We just barely got done with a Christmas devotional.  Russell M. Nelson and his wife talked.  It was pretty cool!  I thought for sure the Prophet would come..  But it was still cool to hear him.  After the devotional was over, we were all walking back to the classrooms and Nelson and his wife drove by and told us goodbye.  How is everyone doing?  You will have to let me know how your Christmas went.  Thanks sooo much for all the packages, Christmas cards, and letters.  I really appreciate them.  :)

So how come our home phone doesn't work? 
That's awesome that you got a cell phone for Christmas mom.  I bet you love it.  I'll definitely call your cell phone on my way to the Philippines.  I'm not sure the time yet, I probably won't find that out until I get my travel plans.  Well this week has been good.  We watched A Christmas Carol last night.  I have never seen that version before but they made the ghosts really creepy.  Ha Ha.  It almost felt like a Christmas (Missionary) scary move.  Ha Ha.  JK.

Ok, so I have another story for you that will make you laugh.  Yesterday then my companions and I got up early to do service.  (We do 75 minutes of service every week in the mornings).  We were super tired.  One of my companions and I were emptying all of the garbage's.  We decided we were going to leave the garbage bags by the door so we could bring them all out oat the same time because it was snowing outside.  We went back and emptied the other garbage's.  When we got back to the door there was no garbage there.  I was thinking "Oh cool, someone must have brought it out for us."  After we finished bringing out all the rest of the garbage then we went and got changed and was on our way to breakfast.  We got to the doors and there was 2 bags of garbage and a pile of card board boxes sitting there.  We stared at it for awhile because we were sure that was not there before.  Come to find out we were on the wrong side of the building when we though someone had taken out the trash for us.  Ha Ha.  It wasn't too funny at the time, but later on that day, every time I would think about it, I would start laughing.  Ha Ha.

Later today we are having another devotional with Greg Olson and then we are watching "It's A Wonderful Life"  so the rest of the day should be pretty sweet.  Sorry this email isn't that long but I am glad I at least  got to send you all an email today.  I didn't know if I was going to be able to because even though today is our p-day.  Because it's Christmas then we don't really get a p-day.  But it's all good.  Today is a good day.

Anyways I better go.  I love you all and I hope to hear from you all soon.

P.S. I'll try to send some more pictures today.  I might not be able to because my batteries in my camera died but if I don't then I will for sure send them next week.

Love, Sister Stowell

December 25, 2012

This is a email from Sister Stowell's branch president to her that she forwarded us. 

Hey all, here is a picture of my zone.  I am going to write more emails later today.
Maligayan Pasko!!! (Merry Christmas)  Mahal Ko Kayo!! (I love you!)  :)

Love Sister Stowell



Elder and Sisters,

Last week we promised to send a copy of the branch photo that was included in your Christmas card to you "myldsmail" account.  We hope you all receive this email.

You can forward this photo to your family or keep it in your list of emails until you get to the Philippines then go to an Internet shop and save it to your camera's memory card because you probably have no way of saving it or printing it while you are here at the MTC.

This is also an opportunity to wish you Mailgyon Pasko (Merry Christmas) one more time.  We hope you are receiving this email along with messages and emails from those you love back home.  Some of you may not have received a letter from your family today.  If that is the case we wish you a special Christmas wish today.

The Christmas story started long before tow thousand years ago at the birth of Jesus Christ as a baby in Bethlehem.  The story of Christmas started when the first prophet prophesied of his coming.  Perhaps it started even before that when you and I along with the other hosts of heaven were given to understand Heavenly Father's plan that called for the birth and death of a Redeemer.  On Christmas I love to listen to the songs of the Messiah.  I relish those powerful words of the prophet Isaiah;

-  For unto us a son is given, unto us a child is born!

- And the government shall be upon his shoulders!

- And his name shall be called, Wonderful!  Counselor!  The Might God, the Everlasting father!  The Prince of Peace.

- And with his stripes, we are healed.

The Birth of Jesus Christ, His life, His Example, His Character, His Atonement, His Death, His Resurrection, His Assention back to His Father all give us the bright hope of a glorious gift.  It is the greatest of all gifts.  It is the gift of Eternal Life.  That is the gift we as missionaries have the wonderful privilege of carrying to the world.

You will soon be finished with your preparations at the Missionary Training Center and on your way to the Philippines to deliver that message to the wonderful, deserving families of your mission.  We love you.  We pray for you.  We know you will have a glorious Christmas.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

President Cordon C. Smith - MTC Branch 15