Tiwi tells all

This week was pretty good! It went by really fast so I apologize if this is a shorter email. 

Tuesday Elder Leuluai had a recent convert going through the temple to receive his endowments. So we got to go to the temple too! It was awesome. It was such a blessing to be able to see someone make promises with God. It is such a big step in a life of discipleship. Tuesday night we spent the night in Irmo with the Elders there. Then Wednesday morning we took our car to get a new Tiwi. Tiwi is the little box we have in our car that tattles on us when we speed or drive poorly. So needless to say we were not thrilled to receive the new, more accurate ones. But thats ok. 

Then from 10 to about 5 Wednesday and Thursday we were at MLC, which is mission leadership conference. Where all the zone leaders and STLs get together with president and the assistants to talk about new things in the mission. So we talked about some new stuff. Our mission is 1 of 12 pilot missions in the world right now trying out some new technology and proselyting techniques. So we had Brother Donaldson come from Salt Lake to talk to us about some of the changes being made. Which was pretty good! Sadly I cannot disclose all the things we are doing yet. But its coool stuff! Overall it was a great meeting(s). But far to long for me to sit in a chair and listen. I was going a little crazy by the end. That night we stopped in Hartsville to give an elder there his medication we picked up form the mission office. 

Friday we spent most of the day on the phone talking to the district leaders and planning for next week. Saturday we had to go “correct” some missionaries. We had heard there were some things going on in a ward that weren’t supposed to be happening and there were some companionship problems too. So we drive out there and sat down with the Elders. Luckily, the problems we thought were there, weren’t there. So we just talked to them about being disciple and how much we just wanted to help them. It was. Great visit overall! Then we did some service at the local restore that took up most of the day. 

Sunday was great! We got to go church and partake of the sacrament which was awesome. We had a great program and some great lessons afterward. Overall it was a great week! I love you all and miss you so much! Have a great week!

“What are you doing in my SWAMP????”

Elder Dowell

PS. Happy birthday to Allie Woodbury (Nov 20) And Aubrey Worthen (Nov 26)!!!!!

Caption this (Elder Dowell)

This week was pretty Good! Monday was pretty low key. A lot of elders came in to Florence and we just played some basketball and walked around the mall. After pday we had our family home evening with all the ysa in the ward and that was way fun! Then Tuesday we went in exchanges with elder cheraw and I stayed here with elder rowe. We spent the majority if the day making phone calls though. We were supposed to have stake coordination, which is where we meet with the stake President and discuss the missionary work in the zone. But our stake President got caught at work so it git postponed. But we got all the numbers collected! 

Then Wednesday we had reexchanges and spent the afternoon out trying to contact some less active which went pretty well! Nothing to crazy, but we learned some people still live where it says they do and some houses don't exist haha. Then Thursday we had a few people to see throughout the day. In the evening we went to a a members home for dinner and then went out and contacted some if his home teaching families! We got to get in and make contact with a few people. Then Friday we went in exchanges again, but with one of the Hartsville elders. And I stayed here with elder Kimball. We got to go teach some part member families and find a couple new investigators which is always good. 

Saturday we reexchanged and I got my companion back and we did a lot if service. We went to the museum also to see an awesome member that works there. They were doing some special stuff for veterans day and she invited us and the sisters to stop in so We did! And it was way fun! Then we had some service and went to a members house for dinner again which was nice. 

Church was great Sunday! We had some awesome speakers. Some of them just got home from their mission so we got to hear his testimony and it was Awesome! Then in the afternoon we went out home teaching with another member and we got to visit all of his families and out 2 people on date to be baptized! They are a very large part member family and they want everyone to be coming to church! It is so awesome to see the gospel bring people closer. I am so excited for them! I love you all and miss you so much! Have a great week!

"I got a pickle I got a pickle. I got a pickle hey hey hey hey!"

Elder Dowell 

The Beach...Sort of!

This week was pretty good! It went by crazy fast but it feels like it went by so fast! 

Monday we went down to myrtle beach which was way fun! We aren’t allowed to go to the beach itself but we went to a bunch of shops and played some sand volleyball! That was way fun! 

Tuesday and Wednesday we did a good amount of service. And Wednesday we met up with the new hartsville Elder and got some lunch! We had transfers so we have a handful of new people in the Zone. We spent a little bit of time calling and getting to know all of them. 

Thursday we did some service in the morning which went well! Then in the afternoon we went out and saw a few people. We knocked on quite a few doors haha. 

Friday we planned for our week and got to go visit a few members! Our member meal policy has changed so we can eat with. Members three times a week. So we are getting fed more often haha. 

Saturday we had some service in the morning. Which went well! Then we had stake conference so we were in meetings all day. But we got to have dinner with the general authority! That was awesome! 

Sunday we had general conference so we were in and out of meetings all day. Overall it was a great week! I love you all and miss you tons! Have a great week!

“A lovely cheese pizza just for me”

Elder Dowell 

Return to Sumter

This week was good! It was very eventful! We went on a couple exchanges this week.

 Tuesday we went to Sumter for their DDM and then did exchanges with them. I went with Elder Maxwell to Sumter which was way fun! I was trained in Sumter a little over a year ago so it was way cool and super weird to be back there. Even for a day. We had a couple lessons with some people they are working with which was way good. And we got to see a few people I met when I was there which was awesome. 

Wednesday we reexchanged and I came back to Florence. And Elder Leuluai and I did some finding and such which was good. Then we had a couple meetings in Wednesday night that went well. Thursday we exchanges with the assistants. And I went to the West Columbia ysa with Elder holmstead which was fun! It was super weird to talk to people my age. But it was cool. And we went to the office to do some stuff and I got to see some people from my district when I was in Newberry which was way fun! And we printed some stuff off haha. The in Friday we exchanged back. And got all the transfer news! Transfers is this Wednesday, so the assistants called us and told us everyone in the Zone getting transferred so we could tell them. Me and Elder Leuluai are both staying! Which I am excited for haha. 

Saturday we did some service in the morning and then went to hartsville for DDM which went really well! And we carved pumpkins after. And then we spent the rest of the day calling people for transfers. Sunday was great! We have stake conference this upcoming Sunday so this Sunday was fast Sunday. And after church we had a break the fast with some great southern cooking. Nothing like some good chicken bog. Overall it was a great week! 

“It's like a new pair of underwear, at first they're restrictive but then after a while they become a part of you”

Elder Dowell

Exchanging and ReExchanging

This week was good! Monday we had a pretty low key pday. Just kind of hung out and went around town. Then we went up to Surfside Monday night and spent the night so that we could go to their DDM the next day and go in exchanges. And for exchanges I was in surfside with Elder Edginton which was Tuesday really fun! We got to talk to quite a few people and I went to their ward council meeting which was good. And then Wednesday morning we reexchange and I came back to Florence with Elder Leuluai which is nice. We did a little bit of finding and then were in and out of meetings all Wednesday night which was good.Thursday was great! We went to do some service in the morning. We helped bag food for less fortunate kids which was good. And then went to the restore and helped sort stuff and organize and such. Then in the afternoon/evening we got to go and see a few people we had been trying to contact. 

We did weekly planned in the morning and got a pretty good schedule for the upcoming week. Then we did some finding in the afternoon and went on splits that night. We had a few different things we had to get done so I went with one member and Elder Leuluai went with another. And it was great! The member I went with is super awesome. We went to visit a less active member who has been wanting to go to the temple so we went and had an awesome lesson with him about the priesthood and what he needs to be doing kind of. I also got to know the member a little better which is always nice. It is such a blessing to have such wonderful ward members who care about the missionaries.  Friday we went to Darlington to contact some referrals in the morning and were able to get a few return appointments set up which was awesome. We actually met a former investigator who had previously been in date to be baptized but ran into some health issues and she invited us back to visit with her which is awesome. Then we spent a little time planning out upcoming exchanges. We have 2 a week for a couple weeks which will be crazy, but fun. 

Sunday was awesome. We went to church and then after church we had lunch with a less active member who is awesome. And his son said he wants to come out teaching with us so that is always great! Then we saw some members and wrapped up the day collecting numbers and making phone calls. Overall great week! I am so blessed to have a knowledge of the restored gospel in my life! The knowledge that because of Christ, there are no ending. Only eternal beginnings. I love you all and miss you so much! Have a great week!

You two go together like tuna fish and lamb”

Elder Dowell

Disciplined Discipleship

ello everyone!

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This week was great! Tuesday we did some finding in the boonies. Knocked on a handful of doors and talked to a few people which was good. Tuesday night we played some basketball which was refreshing as always. Wednesday we went to the manna house and helped. The manna house is a soup kitchen and we went for the lunch and helped hand out food. Which was way awesome! We got to meet a lot of people and help a lot of people! Then we spent a sizable chunk of time at the library with the sisters planning zone conference which was Thursday. And we rounded out Wednesday night with ward coordination meeting. 

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Thursday we had zone conference. And we started off by having car inspections. Everyone gave us their keys and we checked to make sure they were clean. Then we had the mission doctor talk to us about flu shots. Which we received. And president Turner gave a training on member missionary work which was awesome! It is amazing to see the miracles that come from working with members. We really are assigned to help them with their missionary work and not the other way around. 

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Then the assistants gave a training on “disciplined discipleship” which was awesome! They basically talked about letting our love for Christ govern our actions. Jurist like the scriptures say “if he love me keep my commandments”. When we truly love Christ we understand what it is he did for us, and why it is he wants us to repent. And that is when we are able to feel his love strongly in our lives and share it consistently with others. Then weave a training with the sisters about technology usage. Because now everyone has Facebook and smartphones. So we talked about why we have it and a little about how we use it. Which was way cool. Then after zone conference I went to hartsville on exchanges for Friday which was cool! I love going on exchanges. Other people have super good insights and different strengths that I can learn from. So it was way fun. Then Saturday we did some weekly planning. And the sisters had a baptism! So we got to go see that and help with the set up and everything. Sunday was great as always. I love being able to take the sacrament every week and renew the covenants I have made. Overall it was a great week! I love you and miss you all tons! Have a great week!

“Can of corn. Can of corn and I’ll be fine”

Getting through the hurricane

This week was a good one in Newberry! Monday we had lockdown because
of the hurricane. Which was also why my newsletter sent late last
week. We lost power in the middle of emailing. We were out for about
24 hours. Which wasn't to bad. We had plenty of food and water so we
were fine. Tuesday we were on lockdown for the first half of the day.
Then the second half of the day we went out and tried to contact as
many members as possible to see how everyone made it through the
storm. Luckily no major damage! Limbs down here and there. So we set
up some service appointments. 

Wednesday I went on exchanges with the
Zone leaders. Elder Mitchell came down here with me. Which was way
fun! We had a few really cool lessons and did some good service. There
was one contact in particular that was really cool. We were knocking
around an appointment we missed and we met this guy, and after talking
for a minute we invited him to church. And he said he wasn't
interested because our church wouldn't accept him because he is gay.
And we shared with him that he would be accepted either way. Because
Christ condemns the sin, but loves the sinner. He cares for each of us
so dearly that all he wants is for us to be happy. And this gospel is
how we can do that! It is how we can feel of Christ's love and know he
is there. It was a way cool experience and I am grateful we were able
to talk to him. Thursday morning we went to Irmo to reexchange. Then
we came back up and spent most of the day doing service. But we did
have on appointment that went well! And they invited us back which is
a nice surprise haha. 

Friday we were doing service all day. I have
blisters on my hands from the rakes haha. But it was fun! And we got
to help a lot of people. Saturday we had some more service.and some
finding which was good. Plus we did our weekly planning. And found out
me and my companion are both getting transferred which is crazy. I am
so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve in Newberry. The
ward is great and the people are very southern. And I love it! Some
hard hearts here and there but we were able to soften a few! And it
brings joy to my heart to see them feel Christ's love. Sunday was a
great sabbath day! We had some awesome speakers. And after church we
started to say our goodbyes. Great week! I love you all and miss you
tons! Stay classy!


"But there was one man, who was more man than the rest"
Elder Dowell













Sept 11
This week was a good one! Last Monday we were down in Chapin for Labor
today to do a family history booth and talk to people during the
parade and festivities. It was way fun! And there was a car show so we
saw some pretty cool cars! Tuesday we had a great DDM. And after that
we had some appointments. At the end of the day we had dinner with
investigators who are on date. Which was fun! We went to a Mexican
place and I got these things called sopes that basically Mexican
pizzas. It was super good. Wednesday morning we went down to Irmo to
help some people from a senior center do their shopping at Walmart.
That was fun! And we got to see all the missionaries up there while we
were helping which was a blast. When we got back we did some finding
and were able to meet some new people which was awesome! And set a few
return appointments which is always good. Then we rounded out the day
with dinner with another investigator we have been working with. Which
was way fun! Thursday was our pday because of Labor Day Monday. That
was pretty low key. Friday we spent most of the day in Columbia for
interviews. Which went well! Always so good to see president Innes. We
talked about the South Carolina initiative. Which is how we find
people and who we are supposed to focus on. And I love it! It gives us
the opportunity to set specific goals so we can see the Lord's hand
effectively move his work forward through us. So that was awesome!


Saturday was good. We did some finding which went well. We met a few
new people. And did some last minute hurricane prep shopping. Then
Sunday was great! We had a great sacrament meeting and a really good
Sunday school and priesthood. After church we helped a few people put
things away for the storm. Then Sunday night we went in to West
Columbia for the worldwide devotional from elder Bednar which was
awesome. And president Innes talked to us about the hurricane. We are
on lockdown for today and tomorrow just in case. Which is fun! Just
chillin. We also lost power while I was typing this haha. So we will
see when it sends! Overall great week! I love you all and miss you
tons!!

"The storm is coming mr. Wayne"
Elder Dowell
















September 4
This week was a good one! Tuesday we had a great DDM. President Innes
came and participated in a little and it was awesome! It is such a
blessing to be able to serve with him. After DDM we did some finding
and were able to meet a few new people! Which was great! Wednesday was
pretty low key. We did some service in the morning for an older ward
member. And then in the afternoon we went to a nursing home and shared
a bible story. Which was very fun! And we rounded out the day with an
appointment in the sticks that a member took us to. It was fun!
Thursday was the last day of the month. And we were very low on miles.
So we biked around town a little bit which was fun! Luckily not far
enough to hurt though haha. We did some finding around town and talked
to quite a few people. Then Thursday night we had an appointment that
our ward mission leader cam with us too and it was so awesome! We were
a little worried going into it that he hadn't read the Book of Mormon
and he wasn't taking us seriously. But we got there and he said he had
been studying with his wife and they had been reading side by side
with the Bible. And our ward mission leader told them EXACTLY what
they needed to hear. It was amazing. And the Spirit was so strong.


Friday was good. We did some service in the morning and then spent the
afternoon weekly planning. Which was great! We have a great week
planned for next week! Saturday we went to a town called saluda about
30 miles away and took our bikes and spent the whole day biking. Which
was way fun! We met quite a few people and are planning to go back
this Saturday! Sunday was great as always. Nothing to crazy. Monday we
went to Chapin for Labor Day and had a family history booth and talked
to people during the parade!! Great work! I love y'all and miss you
tons!! Have a great week!


"Would you like to stay for dinner?"
*in background* "would you like to stay forever?"

Elder Dowell