The Cello Returns (No Pics)

This week was good! Monday we went bowling which was pretty fun! And I suck at bowling ha ha. Tuesday was pretty low key. The whole week kind of was because we are in hard core finding mode right now. But we had DDM on 

Tuesday which was pretty good! The role plays are always the most fun for me at meetings. This months role play is asking inspired questions. So we practiced listening and asking questions as directed by the Spirit which was fun. 

Wednesday we had a member pick us up early and we headed to Georgetown to exchange. We dropped off Elder Griffiths and Elder Willie came down to Moncks Corner with me which was pretty fun. We painted pretty much all day Wednesday. Which was fun, but very tiring ha ha. 

Thursday was different for sure! I was still with Elder Willie and we had Mepkin in the morning which was fun! Then when we finished there we went to visit with so,e members which went pretty well! After that we went to the farmers market that is here and we had a family history booth. We sat there and whenever people wanted to talk to us about family history, we did! It was pretty fun and we heard some cool stories! We talked to one kid who must've been about 12. He said he was born in Russia and adopted here and never knew his birth family. So he asked if we would be able to help him track them down. And we said yes! And we are really hoping some members know how to work with that haha. But we gave him our number and he said he will let us know if he is interested! There is also a member here who is homeless and asked us to help him order a new Book of Mormon on cd. So that is cool, and different haha. Sadly though, we can't order those from the mission home anymore, so we are gonna meet with him this week and try and help with that. Thursday night we also has our Book of Mormon class which was good! Nothing to crazy. 

We were supposed to send elder Willie back up to gtown after that, but we ran into some technical difficulties and couldn't re exchange till Friday night. So Friday we went and saw a bunch of people. And got in and were able to have like 5 lessons! It was awesome! And then we went and changed back Friday night. 

Saturday was a lot of planning and such. Nothing to crazy though. Sunday was great! The sisters serving here told everyone I play the cello, so one of the members brought a cello to church for me and I have been volunteered to play next week. That was not the great part about Sunday. But we spent Sunday evening talking to a bunch of different members which was the great part! They are really the ones that help the work progress. I love you all and miss you so much. Have a great week!

Q&A with Marshall:

What was your high this week?
I had a super long (3 day) exchange with elder Willie that was really fun
 

What was your low this week?
The Sisters found a cello and I'm playing in sacrament next week
 

Do you go back and read your journal?  if so, how have you grown?
Sometimes. I think mostly I have just matured
 

How are you getting along with your companion?
Alright. He is a stressed out and stressful kid.
 

What do you love about him ?
He is always trying to feel the Spirit 

What do you struggle with about him?

He simply does not want to have fun
 

What do you think he loves about you?
What do you think he struggles with about you?The answer to both of those is I always am having fun

"It's a mixture of jazz and funk. It's called junk."

Elder Dowell (2)

Flat Tires

This week was pretty good! Easter was awesome. Sadly preparing for it didn't make anyone more receptive to our message though. Tuesday and Wednesday we were out all day painting. A member here got a new office and asked if we could help paint! And of course we said yes. And it has been pretty fun! I am getting very good at it haha.

 

Tuesday night after we were done painting, we had some plans in. And they were falling through left and right. So we decided to go see a less active family that we haven't been able to see in a while, and it went awesome! They invited us in and we chatted for a while. They said they know they know they need to get back to church which was pretty cool. The whole family wasn't there, but they invited us back tonight actually, to meet everyone! So hopefully that will go well! It is so cool to see the Lord work. When we are really doing everything we can and trying to listen to the prompting she is giving us, he puts us in the path of people who need us right then. And we can help the, come back to church! It is so awesome.

 

 

Thursday night we had a member come out with us. And whenever we have members, we have plans set up, but we also ask the, if there is anyone they want to see. And this member was so awesome!! He came with a short list of people he wanted to go try and see. He is a primary teacher so the list was just primary students that he hadn't seen in a while. But it went really well! And we got to meet some new people which was awesome.

 

 

Friday we were up in North Charleston for most of the day for a Zone Meeting which was pretty good! Afterwards we went to canes for lunch! We found one and no one else had tried it. So we went and they still have the best chicken fingers around. Even down here. Then Friday night we went to see some less active. 

 

Saturday was pretty good. We have another flat tire so we were on foot Saturday, which just takes longer. But a member called us and asked if we could help with a little project. So we went to the church and helped make goodie bags for all the primary kids for easter, it was pretty fun! And Sunday was awesome! We thought everyone was going to be gone. But we ended up having about 5 of the less active members we are working with, and 3 investigators at church! And the sisters had a similar turn out! So it was an amazing Sunday for missionaries in the Moncks Corner Ward. Overall good week! Still loving the work!!

"I'm sorry. The word was it and you sang its. You are... CUT OFF"

Elder Dowell (2)

Tree Gators

This week was good! Monday we were up at myrtle beach pretty much all day. When we got there we had a cookout at the surf side elders apartment and then went to the beach to play ultimate and stuff which was awesome! Then when we got back to Moncks Corner, the sisters were moving apartments so we had the pleasure of carrying all their stuff up 3 flights of stairs which was a good workout haha. 

Tuesday we had DDM and I got got Elder Carter down here in Moncks Corner for exchanges which was fun! We saw a lot of people and did a little service which is always a blast. We have two members a week that are assigned to go out teaching with us, and this weeks members were awesome so me and Elder Carter didn't do to much biking haha. But we did get to see quite a few people! 

 New shower curtain

Thursday we went to Mepkin Abbey to do service, but we had a much bigger group than usual! President and Sister Turner came down to go and check it out, and the Georgetown elders came down so that we could re exchange after service. That was really fun! Elder Willie and I were spraying weed killer around this tree near where president and Sister Turner were working and there was this really weird lizard thing on the tree and we asked if they knew what it was. President said "that's a tree gator!" He was joking, but it was still hilarious haha. After Mepkin we met with a guy who called us and asked if we could help him with his family search account. So we met him at the church and help him get it all set up, and then we started talking about family history and the church and he was really interesting! When we asked him if he was a member that had just moved in he said he wasn't a member "yet" which was pretty funny and awesome! But he said he loves everything our church does and thinks it is awesome we have a whole book called "doctrine and covenants". 

 

Friday was pretty low key. We did some good weekly planning and got set up well for the upcoming week. We have been purging our area book too so we do not have a lot of investigators. So we have been doing A LOT of finding haha. Hopefully we start to see the results of the efforts!! Saturday was awesome! We had conference which took up our whole day. But it was an amazing conference!! And before the priesthood session, we had hot dogs with chili and fellowship which was fun! Then Sunday, conference took up most of our day too. But after the evening session, we went and fixed a dryer which was interesting and I'm just glad I didn't shock myself messing with all those chords haha. And Ms. Ursala, who isn't a member but loves the missionaries, asked us if we could go unload a recliner for her. So we did! And that was fun. And I guess we got there right after the Women's march madness championship so she told us all about it which sounded crazy! But go South Carolina!! So overall great week! And I am so grateful that we have a living prophet on the earth today and that we had the opportunity to hear him speak to us along with many other chosen church leaders. It is such a blessing to have the gospel restored and that priesthood authority with it. I love you all and miss you so much!! Have a great week!

"I'm gonna need a lot more than dew. And universe... juice.."

Elder Dowell (2)

Myrtle Beach

This week was pretty good! Tuesday we had a district meeting and Elder Willie came down to Moncks Corner with me for exchanges which was pretty fun! He served in Moncks Corner at the beginning of the mission so we went and saw a bunch of members and people he had worked with when he was here. It was cool and I got to meet a lot of people! 

Then Wednesday we biked all over the place seeing people which was very tiring but super fun! And Brother Hill came and picked us up on Wednesday night to re exchange. So we went and picked up elder Carter and Elder Griffiths and he took us to dinner at a place called the ball and cue which was pretty cool! It was way good! Then we took the Georgetown elders back and drove on back to Moncks Corner which was fun! 

Thursday was pretty fun! We went and did service at Mepkin Abbey which was fun! And then we had Book of Mormon class. Friday and Saturday were both really good!! We went and saw a few investigators and did a lot of finding. We went to a neighborhood called Moss Grove to do some finding. And while we were there, we had some interesting responses!! Two people told us they weren't interested by yelling through the door and not even getting out of their chair. That was funny. Another guy came to the door, opened it, shook his head no, and closed the door without saying a word haha. And then one last person just opened the door and said no thanks and promptly closed the door. It was pretty interesting! Sunday was good! Nothing to crazy. 

Sorry for the short email this week, but we have been at myrtle beach all day. There is an elder here who is going home in a week and a half so we went and did a cookout, and played ultimate on the beach. It was awesome!! I love you all and miss you so much! Have a great week!

"If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball"

Elder Dowell (2)