One thing that I felt I needed to tell mom was that I am indeed grateful for the lessons that she has taught me about loving animals. I remember when I was little I was capturing ants and using a magnifying glass to try to burn them with the sun, and mom scolded me. It really made an impression and since then my love for all animials all life has really grown. Carissa has also helped. The pictures were fun, I am glad that you sent them. Telisa's party looked like a sucess. The successes that I have found from the Lord have really been higlighted in the phrase: "Find Joy in the Journey. I am definetely sure that this life is not ment to be full of sadness and misery every single day. But when those days do come, I am glad for the humility and closeness to the Savior that they bring. I am glad that she likes interviews. I agree with her, those men are so kind and they are really there for our blessing. The Bitners asked the other night about the priesthood, and if it were only the men who were able to hold it. I answered: "The priesthood is the power of God given to men to serve as He would, Elder Gurney and I have had a whole lot of fun experiences this past week. It has been great to serve with him so far. We helped Teresa paint her new house, we gave her another blessing. He spoke in Sacrament meeting, and Brother Lopez had us over for dinner. He is fixing up a house(a big old one) for someone else, and they are letting him stay there while he does. He had a bonfire and invited the owner of his house and a friend over for ice cream. The friend had just gotten cancer, was in the hospital about to die, and his mom asked many congregations from different churches to pray for him. Miraculously his cancer disappeared, the doctors couldn't explain it, he just got up and started walking around. He kept asking us: "is that possible?" Do you believe it? Was that an answer to those prayers? He kept saying "but I don't understand, is it because I lived a good life before, and tried to help the poor and give of what I had?" I have tried to live a good life, and when the mormons came and visted me in the hospital they prayed with me and had me say a prayer, they told me that it wouldn't be selfish just to ask for that blessing. Then just so quickly I was up and walking around and the doctors were looking at me as if I were a god." We weren't able to teach him much. He isn't the type to listen to us, even when he asked us questions, he didn't really want to know the answers. "Be comforted" "have faith" "repent" "come follow me" The way to understand sprititual things must be done BY us, not done TO us.

Love, Elder Owens

Bye!

Dear Family,

I offered to play hymn number 142 Be Still my soul- but I can only play the right hand, and I am not that great at it. It will be such a blessing for Skyler to be able to play the piano. (We ended up singing A-cappella in Gospel Principles.) Writing things down is definitely something I have learned to do as a missionary. I carry a notebook with me everywhere so that I can write down Spiritual promptings when they come- otherwise I forget way too easily and quickly. Anyway we are going to Oneonta to play some sports with my district today, so I've gotta run, :D but I am glad I got to hear from you. Thank you so much for all you've done. I love you so much. I love You mom. I love you Dad, I love all of you Melody especially has been in my thoughts and love. Lovetta and Tom are such great examples of love and fun. I love them, I love Skyler and his obedient Spirit, I think he is blessed with the gift of knowledge and wisdom from what I remember. I love Telisa and she is such a joy to our family, I love playing with her and she is so much fun and is always so happy at the important-but seemingly small things in life. Have a great week!

Love, Elder Trezor Sheen Owens

We learned about inviting the Divine Companionship of the Spirit by our conversation. I gave a talk yesterday to our branch about being unified. I told them about Pres Bulloch's three questions to ask before saying anything. "Is it true? Is it Necessary? Is it kind?" As I have tried to do that this past week we have gotten much closer as a companionship. We are more unified than ever. I am so grateful for all that Elder Stahle has taught me. He has really been a strength. We were talking with a lady who was trying to make fun of me. She was like "is he new at this? He doesn't sound very sure" Elder Stahle told her: "No. He know what he knows, and I know that he knows it and that it is true." I felt the spirit testify to her of the truthfullness of what I was saying as well. I know that God does love us, that He cares about what we go through, and that He answers our prayers. I have prayed about the Book of Mormon and know it to be the word of God. This transfer has taught me to be a more powerful servant of the Lord, and I am able to lead out effectively. I feel much more confident in the strength of the Lord. I know that I am weak and not able to do anything of myself. But I am led by the Spirit frequently to do things in power and with authority from God. I turn to God for help when I need Him, and I do all that I can to put His will before mine. I feel that Teresa is very prepared and is going to overcome the things life has thrown at her since she committed to be baptised. We see her on wednesday and are going to set her with a date then. I know that the love that God has for His children is infinite, and I was able to feel a little bit more of that love which He has for the saints in this branch. I am going to do my very best to only grow in that love, and extend it to more of God's children, and not let it diminish, for I know that as my expectations-and I would say that those are linked to love for the human soul- decrease, so does my effectiveness. May you have as great a week as I've had, In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen
~Elder Owens.

Dear Family,

I thought of you often during conference, and was so glad for the things that you have taught. I think that you did apply the 2nd thing that Sister Lant talked about- Testifying spontaneously. Things like light houses turning our vision to the Gospel. Things like my name reminding me to search for that light. You testified subtly all the time of gospel truths, and I didn't realize it. We have an investigator here in Norwich who loves light houses. (Ruth Sutton) Everything she owns has either Pillsburry doughboy, snowmen, flip-flops, or light houses on it. Hahahaha, she is interesting. We had 36 investigators here when I arrived. Elder Stahle is a very solid missionary, and I am so excited to be working with him. There is a lot going on in Norwich right now. We are finding many people to teach. I am still un-familiar with the area and many of the streets. I haven't been out of the city of norwich to tract or do anything other than go to dinner yet. (The other cities in our area I couldn't tell you yet cause I haven't gone there) It isn't too big of an area though. There are Elders in Greene, and there are some in Hamilton, and some in Delhi. We had about 8 people committed to come to conference, and 1 watched it online(Ruth) and 1 came(Melissa) Melissa is an awesome story. She heard about my space a while ago, created an account, and then one of her friends from utah told her that he could get in touch with the missionaries for her. She said that would be fine, so the MTC called her, and the missionaries said something that touched her so she decided to come to church. She walked from her house(about 1-2 miles) to church. (That was the week before I got here) After walking in she said "I want to learn more about your church." She has 4 children of baptismal age(And a husband). We asked her about conference and she said "it was ok". what stood out to you? "Well, it was a lot of information" (That was Elder Stahle talking to her) -I was still writing down what the spirit was telling me- I then had the opportunity to bear my testimony to her of the atonement, of the truth that I know. I know that Heavenly Father does hear our prayers. I know that we can be forgiven, and that through the atonement we can find peace, have joy, in the midst of our trials. I know that it was true when they said we need to calm our lives to be ready to listen to the spirit. Not just external, but internal. I know that as you do so, you will also feel the spirit teach you, and it will be an experience unlike any other. -I saw the spirit testify to her of what I said

Week 21

Not much time this week. The library closes early on tuesdays. I am also packing for transfers! I am going to Norwich to serve with Elder Stahle. (Stay- lee)

I was glad to get your e-mails this week they were great! I am sending a few things back home that I don't use and that don't fit. Hope you have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Owens

Week 20

I don't have really any time but this past week has been awesome! I have really enjoyed it! We taught 19 lessons! On friday and saturday we found 3 new investigators and we really felt the spirit strongly when we were teaching a man who we have a language barrier with but brought a member with us (Bro. Pierre- who wants to move out to Utah to live) He read the first vision in french (brought by bro pierre) and we just sat there and watched him read it, but we could feel the spirit testifying to him that it was true. After he finished he said ok a couple times and thought a little bit longer and then said "This is very important". That simple phrase is so true. I loved it. Then after the lesson was over we walked out of his apartment(a tiny place with his wife and 5 kids living in 2 rooms total) and it was like walking into a different world. The spirit was so strong in the one, and so apparently absent in the other, it was powerful. Hope you have a great week! Thank you for the pictures and for the stories and e-mails, I really appreciate them and your support. We went to Howe caverns today for our district activity. (I didn't think to bring my camera) oops. It was a lot like Timp Cave, I will send some pictures next week(Transfer calls this weekend! already!) So that will be on tuesday.

I am going on exchange with and Elder(Vogelsane) Who is from southern CA Right next to where Melody is living(Adjecent city- Lake Forest) today. But I am out of time now, so talk more next week!

Love,

Elder Owens

Week 17

My Companion- Elder McBride and I have really tried to focus our daily planning sessions more and make it a time of revelation, a time where the Lord can tell us were we need to go. On friday night we choose some streets based on what felt right, and then compared streets. We tracted the next day the ones that were in common, and one that we each felt more strongly towards. So we started tracting, and Elder McBride felt inspired to start talking about family at the second door we knocked on. This 70 year old man has lost a wife, and ~3 kids, so family was a very sore spot for him, and he told us that if we hadn't choosen to talk about family, he wouldn't have been receptive to us at all, but we were able to testify of eternal families and left him with a family proclamation. This is just one example, we have had quite a few of these experiences, but this one was especially cool because when I shared it in Sunday School it tied into the lesson really well and I think that the members of the Branch needed to hear it. They feel like this is a hard area and that not much progress can happen. I have been trying hard to keep my expectations and my faith high, and I hope that they will start to have a greater zeal for missionary work soon. We started teaching a family- Stephanie and John who have 3 kids. Neither have a religious back ground, and they were really open to having us teach them. I see great potential in them and know that they would be an awesome addition to the branch and it would help get the members excited if they were to see a little success. There does need to be work put in though, I think that sometimes they feel like it should be handed to them on a silver platter, Because I feel that way a lot of times too. We have zone conference tomorrow, I am way excited for it! We have a lot of lessons planned for this week, I hope to pick up a few more investigators and help those we have start to progress.

Do you have any questions for me? Anything specific you want to know about Elder McBride? Have a great week!

Love,

~Elder Owens

P.S. Funny story- That man that we talked to about families, His name is Ed, as we said that it was a pleasure talking to him and were exchanging names, I said Elder Anderson was my name. hahahaha, it was funny, I was like "wait, no it isn't!" it is Elder Owens!