Elder Owens' Guatemalan Mission

October 25, 2023 No email, but here are pictures from the week and Kaden's FaceBook Post on October 24th:  Today we went to volunteer to prepare food boxes to feed children in need, and it was great I love helping others, as Jesus Christ does for each of us. Always feel good helping and seeing the smiles it brings to serve others. I’m so thankful for this opportunity, and I think our faces show it . I invite you to find the joy that comes from being lost in the service of others , and I do so in the blessed name of our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer: Jesus Christ. Amen.

October 18, 2023 Alrighty. Kinda just sick all of last week. But we were still able to go out and do quite a bit, this area's finally getting up and moving which is exciting. I'm honestly just tired, from being sick and then trying to work while being sick. Yeah. But I've had a few people periodically reach out to me for advice, or help while I was sick, and I always enjoy that. I like to feel useful and important  . Other than that, just been enjoying the many blessings I have in life, seeing the good in things, enjoying the small things, all that good stuff, and it's helped me to stay pretty calm and easy going while we've been trying to get better. Honestly not much more than that. We're seeing progress in the area, working through some sickness, and enjoying the small things. All is well. It helps a lot to not focus on what's going wrong, rather on what's going good. Just that  ~Elder Owens

October 12, 2023 For this week I thought I'd share something I wrote in my journal this week. "October 9, 2023      "Right as I'm ready to get everything up and running, working like crazy, all that. Of course I get sick... again... I'm so tired of being sick. I've been more sick physically here on the mission than any other time in my life. And you would think it's some of the most precious time. I'm working on trying to have a constant connection with Christ, my faith & willingness to act upon spiritual impressions. I know I'm connected to Him, because people will tell me how great our message made them feel, how whatever thing we did was exactly what they needed. When other missionaries compliment on some way I've helped them. It's not me. I hope they know that.      "We lit up some candles & the Christmas lights around the bar. It reminded me of home in Colorado when I'd have a candle lit with lights strung up in the ro

October 4, 2023 Pretty normal week. Found some cool people, did some cool things, normal cool missionary things I suppose. Transfer has just flown by, next week we'll be seeing who stays and who goes. Pretty crazy. Next transfer I'll officially complete my sister mission of 18 months. Supposedly I'm supposed to buy a dress or something  . We'll see if I find something that compliments my pretty eyes  . Joking around (kinda, not really). I think everything's just settled down recently. I feel good, healthy, happy, safe, comfortable. After the past few months I've had, I gotta say I'm the most blessed person in the world just to feel normal. Things have just been good. Guess I'd share something a little more insightful this time: Life is what you make it I've heard this more times than I can remember, but I think this year I've learned more of what that really means. Life's always going to be full of up and down moments, and you can either let