Duck Curry 🦆 🦆

 Indian followers of Christ https://m.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61553352077449

Memes upon memes https://photos.app.goo.gl/DYM8hzqfMfgxUFWZ7

Well. Elder Holladay is home now. 

Now I'm with Elder Lewis. He is actually a stunning missionary. I am legitimately impressed with him.

It is an absolute honor to serve with him. 

We found this one indian brother, दीपक, he actually only knows Hindi and actually wants to learn about Jesus. This is really exciting because there is solid evidence from God that the hindi program is necessary. 

We went to an Indian market and it was incredible. Everybody was talking in Hindi and they had Hindi words all over the walls. Got some more lentils. (2 Samuel 17:28) We cooked up a bunch and now we're putting them in smoothies.

On Friday we got to give 4 priesthood blessings to some sick Indians. One परिवार gave us a bunch of duck curry  . We prayed for them in hindi and the older grandma of the house was crying with gratitude.

That evening I was offered sugar free soda and I said “no thank you, I don't eat sugar” and only ⅓ of the people there laughed. 

Elder Lewis and I have decided to give a lot more attention to social media work and we've been trying really hard to post often and come up with ideas lol.

We met with 14 year old Shubh again this week. This time his mother joined us! She was very impressed with हमरे हिन्दी. Shubh asked very deep questions about after death and how we really know this is all true. We talked about the Holy Ghost (पवित्र आत्मा) and the “warm feeling”. He said he felt it when he went to church. We tried to expound on that but then his mom was like “Ya, sometimes I get hot when I do hindu things” 

So that was tricky to sort out but I think we did.

We went to a hindi member's home and they fed us like 10 different curries and we did Come, Follow Me with them, miraculously, the sisters that cover that area in English stopped by! So they got curry and shared a powerful message as well. Then one of the sisters ate a habanero by accident. 

This week I read from 1 Kings 8 almost every day. It's one of the most profound chapters I've ever read in the Old Testament. It's the dedicatory prayer of Solomon's temple. It's all about covenants, Repentance, and God's power in delivering us. 

My favorite part is this little sequence in 46- 51. 

Basically its says if the people sin or get carried away captive (addictions…) and then

Consider in your heart (the sin) (the scripture uses “bethink” but look at the footnote

‘Repent’ and make supplication

Confess 

RETURN to God with FULL purpose of heart and soul (and return to the temple)

Pray

THEN, God will

Hear your prayer

“Maintain your cause” (I'm not exactly sure what this means, somebody with more wisdom than me, which is all of you, please let me know)

Forgive your sins

Have compassion on you 

Make you His

It's the doctrine of repentance?! Clearly taught in the Old Testament? No way.

Yes way.

And I know it's all true. I have experienced every single part of that. I know it's true. Repentance is just so so so good. It's not a bad thing 

Solomon says in verse 46 “for there is no man that sinneth not” we all sin. It's part of life. Of course we still try our best NOT TO- irregardless(), we all mess up→ thus we all have the सुन्दर opportunity to repent and have a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ because of it. 

The relationship with the savior that comes from repentance is the most precious thing we can have.

The valley of the shadow of death

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/DYM8hzqfMfgxUFWZ7

Srihari Is back In town! He was baptized just under a year ago and recently traveled to India to go get a wife! So he is back preparing a house and everything for her and in a few months she'll have her visa and everything and will come here! 

He took us out to eat twice this week! First chick fil a and then a स्वादिष्ट biryani place. Biriyani is like Indian fried rice and it's absolutely amazing. 

I was able to go on exchange with my brother, Elder Vest. We stayed up till about 2:00 am watching the Josiah movie in gospel library, talking about college, working out, jumping off the bunk bed, and then having a spontaneous companionship study about how God works in the light while Satan works in darkness. Found some incredible scriptures about it! ( 2 Samuel 12:12 and 2 Nephi 25:23)

Then that morning we had to go start filling a baptismal font up at 7:00 so I ate a carrot (turns out carrots have like 5 calories- so not a very good breakfast) and we got over there quickly. We found out we didn't have the right keys so we had to go to the Chinese elders and wake them up and steal their keys. Then we got there and found out we didn't even need keys in the first place  so now we're filling the font as fast as possible and we took recycling bins full of boiling water from the janitorial closet and wheeled them over and dumped them in. What an adventure! 

By the time everybody arrived, the font was full. Baptisms are so cool. Once everything was over we noticed the font was still full! They forgot to pull the plug. So we made a plan. 

After everybody left Elder Vest basically had to make a make-shift swimming suit out of paper towels. He got in there and yanked the plug. Then I gave him a towel and turned around lol. We went back to the apartment and got him some dry clothes. It was the most hilarious thing I've ever been a part of. 

We were visiting some members and I instantly recognized the home- basically- over a year ago I had visited this family with Elder Rigby and Elder White and we sang “we wish you a merry Christmas” to them! So I asked her if she remembered that and then all these other girls ran out like “that was you?!” Apparently, it was a big deal to them and they talk about it all the time. One of her(non-member) friends living with her ... .was an Indian! So she saw my tag and then freaked out again. We talked in some urdu/Hindi. 

It's so crazy because the night we sang to them was kind of a tough night for me and I barely even remember singing to them. But little did I know, it was exactly what they needed and now over a year later they still remember and treasure that. So crazy.

I figured another cool thing about the 23rd Psalm. 

This might be hard to convey through email, nevertheless, imma try.

“Though i walk through the VALLEY of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art WITH me”

What is a valley?

It's the land between 2 mountains(  valley  )

I was thinking about this a ton- mountains sometimes represent God's presence, those were the temples in old testament times. 

So the “valley of the shadow of death” is in between 2 peaks of God's presence. Ready?

The first mountain is the premortal life, where we lived with God. After that we come to earth  or in other words, the valley of the shadow of death. 

The second we are born our fate is sealed and one day we will die. That truth follows us everywhere we go, like a shadow. Earth life is full of darkness and temptation and trials thus it is called “the valley of the shadow of death” then the next mountain-

It is returning to God's presence again after this life. It's being an eternal being and living with God forever! 

There's more. “Thy rod and they staff, they comfort me” remember the other part “ I will fear no evil for thou art with me” 

God and Jesus Christ are not literally with us. They are with us through “they rod and they staff” 

Rod. Rod. Iron rod. The iron rod is the word of God! You guys, it's the gospel!

Staff. I just see it as either like a shepherd's cane or a wooden stick. The shepherd's cane/staff is used to pull the sheep and lead them; it creates a connection between the shepherd and the sheep. It's covenants. I see Jesus holding one end of the staff and i'm doing everything I can to hold on to the other side. 

So- I don't need to be scared or worried about anything in this life why? Because “you(god) are with me! How? Through thy gospel and my covenants- these things comfort me!”

Boom. So that's what it means. 

Sad news time

Elder Holladay will officially be traveling home. He has served an incredible mission and has been one of the most incredible men I have ever met. He's truly going to be great. I love him so much. 

So, I will receive a new companion this week at transfers and we're gonna attack Hindi as hard as we can. 

Good news time

Pugal's video will be up soon. Please go check it out. And then send the video to every single person you know because it's incredible.

Love you all very much!

Lentils and the 23rd psalm

 I had some lentils this week but more importantly, we had interviews with President Larson and I found out he used to work at Little Caesars so we had a special moment together as the only Little Caesars Past-Employees in the building. It was great.

We filmed the legends of Pugal. We baptized him like last July and he's getting ready to serve a mission this July. His story is amazing and should be up on Facebook eventually. The social media sisters were such an absolute blast. Also found out Pugal is an acrobat. My brother just pulled like 5 perfect cartwheels out of nowhere and we were all left shocked (he was in a suit)

I figured out what the last verse of the 23rd psalm means 

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

I thought dwelling in the house of the Lord meant the celestial kingdom. But I was in the temple today reviewing the 23rd psalm and what it actually means is living truthfully to our covenants we made in the temple (house of the lord). When we live our covenant they are involved in every day of our life- or ‘dwelling’ ‘inside’ of our covenants (house of the lord) forever. 

Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. 

Hindi is cool! We had a guy call us and tell us he saw us on his security camera so we thought we were gonna get In trouble. Then he invited us over for lunch and wants us in his home so we can bless his family.

Here's my pictures if you wanna see them:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DYM8hzqfMfgxUFWZ7

Robin Hood

 I finished 1st Samuel and oh my- Saul's life was such a tragedy. Brother made so many bad choices, it hurts to read it. However, we also read about so many incredible accounts of David's absolutely solid character. He really was a pure legend before the . . . Incident. David was a peacemaker. After first running away (because Saul chucked a spear at him out of jealousy) David pulls a Robin Hood and his Merry Men and takes all the outcasts and men with debt and they start a club. He ends up with 600 guys! On 2 separate occasions David could have effortlessly killed Saul. His guys really wanted him to- but he refused to kill the very man making his life awful. Istead, he ripped off some of Saul's skirt and messed with his water bottle and javelin to prove to Saul that he had been there and could have killed him. 

There's another spot where the David and His Merry Men leave a city they're staying in for a bit and the Amalekites come and burn it and steal all the wives. Everybody is crying when they come back and see the destruction- they cry so hard they run out of strength! David's 2 wives had also been stolen but instead of crying- he prays! God says “go get them!” So he and all the men who can go fight the amalekites and restore everything along with getting a whole bunch of treasures! His Merry Men didn't think the other Merry Men who didn't come deserved any treasure (400 went, 200 stayed) David tells them they're silly and divides the treasure equally in true President-Nelson-Peacemaker fashion.

If only he would've kept being a legend. . .

We were home quite a bit this week. Elder Holladay and I have decided to go “plant based whole foods,” the healthiest lifestyle ever. We had a deep study of the word of wisdom with another Elder who has had unbelievable experiences with Plant Based Whole Foods and the Word of Widsdom. It seems like it will only make things better. So if you have any recipes or questions let me know!

We have been playing alot with “pitch'' Elder Holladay has perfect pitch and he's trying to prove that I do as well. So far it looks like “maybe” 

We play all sorts of games like just trying to start singing a song and start on the right note (I keep getting it right and idk how) and last night we stayed up till 2:30 trying to spell/sing words like “cabbage” or “feed” (just words with the music letters) it was really difficult and used parts of my brian I didn't know were there

We were driving on the freeway and some guy was racing through everybody, weaving in and out around 100 mph. And so I said “what in the criss cross applesauce” 

As I have been home a bunch I have been reflecting on a lot. 1 experience in particular has been on my mind a lot.

Before my mission I attended a self-mastery group for teenage guys called “Sons of Helaman” this group equipped me with all the tools and lessons I needed to free myself from the plague of pornography. I loved recovery so much! Being free felt so good and made every moment of life so much better! I eventually made it past 100 days and was still going so strong. Suddenly, everything in life came crashing down. I had problems with friends, school was more stressful than ever, many other bad things going on and I started feeling depressed. Everything got so bad. Eventually, I had another lost battle. After being clean and free for so long I couldn't believe what I had allowed to happen. I stopped going to group meetings. I didn't want them to know I had messed up. 

The depression continued and I struggled to get sobriety for a while. 

Then one day mom asked me to drive some of my siblings to the school for a play of something. So we got in the car and drove up. We happened to be at the school 30 minutes before Sons of Helaman would be starting. The building where they met wasn't far at all. 

Somehow I drove over there and parked at the end of the street. I fell apart. I was crying and shaking and so scared. I wanted to go in! But I also really didn't! I would build up strength and unbuckle and even open my door- then close it and cry. 

I must have gotten out of my car and back in at least 10 times. This went on for a over a hour and a half. 

Eventually, I did it! I made it all the way to the building and walked in for the second half of the group. With every single footstep I could feel satan and his legions trying so hard to get me back in my car. But, I was being supported by power beyond my own. I walked in and everybody greeted me warmly and expressed how happy they were that I came back. That night was the most powerful meeting I had ever attended and helped me so much to get back on my feet and start recovery again. 

This experience is significant to me because it clearly shows the power of the adversary against the power of God. I know there were demons in there yanking me back to the car and screaming at me to drive away and telling me the group would never accept me. 

There were also angels among whom were certainly some ancestors pushing me and encouraging me and telling me the group still loved me, and that I was a strong, good person. 

The good guys won, but only after an extreme war. 

I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can receive strength! Strength to overcome depression, addictions, discouragement. Even strength to get out of your car when it seems impossible. 

Pretty cool.

Have a fire week!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DYM8hzqfMfgxUFWZ7

The Ark, 100%, and 2%

 

Elder Holladay’s migraines have been taking a toll on both of us. Probably Him more than I lol. We were home a lot this week so I was able to get lots of studies in. Being home and basically alone is not easy as a missionary. All I’ll say is as missionaries we tend to be at the top of Satan’s hit list and I was in a vulnerable position. Lucky for me, I’m strong.

We took Sana and her family to the Oakland temple and watched all their cool visitor center videos. Everybody was either crying or about to cry. After teaching about eternal families and showing them pictures of the sealing room they all set a goal to be sealed as a forever family in the House of the Lord. That was one of the most powerful special things I have ever seen. The spirit was so strong that whole evening. Every time I have been upset or annoyed since that evening I have caught myself and thought “We got Sana and her family to the temple- that's more important than whatever is bothering me right now” and it has worked every time.

And….that was really kind of it. But that's ok because the experience with Sana and her family was worth the whole week. 

I made a roux for some cheese sauce. We had no milk but I had already started- panicked,  I texted Meta AI and asked if there were any substitutes for milk in a roux cheese sauce. She said “chicken broth.” I didn't have time to boil some cubes or powder so I grabbed a can of chicken noodle soup and strained it and just used the broth. It worked. I mixed it in with some spaghetti noodles and had spaghetti and cheesy sauce. It was amazing! 

This week I read from the end of Judges all the way to the end of 1 Samuel. Very very good. I think one thing that stood out to me was the part where the Philistines steal the Ark of the Covenant (1 Samuel 4). Usually God just kinda makes it so that the Israellites win—except for when they are wicked. This was a point where they were wicked- so in the first battle they lost pretty badly and everybody was upset that God didn’t make them win. Somebody had a “wise” idea to bring the ark out to war with them because a long time ago Joshua brought the ark to some wars so they thought it was going to work for them again. It didn’t. If God was gonna win the war for them he would have done it the first time. The fact was that he wasn’t with them because they were wicked. So they brought it out and they lost pretty badly again and the Philistines grabbed the Ark of the covenant and brought it home and set it at the feet of their giant pretend god. (eventually they all got the bubonic plague and everybody was either dying or screaming in pain so they return the Ark along with 5 golden rats and 5 golden “emerods”[also some Israelites look at the ark with lust and so they all die])

Then some guy from the tribe of Benjamin rips his clothes up and puts some dirt on his head and runs around and tells everybody that the ark is gone. When Eli (the old priest who basically adopted Samuel) found out that the ark was stolen he freaks out and falls backwards out of his chair and breaks his neck and dies. Everybody was freaking out soooo bad and they all thought all was lost.

I tried to put myself in their situation- like if somebody bombed a bunch of temples or something like that how would I respond? Of course temples being bombed is different than the ark being stolen- but- I know that God is in control. Especially with the things that are His- like the Ark. So, I would've been ok. I would probably be a little sad- but I’m not going to assume that means God is angry at us or that he’s not real.

I was telling Elder Holladay about this and he helped me catch a way better lesson. I hope a lot of people feel the same way- like “oh ya-my faith is 100% set. Not even the ark being stolen would shake me.” Elder Holladay was saying “How are we ever going to be ok when something as drastic as an Ark being stolen- when we get upset at something a family member says at dinner? Or get offended by something someone does? Or get annoyed at somebody’s opinion?”

That struck me pretty hard. I think often we really want to believe we are willing to give 100%. . but we’re not ready to even for the 2%’s of discipleship and life like being a peacemaker, reading the Book of Mormon, showering every day, drinking enough water, waking up on time,  saving money, keeping our thoughts pure, doing family history.. . . . .

How are we ever going to be able to give 100%? Give our lives? If we cannot do these little things I choose to call “2%’s”?

There's something to consider as we start a new year.

Love ya!

Fly Free

 

Merry Christmas! 

We had our big Christmas Zone Conference and one of the coolest parts was when President Larson disappeared and then a few minutes later Santa Claus came in and said he had presents for us and started giving every missionary their very own physical copy of the brand new Preach My Gospel! Too bad President Larson missed that. 

It was pretty cool. 

Later, some other missionaries, including the ASLders, and I sang and signed “Silent Night" with a piano and a cello! I'm glad President Larson saw that. We did amazing!

Later that week there was this one evening we were out and we had just finished contacting all of our friends in the area. It was almost 9:00 and Elder Holladay needed to go destroy the toilet anyways so we headed to the car. We got to the car and I asked “is there anything else we're supposed to do while we are here?”

We decided we'd go find a indian house and give it a knock. The very first one we checked had everything we were looking for so we gave it a knock. A man (आदमी) came to the door and we introduced ourselves and told him we were there to share a message with him and his family (परिवार)

He said now's not the best time, he left for a second and came back with his whole family curiously staring at us. So we ask “when would be a better time?”

He says “no, here's my family, now is good. Come in” so we step in. And begin testifying of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. We leave one with them and get his phone number and we'll come back after the holidays. The spirit was there and I know they felt it. We also used up all our hindi and they were shocked. Incredible. I'm so glad we didn't go home early!

We also had another fire lesson with Sana and Sandeep and their family. After being offered some tea (चाय) we taught a quick word of wisdom. Sandeep looked at his mug of tea almost with disgust and promised us he would never drink tea or coffee for the rest of his life. 

Then we ate a स्वादिष्ट indian breakfast and taught them about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, one thing you need to know about Sana is she talks…a lot. But this time it was like she almost couldn't open her mouth until we had finished our message- that's pretty cool. We testified to the point of tears and made each of them promise they'd read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true. It was amazing. I love this family so much! And guess what- they came to Christmas eve church! 

Also, I hit a little piece of metal on the road and then the tire was flat. I didn't see anything on the road, yet I still suffered the consequence. 

Sometimes there's traps Satan lays for you and you will not see them unless you're looking for them and always ready to righteously avoid them. You must watch and pray continually or else you'll get a flat tire.

In Leviticus chapter 14 we read about the ritualistic cleansing of Lepers (Ex-Lepers). It is deeply symbolic:

 “4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 

6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

 7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.”

What this means to me is the atoning blood of Jesus Christ (the 1st bird) sets us (the second bird) free and allows us to fly. When we are cleansed by His blood (repentance) it really feels like flying. And I know that cuz I've done it. I continue to experience it every day. I know that Jesus really did suffer the price of all sin. He bought us with His own blood. And His blood is the most precious substance ever to exist. That means we are of infinite worth as well! 

So, remember that Jesus Christ paid the price for you so you can fly free. So my invitation to you is to fly free.

Love you!

-Elder Owens

The sword of the Lord! ...and of Gideon

 

I Started Judges this week and it turns out it's not about judges. It's about military heroes. There has been one passage in particular that I just can't stop thinking about and its judges 6:11-16

Basically its Gideon's call to become a Judge. 

An angel comes over to him and is like “hey Gideon, the Lord is with thee”

And Gideon is a little confused and asks the angel

“If the Lord is with me, then why do I have trials? Where are all the miracles? The lord has forsaken us!”

And the angel is like “Go and save Israel! The lord is with thee”

Gideon still has more concerns and says “but I'm a nobody! And my family is poor!”

And the angel says “I am with thee. And becuase I'm with you freeing Israel will be super easy”

I love how the answer to “why do we have trials?” Taught here is “Go.”

Like go, act, be faithful and do something. I have definitely received that answer during some of my trials before. 

The other important thing is how often the message “the Lord is with you” is stressed. He really is with us always, especially during our trials because he went through all of our trials. 

Gideon's words here at the beginning of his story look very faithless. But through small steps of faith he became an absolute legend, a Judge. 

The first thing Gideon needed to do was destroy a altar used for worshipping a false God and build a correct altar in its place. He was a little hesitant but still set on obeying God. So he got 10 of his friends and one night they destroyed all if it! The people that liked the fake God wanted to Kill Gideon but his dad was like “if Baal is real then he'll kill my son himself and he didn't so turns out baal is fake” so Gideon got a cool nickname and taught us all about repentance. Gaddda remove the sins and fill in the holes left behind with God. This is mega true with addictions- remove your fake God and replace the habit with things that bring you closer to God. Like old Testament sacrifices. . .kinda (reading about them)

Later when God asks him to send 22,000 of his soldiers home he doesn't even hesitate and boom he's left with 10,000. 

Again, when God asks him to send home 9,700 there's no hesitation. He didn't say “God- that's a lot. That'll only leave me with 300! Don't you know how many Midianites there are?!”

Actually, he did have one little moment of weakness in chapter 7:10-15. But this shows he was human. Actually, maybe it shows even more faith in Gideon. Because he was a little scared but still obeyed all of God's commandments because knew it would turn out well in the end. What happend was God was like “BTW, I'd you're scared just go talk to your friend, Phura. Turns out Phura was dreaming about a loaf of bread and a tent falling over. After Gideon heard this he knew he was gonna win and wasn't scared anymore. 

I know that when we have trials one of the most important things we can do, like Gideon, is to ‘Go’ to act in faith, trust God, and keep going. 

We will always come off conqueror when we choose to ‘Go’

Just for the sake of the story I'll tell you what Gideon and his 300 do. Through instruction from God, Gideon splits the 300 into 3 groups of 100 and they all get their own trumpet, clay pitcher, and a lamp. Gideon says “do as I'm doing follow follow me”(J 7:17) he tells them were gonna chuck pur pitchers so they break and then blow the trumpets and yell “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. 

Simple easy plan.

So they surround the enemy camps at about 10:00 pm and they do it. And just like that everybody kills everybody else. Not a single one of the 300 were injured in any way, except maybe a piece of a pitcher hit one of them lol. But they were all 100% ok. 

In chapter 8 some people refuse to help him continue his conquest (they were scared he was going to lose the war and the midianites were gonna come punish them for helping) so Gideon promises he will win and promises to throw some thorns at them and then he wins and he does throw thorns at them…

And that's it.

I know that God's way is always better. Even if it means getting a band of 300 to all play the trumpet to fight a legit war instead of an army. God's way is always the best. I know when it gets tough we just need to “Go” and everything will be ok.