Busy Prep Day

Value Village in Calgary

Hello!

Sorry I don't have long to write!  We had a family take us shopping this morning at the Value Village then they took us to lunch.  Then we went rock climbing, then to play volleyball and basketball.  We have a dinner appointment soon, so I can just write a little.

This last week was good, we had a part member family feed us Thanksgiving dinner on the 25th which was good. We had Zone Conference this week and they asked Elder Pikula and me go up and role play. Our mission president said that they call on older missionaries to show the new ones how to teach so that was cool. 

On Sunday we had two nonmembers come to church and we should be teaching one of them this week.  Well, I have to go to a dinner apointment! 

Maddie!
Hope that you have a happy birthday! You're almost 15 that's crazy =). (she's turning 17!) Don't grow up too fast. I love you and I miss you! Stay Tall. 

I sent notes to go in some of my Christmas cards, I will finish the others next week.

I love you!

ELder Dowd

Calgary Zoo

Dear Family and Friends,

Hello! I was late emailing today because we went to the Calgary Zoo for a P-day activity. It was pretty good. There was no one there and we got free passes so we were able to go in and out really quickly so we still got to play basketball and stuff. Now I have just under an hour to write before going to dinner. We are eating at a part member family's home tonight. The dad is not a member but he is a sous chef at a hotel here in town so I hear the food is really good.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Yes, we already had Thanksgiving about a month ago but not too many people are ready for Christmas yet. There are a few houses with Christmas lights up. It's getting cold up here, it was minus 30 yesterday, but today was nice it was like 1 degree outside. Every area in the mission has a car. We are supposed to be getting a brand new subaru any day here and yeah I am staying warm.

Yesterday was pretty cool we had a random person show up to church from Iran. He said he came looking for friends. He came right after sacrament meeting and we invited him to meet with us, but he didn't want to. We invited him to the ESL class that are put on Sunday nights. He came and the missionaries that are supposed to teach the class never showed up. So I ended up teaching it and we were just walking around the church and I pointed to a picture. There were two Chinese men in the picture. This man from Iran and the other students wanted to know more about the picture. So, I grabbed a gospel arts book out of the library and taught them all about the life of Jesus and the Restoration it was pretty cool.

Mom and Dad, my Mission President asked me to ask you, "What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?" So, if you will write me and let me know I would appreciate it.

Other than that nothing too exciting has happened. I couldn't sleep at all Friday night and then I was feeling reaaly sick and so I slept like all day Saturday. That was weird. We are going to dinner soon and I still need to shower so I love you all and I will talk to you all later!

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

Love Elder Dowd

Oh ps mom you can just put Elder on the gift for my companion

November 14th Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

The work is going ok. We have some part member families that we are trying to work with and a family has someone for us to teach -- we just need to meet with her. The Wards are pretty helpful so things are going ok.

The area's pretty big here. The Panorama Ward is kind of a new housing development and the Second Ward is more older houses so there are a few wealthy families but for the most part I would say middle class.

The members are feeding us, and the members are really great here. One of my ward mission leaders his name is Earl Goodwin knows Reed Doxey, Rick's brother so you should ask Sister Doxey about that or something.

To answer your questions - in a District Meeting we go over stewardships and then we go over a curriculum that the church has asked us to go over. There are 8 lessons and they all focus on certain points of Preach My Gospel.

I am not sure if Elder Pikula will be my companion at Christmas, but we are going to make some Christmas cards. Transfers are on December 14th so who knows he has only been here for 1 transfer and President Archibald usually keeps people in an area for 3 transfers so I hope that we are together for 2 transfers.

Not too much happened this week. We had LTMs (leadership training meetings) so for two days we had meetings from 9 to 6 so I was way tired of sitting. But, it was nice though because Elder Grbin was there because he was training so it was good to see him. We sat by each other.


Richie with Elder Grbin, his MTC companion

Other then that nothing too exciting. We taught our neighbors. They are crazy! In the lesson they were talking about when your spirit leaves your body its all about quantum physics and things like that. Nuts! Elder Pikula and I also saw these policemen chase this man and tackle him. We also saw a fire. So that was cool.

That's cool you got with my friends family for that FHE. I am glad it went well.

I hope that you all are doing good. I love you all!

Love Elder Dowd

P.S. My memory card is almost full so you might be getting it in the mail soon.

PICTURES BELOW ARE FROM AN FHE HELD IN OREM WITH RICHIE'S FRIENDS' FAMILIES



Part of the delicious sampler table - families brought treats relative to where their son is serving.


Berlin Boys Looking at Richie's Friends Mission Displays


Picture of some other pictures of Elder Stewart in the Texas McAllen Mission


Christmas Tree with ornaments featuring Richie and his friends serving missions with a world map from Berlin Home showing all the places the friends are serving

Serving in the Big City!

Dear Family and Friends,

I was glad to hear that you are all doing ok and that you had some prayers answered this week. My new companion is Elder Pikula. Like I said last week he is from St. George. He is Tongan and is teaching me some Tongan words. We get along really well and it is great being here with him.



Being in Calgary is quite different than the other two places where I have served. It is really big in comparison! The two wards which we are serving are the Panorama Ward and the Panorama 2nd Ward.

We are living with a member. There are weights in this home, so we have been doing our morning workout using the weights.

I am doing well. I am really enjoying my mission. I'm having a lot of fun serving out here and I am meeting a lot of wonderful people. It's really cold up here. So far it has gotten down to -10 Celcius which is 14 Farenheit!

For Christmas I don't need anything really, and the only thing I want are pictures of family and friends. You don't need to waste money on me for Christmas.

You asked what my duties are as District Leader. Basically I call my District and get their numbers for the week. Then I report them to the Zone Leaders. I also report how the companionships are doing. I conduct District Meetings every week and I go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders and then with each Elder in my district.

I know that this work is important and that the gospel is true. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior.

Tell everyone hello. I love you all and I am sure glad to have heard from you.

I love you!

Love Elder Dowd

Transfer to North Calgary Panorama Hills

Dear Family and Friends,

Happy November!

I am getting transferred to North Calgary in the Panorama Hills area. My new companion's name is Elder Pikula. He lived is from St. George, but he lived in Orem with some of my friends. He played rugby at UVU. He is sweet. I served around him here in Lethbridge and he was trained by Elder Welling, so he is my mission uncle.

We had dinner this past week at the Kyle's home. He is Sister Bybee's brother. His daughter is in the YSA Ward where I am serving.





Other then that this week wasn't too bad. Nothing too much happened. We met with some ivestigators this week. I said goodbye to people so I will send some pictures.








Other then that not too much to write. I am going to be the District Leader so that will be fun. I will get to know more missionaries that way. I hope that everything goes well in Utah. It is starting to get cold here so that stinks.

I love you all. I am happy and pray for you all every day.

Love Elder Dowd