What a crazy time it has been these past few weeks. Everything has happened so fast and abrupt. Finding out I had a tumor growing in my median nerve (which runs in your forearm) was not exactly on how I planned to spend the holidays. Even more so was finding out that I would have to go home and have surgery on it to get it removed. I found out that I would be going home on a Saturday and was on a plane headed back for Texas on Tuesday morning. As soon as I arrived at DFW we hurried to a Dr's appt. that we had gotten thanks to the help of Steve Leach who was able to come and visit me while he was on a business trip up in SLC. He checked out my arm and MRI and was then able to recommend who I should go and see. That Dr's appt. worked out great because we were hoping on getting an appt. in a few weeks. After talking with the Dr that Steve Leach has sent us to he thought it would be at the soonest a month before we could have the surgery done on my arm because he needed a six hour block of time to operate. He even said it would be best to send me back up to SLC till we could have the surgery. After he left the room he sent in his scheduling coordinator and they said they had an open block for the next Monday!

All of these things just fell into place and everything just seemed to work out. The surgery went better then expected and it only took about 3 hours to operate. They did not have to do any nerve graph after all and they saved them from making another 6 in cut on my left leg. Now I am just recovering and working on getting my movement back. Everything has healed and going better then what anyone could have even ask for. The Lord is definitely mindful of my situation and has been looking out for me this entire time. If nothing else this is just a huge testimony builder to not only me but all those whom surround me.

Elder Scott Owen

Edler Owen/The Update

Hi all, Steve & I just wanted to update you, we have been so blessed
and appreciate all your thoughts and prayers offered in Scott's
behalf. We are doing well, and it was just easier for me to send out a
"blanket" e-mail because our weekend will be full with Angie's
wedding :)


First of all, it was a miracle that Steve Leach "just happened" to be
in Utah this week. He called us last night and asked if he could get
Scott's phone number... he would go and see him, see what he could do
to facilitate things.

Dr. Leach called me this morning and by about 8:20, we had him
registered in the UT Southwest MC system, and Steve had conferred with
a couple of doctors, and called us with the name of a plastic surgeon
whom he thought would be the right one for Scott. (He has never met
the Dr. he referred us to).

Miracles have happened with Scott...He came home today, we went
STRAIGHT from the airport to see the doctor Steve Leach referred him to.
We got right in... (that is a miracle in and of itself :) and here is
what we know:

He has a tumor, 4-5 cm. in size, in his median nerve on his
right arm.

The surgery will be somewhere from 4-6 hours, and a possible graft
of another nerve from his wrist or upper arm spliced into his right arm.

The doctor told us to "send him back up to SLC" until he could work
out a surgery schedule for a 6 hour block, and told us it would be at
least a 3 week wait, so we were amazed when they came back in and
told us the doctor "just happened to have" a 6 hour block open, and
could do the surgery on Monday!
We will be at Zale Lipsy hospital Monday morning. The expected
recovery will be around 3-4 weeks or so.
Pres. Blake issued him a "temporary" release, and Scott is
planning on returning to SLC to finish his mission as soon as the
doctor okay's his arm.
We feel absolutely blessed and are so appreciative to Steve Leach for
all his help. We know the Lord is mindful of Scott and our family.

On another note, we are happy to have Scott home this weekend in
particular to be with family, be in the temple with Angie & Ryan on
Friday, and spend Thanksgiving with us! :)
Thanks for all your support.

Leslie & Steve

Elder Owen

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well. We are so excited for Angie & Ryan's wedding this next week. We think it will be a wonderful day. We wish you all could be here with us, and know you all would if you could.

I wanted to send you some information about Scott...

Just to make our lives interesting and a little less boring, we got a call from Scott's mission president...he has a tumor/lump? (not quite sure exactly) in his right arm, and has been in a lot of pain. We basically thought it was nothing and sent him a bottle of Ibuprofen a few weeks ago. An MRI was done last week and apparantly the growth is wrapped around a nerve and causing numbness, and a lot of pain. This has been going on for a while, several months. I thought maybe they would just give him a cortisone injection and he would be on his way... we were wrong and he is being sent home on Tues. to have the surgery done here. We talked with Scott, and he tells us the lump is now visable on his right forearm. The tumor has grown over the last couple of months, so they will biopsy it to see if it's malignant or not. We will plan on arranging Dr. appts. ASAP here in Dallas.

That's about all we know for now, mission medical will call me on Monday morning, and we will find out his flight info and more information on his arm.

The tumor has grown over the last couple of months, so they will biopsy it to see if it's malignant or not.
Hopefully, it will just be outpatient surgery with no other problems, and Scott will head back up to SLC to finish his mission.

He has asked to just take "medical leave", but the mission president is strongly suggesting he be released from the mission for the time it takes to get this taken care of, we don't know what the decision will be as of right now. We will keep you posted as we learn more, and would appreciate you keeping him in your prayers.

Love, Steve & Leslie

Well hello to all! This last week has been very crazy for me as you all know already. Lots of work and lots of dealing with my poopy arm! We have had a lot of lesson to go to this past week and that has been keeping us moving. On top of that we had our 24 hour exchanges with our Zone Leaders and then we have to do exchanges with our district as well. We also have to do member exchanges every Tuesday, Wed, and Thurs at night. To top things off the other district leader and his companion both got sick after eating at a fast food place and we were covering their lessons that they had planned and exchanges for them. Wheewww! To much to do and to little time.

Well I got my MRI yesterday and got that taken care of. That was a very uncomfertable 30 mins! They had my arm pinned up with sand bags and they had to redo some scans because I moved arm a bit. Then they pulled me out and shoved a needle up my other arm to inject some dye to the MRI would turn out better I guess. Thats what they said but I think they just wanted to keep my arm still for another 5 mins! By the time i could move my arm it felt like it was dead. Not a fun time. Well the docter was supposted to get the results of the MRI today and i have not heard any news yet. So thats the latest I know of as of right now.

Well today for lunch i went to Chadders! That is the In and Out Burger knock off. Dad you and I went there when you took me up to school. It was goooood! Double Double! Also a member said that they are now building In and Out Burgers in Utah now. There are going to be about 5 of them. They are about to start building one right by the West Valley Mall off of Redwood Road!!! They better keep moving over to the East around Coppells area huh?!

Well the wedding is getting closer now. Only 9 more days to go!!! Time has moved fast! Good luck with all of the wedding plans and with everything! Mom make the boys clean the house really good for the wedding just for the heck of it. It could always use a good "blitz" huh? No need to thank me Jeff and Mark! Jeff hows the green machine holding up for ya? Have you changed the AC belts yet? They joys of taking care of a car! Mr Mark what the latest wit you dude? Write me you punks! Or else you may have to clean the house every week when I send out my email!!!!

So the Sub needs a new tranny! Sounds like fun to me and a cheap fix, not! Dad by the way I am all for you trading up for the new years model BMW. Just keep the one you have for me and when I get back you can give it to me! (Keyword there was give!!!)

Well thats all for this week for now. Have a good time MMAB at Disney World! Talk to you in a week!!!


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Zone Conferance Week

Well hello hello again,

Another week has come and gone and what a great week it was. We have been pretty busy teaching all of the time. We have been doing close to 20 lessons a week. Some days we are doing 4 to 5 lessons! The work is so much better here on the West side of SLC! That is defently a great thing. Lets see we also had Zone Conferance this past Friday. That was great to be able to have trainings from President Sonne. He talked to us about the differance between faith and hope and how they are both important to have in our lives. He also told us that he didn't want to be happy with only 2000 baptisms this year he wants to raise the bar to 2100 by the end of December! So that means that we have to get 200 baptisms both in Nov. and Dec! That is a ton for us. I guess this last March we got 247 baptisms so he knows 200 should be cake for us!

Well our zone met a goal the the AP's set for us. We had to put 20 investagators on date for baptism in a few days. We reached that goal so now we will get to have a reward. Probley a privite training by President Sonne or and FHE at the Mission Home with him. Something along those lines. That will be cool to have that huh?!

Well Mom I got the package you sent! Wowzers!!! Oreos and BUSTER!!!! They are both black and white! : ) I was cracking up when i found Buster boy in the gloves! He is sitting on my desk now watching me study being such a good good boy!! Thanks for sending all that stuff. It has heated up here at the moment but it supposted to be getting cold this Sunday and then stay cold! I also got my invite to the wedding! I will be a little booked that day so I wont be able to make it. Although if you had it in the Salt Lake Temple on my P-Day I am sure I would be able to go! Keep that in mind Angie and Ryan! Oh and I also got a letter from the Greasers! Tell them thanks for that. They had Grant and Gage send me a drawing also in it. Could you get me their email so I could send them a quick note? Thanks.

Well it sounds like all is coming along at home. Send me more pictures of the grand kids. (They are cuter then you Mom and Dad! : ) And dad please make sure that Media room is sound proof so when i get home you and I can crank those sweet actions movies and Mom wont be able to hear it and get mad!!!! Smart move pops, I tought you well!

I glad Sonic was good oh the Spoooooky day of Halloween!!! I cant believe those corn dogs were 2 for a buck. I can remember back in the day when they use to be $0.25 each. What a rip off now huh? I hope Michael ate 2 Extra Long Chili Cheese Coneys for me with a Rt 44 Dr Pepper! Thats the meal of champions for ya!

On Halloween we had a zone activity from 6-9 PM because we had to be inside during that time. We played a little basketball and watched Ice Age 3! Sa FUN! Oh and Elder Parks deep fryed us some octopus! Yes I even tryed it. It still had the tenticals on and all. It was so chewey and slimey. The longer you chew it the more chewey it gets so you have to just let it slide down your throught. Hows that for a scary food. And you guys had corn dogs! I'll send you some pictures of the tastey dish!

Hey Mom if Ryan has a hook up on shipping then there should be no excuse to send me packages all the time! Haha! Keep that in mind and everyone else as well! : )

Well thats all for right now! Ill talk to yall next week!

Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Tues. November 3, 2009

Dear Scott,

So much has gone on this past week, I hope you have had a good week, I know you are busy in your new area. Do you feel like you are getting to know the West Valley area?

Well, we met as the "new" Coppell 1st ward. It was good, rather small in numbers now, but good. We could have fit everyone in the front part of the chapel seating. It was pretty quiet in there too! There are a lot of babies, but not as many as we were used to.
Sis. Dance is the new R.S. president, Sis. Lisa Hansen is the new Y.W. president, Orman Anderson is the new Y.M. president, and Dad is the Sunday School President, aka, bell ringer! :) Lots of new callings as you can imagine. There is a new primary president, Sis. Priestly, but I don't think you know her. Anyway, it is all coming together, and we love Bishop Yorke, he is a good man.
We had our final activity last Friday, the Harvest Carnival. It was so crowded, and busy, but fun. They did a trunk or treat, and all the little kids loved it. We had a great turn out, but when you see all those people, you know it was time to re-align those wards. Coppell is just a growin area!
Michael & Megan came with the kids, they both wore clown outfits from when you guys were all little, they looked so cute. I will try and send some pictures.

Now for the update on the new house. There is not a whole lot to update!
We met with the cabinet people this morning, picked out cabinet styles, tried to figure out what to do in the kitchen and baths. They are thinking we might not break ground until the end of Nov, or beginning of Dec. We hope it goes a little faster than that. Still trying to get back pricing on things, and getting brick and paint picked out. I think we will do a red color of brick, with stone on the outside. Dad is having fun figuring out the media room, he wants some extra insulation and sound boards put in. I don't want to hear the down stairs rattle when he is up there listening to movies :) We did get the laundry room figured out, and we will have a little sink in there, and also a built in ironing board, and extra cabinets for storage. We will also be able to put the freezer in that room, and get it out of the hot garage...yeah!

Angie & Ryan's wedding is getting close! We finally got all the announcements in the mail, and you are getting one :) She is working on a wedding video, and a guest book. The pictures for the reception are ordered, and it is fun. Actually, it's great, because Ryan is such a good guy, and they are so happy. The temple is closed right now for cleaning/maint. but as soon as it re-opens on Nov. 10th, they will schedule the ceremony. I hope we can get to the temple with Angie at least one more time before the wedding, I know she and Ryan might try and do some sealings together if they can. So fun! We will be sure and take lots of pictures to send to you. We will miss you, but know you are doing important work.
Have you been able to get to the temple lately? I hope so, it's such a peaceful place, I love it.

Well, Halloween was easy this year, we fed the missionaries (Sonic) and passed out candy all evening. Not too exciting. Mark trick or treated for just a while with Ethan Judd. Jeff went to a party after working at the gun range, and we all ate Corn dogs from Sonic. They were sa greasy and good! Got to eat one every year or so. 2/1.00, what a bargain. Anyway, we are now into the holiday season, and I busted out the christmas CD's! I love the Christmas music.

We sent you a big box, you will be getting it Fed-X, courtesy of Ryan and the great discount he gets :) Let me know when you receive it, I hope you will like it all.

Keep up the good work, I know you are really needed in the SLC mission. I love you and I am proud of you. We pray for you everyday, and know you are working hard!
XOXO,
Mom

3 Coppell Wards??!!!

Wow!!!! That is crazy news! 3 Coppell Wards! I remember when we all thought we would never get 2 wards out of Coppell and now look at it, 3 of them!!!! That is great news. That must mean that the church is growing! Neat. That great news to hear. So Bishop Strong now huh! Cool, he is such a great guy. He will be a GA soon enough!

Well it has been a crazy week for me as well. Lots of learning in my new area. Its kinda stinks to have to learn my way around again but ill have to get over that. The entire area is basicly under construction and has been since 2007 from what people have said. It really makes getting around hard navagating through everthing. But i guess ill have to get over that as well.

Well yesterday and today it has snowed. That is the weirdest thing for me to have snow. Most of it is starting to melt off by now but it is still cold. Its in the 40's and 30's. My companion loves it being from Alaska. He just had this big old grin on his face all day. Well he is from Ankerage Alsaska. He has been out about 15 months now.

Well dad asked what the heck i mean when i say transfer. That is a mission term we use. That means a six week period when we may or may get, transfered. There is 17 transfers in you mission and so that is kind of a way that we measure how long we have been out. So right now i am on my 4th transfer. So there you go Dad!

Well our baptisms all went well. We had two 8 year old baptisms and then one convert baptism. They all were good. I did not get to teach them but once. So i really dont know them that well. I think that we have one on the 7th of next month. I cant remember off the top of my head if we do at the moment.

Well Dad that is weird that you lived in this area I am in now. I just went to the Valley Fair Mall today. We went to Desseret Book. What office did you have there?

Well we have a lot of investagators right now. I would say around 10-15. We also work a ton with less active. In this area there is around 40% members and about half of those are active. So just working on that alone could keep us packed. We teach about 15-20 lesson everyweek. Somewhere around there.

Well on Halloween we have to be locked in from 6-9 PM. So we are going to watch a Disney movie and play sports as a zone. That will be fun. We are not allowed to go out and work on holidays on the nights. But we still have to work for most of the day.

Well I hope all is well and safe back in the Big "D". Have fun and keep in touch with me! Till next week.... Peace be unto you!

Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

October 27, 2009

Dear Scott,

A lot has happened to you this past week, transfers, new area, new companion and such! You have been busy. I hope you have had a good week in your new area, I know West Valley is very different from the Millcreek area. I know there are probably a lot of great people, and members there and you should enjoy it.
Glad to hear you are in a nice apartment too. :)

Be sure and tell me about your baptism's this past weekend. I hope everything went well. I bet the members will all treat you so well. Do you think you will have a lot of investigators, member referrals in this new area?

We had the missionaries over last week, we fed them a big breakfast, and they left us a good message. We liked it so much, we are having them come back on Halloween night for dinner again! :) Sonic corn dogs!

We have had a big weekend. The news is, there are now 3 Coppell Wards! Wow! a lot of growth in this area too. They divided up the wards vertically, and now we are back in the Coppell 1st ward with Bishop Yorke. Bishop Huntsman was released. The bishopric is Riley Yorke, Dayton Judd, and Elliot Phillips. Dad was released as High Priest Group Leader. Lots of changes. It seems like our ward stayed a lot the same, the boundaries for our ward are basically everything west of Denton tap, up to where the Phillips live.
Now there is Coppell 2nd ward with the Taylors, Melvilles, Erickson's in it. The new bishop of that ward is Chris Strong. Dan Buhman is one of his counselors now. The new ward, Coppell 3rd, is the area where the Hurst's live, and the Weidmans. It takes in a lot of the apartments that used to be in our ward. The bishop is Brian Willey, a young guy who was in the Coppell 1st ward. Crazy, so many changes, but all good.
The bad news is our wards new time to meet, the rest of this year and all next year...2:30!! So late, but I guess someone has to do it. There will be 4 wards using our little building, and it will be busy. The church is really growing here in TX! I might mail you off the maps they gave us, just so you can visualize all the changes. We are still Carrollton Stake, and everyone really likes it.

Last night for FHE we went to Brooke's had did our pumpkin carving, ate some tortilla soup, and made some caramel apples. It was a fun night. Will send you a picture of the festivities. This Friday is the Harvest Carnival, and chili cook off. Always a fun night for the kids. It will be the last event we do together as the "old" Coppell 2nd ward. We will be taking the popcorn machine...it wouldn't be the harvest carnival without it!

That's update all for now. Seem's like these weeks just fly by, it has been very busy around here. We have had a lot of rain, and the weather is beautiful and cool out. I love the fall time.

Could you do me a favor? I am ordering you a plaque to put in the hallway at church. I would like to include a scripture on it. Will you write me and tell me which one you want? I will put of picture of you on it, the scripture and the SLC mission. It also has your date you left. I need to get that done, so please let me know.

Love you forever,
Mom

Transfer #4

Wow what a week i have had. It sounds like your week back at home was just as crazy. Well I'm sure you want to know what is going on with transfers. I am now out of the Parley Zone. I have been in that same zone since i have come out. 4.5 months. I was kinda ready to go else where. I am now in a zone called Granger. It is in West Valley. My new comps name is Elder Parks. He is from Alaska. He is a lot of fun and it is going to be a good transfer again with him. Elder Rice stayed in my old area again.

Well we have one convert baptism lined up for this weekend and then two 8 year olds that we will be baptizing. They have helped teach them because their parents were less active. We should also have several more this transfer.

Well Elder Parks in a District Leader so that makes me the District Leader Companion or DLC. Not that that means anything for me but it could be that President wants me to be in leadership soon so this is kind of a way to train me how to do it. So who knows if it comes cool if not cool. Mission politics are a joke and get out of control at times so i want to stay out of that as long as i can.

Right now we only cover 1 stake the West Valley Stake!!! Wow! What a change for me! Going from 3 stakes to only one and covering 21 wards to only 5! This is because one Elder Parks is a DL and then second on the West side the people are a lot more humble and the work is a lot more crazy. We have a ton of people that are investagating at the moment. Kind of cool huh?

Well I also have another car because my comp is a DL. We have a Mazda 3 now. Its a "Cute Car" like Ryans huh! Well things are going great here. We dont live in a basement either. We have our own apartment. Sweet! But the down side to it is that we dont have a washer and dryer. For that we go to a members home and use theirs. So that makes it better.

Well I'm glad that Angie had a good time at the temple. The more she goes the more she will learn. Its neat to be able to go and learn. Keep up the work with all the wedding plans as well. Its almost November already. Keep me in tune with everything that is going on. I got to go but ill send some pictures to yall! Have a good week and talk to you later!



Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

October 20, 2009

Dear Scott,

How has your week been? I hope you have remained busy, and going strong with missionary work. We have had a good week here at home, and I will try and catch you up on things.

After coming home from Utah, we jumped right back into the routine. Dad & Jeff had finished tiling the kitchen floors, and the next step was to put the kitchen back together. What a lot of cleaning and dust, and dirty cupboards we had. Brooke came out a couple of different days, and we cleaned a lot! The island is put back down, and the baseboard is back up. Just need to finish up putty and paint. Whew! I think Dad was very happy to get that job completed. Now it will be on to the next project, mulching the rest of the yard, planting a new tree in the front yard, and re-staining the fence. Always a project to do.
I have been cleaning out my closet, which is not a fun job, but with Brooke's help, it is looking better.

The biggest news this past week was Angie going to the temple. It was so nice, she did great, and it was a wonderful experience. It was so special as a Mom to watch another one of my kids receive their endowment. Angie & Ryan are so happy together and are getting anxious for their wedding day! I will attach a couple of pictures for you. We went to the 5 p.m. session, and Ryan's parents were with witness couple. It was just great to be with them all in the temple. Afterwards, we had dinner at Celebration, a good night. Angie, Ryan, Dad and I are planning on going back to do another session this Friday.

My time has been spent addressing wedding announcements this week. I am trying just to get envelopes addressed, and first, I have to round up all the address's. That is a job by itself. Angie also had a really nice shower on Saturday morning. Lisa Taylor had it at her home, and there were a lot of people there, and it was so fun. Lot's of fun shower gifts, and yummy food. Anna and Carli got to go...Carli said "No boys allowed, just girls bridal shower". They had their engagement pictures taken on Friday morning, it was a tad bit nippy out! They got a lot of good pictures, will send you one of those too.

Last Thursday, Dad and I went over to CMSW for a early morning breakfast and award ceremony. Mr. Mark was giving the "Wrangler Award of Excellence"!! There were 10 girls, and 2 boys given the award, and Mark was one of them! We were so proud of Mark, he is a good student and always try's to do the right thing. The teachers were very complimentary to him, and he got a nice framed certificate, and some fun coupons to use. He gets his name on a plaque that will be left up in the school. Very nice! Will send a picture of him too.

The weather here has been gorgeous! Nice cool, sunny day's, and even cooler nights. I love the fall time. Makes me want to cook some soup, bake some bread and curl up with a good book, and a cup of hot chocolate :).
I have not sent your sweatshirt, and heavy gloves, don't know for sure what you want, but let me know, and I will try and get that done okay?

We had a really good lesson this past Sunday in R.S. It was on the prophet Joseph Smith. I wanted to share a quote with you that I thought applied so much to missionary work. This is from Eliza R. Snow, she says:

" in the cause of truth and righteousness, in all that would benefit his fellow man, his integrity was as firm as the pillars of Heaven. He knew that God had called him to the work, and all the powers of earth and hell combined, tailed either to deter or divert him from his purpose. With the help of God and his brethren, he laid the foundation of the greatest work ever established by man, a work extending not only to all the living, and to all the generations to come, but also to the dead."
"He boldly and bravely confronted the false traditions, superstitions, religions, bigotry and ignorance of the world-proved himself true to every heaven-revealed principle, true to his brethren and true to God, then sealed his testimony with his blood."

I know that God has called you to the work, and will sustain you in your calling as a missionary. I hope you will be true to every principle, and true to God too. Be the best you can, and work hard :)
I love you and I am proud of you and all you do.
Love, Mom

Cafe Rio was Fun!

Wow i dont know if i even need to write you because we talked for an hour and a half at Cafe Rio. But i am such a good good boy i will email yall! Well i dont really know what to say because we covered so much in that time. We are getting excited for our two baptisms this Saturday. The stake is really excited for them as well. It is going to be a busy rest of the week. We have the two baptism interviews tomorrow and then temple square in the evening. Friday we are booked with lessons and then on Saturday we are going to be busy filling up the font and at the baptismal services.

It is never fun the last week before transfers. I hate waiting to hear if I am staying or going or what the deal is. Our ZL's reccomended that my comp and i both stay in our area another transfer. They said we work really well together and i think so too. Our area is booming now. It is so much more busy then it was when we came into it. That is always a good thing I guess. So I will just have to wait and find out what will happen.

It is crazy that this is going to be my 4th transfer. I have been out 5 months now. It does not really feel like that at all looking back on it.

Well I really dont know what else to say. I guess Mom can pass off to everyone else what we talked about at Cafe Rio. I dont really even remember what we talked about. All the days just get mashed into one and I never remember what day it is.

Well that is all for now. I will email you again next Thursday because of transfers. Talk to yall then. Good luck Angie at the temple on Friday. Have fun!!!


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Fun Weekend!

Dear Scott,
Wow! What a week end we had. Everything was so fun, busy, hectic, and great!
I am glad we got to see you for a quick dinner, you are doing fantastic. You have a good companion, and I know you boys are working hard. I worried so much about seeing you, but it was great and worked out well. You looked just the same!

We made it back with no problems. Angie was with us on our flight, so that worked out well. We had a good time with Ant Nikki, and Uncle Aaron, they treated us like royalty!

Dad tiled the kitchen, and it is beautiful. Now we (as in Dad and the boys) get to put the island back in and put everything away out of the dining room. Lots and lots of dust everywhere, but so nice to get that done. The kitchen looks nice. It should help when we sell to have the kitchen updated a little.

We got all of Angie's temple clothes. She is very excited to receive her endowments this Friday. Ryan's parents will be here, and we will go Friday at the 5 p.m. session. I will take lots of pictures, and send some to you. These events are the one's that parents really look forward to, very special days. We are so proud of all of our kids!!

This week will be really busy. Dad is at the U2 concert tonight...got tickets last minute through work I guess.
I have a couple of nativity meetings, and am working on Wed. at the hospital. Dunstan's will be here on Wed. night, and we are looking forward to being with them too.
We have temple on Friday, another bridal shower on Saturday, (so fun!) the stake Roadshows on Sat. night. Whew! I am tired thinking about it all. I really need to put the house back together too. No rest this week, but it's good to get all these things done. I am sure we will survive it all!

You have a great week, and know we love you a lot!!!
Leslie Owen

Week 4 in Transfer 3

Wow! What a weekend!!!

It was so fun to be able to see General Conferance for the first time. It was a neat experance to be able to be in the same room as the prophet. Even if it is a huge room! Well we got tickets to Sat AM, Preisthood, and Sunday AM. They rest we gave away to other missionarys who did not have tickets. I dont know if i told you but we have to be there during GC. Even if we dont have tickets. The sessions that we did not have tickets to we watched them in the Joseph Smith Mem building or the North Visitors Center on Temple Square. I would have to say that my fav talk would have to be Jeffrey R Holland of course. We watched so many talks from him in the MTC abouth missionary work. He is gives such strong powerful talks. I think that was everyones fav! I also took notes in every session on all of the talks. It will be good to be able to refferance those talks from the notes I have now.

Oh have you talked to the Brassfields? I saw them at GC! Sister Brassfield and Scott. I also saw Kim Cangalosi and Cierra Boyd there. Sister Brassfield took a picture to give to you. I also have one of us all. It was fun to see them. If you guys ever come or anyone from the ward comes tell them that all of the missionarys gather around the Reflection Pool on Temple Square. If they ask for me someone will point them in the right direction. So that will be fun to see some people i know. I will be there every GC! So keep that in mind.

Well things are starting to get cold here. The high has been in the 40's the past week. Burrrrrrrrrrr. Speaking of which could you send me my big ski gloves and some sweat shirts? My big heavy A & F sweat shirt would be nice because it is heavy. I also got your "Fall Package" mom! Wow what a treat! I am loving the trail mix. Its almost half way gone. I only got it last night too!!! Yummy! Thanks for the other treats. If you keep that up i just may gain the 20-25 lbs that most missionarys gain here in SLC! Fattys!

Oh Uncle Matt sent me back that watch also. He said the company replaced it! So now I have it back and its brand new! Cool. Well i bought a SD card reader so i could be able to load my pictures on the computer and email you some. So ill see if i cant do that.

Well we also have two people on date for a baptism for the following weekend! I am stoked about that. They are great people! Well I think that is about it for this week. Not to much more going on are here. Lots of love to all!



Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

So any who here are a few more pictures. Ones of me and my comp Elder Rice, Another if at the end of a session of the prophet, and the last is for jeff and mark they need to go to this place i am pointing to!!!
Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Week of Oct. 5th, 2009 Spooky Halloween is Getting Closer!

Dear Scott,
What a wonderful conference weekend we have enjoyed! We loved hearing from our prophet and apostles. The Sunday morning session was just so great, I think I have never heard a more powerful testimony than that of Elder Jeffrey Holland. I loved his talk, and have listened to it 3 times already. What a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the truthfulness of the gospel, it has helped my testimony become more strong too.
All the talks were so good, and every time there was a talk on missionaries, or missionary work, we thought of you. I feel renewed after listening to such good talks, truly inspiring.
Were you able to get in the conference center for the priesthood session? Any other sessions? Let us know all about your weekend, I bet you had a good one :)

I talked with Grandpa last night, and he got the shoes. He is going to go down to Mr. Mac's and see if he can get them exchanged. I will keep you posted on that. Hopefully, we can get those replaced.

Last night the family came over and we did our "1st Annual Chili Cook Off!" It was sa fun! We had 5 different chili's, and gave out a few little prizes...shekels to the winners. The big winner was Brooke with her white bean chicken chili, then Megan with her all meat chili pie, and Mr. Mark with his 2 alarm spicy red bean chili. Actually, all the chili's were yummy. Chad made a good one, very flavorful, and Angie made one with Chipotle peppers and chocolate, a "mole" type and it was so good. Dad was the judge, he was not good!!! Could not make a decision and said next year, we need to get an impartial judge to come in! :)
I am attaching some pictures of the fun night. We had breadsticks, and I made a pumpkin sheet cake. Fun to get together, I think we will make that an annual event!

The house plans are coming along. We sure have a lot of little changes along the way. We think they will start the house sometime in November, but not sure yet. Trying to get all the pricing done, plans re-done for the kitchen, and dad is working on some things for the media room. It is time consuming, but I'm sure it will work out. I have picked out cabinets for the kitchen and bathrooms, and some counter tops for the kitchen, and island. I think we will put hard wood floors in the family room, and kitchen area. A big project to work on!

This week, I think Dad is going to jack-hammer up the kitchen floor, and replace it. We need to do that before we list this house for sale. We have picked out a new tile...large tiles I think 18X18? Anyway, they will look nice, it will be a HUGE mess to get that job done, and hopefully it will go smooth. Maybe Michael and Butch will come help, I know dad would appreciate that.

The boys are out of school this weekend, Friday and Monday. They were going to Broken Bow, but now will stay here and get the tile job done instead. Bummer! Broken Bow, and 4-lers would have been more fun. Speaking of 4-lers, I think Brooke and Chad have sold one of theirs. Michael sold his to Justin Nagle. Just didn't use them enough to keep them. We still have all of ours, guess we will keep them for now. I don't think we will get up to the cabin until Hillbilly new years, so busy with wedding, house, nativity etc. Sad!

Well that's about it for this week. I just can't wait for the conference talks to come out in the Ensign. SO Good!!! Let me know all your thoughts and feelings on the weekend.

Did you ever get a letter from the Greaser's? She asked for your address so they could write you, I bet they will, they are such a great family.

Love you lots, we pray for you to have that "missionary" spirit, and be the best you can be.

Love, Mom & Dad

Leslie Owen

Week 3 in Transfer 3

Well hello to all!

Dad I put that subject there just for you because you were confused. Hey dad what is up with being in SLC and not stopping by? You can visit me you know. Our mission president is very chill about seeing family! And 3300 South and State Street is in my area that i cover!!!! You were in my area for 3 days and I never knew. Thats weird to think about.

Well this week went well. We had interviews with President Sonne yesterday so thats why our P-Day is today. He is such a cool guy. He remembers everything about everyone. He started compairing this to the Police Dept for me when we were talking in our interview. I could not belive that he could remember that i wanting to go into that. He only has around 180 missionarys. The more i am around him the cooler he is.

Well we are having more and more success in our area. Again all of it is just coming from one of the stakes. The Grant Stake. The reason why they are doing so well is because they are pumped to do missionary work. They understand that the members are the full time finders and the Elders are the full time teachers. We get close to 5 plus refferlls from that stake each week. The other two stakes that we cover are Highland and Parley. They are border line horrible. The stake corralations with them are the biggest joke. Very unprofessional and waist of time. There is never a High Counseler there and they dont give two hoots about it. Thats why they are not doing good. I told President Sonne about them and he is going to have to have a chat with their Stake Presidents. The Grant Stake keeps us busy enough so President told us to just keep working where there is the work.

Well we are really working with one of our investagators a ton. Her name is Lorana and she is solid. We went to Temple Square with her and a baptism. She is sooooo ready! She just loves feeling the spirit. We had a lesson with her last night and her in laws came. They are members and support her. The lesson went way long, about an hour and a half. But the spirit was the strongest i have ever felt in a lesson. We tried to commit her for a baptimal date but she said she was not ready yet. Well later that night we got a call from her asking all about baptism. She thinks she has to be perfect if she gets baptized. And then perfect from then on. I know she will get baptized soon and well keep focusing on the importance of it. Well meet with her again on Friday at 6:30. Everyone is invited if you want to come.

Well the other people we are teaching are coming along great as well. I dont have time to type all the info up about them. Sorry. We have lots of people were teaching and working with. So I guess thats a good problem. I think for next transfer they will make Grant Stake its own stake. Thats what they need because there is so much work to do there. People are pre paired everywhere here. Left and right. Even in our other stakes but we just need the help from the members to let us know who is the elect.

Well we are still in our place. We have not been booted out yet but we may. It is the basement of someones home. Its kinda ghetto!!! Our window in our bedroom wont close. It sticks because yesterday and last night it started to snow, sleet, hail and rain. Kind of like Texas weather huh?

Hey when you guys are up here let me know!!!! Its ok to come and visit me. I also sent off those shoes to G and G's yesterday. Well do you know if any family from here are going to Gen. Conf? We have to be there the whole time. We will have to watch it in the Joseph Smith Mem building if we dont have tickets. So its better we get the tickets huh? It aslo sticks because Gen Conf means wearing our suit jackets from Conf to Conf. Bummer!!!!

Well it also sounds like you have your work cut out for you at home. Lots to do. I also hope that you have all that done by the time i get home! Dad hows my BMW doing? You need to keep that thing waxed and spit spot clean for me!!! You will have to hand over the keys to me when i get home! No Joke!!!! Plan on it.

Well that was a long letter!!!!!! That sould keep everyone happy for a week! Ill talk to you next week!!!


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Wowzzers!!! New Home?? Whaaaaaaattt?

Hola Family!

WOW your are getting the new home!!!!!!! I cant belive it!!! Like i told your in one of the letters you go through this whole house buying phase and never do buy a new home. And now you are doing it. You will have to send me a picture of our lot. If it is a big lawn we are getting a riding lawn mower. Thats part of my requriments if we move! Keep that in mind Dad!!!

Well I guess you want to hear whats new in Elder Owen's world here in the big SLC!!! Well this past week has been great! We have gotten about 3 or 4 refferls that are sounding golden. The work in just this one stake is out of control. The other two are about worthless though. But thats ok because that one stake is keeping us busy enough. We have still been working with that one family from Napal that has 33 family members. My comp said that if got all 33 baptized in one transfers that we would be ledgens in the mission. We also have about 7 or 8 really great investagators at the moment. They are also progressing great and we are planning on having some of them get baptized this transfer. So this seems to be a very motovated area, or at least one of the Stakes seems to be at the moment. They said their goal was to get to have a set of missionarys to be assigned to only there stake. I know that they will get it if they keep up this work!

Well i have a pic for yall but I dont have a SD card reader for the computer and none of the other missionarys have one either today that I can borrow. So maybe next week! So mom i did like i said and got you a picture. Also thanks for the 5 sheckles yo!

So the Sub a du buba ja buba trans pooped out? That sticks. No pun intended! : ) So are you going to get a new car or whats the plan with that? Cool stuff. Well hit me back ASAP so i can respond to ya!



Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Week 2 in Transfer 3

Well I am shocked to see that mom and dad did not write me at all!!! That's nice!!!!! Well this week was good so far. We have been learning about our area some more and are starting to get it down. We have our Zone Conference tomorrow so we are looking forward to that. Those are always fun. It may just be because they have lunch there provided for free. Elder Rice and I have been having a great time together so far. Oh I don't know if i told you but i have a car again and this time i don't have the black box in it!!!!! That was the best news so far this transfer. We have been working with the Stakes to help us learn the area and our investigators. Our apartment that we stay is big but the people upstairs scream and yell at each other all day long. So the mission office is trying to find us a new place. It makes it fun to do our study time! Well I hope you can still get me some conference tickets!!!! Let me know what you can do on those. Also mom can you mail off more meds. 

Well I think this is just going to be a short email but i guess i can do that because i did not even get one from mom or dad. They are way to busy cruising and having to much fun! So until next week........ Peace
Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Transfer #3

Well transfers are over for another 6 weeks. I also did not go into the Spanish program either, yet... My new comp is Elder Rice. He served in my zone last transfer and he is so cool. It is going to be a fun time with him. Well this is kinda odd. I live in my old area but i now have a new area. We cover three stakes now!!! Wowzzers! Its something over 25 wards that we cover! And our area we have is huge!!!

There is a Nepal family we are working with and they will have 32 people living with them in Oct. If we can get the Dad baptized then everyone else will do it. Can you even imagine 32 baptisms? That would be a record for the mission i think for one companionship. Crazy huh? And as of right now we have one person on date for baptism coming up. Well the three stakes that we cover are Parley, Highland and Grant stakes. Well i am excited for this next transfer. I will have to keep you up to date on things. Oh and again you don't have to keep rubbing in the whole cruise thing either. You just keep mocking me with all of these pictures! Haha

Well and also this iPod you sent me completely went poopy on me. : (   It wiped itself clean and now i can put the music back on it. This just happened right now so thats a big bummer. I think i will just go and buy one at Best Buy or something so its ok.

Well i think that is all for now. Ill talk to you later....


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

An Especial Email

Well today is not my pday but my comp had to do more school stuff on the computers. So heres your especial email for the day! Well i found out that both me and my comp are going to be transfered out of our area. When the companionship both leave they call that a white wash. Just in case i ever say that latter and you dont know what im talking about now you do! So what this means is i am no longer a greenie missionary! Now that i have spent over 3 months out in the field i have been trained and then this transfer, greenie broken as they call it! I still dont know where i will go but i will find that out tomorrow at transfers. 

I guess lots of other Elders have told the AP's and President Sonne that i can speak pretty good spanish. They are all wanting  me to go into the spanish program. That is just teaching in spanish full time. I dont know what will happen with that. Who knows i may get put into a little espanol. Or as grandma says "little Mexico." I would like to learn spanish but i dont really want to serve in the spanish program to much. They dont get "hooked up" as much as regular missionarys do. Haha But i would love to be speak spanish like Michael when i get home. Ill just have to wait and see "what goes down in da hood" for me. 

So today we have done lots of packing and cleaning our apt. We also have to update our Area Books which keep all the infomation and paper work in area. And we have a dinner we get to go to tonight that the mission is going to pay for. The whole zone and the AP's are going to go. This is a reward for adding 8 more people on date for baptism. Out of those 8 my comp and I put 4 of them on date. They are 4 kids from a family we have been teaching. They have plans to be baptized on Oct 2! I will be able to come back to the baptism then and be there for them. But I wont get the credit for the baptism. But that is not what matters. Thats 4 more people that are that much closer to eternal salvation!!!!

Well i am really starting to love the DI! Last week when we went i found an iHome for the iPod. It was only $15! I am such a smart shopper because they are normaly around $100. So that is my speakers and alarm clock. Sa sweet!!! The only bad thing is it is just more junk for me to haul around during transfers but its worth it!

Well you stinkers enjoy your cruise! And quit rubbing it in with all the pictures you keep sending me! Haha. Thats all for now and ill email you on Thursday!


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

All day P Day today!!!

Hey hey hey!

Today is an all day p-day!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!! Our zone got our goal of 22 baptisms for last month so we get an all day p day! I think we got 25 for the month. So we are doing a BBQ for dinner tonight and then we are going to watch a movie, Forever Strong. I am so stoked! So its a really good day! Hahaha

Hey mom i got the ipod! I am a happy boy now! Thanks for that. Also one of the missionary's has all the Mo Tab CD's and now i am just dumping them on my ipod. So i am good on Mo Tab now.

Bowling last week was fun. The Huntsman had 4 lanes and all the goods needed to bowl. It was sweet. If your building a new home i recommended we do that! I am astonished that your wanting to building another home. You guys have been on this new home kick on and off for years now. Like when we were looking at buying the house near the Stocks... That would be cool if it did go through though. Let me know. And dont buy the lot if it smells like Mc D's there all day. 

Wow and it also seems like everyone likes to travel right after i left. You have been to Europe and now Alaskan Cruise! Its ok because i know that you will take me everywhere that you went when i get home! Right?

Well we had 24's again yesterday. That is just when our ZL's go on exchanges for 24 hours. I went to their area for the time. This past week has been really good though. Some of our investigators have really been progressing recently. It really has been nice. That is just one step closer to coming unto Christ for them. And another step closer to baptism. Our ZL's recommended we stay in our area again for another transfer. So we will see what happens. Transfers are next Wed. so p day will be next Thursday. 

Well i am reading right now in 2 Nephi. I have just started in the beginning and started over. I am going really slow just reading and making marks and understanding. I am not just trying to read to say that i have read and blow through it. Well thats all that i can think of the write to you today. Sorry if that was short but i am brain dead. Well everyone have a good week and be safe and mail me off some packages!!!! : )

Oh and mom if you want me to label those pics just send them to me and ill write what they are on the back. Then ill mail them back to you. Reply if you have time so i can get it today!

Peace Out!

Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Howdee!! (from Megan)

Hey Elder,

I am trying for two weeks in a row!  How was you week last week?  We have been busy again but enjoying ourselves.  The weather here this past week has been pretty good not to hot.  Anna started preschool yesterday she goes for a full day, 9-2 and she loves it.  Only one more year and she starts kindergarten.  Michael started school also.  He is just taking 2 classes this semester because his work supervisor's keep him busy with TCLEOSE training weekly.  Blakey is really starting to talk like crazy....finally. He loves airplanes and helicopters and especially loves to go flying with Michael.  My calling is keeping me busy especially since school has started. We have standard's night next week and we are scrambling to put that all together, but I think all will turn out nicely.  I have never been to a standard's night so this will be a first for me.  So tell me about some of the things you have been doing this past week.  Is the weather turning into fall?  I bet it is pretty up there right now.  Let us know if you need anything!  Thank you for being such a good example to all of us and being so faithful!

Love,
Megan 

September Already! (from Mom)

Hi Scott!
Wowser's! Can you believe it is September?  Fall is in the air.  I love the smell of crayons and markers!  It has been good to have the boys back in school. Life is busy, but so good:)
We had really good meetings on Sunday.  Talked about "Holding to the Iron Rod".  I was looking at the verses, and loved reading the words of that hymn.
The 3rd vrs. is:  And when temptations pow'r is night, Our path-way clouded o'er, Upon the rod we can rely, And heaven's aid implore.
The 4th vrs. (which we hardly ever sing) is:  And, hand o'er hand, the rod along, Through each succeeding day, With earnest prayer and hopeful song, We'll still pursue our way.
I LOVE that 4th vrs!!!  I think it's just like life, one day at a time, going hand o'er hand.  I also like that is tells us "through each SUCCEEDING day.
I have thought about that a lot the last couple of days, and just wanted to share that with you.  Everyday can be succeeding for us if we "hold to the rod."

Well, on to the week.  It has been very busy as usual.  If we didn't have enough to do already with leaving on Saturday for Alaska, and getting a wedding planned for Angie, and working a lot on the stake nativity....I think we have pretty much decided to build a new home!!!  We are looking over in Arbor Manors.  Do you remember that subdivision going in there?  Behind McDonalds.  There is a great lot towards the very back....Juniper Court Cul-d-sac.  There would only be 5 homes back in there, and It is nice.  The lot is right next to a green belt walking trail, so we would have no neighbors on that side of us, and only 1 house on the other side.  We are busy pouring over house plans, and trying to get it figured out.  It is a David Weekly home neighborhood.  So fun!  Also, the yard would be big enough to put a diving pool in the back yard.
So, we will keep you posted about this new thing!  We have not signed anything yet, but I think we are pretty serious about doing it.  The house would not be finished until next Mar/April or so.  We would need to get this house on the market to sell, and that is not the fun part!  If we get the lot, and house, I will send you some pictures.  I bet it would be different for you to come home to a different house!! :)

Tonight was curriculum night for Mark.  Dad went with him, and I went with Jeff to get him signed up for a SAT prep course.  Made spaghetti for dinner, and off we all went.  Divide and conquer, that is my motto these days.  Sometimes I don't understand why the weeks are so busy, but it is all good stuff.

Did you get the ipod we sent?  Can you just make that one do?  I hope you liked your little package...did you read about the Bobo's?  Fun!

Angie and Ryan now have the wedding date for Nov. 20th.  The temple was closed on Nov. 6th for cleaning!!!  Boy! Good we found that out now rather than later.  I know Angie has written you a letter, so you should feel a little more up to date on her life.  It's good!

There has been no boating this week, so not much to tell you there.  I am starting to read the BOM again, I hope to finish it for the 2nd time this year, by December.  Also working on the YW value that was added on "Virtue".  I enjoy the reading so much, and know of the truthfulness of that
book.

Anna & Carli are both headed back to pre-school, they are so excited.  I am including a few pics of Brooke's family.....one of Brooke, a cute one of Nate, and also Kyle.  They are all growing and are so cute and fun.
I was with Blake today and he is starting to talk a lot!  Check the blogs if you can, they are just darling!!!

How are your investigators doing?  How was your bowling night at the Huntsmans?  We love hearing about all you do.
Keep us up to date on things and let me know if you need more meds. or anything else.
We will be gone until Sept. 12th, and then back home from the Alaskan cruise!!
We are going on the cruise with G&GG, they are very excited, and we will take lots of pictures for you!!!  Eat, seafood, ice cream, and seafood, and gain lot's of weight on the trip!!  :)

Lots of love to you, Elder Owen!!

Yaaa P-DAY!!!

Well your getting a letter and you know what that means, P-Day!

Well the week went by really fast again. It could be because we had our last P-day on thursday.  Thats why it seemed like you got your email from me a day late. 

Well today was really a lame p day. We went to DI a little before 10:00 to be the first set of missionarys there to grab the good ties. Well we felt like nerds because there was a whole line of people that gatered out there. It felt weird trying to be the first ones into a thrift store! The bad part of the story was there was no good ties or books or anything! We also went and warshed the Corlla and then went home and waxed on and waxed off! Grandpa would be proud of me, but not proud that we did not use Dupont Wax! (That is the best wax he says! And I think so also)

I am on the hunt for a tie rack hanger. Just something to hang my ties on and keep orgnized. If you see a good one snag it because i am not having any luck at the moment! 

Things have not really changed as far as the work goes here in our areas. Things still are slow but we keep working hard. We are still busy contacting leadership and we have gotten lots of refferls out of it but nothing promising so far. I think things will pick up here soon, or at least i hope.

Oh Mom and Dad, get as many tickets to gen conferance as you can. And the best seats possible to send to me. I cant get tickets to every session here so the more you can get me the better. And any of the extras i can give to some other missionarys. 

Well one set of missionarys in our zone had 19 baptisms this last week! And as a zone we set a goal of 22 for the month. So we have already reached our goal so next week we will have an all day P day! That will be sa nice. We will get to do a zone activty that night and watch a movie like Rember the Titins! It will be the first movie i have watched in 3 months other then the Joseph Smith Movie which i have seen around 20 times already. 

Tonight will be a fun night though. We get to go to a mutual activity. It will be at the Huntsmans home. This is the Huntsmans who donated tons of money to the Utah U for cancer reasearch and is really famous here. The activity is in his basement. A full blown bowling alley! We are so stoked! But we are there to meet the youth and meet the non members that they bring with them to the activity. And of course to bowl for a little while. 

Dad keeps wanting to know how our WML's are doing so here it is, we meet with them at least once every other week as a stake. In that meeting we go over with them one on one how they are coming with helping us find people to teach and how any of our current investagators are doing. Right now we are covering two stakes still, Foothill and Mounument Park Stakes. On Sundays we just try to attend as many Sac meetings as we can. We choose by first going to the ones where we have an investagator there and then to the ones we have not been to in a while. We typically go to around 3-4 a week. We would be able to go to more but we have meetings that day also and about half of the wards Sac meeting start at 1:00 PM. So we miss being able to make a lot because of that! We have only 3 church buildings in our area but that is only becasue our Foothill Stake Center is torn down to re build a bigger one. So we cover two more buildings out of our area and one that is out of our zone. We have to do this because Foothill is down a chapel now. So they have moved all the wards that meet there to the other three and scatterd them out all over the place. 

Well i think that is about it for this week. I still have not heard from Angie yet!!!!!! BOORAY what the heck???!!!! I need the 411 on things.  Well everyone take care and ill be waiting for those packages! I can't wait!!!! Oh and Jeff good job on biffing on the wake board! If I tried to flip i would have landed and it would have been narley and the board still would have been in one piece! (Or i would have done a belly flop!) Take care and ill be looking forward to next weeks emails! Also if you send one back to me before 5 my time ill be able to reply! So ill check before i leave! Peace Out!


Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Hey (From Megan)

Hey Scott!  It's Megan, your pitiful sister in law who has only written you once.  It is so nice to hear from you each week, it sounds as though you are doing awesome!  I wish that we could get a good missionary in our ward like you are.  I get to sit with our ward missionaries each month in ward council and I can honestly tell you that it makes a huge difference.  It seems to me that the youth of the church are the best missionary referral sources in a ward, and the better the missionary the bigger the success we have.  Have you been in the same area since you left the MTC?

Things here are going crazy!  It seems as though we always have something going on.  Anna started soccer last week and has had 2 practices, which are comedious.  We can't wait to see her first game.  Something about 4 year olds trying to dribble a ball against each other makes me laugh.  Anna is most excited about the uniform, and not so much about the actual sport.  She gets to start pre school next week and I think that I am the one who is most excited about that!  Two full days with her gone ever week....sweet peace! Blakey is doing good as well.  We have him potty trained him so that is good.  He is beginning to put more sentences together and he loves to sing. If you can check our blog mmowenfamily.blogspot.com and check out his version of I am a Child of God!

We are glad to hear from you everyweek and are grateful for you service to our Heavenly Father.  We are blessed grately becaus of you and your example.

Love,
Megan 

August 26, 2009 (From MOM)

Dear Scott,
Wowser's! Another week flew by! It sure was a busy one around here!

Ant Nikki flew in on Thursday to surprise Angie, and come for Angie's engagement luncheon.  I picked her up from the airport, and later that evening we went over to Angie's school...it was "meet the teacher" night, and Nikki walked into her room.  Boy was Angie surprised!  It was fun, and we had a great weekend with Nikki.  She stayed here one night, then went up to Angie's house.  We went to a movie, went shopping, had a fun lunch with the girls on Saturday, and ate custard at Culver's.  It was so nice of Uncle Aaron to surprise her with a ticket to come visit.  I hope she can do it once a year now! :)

Sunday was good.  I am on organ duty for August and Sept.  The talks were very good, spoke on temples.  Our stake has a "temple day" coming up in Sept. They want everyone to do as many sessions as they can that day.  Also, our R.S. lesson was on the temple too.  I will try and get to more sessions now the kids are back in school.

Speaking of school, the boys are back in session!  Yippee!  So far, so good.  Mark is very happy to have somewhere to go, he was getting very bored at home. Jeff started seminary today...he is also taking a dual credit course at North Lake, a business class.  He and Scott Dance ride together.  I hope it will be a good class.  I think Jeff has also made "sergeant" at the Coppell Explorers class.  He told me that last night!

The wedding plans are coming along.  Angie registered at Williams-Sonoma this past week, and I think I found some ties for the guys.  (I know you really want to know all the details for the wedding! :)  I think we do have a date...Nov. 6th.  She will have the reception at Castle Hills.  She also wants a chocolate fountain...yum.  Did I already tell you this? If I did, sorry about that!

Monday night for FHE we went boating with the Brassfields.  It was fun.  Scott B. can sure wakeboard!  He was getting some big air!  Jeff also was doing well, he even tried a flip.  I don't know what happened when he was out there boarding, but he broke his wakeboard! :((  It was strange.  I will try and attach a picture for you!  Anyhoo, we had a fun night.  Ate pizza, and spent the evening on the boat.  All the kids have left Coppell now, and headed up to BYU.  You may run into some of them, who knows!

That's about it for now.  I sure love the blog Brooke has done for you!  What a great way to journal all of your mission!  She even posted a slide show of all all the pictures you sent!  Watch your mail for a little package.  Dad mailed it off on Monday, so you should get it next week.
Lots of love to you, as Grandma Webb would say, "Keep striving!"
Love, Mom
Here are a couple of pictures:  Angie at the "engagement" lunch, and Nikki and Ang at her school.  I will send the wakeboard picture separate!

Week Number??? (I lost count)

Hello Family!

WOW! I opened up my email and had 9 email!!!! Woowzer! Its a good P-Day! Thanks for all the emails yall! 
Well out of those 9 emails i will try to answer all the questions! Lets see yes i can go to the blog Brooke is making so that is nice. We started setting this up last week. (That means it got my approval and Brooke did all the work) That will be fun to look at once i get home and to have that journal! Well this last week was crazy. We had interviews with our mission president and more training and my comp had a Dr appt and it was just a crazy week. We are still slow in our teaching pool. That means we probley only have about 8 people we are teaching. But we have lots of refferls that we have not even had time to follow up on yet because of the crazy week so far. We will be able to do that tomorrow i hope. Things are starting to pick up slowly. 

Well i am glad everyone liked the faith dinning! I think everyone said something in thier emails about it! And i can also just see grandpa testing his faith at a resturant! 

Mom i got your package! I just started laughing when i saw that pillow case. Sa cute! But i am not sure if i can use that anytime i have a comp! Just kidding i will use it! I know my comp is really wanting that. He just wont admit it. When i pulled it out of the letter i saw money and pulled it out and saw six bucks. I was wondering because that is a kinda random amount to send me. Well when i flung the pillow case open to look at it the room starting raining cats and dogs with one dollar bills! Sa fun! 

I cant believe you printed off all the pictures! that was a lot! Please send me some of them like will Elder Ballard and the pat of the church. And any other cool ones. You might need to make extra copies of a few so you can have some as well! My comp gave me a photo album that is a Utah licence plate folded into an album. It says "Powder" on it and is pretty neat. A fun keep sake. Brooke i put that picture of Naters in the album already. I think mom sent it up in that last package. 

Wow mom your getting me and ipod! Yesss! The sooner you could mail it off the better because my comp has lots of muisc i could put on it. So that would save me from buying it. Hey mom does the front yard look bare without our old tree out front?

Wow that was fun to hear from Michael. I have not heard from him since the MTC. Sounds like poor Anna misses me. Poor sweet girl! Tell her hi for me and give her a hug. She never liked me this much before. That could be because she was to busy being a stinker to me! Haha i miss her too! Sound like all is well with that occifer and his family.  I cant wait to get the package from M & M & A & B! Thanks for that, im looking forward to that. Have fun a Disney World!

Ill start sending this weekly email to everyone. I did not remember everyones email but now i have gotten emails from everyone i have them. But i do need Boorays email. 

I am guessing that everyone would be interested in my diet and cooking skills. So far i have branched out a lot more then what i did at BYU-I.  Cold unhealthy surgar ceral for breakfast. That is the one i have having the hardest time getting down. I can never get the right amount of milk and ceral. Its always very un proportional.I am now making tuna fish sandwiches and Mac and Cheese. If i am really feeling bold and daring i might pre heat the ovan to 450 and put in a $1.25 frozen pizza from wal mart for 15-17 mins. (depending on how crispy i want the crust to be!) Thats about it! I kinda feel like i am a dog after typing that because i have been eating same food for over 2 months now. HAHA

Horray for school starting up! I am happy for you mom! I know why you were always so happy now! Well i think as of right now my fav scripture is Jacob 4:8. But if you ask me tomorrow it will be another one. Everyone should go and read that. It is really a humbling scripture. One of my investagators pointed that out in his reading. It is so good because almost any question or doubt about the BOM or chuch can be answered with that one verse.

Well i g2g yo's! Hope all is well for everyone. Keep in touch and those packages coming! I will wait for them!  Dont forget this new picture of me that i attached. Its a pic of me taking in the entire Salt Lake City Vallay.

Elder Owen
Salt Lake City Mission

Hola

Hello Elder Owen

 

Well another week has gone by, time seems to just be flying!  I am sure you are starting to feel the same way.  So how is

the work going?  It sure sounds like you and your new companion are staying busy.  I was glad to hear you finally got a

new one that you like and get along with.  Although he was not your favorite, I am sure you were still able to learn from

him and take some good to your new comp!  How many people are you currently teaching?  Were you able to get a fire

lit and get your WML in gear?  You already know this, but there is no better way to get referrals and new investigators

then by using members!!  I had so much more success in my mission using members, rather than working hard and long

hours out in the heat knocking doors.  Work smart and hard, but work smarter!  So are you still in the same area or

were you moved?  Mom said she got a bunch of pictures developed, and we are excited to see those.  We were looking

at the blog the Brooke has put together for you, and Anna just started crying last night and said that she just wanted to

see you!  It was soooo sad!

 

Well Megan and I both thought it would be a great idea to put together a lil package for you, maybe even include some

gift cards.  After your last letter though and hearing about "faith dining" it sounds like you no longer need those!  From

the sound of things, I bet you are eating well and doing just fine!!!  The losing weight is probably coming from work, rather

than not eating :)

 

Megan and I have decided to take a family trip in November to Disney World.  Anna kind of thinks we are going, but we

are trying to keep it somewhat of a secret, so she does not drive us nuts about it!  We are going to fly, and are staying

at a resort on the Disney property for six nights.  I think Megan is the most excited, I am excited about flying!  I am sure

Blake will love the plane also.

 

Well, continue the great work.  We love reading your letters each week, and it sounds like you are just doing great!!

Keep it up, and know you will continue to be blessed for all you are doing.

 

Love Michael

August 18, 2009 (From MOM)

Dear Scott,
Well I took a ride up to Utah this last weekend, and I gave you a BIG shout out as I drove by SLC on I-15!!!  Sa good!!!  I knew you were very busy and all into the work, I thought it best not to disturb you! he he!!

We got your package in the mail. Thanks!  I took the CD of photo's over to Costco and got them all developed...all 269 pictures!!!  Wow! That was a lot of photo's you had!  I will try and mail you up a few of them, you might want some to put in a frame or just see.  It was great to see them all.  You will need to label them when you get home!:)
I also had a big surprise when Brooke showed me your mission blog!!!  It was fantastic, and I just love it!!  Brooke has done such a great job!  I sent out the blog address to everyone so now that can keep up to date on you.  Brooke will post those pictures from your CD on it too.  She said she might add a slide show of all the pictures.  Anyway, I was so happy and excited for that, what a great way to record your mission.  Are you able to see the blog on your p-days?  I hope so, you will really like it!

I know you want the ipod.  You have mentioned it about 10 times now.  Did I tell you that the front yard looks so bare without that big tree now? :)  I have asked Dad about sending you that ipod, and the decision was to send you Mark's old one.  It is small and should work for you.  Now all I have to do is get Dad to actually clear it off and mail it up to you...that will be the hard part!  We will try and get that done soon for you.  Should we put Mormon Tab. music on it for you?  Let us know okay?

We have laughed a lot about your "Faith Dining"!!!  Grandpa thought it was pretty funny too.  We all went out to dinner in Bountiful at the "Mandarin" and we would not let Grandpa pay.  He said "Faith Dining" works for me!!! ha ha!  So funny!

Melanie was married this past week in the Manti Temple.  I went to her reception last Saturday night and it was so nice.  Melanie looked really pretty and happy.  I think she married a really nice guy.  He is in the pharmacist program at University of Utah.  Lots of weddings coming up.
Guess who else is engaged?  Chelsea Owen!!  She is getting married on Feb. 13th, 2010.  She graduates in Dec. with  her RN degree.  That was fun news to hear!  And of course, Angie & Ryan.  So fun, love is in the air!!

I am finally proud to say I am on the last few chapters of the BOM!  I truly have enjoyed my reading this summer.  I think I have learned more that ever with the reading this time.  I know that book is true.  What are you studying during your personal scripture time?

Jeff and Mark are back to school on Monday.  Yeah!  "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"  I will take Mark to register and get his schedule and locker tomorrow.  Jeff is busy with Vivace practices, and is working a few days at the gun range this week.  It's the last few days of freedom, then back to school!

Sad news, do you remember Glen Davis?  He passed away this past week.  His funeral was today.  It was so nice, but I wished more members would have attended.  He was such a sweet, gentle man.  He was buried in the Coppell cemetary.  He has been so ill the past year, I know it was hard on him.  I will miss his kind manner, and his handshake each week at Sac. Mtg.  He was a such a faithful person.  A sweet man.

Let's see, what else can I tell you?  Clarke Hill is working in Roy at a paint shop.  He moved down last weekend and is staying with the Hill Grandparents.  Marilyn said it was a good job opportunity for him.  He will work fulltime for a few months and save up money for his mission.  He leaves for the MTC on Nov. 4th, so he has time to work.  I think he is delivering paint/supplies to different job sites.  It will be good practice for him to get out and meet people...help prepare him for mission work right?
I was able to see Marilyn while in Utah.  She and I have so much fun together!!  We never seem to run out of things to visit about.  She is such a dear friend.  It's great she is in No. Ogden so I can see her a little more often.

Tell us all about your week.  We love to hear about everything.  Can you send us your favorite scripture?  I need to order a plaque for the church.  I will put a picture of you on it, and want to include your scripture too.

Lots of love to you sweet boy!!!  Keep working hard.  The weeks are going by so fast!
Love, Mom