Well, I want to start off by saying I'm sorry for letting you down and coming home early. I've been beating myself up that I've let the family down, the Savior down, and myself down. But, at the end of the day, I know that the spirit told me that it was my choice if I come home early and with my back pain being through the roof, I can't tough it out anymore. I love you mom and look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. I will be leaving around 9:00pm here (which is 1:00pm your time) on Tuesday, and will be arriving home on Wednesday around 4:30pm.
After 37 hours of traveling from Sierra, Freetown to
Reno, Nevada, Elder Fowler made it safely home.
Now, to begin healing his back issues.
December 19. 2018
(Thursday, December 20, 2019)
Just to give everyone an update since it's been awhile. I had to make the hard decision to come back to the states to receive the medical aid I am needing. I came home yesterday (Wednesday) and left behind the greatest mission in the world. Since there are no medical facilities in Sierra Leone, I couldn't receive the medical attention I needed. Sierra Leone will always have a special place in my heart. The everlasting impact that "Salone" (Sierra Leone) taught me is a blessing. I've learned many important life lessons that I don't think I would've been able to learn anywhere else. Salone thought me you don't need fancy, expensive things to be happy. Also, I've never heard or seen a place where Christians and Muslims love one another and get along so beautifully. When I had to finally make the decision on whether to come home or stick it out, I was very frustrated that I would fail myself, but also my Savior. After hours of prayer asking why did I have to come all the way on the other side of the earth, to just go home a month later, my prayers were answered the next day while I was taking my bucket shower, with four simple words: STRENGTHEN: by getting called to Sierra Leone, my testimony was strengthened because I knew that Heavenly Father knows me and my desires to serve in Africa. LOVE: while being in Sierra Leone, I learned the love you instantly have for the people. The country is so amazing. HUMILITY/HUMBLE: when you first arrive in Freetown, you are just hit with the magnitude of how poor it really is. I learned real quick that there are several things in the states that I took for granted. Things like A/C, power, fresh, clean water, laws, cleanliness, diapers, trash collection, modern medicine, and much more. But never once when I was eating dinner with a member in their little Conex box with no A/C or power, did they complain about anything. Many times, during their prayers, they would always say, "Tanki daddy God me Heaven for my life", meaning, "Thank you Heavenly Father for my life." because they understand completely how valuable life is. Salone will always have a special place in my heart for teaching me many great life lessons and being thankful for everything we have. I'm hoping after I'm one hundred percent again I'll get called back to Sierra Leone to finish what I've started, but I know this is all part of God's plan for me. I'm truly blessed to even have the short period of time I did have to serve there. I'm thankful for a loving and supportive family. The challenge I give each of you is to take time this next week and look back on all the blessing you've been given and also see the Lord's hand in all things. I know that as you do you'll see how blessed we each are and how much our Father in Heaven actually cares about each of us.
-Elder Fowler
(He is home now and has started physical therapy, where we discovered that one of his ribs was out of place and making it hard to take deep breaths. He will most likely need an injection which is scheduled for January. The time he spent on his mission was not wasted time. He has learned so much and grown so much. The chances of him being able to return to Sierra Leone is slim to none, but we hope that he will return to serve wherever the Lord needs him. Below are some of the other pictures he took that we were finally able to see)
Plain Corn Flakes and powdered milk-just add water.
Leaving the Ghana MTC for Freetown, Sierra Leone.
From their trip going from the Ghana MTC to catch the ferry that would take them to Sierra Leone.
Elders: Morgan, Killpack and Fowler
These kids kept saying, "Picture, Picture" but what they
were hoping for afterwards was money.
American Embassy
Man holding watches to sell.
Trash in the streets
Can you see the two soccer nets?
Church building in Freetown that was being repainted. If
you look closely, you'll notice the scaffolding is just sticks.
you look closely, you'll notice the scaffolding is just sticks.
The tree in the background was nicknamed "The Tree of Life".
Human feces along the dirt roads.
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