Still in Toledo!

¡Hola Famila!
WOW! It sure is good to hear from you guys every week! It always brightens my day and helps me to know that my family is all doing well! First off, changes didn't go anything like the way I planned. I thought that I was going to leave the area because I have been here for three changes, but I was wrong. I am going to spend a quarter of my entire mission here in Toledo. Its not a bad thing, I actually like the area with the exception that there isn't much to do and if you need to buy something, there isn't many places to do that either. (no we don't have to many things to go sight see) There is a horse racing track in our zone (Maroñas) but they didn't give us permission to go to it. Nevertheless the area is pretty good. We found out that Elder Avalos and I are staying here for another change and he is going to be our district leader. The other thing is that there was two areas here in Toledo, but they closed one of the areas. Well they didn't close it from missionary work, only from missionaries. My comp and I have to cover both of the areas now! I thought that our area was big before...boy was I wrong! I am super excited to work more here in Toledo and hope that we can have a few more baptisms before I have to leave. Not that it really matters, but did the second Cars movie come out? I saw a couple of posters that were for sale in one of the stores and it was advertising cars the movie with new vehicles that I hadn't seen before? The activity in the church went well. It was super fun to finally play some sports again. It was not so pleasant tracking after playing 4 straight hours of soccer (fùbtol). I sent some photos of this, I hope that you enjoy them. Oh? speaking of photos does it look like I am gaining weight? I think I am and the I don't really trust the scale in the Pharmacy, but it says I weigh 220lbs! YIKES! Well my comp says that missionaries always lose a lot of weight during the summer, cause it is so hot, so I am not to worried yet. Thanks for helping me to purchase the best pair of glasses I have ever owned...I got hit with the ball directly in the face again. Nothing happened to my glasses, but my eye was a little bloody. Uruguay won the Copa America this Sunday. It is a tournament between south and central American soccer teams and they beat Paraguay to win the entire thing (now they have 15 of these championships, hence the photo). Well sorry that I didn't write a lot this week, but things are all going well! I love being a missionary and serving the Lord 24/7. It is definitely a blessing in my life and the lives of my family and friends. I can definitely see the Lords hand in my life, DAILY. I know that this church is too and that the Savior lives. I love being so close to Him and am constantly working on recognizing His promptings through the Holy Ghost. I love you all and thank you for your support. I think I will get my other packages tomorrow when I go to Malvìn for changes (my comp has a leadership meeting and I have no where else to go). Stay close to the spirit and continue to be worthy to receive the Lords blessings in your lives!
Love
Elder Bowden

The power of CTR rings!

¡Hola Familia!

¿Comò està? Sounds like everything is going very well at home, and I have no doubt that the Lord is answering my prayers and helping my family while I am gone. It is crazy that Jaylee is 4 now and that that close to everyone else is another year older! I cant believe how fast time is going....tomorrow I will have been out for six months! That's it, a quarter of my mission already done. I am still striving to be 100 percent obedient, including even the very little things. This week I am working on the Christlike attribute of diligence. I know that as I have the faith and desire to serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength and ask for His help in prayer, I can become the missionary and disciple He wants me to be. I know that as we are patient and humble before the Lord we are like clay in His hands and he can and will mold us. This week was a lot better. I find myself saying, ``What happened to the last week? It is P-Day again already?`` I know that as I work diligently and in the way the Lord wants me to work, I will be able to see true results of a successful missionary. Today was pretty fun. We had a ward activity which included playing fùtbol (soccer) and eating lots of food. I will send you guys more pictures next week! I have really come to enjoy the area and members here in Toledo and think I am going to miss them when I leave. We will know what changes are this Sunday and I will let you know next Monday what is going to happen. This Sunday was another great day, filled with the spirit and the opportunity to partake of the sacrament. I am so grateful for this chance I have every Sunday to prepare myself, improve things, and remember what my Savior Jesus Christ did for me. We finally had an investigator in church this Sunday and a lot of less active members/recent converts. I finally have a story to tell you about an experience with the CTR rings. I used to just give them to members and the kids of investigating families, but this week I gave one to a kid in the street. We were contacting houses on this one block and there was a young boy who was riding his bike up and down. He told us of all the people that were home and all those that were not home and it worked out really well. After we were done contacting and leaving the area, he asked if we would visit his family We tried, but they didn't want to listen to us. I told him what the significance of the CTR ring was and gave him one. He was super excited and I hope that in one way or another I planted a seed. I know that the Savior lives. I know that He loves and knows each of us personally. I hope that I can continue to plant seeds here in Uruguay and work my hardest to invite those who are ready to be baptized, to receive those covenants. I am so grateful for my family and the gospel in my life. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to repent and be forgiven and to be serving the Lord as a full time missionary. Thanks and until next week!
Love
Elder Bowden

6 month mark...oh how time flies!

¡Hola Familia!

Wow! Every week gets better and better! I love hearing how well you guys are doing and all the activities that are happening at home. Well a lot of interesting things happened this week. We ate lunch with the branch president and he gave us a type of soup with rice. It had some weird looking meat in it and I didn't know what it was. I later asked and found out that is was pigs feet. Luckily he had a dog! I honestly tried eating it, but couldn't handle the texture and taste. Oh well, he said I didn't have to eat it if I didn't like it anyways. I bought a 3 kilogram bag of oatmeal and have been making no bake cookies a lot lately, they are pretty tasty. We were taking the bus the other day and I saw a younger kid with a blue and orange coat. I thought to myself that is was pretty cool, he then walked passed us and I realized that it had the Denver Broncos on the back. Even all the way over here in Uruguay there are Bronco fans! My comp and I are currently working to find new investigators. It is really sad but that ones that we had were not keeping their commitments and we had to drop them. It definitely isn't easy to knock (clap) every door and try to find the people Heavenly Father is preparing for us, but we have faith and know if we are obedient the Lord will lead us to them. I cant believe how fast time is going. This next week I will have been out for 6 whole months! CRAZY! I have heard that the first 6 months are the slowest and then things get better and begin to speed up. If that is the case I am afraid of how much I currently need to do to become the missionary the Lord wants me to be. I am 100 percent committed to working my hardest and giving all my heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord for the remaining time I have. I only have 2 more weeks in this change, at the end of July I will probably be changing comps and areas. We went to Montevideo again today to get some new shoes for my comp. It was another adventure! We found the exact same shoes at this store as the ones that they were selling at the missionary mall. They are made in Brazil, thought that was kind of crazy. Then I picked up some souveniers for the whole family and the best part was they were all free! I know I am a bargain shopper like my mom and dad! We had interviews with President Da Silva this week and those were excellent! I love talking to him and know that he holds the priesthood keys to guide me and all the missionaries here in Uruguay. I also had to opportunity to watch a talk by Elder Holland that has changed my whole entire mission. I love hearing from the prophets and apostles and know they are called of God. I know that this is the only true church on the earth today. I know that Heavenly Father loves and knows each of us personally. I love you all and thank you for your love and support! Sorry I am out of time! Until next week!
LOVE
Elder Bowden

Happy Birthday America!

¡Hola Familia! (fotos para familia Bowden y familia Avalos)

Your right, I cant believe another week has passed either! I want it to slow down a little so that I have time to accomplish all the Lord wants me to do. I am not for sure when you are going to read this, knowing you guys you will probably stay up real, real, real late to finish fireworks and read the email. so I will try to make it a good one. It sounds like you guys have lots to do as always and fireworks have been very successful this year. I know that the Lord is blessing my family and I for constantly trying to follow all of His instructions and commandments. Happy Independence Day! It definitely isn't the same here in Uruguay, but it has given me time to ponder on how grateful I am to live in the country where we have so many blessings and opportunities. As you can tell from the pictures, I colored my agenda special for this day. Were you guys able to see the parade? It is really exciting to hear that L Tom Perry was in it this year! I love the fact that I live in Perry, where there is a lot of history to due with the church. I cant wait to have a temple five minutes from my house! The temple is a sign that members of the church are prospering in the land and doing all they can to further Heavenly Fathers work! We have interviews with Presidente Da Silva again on Friday. I am truly grateful to have such a great leader and servant of the Lord as my mission President. He truly follows the inspiration of the spirit. Thanks for the quote from the apostles and Preach My Gospel. It is exactly what I needed to hear at this time. My comp and I are still striving to work together and things are much better. We found two families these last two weeks and are currently working with them and trying to find new investigators. Have you guys got rid of the fox yet? It sounds like it has done some pretty bad damage to the farm. OH? We have new neighbors too? Matt told me in his letter that we do, who are they and where do they live? I also received Michael's letter this week, practically by miracle because he only put a US stamp on it, not an international stamp. Speaking of stamps, if you would, please send more some more. I am getting kind of low. THANKS! This last week was really good and we had a great time bonding with the ward members here in Toldeo. On Friday we had a Noche de Talentos/Show. It was really fun to watch and listen to all the talents that Heavenly Father has blessed His Children with. My comp and I performed a skit (my first ever in spanish). It went really well and the members loved it. They were laughing for quite a while. It was of us getting kicked out of our apartment because I didn't pay the rent. Then we slept in a tent that we made and there was only room for one so I slept outside. Then I got beat up by teenagers 3 times before my comp let me sleep inside. When they returned to beat up us up again my comp said that he had already been beaten 3 times and to get the missionary inside the tent. Sorry got to go! Love you all and thank you for your support! The church is true and I have no doubt in my mind that we are children of our loving Heavenly Father!
Love
Elder Bowden

PS I am sending the pictures to my comps family too, that's why it says for both families. Oh and I burned more toast.....