The Church is True and the Work Continues!

HOLA MEJOR FAMILIA DEL MUNDO! Well.......well......well.....uh? Something to say.....Thanks for the cinnamon roll recipe! I am super duper excited to make them even though it will probably be next P-Day cause today we are going to play fùtbol or soccer. It reminds me of the lunch that we had yesterday after church. It was really yummy cause the member that cooked for us, cooks for her actual job. It had to be the best bread I have ever had here in Guay and it was homemade! This week went pretty good...almost normal. We found a new family that was entirely by the spirit. We had a charla with a lady one day at her door and she wasn't really receptive but she said one day we could come back. We went back about three days later and knocked but she didn't answer, but the neighbor came out and she asked who had sent us and if we were looking for her. I said it kind of like a joke but it was actually true that God had sent us(thinking she was mad that we showed up). She explained that she was an ``ex-member`` or a less active member of the church but that her husband recently passed away. She said she wanted to go back to church and that she had a son who is twelve and isn't baptized(and he wants to be). We are going back to them this week and we will see what happens. We also found a less active family who hasn't been in 6 years and went back to visit them. They got everything robbed from them about 3 years ago and don't even have their books. They wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon to start reading again. We invited them to come back to church and to one day be able to be sealed in the temple. The spirit was really strong and they were all crying. These are definitely the experiences that make the mission worth it! Then we had to run back home cause it was dark and the area is kind of sketchy(pero no pasaba nada). I am glad to hear that everyone is doing well at home and finishing another year of school....CRAZY! I hope that you all finish well and continue to learn and grow even during summer. Behave yourselves and always remember the great feeling of satisfaction that comes from hard work. I know that this church is true and that this is the Lords work. I know that we can only be instruments in His hands by following the promptings of the spirit. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and is equally the word of God, written by inspired prophets here in the Americas. I know that we become closer to our Heavenly Father and better disciples of Christ and we read and apply it daily to our lives. I know that the Savior lives and all the we will ever do and become is only possible because of Him and His atoning sacrifice. I know that families can be together forever through ordinances in the temple. I don't really know what its like to have the temple to close cause we never go....but I guess its nice. I am so excited to have one 5 MINUTES from my house when I get back! I love and miss you all so much. I pray for you daily and always want whats best for you! I know that this is the gospel and keeping the commandments. I know that as we renew our covenants every Sunday with the sacrament we prepare ourselves to live with God. Until next week! CON MUCHO AMOR Elder Bowden

New changes coming again!

Hola Familia! I can't believe that only yesterday, a day I thought would never come this quickly has already passed! I just hope that I am doing everything I need to and everything Heavenly Father wants in these short two years (and continue for the rest of my life!) It was great to see and hear from you all and I LOVED doing Skype again. I cant believe how much everyone is changing and growing up. I love you all so much and miss you lots but it doesn't matter cause I am where I need to be. I have news about changes.....I don't know if its good or bad but kind of sad. I am staying here in Aeroparque but Elder Whiting is leaving. I really had a great but short six weeks with him and we have become really good friends. I know he is a great missionary just like all my comps before and the new comp I will have. My new comps name is Elder Jenkins (I don't know if that's how you spell it?) and he is an American. I am not for sure which state cause he is fairly new and no one really knows him, but I'll let you know next week. I'm not exactly for sure why (I don't think I am racist) but I have had a lot of American comps and only two latinos. I guess it is who ever the Lord sees I need help from and who we help me to become the best missionary I can. I had one more quick question....could you send me a cinnamon roll recipe? Thanks you're the best! Anyways....I don't know what more to say because I told you all that I had in mind yesterday? I'll be here for at least another six weeks but most likely it will be 3 more months. I like the area and I am excited to continue working with all the great people here. I will be going to changes in Malvìn tomorrow...I have to pick up my new comp! I will probably see all my companions, friends, and others there. I will be sure to give Elder Condor his letter! I am loving the mission, gaining lots of experience, and hope that I am becoming the priesthood holder Heavenly Father needs me to be in the future. I talked with Elder Whiting about changing on the mission. He says in his six months he doesn't think he has changed, but I think that he has. I don't see a lot of big differences with me but I think its because it happens gradually and over time. I hope that you can all see the changes and know its for the better. Don't worry cause I'm still the same Elder Bowden who likes to goof off but with a redefined and stronger outlook and testimony of the gospel. Sorry about the language but I think I am forgetting English, at least some words and using a lot of Spanish ones in place. I know that this church is true. I receive a testimony of it every day as I speak with others here in Guay. I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves us beyond our comprehension. I know that He knows whats best for us and will always lead us to where we need to be if we follow His counsel. I know that His Son Jesus Christ walked the earth, formed His church, and eventually died for our sins. I know that because of Him we will be resurrected, cleansed of sin, and stand before our God again someday. I know that Mothers are amazing! and that we have been blessed with incredible moms to bless our lives. I am grateful for the gospel and all that it is in my life. I am grateful for an amazing family who is always positive, uplifting, and strong in their faith. I love you all and want you to know that TRUE HAPPINESS comes from living the gospel every day and in the simple actions. Remember who you are and what you stand for, why your'e here and who you can help. Until next week, CON AMOR Elder Bowden

6 Mas Dias y nosotros hablamos a Elder Bowden!

HOLA FAMILIA! Well.....what should I start with today? It has been a pretty good P-Day. We started at 10:00am after completing our studies and went to the supermarket. I bought today a large bottle of Tabasco sauce which I am very excited to use! After we waited for the bus and went to Camino Carrasco. It is our ZLs area. We went to visit them and pick up my package! Thanks for the candy, s, and girl scout cookies! It was literally just a few days ago I was talking about how much I love the peanut butter ones! Now we are here in the cyber emailing and we will have about two hours just to relax and clean up a bit when we get home. We dont have a lot of places to visit on P-Day that our inside our area and we have to have permission to go to the others outside the area(even then they dont always give permission). We have to work all day every other day so we usually just take P-day pretty slow. Our work days are normal. We leave at 10 to proselite(doing contacts and visiting investigators). We have an hour for lunch which is usually with a member but lots of the time they just give us the food and we eat at our house and then an hour to study spanish. We finish our work day at 9 at night and then we have planning for a half an hour and get ready for bed after that. I was kind of joking about the photos but would really like to have some more (current if possible). I am also super pumped to Skype and now we only have 6 days! It seems like just yesterday we were doing it for Christmas! I will be calling you guys on Skype at about 6:00pm here which would be about 3:00pm there. I hope that this works out and we wont have any problems! I love you all and cant wait to see and hear from you all on Sunday! This week went pretty good. As far as all the charlas or lessons we taught we reached our goals and had the most with member we have ever taught. I sure hope that we can find some one to be baptized soon cause it seems like forever since I have had one. I am doing very good and cant believe that the time continues to pass. I feel really wierd being one of the older missionaries that I always looked up to before. I hope that I can be an example to all those around me and always work hard. I am kind of sad to see Pres Da Silva leave in June....I really love him as our mission president and I know he is an inspired man. I also know that our new President will be just as good and continue to lead the misison in the direction that it needs to go. I know that this chuch is true and I love saying I am a member of it. Even more I love saying I am a missionary and representative of Jesus Chirst. I have to say that there is not any other feeling in the world thats like it. I feel that power of the Lord help靚g me, uplifting me, and guiding me daily. I know that He lives and that He loves us more than we can even comprehend. I know that as we pass through this life we have trials. We should strive to overcome them and seek the Lords help and after we will see them as blessings. I know that He sends them to us to help us return to our eternal destination and live with Him again. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and is the evidence we have that our church is true. I testify if anyone who really wants to know the truth and reads the book and prays will recieve thier own witness of its divinity. I know that families can be together forever. I know that through little things like daily prayer, scripture study, church and temple assistance we are greatly blessed. I know that the Lord some times requires us to sacrifice but it is always worth it and will one day recieve it all in one hundred times full! Until Sunday! Love and miss you tons! CON AMOR Elder Bowden letter