More pictures!! Muy Bueno!

No new changes...Just a beautiful sealing!

HOLA FAMILIA Well this week was...how can I say it? Missionarytastic or even templetastic! It was great to be in the House of the Lord and to be able to see some of the fruits of my labors. It was an amazing experience that made my mission along with everything else worth it! I also got news from them at the temple that they are expecting their first child in about two months, which means I'll get to see the little tike before I come home. It is a boy and his name will be Gabriel Nefi (or Nephi in spanish) a future missionary! We also heard that they legalized marijuana down here...it was a pretty big deal but I don't think it was the greatest decision. I guess I will have to continue to work diligently and do my best to find all the other people Heavenly Father is preparing for me. We also received change calls this week but it wasn't a change at all. We only had one missionary from our whole entire district leave. We are excited for the month of July as I am sure you are as well. We have a lot of progressing investigators that are hopefully going to be baptized in the coming weeks! I will let you know how they go and how great it feels to help bring souls into the knowledge of the restored gospel. I thank you for your always inspiring and uplifting emails(and the updates of whats happening back home). I appreciate your words of love and council and will always treasure them as well as previous memories. I cant believe that this month I will be receiving my "trunky call!" That means that the offices call when you have six months left and ask what your plans are for going home. You tell them and then they send my flight itinerary to you! I let you know as if comes. I love you all and I love this gospel. I love the joy that I feel as I serve the Savior and strive to become more like Him. I know that He lives and loves us. I know that He died so that we can repent and be cleansed of our sins. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and is another testament of Him. I know that things we do today, prepare us for the eternities. I know that we must use our agency wisely and it is a great gift from God. Love you all until next week! CON MUCHO AMOR Elder Bowden UN ABRAZO GRANDE

Going to the Temple for his first family sealing!

HOLA FAMILIA! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant believe how HAPPY I feel right now!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is a personal testimony I have that God helps us in the times we are down. That He will always lift us up, give us blessings, and help us endure to the end whenever we do our part. It sounds that you are all doing amazing as well as I am. Its sad to hear that the neighbors are having some trials but it will all work out the way our Heavenly Father wants and will always be for our benefit. I have amazing news to had to the great stuff you have already mentioned. I am so glad Shane is going on his mission and it makes me super happy to know all he will do while he is out. Too bad I wont see him for almost four years! Thanks so much for all that you do. I have the most incredible family in the world lead by the greatest parents. I don't know about souvenirs yet...but I'll be thinking and let you know. I know that everyone at home is in need just as much as I am....just cause I am on a mission doesn't make me an exception! Oh sorry that you just barely received this email today...yesterday the internet was down in our area and we couldn't email. But nevertheless....I AM GOING TO THE TEMPLE TODAY! I received news from my ZLs that Pres Da Silva gave me permission to go to the temple with Pedro! He is one of my converts that I had when I was with my trainer in my first area! I can honestly say that this is one of if not the happiest moment of my whole mission! To know that someone I helped receive the gospel is now going to have an eternal family is indescribable! We have the sealing at 6:00pm and he even asked if I would be one of the witnesses! I am so excited and can hardly even wait! We just barely finished our last district meeting of the change. I cant believe that another six weeks has already gone by! So on Sunday we are going to receive change calls...I don't know if anything will change (probably not) but I will let you know! This week was good as usual and we had another investigator (Luiz) come to church on Sunday! I hope and pray that he will continue to progress and can eventually be baptized. We are still planning on the baptism of Carlos on the 14th. (I guess I will have to send some more B-Day cards, July is a big month) I know that there is no other work greater than this. At times I become discouraged and feel down but I know this is what Satan wants. I know that as we strive to be happy and give it our best, that Lord will always bless us with spiritual, edifying experiences that testify to us of His divinity! I know that Heavenly Father lives and that His son Jesus Christ gave His life so that we can be cleansed of sins and mistakes to return to their presence. I know that true repentance brings us to a higher level, closer to our Heavenly Father and as we repent daily, keep and renew our covenants, it is as if we take small steps up towards the Celestial Kingdom. We have to remember that we don't want to go downstairs and hold tight to the railing(the gospel). I love you all and miss you tons! I am not trunky but waiting for the day the I get to see you all again. As the time comes closer I honestly feel nervous and don't want to give up my calling as a full time servant of the Lord. I love doing His work and being an instrument in His hands and have grown an even greater to serve Him the rest of my life. I hope that all of the kids are doing well, working hard, enjoying the summer, and strengthening their testimonies. I guess that goes for the adults as well! I don't have to much more to say and kind of have to go. Ill try to make up for the short email next week but just know that I am doing great and always will be not matter what happens. I know that this is the only true church on the face of the earth. I know that keeping the commandments is essential to our person conversion and happiness here and in the eternities. I hope you have a great week as well and I am always praying for you too! Until next week! CON MUCHISIMO AMOR UN ABRAZO GRANDE Elder Bowden

HOOOLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA! WOW! I have so much to tell you and so little time...so Ill try to do my best and not leave anything out! Sounds like you are all doing well and continue to receive the many blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for you! This week was great and not so great. Great cause we had zone conference and I am now really inspired to continue working! Not so great cause it was the last one with had with Pres Da Silva. I have really come to love and respect him and his wife they have truly changed so many things in their short three years. You will have to let me know what it said in that letter(hopefully he told you that I behave well, haha). We also had a lot of other things go well....like Carlos came to church again. The only problem is that his uncle is coming to baptize him and cant be here until the 14th of July. He is already prepared so when his uncle can come he will be baptized. I know that the numbers and baptisms aren't everything but I also know that the best way to help some one is to show them the restored gospel and how they can follow Jesus Christ by being baptized. We had another person at church also...(a miracle) but we didn't talk to him to see if we could go by his house. We had to leave church early cause my comp was sick and had been throwing up that night. He made some french fries the other day and I don't think the oil was hot enough before he put them in. He basically got food poisoning. Then everyone at church was freaking out and telling us we HAD TO go to the doctor and Elder Jenkins was like "I'm fine" and they kept saying no. I guess its cause the members want to take care of us and make sure we are able to work. We went home and he rested for a while and then we went to lunch! It was so yummy and he couldn't eat anything so I got double! I know its not really a good diet and I need to start slimming down (but that's the last six months). It was kind of hard cause we had stuff to do and people to visit but I couldn't go out by myself and he wanted to stay home? I guess that's what happens in the mission. Thankfully I have never been sick and have always been able to go out and serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I can also do better at always doing my best and giving it my all. I need to do what Elder Holland said and "leave it all on the field." It was pretty cold this week but they say it should be warming up again. One of the mornings we went out to work and there was frost on the ground! Not quite snow but almost. Hey a couple quick questions.....I still haven't decided what to do with the whole study or work situation but I'm going to talk to the new mission President and see what he says. I hope I can finish the mission and maybe work full time. Oh I am also registered to vote so you should send me the ballet so I can vote for the first Mormon president! I LOVED BK and it tasted exactly the same as it does at home! The only disappointing thing is that the drink machine said the had Mountain Dew but it ended up being another Uruguayan drink ( I was kind of bummed cause it doesn't exist down here). Other good news...I got my suit dry cleaned! The first time in my mission so it should be smelling nice when I go to pick it up today! Then its back to the house to relax, write letters, and eat PB and honey sandwiches! I know that this church is true and I LOVE being a member/missionary of it! It brings me so much happiness to know for myself all the principles of the gospel. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and is the keystone of our religion. I know that we are lead by living prophet and I am enjoying the conference talks in the Ensign (that I finally got last week!). I know that families can be together forever! I love and miss you all! Tell everyone to have fun at their camps and to get all the can out of them. That they are amazing spiritual experiences that they'll never forget. Happy B-Day mom! I didn't forget but I was just a little busy and didn't get the card sent, but it will be coming! Until next week! CON MUCHO AMOR Elder Bowden

Elder Bowden is getting a new mission President!

Dear Bowden Family; Sorry for my English! We thank you, very, very much for your love, support and all you did and do, for helping us in the Lords Work!. Your prayer, and specially for preparing so a great young man, willing and being worthy to serve a Mission! They all, are miracles!!! It was for us a privilege to serve among so great young man and women, and so supportive families!!! Thanks to all you! May God bless you and us, continuing serving in His Work!!! Un gran abrazo, Presidente & Hermana Da Silva Uruguay Montevideo

Thank goodness for Cinnamon Rolls

SALUDOS A LA MEJOR FAMILIA WOW! It was great to hear from you again....after another short week. It went pretty good and we actually have a progressing investi gator that came to church on Sunday! His name is Carlos and he is the 12 year old I told you about that is from the part member and less active family. He really wants to get baptized and promised his dad that he would do it before his dad passed away. He pretty much knows almost everything already and is close to being ready. The only problem that we have now is that his grandma wants to come to the baptism which we have planned for the 16th of June, but shes lives far away and wont be able to come until July. I guess the most important thing is that he is baptized but I sure hope that we can do it for the planned date to help us with our goals for the month. As you can see in the pictures.....I made cinnamon rolls! They were or are so yummy! I still have about 12 of them at home waiting for after lunch. Speaking of lunch I have good news....we are going to Burger King today! I am so excited cause there are only three of them in Uruguay and it has been almost 17 months since I have eaten BK! Tell Ash that I got her letters and pics and that I appreciate the love and support(the same to you also). I only have one question? It seems as if someone....one who claims he isn't a bronco fan is wearing a some what familiar jersey to me? Tell him that if he likes it then he can definitely borrow it cause it looks good on him, haha! I cant believe that school just got out and you all running around for the summer. It honestly feels like it is going to be Christmas down here soon cause it just keeps getting cooler and cooler. I don't know why cause I know that it is June but my body tells me that its the holiday season(I guess that happens after having the same seasons your whole life and then changing). I will not be playing soccer today which means that I wont have big blood blisters on my feet and that Ill have time to write. So to all those that have written they should receive responses in about 2 weeks. I am doing pretty good right now. My comp and I are getting along pretty well...we just need to strive to be more obedient and always work our hardest. I know that if I give it all that I have then it doesn't matter what happens. People have their own agency and after all I have done, its really up to them. I want to keep improving so that I can finish my two years without any regrets. We are kind of having a hard time finding new investigators now but I know that if we follow the spirit that Heavenly Father will leads us to those whom He is preparing. I love you all and pray for you daily. I know that Heavenly Father is always watching over you and I also have no doubts that you are fine. I miss you lots and as the time that we are been apart grows bigger I feel a love even stronger. I know that families can be together forever. I know that they are an eternal principal and we need to strive daily to make our relationships even stronger. I know that God and Jesus Christ live and that they love us. I know that because of their love for us they have restored their church on the earth today. It is the only true one that has authority from them and is led by a prophet. I know that in doing the small things (prayers, scriptures, service, church, etc) we are greatly blessed! Until next week! CON MUCHISIMO AMOR Elder Bowden