Week 17 - No Burden's too Heavy If We ALL Lift.

Hello Jello:]

Well here i am back at the computer writing about another ridiculously hot week in texas! Can i just say that when the temperature is 105 it feels like it's actually 153! haha There's an old man in our ward who we call grandpa savage. he's the kinda crazy old guy who has NO filter, whatever is on his mind is coming out of his mouth. Well we were biking one day and we were just joking around with him and He said man i should call your president and tell him you two can't be on bikes in this heat, Me and Tau laughed and just joked some more... but... he really did call President Pingree... haha the next day we got a call from president and Instantly i start panicking... thinking what did we do? I don't think we've broken any of the rules... we've been doing good haha just like when the bishop calls you into talk, that whole sorta feeling. Well President says hey sisters are you guys doing ok? Uh.. yeah of course we are! he says oh well i just got a call from an andy savage... hahaha oh boy. needless to say our members are looking out for us. 

So this past Tuesday we had a "splits" night aka send out the young men to all the less actives to see why they don't come. Me ,Tau and Mama Blattman got our couple of names and went on the hunt. As we were pulling up to a ladies house they had just gotten home themselves. She didn't look too happy and instantly Mama Blattman says oh crap, oh crap. I had been talking ALL night so i turned to Tau and said you got this one? haha she looked at me like i was crazy and instantly i thought, of course. So we walk up to her and i just say Hey! are you alice wilson? The lady looks super mad and says it's mccord now.. haha oh crap. Well hey we're the sister missionaries and we were just stopping by to see how you are and what's been going on. She starts walking towards me and raises her arm.. I had no idea what was happening, i thought this woman was coming to hit me or something. But all of the sudden she starts hugging me and crying. She said that tonight wasn't a good night but to please come back. It was a little strange that this woman who i have never seen before and at one point i thought was going to attack me was now hugging me and crying. I told her we'd stop by another night, but we have yet to get in contact with her since. It's crazy to think that you never know the Lord's timing. ever. 

David is doing SO great! our lessons with him have been incredible! and it has honestly been the greatest experience ever. Yesterday as we were teaching him, me and Tau were sharing our testimonies and the spirit was so strong! He said that he loves the feeling he gets, and later that night he texted us talking about how grateful he was to be able to feel the spirit every time he reads. he also went on to say that he knows that he needed me and Tau specifically because the things that we share always strike to his heart. He's getting baptized September 21 and we couldn't be more excited for him! he's actually moving up to college station in a week so we're gonna have to pass him on, but hey, we did our part and it's been awesome to see his testimony just ingnite!

CAMERON AND JOEL HENKE are getting baptized this saturday:] but the best part is that their dad, ya know the hardcore lutheran, is speaking at it. He's going to talk at the baptism. Can i just say it has been soo soo incredible to see the huge change that has happened in this man from the first time we entered their house. To go from questioning literally everything me and Tau would say, to starting to answer our questions in lessons, to giving us hugs when we leave. ah people! the gospel is such an incredible blessing. it can change people's hearts. i've seen it:]

We also had dinner with the Freeman family this past week, they moved into our ward mmm i think about 2 weeks ago! Well anyways we get there and this family has 6 kids all under the age of 12 haha it was INSANE. The mom came up to me and said So this morning when i told the boys that the sister missionaries were coming over their son Parker said Is that the blonde one? Cuz she is so pretty, i bet all the boys love her! hahahahahaha. oh my, well thank you! i'm glad to know that if all else fails i can get a 10 year old boy, during dinner he sat next to me and as i was eating my pizza he put his face really close to mine and started making little kissy noises. haha ah ya little crazy boy! it was really funny and the mom was really embarrassed, but it's fine. Boys will be boys? Oh and the Grovers this past weekend had their son Benjamin and his family visiting they have the cutest little boy ever! his name is Hyrum and he's this little red headed cutie! we'll be doing our studies and he'll just come kick open our door and say crazy stuff like Why haven't you guys come down to play with me?! i love him, and i'm pretty sure if i have a slightly red headed child it will end up looking like him. BUT HE"S CUTE GUYS!

So it's been 4 months! 4 months since i've been in utah just doing the same old same old. I'm so so grateful to be on a mission. ah it kills me how time has been flying! i feel like i should still be sitting in that same chair at the mtc. This whole experience has pushed me out of my comfort zone, it takes everything you are and flips it on you. It's weird because a mission isn't about you, it isn't but in a round about way i feel that i'm getting more out of it than anybody else. It's just the craziest thing:] I'm SO grateful for the book of mormon. Ya know, i didn't sail with the brother of jared across some crazy seas to settle a new land. i've never been commanded to build a boat when clearly i know nothing about boats. I didn't hear King Benjamin's amazing sermon. I didn't go out with Alma and Amulek and i didn't witness the fiery death of all those innocent believers. I wasn't among the nephite crowd who touched the wounds of our resurrected Lord. And i didn't weep with Moroni over the destruction of his people, But the testimony i have is just as binding as theirs. I know Christ lives. I know he suffered for me. The only chance i have of living with my Heavenly Father is because of Him. I have made sacrifices to be here, and everyday i make more. I'll do it though. Because of my love for Him, i'll do it. I love you all and i hope this week is better than the last! haha i find that just smiling can work wonders:] Stay strong, preach on.

Love, Sister Bowden