Monday, October 7, 2013

Week 25 - Daily Decisions Determine Destiny

Well Family!! hi, hey, how are ya?:]

Soo general conference.. amazing right?? ok let's be real this is probably the first year of my life where i truly have a GIANT appreciation for modern day prophets and apostles. Just like Monson said this was truly an inspired conference. Earlier this week i was taking a stroll down memory lane and thinking of where i was a year ago as apposed to where i am right now. yikes, yikes, yikes. haha ok so a year ago the night before conference i had stayed up WAY late with stacy (of course) so that saturday we rolled outta bed and decided to get some breakfast at village inn. As we were sitting there we were discussing that tattoo that i was wanting to get and i'm sure talking about the boys that were "so important" in my life during this time. i was wrapped up in school and work and church was definitely on the back burner. we were laughing away when all of the sudden mom calls crying. She states that her and dad's prayers have been answered and that i could serve a mission right then. I remember getting off the phone in shock and then literally laughing at the idea with Stacy. We laughed and i thought wow i can't believe how serious they were... me.. on a mission?? But low and behold it's incredible to see where i am now. I am on a mission. I've been out 6 months and there is literally nothing that has brought me more joy. this year the night before i made a list of 5 questions that i would like to be answered said a prayer and watched the miracle happen in my own life. These men are inspired of God. They are so aware of the things that we each individually are going through. There were a couple themes but the one that really really stood out to me was that we need to follow the first great commandment. To love the Lord with all our soul, heart, might, mind and strength. To make our families a priority. To have faith and exercise it regularly. To not wait anymore, now is the time to act, now is the time to be kinder, now is the time to come and join with us:] My favorite speaker though was Elder Edward Dube. oh man he was SO great!! it just makes me wanna find a black man to teach even more! ( and yes i promise i will fulfill that goal before i come home) "Never look back, look at what you still have to do" I feel that that is seriously where i am right now. I could take a step back and say man, i have done so much. i'm good, but WAIT there is still SO much more for me to do, learn, and experience! Last year during this same time my man Elder Holland gave his talk that changed my life forever. I hope and pray that we each will take the things that were shared this past weekend and put them to action, because i know without a doubt that that is when the blessings come!
Transfers are tomorrow! And...... I"M BEING TRANSFERRED! crazy. crazy. crazy.  i really did think i'd have one more in Fairfield with Possin but i guess there are other things in store for me. The thing that's gonna be the worst is that they switched the days, usually we transfer on Thursdays so all day wednesday you can run around and say bye to everyone... well today is our p-day so i'll have couple hours tonight to try and say bye to everyone. I'm not sure how they'll react,, Kiley Westbrook is getting baptized this coming sunday, Todd Henke is going to be baptized the 26, and the Day girls.... what's gonna happen if i leave? actually i know that answer, the work will continue, the people will progress:] It's never me that's vitally necessary it's the spirit. The past day has just been a whirlwind with finding out that i'm leaving. To add the cherry on top some of my favorite Elders out here are going home this week! I feel like all my favorite people are heading off into the sunset.. haha but i still have work to do.
I know that everytime we put the Lord first he is going to bless us. I can't say enough how incredible the power of the atonement is. Christ came, he died, he rose the 3rd day, everything is an appendage of this one infinite act. I'm grateful to be a missionary during this exciting time. I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me, He knows me. I feel so humbled to know that now instead of just having a testimony of my feelings and my experiences i'm starting to gain a testimony of this gospel and its teachings. You never know when someone is going to feel that spark, when they are going to see that light. I pray everyday that i might be able to help someone come closer to Christ. It's awesome knowing that Fairfield is such a better place now than it was when i first got into the area! The work is about to boom and i can't wait to hear about all the wonderful experiences that take place. I have made lifelong relationships with a lot of the people here and will miss them so much. I wrote on Mama Blattman's chalkboard the last time i was there and when i called to tell her last night that i was being transferred she said I'm never erasing my chalkboard! haha i might sell it, but i won't erase it:] My life is a mystery and it's cool watching how everything plays out. I love you all SO much and miss you all the days. Keep praying for missionary work because it's important dang it!!

Love, Sista Bowden

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