Ah! well hi guys:]
I
hope that everyone had a super great week and that if anything this
email can in someway or another bring a smile to your face! This past
week for me has definitely been one that has once again opened my eyes
and heart. I can't get over how good Heavenly Father is to me.
So
there is a less active part member family in our ward that we've been
trying to get a hold of since my first week in being here and we heard
that their grandmother had had surgery about a week ago. Well we talked
to her visiting teacher and she actually set up a time for us to just go
over and visit with her.. but the only problem is that she ONLY speaks Spanish! Haha she seriously can only say hello and thank you in English. Hahaha but we decided to do it anyways, when we got there she started
rambling off and we said uh.. yo hablo no espanol.. and she replied no
hablo ingles.. and we awkwardly stared at each other for a minute. But
then Sister Newhouse got a sweet idea she opened up a spanish Book of
Mormon and was trying to find words to put together to talk but the
grandma just grabbed the book from her and started reading. Haha it was
pretty neat she just kinda got sucked into it. We then called one of the
spanish elders and had her talk to her over the phone and even though
we couldn't understand what the heck was going on they seemed to be
laughing and having a good conversation. And then Ivanna walked through
the door! She is 22 and is the only member in her family, we got to talk
to her and she said that she had felt like the church was isolating her
from her family that's why she took a step back. We got to know her,
played some games and by the end of it, she actually asked us to come
back! So later this week we'll go back and chill with the Spanish
speaking grandma and hope that Ivanna keeps wanting to meet with us:]
We
also got a referral from a member in another ward. We had set an
appointment up with her and as we knocked on the door her mother
actually answered AND SHE HAS BEEN SO PREPARED! She's originally from Mexico city and her sister and niece were baptized about 2 years ago.
Her son lives in north Houston and she told us that when she was with
him the missionaries found her there, and now that she is living with
her daughter she's excited to see missionaries here too. She loves el
libro de mormon and is excited to read it with her daughter. Anyways it
was exciting to see that the Lord had prepared her and now we
potentially have a whole family to teach:]
Yesterday
after sacrament meeting a member came up to me and said Sister Bowden I need to tell you something. Me and my husband have been talking about
you and we have decided that you truly are unlike any other sister we
have met. We want you to know that we see your leadership abilities and
how much potential you have and we just think you are incredible. We
want you to know that regardless of where Heavenly Father puts you, you
can have a lasting influence on people. We just thought you should know.
I just kinda sat there in shock. Sister Fulroth has no idea how much
that means to me. Honestly that's all that I have ever wanted is to just
know that me serving in this area has made a difference for somebody
else. After that, we had the awesome opportunity to teach the 13 year old
sunday school class, haha which was a little buckwild. It seemed like
everything we tried to share they'd go off on some ridiculous tangent
that would just make us laugh. But somehow we got on the topic of having
our prayers answered and I felt prompted to share my little earrings
story and I guess I'll just share it real quick. So pre-mish Macall had
more than one set of earrings in her ears (ooh yeah I was such a bad
kid) but anyways, I loved those things. I thought they were so cute la
la la but the only problem was that every time I would look in the mirror I'd have this little inner battle. One voice "just take them out,
this is so dumb, you know you don't even really need those." The other
voice "but come one they are so cute and no one really cares anyways"
just back and forth all day long. Well finally one morning I was saying a
prayer and I just said Heavenly Father if you want me to take these out
you're just gonna have to say it, otherwise I really like them and I'm
gonna keep them in. Haha oh boy does he answer. Well later that night I
was hanging out with a boy that I REALLY liked, he was so good looking
and could really make me laugh. We were sitting there and I just asked
him so.. you like me? Are we dating..? and he looked at me and he said
ya know Macall.. I do like you, I do, I just can't date you. And me being
typical me was just like WHAT?! Who in their right mind doesn't wanna
date me? Haha, but then he said something that cut me deep. He said if
you can't even do the simple things that we've been asked, like having
one piercing, how can I trust that you'll be able to do the hard things?
Boom. Slap in the face. Heart smashed on the floor. I was pretty
humiliated. BUT I knew that that was Heavenly Father answering me:] So
anyways, I tell this story and all the dumb 13-year-old boys go crazy on
the part that I got shut down and we're joking about it. I kinda
thought to myself why in the heck did I even feel prompted to share that
dumb story. Come to find out the one girl in the class, the only
stinkin girl, had been debating with her parents about getting more
piercings but my story helped her! Her mom came up to me later that day
and said hey, thank you for sharing that story in Taylar's class, it
really really helped her. WOO! ah I love moments when I actually do
something right! Following the spirit is one of the trickiest things to
do, but I know that if we simply just trust. Just trust that no matter
what you do the spirit is going to take over. Honestly 93% of the time
people aren't even really paying attention to what you say, but they
always know how they feel when you are around. How you make others feel
about themselves says a lot about you. I know that that is so true.
God's love is universal but it is up to us to make it personal. I know
that the more we search for that love, the more we will be able to help
others feel it also.
So I've been serving in this ward for about 6 months now and the latest
and greatest hot question is Sister Bowden, what are you going to do
when you get home? and this is my answer.
1: avoid all people of the male gender. Dodge all those bullets and just be awesome.
2: get a sweet dog.
3: eh get back into school and figure out my life.
4: take kickboxing and buy a kayak:] and
5: continue serving the lord to the best of my ability.
Haha that's the plan and I'm sticking to it! honestly I haven't even got
a letter in who knows how long me and newhouse have this on going joke
that whenever we get ads their clearly to me! I'm such a good friend and
neighbor.. of course they would want to send me stuff:]
Well I love you guys so very much! I hope that this week you just make some
new friends, find a new hobby, or help someone feel that that are
important. Go do the incredible!
Love, Sister Bowden
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