Week 48 - You Converted the Whole Ward!

Well hey there mi familia!

This past week has been one just full of great experiences and I, once again, am just so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve the Lord:]   There is nothing better that I could be doing. 

We had exchanges and I got to spend the day in Sealy which was SO good:]  They live with members and the guy has an art studio in his house which is so sweet!  He has dedicated a whole lot of time to his pieces and had this huge collection of paintings of Christ's ministry while he was on the earth.  It was a pretty neat experience and I loved the experiences he shared with me.  It's pretty neat to think that the Lord has blessed us with so many different ranges of talents!  But, anyways, we spent a lot of time knocking doors in Sealy and I absolutely loved it!  I love humble people:]  It really was good for me because we were able to contact a lot of people and find a handful of people that were willing to listen to us.  I left with the thought of "Phew! You are still a good missionary":] 

One day Me and Newhouse decided that we were gonna spend some time tracting in our area... haha which we avoid at all costs because with previous experiences it just hasn't seemed like the most effective way to spend our time.  Well, before we start going buckwild pounding on doors we decided to say a prayer for where we should go and I felt an impression to go to this certain building number at the apartment complex we were at. The second to last door Joanne answered, and at first she seemed pretty put off that we were knocking randomly on her door.  BUT, the spirit took over, we talked to her about a loving Heavenly Father, that the Book of Mormon can be a source of strength and that it was written specifically for this time.  As we left her with a prayer she was just smiling and said, "You have no idea how much this means to me!"  CAN I JUST SAY HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN INSTRUMENT IN THE LORDS HANDS? When you listen and follow the spirit, it just is unlike anything that you could ever experience. SO good:]

We also had dinner with my favorite lady Sister Hanna:]  As we were talking about what's been going on and la la la she told us that we have no idea all the good work that has come from us being here.  She said, "Sisters you should be proud of the work you have done, you've converted this whole ward" :]  I guess a huge part of missionary work, which honestly I tend to look over, is helping the members in their own conversions. 

Speaking of the ward, I got to speak yesterday in sacrament meeting! and once again, i love speaking!!  Haha it's become one of my favorite things to do.  I love just getting up telling a good story, throwing in some gospel principles, bearing a powerful testimony, and just walking away:]  Haha I talked mostly on how being a member of this church or having the gospel in our lives will always be something we'll have to fight for.  It's not meant to be easy, but I know that as we strive to constantly trust in the Lord man, we got some pretty great things to look forward to.  I LOVE THE KATY 2ND WARD.  K there I said it.  This has been thee absolute hardest thing that I have tried to be a part of, but I have just grown to love this area and all the people in it.  I know that it is through trials that we can become better acquainted with God:]  Afterwards I had quite a few people come and say, "Man Sister Bowden, that was so great!  I was just hangin on to every word!"  I truly am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who finds a way to work through all types of people, even this crazy, free-spirited girl from Hooper, Utah! 

I love you all so so much!  I hope that you are happy and well and that things are just moving right a long:] Keep fighting that good fight and know that I'm missing you guys.

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 47 - Making His Love Personal

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

Week 46 - I'm not Flippin Johnny Appleseed!

Hey there familia!

 

Aahhh!! So this week has been so gosh dang frustrating!!  We had an awesome lesson with Ricardo at a member's home on Tuesday and it went so well!   The whole family jumped in and things were just flowing away, at the end we committed him to pray and come to church, his response was oh yeah of course I'm gonna do that!.. but did he... NO:/ sweet mercy.  I have felt like we just keep hitting all these dead ends.  We'll have this little glimmer of hope and then it just disappears. 

 

I was reading in Alma 8 though and a member pointed something out that was pretty interesting, so Alma decides to come back to Ammonihah right?  And when he comes back he meets up with Amulek (the member) and in verse 27 it says and he tarried with Amulek for many days before going out and preaching.   Well I took that as ok we're taking a step back, and we're going to build our relationships up with the members here before we go out and try to preach again which is mildly frustrating cuz you would think after 5 months I'd have good relationships with the members, and honestly most of them i do. But there are a couple more families that we need to get to. I'm just constantly praying that the Lord will help a sister out! 

 

We went and visited the Swopes this week.  They are an older couple and I absolutely adore them!  So brother Swope has had a TON of health issues, he can't really see, he can barely hear, and it's pretty tough for him to get around, but I still think he's the greatest and when you see his wife take care of him it seriously melts your heart.  But, anyways, he showed me his man cave and I just about died! He has a wall of signed baseballs! A WALL OF THEM!  He has a boxing glove signed by Muhammed Ali and a giant sneaker signed by Karl Malone!!  I was drooling over everything!!  Hahaha but really it was pretty neat. 

 

On Wednesday after our ward correlation meeting I was walking around talking to some of the youth and I decided to just give a couple of them Books of Mormon to hand out.  I challenged a couple of them to give them to a friend before Sunday and guess what!  My favorite 12-year-old, Colby Allen, came up to me during church and said look at this as he handed me his phone and there was a picture of his friend holding the Book of Mormon and smiling:]  Haha i felt like a proud little mother!  It was a cool moment to see that he did go and do the thing that I had just casually challenged him.  He's number 1 and I'm grateful for the fearless youth that we do have.

 

Gosh well,  I wish that I had some awesome story to throw down and share, but honestly I have NONE!  We'll have this awesome lessons with less actives and potential investigators and then.. it just goes nowhere.  Yesterday we were talking to people before sacrament meeting started and a member came up to us and said how's the work?  I wasn't sure how to respond so I said "Oh, well as you can see, no one is here with us today."  He made the comment "ya know sisters you're kinda like Johnny Appleseed, just leaving seeds everywhere you go."  In my head I was seriously yelling NOOOOOO!! I am not Johnny Appleseed!  Ah, I refuse to accept that, there is so much work to be done!  I got up to bear my testimony and for some reason I felt prompted to tell them the "my best friend Des" story where she asked me about what we believe and I told her I didn't wanna talk about it.  Surprisingly, I had a lot of members that felt touched by that story.. heck, I just can't figure these people out!  I love them, I really do, I just don't know how to motivate them to be more missionary minded.  BUT I think that's enough pity party from this missionary!  Seriously life is really good, I love this work and all the many blessings that come with it:] 

Love, Sister Bowden

 

Week 45 - Bear with Patience

Well hello gorgeous!

This past week has been pretty crazy with so many ups and downs! I can't even say it enough, Heavenly Father is SO good to me. He truly is:]

We helped Rori VanHook clean out her kitchen and as we were leaving she said hey I hope you two know that I'm not just expecting you to clean my house and that's it.. WE'RE gonna start teaching her this next week and I'm pretty excited especially to get her inactive husband involved as well.  Things seem to just be rolling right along.  

As we were walking to check our mail that day there was a lady parked outside so I started talking to her about the church, I pulled out the Book of Mormon and was telling her all about it and out of nowhere this young guy comes walking up to me, cuts in front of the woman, is right up close to my face and says, "What do you think you know about God and Jesus Christ?"  I just smiled at him, took a step back and explained to Him that God loves each of us and that through Jesus Christ we can return to Him.  He... simply just walked away.   Haha I have no idea what happened or what will come of that but I just thought it was really interesting.  Right when you're about to do something good that is going to benefit others there always seems to be a curve ball thrown your way.

We had an AWESOME first lesson with our friend Jose from Walgreens. He just seemed to soak it all up so we're hopeful for him and seeing him progress. We also met with Karen again.. she is struggling to come to church and it has been pretty frustrating.  When we went over there we kept bringing up the importance of attending church.  I told her that it was like she's doing all the work and practice (reading and praying) and then she never shows up for the big game.  She started opening up to us and told us that every Sunday she has this inner battle with going to church or spending time with her husband.  She said it's hard to tell someone you love and that has always been number one in your life that suddenly God needs to be number one.  She started crying and called us "Bullies with Badges."  Hahaha I quite enjoy that.  I shared my testimony that when we are having to choose between something or someone that we REALLY do love and what the Lord is asking us to do, that He does provide comfort and blessings that outweigh the sacrifices we make.

I've started the Book of Mormon over... again... and this time I really noticed how Nephi no matter what the circumstances never complained.   Lehi did, Sariah did, and we all know about his brothers and yet Nephi never complained.  He was diligent and kept doing what the Lord asked.  I'm trying to apply that to myself.  The first time I actually felt the scriptures were answering me was in High School.  I wasn't accepted to the U's ballet program and I felt SO down on myself I came across Alma 26:27, bear with patience thine afflictions and I will give unto you success.  That verse brought me comfort then, it still brings me comfort now.  Am I really bearing with patience?  The promises given in the Book of Mormon are promises that still apply to us today:]

The bishop's wife had some exciting news for us too.  She told us that she had been fasting for missionary work and prayed asking Heavenly Father who she should talk to about sharing the gospel.  Well, He answered, she has a FAMILY for us to teach and they are really excited about the gospel.  Haha ya wanna know the funny part.. they are going on vacation.. and they won't be back till March 22.. aka the last day of the transfer.  How in the world did I get so lucky??  But, it's all good:] I am just so grateful for the experiences that she is going to have because of her desire to take on our challenge.

We had Stake Conference this past week and it was all focused on Hastening the Work.  It's been really exciting to see our members really take it on and talk to their neighbors and friends.  A lot of them have come up and said hey will you pray for la la la I'm gonna talk to them this week about the gospel.  AH! they are starting to get it:] It's only taken 5 months.  But hey, here's to whatever lies ahead.  I truly am so so grateful to be serving right now.  I've never been more reliant on the Lord.  I love Him and everyday I'm trying to be better.  I love you all and miss you ALL the days:] 

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 44 - It's the Sound of a New Start

Well hey there my sweet family:]

So.. so much has happened this past week and I wish that I was patient enough to take the time and write you guys about all the neat things that I have learned but I'll just throw down a couple and let ya get back to your crazy lives!

Over the past couple weeks I have been really praying to know how Heavenly Father speaks to me. I feel like all the time people will say you need to pray about it and la la la well I pray all the time and I would still feel like I was on my own.. so I decided to ask the Big Man upstairs to teach me how he speaks to me.. and aw man. Some of the experiences that I have had were SO sweet:] I know that Heavenly Father speaks to me through other people. Which I guess if you look back on my life.. that's pretty dang obvious but hey sometimes it takes us awhile to open our eyes and really see that he was there all the time.  It reminds me of the scripture in Alma 10:5-6, I think he really does call us many times but it's up to us whether or not we really hear.  One night as we were with some members all of the sudden they started talking about marriage and how their daughter has gone through some really hard things because of who she choose to marry, and as they were speaking it was like the spirit was smacking me in the face.  I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father's love for each of us and that he truly does answer all our prayers:]

We also got to help out with a youth activity which was super great! They held this little carnival of life thing, where the games were either worldly or spiritual. Well haha we picked to be in charge of the nerf gun one.. duh:] As kids were coming up to play, the other set of missionaries would try to get them to go play the spiritual games.. as if. I found it so interesting to see how easy it was to be "satan" and just distract everybody from the things they really should have been spending their time on. Gosh, it is so easy for us to get distracted and I couldn't help but feel bad for the other missionaries who everytime they would say something one of the teenage boys would kinda roll his eyes at them and then I'd hurry and say you should just keep playing this game it's so fun:] haha simply put, in the big picture are we focusing on things that really are going to give us that lasting happiness or are we merely just being entertained for a moment? 

 

 

We also got to go walk the temple grounds with Karen Foreman which was an incredible experience. As we were talking to her about the importance of entering the temple and how that's what all of us are working towards she started getting emotional. She does see the importance of it and she made the comment, "I don't regret the decisions I have made so far but I can't help but wonder what things I've missed in not being able to go in there." Long story short she is working towards getting her recommend and we should be going and doing baptisms with her soon! I'm pretty excited about it!

Valentine's day... we all know how much I love this stinkin holiday... Welp we were stood up by one of our potential investigators.. so my life hasn't changed much since last year! haha but seriously. I don't think I have ever worked harder and been so unsuccessful. At times it gets pretty discouraging, they'll be days where me and noobhouse will  get on our knees and just cry. I'm not even sure what to do anymore because I feel like I've tried everything.   I'm doing all that i can and yet I still haven't had one solid investigator in the past 5 months.  It can be pretty upsetting.  But that's ok, I'll keep trusting in the Lord and I'll keep doing what I know is right.  Can I just say how much I hate when people say "don't get discouraged.. you're planting seeds everywhere you go"   ew. save that for the relief society.  I didn't come out here to just plant a couple seeds and call it good! HELLO, I am Sister Bowden.  I work my butt off and miracles happen... haha they just haven't happened yet.  

Well, I love you guys so so much! I hope that you're week is so great and that you do the incredible:] 

Love, Sister Bowden

Ps.. I realize that in these pictures I looked like the most tired girl in texas.. and well.. that's probably because Katy is sucking the life out of me and I am tired. all. the. time.

Week 43 - This Is What you GET to go Through

Well HELLO there my great family:]

Ah well wait the week is already gone? how did that even happen? Well this past week was literally so good! We went over to Rori VanHooks to help her clean and we ended up having the neatest experience! As we were taking a break to eat lunch newhouse asked her a simple question and I don't even know what happened but all of the sudden we were teaching her about the restoration, about living prophets, about the plan of salvation, but most importantly we just kept telling her over and over again that Heavenly Father loved her. That he loved her so much and he was aware of her.  She started tearing up at one point and I was so grateful for that moment.  It was all just so casual and meaningful. She was engaged and we were teaching her the simple truths of the gospel.  It helped me realize that some people just need to be told that someone loves them.  That God is aware of them, and I think at times I disregard that knowledge on a daily basis.  We have a lot of hope for Rori and i'm excited to go back this week:]

One of my really good friends out here has actually decided to go home this week.  Sister Cardona has been struggling with depression and anxiety and has decided it would be best for her to get home and figure everything out.  So I came out with her and we were best friends in the MTC and it kills me to see her going home so soon.  As she was talking to me about it earlier this week, she just started crying and saying that all she really wants to be is happy.  I would do anything for this girl, I even asked her if we could talk to President about us being companions so that I could get her up and going again.  But, unfortunately, president said no.  He did say though, something that kinda hit me, "Sister Cardona we each have our own challenges and this is what you GET to go through".  That really hit me, because it's true.  Trials suck! but I know that before, after and during every trial Heavenly Father is right there helping us become better.  WE GET to go through this life.. isn't that a huge blessing in itself?  Missions are really hard and I can't even imagine trying to serve one while suffering from depression.  She told me that every day everyone has a 5 lb weight strapped to them as they're going around but for her it feels like a 50 lb weight just to get up and go every day.  She truly has been such a good missionary and I'm hoping that things work out when she gets home.  Coming home early has probably have to be one of the hardest most intimidating things a person can go through.  I just hope that when she gets there that her family and friends will receive her well and just show their love for her.  That is seriously the thing that she needs most. 

Regina Kim came to church yesterday and I was SO excited that she came:] and ya wanna know the best part of the whole thing?  She brought her son Logan with her and he was so good!  He has severe autism and he was a champ!  He made it through all of sacrament without freaking out once.   AH, so so sweet.  So she told us that she'd be back next week and it really was an answer to my prayer.  I love getting the opportunity to see people change their lives, or just the affirmation that this lady came to church today because you invited her to.  You were the one that told her she was needed.  You helped her come closer to Christ.  Seriously nothing is more gratifying than these small and simple moments:]

Well another transfer has come and gone.. and I can't even believe it. Time just seems to be flying past me and I really wish I could just stop it all!  Me and my little noobhouse are still together, and I feel so hopeful for this coming transfer! Great things are just right ahead:] I can feel it in my bones!  Hahaha ok not really, but I'm excited.  Life is SO good, and I hope this next week something meaningful happens for each of you! I love you all!!

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 42 - Be Where Your Feet Are

Well hey there my fantastic family!!

Ah shucks, well here we are again, and I have to admit this past week has been a pretty interesting one! Me and Casa nueva (newhouse) have just really been hitting it off! Lately we've been spending a lot of time with the VanHook family. The husband is inactive, and the wife was raised Jewish.. aka she doesn't know anything about what she believes. Well they are boarder line hoarders and we offered to help them get control of their house again. It has been incredible! Each time we have gone over there we have been able to build our relationship with Rory and she has been asking us a lot of questions about Christ. It's been interesting to ask her certain questions about judaism and she'll answer.. pause.. and then say but that doesn't really make any sense. haha how can people go through life claiming to be a part of something that doesn't even make sense to them? Tradition! (like off of fiddler on the roof) But anyways they are super great and I have become a super organizer! 

We got to go to the temple this Friday and ah man! it was so sweet! I had my little family name to do and it made it SO incredible:] I had to do her initiatory before the endowment and man, I forget just how neat that is! Ah, we have been given so so much! but this past week I had been praying about a lot of things and it was incredible to receive certain impressions while being in the house of the Lord. I feel so blessed to be serving so close to a temple:]

and are you ready for this..... 

WE GOT A NEW WARD MISSION LEADER!!!!! oohh yeah:] as we were sitting in sacrament meeting they were going through releases and i heard them mention Brother Allen so I perked up because he is one of my favorite guys in the ward... then they released the current ward mission leader.. .and Wa-La! my prayers were answered!! We have this new fantastic awesome ward mission leader who is pumped about getting things going! ah he's number one and I felt so much more motivation to get out to do work, because now somebody actually cares! we're moving mountains my friends:]

I woke up sunday morning for some reason thinking you should get a blessing.. so I followed that prompting and asked Brother Meldrum if he'd be willing to do it. After church we went into a classroom and he asked me Do you want to tell me what's going on or should we just go off of inspiration? I said we're going off inspiration here and he just smiled. Priesthood blessings are so real. He said I would remind you to be wise and aware of all the distractions that are currently around you, even those that are dear to your heart. The most interesting part about that is that that was exactly what I was looking for. I want to be where my feet are. I want to be here in every way that I can. I don't have much longer and there are certain things that have definitely been pulling my thoughts else where. No more distractions, it's time once again for me to reach a new level of conversion and let some things go. I truly am grateful for brother meldrum, and all others who hold the priesthood worthily:]

OH last night for dinner we got to eat with the Willis family and ah! they have thee cutest girls in the world!! seriously. Well i was standing there when all of the sudden their little girl Serena comes from behind and jumps on me... I wasn't really expecting it so I think we can all guess what's about to happen... I started falling backwards and yep:/ I crushed little Serena's head with my bony butt! it. was. the. worst. all of my weight just boom right on the teeny girl. She cried for soo long! and it took awhile for her to warm up and be my friend again! ah haha it was terrible. Then their other daughter Jane, sprained her ankle when she was running up to us.. and then later split her dang chin open! let's just say next time I go over there I'm wrapping their children in bubble wrap!!

But anyways this week was one full of learning for this girl:] Next week is transfers all over again! can you even believe that?! but I'm 93% sure I'll do one more here with casa nueva:] I love her! Seriously it has been the best getting to serve with this girl:] I love the gospel, I love the opportunity I have to share it, I know that Heavenly Father certainly is aware of us. He sometimes just asks us to be more aware of Him! Have a great week, sorry the superbowl sucked so much:]

Love, Sister Bowden