Week 60 - OH Happy Day!

​Well hello there strangers:]

It's just been another blessed week here in Montgomery Texas and I just feel super grateful to be out in the heat serving the Lord:]

*drum roll*

CHERA HARBIN has been baptized!!! It was an absolutely incredible moment.  I got to stand there and watch her husband Derek baptize and just seeing how happy they both were just made the whole experience so worthwhile!  At the end of the program Chera had agree to sharing her testimony.  She goes up and says ,"I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to be saying up here"... and in my mind I'm thinking oh crap.. this is about to get buckwild... but then she continues to say ,"I know that this is where I'm supposed to be, I know that this church is true." BOOM! are you kidding me?  My cheeks were killing from smiling so much!  It was just such a good moment and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that I had to be a part of it.  Chera is a prime example of the atonement.  To see the changes that have happened over the past 8 months is so incredible.  I know that anyone can change with the help of our savior.  Anyone.

I got to spend some time with my best friend Sista Combs again:]  Haha . . . I literally have never felt as close to someone as I do with her.  She is just simply my best friend and I can completely be myself around her. Haha . . . I can't even say how dang excited I am for the adventures that we will have once we get off our missions.  She is #1.

After church yesterday we had an incredible teaching moment.  Awhile back we were having dinner with one of our members and their inactive son had a bunch of friends outside having a bonfire, Sister Bonner had gone out there to share a scripture with them and la la la fast forward... one of those friends came to our ward activity this past Wednesday!  I was down in Conroe but Bonnie invited him to take the lessons.  We show up Sunday and we weren't too sure if he was actually going to be there BUT he was!!  As we went through the restoration (for the bazillionth time) there was an incredible spirit in the room.  We asked him, "Why do you think this message that we share would be significant in your life?"  His response:  "Well.. if it's true, that would mean a lot to my eternal well being."  NO WAY!  What 21-year-old guy even says things like that?  It was so smooth and just filled with the spirit.  We invited him to be baptized and he said yes, that if he found it to be true he would:]  OH HAPPY DAY:]  It's interesting to me though that regardless of how many times we may teach the restoration, each time it will go a little differently, each time I learn something new, and each time my faith in the Savior is strengthened.

Heavenly Father is literally SO good all the time.  We continually see his blessing being poured out in our work. I know that as we overcome our own personal fears the Lord will strengthen and bless us:]  While I have never been so tired in my whole life I truly am so grateful for the opportunity of "enduring to the end."  I can't even say how many times I think, "I should just sleep in today.. we should just take it easy."  But nope.  We don't have time for that.  The work that you do today could make all the difference in eternity:]  I know that that is true, it's what's keeping me going.

I love YOU ALL!  Hope this week is just so full of great things that you don't even know what to do:]

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 59 - No Greater Calling!

Well greetings to the coolest family in all the land!!

I hope this past week was an incredible one for all of you!  I just feel very overwhelmed with my heart full of gratitude today and I hope this letter can pick ya up and put a smile on your face:] 

There were some very incredible things that happened this past week, but for some reason I feel like talking about SOME of the investigators we have been focusing on lately, because  don't think I've talked enough about them and how great they all are!

So first and foremost we have Chera Harbin and she is getting baptized this Saturday!!! *fireworks* *guns shooting* *audience applause*  Haha I can't even begin to say how excited I am for her and the step that she is about to  take! It has been a long time coming and if anything, Chera has taught me that your circumstances are not what define you. She has come from a pretty rough background with drugs and prison, but regardless of all these things, Chera still has one of the most caring hearts.  I know that truly through Christ we can be cleansed and we can change ourselves.  While she has been a little stubborn, I know that the Lord has been preparing her for this time.  One of the best parts about the whole thing is that her husband Derrick (who got baptized in March) is going to be the one baptizing her.   This past week I got the incredible opportunity to go to the temple with Derrick for the first time. We went into the baptismal room and as Derrick entered the font my whole heart was just so happy!  As I sat there and watched him do baptisms the scripture entered my mind "greater love hath no man than this . . that a man lay down his life for his friend."  I am so grateful that I have been able to serve a mission.  While I may have made some sacrifices in order to do so, it was so worth it.  I would give it up all over again just so that I could sit and watch Derrick enter the temple.  It's the small, quiet moments like that that truly make your mission worthwhile.

Jade Walles! Another incredible woman who's husband has been inactive for quite some time.  She has been taught the missionary lessons multiple times and the one thing that stops her from being baptized is that she doesn't want to do it alone.  She wants her husband to be right there with her, willing to wake up and come to church.  She wants time with her family.  As me and Bonner were discussing what we could do to get them to church, we decided that clearly we needed to talk to Clint.   Haha the awkward moments never cease as a missionary.  As I called him up at work I don't even know what I said but it was so awkward and I basically told him "Hey... your wife really wants to do this so will you get your act together and come to church?"  He said some decent excuses and after I hung up, I just thought 'well that went awful.'  THE NEXT DAY he sent me the greatest text in all the land:]  Haha and yesterday they made it church!  I was so excited and I could tell that the bishop was too!  Good things are happening in Montgomery.

And yes we still have Marcus... He's coming along.. praying about when he should be baptized.  I think his struggle is just not wanting to lose his family by making this decision. I know though, that the Lord can do incredible things and He will provide a way for Marcus if he wants it.

OH! and Yessica Perez:] So a couple weeks ago Sister Niedert and I went knocking.  We knocked on a house and a young girl came to the door... she didn't look so hot.  She told us that she had been throwing up all day but that we could come back another time. Doesn't sound too promising, huh?  Well, she's actually been coming to church and reading and praying!  It was the last thing that I expected, but I think she just might get baptized at the end of this month:]

I am just so grateful.  So grateful to be serving a full time mission deep in the heart of Texas! It seems that I went from the Europe of Texas to the Mexico of Texas and I'm just trying to keep everybody on the right path.  At times I feel completely exhausted, I'll go to bed thinking there is no way that I'm getting up at 6:30 tomorrow.. but then the alarm goes off and once again my knees are hitting the floor.  I love this work.  It truly has changed my life for the better.  I love Heavenly Father and how willing He is to answer my prayers.  I hope that this week is one full of incredible experiences and that you'll find yourself saying an extra prayer or two!!

LOVE YOU ALL!

-Sister Bowden

Week 58 - It was Worth the Miles

Wengapo!!

Well here we are again:] This past week has been a great one, one filled with moving mountains within myself. I truly am grateful for our Heavenly Father who is so very patient and trusting with me.  Haha, I don't even deserve it.

So I got the opportunity to go on exchanges with Sister Colton (sister Possin's current companion) and at first I was really looking forward to it.  I was excited thinking that I was going to be able to help her and comfort her.  Man, was I wrong.  I hop in the car and for the next 40 minutes she just yells, yells, screams, vents, drives angrily.  I was very happy to get into the apartment.. but oh it didn't end there.  I stayed up til 2 in the morning listening to Sister Colton.  I thought that I struggled with Possin . . . haha she made my transfer with her look like a piece of heaven.  She's really struggling and it seemed like every time I offered advice or comfort, No. she just wanted to be angry.  By noon the next day I just felt like I was being poisoned.  Hate and anger are just some seriously toxic feelings and I wanted to get the heck outta there.  We planned on doing service with their district but all I can say is there was very little service going on.  I was so upset by what the missionaries were doing.  Just hanging out having a good time.  It killed me.  We ended up at a members home and they wanted all of us to take this stress test thing.. haha when I took mine it was through the roof!!!  I was so completely stressed out, I wanted to help, to be a good example to these missionaries, but man.. do I say something? Do I tell them how disappointed I am in all of them?  Or do I just go on like it's no big deal.  This drug out ALL day long and by the end of it I just wanted to go back to bed and start over. 

We had zone conference the next day and the topic was Pleasing Man or God?  Haha . . . how ironic.  I knew what I needed to do.  So the next day during our planning session I just turned to Sister Bonner and said "Hey I need to say something to the missionaries" . . . but I realized I really just needed to talk to one.  An elder who I've been pretty close to my whole mission, he kinda is the leader of the pack.  We drove 50 miles out of our area (and yes we paid the price for it later) I sat him down and had no idea how to go about the situation.  He looked at me and said "Bowden spit it out already!"   And I just blurted Elder Contrys . . . You need to be better!"  Haha and then I kinda cried and then I told him how much I cared about him and that it killed me to see him this miserable.  Ya wanna know the secret to happiness?  Do what you know is right.  Just simply do it and I promise you, you will be happier.  He actually responded better than I planned, we had a little heart to heart and he is working again:]

We got to teach one of our investigators Chera with President Pingree!! It was one of the neatest experiences that I've had!  It wasn't anything incredibly special, just a simple lesson about obedience.  Chera had her baptismal interview that night and should be having her big day on the 7th:]  I'm really so excited for her.  As we were leaving President said "Sisters, you teach so well.  You talk to your investigators as if they were your best friend."    Wait, isn't that what it's supposed to be like? 

OH BUT THE BEST THING OF THIS WEEK!! BARBARA MOORE TOOK OUT HER ENDOWMENT AND IS NOW SEALED:]]]  It was such an amazing experience to watch her go through all of it.  The whole time I just felt like I could die from happiness!  The temple truly is the best place we can spend our time.  As they were being sealed I just felt how incredible of an experience it is.  Ahhhh!!  I couldn't stop smiling and just this big feeling of YOU DID IT:] Haha I'm a missionary and that family is now sealed.  That's what we're aiming for right? Building eternal families.  It's so good:]

But basically things have been incredible. I'm looking forward to the continual changes that come into my life.  I'm so grateful that we can change, that we can become better, and that throughout the whole thing Heavenly Father just loves us.  I'm learning every day and striving to become the person He knows I can be:]

LOVE YOU ALL!!

-Sister Bowden

Week 57 - Must Needs Be An Opposition!

Well hello there my family!

This past week unfortunately proved to be a pretty hard week for Sister Bowden.  It's funny cuz at times I'll think I've been out for over a year . . . I should have things down by now, but oh no, there is ALWAYS something more for us to learn.

It started out with me being pretty dang trunky, and I'm not even sorry! I miss my family and I really can't even say how talking to you guys was so awesome! So there, I was missing you guys, missing being home, missing my sweet lobo.  And it seemed like the next couple of days ALL of our appointments fell through.  We did have some great experiences along the way but my general mood was one of bleh!

We went on a couple exchanges and I have come to find a theme from the sisters that get to be with me, as opposed to when they are with Sister Bonner.   Haha when they go with Bonner they are at their best behavior, doing all they can.. and then when they are with me.. it's like toss everything to the wind!  AHHHH, they start telling me all the problems they have and ya know that's great, I'm glad that they feel comfortable enough to share their struggles with me but heck I'm just a human being!  A little cherry on top is that Sister Possin... YES THAT SISTER POSSIN.. is now serving in our zone.  And ya know, I really thought it's ok, we can be friends, we're not serving together, but it goes back to acting is a lot harder than just speaking.  I feel like I still hold a lot of bitter feelings towards her that I never really had the opportunity to fix, instead I had just shoved them off to the side and got transferred.  Her companion came up to me at stake conference looking like she was about to burst into tears.  She told me that she feels like she's not a good missionary anymore because of the way that Sister Possin acts towards her.  And seeing that I trained Sister Possin, I feel a sense of responsibility for her.  It kills me that Possin is still the same, sucking the life out of one missionary right after the other.  As I was starting to feel a lot of this "weight" on my shoulders I got a little text from Sister Newhouse and it turns out that one of my VERY favorite families back in Katy is falling away.  I loved this family so so much.  The husband and wife both served full time missions, they were super funny when together and all the time my thought would be, "I want to be just like them when I'm married."  They got it figured out!  They are awesome! And I think that's why it shook me so hard.  I had aspired to be these people and now... now what? I was laying in bed thinking about it, having nightmares about it when I decided to hop down and pray.  As I prayed I realized something . . .  my faith has very little to do with their decisions.  I know that Heavenly Father loves me, I know Christ is my savior, and I know that the gospel has been restored.  I can't rely on others decisions to be the foundation of my faith.  While it was a little shaky, I'm so glad for the resolve that I now have.  It's a terrible feeling though to think that there is so many people that need your help and yet there is so very little that you can really do.  I have just felt so helpless this past week and I hate it.  I'm doing all that I can and yet I'm still not doing enough! AHHHH it's a vicious cycle.  At times I feel like maybe my mission is making me become bi-polar.  As I talked about it with my sweet companion she let me read a letter her mom had written her and it brought a lot of peace to me.  Isn't it interesting how in the Book of Mormon the sons of Mosiah felt so much anguish and sorrow for their brethren and yet at other times their joy was so exquisite that it could make them faint?  I feel like maybe I am going through those same type of situations!  I'm so grateful though for the promise given in Alma 31:38 . . . "they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ."  That is the power of the atonement.  All of our afflictions whatever they may be can and will be swallowed up in the joy of Christ.  I think that is why when missionaries come home all they seem to talk about are the incredible faith filling moments of their mission.  It's because all of their afflictions are swallowed up in Christ.  The atonement is such an incredible thing, and it is there for all of us who are striving to become better and serve more faithfully.  Isn't that what ALL of us are trying to do?

I love my savior, and this work.  While it may be challenging, heart wrenching, and at times seem like it's too much for me to bear, I am so grateful for it.  I'm grateful for a companion that seems to be able to pull me out of my little fogs and keep me going.  I'm looking forward to this coming week and all the many ups and downs that will be placed in my path, for I know that it will be for my good:]

I love y'all!! Have a fantastic week!!

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 56 - Words Don't Do It Justice

Well hello again:]

Even though we did talk just yesterday I guess I'll still throw down some cool stories from the past week as I've heard I've been slacking in that department! Sorry sorry sorry, but like I said, it really is too bad because my mission has never been better!

Over the past week we were able to teach in quite a variety of places . . . from a cat infested house, to a gas station, to a bar, to a trailer, the possibilities are endless here in Montgomery:]

While we were teaching at the gas station a man came up to buy cigarettes, we introduced ourselves and invited him to learn more.  He said no, that he already had beliefs, but that we could meet up with his wife!  He told us to just swing by her work and talk to her there . . . which ended up being a bar.  Hahaha.  It was my first time actually sitting at a bar and I got to do it while being a missionary!  SWEET!!  Well, anyways, Jenna had been meeting with missionaries for a year but when they moved out to this area she lost contact with them!  She basically knows everything, just has never had the courage to ask the big question!  IS IT TRUE?   So we're picking things back up and I'll keep ya posted on how things go:]

We also found ourselves stranded on a far corner of our area one day.  We tried calling members, less actives, even investigators but NO ONE could come to save us.  We ended up hitchhiking to make our way to dinner:]  Haha. . . It's a miracle we haven't been kidnapped out here.

We had a really incredible lesson with MARCUS!  He called us from a pay phone and wanted to meet up.  He opened up to us about his past and how his mom had beat him as a child.  As I sat listening, I just started crying.  A lot of the people we talked to this week came from similar backgrounds of mental, physical, and emotional abuse.  I truly have come to be so so grateful for the home I was raised in.  I think I have taken everything for granted.  I've never been scared to come home.  I've had THEE most loving parents, I've had the gospel at all times, and I can't express enough how grateful I am for the things that I have been blessed with.  Words wouldn't even do it justice so let me just say this . . . I am grateful for the gospel and the blessings that it naturally brings into our lives.  I'm so grateful for my parents who have done more for me than I can ever repay.  And I am SO grateful for our Savior, who provides healing and comfort through the atonement:]

Gosh, I wish I wasn't soo lazy now a days.  My desire to sit and type about all the incredible things that happen during the week has just basically died.  Every night this past week I have gone to bed with the spirit burning in my heart.  Every night I have gone to bed knowing that I literally have done all that I can to fulfill my purpose as a missionary. I love our Heavenly Father and am so grateful for the blessings that He has been pouring into my life.  He truly has placed people in our path and I am SO excited for whatever lies ahead!    THE GOSPEL MUST BE SHARED:]

Haha, I love you all and heck really miss you a lot.  Smile big, stay strong, and know I'm thinking about you!

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 55 - Lets Do Work!

Hello hello!!

Well I hope this email finds everybody happy and well!! This past week has been just ya know, another week on the mission.

One of the highlights was that Sister Combs and I were REUNITED!!  Haha both of our companions are the sister training leaders, so when they had their meetings we got to be together!  Ah, it was so so so good to be with a best friend!  Man, I have missed her and it was a day that I needed!

So 2 weeks ago we lost contact of Marcus.  He literally just disappeared!  His phone isn't paid for and he wouldn't answer the door so we literally were left in limbo.  It. was. the. worst.  But one night as we were leaving our apartment the thought popped into my head go see Marcus! We pull up to his housing complex and low and behold the gate was closed.. and of course we didn't have the code.. hahaha sooo we climbed the fence:] THE GOSPEL MUST BE SHARED!  But don't worry, we definitely said a prayer before that no one would see us and that we wouldn't get in trouble for breaking the law, prayer works:] Marcus was home and as it turns out, his family has been giving him a lot of trouble for meeting with us.  He basically shut everyone out for a week.. so I guess we'll see if we can get things smoothed out in the next coming weeks.

One night this past week we had dinner with a member who is a counselor and man I felt so awkward!!  Haha, I felt like every time I made a comment she was interpreting it into something completely different!  Ah, stop analyzing me!  I'm just a human being!!  Haha after awhile, I just stopped talking cuz I was sick of having to explain myself in every way possible.  Crazy people!

In the Montgomery ward we have about 455 names on our ward roster and about 115 show up on Sundays . . . so yes you could say we have A LOT of work to do.  The bishop is stinkin awesome!  He used to be in the Navy so he has this kind of "don't mess with me demeanor" but then you start talking to him and he is hilarious:]  It kinda reminds me of dad, and I really love serving with him.  It's been incredible to see the miracles that happened this past week though.  Sister Bonner and I were able to reach out to quite a few of the part member families and start up the lessons with each of them.  We are really hopeful and excited for this next coming transfer:]  While I am talking about this, yes, we are still together in Montgomery which came as quite a shock to both of us honestly.  But we both understand why that is.  Sister Bonner and I are well.. completely opposite in SO many ways, hahaha so, so many ways.  I think that we are being kept together so that we can learn and grow from one another.  While at times that can be kinda difficult, I mean come on, no one ever really likes being told they should do things differently, but I am grateful for this opportunity.  I'm grateful for Sister Bonner's patience with me and all my dang shortcomings.  I'm really looking forward to this next transfer and all the wonderful things that can take place! AND CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE NEXT SUNDAY IS MOTHER'S DAY?!?!  One question: where has the time gone?  Who even am I?  I really can't believe that it's already here again:] 

Well I LOVE YOU ALL THE DAYS! I hope that incredible things happen this week:]  You'll be seeing this sweet face soon!

Love, Sister Bowden

Week 54 - Being What He Wants Me To Be

Well hello hello my dear family:]

This week ended up being quite challenging! We had interviews with President Pingree and as always they were great! As we got to talking things we're just peachy and we started discussing... plans to go home.  Which, as of lately, isn't my favorite subject to talk about.  For quite some time I have been planning on coming home in September, that way I could have 3 solid months to get back to ballet shape so I could audition in January! That's been my game plan for I can't even tell you how long.  Well we're talking about it and President says "Ya know I think that's a wonderful plan.  It'll be exciting to see what happens when you get home."  For some reason though, I felt the need to pray about it and ask the big man upstairs what His thoughts were.  The next day during my studies I received my answer. . . He needs me to stay.  He needs me to stay til the end of October. When I got that revelation I was so bummed!!  But what about ballet?!  What about all my big plans?  And ya know what thought I had . . .  "Have you still not learned that that's not what I want you to be?"  Aahhh crushing.

The next day was hard as well, we went out and knocked for hours with a couple sparks of excitement.  I saw a little boy out riding his bike and I asked him, "Hey what's your name?"  "Casinova, Jeffrey!" He replies and I ask him, "Well Casinova, where is your mom?"  He laughs at me and says "NO call me Jeffrey" and starts pedaling away.  We follow him to his house and as we approach it starts feeling a little weird.  We can hear a woman inside yelling the F word about every other word and there is broken beer glasses ALL over the yard.  Jeffrey runs inside and says "Mama!  Somebody is here to see you."  The mom says a couple other choice words and comes storming out the door, she takes one look at me and Sister Niedert (exchanges) and says a wonderful collection of words that I never, never, never would like to hear again.  She throws a bottle at the house and it shatters.  As we are walking away I can hear her screaming at Jeffrey.  Ya know the worst thing about it is that Jeffrey doesn't know any differently . . . to him that's how mom's treat their kids. To him that's just the way families are, and that thought right there is what breaks my heart the most.

The next day once again we're out trying to find some inactives on our list.  We got to a door, knock and decide to leave a note for the lady.  As we're walking away another crazy lady pokes her head out the door and yells, "I would recommend that you never come back here" and before we can answer, she slams her door.  We get in the car and as we're driving away our phone rings, I answer it and before I even know it, the crazy lady is once again yelling some cruel and disgusting things at me.  I just sit there, in shock.  And then I broke.  Why are people SO mean?  Why does Satan have to work so hard to try and bring me down?  Ah it's like 2 Nephi 4. Why should my strength slacken because of my afflictions?  My answer:  OPPOSITION.  

I got a blessing from our incredible Bishop and it was an answer to some of the deepest concerns of my  heart. I know more than anything that I am needed here.  There are specific people that need me and will need me until October.  I need to trust in that and trust that all will be well:]  I think that at times the more we try to build our relationship with God and help others do the same, the more Satan is going to try to stop you.  The more he is going to put doubts in your mind and throw some really nasty things in your way.  I'm learning to stay strong, to not throw in the towel, and to keep trying even when I feel like I can't.

I love this gospel. I know that it is true and that others have given up so much more than I.  Heavenly father is there, and I know He will help me through the hard times.  In fact, I think that's what He does best:]

I love you all and I hope that you have an INCREDIBLE week:]  We get transfer calls this Sunday!  Can you even believe how quick time is flying by?!  It's just not right!  And then it'll be mother's day!  Ah I'll talk to you guys soon!  I miss you so much!!

Love, Sister Bowden