Oh Time is flying!!

So I am missing the snow.....I haven't seen or felt anything close to snow except for in the freezer.... Haha! but it's been a good week!  We had the baptism of the last member of the family Freitas. It was awesome to complete a family!! Cicera Celene is the mother of Iverson and the aunt of Valeska.  I have lots of pictures to send this time. But our week also was a little sad because João Batista fell through on the last day.  He had been told lots of things bad about Mormons and figured out that Mormon is a nickname and after he simply didn't want anything more to do with the church and didn't want to be baptized anymore... its so stupid how someone can like the church and want to be baptized but once you hear gossip..... it wasn't very fun, but we will keep trying... the Lord has a plan and will prepare him. 

Its the last week of the transfer with my son!!!! :Oh Time is flying!! but we will try and find lots of people this week!  We have 2 people planned for this week.  We will work hard to prepare them for this week!

We had a good Christmas.  Ryan would be proud ... we did a work out and worked on getting some grande muscles! and....... ate lots of chocolate, ice cream, and coke....... haha We are all almost body builders!!!....

I just got the 2 packages you sent for Natal.  It was awesome! Thanks very much!!! And so you know we receive lots of Liahonas in both languages but the RC Liahona was really cool!

Love ya lots!!
Elder Bowden

It's Christmas!!!

Pizza with the zone for Christmas!

Our investigator's name is John Baptist!

So last week we didn't get a chance to email because all the baptisms in the zone fell through except for Valeska, a cousin of Iverson... she was baptized last Domingo! She is sharing the gospel with her friends, it is awesome, the only problem she had is that she thought we wouldn't visit her after her baptism! But anyway, President took away our P-day last week, so sorry for not responding...

Valeska is the one in the middle of the girls

But this week was nuts! We had a good FHE with 25 people and some investigators about faith and everyone loved it!  It helped me realize some awesome aspects about faith.  I'll save it and do it with you guys in 1 year or so... that's a really weird thought... 

But anyways we had a baptism that fell through this week, but he has a new date for this Sunday! His name is John Baptist! Its really nuts! 

Oh and I also received the packages last week and lets just say I didn't wait till Christmas with all of it, but some of it is still kept secret and safe! :) 

So the food in this area is a lot better and we have lots of juice here, its pretty legit!  My favorite up to this point is..... I have no idea, but the açai shakes here are really good and guarana is something awesome they have here! 

So I think I will email around 2:00 here.  I don't know what time that is there but that's my plan...I might be earlier! We will see.  I am way excited to speak with you all! It doesn't feel like Christmas here because its way hot and everybody is going to the beach... But I'll try and get in the Christmas spirit this week, I plan to read a lot about Christ!

Love you guys!  Try and email me back, Ill be on for 45 mins more!

Elder Bowden

It was awesome to see what the Lord can do!

It was a good week! We got to work and talk with a bunch of people, but not a lot of them went to church.. :( Here is a summary of a normal day: We start off with exercises and studies (lots of studies for most days) after studies we get to eat lots of food with members!! And then the day starts with lessons or finding/contacting people who can go to church and progress towards baptism! haha Lots of people are "different" here so everyday is different and many times the weirdest things happen to missionaries.. This week was a little different because we contacted a man who had no faith in Jesus but the spirit said to keep talking with him.  We learned that he is blind because he had a surgery that went wrong and he lost his sight. It is a great challenge for him but he went to church with us this Sunday and went to the baptism. He was singing the hymns that he was hearing for the 1st time in his life! It was really awesome, really special to see the power of hymns. After church he asked if he could come back.  It was awesome to see what the Lord can do. I think the Lord is teaching me to stop seeing with carnal eyes and more how He sees His children!

 One other thing we have been doing is helping part member families and it is working out.  We had a baptism this week, completing a family as members of Christ church! His name is Iverson and it was awesome because after his baptism his cousin confirmed that she wanted to be baptized too! So we will work with her so she can be baptized this Sunday!!!! 

 

It was a good week! The Lord is helping me attain more patience with my new companion and helping me learn what I need to do and teach him! Lots of awesome experiences this week!

 

Love You guys! 

Elder Bowden

No we didn't get to see the Christmas devotional and my comp is from Rivera Uruguay and can you set up a google chrome for me so we can talk in 2 weeks?? :D

I was in Metropole and now I am in Sevilha!

So this week was nuts I was in Metropole and now I am in Sevilha! It is a good area but really crazy! This week was really slow in the beginning. We had two areas to cover because our comps had to wait a day extra to meet us... but it was awesome,   My new Companion is Elder Chagas, he is really cool!.  He is from the north part of Uruguay! He speaks Portuguese really well, better then me, so its gonna be way fun to work with him! We already had a day full of experiences. We are gonna work hard to help a lot of people!   I am really grateful for this time I have to train someone that is is super prepared and ready to serve! 

So I am studying in a lot of places because I have a new comp that I need to help.  One place I was studying is 2 Nephi 9 and the Attributes of Christ! 

 

And yeah Ryan told me he had to wait till I left for him to get married so I couldn't do anything crazy at the wedding. But I am not too worried, Gramps will be there to help me out! :) 

 

I forgot all about Thanksgiving so I am gonna take a bit of money and buy some food to celebrate! Oh and thank Gma for the birthday money! It will be awesome, I'll take photos!! Sorry my letter is gonna be a little short this week, but next week I'll write plenty!! 

I miss you guys tons and hope that everything is going well with you all!! 

Love ya 

Elder Bowden!

 

So DJ will serve where??? No one told me or I missed it?