One family offered me a little monkey for the maple and I was very tempted!

I am good just having some challenges with my area and just getting a little trunky.... its been a while since I have had time to just think about how I am doing. But I am not worried, I am working on focusing and resolving all the problems that I get to fix and all the people I have to take care of. I have alot on my plate, but I know that its what I need to grow, so it doesn't help complaining, just gotta keep going and do the best I can. 

This past week was good. I got my package and everyone is asking me to ask for you guys to send them stuff for example: E. Affonso wants skittles and E. Perna wants lots of stuff especially peanut butter and I have lots of members who heard I have maple and are bribing me for maple! Dont tell Gramps but one family offered me a little monkey for the maple and I was very tempted! :P I have been noticing that with more and more time on the mission, all my clothes have stains and its mostly from forgetting to cap my pen..... 

 

Oh also our chapel had lots of success! We had lots of baptisms! My comp and I helped a teenager named David to be baptized. He is learning English and speaks pretty well, so we gave him some pamphlets in English and I gave him one of my favorite ties. We are teaching a man who is legit, who is preparing to be baptized this week! Hopefully it works out. His name is Bruno!

Don't break anymore bones its not very fun!!!!! I don't have experience, but I'll just guess!

Te amo voces muito Bom semana!!

Elder Bowden

 Oh and thanks a lot for the package it was very much appreciated!!!!!

David is the one in white sitting furthest from me! and had some others being baptized that day!

It was really good to be able to hear the prophet and apóstolos!

This week ended good with conference and we helped Melquesidec be baptized this week. It was awesome! He's got a name that's legit!!! ...and an Afro too!!! It was really good to be able to hear the prophet and apóstolos de novo (again). I have been needing a good spiritual experience! There were tons of good talks that I need to read again! We had lots of trouble this week getting people to hear or see the apostles and prophet, which I thought was really strange.... This area has been hard to find those people ready to come to God and investigate. Lots of people are fine with where they are at and don't want to come closer to God. That just means we are gonna work harder and find a way to soften their hearts and help them find the answer that God wants to give to all the families here!

> Te Amo!!!
> Elder Bowden

 ​ One of the trees I thought Gramps would like!...minus the graffiti!

The time is flying!

This week was crazy, had lots of crazy things happen.. First off we had 2 baptisms planned for this week, but they didnt work out. They were called by their old pastora and after that they just got scared and didnt want to go to church. They want to go this next week but it will be conference.  It will be good to have them hear from apostles and the prophet and hopefully help them gain a testimony! We also are gonna start the marriage papers with the government this week and Roberta will be baptized after she gets married! It will be legit! They are an awesome family and he is huge... Ryan would be jealous because the guy is a giant, but all natural, he doesnt work out or anything. This week we are planning to teach Bruno. He is an awesome guy, way smart and searching for truth.

This next transfer is gonna be shorter, only 5 weeks, so its gonna pass really quick and then its gonna be Mothers Day again! The time is flying! Also its a little sad because they don't have pancake mix so I cant make french toast super delicious, but I made it with out the mix and they're not too bad! Oh there is an elder here who is gonna try and make tortillas, so we are gonna have to party it up and make quesadillas with fake cheese! I got some sweet pics of the zone and I am gonna have to wait a little bit for that package because it didn't show up... but Ill get it next week I hope!

Love ya lots hope you had a great Easter and Conference! Don't eat all the chocolate without me!!

Elder Bowden

 This is Elder Perna(Leg)

Here is some pics of the zone all the Elders were together in the chapel for ward conference!!! woot woot!

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I am happy and I am working hard

Well its been another week and I am still with the same comp Elder Affonso but transfers arent until next week so we will see! He is a very good missionary. He does a lot of things well, but he likes everything his way. It has been a hard transfer. I have definately learned to be more meek and avoid contention this transfer.  I am learning that if I need to battle for everything I think we should do that he doesn't agree, I need to choose just the ones that are important. I am learning more to just do what I am told and avoid contention than to do what I want. But I am happy and I am working hard.  We are preparing 3 people for this Sunday to be baptized: Rafael, Geralda and her granddaughter. Its gonna be great! We also are working on another but she needs to get married first and is way excited to get baptized! But marrying people here takes a couple weeks... 

 

Oh I also gotta find something to give to an elder who turned 20 today. I was gonna give the PB but Ill try something else. Its really awesome because his name is Elder Perna (Elder LEG) He started his mission this transfer and is already planning the things he will do when he gets home.... 

 

Oh I am trying to make good french toast but its not like yours mom. What do I need to make it excellent?  I wanted to send some pics of food... they are like Sams pizzas but these are way thick and are like 60 cents each!  I always forget to take pics but this week ill try to take one every day! 

 

Love You guys tons!!!

Elder Bowden

Do you find joy in the gospel/scriptures?

This week, well more like this transfer, has been really difficult to get people to visit the church. We have been talking with tons of people and even then, the people that say they'll visit dont go.... I am looking for a solution. I just need to find it soon so I can get back on pace with what the Lord is expecting from me in this area. 

 

Oh if you could, I could use some talks on helping investigators feel the spirit or any good motivating talks really! Also there's an Elder here who really, really, really likes peanut butter, so if you could help him out, that'd be great! Oh and if you have one of the small jars of raspberry jam that would be fantastic! 

I have been working a lot these days on Ch 6 of PMG.  I'm just working on becoming a better me and I am seeing the difference it is making in my life. I have been pondering one of the questions that is more or less assigned "Do you find joy in the gospel/scriptures?" I have found that many times I have known the scriptures/gospel was important but didn't find the joy/happiness in it. I have been thinking about it and how I need to help others feel this way, because there are tons of people who know it's "what they should do" but they don't see the joy/blessings that come from living the gospel. 

 

I am missing you lots and I Hope that everything is going well for you!

Love ya!

Elder Bowden

My shoes are getting a little holey...

This week was crazy but a good one.  We are working tons and always getting home tired.  The only problem is I am forgetting to write in my journal, and I am getting some back pains. This week will be better.  I wanted to take a picture of the zone to show you but I forgot... There are lots of Americans in the zone. Almost all of them are new and have a lot of accent! Oh I have been trying to send your letter but I haven't had time to send it, and when I have, we had problems at the post office!  If all works out, I'll try and send it this week!

I'll keep DJ in my prayers, but whats his email:?? David.arroyo@myldsmal.net?? My shoes are getting a little holey and I have only been using them for 10 months. It will be some time before I have problems. I think they are lasting longer than everyone elses shoes. My area has lots of rocks so it just kills shoes. But life is going sempre, looking for people to help and teach. We just have to pray that they are not lazy and want to go to church!!!

Oh and if you can keep your eye out for a maple syrup to send me that would be great! :)
Love Ya and miss ya lots!!
Elder Bowden

oh this is a pic of my comp and the huge Catholic church.

My burnt head!

I feel like the mission is one strange class of marriage prep... ahh!

My week was crazy!  We had lots of work and learned that a lot of missionaries are not being obedient.... but I will help them and try to give them an example of what they should do.  I learned this when studying the missionary manual.... I have a ton of work to do and lots of people to help. With experience its getting easier, so hopefully, Ill get to a point where I can do it...

We had a baptism this week of Tamiris a mãe, who wanted to change her life and help her children grow up in a better place! Ill send photos next time. Sorry I didn't get a chance to send this time.

So my comp and I had a crazy week.  We had lots of people who were doing great, progressing a lot, but the devil is working way hard here and gets them to do things on Sunday so they cant progress and have a harder life.... Its crazy, but its teaching me that I need to work harder to help them get the strength they need to resist. My comp and I are trying to do this. We aren't the best of friends yet but we are always working to keep the Spirit with us, to always strive to be better and put the others needs in front of our own. haha I feel like the mission is one strange class of marriage prep... ahh! I am learning the importance of finding a wife that can cook because what I am eating here will probably destroy my health.... :)

Hope everything is good with you all! Love ya lots!

Elder Bowden

I live in an apartment on the road Edgard Viera Guerra 1797, which is in the barro Parque Soledade.