Last One, Really Quick!!!

I've had an amazing last week! Here are pictures from Calee's baptism. See you all SOON! Happy Thanksgiving!

Love Sister Bowen

The Miracle of A Mission!

High 5!

1. Pablo is on FIRE! We had the coolest lesson with him this week. He is a huge reader and his fellowship gave him A Marvelous Work and a Wonder. It was so cool to listen to him talk about the Book of Mormon. He really understands where it came from and how it fits in now. He also has realized that there really only is 1 true church. He came to church for the first time this Sunday and really enjoyed it. We are so excited for him. 

2. Calee passed her baptism interview and is ready for Saturday! She got a new white dress and everything! We are super excited for her and her family! <3

3. We had interviews with President this week! My exit interview went well...it was long but so spiritual. We talked about the experiences that I've had and I could barely get through 'em! He also gave lots of good advice.

4. We only spent 2 days in our area this week and still hit SOE! HUGE miracle. God is so good.

5. Tom is an "eternigator". He was coming to church regularly, but has been off and on the past month. His wife is part of the hold up so we thought maybe that's why he wasn't coming, but yesterday he told us that she woke him up and told him to go to church...the MORMON church! It was a miracle. We are working on helping him quit smoking but other than that, he is ready! 

Down low, 2 slow. 

1. One of our sisters went home early this week due to medical problems :( It was heartbreaking.

2. THIS is my last mass e-mail!!! We have MLC next Monday. I will probably get to check my e-mail one more time but it will be fast.

Before I get to the spiritual thought, this week was by far the craziest week of my whole mission! It started with getting home last Monday after p-day to find out we got broken into...so we had to stay with some other sisters for a couple days. Tuesday we had interviews and spent the rest of the day packing. Wednesday we had lessons but also had to move. We flipped apartments with the Spanish elders so you can still send mail to that address and they will get it to me. Thursday, the sister who ended up going home was really struggling so we were on splits for their appointments. Friday, she got the call from doctors, counselors, parents, and President that she had to go home. We helped her pack and then took her to the airport. We were in a trio for the rest of that day, covering 3 units until Saturday morning when we went and picked up Sister Rackley's new companion, Sister Hay. Wait...it gets better...we got a phone call from the assistants informing us that the west side STL's were released due to medical problems so now we are covering that zone of sisters too. We had 2 days to get all the information from them in order to coordinate our meeting yesterday with 2 brand new zone leaders who have never been to an SMCM. Then, the APs called us again and asked us to do a 30 minute training at Zone Conference tomorrow. Crazy, or what!? This week we have Zone Conference and 2 exchanges, plus MLC prep and packing for me! Apparently it's true what they say about the last couple weeks of your mission!

Anyways, before my mission I thought I had accomplished some pretty great things, but this has by far been the highest, most holy, and sacred thing I have ever done. For the last 18 months, my purpose has been aligned with God's, Jesus Christ's, Adam and Eve's, and all past, present, and future prophets and apostles. Elder Holland called a mission a "relay race for eternity". The past 18 months have set the tone for the rest of my life and I owe everything to it. It is almost impossible to put a mission into words. I think missions are the best kept secrets in the church; you can't describe it and even sharing experiences doesn't cut it. There is no way to understand it, unless you go! I would encourage you to go if you have the chance. Elder Holland wrote an article on President Hinckley and said he always, only wanted to talk about his mission...almost as if nothing else ever happened. Elder Holland makes the wise observation that nothing else would've happened had it not been for his mission. 

For the past couple weeks I have been thinking about the irony in missionary work. We work the hardest we've ever worked, in extreme weather conditions, we get mocked, persecuted, spit on, made fun of, teased, cussed out, we have things throw at us, we are exposed to anti, we have doors slammed in our faces, and we are rejected over and over again. We come home at night exhausted, physically and spiritually, and then wake up the next morning and do it again. While all this happens, we also experience the most happiness, the companionship of the Holy Ghost like never before, we develop more friendships, receive more revelation, and come to understand the gospel more deeply. I have never studied so hard, pleaded and begged on my knees in prayer for help and guidance for other people, loved so many strangers, been so obedient, seen the hand of the Lord guiding me to just the right place at just the right time, and witnessed so many miracles. 

My mission means everything to me and I would not be here if it weren't for all of you! I really can't thank you enough for the support and encouragement you've given me through emails and letters. My homecoming talk will be Sunday, November 27 at 11am at the Treeline chapel. See you next week!

God speed!

Love, Sister Emilee Bowen

Fear Not!

High 5!

1. I spent a day in Rockaway and High Range this week with Sister Bishop. We had so much fun and met some awesome families for them to teach :)

2. Willy is a new from this week! He recently lost his mom and is very sensitive right now, but we know God sent us to him to help!

3. We had people at church this week-hallelujah! Donna came and LOVED it!!! (She is the one we have been doing service for these past couple months.) Pray for her husband's heart to be softened. She came because he was hunting this weekend!

4. Coolest miracle! We were knocking our hearts out and as we were leaving this house, we heard someone yelling for us to come back. His name is Christopher. He is 17 and he told us he was praying that someone would come along to help him learn more about the Mormon church...!? We gave him a Book of Mormon and will see him again later this week!

5. We found a couple potential families to teach! Kristen is a mom of 2. Her husband is disabled and they NEED the gospel. She is super interested in getting her kids involved. Andrea and her family are Jehovah's Witnesses but took a Book of Mormon and wanted us to come back! Operation find FAMILIES! :)

Down low, 2 slow.

1. We went down in investigator lessons this week :( We still hit Standards of Excellence though!

2. So. Many. Lasts.

Every time an angel appears in the scriptures, they begin with, "Fear not." In 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." At MLC a couple weeks ago we watched a video of when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. I wanted to attach it but I can't find it so look it up! Elder Lloyd D. Newell gives a great talk on the topic too! We talked about how much fear Mary probably had, considering the news Gabriel brought her. God does not want us to fear. Because of my lack of time I would invite you to think about how you can develop power, love, and a sound mind to overcome your fears.  

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen 

No Casual Committers!!

High 5!

1. Trunk of Treat! Always such a great turn out! There were lots of members who brought their friends and neighbors! We passed out candy and the chili cook off was so good too! :)

2. Exchanges! We went on 2 exchanges this week! I stayed in our area both times. It was so fun to be with Hermana Holding and Sister Hubbard! They taught me so much!

3. MLC! Accountability is crazy but the spirit was so strong and I learned a lot! I am glad I get to go to 1 more in a few weeks :)

4. Nadine is a new this week! We found her knocking and she has friends who are members in the ABQ North Stake. She is a mom of 2 girls and they are currently attending a Baptist church. She shared a lot with us and is practically already Mormon. She went to the trunk or treat and fit right in! She even told us that they have been waiting for their member friends to introduce them to missionaries! We are excited :)

5. This is the best miracle! Sister Hubbard is a fireball! Wow, I learned so much from her on exchanges and she has only been in the field for 2 weeks now! We had a lesson scheduled with one of our investigators named Megan. We found her about a month ago because she was dating an inactive member in our ward. She has a 3 year old son, Nico, from a previous marriage. She has been tough. She knows the Bible inside and out. The morning of our lesson we hadn't heard back from any of the members we asked to come with us, so I said a quick prayer and the spirit led me to asking a recent convert named Jaime. She is a single mom and has been through a lot. She was baptized in April. She picked us up for our lesson and on the way there we filled her in on  a little about Megan. (Jaime was tough too!) Going into the lesson, Sister Hubbard and I still didn't have a concrete plan of what we were going to teach-just a couple ideas depending on how the follow up went. When we got there, Jaime and Megan clicked! It was incredible to listen to their conversations. They both came from Sagebrush where they felt like something was missing. David, the inactive boyfriend was put in jail just a few days prior because of attempt to murder Megan. Jaime was in a very abusive relationship previously and was able to console her and offer ideas and support. Megan struggled with the term "restoration" and said to her it sounded like the gospel was being compared to an old piece of furniture in the back of someone's garage. Sister Hubbard spoke up and said that there are only 2 reasons a piece of furniture would need to be restored...either it is old, or it had been misused. BINGO. The gospel had been misused after Christ and His apostles were killed. It made so much more sense to Megan and we could see some of those doubts wash away. The spirit in there was incredible and for the cherry on top, little Nico pulled out of his room and little tent that he had lots of his toys and books in and was playing so good while we were talking. Megan talked about how grateful she was for the church, and how she believed that David in her life was merely to bring her in contact with us. The church provided Nico with the tent, toys, and books after their house was broken into. When we walked out, Jaime turned to us in tears, saying, "Sisters, you will never believe this..." She proceeded to tell us that a month earlier, the Bishop came to her and asked if her 3 year old, Asher, had any toys he didn't play with anymore because there was a single mom who had a son who didn't have anything. Jaime went to little Asher and he collected up some of his toys and his most favorite book for the little boy who had nothing. Ever since then, Jaime had been praying for that mom and little boy. Well, that mom and little boy was Megan and Nico. Jaime also had been going through some custody battles with her youngest and was praying that someone would come into her life that was worse off than her that she could serve and help because of her previous experiences. Megan was the answer to her prayers, and ours. God's hand was SO involved in every aspect of this miracle!

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1. We were expecting 5 people at church this week and only had 1! Ahh :(

2. I feel like I worked all alone in Western Hills this week-haha. 

Again, I have no time but really quick! In Relief Society yesterday we talked about commitment. There is a difference between being committed to the gospel and just going through the motions. You don't really have to be committed to paying your tithing to do it. You don't really have to be committed to going to church for 3 hours every week to do it. What difference does it make when we are committed though? 

Elder Bednar shares an experience from his mission when President Boyd K. Packer came to visit and they were at the train station. While they were among the crowd, he thought about how no one there knew that an apostle of the Lord was right there! President Packer said, "It will be necessary for each of us to learn to be alone in a crowd." Even if no one around you is committed to the gospel make sure you are! It will be a great protection and source of comfort, direction, and everything else that the gospel brings!

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen

Look Not Behind Thee

High 5!

1. Let the exchanges beginnnnn! We took Rockaway and High Range sisters on exchanges this week and they went well! They are pink washing this transfer but are doing a great job and having fun!

2. Thank you for your prayers for sweet, sweet Calee! She is getting baptized on November 19th! We are so excited for her :)

3. Pablo came with us to a baptism this weekend and felt the spirit SO strong! We looked over after the ordinance and he was crying! He is getting super close. 

4. We found some news this week! Willy just lost his mom so God sent us there at the perfect time! Keith just got out of the military and is going through a divorce and custody battles. I love that the gospel helps with everything!

5. Arlington fed us dinner this week and we had a good chat. We went through the interview questions with him and he is so ready, he is just deciding when...keep him in your prayers though! We love him!

Down low, 2 slow.

1. Ray lost a family member this week and would NOT meet with us :( WE will keep trying!

2. I think I am missing Oktoberfest at home this week...

I am short on time this week so just a quick thought... I've learned so many times how much more important it is to care what God thinks of us than what the world thinks of us. Too often we define ourselves from our past or labels the world gives. We are a peculiar people! Embrace it. God created us in His image and sees us as we can become. As missionaries it is our special privilege to watch the gospel change and shape lives.

Richard E. Cook said, "The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature”

"Look not behind thee" (Genesis 19:17) and look ahead at who you can become with the help of our Savior. 

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen

Sacred Callings

High 5!

1. Michael was baptized on Saturday! It was a stressful week preparing for it but it turned out great and we are so happy for him! His story is a miracle for the books and I am so blessed to know him and to have taught him :)

2. Exchanges! Sister Fristrup came to Western Hills this week and we had so much fun! We worked hard and talked about how it feels like yesterday we were in the MTC together!

3. Ray Aragon is a new investigator we found this week! He is an older man who takes care of his disabled great granddaughter. He was raised Catholic but is LOVING what we are teaching him and committed to be baptized at the end on November :)

4. We got an awesome member referral this week! Her name is Alma and she came to church yesterday and loved it. The member actually met her through her 7 year old daughter being friends with Alma's daughter at school.

5. Anddddd, I will be staying in Western Hills, Rio Rancho with Sister Toomey and we will be the sister training leaders for the Rio Rancho and Albuquerque North stakes :)

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1. Sister Rackley is leaving us! But, she is washing another area in the same zone so we will still get to see her every week :) Trio life was fun while it lasted!

2. I am overwhelmed and beyond stressed... :) No worries though! 

We had a good conversation with one of our investigators, Pablo, this week about the purpose of life. In Alma 34:32 we read, "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." Pablo asked us about individual purposes, other than the general purpose for all of us here. 

Of course we all have individual callings we are here to perform. Everyone's differ and they even change over time. Right now, you might have the calling as mother or father of your family, along with other church callings, like primary teacher and home or visiting teacher. No matter our callings in any aspect of our lives, we are asked to magnify them. 

I think some of the most common excuses used when it comes to callings is time, fear, means, and energy. This thought led me to examples in the scriptures of great people who had great callings to perform. Nephi was sent to get the plates from Laban, Moses was told to guide the children of Israel to dry ground, Alma, Ammon, Aaron, Amulek, and the sons of Mosiah are only a few of the missionaries who went forth to preach the gospel. What if they hadn't done the things they did? What if Joseph Smith said that he didn't have time to organize Christ's church because there was just too much to do on the family farm? Or if he said the persecution was too much to handle? What if he gave up on finding a printing press that would publish the Book of Mormon? 

And what if our ultimate exemplar and Savior, used these excuses when it came time to perform the Atonement? None of us would be here today if it weren't for what these people did long ago. D&C 19:19 says, "Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." 

My invitation this week is for each of us to look at our purposes or callings in life, and recommit to magnifying them, submitting your will to His, and connecting it back to God's purpose for all of us.

I love you all! God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen 

A Royal Army

High 5!

1. The best thing happened! I got a call from the AP's and they let me go to Wendy's baptism this week! Ahh! Sister Ropelato and I drove down together and we felt so at home! It was SO fun to see so many members and recent converts; and of course, Wendy be baptized! My heart was so full!

2. We had Family Home Evening with the sweetest less active family in our ward. We read Alma 24 about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's and every one got a sword to bury :)

3. We have been doing service for a part member family in our area ALL transfer, and this week the non-member wife called and invited us to dinner. We got to teach them afterwards and it went really well! Service makes a difference and totally softens hearts.

4. Our Zone Training was awesome this week! It was on "Master Planning" from Elder Pearson, who came to visit, and hitting standards of excellence. 

5. We went on splits like crazy this week due to SO many appointments! It has been insane and super stressful but so fun.

Down Low, 2 Slow. 

1. It's week 6! I'm about to start my last transfer and it will be a 5 weeker for me. I'm almost positive I'll be staying but I said that last time too,,,

2. Today is my last Tuesday p-day. From now on they will be Mondays! President Guffey is changing things up on us!

Alma 47 is the story of Amalickiah trying to become king by treachery, murder, and intrigue. Lehonti and his army were camped out at the top of a mountain, when 3 times Amalickiah beckoned for them to come down with out success.  

v. 12, "And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti’s camp; and he sent again the fourth time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down, and that he would bring his guards with him."

In this story, we can see the tactics of Satan. He won't ask us to commit "big sins", at first. He works by degrees. Just as Amalickiah could not get Lehonti to come all the way down the mountain, he did persuade him to come a little way down, which eventually led to him making his way to the bottom. 

v. 18, "And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died."

Satan is a master planner. We must remember whose army we are apart of. Don't let the little things lead to bigger things that will bring you down the mountain. 

God speed! 

Love, Sister Bowen