Happy Thanksgiving!

(The ducks love me!)

High 5!

1. This week we were asked to help out with YW in Excellence. It was missionary themed and so we put together a mini MTC experience for the girls. It was super fun and a success!

2. Julietta is doing SO well. We had another lesson with her this week and the spirit in her apartment was strong and undeniable. We know she felt it as we reviewed the Restoration by watching the film. Tears ran down her face. She prayed right then and there to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if the Book of Mormon is true. She is slowly but surely progressing and we are so proud of her!

3. We had our first lesson with a man named Roy this week! He is a neighbor to some members in our ward. He seems pretty comfortable in the church he is going to right now but agreed to reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. That's all it takes! We will find out how it went later this week during our second lesson.

4. We had dinner with a family in our ward this week and they invited their non-member neighbor as well! Her name is Gaby and she is from Romania! She is Christian and is going through some hard things so is super interested in learning about the church because we promised it could help her.

5. We got to help a family in our ward move this week as well as help them paint their house so it is ready to sell! It was super fun :)

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1 and 2. I had my first bike wreck this week...it was bound to happen-haha!

(Bike rides are fun...until you wreck!)

This week, being Thanksgiving, I have been focusing my studies on gratitude! One of my favorite stories about gratitude is found in Luke chapter 17. This is the story of the 10 lepers. Jesus Christ comes to their mercy and tells them to shew themselves unto the priests. As they went, they were cleansed. Verses 15-16: "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks [...]". Be the one. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf tells us that gratitude is the catalyst to all Christlike attributes. I hope that we can all keep an attitude of gratitude during this season and the Christmas season to come, for the many blessings and mercies which He doth bestow upon us. 

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen

Reach Up, Reach Out!

High 5!

1. Brooke's baptism! Ahh! Saturday was such a good day! We had a great turn out at the baptism and so many of her non-member family members were there to support her! A little miracle beforehand...her great-grandpa (who brings her to church) is like 94 years old and the night before the baptism got SUPER sick. Brooke's dad wanted to push the baptism back but instead, we took some elders over to give him a blessing and Saturday morning he woke up and forgot he had even been sick! Cool, right? Priesthood power is REAL! After the baptism, we had a social at the Lewis's and got to know her family a little bit better. We are all so happy for Brooke!

(The other little girl is Katelyn Lewis! She is in Brooke's primary class and she came teaching with us all the time.)  :)

2. We got to help with an Activity Days function this week! The girls are doing an international daddy-daughter event so we got to help paint for it!

3. We had lunch with Ana and Tati! They are SO ready for the gospel and we think they are a lot more comfortable with sisters so pray that they accept our invitations! 

4. Another miracle story from this week! We have been struggling to consistently teach a majority of our  investigators so I may or may not have prayed for them to have humbling experiences...well, the next day we got a call from a part-member family telling us that they just got notice that they were being evicted from their home and had only a few days to get out...sooooo, we went over and talked to them and promised them some pretty amazing blessings if they would give priority to The Lord. AND they came to church on Sunday! Yay! We have another lesson this week! Pray for Julietta! 

5. We got a new ward mission leader- Brother Corwin! He is SO awesome! He is Kevin's father-in-law! We are really excited to start working with him :)

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1. Sister Morris was sick this week :(

2. Yesterday we had our first snowfall and tracking in the snow is COLD.

With our recent baptisms, I've been thinking about our baptismal covenant. We can find it in Mosiah 18:9-10. When we are baptized, we promise to mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places, serve Him, and keep His commandments. When studying these things I was led to another scripture found in Matthew 25:40- "[...] Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." My challenge for all of us is to REACH UP in prayer, asking God who we can REACH OUT to and then act on the promptings and situations that come. The blessings are endless if we will take our baptismal covenant to heart. Going back to verse 10- we will be redeemed of God, numbered with those of the first resurrection, gain eternal life, and always have His spirit to be with us. The sacrament is the perfect time to reflect and remember these things each week!

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen

Tis' A Gift To Be Simple

High 5!

1. I'm staying in Eldorado for another transfer! I am SO glad because Brooke is getting baptized on Saturday!

2. Regional Conference! Yesterday for church, there was a regional broadcast and it was SO good! They talked about simplifying our lives and repentance. They gave a shoutout to El Paso and Albuquerque too! HOLLA ;)

3. We finally got to see Rachel this week and she PRAYED! For the first time ever, she prayed out loud with us and the spirit was SO strong!

4. We were tracting this week and found Celeste! She is super solid and invited us to come back. We could tell she is super prepared so we are excited to teach her this week!

5. We were walking the streets and this car drove by with a bumper sticker that said "waiting for a missionary" and then sure enough they slammed on their breaks and backed up to talk to us. Come to find out, this girl is not a member and is SO ready to be baptized. She goes to seminary every morning and church every Sunday. We are having dinner with her this week so pray that it goes well!

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1. We had the SADDEST drop lesson with a part-member family yesterday :( I cried...haha.

2. IT IS COLD AND DARK! Haha!

My thoughts today come from a lot of the regional conference yesterday! I LOVED how the general authorities talked about simplifying our lives and related it to how simple this gospel is. We hear the term "primary answers" a lot, and at first, might think of them to be the answers that little kids tend to give; but in reality they are the primary answers because they come first and are the most important, even with how simple they are. I love the scripture in Alma 37:6- "[...] by small and simple things are great things brought to pass [...]" With the small things like, reading our scriptures, praying, going to church, keeping the commandments, and giving service, it is nearly impossible to fall away from the church. When we are teaching investigators, the main commitments we leave with them are CPR...church, pray, read. It's essential to stay alive and to grow spiritually. When we do these simple things, the 4 primary questions can be answered. 

1. Is there a God?

2. Is Jesus Christ the Son of God and Savior of the world?

3. Is Joseph Smith a prophet?

4. Is the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints God's true and living kingdom on the earth today?

I testify that when we apply Moroni's promise and ask with REAL INTENT, meaning we will act on the answers we receive, the primary questions will be answered by doing the primary things, and all other questions, concerns, and doubts will have no place in you.

God speeeeed!

Love, Sister Bowen 

STAND!

Happy Birthdays to...

High 5!

1. Exchanges! I spent a day in Manzano this week with Sister Fristrup! It was SO much fun, especially because I came out with her so we enjoyed sharing our experiences with each other so far :) 

2. Brooke is getting baptized in 2 weeks! Yay!

3. We found a new investigator! His name is Mark and he recently lost a loved one but is SO prepared for the gospel. He's been through a lot in his life but stands as a testimony that the gospel helps us in ALL aspects of our lives.

4. The elders gave us a solid referral this week. Her name is Alicia, she is a senior in high school and has a 1 year old little boy. Last night we taught her the first lesson and again, SO prepared. Her answers to our questions were spot on and she expressed sincere desire to change her life around. She has been looking for a church and agreed to be baptized!

5. HaLlOwEeN! We spent Halloween night carving pumpkins and passing out candy and mormon.org cards :)

Down Low, 2 Slow.

1. Our ward mission leader got called as the new bishop of our ward...

2. We almost got robbed this week but instead they accepted my umbrella, HAHAHA!

My thoughts today come from Alma chapter 46! This is the chapter about Moroni raising the Title of Liberty! On it, he writes, "In memory of..." and then lists some things that he is grateful for. Then, he puts on his armor and covenants with God to always be a true believer of Christ and maintain his rights and religion; because he knows that in turn, The Lord will bless him. Moroni was a powerful missionary and of course didn't want to keep these things just for himself so invited all to also enter into the covenant with God. In verse 21 it says, "And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the PEOPLE CAME RUNNING together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God [...]". What makes you come running with your breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the spirit? I hope we will all continue running to the gospel. I testify that it is the only source of lasting happiness and that Christ has His hand extended to all of us, at all times. Ephesians 6:13- "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND." 

God speed!

Love, Sister Bowen

PS. P-Day will be Monday next week because of transfers!