Christmas has come and gone...hello 2014!

Well this week was a very special week. It was the week that I got to talk to my family and see their smiling faces and hear that everything is good at home. I loved that.

This week we had a bit of a problem finding people who really wanted to hear the gospel and make the changes in their lives to be happy. It is a little tough sometimes, but you have to keep looking to the future with hope. I thought of Alma when he went and taught the people and they rejected him. He got sad, but he didn´t let that sadness stop him from continuing the work. We can´t let the things that happen deter us from trying in the future. Just because we had a bad week doesn´t mean that they are all going to be bad. I have faith that this week is going to be a lot better, we just need to believe.

I love you all and wish you all a happy new year, drink some egg nogg and eat some cake or something for me!!!!! Luvs, 

Elder Bowman

Christmas Time!!!!

Well this week was pretty nuts. We went to the Christmas conference and I must say that I learned a lot about how to be a better missionary. We talke about how we need to sacrifice, but in the right way. I liked it a lot because sometimes we think that we are doing a lot without doing anything, we need to really look deep down and see what we need to give. The food was also a nice little plus.

We had a baptism this week!!!! Which was quite the miracle seeing as how I got sick and stayed in the house for two days...yeah I didn´t like it that much. But, the Lord blessed us with His help and everything went smoothly. It is sooooo nice to baptize again...it has been a while. We are going to work hard now to baptize every week, our mission president is telling us to go and get em so yeah...we are going for it.

I´m really excited to talk to you all!!!!! Ash and Lyle are going to have to be there in spirit, but I know that they are all happy and stuff so that makes me happy. It has been a long 7 months without calling home....missing your smiling faces. I think that you are all going to have to help me with English because man it is getting pretty rough down here with only Portuguese every day...hahaha but it should be fun.

Funny Story this week: So Elder Fernandes and I were walking down the street I was in the zone where I was there, but my mind was totally wasted. So he decided to be a funny guy and pull a little joke. So he looks behind with a very serious face and starts to say something. In my mind I thought...we are going to be robbed. Never in my life have I reacted so quickly I began to run at the speed of sound down the street, to look back and see that he was dying of laughter...yeah I smacked him and told him he was dumb...but I laughed pretty hard too.

But Merry Christmas, I love and miss you all and hope that you are all stoked and excited because I sure am. Luvs

Well the Power Went Out....

Hey family sorry about just leaving in the middle of the email, but the power went out and that kind of ended email time. But, yeah as I was saying this week was a little on the rough side. We didn´t have anyone come to church, which is always kind of a let down. You work the whole week and then it means nothing in the end. Oh well what can you do? Just keep on doing your best and that is it. We´re going to work on helping people see why we are there, not just to be friends, but also to help them be baptized. I think that it is going to work.

I´m really excited for Christmas and I hope that you are all also. I was thinking about it for the first time the true meaning of Christmas. You think about these types of things when you don´t have your family close during the holidays. But it hit me that really christmas is about Christ, really without him we wouldn´t have anything to be happy for. But because of him and his life we are able to be happy and have our family forever. I´m grateful for all of you and love and miss you. Keep praying for me because I need it a lot.

Love you all,

Justin

There is Sunshine in My Face Today!!!!!!

Well family I hope that everyone had a great thanksgiving!!! It looked liked it was quite the party with pies and plenty of good times. I forgot that it was Thanksgiving on Thursday and I was walking in the street about five o´clock and I was like, "Oh...today is thanksgiving" I told Elder De Paula and he was like " What the flip is THanksgiving." I just want you to know that I´m thankful for all of you.

But this week went well. The area is starting to move a little. I´m getting used to the people and the heat...kind of. But we have a good teaching group and I´m excited to see how this month goes. I think that we are going to have a lot of success here.

Funny story this week: So sunday, we had to go to a meeting in the ward but I left my paper at home. So I head back home to grab the paper and the door is locked...so I think to myself..." I can get through the window." So I hop up there to slid on through and I realize that it is hard to slid through the windo when you have all your weight on your leg. So I started yelling for Elder Fernandes to help me and he just sat there and laughed. But, eventually he helped me out and I learned my lesson with a bruised leg.

I hope that everyone is happy and that all is well. Thanks for all the prayers that you are saying for me and for all your love. I´m glad that I have you for my family. Love you and have a good week.

Back to Natal we go....

 Well this week I went back to Natal to renew my visa and stuff....I was there a week ago. But, it is all good because now I get to stay in the mission. But, I don´t like busses that much.

In other news, my ward has about 45 people that are going. It is a little on the low side for a ward, but we are going to change that. It is hotter than hades here, but the people are really open and like us a lot. Our apartment is almost in the center of the city and we work the north part of town. It is a good area and there are a lot of people who are willing to listen to us.

 I´m hoping that we get this area rolling and that we can help in every possible way. Keep praying for me...because I´m going to be needing it. Love you and and happy THANKSgiving. Take some pictures for me!!!!

SUPRISE!!!! You just got transfered

Well yesterday at 9:20 I was there planning. And then all of the sudden the DL called and said that I was going to be transfered. Not being the first time that they have tried to pull something on me like this I was like "Yeah, you guys are fat." Then the assitent called me and told me that I was being transfered...I didn´t call him fat, I went and packed.

So now I´m in Assú...which is part of the zone Mossoró. Man I forgot how hot it is here. But, I´m here because the Lord needs me to be here. I´m a little whooped with all the traveling, but we have some good work to do here, so I´m stoked.

We did baptize Kátia this week, it was pretty rad. I´m going to send the pictures here in  a bit so that you can all enjoy them. I´m a little sad that I didn´t get to stay in my other area, I was starting to really get into the swing of thing. But as I say, "it is what it is."

It is crazy that Thanksgiving is aleady upon us...I remember the last one you went to Black Thursday and didn´t like it...weird how I remember that. But I´m sure that this Thanksgiving is going to be awesome, next one I´ll be there, wow.

But as I was transfered I didn´t have today to go get my package...so I´m going to wait until december...I can do it hahahaha. I love you all and know that I´m doing great...a little tired, but I´m good. Have a stellerific week.

Don't Give Up!!!!!

 Well we finally baptized Lana! YEAH BABY!!!!! We have been trying to baptize here for about two and a half weeks and finally everything worked out. I must say that it is pretty awesome to see someone gain a testimony and be baptized. It is awesome, nothing is better.

This week we are going to baptize Kátia, so that is going to be awesome. The work is starting to move forward and the ward is growing. It is flippin´awesome to see. I didn´t really plan my time that well today so this email is going to be short. Know that I looooooove you all and miss you. Have a great week.

Aqui e todas as moças da ala! Lana está na macacão

Here are all the young women of the ward lana is in white of course!!!!!

Real Men Cry!

So this week was the week that I cried like a baby in Sacrament meeting. But, I´m going to tell you why.

So this lady, her name is Eliane, had surgery on her back and she is having a lot of difficulties and a lot of pain. She is like a mom for the missionaries and is super sweet. So we went to visit her and she was laying down and said that she is having a lot of pain and is trying to re-learn how to walk. So this Sunday, lo and behold she was there for testimony meeting. She had to have two people help her walk up to the front and when she got up there I don´t really know what happened but I started bawling like Ashley when she watches Pride and Prejudice. She just made me remember the sacrifice of Chris how she didn´t have to be there but she did it. Just like how He didn´t have to suffer, but he did it because He knew it was right. I was going to try to bear my testimony too about the Savior, but I like to keep my image as a strong tough missionary. I can´t have all the Young women and Young men messing with me. But yeah, It was a flippin´awesome sacrament meeting.

Also, we are working with these two girls who want to get baptized. One is lana, (the girl who prayed and is going to get baptized on the 9th). She is super awesome and ready to be baptized, the only problem is that her grandma doesn´t like the church. The grandma even asked the members of the church to pray that Lana wouldn´t get baptized...yeah. But, Lana is going to talk to her and tell her why she wants to get baptized and bear her testimony about the BOM. She knows that it is true.

But the other girl´s name is Katia (Cot-chee-a not cat-ee-a, just to help dad say the names in portuguese) But she was a reference from a member and we went there and were teaching the first lesson and I was talking about Joseph Smith and I was like " So have you ever prayed to God to know which church to join"? and usually people are like "Nope, but that is a great idea." But Katia was like, "Yeah, I have." I was like, "Oh no...here we go." So I asked "Did you get an answer"? and she was like yeah. I think that is when I began to sweat and pray at the same time. I then asked "Well...what was your answer"? and she was like, "I want to be a member of this church." Needless to say I about flipped out because it was so awesome. She is reading and praying and going to church, just proves that there are people out there waiting to hear the message and accept.

But, next week I´ll be sending the pics of the baptisms, and some pics with all the goodies that you sent me! Hope all is well in the winter wonderland. Drink some coco for me!

Justin

Switch It Up A Little

Well this week was a little on the crazy side, the other Elders left a little bit of work for us to do and I kind of got burned with not planning very well. So that left our baptisms a little on the weak side and they said they wanted to wait a little bit more. I learned that planning is important, but we´re going to do a lot better this week with planning, so that they feel more comfortable. But yeah that about sums up my learning experience this week. Also I forgot to tell you last week that I was called to be a DL, so that flipped me out a little bit, but it is all good for now.

But this week is Halloween, it will be weird to not have all little kids in costumes here asking for candy, but I think that I´ll live. Hope that all is going well with you guys, and sorry that I didn´t write much this week, I´ll do better next week.

Love you all!!!!!!!

Elder Bowman 

From 6 to 2

Well this week was transfers and our house was reduced from six missionaries to two. It´s weird how quite it is at home now, and I´m thinking that it is going to be a lot cleaner too. But, I miss my buds, but you know it is life and you have to move on sometimes. I stayed with the same companion, my kid Elder Olivera, we are pretty pumped to go to work and baptize like none other down here.

But we had two baptisms this week. Maria and Marilia are their names. Maria was a catholic girl who we taught a little bit but then we cut her because she didn´t want to pray about the book of Mormon, but her boyfriend didn´t get discouraged and he helped her with her doubts and she was baptized this Sunday (By him of course). But the other lady is the mom of one of our baptisms. It was one of the coolest things for me to see because she smoked and drank, but after we baptized her son, she slowly just stopped doing those things and went to church. And we hardly did anything to help her stop, the Lord just changed her and she was baptized this Sunday too. Really the Lord can change the hearts of the people. This gospel has the power to change our desires and turn us into who God wants us to be. It was a great experience to have and to see.

Yeah, this week we have a girl who is going to get baptized. We have been teaching her with one of the converts and man, it is awesome to see the testimonies of converts. It makes you feel so good to be a part of the Lord´s work, there is nothing greater than seeing people change for the better. Hope that all is well and that everyone is happy!!!! Have a great week y´all (That was for Whisker).

Love you all to pieces
Elder Bowman

Miracles Really Happen

Man this week was awesome, we baptized Baltazár. He gave us a few more details on the story that he told. He said that he didn´t go to any church for like 6 years and that he didn´t accept visits from anyone, not even his friends from the chuch. But, he was missing something, he said. So he prayed that God would show the way for him, show him were he should go. Three days later we showed up at the door looking for someone else. We talked to him a little and invited him to come to church and he promissed that he would be there, (Let me just say that no one ever says that down here). He got baptized yesterday...man it is crazy how things work. Just goes to show that really the Lord is behind His work and that there are people who are looking and praying that we show up at there door. I learned a lot this week. from that.

We´ve also taught this one lady, who is really catholic, but her boyfriend is part of the church, and this Sunday she told us that she´s thinking about being baptized. So really, it was just a test of patience for us. We´ve had a few tough weeks, but the Lord is blessing us now.

I hope that all of you are happy and that school is going well for all. Love you to death and miss you to death too! Have a sweet week and I´ll talk to you next Wednesday (Transfer is coming up).

The school that we use for church on Sunday

Baptism Baltizar

Conference​, I must say that it was a good one.

Well, conference was probably just as good for you all as it was for me. I was watching as a missionary and was stoked that there is a big focus on missionary work. I can see that really things are going to start changing here shortly and that we are going to see the work of the Lord accelerate like a Ferrari on the freeway.

It was a little bit stressful this week running around talking to everyone and seeing if they could go, but there is nothing better than having it pay off in the end. We took this guy there and he was pretty impressed with what he saw. We are going to pass there today to talk a little bit more about conference and the prophet.

But, everything is going well here. I´m kind of stunned that I´ve been out a year...it seems like yesterday I was flying to São Paulo and trying to sleep on the flight that would never end. And here I am one year later...time passes too fast. But I´m glad that you are all doing well and that everyone is happy. I love and miss you all and hope that you have a great week. Know that I´m eating well and that I´m happy (I could use a little bit more sleep...but 8 hours is good hahaha).

Elder Bowman

Wow, that was totally inappropri​ate.

Well this week went okay. We had a bunch of people lined up to go to church, but the majority didn´t go. I got a little frustrated, and was a little bummed the rest of the day. But, I´m good now, ready to go to work. The thing that we should remember is that we are helping people change their lives, and change is never an easy thing. But we have the Lord on our side, and that is where we can find our strength. The other companionship in the ward baptized yesterday, and I was pumped for them. They are a great example to me of how to work. I´ve been trying to follow in their footsteps a little and I´m seeing the changes happen.

But yeah so I´m sure you are all wondering about the title of the email. So Elder Oliver and I were sitting outside of our house waiting for the other companionship to get home (We don´t have keys to our house....it´s complicated). But this lady walks up to us and asks us about the church...and to put it nicely she is a little crazy, but to put it truthfully she talks to herself in the street. We are talking she has conversations with no one. So anyway, I tell her she should go to church and she said no. She then goes to the other part of the road and asks if we can break the law of chastity...but she doesn´t say it exactly like that. I just sat there dumbfounded and Elder Oliver just starts laughing. I must say I must say I almost died of embarrassment, there were a lot of people in the street...but we told her we don´t roll like that so I think it is all cleared up now.

But, I was digging the pictures of you all, I showed them to the other Elders and they said that I have a crazy family...and I agree, my family is crazy good. This week is going to be a good one, I´m feeling it. I hope that you all enjoy conference weekend. Love you all more than Honey Bunches of Oats (and that is saying a lot if I do say so). I´m praying for you all.

Elder Bowman

What just happened?

Heya family,

I think that it has been a while since I sent an email, usually we just chat it up. This week was a bit on the tough side. In the beginning it seemed like everything was going right and I was super happy. Then on Saturday everything just fell apart and I felt like the kid in Kid History, What in the freak just happened! But, I've learned that when you are working with people, there are always going to be difficulties. But, you just keep working and the Lord will show the way. If it wasn't there time right then and there to accept it, who knows a little bit more down the road.

But we are teaching this girl named Vanessa, she is pretty cool. We taught her the first lesson yesterday and she accepted the invitation to be baptized. I was like will you pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true? And she was like Yeah, and I know that God will show me the answer.  I was just like, wow, amen. I hope that she continues to have the same firmness and desired to learn.

Sounds like the Eagle Scout project went pretty well, Chipper is all growns up making growns up decisions.(Psych). I was thinking about it the other day and I was like, man, I'm going to have a year on the mission in about two weeks...I must say I was little freaked out by that. The time has passed so fast. It won't be long till everybody is married and has kids, and then I'll be an old man. These were my feelings, you can see why I was a little freaked out. But time passes, and always will, the only thing that matters is what we do with it.

Hope that all is well at home and that you guys are as happy as a jar of peaches. Love you all to bunches and to pieces too,

Justin

We had baptisms this week.

Feeling Old Now....

Well, officialy Whitney is home, and is in my old stomping grounds of Provo. She´ll dig it just as I digged it. BYU is pretty rad if I do say so myself. But I´m glad that everyone is doing well, and I´m sure that everyone gave Whitney a hug or two for me, so I´m satisfied. Now Lefler is in the MTC too...I feel like mom and dad right now, ´´wow, wait wasn´t it like yesterday that I was....´´ It´s weird. The one year mark is coming up, and it is starting to wig me a out a little bit because I´m seeing that time in the field actually passes, and boy does it pass fast. I´m all good now, just had to get those weird feelings out of my system.

But this week went really well, we didn´t have a baptism, but we´re going to have it this week. The girl (Ana Clara) wasn´t feeling ready and we tried pressure her a little bit and she was like, ´´No, I don´t want to this sunday´´ So I was like, ´´Sweet, then next sunday.´´ and she was like, ´´Okay.´´ Yep so we are going to baptize her this sunday...maybe Saturday.

Hey, but I´m glad that you got to talk to Lefler one last time before he left for the field. And thanks for giving him a room for when he comes back, I´m glad that you all are watching out for him for me. He´ll own it in Ukraine.

But this week is looking good. I was pretty bummed when some of our baptisms fell, but then found a whole bunch of families who are awesome. I hope that all goes well this week with them.

But, keep your head above the water, and I´ll try to do the same thing. Keep me posted, Love you all!!!!!

Elder Bowman

President Costa Training

Well, It is a strange thing to have a P-day on a Tuesday. It is a first for me. But, yesterday we had a  conference with President Costa of the seventy. I must say that it was one of the best trainings that I have ever had in my life. He talked about how we need to plan with a vision, how we need to know that we have been called of God to do his work and that through us he will work his miracles. I´m feeling the fire and I´m digging it.

 It made me remember of the time, when I sent the email home saying how I learned that sometimes we forget just how important our purpose is. How real the fight against the devil and his hosts for the souls of men really is. I sometimes wake up and think, ´´oh just another day in the mission´´ but no, everyday in the mission is a day that you can find someone who is looking for gospel, looking for something more. And we need to be the ones who bring the truth to them because they are lost in the turbulence of the world, tossed to and fro on the ever changing morals that the world claims to be right.

I must say that this really changed me. I feel like for the first time I´m really understanding, if only a little, what it means to be a missionary. I hope that all is going well at home, you can know that all is going great here. I love you all. And I want you all to know, that for what may seem like the first time in my life, that I´m here on the Lord´s errand.

Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked....​and Walked....​and Walked....​and Walked

Well, this week went, like that. We spent a lot of time working on our tans in the golden sun of Brazil. But, that is okay because now everyone has to ask if I´m an American instead of just knowing it.

But, we´re trying to get the work going here, since they divided the area we only have about four solid investigators...hence the walking. But, it is all part of the game.

Funny story this week. So we were at lunch, and may I just say that it was a very tasty lunch at that, and we were all lunching and munching and stuff. So Elder Olivera my comp is finishing up his plat and the sister said the phrase that they always say ´´eat more Elder´´.He tried to say something, but just was like bubbaba bel ba bumba. I laughed my head off for the rest of lunch. Love you all and have a good week.

Elder Bowman

Saddle Up Partner...​Cuz We´re Going For a Ride

Well...I forgot to inform you all that I was going to be transfered this week so...I was transfered. I´m opening up an area, and I´m training my son, Elder Olivera. I must say that I´m scared to death, but lets go. I´m still in Natal, just a different part, so that is cool. We live in a house with 6 missionaries and all of us seniors are training, which is pretty cool. Hopefully, all goes well.


But other than that, life is the same, running from drunk guys and preaching the good word. This week I got scared half to death. This drunk guy, (possibly stoned) was walking toward me, and he had the face of that guy from the shining. My heart jumped into my mouth, and I thought to myself, (I´m not exagerating) ´´that man looks like he is possesed.´´ He continued to advance towards me, and I thought, ´´I am going to be murdered in the street.´´ When all hope had failed I chose my last words, which were the following ´´hey dude, what´s up´´? He then passed and said something that I didn´t understand, and I was spared my life. But I learned something important. I need to think about what I would say if I was going to die because Hey dude what´s up doesn´t really make the cut.


But, I´m all good, we got to eat in the house of President Soares last night, and see the beach, so I´m happy. Hope all is going well up there and that everyone is happy. Have a great week, and next week email will be on Monday.

Love Elder Bowman

The Cure for Skin Cancer Has Been Found!

Yeah! I can磘 believe that I was the first person to talk to the guy who found the cure. We were walking down the street and this guy calls us over and tells us that he found the cure and wrote a paper and everything. He said that all you need is blood from the pubic region of the body.................and that is where I thought, 创oh that is weird and it also sounds a little on the painful side.创 I didn磘 want to destroy his theory by telling him that our blood curculates, so our blood is the same no matter where it comes from. But...yeah just letting you know that there are some crazy people down here, it磗 pretty awesome.


Also, a member showed us this video of some lady trying to expulse satan out of a drunk dude. It wasn磘 like exorcism of anything just some lady saying fall to the earth Satan, a lot of times and beating the drunk dude with an umbrella. So Elder Wanderson and I were talking and laughing about this on a street with nobody on it. And so I start saying/yelling 创 Fall to the earth Satan,创 I then had that feeling that I was being watched. I look over and these two ladies are watching me. I felt quite sheepish and walked away without saying another word.


But this week went well. We walked a lot and talked to a ton of people, but no one wanted to got to church. It磗 all good. We磍l find the people who are looking for the gospel, of that I磎 sure, even if we have to talk to all of Planalto. Hope all is going well for you guys and that the sun is shining as brilliant as it is here.


Love you all
Elder Bowman

PATRICK!!!!!!

PATRICK!!!!!! That flippin' blonde kid. Who does he think that he is? He shouldn't do dangerous things when I'm not there. I'm glad that he's alright, it would be nice to beam him an email, I need his email...because the other one didn't work. But tell him he's a freaking maniac for me.
\

But, this week went really well. We had a baptism on Sunday, which was great as usual. Her name is Francisca and she's an awesome lady. I'll send some pics for sure.

Yesterday I did something a little crazy. We had to do eight contacts in like an hour and we weren't finding anyone in the street to talk to. So we pass this really sketchy street and I see at the end a big group of people, and I was like boom contacts. I said a quick little prayer that we wouldn't get robbed or shot or something and we went for it. We walked all the way to the end of the street, and I kept thinking, "Man...this is a little crazy." But, we got there without dying and talked to the group of people. I don't think that they liked us very much, but we invited them to church this Sunday. I guess we will see what happens.

This week I also saw the great blessings that come from living the law of Chastity. We visited this family that is falling apart because of the parents decisions. It was one of the hardest things that I have seen in my life. I didn't know what to tell her, the mom, other than going to church would help her and her family be happy. I've always known that the Law of Chastity is important, but I've never seen what happens when you don't keep it. I'm greatful that we have commandments to keep us, and our families, safe.

Hope you had a good week, a little shout out to Lefler for getting his call! Yeah man, that is what's up.
Love you all
Elder Bowman

Beautiful Sky

Sunday Dinner 

Baptism

The Times of Noah (we're talking rain not wickedness​)

Well this week I think that I saw the sun twice, and it was only for like an hour on Monday and about thirty minutes on Saturday. Other than that it was raining. I've already put a little money down on buying a boat just to be safe.

But this week went by pretty fast. We got to talk to our new Mission President this week, so that was pretty awesome. He seems like a great President, so that is definately a good thing. He's got a great vision, basically it is bring as many people to church as you can and then baptize them like nobody's business. I like it. Simple, and to the point.

But we are working with this lady named Francisca. She's pretty much a baptizm waiting to happen, she just needs to see that she is ready. So this week we are going to help here with that. Also, we are working with this girl named Larisableli, yeah I thought the same thing when she told me it. But she's dating this guy in the church so hopefully we can get her to the font this next week too.

But we are starting a new thing where we have to do 20 street contacts everyday. This is really going to help out our teaching pool for sure and it is going to help us find the people who are searching for the gospel.

Funny Stories:
So this week Elder Wanderson was a little sick with a cold and, he likes to play things up a little bit sometimes. So basically everytime that he talked to a member or someone in the street he would make his voice sound like he was dying. So we were at lunch and I was praying for pacience because he was acting like he was going to the grave in an hour. So I was like Heavenly Father if he is faking could you just smake him around a little bit to make him stop? Like thirty seconds later Elder Wanderson got the hiccups...and we are talking they lasted basically the whole day. I guess he was faking.

Also I bought some cereal and milk this week because I like to eat and stuff. So were at home for lunch and I got my freshly bought milk and cereal and poured myself a bowl for chocolate flakes. I began to eat and realized that something was strange, the flavor wasn't really chocolaty it was more like sweaty socks. But, I thought it was just the cereal and ate the whole bowl. That night I pull out my milk to take a swig and let's just say that I don't think it was still milk. I ate an entire bowl of cereal with sour milk...I won't be doing that again.

Have a great week this week and enjoy the summer sun.
Love you all
Elder Bowman

Dancers In The Street

Well this week was a little crazy, we had like this big festival thing going on so there were a lot of people in the streets dancing and drinking...it was pretty awesome to watch drunk people dance because they don't dance very well.

But, I feel like I've matured a little bit, seeing as now I have twenty years of age. It's a little weird how fast time flies, and how much I sound like an old person saying that. But, it's true, on minute your sitting on your couch watching cartoons and the next minute you walking down the streets as a missionary.

This week I had a little run in with a bull. We were walking down the street, and he decided that he wanted to have a little stand off. So I was standing in the middle of the street, and he was staring me down. I was thinking "Oh Flip, this crapper is going to run me down,"  but then I think that he saw Jesus Crist on my name badge and was like "You can pass." My heart was beating like a million mile per hour after that, but I escaped with my life and my honor.

Hope all is well in Logan and that you are all enjoying the sunshine. Have a good week this week and keep being awesome

Love Elder Bowman

You Get Poridge

This week we had a baptism. His name is Ryan and I will send you all some pics, But, also the work is starting to progress a little more. We had a meeting with the ward council and asked for their help. They seemed a little apprehensive, but willing to go to town, so I think that we will go to town and baptize some people there, and help the ward grow.

But we are teaching this lady named Francisca and she is just a sweet lady. Yesterday we taught here the first lesson and she was accepting everything. So we invited her to be baptized and she accepted! I was pretty stoked, and then we were wrapping up and she asked me to give the closing prayer. I gave it, and when we said amen, she was crying. She talked about how she really needed to here the gospel and said that she has been really struggling. Man, I was thinking about it this week and I think that sometimes we forget that this gospel can change the whole outlook of people's lives. It gives direction, guidance, and hope to those who are searching for something more. Sometimes as missionaries we get into the routine of  spreading the gospel, we begin to think that our message is ordinary. I got a little reminder this week that the gospel is far from something that is ordinary. It is something that will change our lives and the lives of God's children. But it was an awesome missionary moment for me.

But I hope that all of you have a great week, I'm going to email on Monday, so I that will be normal. I'll be twenty, which is a little on the weird side..wow.

Love you all

Elder Bowman

1"You get poridge! and he's happy to see you"

2 Don't leave the window open during a rain storm...

.Ryan before he got baptized

Let´s Get Ready to RUMBLEEEEE​!!!!!

Wow this week was pretty awesome. There is like some crazy kind of energy that comes when everyone gets excited about sharing the gospel. I don´t know what is going on down here, but I must say, I´m digging it.

But this week, we took this guy named Patrick to church. He is from Switzerland and has lived in Brazil for seven years. We´re going to swing by and talk to him soon, and see if he has any questions about anything that was taught. He´s pretty much a stud, and speaks Portuguese like a Brazilian.

But funny story this week: So with our new goal of talking to everyone we can, I went over and was talking with some drunk guy on the corner of the street one day. He wasn´t terribly drunk so I went ahead and started talking to him about the gospel. In the middle of the discusion he said. Open to Mathew 15:16. So, I did, and basically it said, how is it that you aren´t understanding still. I almost busted up laughing because it was so ironinc that he randomly decided to open to that scripture. Irony or it was God trying to talk with him. I think that I´ll go with the latter. But we invited him to go to church and....he didn´t show up. But, who knows, one day maybe he will.

Sounds like everything is going well at home. The shack is crazy as usual and you all are being my awesome family. Keep it up. Love you all and hope that you enjoy a shavice for me.


Elder Bowman

You Get What You Ask For, Just Not Always in the Way You Expected

Yeah, so this week I was really tired, and I was like I just want to sleep. Well I got to sleep a lot because I got flippin' blasted to the core with sickness. I think that I got the worst case of Diarrhea that I have ever experienced this side of the Mississippi. We are talking that I basically wasting good food because I was eating it and it was passing right into the toilet basically.

But Saturday, was the worst day. We went to lunch to eat, or rather for Elder Wanderson to eat. So we get there and the Sister made this really nice lunch for us with chicken, salad, rice and beans, the works. I, being sick as a hippo, just drank a little passion fruit juice, and then it all began. I started to get really sick, so I put my head down, then the sister came out and started talking to me about how I was feeling and stuff and I just told her "muito mau" which is terrible. She keeps talking about going to the hospital, and I was just sitting and all of the sudden I was like, "Irma Eu vou vomitar," and I did. I puked up my nice passion fruit juice. But after that we called Sister Hall, she told me to buy meds, and then I slept the rest of the day. So I got to sleep, but man I had to go through heck to get there. I don't think that I'm going to ask for more time to sleep next time, P-day is good enough for me.

However, today, I'm good. We're going to go to the chapel to play some ping-pong and relax a little, which will be good. Maybe I'll buy some food, and eat some too.

The work here is getting a bit on the tough side. Everyone that was progressing decided that they didn't want to continue. It is tough sometimes to be a missionary because you know how this gospel can change their lives, but they have to make the choice to accept it. I wish I could go into the future and show them how happy they would be if they would change their lives and how many blessings they would have. But, I can't, so I guess I just need to help them the best I can and they need to do the rest. Who knows, maybe one day one of them will get baptized.

But, we are teaching this guy named Diogo (Like Diego but with an o), he pretty much asked if he could get baptized in church and we told him that as missionaries that is what we do. So, hopefully, soon he will get baptized. But, that was this week, it went by pretty fast. Hope that all is going well and that everyone is happy.

Love you all!
Elder Bowman

I'm Singing in the Rain......Part II

Well as you can probably guess, I got to sing in the rain again this week. Really, I got to sing almost everyday, but as the days wore on my singing became more of a kind of grumbling mixed with music. It was strange. But, right now it is sunny, which is good , I need to dry out a little ( I remember that "to dry out" is slang in english, but I forgot what it means...) But, yeah, my wife is getting more beautiful with every rain storm, so I guess I can take a little more. (mission rule: the more rain you take, the more beautiful you wife becomes...shallow, but it makes you happy).

But this week, we did a lot of contacts in the street because we are trying to find some people to teach because our teaching pool is a little sparse. So we have been trying to find some good investigators who are searching for the gospel, and we've found some good people. This guy named Jose Roberto seems like he just wants to learn more, which is awesome because we want to teach more. We taught him the first lesson and he accepted the baptisimal invitation, which is always awesome. But, we are going to keep working to find some more awesome people like Jose. 

Funny story: So this week I recieved a little correction in the fine language of Portuguese. I had learned some slang in Mossoro, that which I continued to use here in Natal. I had developed the habit of saying putz (poots) whenever something went wrong. Well, I was saying this a lot, we are talking in the streets with a lot of people around, a lot. So Elder Wanderson informed me that this is not an appropriate thing to be saying. He told me basically that I was saying SOB when I was saying this. All I have to say is I am not responsible for my actions in the Portuguese Language, thank you. But we told a member this story and he flipped out a little, which was pretty funny. But hey, I'm learning here, cut me some slack and don't let me go around cursing like a drunk sailor next time.

But yeah that was my week. This Sunday we are going to have stake conference, which will be awesome. President Hall is going to come and speak, so it is definately going to be a good day.

But I love you all and miss you, hope things are going well and that you have a good week this week.

Peace and Blessings

Elder Bowman

Transferred to Natal

Well as many of you predicted, this week I was transferred. I must say that it was pretty hard to leave all of the people that I met and head to a new place...kind of felt like I was leaving on the mission again. But I got transfered to Natal, which is the Capital of Rio Grande do Norte. My new comp is Elder Wanderson, and he seems like he is a pretty cool guy. He's from Sao Paulo and likes to keep things clean...I think we will get along just fine.

I'm going to call home 5 o'clock here, so that is 2 o'clock, back home. Looking forward to see you all and now how things are going for you.

Sounds like Whitney and Corey are doing well. I thought that Corey's stories were pretty cool and funny. I must say that you find some strange people in the streets sometimes, quite strange indeed, but it just makes it all worth while when you can tell about that one time that some drunk guy kissed your hand...or maybe it just brings back very awkward feelings.

Anyway, I don't have a lot to say about my investigators because I'm going to met with them tonight. I bet they're awesome, I have yet to met an investigator that I don't like. 

Also! I got my package, and I ate a lot of the food, unfortunately I didn't have time to enjoy all of it and had to leave some with the other Elders. I think that they were okay with that.

But all in all I'm doing great. Have a great 4 days and I will talk to you then.

Love you all.

Elder Bowman