:) hashtag perseverance

Hello fam-o-lee,

EL CORAZON de Imbabura - it's pretty tight.  There's a heart on that volcano. There's also a legend but it's too long to type, heh.  I can see all three of my sectors I've had in Otavalo. I can see Peguche, Quinchuquí, and Otavalo, and I'm in Cotama. It's pretty cool. 

Well, this week was like a rollercoaster. I am getting used to the sector and getting to know all of the people, all the leaders and whatnot. We contacted almost 150 people trying to find new people to teach. We found 3 families and are teaching 2 from before but none of them came to church. We even did divisions to go pick them up. But, that's life. 

We'll just keep working hard this coming week :) hashtag perseverance. We only have like 2 less actives to work with but they don't really want anything to do with us, or just aren't ever home. On Sunday I asked to have the directorio de miembros (member directory), lista de acción (action list), lista de liderazgo (leader list), 20 direcciones desconocidas, (unknown addresses) and the list of the converts in the last 3 years. It's been good. I am trying to do my best in this sector, I feel I need to apply all the things that I have learned up until now. NO PRESSUREEEE.

This is my new sector.

I have been reading big chunks of the Book of Mormon every day. It's like windows to heaven, I love it so much. I feel like every time I read, I learn so much more and my testimony deepens. Multiple times I have just felt the biggest desire to have the people we teach and contact to REEEADD IT! Just read it! Read it and they will find so much joy! It's something you can't really even explain so you just have to testify your little heart out. There's lots of stuff from my studies I wish I could share witchall. I was reading in 3rd Nephi this week and WOW. It's just so incredible to picture yourself among those in the multitude, no? 

Sindy was baptized this week and I was blessed to go since it's close by :) And Hna. (Sis.) Pérez got to go too! Hahha and a ton of missionaries from our zone were there to support as well, because they heard about her every week for three months and were all super stoked about her decision! It was so incredible, y'all. The night before, I was looking through my two agendas from when we started to teach her. I read my journal toooo. She was deffff our milagro de marzo (Miracle of March). She had a tough situation with her parents but she had really gone through the process of faith, repentance, and now, baptism.

I've seen her faith grow as she has applied and experimented with the Gospel like it says in the book of Alma. I think that it really clicked for her when we taught about the Plan of Salvation, it gave her a lot of surety and she was able to really feel our Heavenly Father and Savior's love when she found out that there was life before this and there will be life after.

I remember one thing that really stood out to me, that she said Mormons are happy, and that she wanted to be happy too! She always wanted to know how, and would ask her brother (who is less active and was baptized three years ago) but he didn't give her the answers she was looking for. Elder Leal, our District leader, let us know that in her interview she said that God had answered her prayers when we started to teach her, she found the answers she had longed for. It was her time!

There is no bigger joy than that of being the instrument to bring one to this happiness. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARYYYYYYYYY.

At the Zone Meeting this past week, I found out I have even more "children" (meaning people that I helped to train)!!! A son, and a step son! 2 daughters, and a stepdaughter - muahahha - so weird. You know you're old in the mission when you have descendants (idk how to even spell that word).

K-well, y'all should email me and tell me which talk y'all liked the best from conf conf! :)

LOVE ALL Y'ALL, you are continually in my prayers :)

REMEMBER WHO Y'ALL ARE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICESSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Con amor (with love),

Hermana (Sister) Bowman 

PS I MET A KID NAMED MICHAEL STEPHEN!!!!!!! Shout out to my brother Michael boyyyyyyyyy. 

boom, boom, boom, marriage, family, marriage, marriage, marriage aaaaaaand then some MORE marriage.

Bueeeeenas tardes (good afternoon), y'all!

Chillin' with my converts! The Amaguaña fambam, love them so much :) Hna. Salas was chilling with us in a trio last night since her comp, our dear Hermana Deveraux finished her mish yesterday, hence her appearance in the pic. :) 

Sorry my letters are usually just like a word vomit onto the keyboard and sometimes my sentences don't make any sense. I was reading some letters I've sent home and I was just sitting there like, ¨HOW do people even ever understand me??!¨ Or maybe y'all don´t, heh. :) ANNYWAAAAYS...
 

WOWOOWOWOOWOWOW: I AM SPEECHLESS FROM CONFERENCE. It blew me away. As I was sitting and listening to the MoTab sing before the beginning of the Saturday sesh, I was just filled with gratitude that we have a modern prophet, a LIVING prophet. So incredible, and it is honestly a privelege to sustain him. 

I feel WAAAY more grateful for the Restoration ever since I got out on my mission. I didn't really get why it was so important before, but now, more than ever, I understand that GOD LOVES US. And that He is continually reaching out through His servants, we are NEVER left without light or guidance in these latter days :) The Church is true, my friends.

Conference was just so edifying, I was in heaven. Every single talk was just tailor made for me. I have been trying to pick which one could be my favorite, but I can't. Main topics: adversity, Atonement, compassion, missionary work, sharing testimonies unapologetically yet with class, courage, covenants, family, Holy Ghost, home, Jesus Christ, marriage, motherhood, PLAN OF SALVATION, truth, unity. 

I loved Uchtdorf´s talk on GRACE. I think that that may be one of my favorite subjects, I really didn't understand it before, and I'm still learning to grasp the concept. But I really do stand all amazed that God's plan is just so perfect and that Christ is TRULY our Savior and Redeemer. 

As I have been reading the Book of Mormon (I'm trying to squeeze in reading it one more time) the Plan of Salvation has really jumped out at me, it actually has every time I've read the Book of Mormon out here on the mission. But this time in particular, I am GETTING TO KNOW Christ. Not about Him, but HIM. 

I LOVE THE CABASCANGO FAMILY! AHHHHHW they are my absolute fave. They are the miracle of my mission. If you watch the Robles fam story in the "Preach My Gospel -  The District 2" videos, their story is almost the exact same :) AHHH I love them. They came to conference and we set goals last night with them. They are stoked for the temple and fam history work, and just everything! Idk if I told y'all that Cristina has a calling now, she is the Relief Society teacher. It's so amazing to see everyone grow in the Gospel. :) 

I am understanding how much our Father in Heaven loves and cares and desires that EACH one of us gets back to His presence. I understand more fully that it is dependant on our actions, on our Free Agency, on our faith that leads us to a sincere repentance, obedience and saving ordinances. I love the Book of Mormon. I get it now! And I am sharing that with others, it causes my testifying, even in contacts, to be much stronger. 

ALL of Saturday was like boom, boom, boom, marriage, family, marriage, marriage, marriage aaaaaaand then some MORE marriage. Families truly are so central to our Father in Heaven's plan, it's blatantly obvious. I love that the Church is centered on this, coupled with our Savior's Atonement. 

And then Sunday was all about coming back and reaching out to those who are wandering. I am still trying to pick out which one is my fave and it's pretty much impossible, because each talk spoooookeeee to my heeeeart! 

Well, wow! We got the changes last night (THE LAST TIME I WILL EVER GET THEM, odd) aaaaannnnnnnd, druummmrooollllllll, they closed our sector of Otavalo 1! So cray. So basically, Hermana (Sister) Salas and her "kid" (she's gonna train. Fresh outta her first twelve weeks! Like me! ha!) are gunna take over and there will just be one compañerismo in the ward. It was such a suprise. I totally trust it's the Lord's will though! I know that Hermana Salas and her hijita (little "daughter" trainee) will take very good care of our converts and less actives and investigators. 

My hija ("daughter" or trainee) numba 3! Hermana Silva from Cochabamba Bolivia.

Y'all, I am SO grateful for this work! I'm tearing up as I type because my heart is just overflowing with LOVE for all the people that I am leaving behind in Otavalo. My new comp is Hermana Silva, age 21, from Bolivia... she's been here from 6 weeks, and I'm gonnna finish up her last 6 weeks of the 12 week training. I am gonna be her "stepmother" -- muahahah. She is SO sweet! I love her enthusiasm for the work already. 

Super excited to work really hard in Cotama as well (which is literally right next door, like 10 mins away, yet it's a different stake. They don't call it Utah-valo for nothin'), so excited to just hit it hard and work my tail off. 

I am SOSOOSOSOS GRATEFUL to finish in Otavalo! I will have a YEAR here in Otavalo. Honestly my favorite place ever. There is such a special spirit here. I know that the promises in the Book of Mormon really do come to life here. 

SINDY IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY AT 4PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEE! :):):)

This was right before conference on Saturday morning after she passed her baptismal interview :) 

Something I have noticed in myself in the past 6 months or so, is that I don't teach apologetically anymore, I used to be like, "Wellllll, if you reeeaally quizás (maybe) waaaaant the blessings, then I guueeesss you can keep the Sabbath day holy (or any other commandment)." But now, I think as a result of my OWN conversion building, and great trainings from our leaders, and practice, and genuine love and concern and care for my brothers and sisters I teach, and a greater understanding of my calling as a missionary, I am able to teach directly, with LOVE, and in a way that I can use the power and authority I have. IT'S SO INCREDIBLE. It makes all the difference. Yay progress, yay.

I woke up on Easter morning and was very pensative. I was pondering on my gratitude and my testimony of Christ. I wrote it all down in my journal, and I was just filled up with the sweetest peace and overwhelming feeling of love. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that Christ knows us and loves us. He is risen. 

REMEMBER WHO Y'ALL ARE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICESSSSSSS!

Apply conference! That's the most important part! Set three goals to achieve before October 2015! (Mine is to get married. HAHAHH TOTALLLYYY JUST KIDDING. K bai)

Con muchísimo amor (with a whole lot of love), 

Hermana (Sister) Bowman 

I hit and broke the water pipe...

HEY Y'ALLLLL

fave fam on the planet

Well it's official. Today I got my trunky paper (the paper where you hafta fill out all your personal info for the flight plans and whatnot.......) WHAT THE HECK - nonononono. Literally never thought this moment would come. 

We had a cool little miracle. During my first cambio (transfer) in the mission, while I was in Peguche (LIKE 16 months ago....), we found a cool lady and her two kiddos. Maryuri, Miguel Angel, and Corina. It was a miracle how we found them. When we were on the bus earlier that day, they had seen us and were wondering about who we were and stuff but we didn't get the chance to contact them. Then, that evening, we helped them with their bags 'cuz we saw them on the street and then taught them the Restoration in their home. The three of them came to church that Sunday! When we went back to visit them later that week, they were moving to Otavalo. We lost contact. 

THEN, last week, WE SAW THEM AGAIN! I have no idea how I remembered Maryuri's name (the Spirit) it was really awesome! She said that she was spiritually hungry and wanted to get closer to God. We have taught them and the kiddos accepted fecha (date for baptism). She's not married. They had a tour with the primary President and they came to church this Sunday! It was great. She came to the Women's Conference and said it was exactly what she was needing and felt that GOD was speaking to her. She has also been reading the Book or Mormon. It's so beautiful to see her conversion begin to bloom. I can really tell that the Lord is mindful of each of us. She's been fighting a lot with her partner and she thinks that she's going to go back to Colombia. Before, I would have been kinda sad because I wouldn't be the one baptizing her, but now I JUST WANT HER TO BE CONVERTED! I want to see her apply the Gospel to her life, and I want her to be happy with her kids. I want her to find God. :)

Sindy's baptism will be the 11th, con fe (with faith). She's super stoked about everything and really sure that THAT specific date is perfect for her. I´m so happy! Our prayers have been answered. We´ve been teaching her since January and there have been lots of speed bumps, but she's becoming truly converted. I am so proud of her. Long story short, she's chosing the Gospel over her family. She is SUCH a good example. Dang, I look up to her. Please pray for her if y'all can! :) 

We dug a ditch this week at a member´s house with a bunch of Elders (I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE SERVICE PROJECTS!) It's so fun to roll around in the mud and serve and get free corn-on-the-cob from the members.  I hit and broke the water pipe... Typical Hermana Bowman move -- hahahaha, oops.

We also served at the local hospital taking food to all the patients. So fun. We got to see the little babies that were like 3 days old! LITTLE BUNDLES OF ANGELIC JOY STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN! Ahhhhh, so cute. All the people were sooo nice to us! I wish everyone was always like that, ha. No one shut the door in our face:) Why? Because we had food. Maybe we will go tracting and contact people with food. Manna! Hahahaha, okay no, sorry sorry.

We've got a lot of investigators we have been teaching and we have great lessons with them but it's kinda tough for them to keep commitments, which makes it tough for them to actually progress. But we've got some progressing. I think that I'm gonna get transferred out of this ward on Sunday. It's just a guess though. I've never stayed in a ward for more than three transfers and if I stay, this would be my fourth. BUT we shall see what happens. It's all the Lord's will, ya knooooow?

I found a great little nugget of sunshine in my personal study yesterday, Alma 40:25, ¨And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God.¨ I've been thinking lots about how obedience makes us glow. Glow with faith, glow with confidence, glow with the Spirit. There was a phrase in one of the musical numbers of the Womens sesh of Conference, "We love Thy law, We will obey." I just love that. I testify that blessings and happiness come as we are obedient and righteous. :) 

SO STOKED FOR CONFERENCEEEE! I want all y'all to let me know what y'alls fave talk is! Lemme know, lemme knowww! :)

Remember who yall are and always make good choices! ¨Decisions determine destiny¨ -the prophet

Con MUCHISIMOOOOO amor (With a WHOLLLLLE lots of love,) 

Hermana (Sister) Bowman

GO WATCH THIS VID YALL!

http://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_FR_3-27-2015_dMIS_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

I spoke in church this week. It was really good I think, because only like two people were sleeping.

HELLO FAM-O-LEE!

Old photo :)

It's raining, It's pouringggg. The rainy season has officially begun and dang it, the lights went out again so we lost time. So this'll be short and sweet! 

I spoke in church this week. It was really good I think, because only like two people were sleeping. I spoke on our baptismal covenant and linked it to being a disciple of Christ and obedience and sharing the Gospel and commited everyone to bringing a friend to General Conference. OMG IT'LL BE LIKE CHRISTMAS!!! I CANNOT WAIT. I am so excited. I invite all y'all to pay very special attention this round. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and that He is called to guide the church in Christ's name. I know that if we go with open ears, mind, and heart, we will receive the revelation that we need, like Kinda Benjamin says in Mosiah 1:9 :) IT´S REAL :) 

Typical market.

Well, we didn't have any citas fijas (set appointments) for a couple hours so decided to take a little adventure and climbed this giant jungle mountain in the pouring rain (I fell four times) for about 40 minutes and then finally found a house. With a fam of five! It was awesome. We taught them the Restoration and Plan of Salvation and they were all stoked about the Book or Mormon and stuff but then when we went to go and pick them up for church on Sunday they said that they couldn't go because the Dad was drunk and he'd get mad if they left without his permission. So that was a bummer. 

Older photo bcuz no camera.

But we found another family who seem like they're gonna progress. Also, we've worked really hard with the less actives and this week we will have a family and then another teenager, Joan, that will be rescued! YAY! Que alegría. (What happiness!) I really love being a misionero 2.0, where we don't just focus on the investigators, but also on the less actives and the recent converts.

We went out with a lot of members this week, one named Norma.. She's getting set apart for the Lima Peru mish in like 30 minutes! It was way fun to go out with her because she's ssososo super stoked to serve and gave really powerful testimony. 

Adorable kids in native dress

Bishop Cachiguango said that I can pick out any guinea pig of his, kill it, and cook it, and then eat it. JOYyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Hahahah. So that's fun. Next week.

I'd like to share a little scripture with y'all! 

Alma 26:12  "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will notboast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." 

It's my mission scripture, and one of my faves. I know that this is the LORD's work, and that as we lose ourselves in it, we actually find ourselves, the salvation of others, and our own salvation. I have truly seen miracles on my mission. I have learned to TRUST in the Lord and just put all of it into His hands... In His strength, I can do all things. All. things. We can do anything, y'all! How incredible is that?! I know that without the Atonement of Christ, we'd be reaaaallly lost. I know that he suffered for all of us, out of pure love. 

I love David A. Bednar's quote: 

¨Thus, the Savior has suffered not just for our sins and iniquities—but also for our physical pains and anguish, our weaknesses and shortcomings, our fears and frustrations, our disappointments and discouragement, our regrets and remorse, our despair and desperation, the injustices and inequities we experience, and the emotional distresses that beset us.¨ 

This is so true. Look to Him in EVERY thought, doubt not, and fear not.

I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that THIS is the one and only true church on the Earth. I know that each and every one of us that are here on this planet chose to follow Jesus once before, and now we have the opportunity to do it again, so we can all make it back into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father and be received into the Celestial Kingdom with our eternal families. So many blessings and so much heavenly help is RIGHT THERE waiting for us to look up.  This Gospel is absolutely perfect and will change anyone and everyone's life as we believe and apply. I love my Big Brother, Jesus Christ, and I am humbled and forever grateful for the privelege it is to serve as a missionary for His Church.

Hope y'all have a miracle filled week. Get on your knees and get to know Heavenly Father a little bit better. He wants to hear from you. 

Con muchísimo amor (With a whole lot of love),

Hermana (Sister) Lauren Bowman

PS  REMEMBER WHO Y'ALL ARE AND MAKE GOOD CHOICESSSS!!!

faithfaithfaith

Chuta y'all.

LOOK AT MY COOL KICHWA PLACA!!!!! Isn't it tight?!?!? 

This week was spiritually uplifting, aaaaaas always. I wish I could scan my study journal in and send it out to all y'all. But it FLEW, y'all, f-l-e-w. It was so fast! I cannot believe it. So, I can't really remember anything that happened. And I forgot my journal. Sowee. I DO remember that I broke a toilet....ha...haha..ha. Oopsies.

Well, I went to Quito twice to the doctor and I got tests on tests on tests, complete with.... an ultrasound. WHAT THE HECK did not think I would be getting one of those anytime soon, ESPECIALLY not on the mish - ahhahahha. But everything is good with my liver and all the other things they checked up on. I have 5 months to live. Hhaha, just kidding, y'all, I'm fine.

I just have a bunch of colon problems and can't eat gluten or dairy or bread or CHOCOLATE. So I got pills I get to take every 4 hours and a strict diet, when I follow it, I FEEL GRRREAAAAAAT! Like superwoman! It's so awesome. but if I forget a pill, it hurts and I can't walk and it's a trainwreck.

This morning when we were walking home from the track like 2 miles from our house, we decided to take the railroad tracks 'cuz it was shorter than taking the road and I was balancing on the metal part (idk what the real term is for that) and noticed that if I kept positive thoughts, I could balance longer, but when doubt crept in, or I got distracted (squirrel!), I would fall. 

Then I started to think about Matthew 14:22-33, where Peter tries to walk on water out to Christ, because Christ beckons him. He's doing really well until he gets sidetracked and all caught up in his surroundings and starts to doubt..He let fear replace his faith. (2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.") He falls. But IMMEDIATELY, Christ reaches out to him and catches him. 

Wish I could be at the funeral

Dearest fambam,

I knew before I got on the computer today (Monday, March 9th) that Grandpa Maurice had passed away... Not because my mission president called me, but because I think I felt him and my Dad this weekend. It was really special. I love feeling angels, and I know that he is one. 

Making pupusas with my comp at the Chuquin's house. 

We know the Plan of Salvation is real, no? There are so many miracles we can witness here on earth. I know that all of us can be resurrected and we have the opportunity to attain eternal life if we are true and faithful to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Grandpipa was such a great example of that. He left quite the legacy and I am so grateful to have learned so much from him. I know he's at peace now, and probably having a fun little (big) gathering in heaven. Complete with music and nutroll :) I feel very at peace because I understand the plan that we all chose to follow before we even came down here, and this is simply a step we all hafta take. 

Y'all can read this talk by the Prophet, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-race-of-life?lang=eng it's a goodie. Wish I could be at the funeral. Love all y'all. 

We have witnessed a few miracles this week. I love milagro de marzo (March Miracles).  Well, actually, I love the mission, because miracles happen every day. I didn't even know that it was possible to see the hand of the Lord SO clearly in all that we do! I have learned also that faith is definitely a prerequisite for miracles. I read Tad R. Callister's Becoming a Consecrated Missionary, which totally pumped me up. I have kept reading the 4th missionary (lesson) as well, and I prayed and studied the Book of Mormon. All of these were windows of light. I LOVE STUDIES. 

We lost 3 days of work this week (UGH) since we were in Quito getting tests done in the hospital and whatnot, but when we got back to Otavalo, we went to the park and contacted our little hearts out. It was so good. I love contacting. Especially with the Book of Mormon in hand! WOOO. We didn't see any frutos (fruits) from those people, BUT, on Sunday, we had four investigators attend! Sindy, who hadn't been able to come for two weeks, came! And stayed the entire three hours! And she had fasted that week! And then a less active and his wife (who we have been trying to contact for over two transfers) came for the first time in four months!!! And also two referrals from our recent convert, Cristina, one of whom has a fecha (date)cfor baptism. It was so glorious. 

I know that the Lord blesses us for our faith and for our diligence, I know that as we give it ALL ALL ALL over to Him, He reveals His hand in this marvelous work. :) Weee!

We were in Quito and saw a group of gringo tourists and they were like, ¨OMG HEY SISTERS!!!!!¨ and waving and stuff. We said, "Hi!" back and kept walking. As we walked away, I heard one of the girls say, ¨That's gonna be me!¨ And DANG, it just melted my heart and I started to cry. I can't believe I'm actually a missionary and that I have the biggest blessing, opportunity, and responsibility to preach this Gospel. I am so dang grateful for this time that the Lord has given me. I LOVE serving Him. Sweet is the work, y'all!

I am grateful for prayer. I am grateful for hymns. I am grateful for Christ. I know that when we submit to the Lord's will, all is made right. We can trust in Him always :) 

I love all y'allllll and hope y'all have a marvelous week! 

Con amor (with love),

Hermana (Sister) Bowman 

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

                                                                                                                            -Isaiah 41:10 

I may have appendicitis

Hey y'all!

Well this week was a good one, as usual. :) 

Selfie he he he you can't even see the waterfall -- 

BUT YOU CAAAAAAAAN SEE MY FACE!

Ecuador is so pweettttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Sorry, I have like no time today... can't really focus either. Bullet points it is!!!!

-I've had some really good studies lately. I am so grateful for the good ole Book of Mormon, such a GREAT guidance in our lives.

With the Bishop's fambam, GOSH I LOVE THEM AHHHHH they're the best. 

Familia Cachiguango. 

The classic nametag pic.

-My companion got her Patriarchal Blessing. It was really cool because Spanish is the Patriarch's second language (Quichua being the first) and so his accent was cool. It was like, in the middle of nature too. SO AWESOME that we have divine guidance and basically a personalized scripture for us.

Taxopamba by via a Mojanda, like 10 mins outside of Otavalo

It's the one I went to in Dec 2013!!!!!!!!!

Smeagol pose.

-My bday was aight, everyone forgot. We saw some cool miracles though. Gifts from God are the best ones :) 

ICE AGE BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aka the Relief Society President's kid, Yauri Yuyarik.

-I may have appendicitis, so that's cool. Please pray that no.

-Our less actives are becoming more and more active. 

-We found Sindy! She fell off the face of the planet, but she's back, wooo! 

-Today we went and played at a cascada to celebrate my bday hehe. (Thanks to Hna Deveraux, I have evidence in pics that we went).  It was so fun. I went like more than a year ago with the Imbabura zone. It's a hike but it was so fun! We ran and sang Girls Camp Songs and took a TON of pictures and then just laid on the rocks and like, meditated. It was a fun break :) 

Rock models...

Taxopamba! 

-Prayin' for Grandpa Bowman. I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation. 

-I see the hand of the Lord DAILY in my life, and I know that as we all look for it, we become more and more grateful and more and more positive, and more and more aware of His loving care and all of the tender mercies and the blessings which are constantly raining upon us. I invite everyone to do so this coming week. :) 

LOVE ALL Y'ALL

Con amor (with love),

Hermana (Sister) Bowman 

2 0 1 5 wooo

                                         Le nametags. Hashtag OTAVALO WARD HOLLER.

I HAVE GIARDIA

Hello family and friends and others.

So hey. How's everyone doing? I'm doing great :) 

Dang it, the lights went out in all of Otavalo after only one hour of writing and we had a whole hour left and it BARELY came back like 10 mins ago (it's like 7pm) and I have about 5 minutes to write all of this, the assistants gave us permission.  I had a great letter planned out but - whatever. 

BULLET POINTS:

-Camera got stolen.  Yes, I am depressed.

-We went on visits with Bishop and he got pulled over (HAHAHAH) but got out of a ticket thanks to my charm. (I think I had too much practice convincing cops out of tickets in my past. All of the Fairview and McKinney cops know me hahahahhehehe.)

-We did some cool service projects this week. Like taking peas out of their shells. 

-Ivan our less-active is a spiritual POWERHOUSE LIKE DANG, SON. I love him. 

-Went to Quito and saw my BFF Dr. Andrade. who told me I HAVE GIARDIA. Which is horrible. Google it.

Okay, I'm gonna copy and paste my letter to President and add and delete some stuff to save time...

Well, this week seemed not-so-productive. BLeeeghhhhhh. I think it's because of Carnival. We hardly worked. We also went to Quito early and stayed late. So that affected our week as well.  BUTTTTTT now, we have a brand new week! A brand new cambio (literally change or transfer). It should be great. I am very excited to work my tail off, as always.

Well, this week I finished Predicad Mi Evangelo (Preach My Gospel)!  A week early. We had the 90 day challenge from President. It was so great. It has opened so many doors and windows and whatnot. I feel like a much better teacher thanks to the activities and the advice and doctrine found in that book! It really is the essence of who we are as teachers. 

I really liked that Elder Santana (an assistant from Osorno, CHILE) was quoting exact quotes from it! It was so cool to be able to recognize what he was saying and think, "Oh hey, that's on page 89 in the 2nd paragraph and I've applied it in this and this and this way!"  I really love Preach My Gospel and am teaching Hermana Perez to love it and apply it as well. 

I ECHO ELDER BALLARD'S INVITATION TO ALL, OBTAIN A COPY OF PREACH MY GOSPEL IN Y'ALLS HOMES. You can find it online too, but it would be better to have a papable copy, and you can put it in the bathroom or something so that everyone has a chance to read it. I always read shampoo bottles but PMG would be way better. Hahahaha.

We did some visits with the Bishop and have been working with a special family, the Lanchimbas. Ivan, the husband, was baptized about 3 years ago, I believe. EVERY time we teach, there is a special spirit there. We left one lesson and I told my companion that I had the impression that Ivan was one of the Savior's close friends in the pre-existence, and she said she felt the same. It took me a minute to really realize that Heavenly Father trusts in ME, a little 20 year old gringa to take care of, teach, and bring back, one of His beloved, special, and important children. It kinda blew my mind. 

This is HIS work, I know that without the Spirit, we are nada (nothing). It reminded me of a quote from a talk by President Eyring, ¨My message then to my grandchildren, and to all of us trying to forge eternal families, is that there is joy guaranteed for the faithful. From before the world was, a loving Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son loved and worked with those who They knew would wander. God will love them forever.

You have the advantage of knowing that they learned the plan of salvation from the teachings they received in the spirit world. They and you were faithful enough to be allowed to come into the world when many others were not.

With the help of the Holy Ghost, all truths will be brought to our remembrance. We cannot force that on others, but we can let them see it in our lives. We can always take courage from the assurance that we all once felt the joy of being together as a member of the beloved family of our Heavenly Father. With God’s help we can all feel that hope and that joy again.¨

I love that so much. 

We hope to see miracles in our sector this March. I will work really hard to try and make that happen.


CAN'T BELIEVE I WROTE THAT IN 4 MINS. 

ALSO CAN'T BELIEVE I WILL BE 21 ON SUNDAY (LEGAL lolololol.) 

I feel like I'm still 18. Like what? WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE. 

Seriously, it's slipping through my fingers. I can't. I'm done. STOP stop stop time! 

"Oh well, that's life," as Daniel says.


Y'ALL, MAKE GOOD CHOICES AND BE GOOD PEOPLE, PLEASE.

Con muchiiiisimo amor (with a whole lot of love), 

Hermana (Sister) Bowman 

Peguche

Well dang, so much to write, so little time. This week was good!

Margarita. Love her. She was picture shy last night. 

I HAD DIVISIONS IN PEGUCHE! It was the best 24 hours of the week! So fun to go back to my VERY FIRST SECTOR. And people still remember me! It was awesome since that was over a year ago. God put a lot of people in our path and I got to say "hi" to some long lost friends. Got to see some converts too. So fun. I cried. And I also got sunburnt. SO, it was a good day. I love Peguche. 

THESE ARE SO COOL -
painted on like a see through canvas.

We had interviews with President. LOVE that man. It was great. I asked him if I could go to the Coast and he chuckled and said something along the lines of, ¨No, with your blonde hair and white skin, you would stand out too much. Aaaand, you'd probly get dengue.¨ So, that's that. BUT we talked about the special spirit there is here in Otavalo. It's so great. Then, he shared with me what happens to be my mission scripture, Alma 26:12. "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of my God,  for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."  It was a great interview. 

BABY IN MARKET. I REPEAT, BABY IN MARKET. So dang cute. Hahah, I love Ecuador. This is in the Copacabana Market where it's a bunch of fruits and veggies for super cheap. It's like ten steps from our front door. 

One of our recent converts fell into alcohol this week. So did one of our less actives. It was tough, man. But we got to have a couple REALLY great, super spiritual lessons on repentance and the Atonement. Something that I am VERY grateful for in my life. Wouldn't be here in Ecuador without it! I know that we have a loving Savior who constantly stands with His arms wide open to us. The process of repentance can be a little painful at times, but the relief and JOY that follows is incomparable. I know that repentance is real, I've seen it in my own life and we got to see how it took effect in these people's lives this week. Gosh, the Gospel is just so perfect. It's all stacked in our favor. 

This is Laura Tituaña, our mamita on Saturdays. 

I was especially grateful for the Sacrament this week, sometimes we forget how special it is. Blows my mind that we get a fresh start EVERY single week, if we go with a broken heart and contrite spirit. We can just start over and have a new opportunity. Over and over and over and over and oooverrrr again, mercy and love takes place in our lives. Such a great moment to contemplate the Savior's sacrifice and love for us. I read this too. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/the-sacrament-a-renewal-for-the-soul?lang=eng

Anahí got a hold of my camera - heheheh. 

We are going to Quito this week to have the verification for Hermana Perez - It's already been 6 weeks, WHAT?! She's gonna go to the Panecillo in Quito. I'm stoked because this means that the trainers get chocolate bread (something famous in the mission) and we get to play Preach my Gospel jeopardy! WOOOOOO!! It's like chemistry reviews all over again (shout out to Mrs. W! Hashtag MHS pride)

CHICKEN FEET SOUP feat.

Meh, times up. 

Love y'all. Have a wonderful weeeeek. 

MAKE GOOD CHOICES AND REMEMBER WHO Y'ALL ARE! 

I am so bad at selfies now. WOW, how can this be?!

Con amoOOooOOOoOOOOoooor (with love), 

Hermana Lauren Michelle Bowman 

PS Valentine's Day was lame. I didn't even buy myself chocolate. Hahahah.