District Conference & Received 3 Packages Yay!!!!

September 30, 2013

Well this week was CRAZY let me just tell you that, but it didn't get crazy until just a couple days ago. 

Last week on monday for P-Day we went and played soccer at a place called the BYC field and it was sick. (That mean's cool) It was an all turf field, full sized and was super nice. We had to pay 100 Liberian dollars to play on it (which is a little more than 1 U.S dollar ) I played a couple of games and played a little basketball so it was really nice to get out and run. When i was running on the turf field i just kept getting flash backs of my glory days playing football haha. Anyways i got a little bit sun burned but it felt good and i was enjoying it. You told me that you were playing Beaver this week and i totally forgot to tell you that I have an Elder in our apartment complex who is from Beaver. His name is Elder Ericson so we always talk alot about hunting and stuff because he is big into hunting and we can relate alot so its cool. On Tuesday we had district meeting and President Kirkham and his wife came to sit in on it. At first i was just like, what did we do wrong ha, but no it was a really good meeting. He had a lot of good input and and one of the things he talked alot about was being humble as a missionary and always wanting to learn more. I really can work a lot on that because i realized that through my life, i hate to change my ways and what i am doing. I always have just thought that my way is the best and that no matter what you say i aint going to listen. (you have probably recognized this mom) So that is what i am going to be working on out here, is being more humble and more willing to learn and actually take the things i learn into my life to make me better. On tuesday after district meeting we had some plumber guy to come and fix some leaks in our apartment so we had to stay in all day because he was there. It wasn't as bad as the first time we stayed in. I studied my scriptures and read a lot of conference talks which was good and then the zone leaders came in and we played a game of phase 10 which was fun. But while i was studying i found a verse in D&C that i like. Its in section 123:17. You can look it up and see for yourselves haha. 

Ok i totally forgot to tell you this story from like a couple weeks ago. Ok so me and Elder Zaugg were teaching Lesson 1 and we got to the great apostosy and i was trying to explain it. I had them read the verse out of AMOS 8:11-12 and it talks about the lord sending a famine, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water but a famine of hearing the words of the lord or something to that point. When i was trying to explain this verse to them i said "now you can see that the lord didnt send a famine of breast" HAHAHA. I totally got tongue tied with the words bread and thirst and said breast so i am not going to lie i started to just laugh and so was Elder Zaugg and we couldn't stop so we just ended the lesson since that was the last thing we were talking about any ways haha. But another cool story that happened this week was we went to see this lady named Tarrisa. Her daughter is a member and this was our first time seeing her. When we walked up she was reading the bible. We were only planning on sharing a scripture so i figured i would share something out the bible but i didnt know what to share. Then i got the impression to share a scripture on faith and so i shared hebrews 11:1. Turns out she had been reading about faith earlier that morning and so we sat there and talked with her about it. What was even cooler is Elder Zaugg just opened up his bible and it went right along with what we were talking about. It was a cool experience. 

So on friday we had a service project to go and cut some grass and to help some people out. ON the way there, there was a truck stuck in a huge puddle so me and Elder Zaugg hopped in and pushed it out. THe puddle was a lot deeper than i thought it would be and it went past my rain boots so my feet got soaking wet.

Any ways now to the crazy part of the week. On friday we got transfer news because the new transfer starts today. I went in not thinking anything of it because i am in training and typically when you are training you stay with your companion for two transfers. TYPICALLY. So ya i went into transfer news and i learned that i am getting a new companion tomorrow to finish my training. I am a little bummed out because me and Elder Zaugg are just Bro's now and we get along so good. HE is now going to be our new Zone Leader since our other one got called to be the Next AP. He is going to be a great zone leader but i am going to miss him as my companion. Luckily he is just moving one apartment down so we will see each other every night and still get to talk and stuff. So my new companions name is Elder Guymond and i don't know much about him. He is from Utah and that is about all i know. I saw him last week playing soccer but that was it. We didn't talk or anything so it is going to be an interesting week. It will be kind of cool though because i will get to show him our area and our investigators and i will be the senior companion in a way ;) So it will be an interesting week for sure.

This week i got 3 PACKAGES. I got 1 from Aunt Daliene so thank you so much for that. Me and Elder Zaugg ate the ice cream sandwhiches you sent and they were really good so thanks:):)  The other 2 were from you Mom and dad and i was so pumped to get my ipod. I have already listened to it enough to kill the battery and have to recharge it but i love listening to music again :):) All the treats are good and the packages made my week so keep them coming :):) 

So a quick answer to your questions. 

Right now there are 0 wards in LIberia, so that is what we are really working hard to get. Our church building is in an old school building and is super Ghetto, its sweet :) There are some pretty nice church buildings around for other branches to though. The Logan Town Branch (my branch) Has a ton of members but none of them come so we are trying really hard to make it stronger and to get more people to come and have move people from the branch help us. Its a long process but things are improving small. There isnt a piano in our school house we go to so i havent been able to bust out my Bethoveen like skills yet but i am waiting to haha. I probably wont have very much time every week to send you or mom personal emails because it takes a while to send out the general one so i love you guys and hope you have an awesome week

How people are you teaching right now?   We are teaching like 20 right now.

Are you going to meet Tarissa again?  I hope we can this week but she isn't one of our main investigators so we will have to pop in and see how she is doing.  

Thought for the week

"People Don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care"

Well i hope you all have a great week, love you all 

Elder Bowring

Tri-Zone Conference - The mission president and his wife are the last 2 on the right front row.  Elder and Sister Kirkham  Elder Bowring is 7th from the left on the back row, and his companion, Elder Zaugg is to the left of him.  They both look happy and healthy!!!! 

This was Bobby's song to get him pumped up during his High School Sports.  They played it the other night at the Football game and I shed a few tears as the words took on a whole new meaning.  They are embarking on a new battlefield and they are truly Soldiers in the most important war to ever be fought.  I'm so proud of them all.  Each has his own battle and fight to face, some in the mission field and some on other missions in life, each is important and they all have unique talents to share and make the world a better place!!  Good Luck to them all!!!!  Doubt Not, Fear Not!!  We Will Win the Battle!!

Well im not going to lie not much happened this week so i am sorry if this email is boring. 

On tuesday we had zone confernce, and that was really awesome. We had Elder vincent from the area presidency come and talk to us. He is a member of the 2nd quroum of the seventy. He is a real spiritual guy but i learned alot from him so it was really sweet. After zone conference we got a big meal which i loved. I have really come to appreciate free meals now haha. 

This week we had the Couple Missionaries come around to our appartment to help us change out our filter system. There are 3 seperate filters and we have to change them out every so often. Well ours hadnt been changed for a while and no body knew when they were changed out last. So we changed them and they were so disgusting. It was freaking funny but we now have a lot cleaner water. Also this week i went on an exchange with one of our Zone Leaders Elder Skouson. He is really cool and he is from Vegas. I learned a lot from him and it was cool to see another area of Liberia. This week we still struggled getting any body to church but we are going to keep trying.

Being out here on a mission i have really recongnized how important a testimony is. I have to come to love bearing my testimony at the end of lessons and it is an awesome way to feel the spirit. I now get what people were saying when they said that your testimony grows when you bear it and it will get weaker when you dont bear it.

Anyways like i said not to much exciting happened this week so i hope you all had a great week and i hope you all have a great week this week :) 

Love

Elder Bowring

Well I have just been called to repentance so i will try and do better with my emails haha. So here is more about this week.

When Elder Vincent came to talk he talked a lot about how being on a mission is a Privilege. That was really good to hear because we have some Elders who are going home at the end of this transfer and every time i see them all i can do is think about home to be honest and think about how far away it seems until I am going to be home. I still have some hard days and parts of the days when i miss you guys a lot, but i just need to remember that being out here is a privilege, not just a responsibility. The more that i am trying to enjoy my mission and the more that i look at the bright side of things the better it gets though. Elder Vincent also talked about how this is a really hard mission but that there are a lot harder missions out there to. He was telling us about a mission where in order to baptize somebody, you had to take like a 7 hour boat ride through crocodile infested water and then the place you get baptized is also infested with crocodiles, so there are people standing  around with Swords and stuff keeping them out while they are baptized. So i thought that was really cool. When i was on exchange with Elder Skouson I was having a pretty hard day in the morning. The lessons were going by good but i just wasn't feeling it very much. We got about half way through the day and in the middle of a lesson i just really had a attitude change. I started teaching a lot better and with a lot more Enthusiasm and we got to a point that we were talking about the Book of Mormon. I went to start bearing my testimony and I seriously got hit with the spirit so strong. It really testified to me that the Book of Mormon is true and that when we read it, we get closer to Christ and God and that it can help us so much. I have been reading the book of Mormon a lot since i have been here. When i came out i was at the start of Alma and i am in the Middle of 3rd Nephi now. I love reading it because there are so many little things in there that i have never caught before. I hope that when i get home i will just be a strait up scriptorian. 

Our teaching has been going pretty good, we have two solid investigators right now that i have really high hopes for. They know its true but it is seriously just so hard to get people to come to church.  We have sat down and invited them all and they all say that there coming but when sunday comes around , they don't show up. That is one thing i have realized about these people. They love to say they're going to do something but then they never do it, it's like if your not going to do it then just tell us. It pisses me off sometimes. I am definitely learning some patience out here. We took some little kids with us to church yesterday to and they tested my patience alot. During church they just kept pinching each other and kept doing crap like that. I was about to beat them all haha. By the time i get home i am either going to be a really patient guy or i am going to snap at any little thing haha.

Well i hope this was a little better so i will keep trying to do better :P Love you guys even though your picky and want to know more and are making me put more effort into my email haha ;) Jk i will do my best have a great week :) 
Love, Elder Bowring

Hilarious Story Told by Elder Bowring's Companion, Elder Zaugg

Now, a story that happened during proselyting on Wednesday I believe.  We were teaching two girls named Princess (common name in Liberia) and Annie about the Restoration.  I had just got done talking about what Jesus Christ had done on the earth, so my companion (Elder Bowring) was getting ready to speak on the Apostasy.  He goes into telling more, and begins to expound a scripture to them.  Amos 8:11-12 to be exact.  It mentions that there will not be a famine of Bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord.  As he was explaining this, he said, "We can see that there won't be a famine of Breasts......." then it got silent.  I had my attention on these girls making sure they were understanding everything, listening to my companion, and when I heard this, I was stunned.  I looked at my companion and he was already starring at me with wide eyes.  I am a horrible missionary for what happened next, and I have sincerely repented for it, but I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore.  I was crying I was laughing so hard.  He tried to continue with the lesson and I had my head down trying not to make it obvious, when out of no where he says, "and I'll let my companion explain the rest" He did this because he couldn't stop laughing either!! now what am I suppose to do?? I tried my all keeping it together, and I told them that we will just start from here next time.  The spirit was totally gone and we couldn't even stay focused.  The funny part was that the girls we were teaching didn't hear what he said, and they just started laughing along with us.  Oh man.... Once we closed we were walking away, and I looked at him and said, "Why is it that when you're not suppose to laugh, you laugh the hardest?"  we just kept laughing.  Memories for life!!!  I love Liberia! You never know what will happen next!

What a P-Day!!!

         Right up Bobby's Alley!!!  Adventure!!
Photo Edited by Ashly

                                                    

Photos of the Area

 

A trip to the beach!

Happy Anniversary!!!

Someone's pet monkey they met on the beach!  So Cute!!

 They ate fresh coconut that someone climbed up and picked for them!

Elder Zaugg celebrating his 6 month anniversary and
Elder Bowring celebrating his 1 month anniversary!

Deep Dish Pizza, lol!!

Wow!!  Homemade Pizza!  Looks great! 

Wow!  Cookin' up some good grub!!

Hello Everyone,

Well this week was a little bit of a longer week but it was still good. On Monday we went to the beach for P-Day and it was sweet. I got to eat a fresh coconut right off the tree and we got to just relax and chill. The beach was in Elder Zauggs old area and he told me that he got to teach lessons on the beach when he was there. That would be so sweet, so i hope that i get that chance while i am out here. While we were on the beach a guy walked by with a little Chimp. It was so sweet. On Tuesday i went on an exchange with our District leader. We went to his area and it was really good. He is from Nigeria and he freaking knows the scriptures so good, i hope i get to know them that good when i get home. This week we had 6 investigators come to church so i was pumped about that. Also this week at church i had to give a talk. I didnt know that i was talking until they were giving the announcements, so i had about 30 seconds to prepare a talk haha. I talked on tithing so i just got some scriptures and Elder Zaugg gave me some advice and i went for it. I was supposed to take 10 minutes and i took 6 so i didnt think that was to bad. I also gave my first blessing this week. Elder Zaugg's hand was bugging him so i got to give him a blessing. It was a really cool experience and his hand stopped hurting after so it was cool. Friday was probably the worst day i have had out in the field because we had to stay at home all day. We were getting screen doors put into our apartments and somebody had to stay to make sure things went good and that the guy didnt steal any of our stuff, so we were inside all day. I think that is why this week was pretty long. This week we had Apartment Inspections so me and Elder Zaugg cleaned our bathroom and it is SO much cleaner that it was before. I am actually not scared to go in there now haha.

So my story for the week is about one of our investigators and its not very long but, his name is Brian. Brian contacted us like a week or two ago and we sat down and taught him part of a lesson. After that we had a hard time getting a hold of him so i just figured he was a one and done type guy. Well we finally got a hold of him and we kept teaching him and he just blows my mind. He has been so prepared by the Lord to listen to us. He told us that he had been praying to God for Him to show him the True church and then he found us.That is really cool and it just comes to show you that God does answer our prayers and he does care about all of us.

Well i hope that you all have a great week. Love 

Elder Bowring

Dear Mom,

Well not going to lie it has been kind of a long week and i am glad to see P-day. I hope that your finger is doing alot better this week and that everything went ok on it. I FINALLY got the first letter that you sent to the MTC this week so that was awesome to get some mail. It defintily helps alot, makes me not feel so far away from home. The beach was so awesome last week when we went. I got to eat a fresh coconut and i mean fresh like they climbed the tree and knocked it out and gave it to us. It was really cool and it just reminded me of our trips to california and not going to lie it made me a little home sick but it was still really cool. It got me thinking that when i get home we need to do a vacation or something, not necesarily to california or anything but we need to do something like that :) I have some letters ready to send home so i am just waiting on some stamps to send them so i hope that i can get those off here pretty quick. I still havent gotten any packages or anything like that yet so i am greatly anticipating one :). I hope everything back at home is fine, which i am sure it is the Lord is watching over us all. I am getting more used to it out here and i am getting to the point where i can teach most of the lessons. Some days go by slow but i already look and see that it is the middle of september. Its crazy.  The mission home isnt very far away, and when ever we get mail the mission couple just bring it by and then if we have any other mail to send they take it and drop it off for us so its nice. Our mission couple is from utah and they are newer than i am. There names are the Berrets and there awesome.

We have 4 missionarys in our apartment and then there are two other apartments with 4 misisonarys right by us.

I miss you guys all alot everyday, but i know that i am supposed to be out here whether it is hard or not. I am not going to lie i am excited to go home but i know that it wont be good until i serve my 2 years faithfully and give everything that i have to the Lord. It is weird to think about being home and stuff now, it almost seems like a dream land and i have never been to so i cant even imagine how it will be in two years. I wish i would of known some of the stuff i know now when i was in High school, it would of made things alot easier and alot better for me, but i guess thats what life is about. We live and we learn from our mistakes and that is what helps us grow. Hard times also help us grow and that is why i am growing so much right now. I am glad that the Lord is blessing you guys back home because that makes everything worth it :) I uploaded a lot of photos and stuff so you guys can look at them.

Well i just want you to know that i love you and i come to  appreciate you and the family more everyday. I have such awesome parents and such an awesome family , i just get excited that we get to to be together forever :):) Well have a great week, i will write more about my week in the weekly email. Love you 

Elder Bowring

P.S. Jacelyn is growing up so fast its crazy.

Caught in the rain storm!!

Elder Zaugg's mom got this picture in an e-mail from the boy standing next to Bobby.  He is a ward missionary getting ready to go on his mission.  

All the New Elders when they arrived in Liberia.

This is their kitchen, not so bad!  
Pretty clean thanks to Elder
Bowring and Elder Zaugg

Love Sharing Photos & Stories with Elder Zaugg's mom. 

Their Bedroom.  Nice blue mosquito nets.
They look like princess beds

 These photos were courtesy of her and Elder Zaugg!!

Elder Bowring studying hard!!
He is learning so much!

It was Elder Zaugg's 6 month anniversay
& Elder Bowring's 1 month anniversary so they
made a special treat!
Looks Yummy!!

1 Month Anniversary-Great Video Clips

September 9, 2013

Well holy crap i cant believe that I have been out for 1 month already.

This week not anything too exciting happened. In our apartment we had a companionship get called to go out to a town called Kakataw. The area just opened up when i got here so that is pretty sweet. Kakataw and Harbell are the only two areas that are not in Monrovia, So those Elders out there are going to be racking up the baptisms. This week we had a ton of people show up to church. We had one investigator who showed up half way through the second class so that was sweet. I was starting to get a little frustrated that no body was showing up to church so we at least got one there this week. We have a lot of other investigators that seem strong so i hope that we will get them to church next week. The elders in the apartment came up with a new mission motto. The motto is YOSO(you only serve once). Now they are set on making a rap called YOSO in the ghetto, because we are definitely in the Ghetto. The kids here are so funny though. They freak out when they see me and Elder Zaugg and they all start screaming " white man, white man" or they sometimes will even call us China men and like start to try and speak chinese, its pretty funny. They love to to come up and touch you to because your white and sometimes there hands drift to places that i don't want to be touched hahaha. There hands are always like dirty and wet to and i have no idea what is on there hands, so any ways that is how it is everywhere we walk around.  It rained a TON this week. It is crazy how much it rains over here. The rainy season is about over though and then dry season starts in like October. The elders here say that dry season there is zero rain and that it is hot and humid. I am not looking forward to the heat. Sorry there wasn't anything to exciting this week. I am still in training and trying to get all the lessons down and they are coming along. I hope everything back home is good :)

Love Elder Bowring

Very impressive Checker Board!

Elder Zaugg and another Missionary playing some checkers with the home-made checker board!!

Looks good! 

Awww!!  

Sweet Dreams 

Elder Bowring 

Looks like they found a good donut shop!!

Elder Bowring looks like he's in Heaven!!

Elder Bowring & Elder Zaugg

Mom,

I Cant believe that it has already been a month, its crazy to think. I Didn't read all of your letter but i will print it out and i will read it later today. That sucks about your finger and i hope that it isn't broke either.  That would not be good.  I am starting to learn how to cook some pretty freaking good rice sauces that i am excited to show you when i get home if we can get our hands on some things. I am sure growing a lot out here. I am starting to realize the things that we all need to do in our lives so that we can feel TRUE happiness and so we can always be happy. I love all the quotes and pictures you send. They are awesome. I got some dear elders last night that brooke sent. They were all still from back when i was in the MTC but thats alright because i like reading old mail and it is good :) Keep them coming :) I have thought of some more things that you could possibly send me if that is ok.

Some sticky Notes big and small

My Cabellas Leatherman (everyone has theres out here)

Some nice pens for my journal 

Some more journals ( Mine is filling up quick)

A book called the pocket reference book for missionarys 

and stamps (i might have already asked for some) 

could you send some more pictures to of like my sports like football baseball and basketball, i want to show some of the elders them so that would be good :)

 I know i will never regret this even if it is hard, i know that the hardest things in life bring the most rewards. I am so glad to have the mother that i have and i am so incredibly blessed. I always have things that you said to me back home run though my mind while i am out here like when i was complaining about something and you would tell me "you have no idea how blessed you really are" and i seriously had no idea until coming out here. I wished i would have listened better as a kid to the things you said because now i realize you knew what you were talking about ;) I love you and i hope you have an awesome week :
Thank you for everything,  There isn't a day that goes by that i don't think about you guys.

I love you and appreciate everything you do for me mom and i hope you know that you are an amazing woman. 

Love Elder Bowring

Dad,

Sounds like things are good back home. I hope brittain is alright and i will for sure remember him in my prayers. I wrote a huge letter about my daily routine and everything i am doing and the stuff here so it should be getting there soon. I figured that it would be easier than emailing it all because we have such short time to email. I loved what you said in the last letter about enjoying every minute i have out here. It is hard some times and i still do get home sick but i go back and read that and it gives me strength for the day. I am taking a freakin good journal right now, we have to be in by 7 because it gets dark and there are no street lights so i have plenty of time for writing. I am trying to get all the little details in there so you can read them when i get home. Its funny because we go around and the people here love to blast there music. I have heard so much Akon here and i know alot of the music haha but they have some stuff i havent heard so could you send me a flash drive that i could just have some people put some music on it so i can have some sweet liberian music when i get home? Elder zaugg has one and that is what he is doing. So ya you should send one. Thanks for all the scriptures and the advice it really means alot. I know that this is where i am supposed to be right now and i am trying to love it as much as i can. Each day seems to get better so i can only imagine where i will be in a year. Love you 

Elder Bowring

No power for 4 days!!

September 2, 2013

Well this week went by super fast. It rained a TON this week and it was crazy.  Our power and water was out on Monday when i got back from playing soccer  and we didn't get it back until Thursday. I was so pumped when it came back on. After it came back on me and Elder Zaugg deep cleaned our kitchen because it was so nasty so it looks better now. You know that i am just making sandwiches out of everything i get (Grandma Lovell) We can get good fresh bread on the road from one of the branch missionaries so that is sweet. They have some really cool lizards over here that i took some pictures of them so you will have to check them out when i send my card home. I am starting to learn a lot and its really sweet to be able to start teaching :)

My story for this week is pretty cool, So me and Elder Zaugg finished up with all of our appointment for the day and had about a half and hour left and were debating if we should start to walk home. So we decided we would contact somebody else and then we would check on a less active member. So we did all that and were heading on our way home. When we got close to the apartment traffic was really bad, and there was a car that was broke down, so me and Elder Zaugg went and helped them get things figured out and helped them push it off. So we got talking after and its crazy how God uses people to answer other peoples prayers. Those people probably had been praying for some help, and if me and Elder Zaugg would of went home when we were thinking about it, then we would of totally missed out on helping those guys out.

So i have a good scripture i read that you guys should read its in Mosiah 2:14

I hope you all have a great week and i love you all.

Elder Bowring 

Dear Mom,
Well it sounds like everyone is doing good :) Things are going good out here and i am getting in a better groove :):) I still haven't gotten any mail yet so i am anxiously waiting for some :) We don't have a cd player that i know of but i might can round one up. I didnt tell you last week but i haven't missed a day on my pills or brushing my teeth yet :):) Pretty crazy but there is no way i am getting sick out here, i would be in trouble if i did. I don't need a converter either so that is good :) I love hearing how your guys weeks go and it always boosts me up for up coming week :) Me and Elder zaugg are getting really close, he is a really cool guy and an awesome missionary. He goes home 6 months before me so you guys might have to meet him before i get home. Sorry about last weeks email too because it just kind of listed off crap i needed and i probably sounded pretty demanding sorry :/ I love you all so much and i still miss you like crazy, but i know that this is where i am supposed to be at this point in my life. We will be able to do all those fun things after my short 2 years and i cant wait to do them but right now i am growing so much and i am learning so much its crazy. So i am going to learn all i can before i get home. I love you so much and i hope things at work are going great and that everything else is :) I will talk to you next week 
Love 
Elder Bowring

Dear Dad,
Sorry i didnt write much last week. I love reading your jounal entries and i love to know what is going on. They are so long though that what i do is print them off and then read it during the week so most the stuff i reply on will be from last weeks stuff so i am sorry. Things are going good here, i am starting to teach alot more and that is good, it makes the days fly by. we are starting to find some good contacts and i hope we can keep them. No body we contacted showed up to church yesterday which sucked but we are just getting started so its alright. It sounds like things at home are just the same. I love hearing everything you guys are doing, it makes me feel more close and less home sick. You guys are just lucky im not there for Fantasy football this year ;) I bet Kapernick will tear it up for you this year :):)  I hope you have a great week love you :
Love 
Elder Bowring

Made it to Liberia!!

August 26, 2013

Well I made it to Liberia. It is NOTHING like Ghana. It is so green and it has SO much water.. We flew into a small airport and the AP's and Mission president and his wife were waiting for us. On our way to the mission office I saw a guy holding a freakin' dead monkey by the tale on the side of the road trying to sell it. So we stayed at the mission office that night and they gave us some things. They gave us a water bottle that has a built in filter because all the running water here is not good to drink. So everything we drink has to go through that. We also have a filter system at the apartment that we can get clean water there to. They also gave us rain boots and our mosquito net. I went to my area on Friday and met my trainer. His name is Elder Zaugg and he is freakin' awesome. He is from west point Utah and has been out for 6 months. He is just awesome and i am definitely going to learn a lot from him. Since he is my trainer they call him my father and i am his son haha:)

So we went out contacting on Friday and i seriously can not believe how poor it is out here. Our apartment has electricity and running water but is not the nicest by any means. It is on a main road and if you go back just behind the buildings across the street, that is where our area is. Back there is seriously what you think Africa is. There is just a bunch of old run down houses with like zero electricity and zero running water. The houses are nothing but just concrete and there is zero carpet or anything. They all cook out side and i seriously feel so bad for them. To get to peoples houses we like seriously have to take trails and walk over logs to get over rivers and stuff its crazy. There is so much trash around to, like it is literally everywhere. It stinks so bad but i can tell you that i have already grown to appreciate so much back home and come to know how blessed we really are in the U.S. So the area we are in was 'white washed' Which means they took all the missionaries who were here before and transferred them. So me and Elder Zaugg both don't know the area well at all and we don't have like any contacts. We have been contacting the last couple days but everyone we contact ends up being  in some body elses area. Its frustrating. But i got to tell you about one lady. We were just walking around and saw her and her family sitting out side so we just started talking to her and ended up teaching her the full first lesson. She was so receptive it was awesome. In the middle of the lesson i was bearing my testimony and out of no where i look over there and she just started to breast feed her kid. My companion (and taylor) had warned me about it so me and Elder Zaugg almost started laughing. I definitely lost my train of thought for a while but then we just finished the lesson. It was pretty gross.

Its funny, there are just a ton of motorcycles over here and everyone of them are a taxi. So when ever we need to get any where far we pay just a little bit of LD (Liberia money) and me and my companion hop on the same bike. Its pretty crazy but i just laugh every time we do. It has rained so much here to the last couple of days. I have worn my rain boots every time we have went out. Some roads just become a river and its Psycho.

I also had to wash all my garments by hand today in a bucket. I have to say i am already a pro at it. They are about as white as i am.  We also have to shower out of a bucket. We just fill the bucket up and take a cup and dump it on our selves and that is how we shower. Its cold to. 

Well i better get off i don't have much time so i love you all and i hope you all have a great week. :)

Love Elder Bowring 

Elder Bowring's Desk at his apartment

Wow!  Water Everywhere!

Sportin' the rubber boots!  Wearin' them everyday!

August 23, 2013
Hey i made it safe and will be able to email again on Monday. Love you

Elder Bowring with President & Sister Kirkham after arriving at the mission home in Liberia

August 21, 2013

We got have a little time to email this morning before we head out to the temple so i just wanted to say thank you for everything again. I love reading these emails, they really keep me going.  I am glad to hear that everyone is doing good.

 My testimony has grown more than it has in my whole life out here the past couple of weeks. I felt so alone and so far away from everything i have known and that i love and i felt like i didn't have anyone to turn to. I have probably prayed more and read my scriptures more this week than i have my entire life and it really has helped me a bunch.  Well i better end there but thanks for all the prayers and all the support from you back home i miss and love you so much.

Elder Bowring

August 20, 2013 

Well they gave us a little time to email today and I thought i would shoot you guys an email really quick. Things have gotten better out here but i still miss you guys so much. I have my moments that are either really easy or either really hard, but i know that all of you guys have my back and I appreciate that so much. I also got a really awesome scripture from Taylor that has helped me. Its in D&C 122 verses 7-8. I encourage you all to read them especially if you are having a hard time with something like i was. We had a batch of missionaries leave today and another one leaving tomorrow. The people leaving to Liberia are going on Thursday but we have to be out of the MTC by tomorrow. So they are going to take us to the temple again tomorrow which i am super excited about, and then we will stay the night at a place on the temple grounds. We will fly to Liberia on Thursday and be there Thursday night, I am not sure if i will be able to email again tomorrow but if i do i will shoot another one to you. I just want to thank you all for the love and support and all the prayers i appreciate them so much. I finally know what you were talking about Mom when you always used to tell me that family is everything. I used to not think it and i am starting to regret that now. I now know that family IS everything and i love you guys so much and miss you all so you all better enjoy each other because i am sure missing not being able to enjoy time with family. Not too much exciting has been happening at the MTC so sorry this letter is a little dull but i am sure the next one will have a lot. I hope you guys shot a freakin' huge buck over the weekend i expect some pictures and some jerky. Good luck to you this week Brittain, freakin' tear it up and rep that number 10 nicely. I cant wait to hear about the game and i will be thinking about it. Just don't worry and don't stress you will do fine. Well love you all and i hope you all have a great week if i cant email again tomorrow.

Elder Bowring

MTC District

Elder Jemba & Elder Bowring

Ghana MTC & Temple

August 14, 2013

First off i just want to thank everyone for all the love and support you have showed me. I can not believe all the emails and words of encouragement i got and I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I just want you all to know that i am going to stick it out and that i am going to stay out here and serve the lord for 2 years. I would not be able to live with my self if i would have gone back and i am so glad that i am not home right now for that reason. I let my misery and my bad thoughts get in the way and it clouded my judgement and i was just being selfish and i hope that i did not lose anyone's respect for that.  I love you all and i promise i will make you all proud and i will make the Bowring name a name that is respected over here in Africa.

Well anyway we arrived here on Friday and all i wanted to do was sleep. I was so tired from all of the plane rides and it felt good to be back on the ground. We got our name tags and checked in and then had classes that night. Everyonees companions had showed up but mine. Mine ended up showing up that night when i was asleep. His name is Elder Jemba, he is from Uganda and he is awesome. He loves soccer and wants me to all tell you hi. This place is pretty small for a MTC there is only about 80 people and that is the most they have had in a while. There are walls all around the MTC and they all have electric wire on the tops of them, plus we have a security gate that is guarded by security so it feels like prison. The classes are all long and not the funnest and i think i might go crazy but i am leaving for Liberia on Wednesday so a week from today :) The food is not that great. I am having a hard time eating everything. Every breakfast we get a boiled egg with 3 pieces of bread. The bread is weird though it has like a sweet taste to it so i am still trying to get used to all the food.

The temple was an awesome experience. Driving there was freaking insane because there is seriously no laws here. If you want to get some where you just lay on your horn and people will move so you don't crash into them. Plus they don't have a speed limit so people are just hauling every where. Where the traffic is bad and you get stopped there are people all over the roads coming to your windows trying to sell you stuff and they have it in a basket and its just chillin' on there head. Its actually pretty tight. But when we got to the temple it was awesome. There was actual real grass and it looked amazing. It is as big as Monticello is and maybe even a bit smaller but we went in there and did the session (they don't have the new video yet) and it was just like any other session but when i got done into the last room the spirit just hit me so strong and I prayed and i just started crying. I know that this is where i am supposed to be and that i am going to do my best and give it everything. Thank you all so much for the love and support you have given me. I am going to be gone next Wednesday so i don't know when i will be getting to email again but love you all and thanks again for everything.

P.S good luck on the hunt this week you better kill something big:)

                                                   
                                                         

At the Ghana Temple

Elder Bowring & Elder Jemba (MTC companion)                                     

August 9, 2013

Salt Lake City Airport-

We Love You Bobby!!!

BrinLi helping Bobby with his bags

So proud of Uncle Bobby

Mom, Dad, Uncle Bobby & Little Jacelyn

Hard Day, But Very Exciting!!!