March 3, 2014

Dear family,

This week was a sweet week and strait up flew by but I guess all weeks fly by haha. Anyways this week was good. I went on an exchange with one of our district members this week, Elder Morrison. He is from Ghana and he is the one that is like 27 haha. Kind of weird but everything was good. He is a sweet Elder and I think that I am starting to get a hang of this whole District leader thing. Atleast I hope that I am. On our exchange we had a ton of FM’s (Free meals). They always get them in there area, I don’t understand haha. Its probably a good thing that me and Elder Cottrell don’t get as many though or else we would just get fat. Anyways in one of the FM’s we had, the meat inside the stew was Armadillo meat.  It was freakin good. They just dried it and threw it in the stew so I can tack that onto the list of things I have eaten here. Friday Me and Elder Cottrell just basically walked all day haha. We only had 2 lessons (which totally sucks) because we had so many bounces and the next appointment would be like a 30 min. walk away so we would walk to the next appointment and it would bounce and all of our back ups would bounce so we got a good leg work out on the Friday. I wish I would of know how far we walked because it was a lot.  This week was another awesome week with Dennis, Kelo, and Emile. They all three came to church again and everytime we go to there house to teach them, they are just so excited to learn more. They always read the assignments that we give them and understand what they read, which is rare here in Liberia. These guys are honestly like the sweetest investigators I have had on my mission so far. All they want to do is give there life to chirst and start living a good life.  It is just a testimony to me that any body can change their, no matter what circumstances they have been in the past.  We are planning to baptize these guys in like 2 weeks just because they are already so ready and willing. Well Saturday was awesome. We were planning on having a Baptism but we decided to postpone it until next week so that we and the branch could just focus on the Tarplahs wedding. Well the wedding was sweet. IT was supposed to start at 10 on Saturday morning so me and Elder Cottrell showed up at like 9:50 and when we got there, no body else was there and there was nothing set up yet. Well about 10:10 our Branch President showed up to the chapel with just a big smile on his face like we were just running on time and everything haha so we helped set up chairs and what not and people started coming. Well the Tarplahs didn’t end up showing up until like 11:30. They were an hour and a half late to there own wedding. I honestly just don’t understand Liberians sometimes haha. It is going to be so weird coming home and actually have things start and go as planned because Liberians absolutely don’t respect time. Well the actual wedding ceremony was pretty dull and boring, not going to lie to you there haha I was dosing off. But the reception afterwards was sweet. At receptions here, the couple sits up front and then people of honor sit behind them and then the congregation is all facing them. The people of honor are usually just like the Branch and district president and just the leaders in the church. Well me and Elder Cottrell were just chilling in the back talking with some of the members and some body came and grabbed us and drug us up front where they had two seats for us to sit with the honorary people haha. It was like akward sitting up there but it was sweet. Then Samuel Tarplah stood up, and gave like a speech and he had me and Elder Cottrell stand up and he told everyone that we were the instruments in making this wedding happen and like had everyone clap for us. Once again that was pretty akward haha but it was cool to be a part of that. It was so awesome to see them have that faith to get married so that we can baptize Cynthia and so they can start preparing for the temple.  WE are planning on baptizing Cynthia this week along with the other guy, Bro. Zeogar. It is going to be awesome. Then if everything turns out how we have planned it we are going to have about 6 baptisms the next week. How sweet would that be. Well anyways that was about it for my week. Things here are great and I am just loving my area and the missionarys that I am with. I hope I can stay in this branch for a while longer because I absolutely just love them. Plus I need to give a shout out to Brother Paul, he is a member of my branch and he found my blog and always reads my weekly letters home so this is my shout out to you Bro. Paul when ever you read this hahah BRAPPPP. Ok anyways love you guys and I hope you all have an awesome super week. Love

Elder Bowring