February 16, 2015

Dear Family,
Well this week was a pretty dang good week, and it was my last full
week in Dansoman. This week we got transfer news and I am getting
transferred after just being here for 2 months. I am going to an area
called North Ridge to be a ZL over there with Elder Chianukwa haha I
think that is how you spell it. He is from Uganda so it should be
interesting. I really wasn’t ready to leave here though, things here
are going good and we finally turned this area around and we just have
so many good people. I honestly thought  I was going to stay longer
but I guess there is other plans for me. The only thing I know about
North Ridge is it is even more city than what I am in right now ha and
it’s the first area where Tolar served when he came so I guess that is
kind of cool.  We had a good busy week this week, we started the week
off with our Zone Training meeting on Tuesday so because of that we
got the day started late but it was really good. On Thursday we had
the opportunity and chance to be able to take sister Ataa and Brother
Ayuba to the temple to be interviewed by president Hill. It was really
cool to be able to be on the temple grounds with my investigators.
They both loved it and thought it was awesome, so we were able to take
some pictures with them and just let them feel the special spirit that
is at the temple. Well Saturday was the day that I found out that I
was getting transferred, I got a call from president Hill that morning
about 10 and he told me my news,  my district was all with me because
we were at the chapel for coordination meeting and they were all
pretty bummed. Not going to lie I am going to miss my sister
missionaries, they are sweet and it has been a fun experience to be
able to serve around them. Sunday was a really good day , especially
for my last Sunday here. First off we had 4 investigators who came and
so I was pumped about that.  After we had our baptism for sister Ataa
and brother Ayuba. It was a really good baptism, they had to sit in
the font though because the water level was so low, In the middle of
filling up the font the city turned off the water flow (its normal) so
the font was only about half full. I was really nervous about it at
first but it went really good. Well after the baptism they give all
the converts a chance to come up and bear their testimony.  Before
then I noticed sister Ataa in the front with the relief society 1st
councilors arm around her and it looked like she had been crying. Well
sister Ataa got up to bear her testimony and before she could even say
anything she just started to weep uncontrollably. She then started to
tell us that she had been waiting for this day for years. She said
that she had known about the church for so many years but she had
never joined.  Then she told us that before she came to church and on
Saturday her whole family was just giving her hell, asking her why she
needed to be baptized again and what was so great about the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and really just giving her a hard
time and she said that she started to second guess her self but that
she knew that this church was true. She then said “god bless Elder
Bowring , if it wasn’t for him I would of never been baptized” and she
just started weeping saying that it wasn’t fair that I was going and
that they should keep me here and all that stuff and it really just
hit me how much of an influence I have as a missionary. I have
defiantly felt like I have had an influence on people but it just hit
me so hard yesterday. Not going to lie, ever since I came to Ghana I
have been a little bit bitter that I have been here. Always thinking
about the work I could be doing in Liberia and what not and I think it
has effected me some, but yesterday it just really hit me that no
matter where I am, I am here to serve and help those around and I have
a strong feeling that one of the reasons I came to Ghana was to help
sister Ataa to finally accept the gospel. No matter where I am , I am
serving the lord and its what and where I need to be. God bless that
women, I am really going to miss her and she has really helped me
regain my perspective as a missionary.  Well this week is going to be
quite a busy and changing week so I am sure my next email will be nice
and packed. I hope you all have a wonderful week, I love you very
much. Love
Elder Bowring