February 3, 2014

I'm sure Elder Bowring enjoyed eating this Crawdad!!

Elder Bowring-Jamell Tarplah-Elder Cottrell

Love this picture!!  Bobby made a new friend!!

Elder Bowring loves service projects.  They have their tools in hand ready to go!

Well family this week has just totally flown by. It’s crazy how fast the weeks go by. Well last week on Monday we went to a basketball court that is in our area. We were supposed to meet Blamo and a few of his friends there to play basketball but he didn’t end up making it so it was me and my companion and Elder Finau and his companion. There was a team using the court when we got there and they were practicing so me and Elder Finau hopped in and practiced with them. It was fun, we did the 3 man weave and a few other drills and then we scrimmaged. Liberians actually don’t play to bad of ball and it was really fun. Well this week we have been teaching this LA man. His name is Dr. Richard. He is an awesome guy but he had some health problems and that allowed him to back slide. We had an awesome lesson with him this week. His wife isn’t a member and only one of his daughters is so we were talking to him about familys and some things he can do to help his family. We have a guidebook that we use that is called the family guide book so I whipped that out and went over family scripture study and family prayer with him. After we did that he said that he has been looking for something like that for a long time.  It's amazing how the spirit just guides us to the things that people need to hear and the things that people need help with. Really shows you that this is our Heavenly Fathers work. Anyways this week we got hooked up with a bunch of fresh pineapples from one of our members.  They have a pineapple farm and so she gave us like 3 pineapples with some Plantains (Banana fruit type thing, its really weird its like a mix between a banana and a potato.) So we have been living off pineapples this week which I am totally fine with. On Wednesday it was Elder Cottrells Birthday so we went hard. We bought some things to make Breakfast burritos. It costed an arm and a leg but it was totally worth it. We even had Bacon. I thought I died and went to heaven.  It was also Elder Finau’s birthday on Thursday so we extended it and had some Peach/cherry Cobler. That also costed an arm and a leg but it was so worth it. I honeslty couldn’t finish it because it was so sweet but I enjoyed it. We had a service project  on Friday and it was sweet. We were clearing out like jungle again. We had to chop a few palm trees and had to just clear out a bunch of stuff but it was awesome. After the service project we were all sitting there chilling waiting for our food and some Jehovah witnesses came walking up the road so we all took off our tags and they stopped by. So we all sat down with them and they were trying to teach us . We acted just normal but we were asking them a bunch of questions out of the bible that they just couldn’t answer so finally they just said that they had run out of time and needed to go hahaha. Before they left we introduced our selfs and gave them a pamphlet to read. It was funny because one of the guys with them was really interested in the pamphlet me gave him haha. This Saturday we baptized Jamell Tarplah. He is The Tarplahs nephew but he lives with the family. It was an awesome baptism and right after he came out of the water he  just smiled and knodded his head and was just like “yeah”. It was so awesome. Unfortunaltely he showed up late for church yesterday though so we have to delay him a week to receive the holy ghost. So his baptism just still isn’t complete. The Tarplahs are supposedly getting there wedding certificate today so I am praying that that doesn't fall through because if it doesn't that means we can baptize the wife and they can start preparing for the temple.  Well we got our transfer news on Saturday night also and ………………………………. My district is staying the exact same. So for the first time on my mission I finally get to stay with my companion for more than one transfer haha. Pretty crazy but I am excited. This will be Elder Enwukwaris like 7 or 8 transfer here so he is getting pretty sick of the area but we will make it all work. I am glad I am staying and that me and Elder Cottrell and staying together. We are really working together well and are starting to really get some productive people in our area so I am excited. Well anyways that was about it for the events of the week. I love you all very much and I hope that you all have a wonderful week. I love the gospel so much and I am so thankful that we have it in our lifes to bless us. It is so comforting to have the gospel show us the path we need to follow and if we follow that path then we have nothing in the world to worry about, regardless of our circumstances.  Anyways you guys are all awesome. Have a great week. Love

Elder Bowring

Dear mom and Dad,

Well this week was very good.  I ended up giving that Camera to Elder Finau for his Birthday because he only had like 6 months left and his camera got stolen at the first of his mission so ya. Also I lended that little piano keyboard thing to a sister in the branch. She is learning how to play the piano and somebody who was in the branch who is back in America sent her some piano books to keep on practicing so she is going to use that to practice until we get our keyboard fixed in the branch so she was really excited about that. Anyways that’s about it for this week, I love you guys both soo much. You guys are so awesome, I am more thankful everyday for the way that I was raised. You guys are awesome. I am going to try and get some pics uploaded today so cross your fingers JJ Love ya. 

Elder Bowring

Bobby named this picture "SWAG"

Elder Pearman, Elder Zaugg & Elder Bowring

January 27,, 2014

Dear Family,

Well this week was just another action packed week haha.   This week we finally got the November Liahona so I can FINALLY read the General conference talks. I have been dissecting them all week and they are so good. Its always great to read those talks, we can learn so much from the apostles and prophets. I actually got some letters this week to which was very nice. I love getting letters. Elder Cooper also got his birthday package that you sent him mom, he was so excited about it and was just pumped about it. He said he is going to email you so I guess just be ready for that haha. It was nice to see him so happy though. I forgot to say last week that I got Grandma and Grandpa Lovells package to. I have already almost destroyed all of the jerkey haha its so good, so thank you for that. This week we have been going and playing soccer every other morning. There is a small little dirt field near our compound so we run over there in the mornings and we play against eachother. Its fun, its almost like morning basketball (not quite as good though) I’m starting to get some real skills going though haha jk I still aint to good but its nice to go out there and run around and sweat and have some competition going on. Sometimes it can get a little heated with the Africans but that’s ok I love the competition haha. Anyways this week I had a really cool experience. Me and Elder Cottrell were going around all day and we had only had a couple of lessons, just a ton of bounces. It was really getting frustrating. Anyways we went to the clinic that one of our investigators works at to see if he was there so we could teach him. Well he wasn’t there so we just tried to see if he was to his house. (his house is right by the clinic) Well while we were walking out to his house a women started running up behind us and it turned out to be our Second Counsilors wife. I guess he was in the clinic and was really sick and had Malaria. He saw us and wanted us to come and anoint him. He had a friend who was coming but it was just his friend so I was able to anoint him and his friend was able to Give the blessing. Its such a blessing to have the priesthood and to just be able to use it when ever you need to use it. That is one thing that I wish I wouldn’t have taken for granted for back home was fathers blessings. I would kill for one of those right now. Anyways, I know that for the rest of my life I am going to stay worthy so that will be in a position to use my priesthood and help somebody out because it really can bring about miracles. Such a blessing in our lives. Well this week we had a good week at church. We got one of our less active brothers to come. His name is Dr. Richard and it has been along time since he has been to the church. He had some health issues that drew him away from the church but we have been able to help him with his doubts and concerns and I am just praying that he comes back stronger than ever but he took the first step by coming back to church so that was exciting to see. We had about 7 investigators to church  so that was awesome. One  of the Tarplah’s is going to be baptized this Saturday also. I am so excited for him. The wife and the husband are getting really close to finalizing there legal marriage so the wife, Cynthia, is going to be baptized soon. I am so excited, I just love that family so much. They are just awesome. Well anyways, yesterday, Elder Enwukwari (the same elder I got into a little fight with last week) Tried to punch his companion. It was strait up crazy. They had been fighting all day and they got into a huge fight AT CHURCH and was just causing a seen in front of all the members. It was so embarrassing.  Me and Elder Cottrell did what we could to calm them down until the zone leaders showed up. Then later that night they got into it again and that is when Elder Enwukwari tried throwing a punch. It was pretty crazy because I was holding Enwukwari back so he had to like swing around my me. It was strait up crazy. Anyways, needless to say president was called and we now have an emergency transfer going down for this week. One of the zone leaders, Elder Finau is moving in with us to be Enwukwari’s companion for the week. We have transfer news coming this week so we will see what will happen. Any ways I guess we will see how it all is. Got to love mission. Learning new things everyday. Love you all and hope you have a wonderful week J I know I will J Love Elder Bowring

January 20, 2014

Well Fam, this week has been a very interesting week.  Had some good moments and some discouraging ones to. Any ways on Tuesday I went on Exchange with one of my district members, Elder Morrision. He is from Ghana and he is 27 years old. Crazy, I felt weird like training him and what not because he is like 8 years older than I am but o well, it was really good and he is a great missionary. We have a lot of new people that we are teaching that are just sweet people. One of the guys names is Dexton. He works at a clinic in the Lab looking at blood samples and what not so I thought that was cool. I told him that Ashly and Brooke are doing the same stuff and he was all excited and thought that was cool. This week to we found some people to teach in the Ex. President of Liberia's house. We were walking by the compound and could see it was a huge house inside so I peaked my head through the gate to look at it and somebody saw me and told me to come in The president hasent lived in the house for a long time and just has a few people care take for the place but it is HUGE. I seen my first swimming pool there to. Its not running and doesn’t have any water in it but it used to be so I thought that was cool. I really feel like we ran into those people for a reason though so I guess we will see how it goes when we go back this week to teach them. Well it was pretty fun this week, one of our member families bought some crabs for dinner one night while we were there, so we helped her kill them for her. What you do is rip off one of the claws and then open up the middle of its stomach and shove the claw inside and kill it haha. Pretty brutal but it was fun and then we got to go back the next day and eat some in a soup she prepared. It was good. This week Elder Cooper came into my room one night and said that he had a zit on his back or something. So he took off his shirt and showed me it and he had a HUGE zit/pimple thing right in between his should blades so I had the honor to pop it for him. I felt like I was on one of those Youtube videos That this was so big and had so much crap in it. It was nasty but I did get it on video so you will get to see it eventually haha. You probably didn’t need to hear that but I thought it was funny. Well Friday we had interviews with president Kirkham and they were awesome. He is such an awesome guy and he just has the spirit with him so strong. He gave me some good advice on being a District Leader and told me I was doing a good job so that was good to hear. Well Saturday me and Elder Cottrell had an awesome day. Everyone of our lessons were just so great and spiritual. We had a lady who we have her a Book of Mormon and like Wednesday and then we asked her about her reading. She had read almost all of 1 nephi and told us about it, IN detail what she read. It was the craziest thing ever, I have never seen that in Liberia. It was awesome. We had a bunch of other lessons that were good to, but just to put a damper on it, NONE of them came to church the next day. We had 1 investigator come to church so that was really discouraging. I was a bit bummed but I guess we will just come and hit it hard this week.  We are hoping to start having some baptisms here soon so I hope they won't fall through.  Any ways things here are still going good, definitely learning a lot, how to deal with people and not how to deal and how to handle things.  It will be good to learn all of this stuff and I am learning a bunch of life skills. Got to love the mission experience haha. Well love you guys. You guys are awesome J Have a great week.  

Elder Bowring

Merry Christmas! I'm a District Leader!

Well family first off I have to say that I had an awesome Christmas. The best Christmas present I got was to be able to talk to you guys. It was so awesome to hear all of your voices and get to just sit and talk. Everyone is just the same and you guys are just all awesome and I love you guys. Well I already told you that on Christmas we freakin ate a ton of rice. I literally still am not hungary because of how much we ate haha but it was good. I love the members here, they take good care of us. Well I honestly don’t remember anything that happened before Christmas, this week has just been a blur and I have already told you most things over the phone like how I was with Elder Enwukwari and stuff like that. Well this week we went and saw Brother Blamo. He is the one who we had set to be baptized and then he said he had to go to training. Well we had an awesome lesson with him and we are set to baptize him this week. I am so excited, this guy is sweet. This week he brought two of his buddies to church and now they are super interested and want to know more. Only thing that sucks is that they aren’t in our area. They would be for sure baptisms. Well for the crazy news now. On Thursday I made up those banana cream pies that you sent (they tasted amazing) but right when we started eating them we got our transfer news. Well I am staying and I received Elder Cottrell. He is from Utah and he is Elder Zaugg and Elder Guymons MTC. But that isn’t the craziest thing. I am district leader to (you jinxed me dad). When I first heard that I was district leader I started to question if the church was true or not, haha jk that was to far but I was shocked for sure. I still feel like I barely even know what is going on out here half the time and now I am district leader. Its crazy. The zones leaders told me that I am the Youngest district leader in the mission right now so I am not sure what President Kirkham was on when he made transfers haha jk. It will be a good experience and Elder Cottrell just got finished being a district leader so if I need any help with anything, he will be able to hook me up. Well another exciting this that happened this week was our trash guy came and our trash can was full of maggots so I cleaned that all up. Also our stupid facet on our kitchen sink busted to so we are having to use our nice little hand pump and pump our water through our filter. On Saturday we had a year end party with our Branch and the Brewersville branch and it was fun. Its probably more appropriate to call it a dance party than a branch party because they had the church set up with big ole speakers and the place was bumpin and they basically just danced the whole time. Needless to say I busted out my moves to.  J It was really fun though. I am loving it here in banjor, everybody here is just awesome, my recent converts are doing awesome and things are just going great. They just barely brought Elder Cottrell like an hour ago, but I know we are going to get along great, its going to be sweet and im excited for this next transfer. I hope you all have a wonderful New year. Love you all

Elder Bowring

Merry Christmas!!!

At Christmas Zone Conference.  Elder Bowring is under the green R in Merry with his Santa Hat with the Santa ears on it!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Dear Family,

Well MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! I had an awesome week this week. It started with our 2 day zone conference that we had on Tuesday and Wednesday.Tuesday was our fun day I guess you could say and it was actually pretty fun. We played a few games and then we got to watch “The restoration, the Joseph Smith story” It was sweet, I loved it and it was nice to just be able to kick back and relax to. After that they fed us a nice lunch, Ham and cheese sandwiches (that’s rare around here) And then we had a talent show. Our zone just sang called to serve with some  added verses we made up so it was ok. It was cool though,one of the couple missionary’s knows how to play the bagpipes so he played them for the talent show it was sweet. It was nice to just have a day to not worry about things. On Wednesday was our normal zone conference and it was good to. We got instruction on a bunch of things but one that I liked was given by Elder and Sister Berrett. Elder Berrett talked about how his grandson is getting quarterback coached  one on one with some guy and one of the things that his coach always tells him is “Eyes up, do the work” He related that to we need to keep our eyes up to Our heavenly father and rely on him while we are doing his work.  It was really good. The last day I got 5 packages to.  2 of them were the ones that you sent me full of things to make stockings for everyone in  my complex. Then one was my pre- Christmas package and the others were from Bryan’s Family and From gpa and gma bowring so thank you guys so much J I got those things to fill up the stocking for the other elders and I couldn’t wait until Christmas to give it to them so I put them together that night and went and delivered them to them. It was so fun and it was sweet to see how excited everyone was to get them. They all loved their ties and the Africans especially appreciated it so thank you mom for sending those things. They all wanted me to tell you thank you also. Well Thursday we had another service project. What we did was clear out a field for our 1st counselor. It was full of brush and just vegetation. Some of it was taller than I was and we had to clear it out with machetes so that was a new experience. It was hard work and took us about 3 hours to do but it was worth it. I love doing service projects. My hands didn’t enjoy it as much as I did though, my hands got tore up but it was all worth it. Well Thursday was the day that our district leader Elder Inyang and my son Brother Freeman went home. It was so crazy to see someone finish their mission. So since they both left my prediction came  true and me and Elder Enwukwari are companions and are covering both of our areas just for one week until the transfer ends. He is from Nigeria and is a lot different than any companion I have had. He can talk, like he seriously talks my ear off haha he is a funny guy though. He gets so set on things though,   he is one of the most set guys I know, but anyways it will be good. We are still trying to decide what we are going to do for Christmas. I don’t think we are going to do to much, probably just go and  spend most of it with our members and make some good treats and things to eat. It’s a lot different celebrating Christmas with an African because they don’t really celebrate it or put as much emphasize on Christmas as we do. Anyways this week we had 2 baptisms, Brother Mendella and Brother William. It was so sweet. Brother Freeman came back down and baptized one of them and I baptized brother William.  The spirit at the baptism was so strong, you could just feel that what we were doing was right. I was just so happy to see these guys be baptized. Got 5 baptisms now so I am starting to rack them up haha. Well yesterday we had a Christmas devotional at our District Presidents house. It was so awesome and it was honestly like the first time I have really felt like its Christmas time. I was asked to talk on the true meaning of Christmas and I talked a lot about how at Christmas, the best way we can feel the spirit of Christmas is by giving of ourselves and our time and always remembering Jesus Christ. I told the story about the times we would do the 12 days of Christmas to people who were in need. Man I miss those times, those memories are the best, the ones where we would make up a Christmas box and take them to a needy family on Christmas eve and just always having people giving and giving at Christmas. Anyways the whole devotional was just sweet and I FINALLY felt the Christmas spirit. Well that was about it for this week. I want to wish you ALL a MERRY CHRISTMAS. I hope you all enjoy the time you have with each other and the special spirit that Christmas brings. I miss you all and I hope this Christmas is one of your best yet. 

Love you all

Elder Bowring

Dear Mom And dad

Well I found the USB key in the curry box so thank you very much. Well the only thing I have to talk about is that I will be calling home around  6 or 7 o clock PM. So that means it will be around 11-12 ish. What phone should I call you guys on? You have no idea how excited I am to talk to you guys. It will be the best Christmas present I could ever think of. I love you guys very much and I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas. 
Love your son 

Christmas Zone Conference

Elder Bowring, Elder Freeman, Elder Inyang & Elder Enwukweri
At Christmas Zone Conference 2013

Elder Freeman & Elder Bowring lookin'  Sharp!!!
Good Lookin' ties!!

 President and Sister Kirkham gave each Elder a new pair of socks.  They all got a phone card to use to call home on Christmas. Yay!!!  Can't wait!!  

 The first day of Conference was a 'fun' day.  They played games and enjoyed the talents of the missionaries.  For lunch they had great sandwiches from Stop and Shop, real corn chips, and bottles of soda.  

Sister Hezseltine and Sister Berrett made homemade treats for dessert.

The second day was a more spiritual day.  Elder and Sister Berrett did a presentation on "Eyes up - Do the Work'.  They had African food for lunch.
Sister Berrett said, " I loved being able to look around the room and know the names of everyone of the missionaries.  Made me a little teary eyed to realize how far away from home we all are but how happy everyone is to be in Liberia serving their Heavenly Father and sharing the gospel with the good people here.  We love these missionaries and are grateful to be serving with them.  We know they will have an amazing Christmas!"

Thank you Elder & Sister Kirkham  & Elder & Sister Berrett for watching over our boys!!  We love you and wish you the Merriest of Christmas' with your mission family!!