So the travel went well and we got picked up quickly in Fort Lauderdale. When walked outside into the car we got hit with a wall of humidity. But we quickly got into cars and out of the humidity. We spent the first day doing orientation and we had dinner with President Anderson and his wife. It was great meal, especially after the MTC, haha. We stayed in a hotel that night by the mission office and then came to a church building the next day and met our companion. 4 of us cover our ward and the missionaries we are staying with are zone leaders. So it has been great staying with them. We went to work on the first day and after a couple of hours we went to the church for mutual and met the Bishop and some other members. This is a great ward we have here. It is both an English and Spanish ward. Alot of the members speak both, but some grab translator headphones when they come in to sit. It is really cool. After all that we rode home. the next day we got up and had planning and some other things and we were finally off and we went out to contact and meet our investigators and some ward members. We did a lot of work that day and really put in our full effort. On the way home though, I ran over a branch, and my gear shifter got busted, so we took it in the next day with a member driving us to the shop. So needless to say we have been on foot since. It really has been a blessing though. On the way to where we have been going we talk to everyone now because it is really easy just to talk when your not sitting on a bike. We have met some great people this way, and it has helped my confidence in talking to everyone we can. My companion has been a good example of that to me and we are trying to get work done. So Friday we did some service and a member helped us with our bikes and then we walked a bunch and met a lot of people. The person we did service for invited us back again to help him again, and said he would have his wife make us dinner and afterwards we should talk about Jesus. We found that an awesome experience and cannot wait to teach him. We tried to see a lot of people around the church that were investigators. We have one investigator who had a baptism date for this Saturday, but I still havent met her. She works a lot and is on call or something, so she will not set up appointments, and she hasnt been there when we are there. We will hopefully see her soon, we try often everyday. She might be on vacation. But so on Saturday we went to go see her and on the way we met a lady that was interested in talking to us and we are going to set up an appointment to teach her at the church, so that was great. But our investigator who has the baptism date wasnt there, so we walked across the street to the church because there was a scout carwash going on. At the carwash there was a lady getting her carwashed and she wanted a Book of Mormon. We gave it to her with our testimony and so we got a member referal there because a member brought her. So that was great. Then the bishop asked to drive us to our next appointment, which we went to and saw a recent convert. She is doing well and I saw her again at church the next day and it was nice to see her there again. But so after that we went to go see another investigator, but she wasnt there, and a car for a member family we wanted to see wasnt there so we were going for our next potential investigator when one of the members came out and said her son was there, which is who we have been trying to see for a while. He is also another recent convert, but is not always going to church. We had tried to see him before, but he was never there. Then after we talked to him and I finally met him, we were leaving, and saw our investigator we had come to see. She was unloading her car. She had been hard to get in contact with because she just had twins. We helped her carry in her purchases and left her with a short message and were able to see how shes doing since we hadnt seen her in a while. So all that was an awesome line of events that helped us know the Lord is guiding us. Yesterday was church, which was half Spanish half English. I got to meet a lot of members and it was great. We did more work yesterday, and right now it is Preperation day until 5:45 so we are getting stuff ready for this week until then. Sorry that seems like a lot in one single paragraph but this week has been a crazy week. We are really working hard and I actually enjoy the work more than I expected to. We will get our bikes back tomorrow so we will be grateful for that blessing when we get it back and be able to get around a lot faster. The members are great here and always want to help come out with us and our always looking to help us. I cannot help but love the people here. It is really humid, but I dont think is is as much as the first day. It also hasnt rained since the first day I got here, and that was only on the car trip over here. There is some really good food here too. Today we went to get some stuff done with the other Elders on the truck we have, and we had a Persian Book of Mormon in the car for someone, and we decided we wanted to find out how to write Jesus Christ in Persian so we brought it in PepBoys and started cross referencing it with an English Book of Mormon. After we finished that I started to read a little bit and Elder B was working on a scripture list, and the other Elders were doing something in the same waiting area, and a lady walked in and asked us if we were having a meeting or something, because we looked like we worked there. We explained to her about ourselves. Elder B gave her a pass along card for the Book of Mormon and she said she was going to call the number. I then realized I had brought the English one in, and was able to give her it right there. She was in the other Elder's area, so they continued to talk to her, and she seemed really receptive. She seemed interested and they have another appointment with her now. Hopefully it goes somewhere. We see the importance of always being ready to teach now and always looking for ways we can help. Tonight we have an FHE activity with some members and their friends so hopefully we can meet some great people. My Spanish is going alright, with the ward members yesterday I was able to have some basic conversations, but I still have a hard time understanding some people. It will come with time though I am sure. I love this work I am doing, and I know this is where I am supposed to be. I know this work is true and I am so greatful for the opportunity to be out here helping people. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and he suffered for me. I know the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. So that is what I have for you all ths week, I love you all and thankyou so much for your support
Con Amor,
Elder Wesley Bowen
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