Awesome Week

Awesome week this week. We had some really cool experiences. At the end of last week we met this guy as we were knocking doors, and he said he had to go but that he really needed to talk to us and that we could come the next day, well he wasnt there so we were pretty bummed, but this past Monday we were able to get a hold of him and taught him

3 times this past week, and he came to church, super cool. He is progressing super fast, and he accepted a date right away, he was waiting for us to invite him after the first lesson. He loved church (who doesn't the first time they come and feel the great spirit) and we will see him again this week, and he will also come to our English class, so he is a pretty cool guy that we are teaching now. This past week we also were trained on a new teaching style, which has been pretty fun learning. It is a little hard to get used to, and we still havent quite figured out how to apply it in every lesson that we give (especially the restoration), but when we have used it it has been pretty cool. It is really focused on peaking the desires of people first, getting them to feel the spirit, and promising blessings, then telling them what it is that provokes such blessings, and then telling them how they can do it(usually with an invite). It isnt like to far off from what we have been doing, but it is a little different. We have seen some success with it, and it has been fun practicing it. It really has helped a lot of people feel the spirit more, and we were able to have more investigators in sacrament than I have ever had here before, which is what we focused most of our invitations on with the different lessons. It has definately been a fun week, and we are super excited to see how the next week goes. I will have pictures next week I promise. Thanks for all that you all do for me, I love you all so much, and I love this Gospel as well. I know that we can all live with our Father in Heaven again fi we follow his commandemnts and try our best each and everyday to improve and to use the Atonement in our lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he helps us everyday. I am so grateful for all the blessings I have in my life.

I love you all and thank you so much



Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

another week

So nothing crazy happened again this week. There were some funny experiences, but nothing to crazy. We have been dropping everyone that we were teaching like crazy thought this week. It seemed like most the week we were in a trio too, because one day we had another Elder with us, and one day we had a kid preparing to go on his mission, and another day, we had a member come to a few houses with us, so we had a lot of experiences with others, but our getting into the homes was a little weird this week. This week we are looking for a lot of improvement, so we are really excited to start this new week, so that way we can really get moving and get this area rolling again.

We keep getting trained on new things, so hopefully we can perfect the new things we are doing, so that way we can be super powerful missionareis. Also for this next week, our zone leaders gave us a challenge, that if we can complete, as a zone we will get to have a zone olympics next preperation day, which will be lots of fun. Today we are playing lazer tag in the church gym because one of the members bought some cool guns, and they want to do it for an activity, and we are getting to try it out. It should be pretty cool. Thank you all so much for all the love that you show me, and all the support you give me. I know that this church is true, and that God cares about each and every one of us, and all he wants is us to be happy, and sometimes that happiness comes through our trials, and us overcoming things. I love this gospelm and all that it has for us. I love you all, and love hearing from you.

Love

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

So I got my new companion this week, his name is Elder R.  He is a cool Elder, he is from Arizona, and has been in the mission for like a year and 4 months, maybe a little bit more.  We have been doing alright, doing a lot of finding lately, it has been pretty good.

Elder R actually started his mission in this area, so we are seeing some of the poeple that he knew.  He knew about some les actives that we didnt have any records for and a couple other things, which has been pretty cool.  There must be someone that he was supposed to get the first time, so president had to send him back.

Nothing to crazy has happened in the last week though, but we are enjoying our time here.  This month we should be getting some baptisms which is really exciting, we have some really awesome people that we are teaching, and there some really awesome potentials that we are going to be seeing this week.  I dont know why, but for some reason I havent had near as many crazy experiences in this area though, all the areas I have been in have been relatively wealthy compared to the other parts of the mission, and this area isnt really any different, but for some reason it has been pretty different.  I'm sure there will be some to tell soon though.  I'm greatful for my calling to be a missionary for the Lord and the time that I am allowed to dedicate to him, and show my love for him.  I know this chuch is true, and that Jesus Christ lives.  That he rose the 3rd day from teh tomb, as a resurrected glorified being.  I know that he cares for us, and wants the best for us.  I'm so greatful for all that we are given and have in our lives.  Thankyou all so much for what you do for me and for the support you give me.  I love  you all

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Transfers again

We had a good week, we finally were able to get people to church. I
guess the varied amount of times helped. General Conference was so
good this time, man I get so pumped hearing it. We have a recent
convert going through some rough times, and she said that every single
talked applied to her and she has renewed strength now to continue
onward. Super cool to see the testimony of recent converts be
strengthened as they hear the voice of the prophet. It is super cool
that we have apostles and prophets again in the earth who are able to
recieve revelation literally for everyone in the world, if we just
listen to the spirit as they talk. But this is the end of the
transfer now, and Elder T is heading out, so I'll find out who my
new companion is tomorrow, pretty excited. So what happens in this
mission is a little bit different than other missions I guess, no one
know who their companion is until they go to this giant transfer
meeting, but we get a call Monday night telling us who needs to pack,
and if you are training they tell you that too. The other Elders in
our apartment kept saying that I was going to train, but then the call
came, and nope, haha it was funny though because they asked the zone
leaders if they forgot anything, like if Elder Bowen is training, and
they were like pshh no, over half the zone is training already.
Everyone in our zone that is not training though is transferring. But
this month we were also able to reach our mission goal of 100 baptisms
for the first time. We actually got 106, and we are aiming to do it
again this transfer. Started the goal in October, and six months
later we finally got it. Never has been done in the Florida Fort
Lauderdale missino, so that is pretty cool. When I got here too we
were only getting about 30-50 a month, but since October we have been
anywhere from 76-106. Pretty cool, and this month in this area we
should really be able to contribute to that, we have some solid
investigators and some good potentials we think, so hopefully we are
able to pull those through. That has been basically the focus of my
week so far, so thats about it. I love this work, and I am so
grateful for all the many blessings that I have in my life. I am so
very grateful that can serve in this mission and see the Lord's hand
in his work. I know this gospel is true and that we can all know it.
I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that he is the head of
this church, with the prophet as his mouthpeice. I know that we can
live in families forever with Gods eternal plan, if we follow the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all so much, and am grateful for
all you do for me, and the support you give me.

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Easy Come, Easy Go

This week has been a weird week. I told you all about Elder S, and then we got a call that night that he was going back to his previous area the next day, so he was only with us for 4 days, it was fun to have him with us. This week we really struggled though. We had the commitemtn to only count new investigators if we extended a baptismal date in the lesson, and well we planned on it in every lesson but we had some weird experiences with that. This one lady we were teaching her on her stairs, and like 3 minutes before we were going to invite her, she stands up, says "I hate masquitos, and my food is burned," so she ran inside and said "that we will have to continue another time," and then shut the door. Weirdly enough that wasnt the only time. Weirdest things happened to us this week. We also had some solid dates for the 31st, that fell through at the last  minute. It has been just a werid week for us. We joked around and said that it was post departing depression from Elder S leaving. Hopefully from the lack of success we had this week it will roll over into the next week, and we can start preparing everyone for  April now. This is the last week of transfers, next wednesday, I  believe April 4th is transfers. I dont know what will happen, but I guess I'll know by next week, which by the way we have a proselyte-monday next week because of transfers, so my letter will be on Tuesday next week. This week everything has just seemed easy come easy go for us, so many people told us we could come back, but we just  couldnt get back in the next time. This week we will be better, I know that we will be blessed for our efforts though, and that we will start seeing results soon. Super excited for General Conference this weekend, hopefully we can get our investigators equally pumped to hear the prophets voice. I know that we have a prophet here on the earth, and that he is called by God to lead and guide us, so that way we can  know God's will for us. I know that our Heavenly Father works through revelation to each of us personally, and we need to strive to have it. I love this gospel so much, and I am so grateful for all that you do  for me. Thankyou so much, I love you all.

 Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Breaking the Chain

So we got a new companion Thursday night, and he is Spanish which is good. We are greenie breaking him, since it is his third transfer still. I found out why though, apparently my MTC companion went home due to health problems, and returned that day, adn took our new Elders spot. So Elder S is now with us. He is pretty cool, really trying to learn spanish really hard. He breaks my chain of companions. First companion(for any amount of time, so including Elder H who I was with for 4 days) that was not in the MTC with all my other companions. He is pretty fun though. Our biggest problem is getting him into lessons more. We had really started getting our companionship unity down this week, and had some really great lessons for me and Elder T, but now we have to divide between the three of us. Elder S has had some powerful moments, and did make one of people we have set for next weekend cry.
It was pretty cool. This week as well, we had Elder Gonzalez from the seventy come and visit us. It was pretty good. He would go off in Spanish some, and told some good jokes, and we really learned a lot.
We are really working on applying a lot of the things that he shared with us. So in a weeks time here I got a wedding invitation and a notice of a propasal that was going to happen, that I guess happened.
The other elders in the apartment were like, dang everybody is gonna be married when you get back. They havent recieved any yet so those were cool things to hear about. The Key West Elders came up for Elder Gonzalez, and informed me the 3 baptisms they were going to have on Saturday( which happened) was this awesome family that we had just started teaching when I was leaving. Super cool to hear about them, they keep rocking it down there. We are super excited for all the people that wer are teaching right now. We also have this other investigator that wants us to come to Cuba with him. He has a problem with work because he doesnt get off work until after church starts, but he is already sharing the gospel. He was like the book is good, so I know my friends will love it too. He told us that he was going to try and get more people to church this week than us. We definately are going to try to do our best to beat him, but I wouldn't be too
upset if he wins, haha. Especially since this has been the hardest
area for my investigators to get to church. Key West has been the best about investigators at sacrament for a few transfers now, and Sunset we were able to walk outside and get some of our investigators to walk to sacrament with us, but here we are working pretty far from the church, so it is a little bit harder. Well that has been my week in a wrap, pretty good week. Thankyou all so much for your support, and everything you send me, it really means a lot, and it always makes for a good night. I love you all so much for everything you do for me. I also love this Gospel, and my Savior Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father. I know that they love me and that is why I am here on this earth, apart of the great Plan of Salvation. I know that if we all do our best to obey the words of God, we will be able to achieve eternal life. I know that we are all brothers and sisters, and we need to help each other out in as many ways as we possibly can.
Thank you all so much for all that you do. Love you all
Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Continued Push for Excellence

So this past week was an alright week. Not the best teaching week we have had, but it was alright. We found an awesome family this week that we are super excited to be teaching. Totally thought that they would be coming to church, but they didn't, which has kind of been our biggest fall out here since I've been here. We are always out inviting and committing, and trying to get people to church, but we just keep falling short. This week we really tried to get our members involved, because we have been a little bit bad about that, so we really tried, but almost all of our appointments fell through, it was kind of a bummer bringing people out with us, and not being able to teach. We found a lot of new people though, so we should be improving in how much we are teaching. This week we got trained on this little black box that is in our cars, that is called TIWI. It tracks all of our driving and it tells us when we are doing stuff wrong, it is kind of weird, but I guess it will help some drivers be safer. Whenever we get cut off (happens alot here in Miami) we have to slow down a bit, and we are always saying "TIWI dont get mad!!!" It is funny. So we also have this one investigator that keeps telling us that he is going to bring us back to CUBA with him so we can share the gospel with all of his friends. He is super solid, and wants to get baptised, but we works until basically the beginning of church, and doesnt usually get home until a while later, so he is working on his license now, so hopefully he will be able to get to church that way, and then he said he is also going to drive us around to all his friends so we can convert them too. He is a pretty funny Cuban guy, he speaks SUPER fast though, so some times I still dont understand him. My Spanish is starting to get better too. I am finally back to basically being able to understand anything that people say, and I am getting better at talking more fluidly too. Elder T is good at Spanish so he helps me a lot. He has been told before he is better some natives. It is pretty cool. Well thats our week in a wrap I guess, it was a fun week, went by super fast. Oh yeah, we got a call last night saying that we are getting a new companion this week, on Tuesday. The only weird thing is if we are training him, then he was most likely not assigned to this mission at first, or he is a Creole Elder, which would be weird since there is not very much of that around here. So some exciting news, but super psyched for it. Thank you all so much for your support, and everything you do for me, I love hearing from you all. I know this gospel is true and I love it so much, I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that he loves us so much and wants each and every one of us to come to him and take upon us his yoke. I know that God prepares people for us, and if we watch and try, and we can all share the gospel with those around us and always give them a chance to feel the full affects of the Atonement in their lives as well. We have an awesome recent convert for that here. She gives away a pass along card every week, and is always sharing what she has found. I know that the gospel is for everyone, and it is the only way to recieve all the blessings God has for us. I love you all, and cant wait to hear from you, and hope to hear about experiences
Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen