Faith February

We had a few really awesome experiences knocking doors this week. On Wednesday we were harvesting, and no one was really responding very well, and then it came time to go see someone, and there were 3 more houses on the other side of the street that we had not done yet, and we decided to do them, and of course the very last one of them we met a man, who was very excited to be baptized. Then on Friday we were knocking another street where we met a few really awesome people. One lady told us that we could not come in because her mother was having therapy treatment(and there was not a man there anyways) so we said a prayer with her at the door, and she started crying during the prayer. We identified the spirit, which was so strong, and we invited her to be baptized, and she said, "well, that sounds good, but I am Catholic and was baptized as a baby." and we testified to her how she could take this step now, and receive the strength she needs at this time to get through her trials, and she accepted very quickly. We were also able to have a lot of new youth come to mutual, and one came to church this week. It was super exciting, and we are seeing a lot of progress here. We definately had a different week than what we had expected, but it was still a good week with a lot of things going on. We have also been able to go on a lot of exchanges, and we will be able to have more exchanges coming in the next few weeks, so we are having a lot of fun, and working all over the place. We are also having Elder O. Vincent Haleck of the Seventy come and visit our mission next week. I think that he is the new Elder that covers our area, I'm not totally sure, but that is what I think. It should be pretty exciting though when he come to visit us. Our mission is still doing really well, and I am sure that we are only going to be getting better and better as a mission. I am so grateful for the time that I have been blessed to be here, and for the strength and guidance that Heavenly Father gives us. I am so grateful for His love and all the experiences He lets me have. I know that He loves each and every one of us, and is always providing opportunities for us to learn and come closer to Him. I love this gospel, and I know that it is true. I love my mission, and I love you all. Thank you for all you do

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Exchanges exchanges

This week was an inspiring with zone conference and some good exchanges. We learned a lot and have been planning like crazy to help our investigators use the Book of Mormon better in their lives to have the blessings that we have, and to bring them closer to our Heavenly Father through baptism. We were able to learn in our training this week about how to use the Book of Mormon better in every lesson, and it was a very inspiring training that has helped Elder D and I continue to plan better for our investigators. This week we had another baptism, which was another great experience. Her name is E, she is a great person. She was so excited for her baptism, and she is helping the young women grow. She even invited some of her friends to her baptism. It was super cool, and I am so happy that I was blessed to be here for her baptism. We have been working pretty closely with the youth as well, and it has really been paying off. We have been able to call on them at almost any time, and they are excited to come out and teach with us, and we have been able to receive some great referrals and one of the members told us something great. He said that, "I was worried my son was going to go on a mission, but since he has been coming out with you the past few weeks, we have seen him grow, and love what he does with you all, and he is excited to have that opportunity for himself." It was really amazing to hear that for me, and the dad is now working on times when he can come with us as well. We are continuing to do better and better here, and I love the work that is going on. I love this work, and I love what the Lord does for us. I know that he is always there for me, and he is helping so many people come unto him quickly. I have been so blessed, and I know that God is looking for all of our success. I love you all, and all that you do for me.

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

This week we had some awesome things happen. On Saturday we were knocking doors, and we just kept on going. It was raining, and we were not seeing any success. We had a district training about going one more, and we just were not going to stop until we had to. We harvested for twice as long as we planned in the rain, and nothing came from it, and I kept asking myself what more do we need to do. Then we had a dinner appointment with a member that night with a girl we have been trying to teach, but nothing has come of it. Well they picked us up late, so we got there, ate, and left, but the son and his girlfriend (the one we are trying to teach). In the car ride they were talking about something, and it came up that she had received her answer to be baptized, so she is going to be baptized this coming Sunday now. We are so excited for her, and I had a strong feeling that it happened that night because we had gone the extra mile. It was an awesome experience. We also were able to have the members come out with a us a decent amount this week, and we saw a lot of success from that. Our recent convert baptized his sons this Sunday as well, which was super exciting. We were able to see a lot of blessing from the Lord this week. Elder D and I are getting along great and doing awesome work. I know that we were placed here together to do some great things, and I know that the Lord has prepared people and He is blessing us to be able to meet them. I know that we are his children, and that He loves each and everyone of us. I love him, and am grateful for my opportunity to serve him with all my heart might mind and strength. I love you all, and thank you for all you do

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

6 more weeks

Another 6 weeks in Okeechobee, itll be the longest I will have ever have been in an area! I am super excited for this one. This week we had an amazing week. The Lord just keeps on providing for us. We started out the week with some good exchanges. Elder Bj came here with me, and we did some good harvesting. We found some people to go back too, but overall, we didn't find anyone that I was amazingly excited to go back and see. We weren't able to recontact them during the week, and we were planning on trying back again on Sunday, because we had someone to visit up there anyways. Well Saturday came, and we were biking around, just not having much success, and I thought occasionally of trying to bike up north to see if they were home, but them we got a call. Elder D answers and freaked out. He handed me the phone and said, "He wants to be baptized, do something!" So I took the phone, and we found out it was someone who I had blessed with Elder Bj earlier in the week. He was dying to be baptized, so we said we would be to his house as soon as possible, it took about half an hour going as fast as we could. We got there, and he was solid, super excited and just really wanted to make some changes. We set him with a date, and he was super excited to read the Book of Mormon, and to come to church. He is still super excited to be baptized, and now come to mutual this Wednesday, and bring some friends. Elder D has also just been amazing in everything. One day I was using the restroom at the gas station, and I come out hearing him teach the worker about the Word of Wisdom. It was amazing to see him boldly testifying no matter where he is. We had tons of fun this week, and a bunch of other things happened as well. We are doing super good here, and I know that the Lord is watching out for us. I know that he loves each and every one of us, and he knows how to help us the best. He has many things prepared, and he always has doors opening for us to achieve the things he has prepared for us. I love Him with my soul, and I am grateful for my opportunity to serve Him. I love you all, and am grateful for your support, and all that you do for me.

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Long Trip

This week was a crazy week. We had a lot of things happen. The beginning of the week we spent Preperation day in Fort Pierce, and ended it trying to have a baptismal interview there, but it fell through. The next day we had district training and then we had an exchange. Then the next morning we drove back to Fort Pierce, to pick up Elder D, and from there drove to Boca Raton, where we caught a ride with another trainer to Plantation for a trainers trainees meeting. It was a crazy long day, and we didn't get home until 6. Then the next day we had to be in Vero Beach to do another baptismal interview, which went great, but put us back in Okeechobee around 6:45. It was a lot of driving. We some how were able to do just about the same amount of work though as a normal week. The Lord blessed us as we were trying to help out other missionaries, and trying our best to work the little time that we had here in Okeechobee, it was a great experience to see how he can make sure we get work done, even if we are not there as much. One street we knocked, and then we had to give a member the sacrament, but Elder D this time said 1 more door, and after the reinvite to be baptized on a date she accepted to prepare. She was super excited and I was so happy to see Elder Dmaking that point. We have been so blessed, and I am so grateful for all the opportunites that the Lord gives us to become better, and to have success. I know that he cares for us, and he is watching over us every second, and wants the best for us. He has prepared a way for us to succeed, and as we continue following his commandments, we will have his guidance to reach that success. I love this work, and I love you all, thank you for what you do, and the support you give me

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Christmas!

It was super good to see you this Tuesday. It made my week, and all the presents. Thank you for all that you do. This week in Okeechobee we had some great success. We started off a little rough, but we wanted to make sure we did work. We made sure that we harvested on Christmas, and it sure blessed us. I'm sure that the blessings we received were due to the obedience that we had throughout the week. We had some great spiritual experiences throughout the week. As a district we were focused super hard on setting people with dates to be baptized, and we went out with faith and did it. It gave us a lot of people to follow up with, it was awesome. We were able to find a lot of people to set us up really well for this month. We are extremely excited for the month of January. We have also been able to bring some more members out with us this week. A lot of the appointments that we set up fell through when the members came, but that is okay, we were able to see some great enthusiasm from the members, and they are really rallying to help us, and it is helping us a lot, and I am sure we will see lots of progress this week as the members continue to come with us. I love you all and I am grateful for what you do for me. I am grateful for all the support and gifts you gave me, they really were fantastic. Thank you all so much, I love you. I know that this gospel is true, and I know that Jesus Christ was born, lived, died, and raised up so that we may all receive life eternal. I am grateful for him and all that he did for me. I love you all!

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen

Barren to Bountious

This week was a great week for us here in Okeechobee. A lot went on, and we were able to see some miracles. At the beginning of the week, we felt that we had basically baptized or dropped all but 1 investigator, and we were getting close to dropping her too, so we felt a little apprehensive to start the week, but we some great miracles happened as we put our shoulder to the wheel. At the beginning of the week I went on an exchange to Fort Pierce to see what was going on there, and while I was there Elder D did a great job taking over once again. He and Elder Bu were able to find some who would say yes to baptism, which helped set the week up well, and they were also able to go and teach the one investigator we were thinking of dropping soon. There they were able to firm her up and help her feel closer to baptism. Then throughout the week we were able to return to those yes's and we were able to find a lot of people. A decent number of whom accepted dates, but then fell through by not coming to church, for a different reasons, and we were able to get the work going well again this week. We had a lot of success that is really going to start setting up for the next week and the next month, we are very excited for what is going on here. We had a lot of fun teaching all the new people, and we were able to really find some good prospects, that we did not have at the beginning of the week. Christmas is going to be crazy for us, because we have to have district training that day, which got thrown onto us kind of last minute, but it is also exciting, and pretty good because we will have it on one of the, well, less productive days. I know it says that holidays should be good times to proselyte, but I am still trying to find that part in those days, but we will be looking for miracles tomorrow, the Lord will bless us for the work we do. I love this work, and I am so grateful for the blessings we receive. I know that God is helping us and he loves each and everyone of us, and this is why he sent his son. I love this work, and I love all you

Elder Wesley Christopher Bowen