Mollie #35 - Angol, Chile - Big, Yellow Bridge, Mich, Power of Words
June 24
Hey all,
So, nothing, I think, will change
here in Chile with the new changes. Angol is like 15-20 years behind the
US, as far as technology, in a good way. For example for many, if not
most of the people the only way to access the internet is through internet pubs and school computers. I doubt I will be getting a blog or
anything else.
Mich - Loved the pictures of Tiny. She is cute and looks a lot like you. Last
week in Utah - whooo hooo! I know you have been waiting for this day for a
long time. Still, summer in Jersey is bound to be fun. Be sure to send
me pictures next week! Have fun finishing up packing and on the road
trip.
We went to visit this bridge, Fuente Maiyeco, the other day in
Collipulli. It is big and yellow, and the view is spectacular it is over
this giant valley. We hiked down to the water afterwards - got lost and
ended up hiking back up another way, and then had to walk on the highway to
get back, but it was lots of fun.
Spiritual Thought - "I am the Word"
Through stories
like those of Coriantumr and the brother of Jared in the Book of Mormon, we hear about the power of the true word of God.
I've been thinking about words lately. I like the example of how the word 'Dios' in Spanish means 'He gave'
as well as 'God.' Through words, we can be given connections.
The word for 'sun' in Spanish is 'sol'
which is pronounced like 'soul.' In English it is 'sun' like 'son.' If we
want, we can make connections there to Christ. There is power in the word
and the form of language.
Just some thoughts I've been having...
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| My companion, Hermana Nelson, and me |
Lots of love,
Hermana Bowman
Riley #23 - Lomita, CA - Our Website, Father's Day Dinner, Family History
June 17
Hi Everyone,
Sorry that my letter last week was short. While I was typing, we received a call from the member we had been helping move. She told us that she needed our help moving something right away, so we left a little earlier than I had anticipated.
Before I forget, we have a rough draft of a website up. It is at
The pictures come from Elder Casey's camera. I didn't take any this week, so I stole some old ones from him. One of the beach ones has the five Chinese missionaries from last transfer. The one all the way to the left is Elder Hsieh, who went home last transfer. The other beach picture is of our Zone, Peninsula Zone, last transfer.
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| (Click to Enlarge) |
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| Elder Hsaio and Elder Casey |
It was nice to get an email from the Father. Happy Father's Day, by the way! We had spent our Father's Day dinner at a member's eating Korean BBQ. In other words, they bring out plates containing pieces of raw meat, mushrooms, octopus, and bell peppers and cook them on a small grill on the table. Also, they have plates and plates of meat they bring out until we can't eat anymore. It is delicious. For dessert, we had vanilla ice cream and blueberries. Light and simple, perfect for after a large dinner. The members are way too kind to us.
I am jealous of your summer camps - especially yours Father. I have always wanted to visit the Arches and go white-water rafting. The mountains and hikes have to be what I miss the most about Utah.
It is good to hear more Family History work is getting done. I took a quick look over the new
"Family Tree" program a couple of weeks ago. It looked pretty nice. "Family Tree" seems more convenient than the newfamilysearch they had up. It also seems more like Ancestry.
I'm out of time so I will have to leave it here. Fortunately, nothing too life changing happened this week.
Well, at least nothing more life changing than usual. Be sure to have people like the Facebook page of ours.
Love,
Elder Bowman
Mollie #34 - Angol, Chile - Jedi Jesus, Losing a companion, Story of the Ewe
June 17
Dear Family,
This week was crazy. We have
plans to get the ward moving more. I might start a choir.
Oh could you email me a recipe for tortillas? - ask Mich.
I have tennis shoes don´t worry. I don't run in my boots!
Hermana Lattin is leaving...booo.... She is really wonderful but doesn´t always see it. I will miss her.
She is/was a part-time companion of mine. My companion leaves every week to help with other sister companionships in the area.
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| My Decorated Agenda - "Jedi Jesus" |
One thing we like to do is
decorate our agendas. I made this one for my comp. It is called "Jedi
Jesus" which might be sacrilegious, but I made it and then realized he
looked like a Jedi.
In reading "The Ensign," I found this. I love this quote about obedience and the story
as well.
I like this story's prospective (about the ewe) on obedience.
Link to Article with Ewe Story
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| http://deborahokeeffe.blogspot.com/2012/01/quiet-man-pub-peekskill-ny.html |
Story:
I have been thinking a lot about what is law and how mankind came to develop law.
Law
really has little or no rational explanation for existence. It is based
or founded upon our feelings (which come from our soul or God) about
what is ¨good¨.
Law limits our agency but allows us to achieve a higher level of thought, security, and happiness.
There
is of course a higher law, which is the law of God. It is perfect, and
allows us to reach higher levels of thought, security, and happiness.
For this reason exists things
like the law of Chastity- A higher law that offers a huge level of
security and happiness.
I can´t tell you how many very young single moms
we have here that are struggling (work, school, kids, house, etc....) or
unhappy. This is only one form of protection offered by the Law of God.
¨¨I am the word¨¨ The word being perfect truth or perfect law.
Obedience
is when we give value to law through our actions - when we practice what
we believe inside. Often through obedience we are given vision. Vision
of our power, our ability to grow/change, and our ability to be ¨good."
Lots of love,
Hermana Bowman
P.S. Why wasn´t Riley in the Ensign with the rest of the LA Chinese mission?
Riley # 22 - Lomita, CA - Crab Dinner, First Investigator from Class, Exchanges in Chinese
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| (Click to Enlarge Photos) |
June 10
Hi,
The pictures are from the member we had dinner with Sunday before last. He was surprised that I hadn't ever eaten a whole crab, so he took a few pictures of us. Elder Bergeson, my companion, is the one to my right, Elder Hsiao to my left and Elder Casey to his left. The member's son, Samuel, is behind us and is going to be a senior in high school this fall.
English class is going well. Some of the students left for summer, so there wasn't as many as last week. There aren't as many new people coming, but we expect to get some more as we get the word out.
The Facebook page is LosAngelesEnglish and should be up. The website is underway, and we hopefully will have a rough draft up this week sometime.
We have been helping a member move this week. She is the second one since April to move, so our Branch is now getting smaller. However, one of the English class students showed some interest in the church and just started taking lessons from the other Chinese elders. He is our first investigator from English class and seems great. We have other students who seem interested, but none that have had time to meet with us.
Elder Casey and I went on exchanges together this week. It was the first time we have been together without someone who actually speaks Chinese. It went pretty well. We had a lesson with Julie, who I taught and baptized early on.
She had just come back from a trip to Utah. She has fantastic English, so even if we didn't know how to say something she would be able to understand. Still, we managed to teach mostly in Chinese.
I'm out of time, but try to check out the Facebook again.
Elder Bowman
Mollie #33 - Angol, Chile - Bundled for morning runs, Sasquatch, and Gardening
June 10
Hey all,
Where to start. More letters would be good. Just send me them in email, and I´ll photograph and write next week or something like that.
We started Operacion Alma, which is where we work with inactive, less active, and recent converts. It is to help strengthen the base of the ward . I have been helping plan activities. I do feel the ward is progressing even if it is at a snail's pace.
No comics this weeks though some pics.
Running is awful.. ´:P I was not made to run in the mornings. I mean really... no. It is more of a staggering-tripping, blind-Sasquatch that seems almost to have no direction of travel. I am big and bulky.
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| (Click to Enlarge) |
I am bundled with four sweaters, leggings, sweats, two hats, and a scarf. It is cold in the morning! I also can't really talk. My voice comes out more as a growl with this cold scratchiness from the morning.
Today we had three dogs running with us, and they wouldn´t go away. So now I have a pack of mutts to run with. The ground is never flat aftermath of many earthquakes, resulting in me being very clumsy sleepy and growly in the morning, aka Sasquatch.
I expect a letter from Jake and the Father after Priest camp. Just saying...
I am a little sick and my mind is a little fuzzy. I will try and structure my letter better next week.
Give Mema and Sister Jolley some flowers from me.
Dahlias are annuals, so dig them up before hard frost. Did you plant my other dahlia bulbs and gladys that are in the plant room? In the small painted box with a flower on it? Its great to hear about my roses!
Lots of love,
Hermana Bowman
Riley #21- Lomita, CA - A Facebook Page, Chinese School, How to Eat Crab
Dear Family,
Well, I am glad you wrote early. I think I will be checking earlier now so you might want to start doing it Sunday.
Thanks for the letters. I am back in the Chinese program now. We got a first version of our FB page Wednesday with our Branch Mission Leader. We plan on making some changes, but for the time being it should work. It is called Los Angeles English, if you want to see it.
We hope to start on the website either this week or next week. We are not sure exactly who is going to make it still, but after today we should have at least some idea. Our Branch Mission Leader told us he has a friend that will help make it, but we would like to get something there before we have him work on it.
We helped out at a Chinese school this weekend. It was there end of year assembly so there wasn't too much to do, but we got to meet some of the Chinese people in the community and provide some service.
Because they are on break now, we probably won't be working with them again until school starts back up.
Last night, a member fed us crab. It was the first time I have seen a whole crab eaten so I didn't really know how to eat it. He told me he would have to give it to us more often so I could get used to it.
We also attended badminton this week. It is held every Thursday evening at the church. We can't play ourselves, but there are a lot of Chinese people there who aren't members who may be interested in learning about the Church. We are trying to focus on finding some investigators around where we live in Torrance this transfer. Most of ours have been around UCLA so they can't attend the Branch because it is too far. It will be great to have more people attend the branch.
Love,
Elder Bowman
Mollie # 32 - Angol, Chile - Birthday Pancakes, Comics, Keila & Standing in Holy Places
June 3rd
Hey all,
So this week was crazy. Here is my birthday gift to you Mother of mine.
I remember when we were younger and we always did pancakes in the number of our age.
Well... I did a banana pancake
party with the other two hermanas in your honor on your birthday. I must say
all of my pancaking making art skills come from you! I kind of made up
the recipe but they were really good.
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My Pulga - a blood-sucking fiend
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Hermana Nelson's Chancho
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Hermana Garcia with her pato pancake
(Click to Enlarge) |
The other day we were at a less
active family's house, and we assigned each other animals. I am the pulga
or the bloodsucking fiend. Herma garcia is la pato because she has flat
or planar feet and oddly reminds me of a duck. Herma Lattin is the self
proclaimed chancho or pig.
We had a lot of fun eating your pancakes :p. So thank you. The recipe was something along the lines of...
4 cups of flour
1 tb of baking powder
.75 cups of powdered milk
.25 cups of sugar
1 cap of vanilla
a dash of cinnamon
Water until the right amount of runniness
and sliced bananas that we stuck in while they were cooking
Other things that have been going on. We did splits with some of the
sisters in the ward the other day. That was pretty cool. I really
enjoyed having a car for about an hour.
A couple little moments that I have been able to quickly sketch out for your guys.
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| (Click to Enlarge) |
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| This is regarding the flooding I mentioned last week. |
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Definition of Irony
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Da saludos a Payden y Sara. Y FUEGO! Ustedes son los mejores. I will try and send a pic out for them.
We are going to start "Project Alma" here. We will have a set of missionaries looking for new members and a
set that teaches inactives and less actives and recent converts. I
really think it is a good idea and can´t wait to see how it works out!
I think I might also start a choir.
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This photo is from a Service Day
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Keila, is one of the youth in my barrio, aka ward, who shared her thoughts in writing about standing in Holy places. I know I keep saying it, but the youth here are incredible!
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| Keila - One of the amazing youth here! |
The Holy Ghost is a guardian, protector, and friend. Standing in Holy places is staying in places where he can stand with you.
There was one house I entered the
other day that was dark- literally and figuratively. It was a single
man. We brought a member with us, but I did not feel good in that house.
I felt the need to leave... which didn´t make any sense because he was
perfectly amiable. When we left that house I told my companion that I
felt we should not return to visit.
She said that she felt exactly the
same way, but wasn´t sure if she should say anything. That only a few
time in her life had she felt that way and always it meant bad things.
Later, we found out that this house is famous for marijuana and generally avoided.
I
know the spirit will protect us if we are listening for it. If you are
worthy you will be able to feel when you are standing in holy places.
Hermana
Garcia- my little pato with flat feet is having trouble with her feet.
She can´t walk with us for 2 weeks. She has been spending the days at
the members' houses. So pray that she can get back on her feet soon.
Thanks for the recipes and the letters. I didn´t get your DearElder
yet.
Enjoy your boy-free week and spend some time with the sisters of the ward. Give them some of my flowers.
Lots of love,
Hermana Bowman, Lattin, and Garcia
Riley # 20 - Los Angeles - New companion, Back to Chinese, An Abysmal Translation
May 11
Dear Family,
Well, transfers are tomorrow, so Pday was on Tuesday
rather than Monday. By the way, sometimes, like today, we email in the
morning so if you could be sure to email by Sunday night your email will
always be here when I send mine.
To clear some things up, Elder Moore,
my companion, was called Spanish speaking and didn't speak Spanish
before his mission. He is from Farmington. I told him about you wanting
more pictures and ever since then he has been making sure to take at
least a few. He randomly would remember and take a picture so some were a
little weird.
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| Elder Moore HAD to take a photo of me with a member's kitten. (Click to Enlarge) |
Tomorrow, I am heading to Chinese B with Elder Bergeson.
Elder Hsieh and Wald are leaving so there are going to be only four
Chinese left.
Last Sunday night, we attended the Departing Missionary Fireside, where they have all the missionaries leaving bear a brief
testimony. It was President and Sister Bakers' last group of departing
missionaries. They will be leaving at the end of the month, and the new
Mission President will be coming in.
From what I have heard from Elder Bergeson, English class is going
great. They have a few people which go to every class. Monday there was
8 people, Thursday 3, and Saturday 9. Also, our Branch Mission Leader
helped us get a Facebook page and a domain for our English class. The
website hasn't been made yet, but we should be able to find someone to
help us make it.
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| My week as an English missionary ends tomorrow. (Click to Enlarge) |
I also translated for the first time this week. Even though I
am in an English area, there is still a couple Chinese members
attending the English ward. They brought some friends from Taiwan to
church with them who didn't speak English and asked me to translate. I
couldn't exactly tell them no, so I put forth my best effort. I think I
summarized a fifteen minute talk with about three sentences. It was a
fairly abysmal translation.
The speaker shared about how grateful he was
for eternal families, gave personal experiences, had some great quotes,
and shared a story about a person who made great sacrifices to help
build a temple. It was a great talk. When I translated it, all I pretty
much said was "He is grateful for eternal families. He loves temples.
Through Jesus Christ, we can live together with our family. He is happy
he can live with his family forever." I think that is more or less what I
said. Probably more.
I haven't had a chance to read the letters I got yet, so I won't
be able to reply to them until next week, but I did receive them so
thanks for sending them.
Love,
Elder Bowman
Mollie #30 and #31 - Angol, Chile - Weaving, A crying phone call, Be a light to all
May 20
Hey All,
No time this week. Just a quick note. 'Telar' is the verb to weave - I think. The word for web like spider web is ' tela' - so take it as you will.
This Pday I should be learning how to finish this. This is a basic weave to make squares. After you make the squares you have to crotchet them together to make a poncho. I wanted to learn. So, I asked a less active member who naturally had a friend who could teach me. It has been what I do at night while we do daily planning. My companion is great and very obedient!
This is a scripture I like to share with people, especially after I have been fed. It is about food x). It is in 3 Ne 20:8
And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of a to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled.
Our bodies need regular maintenance. It must be fed and watered and exercised in order to feel good. Our spirits also have needs. It must be fed and exercised, too. What person has not felt what we often call" mentally tired or weighed down" by life? The is the state when our spirit is worn out. So how can we feed our spirit? We need to be proactive and look for ways, such as prayer, scriptures, or music.
Sorry I'm short on time.
Love,
Mollie
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May 27
Hey all,
Lot´s of funny stuff happened this week the problem is they are so much better as comics, and I can´t explain well enough. For example teaching the word of wisdom in a bar. :O
My sector is crazy as always, lots going on. One thing that really impresses me in this ward is the youth. A lot of them come to church on their own. Without their parents, they take themselves to church and then learn together. The youth are a very tight knit group. They are able to recognize that they are the church. That one individual person can be all the difference needed.
My companion and I are looking for service activities in the area. We are swinging by the municipal today to see if they have any ideas for us. If not, we will be singing for one of the retirement homes here.
It started raining - ahhhh... :) The streets here in Angol are flooded. I am glad I have my rainboots, because some roads are really like small rivers, where you have to hike up you skirt and waddle your way through to the other side. My rain coat has been wonderful, so thank you Bowman! :)
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| My companion, Hermana Nelson, and I are getting along well! | |
I actually have a lot of people to thank.
I got Bowman´s package the other day ~ sticky notes and Fig Newtons, socks, and mascara. All things I need that are better in the US. I was just starting to run short on mascara, and it is 3-4x more expensive here.
Father, thank you for my letter even if you sent it to everyone else. It is still my letter, and I am claiming it as such.
Mich, your letter rocked! Just keep sending me an email every once in a while. I know life is crazy for you. I loved hearing about your new home.
¡Happy Birthday o Feliz Cumpleaños ...on the 31 :)
Jake, can you collect some of my flowers for her on her birthday? BTW, thanks for your letter! Email me if you don´t have time for DearElder. I´ll just photograph my emails if I don´t have time to read them all. Also, see if you can do splits one day with the missionaries. It will be interesting for you if nothing more. You probably have to ask to find our missionaries.
One thing that got me all twisted inside this week was when one of the members called me on the phone crying. All she needed was a little support and all was fine. What bothered me was that she had to call me.
She is a inactive member. I had only ever visited her 5-6 times. There is no one in the ward that she felt she could call. She has no friends nearby or other people she could talk to that she trusted more than a random missionary that swung by every once in awhile.
In Chile, it is common to not know your neighbors. To me this is unacceptable. People are a lot better then you think they are, and everyone at some point needs support!
I know that there are a lot of people in the world that are good and beautiful people. They have been given many gifts and talents. They trust in God and trust in themselves and in their family and in nothing more ...they never leave their house.
We all need light. Some more than others.
Often, it is those people just outside our tight circle that need us the most.
It is good to be a good person, but it is very sad to only do so in your own house or within your own circle of friends.
The people who only do this are those that hide their light under a bushel and don't let it shine forth to give light and warmth to the rest of the house.
Be a light to all, not only to your friends and family.
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Packages can be sent whenever, but I know those envelope things come faster.
Ummm.. In my next email can you give me a good muffin recipe basic and adaptable. Ask Michele.
Ohhh and Bowman's Tortilla chip casserole ask her about it.
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| Goodbye! From both of us. |
Smiles. Sunrisas... like sunrise
Lots of Love,
Hermana Bowman
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