At the LA Temple last week

      Recently, our mission president gave us a schedule to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas. We are highlighting everything that references Christ. It has been really insightful in helping my understanding of the Godhead. 

     You still should watch Elder Bednar's talk. Really.

     This week went pretty well. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but we were able to find a new investigator. We were on exchanges a lot, so Elder Casey was out of the area two days and myself one, but it was a great experience. I was able to spend time with Elder Cooper, whom I hadn't seen much before.

     USC is looking pretty great. There are a ton of Chinese students there, and everyone we talked to seemed pretty friendly. Elder Burr is doing great up there. He just hit his year mark.

      Apart from the exchanges, its been a fairly normal week. We had Zone Conference with a focus on the Book of Mormon. We started over yesterday with a schedule to finish it by the end of the year.

(Click to Enlarge)

     Elder Casey was in a small accident this week. No one was hurt or anything, but the person who hit him was actually a former Korean English class student. She was very friendly once she recognized him, and everything turned out well.

Sorry for the short letter this week I'll get some pictures for next week.

       Is the film your participating in related to school or is this something separate? By the way, in case you didn't know, we aren't allowed to use the internet. We can't just Google something or search for something on the internet.
     

      We do try to use the restaurants the best we can in advertising for English class, but if we contact there we usually have to buy something so we can't do that too often. We are still working on ideas and activities, but it always takes a little while to get things started off.

Rancho Palos Verdes

    
The baptism went great. She was baptized along with a 16 year old boy Elder Burr and I had started teaching last year. He was born here, so the service was in English. 

    We had a lot of members from the English wards come, so we met in the chapel. We had a missionary musical number from us and the missionaries serving in the English wards. It was pretty bad. We had a Chinese member come up to us afterward and tell us the baptism was great, but our singing was terrible.

      The lady who was baptized bore her testimony in Chinese, and our Branch Mission Leader translated it for the audience right after she was confirmed. (Usually convert confirmations only happen in Sacrament Meeting. The Branch President had us do it the same day, because she returns to China on Tuesday). It surprised us. We had asked her sister before if she felt that her sister would be willing to share her testimony, and she had told us probably not because her sister is very shy.

     Early that morning, in Gospel Principles she had been asked to say the prayer, and she said it perfectly, but her face was red after the prayer. When she bore her testimony in front of everyone in the chapel, she looked totally calm. She mentioned how she is normally shy, but she could feel that Heavenly Father wanted her to be brave and share her testimony. She said she wanted to share the gospel with her family when she returned to China and would continue to keep the commandments while she was there. It's was really amazing to watch and hear her. The spirit was strong.

    Elder Casey is District Leader which means we have a lot of exchanges this week.  We will swap companionships for a day. It can be kind of fun, but it also is annoying when you have a lot to do, like Elder Casey does. We'll probably only be together in our area about half the week, because of all the exchanges we have over the next couple weeks.

I'm out of time.

Love,

               Elder Bowman

       As far as Chinese missionaries go, the there were six missionaries called to LA speaking Chinese before me, but it wasn't until the transfer before I arrived that they were doing Chinese full time. They were missionaries speaking Chinese and English, but serving the Chinese people, which is what I mean when I say the Chinese program...I include them. 

     Right now there are ten here: me, Elder Casey (Layton), Elder Yang (Taiwan), Elder Burr (Cedar Hills), Elder Lee (Chicago), Elder Chun (Hong Kong), Elder Zhang (Beijing), Elder Bria (Tennessee), Elder Yang (Taiwan), and Elder Cooper (Layton).

With Elder Casey

        It's still been a struggle for Elder Casey and me to find people to teach, but we've been thinking and praying on it nonstop. We have found a few people that are interested, and it feels like anyone we find is a miracle. It's kind of funny how it turns out sometimes. 

      Elder Casey helped someone get baptized a couple months ago. She lives in Torrance, but travels a lot between the US and China, and left to China for a few months soon after her baptism. 

    She just got back last week when we were struggling to find anything to do. We stopped by to visit, and it turns out she has a twin sister we didn't know about, who is visiting from China who wants to be baptized and is leaving in a week and a half! 

     It seems like one of those unexpected and bizarre twists you sometime see in TV shows that don't really make sense. A recent convert who you haven't heard from in months suddenly shows up with a twin sister you didn't know about, who must be baptized in the next week before she returns to China. Not exactly the answer we were expecting to our prayers, but we'll go with it. Her interview is tonight, and she'll be baptized and confirmed this next Sunday. It's really great how things happen.

     We have actually got a little bit of rain yesterday again. It's so unusual here. Hopefully it'll keep up. 

   Love you,

           Elder Bowman

      Unfortunately, I misplaced my camera in the move, so I haven't been able to take any pictures this week and the ones I took last week are still on it. 

The Chinese program has grown a lot. Elder Casey and I have been reminiscing a lot. We were together my second transfer and his first, and this is our second time being together since then. 

    Then there were 5 Chinese missionaries with one going home and two areas that covered the entire mission. Now there are 10 Chinese missionaries in four separate areas. There have been 11 baptisms in the Chinese program and at least four this transfer.  It's great to see so much growth so quickly.

     The missionaries at the colleges are having a lot of success. There was a baptism at the UCLA group yesterday, and there will be two in USC next week, which meant Elder Casey had to do a lot of baptismal interviews this week. 

     Finding people to teach around the Branch area is a little slower, like usual, but even still the Branch should have a baptism next month. We are working on finding people in our area. It is a little more difficult during the summer, but we're starting to figure out at least what we can try to do. My Chinese is really rusty; hopefully, it will come back to me as we teach more.

     We managed to find one this week when we were visiting a potential. We started to share a message on his Ipad on the doorstep, when something happened that has never happened to me on my mission. For the first time in almost two years, we heard thunder. Then, it started to sprinkle. He invited us in, and we sat down and talked to him for the twenty minutes. It down poured, with the occasional sound of thunder and flash of lightening. 

     His two year old daughter was somewhat frightened. Not only had she not heard thunder before, but it was her first time to see rain. Her mom took her out to introduce her to it. They said we could come back next week, and we left. Of course, being LA, the brief half hour of rain was all we got and it was sunny the rest of the day.

      The members told us Elder Hsiao is married now, and two other previous Chinese missionaries, Elder Hsieh and Elder Wald, are engaged. That's half of the ones that are home, and I don't know about the other three.

Love,

             Elder Bowman

                                               July 21, 2014

Hey Everyone,

 

   Argentina! That's awesome news for Jake!  That'll help with the families we were working on. About my release date, I should be back in either the end of December or early January, so we could maybe work something out if you come to California.

 

     Also, I have heard of an instance where a RM was able to visit his brother in the MTC, but I don't know if that is commonly allowed so that is something you'll need to figure out.

 

 

     I feel like I've learned a lot from being here. It was really a great experience. I owe the members a lot here for the help they've shown me, and I've met some spectacular people. I can't believe I won't see them.

 

     It'll be interesting to see how things have changed in my previous area the few months I've been away. I am also going to be with Elder Casey again. We're both looking forward to it. He's a great guy and companion.

      I mailed off my package today. It is mostly clothes and paper, so please let it be until I return. I purchased a few new pants last week as well, because I needed to replace a couple so thank you. Also, the images for the insurance information didn't show, but the rest was good. I think the only things I lacked was the insured's ID and the employer's address.

 

I need some time for moving, so this is short.

 

Love,

              Elder Bowman

 

    This week is going great. It actually looked like it might rain today. I don't remember the last time it rained, but it was a long time ago. We have only felt a few drops so far, but that is more than we've had for a few months. It's been pretty hot here too, not 100, but fairly humid. We tried to create a makeshift swampcooler in our apartment, but it only seemed to get more humid and just as hot. 

 

   

        The ward is doing pretty well. We had a few great talks yesterday in Sacrament Meeting, including two from a couple who just moved here from Lehi. They talked about how they have felt inspired and guided every time they move, and it really showed their dedication. Regardless of work or convenience, they went where they felt they should. They're a nice older couple. The husband's mom is actually staying in River Meadows in Alpine.

 

     Just looking online, I saw an article about the use of technology on missions you should read. It sounds exciting, but also like nothing will happen till after I leave, so Jake might get to see it.

 

 

FULL ARTICLE Church Expands the Use of Digital Devices For Missionary Work

 

 I think his call should come this week. Last week did sound a little early from when he put his papers in, so I expect to hear about it next week. Can't wait to hear where he's going.

Well, time's up. 

 

Love,

              Elder Bowman

   Thank you for the letters. We are running low on time today, so I am not sure how much I'll be able write. Sounds like an exciting week with Mollie's homecoming and waiting on Jake's letter. 

 

     Independence Day was pretty normal for us. We turned in at 6 and started our weekly planning. There were a ton of fireworks. It seemed like every block had their own show set up, and there was smoke in the streets. 

 

Our neighbors had a ton of fireworks. It kept on going a few hours with loud music playing. The fireworks were pretty good. Much to my surprise, we actually managed to sleep through the night. We had music on and the fan going, so it wasn't too noisy.

 

It was a little difficult to meet with people because of the Fourth of July. A lot of them had family over or were busy with something. 

 

    One of our investigators recently found out he has cancer. He isn't too concerned about it, but his family apparently have some sort of superstition he participated in to make him better. It required slaughtering three goats and roasting them. Sounded pretty good. He said he'd save us some goat.

 

We just took the pictures right now, so you're pretty lucky you got them.

 

 

Love,

              Elder Bowman

 

                                            June 30, 2014

Dear Family,

     Thank you for pictures and emails. I worked really hard to take pictures this week, but forgot to after Monday. I did take some on Monday, but none with any of us in them. 

    We went to go hike the Hollywood sign again last Monday. What we didn't know was that the trail leading up there was actually closed. We found out once we got there. 

      I did take some while we were in the car - photos of places that looked somewhat important, but I don't know if they really are. We also drove past the Chinese Theater which looked cool, but I think it is only an actual theater. We didn't have time to look around as finding a parking place was super difficult. in the end, we abandoned our plans and headed back, but stopped by Daiso on the way, which made the whole trip worthwhile.

Pirate Guy

                    June 23, 2014

Hi Everyone!

     Thanks for the letter. It's so strange that Mollie is home, and also that she's gone again to Michele's. Good to hear she is still herself and adjusting well.

I am still not sure when my return date is. We just had interviews with President Weidman this week, and I forgot to ask. I am also going to have to work on more pictures for you.

As we have a lot of Hispanics here, the world cup has been all over. Pretty much every TV you see has it on. As you know, I have never really followed sports, so it took me by surprise how big it is. 

We have started to find people to teach again, so we are keeping fairly busy. The people we teach have a lot to work out, and sometimes it is all we can do to convince them that stabbing people is wrong, let alone commit them to baptism. 

Still, step by step, there is improvement being made and they are improving their lives. Not too much beside that going on. Things are looking positive though.

Love,

            Elder Bowman

                           June 16, 2014

Hi Everyone,

   Don't worry, I am doing fine. I am hoping to go back to Chinese before I head back, but there's still time. 

It's an interesting area and you have a lot of weird moments. 

     For instance, while contacting a person around my age on the street last week, we asked him what he was interested in, trying to make conversation. He said he was learning about computers, so we asked him what he wanted to go into. He said criminal hacking...typical career choice.

  Or another investigator we invited to church and started to give him directions how to get there. He recognized the street and said it was right by his aunt's house.



     She used to live over there until she was caught selling fake IDs. He, personally, had been caught selling guns to an FBI agent, although there hadn't been enough evidence to convict him.


     You meet a lot of different situations here and, although it can be difficult to deal with, sometimes when you're trying to find people to teach and baptize, it also keeps things from becoming rote or routine. It still is a pretty safe area, so long as you not outside past midnight.

     Regardless of time of day, it seems like there are always people outside.

Like I said last time, it can be pretty noisy. Having a lesson outside is always a little difficult.

     You have the noise of a plane flying by every few minutes, people yelling, ghetto birds flying by overhead, loud music being played a few houses down, and the drone of cars who constantly pass by honking their horns.

     Sometimes they honk because the person in front is too slow, or did something illegal, or because they see someone they know, or maybe because another car honked, and even occasionally just for fun honk out rhythms with their horns. and add the random sound of an explosion, which is usually a firework, and go off periodically throughout the day and into the night.

     And of course tons of dogs barking, ice cream trucks jingle's and street peddlers honking their horns or yelling out Tamale's! and that's just the normal noise.

     On occasion, we have also had the disruptive sound of a noisy rooster. And, if you are near the tracks, add the noise and rattling of the Metro going by every 15 minutes.

     The noise can be a little distracting when you're trying to teach, but for the most part everyone is used to ignoring it and just pausing mid-sentence until the plane or ghetto bird has passed by.

                                                        June 9, 2014

 

Hi, 

 

I'm sorry, but I'm short on time...so this is a quick letter.

 

Thanks for the photo of Jordan. Sounds like he's going to have an interesting summer at that camp. Hah!

 

 

Also, thank the Webbs for me for the letter they sent. It was really caught me by surprise. 

 

This week was pretty quiet as well. We've been looking for new investigators most of the week. It was a little slow at first, but we managed to find some people to follow up with. 

 

Transfers are tomorrow. Elder Davey and I are both staying. Elder Davey's bike broke apparently beyond repair, so he's had to borrow another elders these past couple of days. 

 

It's been has been pretty quiet here, at least as quiet as it ever is. Every weekend there is loud music and the sound of explosions in the evening. We're pretty sure they're all just fireworks. It will be interesting come July 4.

 

Everything's pretty calm here - not too much change. We have three companionships in the ward and only one person is leaving for transfers. I'll try to take some pictures this week. Sorry there aren't any for this week.

 

Love,

              Elder Bowman

What is happiness? We had a whole conference about it the other day. In the end I decided it was to live to be the best person that you can be. Also, to live so that you let the Holy Ghost help you work at making changes in your day to day actions.


This better person will better their surroundings and lift those around them.

     Thanks for the emails. Not too much going on this week. As far as the service, it was the walk for cancer. The missionaries pretty much just helped out where needed. We helped people register and  handed out stuff to the participants. And we got a free pink t-shirt.

It has been pretty normal here, finding and teaching and baptizing. We meet some pretty interesting people here. LA is really diverse. We have had a lot of people argue with us lately. It is a little fun and kind of interesting. 

     There are a lot of different beliefs and crazy conspiracy theories. You can have a completely normal conversation with someone and then they suddenly throw in tears in spacetime and wormholes or something.

     Or a somewhat intimidating gangster turns out to study the Bible in three languages and has theories about aliens, the Bible, and Transformers or whatever the latest movie they've seen is.

     I didn't realize how many people think that movies are actually real. I think it has to do with the close proximity to Hollywood.

Let me know how the Preach My Gospel study goes. Unfortunately, I'm out of time.

Love,

               Elder Bowman