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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Mollie #73 - Van Obispo, Chile - Countryside and Lake, Message for the Homeless


                                                                 March 31, 2014

Hey family,

      So its been a crazy week. We are looking for new investigators. My English class is going well. We currently have 20 students that attend regularly, plus others. Other than that we have been busy contacting.

click to enlarge
Salta de Salta de Laja


     I am going to have to pick up some new winter clothes. I threw mine all away last year. they had gotten really ratty practically in tatters. I only kept one sweater.
Campo with Hermana Bazan, My Companion, and Hermana Palma
Our weekly planning had a little side break when my companion decided she was fed up with her split ends. She just hacked and cut them off and said it was good. She has beautiful long thick Latina hair and couldn't see it very well. It didn't turn out quite even, but I fixed it for her. It looks much healthier now.



     Speaking about Latina hair, everyone has long hair here. When they are a baby if it doesn't come in thick, they shave the head or the spots where it isn't coming in thick. Afterward, it comes in even. I am not sure how it works or if it only works for them, but I have seen it work with lots of babies here. Just a heads up for you, Mich.

    
     Here we are with our little investigadorita. 


We had fun teaching. and then afterward she didn't want us to go, so she stole my companion's shoe and hid behind me to stave off her wrath. So funny!


     I went to the university this week (INacap) to do volunteer work speaking English with their students. They wanted them to listen to a native speaker. It was very strange to be at a university, because I felt like I didn't belong there (Me thinking I'm going to be signing up for classes said that I should be there) and it was odd to speak English. Still, I enjoyed myself and they gave us a free notebook and said to come back whenever we could.

I liked Alena's letter. New work - how fun is that? 
It is always good to spice things up.

    Fall is here and brought with it a brisk winter wind. I love the colors of the plants. My sector is middle class, and there are lots of beautiful trees and vines. I found this one while walking and told my companion we had to snap some shots. These are a grape relative. They grow really fast. We have them out front on the Hobb's fence.

Grapes Miniature - Super sweet- My favorite
    Sadly, homeless people are common here. As a missionary, it is important to recognize that there is not a charity organization in the church to take care of these people. It is our work as missionaries. Now we know the church promotes teaching people to learn to help themselves and not simply giving to the poor. For this reason we leave a card that says something like.

      If you want to change your life or would like help, you can find it (address of the church) with (name of bishop) on Sunday between 10-4. You may also call (number of the mission). We care about you, and God cares about you and wants to help you.
                        With care,
                          The missionaries

My companion and Me
Spiritual Thought

Don't doubt the prophets. General Conference is coming up. I was reading this week in 2 Nephi, and he is talking about the Isaiah's prophesies - how those who dismiss them, because they don't understand them, will regret it in the last days. 

The Law of the Land is gradually separating from the Law of God. We know one day the two will go against each other, and we will have to choose who we will follow. Perry said in the last General Conference.
     In recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by the early Saints. It will not always be so. The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before. The adversary has been loosed upon the earth. We watch, hear, read, study, and share the words of prophets to be forewarned and protected.}
no more need be said


Signing up for BYU classes tomorrow.

                       Love you all lots.
                         Hermana Bowman
12:25 AM Posted by Sequoia 1
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Sunday, April 13, 2014

Riley #61 - Inglewood, CA - Getting the Routine down, Used my Chinese

                                              March 31, 2014

Hi,
  
     Thanks for the emails. It sounds like a lot is happening over there. It is odd to think of Mollie returning home soon. 

     The week has been good, and I have started to fall into the routine of things here. We are teaching some amazing people. It is so diverse here. We have an investigator from Cameroon, Nigeria, and another from Jamaica, as well as those who have been here all their life.

   
      We have been going to the Visitor Center a lot the past couple of weeks. It really is a great place to feel close to God. The people we take all love the experience and can also feel that the temple is a special place. I attached a picture with one of the people we took.




 We have been doing a fair amount of teaching lately. The days are all fairly routine, more so than Chinese work.

      We had a member take us to a buffet last week for dinner. All the workers there were Chinese, so I had a chance to talk to them. I haven't really seen any Chinese people on the street here, but apparently there must be a few in the area. It was great to speak a little Chinese again and they were all very friendly. I told the other Chinese elders about it, so hopefully they can have a chance to meet with them.

       I actually felt a little bit of the earthquake last week. It wasn't much and probably wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't been for the windows rattling. I am not really sure if it was more serious elsewhere.

 Love,
               Elder Bowman
7:14 PM Posted by Sequoia 0
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Mollie #72 - Van Obispo, Chile - Figs, About Charity

                                                     March 24, 2014

Hey Family,

     What have I been up to? - my English class, teaching piano, figs, being sick. It's getting cooler here, so I guess getting sick is part of it. Ugg. 
Fall is coming



Anyway, my class keeps growing. It now has 27 students. Let's hope it keeps getting bigger. Everyone participates, and it is a lot of fun.

I teach piano to a youth in each ward
  
     Figs = the best fruit on the planet. Picked these from the small garden of Eden that is hidden behind a small, secret door behind the church. 


    There is a small paradise back there. If this was my ward, that whole space would be utilized -  but hey. It still has a handful of beautiful trees. I love these figs. Why don’t we have very many in the US? I eat them by the bucketful. 






Spiritual Thought
Suffering sometimes is a good thing.

And acharity suffereth long, and is bkind, and cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily dprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

I have been study/contemplating for the last few weeks about the harder parts of charity. We often speak of the finer and easier attributes of charity how it is love, kindness, hope, etc. However there is also a darker side to this word.

Charity suffereth long, beareth all things,
 and endureth all things.

Recently, I have decided to try and lose weight. The truest and best description of a weight loss I have heard comes from Daddy. He says losing weight is self-inflicted suffering.  Whether it is in big bouts or small it is a net amount of suffering. And it is true, it is bearing one pain/want (hunger) to reap a greater want (health).

And so are the things with God. we bear things that are difficult -scorn, prejudice, gossip, weariness, lost friends, the bad decisions of loved ones, etc… For the reward of something greater.

Mothers like Mimi wash the dishes, clean the house, often without any acknowledgement, because they have charity.

It, I think is one of the hardest things to explain to people who are investigating the church. Would you be willing to give up your only day off your day of peace to attend church. And would you be willing to work in the church as a teacher or in nursery, etc. We must help people gain a larger perspective.  This is where the law of obedience comes in. 

It's like the youth video from the African girl with a poem.



     The blessings we obtain when we obey the laws of God are worth it. 
Love you all lots,
Hermana Mollie 
7:02 PM Posted by Sequoia 1
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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Riley # 60 - Inglewood, CA - My new companion, My new area

                                            March 24, 2014




Hi,
     It has been an interesting week. Working in this area is totally different than working with the Chinese before. The people are totally different here.

     My companion's name is Elder Kpainay. I forgot to take photos, so I don't have any of him yet, but he is awesome. He was born in Liberia, but came to the US when he was seven. 

      He is from Maryland and was going to Southern Virginia University before his mission. He goes home in July, so I am the junior companion again, which is really rather wonderful. 

Zone Conference - We're the International Zone

     Inglewood is just a little bit north of Torrance and south of Santa Monica and the LA temple. It is a fair bit west of Compton and Watts so it is pretty safe, not nearly as poor or dangerous as those areas.

      That being said, it is still relatively poor. The majority of the people here are Hispanic and Black, so I had only driven through here a few times before living here. It is still pretty diverse, with people here from a number of different countries. It is really different than what I am used to, but the people seem very friendly.

     President Weidman said I will spend a little while here, but that I will be put back into Chinese program eventually.

With my companions - Taken before I left to Inglewood


Love,
                Elder Bowman
11:19 PM Posted by Sequoia 1
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Mollie #71 - Villa Obispo, Chile - Postreton, Story of a man's conversion, Mission Conference

                              March 17, 2014

Hi,

      Eleven pies! Daddy that has got to be a new record for you. Good work on keeping nerdy traditions alive. Mother said it was fun.

   On the topic of baking, remember when I told you we were planning a  Postreton ( which is a big pastry competition) at church? Well, we had it a couple of weeks ago. It turned out great. Here's some photos from that event. It was a lot of fun.

 


















 


     I go running in the morning. It is getting chilly and my companion has now abandoned me to running with Hermana Leal. Alone but I might start dragging Deanne Villaroel with me. Love that girl.

     I taught my English class the other day. We had 17 non-member students. I am better at advertising since my days in Angol. Our problem is simply that we lack members to do the hermanimiento. I am working on it. 
     Many say that missionaries can find and baptize in about two months, but I have found on the mission that for me it is more like six months. I find people to teach and help them come to church and later they are baptized. 
     There was a  man on drugs (crack) in La Marina that I helped find and teach. I just found out he recently was baptized. It made me happy. Last time I saw him, he had fallen from our Word of Wisdom challenge. Some of his friends had swung by. He ended up in jail, and I left. But when he came back from jail, he went to church and the sisters kept working with him.  Life rocks! 

  We had mission conference. Here are some photos from it.





Our Zone Leaders - Elders Bills and Long

Elder Hendricks

  It is starting to get chilly here, but that just keeps me dancing on my toes. 



Spiritual Thought
If someone gave you a small piece of chocolate every day, would you read a chapter of the Book of Mormon everyday? We are helping an inactive 12 year old get a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He reads everyday for a piece of chocolate. He just needs a little motivation, and it works to help him move him along.  

    What things can we do to motivate ourselves to learn more, study, and remember to keep the commandments of God? A little motivation can make a big difference.

Love you lots!
         Hermana Bowman 
10:44 PM Posted by Sequoia 0
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Mollie #70 - Villa Obispo, Chile - English Class Photos and Mini-Missionaries Photos

                                      March 10, 2014

    

Hi,

     I really like Eva's wedding photos. It looks really nice. How pretty she was.

     This week was crazy we did lots of stuff! My English class had nineteen people in it!




     I don't have a lot of time, but I have photos of the mini-missionary activity and serving with our mini-missionaries. We had two mini-missionaries live with us as missionaries do for a week. One sister is leaving next month to Argentina. They came with us and helped serve and teach everyone.




 



Spiritual Thought
(No time!)

Never leave a good deed undone.
Always finish once begun.

I solemnly swear that I am up to good.

     Love you all lots,
       Hermana Bowman


  
4:04 PM Posted by Sequoia 1
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Riley #59 - Getting Great Results, Transfers - I'm moving to Inglewood - English! Biking!


                                              March 17, 2014

Hey Everyone,

       Thanks for the blog post and letter from Mollie. Sounds like she is still pretty crazy.

      I didn't feel an earthquake this morning, probably too far south. Elder Casey felt it though. He said it was really loud and lasted about a minute.

      This week was pretty great; we were able to meet a new family. They seem pretty awesome and are really nice. 

       The transfer ends Tuesday. The area has really grown this past transfer. At the beginning, it had just started and it seemed like the two companionships in the Branch weren't doing much more than one had. However, now we are working much more independent from one another. We are two areas that can do twice as much as before. 

       Transfers also shook some things up. We have the tenth and final Chinese elder coming in bringing the total to 10. His name is Elder Cooper, and he should be here in a week or so. Elder Casey is going to be training as well as be the new district leader.

     I am going to be moving to an English area in the city of Inglewood. I also will be biking. Inglewood is a lot different than Palos Verdes, so I am not quite sure what to expect. I will be going there tomorrow morning. It is a little sad to be out of the Chinese program, but hopefully I can come back in a transfer or two.

     By the way, can you go on  my Facebook and change the profile and heading pictures to mission photos and like the LAEnglish Facebook page? Thanks.

  Here are some pictures I never sent you from Chinese New Years and my birthday.






Love,

             Elder Bowman
11:31 AM Posted by Sequoia 1
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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Mollie #69 - Villa Obispo, Chile - Mini-missionaries, Salta de Laja, A Conversation

                                                                  March 3, 2014


Hey All,

     So we have been up to a lot. At least that is what it feels like, but the truth of the matter is we have been walking a loooooot in the blazing hot sun here in LA.

Cooling off with my hair clipped up.
 We have been advertising our English class.

    We are going to begin this week. I hope it is successful. We have been advertising by putting up fliers in all of the small business around our sector and handing out pass-along cards and using the church whiteboards. We also have a ward activity called the postreton, where everyone brings their most creative sweet treat.


   
    This week was fun, because we had 2 mini-missionaries in the house. When authorized by the mission president, people have permission to do a mini-mission - where they stay with the missionaries a week and live as a missionary would. It´s to help them prepare for the missions. We had two sisters. One is going on a mission to Argentina in April.

    We went and visited their house this morning. It is beautiful. Full of tall trees and there is a river - the Salta. It is a tourist sight if you want to look it up  - the Salta de Laja. 

Salta de Laja

     I love tall trees and the water is clean and clear. There are weeping willows, pines, aspens, aromatics, and many others. There are big fields flooded with corn, zucchini, etc. 


    The barbed-wire, tree branch fences close in pastures - freckled with cows and chickens and horses.

They eat horse here. It tastes like cow.

    I think large places, whether it is a forest or an ocean or a cliff, help us to realize how small we truly are. That in the scope of things God understands, sees, and takes care of things that are much larger and more complicated than we are. 

   All the little stress that we carry around in our eyes, shoulder, and head is let go, as we fall into admiration of the order and perfection that is God.

My companion is still fiery. She makes me laugh all the time. 

      The other day we approached a man and before we even said a word he was shaking his head gesturing at us with his hands to go away like a dog.  

      My companion took a step closer looked him in the eye and said: 

We are not animals. We are not to be gestured and shooed off.  Calm down. We are people. Would you like a printing of Jesus Christ? We are passing them out and inviting people to put it somewhere and remember him more.

Him: You are not going to convince me to change.

Hermana: We are not here to convince or change people. If people change it is not because we convinced them. I cannot convince anyone. We invite all to pray to God to know if what we share is true or a lie. It is one or the other. We are here to encourage and help you grow your faith in the God of us all and his son Jesus Christ. We are always here to serve you if you need help. Have a good day. 

    She has gotten very comfortable with the mission. It makes me smile some days more than others.

     Love you all lots,
      Hermana Bowman
11:43 PM Posted by Sequoia 0
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