Ran Allim! ❤

I tried writing this throughout the week, so if it's too much of an overload of spiritual greatness.. well, that's just too bad. It was another great week to be a missionary in Hawaii!!

On Tuesday, we had District Meeting-- which I feel could be referred to more as a "missionary pump up" meeting. Our focus has been on personal testimony lately, but particularly on the power of the Book of Mormon. We ended the meeting with roleplays, and our first one was a door approach using the Book of Mormon. This was SO COOL because about half an hour later, we did the exact same door approach, word for word at a real investigators housr and it went fabulously! Our Zone Leaders referred a family to us, so we went to the appointment in their place. The auntie who answered didn't seem super interested at first, telling us: "Oh, I have my own Bible. My church is ___." We went on to explain what the Book of Mormon is, and how it is a gift that we wanted to share with her, and she completely accepted it after that. She was actually super excited it was in her language AND it was free! Blessings of the true Gospel, am I right?

We continued seeing miracles when I returned to my area on Saturday, as we had kids just walking up to our car window or meeting us on the sidewalks so they could tell us where they live and ask us to teach their families more. What a pure and simple and sweet assurance that what we have is a gift -- something that even children recognize as such.

After a fantastic MLC yesterday, I was able to take away a very key principle. That is: We can always do more and be more of who God needs us to be. I absolutely love serving with this purpose as my focus.

I can't wait for our mothers day skype! What time do you think would be best? Ill send you something to read, I'm excited for you to give your talk! 

Uwa pwapwa❤

Sister Bowen 

Dialogue of Carlmarx, an 8 year old Chuukese boy who walked up to our car window and waited for us to roll it down:
"Hello! How are you?"
"Good."
"What's your name?"
"Carlmarx. C-A-R-L-M-A-R-X."
*found out he has met missionaries before*
"Would you like us to come to your house and teach a lesson?"
"Yes. I live in 29B...Where are you going?"
"Just up the hill to visit some other people."
"Oh. Can I come with you?"
After explaining that we can't take him with us, but promising to visit him another time, he was satisfied, and turned around and ran through the bushes back up to where his house is hahahaha.

With Sister Fifita

With Sister Eberhard

Another Busy Week

This week was another busy week and I continue to fall more and more in love with the people and the area. I feel so lucky to be a missionary for these people. 

We went to the Visitor Center in Laie with our investigator Mercy and her niece. It was quite the adventure not to mention we threw it together in about 15 minutes. 

We also went on exchanges and I was with a new sister, Sister Bedford, and I felt like it was just a few short weeks ago that I was the New missionary on exchanges with a veteran missionary. 

We also ran out of food and money this week so the Lord was kind enough to bless us with a tourist who dropped off all their extra food to us. We were VERY excited to not be eating spaghetti anymore 😉 

This week we went and taught a lesson with the APs and they are so inspiring to me, I loved hearing other missionaries testify knowing I'm a missionary 😊 

We also logged in bout 30 teaching records to our phones and, let me just say I am glad we are done haha. 

Last but not least we have been focusing on studying talks about the Book of Mormon and I continue to have an increased testimony of it, I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. It means so much to me 😊 

Love you and I hope you all have a good week, thank you for your prayers it means so much to know i have so many people praying for me. 😊 

Love 

Sister Bowen 

Busiest week of my mission

Mom and Dad, 

A lot of missionaries have described their missions to me as an emotional, spiritual, and sometimes (it feels like) physical roller coaster. This past week not only proved that statement but surpassed the "busiest week of my mission" which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. 

This week was miracle after miracle and there where so many divinely designed opportunities.
Monday after our Preparation Day ended at 6, we went to teach one of our investigators who we had set up a lesson with for that day. After knocking and knocking we left feeling disappointed that our lesson had fallen through but decided to make the most of it and visit a lady named Roxina we had seen attend church the week before with a friend who lives next door. After persistently knocking (you tend to have to knock a long time here before people anwser) a man answered the door and after we introduced ourselves ("Ran Allim! Itei Sister Bowen me Sister E, Ifa Usumw?") He excitedly opened the door wide ("Pëchëcun! Pëchëcun! Come!") and invited us in to see his wife. We entered the one room, carpetless apartment with nothing but a single twin size mattress in the corner and a single modest shoe rack and closet. They repetitively apologize for not having a coach we could sit on and mom, dad, and their 6 year old son respectfully sat across from us on the floor and eagerly awaited our message, mind you this is a message we didn't know we would be giving. We thanked them for allowing us in and began to express Heavenly Fathers love for their family. We taught some of the restoration and asked Roxina how she had felt at church. After she expressed how much she had liked it and hoped to keep going back, she mentioned that some of her cousins attended that same Micronesian Branch, and they had told her we were teaching them and they were going to be baptized in a little over a month. The husband turned to his us and asked "can she be baptized with them?" She nodded excitedly in agreement and we were so shocked but we said of course! We talked about how they need to keep attending church and having us teach lessons so they are prepared for baptism, then we closed our miracle lesson with a prayer, said goodbye ("Kinisou chapur! Sipwap Chu!") and left, still stunned at how amazing their family was. I love their family and I love the humble circumstances that bring the spirit so strongly when we teach in their home. Monday night we also found out over the Zone Leader and Sister Training Leader conference call with our mission President that all the missionaries on the island of Oahu would be getting tickets to go to BYU Hawaii to see President Nelson! We were so excited and Sunday finally came around, we drove to Laie, and not only got to sit close and see the prophet speak but listen to Elder Holland and both their wife's. I also saw so many of my missionary friends that I haven't seen in so long because I have been off island, it was all so exhausting but one of the best days I've had in a while. I still cannot believe how blessed I was to be moved back on Island just in time for President Nelson devotional and, in a few weeks, Elder Holland's mission address. 

Wednesday we found a new investigating family by accidentally knocking on the wrong door and when we went back to have Family Home Evening with them, they had 2 members, an inactive member and 2 friends who became new investigators over to have FHE with them and loved our lesson and activity. We hope to continue teaching all of them! 

We went on exchanges with the sisters in the Pearl City area and I got to go spend the day in Pearl City with Sister Ngatuvai, one of Sister Fifitas best friends! He had the best day, knocked so many doors, got fresh avocados, and made a video to send to Sister Fifita. I love being an STL to learn from so many other sisters. Exchanges always inspire me. This particular exchange was especially inspiring because of one of the doors we felt we needed to visit so we PERSISTENTLY knocked and knocked and knocked some more. An older auntie finally heard us, answered and surprised us by telling us she was actually a member. We stood at the door at talked for 2 hours, and she told us all about her conversion story and the missionaries that had taught her. She has an incredible story but to put it short, she had gone to an LDS church one Sunday as a teenager with her friends and one of them asked if she would ever become a Mormon. She laughed and said, "yeah in 13 years." (She said 13 was a superstitious number to her and her friends or something so it basically meant never.) Then years later after she had begun taking the lessons from the missionaries she called and asked if they had written down the exact day they had first knocked on her door. They told her the date and it was exactly, to the day, 13 years after she had very first attended the church. Her story strengthened my testimony and made me laugh a little, the Lord most definitely has a sense of humor. 

There where so many more little miracles all week I cannot write them all down, but I feel so grateful that I am in this area at this time to experience them. 

Lastly I read a talk this week that encouraged me when I needed it and changed the way I look at trials, "2 principles for any economy" by Elder Uchtdorf. He talks about the importance of hard work and the service that hard work is, "Those who are unafraid to roll up their sleeves and lose themselves in the pursuit of worthwhile goals are a blessing to their families, communities, nations, and to the Church." He also talked about how trials are what build us. "It is often in the trial of adversity that we learn those most critical lessons that form our character and shape our destiny." This week was one of the hardest weeks of my mission and there were days my wagon felt more stuck in the mud then ever before in my life but I know my heavenly father is there and I am never alone, "our Savior walked that path alone so you don't have to." I know that is true, I know my Savior knows how we feel and loves us because of it, he will never leave us and he is so proud of who we are becoming as we face our trials trusting in him. Thank you Mom and Dad for teaching me that principle my whole life, I didn't completely understand it until I had to experience it, but for the experience and your example of trusting in him, I will forever be grateful. 

Thank you both so much and I cannot wait to see you on Mothers Day, keep trekking along, I love you ❤ 

Ofa atu,
Sister Bowen 

PS: MY BEAUTIFUL BIRTHDAY PACKAGE THAT U LOVE SO MUCH❤❤❤

I'm loving Honolulu!

After leaving Lahaina I was worried I would loose the fire I have right now for missionary work but the spirit has let me know that this is where I need to be at this point in my mission and I am so grateful that our mission President is so inspired. I am still a little surprised that I love it so much but I really do. 

SO I am currently learning Chuukese which is AWESOME. Me and my new companion Sister Eberhard, are over the Chuukese and Pohnpaiens in the Micronesian Branch here in Honolulu. The Micronesian Branch that meets at the Tabernacle in downtown Honolulu (which just happens to be right next to our beautiful apartment) consists of Marshelles, Chuukese, and Pohnpeian, whom all come from the Micronesian Islands also known as the Guam mission. We got language packets for both Chuukese and Pohnpeian from the Guam mission so we officially are called to speak both languages. I am focusing mostly on Chuukese because most of our current investigators are from Truk and for the most part none of the Chuukese speak English, they are the least Americanized of all the Micronesian Islands. The people are so humble and so willing to listen, despite the language barrier. We use a lot of object lessons and it has been fun teaching the people almost like how we would teach the kids in my other areas. Definitely right in my ball park.  

We had a great lesson with a family that sat and listened so intently to our message of eternal families. This family was sitting in a 2 roomed house in a dirty part of Honolulu, they don't have a car or even any decorations in their home but they have their family and they were so pwapwa (Happy) anyway. I love these people for that. 

I am still an STL here in Honolulu but there are no other Sisters in the Honolulu Zone so we cover the sisters in the HonWest zone and some of Waipahu. I love the sisters we are over and can't wait to go on exchanges over the next transfer. 

Today for P-Day we FINALLY GOT TO GO HIKING!! I have been wanted to hike my whole mission and we finally are in a zone that has a lot of awesome hikes. Today we picked Koko Head......I went from 1 year of no hikes to the hardest hike I've ever been on. Hahaha I had a great time anyway. Koko Head is a beautiful hike up a mountain, and you climb up an old railroad track to get to the top. Don't ask me how that train made it to the top because I barely did. 

I can't believe my 1 year mark is this week, time has gone too quickly and I know it will be over before I know it. I can't wait to be home again but there is no way I'm not going to miss this. Missionary work is unforgettable. Thank you for all you sacrifice to allow me to be here, I will forever be grateful to you for raising me to be prepared for the best 18 months of my life. 

Love you,

Sister Bowen 

I'm leaving Lahaina

Aloha 😊,

I'm leaving Lahaina and I am so disappointed! I will miss Sister Fifita more than I can say and we have 4 baptisms coming up. I asked Sister Fifita to send me pictures of all the baptisms but it's just not the same. 

I am being transferred to.....get ready......Honolulu! I will be serving right in the heart of the city in the Honolulu 2nd ward and I will also be serving in a Chukees branch. I'm excited for the new adventure. My zone leader Elder Wills said Honolulu was one of his favorite areas and one of the other elders was so excited that I was serving in the Chukees branch. He said I will be changed so much by them. My new companion is Sister Eberhard, who Sister Wilson trained and I've met at MLC. She a hard worker and all of her companions have loved her so I think we will get along great. Not to mention the apartment that the Honolulu sisters stay at is beautiful and right in the middle of the city, so I have the best view in the mission ;) 

This week I said goodbye to the Swenson, who I am going to miss so so much and the Honda family who we were very close with. I also said goodbye to the Hayes family yesterday and it is the first time since we finally got permission to have Brother Hayes baptized (Permission we didn't think we were going to get) that we taught a lesson and he is a changed man. I can't explain how different he is from when I first came to the area and met him and who he is now. He is happy and talkative and so full of hope. I never understood how much I took the hope that comes from baptism for granted until I met Randy. He has changed me and given me fire to find those in Honolulu that need hope. I am so grateful for the hope of the gospel that is not only something I get to teach everyday, but deeply apart of who I am.  

Molokai now only has 1 set of elders instead of 2 and Lanai is getting their own set of elders! I think it would be so hard to serve on a whole island by yourself but the missionaries there are going to do great.

It rained so much here this week, in fact there hasn't been a day that it hasn't rained since the beginning of this transfer, I love it. We also made sure to do a mochi ice cream run for one final time and ran across a palm tree forest while trying to find a referral for a new investigator. Lahaina and Sister Fifita time is something I will never forget. 

I hope all is well at home and I was so happy to see that you took a trip for Flat Stanley in St. George! :) Tell everyone I said hi and I miss them more and more every week :)

Love, 

Sister Bowen 

It's great to be serving the Lord

This week was great as usual because as usual, it's great to be serving the Lord😊🤙

We went to haleakala today and just got back. We're going to lunch with the zone leaders and Pukalani elders in a bit which is always fun because we hardly get to see the other missionaries because we live so far away. I love our zone leaders they are phenominal and do so much for us, I strive to be a leader that can keep up with them 😉 

We went to a softball game this week with 5 part member families and really impressed the coach who also happens to be the first counselor in our ward. We are making such good progress with the softball team and their families, blessings definitely come from working closely with the ward members and we become more and more grateful every week for the help the Lord provided us with in gaining the ward counsels trust. 

We also went on exchanges this week and I got to stay in Lahaina with a brand new sister: Sister Choi who is from Korea and only 3 weeks out. She is doing well, we visited so many people and went to the Tongan ward relief society party which included the usual taro (potato like root that they make poi from), shrimp, faikakai (dessert made of dough and... caramel? Super good) mussles, and so much other food I can't even remember. Our ward mission Leader, Brother Hifo who is my favorite person ever, was the DJ and as overwhelmed as I think Sister Choi was we both enjoyed it. 

Last night we were prompted to visit a part member/active/less active family, The Haias, and the more we visit them the more I love them. The Haias are someone we pray for so much because they are amazing and all of them deserve the blessings of the temple. We talked for an hour or two about anything and everything and I forgot to take a picture of Brother Haia with his sick VW bug. Next week 👍😊 

I love my companion sister Fifita and wish I could stay with her my whole mission, she honestly makes being a missionary my favorite thing in the whole world ❤😄

I love you and pray for our family every night. Mahalo nui loa for all you do ❤

Sister Bowen 

Haleakala 

Finally in my high elevation element #utahislife

Me and Sister Fifita, my favorite comp. 

Easter love from Sister Murray 😊

Haleakala

Haleakala 10,000+ ft elevation

Last week has been the craziest week of my mission!

Malo e lelei 😊 

I am so sorry I didn't email last week, this last week has been the craziest week of my mission! I'll break it down:

Monday: Woke up at 4:00, drove to the other side of Maui to the airport, and flew to Oahu with our Zone Leaders to our Missionary Leaders Counsel. Had an amazing MLC which focused on remembering not to let the Church take over the gospel, how "a grateful heart leads to greatness", and remembering our purpose. My notebook is full as well as my heart, I am so grateful to have such an inspired mission President and to be working with some of the finest missionaries I have ever met. After MLC we stayed at the mission office, helped some of the senior couples, then went to dinner with the Honolulu Sisters. Stayed over night in Honolulu at their apartment and enjoyed the beauty of the city of Honolulu.

Tuesday: SISTER FIFITAS 6 MONTH MARK 😄 Woke up the next day and spent time walking around the city. Honolulu is just so different from all the other places I have served so far it was great to see that side of Hawaii. Went too our first districit meeting of the week, then some members Sister Fifita knew took us to Lunch. After a lot of craziness, eventually we got on our flight home. We didn't arrive until about 8 at night so we drove to the Makawoa Sisters home and stayed with them overnight so we didn't have to make the hour drive back to Lahaina and drive back Wednesday morning for District Meeting.

Wednesday: Went to our 2nd District Meeting with our new district leader Elder Blackmore who is a fireball and really gets me pumped for missionary work. Drove back to lahaina and had a service project weeding an investigators yard, our ward Corrilation meeting right after, and a Young Women's activity about missionary work right after. We helped them make cupcakes to deliver to our investigators.

Thursday: Drove BACK to the other side of Maui again for all day interviews with our mission President and reviewing the zones area books on their phones. Drive back to Lahaina. Planned our Zone Conference Training.

Friday: Drove back AGAIN to the other side of Maui for zone conference and had great training from the mission President, his wife, and our Zone leaders. Shout out to them they did amazing as usual. We gave a training on being creative with technology and working with members which went well, I could feel the spirit working with us as we trained. Drove back to Lahaina.

Saturday: Chapel Clean up, eagle scout project, a baptism on the other side and finally finding time to go deliver the Young Women's cupcakes.

Sunday: Splits with me going to the 1st ward and Sister Fifita going to the 2nd ward, visiting all day and finally ending the day with a lesson involving the YSA and deep fried Oreos.

We are so blessed to have so much going on, I feel the spirit so strongly everyday as we diligently fill our time with the Lord's work. We are his hands and as we do our best to sacrifice what little we have he will use us.

I always though that a mission would be like a line on a graph. 📈 As I worked and continued to grow and progress, I would become better and better everyday until I was the best version of myself. The longer I am out on my mission, the more a mission feels like a circle.⏺ Some days are up and some days are down and at times it feels like I am the same person I left on the mission as. But as Dad always reminds me, right now it may feel like a circle but from a heavenly perspective it's more of a spiral. I know if I am worthy and willing the Lord can use me and even if I return the same, at least I will return knowing others have changed.

I love this gospel, I love the Book of Mormon and I believe in change. As Sister Bekker said, "If the gospel doesn't change you then what good is the gospel?"

Read the Book of Mormon, forgive yourself, teach change, and remember how much our Savior loves you. 😊❤ Have a great week, I love you so much!!

Sister Bowen 🤙 

MLC 

Beautiful Honolulu 

ELDER CABRITO 😄👏

Sister Walker: "I can see a couple of you are getting a little nervous don't worry it's just in case." 

District leader Elder Blackmore 

I'm FREEZING.