News from the MTC

Sorry I didn't post last week. Things were pretty busy and crazy around here. Getting back into the routine of school after the Christmas break takes a little getting use to but we are back into our routine. Jack and Jenny are doing great and Dorothy is working hard.

I am posting the last two emil letters from Jason. He is still at the MTC and will be until at least 17 February 2009.

Letter form 8 January 2009

I am so happy to be here in the MTC. I got to write a thank you letter toa Mr. and Mrs. Stephen from here in Orem, Utah to thank them for their donationto the missionary Christmas fund, and that was so cool. It reminded me of myChristmas a bit, and to be honest (I love you guys), it was the best Christmasever. It was humble and just nice. I loved to hear from two apostles, and themission presidency was great at trying to accomidate so many missionaries.
(His snail mail letter talked about the Christmas Eve Devotional with Elder Bednar and a Christmas Morning Devotional with Elder Holland. He said: "It's really neat having to have heard from 2 apostles in the last 24 hours.")
Anyway, the studies this week have been really good. I have enjoyedeverything we've talked about. My teachers are so inspired of God, andit's wonderful getting to learn from them. As my companion and I study,trying to prepare for the lesson we give on Tuesday for evaluation, we learn somuch, mainly about how much we know and don't necessarily need to share. We only have 30 minutes and the gospel is so good, we tend to spend all 30 minson the Pre-Mortal existance. So yeah, cutting down information is hard, but yesterday, we got to teach a portion of the first lesson in Spanish to anothercompanionship from another district, and that was great. We actually spent lesstime talking (mainly due to language restrictions, haha) and had the opportunityto just listen to the investigator and fit his needs. It was pretty cool.
The more time I spend here in the MTC, the more I actually want to go anddo the work, but as it's said in Doctrine and Covenants: "Seek not todeclare my word, but first seek to obtain my word..." I understand this,but it's kind of hard. We get the opportunity every week to go to the"Referral Center" and make calls to people who have ordered materialto make sure they got it, and that is a wonderful experience to get to hearpeople's concerns about the gospel and about the Book of Mormon. We had onemissionary in our district actually teach the entire plan of salvation over thephone and then commit the man he talked to to read and pray about the Book ofMormon. It was awesome. Two other elders were in Chat talking to a man abouthis concerns with Joseph Smith being able to see God. They got his e-mail and are still talking to him. This is such a wonderful place.
Anyway, I just want you to know that the Church is true. Joseph Smith isthe prophet of this dispensation and Thomas S. Monson is the prophet on theearth today, continuing to lead and guide people on the earth right now. I know that I am a son of God, He loves me, and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ Ican return to live with my Father some day. I look foreward, through theordinaces of the gospel and my own personal obedience, to seeing you all in theCelestial Kingdom one day. I pray that no one, after all is said and done, isin any other kingdom, for it is damnation. One can not progress anywhere exceptin the Father's presence, so to be away from Him is a dam on your progression. Stay fathful and follow the Spirit.
Love you all,
Elder Jason Bowen

Letter form 15 January 2009

Mom,
I got the letter, and all is well. The cookies were kind of dry when I got them though...lol. They're still good though, just gotta chew for a bit till they get nice and soft. Tell Dorothy thanks form me.
I had a wonderful week. Elder Jeffery R. Holland came and spoke to us Tuesday night and it was wonderful. He really knows how to give a pep talk. He made an anology of how our little brothers think that we're flying somewhere over Omaha, with a cape, and as we look out over South Dakota, we say "I sense evil...I will swoop down and call them to repentace." He had us ROLLING in the isles for about a half an hour...it was so funny.
But then he talked of us sticking to our missions and not complaining, which was really good. I always enjoy hearing him. He know what to say and when to say it.
Um....let me think. So much is happening, but it's kind of all the same. I don't want to sound repetitious, but the Spirit is so strong here and I'm recieveing so many revelations as my companion and I study. I have an investigator on the phone lines here that I'll be calling back on Saturday. Oh, yeah, you don't know of that yet. There's a place called the Referral Center (RC) where we can make phone calls to see if people have recieved media and how they liked it. (My district also does Chats) Anyway, I made a phone call to one lady named Donna, and when she answered, she was kind of mad because it was the third phone call she had gotten and was wondering why. She and I talked for a bit, and when I asked her how she liked the movie (Joy to the World) she said that it was a good movie and it brought her closer to Christ but it wouldn't convert her to Mormonism. We talked for a bit longer and she committed to reading Alma chapter 7. She also took her movie to her atheist son-in-law, but he didn't recieve it well. I'm going to try to continue to work with her, becuase she has a really strong testimony of Jesus Christ and I know that his restored gospel will really help her.
We're also getting ready to start teaching one of the teachers here like a real investigator. If he doesn't feel the Spirit, then he said he'd kick us out and we have to earn a right to come back and teach him more. I'm kind of scared, but really exited to see how well we do. Normally, we teach a teacher and get feedback, but he wont give it, we have to use the Spirit and figure it out for ourselves. Pray for me....lol.
Besides that I really don't have any strong feelings right now...I dunno, but this is an awesome place and I look foreward to the field. It's funny, I really want to go out and teach, but I thought of something this week: "Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall [ye be] loosed." I changed it up a bit, but that's kind of how I feel. I have this huge testimony and I want to go out and let the Spirit convert those who He needs to convert through me, but I need to obtain the word here first and I know it. By the way, I know that the verse is a bit different, but I changed it to fit how I need it right now. And it's kind of funny.
So, I want you to know I love you all and pray for you always. I know that the church is true and that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I bear my testimony at least 10xs a day here, and at first it felt kind of odd, but now they're all sincere and I really know that what I'm saying is what the person hearing me needs. My purpose is to "bring people unto Christ" not just non-members, so I know that when I teach these members who are playing investigators, they need something too, which is why I know that as I bear my testimony to other missionaries, my testimony strengthens them as well. I love the Savior and I love this Church so much, and I know that it's true. The more I study, the more I come to love the gospel and all that it offers us. I love you all and keep up the good work in your areas of the vineyard.
Love,
Elder Jason Bowen

Letter from Elder Bowen

I received the first e-mail from Elder Jason Bowen this week. We have received two letters through snail mail but this is the first e-mail. He is doing great and enjoying every minute of his mission. We miss him but know that he is doing the Lord's work and would not want to bring him home for anything.


Hello Mom, I only have 25 minutes left to write you, so you'll get a letter later on this week probably....Jenny, I wrote yours this morning. Anyway, I had a wonderful week. After hearing two apostles of Jesus Christ speak, Christmas was great. I missed you guys to, but the goodies helped (my entire floor thanks you, peanut brittle seemed to be the best received). My roommates really thank you for the cookies, Jenny and Jack. I spent the rest of the week doing classes and waiting on teachers. One of our teachers is in Texas for the holidays, so his replacements have sometimes showed up. Hermana Body, the teacher that stayed, is great. She's so knowledgeable in the gospel and it's so great learning both Spanish and doctrine from her. Hermano Paz Soldan (he's from Bolivia[name means peace soldier]) has been the main replacement, and we went over all the past tenses yesterday at once, that was rough. Most of the district was spinning after that, but we're good now. It will come in handy when I need to speak in the past though. He's also really awesome on doctrine, but I love it when he talks about how to teach to actually teach the investigator. He's very knowledgeable on people and it's great when he does a demonstration; he's so in tune with the Spirit. We've been having an awesome time as a district here. My companion and I are getting along. There are some bumpy spots, because he's REALLY goofy a LOT of the time, but I'm learning to love that about him. He makes me less serious, and it's kind of, no, it's working out for us. He's really in tune with the Spirit when it comes down to it, and it helps in the lessons. I just need to talk less. We taught our district leader and his companion the second lesson (plan of salvation), and it went rather well. My companion had only read half the lesson, but we didn't get farther than he read and our time was up. We did a lot better on understanding the investigator's needs, asking questions, and not talking to long. It was a really good lesson, we just need to add the last part. I am enjoying you letters, and it takes about 6 days to get here. I got the goodie package on the Monday or Tuesday after you wrote the letter (dated Dec. 23). I don't know how long it takes to get from here to there, but the mail isn't running today, so I'm sending out my letters tomorrow. I would rather have the snail mail than e-mail. It's like Christmas when I have mail and get to see who it's from. I love you all and miss you all, I still have about 15 mins, but I can't think of anymore to write, if I think of it, I'll but it in the envelope with Jenny's letter. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ, as restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith is true, and I'm grateful to serve my God and King on this mission. I love the MTC and my testimony is growing by leaps and bounds and I look forward to the day when I can go out into the NV-LVW mission area and start preaching to the Hispanics in the area. I kind of feel bottled up here, my testimony growing and no one to share it with that doesn't already know the truth for themselves. I want to be out there teaching others and bringing them to Christ. To everyone back home ('cause I know Mom's reading this in Relief Society at least [love you Mom]) I say to go out and bear your testimony. It's true and the good people in the Lonoke Branch area have been kept from it for way to long. Bless their lives by taking them the gospel that has blessed you for so long.I love you all and look forward to hearing from you,Elder Jason Bowen


The rest of the family is doing great also. It has been nice having Dorothy living at home again although we don't see much of here. Jennifer, Jack, and I have all enjoyed our Christmas Vacation and are not wanting to return to school on Monday but it must be done. We have enjoyed spending time together and with Dad that we don't usually have the time to do. The start of 2009 has been a great one.