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.