Overdue

This week was pretty dang good yall! We taught a lot and were able to help people get movin in the right direction!

Monday was pretty good, we had supper with the Ellis family. They are pretty awesome, they used to work in the mission office. Elder Calk played us a last song or 2 on his final night in the mission field. It was really good. He's gonna be famous someday! Probably already has a CD out hahaha!

Tuesday was a good day, but somewhat emotional and sad. A lot of missionaries i know very well left and went home and some that I know even better are going home next week. It's crazy because the guys I came out with are now leaving and i'm still here. It's pretty weird to sit back and watch them leave and not be able to leave with them. I'll miss them all very much. Made me realize how short of a time I have left on my mission. Only 6 1/2 months. Crazy to think about. It's passin by too quick! 

Wednesday was pretty fun! We had a lesson with Isaac and Aislyn and then played Badminton and volleyball because we promised them we would last time. They had lots of fun and so did we! 

We did a lot through the rest of the week too, but I have like 5 minutes so I will just wrap this up. I hope yall have a great week and that you can do somethin nice for someone this week. WWJD? think about it. He would help everyone. Love yall! Later!

-Elder Taylor Bowes

Jacob

It is such a blessing to come back to the Klatt ward and see the growth of these kids physically and spiritually! Probably my favorite kid in the ward is Jacob. He has downs and he is such an awesome kid. I love that kid! We taught his family the first lesson last night and he knew some of the answers and you could just see the spirit pouring through him! To me, he is an angel in the flesh. I'm sure he has taught all of his siblings (7 of em) so much. They are awesome!

 

We haven't had any crazy storms and rarely do here. If it rains it's just a regular rain, nothin really hard. We probably get 20 hours of daylight maybe more! It sucks that we have to be in by 9 or 930. Summers up here are the best!

 

Sorry I have been really slackin on my weekly email to yall! Hope yall have an awesome week and I will try to have a weekly for yall next week!

 

-Elder Taylor Bowes

Quick Update

Well quick update. Sorry these are so short lately!

 

I am getting transferred back to the Klatt ward starting tomorrow!!! I am so excited!! I am lookin forward to workin hard there! My new comp will be Elder Olsen, I have no clue who he is. I guess i'll find out tomorrow! This past Sunday we had 3 people get baptized!! It was awesome! They were so happy!! Elder Tebbs is feeling better now, finally! Just in time to get transferred again! Anyways love yall!

 

Gotta go!

 

-Elder Taylor Bowes

**Sorry this email isn't that long. It's hard for me to respond long like I did when I was in Whitehorse and Bethel. I'm restricted to an hour now at the library.**

Sorry!! Happy late Memorial Day!!

Hey yall! It's been a while. Sorry for no emails! It's hard to do this email in Anchorage cause I am limited on time at the library.

For memorial day I played 18 holes at Anchorage Golf Course. It was pretty fun! I'm hopin to get some pictures of that up for yall!

Anyways, I am still learning the Samoan language slowly but surely. I can understand a lot more than I can speak. I have a new companion now. His name is Elder Tebbs. Google him, he is gonna be famous!! Tommy Tebbs. He shot a movie before he came out on his mission. It's called Saint Street. It comes out in December. He is also very good at ball. Check him out! We haven't really been able to do much because he has been sick for the past 2 1/2 weeks. I've done a lot of studyin and stuff. I miss the Samoan people. I haven't seen them in so long! I think I will be gettin' transferred on Tuesday to a new area. I hope I stay in Anchorage. I've seen enough of the bush in Alaska and I like bein' around lots of people. We will see!! I only have 9 months left! Well 8 in a few days... time flies when you're doin His work!! Feels like I just left Whitehorse the other day and that's been 5 or 6 months ago! Anyways, I'm doin great! Hope yall are too!

Love,

-Elder Taylor Bowes

Sick Week

Hey yall.

 

Not much to tell yall about... reason being that I was sick the entire week!

 

On Tuesday I went to the doctor and they gave me some medicine to start taking for strep throat and that was supposed to get me better. I took it for a few days and rested up allllll day. I've actually never hated sleeping so much... As the days passed, my throat got worse and worse to the point where I didn't want to eat or drink because it hurt so bad.

 

Friday I woke up and my throat was almost swollen shut. I weighed myself because I am self concious about my weight.... and I lost 10 lbs. in 2 days and was pretty weak. It was awesome! (just in case you didn't catch it, that was sarcasm :))  It was to the point that I thought I might be catching Pnuemonia. We went to the ER and they said I didn't have Pnuemonia! :D I got an IV and some medicine that is actually strong enough to get rid of the strep. They gave me Augmentin and put me on Prednasone to get the swelling down. The next day the strep was almost already gone! Sunday morning it was gone!!! :D I feel a million times better now!

 

Other than that nothing has happened this week because I was either sick or recovering! I am definitely healthy again and ready to get back to work!! Hope yall remember to do the small things that bring great things to pass! :) Love yall! Have an awesome week!

 

Love,

 

-Elder Taylor Bowes

 

P.S. Sorry I haven't sent any pictures... My camera ain't workin!

Anchorage

Hey Yall!

 

I am so sorry I haven't emailed yall in so long! I guess the last time I emailed yall was right after transfers a few weeks back. I'll try to remember as much as I can, probably only the most important things will stick out in memory.

 

2 weeks ago we went to Anchorage for a few days. Monday we got there and had to email in the library there which you only get a hour to email. I didn't have time to answer everybody and write this email. After that we went and played basketball and it was the first time in a long time for me that I played with a bunch of other missionaries. Lets just say that livin' in a place with a gym has improved my game. :D Elder Merrill, MacPherson, Davis and I were on teams and we won 9 in a row before they kicked us off the court because nobody could beat us! :) That was pretty awesome! I got to see lots of missionaries and people I haven't seen in a long time! That night we went and saw the Wilcox!! family and ate supper with them and then went to the Hodgson's!! I miss those families soooo much!! We stayed at the mission home that night. It was lots of fun! We had Elder Anderson and Elder Bamlul with us. I don't think we went to sleep on time any of the 3 nights we were there. lol

 

That Tuesday we had Zone Conference. It was really good. It was on the upcoming Easter weekend and how we need to make sure we remember to work hard and stay busy. After Zone Conference we went and ate with Elder Merrill's cousin at Red Robin! It was soooo good. He gave us money too. He is super nice! That night we received our own personal training on how to work with the Ward leaders and get their help in finding people to hear the gospel.

 

Wednesday we ran around getting some things for ourselves and people back in Bethel. It was a pretty hectic day. We hopped on the plane and flew back to Bethel.

 

Friday was an eventful day.... Our transmission had been actin' up for the past couple of days and we were turning into the post office and she went out. Luckily reverse still worked so I backed up probably 200 yards to the shop down the street. I got a couple of strange looks with a truck goin' backwards down the road. Since then we have been without a vehicle and have been walking! What a joy....

 

Saturday was of course General Conference! I didn't get to see either of the first 2 sessions because I was sick. We watched the Priesthood session too and it was good, but the feed out here kept cuttin' in and out. I plan on rewatchin' all of it! We had pizza afterwards, reminded me of Roxboro when we always had pizza before Priesthood session.

 

Sunday was really good! Got to watch all of those sessions. Its awesome to be able to hear from the Prophet and the apostles. They truly are inspired of God.

 

This past week has been really good too. We've stayed very busy with walking everywhere and we have definitely learned to be better at time management. It has been warm here lately and everything is melting which has made it quite muddy.

 

We went to a Ducks Unlimited banquet this past Saturday and I almost won a Benelli Supernova 12 guage! lol They fed us prime rib! It was soooo good!

 

Right now at the moment I have strep throat.... It's really awesome and I wish I could have it all the time.... Sike! I am really drained and am on house arrest til tomorrow afternoon. I really dislike being sick. This email would be longer if it weren't for that. I love yall and hope yall are doing well!

 

Love,

 

-Elder Taylor Bowes

It's a party!!

I am so sorry for not emailin' yall last week. It was pretty crazy last week. I'll try to remember as much as I can from 2 weeks ago.

 

Well Saturday 2 weeks ago we got our transfer calls and Elder Shumway got transferred to Anchorage and I am staying in Bethel!! I was so happy! I am now serving with Elder Merrill who I begged to serve with. We have been havin' so much fun and gettin' a lot of work done here in Bethel. He is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He is a really good missionary. We get along really really well. I am very very excited for this transfer! I have a feelin' it's gonna go really fast though. :(

 

Monday Elder Shumway packed all day and then we had a lesson with Jesslyn and Millie. It was a good lesson about Keeping the Sabbath day holy. It's so important to keep it holy. It's a day meant for rest with your family and for you to reflect on what Christ has done for you and everybody else.

 

Tuesday mornin' I dropped Elder Shumway off at the airport and then went back to the church and cleaned out our room and bathroom and then went and hung out with Brother Helgesen the rest of the day until Elder Merrill came in that night. I had a really good time with Brother Helgesen, he is very funny. lol I went and picked up Elder Merrill and brought him back and then we caught each other up on whats been happenin' on our missions.

 

The rest of the week we have been goin' around and lettin' him meet everybody.

 

Thursday we played basketball with the kids around the church and on the very last play of the night, Elder Merrill gets a high ankle sprain.... Not fun for him. I've been the doctor for the past couple of days. His ankle is doing really good though now. Hopefully he will be back to normal soon.

 

Friday and Saturday we did a lot of service at Sammy's Market. We must've helped unload at least 15 pallets of stuff for the store. In return he lets us have free drinks and food too. He even told us to go to a restaurant and order "whatever excited us". He is a really nice guy and really appreciates our help. We end up doing a lot of service for others out here in Bethel. I love it though, there's nothin' like servin' others and puttin' a smile on their face! :) It even says in the scriptures, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your god". Saturday we had to take the truck to the shop. It is still in the shop.... We have been walkin' around the past couple of days. We won't have it back til Tuesday.

 

Sunday was pretty good. Jesslyn came to church and is getting baptized tomorrow! We are so excited for her! Seeing others so happy when they accept the gospel makes all the bad memories of your mission go away.

 

Sorry for the not so long email. I love yall and hope yall are doin' well!

 

Love,

 

-Elder Taylor Bowes