An Adventurous Week

October 27, 2011

Dear Family,

This Week has gone by quickly and again I am late on emailing.  We have been super busy with things across the mission which it looks like that is the way it will be from here on out till I get released from being assistant. 

Elder Gudjenov and I have been traveling a lot for the trainer/trainee meetings on both sides of the mission that we have presented at.  we also are busy with the logistics of upcoming events as well as planning more trainings.  This Morning we drove to Selah and Back to transfer a missionary and tomorrow we will be back up there for a specialized training.  This past Tuesday we were able to take our preparation day in the Dalles/Hood River area and we went on some fun hikes! we started the day at Lost Lake and then did a 14 mile Hike to tunnel falls (the same trail as punch bowl falls that I did a year ago. it was fun to be able to take some pictures and get some good exercise:)  

We did get to meet with the family we found last week and things are going really well! 

                                  Lost Lake

                                 Tunnel Falls

                              Punch Bowl Falls

 

I appreciate your love and concern for me.

Love,

Matt

PS Sorry I cant give much detail but We are always pressed for time! 

A long move...across the hall:)

October 20, 2011

Hi Family! 

So I guess you heard about the new assignment that I have!  I wasn’t aware that President Greer had contacted you about it. It came as a surprise and at first it didn't seem real but it is starting to sink in.  I am working on learning all my new responsibilities, which are way more than I had thought or expected.  I have kept super busy this week so far and because of the new missionaries coming in and the old missionaries going home on Tuesday I was unable to have a p-day to write you.  We will most likely be taking our p-day tomorrow and since there is no one else to do it with we will probably drive somewhere and go on a hike or something. 

Thank you for your prayers for my eyes. There is no more pain but the virus won’t be gone for another week or so.  I can’t wear contacts because when I put them back in the next day it would re-infect my eye.  I wore them yesterday so I could drive but I just threw them away afterwards.  I still have quite a few contacts left.  I will be able to make it through the rest of my mission with being able to change them out on schedule.  I did have to throw away all of the containers that I have kept my contacts in to keep me from getting the virus again.  I will have to get some new ones but that wont be a problem. 

This past week I have:

Sunday Night: did numbers for the mission... we collect all the zones numbers and update all the baptisms and such

Monday: we did transfer preparations... who goes where, who drives; what areas are being changed, opened or closed; who needs new phones; what cars are being retired and who gets the new cars; how many seats we need for each transfer site; and a bunch of other little details.

Tuesday:  We took the departing missionaries to the airport and saw them off and then when the new missionaries came in we helped them get all their stuff the van and trailer. We then did orientation an the Greer's home and President, Elder Gudgenov, and I chose who would be trained by which missionaries etc... 

Wednesday:  We left Kennewick at 8:00 ish and drove to the dalles transfer site with all those who were going to the other side of the mission.  It was a pretty drive and it was good to get some trailer driving experience:) 

Mist coming of the Columbia while driving down the Gorge yesterday morning

                                                   Me driving :)

                                      A tree Farm on the drive

Thank you all for the many prayers and thoughts that you have for me as well as all the other things you do! 

Love you tons!

Matthew

Happy October

October 4, 2011

Happy October!

Dear Family,

Today is my 14 month mark!   It is cloudy and rained last night here as well.  The mornings are cooler and there are more clouds in the sky.  It kind of reminds me of Vancouver!  The leaves haven't changed color yet but I’m sure they will soon.  I am doing well and things have been going smoothly.  This past weekend was an enjoyable one.  I was glad to be able to hear all the general conference messages and to learn a lot from them.  We also had Zone conference yesterday, which was an uplifting experience. 

My photography was used in the presentation at Zone conference which was pretty cool:)  I was also asked by the Greers to take pictures for the Couples Mission conference with Elder Risenmae.  Our apartment went down to the river to take a picture by the bridge, which was fun to do again.  I was also able to get some more good pictures of the Temple. 

With Fall coming we are getting some unwelcomed visitors in our apartment... quite a few actually:)  None of us have gotten bit yet though.  We caught 4 spiders in one day last week and I got a picture of one of them:)

I hope that all is going well with each of you back home!  I think of and pray for you often!  I love you tons!!!

-Elder Matt Bowen