99 Days!!!!!

Dear Family,

Happy May to you as well! 

This past week was a good one!  We had a day of service for the Walla Walla Stake up past the small town of Dayton at a place called Teancum Timbers.  It is a church owned recreation site that is used for girls camps, ward activities and such.  The YSA's of the stake were assigned to clear a mile and a half of trail and we went up with them.  It was a pretty cool experience but it was super hard too.  Most of the missionaries in the stake were there to help as well.  

We also are now teaching a new investigator who is a family friend of the Branch President  We had a really good lesson last night and she had a lot of really good questions.  She has a good knowledge of the bible from her past religious background.  It is nice to teach an investigator who is truly searching for truth and has knowledge to work with as we teach.  The Perks family is actually heading down to Utah on Sunday and will be there for a while.  They said that they were going to look my family up.

Tyler and his friends were in a school play this week so we weren't able to meet with them but hopefully this next week:)   We found another new investigator this week named John and he is on date to be baptized on the 12 of may.

I am excited to be skyping with you in two weeks! it is crazy this this will be my last time!  I will let you know the details as soon as I get them:)

Good luck with the concerts upcoming! I will make sure to pray for you! I'm sure you each will do well as always!

Love you TONS!!!!

-Elder Matt Bowen

PS: 99 days till August 7th!

Teancum timbers

The trail from a distance

Another lightning storm we had

Another Week Goes By...

April 23, 2012

Dear Family,

Pendleton is still treating me well. We were able to put three people on date this week for next month which was awesome.  We went up to Walla Walla for p-day this past week but we are staying in town this week and checking out some of the things around town.  

We had a cool experience in a little town called Ukiah that is in the middle of nowhere!  There are probably 250 people in the town at most and we teach one recent convert up there each week.  We have been trying to teach her son Tyler for a while and he had some questions about the Three Kingdoms of Glory so we were planning on teaching him that last Friday.  Our usual ride canceled on us so we drove down there and got there a little early.  We tried to find something to eat but the one diner in town closes at six so we were out of luck:(  We stopped by the ridiculously over-priced grocery store... I just bought a soda seeing how i didn't feel comfortable eating the other food since it had dust on it:)  We went out and tried some former investigators but no luck.  We saw Tyler playing basketball with his friends and so we went over and joined them.  We invited them afterwards to come to the lesson and one of them came and we will start teaching him as well.  Were hoping to get the rest of the boys over too and get the young men of the ward to come out to Ukiah and do some kind of activity.  

I love you all so much!!  Thank you!!! 

-Elder Bowen

                                                Tracting in Ukiah:)

                                      The Gravel Track they have there

                                          Lightning Storm last night

April Showers

April 16, 2012

Dear Family,

This past week we had some good weather but today we woke up to lots

of rain and there is more on the way but after serving in Vancouver for so long I don't really look at rain the same anymore cause it is nothing compared to what I had there:)

I'm glad to hear that you all enjoyed your vacation to St. George.

That is cool that Grandma Abegg is being home taught by Brother Hovorka.  I was able to meet Maddison when she came in to the mission. She is serving over in Vancouver though so I wont be able to let her know that.  Small world.

Thank you for sending the pictures.  You all look good and happy. I'm looking forward to being able to Skype and see you all on Mothers Day. I am still enjoying serving with Elder Fletcher and Serving in Pendleton.  We cover a few other small towns such as Ukiah and Pilotrock.  We will be driving up to Walla Walla today for P-day with the rest of the zone.  Walla Walla is a cool place. A place so nice they named it twice:)  I miss the office some but it feels right to be here and I am having a lot of fun.  It is definitely an adjustment though:)We are working with some good people right now and there are 4 of them that are close to baptism.  We will keep working with them and I will let you know how they progress.  We have done a lot of service as well which has been fun. The Pictures that I attached are of a spring field on the way to Walla Walla.

Love you all!

-Elder Matt Bowen

Happy April :)

April 2, 2012

Good Morning,

I hope that all is well for each of you! I am doing well and staying busy as usual.  The transfer is a big one this time and there are a lot of details we are still working out but mostly it is ready for wednesday. 

On wednesday I am being transfred to Pendleton in the Makay Creek and Pendleton YSA wards.  I will be serving with Elder Nathan Fletcher from Provo.  He and I have talked about people that each of us knew and we have a lot of mutual friends.  He goes home next transfer and will be the 6th missionary I have "killed off" (been their last companion).  I am excited for the opportunity to go back into the regular swing of things.  The area and Zone will be a challenge though I hear.  It has a reputation for being a slow area but that can change:)

This past week we had ZLC wich went well.  I also enjoyed General Conference a lot as I'm sure you all did as well. I took a lot of good notes and I am looking foreward to getting the ensign next month and reading them all again. 

I love you all.  Thank you for the emails and letters that you constantly send me and all the other countless things that you do and have done on my behalf!

I love you!

-Elder Matt Bowen

                                              Keeping Bees!

                                      A goat trying to eat my camera!