By the way, I have no idea when my next P-day is. Don´t freak out if you don´t hear from me for a while, I don´t even get to go to an I-pad mission, so I´m probably going to be e-mailing from an internet café or a library when next we meet. ¡Hasta Luego! Until Later! So apparently, Speckles is not only a she, but she's a Mom! She was in this tree with two kittens. I could only get a picture of her ear. They must be well-fed with all the fat birds here at CCM.
New radical idea for a series of sorts?? COMMANDMENT FORCE (how campy/cheesy). Two of the 10 commandments are listed in the scriptures below, with their proper locations in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon.
Enemigo de EL MANDAMIENTO FUERZA, ¡ADICCION!
You could probably figure out by yourself that this relates to the Word of Wisdom, a latter-day commandment to avoid addictive substances like Alcohol and Cigarrettes and such. This is one of the commandments that is most difficult for investigators to over come, hence the entangling thorns.
I think one of the best things about Mexico is that... yes. It´s not perfect. A lot of it is run-down and partially unconstructed. It´s got a charm to it, and the people are still trekking through!
Charlie Brown´s Christmas tree comes to mind. It´s not such a bad little country, it just needs a little love! 
Might as well get all my doodling out of the way before I hit the streets 24/7. I´ll probably be confined to only drawing on P-Day
STANDOFF] Who is this menacing triangle headed man? His tie is amazing.
I can tell the quality of any given day by how well I draw the snake when I get back. This must have been a good day.
The character gag for this critter is that nobody can kill him. They´re really brave, too. One landed on my pencil right in front of my face, begging me to try and smack him. I´m not very fond of having my pencil fly into my face, thank you.
It looks like I am out of space for this E-mail. I have more to send, but I´ll send it another day. Until then! Love you!!
I love seeing all the photo's my son sends with his e-mails. It is hard to believe how fast the weeks and months are moving. I hope he stays safe on his mission.
G.G.
Looks like he got one more e-mail in before heading off....
¡Hola! Estoy yo, Elder Bowlby! Beep Boop, Skiddilybop, escalofriante... ¡y otras palabras!
Check out the Olmeca! (Check out how awkward I am!) Totally ready to go out and interact with who knows how many people (in a not awkward way)!
n all seriousness, hello! It´s me. Been doing alright. Yeah, there are struggles here. The important thing is that through the love of the Savior and the power of God, I´ll be able to overcome anything! Even self-doubt! Yeah, that's a fun one!
Don´t worry, leave the worrying to me. Repentance is a process that Missionaries need to do daily. If we´re not repenting, how are we supposed to bring others to repentance? Worthiness is something I strive for daily, after all. Need to have the spirit with me, or else my message is just words from a bumbling gringo's mouth.
Bags are being packed for the departure on monday. I've got my things in order, I´m amazed that it all fits. There is still some re-adjustment to do, but i´ve got a whole hour on saturday to prepare a bit more.
or those of you who are wondering, this is what a typical lunch looks like here at CCM. I hear that food in Tampico is "muy rico". This is pretty great too, of course! That little oreo desert you see next to the apple juice does not taste like what you think it does. It´s almost bitter. Bitter in a good way.
h, and the fruit here tastes way better than it does in the States. I had the best peach i've ever had in my life a few days ago, it was quite tart and tasty. That´s right. I like tart peaches. Argue with me about it when I get back if you so desire.
I´ve been letting the spirit guide me and help me out with my experiences here. I've been learning a lot about Christlike attributes during my daily study, and I have to give a quick lesson on them this sunday during church. I´ve been making little cards to go along with the attributes that I am studying, as well as applying them in my life. I've been feeling more peace in my life already.
There will be more dibujos in a following e-mail, I just want to conserve space.Seeming how the field begins soon, I also want to share a spiritual experience every e-mail I send. There have been a few devotionals in the past weeks that have had topics concerning the atonement of Christ and the power of his selfless act for us. I'm the kind of person that struggles with the fact that I can´t be perfect, and 9 times out of 10 I feel like my past desicions make me unworthy to serve the Lord in this perfect work. The past few devotionals have really spoken to me, for when we are humble and confess our sins before God, and forsake them, he is able to heal us, and he remembers our sins no more.
Now, that doesn´t mean that we can simply say "I will sin now and repent later and all will be fine." Let it be known that God will not be mocked.
Now, where I am in regards to this issue. Yes, I did not make the best desicions in the past. But did I lie to get out here? Of course not. I feel guilt when I make a sarcastic remark that was uncalled for, or accidentally move somebody's suit when I was just trying to bring it to them. To think that I could feel no remorse for lying to a Bishop, a Stake President, or even my SISTER would be incredilous.
We will all have feelings of guilt in our lives, but everything can be swept away. There is a scripture in Moroni that I would like you to look up if you have time. Moroni 10:32.
I know some of you are hesitant to read the Book of Mormon, but this scripture was so powerful to me when I opened to it during one of my personal studies, merely by being led there.
So, am I perfect? No.
I hope that will make me a better teacher. An imperfect teacher to an imperfect people. I pray that the Spirit will be with me, and will be with you all as you continue to read my E-mails and keep me in your thoughts.
Even if I baptize nobody. Even if nobody will bear to let me into their homes. Even If I must return home early for whatever thing may afflict me.
How great shall my joy be knowing that I have brought myself closer to Christ.
That´s one soul already, and I haven´t even made it to Tampico.
Best of wishes, lots of love!
-Elder Bowlby.
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