I've learned a lot in this past week. A lot of prayer, a lot of patience, a lot of results, and a lot of questions answered. San Felipe is finally seeing some progress, and for that I am very grateful.
I'm still learning how to be a better Missionary, but I am making sure I constantly improve and make changes, acting in faith.
We have some people in San Felipe who are interested in hearing the Gospel, and we've been doing what we can to meet with them frequently, offer help and share a quick message. Unfortunately, we had a lot of divisions this week, so I wasn't able to be with the investigators when my companion extended the baptismal invitations and taught certain lessions.
What are divisions? In short, it's where two missionary companionships swap companions for a day to learn from other missionaries, learn about areas, and to learn how the work is going in certain places. We had them twice this week (and both times I was sent outside of the area). But I have learned a lot about the work, teaching by the spirit, and how to be better at missionary work. Surprise, my little drawings came in handy too! (Just... not in my area).
Through this, the leaders of the zone and district finally understood that we were doing what we could to do the work in the area. We are continuing to work with love and compassion for those here in San Felipe.
I don't have a ton to share this week, but I recieved a lot of questions from you all! I'll do my best to answer them all below:
Are you cooking your own meals?
If you count cereal as cooking, yes, I am.
Money is pretty limited in the Mission. Often times we don't have a lot of cash to spend on food (because we also have to pay for travel to Huejutla). We don't have an oven either, just a burner and a microwave. The members are very nice, and we usually have someone to eat with during the weekdays. I'm eating very well and the members want to fatten me up because I'm so thin. I keep saying that it will be a miracle if I gain any weight. ;)
Are you doing your own laundry?Short answer: Yes!
Long answer: The washing machine is very noisy and leaks filthy black water onto our kitchen floor, but it works and I use it!
What is day to day life like?
We wake up at 6:30 in the morning, eat breakfast, do a bit of exercise, shower, make our beds, and get prepared for the day. At 8:00, we have daily planning for about half an hour, and then we have personal study of the scriptures for an hour. After that is companionship study for an hour, and then after that we have language study, and then after that we leave to work.
We knock doors, talk to people in the street, offer service for members and nonmembers alike, give lessions and talk with our investigators, things like that.
At 2:00 we take a break for lunch, and after that continue working until about 9:00 at night where we return to the house. Bed is at 10:30.
Normal days are more or less like this. Sometimes we have other activities planned. For example, I have time to write to everyone on mondays :)
Do you visit a lot with members of the church each week. Are they kind to you?
We do! We're constantly meeting with them, helping them out with service projects, sharing quick messages, and things like that. The members really like us and appreciate our help, and I only hope that I'm making a good impression, because the members remember many details about past missionaries.
Do you and your compainion get along well. how long has he been in the mission field? Where is he from?
Elder Arellanes and I get along very well. We're able to talk freely about whatever thing and we both enjoy working hard so that is good. He has been in the mission for five months, and he'll be a quarter way done with his mission this August. He is from Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Pronounced Wa-ha-kah).
What is pizza in Mexico like? Is it good? What other american like food do they have? Mcdonalds?
This requires a bit of explanation.
Right now, I'm in the Mexican state of Hidalgo (in the farthest little town you can go to in the mission, San Felipe). Hidalgo has certain laws and restrictions that prevent chain businesses from opening locations within any of its cities. As such, here in San Felipe, there isn't any fast food chains, no Oxxo or 7/11, not even a single solitary walmart. Not even in Huejutla (which is far bigger than San Felipe) has anything along those lines, and the reason being is that Hidalgo is actively trying to protect small and local businesses (Which is nice).
Now! There are McDonalds and such in Tamaulipas (which I'll probably end up going to much further down the road), but in Hidalgo, nope! The only thing I have seen close to a food chain is the proudly proclaimed "100% Huasteca" Taz Pizza! (No, not Taz like from the Looney Toons.)
It's alright, I'll give it that. We have it a bit... often (because other Missionaries love to just buy pizza). They have nice varieties but at the end of the day I'm not enthralled by the sesame seed crust (the pizza is also square. Not necesarily a bad thing but eh).
Thank you for writing to me this week, and thank you for your kind words!
As always, I close with a spiritual thought.
12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;
14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.
This scripture spoke to my soul this week as I searched to answers for my questions. I am learning how to trust in the Spirit as to when I should do something, where I should go, and what I should say. I hope that throughout this week we all learn how to put a little more trust in the spirit of God.
I love you all, miss you dearly, and I will see you next week!
-Elder Bowlby
I love you all, miss you dearly, and I will see you next week!
-Elder Bowlby
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