There is no one title that can fit this week, so I'm going to just write them all.
"Clock Colonization"
"The Great Drawing Fast"
"Super Trio"
"Cry for Help"
Hello, Family and Friends! My name is Elder Bowlby, and welcome to the weekly E-Mail!
So, this week has brought about a lot of unseen difficulties. To start things off, early in the week I return home to see that my trusty alarm clock that I had brought from home had stopped. My first thought was "Well, finally the batteries went bad". After all, the batteries I had put in had lasted a good year and three months. So, I start fiddling with the batteries and taking them out, when I feel a sharp, almost burning sensation on one of my fingers.
It was a little biting ant.
Then I noticed that a LOT of ants were crawling out of my clock. My clock was filled with invasive ants, and they had gotten the clock mechanism jammed! Basically, my clock is now nothing more than a night light... The ants in this place will eat anything that has a hint of flavor; from my companions shoes to the casing of an extension cord.
Wednesday we had out first interview with the new mission president. We were able to talk a little bit about who I was, where I was from, and what challenges I was facing. He asked me about my family and I shared what I know about my parents conversion story (Mom and Dad, please do me the favor of sending me your conversion stories so I can share it with others! :) ) He told me that my parents are modern-day pioneers of faith, and I am very grateful for their sacrifices. We were able to talk about some of the difficulties I'm having, and he suggested that maybe I should put drawing entirely off to one side while on the mission. I was heartbroken, because it seemed like a very large sacrifice for someone like me to make, but I prayed to God and he let me know that It would be something I need to do. I have not drawn since Thursday, and I don't know for how long I won't be drawing, but I await further instruction.
Saturday and Sunday we had an Elder accompany us because his companion was returning home from the Mission. Elder Lopez and I were in trio for about two days! We enjoyed the time together. Monday as Elder Lopez left, I stayed with Elder Ivens from Veracruz, waiting for my new companion. Elder Garcia arrived at 4:30 yesterday, so we didn't have time to write.
And here I am! Welcome to The Great Drawing Fast. Drawing has been put on hold. Other talents are being developed, and the spirit is being felt more abundantly. Can you feel it? The winds of change!
Jacob 4:10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.
Don't try to reason with the Lord, saying "Listen, if you let me do this, I'll also do this", or "Please let me do X thing I deserve it so much", but rather, let us always seek what the Lord wants of us... and then DO IT! He knows everything much better than we do.
I love you all, and I hope to hear of all of your adventures pronto! Miss you, and see you in 9 months!
-Elder Bowlby
As the months zip by I get more anxious for my son to return home. It is hard to have e-mails from him where he is struggling and to be far away and not be able to give a hug, or to give advice, or fix things. And yet this is exactly the reason for the process. As my daughter gets ready to head to college, I think, I can text her whenever I want and see how she is doing, but in reality as your children grow up, you have to let them go, you have to disconnect for awhile and let them learn on their own. My daughter and I talked about this and she was saying " if you could you would e-mail and text Jacob every day. And she is right I would, and yet I realize on reflecting about it that it is smart that I cannot do that. He is growing into a strong young man. He is working through his own problems, and working with others to figure out his life. He has to figure it out on his own, and that will make him a strong and confidant person. So while the letting go is hard it is right. And so as my world continues to change, I look back and I am grateful for all the life I have had. I won't be sad, I'll be glad, for all the time I had with these wonderful children of mine.
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