Hunter Week 6: Transfers, Temples, and Conferences Oh My!

Good morning everyone! This past week has yet again been fantastic! We had Stake Conference, which is when multiple local congregations come to together for a big service, this past weekend for the Granger South Stake! We had an Elder from the Seventy come to it, and he was from Mexico. His name is Elder Ben De Hoyos! He was really good at involving everyone, and it was great to hear from him. I got to talk to him and shake his hand! Besides Stake Conference, we did some service for a part member family. They were building a play set for their kids and needed some extra hands! So that was great and we got to know the husband who is not a member of the church and invited them to Conference. We set up a time to teach their family for next Wednesday which will be great!

We also took a recent convert named Tiffany to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple down in South Jordan to do some baptisms for the dead! We as missionaries can't do baptisms in the temple because of some weird rule but we did do confirmations which was a really cool experience! I've never done that before, so it was a really cool! It was a great visit and the temple president's wife talked to us as well as a few other temple workers to help guide Tiffany since it was her first time in the temple. So it was really good! We got to chill with the temple workers and got to know them! One of them was from Sherwood, Arkansas, which is right out of Little Rock. So that was ballin!

We also went to a mission fireside this Sunday which was ballin! They had this ballin Polynesian group sing , and it was really good! President Palmer, our mission president, spoke as well and it was great to hear from him as always! We tried to invite people to it. but everyone said no to us which was sad. It was still a great experience! I also, on a side note, I met a family who had been to Pea Ridge last week which was ballin! They have a son who loves in Fayetteville, but he is in the Prairie Grove Ward! So they went to the military park in Pea Ridge, and they will be going back this October. So I gave them my address so they would know where I live! Haha! But ya, they are a ballin family named the Deardens! So this week has been great, and I'm just ready for summer to get here! I hope all of y'all had a great week as well!

Elder Bowie
Hunter and Granger South Stakes
Salt Lake City West Mission

Update from Zach’s Mom: Elder Bowie is staying in West Valley this transfer with Elder Muse. :)

Hunter Week 5: Easter Baptism

Happy Easter Y'all! It's been a great past Easter week here in Utah! Although Utah doesn't really celebrate Good Friday and all that, it was ballin! We had a Easter baptism this weekend! We had a baptism for Zadien who is 10 and his little sister who is 8! It was so ballin! We had their home teacher who was very close with the family baptize them and me and Elder Muse did some great witnessing for the baptism. It was a lot of fun to help that family out. It's a single mom family, and it was great to help them out and help the come to church! The dad and grandparents came to the baptism, and we talked to one of the mom’s sisters who is less active. We talked about helping her kids get baptized as well! So we will see how that goes! Also, after the baptism we were driving and we saw a ton of old Ford and Chevy trucks and convertibles in this guy front  yard. He let us mess around with them, and we took some ballin pictures. haha! So it was a great reward after the baptism. haha!

We also had the mission tour this week with President Christensen coming from the Seventy! It was so awesome! He talked to us about the Holy Ghost and how we can receive revelation for ourselves and our areas! It was a huge spiritual experience! Elder Muse actually got chosen to be interviewed by him. So that was a great experience for him, I'm sure! We got to ask him questions about concerns we have and everything. So it was ballin! We also got to hear from President Palmer as well which is always great! I learned a lot from them, and it was a great opportunity to listen to them both!

Other than that, this week has been normal regarding missionary work! We did get to meet with Jose’s family. He's the one that went to General Conference with us, and we have been trying to get them to church. They haven't been coming since conference. We are working with some of the kids to get them baptized, and we have been helping Jose get the priesthood. Then he could baptize his own kids which would be awesome! So hopefully we get the ball rolling there. But ya, it's been great here in the valley! Thank y'all so much for everything that y'all have done for me! I appreciate all the letters and emails! I hope all of y'all had a great Easter and a Christ centered week! It's been great, and I have loved every second of my week! Hard to believe it's been 10 months already! But it's ballin! Love y'all!

Elder Bowie
Hunter and Granger South Stakes
Salt Lake City West Mission

Hunter Week 4: Sunday Snow

This past week has been great! Saturday night we had some more snow come through Utah, and I woke up on Fast Sunday to another white wonderland! So that was fun! I had to pull out my winter coat again! But besides from the snow, this week has been great! We are having a mission tour this coming week and an Elder from the Seventy is coming to tour the mission. So I'll be able to tell y'all more about that next week.  This week we had a Zone training basically preparing us for when he comes to speak to us. The whole mission will be getting together! So that's going to be fun!

This week we have been knocking on a lot of doors as usual, and we might have some potential new investigators in our area which is great! So we will be following up with a lot of people next week! We have a few people on date for next Saturday. One is Jose's son named Dominic (he is the one that went to General Conference with us) which should be great! We also have a 10 year old named Zadien with his 8 year old sister which will be great as well! We also have another kid named Ethan who will be baptized next Saturday, and at will be awesome as well! So ya next Saturday is going to be ballin! We have been preparing them to be baptized, and they are all ballers!

But ya the work here is going very well! We have also been sharing the new Easter video to people. Each year the Church makes a video for Easter and Christmas. This year’s Easter one is very good! If you go to Mormon.org, it's right on the front page! It is a very good video and has a great message! So I hope y'all will watch it and can be inspired from it! I know I definitely have been! But ya. I love all of y'all! Thanks for the support you give me and I really appreciate it! I hope y'all have a great week! Stay Safe!

Elder Bowie
Hunter and Granger South Stakes
Salt Lake City West Mission

Hunter Week 3: Conference Weekend

Good morning everyone! This past week has been yet another ballin’ week here in West Valley! We had General Conference this last weekend, and I hope everyone got a chance to watch it! It was awesome! We went to the Saturday afternoon session, and it was soooooo cool! The Conference Center that the Church built in Temple Square is massive, and it was so cool to be in there and to sing with literally thousands of other people. It was an amazing spiritual experience! We went with a recent convert and his son and brother in law who were not members, and they loved it! They were asking us when the next conference would be, and it was cool! We met so many people from France and Brazil while waiting in line. It was pretty neat! They didn't announce the Arkansas Temple yet, but they probably will next year! ;) It was great to hear from our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and he is a awesome, He shared a ballin’ testimony! But ya, I definitely got inspired to improve some things that I think will help me become a better missionary!

Regarding people we are working with, currently we found a new part member family named the Fadels who in the past had some rough history with the Church. They could use some prayers. The dad is really trying to make an effort, so that will be good for the whole family. We didn't get to meet with Abby this week. We will hopefully be getting a new investigator next week! It is someone named Brittney, and she is living in a member’s home and wants to met with us. So we will be swinging by Tuesday for that! But ya, the weather has been great recently, and it makes we wish I was biking! It's still weird being in a car area, and plus it's smaller than my area in Tooele. haha! But ya, thank y'all for all the support and prayers! I really do appreciate it!

A mission is the best thing that can be happening for me at this stage in my life. I'm learning more and more each and every single day about how to use Christ more in my life, and it's ballin’! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and so is the Book of Mormon! Right now I'm in Helaman in the Book of Mormon, and I have recently been learning more from the Book of Mormon than ever before! It's crazy. I've been reading like 10 chapters a day, and it's so ballin’! So I will ask all of y'all to do the same challenge that Sister Palmer gave to me which is to read 4 chapters of the  Book of Mormon every day and by doing so you can draw closer to our Savior. So ya, love y'all! Keep being you!

Also, just so y'all know, we are hiking Bells Canyon. So I'll have no service probably until we get back this afternoon!

Elder Bowie
Hunter and Granger South Stakes
Salt Lake City West Mission