Creepy Chimes, and Spider Pranks... oh and the Gospel.

Our spider pic of when we scared people, looks real!! 

 October 23rd, we took a District pic, because it was our one month anniversary of being there, I forgot about it, but the Elders were so excited about it being our one month anniversary! hahahaha 

Then another is October 25th, for when we celebrated Christmas, everyone wore Christmas colors and Christmas ties.

What to say.... First off, thanks everyone for the letters and packages!! They seriously make my life to get them!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! I don't think I'll get to say that again before it's November... maybe... maybe not! So for Halloween, we're all doing a scripture trick or treat and give each other scriptures. Totally nerdy, but hey, we're missionaries! ;) Also I found out what my costume is going to be for Halloween this year. You guys won't believe it.... but I've decided to be.... a Missionary!

I know... Hard to believe right? It's just too crazy of a costume in the MTC in Utah. I don't think I'll blend in. Sadly, my Saturday will probs be the same as any normal day. But that's part of the missionary life, and we're going to definitely party it up in the righteous way of course! Basically sugar highs, teaching the Gospel, and passing out scriptures to Trick-or-Treaters. Just a normal day. :D

So uh.... I leave in FOUR days!! I'M SO PUMPED!!!! AHHHHHH But not sure if I want to leave America so soon. I feel like I just got back from Ukraine. Ah crazy, and Amanda... I definitely respond in Russian sometimes when I don't know what to say. Saying "I don't know" in Russian was easier than saying it in Spanish... And then sometimes, I respond in Sign Language. It's like a jumble of languages up in my head. Chau Igles! English is not easy for me anymore and I'm still in the States.... I just can't talk to anyone because I can't respond in the right language! hahahaha It's so fun. And weird... Especially when I'm in the middle of a lesson! 

So today is my last P-day I think.... And I'm sad. So sad and ridiculously happy. I think people here think I have issues... I'm always responding in some for of English but not, and I'm happy and sad aaaalll day! It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN... da da da da daaaaa... I can be whatever I want. I seriously LOVE it here, but after Skyping another person yesterday that lives in Uraguay, I CAN'T wait to get out there! Ahhhhhhh Yay!! I got my flight plans on Friday!! It said that I have a one hour layover in Atlanta, and then headed straight to Buenos Aires. My WHOLE district, minus two are on the same flight as me!! Talk about a party!!! Then from there, some of us will take a 22 hour bus ride to Salta. Heck yeaah... Makes me think of Ukraine. This will be AMAZING!!! I seriously cannot wait!!! Not sure if I have my VISA yet, but I'll find out soon...

Okay... so last night... Something awesome happened. As per usual. ;) No... for reals... ELDER ANDERSEN from the 12 Apostles came and spoke to us!!!!!!! IT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!! (Incredibles quote. You're welcome). But seriously, so cool!!! I sang in the choir and was on the front row with my ridiculous striped shirt with birds, and loving life, and I'm so grateful he could come before I left. His talk was of course so good! It made me so excited to get out there and get going!!
Something he said in his talk, "Christ will never take our burdens away, He'll lift us above them." How true. Whenever I look back at some of the trials or things I struggled with, Jesus Christ always gave me the strength through him to overcome anything. When I struggled in my life, when I thought no one could help me, He heard my cry for help, he came to my side because He was already there. He already knew I was struggling, and He helped me change. I wouldn't be here without knowing that the Lord wasn't sending me out, He came with me. 
I love you all!! Whatever struggles you face, just remember in the words of Elder Andersen: "Compare yourself to yourself". Only you and the Savior has known what you've gone through, don't be too hard on yourself. "Just try a little harder to be a little better."

LOVE YOU LOTS!!!
See you soon Argentina!
Kobe

P.s. The words of my companion: "Nyquil is like the Atonement, I wouldn't be here without it."
p.s.s. There's been creepy church chimes/bells at night. I'm terrified because only me and my comp hear it. Yo no se pero raro!! And more Spider stories to come. *insert intense scary face*

"Not Today Satan, Yes today Jesus!!"

10/21/15
























"It's good to talk about God's love and how much he loves you because he does. That's important. But remember that as much as God loves you, Satan hates you. I mean really hates you. He really hates your guts. I know it's weird to have someone testify about Satan's hate, but... Just tell Satan, Not Today Satan, and tell Jesus, Yes Today Jesus!" -Our lovely Elder Prestwich during Devotional Discussion/Testimony Mtg. hahahahah I love these Elders so much!!!

Just to reiterate how much I love my Elders here... Did I ever tell you about my dear friend Elder Hall? I believe I brought up his spider story, but oh no... this elder is a walking comedy. I love him so much! He also is fluent in ASL sidenote. :D So anyway... There's this Elder, Elder Nielson who sleep walks all the time. And what he does when he sleepwalks is he goes around banging on people's doors. So everyone has gotten use to ignoring the knocks. Well one night, Elder Hall was sleep walking. And apparently he made it all the way outside the building. So at this point he was walking around outside for a couple hours just sleepwalking. But here's the kicker... He was wandering around outside in only HIS GARMENTS!! hahahahaha Dead asleep and wandering around in his underwear! He woke up under a tree hours later no idea how he got there. hahahahaha And he didn't have his key card to get back in. So he had to wander around more banging on peoples windows trying to get someone to let him in. And of course everyone has gotten use to ignoring the knocking because of Elder Nielson... He tried everyone in our zone.... hahahahaha Finally a security guard found him. He thought it was the funniest thing in the whole world and almost couldn't let him in because he was laughing so hard. hahahaha Elder Hall... oh gosh.. :D

So basically what happened this week is we got four new hermanas in our zone, heard Elder Kopischke from the Seventy speak to us, had millions of leadership meetings, became the oldest district in our zone and me and my companion became SISTER TRAINING LEADERS! Yeah basically you're talking to royalty. hahahaha kidding. But basically it means, I'm a therapist and a friend. We get more sisters today!!! And we get to introduce them and pretty much affect their whole MTC stay. Pressures on!! Nah they'll be too shell shocked to even remember what we say. ;) But the other day I ended up walking around in the rain in my pajamas because one of the girls needed to talk, which was awesome! But I was stumbling around after curfew like a homeless person with the nametag of God on them.

This week has been the BEST! I love everything here, and I only have one more P-day and I don't want to leave! I mean I so do, but I don't want to leave these people. They've literally become my awkward non-hugging handshaking family! hahaha I feel the Savior's love in everything I do. We sang that song in Choir last night. "I feel my Savior's love, in all the world around me." 

My ponderizing Scripture is Enos 12

12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

Enos put his whole self into the Lord. His whole soul, his whole faith, everything. He knew that although he was tormented with his sins and the things he had done that there was still hope for him. Hope that came through the Savior Jesus Christ. If you've done something wrong, talk to Heavenly Father. Christ is waiting with outstretched arms just ready to catch you when you've decided you can't go any farther. He'll carry you. I know he will. He's carried me before. It times when I thought there was no hope to get out of the dark, no point to move forward because God wouldn't forgive me, Christ carried me and my sins to the Lord. I've never felt more free or my loved. So if any of you are struggling to stand and to walk and make it through the day, don't. Just fall to your knees and pray because that's why prayer is there, so we can talk to our Heavenly Father. But after that, we have to get to our feet and go to work, because change doesn't happen easy. Enos prayed and labored with all diligence. You've got this. ​I love you all so much!!! And I want to say THANKS for all the letters and packages!! They brighten my day sooooo much!!!

LOVE you all!

Le amo. <3

Hermana Bower ;)

Laundry room incidents, and my missing brain.

November 14. 2015

I'm not even going to bother explaining the subject... just know that my brain has never been with me nor will it ever be. Pray that someone will find my brain and finally give it back to me. Apparently it's needed here. hahahaha

Everything has changed, yet nothing has. Somehow I'm still the same person yet not. I don't get annoyed as easily, I still can chat anyone's ear off but I listen way more than I have ever in my life, and I'm still late to EVERYTHING! Like seriously, that's talent because I'm not even sure how that's possible. There is literally no where to go. We essentially have the same schedule every day and yet my comp and I are late. So like I said... Everything has changed yet somehow Heavenly Father's letting my change that one completely on  my own. My mind is blown how we're late to everything... I don't even know how or why....  

New Ponderizing Scripture of the week:

Alma 26:12

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea,behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

Pretty flipping great right? I think so...

So the haps of this week: 

I'm no longer sick as of yesterday! Hooray! Because frankly, that was stupid and not worth my time. Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy with his wife came and spoke to us yesterday. He told us, "This isn't complicated. You need your scriptures in one hand and your covenants in the other." He was quoting a district president in Africa. "From one little church in 1930 to millions of members worldwide. This work is a long way from Upstate New York." How amazing and true?! I LOVE the simplicity of both those statements. When you start to doubt the complicated stuff, remember the gospel is plain and precious as said in 1 Nephi nearly a million times. This church is not a hard thing to understand. The spirit works on the hearts of men. And remember that "faith has a short shelf life" so get reading, get praying, and get to work.\

Journal entry from Oct. 8th,

"There's a picture of Jesus on the floor, I'm eating ice cream again, and Hermana Clyde leaves bright and early back to her home." Yup... I eat ice cream alot. But for reals, we lost one of our roommates. And it really does feel like we lose people when they're not just leaving to head off on their missions. After a week of being here, she felt impressed to go home and get married. I don't know what's become of that so far as she has yet to email ANY OF US! But a week here at the MTC is the equivalent to a year basically when it's in terms of becoming friends. It doesn't take long at all. So we're very sad at her leaving but props to her. That's a lot of courage to go home and face your fam. I really hope everything works out. So pray for her por favor.

Happier, funnier note. My comp got a giant fake spider in the mail from her boyfriend as like a Halloween decoration I guess. Kinda random but oh has it been so useful. I'm not sure I'm really representing the Lord right, but I'm sure he can appreciate a few good natured pranks. When we're walking, and there's sisters walking towards us, we'll just casually drop it in front of them and scream. Literally the best thing ever! I die! I can't even scream it's too hilarious!! Yeah.. we've made tons of friends. hahah We actually have. Everyone needs a little distraction from the pressure. But... then something HILARIOUS happened. So two of the elders in my district saw we had the spider, Elder Moore and Elder Dobson, who are both going to Salta with me, but anyways, they saw the spider and told us to drop it in Elder Hall's little box full of books under his chair. I was sitting next to him so I agreed. I dropped it in the back of the box and forgot about it. Five or ten minutes later as our teacher is teaching the usual mish stuff, HE SCREAMS! He got out of his chair to reach in and grab a book, and he screamed!! He jumped to his feet and fell backwards and screamed. Now he's this short stocky kinda big but short guy, and he ran across the room in a split second and jumped ontop of a chair. Then he fell through the collapsible chair. With one leg stuck in the chair and another on top of the seat, he was screaming from across the room. Easily the most unexpected and funniest thing I have ever seen. He just stayed in that position for about five minutes, refusing to get down or go back to his chair until it was gone. That's with knowing it was fake. I hate to see how'd he react with a real spider. Greatest thing of my life. Basically I found out that he's terrified of spiders, like TERRIFIED of them. And the Elders that put me up to it knew. hahaha Happy Halloween! hahaha

Last thing... Two days ago, my comp and I decided to make changes. Changes to our lives, to our personalities, to our perspectives, to the very way we think, and then we asked our Elders for help. It's too tender to share over email, but ask me about it when I get back, because for the amount of miracles I'm sure to witness throughout my mission this was one of the very first. Life is good, it's better than that, it's a work in progress and it's amazing. I can't imagine a different path. Mostly because it feels like I've lived here for my whole life, but hahaha you know. My district whether they needed to be here for themselves or for investigators down the road, I know they're here because I needed them. I'll have to explain about them sometime, but for now this email is already too stinkin' long. But I want everyone to know that I love you all. Nothing crazy big has happened to me, but I count that as a miracle in itself. God has given me the opportunity to choose my life. And because I have chosen this path, he's here for me one hundred percent. It's hard for boys and girls to go on missions, but for girls there's no duty to serve. There's no one to say, "you have to go", it's just your heart and the spirit directing you down the right path. This is my path. I'm still going to have to fight the natural man inside of me saying it's too hard. Because it's not. I love you all so much! SO MUCH! They say that you can't bring people with you on your mission, but I feel like I took all of you with me. Although I never have time to respond, I love hearing from you. It makes my day brighter knowing I have people back home thinking of me, because I'm certainly thinking of all you. 

I love my comp and I love my district, and I love my Savior. The weirdest things happen here and yesterday I worked out on some machines while watching a mini movie of Christ getting crucified. Probably not the most happy or pumped up thing to play when working out but so crucial to my life and all of yours. Christ not only died for me, but he died for you. "If the Savior stood beside you, would you do the things you do?"

Love 

Hna Bower

P.s. Whoever sent me a box of cookies, I LOVE YOU!!! I didn't even know that it was possible or that there was a MTC delivery thingy but wow... Peanut Butter cookies are a heaven send! I'm turning into Amanda with how many cookies I eat. THANK YOU THANK YOU!! My roommate and I LOVED them!!!! <3

P.s.s. Apparently, wearing a sister missionary badge does not deter guys. That's all I'm going to say... that and, someone's about to get the smackdown from my nametag.  

These pics are a mix of my district and my roommates. All weird, and I love them all! Their moms should be proud

Congrats! You're sick with an uncurable virus

October 7th 2015

Quick note: THANKS FOR THE LETTERS!! I absolutely LOVE getting mail!! Like looooove it! I can't always respond to all of you because of the short time I have online, but I LOVE YOU ALL!! If you've been thinking about a missionary lately, write them. No joke. I got four letters and two packages (plus the awesome emails I got to read today) since I've been here and they've come at times that I've desperately needed them. Being a missionary is tough work, and sometimes you forget the powerhouse of people that you've left at home rooting you on. So I'm speaking for all missionaries, if you have a missionary in your life, write them. I love all  the short little letters just telling me about your lives and whatnot and that there actually is a life outside the MTC. hahahaha sometimes you forget. Today mi companion and I saw a bird and flipped out. It was an actual bird! So cute!! You don't have time to see that sort of thing nor do you remember it. It's so weird! Anyhoo... write your missionaries! 

So yesterday I had to go the doctors. Yuck. Basically I'm sick with what's going around here because the MTC is a petri-dish. Yeah, disgusting. And there's no drugs to take. Advil has failed me for the first time in my life. My poor companion ended up taking a three hour nap because I did and she couldn't leave the room. hahaha so gross. But whatever, gotta keep going. I sound like an intense smoker. Maybe that'll spark a conversation with our investigators, why a missionary sounds like a chain smoker.... 

Besides that life is AWESOME!! I will probably say I love my mission for the rest of my life. It's just a fact. Here's my life so far: joined the MTC Choir like forever ago but we didn't sing at Conference. eh. Met Elder Costa of the Seventy, met Vocal Point: and specifically Bryce Romney who is in fact related to Mitt Romney but he served in Salta, Argentina and he's in Vocal Point. Uh... HUGGED Sis. Burton, the Relief Society General President, yeah basically we're besties. Don't get too jealous my friends. She hugged me and was pretty adorable in her bright yellow peacoat. Respect. Yeah I'm meeting all sorts of famous people. Go Provo!! Never thought I'd say that, but it's so cool! Plus it's just so uplifting meeting these awesome people. Saw and hugged Mckell Sundrud who went to Ukraine with me! Highlight girl, you were a huge freaking highlight!! I'm sorry I cried. hahahah it's what happens at the MTC, everyone cries at everything. I kinda hate it. hahaha I cried the second night here because I felt the Spirit so strong with my district. Yeah... Heavenly Father and I have had a long chat. I'm not okay with this tearing up over feeling the spirit. Not okay at all. And then of course... GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!

What was everyone's favorite talks? I loved them ALL! But I specifically loved Elder Hollands talk, because he's just awesome frankly. But three new Apostles! Dang!! Honestly one of the coolest moments of my life to all stand with the missionaries around me as the Prophet of God walked into the room (walked on screen), and when we all sustained him and the other General Authorities. It's kinda amazing to be the missionaries that they are talking about. And I know that they really do pray for us every night. Never have I met them, yet I know they pray specifically for me. Don't forget to not only pray for the new Apostles and their families because whew that's a big job, but also to the dear apostles families who we just lost. It's bittersweet gaining three while Heavenly Father gains three also. Yeah but defs let me know you're favorite talks! I like to hear what messages people got out of conference. My main message from Conference was to simplify. To hold fast to the pure and precious truths of the Gospel. If anyone can find that phrase "plain and precious" in 1 Nephi you get a imaginative cookie. I already know the answer. I had been studying 1 Nephi this past week and then when Conference came it hit home. Simplify your life, your testimony, and your faith. It never has to be complicated. That's the beautiful thing of this gospel, you don't need to be a profound speaker or writer, the eloquence of a testimony doesn't bring truth. When you simply just bare your whole heart, without worrying if it's pretty enough or will be quoted for centuries. Who cares? No one ever remembers what you said, but the feelings they got from it. I have learned that as the only testimony I can bear is the simplest but most direct. When I speak Spanish, I know that Heavenly Father is with me, because I have been here for two weeks and I know that what I'm doing is enough. Through my Span-glish I can feel the spirit if I focus on what the investigator needs, not what I know how to say or want to say. To say learning a new language is humbling is the absolute truth.

Hmm... I don't even know. All through the week as I read letters and go through out the day, I think about what I want to write on P-day. And then I sit down and this keyboard and it's all gone. hahaha my life. 

Things I've learned from the MTC: Fast friends are the best, yell Hola at everyone and sometimes do it in a British accent, love everyone just seriously freaking love them all, stop bad middle schoolish vocabulary (I've stopped calling the elders and sisters dudes, so that's improvement), pray for everyone, write down hilarious moments to make you smile later when you need it, don't take life too seriously yet put your whole heart into everything you do, you're going to screw up so bad just cry eat a gluten free, sugar free, dairy free cookie and move on (yeah my companion is allergic to everything... people help me. She counts how many cookies I eat a day. hahahaha No shame! It's usually three BTWs), and love God with all you've got because he really is there for you, he loves you so much and understands everything EVERYTHING you're going through. Him and Christ just get you. Don't doubt it. I love the MTC, but I really really love all of you. 

My roomates that we surprisingly got last Wednesday after being told repeatedly we wouldn't have any and then walking into our room and tripping over luggage.... Hna Connelly, Hna Clyde, Hna Calel, Hna Hume and then my bestie companion because she has to be because she literally can't leave my side ;) Hna Jarvis. hahahaha talk about a party! Oooh They told me this week, well not my companion hahahah but the hermanas told me that I'm literally the funniest person they have ever met. Boom! hahahaha I just love them. So I might come back with a really big head. They were also all convinced this morning in the Temple that Heavenly Father and I have pretty awesome/hilarious conversations. I don't know about that... I mean I guess. hahaha so weird! Like just why? 

Yesterday after the devotional my district lost two Elders. The Dominican Republic MTC gained two new elders as their visas came and they had to leave us. Literally heart broken. Elder Green and Elder Hawkes are the best of the best of the best. Such sweethearts. We took their chairs out of classroom and literally had so much space because 12 missionaries crammed in the room (we have the biggest district ever), but it was so sad. Ugh DR you got some good ones.

Okay, I think I'm done rambling... hahaha 

My verse that I'm Ponderizing this week is: 

1 Corinthians 14:15

15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

This scripture is so awesome. If anything, I've learned that who cares about the language if you don't have the language of the spirit. And when you pray to God asking him for understanding when you have also put in the work, miracles happen.

What's your verse?

Love you all!! Keep on writing! Pray for missionary experiences! You guys rock! Hope this email makes sense and that I finally got everyone! <3

loving the work!

Hna Bower!! 

Adios