Letter from Brian

Hey everyone,

This week has been quite the roller coaster week for me. With Gina actually coming back and trying to go full force, my companion getting closer to home and increasing with his complaints and learning much in my personal studies, I think that life just continues to take it's wonderful coarse.

Yes you heard me correctly when I said Gina is back! Last Tuesday we gave her a call and I talked to her for a while about things and surprisingly many good things happened to her that day. Basically everything she needed was given to her. She also said that she didn't mean that she was never going to come back to church but that she let her anger get the best of her. She also asked me to forgive her for what she had said and that she knew that I and my companion were praying for her. I forgave her and told her that we lash out irrationally sometimes when we get overwhelmed with the things that stress us.

We have begun to teach her two children, Isaiah and Marcelina the lessons in an attempt to help Elder Jackson go out with a baptism, or two!

Speaking of my companion, My heart yearns for his soul because he has completely given up on being a missionary. He is always talking down the area, complaining about something President Belnap has said or doesn't really care to do the things of the Lord that would help him find peace in his last three weeks. I pray every night to know how I can help him see the light in Boardman and I always get the same answer, just keep doing what you're doing. So I do and I try to get him to talk positively about the area, or the members or whatever gets him to think positively.

SO we've helped people do some real amazing things this week. We helped the Cunninghams, active members, seal the cracks in their floors so they could put the flooring down. That was fun and we helped them so much because neither of them can get down on their knees to do that. Then we helped the Mullers, less-active members, move some steel that they had in the way of building a lean-to on their shed. Bro. Muller would have done it if he could have but he is not supposed to lift anything more than 3 lbs. because of back problems and heart problems that tire him easily. We enjoyed that and we got to spread the love of Christ around to those who don't always get that given to them.

I've had time to think this week about many things that I have been reading about and I've felt the promptings of the Holy Ghost more in my everyday living. I felt that I'd truly listen for the Whisperings of the Spirit and I think that he talks way more than most of us are willing to listen. As I've listened and I've pondered the things of God in my heart and in my mind, the Spirit really just helps me to understand and sometimes tells me to think about it a little farther. For instance, this morning during my personal study I was reading in 2 Nephi Chapter 9 and I came across a very interesting scripture chase about the "robe of righteousness". It took me on a journey of great discovery as I ran from the Book of Mormon to Doctrine and Covenants over to the Old and New Testaments. In fact, it lead me right into Revelations Chapter 7. If you start in verse 14 of 2 Nephi 9 and follow the footnotes it should lead you to D&C 109:76. Then onto Leviticus 8:7 and to the Topical Guide under 'Righteousness'. Then onto Hebrews 12:11 (look in footnotes) and James 3:18. Then to Revelations 19:8 onto Matthew 22:11-14, 1 Nephi 12:10-11 and Alma 5:27.Then to Revelations 7:13-14, Alma 13:11-13, D&C 88:85 and onto 3 Nephi 27:19. I however, have not finished my journey and I will continue soon afterward and after I am done I will compile all this knowledge into something easy to understand and have you see where I had gone with all those scriptures.

This is only one of my great adventures that I have gone on with the scriptures and I will continue to go through until that great day when all shall be revealed unto us and we shall understand the things of God! The Lord loves us all very much and yearns for our return into his glorious presence.

Mom and Dad have a great Anniversary at Disneyland and enjoy the time you have together, with no children.

As I conclude my letter I would like to express my great appreciation for every one of you who faithfully read these letters and thrive on the words that I write. It means the world to me to know that I am so loved by so many. I would like to grant that the Lord always be with you and as hard times come into your life that you turn to Him in sincere prayer and express your concerns with him and counsel with him. He does listen and knows our needs. He wants us to communicate with him and show how much we care for him. I love you all so very much, In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Remember John 14:27 and that god will be with you till we meet again.

LOVE YOUR MISSIONARY,
ELDER BRIAN BOWLER