{Letters from Brian}

Hey Everyone,
Stake Conference was really good this week. The Adult Session on Saturday night was all about the temple and how we can enhance our temple attendance. The speakers were really good and it has given me a more invigorated push to attend the temple at least once a week once a get home, mostly because you only have to drive about 15 minutes to get to a temple in Utah. They talked about how our bodies should resemble the temple in sacredness and holiness. We should respect them so much especially since they our not ours permanently yet.
The Sunday Session was really good as well, that is where we sang and well, according to the members they liked the elders singing more than the sisters. They said that the elders were actually in tune and the sisters not so much but they enjoyed the message that they had to sing about. We sang the Sisters in Zion and Army of Helaman medley. The message of the speakers was really good as well. They spoke so eloquently about their subjects that they were asked to speak that the Spirit could definitely be felt and the testimonies were great.
All three of the Crane girls are on date to be baptized on May 9 of 2009! We are so excited for them and they are all excited for the gospel in their lives. On Friday I got a note from both Kyndra (that is actually how it is spelled) and Cydnee. They said how much they appreciated the lessons that they have received and that they were excited that we decided to ask them about taking the lessons even though they weren't really excited at first to take them. We have a few more things to teach them before they get baptized on the ninth but we will get it all in before their baptism. Please pray that they may feel ready for this most wonderful step they are going to make.
I will most definitely be able to call after you all get home from church but it will probably be about 7 pm your time because we will be having dinner at 4 or 5 pm that day so I hope that will be just fine, if not let me know.
Things are going well with me and my companion as we are just doing what we do best and visit the wonderful people of Boardman.
So, don't think to kill me but I am once again ill but I am not sure what it is. I just think that it is my CMV acting up again because I am just absolutely tired but I can still do everything that I need to do. I will be fine but it is just kicking my butt right now.
So my entire zone agrees that my companion is gone next transfer because he is really struggling with the area and has been asking president to move him to another area. He actually doesn't know that I know that but my zone leaders told me that president brought that up to them and we all believe that President will grant his request. I have also told president that my companion needs to be moved because he doesn't like the area.
I don't think that I have anything else to say but I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH and remember John 14:27 and that I can't wait to talk to the family on the 10th.
Congrats on your graduation KYLE!!!! I am so proud of you for doing that.
LOVE YOUR MISSIONARY,
ELDER BRIAN BOWLER

Well hello everyone,
Wow, it is only Tuesday and it has been quite a week already. We are gearing up for the baptism and the girls are quite excited and are feeling more and more ready to be baptized as the days go on. Satan is also working very hard on them as they have been fighting much from what we have heard. We are trying to teach them to thwart the contention by praying and reading the scriptures. They listen to all the words that we say and they are trying but they still have things, like all of us, that need to become better through Christ. I don't know if I told you that Lynzee has asked me to baptize and confirm her but she did and I accepted. They have made an amazing change in the time that we've been teaching them and they continue to change for the better just like Ashley did.
By the way I heard that Ashley is doing well and is fully active in church and might be getting married to a returned missionary. That would be so exciting to be able to know that she continues to fully embrace the gospel even though we are not always going to be there exactly at the time she needs us.
I have some bad news this week though. I found out yesterday that Gina and her husband and four friends were in a really bad single-car accident and Gina was life flighted to a hospital in the Tri-Cities called Kadlec, Robert, Gina's husband, was killed instantly and the four in the back were injured in varying degrees. I was told this news at 8:20 am on Monday morning and the accident happened exactly 2 hours earlier. I felt to my knees and prayed for the family that when they told the children that the Lord would comfort and strengthen them and that he would strengthen me. It was really hard for me yesterday as my companion really didn't care that much and I know that the Lord was by my side. I don't really blame my companion for not really caring because he didn't know them like I did and I had a great relationship with them.
We went over this morning and talked with Marcalina and Isaiah; they were pretty sad about that but they understand that the Lord is watchful over them and their dad. The worst part about it all is that Gina doesn't know that Robert died, she is going to be heart broken. Me and my companion have been doing good and we are getting along well. We work through our problems if we have any of them and we strive to keep the Spirit with us. That is really about it for me and my companion.
I have been really thinking about the gospel and what it means in my life and wow, it means so much to me to know all that I know about the gospel. I love it so very much and embrace it more and more everyday. The fire inside me grows bigger and bigger everyday. I love it!
I can't wait to be able to talk to you on Sunday and I am so excited for all the wonderful things that have been happening in our family and the blessings that come from our Father in Heaven. May you always remember His love for you and remember John 14:26. I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOUR MISSIONARY,
ELDER BRIAN BOWLER