Hi Everyone!!

Well brothers and sisters, this week has been A week.  Thank goodness it is over.  Not that last week was a bad week, just that it could of gone way better.  Training a new missionary is different than I thought it would be.  I love it so far!  But just like any new experience, it's not always quite like what we all expect it to be.  I love my new missionary to death.  He is super super funny and wacky! His name is Elder Reeves.  He is 20 years old (yes he is older than me) and is from Seattle.  It is more like an hour away, but that is what he says when meeting people or they think he is from Washington DC.  He is super excited to be here.  He wants to go out and work super hard.

This transfer they also put 2 more missionaries in the District.  So now our ward has 2 districts in it. The Sisters are part of my old area, Tantra Hills District.  Elder Anderson finally got his wish and he was transferred to the bush.  He is in the hardest area of the bush, though, so be careful what you wish for. :)  Our apartment now includes:
          Zone Leader and his companion
                District Leader and his companion
                     Trainer and his son  <---------- THAT'S ME!!!

This week begins our first full week as father and son.  We are going to do a lot of contacting and teaching people.  He needs to just get out and see what it is really like to be working in Africa.  He is doing great though.  I wish the area was in a little better shape than what it is currently in.  I know with some heart-felt prayers, my working harder, and contacting more people Heavenly Father will provide a way.

It is time to go.  I will have much more to talk about once we get properly on our feet.   Patience is going to be key for us these next few days.

God is King!
The Book is Blue!
Cougars are the Best!
Elder Bowden is the very mostly Blessed (I know, bad grammar)

Love,
Bowden Elder          (I think that is backwards)

Greetings from Ghana!!!!

     So it has been another week!  I should let you all know that I am now a TRAINER!!!  Yes, little old me has been called to train a new missionary. I consider myself extremely blessed because most missionaries do not get the opportunity to train.  It is exciting and nerve rattling.  I want to do a good job so today my companion and I went and did a little preparation for the transfer this Wednesday.  More details next week.

     The great news for this week is that we had two baptisms!  YAY!!!  A mother and a daughter.  It was a great experience for them AND my companion was the one to perform the baptism.  So exciting!!  His first time ever doing it.  If this computer didn't have so many viruses on it, I would send pictures, but I do not want to corrupt my card.

     Because I am training, I got to go to a 3 hour long meeting about how to become a great trainer.  It was a good meeting.  President and Sister Hill both spoke and both the APs spoke.  I enjoyed it a lot and learned a ton from it.  While I was at that, I was on an exchange with another missionary that was also training.  The great news is while we were in that meeting, my companion and Elder Valdez (from SLC) were in our area and taught 6 lessons and gave out 2 baptismal dates.  Awesome!!!!

     Because I am going to be a trainer, my companion and I are trying to decide where he is going to be transferred.  We are trying to figure out the best scenario as if we actually decided or not where he goes.  LOL!!
  
  Also this week we got to go to the temple.  It was amazing!  So that was my week.  It was a wonderful week and I am grateful for the experiences Heavenly Father has given me each and every week.  I know that I am not perfect and that patience is needed each and every day.  I love all of you and look forward to hearing from you next week.

Love,

Elder Ty M. Bowden

November Is Here

So, it is November. Probably my favorite month of the year, Football, basketball, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, AND.......Missionary work... 

     So you all want to know how to pronounce my companions name and the town I am in. Well my companion's name is Elder Kiwanuka (Chee Wan Nuke AH) and the town we are in is call Amasaman (Awe Ma Saw Man)

     So I would just like to let all of you know that tomorrow, Elder Bowden is GOING TO THE TEMPLE!!!!!!! 

     Now one thing that is interesting about Ghana is almost every other week there is a holiday of one kind or another. Like coming up is the Ghana vs Egypt (game two) of the FiFa tournament. That day will be a holiday. Schools will be closed and life as we know it will be over. For example during that 90 minutes of game 1 we taught no one. Everyone was home, but no one was interested because of the game. Same thing probably this time. But we will try never the less.  

     Breaking news, the Tesano Zone, Split... So now I am in the Tantra Zone and Elder Smith is the Zone Leader and my District Leader is now the other Zone Leader. Thrilling.  Also my district split so now its just the 6 Elders in the District and the Sisters are now part of the Tantra District with Elder Anderson (2nd Companion) as the new District Leader there. So currently the District Leader turned Zone Leader is still the District Leader until transfers. Then they will either call one of the missionaries in the apartment to be District Leader or bring in another missionary. Details hopefully sooner rather than later. 

     Well I would like to talk about Saturday and Sunday for a minute. These two days mark my 2nd out of 4 Stake Conferences here in Ghana. We had a special guest. Elder Dube of the First Quorum of the Seventy. COOL!!!!!! Saturdays Adult Session was all about missionary work. He did a presentation on missionaries and the ward council and asked actual members who participate in Ward Council to come up and help. Our ward Mission Leader was chosen for the ward mission leader position. And....Elder Dube asked him to pick two Elders to come and join the council....and you will never guess who my ward mission leader picked....YUP....me and my Companion, in front of the entire adult session of the Tesano Stake. Ya it was awesome! Made a joke, whole audience laughed, even Elder Dube, and then helped for 8 minutes. 

     The Sunday Session was just as good. I would like to explain the Tesano Stake Center. Originally it was built as a regular chapel for the Tesano ward. Well, when the Adenta Stake split there was no Stake Center for the new Tesano Stake, so they threw the new stake presidency into a broom closet. Literally!  One office for the stake president and his entire staff. So with that image, imagine a regular size stake back home, picture them all gathering at a regular chapel, tiny overflow, no gym... They put seats in the parking lot, every classroom, and even in the institute building next door!

     President and Sister Hill both spoke.  It was amazing!  Sister Hill I remember spoke about joy, and President Hill of course spoke about missionary work. Then Sister Dube spoke about a certain topic that I cannot recall off the top of my mind. Then Elder Dube finished talking to everyone about tithing. He spoke about more things but that was the focus point for sure. 

     So that was a very interesting week for me. That is about it for me. I would love and talk about more but I simply do not have enough room in my mind to remember it all. So until next week!!!!!

Love Greatly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Elder Ty M. Bowden. 

Ps. Packages with leftover Halloween candy are welcomed. :)