Greetings from Ghana

  So how about them Broncos destroying the Giants!?!? HUH? Heck ya!!! 2-0 baby!!! 

     Now onto business...This was one interesting week. First off, I have met 2 General Authorities in the past 2 weeks. I forgot to mention that on the P-day we all traveled to get our non-citizen cards at the area office and Elder Dube of the Seventy was there. Then on Friday the 13th I met Elder Vinson of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy at a mission tour. (Details later on) So that was pretty exciting. 

     So this week was exactly like I predicted last week...I will explain. Well...Tuesday we spent half the day at Zone Training...it was very good however. However after that the whole zone, literally the whole zone, went to an American restaurant called Zoo Zoos. That took another 2 hours but was very good. Then we traveled back to my area (we are on exchanges at this point) and go and saw one person...then traveled all the way back to the chapel for Coordination and PEC. Then went home. 

     Wednesday and Thursday were normal days. Wednesday night we ran into a small problem that took 2+ hours to not even resolve. Lets just say I hate alcohol and its desire to destroy families. My spirits have been down a little since then and you who know me, that's not a good thing. Just pray for one of our families in Tantra Hills 1 area. They could really use the prayers. 

     Friday...MISSION TOUR!!! Awesome!!  Elder Vinson and his wife are amazing people. President and Sister Hill were there and spoke as well, then the APs, then Elder and Sister Vinson spoke. Powerful day. Elder Vinson is an amazing guy who just went by the spirit. By 3:00 we had finished and were heading back to good old Tantra Hills. When we got home we saw no one...

     Saturday...well, we went to another open house in the zone and spent a good deal of time there. It was fun to do that. I enjoy the open houses. Do a lot of good work at those. Traveled back and saw nobody... 

     Sunday...at church...then you know it...Elders in Nsawam call and need an interview today!!!  WHAT!!!  Next thing I know we are on a TroTro heading to the Eastern Region town of Nsawam. Ok no big deal...we can make it back and see people. Get there, do the interview, and leave. Traffic is bad like always, but, it's ok we get back and teach nobody...again... 

     Monday, it rained today but has since stopped and is super hot again. No big deal. Pray that we see some people this week. 

     Nevertheless, yes things could be better, but, you just got to push forward. I need to put God first and my own desires second. I am realizing that I cannot do this without his help. I am trying to be the best missionary that I can be but sometimes I just forget that and want to do my own thing. But...I cannot do that. I just have to stay focused and be willing to change plans at an all of a sudden moment. 

     It is nice though to see all the different things that a Zone Leader has to do. It is teaching me although I might be struggling the Zone Leaders suffer more. They have so much weight on their shoulders it's not even funny. Interviews, meetings, other meetings, exchanges, etc...Man it is not easy to be a Zone Leader. 

     Well...It's been nice getting to talk to you. I hope you all enjoy the letter and I cannot wait to talk to you all next week. I love all of you so very much. 

Love, 

Elder Bowden 

Greetings from Ghana

     Ok everyone, I am here.  Your favorite missionary in Ghana has returned for another awesome day of emailin.  So we had quite a slow week, but it went by fast.  Being companions with a Zone Leader is a lot different than being with a district leader of a regular missionary.  A Zone Leader has a load of stuff that he has to do, plus on top of that the Zone Leaders in our zone are split and are not in the same apartment.  That is rare.  The other Zone Leader has to come to our apartment with his companion every Sunday night to help do numbers and what not.  On top of that we have to travel to different parts of the area so we sometimes do not always have a chance in our own area. 

     For example this week, Sept 9-15th, we will only be in our area for a small time. Today is gone basically. FHE tonight doesn't really count...Tomorrow we have Zone Training (takes half the day), Coordination Meeting and PEC... then on top of that we are going on exchanges and I am going to have a brand new missionary following me around tomorrow. YAY!!!  Wednesday and Thursday...Full Day to Teach...Friday...We have a mission tour...Elder Vinson of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy, who is also the 1st counselor in the Area Presidency. So that will be pretty exciting to look forward too. Then we have Saturday in which we have another areas open house. So we will be heading to that to help them. So there goes Saturday. Then Sunday and we will stay home and watch football since we all have satellite tv...oh wait that's YOU!!! GAH!!! I am crying right now...

     So last week? Tuesday we went out after District Council Meeting, then had coordination and PEC. Not really a successful day...Wednesday we did some contacting and had a better day, 5 lessons. Thursday we had a good day, 6 lessons, that was nice. And Friday, we traveled to Nsawam again. It was fun. 3 baptismal interviews so we had 6 total lessons but 3 were technically baptismal interviews but they count for us. Saturday...Saturday lets talk about Saturday can we? This was quite the interesting day. So Kweku, I will send pictures today, Kwek is one of our recent Converts that was baptized a few weeks ago but I forgot to tell you about. I will send pictures. But anyways, he stays with his grandpa and we see them quite often. Grandpa is not a member...yet... and on Saturday Kweku's grandpa was working on fixing the door handle on their front door. Well me and Elder Smith the handy men started to work on it thinking we can fix it fast and teach the grandfather then take Kweku out with us to teach people.   Well...3 hours later and a few bloody knuckles and a slightly crooked doorknob...we fixed it...  We then by that time had to go to Tesano because the Alajo area had their open house and we wanted to go help with theirs. It was a blast...from 4-7 we just kicked Satan .

     So yup...I heard BYU won and that the Broncos are the best and are going to win the Superbowl this year. 

     So the MTC care-package I did get, the other one is lost somewhere in someplace...hopefully you will get it back in 2-3 months. I am upset about my seminary scriptures being lost. Thats 4 great years of scripture reading. But the MTC care-package was awesome. I love the biking gloves so much. Ghanaians think they are weird but I don't care. My hands don't hurt anymore. I still suggest that you sent the Flat Rate Envelopes because they are faster to get here and cheaper too. Still fit a ton of stuff in them. 

OK SO WHO WANTS TO BE MY BEST FRIEND...WHOEVER CAN SEND ME A WAFFLE IRON I WILL GIVE YOU A HUG,  WAFFLE IRON TO ME AND YOU WILL BE MY BEST FRIEND. SO WHO WANTS TO BE MY BEST FRIEND AND GET A FREE HUG?

     Ok so question and answer time,

1. Sister Missionaries? Yes we have sister missionaries who are a great blessing. They come from all African countries. 

2. Wildlife? Monkeys sometime, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs just roaming free. Elder Anderson killed a baby chicken by accident during the open house. Stepped on it. 

3. Organ? NO, Keyboard. 88 keys and 3 settings. So it's ok. 

OK! Well I am off. I hope to hear from more of you next week. If you have questions you want answered send them my way!!!

Love,

Elder Bowden 

In a Rush

So I can't really talk much today because we have to go to the area office because Ghana passed a new law stating that if you do not live in Ghana you have to get an ID so I am going there right after I send this to you.

Story:  we went to an open house this week.  President Hill wants each ward in the mission to do an open house and everyone in the zone comes and helps the ward bring investigators to the building where we show them around.  There are displays about what the church is all about.  Well, President Hill counts as a missionary and what was he doing?  Running all over the place stopping people and trying to get people to come in.  The 18-27 year olds were doing a fine job, then you got President Hill bringing in twice the amount that we as a whole group were.  We were all stunned.  It was super fun and a learning experience.  I really enjoyed it and I am excited for the next one in our zone.

We did have a baptism this week and I was able to baptize him! :) We hopefully will have a lot more in the upcoming weeks.  I am sorry this couldn't be longer.  We are super busy today.  Thank you for all your love and prayers.  I hope to have a long letter next week.  Take care and I will see you all next week.

Love,
Elder Ty M. Bowden

My Kpone Non-Companion on Transfer Day

The Three Musketeers from Tantra Hills

Nsawam Area

Hilarious Photos of Elders