Training in Lufkin

August 12, 2013

 

This past week has been an adventure! Time is so weird! It feels like just yesterday I was getting to Dallas and yet it feels like it was a different life. This past week was good but stressful and hard. We traveled a good amount for a meeting that was 2 hrs away from us and for transfers which was about the same distance. We don't have a GPS so we couldn't stop by just anyone like Elder Koenen and I used to. Thankfully I know the area well enough to get pretty much every where I need to be. That's been a blessing. It's been a Tender Mercy to be driving the past month and a half so that I can learn the area better. We had a few lessons this last week. Not as many as we would have liked but that's ok. We have something to work towards. We are trying to find more people to teach and to teach the people we have found. We had a lesson with Derick which was great! I was really nervous for it all week but it all worked out. We taught the plan of salvation and he brought a friend so we taught him as well. I learned from it as well. I noticed where I need to improve on my teaching and where I need to focus my studies and the list goes on, but I am excited to become a better missionary from the things I learned. Training has given me more responsibility. Planning our days out falls on my shoulders mostly because I know the area. But I'm learning from that as well.

 

We are learning together and Elder Hoopes is a great missionary. He is from Star Valley Wyoming and is 18. It's been fun to see all the new missionaries and the changes that the announcement has made. I'm excited to continue to learn and work with him.

 

This week we have a zone meeting I'm excited for. It's our missionary summer olympics which is going to be fun and spiritual! I'm also excited for the things we will learn there.

 

Yesterday Rory received the priesthood! I'm so happy for him! He is also going to be coming to our ward even though he is working down in Orange. It'll be good to see him at church and also teach him the new member lessons with the ward. It's such a blessing to see him continue to progress.

 

It was so good to be able to hear how the family has been doing back home. I can't believe I'll be an Uncle next year! I hope y'all continue to have fun and learn and grow. I love y'all! Have a fantastic week!

Love your missionary,

Elder Drew Bowen

 

P.S. The picture is of Elder Koenen and I at transfers. I'll have to send one of me and Elder Hoopes next week.