It's a GIRL!!!

Oh my gosh. What a week. SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED these past 7 days that I don´t even know where to begin. So on Tuesday, I packed up my life into my 2.5 suitcases and got on the bus to San Pedro. The bus ride is about 5 hours long, and when we got there, the Elders in the office gave us a ride with all of our suitcases to the mission home. We ate pizza, and I got a really plesant suprise, 3 of the other missionarys I was with in the CCM are also training! I don`t have the cord to my camera, and so the pictures we took I don`t have, but Elder Gray, Elder Christensen, Hermana Curtis (my ccm companion!) and I were all there to pick up our noobies! AND, drum roll please, my new companion is HERMANA GALIZA FROM THE PHILIPPINES!!!! HAHAHA she is one of 3 sisters from the philippines in the mission right now! Something new I learned, English is the second official language of the Philipines, and so she`s going to know 3 languages!! She`s flipping incredible! She`s from the northern most island, Laoag. I don`t remember where you served Holland, but wasn`t in the more southern part? She is incredible and really wants to work hard. She`s 25, and all of her family are members but she`s the only active member. One thing I want to ask you guys, if you could, to maybe write her an email or two. She writes and understands English and everything, but her family doesn´t write her, so she doesn`t have a ton of emails. maria.galiza@myldsmail.net  If you could write her something about how amazing she is, I`m sure she`d appreciate it. She`s absolutly amazing!

So this week we got to know the sector a little bit. We have practically no investigators, one, because San Pedro is kind of a hard sector (everybody says), and two, because the sisters who were here before we`re only in the sector for two weeks. It`s not opening a sector, compleatly, but it might as well be because we have practically nothing. But to me its exciting! It means we have to find everybody on our own! It means how strong or weak the sector is compleatly relys on how we treat it. So it`s a ton of responsability, but it`s just the kick in the butt I needed to really get down and get to work, or at least want to.....

This weekend was 18th of September, a HUGE holiday in Chile, their independance day. And what do people do on important dates? Leave and/or drink. So we recieved special instructions the 17th, 18th, and 19th of september to NOT WORK!!! It was awful!!!! Hahaha it was so boring and awful to not be able to teach people. I`m really starting to love the mission to the point where if I`m not working, I`m suffering. So while we spent the free time well, getting to know Concepcion and San Pedro and visiting festivals and going to partys, I was internally dying. I can`t wait to be able to start hitting the pavement again. And the sector needs it to. If we want success in this situation we`ve got to get working, now.

The ward threw a huge party on the 16th for the holiday, and I got called into the center of the cultural center where everybody sang me Feliz Cumpliaños, which was cool hahaha. We ate a TON of traditional chilean food and watched the members dance the national dance of Chile, la cueca. It`s SUPER flirtatious, and I felt very emberassed watching. But at the same time it`s really cool. Just about everybody knows how to dance it, and theres all kinds of different forms. Mom and dad, your package arrived exactly on the 16th! Thank you so much for all the goldfish and treats and stuff. I love you guys to bits =)

Being in this uniquely difficult situation, I have already had SO many experiences testify to me that this work is the pure work of the lord. That I was called to be in this situation by the lord, and that I with my companion are going to have an amazing time in this sector, but only if we put all of our heart and pride and will on the alter of sacrifice. I know this church is the restored church of Christ. I know with every fiber of my being that it`s true. That the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets with our days in mind. I know Joseph Smith found, translated, and published that book, and that he was CALLED, but did not choose to be the prophet of the restoration. I know that Thomas S Monson has carried that line of authority and calling to our present day. I know that a deep and abiding testimony of these things is the only way we can survive the trials we all are facing. I love all of you and I`m so greatful for your help and support =) Have a great week! Chao!

Sister Ashlee Bowling
♥ from Chile!

I`m getting fat =(

I`m so sorry about last week! We went to a internet cafe super sketchy but it was the only one we could find. We kind of got lost in downtown Temuco last Monday looking for a medical office where I had an appointment, and so part way through the keyboard stopped working. I read all the emails, but I couldn`t reply, so sorry =(

But oh my gosh what a week what a week!! We have been teaching THE COOLEST GUY EVER. I think I`ve already explained a little bit about Matias, but I`ll do a replay super rápido. Matias is 21, is studding to be a doctor, and his mom and grandma are members. Matias grew up going to church but never got baptized, I think because his mom is a little bit of a hippy and thinks that her children should wait to be baptized so they can "take it seriously" (????) But right now Matias is trying to prepare himself to be a member of the church, it`s only that he`s a little scared with the importance of it. He really doesn`t want to be baptized and in a year or two stop coming to church or forget the important covenant he`s made. We`ve been working with him a lot, explaining what role the holy ghost has and how the atonement always helps us become better people, and that we can always start over. He`s a really cool guy.... 

But I also have some... interesting news? I am getting transfered, AGAIN!! I`m leaving my beloved Fundo el Carmen, Temuco, for San Pedro, the largest city in our mission! The mission office is there, the assistants to the presidente will be in my ward, and what`s more, I am going to be training!!!! AGAIN!!! And so it`s another white wash, which basically means I`m not going to know anything about my new sector, and neither will my companion, obviously, because she`s just starting the mission. I don`t know who she is but I`ll be sure to send lots of pictures and info in the next email. Wish my luck. I need all the prayers you can possibly send me haha. 

Hermana Lopez está super bien. Ella es tan maquina y ella va quedarse aquí en Temuco con Hermana Naranjo de Ecuador. Fue un gusto para estar con ella pero yo sé que va estar muy bien en Fundo. En serio, Fundo es un sector de puro milagros cada día. Nunca voy olvidar mi primer hija ♥ 

Mom and dad, I got your letter that you sent to Hermana Kleinman and Hermana Ricagno. It was so CUTE!! Hahaha I started crying out of nowhere before I even read it. I don`t know why, but I`ve been missing home a lot this past cambio. I was fine when I started the mission, but I think I`m starting to get lazy with my thoughts haha. Maybe that`s why I`ve been transfered, to get my mind on the work! Haha, but really, I`m still in love with the mission, and I know I always will be. But I`m going to miss Temuco a lot. I was so happy to be here, I really did love it a lot, but that`s the way life goes. Gotta learn to love every moment (lol)

Love you all bunches! But really, please pray a lot for me. Hahah I`m going to die. 

(The bald kid is Matias with his grandma)

(We went bowing on P-day. Bowling jokes were abundante) 

Sister Ashlee Bowling

♥ from Chile!

Bonus post

From Hermana Kleinman's blog... click link to read post.

En el Fundo

So I have no time again! But really quick, this week.....

Part of my tooth fell out! So I`m going to the dentist today to make sure it`s all okay. I was eatting goldfish crackers when I bit down on something hard. Turns out one of the pointy bits of one of my back molars fell off. Hmmmm... 

One of the things I`d love to hear about from all of you returned missionarys is, what are some of your ideas to work well with the members? We have goals to have a certain number of lessons with members, but it`s a little hard because they don`t seem to be that enthused. What are some of the things you guys did in your missions to work together and help your investigators feel comfortable enought to come to church?

Dad, one thing I`ve started doing is singing " I love yooou! What more can I say? Believe me, there`s no other waaay." Haha my companion one day told me " I loove you" and it made me think of you and all the silly songs you sing. 

One of the things the mission has changed about me is that I am starting to LIKE talking to compleate strangers. It`s pretty crazy. But you never know who the lord is prepairing to find us. Gotta baptize them all! 

Love you guys! Have a great week! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLAND I HAVE A LETTER I`M GOING TO SEND YOU =DDD

-- 

Sister Ashlee Bowling

♥ from Chile!

¡¡Fundo El Carmen!!

Good morning family and friends! First off, I LOVE TEMUCO!! I am honestly so happy to be here! Big cities have always caught my attention, and now I live in one!

Our sector is gigantic. It`s probably about 3 Gorbeas and 2 Tolhuacas. But we have so many amazing people to teach. One is named Camilla, and she has been listening to the missionarys for 6 months. She understands everything, loves reading the book of Mormon, comes to church and everything but... she`s not married. Haha the story of the mission it seems. But we have big plans to help her and her boyfriend realize how important keeping the law of chastity is. Neither of them don`t really have a big objection to getting married. They mostly just want a big party and don`t have the money to pay for it right now. But we`ve got some big plans to help them out. I`ve known a lot of missionarys here who have thrown a big wedding in the church for their investigators, and I`m hoping we'll get to do the same thing.

Hermana Lopez is doing awesome! She is incredible! Has all the desires in the world to work hard and bring people to Christ. She is SUPER obedient, which is very different from my last companion, and is a huge example to me. I feel like I`m the one getting trained. We`re doing a lot of good here and seeing the blessings. There`s also a recent convert here who is the best person ever and always comes out with us to visit people. His name is Nicolas. One day a few months ago a few hermanas were sitting in a bus when they over heard a conversation going on behind them. A guy was talking to his friend about how he would love to find the true church of Christ. The hermanas started searching franticly for something to give him, a book or mormon or a pamphlet or anything but It was Pday and they had left it all home. FInally they turned around and yelled "are you joking???" Hahah it was a pure miracle, and now him and almost his entire family are super awesome members. Love this work and I love Christ and his example and sacrifice for us! Have a good week! Love you all bunches and bunches!

Sister Ashlee Bowling
♥ from Chile!

New companion! We`re super models la verdad

♥¡¡TEMUCO!!♥

So I`ve got quite a bit of news: I am getting transfered! I was only in Tolhuaca for 6 weeks! Our district leader called us Saturday night and told us he had a suprise for us. We were going to know our transfers 3 days early!!! With presidente Wilhelm, we got told the tranfers Monday and had to leave for our new areas Tuesday Morning, but with Presidente May we get to know Saturday night! Its a lot better in a lot of ways because we get the chance to tell all the members and wish them well, but it`s also a little hard because it`s the only thing I`ve thought about since. My new sector is called Fundo de Carmen in the zone Temuco Ñielol. I`ll be working right outside the big city! Not only am I leaving after only one transfer, but I`m going to train a new missionary! My new companion is Hermana Lopez from Peru. It`s crazy how fast time moves. Two days ago I compleated 7 months in the mission!

So Sunday in the morning I was feeling pretty down. We hadn`t had that much success with our investigators. Nobody had really progressed or accepted the gospel like we hoped for. I was feeling pretty down and wondering why I had even come to Victoria if we hadn`t had very much progress. So we got all ready to get to church, called all the people we had invited to come and headed off to the chapel. We got in, got started, and right as presidente gave the opening remarks, ALL 4 OF THE FAMILY WE INVITED WALKED IN!!!!! We`ve been teaching a guy named Fidel, right? He almost got baptized but didn`t pass his interview. But he lives with his grandson, Jhonny, and his girlfriend Nelly, who have a boy Juaquinn together. Nelly recently started reading the book of mormon and loves it! They`re super super special, especially because when Hermana Lobos with her trainer found them, Jhonny wanted nothing to do with us. But in these past 6 weeks he`s started to listen to us a little more and stick around and talk with us. We had invited them to come to church twice in a row but both times something happened that kept them from coming. We invited them one last time, knowing that if they didn`t come we`d have to stop teaching them. In the house next to Fidel lives his daughter Alejandra with her son, Diego. Diego also came to church! This kid is a freaking genius. And he wants to get baptized! We`ve been trying our best to help him come to church, but last week he and his mom moved from their house in the country to live next to Fidel. MIRACLES!!!! We visted Jhonny and Nelly in the evening after church, and Jhonny LOVED the church! He is very anti religion, but he straight up told us that he wants to be baptized in our church and is planning on always coming. It is a pure miracle. They`re not married (freaking Chile) but unlike other unmarried people I`ve taught, they want to get married, only that they`re waiting for a free house that Chile will give them because Nelly is a single mom. The end of September they were planning on getting married anyways. And so Hermana Lobos is going to work her best to keep them on track so that when they`re living the law of chastity everything else is ready for them. I`m sooo sad to leave such wonderful people, but at the same time so greatful that Heavenly Father gave me the chance to see his work progress. This transfer was the hardest of my mission so far, but Hermana Lobos and I have grown to be best friends and work our butts off to see people accept the wonderful changes the Gospel brings.

Thank you so much for you love and support! ¡Exito!

Sister Ashlee Bowling
♥ from Chile!

Testimony

I (Ashlee's sister) was asked to speak in church this past Sunday on the subject of testimony and so in my initial preparation I wrote to Ashlee and asked if she would share with me her testimony and a little bit about how she came to have it. This is her reply:

I`ve never had my testimony put through so much until I came here in the mission. Never in my life have I questioned so profoundly the truthfulness of the church. Every day we are surrounded by people who tell us we`re wrong. Every day I feel Satan trying to tear down the work that we`re doing. But every day, with all of the opposition that we receive, it helps me to realize even more that what we`re sharing has to be true. It could never be easy to be a part of this work if in the end it didn`t matter. I know the Church of Jesus Christ is the Lords kingdom and that the things we do here are eternally significant. Serving a mission is the hardest thing I`ve ever done. But its the most fulfilling, most wonderful work I`ve been a part of. I know the church is true, because it is the same everywhere. Here in Chile, where there`s less than 50 members in our branch, the church works the same. We partake of the sacrament every week and we teach the same things and the organization is the same and it means so much to me to see the perfect form of the church blessing the lives of people so far away. I know Christ is aware of every one of us and that Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us.