March 10, 2014

Derrek said this was a picture of him getting the call to be D.L

Hey Errybody!

Mom, Thanks for doing the talents thing. That helps a ton. Most days I sit and me always being hard on myself makes it difficult to see the good in myself. It's easy to see it in others. I can easily see what needs improvement and I don't stress too much over it. But That helps me get a base. Especially the thing about Satan distorting our views on our talents... I like that a lot.

So I don't have much to say. We Had a better week than last. We were able to Pick up 4 new gators this last week (Two were a complete miracle! I'll talk about that in a sec) But they seem to show more potential than others we've found. Lot of seed planting....hah. But we were able to find Sheree, Leah, Tamika (Tuhmeeka) and Brian. Sheree is an R.N. and is crazy busy all the time! But she let us in and seems pretty interested in learning and is pretty smart so she at leasts remembers we're coming over and lets us know if work is gonna get in the way. So that's cool. And Leah is pretty cool too. We just went over the Restoration and Book of Mormon with both and both seem interested. Other than that. It was another week of scrambling around.  Appointments falling through... Tim fell of the face of the earth. We haven't heard from him in a week and a half... never answers the door, nor calls... It breaks my heart cause seriously this dude is my brotha! It's like Big Black and Rob Dyrdek haha Pretty close to that actually now that I think about that more! haha Sick... :P

Wednesday we had Zone Conference. That was pretty cool. I cared more about seeing my mission buddies than anything else. They had good trainings. and I learn a little bit each time. Even when it's all repeat of stuff from the beginning of my mish. So that was good. I enjoyed that.

Other funny things that happened were on Thursday I pulled E. Blalock up here for exchanges and that was pretty good. The funny thing that happened was after dinner we were getting in the car and this guy (seemed drunk) came over yelling and askin for a prayer (cause we're christian and errybody knows it haha plus who else wears a suit in the hood?) so we said a prayer and they do the classic circle. He was so stern and told us how he was a fallen angel and disciple of the lord and that he needed help. There's more detail that I'll tell after the mission but homeboy had a friggin death grip on my fingers and after E. Blalock said a prayer he said hold on and he said one. Still breaking my fingers (he gripped the tips all together) but then we started to talk about how Christ can help him "Take the taste out of his mouth" and get him back on the path. Then as I'm talking. He grabs my hand and says (while looking in my eyes like he was about to propose to me or something) "I just need to feel your palm. Keep talking." Then after I finish he talks to E. Blalock saying "I know how to find Christ, But how do I find myself?" and it really was a sad thing and he was so sincere (as sincere as you can be while you're a little tipsy but still) and he grabs E. Blalock's hand to feel his palm and then after we get done talking he kisses both of our hands together. So haha that was funny/weird/crazy and interesting. Interesting has become my number one word on explaining experiences hahaha. then the NEXT day we get in contact with a referral. Straight in the hood. and then after we talk a little bit another guy asks us for a prayer... cause he pretty much got stranded down here in Columbus cause he's from Michigan. He came along for the ride with a "friend' and the guy was wanted or something and the Cops snagged the other dude leaving this guy stranded. No one would help him and honestly I didn't know what to do. Ha luckily Lindsey (the referral) had a bus pass but he needed a little cash and help to get to the bus station to get back home to his family. It was sad too. Cause this guy was a good guy. Just scared out of his mind. So it's cool we got to help. But man was it crazy!

So after all was said and done the weekend finally hits and weekends are pretty stressful. and Not gonna lie I was pretty discouraged and kinda over missionary work. Cause it's been a hard stressful thing trying to get people to progress. And with people droppin left and right I just feel like a crappy missionary. I still can't put together why at the beginning I was successful having baptisms and etc. when I didn't want to be on a mission or care to be a missionary, just doing the work without putting myself into it. Granted I loved the people I met and the friends I gained. that's what kept me going. But now after going through all that I have and deciding to pull my head out of my butt and be a missionary and do the things I've been called to do with a different (and right) mindset, and putting myself in the work how everything just stopped. It's weird. and maybe some one could help me figure that out. I just figured the blessings of baptism helped me to keep going and now I am required to work on a different part of me that God needs after the mission.....I guess that makes sense. but still I get discouraged! haha cause I'm human and not perfect.. Crazy right? ;) But Sunday I didn't get much sleep and woke up all pissy and my sleep was screwed up cause of daylight savings and so on and so on. And then all the people we tried to get to church couldn't make it and I was almost just like. Screw it... Let's just drop my ties off to the Yontz family (she's gonna fix a couple of ties it's a PM family) and right before going in. Tamika is going for a walk. and we talk to her and she starts talking bout how she loves Jesus and etc. and how she missed her church and was bummed but felt like she needed to get outside and do something... Lo and behold we were there... (and this is the kind of miracles that I hear other missionaries talk about and I scoff to myself saying "yeah. That's a load of crap, I've never had that happen!" Yeah... I ate my words that day..) so we just invited her to church and she said "Yeah I think I'll go! I'll just get my family ready and we'll follow you over there. Then Satan tried to stop it by delaying time with Gas, Dead Battery (which started first try) So pretty much I wasn't gonna let them slip. and her whole family came. Husband, Brian. and 3 little kids who are all under 6. They all loved primary and behaved better than the member's kids. Seriously. It was so cool. We were like 15 minutes late and missed the sacrament. but this was well worth it!! So that was cool and then we met with out gator Lee Pryor. Pentecost deacon (very nice guy) and talked about baptism and setting a goal for April 12th. I know of some obstacles that still might come up but he has been taught everything. He just needs to come to Church. Which is super difficult cause Walmart keeps scheduling him on Sundays... But yeah. Pretty decent week!! I love and miss you all! Thanks for the love and support. It really keeps me going on most days! and Alec. I'm proud of you. Way to stick through it. If I can make it. You can too. Trust me on that one.

Love,

Elder Derrek Bowler.

Rocking his pajamas from Christmas

He sent this to me for our cats, who just had kittens