Celebration!!

Sweater Weather!

HEYY everyone! This week was a week to celebrate about so listen up!!!

Tuesday was the highlight of the week for sure!! We had a lesson with this man named Gelu and it was super awesome! When I was with Elder Dixon, we met this man on the street and taught him the Restoration. He loved it and accepted a baptismal invitation. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get in contact with him afterwards and we dropped him sadly. BUT, he called us this week and said he was super sorry for the lack of communication and he told us he really wanted to change his life for the better. So we decided to meet up and taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the lesson was absolutely amazing!! He loved it, we felt the Spirit, and we felt it was right to extend an invitation for baptism. Gelu will be baptized on February 24th in Galati and we are so pumped and excited for him. We even called President Hettinger and told him the news and he was just as pumped. It was really an awesome day!!!!!

Celebrating Gelu's decision to be baptized

Wednesday we visited a bunch of members. We visited Sora Delia in the morning and had more great food with her. We also began preparing her to go to the temple which is really exciting. We then went over to Sora Prada and had a very nice time with her. We began reading the Book of Mormon with her and she really appreciated what we did. We also talked with her daughter and that was really good for all of us. Then we finished the night with Familia Briscaru and that was another wonderful evening with that family. We read the Book of Mormon together and it was super amazing. Members are amazing, lovely people!!!!!

Thursday we met with President Titi and we talked about how we can be more effective contacting with Romanians. He knows how Romanians think and react so his wisdom is greatly appreciated. That has become our huge focus lately. Trying to contact and have more success with the Romanian people. We haven't had the most success but that is why we are working hard in studies to try and come up with an amazing way to help others come unto Christ instead of us forcing them. It's a hard process but hard is good!

Friday was a solid day overall. We had a lesson with this guy named Ionut and it went really well. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he really thought deeply about it. He ultimately said that when he comes to feel these things are true, he would be baptized. Now our job now is to help him know these things are true for sure. He will be a process for sure, but time and effort will help him come to know that these things are true.

Saturday was a nice day. We had a solid English class but none of them are really into the Gospel that much. We had solid studies and cleaned the church with Sora Neti and Sora Delia which is always enjoyable.

Our Apartment in Galati

Sunday was Fast Sunday and we had a really nice day at church. We had only 11 at church but 2 of them were non-members and that was pretty great. The highlight of the day was going over to Familia Stancu and that was a very nice night. I love them and they are a fun family to be with. Our family home evenings with them have really helped them be a happier, more united family and that is awesome!

Picture of me at church with one of the youth.

"I destroy my enemy when I make them my friend." Abraham Lincoln

Do you best to love your enemies, even when they curse you. Jesus is the best example of that and we should follow his perfect example if we want to live with our Heavenly Father again. Love you all and I hope you rock the world!

Va iubesc,

Elder Bowen