WEEK 73 Light theCommunity - baptism

Man this was a crazy week! After staying in the house for 3 days we were all fortunately very blessed to have had the vaccination for chicken pox, thank you mommy! No one else has caught chicken pox.

So, me and my companion Elder Austin tried to catch up and pick the work back up. Then, the next day was Zone Conference and we found out that Elder Austin was getting transferred to my old island Abemama south(where I just came from)! So happy for him. Back up training him was super fun!

Then I met my new companion at orientation who just came from America, yup I'm training. It's all good because training is pretty fun watching white people trying to adjust to this land and language(I'm not white anymore). After getting my new companion, Elder Richins, went right to work.

Saturday we had a baptism for our investigator Tikarerei. She was totally ready, and we are so happy for here. She had been reading the Book of Mormon with her fellow shipper a lot which has fortunately allowed her to gain a testimony. Her family doesn't the LDS church and doesn't missionaries, but she doesn't care and knows the truth.

Also the past few weeks my district and I have planned a Christmas musical fireside for Sunday to light the world! I orchestrated (which is not easy and had no idea what I was doing) and planned all the songs, speakers, videos, and got everything together, and man, I never thought so much went into those things. Sooo much preparation! Especially here in Kiribati when you don't have sufficient resources. But it has all been a blast, and the fireside went so well. There were about 200 people that showed up. Members and non-members! We even made invitations and programs! It was so awesome! What a great way to LIGHT THE COMMUNITY and bring them unto Christ!!

Anyways just an update, Beru(outer island) just got opened back up! The island where they eat mud which I may or may not have already eaten when I was on Nikunau.

Ti anne. e bon nako raoi te mwakuri ao bwai ni kabane.

I tangiringkami! Tiabo!

-Elder Bowen

PS there were so many road blocks that came up planning the baptism and the fireside. Satan was really working hard for them both to not happen.