December Email from Elder Tyler Bowers

Today I transferred to Barangay Lingsat, San Fernando City, La Union Province, Philippines. My new companion is from Texas. I know him pretty well since we were in the same batch coming into the mission and also we've been zone leaders for the past while, so we see each other every month at MLC. We are opening the area together. I am excited to help President Balledos "Leave a Legacy" as he has asked us to do as part of the mission theme right now!

How is your reading in The Book of Mormon going? I think often of what Joseph Smith said about The Book of Mormon, "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." I know that is true! Sometimes with trials and struggles and other things that go on, we feel far from God and maybe like he's not around to help ("Where is the pavilion?"). But he is! In many ways! How is your reading in The Book of Mormon going? ;)

A couple weeks ago I also started reading a section a day of the Doctrine and Covenants. Also really great to read because there's a lot of counsel given to Joseph and Hyrum and others that can easily be applied to every day stuff here in the mission.

As for stories, there's not too much. This last transfer has been one of the most difficult of my mission! Companion, area, ward.. But I am also really grateful for each experience that I had to grow and especially for the experiences that I had to help others grow, especially the missionaries in Candon Zone.

I'm excited for what the next few months has in store! Maybe I've shared this scripture before but I'm often reminded of some of the last words of Moroni in 10:8: "And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all;" Couple this with a paraphrased quote from Elder Bednar, "We do not receive spiritual gifts simply because we desire to possess them. We receive spiritual gifts because God can trust us to use them to help someone else." I am grateful for the gifts and talents I have been given through my willingness to serve Christ and I'm grateful for the fruits and blessings that I see from this work. Sometimes it's hard to see the fruits of our labor! But that doesn't mean we give up. I invite you to watch the Mormon Message on YouTube titled something like "You Never Know How Much Good You Do" https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-00-008-you-never-know?lang=eng and ponder on the ways that the Lord has blessed the lives of others through your obedience to His will. "When you demonstrate your willingness to obey, the Spirit will send you more impressions of what God would have you do for Him.
As you obey, the impressions from the Spirit will come more frequently, becoming closer and closer to constant companionship. Your power to choose the right will increase." (Henry B. Eyring Oct '15)
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/the-holy-ghost-as-your-companion?lang=eng#watch=video 
I know that this is true!

Side note, Mom and Dad thanks for always reminding me that "Daily Decisions Determine Destiny"!

Oh yeah also Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We had our Christmas Conference this last week and watched Inside Out. I thought it was way cool.

Love,

Elder Tyler Bowers