April 14, 2014

Another transfer down

The big news is always transfer days. got a call about 7:30 tell Elder Bowman and I that we are staying the same. Every companionship is changing in our district except Elder Bowman and I. Elder Bowman and I have 4 of our investigators with baptism dates. We are also planning a wedding for one of the investigators as well and then they will be baptized. Pray extra hard for them and pray that they will receive guidance and make righteous decisions. We have faced a lot of trials with investigators agency. I now know how our Heavenly Farther feels about agency. Its hard to see someone you love so dearly make wrong decisions.  But without agency we wouldn't learn for ourselves and we wouldn't grown. Agency has been apart of the plan for the very beginning and so has another principle, the atonement. Both of this things are meant to better us has humans and  come closer to our Heavenly Father.  Both of which help us grow. Has we chose righteous decisions, our faith and knowledge in this gospel are strengthened.  But has we chose unrighteous decisions we fall short of his glory and we do not grow but we do have the atonement. The atonement is their us to change our ways and and get back on the path. This principle is also a way that we are strengthened. It is a hard path to go down but has we do so we will grown. I know that both of those principles are for us. We have a loving father that loves us dearly. I pray that we will remember our covenants and keep the commandments.

Love
 Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

April 7, 2014

Conference Week
What a great week to hear from the Prophet and Apostles! I love hearing the testimonies and the witness of Jesus Christ!  The most important thing I understood about General Conference was that conference means nothing if we don't act and let it change us. These sessions our for our own benefit and learning. But again we have to let us change us. Everyone is not perfect and there are plenty of opportunists to change and become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The road to Discipleship will be hard! In order to be a disciple we have to walk the road Christ walked and we all know that that was not an easy thing to do! It will be hard, it will be painful, it will be an enduring challenge but it will be well worth it! We have a quot in the apartment that says "I never said it would be easy... I only said it would be worth it."  I also learned a lot about the Priesthood in the Priesthood session and how I can strengthen my authority. I so thankful for the opportunity to serve in the name of Jesus Christ, to proclaim repentance to all and everyone, to bring forth the blessings of heaven and share them with others. I know that I must be equally yoked with Christ. I strive to be obedient to the commandment and covenants I have made and I know in the end we will be exalted on high. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know that Christ is the way and through him we are saved. Christ is my Savoir, my brother and my friend. A true friend will lay down his life for another (John 15:13) I am so grateful for him and his atonement! I know that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ!

Love
Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving In Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 31, 2014

Went on an exchange with the Spanish Elders (Zone Leaders) Last Monday and Tuesday and that was a very cool experience! I could pick up on a couple of words but for the most part I had no idea what was going on. It was a very cool experience even though I could understand what was going on the spirit was still there. I was given and hour to do language study and in that hour I learned how to bare my testimony in Spanish. I knew that every one is a child of God but I would avoid Hispanic people because i could not speak the language and from that exchange I learned that everyone needs the opportunity to hear the gospel. I have promised to myself and heavenly father that I will talk to everyone no matter what their race.

Yo se que Dios vive y se que el tiene un plan para nuestra felicivad. Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y Redentor y pormedio de el pondemos ser limpios del pecados. Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios. Yo se que Thomas S. Monson es dirijiendo y guiando la iglesia hoy en dia. Yo se que El Libro De Mormon es la palabra de  Dios. Yo se que este inglesia es verdadero.

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving In Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 24, 2014

Service Week

I have never racked up so many leaves in my life then i did this week!! We did service for two families and both of the family needed their leaves picked up. It took us 3 hour each house and by the time we were done there were about 15 bags! It feels like fall because of all the leaves. The Jackson family was one of the families we helped and they have 5 kids and the 2 youngest helped me the whole time. I love those little kids!! One is about 4 and the other is about 2. We went to their house for dinner on Sunday and the two boys wanted to help me do everything! They followed me everywhere and would do the same thing I would do haha I love that family.

The zone leaders in this area Spanish and we went to one of their investigators baptism and it was cool because the whole thing was in Spanish. Even though I couldn’t understand a single thing that was going on the spirit was still there. I am also going on an exchange with them this week and all the lessons with are in Spanish. I think I'm going t write my testimony in Spanish and then have them practice with me saying it! That’s what I get to look forward to this week. Wish me luck and pray that the spirit will be with me on those lessons!!

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 18, 2014

Temple refresher

We went to the Temple!! It felt so great to be in the house of the Lord and just being able to sit and ponder questions that I had. The feeling that you get there is the best feeling and I wish I could go there more often. It was a great experience being able to go and doing work for the dead know that the temple is a huge blessing for our own personal salvation and for the dead. There are so many opportunities to temple work and I pray that you will go and take advantage of these opportunities and blessings. I it a huge blessing for all who go!! I know that this is the true Church and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this gospel. Now I'm back to doing work for the living and bring souls to our Heavenly Father.

This week we did some service and that was fun because it’s a break from missionary work and you get to relax a little. I had 3 little kids help me rake leaves and put them in bags and then Elder Bowman and I went on the roof of the house and cut tree branches down and lots of them. This week is a lot of service for us. We have some more service planned for Thursday and Saturday. The past week we had Zone training and it was all about member missionary work. I know that members a very important to this work. Like President Hinckley said, "every member a missionary" and i know that to be true. Members are the most important part in retaining converts. Missionaries come and go but members stay. Members are even the best way to find investigators. A member’s testimony to a friend is a ton strong then a missionary contact. Get Involved In The Work Of Salvation.

We also had interviews with President Ames. I love talking to President Ames. After interviews we also President come on an exchange with us. That was an amazing experience!!! The perks of being a companion to the district leader. We went to two lessons with President and afterward President told us that we were a power house companionship. We work together and really feel the needs of our investigators. We also follow the spirit and he said that he knows through revelation that we are suppose to be together for this transfer. I loved that night with President Ames!! Hurrah for Israel

Love

Elder Winterbottom & Bowman

Serving in Hurst

The Lord's Vineyard

March 10, 2014

 

 New Area Hurst/ Richland Hills

New City, new ward, new people and new companion. I'm serving with Elder Bowman. I'm serving as the District monkey. That's what they call the companion serving with the district leader is called because they are learning about the roles they have to carry out. Elder Bowman is a great missionary and I have already learned so much from him!! He is from Syracuse Utah. He has been out on his mission for about 13 months. He has had 2 Tongan companions so he knows a lot and he is teaching me. I am starting to say little phrases and we even have a couple of Tongan families in the ward. So we try and speak it as much as possible. Malo  leilea (Hello) Fefe hake (how are you) Sai pia (good/fine) Malo Aupito (thank you very much)

The city is so much bigger then Lampasas. I get lost very easily here. Oh and another thing.... I hate riding bikes haha My butt hurts all the time and my legs are sore already. Every time I get off my bike I feel like my legs are jelly. But there is a positive about biking because people see us and I've had 2 people pull over already to talk to us and my legs are going to get big. The ward here is good and we have exchanges every night. The members really get involved in the work of Salvation. I'm ready to help the work grown here and I know that I have been sent here for a reason. Hurrah for Israel!! 

Love 

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Bowman

Serving In Hurst 

The Lord's Vineyard

 

 

 

 

 

March 3, 2014

  Last District Meeting before transfers.

  

Julio's Baptism

Good Way to End in Lampasas

Julio's baptism was by far the high light of my week!! I Loved how I could be apart of his life and see the changes he has made. There is no better feeling then to see start the conversion processes and then to see them in the water!!  Elder brown and I both helped with the performance of the baptism. We also got to stand in on the confirmation and the bishop said that. But it was a really great experience to be apart of and I hope and pray for that family! I know they will do great and endure to the end! I will always have a place in my heart for that family for being my first baptism. Julio will be baptizing his daughters on March 29th. 

The baptism was a great way to end in Lampasas!! I am sure going to miss Lampasas!! It was my Greenie area and I will always love the people I got to meet,  talk to, the investigators I had the privilege to teach, and the city itself! It was an honor to serve in Lampasas. Hurrah for Israel!! I am now called to the Hurst area. I will be serving in the Hurst 1st ward. I leave to go up there Wednesday and we will start a new chapter of my mission. Good Bye Lampasas and Hello Hurst. 

Love, 

Elder Winterbottom & Elder Brown

Serving In Lampasas

Hurrah For Israel