As a family we gathered around the computer with excitement as Jaxson shared his life of serving the people of Madagascar by introducing the gospel and faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer!
Christmas is celebrated in Madagascar with trees (Elders tree is a branch from the neighbors tree), Christmas rabbits for supper, and his Christmas package HE RECEIVED with deodorant, yeah!, from home which he already opened and ate almost everything editable before Christmas! Elder Bowen woke up at 5 am to get to the church to set up Skype by 6 am so he could Skype for 4 hours before church began at 10 am. What a treat for 4 hours of happiness and constant talking and laughing!
A few things he shared:
Temperature is hot now
Transfers in a few weeks and only 8 months to go
He and his companion do not eat at home since the native companions never wash their dishes
If they have to travel far, they ride a little squishy seated taxi
Having fun buying gems and stones
Laundry machine does not work so washing all clothes by hand twice a week. Yellowing shirts!
Showed us his breakfast of a pack of noodles. He said America Ramon noodles are 5 star and his
noodles are 1 star but laughed and was happy about it.
Children play with the 5 inch spiders like toys near the coast.
Natives are afraid of the chameleons as they are believed to have bad spirits.
Madagascar children at times are still afraid of elders. They ask to touch their white skin. At times they are invited for dinner and are told this is the first time white people have been in their home.
I LA GU means...what's up dude?
The Branch President spoke to us in Malagasy and he and Jaxson sang a little of Silent Night to us.
Been in area now for 6 months and has trained twice almost ready to conclude the second one.
Favorite food is rice/sausage/beans (not sure what is always in the sausage-could be cat but never dog
We asked: How are investigators? "They all get baptized so I keep running out of them!"
He has eaten: Bat, barracuda fish, sea turtle, crocodile, alligator which he likes, coconut shark. He makes brownies on occasion to fill his sweet tooth. A real treat is a COKE and wants to bring some home for us to sample.
Avocado juice is his favorite. Has not been eaten by a lemur but wants to eat one.
Sad his memory card erased about 100 pictures...they tend to do that there!
Do's: At night time his companion keep seeing a cockroach (4 inch) every night during his nightly bathroom visit. Jaxson never did until one night in the bathroom he saw it to the right of him then looked to the left at the toilet paper roll to grab some to kill it, but found 2 cockroaches on IT! While on the toilet he began to DO the SLAPPING WAR against the roaches.....crazy visual of that story!
Don'ts: Walking along tracking came upon some kids playing soccer which is one of the favorite games they play. They had made a handmade ball tied together with rope using trash, plastic, probably anything else. Elder Bowen thought he would join in and kicked the ball which made it explode trash all over. He felt so bad and learned to DON'T do that again.
Lightening Story: One late afternoon a storm was seen in the distance as the lighten bolts were crazy igniting the sky and the thunder rumbled the sky. He and his companion watched from the balcony as the storm came closer and closer. So close lightening struck the hill across the street sending a violent loud deafening sounds which send them running inside screaming at each other but not able to hear a word they said while shaking their apartment followed by complete darkness. CRAZY!
At the end of the Skype Jaxson made us laugh so hard as he ordered to be taken to the pantry to look....."peanut butter - killing me, fruit snacks - oh my word",
then he saw the counter with Brother Greenlaws famous Peanut butter chocolate chip cookes-"my favorite! Take me to the fridge....MILK!!!! wow!!! "
then he order to put computer where he would sit on the sofa..."ooohhhh, I remember that spot!" Then he continued to take a tour of his room.....
then he order to put computer where he would sit on the sofa..."ooohhhh, I remember that spot!" Then he continued to take a tour of his room.....
FUNNY HILARIOUS ELDER BOWEN!!!!
We will treasure our Christmas Skype forever! We are so proud of our Elder Bowen and his motivated positive determined desire to serve our Heavenly Father. We LOVE you!
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| Elder Bowen's current Branch President |
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