Bio of Brent Bowman

Family: Married to Ronda Lee. Children: Tiara (17) and Shane (14) - Both joyously adopted as babies as I was most certainly made sterile by the humidity in Panama or the tripe/cow brain/cow tongue stuff hidden in the soup in Managua! Family: Tiara is a senior this year and is looking forward to playing basketball in college.  Shane enjoys the more "extreme" sports, which our hospital bills will verify.

Church: Ronda and I have spent virtually all our time in the Las Vegas area serving as seminary teachers (early morning) and in the presidencies of most of the auxiliaries in the Church.  Ronda is currently in the R.S. presidency and I am the assistant to the varsity scout coach in our Ward.

Education: I graduated from UNLV with a B.S. in Finance.

Work: After a time with commercial real estate lending, I switched to insurance.  Ronda and I own an insurance business in Las Vegas where I practice my spanglish.

Hobbies: We recently moved to Pleasant Grove, UT to take-in the kids' interests, (they are our hobbies), and pursue additional business interests.  I'm a wanna be gardener, painter, sculptor, woodworker... you know, most of the stuff on HGTV.  Man, I'm old!

Community Service: March of Dimes, Scouting, We Voted!...

Comps: Elders Weisenberger, Blumberg, Pernett, Strong, Lacey, Machuca, Tew, Reyes, Guerrero, Clare, Todd, Bence, Berner, Olsen, Cavanaugh. Elder Reyes called me from Florida (Miami?) a while ago.  Are you still there brother?

Areas Served: Alajuelita, Panama City (Bella Vista), Managua (Bello Horizonte, Reparto Shick & Las Palmas), San Jose and 1 1/2 blocks north of Hotel Sula!

Memories: I distinctly remember Elder Tew drinking raw eggs in Managua a la Rocky Balboa.  Seeing Elders "hanging-off" a train to Limon.  The 17 hr. bus ride from Panama to Costa Rica to meet with President Kimball. Getting seriously fouled playing basketball and trying to hide the gash from Pres. Muren.  After I was hit on the back of my leg with a brick thrown at me in Panama City, Elder Lacey looked at me and said, "You want me to get 'em?"  I've regretted not encouraging him to go, it would have made a much better story, no doubt.

I found the following uplifting: The good feelings I had inside from associating with my first comp, Elder Hogan, to my last, Sis. Bowman.  Being able to seal anything with banana stamps.  Members' faith-filled acts of kindness and sharing in some very difficult circumstances.  Being invited in to talk to a stranger.  Each moment spent with Presidents Eager and Muren.  Anticipating an upcoming transfer - a new errand/adventure in another country!  Riding the bus in Panama!

After having been Dear John'd ... the mystery woman at the airport that I didn't recognize, but that I married 3 months later! After returning home in May, on July 3, 1978, I wrote to Pres. Muren: "What does my mission mean to me?  My whole life will be built around principles I learned and decisions I made while I served."  ... And so it has.