Things I love

I'm glad Kyle got the letter and I was afraid that sending back that dot game would cause a problem but looks like you handled it well. There is no way we will finish while I'm out here but we can always finish when I get home. Oh and about that letter than I sent Kenzie, turns out as soon as I got back to the flat I found a letter from Kenzie! It must not have been coincidence that I decided to write her! Haha. This week I am going to write to Karolyn and kids so I'll need you to send that to them for me. Sounds like school is back in full swing, that's good you've got some breaks though. And Shae is actually married! That's so weird but he seems like a really great guy. I'm sure they will be happy, but I would be happy if she would e-mail me every now and then. Even though I didn't e-mail her her whole mission.... I was thinking about Duchesne a lot this last week. I think that is one of the big things I miss about home. Oh well, there will be plenty of time to spend there when I get home! I'm trying to think of some story I can tell you about this week but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to stop and think and unfortunately I'm behind in my journal! I have a good memory so I can still write good things from a week back but I want to get completely caught up so that is one of my goals this week. I got a letter from Jon and Jeff this week and they really brightened up my day. Jon's letter was really inspirational and it made me feel like Alma 17:2. He told me to never change and that I'd better plan on a couple of months in the mountains together when I get home. It made me really happy. Well there has been a lot of opposition these last couple of weeks, not just in Newcastle, the whole zone. It's a bit frustrating but at the same time it makes me excited for things to come. And with so much opposition we surely must be on to something good. I'll have to thank you Dad I think I inherited your name gene. I sat in church yesterday and went around the whole chapel and could name everyone there. I think that building ward relationships are one of the most important things missionaries can do, especially in Newcastle. Well I better crack on with e-mails but I've been working on my Geordie accent and we'll see how it is by Christmas. I love you Dad and I'll talk to you next week. (p.s. What's going on with the Deer hunt this year)
Elder Rowley


Hiya mum,
This week has been a struggle but a good one. Our teaching pool is small but has some real potential. My companion is amazing and I'm fantastic. There is just something about a mission that makes you smile. I guess one story from this week I could tell you about is a woman named Shirley. During conference the other missionaries went knocking by the church and found this older woman named Shirley. She was really nervous about meeting with us so instead of going straight into a letter we just started talking to her. At first we were afraid that she would just talk about weird things she had heard about the church but as she realised that we actually cared about her and felt the Spirit she began to open up. She really misses her husband and is afraid that if she came to church and joined that she would get to heaven and her husband would say, "Shirley, you're a Mormon and I'm a Catholic" But there is a member of the ward who joined after her husband had died so we're going to introduce her. I've been really focusing on listening to people instead of just talking. I feel like I am a good listener when I'm just observing but when I am actually talking with someone I have a harder time. It's exciting to grow and know that the Lord is making me who I need to be. There was also a lad we met on the street who said he hated God and everything but as we started talking to him more and he began to trust us he said that his life has gone to pot and that he was thinking about going back to church and stuff. It is just amazing to see what the spirit can do for people. I'm so happy for Talisa! She is going to be an amazing missionary! What language does she have to learn? That's so exciting! Yep the weather is changing here as well. It is very different from back home but I really like it. One thing that we had the other day that we never have in Utah is fog! I love the fog so much. I'm gonna focus on finding things to love in England instead of things that I might miss from America! Well I better crack on! Love you loads!

Elder Rowley