Exceedingly astonished

Thanks for the picture of Grandpa Dale. That's a great one! Could you post that one to me with the one of him on the bronco? That would be great. Well this week has been great and crazy and short, especially short is my time to write about it! We had a busy p-day yesterday and didnt' have time to e-mail so we had to do it today. That also means I won't be able to send the pictures from Gemma's baptism until next week, which just so happens to be transfers! I hate transfers! But its exciting at the same time. So we had a pretty good week early on but the end of it saved us and then we had some major let downs. So on Friday and Saturday we were blessed to get loads of new people to work with. They were all little miracles in themselves. I'll briefly tell you about them. So we went finding in a really posh area at a really bad time of day when everyone was at work so in was really unsuccessful. Then we got into a cul-de-sac where there was these two guys cutting down a tree. We asked him if we could help and he gave us the cold shoulder and told us not to bother the people on that street but we kept knocking. The other guy left and I yelled across the street, "Did he give up?" He nodded his head. I yelled, "How mad do you think he would be if he came back and it was gone?" The guy smiled and said, "Do you really think you can do it?" So we cut down his tree for him. The problem was that the other guy had no idea what he was doing and was doing it the real hard way, you have to thank Grandpa Rowley for teaching me how to cut a tree properly! The whole time the man just looked there and stared at us! He would occasionally ask us a question or two about who we were and such. When his wife came back with the other guy they were exceedingly astonished! He asked if he could get us a hot tea and we told him we didn't drink tea, then he asked if we wanted a coffee. We finally accepted a hot chocolate and as his wife was walking back into the house she turned back and said, "I've never made hot chocolate before!" It was really good. We are going back to see them next week. Crazy! Then we met a guy named Eugene who had missionaries paint his whole house with him 5 years ago. Too bad he's moving today, but he's gonna get baptised on the 18th of Feburary! Then we found out that Tamara can't get baptised this week because her fellowshippers will be at the temple and she wants them to be there. Oh well, gotta run but I love you mum. I'll talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley

On being stoned

The story behind the photo (which Zack failed to mention at all last week), via his companion, Elder Jensen:

January 4:

"Wednesday night we were on our way back to our flat to drop off something Rose had given us at our tea appointment. We got to the flat and I'm waiting for Elder Rowley to get the keys out to unlock the door when he looks at me and says, " do you have the keys?" We still haven't found them...... We have a replacement one for the house, but the key to the Chapel was on the ring as well. We were at a couple of different people's houses that day and spent the rest of the day on our feet so we have a couple of possibilites as to where they are. The Harlows were home so we dropped our things off because they opened the door for us. We carried on with our night. We went to see an investigator and she told us that she was busy and to come back later in the week. So we set off from her house. We were walking by a park and Elder Rowley was on my left between me and the park. (yep, it's a story!) All of a sudden Elder Rowley bends over, grabs the side of his head, and I hear a loud bang like something hitting metal. We walked around the corner dodging three or four flying objects as we heard jeering taunts and laughter from the darkness of the park. We got under the street light and Elder Rowley felt something dripping behind his ear. I saw the blood coming from the side of his head. The first rock actually hit him in the side of the head. We went into a pub, got him cleaned up, and he's just fine. It was a small cut, but since the head has so many blood vessels it was bleeding a bit. It clotted quickly and we were back at it on Thursday."


Date: Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 3:58 AM
Subject: Re: So, how's the head?
To: "Dalene R. Rowley"


Mum,
My head is fine. I was hoping Elder Jensen wouldn't send the pictures home but oh well. The downside is that we didn't think to get a picture before I got all cleaned up, lame! But we wandered into an Irish Pub and met some really nice people who got me cleaned up and sent me home. The funny thing was they asked what we planned on doing now. It was about 7:30 and I said that we usually don't go inside until about 9, they looked at each other then back at us and said. You should probably call it a night. It was really funny to have to call sister Lindley about it though, she didn't really know how to react! But it all ended well and we have a great story now, its also an excuse to get out of that bad area! Well I know that you are probably expecting an amazing story about that Christy girl that we met last week but unfortunately we haven't seen her since then. We've gone by every single day but no dice. Oh well, we will keep praying for her and she'll come around. We did have some super crazy miracles this week though. We taught this guy named Steven whose from Ghana and he is amazing! He is so prepared for the gospel and gave us proper preach my gospel answers. He came to church and has amazing fellowship already (I love this ward!) and we'll be seeing him a couple more times this week. We pray that he will accept a baptismal date and that he will get baptised! Haha. Tamara is also getting baptised next Friday! We had set a date for this Friday and we were afraid that she wasn't going to make it but she feels really good about being baptised so we're going to help her get baptised on the 28th, I'm stoked! We'll be seeing her tonight to watch the big long Joseph Smith movie and I can't wait! There is also a funny kind of miracle happening this friday. So we met this less active named Pam and she has an 8 year old daughter named Gemma. Now Pam has always wanted to come back to church but has had some issues with the word of wisdom. I went with her home teacher and the next week she came to church, has stopped drinking coffee, and her daughter is getting baptised on Friday. The only downside is that since Gemma is only 8 she does not count as a convert but the upside is that she asked me to baptise her! So my first time in the water with be with someone who isn't even a convert! Haha, it makes me laugh every time I think about it! We also met with this man named Alfred who used to be an investigator. He is amazing, so prepared and needs to go to the temple! We were able to talk to him sincerely and openly and the spirit was so strong there, we addressed his concern and I know that when he gets an answer to the Book of Mormon that he and his family (of 5) will all be baptised! Pretty much this week has been amazing in every single way. Loads of small things all across the board, I'm just even more stoked for next week! Its just a testament for how much the Lord will bless you if you try your best and are doing the right things. I'm amazed at how blessed we have been since the first transfer we were together. Miracles, Miracles, Miracles! Haha. Well I'd best be off to have some p-day fun. I think I'll get a hair cut today! (should I get my initials in the side of my head?) Love you mum. Talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley

ps-Just in case Elder Jensen spills the beans again. I got in a fender bender on Tuesday night. I was with a member and a fire engine turned on its lights and tried to cross an intersection in front of us so he slammed on his brakes and we got hit from behind. I'm fine, everyone was fine but the next day the member's car broke down. Oops, I guess I'm just bad luck all around!

Dragons to feed, Part II

Sounds like everything is back to normal and crazy back home! Haha, let me know what car your looking at and I'll see if there is anything I can do to help. Elder Jensen is doing great, it was his birthday on Sunday and he was a bit down but we surprised him with birthday stuff today and such so he will be alright. But let me tell you about our week! We had a blessed and amazing week this week. We are still not too confident about anyone we are working with but they all have a lot of potential but this week totally changed things. It started when we met this girl name Christine. On Christmas Eve Elder Jensen had an impression to knock her street and I wasn't really up for it, it being Christmas Eve and dark and a lame day. But we knocked it anyways and Christine said to come back after the holidays. We didn't think much about it but Elder Jensen persisted that we go back and see her. Christine is amazing, she accepted everything we taught and is going to be baptised on the 28th of January. She loved the message of the Restoration and said that when we came it was the perfect time in her life. We took advantage to testify that we had prayed about where to go and that we were sent here by God. The Spirit comes so strongly when you testify of miracles and it was amazing. She even said the closing prayer afterwards! Haha, so that was amazing. Then came my favourite part of the week. So earlier, before Christmas, we were knocking this area and this man opens the door named Chris. He said he couldn't talk because he had a lot of insects the unload and some dragons to feed. Yes. Dragons. We offered to come in but he said no. But we went back last week and oh my golly jee, I was like a kid in a sweets shop. This guy breeds bearded dragons, has a panther chameleon, and a 7ft long snake. Yes, I took pictures. Haha, he let us take them out and play with them and we talked for probably 20 minutes about them. Then we talked about the Gospel and he said he was a baptist but hadn't been in a long time but has a Book of Mormon and met missionaries a long long time ago. So we got a return appointment to teach him also to help him feed his lizards! Haha, I knew the Lord prepared people for me to teach but this is ridiculous! As soon as we get out of the appointment Elder Jensen turns to me and says, "I hate snakes" I about died laughing! So I'm super stoked for our appointment this Friday! Then on Sunday we had no one at church again (devastating I know) but then we were saved by another miracle name Martin. So my very first day in Leeds 4 we talked to this guy named Martin. We talked to him for about 20 minutes and it ended up really lame, he wouldn't even let us pray with him. Then on Sunday he walks in to church and says, "I owe you an apology, I think you wanted to pray with me" Haha, it about floored me and Elder Jensen. So we talked to him for a long time and he is really great. The whole of sacrament was on reading the Book of Mormon and he was like, "I think I'm gonna have to read that book" It was great. Unfortunately I don't think he is altogether there in the head so during Priesthood he stood up and walked out. He said there was a red light going on in his head and that he couldn't take it. We didn't understand it because if anything we thought he'd leave during Gospel Principles because the lesson was on The Gathering of Israel. The priesthood lesson was only on fasting. Oh well, he said he shouldn't come by but mark my words, I don't think this is the last time we'll see Crazy Martin! So that was our week in a nutshell. A lot of good times and a lot of spiritual times, what more can you ask for! Well, I love you mum. Take care of everything for me and I'll talk to you next week.
Elder Rowley

Opposition

Crazy crazy. We had 3 baby blessings in our ward too! It was a great week here in Leeds 4, even though everything went wrong that possibly could! It was funny to look back on especially because the Lord blessed us in the end for it all. So we have been working really hard at becoming excellent finders and it has been a difficult journey but we are improving. It makes it a lot funner when you are more successful so we were very blessed in that way. A majority of the people we've met have said to come back after the new year so we did a lot of knocking this week so that was a bit of a trial. Then on Wednesday I lost the keys..... yup. So we just had to keep pushing forward and that night ended with us getting dropped by an investigator, and chased by chavs. The next two days all of our appointments flogged and our tea appointments dropped us too it was pretty funny. Whenever something else would happen I would look over at Elder Jensen and we would just smile at each other, I'm glad he doesn't get frustrated about things. But it all paid off in the end. Leeds 2 had a baptism and we tried to get an investigator there but we had no ride so what did we do? We called the mission president to pick him up. It was so funny, I think our district leader was kidding about us calling him but we did anyways and he brought our investigator for us. It was really funny. Our week ended with us having 5 people at church which was a miracle! The majority of it was a family that were former investigators. But we were really blessed this last week and it was great. To top it all off guess what I got this morning! A package! Haha, it finally came but unfortunately I didn't have time to open it so its just waiting for me at home. Haha. Well mum, I love you but I've got to get back to work so I'll talk to you next week. Thank you and love you loads.
Elder Rowley
ps. Jon is a zone leader!

note: I'm STILL sad that not only did Zack not get any of his packages before Christmas, he never received my package (the one with the Christmas tree with photo ornaments of all his friends and family) at all. Still. To this day. I keep hoping and praying for a miracle--that it somehow will turn up at his door, but no such luck. The saddest part, is it was chock full of love from home--no worldly nor sentimental value to anyone but Zack. And he never got it.