Never been happier!

Dad,
Looks like your prayers were answered! Teodomiro Domingos Dias was baptised on Friday the 25th of Februrary! It was an amazing service and half of the program was in Portuguese, it was quite an experience. He also asked me to baptise him which was neat. He is amazing and like I told mum, a lot of the people we've been working with went to the temple on Thursday it was amazing. I'm really happy to hear about everything back home. sounds like everything is same old same old. You're turning 51 on Friday!!! Crazy crazy. I'll find something I can send home for you that'll be good. Have a good birthday Dad. You realise that this will be the whole year of your life I wont' be a physical part of but it'll go by too fast to notice. I'm loving my mission dad it is amazing. I'm finally getting the hang of things and I feel like I'm walking hand in hand with my father in heaven. The work is going really well as well. We've got some people scheduled for baptism this month so we're going to have to work our butts off to make it happen. I'm excited though. Take care of everything for me back home. I tried to send some pictures home but the computer wouldn't let me. Next time. I love you!
Elder Rowley

Mum,
Yes I am still in Leeds. Things are going really well. Miro's baptism was amazing. Most of it was in Portuguese! I loved every minute of it. He also asked me to baptise him which was an amazing blessing. They even translated that into portuguese! Now I hae to task of learning to pray in portuguese for an investigator so wish me luck! I'm excited. I'll send a picture of the baptism but I'll warn you that I'm really fat! Haha. There was another amazing thing that happened this last week. There was a temple trip and many of the people we have been working with were able to go for their first time. Some recent converts and Miro's niece got to go and it was such an amazing experience. I feel so blessed that the people we have been working with have all ended up at the temple, what a blessing! Things really are going good here mum. [He talks about some challenges] It's been really difficult but I feel the Spirit and know that we'll be able to make it through. We were afraid though that it would have a really negeative effect on the work. Our weeks have been going down but we are still blessed beyond belief. There is a less active we have been working with who we found out never received the gift of the holy ghost so he will probably have to be re-baptised. It is amazing. I'm so humbled at how much the Lord has blessed this area and me since I've been here. We have had a baptism every month since December and things are looking good. I'm just really happy to be on a mission right now and I've never been happier or closer to my Father in Heaven. Its amazing. So that has been what's been going on lately. I'm doing fine though so dont' worry about anything! I haven't thought in the slightest about what I want for my birthday... I wanted to buy an English suit but I'm going to wait until there is a really good sale and that probably wont' be until Christmas or so. I also have to take my driving test soon so I'll let you know how much it costs and when I will take it. Wish Dad a happy birthday for me! I love you Mum! Take care.
Elder Rowley

Losing oneself in the work

Mum,
We're having a baptism this Friday and we're all really excited for it. Things are looking up for this area and for everything. I've been so happy this last week but I've also never been more tired in my life! Today I might just take a nap and relax. But then at 6 o'clock I'll just have to get up and do it all over again. I'm finally beginning to feel the work of missionary work and I love it, it makes me feel like I'm making a difference and its great. Not much else to report on, I tried to play some songs out of the hymn book this morning and I can tell that I'm getting better. Hopefully I will be able to play well enough by the time I get home. This week I hit my 9-month mark. Crazy crazy crazy. I don't want to think about how much time I have left because its already too little. I love you mum! Mother's day is in April in England but we're not gonna call home until May so I'll talk to you then. Sounds crazy! It felt like it was just yesterday that I called on Christmas! Well better head off. Love you!
Elder Rowley

Dad,
Feels like spring over here as well! The weather has been really nice lately and it makes the work even more fun. The best news is that after conference in 2 weeks we don't have to wear suit coats anymore! Boo ya. This last week has been really good but really crazy as well. I was on exchange for 3 days so things were pretty tiring. It was really good and things pulled together in the end. Miro is looking great for his baptism on Friday and I'm really excited for him. He is so humble and happy now that he has found the true church and its great. He is becoming a good friend as well. We seem to bump into him everywhere now and its a laugh because we sometimes struggle to communicate. He is great though and we're all excited for Friday. Other than that things have been pretty normal. Might have some big changes coming soon but we'll not know for a while. Good to hear that things are going well back home. Mission life is crazy but amazing at the same time. There is so much to remember and to do that it is easy to forget it all and lose focus but I guess that is a gift of the Spirit in itself. I'm working my hardest and things are starting to pay off. We have been so blessed this last week and I feel so greatful to be out here. There are some missionaries I talk to that have trouble with homesickness and its really sad to see. They are missing out on so much fun and love because they are so worried about what's back home. I'm trying to lose myself in the work and the more I do so, the happier I am. I love it! Thanks so much dad for everything, I love you and I'll talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley

Pray for Miro

Date: Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 5:02 AM

Well, I'm staying in Leeds 4 for another transfer. Six months!!! Woohoo. I would have been really sad to have to leave some of the members and some of the work. We are also going to baptise a man from Portugal on the 25th so I'm glad I'll be here for that! His name is Miro and his niece is a member and brought him to church. We taught him a little and he accepted it all but still had some underlying concerns. We brought another member who speaks Portuguese (from Sao Paolo Brazil) and then things came together. Miro has a wife and three teenage kids back in Portugal that he is trying to bring to England. He spends all of his time either learning English or looking for a job so the government can find him a house. He has been super stressed and busy and because of that put learning the gospel on the back burner. Well the member told him that he used to be an interpreter for people in his situation and that he would help Miro with all the documents to get his family to England. Miro looked up at us and then at Brother Ribero and started crying because he was so happy. Then we taught him about the plan of salvation and the Spirit was so strong. When we asked him about his baptismal date he said that he feels much more prepared now than before. Ever since that appointment we have noticed such an excitement from Miro and a bond that is difficult to explain. I'm so glad we met him and I'm so excited that he'll be baptised this month. Our goal is that when his family moves here that he can baptise all four of them and then in time that they can go to the temple. It is so amazing! I'm so happy when little things like this come together. Now we're gonna work even harder and find more family to help and individual that we can baptise. Its so exciting!!! That's really the most and best news I have right now but I'll keep you posted about exciting things that happen this week! I love you mum. Talk to you next week!

Elder Rowley

Best gift EVER!

Ups and downs (redux)

It's pretty funny how things work out sometimes. At church yesterday I said the opening prayer as well! Then we taught primary! It was really fun. The ward is getting so excited for missionary work, I love it. It was a bit disheartening because we didn't have any investigators there but oh well. We have had a rough week but we're excited for the next one. Like you said, a mission has lots of ups and downs. I guess its our attitude that makes the difference, oh well things will get better. We did have some crazy great miracles though this last week. We had a guy refer himself to be taught who looks really good for baptism in a month or so. We scheduled the member's uncle who came to church last week (he's from Portugal!). And we scheduled another woman from Portugal who is friends with the same member. Its pretty exciting. The only problem is that we're running out of people to teach! We try to find loads of people every day all day but we haven't been getting hardly anyone. Oh well, it comes and goes. But I'm working hard and having a lot of fun at the same time so I'm still excited! Transfer calls are next Monday though so I'm really nervous about what's going to happen. I seem to make lots of little mistakes that add up over time that have been keeping me down lately. Pray that I don't forget everything I'm supposed to do and we'll see how this next transfer pans out. I'm betting I'll stay in Leeds 4 for another month but yesterday I was prompted to bear my testimony so I might be leaving. We'll see. I love you mum! Will you send me some stories from your mission? Thanks much.

Love you,

Elder Rowley