It's a family affair

Mommy,
Well you were right about some things. Me and Elder Smith are still doing our best to tear it up here in Leeds, I might only have 2 more weeks here?! But it has been really good. Xanda is ready to be baptised and told us she knows it is all true and is really excited. We are going to go over the interview questions in english and portuguese just to make sure everything is good and then she should be ready for baptism! She is fantastic! We have a couple of other people who are getting to be consistent church goers which is really exciting and things just seem to be going up and up and up. We made contact with someone named Jamie that we thought we lost and hopefully we will be able to resolve his concerns. I'll let you know more about that this next week. We also had zone conference on tuesday. I got to drive to York and boy oh boy was it neat. Like an entire castle trapped in a city. Sorry no pictures, I was driving. But zone conference was really fun because we got to see so many missionaries that we have missed. They had people who are leaving bear their testimonies and they were all people that I've known like my whole mission. It was really hard for me and scary to realise that they won't be a part of my mission forever. But it was a good zone conference, I got my brain melted with doctrine on Joseph Smith by President Lindley. It was good. So that was pretty much our week. Not much to report, just good news! I got your packages last week! Thank you so much. Once again it was just what I needed. Dad send me a journal and my other memory card, hopefully both will be full soon and I've been looking out for a suit to buy. I love you so much mom and I love being a missionary!
Elder Rowley
ps-I just had a thought that I felt I should share with you. So we have been getting a couple of people to church and it made me really happy but then I realised that all of them are bringing kids into the church with them. So we have 4 adults that come consistently and 4 or 5 kids that come with them. They are not baptismal age so it is easy to forget about them when we talk about missionary work but how amazing of an effect will it have on them in the future! I love it!

Dad,
Everybody complained about the way that Elder [?] was driving so I got to drive to York! It was a blast, I really enjoyed it. Zone Conference was good too, we talked about Joseph Smith. President melted my brain with doctrine about the Prophet of the Restoration but it was good. The departing testimonies of some missionaries really got to me. Especially one that was in my first district and who was in my Zone for like my whole mission. It's gonna be weird without those people. My trainer goes home in July as well! But Zone Conference was great and we had a great week as well. The biggest story/invesitgator this week has been Xanda. She is from Africa then Portugal and is amazing. She is Miro's neice and a is amazing! We have been teaching her with Miro and with her member cousin Erika and when we teach her there is kinda funny routine. We'll teach her in English, then have her family testify/teach in Portuguese/Kreole and then since we don't understand all of the Portuguese her family says she repeats back to us in English. It is a perfect way to make sure she is understanding everything. She is preparing for baptism in two weeks and is getting interviewed this weekend. It is going to be amazing!!! So that has been the biggest highlight. We also had some great people at church and like I told mom I feel so blessed to have so many little kids at church with us. There are 4 or 5 kids that have been coming and I'm exciting to hear about their activity in the church after their parents eventually join. It gave me a whole new motivation this last week. I really am going to miss the little kids in this ward, I was thinking about it last night while going to bed. It will be really sad. I'm probably leaving in like 2 weeks as well. Oh well... I'm glad to hear the funeral went well. I'm gonna miss Hilton too, he was always really nice to us and a good man in the end. I guess you'll just have to find someone else to visit when you go to see grandma! Tell the rest of the family good luck as school is winding down and good luck yourself with all the crazy kids. good news! I did get your packages and they couldn't have come at a better timing. I got stuck at the mission office for a while and they both showed up out of the blue, it was really good. I loved the pictures that you send, I would have to say that is always the best thing to get sent in a package or a letter, pictures. The journal came with great timing because I'm almost finished with the one I have and I'm striving to fill up my memory card with pictures. I haven't got much time to write, the mission president is bringing us all food for p-day today and we've got to go to the chapel soon. I just want you to know how much I love you dad and look up to you. Whenever I catch myself daydreaming about home (and its not too often) I just think of all the fun work that lies ahead for me. The biggest thing that me and Elder Smith have in common is that we both love work and I'm greatful I learned that from you. Love you dad. Take care!
Elder Rowley