Easter in England

Dad,
Easter for us was kind of normal for church but the English do loads for Easter. Drinking, candy, no school for 2 weeks, it was a big deal! Andrew and Becky came again and they loved it. Hopefully they begin to feel it is all true so they can get baptised!!! We know it will happen but we aren't sure when... From what I've heard it sounds like you all had quite the Easter celebration, sounds like fun! The reason we had a transfer last week is because once a year there is a five week transfer so it all lines up. So the next transfer isn't until the first week in June, crazy how fast it all goes though. Elder Smith has been out for one transfer longer than me so he will hit his year mark in 2 weeks. We have been talking about how fast our missions have been going and it is crazy. It makes you not want to waste a minute and that's what we're trying to do! It just seems to go by faster though! We work our butts off all day long and then collapse into bed and every night we say to each other, "It feels like all we ever do is go to bed and wake up in the morning". It has been a good 3 weeks with Elder Smith and I'm exciting to get a proper transfer with him. We are already planning fun stuff to do when we get home together. He's gonna take me bow hunting and help me fix up a nice bike (he works in a bike shop), let alone all of the truck troubles we're planning on! I've always wanted a companion that I can be good friends with back home and I think Elder Smith and I are gonna have some good times! Thanks for the Birthday wishes. I've told a couple members of the ward because I knew they would kill me if I didn't. All I want is to have people at church and be able to go to the mission president's fireside on Sunday night. That would be a perfect ending to my last week as a 19 year old. I got some packages already and they were great! Everything I wanted. Hopefully I can find a birthday English suit sometime but I'll let you know. I'll be sure to send some pictures for you next week. Well I love you Dad. Thanks for everything. I'm loving my mission and making the most of it, I know that the Lord will bless us and I'm excited to see what's gonna happen. Take care of yourself
Elder Rowley

Mum,
We had another really good week this past one. Me and Elder Smith have been working our butts off and it has been paying off really well. We met a man from Nigeria last week named Fredrick who has a lot of potential, we just have to bring him to church on Sunday! Andrew and Becky came to church last week and they loved it. Becky already wants to get involved in Relief Society and is planning on bringing food to a ward activity! Their daughter Lily did really well at church too, I'm so happy about it all! We had a really good Easter too, I didn't realise how massive Easter is in England. Loads of candy (massive chocolate eggs) and all sorts. I need to repent for not taking as many pictures as I should. I'm going to start taking my camera with me more places and that should help. I got your birthday packages!!!! I couldn't believe it. It's like you can read my mind everytime you send a package. Thank you mum, they were perfect! I was forced to tell certain members of our ward about my birthday under pentalty of death so it should be a fun celebration. Our goal is to be able to go to the mission president's home for the investigator's fireside. We have to reach the mission standards in order to go but we should be able to do it. Pray for us!! Things are going great over here mum, I love my mission and I'm happy to be serving in England. Things are going up and up and I'm excited to see what will happen in the coming weeks. I love you loads mum. Thanks for the birthday wishes it will be a fun day. I love you!
Elder Rowley

Staying in Leeds!

Mum,
Well the first news is that I'm staying in Leeds 4 for another 6 weeks. That'll be 7 1/2 months total, I'm pretty excited. It'll be hard but me and Elder Smith are really excited, we are gonna work our butts off. Hopefully six weeks will continue to build this area up as much as we can, we'll hopefully see some baptisms as well. To let you know about investigators I'll start with Andrew and Becky. No wedding plans yet but they are striving to live the word of wisdom and I'm really happy for them. They weren't able to come to church last week but things are looking really good for them. Jamie is out of town for an entire week so still won't be able to come to church! Other than that he is doing good. I'm pretty sure he'll be baptised this next month. Those are really our main investigators right now. We've been trying to find new people and we've been struggling but then the Lord provided and we found 4 new investigators in one day. Hopefully they all come to church and we can schedule some people for baptism in the next month. The work is getting really exciting and I'm sad to realise that I'll hit my year mark soon. I can't believe I'm almost half done, it is going by way to quick. I'm just gonna have to take advantage of everything I've got and work my butt off! Literally as well, I've been getting fat!!! Thanks for the birthday stuff. I got two cards from the Vistaunets last week so send them my love and thanks for the money as well. I'll probably take my driving test pretty soon so that might be a bit pricey. Can you send me my balance one more time? I'll find out how much it costs all together and then let you know. I love you mum, thanks for everything. Talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley


Dad,
I'm staying in Leeds 4!!!!! That'll make 7 1/2 month all together! I was pretty sure I was staying but you can never tell with transfers. It will be difficult to be in one area for that long but we're really excited anyways. Me and Elder Smith were talking about it and we're excited to have 6 weeks just to work our butts off. There will be nothing getting in the way and we both just wanna work hard. I know we'll see blessing from it as well. My fearless district leader for 6 months in going zone leader so we're getting a new district leader who is younger than all of us. I've heard a little bit about him and I think this will be another interesting 6 weeks. He's really good and humble but this is his second area and his companion has been out as long as him, it might be a bit difficult for him for a while but me and Elder Smith are gonna help him out. It's gonna be another great adventure! Andrew and Becky are doing really well, hopefully we'll set a date with them to be baptised this next week, it may be a bit far away but I'm excited for them. We are working with some really great people but we're gonna focus on finding more and more and more. It's gonna be a really exciting transfer. I'm sad to hear about Sister Lindsey, there is a member over here that has MS and I realise now that Sister Lindsay never let it show how much pain she was in. She was a great lady. I can't help but smile about the coopers hawk! In England nobody is even allowed to have guns! It's one of my favourite conversations to have with people over here! Oh that reminds me, have you talked with Elder Smith's parents yet? I was just curious because his dad works as a mechanic for Delta Airlines and might now Jimmy. I dunno if he will but that would be funny if they did. Well I think I have to go to an appointment in Leeds 2 with a Romanian speaker this morning so I'll have to finish this. Dont' worry, there is an interpreter, I don't speak Romanian...yet. I love you Dad. Take care of yourself and everything back home for me. Talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley

This side of the pond

Dad,
That's crazy. I just asked Elder Smith about it [a friend of ours was Elder Smith's scout leader] and he was super suprised that I knew him! Well like I told mum there isn't too much to report on from here. We are working really hard and things are looking up and up and up. Unfortunantly the transfers in a couple of weeks and I might leave.... I've been here for almost 6 months but I want to work with Elder Smith more and I know that we can have some baptisms in the next two months. We are working with a couple name Andrew and Becky and they are great. Andrew used to be an alter boy and knows loads about the Bible and Becky doesn't have any religious background. We see them 2 or 3 times a week and they come to church and read the Book of Mormon and stuff. They are doing really well. This other guy named Jamie is amazing! His mum and step-dad were just baptised in Canada and he wanted to learn about the church. Turns out he has a Book of Mormon and already receives answers about it. He also has had warm feelings while he's prayed with us! Its so exciting. He talks to his mum about it all the time and uses to church websites to study up before our lessons, he is great! I'm so excited for Wes! I was thinking about him as a missionary and I know that he'll do really well once he gets adjusted to it, that's great. Glad to hear Lindsay is doing good and I'll remember to pray that Luke will get a job and stuff. I told him to talk to Julee Clifford so hopefully that will go well. I love you Dad, I haven't had much time to write lately but I think about you often and I love being a missionary. Love you!
Elder Rowley

Mum,
That's crazy! I can't believe we've found another connection (see above) between me and Elder Smith, sweet! Well I wish I had more to report on from this side of the pond. We have been worker our butts off and we are seeing a lot of success! Let me tell you about three people we've been working with. There is a couple name Andrew and Becky who came to conference and they are great. They even came to the mission presidents fireside on Sunday and they had a really good time. There is also a kid named Jamie. He lives in an area that we rarely go to but we talked to him and he said he didn't have time to chat but wanted us to go over the next day. Turns out that his mum and step-dad just got baptised in Canada and he wanted to learn about the church. They sent him a book of mormon in the mail and he said that he will just open it up to a random page and he always gets a warm feeling and it is something relevant in his life! He also got a warm feeling when he said a kneeling prayer and the end of our first lesson with him. He is solid! Hopefully he will be baptised this month as well!! The work is going great. Well that is really all that has been going on, things are great and we are being so blessed!! I love you Mum and I'll talk to you next week!
Elder Rowley

First Portuguese prayer!

Mum,
Well to tell you first about our week. My new companion is Elder Riley Smith from Cedar Hills, Utah. He went to Lone Peak and I told him Chip Koop (the principal at Lone Peak) was in our ward which was pretty funny. Elder Smith is the exact same as Kolton Francis in almost every way, except he is on a mission! He loves jeep crawling, hunting, working on cars, fishing, and everything. It is a blast and he is great. Hopefully the work will continue to improve as well! Conference was amazing and we were blessed to have a family come with us. They are progressing pretty well and hopefully they will accept a baptismal date for sometime in May (they have to get married first), so things are going really well. This week has been super crazy though with everything that has gone on, I have hardly had time to think! But things are good and I love Elder Smith and the work is moving forward, I'm excited! Sounds like it was a good conference and birthday for dad. I didn't have a chance to send him anything last week but maybe I'll find some time today to do it. Let him know I love him and think of him often, especially now because all we talk about is trucks and hunting! Love you Mum!
Elder Rowley
ps-Miro is doing great! He came to conference and I'm going to get him a Liahona of conference in Portuguese. I also said my first Portuguese prayer this morning!! Love you!

Dad,
Let me tell you a little bit about our week, it was super crazy. I got a new companion! His name is Elder Riley Smith and he is from Cedar Hills, he went to Lone Peak. He loves rock crawling in his forerunner, hunting, fishing, working on cars, mountain biking, and pretty much everything in between. He reminds me so much like Kolton Francis that it is scary! Unfortunatly he doesn't know any of the Francis' so we were trying to think of someone we would both know. I was telling him about our trip to Moab and thought he might know Gary Pine. Turns out that he used to be in Gary's stake and talked to him about Jeeping every now and then! Crazy! He didn't know if Gary would remember him but that's still pretty crazy. So we get on great and we're excited for the work. Conference was a blast. We brought a family with us which was amazing!! Didn't get to see the last session though, I'll just have to wait for the ensign! That's an amazing story. I've often thought about all the little things we will be able to do to help other people. When it comes down to it all we have to do is be as Christlike as we can and no matter if we know it or not, we can effect people's lives. That's really exciting, I hope it goes well! I hope you had a happy birthday too, I'll try and send you off something today for it! I love you Dad. Thanks for everything. Especially all the fishing and hunting and good times. Me and Elder Smith spend a lot of time talking about that kinda stuff and I'm glad that you took the time when I was little to take me with you all those times. I love you. Talk to you next week!!!
Elder Rowley

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