The Wedding!

Dad, I wish you could have been here for the wedding. It was amazing. Honestly it was the best day of my mission and probably one of the best days of my life. There were so many struggles and so much opposition but it worked out. I told mum about all the brides maids and best men and flower girls that they went through to finally get it to work in the end but as usual it did all work out in the end. I still cant' believe we went to a wedding and that the weddind wouldn't have happened if we hadn't bee here! Its pretty amazing. So I'll be sure to send you and everyone a lot of pictures from it because it was amazing.

 The reception was pretty amazing as well, partly because it was in a pub! Who would of thought we would spend out most of Saturday in a pub with loads of drunks and our favourite family in Hartlepool. It was really well attended as well and we got a bunch of return appointments out of it and all things are looking up from here on out. I'm really excited. They are planning on getting married in the temple as well. It was great because we have only taught them about it once. It was kind of funny because of the opposition they are still getting. So they live in a really rough area so they opposition they are getting involves that. Most of the time in comes in people trying to get in fights with them. Lee is a really good fighter and Kate is as good as he is! So the other day someone tried to pick a fight with Kate and she kept saying, "oh it made me so mad, I just wanted to hit her!" Then Lee goes, "Kate, do you want to go the temple? We can't if we do stuff like that." They are amazing, they just get it Dad. They just get it. I want you to meet them someday because they are amazing. Dad, they are amazing and really what this branch needed. I'm just so humbled to be a part of such a great family's conversion and their lives.

 Well I think that is about it for me. Sounds like there is a lot going on at home right now and it seems like its one of those trials about finishing a mission. I know that things will work out but I'll keep praying for everyone. I'm still thinking about the river but Jon thankfully had the same attitude about it as I did so we'll just have to see what happens. Thanks Dad, I love you so much! Take care and have a good week!
Elder Rowley

Mom,

The wedding was amazing! This week was ridiculous and we spent so much time doing so much crap organising it and everything it was such a pain! So on Monday-Wednesday I was on an exchange in Billingham, then on Thursday we had a meeting we had to go to. Oh Thursday we had the wedding rehearsal and then on Friday we had all of their baptismal interviews. And of course Saturday was the big day. It was super exciting and everything went really well on Saturday but not really on any other day! Haha. So the rehearsal went fine and they all passed their baptismal interviews so there are two more things that went well. You have go to hear the opposition on this one though! So for the wedding we had everything organised with brides maids and best man and flower girls and all sorts but then it all went south. On Monday the maid of honour, girl who was meant to sing in the wedding, and one of the flower girls backed out. That was no big problem, we just had Kate chose someone else to fill in the places and there is a missionary who is a really good singer who came to sing for us. Then on like Wednesday it turns out that the new maid of honour got arrested and sent to prison! Then on the same day the best man had a heart attack and was in the hospital having surgery. And to top it all off on the big day itself the woman that was meant to do Kate's hair had a kidney infection and was rushed to the hospital. So with all those things going wrong we knew it was meant to be an amazing wedding. We were with them on Friday before their interviews and all of us knelt down to pray and just got in a fit of laughter at how many things had gone wrong. I love this family so much. Lee and Kate have adopted us as sons and we could spend all day everyday over there. It was amazing. The wedding on Saturday went fantastic but I had to take care of some noisy kids so had to nip out for the actual service, no bother though, I saw the rehearsal and it was pretty much the same thing. I'll send you loads of pictures though, it was amazing.

The funniest part was the reception. It was at a pub but we had to go to make sure that nobody we were teaching was drinking anything. We spent like 5 hours there and can I just tell you it was like the funniest thing I have ever seen. It was probably the best day of my mission and one of the best days of my life to be honest. I can't believe it actually happened. Me and Elder Shumway were looking at each other at the end of the ridiculously long day and we both couldn't believe we'd spent all day at a wedding that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been there. It was a pretty humbling experience. So pretty much things have been amazing.

This week is the baptism and we couldn't be more excited. As fun and great the wedding was I know that their baptism is gonna be even better, I can't wait. More pictures will definitely follow. So that was pretty much our week. I'm really sad to hear about some of the news from back home, especially Grandma Janet. I know she'll be okay and it will be good to be with her and Grandma Rowley. Today we'll have kind of a busy day but I'll be sure to try and find some time to write Spencer a letter. Thanks for everything mum, I love you so much. Take care! Let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. Love you!

Elder Rowley

Robbed

Mum,
       First off, Elder Shumway says, "Thanks".  Secondly, I didn't
get anything stolen.  It was the car that got broken into, not our
flat.  We had gone down to Middlesbrough to give a baptismal interview
and when we got out to the car we realised that the someone had gotten
in and stolen some things.  We're not sure if they broke in or if we had accidentally left the
doors unlocked.  The things that were stolen were a GPS belonging to a
sister in the zone which we are replacing for her, and Elder Shumway's
wallet and camera with all his pictures from his whole mission!  I had
all my stuff on me and I always carry both my camera and wallet in my
pocket.  So that's all what happened but things are already turning
out for the better.  After we cancelled all the cards and such we had
to run to some appointments.  When we started talking with our
investigators it turns out that all of their government support has
been stopped for like 2 weeks.  So all the families were stuck with no
money for their kids and such.  Things are being worked out but then
as we drove away me and Elder Shumway were talking about how it kind
of seemed like it was meant to happen.  I always double check that I
have locked the car and in appointment even I'll go make sure it is
locked.  We had split up for the interview and for some reason I had
given Elder Shumway the keys when I got out of the car.  That never
happens!  So maybe it was the Lord's hand somehow, we'll see. As far
as all the pictures go we realised that every single one of Elder
Shumway's companions is still in England so we called all of them and
they are going to put all their pictures on cd's for him.  Also our
family we are teaching used to live in Middlesbrough and he said that
he can find out if the stuff has been sold to any of his friends.
It's been kind of interesting that way.  Plus spending all day at the
police station the last couple of days it has been a pretty eventful
week for us!  Haha.  But things are really fine.  We just wondered how
much money was on my card so in case anything happens I don't take too
much out or something, it should be fine though.  So ya that was
pretty much what happened.  The family
all came to church and they loved it at usual.  Lee and Kate came to
tea with us and they had a good time, I love them so much.  They are
getting married this weekend!!!!!  I'm so excited and things are
really coming together, I love it!  So these next two weeks should be
pretty exciting!  Thanks for everything mum, I love you so much!  Have
a good week!
Elder Rowley

Monkey Hangers

Mum,

Yes, everything worked out well and things are going on track for their marriage and baptism. It is such a pain planning a wedding though, I don't want to ever have to do it again! So they are doing amazing. They all came to church on Sunday and it was so funny to see everyone's reactions to them. They get it Mom, they just get it. Every answer they gave in church was perfect and the Spirit has just taken over in their lives. Last week we taught them about the temple and the spirit was there stronger than anything I've ever felt outside of the temple itself! They are ready. It is so really humbling. So pretty much they are perfect and we are so excited for them.

There was just one more thing that I wanted to mention in this e-mail and then I've got to get going. I got your letter from Karolyn on Saturday. It was probably the best letter I have ever received on my mission. Did you read it before you sent it or know what it said at all? It was amazing and I've been reading it pretty much every day. What a testimony of following promptings and just of little small and simple means! I've had a grin on my face since Saturday because of that letter.

And Kenzie is going to San Diego, same as Jeff?! That's gonna be so fun and epic. She said she was excited that she'll be able to see me as well because she doesn't leave until the 20th of June. I'm excited. Well I think that is it for me mum, thanks for everything. I love you so much! Have a good week and I'll talk to you later!
Elder Rowley

Dad,

Sounds like all the sports and stuff are doing really good back home. I'm so excited for Lindsay and Softball, those are some pretty good pictures as well! That just makes me smile. I figured I'd answer some of your questions first and then tell you a little bit about our week. So first the Monkey pictures. In Hartlepool every is called Monkey Hangers, that's like the Geordies in Newcastle and the Makems in Sunderland. The reason is because of an old story they tell here. So during some war with France a long long time ago an old French ship washed up on the shores of Hartlepool. So as the stories go the backwater folk of Hartlepool went to investigate the matter and found no passengers aboard the ship but a monkey. The Hartlepool people had never seen a Frenchmen before and figured the monkey was a spy for France. So they tried it in court and hung it in the town square. So now everyone is Hartlepool is called Monkey Hangers. I love it so much.

So the picture you sent is of our flat but its not the main building but the one on the left. It looks really nice but it is kind of a dump on the inside. Oh well, I'm not really bothered. Last week things went really well, we got our investigator to court and it should be all good for baptism. Our mission president is coming to interview him on Wednesday after interviews with us so that should be exciting.

We had loads of driving and I got to go back to Leeds for a meeting. It was really fun because of all the people who were at the meeting. It's called Zone Leader Council and there are only about 16 of us that go and it was full of people I've known for a really long time on my mission. It was great to be able to council together about the mission and talk about all the plans that are in store to make things improve. I am amazed at how much trust President Lindley puts in us as leaders. When something comes up he lets us deal with it and its really fun and exciting. This week I also had an experience that has never happened to me before. I met someone from Finland! She wasn't interested but it was neat to talk to her about Finland. I asked her where she was from and I couldn't remember what it was but I told her that you lived in Pori but she said that was on the other side of the country. It was just neat to finally meet a Fin in England! So things are going really really well. We are having a wedding for Lee and Kate on the 21st of this month and then they are getting baptised with their 12 year old son on the 28th, its gonna be pretty exciting! So that was pretty much our week. I love it so much here, its amazing! Thanks for everything Dad, I love you so much. Take care and have a good week! Elder Rowley ps-I talked to Elder Weitzel in Leeds 1 and he said that he forwarded the letter to our flat here in Hartlepool so I should get it today or something.

Conference was amazing!

Dad,
So here are some pictures like I promised. I'm glad you had a good birthday and that
things are going well. I love it here and it is the happiest I've
ever been on my mission. I'll send a lot more pictures next week as
well to apologize for such a short letter. Conference was amazing
wasn't it!? And an iPad, that will be a great adventure. Thanks for
putting me in for the draw, that will be really exciting. Well Dad
we're gonna have to run. I'll try and get back to the computer to
send you a more proper e-mail but this is an emergency! Love you!

Mum,
Conference was amazing wasn't it. I loved every minute of it.
Especially because we watched almost all of it with our
family that is getting married and baptised at the end of the month.
They are so amazing and so converted. It amazed me at how much the
spirit could help them understand about conference and all the things
they learned. They are converted! It's
gonna be epic! Well I'm trying to thing about some other interesting
things that happened this week. We've been driving all over the place
as usual. It's kind of hard to get used to because we have to be in
the car so much and running errands and taking care of people here and
there and everywhere but I love it. I really do. This e-mail is
really really short but I don't really know what else to say, things
were just really really good this week. I love it! Thanks for
everything Mom I love you so much! Take care!
Elder Rowley

The happiest I have ever been

Mum,
I'm glad to hear about the stuff with Grandma Jacobs going
well, though it must have been pretty interesting and all. Oh, where
do I start with Hartlepool. I feel like I could talk about it and
especially our people all day long. Oh well let's try for a start. So
my companion is Elder John Shumway from St. George Utah and he loves
to hunt. He goes home in 6 weeks and is such a great friend and
example. I love serving and teaching with him, it is a blast. We
have a car and are over 7 teams in the Billingham stake. I got to go
to a stake coordination meeting yesterday which was an interesting
experience that I enjoyed. Let me tell you about the area.
Hartlepool is a branch of the church that is quite small. There is a
senior couple here and he is the branch president but President
Lindley said that they aren't sending any more senior couples here to
be branch presidents so we have to find and baptise the new branch
president. This gets me in to the people we are teaching. I could
talk about them all day, I love them so much! So there is a pretty
ghetto area here in Hartlepool and a couple of transfers ago they
found and started teaching kind of the ring leader of it all. They are converted!
Everytime we go over there I feel like I am at home. They are so
loving and amazing and hilarious and just perfect. They are getting
married in April and then baptised a week later. He is the new branch
president. Because he is the ring leader of everything in Hartlepool
he has given us so many people to teach. It is such an amazing
experience to teach him and his friends because they have all been through so much in their lives. But when you look in
their eyes and teach them the gospel their humble and broken hearts
melt. I love teaching them so much! We have so many of them and I
could talk about them all day long. It is like every relationship we
have with every investigator is such a sacred feeling. I love it so
much. We always tell each other, "I wish my whole mission could feel
this way." It is the happiest I have ever been and I love it! Its
funny because I'm always at a loss for words with these people. When
they pray, when they keep commitments, when they accept baptism I am
just amazed and stand in wonder and awe. It's great. So that's pretty
much Hartlepool in a nutshell. I love it here. Well mum that's about
it for me. Thanks for everything. I've sorted almost everything with
BYU and such and it should be fine. I got to visit my African friends
before I left Leeds and I told one of them to add you on Facebook, I
don't know if she has yet. Her name is Ilsy D'alva or something like
that. Love you mum, take care!
Elder Rowley
ps- I gave Dad, my address and such but if you send it to the mission
office I'll be there in 2 weeks so you can decided. Take care!


Dad,
I don't know where to start this week. Things are super epic
here. My companion is John Shumway from St. George, Utah and he loves
to hunt. Elder RS. Smith my old companion is in the zone and all
three of us just talking about hunting and shooting and fishing and
everything all day long. He is such a great example and I love
serving with him. The area we live in is really close to the sea, I
can see it from my flat and it has been a great adventure so far. Let
me tell you about the people we are teaching. So in England you get
these pockets of really rough and poor places where there are a lot of
drug problems and things. The people in these areas are all really
struggling with loads of things and most of the time they are not
receptive to missionaries at all. But we are teaching them here!
There is a man and his fiance and they are the
centre of everything here. He has a rough life and is kind of
like the ring leader of all of Hartlepool, everyone we see knows him.
But they are converted, that is all I can say. I feel like
they are family. It's so amazing because of them we are teaching loads
and loads of people. They are getting married in April
and baptised a week later. I am just at a lost for words at how
amazing these people are. I feel like everyone we teach is one of the
Rowley clan. I love it here. It's amazing. Yesterday was like the
best day ever at church. Hartlepool is just a tiny little branch and
there is a senior couple here and he is the branch president. We had
some people there and one of our investigators bore her testimony at
church. Its amazing. Me and Elder Shumway just look at each other all
day and say, "I've never been this happy in my whole life." So
pretty much things here are amazing and I love it. It feels like I've
been here for like a month and a half already and I hope it stays that
way. I'll be sure to give you a picture or two next week. Dont'
worry about the BYU stuff, I've got most of it figured out. I was sad
but also happy to hear about Grandma Jacobs. I knew she was ready to
go. Well Dad, that's about it for me. I love you so much. Take
care!
Elder Rowley
ps-Did you by any chance sign me up for the draw this year for the
deer hunt? Its no problem if you didn't.

Another great adventure

Dad,
Well Saint Patrick's day was kind of funny here. We live by a
long line of pubs so almost every night we see loads of drunkards. On
weekends they dress in really funny clothes and run the whole length
of the road going from pub to pub to pub. They call it the Otley Run.
So that was my Saint Patrick's Day. But I didn't have much time to
write as usual unfortunately. I'm having to figure out courses for
school and such. But it was transfers this week! I was really
surprised the hear that I'm leaving Leeds 1! Only six weeks here, I
can't believe it. It was neat though because when I got here I had
the feeling that I would be leaving after one transfer. It's funny how
the Spirit warns you of that kind of stuff so you can prepare. I also
totally guessed what is happening to Elder Weitzel as well. He's
gonna be the District Leader here and is also gonna train a new
missionary! It's super exciting. There were loads of trainers in this
group and 6 of them have been in my district! I'm so proud of all of
them. Elder Thimmesch is training as well so I'm getting a grandson
as they say on the mission! So things are going really well. I'm
excited for this next transfer. I'll be moving to Hartlepool in the
Billingham Zone. I'll be serving with Elder Shumway from St. George I
think. He trained Elder Woodbury one of my old companions. He goes
home in 6 weeks so that will be another great adventure. And get
this, we are gonna have a car finally! I'm pretty excited to see what
missionary work is like with a car. So things should be good. Sorry
this e-mail is so short again dad. Thanks for everything, I think and
talk of you often. I'll talk to you next week. Love you!
Elder Rowley

Mum,
We had some really neat experiences with languages this week!
Yesterday we taught a Romanian family that came to church on Sunday.
They loved it and are pretty epic. It's funny because the wife speaks
no English, the husband speaks a little English, and the friend only
speaks Romanian and German. Haha. So the lesson was in English,
German, and Romanian. It was pretty fun. We also taught in
Portuguese this week as usual and French which is always exciting. I
love it here. But unfortunately my time was short here and I'm being
transfered! Who knew I would have a 6 week area! I'm moving up North
to Hartlepool in the Billingham Zone. I've never served around there
but I've got some good friends there. It's funny because Elder Weitzel
will be taking over the District and training a new missionary at the
same time. He's only been out six months. I expect great things for
him and kind of knew this was going to happen. So we'll have to see
how it all plays out but I'm excited. The missionary I trained is
training as well so as they call it I'm getting a grandson in the
mission! It was a pretty exciting transfer all in all. I feel like
there was a lot that happened this week but I don't have too much time
to write it. The mission president is fine with me looking at classes
and such during p-day. I'm looking at a lot of courses and have
talked with some people who went to BYU so I have a pretty good idea
about what I'm gonna do. I'll suprise you with it when the time
comes. But that is enough about that. Thanks for everything mom I
love you so much! Take care and have a good week!
Elder Rowley

And I thought I was going somewhere where I could only teach in English

Mum,
Wow there is a lot in that e-mail you sent! I am still
tripping out at the pictures of Sam and Kyle at all the temples. That
must be really really exciting, I'm glad she's enjoyed her visit. And
the softball tournament in St. George must have been a blast as well.
I'm glad to hear that Lindsay did a good job. I showed Elder Rosen
the pictures and asked him if he recognised it, he laughed. Did you
know his family is moving to Provo by next year. That'll be pretty
interesting. I'm so excited for Kenzie! That'll be really good for
her. The great thing is that she could go pretty much anywhere,
Spanish speaking, ASL or who knows what. Oh I have a neat story that
you should pass on to her this week if possible. So I got a letter
from her awhile ago and she said that I should try and learn some
British Sign Language which is completly different from American Sign
Language. So last time in Leeds I learned the alphabet from a member
who is from Bradford where there is a semi-large deaf community. Then
in North Shields if you remember we used to teach a girl and we also
taught her sign language with a member. From the member I learned all
sorts of usefull missionary sign language. So last week I was sitting
on a bus looking at a map and found excuse to move seats and talk to
someone. I looked over and asked him which stop I needed to get off
at to get to a specific street. He pointed to his ears and mouthed,
"I'm deaf." Haha. It was neat when I started signing to him my name
and such! He looked at me suprised and signed, "How do you know sign
language?" So I explained (or attempted to explain) that I was a
missionary and such. He said he knew the church and had some deaf
friends from Bradford who were members and he's met with them a couple
of times and has even been to church. It was neat that the only signs
I knew were things I could ask him about the church and the Gospel.
It was a pretty neat experience and just funny how the Lord uses skill
and such that I thought wouldn't have done me much good. Funny story
huh? So try and get a hold of Kenz and tell her about it, I still
smile just thinking about it! So ya as usual we had some great
experiences this week and it was a great testimony that the work is
true. I love it here and things are picking up more and more and
more. I just hope we get some baptisms soon! We met a Portuguese
woman last week and we were able to teach her with a member who
actually spoke Portuguese which is always a blast. We also had
appointments in French and Romanian. Come to think of it we taught
few lessons in English. Funny how things work! And I thought I was
going somewhere where I could only teach in English. Things are great
and I love it. Thanks for everything mum, I'll talk to you next week!
Love you.
Elder Rowley