Tracting in the rain

date Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 4:28 AM
subject Another Week Gone!

Hello again everyone!

Can you believe it's already been a week since I last wrote? It's crazy how fast the time flies! Like I've said before and I'll keep saying it- I'll be back in Utah before anyone knows it! I say Utah because Shrewsbury is becoming home. I'm doing great this week! How is everybody there in Provo? Anything new? Thanks again for all the letters and I'm sorry it's going to take me a long time to write back. But please keep 'em coming! We only write letters on Preparation day in this Mission, and Preparation day is one of the busiest days of the week. At least it has been so far.

The driving is going well. The roads over here really are so crazy. There are roundabouts all over the place and people just park alongside of the road and you have
to move out into the other lane to get past them and its just crazy. So much fun though. You'll hear me say the words "these roads are so big!" when I get back to Utah.

The other day we went tracting in our focus area, Sutton. We started with a street called Rowley Court and got a return appointment with a lady there! I was pretty excited. Oh yeah and that was the day of our second exchange, that was a lot of fun. I really learn so much from exchanges!

Last week we got to go visit a member who was in the hospital, Sister Meddlycott. She is a wonderful lady but her health isn't too good and it sounds like she visits the hospital often. We talked for a bit then Elder Ayers and I got to give her a blessing and it was incredible. Elder Ayers anointed and I did the sealing and it was just amazing. There is nothing in the world like the power of the Priesthood. It is so real and so strong. I was on a high the rest of the night because of that, it made me so happy!

Wasn't General Conference just the best?! It's definitely very different as a Missionary. We watched the Saturday Morning Session on Saturday night, then the Priesthood session on Sunday Morning and then it followed from there with the rest of them. Except that we missed the Sunday afternoon session, how was it? Did they sing How Firm a Foundation? Oh and 5 new Temples?! That is so exciting, I'm excited for the saints in those areas. I don't think I've ever been more excited or nourished from a General Conference. It was so amazing!

So this week the people of Shrewsbury and Newtown need your prayers. I need them too, don't get me wrong; but the people here need them even more. They are such wonderful people and I just hope to see their hearts softened and their minds opened so they will be ready for the Gospel. Will you please pray for them? I'm excited to know that your faith and prayers will change their lives. I'm so blessed to have you and the wonderful people here will be blessed for all you have done for me.

Well, I guess I'd better wrap this up. Anyone got any questions for me? It's hard to remember them all from all the different letters and e-mails and things. Like I said before, keep the letters coming, I love them! It really gives me so much strength to know that I have your love and support. And again, I'm sorry that it's going to take me a while to write back! Oh and for those who have sent letters to the Mission Office I haven't gotten them yet but I'm excited to!

The Gospel is true. This church really is the only true church on this Earth today. It's changed our lives and blessed our lives so much and we need to share it with others. Missionary Work is the greatest work any of us will ever do and I'm so thankful to be a Missionary right now. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, but when was anything worthwhile ever easy? I'm learning and growing so much spiritually, physically, socially, mentally, in every way. I love this great work, it is so much fun. We get to work with members and have exchanges and district meetings and zone conferences and interviews and Tea (dinner) appointments and tracting in the rain and street contacting and oh it's all just so much fun!! Jesus Christ is our Savior and He loves us so much. He knows every single one of our pains, hungers, sicknesses, whatever we may be going through, He has experienced it. We don't have to be perfect in this life because of Him! I'm so thankful for that wonderful blessing. He lives and so does our Father in Heaven. He is watching you and me right now and He cares about every little thing that we do. He wants us, He needs us to be our very best every day. He wants to see all of His sons and daughters return to Him, we owe it to Him to do Missionary Work. We are forever indebted to Him and we must do all we can to help to give Him back all of his children, even ourselves. Prayer works and changes things. Last night Elder Ayers were going to visit a non-member who is married to a member and we prayed that he would be there and that he would let us in and we could talk with him and it all happened. I know that prayer is absolutely vital to our spiritual health. So is scripture study, we cannot survive in this world we live in without the two. There is immense power in doing these two seemingly simple things every day. "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." The Book of Mormon:Another Testament of Jesus Christ is true and it is wonderful. Keep reading it, it's the best book in the world! I absolutely love that book. I love this gospel and this church.

And finally, I love you. All of you that read this, I love you so much. I am the Missionary I am because of you, thank you so much for everything you have done for me.
More next week! God bless and "may the [Spirit] be with you!"

Love,

Elder Rowley