The Church is true!

Date: Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 4:34 AM
Subject: The Church is True!

Hello Everyone!

How are you all this week? It sounds like things are a bit wet and cold there! Welcome to the amazing British weather! Today it's sunny, colder, and semi-cloudy. And right now I'm listening to the conference session we missed. We just figured out that we can listen to it on out computers and I'm very excited!

General Conference was great by the way. The spirit was very strong, I hope you felt that. Now it's our job to go out and live the principles we've learned. Yesterday we had the Priesthood session at 10, the Saturday afternoon session at 1 and the Sunday morning session at 3. On Saturday night we saw the Saturday morning session live at 5:00. I was looking at my watch and thinking about all of you. In the evening when we were preparing for bed I was looking at the clock and asking everyone else in the flat: "who do you think is speaking right now?". I love conference. I know that the Savior knows us. I hope we can all recognize His words and will given to us through His living Apostles and Prophets. The church is true.

Last week was amazing. We had a great district meeting on Tuesday, the elders and sisters I asked to teach did amazingly well. The spirit was very very strong. I love serving this district, they are amazing people and I learn so much from them every day.

The same day we got to go on exchanges with our Assistants to President Bullock, Elder Burnett went with my "father" (as we say in the mission) Elder Ayers, and I got to go with Elder Wilson. It was amazing and I learned a lot. Elder Wilson and I shared the Gospel with people on buses all afternoon long. We did it so much that they kicked us off the buses! One driver pulled us off the bus and told us to not talk with people or we would be kicked off so we stayed off his bus. We got on another bus and when we were on our way off they told us that we couldn't get on any more buses that day! Well, to make a long story short, we did. Nothing will stop the Lord's work. I love Missionary work.

On Friday I also got to exchange with an Elder Knight from London. He's one of the few that I met on facebook before we all came into the mission! It was a lot of fun and we had some great experiences. We got to give a blessing and teach and even meet with the Bishop! It was great because all the Middleton Missionaries were there and I was able to get to know the area and their investigators better as we discussed. The Lord is helping me to fulfill my responsibilities as a District Leader. I have a testimony that who the Lord calls, He qualifies!

Our investigators are doing well and this past week we even had a few more! One of them isn't very committed, but I'll tell you about her in the future if she progresses. Another is Adele's son, Brad. He's a typical teenager, he even reminds me a bit of myself at one point, but he's good. We'll be seeing them again soon. The last was a miracle. Last Monday we got a referral from the Mission Office and we looked on it and it said that it came from BYU. The name was Carmen Whelan, if you know anyone who knows her then you can let them know that we've started teaching her. Here's what happened:

Elder Burnett and Elder Rosenberg were tracting (when I was in Middleton with Elder Knight) the street that Carmen lived on. As they tracted and got near the end of the street a woman came up to them and asked if they could come to her house when they were done. Of course, they did right away, and found that it was Carmen's home and they taught her. From what I hear she is solid and we are teaching her again tonight. I testify that prayers are answered, for this was definitely an answer to a lot of prayers! We're seeing Carmen again this evening and we're very excited.

Well, the Church is true. As I listen to the Prophets and Apostles speak I feel the spirit shake my soul. I love the Savior and I really do know that He knows me. He spoke to me through His chosen servants and witnesses. I testify that they are true witnesses and representatives of Him. We must stay close to them if we are going to make it through these troubling times. They will help us come unto Christ as Apostles and Prophets of the past have. The Book of Mormon is true. Nothing will ever overthrow that sacred record. It is the word of God. My testimony of it has expanded more on my Mission than I ever thought possible. I hope and pray that we can all use the book more in our lives. I testify that it will bring us closer to God as we abide by it's precepts because I have experienced that for myself. I know that you will also. Our Father in Heaven lives and loves us. I know that this is true. Experience His love every day of your life. Seek Him in every way possible. His truths have been restored to the earth today. I hope that we never let anything get between us and our Father in Heaven. I know that if that were to happen, it would be our fault and not His. The miracle of repentance is possible. We can be forigven of our sins. Jesus Christ lived, died, and lives again so that we may do the same. The Gospel is true!

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week. See miracles. Recognize the hand of the Lord. Apply what you learned from General Conference. Even listen to the talks again, put them on your ipods. It will be well worth the time and effort. I love you all. I couldn't be here without your love and support. I hope you're getting the blessings of my service because you deserve it. Thank you for the prayers and packages and support and love. The people here are blessed for what you do for me. I love you!

Love,

Elder Rowley