New digs!

Date: Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 4:29 AM
Subject:

Hello Everyone!

Sorry I didn't let you know that it was transfer week. Transfers is always on a Wednesday so whether or not I'm being transfered you'll hear from me on a Wednesday or Thursday every six weeks. Speaking of, Elder Cowley is now gone. He took the long and lonely journey to... the Isle of Man! I call it return of the Cowley because his ancestors were Baptised by John Taylor there. I'm so happy and excited for him. It was really like re-playing what I experienced this same time last year. He will do amazing things out there and we'll miss him here in Liverpool!

My new companion is Elder Stringham from South Jordan. He is amazing. He's so excited about the Gospel and he is a very sacred Missionary. He came on his mission about 6 months ago and he is on fire. Yesterday we were blessed to have 18 quality gospel conversations and set up 6 return appointments with people. We also taught a new investigator! I followed a prompting to try by our investigator Linda and her neice, Karen was there. We taught about prayer and she committed to pray and Linda was teaching as well and it was just amazing. Miracles are happening and will continue to happen here in Liverpool!

Oh and we've been blessed with a new flat! We no longer live with the Zone Leaders. I'll get you our new address on Monday. The place is posh though, everything is so new and we even have a dishwasher and a garbage disposal. That's weird to use the word garbage. Anyway, those appliances are really rare to have in flats over here. We're so blessed!

When Elder Cowley left I was working with our Zone Leaders, Elders Newson and Stacey for the evening. It was weird though because I went on splits with a member to teach Toma and his family. It made me really nervous at first, but the member, Brother Smith, helped me out a lot. He speaks Romanian, he went there on his mission. That's no coincidence by the way. Anyway, Toma is doing well. The family came to stake conference on Sunday and enjoyed it very much. They feel the spirit in Church but they don't understand. I don't know if they would understand everything anyway! They're doing well though and we're planning some good things for them for Christmas. Just pray that we will be able to get everything worked out for that.

Last Wednesday we had interviews and training and it was amazing. I got a couple packages there by the way, thanks so much for that! Anyway, the training taught us how to have more confidence when speaking with people and it was incredible. I learned a lot and on the bus ride home Elder Cowley and I (it was before transfers) spoke with everyone we possibly could on the bus! I've been able to do that pretty consistently now which is a great blessing because that's really difficult for me. I need your prayers so that I can remain consistent at sharing the Gospel on buses and reach the Lord's full potential for me. Miracles come to Missionaries who share the Gospel on the bus.

Oh and do you remember Carmen Whelan from Rochdale? Well, she was Baptised a couple weeks ago. Don't forget that she was found on Facebook when she met a member of the Church attending BYU and he shared the Gosple with her so she referred herself to us. Facebook is inspired and it can do a lot of good if we use it right. I encourage everyone to share the Gospel on Facebook and everywhere you get the chance! Blessings will continue to come!

I had what was probably one of the best experiences of my mission on Sunday. Of course you all remember Phil and Christine Taylor from the Isle of Man, Elder Larson and I found them and they were Baptised in August. Well, Sunday was the Liverpool stake conference, and last week I was excited all week that I might get to see them there because the Isle of Man is in the Liverpool Stake. Anyway, so they came on Sunday and it was amazing to get to speak with them, it sounds like they are doing wonderful things there on the Isle of Man. Phil is teaching in the Priesthood and Christine is fitting in with the Relief Society very well. I was also excited because I knew that Phil was going to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood after the conference and I would get to be there for that. Well, the time came for that to happen and the Stake President motioned for me to come up to participate in the ordination and then whispered that Phil had asked me to perform it! So I got to ordain Phil Taylor to the office of an Elder. It was so incredible. I felt such an amazing love for Phil and Christine as well. I have a great feeling that I'm going to be friends with them for a long long time. How often does a Missionary get the opportunity to ordain one of their golden investigators to the Melchizedek Priesthood? I feel so blessed. Thank you for all you've done for me to help me to be able to come here and do what I've done and be worthy of this incredible blessing!

The Church is true. Humility is something that we need a lot of. We cannot do things very well on our own, everything just goes so much better when we involve the Lord. That's why we have Preach My Gospel, it increases the Lord's involvement in Missionary work. I love that. I love the principle of Humility and it's blessed my life so much. I also love diligence. As I've studied it so far this week I've been able to experience the great joy and satisfaction that comes from doing all that I possibly can. The Lord really blesses the diligent and faithful. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the iron rod that will lead us to Jesus Christ so he can take us back to our Father in Heaven's presence forever. The Gospel works. It's true. Prayer changes things, try it! President Monson is a true Prophet of God. I know that God lives and loves each one of us.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful week and keep up the amazing work. Don't be scared to write! I need to repent of not writing. I'm sorry. I'll do better. Anyway, I love you!


Love,

Elder Rowley