Hot water never felt so good!

Date: Mon, Apr 27, 2009 at 4:56 AM
Subject: Hello!

Hey Everyone!

How was your week? You didn't get any more snow there did you? It's been nice here. The trees are starting to blossom and leaves are coming and it's beautiful! I love spring! I'm still driving and I love seeing the Island change all the time. I think I've driven from our flat in Castletown to Douglas over a hundred times now! I've been here for so long it feels like home to me! Utah will always be home home though. Oh and our boiler is fixed! I never realized before what a wonderful blessing it is to have central heating and hot water!!

Elder Llaguno is doing very well. He continues to teach me so much and I learn something new every day. He is so willing to learn and improve and he is very teachable. His testimony is strong for only being a convert of 5 years. He helps me so much. Being a trainer is pushing me to be the best Missionary I can be and I love it. Please pray for Elder Llaguno to see success here in his first few weeks!

Everything is going well though. Yesterday a Missionary couple in our Mission, Elder and Sister Davis, came over to the island. They are looking for a flat for a Missionary couple to be here! I'm excited for this new couple, they are going to love it. The only downside to having the Davis's here was that they had to take our phone! They arrived here on Saturday and when they got here their phone wouldn't work! So they have our phone until tomorrow. That's been an adventure. It was good to see them at church yesterday though!

Church was great yesterday! Last week there was a conference in Liverpool with Elder Ballard and it was re-broadcast here this week. It was amazing and I loved the talks, I learned so much. And Wanda & Luke, John, and the Portuguese man we're teaching all made it to church! I'm so happy that they got to be there for that, the spirit was so strong!

Our investigators are doing very well though. Wanda's Baptismal date had to be moved to May 9th because of a Ward Activity on the 2nd. We all feel much better about that. I'm so excited for her. She is so ready and will make such a wonderful addition to the Ward here!

Peter and Chris are doing great. They had family over yesterday so they weren't able to make it to church, but we saw them in the week and Peter is starting to think about dates for Baptism! Hopefully we'll be able to have Peter be baptised and then he can baptise Chris when she is ready! I'm excited for both of them as well. They both are also going to make such great additions to the Ward here!

Our other investigators are getting there... slowly. We hope to start seeing them progress even more over the next few weeks, and also to get some new investigators as well. I feel like we need to focus on finding the elect. We know they are out there, it's just a matter of finding, teaching, and baptising them!! Please pray for us to find the elect here on the Isle of Man.

Oh and our Mission Conference was incredible!! President Packer was amazing. Him, his wife, and President and Sister Bullock all spent some time talking about the family and how things have been, it was really interesting. Then he opened it up to questions and gave his talk. The spirit was so strong. That man is called of God and I'm so thankful for him. It's such a blessing to have living Apostles and Prophets on the earth today! After the meeting we all had the opportunity to shake his hand, then we took a mission picture with everyone, it was great. The ferry rides were calm as well! It was a wonderful trip back to Liverpool even if it was only for a couple days!

I'm curious to know about your Missionary Experiences. How are they going? Are you praying for them? I hope so. Missionary Work is the best. I love it so much, there is nothing in the world like the joy that comes from doing this great work!

Well, the Gospel is true and it has been restored. I know that and I'm so thankful for it. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it is the springboard to personal testimony of the Restored Gospel. It does bring us closer to God. Read it every single day. We must be closer and closer to God each and every day of our lives. His commandments are the one and only way to true happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. Pray to Him everyday. He has feelings too, remember. He loves us and wants to hear from us. I know that that is true. He is very literally our Father, and He really does know each and every one of us better than we know ourselves. He knows how to help us when we are down. As we seek Him first when things are difficult, and even when things aren't difficult, He will lift us up and bring us through the trials we are called to pass through. I know that The Power of the Holy Ghost is real. We need that power every day of our lives. We need to be guided by it. We've heard of and experienced too many times feeling a prompting of the Holy Ghost and not acting on it, then feeling stupid when we realize the consequence of not acting. I know that this is a Gospel of action. We must be up and doing and work hard to fortify ourselves against the adversary. What a great blessing it is to have our Savior Jesus Christ there to help us when Satan tempts us. He can and will help us. He wants to help us more than we know. He loves us. He suffered and bled and died for us. All that we can have the opportunity to return back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. I love the Gospel and I know that it's true!

Anyway, have a wonderful week, you are wonderful people who make the world a better place. Keep up that amazing work. Keep the letters coming. Please. Thanks for all of the prayers and love and support and letters and everything, it helps so much. Never forget that the people here are blessed because of all of the wonderful things that you do for me! I love you!!

Love,

Elder Rowley

I love this mission!

photos courtesy of the Tricketts, who saw the elders just yesterday

Date: Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 6:15 AM
Subject: Happy Spring!

Hello Everyone!

It sounds like it's been a busy week in Provo! That's exciting. It's sunny right now and the trees are starting to blossom! It looks like spring and I'm very excited. It's going to go fast though!

We have had an incredible week. The mission goal for Quality Gospel Conversations is 70 over 12 set up appointments. Last week we reached over 70 and set up 10 appointments! Twenty-one of those were in Liverpool, but we reached it anyway! We were both excited to see so much success. We were really struggling to set up appointments though, and we had none when we got back from Liverpool on Thursday evening. We asked Heavenly Father to bless us with some appointments and on Saturday we set up 7!! Prayer works. I'm excited to see these people, we're hoping and praying that these appointments don't fall through!

Our investigators are doing very well. On Saturday we saw Peter and Chris and Peter said that he wants to be Baptized! We told him to pray about a date and asked him and Christine to think about it and we'll probably be seeing them when we return from our Mission Conference. I'm so excited for him, he could be Baptized in a couple weeks if all works out well! Please pray for that to happen in the Lord's time and for Chris to get there soon.

I'm very proud of Elder Llaguno. He is such a trooper. He works so hard. He works so hard to speak with everyone, it's incredible. The other day we were street contacting and he spoke with a man from Portugal. We set up an appointment with him and on Saturday he became a new investigator! I'm so excited. This area is being blessed so much!

We haven't been able to see Wanda for a little while, but we're seeing her as soon as we return from our Mission Conference. We stopped by to see her the other day and just said hello and she seems to be doing well. Please pray for her to be ready for Baptism on May 2! She is so close. We have a lot of investigators who are so close. If we pray for them then they will receive all of Heavenly Fathers blessings from the restored Gospel. I know it!

John came to Church on Sunday! That's 3 weeks in a row that he has been! We're so proud of him. He's starting to progress faster and faster. Maybe he will be Baptized in the next few months... we'll hope and Pray. He's such a good man. He's really funny, we'll say something like "you're a good man John." to which he replies (in his Chinese accent) "no no no, you're good man, you're good man!" I love John!

We have a few investigators that we haven't been able to get a hold of recently, please pray for that to happen. They are such amazing people and we aren't sure what's happened to them. Pray for Adrian and Judy, and also Wendy and Andy. We're also hoping and praying for new investigators as well. There is so much work here to be done!

Zone Conference was amazing. It's a wonderful time to be a Missionary in the England Manchester Mission! We achieved 32 Baptisms as a mission in March! That's the second highest amount of people Baptized in one month for the past 5-6 years and maybe more. We are doubling the numbers. And President Bullock says that we can double it even more. We continue to be blessed with such amazing tools to find those souls who are prepared for the truth. Please pray for the continued success of our Mission. I love that when someone in the Mission has a Baptism it's not just that companionship that celebrates. We, as a Mission, celebrate it. I love this mission so much!

Well, the Church is true. My Testimony of it is strengthened every day. I love being a Missionary and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I know that this work is true and it is right. Never pass up an opportunity to share the Gospel, no matter how scared you may be. It's never worth it to give in to fear. I know that we will be happier as we are more faithful in speaking up to share the gospel with others. Nobody said it was easy, but it's infinitely worth it. Have Missionary experiences. Pray for them. Study how to share the Gospel. Ask the Missionaries to help you. The missionaries in the Provo Mission cannot reach their full potential without you. I'm going to challenge every single person who reads this letter to have at least one Missionary experience a week. Look for them and Pray for them and they will happen. I know that they will, even in Provo. The Lord will bless you for it. He needs our help to do this work. We are His hands. I love this great work. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. If God's spirit children who don't have the Gospel aren't invited to come unto Him then His suffering for them is nearly wasted. I love the Savior. I know that God loves us. He lives. He will help us live the Gospel. We must put Him first in our lives. Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is true and it is the keystone of my testimony. It is the way that those who don't have the Gospel will come to know that it's true. I love the Book of Mormon. I know that it will bring us closer to God as we abide by it's precepts than any other book in the world.

Anyway, have a wonderful week and next week I'll be able to tell you what it feels like to shake President Packer's hand. I'm so excited to meet him. Keep up the amazing work, Heavenly Father is proud of you for it. I love you all!

Love,

Elder Rowley

Don't lose your savor!

Date: Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 4:30 AM
Subject: Happy Easter!

Hello from the Isle of Man!

How is everyone this week? How was Easter? It hasn't snowed over there again, has it?

Our Easter was great. Church was great, especially Sacrament meeting. There was a presentation by the Clarke's, Larry, and another member named Sister Huxley-Wright; it was amazing! The spirit was so strong. And we had 4 investigators there! Larry brought a friend of his, George, who we are teaching, Wanda came, and so did John! We were so happy to see all of them there and I'm happy that Elder Llaguno has had a good start to his mission.

The last few days since I last wrote have been amazing. We've seen a lot of people and spoken with a lot of people in the streets, it's been so much fun. I still struggle to speak with everyone, your Prayers in my behalf (as well as Elder Llaguno's), and in behalf of the people we serve here, are much appreciated. Being a Trainer is probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but I love it. For example, I don't think I've ever made more phone calls in my life! I'm learning and growing in ways I never thought possible!

Wanda is doing well. Please pray for her to be ready for Baptism on May 2nd. She is so close and is so amazing and ready!

Peter and Chris are coming along as well. They are reading the Book of Mormon. Please pray for them both to have the witness that it is true and that they need to be Baptized.

We saw Jack on Saturday it was amazing. He's progressing. I'm almost certain that he will be Baptized one day soon.

We are also praying and hoping for new investigators. Elder Llaguno spoke with a Portuguese man in the street the other day and we are seeing him on Saturday! I love it when he gets opportunities to speak with people in Spanish. His knowledge of the Scriptures and of the Gospel is wonderful. He is teaching me so much! We also have a couple more appointments with potential investigators on Saturday that we hope will work out.

Well, never forget that the Church is true. I'm so thankful for the blessings of the Gospel in my life and I know that the good things in our lives do come from God. He does live and He is our Eternal Father in Heaven. Every part of the Gospel points us toward being in His presence forever. Preach My Gospel talks about Eternal Life a lot and I love it. That is our number one goal when all is said and done, to obtain all that God has. And the way we do that is through Jesus Christ. I know that He lives and that the power of His Atonement is real. The fullness of His Gospel has been restored to the earth today through Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is true evidence of this. I love the Gospel. The blessings of the Temple are real and powerful and I'm so thankful for them. Go to the Temple. There is so much work to be done and we can't afford to miss out on the blessings from going often. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a true and living Prophet on the earth today and that Jesus Christ directs the affairs of this Church through him.

Anyway, we're off on the ferry today to Liverpool for Zone Conference tomorrow! I'm very excited. And next week we are having a Mission Conference with President Boyd K. Packer!! Being a Missionary is the best!

Have a wonderful week and keep up the amazing work. You truly are the salt of the earth, don't lose your savor! I love you!

Love,

Elder Rowley

Wow! What a Week: Hello, Good-bye, and prayers, please!

I've been in similar shoes before--training a new missionary from another country and culture. It can be challenging. I know Luke will appreciate your prayers in this new opportunity to serve. Thanks all for the love and support!

Date: Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 4:38 AM
Subject: What a Week!

Hello!!


Sorry it's been so long! I completely spaced and forgot to tell you that transfers were this week! I'm still here on the Isle of Man though... with a greenie! That's right, I'm training! I'm a bit nervous but I know that it's where I need to be and what I need to be doing. With the Lord's help I can do it, but I need your prayers so much. They will help and will bless me and my new companion and the amazing people we serve here!

Elder Llaguno (chyaguno) is from Spain and he is awesome! On the bus and ferry rides yesterday we just spent time getting to know each other and talking about the Gospel and being Missionaries, it was wonderful. I'm remembering now what it was like to be a greenie, and I'm realizing just how far I've come since then. I have a great feeling that Elder Llaguno and I will work well together and see miracles here! I'm excited for him.

Elder Larson went to Bolton to be a District Leader! I'm going to miss him, but we'll see each other at Zone Conference next week. And I'm excited for him, he is going to be amazing. I learned so much from him. I think I've learned more from the people I've served with than from anything else, it's incredible. And there is such a bond between those who learn together through this great work, it's amazing. I love this great work!

I learned something really great on the ferry ride to Liverpool. This time we prepared and took the motion-sickness tablets like President Bullock told us to. right from the start it was very bumpy and we were a bit worried that it wasn't going to be a very pleasant experience. But the tablets worked and Elder Larson and I had a nice conversation on the rocking boat like it was no big deal! Life is going to be rough no matter what, but if you have the right medicine then you won't get sick. That medicine is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some people have some medicines that work for a little while, but in the end they are still sick. It's a great blessing that we have the one and true "medicine" that will keep us "well" for eternity!

The last week and a half has been good though. We got to teach FHE to the Johnsons and it was awesome. They are such a wonderful member-Missionary family! They have a son, Robert, who was recently ordained a Deacon. I love seeing that happen. It seems like just yesterday that that was me, and I love to look back and see how far I've come. And I also love that I can tell these young men how fast it will come and go and how much fun it will be.

Our investigators are doing well. Our friend from Bulgaria is leaving to go back soon and he's been talking with his wife about things and we probably won't be seeing him too much anymore. He still has the Book of Mormon and I firmly believe that he will be Baptized one day.

Wanda is getting Baptized on May 2nd! We're so excited for her, she is doing so well. She is working on giving up her tea and coffee and is doing wonderful. Please pray for her to have strength against the opposition and to be ready for Baptism!

Peter and Chris continue to progress. They came to General Conference and enjoyed it very much. Please pray for them to be ready for Baptism.

General Conference was amazing by the way! Elder Larson said on Saturday before we watched that first session (it was from 5 to 7 pm for us) that Elder Anderson would be the new member of the Twelve, and sure enough, he was right! The talks were all so amazing though, I feel so much spiritually stronger now. I'm excited to get the conference Ensign so I can study it even more!






Elder Larson and I spent our last couple days together saying goodbye to people and it was great. We both have grown to really love the people here, I'm sure it was hard for him to leave. It's crazy just how fast the last 4 months have come and gone.

Anyway, the Church is true! I know that God lives and loves us. Jesus Christ is our Savior and He knows how to help us. He is the only way to success and happiness in this life and eternal life in the next. I love Him and I love that I get to represent Him as a Missionary right now. I know that President Monson is a true Prophet of God and he loves us. We can't affort to pack away our conference notes; we must keep them out, study the conference Ensign, and apply the principles in our lives. Those words spoken are true and will bless us as we study them and apply them. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and is the keystone to our religion. We will become closer to God by abiding by it's precepts than by any other book. Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God. We are so blessed for his great sacrifices, and so many more of God's children will be blessed as we sacrifice to share this great message with them. The power of the Priesthood and the blessings of the Temple are real and eternal. Go to the Temple!! There is too much work for us to do, too much spiritual strength for us to acquire, and too much happiness to be had to not go to the Temple at least once a week. I wish I could go every week and I would if I could, but my assignment is different for now. I love the Temple and my life is blessed every day because of it. The Gospel is true!

Well, have a wonderful week and I'll write again on Monday. In a couple weeks President Boyd K. Packer is coming to the Mission for a Mission conference! I'm so excited, it's going to be wonderful. Anyway, keep up the amazing work. Your prayers, letters, love, support, and everything else are much appreciated! Keep it coming! Heavenly Father knows I need it! I Love you!

Love,

Elder Rowley