Week 45-Transfer 6

Aloooooha!

8/19/13

Hola familia!

Wow! I can't believe how big Maelie and Kason are! Thanks for the pictures! That's so sad about our tree! There better be some left when I get home! Oh, that is so cool about the new temple video by the way! I don't know if they are showing it in Laie yet but I can't wait to see it! Seriously, it's the big talk around missionaries out here:) I have been praying extra hard for you all this week. It's crazy how much of the refiners fire we need to go through. 

This week has been quite the week for us as well. I feel like every time something happens to where I think "ok, I got this!" Something else happens to humble me big time. Sometimes I just get tired of being humbled all the time but at the same time, I am truly so grateful for these experiences. I am learning how to depend more on the Lord. It amazes me so much to think how loving and patient he is with me. I look back and see all the mistakes I have made and all my weaknesses, and yet he still loves me and blesses me and comforts me. It reminds me of what Elder Holland said in conference, "Imperfect people are all God has to work with" and yet he deals with it:) I guess it makes me more forgiving of others weaknesses as well and helps me to love just a bit more. 

Truly though, this week has been full of miracles. We had a couple of Zone exchanges and Sister Gleason got sick one of the days, and yet we were able to find 3 new investigators and visit many less-actives! Two of the new investigators came from the former investigator list in the area book and one was from a referral from church Head quarters. It was really neat actually. His sister was the one to refer him. She lives in Washington and was just baptized recently and their mom is getting baptized the beginning of September. He found out she was baptized from Facebook cause there was a picture of her in front of the temple and holding a Book of Mormon. He had to look up online to see what it was but then he called her asking about it. He said that about 5 times or so during that conversation he had told her he was curious and would "look into it". Thankfully she took the initiative and sent a referral to us for him:) When we showed up he was super nervous at first, he kept saying how he wasn't "even sure where to begin" We told him that if he was interested in learning more, we were the ones to talk to:) We sat down and gave him the first lesson right there. It was such a great lesson! The spirit was so strong and he has been so prepared! Everything it says to say in Preach My Gospel was exactly what he needed to hear. He had been raised Catholic and eventually decided he didn't agree with the church because of something he read (about the Apostasy  that made it seem too "man made". He does have a strong belief in God though and wants to find out for himself if what we have taught is true. The only issue is, like with so many, is business. He is too busy throughout the week he doesn't know when he can meet again. He wants to set up an appt. for 2 weeks from now but we will keep in touch and visit him before then for sure:) 

This is only one of so many miracles we were able to see this week, with non members and less actives alike. Even through rough times, the Lord is going to bless us. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your examples and prayers. I can't believe that transfers are coming up! We only have one more week left! I will most likely be taken back to Laie this time. I have mixed feelings about that but I am excited for whatever happens. I will be going back to speaking a bit more Spanish again I suppose. I have been reading El Libro de Mormon still but that really only gets you so far. Yesterday, the one Mexican from our ward came up and started speaking to me and was trying to tell me something but I was having the hardest time understanding, let alone, answering him back. This was the first Spanish conversation I had tried to have in months. I hope he didn't say anything too important cause I only got bits and pieces:/. After that experience, I realized again how much I don't know and it scared me quite a bit. This is truly a trial of my faith. I can tell myself that God would not call me to fail and that a miracle could happen to where I can actually learn this language that I now love so much, but it is difficult to see that right now. I continue to learn to trust in Him. For many of our dinner appointments, we have been using an object lesson in order to teach how "with God, all things are possible". I guess He is just trying my faith right now to see how much I truly believe that. I know things will work out and I continue to try and get over my fears and talk in Spanish when I have the opportunities and just wait for the miracle:) Either way, I know He loves me and I am not alone in this.

Also this Sunday, we were rather blessed when President and Sister Warner and the area of the 70 here, Elder Auna, all spoke in our sacrament meeting. I sure wish we could have been able to get our investigators there because it was a powerful meeting. Kind of like a mini conference. The ward is super pumped now though. The whole meeting was about missionary work and how members can work with the full time missionaries to do the work. We got a referral right after the meeting so I guess it worked:) I love this ward and this work so much and I love how much my testimony and conversion grows each day. I love you all and am praying for you extra hard. Never forget that:)

Les Quiero Mucho! 

Hermana Rowley (Shayla)

Our very small shower in our very small apartment

Week 44-Transfer 6

Aloooooha!

8/12/13

Aloha familia,

Wow what a week you had! Sounds pretty crazy over there. I laughed so hard about dads comment about staying up all night:) Hope you and Tonya were able to have fantastic birthdays anyhow:) Thats so cool to me that Tonya and Kyle and their family are there in Utah with you all! I'm sure I will stalk up on those stickers before I come home mom. Haha:) You would do something like that:) But that is why I love you:) So I hope you have enjoyed the random text photos you get from everyone here:) They think it is so fun that they can text you while we are sitting there. Last night that was sis. Akiona and her family. They are so fun and probably one of the funnest families to eat dinner with. I got a picture but I forgot my cord so I will have to send them next time. 

Thanks for all your prayers. We also had an extra fast yesterday for that purpose of finding more people to teach. We did get one of our old investigators back which was an awesome miracle, but that's about it. But you know what, even with the lack of new solid investigators, we are seeing so many random little miracles here. I think I told you about Raven at some point, how he went to church for about 5 years straight and then because of different things, was unable to be baptized. Well one of those was his family. He has a beautiful family with 2 boys and their mother who he loves so very much. Only problem is, he is not married to their mother. She doesn't want to marry him cause she doesn't want to get married just so he can be baptized. She has something against the church that we can guess at but no one has really been able to get to her. Well, this week, we went by to go see Raven (We always have to just go whenever cause he never will set an apt. with us) and Amy (his girlfriend) was the only one home. At first we were nervous but then we started talking to her. The spirit was so strong as we talked, neither of us were completely sure what to say to her but whatever we said really touched her. She shared some personal reasons with us why she wasn't interested and we were able to testify to her about how much her Heavenly Father loves her and her family. It was just another baby step, but it is so cool to see the Lord working with that family. I may not be able to see them baptized but someday they will be and I will be so happy I got be a part in it. I love that family so much and Sister Gleason and I both feel that they are so close to getting past whatever is holding them back! 

Marie is still doing great! She is so funny and loves to tease us. She calls Sis. Gleason "you again!" and me, "Cohort" haha. She reminds me of you in some ways mom:) She is very motherly. This week we have been looking for different ways to work with the ward to get more investigators. We have really been focusing on serving as much as we can and asking EVERYONE for referrals. If nothing else, I'm glad I got this practice in. I feel like my experiences here are really helping me to become a better missionary. I still feel like I have so much to work on. Every day I find something else that humbles me and makes me realize how much I really do need to rely on the Lord because, shootz, without him, I am really weak. I have so many weaknesses! But this is a good time to put Ether 12:27 to the test. If I come unto the Lord, he will show me my weaknesses so that I may be humble. However, he has promised to make weak things become strong and so that is what I am counting on:) I am so grateful for the Atonement! I know that my Heavenly Father really does love each one of us so much! We are all on different levels and we all have different strengths and weaknesses, but we are all striving for the same goal and Heavenly Father cheers us on every step that we make. I tell my investigators this all the time but I guess that it is good that I get to experience it even moreso first hand.

I love you all so much! I can't believe I just hit my 10 month mark on Saturday! I feel like I just told you about my 9 month mark! I am so grateful for my mission and everything that it is teaching me! I love you all and pray for you always! 

Les Quiero muchisimo!

Hermana Rowley (Shayla)

Week 43-Transfer 6

Aloooooha!

8/5/13

Mom!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!!!!! Like always, your card is on it's way:) I just want you to know that you are the BEST mom in the whole wide world! I love you so much and am so grateful you are my mom and my friend:) I know you don't like your birthday and all but I hope you have a great one anyways:) I love you! And also HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Tonya too! You are lucky cause you will actually get your card on time:) I love you so much! 

I'm sad that I missed all the fun reunions. That would have been fun to see everyone. You should have had a cardboard cutout of me so I could be there:) Congrats on Alex's baby blessing! I can't wait to meet him! So I'm not sure I understand all that Alexa's testing positive means. Is it good that we know what it is? I continue to pray for her and all of you every day. I wish there was more I could do. Thank you for keeping me updated though. 

This week we spent a lot of time with Marie. She is so funny. She keeps wanting us to go places with her like the beach, the swap meet, and Waikiki  which are all red zones for us. So finally we got permission to hike diamond head with her one morning. We were able to review the baptism questions and talk about keeping the Sabbath day holy during the hike:) Sometimes she has us go walking with her in the mornings too. We have taught the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation while on these walks:). She is really sweet though and wants so much to do the right thing. She always has a ton of questions and worries a lot but she has such a simple, childlike faith that has been so fun to see grow. Her baptism ended up being on Friday evening. She was worried and nervous about it because of her arthritis in her knees, back, ankles, etc. and she didn't think she would physically be able to do it. She was able to get a blessing from Pres. Warner and her fears were calmed a bit. I think her baptism was one of my favorites! When she got in the water she was like, "oh it's cold!" She looked back at us and Sister Gleason pointed to me (she is very persnickety by the way) so Marie turned to me and mouthed "your fault!" Haha, I just told her I loved her:) She later told us that when she went in the water it was no longer cold. She couldn't feel it at all:) She was grinning from ear to ear the rest of the night and the spirit was so strong! Sister Gleason and I sang "How Great Thou Art" (Sister Gleason has an amazing voice) and her fellow-shippers gave some great talks. She got so emotional when everyone gave her Lei's afterward. I think that should be a tradition at every baptism! It's so fun! Marie is so awesome and her faith is growing so much! I am so blessed to be in this area if only just to teach her. 

Other than Marie, the many other investigators have kinda dropped off the face of the earth. Whether it be that we can't get a hold of them, they don't keep any commitments any more, they keep saying they are sick, or they are too busy to meet with us, we are running out of people to teach. We have decided that although we will keep trying, perhaps it is just not time for them right now and we need to find a way to find someone who is prepared and ready. Or maybe the Lord is just trying to teach us something:) We are learning from it though as well as growing together in Companionship unity:) We are trying our best to do everything we can and then trying to trust in the Lord for the rest. I think you all are the best example of that. I do know that Heavenly Father never puts us in situations to fail. He is always there to help us learn and grow and He always has the blessings waiting for us. 

This Sunday I was able to bear my testimony in Sacrament Meeting. I don't usually do that as a missionary cause I want to give time for everyone in the ward to, but I really felt like I needed to. I do believe that when you bear your testimony, it gets strengthened. I am so grateful for this gospel. I know it is true. I know with all my heart that Heavenly Father knows each one of us and loves us so much! I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. There are times, especially now when I look at myself and see how far I am from where I should be, and it gets discouraging, but Heavenly Father doesn't look at us that way and neither should we. He really does cheer us on every step that we take closer to Him. He is patient with our shortcomings and knows that with practice, we can someday overcome them. I am so grateful for the atonement and for the restored gospel. I love this work so much. I love you all so much! I continue to pray for you always. Todos ustedes son la mejor! 

Les Quiero! 

Hermana Rowley

Week 42-Transfer 6

Alooooooha!

7/29/13

Hey Family! 

What a crazy week this has been! First off, we have a baptism on Saturday! Marie is getting baptized! Let me tell you, the Book of Mormon has such power! She had been listening to us, understanding, and allowing us to keep coming back. She had even been coming to church. However, she hated reading because she says she is not good at it so we went over and put the audio on her computer so she could listen to it and follow along. The next day she also was able to get a priesthood blessing to help her cause she is struggling with a lot of things right now. After the blessing she finally set a date for baptism! We go visit her every day and help her understand what she is reading and see how her prayers and things are going. I have certainly strengthened my testimony of the power of prayer, reading, and church. We can tell when an investigator is not doing even one of those. We all need our spiritual CPR (Church, Prayer, Read)! 

We also had a really cool experience with another "eternal investigator". The problem with this one is that he loves church, knows it's true, knows how good it is for him and his family, wants to go to church and be baptized, but has soooo much opposition going for him! I don't think I've wanted anyone to receive the gospel blessings as much as I do him. He loves his family so much! Just hearing his little boy laughing behind him made him literally light up! That family needs to go through the temple so bad so they can be together forever! We went to his house on Saturday and had such a good lesson with him. The spirit was so strong it gave him "chicken skin" or goose bumps:) I don't even remember what we told him exactly except that the words were not ours. He prayed in front of us for the first time and we knew for sure he would come to church! We told him he just needed to put his trust in the Lord. We prayed and fasted so hard for him yesterday and...he didn't show up. ahhh! We know that the Lord is working on him though. The two times we were able to meet with him was a miracle cause he is practically never home. That guy is going to be baptized! 

We did get to teach Bailey the restoration this week. She is so sweet. She did admit that she only wants to learn because of her boyfriend, but that is totally ok:) She had read the Restoration Pamphlet that we had given her before the lesson and agreed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. I am so grateful again for the power of that book!

There are a few more awesome investigators we are working with along with some less actives. Sister Gleason is seriously so fun and awesome! We have decided to set high goals and work hard and have fun:) She has such a quirky personality and we get to laugh, a lot:). One of the days this week, our dinner appt. fell through so we decided to go tract at the mission home:) They opened the door and we said, "hi we are representatives of Jesus Christ..." long story short, we got to eat with president and sister Warner:) They are both so sweet. I love learning all these quirky stories about President which I would put on here but knowing that Sis Warner knows how to find my blog I had better not;)

I am so grateful to be here on my mission! I do miss you all so much though! I know that everything is happening for a reason and that Heavenly Father has great things in store for us all. I loved going through the temple. I get to go every other month when I am in Laie so it is such a blessing. Please keep me posted about Alexa. It's exciting when I get more than one email from you when I check it:) I love you so much mom and you are such a great example to me! I love you so much!!! Esta bien si no puede pronunciar espanol:) Te quiero todavia:)

Les Quiero Mucho

Hermana Rowley (Shayla)