12/30/2013 email

Serving a mission is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. People told me it would be hard, but I don't think anyone can ever understand just how hard missionary work is until you serve one. And even then, it's hard in very different ways for each missionary and each mission. I have been on the world's largest emotional roller coaster. One minute I love my life, the next minute I'm ready to quit and looking for tissues so I can dab my eyes (that line is for you, friends). I refuse to quit though, I think part of it is because I'm stubborn and the other part is because I know that Heavenly Father wants me here. I often ask myself that question, and although the list is rather small, there are definite reasons why I am here.

- So I could meet Sister Busath. She has become my very best friend here on the mission, and I know we will be friends forever. She helps me through so much and always acts in love for everyone and anyone she talks to - missionaries included.
- President Cooke even once told me that he needs me here.
- Because Heavenly Father asked me to be here.
- To strengthen my own testimony.
- To bless my family back home.
- To be worthy of my future husband.
- To become a better mother.

Christmas was so good, so hard, and so different this year. I really missed home and especially missed being with family, but I also discovered that I have family here. I have the very best second family here in DC. We had a party on Christmas Eve at the VC with all the sisters and senior couples. I ended up leaving with tears streaming down my face because I felt so overwhelmed by how loved I am (all of the sisters got gift cards for Cafe Rio, treats, bracelets, pictures, and $30 to Macy's). I really learned the beauty of giving, oddly enough I learned it by receiving. Earlier that day we had a special Christmas Eve dinner where we were taken to "Jerusalem" to eat like Mary would have. It was a very simple dinner, one of bread, hummus, cheese, nuts, dried fruit, and grape juice. I must admit, I was grumpy about it at first. I didn't like much of what we were having and I felt as though I wasn't being fed enough food for a long evening at the VC. The theme for Christmas this year: HUMILITY. I learned a lot of humility in a lot of different ways. I started to really think about how much I am blessed with, both back home and here in DC. I am a missionary who gets fed dinner every single night at the VC during Festival of Lights, we get iPads and iPhones this week, I have Cafe Rio in my area and have been at least 5 times since arriving, I have access to email and receive letters from my friends & family often (THANK YOU, THANK YOU!), I got to skype home for Christmas, and the list goes on and on and on...

I have a LONG ways to go, but I definitely see that I am changing and becoming better. It's a slow process, but it is a process and it is happening. I don't always see it, but sometimes I do and those times I don't, there are people around me who help me out by showing me just how much I'm growing. We got bookmarks this year that have a list of things the other sisters think about us. There is one remark in particular that really helps me, and especially helped me out yesterday as I was struggling (again for the millionth time), "The only thing Heavenly Father expects is that we are trying and progressing. You are."

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Thank you for all that you do, for all your love & support, and especially for your prayers!

Humbled by Christmas

Oh hey, I'm still alive...barely. Sister Rowley needs 40 more hours of sleep and 50 more hours of study time, so if anyone knows how to generate that, late Christmas gifts are definitely appreciated. Festival of Lights is keeping me busier than every finals week I've ever experienced added together, but this is better than taking finals, waaaay better.

Christmas was different for me this year. I'm away from home and my family, there was no snow in sight, and I really learned the importance of giving. Here comes that awkward moment when I admit that I'm kind of a selfish person and it's something I struggle with every day as a missionary, even Christmas day. This year, I learned a lot about humility and the beauty of giving. I don't have much time to write about the wonderful things I received over the past few days, but know this... in those gifts and acts of service I discovered the true meaning of Christmas. There are some amazing people here in DC, I am indeed a very blessed missionary. MERRY (day after) CHRISTMAS!

Pics of the Week

Meeting Elder Christofferson

Running into familiar faces (height twins):

12/23/13 email

MERRY CHRISTMAS! i can't believe tomorrow is christmas eve!! i'm really going to miss having dinner at eric & tamra's house this year (and next), it's my very favorite meal of the year. maybe want to send me my gift to christ note card in a letter so i can see what i wrote last year?! i will make my own here in DC and open it again next year on christmas eve!

because of festival of lights, we haven't spent much time in our area, but I think I have finally found my purpose in the Visitors Center. we were asked to do that a while ago, but i gave up, thinking that i had yet to find my purpose at the vc. I kept thinking that I had to specifically define it, but I've discovered this week that my purpose in the VC changes every single day. My purpose is entirely dependent on who I meet and talk with. One of my purposes last week was to meet Eddie, his wife Erika, their little baby boy Jason. Sister Clement was giving them and Erika's sister + her husband a tour. It was a Spanish tour, but when they came to the house (where we show a video called God's plan - all about eternal families), Sister Clement had me go in with her to be her companion. I don't speak Spanish, but it was one of the neatest experiences thus far in my mission. I love when I get to interact with those of the Hispanic culture. It makes me feel close to dad and i often think of the wonderful people he served in Honduras and how blessed they are now because of his service and his testimony. I come to really love the Hispanic people here that I am with even though I'm not doing much (or any) of the talking. While they watched the movie, Sister Clement helped me feel better about some of the things that I was struggling with. She then said that I needed to testify after the movie, that they needed to hear what I had to say. I was nervous at first, but I spoke in English and they understood it. I thought Sister Clement was going to translate, but there was no need, the Holy Ghost did that for me. I was able to tell them that what they were feeling and learning right now was good and that it was from Heavenly Father. I bore testimony of eternal families and was able to share how much mine meant to me. Being the weepy person that I am, I started crying, but in doing so and in sharing my testimony, I was able to provide a spiritual experience for that family. Erika started crying herself and they were super receptive to our invitation to meet with missionaries. Because of ME and MY testimony and MY struggles, I was able to help another family further understand the blessings of eternal families and now they can have that as they continue to meet with missionaries!

wish i could have 10 more hours to write you, but i get to skype tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love, sister rowley

this weeks email

FRIENDS! FAMILY! hello!

another week has come and gone with it's own challenges and miracles. i am discovering that mission is so hard. people tell you that a mission is hard, but until you serve you cannot fully understand what they mean. my weaknesses are exposed ten-fold and my vulnerabilities are even more accessible to satan than before. he knows how to make me feel bad about myself and he knows how to make me miss home and desire to be there. he is really trying to stop me from fulfilling my purpose as a missionary. i was reading in alma this morning about moroni preparing for war. he sent in spies to find out what the lamanites were planning so he could better prepare his army. i learned that i need to do the same for myself. i need to figure out exactly how and when satan is trying to bring me down so i can fight against him. i KNOW that i'm supposed to be here and that there are specific people that i'm supposed to help - one of which i met the other day at the visitors center. i'm discovering that helping people on a mission does not mean i baptize them and introduce them to the gospel entirely, but rather i give words of encouragement, remind them that god loves them, and even share my own love for them. i think i will end up planting a lot of seeds, but i may not be around when they turn into trees.

so, i got a speeding ticket the other day. we got the call this morning. the streets in maryland are crazy! one minute it's 40 mph and then in 2 seconds it's 35, and then 5 seconds later it's back at 40. okay, so maybe the second thing is in exaggeration, but the speed limit is constantly changing and the signs are not always easy to see. worst part, they aren't actual cops, instead they have these cameras at the intersections. there is no avoiding them. i was actually really upset that i got a ticket and i let it get me down. i felt mad that i wasn't more aware, but i have to remember that i am still new here and the streets are crazy, so i quite literally didn't know. it was an honest mistake. [mom/dad, i'll be paying for that out of my account at home. sis mendenhall and i are supposed to split the cost - i'm supposed to have $200 in there at all times for emergencies... i also need to use that card today to buy a blanket and some other things from target. i contemplated having you send me that comforter, but i think a blanket will be better so i will buy that today].
we had interviews with president cooke & sister cooke last week! BEST THING EVER. i love them so much. i couldn't pick two better people to take care of me while i serve here. i've been struggling with my prayers lately, feeling like they aren't very heartfelt. i wonder if it's because i'm tired or because i don't have the privacy i once did at home. PRAY VOCALLY! you don't realize how important that really is until you are put in a position where you can no longer do so. sister cooke really taught me that night about prayer. she told me that she sometimes pictures herself kneeling at the feet of heavenly father and heavenly mother (sister cooke is always including heavenly mother, and i love that she does). she painted the picture of literally kneeling there and having your head in their lap and them stroking your hair. i felt so overwhelmed with love in that moment. i knew that what she was telling me would work if i tried (i haven't yet). just hearing about it helped me feel my heavenly father's love for me. i know he wants to help me and i know i need to be more open with him. i need to talk with him the way i talk with you. president is so confident in me and sees the best parts of me. i'm so grateful for him and even though i've said it before i really mean it - there is no other mission president i could have served under. i feel so so blessed to be here. this is the absolute hardest thing i've ever done in my life, but it's also the greatest thing. i love my family and friends more than ever before and i also love the lord more than ever before.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!
and thank you for the letters! heavenly father always gives me mail on the days i need it most. it's such a blessing to have so many wonderful people writing me. please please keep writing!

Pics of the Week

SNOW! actually made the missionary happy…

Treats and notes from the home ward… made her day!
Lights.

merry Christmas from dc

email

FRIENDS & FAMILY!

once again i have so much i want to tell you and not enough time to tell it.

we just had ambassadors night and diplomat night at the VC last week. they were non-proselyting nights, but i definitely feel like we were able to accomplish our purpose as missionaries. the simplicity of a smile is a HUGE teaching tool for all members of the church. people can really sense that light of christ within when you smile and be as kind as you can. the first night i was on coat check (the job they said was for organized sisters). i loved that job and was wishing i could do it again for diplomat night. turns out the reception job was my favorite. we got to walk around with food and serve the diplomats, their families, and other guests. we were encouraged to talk with them, something i was nervous about for some reason. it was THE BEST! the diplomat from el salvador is pretty much my favorite person ever. sister chapman and i were in charge of walking around with a bowl of meatballs (chili sauce and grape jelly - IT WAS SOOO GOOD! and i don't even like meatballs), and toothpicks/napkins. the diplomat from el salvador LOVED them. he had at least 9 of them and we kept walking around the room so when we would see him we would walk up to him and ask if he wanted another. he eventually said no and then he secretly whispers to sister chapman, "meet me in the back at the end of tonight and i'll get some more" he was just kidding, but it was hilarious, and he was just the nicest guy. i also briefly met the diplomat from Honduras. He was super young and him and some of his friends mentioned (they actually might have been assistants, i'm not positive on that), but he was from Honduras and him and his friend mentioned BYU so i figured it was safe to guess that they were members (they were!) i was able to mention that my dad served in Honduras! i love how dad's mission keeps popping up here for me. a tender mercy to say the least. we also met jason chaffetz, the UT senator, and some of the marriots (the hotel people). before these events i hadn't really thought about how involved the church is in government issues and how essential it is that we maintain that positive relationship so we can continue sending missionaries all over the world. the ambassador from Switzerland was the one who was a keynote speaker the night he came, and together with Elder Christofferson, they turned on the festival lights! It's just neat to see the whole world essentially come together in a building that stands just across from the temple. i didn't expect the evening to be focused on christ at all, but the speakers all spoke about the Savior and the church. I definitely cried that night, but of course that's no surprise.

i had a REALLY tough day on friday. we were at the temple, and even though it's a place of peace, i felt really overwhelmed and the exact opposite of peaceful. i later had the very distinct feeling that what they say is true, Christ really does walk the halls of his holy temples, and he really does care about me. right before going into the celestial room i had a breakdown, i was half overwhelmed with being a missionary and half overwhelmed by the spirit and christ's love for me. sister burnham just happened to be there right when i needed her. i was really missing home that day, and she was such a good proxy mom in that moment (and here i am crying all over again). she just hugged me. i didn't need her to say anything, i just needed a mom. it's such a blessing to work with these amazing senior couples at the VC. it really is like having 6 moms and dads who all love you so much. (elder & sister burnham, elder & sister petramalo, elder & sister eyring, elder & sister gillespie, elder & sister crandle, and president & sister cooke... could i be any luckier!?). sister busath also took care of me, as she always does. she came over and talked to me and made sure i was okay and gave me a few suggestions to help. i haven't been writing home lately, partly because time is so limited, but i see now that i really need to. i need to for my own sanity. i have discovered that i try to do as much missionary work as possible, that even during lunch time i try to make phone calls or focus on being a missionary. that's good, but it's also good to be kylee, to give myself the time to re-energize. because i don't have constant access to a computer, i can't blog as often as i'd like, so i have to write more letters and express my thoughts that way so i can clear my mind and be the best missionary possible. that's all i want, to be the best missionary i can be and to make heavenly father proud. it's so hard to find that balance between being a missionary and being a normal person. i also find it hard to balance all the "areas" and roles i have here. we are normal proselyting missionaries (although it doesn't feel like it right now with festival of lights every night), we are also online proselyting missionaries, and even visitor center missionaries. i so badly want to be able to do my 100% best in each area, but i am starting to see that it may not be possible to do that, that i have to focus on the specific area i am in when i am there. i have to be okay with not being the best at everything and i definitely need to work on not comparing myself to others, especially the elders who do have more time in the area because they are not at the VC. this morning as i was studying i was reading in alma 37:6-7 and that concept of by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass really stood out to me. i told you that the APs are helping out with our area now right? i started to feel like as sisters, we weren't doing anything or had done anything previous to their arrival, i felt like a bad missionary. but heavenly father helped me see that i am helping by doing the small and simple things. the elders are currently teaching Ray, his girlfriend and also his brother. some other elders found Ray and referred him to us as the YSA sisters. we couldn't get a hold of him for quite some time, but we eventually did and we were able to set up an appointment. The APs ended up coming to that appointment with us and taught such an amazing lesson. we were the ones that made that appointment happen, we were the ones who knocked on his door, introduced ourselves in such a way that he was willing to let us come back. small and simple. and now he's taking the lessons! i also read my patriarchal blessing this morning and felt so much love from heavenly father. i know he is proud of me for serving and i know he doesn't expect perfection, just my best efforts. i just need to be okay with my best sometimes being less than 100%.

LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH! all of you!

love, sister rowley

A simple testimony

The missionary life is a busy life, especially during the month of December. Festival of Lights has started! Pretty lights, free concerts, and all things Christmas! I expect every single person reading this to be singing, "it's the most wonderful time of the year" right now, because it really is exactly as that song says, the most wonderful time of the year. After a 6 hour shift at the Visitors' Center my feet might hurt, my hair may look like a mess, and my whole body might be begging for my bed (told you it was the most wonderful time of the year), but it's all worth it because I get to help people remember the true meaning of Christmas! Put all the presents, trees, and goodies aside... Christmas is all about remembering and serving our Savior, Jesus Christ.

My testimony is often a simple and straightforward one, but I think it's meant to be that way. The love Christ has for each of us is anything but complicated, and the love I have for him is equally simple. I know that Jesus Chris died for me personally, and for each and every one of us. I know that He never leaves us to handle trials alone, that as long as we reach out to him, He will help us. I'm grateful to have the knowledge that I do, and I am especially grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with others. I'm convinced that I'm about to experience the greatest Christmas of my life... I am after all, in the greatest mission in all the world.

pics of the week

Meal calendar… FULL
Missionary tummies… FULL!

Thanksgiving leftovers…
Happy missionary!

New companion…

email

FRIENDS & FAMILY!

i love you all so much! hope you had a great thanksgiving and most importantly, i hope you spent the day thinking about how blessed we are to have the gospel of jesus christ in our lives and to have families that last forever. i was particularly grateful for my own family that day, even though were were miles apart, i was grateful to know that they were at home having a wonderful meal together in a home that loves our savior and lives the gospel daily.

transfers happened! i am with sister mendenhall now and she is absolutely great! we get along so well, and the spirit is so strong when we teach together. we had a great lesson with a new investigator last night and i was once again able to invite someone to be baptized. she said she isn't sure yet, but that's okay! you start with the big question, baptism, and then you invite them to read the book of mormon and pray - those invitations seem much easier after you ask someone to be baptized. she said the sweetest, most sincere prayer at the end of our lesson and even though she said she didn't want to until later that night, she ended up praying specifically to know if the book of mormon was true.

we now have two sets of missionaries for the ysa group! the APs (elder jellito and elder miyasaki) will be helping us with our area throughout december (festival of lights at the VC) and possibly even after december. i am really excited to work with them! the four of us taught a lesson a few nights ago, and holy smokes, those elders are amazing!! i felt like i was the camera crew on the district, filming two great elders teaching an amazing lesson. i learned a lot from them that night, and also learned that i am not a perfect teacher, nor will i ever be. it was a humbling experience to watch two experienced missionaries teach. i felt down at first, a feeling that continued even into the next day, but that experience is what allowed me to better rely on the lord and recognize that the elders taught so well because they were in tune with the spirit. my spirits were lifted as sister mendenhall and i taught a little "how to teach" lesson in ward coordination. we shared elder zwick's simply and intensify method and my testimony of that grew immensely. the gospel really is simple and a testimony is really the best way to invite the spirit to be the last to speak.

i get to drive again!!!! 2 months later and i finally get to drive again! i was so sick of always being the missionary standing out in the cold backing up my companion. it's just nice to contribute more, and not always be in the passenger seat. i'm still learning my way around, but that GPS is a life saver - thanks for sending it!! the streets here are craaazy.

we went to teach someone who has been investigating for a while now, and he is a ysa so we get to start teaching him! we thought we were in the right place, but turns out we weren't. we walked around in the rain for 30 minutes searching for his apartment. thank goodness we finally found it!

FESTIVAL STARTS TONIGHT! yikes. tonight is when all the diplomats come in. it will be a non-proselyting night, and more of a "look at my smile and see the light of christ in my eyes as i hang your coat up". yep, i'm the coat check sister (along with a few others). i was told that they put the organized sisters there.

the neatest thing...
so there are a lot of hispanics in the area, and i of course don't speak spanish. my VC companion for the night did though, and we were assigned a spanish tour. i stood and smiled (and also met elder welch who asked me if i was taylor's sister) and nodded, because i didn't have a clue as to what was going on. she was from el salvador, but at one point sister shaw forgot and thought she was from honduras. we were looking at the temple kiosks, so she went to show her a picture of the temple in her home, but instead of el salvador, she pulled up honduras! i took that as a tender mercy from heavenly father. i sort of pictured dad being in honduras speaking with people just like this great woman who was investigating the church. it was just a really neat experience, even though i was sort of out of the loop as to what was going on. i'm just so glad dad served and so glad that i can be serving now. AND NOW CUE CRYING ROWLEY FAMILY. if i'm crying, you must be too.

WE GET TO CHAT THIS TRANSFER!!!!!! i am sooooo excited! i'll keep you updated on my experiences!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!

pics of the week

First of all… Happy Thanksgiving! There is so much to be thankful for. While we will miss having Kylee at the table tonight, we would not want her to be anywhere else. We are thankful for her willingness to sacrifice wonderful family traditions (temporarily) in order to hasten the Lord’s work. I am certain that she will be well fed and taken care of by others and perhaps, bring home a new tradition or two.

The District

The District Sisters

DC Temple

the power to choose

I've been thinking about agency lately. It's quite amazing isn't it... the ability to choose for ourselves? We get to choose what to wear and what to eat, we get to choose what to study and where we apply for jobs. We get to choose what our favorite color is, decide if we're going to make the bed, or put our seat belt on when we get in the car. We get to choose whether or not we act in kindness or pridefully walk away. No matter the case, we always get to choose!

I chose to attend the University of Utah (my entire family cheers for BYU). I chose to start blogging back in 2008, a decision I will never regret. As far as recent choices go, I'm here dedicating 18-months of my life to the Lord. I even get to choose how I spend my time here... yes, we have rules, but we exercise agency in following them. What I'm currently learning is that happiness is a choice, one that I sometimes fail to make.

We recently had what is sometimes referred to as, "the golden investigator" - he was more ready to hear and accept The Gospel of Jesus Christ than anyone I had previously met (ignore the fact that I've only been serving for two months). I was convinced that he would be the first baptism of my mission and that he would share the gospel with his family and friends. Much of my happiness stemmed from him and his choice to meet with us. He was absolutely amazing and The Spirit was always with us as we taught and bore testimony. Just a few days ago he dropped us. He no longer wanted to meet, no longer wanted to be baptized, and no longer wanted to be apart of what I was certain he was ready for. I once thought that heartbreak was when the boy you had a crush on didn't like you back... that was nothing compared to this. I really struggled those next few days. I would ask myself what I did wrong and wondered what I could have done better to help him accept our message. He exercised agency and I didn't like the results.

Just now as I was writing my thoughts, I started thinking about how Heavenly Father must feel when we make choices that do not align with His hopes and will for us. Absolute heartbreak. But He, being all-knowing, foresaw that we would make mistakes and would need a way to overcome them. That is why He sent us the ultimate gift - the gift of The Atonement. It is because of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice that we are capable of overcoming all that we face.

I resolve to be more mindful of my choices, particularly my choice to be happy. I've always known that happiness is a choice, but I'm learning it more than ever as a full-time missionary. The other day someone told me, "you have two weeks to get happy", but really I only need one minute. A small act of kindness, a short prayer to Heavenly Father, or a hymn silently sung. It feels hard in the heat of the moment, but choosing happiness is one of the easiest and greatest choices to make. Heavenly Father blessed me with agency, I can and must choose to live happily and righteously.

pics of the week

Thursday was the day I picked to showcase the PICS OF THE WEEK.
As I was getting ready to post, I noticed something….
Sister Rowley updated the blog herself!!

So, instead of stealing her thunder,
I posted these a day late.

YSA’s are great!
Missionary photo bombs are great too!

I am starting to see a pattern…

Cute as ever! I’m glad that the mission is not taking the Kylee out of Sister Rowley!

live from DC

This is the real deal, the real me, not just another letter sent home that my mom so graciously posts (thanks mom!). I AM BLOGGING! Heavenly Father knew exactly what He was doing when He called me to serve here in Washington, DC. Using the internet to share my testimony and beliefs is not a new concept for me, it's something I've been doing for years. Originally, I thought that becoming a full-time missionary would mean saying goodbye to blogging for 18 months, but turns out The Lord had a different plan. I'm so glad that He's in charge and that part of his plan is to utilize social media to share the gospel. This blog will continue to be full of letters and photos sent home.

You can also follow my new blog, one dedicated to my purpose as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Follow it, read it, share it, and even comment! I'm excited to be here in Washington, DC and I'm also excited to be here, online, doing my thing.

http://sisterrowleyindc.blogspot.com/

You can count on me

We attended a stake meeting last week where the message was loud and clear, members and missionaries are meant to work together. One cannot do what the Lord has asked without the other, nor are we expected to. It may seem too hard at first, you may feel like you don't have time to be a member-missionary, but I promise you that as you make time for the Lord, He will bless you and your efforts.

Sharing the gospel becomes easier when you study and come to personally know the doctrine. I am living proof of that principle; I did not read Preach My Gospel before beginning this 18-month mission, and the scriptures are still hard for me to understand, but as I continue to study and seek a personal testimony, teaching and testifying becomes easier and easier.

Sharing the gospel becomes easier when you pray for strength, courage, and missionary opportunities. As a missionary, I pray more often than I ever have before. I also use specifics when I pray, something that I picked up as a new and struggling missionary. I can promise you that prayers are heard and that they are answered - not always the time and way you expect or wish for, but God is always there, always leading you along, and always expressing His love for you.

Sharing the gospel becomes easier when you trust the Spirit to put into your heart and mind what to say and when to say it. This is the very thing I struggled with most as a new missionary. I continue to worry about what I say and exactly how I say it, but time and time again, the Holy Ghost helps me share the message that ought to be shared. In a sense He is a filter; what I say matters less than what the other person feels. The Holy Ghost is that mediator, He is the real teacher, and for that I am grateful.

After the stake meeting we found ourselves right in the middle of traffic jam. There seemed to be no beginning and no end to the line of cars we were surrounded by. It was in that moment of impatience, that it donned on me... this is exactly like people who are searching for the truth but know not where to find it. We, both members and full-time missionaries, know where to find it. We are blessed to have that truth and are therefore responsible to share it with others. Whether we notice it or not, they are lining up, just like those cars and the people within. There may be some impatience on their end, because they are so ready and so willing, but simply do not know which direction to go. We must set aside our fears and open our mouths! Be the type of person who can confidently declare to the Lord, "you can count on me!"

For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it —  Doctrine & Covenants 123:12

this week’s email

friends & family!

another week, another opportunity to write home and tell you how much i love you all!

thank you eric, tamra, kids, neale, emily & their kids for the letters!!!!! MADE MY DAY!

we had the amazing opportunity to learn from elder zwick (area authority) and his wife. i learned SO much from them and love them so much. elder zwick presided at all the stake conference sessions, and there was also a special meeting for ward council members and missionaries. when he came to teach the missionaries for mission conference, he allowed every single missionary to come up to him, his wife, pres & sis cooke, and elder & sis eyring to shake hands with each and every one of us! he said he doesn't get to do that in all missions, because of time, but we are small enough that we were able to do it. it was cool because he let us know how much he personally loves us and also how much the prophet and the 12 love us. we talked more about the ipads and iphones! i am SOOO excited for this new adventure of missionary work! we get them on dec 9th!

elder zwick talked about the typhoon in the Philippines. i had heard about it from sis caffee (the wife of the ysa stake rep) and felt so sad for those missionaries and their families. what a miracle, that all missionaries were kept safe! elder zwick shared some pictures of the missionaries in the mtc where they were sent for recovery. they showed pictures of rooms full of clothes that the current mtc missionaries had donated for these missionaries who were coming in after the tragedy. the donations were overwhelming. i of course was crying. what stood out to me most though was that the missionaries who had gone through that tragedy together were clinging to each other. they loved each other so much. i thought to myself, i need to "cling" to my companion. i know that i have many weaknesses to overcome while serving here in DC, and this is one of them. i really do have the desire to overcome this, to be a good companion, one that builds up - not tears down. right now i am struggling to be the one that builds, but i know that repentance is real, the atonement is all-encompassing, and the savior makes it all possible.

elder zwick also taught us to SIMPLIFY AND INTENSIFY. that is how we are supposed to teach. state the principle, share an experience, testify, share a scripture, and then the other companion testifies. it's as simple as that. always end with a testimony... let the holy ghost be the last one to say something to those you are teaching.

sister cooke's talk during mission conference was everything i needed. she talked about repentance and how it's not meant to make you feel bad about yourself, but rather yearn for perfection through christ. it was during that talk that i was reminded that i am not perfect, that i will make mistakes, and that the lord will forgive me if i but ask. he will help me manage, adjust, and become the missionary (and companion) i am capable of becoming. there was also a musical number included in her talk, "more holiness give me" - that hymn is becoming a close contender with "i stand all amazed".

president cooke always reminds me that it is impossible to fail when you are doing the lord's work. i'm grateful for that reminder and for his continual reminder to be patient with myself. it's as if every time he speaks to a general group, he is speaking to me personally.
from sis. zwick i learned that to BECOME (meaning, we are not going to immediately get there - but rather becoming is a process) a pure disciple of jesus christ we have to allow for time and growth. i need to stop striving for perfection and instead strive for daily improvement. if you never make mistakes, it means you're not trying. keep making mistakes, keep trying.

everyone look up dayton's legs. if you haven't seen it, watch it. if you haven't watch it again. it's amazing. (mormon message video) a youth one i think??

per usual, wish i had more time to write.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

sister rowley

Discouragement

The letter we received today was full of discouragement and struggles. Not anything that is uncommon for any missionary, but definitely something Kylee wasn’t prepared for.  (What missionary is fully prepared for anything that comes their way?)

On Nov 7, she expressed

“I’m really struggling today (and every day is seems). I should probably talk with President Cooke, but I feel dumb, and then I feel like I’m complaining and not doing my part… Is there such a thing as too many Priesthood blessings?.. If I ask for another one, does it mean I’m not trying hard enough myself? A scripture that came into my head this morning… remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.  I was feeling worthless and then that thought popped into my head numerous times. I know other missionaries are struggling too, but they do such a good job at hiding it, forgetting themselves, and serving the Lord! I know I need to be patient with myself but I can’t see that I’ve made any progress at all.”

She has since seen President Cooke and reports that “everything got better”. I know that the visit made a tremendous impact on her. She has no doubt that she is where she needs to be. She is realizing that certain things that seem bad (cancellations etc.), often happen for a reason.

Please keep Sister Rowley in your thoughts and prayers.

PS Letters of encouragement can be sent here:

Sister Kylee Rowley
Washington DC North Mission
11700 Falls Rd
Potomac, MD 20854-2823

Missionaries Blog Too

If you know how to throw a welcome back party, then I'm ready to be your guest of honor. I'm back! I'm blogging again and this time I'm blogging as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Choosing to serve The Lord for 18 months is the best decision I have ever made. Missionary life has been hard, really hard (I have no problem being honest about that), but it has been absolutely amazing. The daily miracles always outweigh the difficulties and trials that come my way. There is nowhere I'd rather be than right here helping others strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Everywhere I go, I'm reminded to utilize my talents as a missionary. Talents? What talents? Um, hello... blogging! It is no accident that the Lord has called me to serve in this particular place, at this particular time. Despite what some people may think, missionary work is much more than knocking on doors and giving away a Book of Mormon. Believe it or not, missionary work includes facebook and blogging.

So here I am with another blog, this time with a very specific purpose, a missionary purpose. Everything I share here will revolve around one little thought:  BE OF GOOD CHEER. "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear,  for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."  (Doctrine & Covenants 68:6)

I'm learning that the only way to do missionary work is with a happy heart and smile on my face. No matter what you say or do, it means nothing without love and sincerity. I'm learning that the only way to have that love and sincerity is by relying on the Savior. This is His work and His mission, not mine. I know that Jesus Christ loves us and knows us on a very personal level. Because of Him, we never have to feel alone. I may be out of my comfort zone, walking up to strangers and sharing with them my beliefs, but as long as I rely on Christ, there really is no reason to fear.

Pics of the week

Every week brings new photos.
Here are my pics of the week.

Companions: Sis Leben & Sis Rowley

Photo 2 - Exact quote "being a missionary does not mean i stop loving ice cream"

FIRST A THOUGHT, then an email

For over a month now, we have been writing letters to our darling sister missionary daughter. They have been filled with words of encouragement, love and support. We send off these letters hoping that she will grow and learn from our experiences and feel uplifted through our insight. Over this same period of time, something quite remarkable has happened. As we have been receiving letters from her, we find that it is our testimonies that are growing from her experiences and we are uplifted by her understanding. Her letters are filled with the sprit and this has been a great blessing in our lives.

 

and now… this weeks email:

it's been a rough few weeks. it wasn't until i had a really good day, that i realized i was sort of feeling depressed (nothing to be worried about though! missionary life just requires a lot of adjusting). i was afraid to talk to president cooke, worried about bugging him when he had so much on his plate already. sister griffiths really helped me understand that president WANTS us to call him. and so i did. we were able to set up a time to meet together the following day. tender mercy: actually meeting in person instead of talking over the phone.

i am convinced that there is no other mission president that i could have served under. president cooke and his wife (his whole family for that matter) are amazing. the mission president before, and probably many in other areas, have a hierarchy for calling. you call your district leaders first, they call the zone leaders, and then they call the assistants to the president, who then call the president. obviously that is the hierarchy we ought to use, but in some cases we really are allowed to call president. he WANTS to hear from us, he wants to have that one on one conversation. it makes all the difference to just know that. i had missed that, the ability to talk to a parent-figure like that. i have always been so open with you (mom & dad), so it's a great blessing that president allows us to be that way with him.

in that meeting i learned a lot from him, and he also gave me a priesthood blessing that made all the difference. he pointed out to me that he could have assigned two seasoned missionaries to start this YSA group - to whitewash and begin from scratch - but instead he called me. it blows my mind that the lord and president cooke have THAT much confidence in me. knowing that also humbles me and helps me realize how dependent i truly am on the atonement and on my relationship with the savior. that's what missions teach missionaries: to REALLY depend on the the lord. 
the blessing he gave me that night was so wonderful. i'm so grateful for the power of the priesthood and to have access to it here while i am serving and away from dad.

i honestly cannot wait for you (mom & dad) to meet these wonderful people. you will love the cooke's so much. i have known them for a very short period of time, but i love them so much. i loved them the very second i met them. i wish i could have better explained that experience with president, but i can't. i struggle to find the words sometimes and that was one of those times. i sort of wish i could have recorded that meeting so i could remember it forever. the feelings i will never forget though, so perhaps that's all i need.

OH! I CREATED A NEW BLOG! sisterrowleyindc.blogspot.com
i'm still working on putting it together, but i decided this was the best way for me to do online proselyting. every time i get on fb i start writing a post and realize that it's waaaay too long and i just get frustrated and give up. this way i can post lengthy things and then post the link on fb! so i will continue to send emails home and mom can take care of that blog, and then this blog i will use to teach and share some other personal experiences! perhaps some of the info will overlap, but i'm not quite sure how i'm going to do it just yet.

sister cooke & her daughters found my mission blog and love it! they also watched me opening my call! i want to watch that video again, i love it so much. i feel sort of pressured to be so good at online proselyting - everyone here knows that i blogged before - and i just get online and don't quite know what to say or how to say it. it's one thing to blog about your life, but to blog about life and turn it into a preach my gospel lesson is entirely different. this is something i need to pray more about. heavenly father will help me know how to do online proselyting and utilize my talents.
i wish i had 5hrs to write emails! i have lists of things i want to say and they just get longer and longer everyday!

i love you all so much!

love, sister rowley

Monday’s [very brief] email

FRIENDS & FAMILY!

i look so forward to mondays, to emailing home and letting you all know how much i love you. we had stake conference this week and it was AMAZING. i have been struggling a lot (i'm on the world's biggest roller coaster right now, so many ups and soooo many downs - one extreme after another). stake conference was everything i needed. we had an area authority visiting - j. christopher lancing. there was a  youth choir that sang the EFY medley song. i love that song so much, even more so now that i am a missionary and i am truly "as the army of helaman... taught in [my] youth, and i AM the lord's missionary, bringing the world his truth." i need to start carrying tissues around with me. pour elder squires (it's fine, he was front row - i was second) had to grab the tissues for me TWICE. you know how it goes, the rowley cry that never stops. the best part of stake conf. was when elder lancing talked about sections 121-123 of D&C. section 122 was what really spoke to my soul. i should have brought my scriptures so i could tell you exactly what i learned, but he talked about how this section ought to be personalized. that section says "if" so many times and if we go through and change those "if" trials of joseph smith's to our own personal trials we can then really personalize that promise "fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."

Sister Rowley

PHOTOS!!!

Scriptures + Oatmeal = Missionary Breakfast
Sister Leben & Sister Rowley

Excerpts from a letter–FIRST VISITOR CENTER LESSON (SOLO)

10/22/13
Last night was my second shift at the visitors center and it was awesome! It was a shorter shift because of PDay. I was reviewing my training binder when a family came in. At first, I was hoping that some other missionary would come over, but I am so grateful that this teaching opportunity was mine.

They are a family of 4 – just like ours, with two daughters – from Ethiopia. The father had briefly been in the visitors center before, but didn’t stay long because he wanted to bring his family. He had seen the temple from the highway and wanted to see what it was. They walked around the temple grounds and then came to the visitors center. They had a few questions about the temple and I tried to answer them to the best of my ability. I taught them about eternal families, promises we make with God, and even baptisms for the dead. They were with me for pretty much the entire night.

I showed them the “God’s Plan” video and we again talked about eternal families and creating families and homes on a foundation of Christ. They loved the video! I taught them about the prophets (Joseph Smith & modern day prophets) and about the restoration and the Book of Mormon. They are orthodox and very faithful to Christ. We looked at paintings of Christ and even the Christus. They were so knowledgeable and after I would teach something, they would say “true! that’s true!” I was so inspired by their commitment to Christ and their obvious love for Him and for each other.

Things just got great towards the end of the night. We were able to find a Book of Mormon in their language! They wanted one, but not in English. They were so excited! I committed them to read the introduction as a family by Saturday. I will then call them Saturday and talk with them about it. I pray that they fill the spirit and come to know the Book of Mormon the way they do the Bible.

I stumbled over my words and didn’t always know what I was doing, but I tried. I stepped forward with faith, knowing that the Lord would prevent me from saying anything stupid or wrong. I’m learning that the Holy ghost is always there, but sometimes in a way I didn’t expect. Sometimes he helps me teach by knowing what to say and where to go, but more often I’m seeing that the Holy Ghost works as a filter. I open my mouth in faith, praying that something, anything I say, will touch the hearts of those I teach. Then the Holy Ghost filters the things I say in a way that allows the investigator to hear and feel exactly what the Lord wants them to. I can’t wait to see what happens with this amazing family and I know that even if they don’t accept the gospel now, I was the one who helped plant that seed. ME!… the sister missionary who just got here and has no idea what she is doing. My very first visitors center lesson! WHAT A BLESSING!

followed by the email

FAMILY! FRIENDS! i love you all!

i love being here, and i especially love president cooke. for the second sunday in a row, i got the chance to see him. he continuously reminds sister leben and i that we are not alone and that we can call him anytime as we continue to create this YSA group.

we went tracting for the first time last night. we went to an apartment complex and ended up doing street contacting instead of door knocking. sister leben speaks spanish so she was able to talk two separate men about the gospel. we then met jarmaine who is pretty much amazing. i can't wait to go back and teach him. he said he's be interested in coming to our church one of these upcoming sundays and i even left him with a book of mormon before leaving!! best part?! he's YSA age so we don't have to refer him to someone else, we get to teach him! when we met him he was on his way to pick up his aunt from the bus stop which was right across the street. we told him we would wait for him so we could continue talking with him and give him our phone number, a mormon.org card, and the info about our meeting house on sundays. my favorite part was that he came back outside after dropping his aunt's stuff off inside! he was serious about getting that information from us which is so great because we're serious about coming back and sharing the goodness of this gospel.

that Ethiopian family i told you about, the one that made me sooo excited?!?! didn't end up going anywhere. when i called them saturday, the wife didn't answer her phone so i left a message and then the husband and i talked but it didn't go the way i was hoping it would. he kept saying "we have our own religion, we have our own books, we're sticking to what we already know". i asked him if he had read the book of mormon with his family like i committed them to do, and he said no - that ultimately they were just wanting to see what the book of mormon looked like. i should have testified a little more, that is when the holy ghost can really touch hearts. i sometimes worry that i was the reason it didn't work out. that perhaps i said something wrong or failed to say something that would have helped. i have to remind myself though that the spirit will not let me say or do something that ruins someone else's eternal salvation - they have agency and i have to respect that.

some other note worthy things that you'll get details on later (a handwritten letter is coming your way soon): priesthood blessing from elder eyring (the visitors center president). oh boy, did i need that blessing. hispanic heritage night! basically a bunch of hispanics came to the visitors center and danced and sang. it was so awesome. each country was represented and i definitely cried during the honduras dances. i so wish dad could have been here. and extending my very first commitment to be baptized (he didn't say yes, but he also didn't say no!) turns out i'm a lot more bold and assertive than i realized. like, i knew from dance company experiences that i could be assertive in getting things done, but here it's been like woaaaaa!

THE VISITORS CENTER IS AMAZING! i cannot wait to show you this place!!! i'll tell you more about it later!

the story of how we became an online proselyting mission: (this all happened before i left on the mission and right before that day we found out they would be online proselyting). so elder little had some personal revelation about using facebook. he felt dumb at first, because we weren't authorized to do so yet, but his companion at the time convinced him to call president cooke anyway. president cooke had to again decline the request but elder little asked him to call headquarters in salt lake. and he did. we basically became an online proselyting mission because of that single phone call to headquarters. we weren't set up to start for quite some time, but it was fast tracked because of that phone call. what a testimony builder to revelation and being called exactly where one is meant to be! i know that i can really help move the online aspect of missionary work forward and i'm really excited to get more involved with that. i encourage you all - especially my blog friends - to really use the internet to share the gospel. it's not hard to type a little testimony or even pin a simple quote. just think of all the people you can touch because of that one little post or that one little pin. DO IT! OPEN YOUR MOUTH BY TYPING WITH YOUR FINGERS!!

sister leben and i were invited to attend the stake mission coordination meeting (lucky us! that's where we got to see president cooke again!). we were the only sister missionaries which was pretty cool. my very favorite topic came up that night - blogging! i got to stand up a few times and testify that blogging is really an amazing tool when it comes to sharing the gospel. it's possible that workshops will be created at some point to help ward members utilize blogs and facebook - and perhaps i will get to be involved with that! the online proselyting thing is so new that i'm not sure exactly when these sort of things are going to kick off, it's still in the beginning stages which is so exciting for someone like me! i get to be involved from the very beginning! i get to see it grow when i get back home - i'll get to CONTINUE teaching! did you know that missionaries use facebook to teach actual Preach My Gospel lessons?!?! and people back home can be included in the conversation as a member present! i can't just randomly add someone though - it has to be someone who can really help the investigator and share something that will really provide a conversion experience.

our food situation still sort of stinks. the YSA group is so small that when we sent around a food calendar we had like one sister sign up. aaaand guess who didn't get to grocery shop today? this girl. it's hard because sister leben and i eat sooo differently so we end up shopping at different stores which means this week i get to eat pb&j sandwiches, eggs, and oatmeal. i do have some quesadilla (sp?) stuff too though! mac & cheese is gone :( i bought some at the store last week and ate them so fast. they are just so good and so quick for the missionary life, especially when i have to eat at the visitors center. oh how i wish i could just go out to eat or have mom's homemade everything. daniel is the YSA representative for our YSA group. his family has been a MAJOR blessing. we were called last minute to attend that stake mission meeting last night so we just asked daniel (who had earlier invited us to eat lunch with him) if we could tag along for dinner (he was also attending the meeting later). his family let us in on such short notice and fed us the best soup of my life (okay, not better than mom's, but i was starving and craving real food so bad). there was even green beans and a lot of ground beef and i loved it so much. i think heavenly father is blessing my taste buds. i even drank milk without hating my life!

i wasted a mac & cheese and wanted to cry. i took it to the church building on sunday to eat for lunch and turns out that microwave didn't work and i had already opened my mac & cheese and poured the water on. worst thing of my life. that mac & cheese is my saving grace! thank goodness sister leben packed quite a bit of her food and was willing to share. she's such a good person. we both struggle with communicating well though, so that's been tough. 

keep sending letters! they make my day! i'm so sorry that i have been the worst writer in the world, i literally have no time to get any letters out besides the ones i send to mom and dad which are more of a journal entry than anything else. 

i can't thank you enough for the support and the prayers, especially the prayers. missionary work is hard (they weren't kidding when they said that). it's worth it though. maybe not entirely yet, i'm still really struggling with some things, but i know that in 18 months i'll beg president cooke to let me stay forever.

LOVE, sister rowley

first some photos

we got a new car!!! but then we forgot to put a parking sticker on it for our apartment. we walked outside and it was gone. they towed it over night but so far it looks like the church is going to pay for it.

these donuts were heaven sent. i was having a really bad day and we had a long night in the visitors center (hispanic heritage night). they even had a maple bar! and yes i had half of another donut... told you i didn't have a very good day. also, i LOVE sister busath. we were roommates in the MTC.

we had a zone sports day today for p-day! and that exclamation point is coming from the girl who hates sports. we played kickball and soccer and it ended up being really fun. beats exercising at 6am in the gym. i hate doing that during the week - i'd so much rather wait until i'm awake to exercise.

my MTC faves, sister fifita and sister busath. i love being a small mission because it means i get to see them often. perks of also being a visitors center sister.

 

this is sister graff - my visitors center district leader. i LOVE her. she has helped me through soooo much and is just the sweetest. if i remember correctly, she's from arizona. | sister leben - my companion.

the Visitors Center!
Mormon.org center

     

then we have our wall of prophets. i've used this one - when teaching the Ethiopian family. it's a really good tool when teaching the restoration.

     

letter [first area]

Thurs. 10/18/13
First of all… sorry to anyone that has not received a letter from me. There is NO FREE TIME. [After a few frustrating days] things were a little better today, but starting from scratch [with the YSA ward]  is hard! We haven’t done any “real” missionary work yet. Still just trying to get in contact with Bishop, YSA representatives, and Stake President. 

Hardest part of living away from home = MEALS. I never thought I would say this, but I miss the MTC food. Today’s greatest tender mercy: Daniel, the YSA choir representative calling us just at the right moment, asking us if we had dinner plans. I was just eating strawberries and had already started my PB sandwich. I put my sandwich in a baggie and ran out the door. He bought us Wendy’s and I loved every second of it. I wanted to cry because I was so hungry. I am counting down until Monday when I can finally do some grocery shopping. Because our area is brand new, and not even a ward or a branch, we haven’t had any offers for meals so that makes this whole food thing even more stressful.

I feel so unorganized and often unproductive… it’s been amazing to take a step back and see how much the Lord is blessing us in our lives, even though on paper we look like the world’s worse missionaries. I’m so grateful for a mindful Heavenly Father who blesses missionaries in such simple ways. I really do love my companion, but this whole new area / new YSA thing has been hard. I discovering that exact obedience is a lot harder when you are in a companionship. Perhaps it just takes time. I think everyday just gets better and better – Sister Leben and I are getting to know each other and create a good routine.

I love President and Sister Cooke. I can’t wait until the next time I see them. I love them so much. President is HILARIOUS! I didn’t expect that from him. He’s the neatest. Sister Cooke too!

We are allowed one hour a day for FB. We cannot message, like posts, or anything like that. It will be used for keeping up with, and teach investigators. 

Sat. 10/19/13
I am so tired. Some days are harder than others, and today seems to be a particularly hard one. It’s not even 9am and I’m already in need of a nap that I will never get. I have my first [official] shift at the Visitors Center. I’m excited and think that I will finally start to feel like a real missionary.

-Sister Rowley

an email, little tidbits, & some photos

[EMAIL]

FRIENDS & FAMILY!

i'm typing this from the visitors center computer! i LOVE it here. i feel so honored to be a visitors center missionary and can testify that there is a special spirit in this place. there is currently a gorgeous art exhibit displayed here  that depicts christ's life as a child - the "in-between" stories we don't read about in the bible or anything. it just reminds us that he was a real boy and a real man who did normal things with his life too. i want to say the artist's name is rose? i forgot.

sunday (yesterday) was our first day in our new area - the seneca singles. it's a group - not even a branch yet - but we had about 30 young single adults attend (more than i was anticipating!). the best part of that day was when president cooke showed up. he came to support me and sister leben in our efforts with this brand new area. it was so wonderful to see him and to know that he is here to help, the lord is here to help, and that even though it has felt like it a few times, we are not left to do it on our own. he was asked to share his testimony in that meeting and i was just so grateful to be there to hear that. i don't know what i did to be so blessed... this mission, this gorgeous part of the world, my mission president and his wife, working with all the senior couples and elder eyring & his wife! ahhh! i am just so blessed!

sister leben is great, i learn a lot from her. she has taught me (by example) how to pray more specifically, to really talk to my heavenly father on a very personal level. 

i really wish i had more time, but i don't. i love you all so much! pray that we get some offers for meals! 

LOVE SISTER ROWLEY!

[TIDBITS]

an insert from the email we got from president cooke…  ELDER NELSON! IPADS! MISSIONARY WORK!!! i love DC and i absolutely love president and sister cooke.

This past week, Sister Cooke and I had the wonderful opportunity to be taught by Elder Russell M. Nelson and other authorities alongside other Mission Presidents in the North Atlantic North East area. We learned about the hastening of the work. Much emphasis was put on developing our relationships with ward mission leaders, bishops, and stake presidents. It was reassuring to know we are on the correct path, especially as we enter the online arena of proselyting. Happily, we are scheduled to receive iPads and iphones for all our missionaries by the end of November. What an incredible time to be serving a full-time mission as we enter into a digital, and therefore global, mission field.

letter home:

it's a short one today, but i just wanted to let everyone know how much i love them and how much i appreciate their support. i wish i had more time to write, especially to everyone who has sent me letters or emails. i love you all soooo much! i send snail mail to my parents often, so hopefully those get posted on the blog so you can keep up.

[PHOTOS]

MTC VC sisters | sis. welch = best MTC teacher | DC temple | again
again | again | beautiful fall colors | my trainer: sis leben
area map making | my VC tag with flag | loading up on groceries | day planner
apt. living room | my walk-in closet | my bed | my desk

First email from dc

I'M HERE!!!

DAD!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HUG YOU!

i love dc. soooo much.

president cooke and his wife are absolutely amazing. they weren't kidding when they said this is the best mission in the whole world. my trainer is sister leben from germany! germany, mom!! she's amazing. today has been pretty crazy though. i need  you to write me letters that include simple/fast recipes and how to pick stuff (produce) out in grocery stores. all letters and packages should be sent to the mission office.

washington dc north mission
11700 falls rd.
potomac, md 20854-2823

send everything there and then they forward it to the visitors center for me! so you'll never need to update my address.

we were assigned to work in the moville seneca area. i honestly don't really know what that means, but that's our area. SINGLES WARD! thing is, it's  not even a ward yet. not even a branch. they're calling it a "group" so our job will be basically what we did in the singles ward at home, but the in-actives and non-members outnumber the members. it's crazy, we're starting from absolute scratch. our area book is entirely empty, everything is new. crazy  huh?! we just tried calling the bishop - no answer - so we sort of have no where to begin right now.

today has been crazy. technically we're not supposed to email right now, p-day ends at six, but sis leben said it's necessary that i email home. i ate breakfast at the mission home and i've had two granola bars since. i'm starving...

tell me about  your phone call with president! he told us he called all the parents last night. i can't even begin to tell you how amazing president and his wife are. how did i get so blessed?!?!

we arrived at the airport, were greeted by president, wife, and a few missionaries. we then took the metro and were asked to place a book of mormon. i was terrified and certain that it wouldn't happen for me. i then ended up talking to a woman, and my intro was that i get motion sickness so don't be weirded out if i'm like staring at you (she was sitting backwards) - i just needed to look out the window so i didn't get sick. we ended up talking and i ended up giving her the book of mormon, a mormon.org card, and also got her email address so i can follow up.

p-days are going to be mondays. so i will email  you again in a few days!

also, i think i might be allowed to blog for reals once i get settled and start working with facebook!!!!!

final mtc letter

Our p-day this week will be Friday (the 11th). We get to go to the temple!! Seriously can’t wait! I haven’t taken everything out of my suitcases yet because I don’t have enough hangers. Whoever wrote online that we don’t need hangers lied!

We went to temple square this morning. It was weird driving past our freeway exit and walking around such familiar grounds. I still didn’t feel homesick, so that’s good. I did crave every single restaurant we drove by though. CAFÉ RIO!  We didn’t spend a ton of time on temple square today, but Saturday, we’re there from 3pm-8pm. We will be split up from our MTC companion and will be trained by a temple square sister. Our visitor’s center teacher, Sister Welch, served in DC! I love her already. I have been very blessed with amazing teachers here.

We just had our first “mock” visitors center meeting. I am once again feeling stressed and doubtful. Never doubtful of being here or serving a mission, but doubtful of my own capabilities and again, my ability to speak by the spirit. My perfectionist personality really gets in the way here. I keep raising the bar too high and expecting myself to immediately to be good at this. I know this takes time, effort and help from the Lord, it’s just frustrating when everyone else seems to be doing so well. I’m still struggling to sincerely love my companion. We are so different and the age difference makes it even harder. Maturity levels are a little different. It’s funny that I’m so open on my blog with complete strangers all the time, but opening up to her is super hard. I don’t like that it’s so forced. I’ve never been one to just meet someone new and lay out my while life story for them. Companions will definitely be one of my biggest challenges as a missionary – but I think we all new that would be the case.

We’ve been learning a lot about the Atonement here. We had the opportunity to hear from Elder John M Madsen (Emeritus) last night. He told us that the Atonement is not part of the gospel, it IS the gospel. He also said that true repentance is more than coming unto Christ, it’s becoming like Him. He also mentioned that when hands are laid on your head for a priesthood blessing it’s just as if the Lord’s hands are on your head. Essentially, Christ laid his hands on me and commissioned me to preach His gospel. Again, I am reminded as I’m writing this, that the Lord will NEVER leave me alone. He will help me do His work if I but rely on the Atonement. The Atonement means way more to me now than ever before. Not only are my sins taken care of but my personal weaknesses as a missionary and companion. Elder Madsen also said that at the heart of all temple ordinances, is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Our Elders all left today. Elder Low and Christensen left Tuesday for Colorado Springs and Elder Hanson and his companion, Elder Naumdon left for Australia this afternoon. I actually really miss them. Who knew 18-21 year old boys would be so cool? I learned so much from them.

Well, I know why I was called to serve in DC. We started online proselyting last night. IT’S AMAZING! When people log on to Mormon.Org and click “chat with missionaries” that’s me! Sis. Holland and I talked to a young girl who is the only LDS member of her family… we also spoke to a guy from India. I love that we get to help members and non-members through chat. I also love there are so many resources at our fingertips. Hands down, my favorite part of being a visitors center sister.

Next letter… from DC!!!