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
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