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
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