March 19/20, 2012

Yes, that is a dog in the tree

Elder Rowe with a few of the many New Zealand wind "turbines,"
generally known as windmills here in America

Hello Hello!

It's been quite a roller coaster of a week. But in the end it always ends with a smile. That doesn't mean a sigh of relief because it's over, but with a smile that all has worked out, for the most part.

In the first part of the week I was on exchanges with Elder Hehepoto from Sydney. He's been out about 2 weeks, and is being trained by an Elder who's been out 3 months. Actually both sets of missionaries in Wanganui are like that: new missionaries being trained by new missionaries. So it was a lot of fun and a good learning experience for me. I think it's quite interesting the difference you see in new missionaries and their characters. I've noticed that American missionaries are always really shy when it comes to talking with random people, but they seem quite comfortable in a teaching situation. On the other hand, missionaries from the Pacific always seem at ease with talking to people on the street about whatever, but in teaching situations they seem to stay fairly quiet. That's just one of the many psychological analyses I've been doing as a missionary. But then everyone eventually gets comfortable with all aspects of missionary work, so it works out. Except for me of course. I'm still super awkward.

I also just realized I might have written that before, or maybe I'm just confusing it with what I'm writing in my journal. I feel that way a lot, and I'm not sure if i'm repeating myself or just telling you things I had previously written in my journal. So pardon the repeats. I assume you'd rather have double instead of none.

Some particular highlights of the week were on that exchange. On Monday night and then on Tuesday night we were able to have lessons with people who are agnostic, I guess you could say. It seems to me that my lessons with people like that who think they don't believe in God are always really spiritual lessons. I mean extra spiritually powerful. I think part of that reason is because those lessons require so much testifying from us as missionaries, assuring them that we know these things are true. Which in turn allows the Holy Ghost to become so much more prevalent in my heart and in the room. I guess I should use names, Alysha, Justin, Hailey, Miki all ask such great questions! I think it's because they have that real intent of knowing, which is what all of us really need as we study the Gospel. So I guess over all, I really love teaching people like that because I'm always able to feel such an abundance of the Spirit, and know that what I'm saying isn't my own words. I hope that makes sense.

As I'm sure you are wondering, the baptism didn't go through. There are some things that we need to work out with Karizma, that we didn't know about. So, yeah. There was a bit of disappointment, but our district was able to have two other baptisms this weekend, so that made up for it.

I had a really great experience at Church yesterday, which really made up for a lot of the concerns I was going through that morning with our investigators. Sometimes at church we don't have a pianist, for a couple of reasons, and so yesterday, the singing was a bit rough without having a piano to back it up and they were songs that weren't all that familiar to the ward. But the intermediate hymn was I Am a Child of God, and it brought a great smile to my face and joy to my heart when we got to the chorus. If there is one song that Primary kids know, it's that one. And so the singing got extra loud during this hymn, mainly from the children. We could hear one little girl in particular with her younger brothers give a lift to the volume of the ward. So it made everything better.

Things are going swell in Palmerston North. My home. Finding new people always makes up for the disappointments that come from others. And so I'm happy to stay for another six months.

Thanks for allyou do! i can always feel of your love and prayers.

Have an amazing week!

Just remember:
"True happiness comes only by making others happy"---David O. McKay
Keep doing what is right, and praying day and night!

Have a wonderful week!

I love you all so very much!

Love,

Elder David John Rowe