Hey Mamma!

We are doing so good! We are happy:) The weather is starting to cool down! It was only in the high eighties all week! Its been pretty rainy too. Its put quite a damper on some of our plans, but it keeps it cooler! I'm so excited to hear about Olivia!! At first i was like, poor Olivia! then i was like wait, this is hard core, rugby playing Olivia... she's got this:) But I'm definitely grateful for stateside. Sometimes, I honestly feel like i'm missing out on certain mission experiences because i'm not serving foreign, but i think Heavenly Father knows that I couldnt handle it! He knew that I'm a priss:) and sometimes i feel like im in a foreign country! Florida is so weird.

 

Thats cool about the Ogden temple, its weird to me that everyone is old enough to go except emily! But i did see some pictures on Facebook and it is beautiful! I got the package from Grandma! She sent me a cute bike necklace:) Its funny because sister colemans dad just sent her the same necklace a week ago so now we can match! And she also sent some post-it notes that say "from the sisters". I like them:) Its fun to be a sister! Its weird, i've been out seven months but I still don't feel like a missionary! I don't know what I expected being a missionary to feel like...

 

This week was, well I dont know. We expected some big miracles. And we didn't really see any... We did everything we were supposed to... we dropped non-progressing, we shortened our time at members homes, we prayed to know where we need to find, we frequently sought guidance throughout the day, we set good goals, and made good plans... and nothing happened. We expected to see the miracles that so many others were seeing. We expected to find a family. We expected that God would place prepared people in our path to replace those that we dropped. And it didn't happen. I was really confused about that! Did we fail to do all we could? Were we lacking in faith? Were we not obedient or worthy of those miracles? So I asked Heavenly Father, and He answered. He let me know that He was pleased with our efforts and that our lack of success wasn't because of a fault on our part. He told me that He just needed us to pass through this dry season, this trial of faith. This mission experience is as much for our growth as anything else, and Heavenly Father, the perfect planner, has set goals and made plans for our personal growth. He knows what we need, He has a vision for who we can become, and He knows exactly what needs to take place for that to happen. I trust Him. And I'm happy:)

 

We did see one miracle though! We went to a park to do some finding, and no one was there... except for this one guy with long hair and a beard! We didn't end up going over to talk to him. But while we were sitting there trying to figure out what to do instead, and staring at this guys hair, i thought of an investigator that I taught months ago. The one with lupus! He was so prepared, but he just got sick and dropped off the face of the earth. The reason why long-hair guy reminded me of him was because he had really long hair but cut it after we started teaching him because he wanted to look his best for church! So i said, "Sister Coleman, do you have the phone? we need to call {insert investigators name here}!" So we did! HE ANSWERED! He was so excited to hear from us. He thanked us over and over again for not forgetting about him. He told us that he had gotten so sick that he needed to move into an assissted living home for awhile and that he had just been released to go home THAT MORNING! We set up a time to go over and see him, and right before we hung up he said, "and don't forget, i still need to get baptized!" It was insane guys:) We are going to see him tomorrow!

 

Other than that, nothing too exciting has happened! But it still felt like a good week, and I'm still happy:) Transfer emails come this sunday... I'm scared. this is the first time that I'm not safe! Every other time, I've known that I was going to stay. But sister Coleman finishes training this week, and anything could happen! If I stay, that will mean that I'll be in this area for almost nine months! Thats half my mission! (in case you cant do math :p) BUT there are alot of sisters that only serve in two areas their whole mission. Thats the way President likes to do it, as much as possible. So I could stay, or I could not. ahhhh!!!

 

Well I love you all to pieces! And i hope you have a great week:)

 

Love always, Sister Rowland