Thunderstruck

This week was a good week. We had changes. Changes are always on Wednesday. So on Tuesday Elder Sànchez and I went to visit all of his converts and the members. They all gave us food. I was so full after eating 3 dinners and one desert. We were in this place called Pushtan visiting some members and it was getting late and Pushtan is kind of far away and it there was a thunderstorm coming. We walked home in the dark, it was me and the five other missionaries in my district, with a really cool thunderstorm behind us. There are weird storms here where there are is a bunch of lighting but it stays in the clouds. The lighting doesn't fall and there is no noise but it looks like Thor and Harry Potter are fighting in the cloud. It was really cool. 

So I got a new companion. His name is Elder Solano. He is from Peru. This is his first change as a ZL. In our area we are doing good. We have about 10 progressing investigators and I would love to write about them all but I just don't have the time. This thursday we are going to baptize a girl named Susana and I will tell you more about her next time. I haven't had parasites for a couple of weeks so that is good. If you would like to know something more specific send me and email with the questions. 

I've been studying a lot in the Book of Mormon. I really love reading the book of Mormon it explains everything really clearly. Before the mission I loved reading it because of the wars and the stories and the people. Now I love it because of the doctrine explained. It is the word of God and we all need to study it.

Thanks for everything!

-Elder Rowberry

It's the climb

From Monday July 21, 2014

This week I went on interchanges with Elder Rosales from Guatemala. We went to a place calld Cusamaluco. It's so far away from the city and we had to walk for so long. You have to go down and up around 300 steps in the middle of the jungle then you have to climb up a hill they call Quebracho. It's super steep and long. It's also extremely hot here. I just sweat and sweat and sweat.You can´t escape the heat especially when you are walking down a long dusty road in the middle of the jungle. It's awesome. I sometimes think about my friends that have cars and ipads and houses that aren't filled with bugs and food that doesn't have parasites and say to my self, "I'm glad I got sent to a mission for men." No, I'm just kidding. I really like being here. I've learned a ton. 

    We have a lot of progressing investigators that we are teaching. We have had a pretty good amount of people in church we hope to be able to put baptismal dates with them. We have a lot of investigators with issues. We have two sisters that are our investigators. One of them has a daughter that is handicap and has a tumor and they don't have money for the treatments. Also a credit agency is going to take away their house. Their house is made of corrugated tin and it's all they've got. I feel really bad for them. I feel like Peter sometimes when he says, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee" Like I said last week the Gospel of Christ is the answer for everything. That's why we suffer the sweaty heat so we can what we have to them.

Love you all.

-Elder Rowberry

Meet me halfway

Well folks, I'm halfway done with the mission. I completed a year on the 10th of July. I can't tell you how fast the time goes.  I feel young still in the mission. It's been a great year. I've learned so much. I've had so many growing experiences. I bet I'm really different than I was when I left. I know I've made changes and I am a better person but it's kind of the frog in the frying pan idea you don't really recognize it. Anyways in my last interview with President Cordón before he left he told me that I had changed a lot, starting with my spanish. He didn't mention anything specifically but that was pretty cool. I am very convinced that the mission is one of the best things that anyone could ever do. It gives you an opportuinty to refine yourself. It is not easy at all but it is the best. You learn so many valuable things, patience, love, tolerance, hard work, self control, self sufficiency and so many other things. You also learn so much about the Gospel and how it helps people. I am also thourghly convinced that the Gospel is the answer to every problem. Doesn't matter if you're dirt poor or filthy rich, happy or sad, dumb or smart we all have problems and the answer is found in the Gospel. If you have problems in your life I invite you to study the scriptures, pray, and go to church. This will help you change. We all need to remember the 5 basic principles and ordinances of the Gospel. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentence, baptism (sacrament). The Gift of The Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end (making addition covenants in the temple regular church attendance, paying tithing, service, and priesthood). If we can all follow the Gospel and repent we will be so much happier.  2 Nephi2:21 And the days of the children of^amen were prolonged, according to the ^bwill of God, that they might^crepent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of^dprobation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments 21 And the days of the children of ^amen were prolonged, according to the ^bwill of God, that they might ^crepent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of ^dprobation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were ^elost, because of the transgression of their parents.which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were ^elost, because of the transgression of their parents.25 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have^djoy.

 

Have a great week!

Love you all

-Elder Rowberry

It's a bugs life

This week was a good week. On Wednesday we got to go to Santa Ana for the Welcome Meeting for President Spjut and Sister Spjut (Spyut is how it is pronounced). We got to know them a little bit and to learn a little bit from what they learned at the New Mission President Seminar that they had. In that seminar all of the twelve apostles speak with them. We learned some cool stuff from that. On Friday my companion and I went back to Santa Ana for the Leaders Meeting. It was my first and the first of President Spjut as well. He was kind of nervous but it was really good. We talked about some changes that we are going to make in the mission that were taught by the apostles. 1. We are going to start teaching Lesson 5 of Preach My Gospel before and after baptism 2. We are going to start focusing more on D&C 20:37 (The requirements for baptism) 3. We are going to be in charge of teaching all of the lessons again after baptism and 4. We are going to visit the converts constantly for 3-4 months after baptism and teaching them and keep dropping by for a year to teach. All of these changes have to do with conversion and retention. We have to focus more on getting the people to the temple and not just to baptism. It's very important that they go to the temple. In the talk "Your four minutes" in General Conference by Gary Stevensonhttps://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/your-four-minutes?lang=eng he talks about something that Elder Bednar did to help his family members recieve  the essential ordinances. It's a good talk you all should read it and then think about people you know that need those essential ordinances and help them.

This week Elder Sánchez, Elder Leiva (an Elder that lives in my house) and I got sick. We all had diarrhea and I threw up in the night on friday night. We all went and took tests and turns out we all have parasites. I have E. Coli. Don't worry though because I've got pills and it's going away I feel much better. We didnt work on Saturday or on Sunday. We went to church though. I feel almost normal. It just one of those things you know?

Ha

Well have a great week!

-Elder Rowberry

Goodbye, Farewell

From June 30, 2014

This week was a really good week. We had a lot of success in our area as well in the zone. In our area we had 10 investigators in church. In our ward, Nahuizalco, we had 25 investigators. There are three companionships in my ward. The other two brought 9 and 6. So I'll tell you a little about the investigators that we have. We have the Famila Menjívar. There are four of them; Dad, Mom, and two girls that are 10 are and 13. They went to church and they liked it. They are just having doubts about leaving their old church. They live right next to some members that are really good friends with them. They are references from this member family. We are going to keep working with them so that they can get baptized. They are going to need a little bit of work but we are going to use the Book of Mormon a lot. That is the key folks. We have a mother and daughter that went to church as well. They are named Susana and Elizabeth. They are really positive. They almost accepted a baptismal date yesterday but the next time we teach them we will put the date. There is this old lady that came named Adriana. When we first talked to her she didn't seem like she was going to want anything. She has been to church twice and we hope to put the baptismal date today.  Those are a couple of them that we have. 

I am really liking Nahuizalco. We work a lot out in the jungle. I sweat a ton which means I also stink a lot. Nahuizalco is a lot different than Highland. 

This past week we had to say goodbye to President Cordón. We had a goodbye multizone which was really awesome. It is kind of sad to say goodbye but what can you do? I learned a lot from him. He was a very good president. Our mission has the reputation of being the most obedient of Central America because of him. He is now going to go work in the Quetzaltenango Temple as a administrator there.  President Spjut came and I am excited to be able to work with him.

If anyone has any question I would love to answer it. 

Thanks for everything.

-Elder Rowberry

Gold on the ceiling.

From Monday June 23, 2014

In our house we have a tacuazin in the ceiling. A tacuazin is similar to an oppossum but bigger I think. It looks like a rat the size of a small dog. It likes to run around in the ceiling at nights. Sometimes it likes to murder things and fight with things up there. Yesterday we were trying to get it to come out so we could kill it. It didn't come out but we'll get it.

This week was good. I've had better but hey what can you do? We had two baptismal dates fall. Two people were going to be baptized this last Sunday but they couldn't. One of them was a kid who is 18 named Francisco. We went to his house to make sure that he was all ready to get baptized and he tells us, "Brothers I have decided that I am going to stay at my church." That is the worst to hear that. Then we asked him if he knew that the Book of Mormon was true. He said yes. We explained to him that if that book was true that the Church was true as well. It seemed like he understood. I think he does understand but he doesn't want to give up his church. It reminded me of the young rich man in the sciptures. Matthew 19:16-26

16And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 

Here is the link to the video https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/christ-and-the-rich-young-ruler?lang=eng

Anyways this kid, knowing that what we taught was true decided to stay with his church. The other date, named Jesus, who is an old guy was sick so he couldn't get baptized but he will don't worry. 

I invite you guys to look at your lives at look at your "riches" and see if they are getting in the way of you getting in to the kingdom of God.

Thanks for everything!

Have a great week.

-Elder Rowberry

Without Me

From June 16, 2014

Well I finally left the office and Paraíso. It'll be so empty without me. No just kidding Elder Gordon will do great.

These past ten days have been great. A lot of things have happened. 

First. We saw miracles happen. I don't know if you all remember but a couple weeks ago I mentioned that we had a baptismal date with a girl named Iris. So that date fell. She wasn't able to get baptized on the date that we put because her mom did not give her permission to do it because she only is 17 years old. We were teaching her this past week and I told her that I was going to leave the area and I wanted to see her get baptized. She said she wanted to get baptized and she wanted me to do it, because Elder Paravato and I found her months ago. So we wanted to do it before I left that left us with Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. We talked to her on Friday night and she said she didn't think it was going to happen. She really didn't think her mom was going to give her permission. We told her to talk to her mom and pray to know what to say. We also committed Kathy Gochez, her member friend, to get the signature of her mom. We even did practices with her on how to get it. We had even fasted the week before to be able to get it. Long story short, we got the signature and she got baptized on Tuesday, the day before I left. She told us in a Family Night that we had with the Gochez family that she had prayed really hard with faith that her mom would sign and give permission and she got it. It was really cool because she started crying and Brother Gochez asked her if she was sad, she responded in the negative and the he asked her if she had felt like that before. She, once again responded the same. He explained to her that it was the spirit. It was a really neat experience. Her mom even came to the baptism. It was a really neat experience. That is when missionary work vale la pena. 

Second. On Wednesday we had changes. I got my new area and my new companion. It was a really cool surprise. Before I left President called me into his office and thanked me for the great job that I did. It was really cool.  I got called to go to the Nahuizalco Ward. I also had a change of assignment. I am now a Zone Leader in the Nahuizalco Zone. Our zone is the smallest. There are only six companionships in the whole zone. Nahuizalco is pretty cool. Now I'm sure none of you remember but my first area in the mission was Texical. It is also located in the city of Nahuizalco. It's cool because I get to talk to all the members and converts I had in Texical. My companion is Elder Sánchez from Mexico. He's really cool. He trained Elder Thorpe my comp from the CCM. I am really excited about this new assignment and ward. I'm back in the Jungle. 

-Elder Rowberry