February 1, 2016

It has been a slower week. We sadly had some people drop us. That's the hardest for me, when people don't want to change, no matter how happy you know this Gospel will make them! Let's just say we will be hitting the pavement this week and looking for more people whom God has prepared. But with faith anything is possible, no matter how difficult things are in the moment! All week, we had been praying that we would find people to teach. Nothing until Sunday night, right as we were heading into our apartments.We were waiting for the elevator, but it wasn't coming. Haha we had waited for a good few mins and the elevator still wasn't coming. Good thing it wasn't working because a man and his niece walked into the room. We talked to them, taught them, and then set up an appointment for later!! If the elevator had worked then we never would have found these people. When they left, the elevator opened! What a miracle! God answers prayers!

When life gets low, remember God loves you! 

I love the analogy of the man who asks his master what he can do to serve him. His master says to push that rock up the hill. So the man does, he pushes and pushes and pushes, but everytime he finally gets it close to the top, it falls back down. This keeps happening. and the man discovers he can never push the rock to the top. Finally, downtrodden, he comes to his master and says : master why has thou asked me to push this rock to the top of the hill if thou knows itll just fall back down and never reach the top? What's the point? The master responds: I never told you to get the rock to the top, i just said to push it up the hill. What have you gained? You are stronger now, because you have pushed it day after day and you are more than you were before you started. If we are doing what is asked of us by the Lord, we are going to be stronger and we are going to be able to help others be stronger.

I love you all! 

 

Sister Sharie Rowley

January 25, 2016

P____ and P______ are the best!  P____ is just a chill kind of person who shrugs his shoulders. P____ is motivated but has some set backs. They were so exited to come to church again this week! Every time P____ would pray, he would say how grateful he was that they could go back to church and meet some more nice people. Haha so cute. When we arrived at their house Sunday morning, there was nothing stopping P____ from going to church. Phil wanted to go. But he has bad, bad anxiety. It was getting to him. When their ride arrived P_____ said he couldn't go. He was having a panic attack. He was wheezing and coughing. We told him we were his little sisters and that we were there for him but most importantly God was there for him. His hands were shaking almost the entire meeting, but he was happy to be at church. The spirit can cure anything. We have seen God give P______ so much strength through all his trials. With quiting alcohol, with withdraws, with smoking, with him being hard on himself, with him trying to find a house and a job, with his anxiety. We taught him how to pray and whenever he is going through hard times he depends on prayer for strength. And that is what God gives him! 

M______ came to church with one of the members. She is the sweetest! She says that church is that renewing power each week and she loves the spirit she feels. We are teaching her now! She is so prepared to hear the word!  

In the Spanish Ward we have A______ who is 14. I don't know anyone with more strength than her! She has cancer and because she has been going through chemo therapy she has lost weight, weight that she didn't have to loose in the first place. She came to church yesterday, learning onto her dad for strength. She has a feeding tube in her nose. When she walks on her own she wobbles because she doesn't have strength. It was so hard to see her like that. She isn't at church every week, but she always comes if she can. Her poor parents are doing so well for how hard this must be. If she can come to church, anyone can come to church. If you ever feel like not going to church, think of A______. And don't let the little things get in the way of having the opportunity to take the sacrament, feel the spirit, and learn more of Christ. Let's just say, I will never complain about church again. But good news is, A______ is almost cancer free!! They killed the cancer inside of her but she has to finish her chemo therapy in order prevent the cancer from coming back.

We have been meeting with this family who is so willing to open their house to us! They are a little hesitant about coming to church. They have met with six other sets of missionaries before (but never sister missionaries; they like us best;) but they have never come to church. A_____ has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard and she is only 14. She sounds like Adele. Haha, somehow me and my companions got roped into singing for sacrament meeting even though we don't sing well... but they still want us to sing, haha. But luckily Amy sings!! We asked her to sing with us and she said yes! The father said this would be the first time they would come to church so they could record Amy singing!! We love Amy! She wants to get involved in the youth activities. She is coming to play soccer and volleyball with the YW and Spanish branch this Thursday! 

I am so lucky to have my companions! They are on fire!! So motivated and loving! This week and every week I am learning more and more.  It's all about the people. When you forget yourself and get to work, you are letting the spirit show you the needs of each individual. It has been the coolest experience having the spirit so prevalent everyday. And having that help. The spirit is the teacher, we as missionaries are just the tools. Love you all!! Adios!

 

Hermana Sharie Rowley

Yes I am eating healthy, Mom:)

January 18, 2016

I am running out of email time... so it will be short today. 

We ran into a family who is stoked to learn more, A___, M______, and N______. P_____ wants to change his life to make God proud. He had a blessing which gave him so much strength! He said it felt like a burden being lifted off his shoulders! The Spanish Branch just needs 35 people more to make it into a ward! We taught P_____ who is now reading the Book of Mormon! L_____ and his mom had a spiritual experience when we brought two members over. One of the members shared a beautiful experience of his conversion and decision to go on a mission. Church was amazing because we went in with tons of questions which all got answered. Spiritual experiences all over the place! What a blessing to be on a mission! To see people in God's eyes! I love how God gives us the ability to find out for ourselves if this church is true. He wants you to reach out and strengthen that relationship with him. When we pray with all our heart, we can feel God's love more immensely in our life. I love you all!

Hermana Sharie Rowley