Familia!

There is so much to say I can't type it all. I love being here! It has been hard but amazing at the same time. Can I just say that I love my Hermanas! I am so lucky! Hermana ______ and ______ are both from California. Hermana _____is super out going and determined. Hermana ______ is sweet and spiritual! We really do help each other grow. And they will work out with me! We run, do ab workouts, push ups, and squats each day. Everyday they load a whole lot of information on us, especially Spanish. Me and my Hermana have been teaching our investigator, Maria. I love teaching about this gospel!! The spirit was so strong the last time we taught her. We have taught her three times now (all in Spanish!). IT IS HARD! Half the time I don't think she even understands what we are saying. haha. But the gift of tongues is real! Even if she doesn't understand, the spirit confirms to her the truthfulness of what is being spoken. She told our teacher that sometimes she can't understand what we are saying but she can feel the love we have for her. We can already bear our testimony, say our purpose, pray, invite, speak many words, and conjugate some things. Just in seven days. But I still feel like I know nothing! There is so much to learn. In our discussions with our investigators we have a little red book that saves us. It has lesson and gospel words in Spanish that we refer to throughout the lesson. I love the moments I don't have to refer to the book at all. Like when I bear my testimony to her. The spirit is unbelievable. I feel so much love for Maria!

In the MTC they have videos from apostles who have spoken here before. We watched Bednard's talk, which was powerful! He put it in the most straight forward way possible that this is not our mission. This is the Lord's mission. He said to never let the natural man let you be selfish and want to reach in; but rather reach out, especially in difficult times. I have learned that during this mission I need to loose myself and completely stop thinking about myself, and think of others. 

I have the coolest district. My district is everyone in my beginning Spanish class. One of my Hermanas (I have two) is in the intermediate Spanish class, meaning that she is sadly not in my district. But the elders in my district are like my brothers. We went to this seminar that motivated us to become better prepared for the field. We made a goal together to drop English the fourth week in the MTC and speak only Spanish! Hard, but if we do it right we can do it. I got assigned to be the sister training leader, which is similar to a zone leader. I get to meet all the new hermanas and elders coming in today and show them around with my hermana's and my elders who are the zone leaders. Like I said before, I love my district. 

Neil L. Anderson came to speak to us last night!!! It was amazing. Afterward I wanted nothing more than to change the way I am as a missionary. I didn't want to waste any second. I just wanted to roll up my sleeves and work! We had a district meeting yesterday where we discussed the devotional. The testimony of each person was so strong. We were almost all in tears. It was powerful feeling the spirit so intensely from each elder and from my hermana. I love being a missionary. I feel the spirit all the time. It is hard work. Being a missionary has made me happier than anything ever has! 

If I could tell you what a full day was like here at the MTC. you would be surprised how much we accomplish in a day. We teach, have at least three hrs of study time (believe me, there is so much to study that there is never extra time), we have class, and meals, and more class. In class we learn about Spanish and spiritual things. Plus I have the best teacher. I have never felt the love of Christ so strong from someone. He was so exited about our district goal and told us he had faith in us. Except it was all in spanish. But he teaches us so much. 

 I love you all!

Hermana Rowley