25 November, 2013 - Streetfights, Prostitutes and Hard Work!!!

Well When some of you read this, I wil have been out for 6 months, Man time is flying.

Well I am now in San Lorenzo, Argentina. The most dangerous part of the mission, My adverage day goes like this. I wake, study for 4 hours, leave, watch street fights, advoiding really hostile street dogs, saving souls, recieving contcts, having the best numbers in our district (by along way), hiking mountains, go home, watch, prostitutes walk around. oh yea and were would i be if i didnt mention the pebes (teenagers) pulling our there pistols and shooting at each other. haha, its awesome here.

The kid I am training is a stud. He works hard and his spanish is awesome. I wish i had a native companion though cause i am still not fluent.

Well that is one thing i am tryingto work on is my spanish. I wish it was better. Well i got to run to service. Takee care

Elder Rowley

P.S. Everything is going well here. Stress is mostly gone. Me and my comp got the highest numbers in our zone. Things go well when I can do them my way (the Lord's way!)...

18 November, 2013 - Transfer to San Lorenzo!

Thanks dad,

Umm well I dont really have much news. I am just survivng. I actually understand spanish. Its awesome. I will send I bigger email in a minute, if I don't run out of time. I am trying to do enerything last minute. I have been traveling all P day. 

Hey thanks for all you do your a stud. I dnt know what happened to that baby bird, that I fed every day. I just let it go in the field. Its a killdeer to.

I have cut my backpack open and sown a knife case inside for emergencies. I am ready for whatever. The knife it easaly accesable but compledly hidden. I also slep with one. 

Choo Choo Rowley

K so i ran out of time and gtg but I am training 2 missionaries and I am in San Lorenzo in the west of Neuguen and I and senior comp. Baptized 2 last week. I will send pictures later cause my stuff is not unpacked.

Stay strong you all.

Elder Rowley

I will tell stories later but San lOrenzo is the most dangerous place in the mision. yea, dont worry, Dad. I have street smarts. I will stay out of trouble. I will just run if i see anthing. I am ready for it if it comes looking for me.

More notes:

I am in a branch. They dont really have wards except in the big city. My next email will blow your mind.

They use CDs and a CD playe for hymns, instead of a piano.

Sundays I go to church then go and prosilite. Just normal really, i dont do much. Hey guess what, i can understand spanish.

P days are hecktic, i have to email and shop adn I only get 6 hours for pday, no time for sports. Haha,

Hey mom i love you and will be fasting for you, thanks for all you do. I dont really know what else to say. My next MASS email will explain it all.

Hey i love you so much and apprectaite you alot.

You OBEDIENT boy hah jk :)

ELder ROwley

11-11-13 Epistle to the Bro's

Hello, this is your bro and friend Michael Rowley but now known as Elder Rowley. I'm sending this email to my Payson High bros, who are in other missions, to encourage and uplift. Before I begin I want to explain two things.

First, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes, I don't want you to think that I'm like a hipocrite because I make mistakes too.

Second, you may ask yourself by what authority can Michael write all this. Well I have been out longer than any of you even if it is by four weeks. If any of you have a problemn with it, I'll be happy to take it up with you in 19 months. Now let's begin.

Let me tell you a lil' bit about my mission. I have to deal with poisonous scorpions and snakes, I have to deal with porn that is all over. I have to deal with companions that come from a completely different background. My mission has been some of the darkest days of my life. I have to deal with huge spiders and I have to check myself for ticks. I constantly work with dropped baptismal dates. I've had people threaten to kill me if I come back. I've had many doors slammed at my face. I've had people making fun of me for not knowing Spanish. I walk during siesta(a time were everyone sleeps like 4 hours). I fear for my family and Mom's health and I fear for the future.

I also have seen a visible change in myself, I've seen my testimony grow. I've seen people filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit. I've learnt to be humble(almost) and patient. I wouldn't trade my mission experience for anything. 

I know that you guys are going through some similar experiences. All I can say keep your head up. When thoughts of doubt and darkness enter your mind(and I know they have) Pray. As if you were at the feet of Jesus.

You may ask yourself why am I here? I feel like I'm failing and you may not even have any baptisms. But now let's turn to preach my gospel, pg 10, paragraph 1 says 'Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.' Guys aslong as you're committed and you wake up on time and try your hardest everyday and be obedient then you're a good missionary. It's on how hard you try. God doens't judge you on how many times you get knocked down, He judges you on how many times you get back up.

Jesus knows what you're going through. When you think your backpack is heavy, how do you think Jesus felt when He had a cross on His back. When your knuckles hurt from knocking, Jesus is hurt too as He hung from them on the cross. When you're too tired to wake Jesus was too tired to walk after feeling your pain all night in the Garden of Getsemaney. When you get mad at your companion and hate him for everything he is(don't worry I've been there) Jesus forgave all who killed Him. Jesus has been there, He knows you and your pain. Take advantage of the Atonement.

Guys one day we will be united, The Bros. We will ride and blast music and go Y and R. We will have fun. But for the next 2 years we are warriors for God. I have declared war on Satan and I'm asking you to join me. Alma 56:17 is my motto. I will conquer (like the armies of Antipus) or die trying. We can do it, represent Utah! Let's go!

Elder (Your Bro) Rowley As a good Elder once told me- Your BROther in Christ. (Eldgredge)

P.S- Check out my blog, eldermichaelrowley.blogspot.com

and watch out for them storms my Philipean bros.

More notes:

Well we 3 (me, Elder Fisher, Elder Zapata) are going to be together another transfer, things are going well, that man that called me out in sac meeting apologized. Yea Elder Zapata is laughing right now. Mom, he rmebers you asked him about backpacks or bags, when you called the mission office. He is ok now i guess, we talk our probs ut ALOT.

Well, do you really want to know how i teach people? I dont just bear my testimony and zone out the rest of the time. I asked ALL the english elders and they said it is normal to zone out a little,when you don't understand everything. BUt teaching is good. People here are rude though so we don't get in a lot of times.

Mom, i am your only son, Tell me whats going on with your health adnd you. Thank you for bringing me up in the gospel. This last week I read aboiut the sons of Helamen, i read the book of Mormon like for 2 hours everyday. I love reading it. You raised a good warrior. Thanks. I am in Ether right now.THe nephpites are SO stupid to forsake God over and over every like 3 to 5 years. My testimony of the Book opf MOrmon is the strongest thing i got. 

Dad, those "battle tank" shoes you bought are the only ones that are comfortable for walking 15 miles a day.

Haha i am so happy to see the pics of my bros from Canyon's Farewell. I am glad you saw Priscilla,  haha! Now, we can pray for Hyrum, as he works to save for his mission.

Hyrum and Canyon at Canyon's Farewell - (Canyon is downhill so he looks shorter) 11-10-13

Answers to questions from Mom:

1. We have to clap at gates cause people get mad if i knock at there doors.

2. People drink Tang here and eat with their hands. They also have NO speed limits so people drive crazy and motorcycle weave in and out of traffic. 

3. Yea im pretty wise with my money.  i get like 830 pesos and 300 for travel a month.

4. I am fed lunch everyday. Lunch is dinner so i eat eggs for breakfast and at dinner at 9 pm. thats really all.

5. I just drink bottled water. I can take hot water.

6. So this next email will be for kaleb and my bros. 

7. I have heard of no missionaries being harmed in the philipines.

Dad, i dont really write anybody specifically besides you and mom and literally 1 or 2 sentances to Priscilla. and then the mass message. I suck at typing so that one takes for ever. I wil email more when we dont have 3 elderes trying to cram emails into a 4 hour window. I kinda thought that my mass message was kinda like, heres whats going on. ya know. but you all are my 1st prioroty. haha, have a good week!

And our latest baptism, Julio! 11-11-13

Hors d'oeuvres - our pre-lunch snack-11-11-13

My hand after being bit-11-11-13

4 November, 2013 - Thank-you for Your Prayers & Support!!!

Thanks Dad and all of you for your support. It really helps to know I have a team at home. BTW I won a "My dads the best war" with my comp. I bragged you up big time.

Hey Dad, I was wondering Were you a zone leader or anything and how long did it take you to learn the language?

Thank you so much. Things are going better though.

Haha yea Dad. One thing in the MTC i learned is just that. I now try not to show (the members and missionary comps) up with arm wrestling and stuff. But one night when the argument got particularly bad I told Elder Zapata that we could take it outside. HE shut up VERY fast. Dont worry, trying to become CHrist like is my greatest challenge.

Can you tell her (my sister Jennifer) to Email me please?

K guys really quick, so this week was ALOT better. I saved souls, walked 15 miles a day and got bit again, all in one day.

So story time cause i bounce,

I went to clap at a fence, When i went to clap a huge dog jumped over and bit my hand really bad. Like my hand is all chewed up but i forgot my camera at the pension so i will send pics next week. So i was way mad, i had a crappy week and ws not in the mood for anything, speciially the dogs. So i thought " What would Jesus do?" So i put hand sanatizer on my cut and tried to forgive the dog. So i went down the street trying to talk to other people. Well on the way back down the street like 10 or 15 minutes later i saw the dog sleeping in the gate. So in my head i came up with a way good plan. I looked on the ground and found a long skinny rock that loked like a roll of pennies, or at least that size. I put it in my hand and it made a excellent equilizer. A equiller is something that you put in your hand to make your punches harder. I so creped up to the gate and puonded on it. The dog jumped up and rushed across the yard. I had my bloddy hand dangling over the side of the fence. When it jumped i jerked my bloddy left hand back and brought my right hand in a nice hook that connected right with the dogs mouth. I must have hit it hard cause instead of landing it smashed into the fence. It got up and ran away. I win, game over. The Church is true.

Well i gotta run guys, Pray and read the BOM, they wil stregthen you.

Elder (The dog beater) Rowley

Sorry Guys, no pics - I'll send a photo of my hand next week...