I'm really bad at creative email titles, sorry

Okay, you want to know what my life is like write now?  I'm sitting in a dark internet cafe, surrounded by a bunch of kids/teens/adults playing their video games and SOMEONE'S LISTENING TO  JAPANESE MUSIC, and I am so content with my life right now.

also, life is great because KIREI GOT BAPTIZED YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She's literally so wonderful and perfect and amazing.  She honestly taught herself,  she was so so so prepared to hear the wonderful message of the Restoration, and I'm so blessed that I had the opportunity to serve here in Bogor and meet her.    Not  much happened the rest of this past week, just trying to teach and find as many people as we can.  The language is coming a bit easier every single day, it's a miracle,  I TAUGHT GOSPEL PRINCIPLES CLASS AGAIN.  I don't even feel like I'm training anymore as a new missionary on the field, it's pretty awesome.

I do want to share a spiritual thought this week.  So, all of my life I thought my testimony was pretty decent,  I thought I knew the gospel, I thought my knowledge was pretty average for a typical Mormon girl.  I've partaken of the Sacrament every week since I can remember right?  I thought I really really knew the meaning of why we go to church, why we have to partake of the sacrament every week etc... But this week I learned a whole new meaning of how amazing and special and what a privledge it is to be able to partake of the ordinance of the Sacrament every single week.

So, as a missionary, I try to my best ability to teach by the spirit and invite my investigators to come unto Christ, through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.  Why do we need to have faith?  Why is it so important?  To me,  having faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement is the only way I can make it through this life!  I truly believe that my Savior loves me and have complete confidence and trust in Him.  Faith leads to repentance,  the word repentance used to scare me when I was younger, but repentance is a literal gift from our Heavenly Father.  Repentance doesn't mean we have to be perfect, but when I have faith in Christ I want to become like Him and because I'm farrr from perfect, I have to repent everyday.  Repenting means changing my thoughts and actions and align them with God's will, it's not easy, sama sekali, but we CAN become better week by week because we are baptized and have received the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Now, as each week comes to an end and we get ready to go to church, we're not just "going to church" to go to church. (lol sorry sounds weird)  as we keep continuing to build and strengthen our faith in Christ and repenting of the mistakes we make each an everyday we prepare to take the Sacrament.  

The ordinance of Sacrament is literally an ordinance, we promise Heavenly Father that we will take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ,  what does that even mean??  I'm still trying to figure it out, but I think it means we continue in our faith, and we BELIEVE in Him, we try to develop His attributes and strive to follow Him the best we can,  we promise to Heavenly Father that we will ALWAYS remember our Savior,  always remember what He has done for us PERSONALLY,  Christ suffered for YOU and because of that, He knows and understands EVERYTHING, that you feel every single day.  And then we promise to keep His commandments, pretty simple.   But the amazing thing with our Baptismal Covenant is that GOD PROMISES US, that we will ALWAYS have His spirit to be with us.

THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PARTAKE OF THE SACRAMENT EVERY WEEK, the spirit is what CLEANSES US from our SINS AND MISTAKES,  When I see my wonderful investigators enter into the waters of baptism, it's not the water that takes away their sins, it's when they're "baptized by fire"(some where in the BOM)  and receive the Holy Ghost,  the Holy Ghost SANCTIFIES US, and THAT'S how we retain a remission of our sins.  WHAT? THAT'S AMAZING!!!  We can continually be clean and worthy to live with god again every single week.  The doctrine of Christ is such a blessing, it's such a gift, all we have to do is FOLLOW CHRIST,  yes it's not easy, but each and every week, little by little we can become.  We can become better people, better siblings, mothers, fathers, friends, and children of God. 

I don't know why it's taken me 20 years to finally understand that...  But I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have, and I know that this church is really the Church of Jesus Christ.  I know that our Savior lives, and I know that our Heavenly Father is real.  And both of them love you and want you to be the best you can.  Being a missionary is so awesome.  Have a nice week! (: 

1)  Kirei's baptism!! <3 

2) and again

(oohhhh  my goodness, we have soo many videos that I want to send to yall, but they take like an hour to load.)  One video is a KITTEN that walked into our house (the cats here are NASTY, it's so sad, theyr'e  starving adn their sick and you can't touch em)  SO THIS POOR KITTEN COMES STROLLING INT OOUR HOUSE AND IT'S LEG IS BROKEN AND IT'S SO HUNGRY AD WE HAD TO LEAD IT OUT OF THE HOUSE AND THEN SHUT THE DOOR ON HIM.  if you know me. you KNOW that i cried my eyes out..  there's a hilarious video that hopefully i'll be able to load one day.  So there's your funny story from this week! (:

We've gotta nother one!

HOLY COW. HOLY HOLY HOLY COW.  okay.  I'm like, the worst at telling you all about my investigators.. maaf...  BUT KIREI IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SUNDAY WHAT AJKFJAS;DFJLA;F SJ;DLJF LSFJ;AS F MIRACLES.  

Okay okay okay.  Last transfer I was in Bogor 1,  and the other sisters were in Bogor 2, so they started teaching Kirei first, but last Sunday,  Sister J and I happened to teach her at a members house cuz she was there (she may or may not be dating a member, so i'ts pretty dramatic acutally)  and when Sister J invited her to be baptized on the 29th she's like "nggat... terlalu cepat, saya nggat siap"  aka. NO.  BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET A CALL FROM HER (maybe member boyfriend)  AND THE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT (oh yeah cuz now, I'm in Bogor 1 and Bogor 2, so now I have double the investigators)  "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US KIREI WAS GETTTING BAPTIZED THIS SUNDAY,"  and we're like (me and sister DAvis)  WHAT?!?!!??!  UHHHHHHHHHHH

CRAZY HUH!!!  She's totally had a change of heart, and she doesn't want to wait, even though her family doesn't support her!  So crazy.  So beautiful.

OKAY AND THEN,  we have Anita.  I don't remember if i've told you about her..... BUT SHE'S LITERALLY PERFECT,  she went to LDS.org and SEARCHED FOR MISSIONARIES TO COME TO HER, So Sister j and I happened to be in Bogor 1.  She's been taught all the lessons and believes everything! She's amazing!  Except............................................ she won't come to church.  So her baptism keeps getting pushed back further and further, cuz she has to come to church 3 times before she can get baptized and she's only gone once.  I dont know why. and it's very stressful, because my 1st mom has gone home and now it's like WOAH HERE'S SOME RESPONSIBILITY AND FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT.  It's like my investigators have become my CHILDREN, AND NOWWWW WE HAVE /DOUBLE/ THE INVESTIGATORS.  Missionaries have soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much to do.  It's very difficult but I know this will help me in the long run to become more self reliant and organized, (mom you'd be so proud of me)  ((except I forgot my planner yesterday at church, WHO FORGETS THAT!?!?)   THAT'S how stressed I've been lol.

uhhhh I was so stressed this week  I didn't take any pictures WHOOPS  ( I'll try to send a couple of videos in another email okayyyy)

BUT HAN HAN IS NOW BROTHER HAN HAN AHH!!!!  He was confirmed a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints yesterday.  I cried.  I'm such a baby.  But in reality I"m just so blessed to be serving in the best country in the world!  I love love LOVE being a missionary.  AND WOAH.  I TAUGHT GOSPEL PRINCIPLE CLASS YESTERDAY IN INDONESIAN TOO.  So I guess you can say the gift of Tongues is real (;  

Wow.  I just love this work.  I love my Heavenly Father, and this week I received another witness of how real our Savior is.  Nothing huge happened,  but just from getting to work, and being busy all day and trying to help as many people who will listen come unto Christ, and BEING APART OF THIS AMAZING WORK, helped me realize how REAL Christ is. I love Him.  And I'm so grateful that our Heavenly Father loves us enough to give us a way to return to Him again.  All we have to do is Live Like His Son <3  wow.  so cool.  LIFE IS GREAT.  Have a great week! (:

Han Han's Baptism!

OHHHHH MY GOODNESS.  This week was DRAMA.  Like... on a mission, you kinda do the same thing everyday right?  So when things that don't seem "that big of a deal''  are a HUGE DEAL on the mission.  Like for example....  we're waiting for transfer calls AND IT TOOK FOREVER to receive them AND EVERYDAY ALL OF US SISTERS IN THE HOUSE WERE DYING, we were SO dramatic.  

Drama #1.  We're preparing Han Han for his baptism right?  Last week he went 5 days without smoking, and I think it was Wednesday and Sister Jatmiko and I had this awful feeling cuz his phone wasnt working and he just went back to school with all his crazy and highly influential friends, so we went to his house to check up on him,  and he had just BARELY. LIKE LITERALLY 10 MINUTES BEFORE WE GOT THERE, smoked one cigeratte, we were DEVASTED, WE WERE LIKE. HAN HAN. YOU'RE GETTING BAPTISED NGGAPAIN!?!?!?!  (what are you doing)  Sister Jatmiko literally just stayed silent and just sat there trying not to cry or explode so I had to teach the short lesson and ask him what else we could do.   but everything was fine, Han Han told us (because a few days earlier he received a blessing to help him stop smoking) and he's like,  " it felt so weird.... I felt awful after I smoked... I never want to do it again.''  and he really really didn't,  he is a literal miracle, I have SEEN the change of his heart and his mom has too. 

Drama #2  Sunday,  Han Han's phone isn't working and we don't know if he is ready or not for his BAPTISM,  cuz he has insomnia so when he finally sleeps its so hard for him to wake up, so Sister J and I are just STRESSING TO DEATH, and when we finally get out of the anggkot, we look up and BOOM THERE'S HAN HAN DRESSED IN /CHURCH/ CLOTHES ON THE BACK OF BROTHER ARNOLD'S MOTERCYLE, we literally SCREAMED FOR JOY AND RAN TO CHURCH

And then the biggest miracle of the week,  Han Han, who at the beginning of December when I first started teaching him "wasn't ready to be baptized yet,  "i need to know more etc..""  (we actually thought his mom would get baptized first, but she started having doubts again)  Han Han's dad is buddhist too, and he's said he doesn't like that religion, and he only liked the Mormon religion and as each week passed by as we kept teaching him, he REALLY REALLY started to change,  It wasn't sister J or me at all,  the HOly Ghost truly pierces the soul with truth, and Han Han REALLY decided for himself that he wanted to follow our Savior Jesus Christ.  

I'm so grateful for this opportunity to serve here in Bogor Indonesia,  there ARE people in every country, in every city, looking for truth, whether they know it or not.  And we HAVE the truth.  What a wonderful thing.  I testify to all of you that you can ALL be missionaries just by your example,  love every person you see, see people the way your Heavenly Father sees them.  Heavenly Father chooses the weak and simple to do His work,  it's so easy for me to doubt myself, but all of us as children of God need not to doubt,  but trust in Him.  Trust in His plan,  we have a SAVIOR who wants to help us get through whatever trials we have in life.  And I know that's true because I see miracles everyday on my mission.  Me silly Sister Rowntree CAN bring people unto Christ because Christ is here with me every step of the way.  And kids like Han Han can have a change of heart.  I'm so excited for the next however many months I have left to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.  I'm so so so blessed for this opportunity, and  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than here in Indonesia at this time of my life.

oh yeah.  My first transfer is done, Sister Jatmiko is leaving tomorrow )):  I'm so sad, she is so amazing and I'm truly giong to miss her.  Sister Royalance is moving to Solo  (IN SISTER JATMIKO'S WARD WHAT)  and Sister Davis is staying AGAIN (SHE'S BEEN HERE FOR 7 MONTHS WHAT) and there will only be 2 Sisters (me and Sister D) in Bogor and 4 Elders.  TYes, a BULE, is finishing up my training (white person in Indonesian)  Who knows what the Lord has in store right?  so NOW I"m in BOTH Bogor wards, which means double the ward members and double the investigators and now my area is HUGE.  These next 6 weeks will be an adventure that's for sure!!!  Have a nice week everyone,  remember your Savior everyday!

1)  HAN HAN!! (: <3

1-4)  Han Han's cousin and Aunt  (His mom didn't want to come see him get baptized ):  )

Sister Jatmiko dan Saya (:

Literally my favorite children here in Indonesia <3

Miracles

WOW WEE I HAVE NO TIME TO EMAIL AHHAHAHA SORRYYYYYY

But let me tell you this,  I have seen miracle after miracle tihs past week.

Miracle 1: HAN HAN STOPPED SMOKING (we haven't checked yet today...)  BUT FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS NOT A SINGLE ONE.  HE WENT FROM A PACK A DAY, TO ONE TO TWO A DAY TO NOTHING. AND HE'S GETTING BAPTIZED THIS SUNDAY WAHAT WHAESD;FJKA;SFD;ADKS I'M GOING TO EXPLODE WITH EXCITEMENT.  I really have seen a change in heart, and I love him so dearly.

Miracle 2:  ANITA  (i don't know if i've told you about her already or not...)  BUT SHE LOOKED UP THE CHURCH HERSELF, AND WHEN WE TEACH SHE JUST KNOWS IT'S TRUE AND SHE CAN'T WAIT TO BE BAPTIZED JANUARY 28TH AND SHE. CAME TO CHURCH. EVEN. WHEN. SHE. HAD. SCHOOL. THAT. DAY.  WAHT ADSKLFJAS;FDJASD; MIRACLE.  O h my goodness i love her to pieces.

there are soooo many more that I would love to share...  but I really don't have time, THANK YOU ALL FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES (which is why i dont have time to  write a novel bc i was crying from all your sweet messages)   I had a really amazing experience with Ibu Lily, which was a miracle for me,  we watched the testament with her,  and i recieved the most beautiful witness about how REAL our Savior is, I was sobbing when I bore my testimony to her.  She wants to get baptized, but her Husband, who is buddhist, wont' let her. -___-  ya.  that happens here a lot.  ):

THIS CHURCH IS TRUE.  I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON, I LOVE MY SAVIOR AND MY HEAVENLY FATHER.  And I know they love you all too

OH AND WE WENT TO TAMAN SAFARI TODAY.  AN ORANGUTANG TRIED TO KISS ME.  (Yes calista you can post this pic on Insta (; )  OKAY BYYEEE <3

1) Yes that is an elephant trying to come into the car (AND NO WE CANNOT RIDE THEM >:(  )

2)  This is Sifa, the Orangutang, trying to kill me (;

3) I forgot the snakes name (OH AND MOM I PET A KANGAROO TODAY, YOU WOULD LOVE TAMAN SAFARI)  (Oh and I also bought you a present, but youll have to wait... 16  months (;  )

4) Sifa grabbed me and scared the CRAP out of  me  (:

Lebih Gambar

1)  SISTER JATMIKO ABANDONED ME ONE DAY TO TAKE OUR YOUTH CONTACTING.  WITHOUT. HER.  like I literally had to teach these cute indonesians how to contact WHEN I DIDN' T KNOW HOW,  but I taught a lesson that day #Miracle  #TheChurchisTrue

2) ALL Sister Jatmiko's cousins, she has family EVERYWHERE in Indonesia, oh and I'm wearing a traditional clothing in Indoneisa called Patik

ALSO I NEED SOMEONE TO LOOK UP THE HISTORY OF THE ISLAND OF PAPUA BC EVERY. SINGLE. INDONESIAN. THINKS I'M FROM THERE AND I LITERALLY LOOK LIKE A PAPUAN.  So someone figure out how Africans got to Indonesia and let me know, thanks! (:

Selemat Tahun Baru!

WOOOOOAH, I can't believe by the end of this week I'll be in Indonesia for a MONTH!  CRAZY!  GILA!

OH AND THANKS FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES! 

Okay. I promised that I would give all of you more details about EVERYTHING.  

1. Indonesia is so beautiful, it's so green, it's so HOT, and the people are so amazing!  I've been so humbled here, in realizing how blessed I've been to be raised in America, with an abundance of food,  and WARM SHOWERS,  speaking of food..... EVERYTHING HERE IS FRIED I AM SO UNHEALTHY AND THEY DON'T HAVE NORMAL MILK HERE CUZ THE COWS ARE TOO SKINNY so I"m coming back in 16 months as a grandma.   The food is sooo good though, BUT IT'S SO SPICY I DIE EVERY TIME I GO TO A MEMBERS HOUSE AND THEY FEED ME SOMETHING SUSCPISIOUIS 

also, my english is terrible, and i don't have time to fix my mistakes so YA UDAH.

Speaking of bahasa, its coming along...  my companion's english is really good so everyone in our house speaks english to me.... and i still can't understand most people in indoneisa... so we'll see how things go when my Ibu leaves in 2 weeks and I get another Ibu.  (Ibu is mom in Indonesian, and since my companion (rekan) is my trainer I call her mom and I'm her child lol)  and ACTUALLY Sister Royalnce who lives in our house is my SISTER,  she was Sister Jatmiko's 2nd child.  hahaha sorry if that doesn't make sense.

OKAY OUR INVESTIGATORS, (Simpatisan)  We are teaching all the time, whether they're progressing simpatisan, or not,  or members (anggota)  or less active members, our goal each week is 15 pelajaran (lessons) a week!  So we're always on the go.

This week's miracle: HAN HAN CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OH MY GOODNESS, IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING,  BC NO ONE WANTS TO COME TO CHURCH.  He's been an investigator for 3-4 years AND HE'S FINALLY GETTING BAPTIZED ON JANUARY 15TH,  if he stops smoking.  He's 18.  (EVERYONE MALE IN INDONESIA SMOKES,  YOU SEE 8-12 YEAR OLDS SMOKING HERE IT'S SO SO SAD!!)  So Han Han is literally just a miracle and HE'S TAUGHT ME!  I've learned from him HOW SPECIAL and HOW MUCH WE MEAN to our Heavenly Father,  HE LOVES US SO SO MUCH.  And if we will just try to overcome the natural man by becoming Saints through our Savior's atonement WE CAN RETURN TO HIM AND BECOME LIKE HIM!!  3 Nephi 9:13-14  the Savior is LITERALLY PLEADING for us to just COME TO HIM, HIS ARM OF MERCY IS REACHING OUT TO US!! It's such a beautiful REALITY that we really CAN BECOME BETTER PEOPLE! IF WE JUST TRY!!!   Oh i love this gospel so much and I love how much I'm learning, I don't know if missionaries have new spiritual powers or something but I'm learning things like I've never before in my entire LIFE.  ESPECIALLY from the Book of Mormon,  the Book of Mormon answers the questions of my SOUL and when I feel like I have NO IDEA what I'm doing in a foreign country trying to bring people unto Christ,  I find comfort and peace in the Book of Mormon.  I'm so grateful for it and I know it's true!  I testify that the Book of Mormon really WILL bring you closer to Christ!

One quick miracle,  we went to visit a less active member apparently she's super stubborn and most missionaries have no luck with her.  So Sister Jatmiko is talking to her friend and I'm trying to understand and talk to Sister Hargtika... I COULD UNDERSTAND HER,  (she was talking relatively slow for me) BUT STILL, and she was SO SWEET and I was my crazy self, making her laugh and smile and ya know, just being a friend to her,  AND THEN, she wanted to see a picture of my family and I start showing her my pictures, and she's like,  ''Wow, you are so happy to be here, and you're so far away from your family, why are you so happy?"  AND BOOM THE SPIRIT'S LIKE "BARE YOUR TESTIMONY GIRL!" and I was like.  WOAH. OKAY!  I just told her that of course I'm happy!!!  I get to share this wonderful gospel to the people of indoneisa who REALLY NEED TO KNOW that families can be together FOREVER,  and then Sister Jatmiko starts baring her testimony too and I ended with Alma 5:26 and we invited her to FIND her testimony again!!  I LED A LESSON, WHAT, IN INDONESIAN!  MIRACLE!!! The spirit works with me in a way I never expected as a missionary,  If i'm obedient, and study my scriptures and rely on the Lord and just TRY MY BEST,  the Lord qualifies me in the very moment that I need it!!  WOW THIS CHURCH IS TRUE THE SCRIPTURES ARE TRUE AND OUR SAVIOR LOVES US!! HOW AWESOME!!!  Seriously, being a missionary rules, and I hope you all have a Christ centered week,  Seriously, we owe it to Him to think about Him everyday, He's done a lot for us!  I love you all!  

Sampai minggu ya? (:

-Sister Rowntree

1) THEY HAVE YELLOW WATERMELON HERE!!

2) Sister J and I choregraphed a dance for the relief society ladies for our Christmas party haha!!