Thursday, April 26, 2018

Receive Love - The final email.

Terima= receive

kasih = love

terima kasih= Thank you.

well, i am currently writing my last email to yall, at my house! I'm home!  it's so weird! i feel SO WEIRD.  but i am at peace and i am so happy to be with my crazy family again!

I just want to share a few miracles of my last week as a missionary and how they strengthened my testimony of the reality of a living loving God. 

1.  My last night, sister cardon and i had a few appointments, mostly with members, and before hand we wanted to find a really cool contact that we met a week before.  an hour and a half later, we still hadnt found his house!  and there were christians everywhere, and the neighborhood was very nice, like they were all very wealthy.... and... not so humble.  NO ONE wanted to listen to our message, and i was like,  "man.  heavenly father, i really just want to give the first vision ONE last time!"  we hadn't shared the restoration all that week, and if we did, sister cardon was the one giving the first vision.  i was so bummed, we started walking back to our bikes when sister cardon heard music coming from a house.  she started dancing and a man was sitting outside on the inside of his gate.  basically, sometimes, as missionaries we try ANYTHING to interest people to letting us enter into our homes,  that nights' tactic.  dance.  we tried asking him what he was listening to, and he called out for his wife, which turns out she can speak english!  they let us in.  and we shared our message.  Sister Cardon gave me the go to testify of Joseph Smith's experience, the spirit was so strong as we gave the first vision.  No one with a pure heart could deny the power that was manifested in that moment.
This sweet family rejected the message, but it's not us they're rejecting it's the Savior himself.  Usually I would be sad or irritated at moments like this, but at that time while this family was turning us down, I truly felt so much love for them, I felt Heavenly Father's love for this precious family, and of how much He wishes them to come home to Him. I also felt as I smiled  through the rejection, I felt The Savior's love for me and Sister Cardon, for still loving them for still caring about them.  I  cant really describe the feeling, but all I know for sure with all my heart is that the Lord was pleased with our service.  It was awesome, Heavenly Father immediately answered that prayer of mine.

2.  on our way home from Indonesia, on our flight from Hong Kong to LA, we sat next to the most prepared and most humble man I've ever met.  Sister Patton and I (MTC comps reunite again!(and it's like extra special bc we've grown SO much in our teaching skills and our knowledge of the gospel, sitting on a plane ride home, moments before finishing our mission.(heavenly father had one more person we needed to help)))  and his name was Phillip.  We listened to him for 5 hours, just letting him pour out his soul to us.  His Lutheran, married to a non active member, and all he wants is to be the best father he can be. He wants peace and balance in His life.  I learned so much in this moment with this man, about the importance of listening.  Like when we first met him, i kinda of immediately went into missionary mode, like hey where are you from, hows your fam? do you go to church? annnd your family can be together forever with this message."  but that wasn't what he needed, what he needed was someone to listen to him, and afteer we had done so, fighting through the drowsiness of plane flights and keeping our eyes open,  we testified with all of our souls that God lives, that Heavenly Father cares about Him, we shared our own personal experiences and we gave him homework in the book of mormon.  He said he was excited for this, he knew that it was god's plan that we sat by him that morning in Hong Kong.

I know that God lives, and I know that He loves His children.  Everything happens for a reason, it's all in His plan.  I know that Jesus Christ is His Son, and he and our father in heaven love us PERFECTLY.  no matter what we do, what we've done, they will ALWAYS love us, and they're always ready with extended arms out reached towards us to bring us in, bring us home, bring us unto Christ.  The restored gospel of jesus christ is true.  i know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, called to open this last dispensation so that we can recieve all of the eternal and everlasting blessings of the full gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that it changes peoples lives, i've seen it, i have seen for the past year and a half, people who have NO IDEA who Jesus Christ is, come to know who He is by reading that book.  I know it changes hearts, because it has changed mine.  Jesus Christ lives, and because of His atonement everything is possible, we just have to try.  taking off the name tag last night was the HARDEST thing i've ever done in my entire life, but i felt completely encompassed in his arms of love as I said goodbye to the past year and a half of my life. I tried my best, and I know that Heavenly Father loves me.  I am at peace.  
I know the Lord has sooo much more in store for me as i begin this new chapter of my life.  Thank you all for the love and support throughout this journey.  This is only the beginning of the best to come, this was the best year and a half so far.

Saya Tahu bahwa gereja ini benar, saya tahu Bapa Surgawi mengasihi kita masing2, dan mendengarkan doa2 kita.  Tolong menyimak pada perkataan nabi kita, Presiden Russel M. Nelson, dan melakukan apa yang dia mendesak kita untuk lakukan.  Saya tahu ini gereja Tuhan Yesus Kristus, dan bahwa dia masih membimbing kita melalui Nabi nya.  Saya tahu semuanya ini benar, dan membagikannya dalam nama Yesus Kristus, Amin.

1) on our way to taman safariiii
2) cutest baby chimp everrr (but we couldnt hold him this time)
3&4) dream come true
5) final testimony meeting <3





1) special fireside (willy is basically a member)
2&3) my favorite muslim girls by pak D's house
4) favorite half indo and german baby <3
5) feelin myself lol






1) my awesome zone leaders!
2) cute baby
3) favorite family
4) my sweet solo members
5) Sister Patton Sister Fuglsang and I reunited one last time #MTCCompsForLife <3










Monday, April 23, 2018

Uhh, this is weird.

HEY FRIENDS HEY FAM THIS IS WAY WEIRD!

i am going home
what
this week has been the best week yet!  so many miracles
and i literally ahve no time to write a last email!! sorry!!!!
i promise when i get home on wednesday i'll send one olast one with my testimony

thyis mission has changed my life!!!  i am so grateful for the savior and fo rmy heavenly father.  I lvoe this gospel, and i'm so grateful for everything i've learned SO MUCH.  i wish i had time to express my love even more.  but i really got to go

this church is true!  there's NO WAY i wouldve survived my mission if it wasnt.  thank you all so much for the love and support throughout this journey. 


SEE YOU SOON! (:

Sunday, April 15, 2018

The beginning of the end.

NEWS
1. our mission president has given us more than an hour to email!  life is GOOD.
2.  um. recently because we're doing more service, we've been teaching our kinda investigators daughter how to read and write bc she's not in school. she's 7 and cant read ):  and while helpign her, and singing songs with her with the uke, i've gotten this werid fuzzy feelings in my heart and i think i want to do something to work with kids when i get home. i dont know if that means i'm supposed to be a teacher or something, but my new dream calling is to be in the nursery.  I am confused, but all of a sudden i love kids. o>o
3. THIS IS MY LAST WEEK AS A FULL TIME MISSIONARY WHAT!?!?!?! SOOOO CRAZYYYYYYYYYY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

It's so surreal and so crazy and weird, but i'm excited. and i am so grateful for the experience I've had as a misisonary.  Without the mission, there's no way I'd be fully converted to the gospel, the depth that the Lord desires me to be converted.  I am so grateful for everything that i've learned, felt, and experienced.  i'm not dead yet, so this week we're gonna kill it!  
ya know, i was sad at first, because none of my investigators are geting baptized before i leave, but i know they will, I love heavenly father's children here, and i'm leaving them all a prepaid envelope with my address on it so they can mail me their picture when they fianlly are baptzied (:   Life is good, the Lord is good, the gospel is true!  I promise next week's email will be more heart felt!
Go read Mosiah 4, it's like on eof my favorite chpaters in the book of mormon. my favorite verses are 2 qnd 3, where teh people of benjamin are done hearing his words, and they realize how crappy theyve been, but instead of being sad, they plead for mercy and for their hjearts to be purified, and the holy ghost rests upon them and they receieve a remission of their sins, it says, they were filled with JOY<3 thats so beautiful.
we can feel like that every week yall, when we take the sacrament with a broken heart and contrite spirit, before hand, we've already prayed with all of our hearts to know what heavenly father wishes for us to change to become better in prayer.  I loved President Nelson's talk, so beautiful, i know if we apply his counsel in our lives, we can be filled with this joy as well.  Love you all!  have a christ centered week yall!
sampai jumpa lagi ya?

1) said goodbye to sister liliek last night 
2) THE MOST HEALTHIEST CAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN INDO SOO SOOOO CUTEEE
3) teaching this little girl how to read and write <3
4) YALL, THIS LADY HAS 13 CATS AND A HUSKY AND 2 DOGS I WAS IN CAT HEAVEN!  she didnt receive a book of mormon tho lol 
5) Sis Siwi <3





Sunday, April 8, 2018

I love being a missionary!

HEY FAM,
I ahve to make this short, but long story short.
the dreadful disease of trunkiness has settled into my body, and liek, ya of course i'm still doing missionary work but it's like, satan is trying sooo hard to make me feel lazy or bored and all these crazy emotions i didnt think would come upon me at the end of the mission. i was like seriously gettting stressed, i kept asking myself, "whats wRONG with me!??"  "why am i not enjoying the time of my life?!?!"  etc... 
and then while i was wallowing in sorrow, we had our day of miralces.
miralce 1.  i met this mas at gramedia who is our investigagors friend but we didnt get his number and then he stoopped working there and i was like noooooo we didnt get to follow up if he read about the restoration!! and THEN (oh ya that happened liek 2 motnhs ago)  we were biking after DTM to find food and i wasl ike LET US GO HERE! i wanted gado gado, and guess who was in that warung. THE MAS FROM 2 MONTHS AGO!!! he was like, DO YOU REMEMBER ME? and i was like uhhhhh and he's like I'M R'S FRIEND and i was like OHHHH MYYYY GOOOSHHH WE FOUND YOU!!! WE HAD A GREAT TALK AND HOPEFULLY THE ELDERS WILL MEET WITH HIM <3
right after that we met a mantan simpatisan who's been gone for months and we were able to invite her to conference!  it was a, we were in the right place at he right time miracle
RIGHT AFTER THAT.  i had a prompting to go to a less active memeber, and we met her new neighbor who wants to become closer to god, and follow the example of jesus chrsit to be baptized.  our jaws were just dropped the whole way to our next appointment afterwards, the humilty of this single motherw as so inspring and teaching her who her heavenly father and his son jesus chrsit was to her, was so so special.  we stopped as soon as we could to give a prayer of thanks to heavenly father.
and then the last miracle our investigator (WHOS THE ONE WITH THE FRIEND) FIANNLLY READ HER HOMEOWKR IN THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!  such a miracle. i know shew ill receive answers to her prayers as sh reads and ponders the book of mormon.  
sister cardon said to me, "see sister rowntree?  the lord still needs you here!"  and that was the cure to the trunk!  i am not a perfect person, but boy i was sure humbled that day, and was reminded of the importnance to always show your gratitude for the many blessings which heavenly father has bestowed upon you. i know he Loves me, even when i'm a dumb dumb, I know he lives. I know His son Jesus chrstis is my redeemer and lvoes me perfectly. I know President Russel M. Nelson is a prophet of God, once again, his words have touched my heart.  This is the true church of Jesus Christ, and i know that the beautiufl poeple of indonesia need this in their lives. I'm so grateful i still have 2 weeks to serve iwth all my heart might mind and strength to invite others to come unto jesus christ.  
love you all!
sampai nanti ya?

1) i took out my hair

Monday, April 2, 2018

Biasa Saga

Hey friends hey fam! what's up!
sorry this email is coming in so late we went to JOGJA today to a CANDI a hindu temple
this week was super normal, nothing excitign yall. buuuuut i do have news!!
1. TRANSFERS.  sister shiukumar got transfered in the middle of this transfer to semarang! she is now the new STL for jawa tengah adn i've been released!
i'm super grateful from the experience i had being able to serve adn help my sisters here in indo!
i will miss shiu kumar dearly.  i love her to death, but life goes on
2. my nwe companion is... SISTER CARDON!  born in alaska, lived in germany for 6 years, and now lives in utah!  she emailed me before she cme on the mission and now look! she's killing me! crazy!   these next 3 weeks will be a blast!
we had one investigator to church yesterday, that was a miracle. 

i've been reading Jesus the Christ like i would read a manga,  i lvoe it so much and i love learning more in depth about the savior.  the churhc is true yall! i hop e you enjoyed conference! i hope you dont just listeen and keep[ living your normal lives,  i know the lord will speka to each one of us, and tell us what we need to do to become better, what we need to change. i cannot WAIT to finally watch this week n indonesian!



uhhh  annnd one of teh new apostle,  i\ve met  before what waht!!  so cool!
thats all folk!  love you!
-sister rowntree
1) shiu and i's last day )':
2) sister cardon and i xD
3) this is sister cardon
4) train ride to jogja!
5) i have more candi pics on everyone else's camera... so next week ya? (:











Sunday, March 25, 2018

17 months!

Yup, today hits the 17 months mark!  
so weird.
well we had to drop Pak D a couple of days ago, it was very heart breaking. I hope He will continue to read and pray about the book of mormon.
buuuut Mas W is so awesome! we taught him the gospel of jesus christ.  the only thing thtas holding him back form baptism is the fact he hasnt told his parents about us yet........  well.... thats his hoemwork for this week. to pray for the courage and strength to bare his testimony to his parents that He wants to follow jesus chrsit. please pray for him and his parents that their hearts will be softened and he will be able to choose for himself!
i am still loving solo with all of my heart. espcecially the members! i cherish theem so much. they're my family now.  i love myc ompanion, i learn great things from her everyday.
oh ya, i dont htiink i told yall last week, but since we are lacking in sisters, as the STL in jawa tengah, i'm overwatching the sisters in jawa timur (like malang surabaya and manado) ((no i dont get to fly and split over there)) but i get to talk to more sisters weekly and help strengthen them!

we traveled to klaten this week too, it's a miracle story. so we found a part member family, and the father has bene inactive for agggggesssss, they are not progressing, but hten we met his sister who has been incactive for agessssssssss and she changed religions... she invited us to her brother who has been inactive for aggeesssssssss and he lives in klaten. it took us an houra nd a half in a car to get there, thats sooo far from the church yall, but this brother said he saw jesus in a dream and his wife belives in jesus now too. i am so exicted to go back and helpt hem come unto christ. please pray for them that they will sacrifice the time to get to church for the lord!
I am grateful for this gospel. as i teach it to the poeple of indonesia everyday, i always learn something new.  sister shiu reminded me last monday that, "dont let a problem to be solved prioritze a person that needs to be loved." thats from thomas s. monson. its like all the themes of the lessons we've taught this week was focusing on love, loving the savior with all our hearts, doinge verything in our power to feel his promised love in our lives, to love our wayward friends and family members.  i just felt so much love this week!
elder miller said something so cool the other day, tiw as along the lines of, you can know or not if you're close to god.  listen to your heart. if you feel far form him, thats when you get on your knees and you pray, you ask for forgiveness, you reepent, and when we take the sacrament we can start again adn remember to prmise with all of our hearts to be better. That's what the gospel of jesus chrsit is, and I thank god everyday for the gift of his beloved Son.  I lvoe you all, I hope you have a great week, and you will find a way to come closer to the Savior, we alln eed his help.  He's waiting.
bye! (:  <3 Sister Rowntree


1) i just love cats, even if they're covered in flees lol
2-3) we found a wayyyyyy yummy restaruant thats sooo overpriced and i am getting fat lol  THEY HAVE CINNAMON PIZZA YALL!!
4) This is a brother who has been less active for YEARS and just recenlty he's decided that he wants to go to the temple so he can be sealed iwht his late wife (':  he kissed our cheeks it was so funny, he's like, you're my grand children so i can do this hahahahah <3






1) we went bowling and i lost
2-4) practicing my motherly skills, isnt' she cute???





Monday, March 19, 2018

Covenants (written on 3/18/18)

Hey fam!
NEWS
1. after a week into the new transfer our house is like, heyyy no transfers one more together!  and then all of a sudden sister Daclan gets a  call... she's moving to MEDAN!   she has been in Jawa TEngah for her ENTIRE mission, she's finally moving! and not just to another part of Jawa, but she's LEAVING THE ISLAND OF JAWA so sick!!
sooo the sister who is replacing her is...  SISTER FUGLSANG
2. MY MTC COMPANION!!!!! crazy hey?? 
3. Sister Fuglsang served her first 7 MONTHS in solo!!! and now she's back and dying here!! craaaazy! 
I am so excited to have her in the house!
it was like a little tender mercy, iwas thinking, aw man.  the night we all get back together again in jakarta when we leave is such a short time! Sister Patton and I are both flying into Salt Lake City, but sister F is going to australia! i was so sad thinking of having to say goodbye so fastly, and then look what heavenly father did! we get to die on the mission together!  (': okay sorry for the trunky thought.
we had 2 investigators to chruch this week, truly a miracle, Mas W is the one dating the bishops daughter, and the bishops family was in jakarta this sunday because elder Gary E. STevenson came to indonesia! (no, the missionaries were not invited -___-') so we're like, woah, is he still going to come without sister Y?  after the opening prayer i look up and see him! i cried, it was a blessing.  He is so sincere. Please pray for him and Pak D that they will want to enter into the waters of baptism. (:
also another tender mercy this week was being able to fellowship and translate for the mission couple in a lesson with a less active member who wants to go to the temple!  we talked about covenants, and like, my whole mission we always talk about covenants right? making the first one with the ordinance of baptism. but this time we were talking about our temple covenants and like... i'm not sure how to explain what i was feeling..
I still remember the first time I went through the temple back in 2016.. iwas pumped! but honestly, i didnt'relaly understand anything, and now as i see myself now and how much my gospel knowledge has grown, my appreciation is so different.  I am so so grateful for the mission.  I"ve been a member my whole life... every fast sunday i would say,  ï  know this gospel is true."and once it finally came for me to enter into the missionary field, I realized, woah.  I dont even know what the gospel is!  seriously! like each principle and ordinances of Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the HOly Ghost, and Enduring to the End... I DIDNT KNOW THAT WAS THE GOSPEL YALL!  SERIOUSLY!!  and now, it's not just that I know what I'm talking about when i testify... but the gospel of Jesus Christ is engraven upon my heart! I dont just know, but I love, and truly believe this is the only way. I know how important it is to live the gospel every day, hour by hour.  I am a different person, and I know that putting the Lord first in our lives in EVERY aspect is the most important thing we can do in our lives!  I am so grateful, for the mission, words cant even describe my gratitude for the person i have become!  I am so grateful for the temple to, it's been sooooo long since i've been there, and being able to particiapte in that lesson helped me remember how important the gospel is, how important keeping our covenants are.
I've heard throughout my mission, "sister rowntree, you're on a higher level, we are just normal people here." but whether we are full time missionaries or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints, we aren't just normal people.  We are the Lord's covenant people!  We've made promises with the Lord to take His name upon us, to always remember Him and Keep his commandments!  and when we keep those promises, HEavenly Father promises us the Holy Ghost will always be with us!  Thats so beautiful.  I know that God lives and that He loves us because He sent His son for us, to sacrifice His life for us.  He gives us the spirit to comfort us and guide us day to day.  The Spirit helps us feel God's love, and I know that it's so important to feel His love everyday.  This life would be too hard without his comfort and peace! I know complete obedience to the gospel brngs us the promised blessings that we hope for, and it's all up to what we want, what we desire.
I know the Gospel has been restored, and I know it's the only way we can be truly happy in this life, to prepare ourselves to meet Heavenly Father again. I am so grateful for this gospel, and now, I feel like I can truly testify of these things from my heart.  the spriit has testified to my heart that these things are true. I hope one day, all of my loved ones and friends who dont know these truths or who haven't engraven them upon their hearts will find the way, and will come to know who God and His plan for them.
Life is good!  Maju Terus yall!
Love ya <3 Sister Pohon
pohon=tree lol
I did have a video of sister daclan and i singing but it wont load, soz, next time ya?  monggo!
1) old pld pic
2) this way cute nun we ran into
3) old waterfall pic i think i was trying to hide my food from the monkeys
4) selfie dong






1) we're holding the waterfall
2) this is elder smith right before he got attacked by a monkey
3) last district picture!  elder nordwald is also moving BACK to jakarta to become the new AP!
4) failed






1) Sister shiu and i got jonathan an avengers coloring book!  he loves to learn colors and he's really good and coloring in the lines!
2) i am getting fat bc i love fried at  A&W  seriously, my jaw line is gone yall
3) chuch selfie
4) we have fish now