My awesome daughter Hannah Breauna Rowntree began her LDS Church mission service on October 26, 2016! She will spend 6 weeks in the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center/MTC learning the language and then will fly to Jakarta, Indonesia to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Please follow this page for weekly updates and pictures of her 18 month journey!
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???
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
lol sorry yall for being late on emailing! (mainly my mom) i have like no time
OKAY, that was weird, i dont know hwy this computer sent that. -____-
anYWAYS
1. WE WENT TO A WAY SICK WATERFALL THIS MORNING!!! SO COOL LOTS OF PICS COMIN UP
2. WE PLAYED FUTSAL AS A ZONE SO LEGIT more pics coming up
3. UMMMM. THIS LAST ZONE CONFERENCE WAS MY LAST THAT IS SO WEIRD!!!
4. I AM STARTINGT MY LAST TRANSFER AND TRYING NOT TO FREAK OUT!!!
5. MAS W BELIEVES THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD AND THAT JOSEPH SMITH IS A PROPHET HIS COMMITMENT IS TO PRAY ABOUT BAPTISM SO THATS EXCITING!
6. WE RAN INTO THIS GUY AND LONG STORY SHORT WE TAUGHT HIM ON SUNDAY AND AFTER THE FIRST VISION HE ACCEPTED A BAPTISMAL COMMITMENT SO LEGIT!!\
7. Life is good, the Lord is good, I love my mission, I love Heavenly Father and i know this church is true! i hope yall will find more eways to strengthen your testimony and choose the right! love you all byyeeee! <3
1) okay funny funny stories
once we got up to the mountains and at the beginning of the trail, sister daclan pulled out her chocolate bread and A MONKEY RAN UP HER BODY AND SNATCHEDE IT FROM HER IT WAS CRAY
1) beautiful scenery
2) trying to be cool
3) i forgot her name but isn't she beautiful?
4) here ya go mom
5) trying to be cool part 2
1) Sister Daclan after being attacked
2) mama monkey and baby
3) Beyonce dresses!
4) sooo pretty hey?
5) dinner with the zone after futsal!
1) so cute hey?
2) we thought we were pretty cool
3) oh ya and then elder smith was trying to show the book of mormon to a monkey and it hissed at him and tried to attack him it was hilarious!!
i did get a little sick though. but i only came home early the first night that i was sick cuz i was dying lol. seriously ayll, i hadnt been that sick since i was a fetus in bogor on the mission!! i ate martabak manis (its like this wayyy good sweet giant indonesian pancake thing) wayyy to late at night and hte next day i paid the eprice for my stupidity in not keeping my diet!!! i lost 6 pounds!! so i mean, thats the only plus! (; i will be lookin good for zone conference this wednesday!
the work is kinda slow here, like i thought we had great potentials, and tiba tiba, they've all dropped us or dropped off the face of the earth .__. but its okay, i know the elect are out here, we just have to find them and help them!
TRANSFERS ARE COMING, i htink i will be safe, but its just weird that a whole nother transfer has gone!! ive already been in solo for 3 months!! what?? i cant believe 3 months have gone by again! so weird.... next week... will be my last transfer!! SO WEIRD. i'm trying hard not to be trunky, hey if any of my RM friends are reading this please give me advice to keep the trunkiness at bay ya? the struggle is real!
i am grateful for trials though, it helps me ponder and remember that i need to be closer to the lord and rely on him instead of myself.
I love Jesus. and I love Heavenly father, often times, i feel like Nephi in 2 Nephi 4, when He's like Ö WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM" becasue he has sins and temptations too, and i'm like, woah, even Nephi, like the greatest prophet in the book of mormon gets down too, but then he says ÄWAKE MY SOUL! No longer droop in sin, Regjoice, O my heart and give place no more for the enemy of my soul." He says that because "He knows in whom He has trusted." I love the Book of mormon so much, and I lvoe how they're not just stories that we read, but we can become like the prophets of old, and live their lives, we CAN be as righteous as they were. we can relate to them, even Nephi felt sad because sin easily beset him. but he knows that god loves him, and repentance is real. do we really believe those things for ourselves? I hope we do, I do, sometimes I forget, when times get hard, but when i opent he book of mormon on any page, I remember who I am, and who loves me and cares about my eternal progression. The gospel is true yall, I hope you can all gain, and strengthen continiuously your testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. we need it. i love my mission, i am grateful i can servee the Lord here. I love you all, have a good week! <3 Sister Tree
1) when i was literally sick and dying loool
2) sisters in semarang came up for splits!
3) our new investigator!
4) me and sister daclan working out ha!
1) the old malang squad!
2) my MLC gang!
3) dad this is mostly for you, His name is Jonathan, you know we're not llowed to hug males as sisters but Jonathan always wants to hug me and it's okay (':
1. last monday we got very unexpected news that President and Sister Rowley have been reassigned to serve in SINGAPORE!!! it was so crazy yall, we didnt even get to say goodbye, i was a wreck that day and like 2 days afterwards hahahaha, i was so sad, I can't even begin to describe in words the love i have for President and Sister Rowley, theyr'e truly my mssion parents, and have taught em so much, and have helped me to grow these last 15 months into the missionary and person that i am today, they've pushed me, and supported me through so mcuh. I love them so much and will awfully miss them.
2. our new mission president is President Subandriyo, he's AWESOME, its so weird having an indonesian mission president, but it's so awesome, i love him and his wife very much.
3. we had MLC finally after 2 months! it was out of the blue too so i am like dead, and tired, i cant wait to take a nap again today lol. we learned a lot, and President Subandriyo in nice words has told us, "yall have 30 days to get yo selves togetha." seriously. he's legit and he's going to push us even more to become the missionaries we need to be.
3. uhh today i hit 16 months so thats way weird.
one of our investigators who wants to be baptized may be moving back to kupang ): so thats been hard on my heart, but finally pak D came to church yesterday! he fasted with us and we prayed that the lord would soften his wife's heart so that he could go! it was awesome!
I am still lvoing solo. i really hope as this transfer ends i will stay here, i love my companion, i love my district, and i love being a missionary, and i loooove the Lord. He is so good, and I am grateful everdayday of my life for his atoning sacrifice for us, that i ahve the opporunity to walk in His footsteps here in Indonesia.
On a spiritual note.. I just want to invite yall to really think about why you are grateful for the restored gospel of jesus christ? why is going to church important to you? how else can you show your love and devotion to the lord? ask him, he'll let you know what you can do to fix, repentance is real, and it's a positive thing, we can start over everyday and be better, become more, more like the Savior. I love him, and i love heavenly father and i am so grateful i can share their wonderful message of the restoration to the people here in Solo.
have a nice week yall! sampai jumpa lagi!
1)sooo this was me and sister shiu on the bus to semarang
2) while we were wating for the sisters in semarang we thought our background was cool and had a photo shoot
3) pak D's wife(:
4) lovin solo
5) lol me err night, i'm either drawiing for pplaying the uke or watching 17 miracles
REUNITED with my girl sister Ratu! <3 annnd my zone leaders
HOLY COW. Sister Shiu and I worked sO hard this week, I can't wait to take a nap later today this fine PDAY. where do i even begin??
it was just full of miracles! we found 2 new investigators this week through members! one is the sweetest 14 year old girl, and when she was younger she used to come to primary with her member friend! so cool! she said she'd come next week, and we'll be seeing her again this tuesday.
The other is a member's boyfriend, we've taught him before but last week He couldn't come but yesterday he did so we got to teach him again!! IT WAS SUCH A GOOD LEESSON YALL. teaching with members is so so sooo effective, apa ya, it's like, with the members testimony, it brings so much power and love to the lesson. we watched joseph smith's first vision, his girllfriend gave the most beautiful testimony and we asked him, why would god call another prophet? (i dont know how to translate his answer in english maaf) but it was a good one, we testified that god still loves us , and he's the same, he called prophets before and he still speaks to us through them today! we told him as he comes to know that these things are true, we will invite him to be baptized, and guess what. HE'S NEVER BEEN BAPTIZED BEFORE!!! he's already 16! MIRACLE! he says this is a big decision for Him, but i know that as he reads the book of mormon, prays, and keeps coming to church (along with being nutured by the bishops family) he will know it's the right thing to do. such a blessing to be able to teach this young man. (':
WE HAD 4 PEOPLE TO CHURCH THIS WEEK!! yall. the last 6 weeks we have had NONE come to church, it was definitely the trial of mine and sister Shiu's faith! but we didnt give up! the past month and a half we have been fasting every saturday for these people, we love them so so much and FINALLY we saw the miracles come! it's such a testimony builder to me that twhen we do all that we can and trust in the lord, IN HIS TIMING, the things we righteously desire will come!
we have 2 investigators on date for baptism, they FINALLY came to church, we taught the wife last night about the word of wisdom and she is soO down to follow it, it was hilarious actually she immediately accepted it.
if yall dont know, the word of wisdom is a HUGE problem here in Indonesia, evvvvvvvvvvvvveryone smokes, drinks tea and coffee and so forth, so that was a miracle<3
we have one more investigator on date, Kak J, she is still so sweet and her desire to change and find jesus christ is so pure <3 it's just getting her to church. .___. BUT she prayed overe her baptismal date and she chose the 18th! that's the date sister shiu and i prayed over too!! revelation yall. it's a sign, so we're going to do everything that we can to help her prepare to enter into the wateres of baptism!
solo is a miracle city! I love it her more and more each day! I am so grateful for the mission experience! I love teaching people about Jesus Christ, I love Him. I know He lives and that He loves us, He knows us, and desires each of us to come unto Him. Repentance is real, through the atonement we really can become saints, better people, better prepared to meet God. I heard a cool quote the other day, "Repentance means that you truly feel sorry and you are truly commited to change, that's when repentance happens."(it's something along the lines of that lol.) sometimes we may look at our lives and see all the things we're lacking, what we struggle with, like our personal sins that we haven't sacrificed yet.. but with Heavenly Father's help we truly can. When we truly feel sorrow for the things we've done wrong, and truly commit to change and sacrifice that sin and leave it behind, he will give us the strength to overcome that flaw, weakness, or sin. I know it's true! the gospel is awesome! I am so grateful to know that Our Savior's gospel is a gospel of change and becoming better. I hope yall will have a good week! Thanks for the love and Support!
Sampai jumpa lagi <3 sister rowntree
sorry no pics again i litearlly cant find my card raedr anywhere lol! (:
1. ME AND SISTER SHIU KUMAR WENT TO SEMARANG! woot woot! road trip! (the bus ride was actually terrible i literally suffered from motion sickness for like 4 days straight seriously, just hinking about the bus makes me want to gag.) BUT the bus ride ther was SOOOOO SICK! we were literally taking this huuuge bus on these cool winding small roads going through small under developed villages and JUNGLES YALL, in the mountains it was soooo pretty! you're probably wondering why the crud we went there, well. i'll tell ya.
sooo because I'm a sister training leader I get to go on splits to train the younger sisters! soo the sisters in Semarang were struggling and Sister Shiu and I got permission to go to their area and help them out. it was awesome! I love serving the sisters in my zone. also semarang was sooooo beautiful, its literally like San Fransisco but Indonesian style, it's just full of hills, and Sister Cardon and I biked up this HUUUUUUGE hill it literally took me like 5 minutes to get up it, oh my goodness i was dead, but once we got to the top BOOM BANG BEAUTY, it was soo cool, literally there is so much wind in Semarang just liek San Fran and you could look out and see alllll of the hills that are just FULL and LUSh with green jungly plants so so cool yall. it was so fun!
2. Tekad2 (commitments) in this case, baptismal commitments, I've been so bad at keeping yall up to date with our investigators here, but we had 2, (putting emphasis on the had) 1. Jeni, she's from Kupang! the first time we met her she wanted to get baptized, didnt come to church, showed up at her house again, she read her introduction to the book of mormon homework read one first in moroni 10:4, says she knows the book of mormon is true, wants to choose her baptismal date, ANNNNND. doesnt come to church. .___. we're working on it. and 2. Rosa ): shes 12, shes so sweet, and we've been trying to teach her, her mom is less active she came to church quite a few times when sister shiu and i first got her, and then yesterday, her mom texted us and said "she doesn't want to learn mormon anymore" </3 i was so crushed. like. benaran. I was depressed all yesterday )': we still went to work, but man, it just breaks my heart, please pray for her by name that she will realize that this is what she needs.
3. I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON! woo! I love it! okay, i'm gonna be honest, yall might think this is crazy.... but it's the fist time i've finsished it on the mission o.O i've already been out 15 months.... lol. BUT yall have to know that i've started over reading the book of mormon like 6 different times while i've been serving, for different reasons, so now i can finally continue my Indonesian book of mormon reading again. its 800 pages in indonesian. way fun.
Ya, i know the book is true, it is so clear and simple, and there is so much power in the book, this verse that i read yesterday literally smacked me right in the face in Moroni 8:16 Ï fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear." dang! isn't that so powerful? we can all apply this in our lives, whatever trials, stagese in life, apa pun! this sentence has power. Especially as latter day saints, as the world turns more and more away from God, and makes that which is evil to look good, we have to stand up for our beliefs! We have to be strong true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel! we need not fear any man, and their precepts, for the Love of God casteth out all fear! His way is what matters. Not what the magazines and media say, His way is happiness. "Wickedness never was happiness." I know these things are true, and I hope you will all take Moroni's exhortions to heart. Ask God, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a sincere heart, and real intent, and He will manifest the truth of these things through the power of the holy ghost!
Änd by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." Moroni 10:5 <3
Have a nice week! <3//: Sister Rowntree (No pictures)
Hey fam, lol i have nothing much to say sorry sorry!
gimana ya...? It's like, ya we have miracles, it's so great but it's just normal ya know, do yall want to hear about the miracles or what we teachh or like, what, i feel like my emails are getting boring for yall.. let me know what you want to hear.
but i'll give you: Day in the Life in Solo, for today saja.
sooo, we wake up everyday at 6:20ish and stretch and at 6:30 we're all working out as a household, the sisters have made me their like, drill sargent or something it's funny. we do Kayla Itsine's bikini body workout, man it kills ya but it's keeping us in shape! around 7 we all have to take turns to shower and make breakfast etc.. at by 7:45 we are already planning for the day.
sometime planning takes forever, we're trying to plan more prayerfully for our investigators, around 8:30 we study personally for an hour from teh book of mormon, preaech my gospel etc.. that's my favorite part of the morning, and then at 9:30 we role play or discuss our investigators agaian and try to perfect our lesson plans.
we have to be out the door at 10, and we're out teaching the restored gospel until 9. it's awesome. it still rains everyday, and ya know, there's not as many nasty homeless cats around here in solo, i can touch them they're so cute. we're trying to focus on seeing the members more, we're trying to find the less actives and part member families, if we gain the members trust they're more likely to give us their friends and family members as referals, and then we can work together to help their loved ones come unto jesus christ.
I love the members here in solo so much, it's already been a month and a half and we still dont know everyone's names, we're in the biggest ward in indonesia! there are soooo many pioneers here in solo, it's beautiful. I think the church first got here in the late 60's, the church is still young and growing, bt seriously, the members here are so amazing, their testimonies are so amazing.
we had one miracle investigator come to church, he's the boyfriend of a youth member, they're so cute, and after church he wanted to know more about missionary work, so we brought him and his girlfriend and her brother together and we taught him about our church. it was amazing, the member is only 17 and her brother is like 14 and their testimonies were SO BEAUTIFUL, they are so strong like, i think back when i was 17 and i thought i knew the gospel and knew what i was talking about, um no. i didnt lol. I'm just baffled at the youth here in indonesia, i cant even describe to yall how much they lvoe the lord and the gospel of jesus christ. (': they really inspire me.
okay for the spiritual side of things, i had the coolest experience in my personal study this week, i read Joseph Smith History v: 1-20 and rereading his experience was so powerful. I felt so much peace while reading his testimony. I know Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of god. I know he saw heavenly father and the lord jesus christ and I know he was called to restore the true church of jesus christ. I want to invite all yall if you havent read JSH in awhile, read it. ponder it. let us not forget how truly amazing the message of the Restoration is. dont forget how special and true of the reality of our unique message. sometimes i think back before the mission and I would unconsciously become ungrateful little by little, kinda like, shrugging off the restoration like öh ya, its cool."but we should alwyas feel in deep gratitude to our Heavenly Father for caring enough about us to resotre His Son's living gospel again upon the earth. Our church is so cool yall, and it's true, i know it is. I love you all, have a good week! <3/ Sister Rowntree
1) this fab skirt was like 5 dollars, i had it made here!
2) these noodles were only 2000 rupia.. do you know what that is in dollars?? LIKE 18 CENTS WEEEE SO CHEAP!
3) a cute fam we found in the rain <3
4) riding in a beicak while our bikes were getting serviced
whoops there blurry soz lol.
1) for like a good week and a half eveyr night we played phase 10 sooo fun
