Feliz Año Nuevo!!!

Dear Family and Friends!

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!!!  Wow, I can't believe how fast the time is flying! I can't believe that we are entering 2015!!! Whatt??? That's insane! Wow! And I'm going to be AN UNCLE NOW!!!!!! WOOOWWW!!!! Thanks Kiersten for sending the video! It worked perfectly and wow! I'm shocked! That's gonna be awesome to come back to a new born niece or nephew!! For sure the Lord is preparing a lot of stuff for our family for 2015! I hope the wedding goes great! Have a blast! Enjoy it all and make the memories last! :) Wish I could be there but it's all right, as you guys showed, I'll be there in cardboard spirit, ha ha! Nah, just kidding, I'm so happy for Justin and Stacie!

Well, to start off, right off the bat with my letter, this past week we were busy with a lot of things so we weren't able to work a whole lot in our sector! As I told you on Christmas, our investigators Victor and Valentia did accept baptism dates! Woo hoo! It's amazing to see the gospel change this young man! But sadly we did go to their house in the morning yesterday but they weren't there so they didn't come to church, which has always been our big challenge.

We were also able to run into Loreto and Rodolfo. Rodolfo's dad is getting really sick and they have been running all over the place as well so we weren't able to get a good lesson in with them either. Tuesday at the very last minute notice we had divisions with the assistants again and that was a fun day to be able to work with those great guys again.

One of the highlights this week was obviously talking with you guys on Christmas!!!! Really we had to be there the whole entire day helping the zone with the Internet and everything, but I'm so glad that we didn't have any problems and that we were able to share that time together without any problems! It was awesome to meet Stacie as well! You're awesome Stacie! I just can't believe how blessed I am to have you guys as my family! Seriously, you guys are the best and my heart is filled with gratitude for this blessing that Heavenly Father has given me to be with you guys! You're all the best!!!! I love you, I love you, I love you guys!!!! You're all just so incredible! I can't believe that this next year I will be finishing my mission and that there is only one more skype call sesh before I'm home! It's crazy! But I gotta give it my all for 2015!! 

Another highlight this past week was our new ward missionary leader. He just moved into the ward and is a newly wed couple! His name is Victor and he is a stud! His wife is just awesome! Her name is Yosslyn and she is just a fireball when it comes down to missionary work! I love being with them! This Sunday Elder Goates and I gave talks in the sacrament meeting. The other people beforehand talked a lot so we really had like 5 minutes each, but it was still great to be able to give talks. It's crazy of how shy I was as a kid to now look at where I am now to which I love being with more and more people and sharing with them! 

Then after our talks we were able to take over the 3rd hour of church and do a huge capatation for the whole branch. And we went all out thanks to the help of Victor and his wife! We had a projector with a powerpoint showing how we are going to increase this branch and to have more success. We showed two different videos to help show the members on their importance to contribute in the work and the unity of members and we supported that all with some good doctrinal scriptures and then gave a paper that we made to every member that they had to fill out with all the names of their family members that are inactive (because with each member there are at least 5 other less active relatives here sadly). And with that we got a big calendar and had all the members put down when they are available to do three things. 1-When they are free to go out and visit. 2-When their house is available to have us do a family home evening. And 3-When they personally are going to have a family home evening and are going to invite people over. And it was great! In the last couple minutes we had a lot of those sheets filled out with references for us and a calendar full of when the members are going to work with us!!

Giving capatations to the members is probably always one of my favorite things to do as a missionary! We went all out yesterday and it pumped up a lot of the members! So we will see what happens in this next year!

But for right now I have to sign off! I want you guys to know that 2014 has been the best year of my life! A complete year as a missionary! How amazing is that!! I love this mission! I love the work and I love Chile with all my heart! Chile is always where my heart will be! I know that this next year I will be finishing, but that won't stop me these next 7 months to give it my all. I have high hopes, dreams, and goals for this next year! And I know I can accomplish them!!

I love you alll sooooo much!

Love Elder Cowan

Feliz Navidad

Dear Family and Friends!!!!!

WOW! Can you believe it!??! It's Christmas!! FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!! Wow I'm still kinda taken back a little bit of how crazy the time is flying by! Like seriously, it's already been another week!? Wow! Christmas really did sneak up on me this year! May we all be able to share this wonderful time as families and to be able to share this wonderful time of the year with those who may have this light in their lives!

Wow and I can't believe that we are going to Skype this week as well! I'll be honest I'm not sure how I feel about that! Ha ha! It feels only like a short time ago that we were skyping for Mothers Day! But I can't wait to see all of you!

This past week was a busy week! We had a lot of things that happened this past week, which were good things and not like distractions, but they did prevent us from being in our sector a lot. This week was pretty busy for the Navidad! Even for the missionaries and for the whole entire world this time of the year always seems to get really full with all the things!

But to start off with the beginning of this week on Monday we were able to find some new investigators. They are Victor and Valentina. They are brother and sister and really live a very humble life. They have a tiny little house but there are over 14 people that live there in all different parts! We met Victor in the street when he stopped us on his bike and asked us if we can help with him English. We said we could and we taught him a few words and then watched the video, "He is the Gift," with him. Victor is only 19 years old, my age! But really has never had any time of beliefs or standards in his life. He has a little braided rat tail behind his ear and on the top of his head his hair is really long and all over the place. He isn't a typical teenager that you would see in church, I guess that's what I'm trying to say. But it's so fun teaching him because we have to start from level 1 from the basics of everything! It's pretty hard for him at times to wrap his head around some of the things about "Dios" and all, but he is slowly moving along. For the longest time he didn't want to pray but when we visited him for the third time he finally gave in and prayed. And that's one of the coolest things to see in the mission--seeing a person pray for the very first time in their life. It's awesome to see slowly by slowly, step by step how this gospel is changing him!

To update you guys about Loreto and Rodolfo. We actually haven't been able to see them a whole lot. Rodolfo's dad last week just entered the hospital because he is pretty critical in his health right now. So they are at the hospital almost everyday. We were able to pass by and we were able to run into Rodolfo and he opened up to us that he's having a hard time with everything. So even though they didn't attend church or we weren't able to have a lesson this past week, tonight we have a scheduled lesson with them where we are gonna teach the Plan of Salvation. It's gonna be a good lesson! I can't wait!

And then on Thursday we had our Christmas festival as a mission and that was awesome to be able to see all my buddies from the mission again and to see Elder Alcaraz and Elder Kimball! I was with them the whole day basically! Amo mis hijos! Ha ha! We were able to have a huge white elephant activity, a huge lunch and time to just talk with everyone! It was great! I love President and Hermana Barreiros! They are the best! That same time was when Elder Brady left! So now he is in Arizona in Show low livin' the RM life! And now it's just back to two, which was a little weird to get used to with Elder Goates and I.

Friday was a pretty crazy day. Our mission has put together a big musical presentation for Christmas where they got a choir together and with the singing they have scriptures read and on a projector the bible videos playing. Wow, the mission went all out on this thing! It was incredible! And they have been going all over the mission presenting this presentation musical! And luckily Talagante was chosen to be one of the locations to have it. But as well that meant a lot of preparing. So all day Friday our zone was putting up the mikes and cleaning the church and all. I was running all over the place. And during all that President came to do interviews with the zone. He kinda got behind a little bit and so since the zone leaders are always last Elder Goates and I didn't get our interviews in til about 7:30. Poor President, when I walked in you could just see that he was wiped. As I walked in I asked if he was tired, to which he responded by taking out a liter of Coca Cola bottle and just drank it from bottle! Ha ha, I love Pres!

The interview I had with President, he put a lot of pressure on me for the zone. Really the cities Talagante and Melipilla (look on a map of them) are all one district. And President is the stake president since it isn't a stake yet. But he went on to tell me that this is the time that this district can become a stake and that is why he has called me here at the end of 2014 to help get the attendance up that way when the numbers go to Salt Lake at the end of the year the apostles can look at the results and decide if it can become a stake. Wow, he sure did put the pressure on me! Ha ha, but I know that THIS IS the time to have this miracle occur! Really, if it happens and it all becomes a stake, it will become the biggest stake in all of Chile! Wow! That way we will be able to say that we helped construct the biggest stake in all of Chile, that's what president told me. And that would be so cool! Really the attendance is a grand challenge because the members need a lot of help and are a little "trio," I guess you can say. But I know everything is possible! Now then ever we need to keep pushing the attendance to be higher! Please keep in your prayers that the members can all attend and not get lazy!

After the interview the presentation started and holy cow it was incredible!!!!! Seriously! It was sooo good! We had to start a little late because the assistants wanted to see if anyone else would show up because there were only a few at the beginning. So I got the whole zone together and assigned each companionship to go out and invite EVERYONE to this presentation! We had a good 5 block radius in each direction of missionaries griding out Talagante and inviting people to come! And we were able to pull in a TON of people! We ended up with a full house! It was awesome! And there were a lot of surprises too! One was when I was at the door and this guy just yells out "Elder Cowan?!" and came and gave me a huge hug. I honestly don't remember the guys name but as we started talking he was in Blake's misison and he knows Blake really well and I guess Blake stayed a couple nights in his pension or something. Aww, it was awesome just how excited he got! Ha ha!

And then another surprise was that Nancy and Alejandro came to the presentation! They heard about it in 4 Poniente and they decided to drive out and see it with me! Aww, it was awesome to see them again! They are still super active in the church and Alejandro has received the Melchizedek priesthood now! And they both have callings and all! It's awesome! Seriously, they are incredible! Alejandro is going to be a future bishop I know it! 

And then the last surprise was that Elder Alcaraz was actually in the presentation, but since it ended late there were no other buses to take them back to his sector so he spent the night with us! Ha ha, aww, we kinda talked a little too long that night, but it was so fun to be with him again!

But now my time is running up, but really I cant wait to hear from you guys! We are still trying to work out the skype for Christmas but hopefully we can all figure it out! May we all be able to draw ourselves a little bit more to the Savior this year and this week of His humble birth. I know He lives. I know He is our Redeemer! He passed through it all for us and I know His love is infinite! May we all be able to give a gift to the Lord this Christmas!

I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Cowan

Fetchas!! Por Fin!!

Dear Family and Friends,

Okay, well first off, I'm just so happy because finally we have baptism dates!!! WOO HOO!! Por fin we were able to invite some people to be baptized and they accepted! Wooo hoo! Man, it just feels so good to have fechas again! It's been so long! These are the first fechas I have had in my time here in Talagante! It's weird how every sector is different! Some sectors we would have like 8 fechas and then there are some where it's just a little bit harder, but not impossible! Just as my theme for my mission, which I stole from Br. White, "Your attitude determines your altitude!" 

But to get on with the things, first off, I want to update about Loreto and Rodolfo! They are awesome! They are the ones that accepted the baptism date for the 28th of this month! Really, last week we were able to go visit them and when we got there they had already read the commitment that we had left for them which was 2 Nephi 31 and they understood a lot of the importance of baptism. But they were still a little ify on the subject so we taught in depth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Brady was on divisions so we had Elder Ludeman with us, who is a new missionary. But Elder Goates and I just went ham in that lesson! We kinda forgot that Elder Ludemans was there, actually, because Elder Goates and I just went ping pong galore in that lesson! HA ha, it was a very powerful lesson! We testified over and over again about baptism.

And then near the end of the lesson we testified a lot of the role of the Holy Ghost and how we can recognize our answers to our prayers. They said they would pray to know if they should be baptized the 28th. The only thing we are worried about is that they haven't attended church yet! They really wanted to attend church yesterday, but something happened Saturday night where Rodolfo had to go pick up his aunt at the airport and stayed at her apartment because it was so late. But really we believe they can still be baptized! I don't know if I ever told you guys, but before for an investigator to get baptized they had to attend church 3 times. But President made a change about 2 months ago that now it's only 2 times that they have to attend church! And there are only 2 Sundays left of this month, so it looks like its gonna be another last minute miracle, like always!

It's funny how the Lord always wants to test us down to the last minute! It seems like every baptism that has happened in my mission it always comes down to that! But that's what I love! I love the challenges! And I know it helps us to trust more in our Savior and to make us humble that really it is Him that is leading the work and not us! So please keep Loreto and Rodolfo in your prayers!

Other than that, all our other investigators kinda went cold on us. We had a really strange day on Saturday--something that has never happened in my mission before. We contacted a lot that day and actually entered a lot of new houses. We could have had like 7 or 8 new investigators in just that one day. We were able to get in thanks to the video, "He is the Gift," but then afterwards as we tried to set up another appointment to come back they all denied us. Ha ha, it was weird, I've never had a problem with that before! But at least that helped me to really search more for the people that are really prepared this Christmas season!

Tuesday or Thursday, all the days are starting to blur into one so I honestly don't know which, but we had planned an interview for an investigator of one of the district leaders in our zone. His name is Isaac. And I have actually done a few divisions over in that other sector and have gotten to know him. He has attended church for over a month now and he really knows everything about the church and that it's all true. But as we were at the church, he didn't show up. . . . We felt like something was up and us three, with the district leader and his companion, decided that we would all go to his house to see what was up. So we got there and started to talk with him of why he didn't show up for the interview. He told us that he just isn't 100% sure and still has some doubts about some stuff in Church. 

But as he went on to tell us I could just tell that he was scared. I shared with him Alma 32:28-35 and talked about the seed of faith and how in one of the verses it asks a question that if we would be able to have a perfect knowledge after we have planted the seed. Obviously no! because we can't see and we have no idea what will happen in the future. I shared with him that of course he isn't going to know everything. I told him that if wanted to act in faith then he would get baptized. But he looked down and told us the same answer.

I felt like something was up and just called his attention and said, "Isaac, don't lie to us! Tell us what really is bothering you!" From there, he looked to his wife who then sat at the table and started to tell us that if he gets baptized she is going to take the kids and leave because once he is baptized she knows he will have to pay his tithing, but they are already in a lot of debts that she believes will ruin her family. She got a little fiery actually at us, but we were able to keep our cool and tried to explain to her. But she was just probably the most stubborn person ever ha ha! But at the same time it just ached my heart to see someone without a single ounce of faith. She doesn't believe that the Lord could help them if they got baptized and believes that they will lose everything once they become members and start paying their tithing. But awww! It was so hard to see someone so blinded! It was even more sad to see Isaac, who has a testimony of everything in the church, but it's just his wife that is limiting him. 

It's a pretty sticky situation he can either get baptized and lose his family, and he can obey his wife and be in danger on the eternal aspect of things. Bless his soul, Isaac. 

Really, there is a whole lot more to faith than I had ever thought before. It's not just a belief, it's not just going Sunday to Sunday to church. As the scriptures say, "Faith can move mountains" and I firmly believe that. Faith is the foundation of all miracles that take place, the action on our part is to show to the Lord that He can work through us. It's a principle of power that really endows us with the help from above! I believe in Christ! I act in Christ and I receive the power of blessings that are promised upon me according to my faith. Miracles do exist, beyond our human minds can comprehend, but I know Christ lives and loves us so much. I love being His instrument to be able to perform His heavenly works here in this earth!

Love Elder Cowan!

He is The Gift!

Dear Family and Friends!

Well, first off, I better give another shout out to someone super cool and awesome! And that's my new sister-in-law Stacie!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOO HOO I can't wait to hear and see you on Christmas to meet you for the first time! AWW I'm so excited!!!!!

And, yes, I am writing today because yesterday was a holiday here in Chile, so basically everything was canceled! But that's alright! Here I am still writing you guys! :)

So I think the basis of this letter will be focused on the new initiative that is passing throughout all the world right now with the Church, which I assume that you guys already know what I am talking about, which is the video of "He is the Gift." Awww! I just LOVE that video! We have only had it for two weeks now but I have probably seen it over like 50 times no joke but every time I just love it! It's so short, but yet so powerful! As a mission we are dropping all old contacting styles and just using that video as our contacts. So that is the ONLY thing we are talking about with the people. And even though our mission is a little behind in the digital techy stuff and that we don't have any tablets or anything, our smart President has tried to make us the most "up to date" South America mission. So every companionship has a USB drive now. And in that USB is all the talks from the last year's general conference and the Christmas video of "He is the Gift"

So basically that was our focus and vision this past week that we put with the zone. Just about everything we are doing as missionaries is focused in that one single video. And man, did we see some good "fruits" from our efforts! We were able to find 66 new investigators thanks to that single 3 minute video! Really, the spirit of Christmas is touching the hearts of all! And surprisingly and thanks to the efforts of members all around the world who are sharing the gift, a lot of these new investigators have already seen the video before on YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter, etc. How amazing it feels to know that just about EVERYONE is sharing this single video!!! That's so cool! 

And just as the video says we have to descubrir (sorry Mom, I am pulling a blank on how to say that word in English ha ha) and we have to accept the gift, and then share the gift. And I want to challenge all that are reading this to SHARE THE GIFT! We are seeing the results thanks to other members sharing it and just imagine if every member shared this wonderful gift of the birth of Savior! There's still time to share the gift! Always! 

Really this past week we started with a lot of success! Elder Goates is probably one of the funniest guys I know! I love being with him! He reminds me so much of Jacob Rogers! Its the best! And with the changes that we just had, the zone of Talagante is stacked!!! Aww it's incredible! This transfer President sent some incredible missionaries! So now we don't have to worry about problems about obedience or anything like that like the last transfer that we had to do. But now it's the dream team! And we are gonna take out the trash! December is going to be awesome! 

Talking about trying to be a more techno updated mission, as well, we just got off a conference call with the assistants and all the zone leaders. Ha ha, so that saved us a lot of time instead of traveling and losing time in our sectors! Ha ha, I love using technology to the benefit of the Lord's work! How incredible! We're getting there! Ha ha, but other than that, as we talked as a leadership as a misison, really December is going to be awesome! Aww man it's gonna be so awesome! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! I Love my Savior mas de nada! 

I want to update you guys of two of our investigators that we are focusing on this month to get baptized. One is one that you already know who is Pilar (who actually she told us her first name and it's Elizabeth) so that way you guys know now not to get you guys confused or anything. But we visited Elizabeth and met her husband and her spouse and, aww, they just know! I know it! They keep telling us story after story of how they have felt such a strong spirit in their lives as they draw closer to the "Mormons" like whenever they read the weekly letters from their nephew who is on a mission or when they participate in activitidades with their family who are members. Really, the spirit really does testify of the truth! Now we are really just trying to help them recognize these impressions to be able to commit to baptism. They also have to attend church so that's what we are trying to do with them.

One of the miracles that we witnessed this past week was Loreto y Rodolfo! They are two investigators that we found thanks to the video, "He is the Gift." We saw Loreto outside of her house just watering her plants and we were walking back from a lesson when we just started talking to her and asked her if we could share a 3 minutes video of Christmas for her and her family that will really invite the spirit in their home. And she let us in right away! And there we met her spouse, (yes! It's a miracle that they are married! Woo hoo!) and they have a nine year old son named Benjamin. We watched the video and talked to them afterwards of the impressions that we felt. Loreto had already seen it and was wondering from what Church made the video, and then we showed up! She said it was a little coincidence that we showed up because they have been having a lot of experiences with running into Mormon stuff the past couple of days.

She went on to explain that she first saw the video on Facebook and then as her husband and her were looking through YouTube in the night they watched it together again and then saw on the side a Mormon video. And they said they just loved it and were actually crying at the end of it. And they told us the name of the video and it's, "The Other Side of Heaven!!" Ha ha! How awesome that they have already seen that! Ha ha! They said they loved the video and then started talking how they have been married by the law of the church, but are lacking the marriage in a church. So we were eager and happy to explain to them how we get "married" in our church and how the families can really live for eternity. They both loved it! And as we were leaving they just told us, "No, don't go, you guys brought such a sweet spirit into our home!" Ha ha, man they are awesome and super prepared!

Yesterday, after p-day we were able to visit them again and we taught the Restoration and invited them to be baptized. They didn't accept a date right away, but really they understand the importance now to read and pray. They said that when we left they were practicing praying from what they read in the pamphlet we left them. We then asked Loreto to give the closing prayer. She got all excited and told us that she was practicing all week (we were shocked because normally you will never hear that from an investigator, ha ha) and as we knelt to pray she gave such a beautiful prayer! She started to cry at the end and thanked us over and over again for coming! Aww, it pumped us up so much so see how prepared they really are! And they are really a young matrimony Rodolfo is only 29 years old and Loreto is younger. But I just love teaching complete, married, families! They are the best! We have our next appointment tomorrow so we will see if they will accept a baptism date and then come to church with us this Sunday! I'm so excited! All this thanks to a 3 minute video! See the power in sharing this Gift?!

I hope that we will all be able to share this gift to everyone and everywhere! I know that if we do we will see miracles this Christmas! Really, my gift to the Savior this year is another family that will enter the waters of baptism! I know that more than ever right now the Lord is preparing people for each and every one of us! The Spirit of Christmas is so powerful and contagious! I love this time of the year! I know Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of all mankind. He is our oldest brother and loves us so much! 

Love you all so much!

Elder Cowan!

Thanksgiving and Transfers

Dear Family and Friends!

HEY!! Well, it seems like I need to do a couple shout outs to some people for this week's letter! First off! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!! Hope you were all able to stuff yourselves full! And. . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN!!!!!! I know your birthday hasn't happened yet, but I want to shout it out before now than later! And!!!! FELICITACIONES A JUSTIN Y STACIE!!!!!!!!!!! BUEEENNNAAA!!! I'm so happy for you two!! Woo hoo! I'm gonna have another sister-in-law! Yea!!! Wow incredible! So many things are changing back home with everyone! A WEDDING! How exciting! I was thinking about you guys the other day on Wednesday thinking of how the proposal was gonna go down and all! So know that I was there in spirit! And thanks for all the fun pictures! And another shout out to the coolest cousins, Macdonalds!!! Awww I missed passing Thanksgiving with you aww I love you guys so much! And holy cow! I haven't even seen a single one of Jenny's kids! Wow and Abby looks big now and now there's Connor too! Awesome! Can't wait to see them!

Wow! Seriously I've been thinking the past couple of days of all the changes that are passing in our lives and all. And just as Hermana Barreiros always tells us, "Cambios son buenos!" And really as a new missionary I thought she was always relating that to having changes with transfers and all. But now as I have been reflecting about my last 15 months in the mission, I realized now that she was talking about the changes that will happen within our own lives. It's crazy to see so many changes with all the family and friends and all. But the biggest difference that shocks me is the change within myself during my time here as a missionary! Crazy how the Lord works with his servants. He really does qualify whom He calls. There has been time after time where I can look back and see how much He lifted me up, helped me to learn for myself and to help me increase in my testimony of this wondrous gospel! Experimenting this conversion in the mission is the reason why I think it's, "the best two years for a missionary." Oh, cambios son buenos!

And talking about other changes that have taken place was today! We had transfer meetings and Elder Alonso is probably on his plane home right now and we got a new companion . . . . And it's ELDER GOATES!!! Woooo hoo! I don't know if I have ever written about him, but he is from my group! I was with Elder Peel in the CCM and then when I went to the Latino district Elder Goates got paired up with Elder Peel. And Elder Goates and I were together in Ochagavia 6 months ago! He is hilarious! He is from Utah and is such a stud! I'm so stoked to be able to work with him! Elder Brady is still with us up until the 18th of December, that's when he finishes his mission. So it will be great working in a trio for two weeks and then it will just be Elder Goates and me and it's gonna be sick! 

Really, I don't know what to update you guys on. I feel like today we are going to start on a new page since the last transfer was really low in numbers and all. I'm excited and pumped to see what December has for us! Other than that, this past week was a "trunky" week because Elder Alonso and Elder Brady did all their goodbye meetings and everything. I will be honest, this past week was probably the most stressful week I have ever had in my mission. My two companions were gone and left last Sunday in the night and I didn't see them till Thursday afternoon so that kinda explains what happened this past week for me. I was just hoping about the zone on splits with other companionships in our zone. Cualquier divisiones! 

But one of the coolest days was Tuesday when the assistants wanted to do splits with me. But Monday I was in another sector so when I met up with the assistants Tuesday in my sector I was walking blindfolded in that split. So it was a little embarrassing since we really don't have anything in our sector but the assistants are so awesome! Even though it was all super stressful trying to take on leading the entire zone on my back, the assistants first off, humbled me, and then helped and excited me a lot. Really, to be straight forward, Talagante is achieving barely anything. We really need to step it up. Like a lot! And that's why I'm so pumped to have Elder Goates here with me so that way we can work hard and give it our all!

I have high hopes for this month of December! I know we are really going to hit our potential! We can always do more! And that's what I love about my mission that I have learned soo much! Para Lograr MAS! Mucho mas! This past month of November our mission broke records! We were able to achieve 92 baptisms! 92 souls of our loving Heavenly Father came unto Him through the waters of baptism! That hasn't been accomplished ever! But sadly Talagante only contributed a tiny tiny portion of that. But I know that this month of December is going to be a WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!! Oh yea! And we are going to hit 100 baptisms as a mission! Just as Elder Holland profetized about 4 years ago, "Chile sera un faro por el mundo!" And I know that right now we are establishing that foundation for all the other missions, especially with el Plan Piloto Rescate now that's going to spread through all South America! 

Really, I love my mission. I know there weren't any updates about my sector or investigators, sorry Mom. But this month we are going to hit the streets and find those families to baptize! It will be incredible! I know it! I love coming closer to my Savior during this time of the year! But the best part is that as a missionary we always feel the Christmas season everyday! I know my Savior lives and loves me and loves each and every one of you. Our mission started a new initiative to share the video, "He is the Gift" and we are seeing a lot of good fruits from that video. It's so powerful! I invite you all to watch it and then to share it with someone else! As Mark says, "No temas, cree solamente." There are thousands of souls we have to help to find their Savior this season! 

I have been thinking of what "gift" I'm going to give to the Lord this year for Christmas. But I know one of the biggest changes that has happened in me is coming to know my Savior more personally. I hope I will be able to give a gift sufficiently big enough for all the blessings He has blessed me with. May we all give a little bit more this season, looking for those who are really searching for Him in this wonderful Christmas season! 

I know our Heavenly Father loves us. He is our Father. His love has filled my soul as I help more of His children day after day. I love you all as well and hope you will all have a great week!

Love Elder Cowan

Here's a little letter he shared with me:

Thanks Mom! I really feel like this is the moment to step up the things a little here in Talagante. And I've come to learn that there are no "rough sectors." It all depends on the faith and the attitude of the missionaries. If a sector is dead, then the missionaries are the ones that our dead. Ha ha that's what our President always tells us and I truly believe it. But I'm not dead! Ha ha, so we are gonna see a lot of fruits in our labor this month! I know it! Thanks for your prayers and your loving support always! You're the best mom ever! I guess I will be "seeing" you guys soon now that I just realized that it's already December! Woo!

But keep going forward with the FamilySearch! I went on a division with Elder Peel who was my companion from the CCM and now is in my zone and we visited an inactive sister who hasn't come to church for over 30 years! Well, the week before the Elders gave her a "My Family" pamphlet hoping that it would spark her desires to come back. But they weren't having a whole lot of success with it and didn't know how to help her because they themselves had never done it! But, luckily, that day I had my own "My Family" in my pack and I was able to share mine with her and show her all of our ancestors and photos and all. She said that as she started working on that phamplet and she had never felt such a happiness in her whole life as a member of the church. She got teary eyed and you could see the spirit of Elijah working with her. You should have seen the excitement on her face! I was thinking of you the entire lesson, Mom! And thanks to showing her my own phamplet. . . I saw her at church yesterday! After 30 years! Really, family history is one of the pivoting points that will make this work move forward! I thought you would like to hear that! Keep going, Mom!

Love you!

Elder Cowan

Crazy Schedules and Faithful Prayers

Dear Family and Friends!

Woo hoo! I'm so pumped to hear from you guys! Sounds like all is going crazy good! Well, I'm gonna get straight into my letter for this past week! Well honestly, it was a little crazy! There were a ton of things that happened that weren't planned and weird scheduling and all but in the end we were able to still see the Lord's hand in our sector.

So the crazy schedules started Tuesday when Elder Brady was gonna go to the temple (And yes, Mom, I could have gone, but I chose to stay in my sector because I knew we weren't going to have a lot of time in our sector to work this past week.) So this whole week was crazy with splits and all. Tuesday Elder Brady went to one of the other branch sectors to stay with the two other elders that were gonna go to the temple Wednesday so that let Elder Alonso stay and work in our sector, which didn't turn out as great as we wanted, but we were able to get a lot of good contacts. Then, when all the missionaries came back from the temple we had our district meetings in the afternoon Wednesday where my companions and I as a trio were able to get back to together only for me to leave on splits right after the meetings to go to another branch sector with Elder Parker and Elder Ludeman.

I went there because Thursday in the morning Elder Parker and two other missionaries in our zone were going to have their "One Year mark" lunch with President and that meant that Elder Ludeman was going to be alone. So I worked with Elder Ludeman in his sector and he is a new missionary as well. Which, I think I say it all the time, but I just love being with new missionaries! Cualquier poder! We were able to find 3 new investigators for them and put some baptismal dates on some people. Then, Thursday night Elder Ludeman had to come with me to go to El Monte to meet up with my companions to do a baptism interview. At that time Elder Ludeman's companion came back and my companions were able to be together Thursday night.

But we weren't together for so long because the assistants wanted us to do a last split with one of our district leaders Elder Vinces and Elder Tait. So Elder Alonso went there. Then again Elder Brady and I weren't able to do a whole lot of stuff because that night there was a meeting with the stake mission leader and then a ward activity. :/ Then finally elder Alonso, Elder Brady and I were able to get back together Saturday to have a complete day together in our own sector.

I had talked with my companions before hand to excite them that we need to give it our all because we really didn't have a single investigator. Wd dropped them all as we made that decision in our weekly planning. You could say that I was really stressed the whole week because of the little time we had in our sector to work and how we were barley achieving anything. But I know there is a huge power in prayer.

I was praying day and night during the week, knowing that we wouldn't have much time, but at the same time knowing that Saturday would be a complete day to work. I prayed and prayed during the week that when Saturday came, the Lord would bless us with success. The scripture that was going through my head the entire week was pretty simple, but I would repeat it in my head over and over again. It's in 1 Nefi 18:3 " Yo Nefi subia con frecuencia al monte y a menudo oraba al Señor, por lo que el Señor me manifesto grandes cosas." I personally have a strong testimony of the power of prayer. I know that God, the all Being, with all power and knowledge, the First and the Last, Alpha and Omega, and all the other names you can give him, but what He asks us to simply call Him, Father. I know He is my Heavenly Father. I know He listens. I know He loves us. He is literally our Father. Oh, what comfort that gives me! 

I was able to see the Lord, as Nephi said, manifest great things on Saturday when we had the chance to take advantage of a whole day to work together in our sector. We were able to have 6 lessons and were able to find 9 new investigators! It was amazing! We worked and worked hard! I think I drove my companions a little crazy because I was basically running all day long going from one place to the next. It was an amazing feeling to just go where the Lord wanted us to go. It wasn't a thing where we sometimes think, "Oh, who should we go visit? or I think we should go over there or over here, etc. and etc." But instead it was, "I feel something here, I feel we should go back, etc." It was such a fulfilling sensation to FEEL where to work and not just go with the flow of things or think in our own ways of what we should do. All day Saturday was like that and we were able to just be guided where the Lord leads us. There was a moment where Elder Alonso wanted to go contact on the other side of our sector and as we started walking out of one mini sector it was as if I was a tied dog on a leash and something was driving me back.

So I hurried and turned back and I told my companions there was still more to do. They agreed and we went back and that is when we were able to find all those 9 new investigators. Now, I know not all those 9 new investigators are super prepared, but I know Veronica and Pilar were ready; they were the ones the Spirit was leading us to. Veronica has investigated a lot of different churches and really just wants to know the true Church. She has two little kids and her spouse, and there was such a strong spirit there.

Pilar was the other new investigator that we found who just made me day! That was one of the most powerful lessons I have had in some time! She has two nephews that were baptized in the church about 3 years ago and told us that she went to go see their baptism. There, she told us that she had felt something so strong and so powerful that she had never felt before in her entire life. We testified of the power of the Holy Ghost and really has a lot of desires to do the things in the way the Lord wants us to do them to have this spirit. I was just full of joy to think that her nephew who is a missionary in Brazil right now is probably extremely happy to hear that Pilar is taking the missionary lessons. Even though I don't know him, but just being a missionary myself I am so motivated to baptize Pilar in order to help this missionary in Brazil! 

Saturday night we received some huge news as well! Remember the plan piloto "El Rescate" that our mission and three other missions have been trying out since May? Well, Elder Evans came and talked to President where he said the results of how the plan is working and functioning and he was way impressed. He was so impressed that he has declared that all missions (26 missions) in the South America South region are going to start this misison plan in January of 2015! And He told President that he has never seen such great results in missionary work before and truly is proud. He told us that of the 4 misisons that have been trying this program out, our mission has had the best results. And He said that probably after all the missions in the South America South region have it, it will probably spread to ALL the misisons in South America! Wow! What a huge privilege to be one of the "Founding Fathers," as we call it, to start the Hastening of the Lord's work on a whole other level. Wow, crazy, it is that we were selected from revelation to be the ones to try this plan out! And how marvelous has the Lord blessed us! He truly is hastening His work! Awww it's just so awesome to think that now all these missions around us are going to start this program! Woo hoo! As Elder Evans told us, "We are legendary!" My heart is filled with gratitude for the blessings that we have received in our mission and in my life as an individual representative of Jesus Christ!

What a huge privilege to be on the Lord's side working with the Spirit in Hastening His work. There is so much joy in this work. I hope you will all be able to participate in this wonderful work! I love it, I love it, I love it!!! 

And I love you guys so much!!

Love Elder Cowan

Showin' the Greenies How to Work!

Dear Friends and Family!

How's everyone doing? It sounds like some crazy stuff is happening and that's incredible to hear! I love you guys so much! 

Well. . . .onto this week. . . well, I don't know what "title" to put for this week. I'm trying to recall my thoughts of what exactly happened. We were in a lot of different places this past week. But one of the things that we realized at the beginning of last week is that like half of our zone is training so there are a lot of newby missionaries here in the zone. And just like a normal greenie they are sometimes scared to take the initiative in the things and are still learning a lot. But we wanted to take advantage of our trio and go on a lot of divisions with the newby missionaries to help them out.

So we were able to go on divisions with Elder Palacios, Elder De Barebari, Elder De St. Jeor, and Elder Mendoza. Well, the last two elders we did the week before, but I never wrote you about those divisions, I think. But I just LOVE being with new missionaries! I think that's why President has had me been a trainer almost the whole year of 2014 except for this transfer, ha ha! So to start off, the first division was with Elder Mendoza, a little chubbier Chilean in our zone. He isn't like a fresh off the bake missionaries like the others, but we really wanted to help him out with his confidence and everything. So he came to our sector while Elder Alonso went with his companion to his sector. So it was Elder Mendoza, Elder Brady and I together. And we took out the trash that day! Ha ha! That is our goal we want to be able to work a butt load to be able to show the new missionaries on how to take the handles on everything and for them to receive the same excitement to go and do it in their sector. We were able to find two new investigators and had about 5 lessons that day. At the end of the day, Elder Mendoza was dead tired! Ha ha. I felt a little bad for the little guy, but when we were getting into bed he turned to us and said, "Even though I have never worked like that, and I'm super tired, you guys are great examples and now I'm super pumped to go do it with my companion."

It was nice to see the excitement of these new missionaries and to experience that from the get go they can achieve these things. It doesn't matter if you have 23 months or 2 months in the mission. It doesn't matter if you talk the language or not. What we focused on in our studies while we were with all the new missionaries is that none of that matters but the only thing that matters is our faith in Jesus Christ. If we believe we can. . . then we CAN! Thats all to it! That's all the secret to the work, that's all it takes! We really wanted to drill into their heads that we are here, as Dad taught me, "To make more leaders, not followers!" We challenged them to lead their sectors and not to just trust on their trainers. Really the greenies have a special greenie power, I'm being dead serious and it's contagious! Haha!

Another division was with Elder Palacio who actually has more time in the mission than me, but he is one of our district leaders and his companion was the one being instructed in our sector by Elder Alonso and Elder Brady. When we started the divisions off I just sat Elder Palacios down and asked him a lot of questions on how is sector is doing and his new missionaries and everything. He told me that there wasn't a lot of excitement between them and they really don't have any investigators progressing and their sector hasn't had a baptism for over a year and a half. That part stuck to me and bothered me to know that there hasn't been a lot of success. I really just wanted to show that the Lord is leading us and we have been chosen from the premortal life to come at this glorious time in the Lord's vineyard just as it says in D&C 138. And I explained to him that if we are the chosen, we find, teach, and baptize the chosen ones that He gives us. I got him pumped up for the day and we went to work. I felt like we needed to go to the apartment sections and we started to knock doors. We were there for only an hour and a half. But I can truly say that we saw the Lord's hand blessing that sector. He saw our faith and our attitude change and during that hour and a half we were there we were able to have 3 lessons, 2 new investigators, set up 8 appointments for the next two days, and put 2 baptism dates! Woo hoo! It was a miracle! Elder Palacios was on his bike (yes his sector is a biking sector) and just stopped in the street and looked like he had seen a ghost or something. I stopped as well and asked him what happened, he took off his helmet, put his arm on my shoulder and said thank you over and over again.

It was a pretty emotional moment for both of us. He was just overwhelmed because he had never worked like that before, and so he kept thanking me over and over again until I told him, "Elder. . . please don't thank me, I'm a missionary, and you're a missionary, you have been set apart, just as I have set apart, and we are both disciples of Christ and this is His work." He realized that as well, so we got off the bikes and in a grass field we both knelt down and offered a prayer of gratitude for the Lord's tender mercies over His missionaries. 

I know and have a strong testimony and conversion about the setting apart of my calling. I have been called of Him just as the other 85000 missionaries in the world. How marvelous is that calling. Even though I don't have time to write down all the experiences with our divisions, it truly was a great experience to see the faith of these new missionaries grow. At the beginning of the divisions I was lead in what to teach and what to say, but to be able to train and show these missionaries how to work in this beautiful calling we have was awesome to see. It was great to see some of these new, timid, missionaries at the beginning and then see them after the splits excited, taking the initiative, and really proclaiming this gospel with a voice of a trumpet as the scriptures say. 

So that's what we have been doing in the past two weeks with the new misisonaries in their first of second transfers here. Now they all call me, "Older brother, Elder Cowan." I love being their leader, truly the Lord has given a batch full of wonderful and dedicated missionaries that are ready to hit the ground running now! Now that we have shown and motivated the new missionaries on how to work hard and be diligent, now my companions and I really have to step it up in our sector because this will be the last full week we will have because after that it's just full of go-homer stuff for my companions with the goodbye meetings and classes and all. So now I have to show my companions that now is the time! NOW is the time for miracles, not to think about going home! Ha ha! Wish us luck and please keep us in your prayers that we will be able to finish this transfer hard! I know there is still is a LOT to do and the transfer is flying by! But at the same time I know the Lord is with us, I know He loves us and loves the people in our sector even more. I love being under His command, ready to respond to the call. The mission is the best!

Love Elder Cowan

ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON!!! The Gathering of Israel

Dear Family and Friends!

As you can see in the title I'm SOOO pumped right now!! And that's because we had Elder Nelson come to talk to us! AWWWWWW!!! It was awesome! It was actually in the Santiago South Mission and so we went to the Santiago South Mission and we were able to listen to Elder and Sister Vinas, Elder and Sister Christensen, and Elder and Sister Nelson!!! Awww, it was amazing!

And the cool part was that even though we were two missions combined, Elder Nelson wanted to shake each and every missionaries hand! AWWW! IT was awesome! I got to shake Elder Nelson's hand and greet him! And, wow, it was just as you said, Mom, about the light of Christ. Having the chance to be inches from an apostle of the Lord, he just radiated with that spirit! He is so kind and so sweet! It was such an uplifting experience! 

Really they all talked and they were all incredible but some of the things that caught my attention was when Sister Christensen talked. She related her talk to the scripture mastery 2 Nefi 2:25 about how Adam fell that man might be and that they might have joy. Really she gave a powerful testimony of the joy we can receive from the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She explained that the only way to have joy in the mission is to have Him first in everything. She recounted how a lot of missionaries come out for a lot of different reasons, but the Savior is the reason for everything and should be the main source of all the happiness and joy we have in our missions.

Sister Nelson gave a talk about how we need to see ourselves as our true pre-mortal selves, of how we were before this life. If we understand who we were and look on who we are today we will know of the driving force we have to do everything to bring to pass the salvation and eternal life to all mankind. She talked about angels and how there are angels around every single person. Whether they are members or not members, they have family waiting on the other side stuck in spirit prison and are with them every step of the way, pleading and begging that their family members will receive us. Really, that changed my aspect a lot on how to look at the people we teach and contact--that no matter where they are, who they are or what they are doing, there are angels there, and I can be the one to save not just one but MANY souls unto Christ!

Really they were all great talks, but the thing that called my attention the most out of them all is the love that they showed for us. I really felt like the Savior was there telling us, "Well done thy good and faithful servant." I know these men and women have been called of God, they are special witnesses of our loving Savior Jesus Christ! 

Now onto the talk by Elder Nelson! He talked about the Gathering of Israel. And, holy cow, did he go straight to the meat in the doctrine! Ha ha! He first started talking about the Abrahamic covenant in the Old Testament and focused on the Gathering of Israel. Really, being from the tribe of Ephraim has a HUGE responsibility! And that's us! Really, I received a grand testimony that these really are the last days. Elder Nelson said that over and over and over again. And just to think that the Lord with His infinite and endless plan, has been saving me, Elder Cowan, for ions and ions of time to come and gather His Children. I really don't know who I was or what I was like before in the premortal life, but it is a testimony to me that really I have waited thousands and billions of years for these 24 months, the last quarter as Elder Nelson explained, that there's nothing else, and no one else. It depends on us. There is a lot of pressure, but as Elder Nelson used in Doctrine and Covenants 86:8-11 we have been preserved on the lineage of our forefathers (the tribes of Israel), the Lord has held me for this last quarter and we literally are Saviors for the house of Israel in these last days.

Wow! He sure did put the pressure didn't he! But I know what he testified was true. He really is an apostle of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Savior and Redeemer! Just imagine that! We are here! He has kept us for these moments! Don't you feel the urgency?!!! I feel like I need to talk to everyone to save these precious souls of my brothers and sisters--to save the very souls of the descendants of the Book of Mormon, the very same tool that brought us to have the Restoration and priesthood for our salvation. I can't even explain to you of how precious it means to me to be here in Chile. Just as Elder Nelson taught us, the Book of Mormon will and is the most powerful tool in the whole entire world to gather these last tribes. I know the Lord promised to Abraham that these tribes would be gathered again, and even though it was more than 4000 years ago that that covenant was made, I know the Lord is the same! WE all have this great responsibility! And it's not just in baptism, but through the holy temples of the Lord! Which Elder Nelson gave us some marriage advice at the end, ha ha, he said that, "Elders. . . before you even think about proposing to a girl, you better know that she loves the Lord first." And that's our focus after the mission he told us! Ha ha.

I am so grateful to have my patriarchal blessing to have received it from my wonderful and loving grandpa! Through that I know the responsibility I have in these latter days. I know I can be a savior for these people, and I have never felt such happiness and joy from our own Savior Jesus Christ. May we all have this desire to gather the Lord's children and may we all feel the true joy of His Atonement. I know He lives and I know He is with us, leading and guiding His vineyard and preparing it for the last time. I love my mission and I love my Savior. He is the reason I am here. I love you all and may you all feel this love! Hurrah for Israel!!!!!

Love Elder Cowan