Filled with the Spirit

Dear Family and Friends!

Yes, I labeled this letter "Filled with the Spirit" because as I have been on my mission for the past 7 months one of the greatest blessings I have learned on my mission is being able to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. I have been pondering a lot on the gift of the Holy Ghost and really it's the coolest thing ever! It is evidence of the love that our Heavenly Father has for all of us, that he lets us have His spirit to be with us during this time of probation here on the earth! What a blessing! I have no idea what I would do if I didn't have this gift! I have had a heart of gratitude for my Savior to let me have this miracle and blessing in my life. I had a few different experiences this week where I recognized the promptings of the Spirit and followed through with them.

First off, was the story I shared last week where I had the impression to talk to the group of young adults in the park. There we basically taught the Restoration and now we have 5 new investigators. There are a couple of different experiences I would like to share with you guys this week that were really similar.

But to start off, Wednesday we had our first district meeting for this transfer and guess what?! There are now hermanas in our zone! Normally because our zone is the most dangerous, there have never been hermanas in this zone. But President called 2 companionships of hermanas here in Ochagavia! That's a good sign! Ha ha! And really we have a whole new zone. Before there were a few lazy disobedient missionaries but now we have a new zone with a lot of new excitement to work! It is awesome! Normally, our zone is always last in everything and usually is the ´´curse of the mission´´ but now we are on top leading the mission! Woo hoo!! Comes to proof that obedience and hard work pays off! It was also cool because the assistants were there and one of the assistants came up to me and started to ask me how our sector was and how was the ward Clara Estrella. I told him we are doing great and progressing really well. He then told me that he, the other assistants and President love talking about ´´The Clara Estrella 4!´´ Ha ha, Elder Hatch, Elder Gamboa, Elder Alcaraz and me! Ha ha. He told us that during meetings and especially during the time when they were deciding what they should do with the transfers coming up that they loved talking about us. Ha ha, so that made me feel good! But I don't want to be prideful because I know we are raising this ward so much!!! But I know even more that it's not because of us! It's because the Spirit is working in the hearts of the leaders and members here to help us. It is the Spirit that makes the conversion of our investigators and it's the Spirit that helps our converts to keep wanting more with the church. The Holy Ghost is the best! I am so grateful for it!

This week we gained a lot of trust from the bishop. After the district meeting we had lunch with the bishop and he has changed SO much! He has so much confidence in us and it is awesome! He is a completely different person from when I showed up here! We shared with him all the changes that are happening in the ward and all the miracles we are seeing. After helping him see these great blessings in the ward and sector, he was very grateful for us and for all that we do. I then shared with him our vision that we have with the ward and how that maybe we are receiving a lot of blessings and miracles, but we can do more! I shared with him that our vision for this ward is to open the back curtains and have the seats filled! We have about 90 people attending now and it is awesome! It is double the amount we had when I showed up the first Sunday with only 30 people. It is a miracle. I shared with him that the meeting is filled and we are so close to have the curtains open and have more people.

He expressed with us that he has the same vision of the ward and expressed his gratitude for us. He told us that he is going to write our president and to ask for us to not leave this sector, ha ha! But then he got really serious and really expressed his love for all that we are doing. He shared with us that in December he had no counselors and the ward was horrible. There was a lot of problems and he felt so alone as a new bishop. He had no idea what he should do and decided to pray. . . after sharing that story with us he then pulled out a small wrinkly paper and showed us that after that prayer he wrote down the prayer. He then read the prayer out loud to us and it was a very humble and sincere prayer. Near the end of the prayer, with tears in his eyes, he finished the prayer in which he prayed that Heavenly Father would send angles to help him with this ward. He then continued to tell us that in the next month, Elder Hatch and I arrived, and at this point we all had tears in our eyes, and he testified to us that we are those angles he had asked for. It was such a powerful moment for us, and I don't think I will ever forget that moment. The Spirit was so strong and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father that He gave the revelation to President to send us here. We are changing this ward completely and it is a miracle! I know God is a God of miracles. He is mindful of our needs and knows what is best!

Thursday was a little awkward. We had a lesson with Hugo and Teresa. Hugo is going to be our future ward mission leader, but his wife is still less active. She is always hard to teach because she never has any excitement and is always droopy. We started teaching a lesson with them but right when I finished talking about the first principle in the lesson it was as if the Spirit hit me with a 2X4 in the face and told me that this wasn't the lesson for her. I immediately followed through with the lesson plan and decided to ask her some questions to really look for her needs. I can testify that those questions were from inspiration. I don't even remember what I asked her, but she then just broke down and started to cry. She shared with us that she has no hope, no strength to continue on. She is tired of this life and is waiting to die. . . I felt so much of the love that Heavenly Father has for this poor daughter of His. It was devastating to see her broken down with no faith or hope.

However, after sharing with us, in one way or another, Hugo and Teresa started to argue. I am not even sure how the argument started, but I knew that Satan was trying his best for us to not help them. It was a little awkward to just sit there while they were mad at each other. My companion got in the argument to try to help calm things down, but it really just made things worse. While this was going on, I bowed my head and whispered a tiny prayer for help of what I should say to them. I was at a loss of words of what I should do. Right then, I had a thought come to my mind of two scriptures, D&C 84:85 and 33:8. I knew that was a prompting from the Spirit to tell me to just open my mouth, so I followed through. I began to talk and after settling down to listen to me I felt the Spirit overwhelming! I can't even describe it and I don't even know what I said. I know that I was following the Spirit and the Spirit was caring it into their hearts. I even surprised myself with what I actually said in Spanish. There were a few things that I didn't even know beforehand. It was a testimony to me that the Spirit will fill our mouth and mind of what we should say. Following the Spirit is sooo critical.

Before Teresa was angry that she does everything in the house and does everything for everyone, but no one ever recognizes or helps her. I then testified of our Savior Jesus Christ. I testified following the Spirit that He did EVERYTHING! And for what? Just for people to kill him? NO!! He did EVERYTHING for us in able for us to continue on everyday with His love and with His light in our lives! I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ! I know He lives! I know He loves us so much!  Mom, I am sorry for all the times that I never helped you around the house. I know at times you would tell us that no one ever helps you, and for that I am truly and deeply sorry! Please forgive me and I will for sure help you after the mission! :)

Friday and Saturday were a little lame because we had to enter the house early because it was the anniversary of a riot that went on last year where the people tried burning all public buses with people inside. So for safety President wanted all all the missionaries to enter at 8. So we didn't really get much done those days.

But that's what I would like to share with you guys this week! Yesterday and today I have had a cold and all my sinuses seemed inflamed. Winter is approaching and it's starting to get chilly. But I know I will get better soon!

Thanks for everything! I have the best friends and family in the world! Follow the Spirit! It will guide you to do what is right! Our Savior loves us so much and He has a plan specifically for us that we can follow as long as we have the Spirit with us each step on the way! 

Love you all!!!

Elder Cowan