Happy Halloween

Dear Family and Friends!

Woo hoo! Wow! I just love being a missionary! We just got back from a zone activity that a sister and I pulled off today in honor of my companion, Elder Brady's birthday! We reserved a pizza place and had the whole zone meet up and we all ate pizza and had cake! Ha ha! It was awesome! I love this zone! And the best part was that Elder Brady didn't even know! It was all a surprise! Woo hoo! It was really fun! 

Wow! Well, we worked our butts off this week that I really don't know where to start. . . Really the Lord is Hastening His work more and more and by week by week. Now we are approaching 40 lessons for the week which we've never done before. I know the numbers don't count, but being able to help sooo many people is such an awesome feeling. From about Friday till Sunday we were all just dead. Aww, I don't think I have ever felt so wiped out before in my life! As well, summer is kicking in so the sun is coming in strong! Especially this last week we had a heat wave and seriously it was miserable! Ha ha and that's coming from two Arizonan missionaries here! Ha ha! It was so warm! But don't worry, Mom! I'm being super smart this summer and I am putting on sunscreen everyday! With all the sun that we have been in I'm still not burnt! Woo hoo! Unlike last summer where I was red for like 5 months straight! Ha ha! 

But now back to the letter! Tuesday we were able to go get Elder Alonso. He didn't know he had changes so he had to go back to the coast where he was before and pack and say goodbyes super fast and then he arrived here Tuesday. He is from Oaxaca Mexico and super funny! We have a stacked companionship! It's awesome being in a trio! Seriously! Especially with missionaries that all have a lot of experience!

Really I feel bad because we don't have a lot of time! But really we are going to achieve a lot this transfer! We were doing our weekly planning and talking about what we wanted to do this transfer as a companionship and all. We talked about how Elder Alonso and Elder Brady are both finishing their missions in a month and this is the time to give it all. I told them this is the time to make LEGENDS! So we pondered a lot about our goals and all and we have put the goal of 15 baptisms as a companionship! WOOO HOO! Call us crazy, but I know we can do it! We are going to give it our all! If we can focus on families I know we will be able to find 5 or 6 families to baptize! I'm super pumped! Even though I know I'm not finishing my mission, I'm really trying to give it my all to have them finish with a BANG! To finish giving it their all and with miracles! It's going to be epic! We are fasting and praying a lot and any other help from you guys would be greatly appreciated!

This week we were able to have a lot of lessons and we found 7 new investigators. Just as my theory about the pyramid of success I know that we are at the bottom level and we have a lot to overcome and achieve to get to the top! But we still have time! I know it! We have one family that Elder Brady has been teaching in his time here called the Moyano family. It's the parents and their 15 year old daughter and they are incredible! The first lesson we had with them we only read Alma 32 and taught about faith, but it was such a powerful lesson!

Really, I love being a zone leader. I know this is an opportunity to be able to show by love and example to others. The missionaries here are great! Talagante is a branch which I figured out! But it has an average attendance of 130! Which I've never have attended a ward or branch with so much! But really the members are incredible! The branch president is awesome and rock solid! Really, it's great to realize that I am in a functioning ward WE have awesome leaders and they are supportive in the work! It's awesome! I can't wait to keep working with them! Every Thursday the priesthood gets together and goes out and does visits! Ha ha, I've never seen that in my whole time in the mission! Ha ha!

But really I don't have any more time left! Sorry! I know I didn't really talk a whole lot about the stories and about our investigators but for right now in our huge sector we are in search for a lot of new investigators! Wish us the best! I love this work so much! I just had the chance to finish the Book of Mormon today in my studies and that book has SO much power! It's incredible and is so true! I love it with all my heart! Just as I love you! 

Hope you will all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Cowan

"The Spirit saith unto me, Look and I looked . . ."

Dear Amazing Family and Friends!

Thank you all for your comments, prayers, love, and letters on my behalf! You are all tremendously important in my life and I love you all! But as you all have been waiting to hear! Yes! I Had transfers today! Wooow! The time is going even faster! I feel like the 4 1/2 months I was in 4 Poniente flew by as if it was only one month!!! And yes it was a little harder to say goodbye this time. It seems like each ward I go to in my mission is a little harder and harder to say goodbye. 

But we left with a bang! Woo hoo! The whole week Elder Kimball and I just gave it our all! He really is my best friend! I'm going to miss him so much! But I'm for sure going to his homecoming and then we are going to party it up at BYU! Ha ha! But for some reason the beginning of the last week we lost a lot of time because of meetings and baptism interviews I had to do and everything! But finally we got special permission and Elder Kimball and I along with Nancy and Alejandro went to the temple!!!  Woo hoo (oh yea by the way! the Phoenix temple looks so beautiful!!). But yea! Us four went to the temple Saturday and we were there almost the whole day! And it was a little stressful but it all worked out in the end! 

We decided to go to the 2 o'clock session to do baptisms for the dead. but when we got there Nancy really wanted to look for the names of her parents that have passed away and there were some complications with that, but after a lot of patience from the temple workers with Nancy they were able to find her parents names. As well, the whole youth of a stake planned to go to the 2 o'clock session so it was super packed! And we were running around going here and there and losing our converts in the temple and everything ha ha, aww it was a little crazy and not really organized, the temple workers were getting really stressed ha ha.

But in the end of everything we did the baptisms. Oh, and as well, Mom, I decided to print out some of our names for Elder Kimball to baptize me. But the temple worker printed out all the male names that needed to be baptized ha ha so I got baptized for 18 names! It was really awesome! Hope that was okay to do so many baptisms! :) But after Nancy and Alejandro just loved the temple! They want to go at least every month! And that's the goal we have put with them!

And the awesome thing was Elder Kimball and I being able to enjoy our "fruits" Sunday when we had already heard that we had transfers and all but in the sacrament meeting we were able to see Alejandro pass the sacrament, receive a calling to be the building coordinator of the chapel, and he gave a talk!! Aww, he is seriously progressing soooo fast! He gave a simple but powerful talk about the importance of the Book of Mormon in our lives. And that's where the title of this letter comes from because Alejandro based his talk on the dream Nephi had with the angel. He first pulled out a HUGE book and told the congregation to look at it, told them how much it cost and showed how big it was and nice it was. But then behind the big book he had his Book of Mormon and then cited that scripture of when the spirit told unto Nephi, "Look and behold I looked and saw. . . " He gave his testimony of how we just need to "look" at what we really have in our lives and always strive to strengthen our testimonies about the Book of Mormon. Aww it was soooo incredible!

Then after that it was a day just full of goodbyes. I will sure miss 4 Poniente. It has been another ward that I have seen that has been changed a lot. Today at transfers meetings President came up to me and said, "Wow, Elder Cowan you sure go to work on any ward I put you in!" Ha ha, I love the members here in Chile! This is the best place to be! Even though it was hard saying goodbye to them it was a great feeling of satisfaction that really they can go on themselves and keep achieving more and being better! I love them all soo much! Especially the family Garces! Aww, that one brought tears to me eyes! For sure we will have to visit that family when you guys come!

But now onto the BIG NEWS!!  . . . . TRANSFERS! Elder Kimball is staying in 4 Poniente and received a Latin companion. And I left and now I am in Talagante! Woo hoo after a year of being in the city I have returned back to the country side! I actually passed by Padre Hurtado, my first sector, to get here! Aww, crazy how fast the time has gone! But yep! I'm back out on the countryside. Even more countryside now than what Padre Hurtado is! It is a really big sector but I'm excited! President has been changing some things around in the mission and now has put all the zone leaders in trios now because a lot of the zone leaders are going to finish their missions in December and January. And I got assigned in one of those trios! I'm a zone leader now!!! Woo hoo! My companions are Elder Alonso and Elder Brady. Elder Alonso isn't here yet because president didn't tell him that he had transfers because President decided to change some things around last minute! Ha ha, so he is getting his suitcases ready in his last sector in the coast! Ha ha he's probably not going to come back till the night or tomorrow morning.

But Elder Brady is from Show Low Arizona!! Woo hoo! An Arizonan companion! How cool! This is Elder Brady's last transfer, as well as Elder Alonso. So I better step up my game and learn how to be a good zone leader because after this transfer I'll be riding solo! Ha ha! But I'm super excited! And you called it Mom! I got called to more leadership positions! Ha ha 

And another cool thing that happened this transfer meeting is that Elder Alcaraz is going to train! Woo hoo! I'm going to be a grandpa in the mission! Oh wow! That makes me sound old in the time of the mission. But it was a little sad this transfer meeting because Elder Contreras, my trainer, just finished his mission. It's really weird to think that he isn't going to be here, but I will keep going and follow in his footsteps!

After the transfer meeting, Elder Nuñez from the seventy came and talked with us for like an hour! It was awesome! He talked about his mission and how he was a good and great missionary. He worked hard and was obedient, but after explaining all that, he told us, "Just being a good and obedient missionary isn't enough, I wasted 22 months of my mission being a good and obedient missionary up until I truly understood what it meant to lose yourself in the work, up until my last two months is when I gave it my ALL to the Lord. Do the same elders" Oh wow, it was so powerful! It really motivated me to really give it my all! I know it's good to be a great missionary, but with the progress of the Lord's work hastening, I know there is a whole lot more, and to be able to get the better, I have to be better! 

There are 27 missionaries in this zone. And it's a big zone! It has fields and hills and the country side! Luckily, I know more than half the missionaries in my zone already and I'm super excited to work with all of them! So yea, I think I will be a little bit more busy with the Internet time on Mondays but keep your letters coming please! You are all so great! I know this is the Lord's work. This is where He wants me to work now and I will go where ever He calls me! I love this work! I love my family! Tell grandma and grandpa that I love them soooo much and am so grateful for all their work and efforts and legends they have left for us! They are incredible to me!

Have a great week! Love you all!

Love Elder Cowan

Buen Buena Semena!

Dear Family and Friends!!!

Wow, I'm super tired! Ha ha, but it's a good "tired" feeling! Ha ha, really Elder Kimball and I went to work this week! Wow! I still can't believe all the things we were able to accomplish this week. I can really testify that 1-The Lord is Hastening His Work, and 2-When you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!

Really, this week we knew that by this weekend is when we will hear transfers and have changes probably. So Elder Kimball and I decided at the beginning of last week to really step up our game and give it our all! And that's what we did this past week! We were able to have 30 lessons this past week and we found 10 new investigators. Really, the Lord did all that, not me, not Kimball. As I said before, the Lord is truly hastening His work! It is incredible to see the difference of the work from when I started my mission to now. When I started my misison in September of 2013, we had 16 baptisms for that month as a misison. Now take that with what we were able to achieve in September 2014, we reached 74 baptisms!!!! And that's just in one year and it's increasing by the month! As well, when I started my misison, if you had about 15-20 lessons a week that was credited as a great week. Now, we are able to step it up and hit 30 to 40 lessons a week! It truly is a huge tender mercy to be working in the Lord's vineyard while He is hastening it! 

And with my time in the mission, President called my group from the MTC and Tuesday we had a lunch with him and his wife at the misison home. And holy cow is the misison home nice!!! It's huge! Ha ha. President always puts a lunch together for each group that hits one year in the mission. And, man, was it great to be able to see my friends and buddies from the MTC. We have all changed SO much! It's awesome to see, just as Alma when he met up with the sons of Mosiah again--that they are firm in the gospel and instruments in the Lord's hands! It was so fun to have that lunch with all them and with President.

Thursday, we had an awesome zone conference where President really talked about how we need to step it up and that we need to be machines! Ha ha, and that's what Elder Kimball and I really decided to do! We gave it our all this past week and it was just the best feeling at night when my head hit the pillow that I really earned it! I love missionary work! It's tiring sometimes, but it is so worth it! 

We received some good news this week as well! I don't know if you guys remember about our first investigator that we taught here named Alan. The one that has health problems but as well was living with his girlfriend and didn't want to separate from her, but wanted to be baptized as well ha ha. Well! We saw him in the street and he told us that he really did separate from his girlfriend and has been reading the Book of Mormon again and wants to start going back to church! Woo hoo! So that will be awesome to continue teaching him and to eventually baptize him really soon because he already has the correct number of times that he needs to attend church so let's wait and see!

As well, we were able to have a huge miracle with a reference we received this past week! We got it Friday night when we were teaching Nancy and Alejandro. We were teaching, ironically, about missionary work and how they are members now and they need to start sharing the gospel with others to give us referencias. And right then we got a phone call and it was the elders in my district who was acting super excited because he had a reference for us. He told us the name of the street and luckily it was only ONE street between where we were! I wrote down the information and then the elder told me that the reference wanted us to pass by right then! Ha ha so we quickly ended the lesson with Alejandro and Nancy and ran around the block to meet Alvaro who was outside his house waiting for us! Ha ha! It was incredible! 

We were able to enter the house and he just opened up and confessed everything to us! He told us about the many problems that he has in his marriage and family and how he just feels so guilty of the errors that he has made in his life. He said he has tried repeatedly to find a solution to his problems, but for years none of them have worked out and he seems to keep falling on his face time after time. He realized that he needed some more powerful help. . . a more Godly spiritual help in his live. And that is when he decided to take a drive, after having a big argument with his wife and he saw the two elders from my district. He pulled the car over and told him that he wants missionaries at his house in a half hour! Luckily, we were there! He later went on to tell us that he really needs this helps and that he is up to doing whatever it takes. He turned to us and asked, "So! What do I have to do to be a Mormon?" Ha ha, I have never seen anyone so open and ready to roll! Ha ha, he is a stud! We are super excited to start teaching him! We are going to pass by later tonight so wish us luck!

Now onto the best part of the letter! Sunday!!! Awww! Sunday was just incredible!!! And that was because of Nancy and Alejandro! During the classes the bishop pulled them out to have interviews which was great! And then we went to the sacrament meeting (which we have last in our schedule). It was fast and testimony meeting to which we found out that Nancy and Alejandro paid their fast offering and were fasting! Ha ha and we didn't even invite them to do it! Ha ha, I seriously can't believe how fast they always pick up on the things! But, as well, the best part of Sunday was during the testimonies I looked over and saw Alejandro digging through the Book of Mormon. I asked him if he needed help looking for something, but right then he found the scripture which was Mosiah 18:8-10. He then went up and bore his testimony about the power of the Book of Mormon and that really if we understand it what else do we have to worry about! It was such a powerful testimony. The room was dead silent and I swear you could've grabbed the spirit in the air! He bore his own heart to the congregation of his testimony of this gospel. It was one of the most beautiful things I have seen yet in my mission.

And it just gets even better too! Because, as well, Nancy gave the closing prayer in the sacrament meeting and the members just swarmed them! Ha ha, all the members love them! Ha ha, and that's why for this week they have been invited to 3 different family home evenings, and Alejandro was assigned to give a talk next Sunday! But after the meeting the bishopric called all of us into his office to be able to give the Aaronic priesthood to Alejandro!! Woo hoo!!!! Awww there were about 12 priesthood holders in that circle to give him the priesthood in that tiny room, but it was sooo powerful! Aww it is the best to see a convert be so bold and strong in this gospel and, as well, to be able to see him get the priesthood. Next week he is going to pass the sacrament for the first time! And this Saturday we are planning to go to the temple to go do baptisms for the dead! Ha ha it's going to be a busy week for our converts! Ha ha, but they are awesome! As well, now that Alejandro has the priesthood we want to focus a whole lot more on his son, Francisco, to be able to have Alejandro baptize his son! Awww that would be the coolest thing ever!!! Please have Francisco in your prayers!

Aww, I love Nancy and Alejandro soo much! Whatever does happen with transfers, I know I can feel the peace in knowing that they are really really converted to this gospel and to know that the members have put them under their wings and that they are in good hands! They are such great examples to me! 

I love my Savior Jesus Christ, really it is through Him that we can do it all. This gospel CHANGES lives every single day of our lives. I love this gospel! I know with a firm conviction in my heart that it is true. I am so grateful for the power of the Book of Mormon, it really is a book to apply, live, and feel! It is the keystone of our religion. May we all have this beautiful experience as we feast upon its words. Keep going strong, I love each and every one of you so much!

Love, 

Elder Cowan

General Conference

Dear Family and Friends!!

Are you guys just on a spiritual high like I am right now after listening to our prophets and apostles of the Lord?! AWWW I LOVE CONFERENCE! But it was probably the fastest two days of my mission! Aww seriously, I apologize Mom and Dad for always messing around or playing with legos or making forts during conference as a kid. Trust me! I know the importance of it now! Woo! I love it so much!!!!

There were so many good talks I don't even know where to begin! I really loved the theme of spiritual and personal revelation. And of Uchtdorfs talk of "Lord Is It I?" Ohh!! So powerful! I thought a lot about you guys as we were listening. It's incredible to know we are all listening at the same time. But not only us but the whole world of members! How incredible! I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God! We have the Lord's guide with us always! As we sustain, obey, and follow him we will be guided to our loving Heavenly Father! I am so grateful for this restored gospel and Church and to spread this to all!! What a miracle!

But to first start off! Thanks, Mom, for your wonderful letter to Nancy and Alejandro! It was great! I will give it to them tomorrow! But you guys are probably in New York by now which is awesome but you have to remember the best trip of them all in 11 months (holy cow I just realized I'm getting close to single digits oh no. . . ) but to Chile!!! Woo hoo! And, as well, to update you, we have already talked with Nancy and Alejandro about the temple a lot and actually only a month ago they lost a cousin and nephew in August. After talking about the importance of baptisms for the dead, they got so excited! Actually, while they were at the stake center listening to conference, after the first session they ran up to our bishop and told him that they need an interview to have a recommend for the temple. Ha ha, the bishop was a little surprised but so happy as well! After the conference he came up to me and asked, "Are you sure they haven't been baptized before? I swear they are like OVER prepared that they seem like members for 30 years! Ha ha I love it! Keep up the great work!" Ha ha, we were happy to tell him that they were a miracle and super prepared and nothing else! 

Well, I think this letter will be a little bit shorter because I don't have a whole lot of time and this past week was a little slower for us. We are back in the streets contacting and trying to find more and better prepared investigators because our other investigators aren't really progressing a whole lot and we have had to drop some, or we can never find them and they are always gone. But I thought it might happen so I decided to do divisions with Elder Fisher in my district who I know really well and he and I worked in my sector Tuesday and this guy is a stud! He literally talks to EVERYONE! Ha ha we almost did 50 contacts that day which normally for the week we have like 70 more or less! Ha ha. So that helped us a lot to find a lot more people. 

We have been able to find 6 new investigators this past week which was a huge blessing. One of them is Camila who knows a super active family in our ward which is nice. And, as well, yesterday in the night we decided to pass by a contact that Elder Kimball and I did over a transfer ago. Ha ha, but we passed by last night and she was there and her family of five. Her name is Barbara and her mom is a member of the church! Woo hoo! We got some connections! :) Ha ha! 

Friday was a special day because it was the birthday of Elder Kimball!!! Woo hoo!!! I have been so blessed to have been with my 2 hijos in the mission on their birthdays and to baptize with them! Woo hoo! I love being a trainer! I wish I could just train all my mission! But for Friday the afternoon was a little slow and normal for us, but I had set up a surprise party´in the night for Elder Kimball and had Nancy and Alejandro and the Familia Garces., who are my two favorite families here. They had a nice big cake for Elder Kimball and we took "once" and ate a lot of food! It was great! I love Elder Kimball!!! The big 19 now!! Woo!

And yes, Mom, we were able to have investigators present for Bednar's talk. We had lunch between the two Sunday sessions with a sister from another ward. We came back to the church right at 4:55 which the afternoon session was going to start at 5:00 and we had almost forgotten that our investigator, Gustavo, wanted to come. Luckily, the stake patriarch's son who we know really well saw us and told us to jump into his car and that he would drives us. Ha ha and let's just say we were able to go, get Gustavo, and come back on time! Ha ha I"ll just say Chileans drive Crazy! Especially when they are pressured for time! Ha ha! But Gustavo liked it a lot and enjoyed the whole session!

Nicolas wasn't able to go to the conference but we had an awesome witht him yesterday night. We still were outside his house talking and teaching him because his parents still are receptive. And I just asked Nicolas why baptism for him is so important. He turned to us and gave the most beautiful answer and later told him that he has to fight. He cant give in becuase if he has faith he will be able to overcome all the opposition and be baptized. It was such a powerful moment. I told him the story of the conversion of dad and only dad was only a teenager too when he got baptized. It made Nicolas really emotional, and me as well! But really . . . a teenager only, only 16 years old but I have never seen so much faith in one of my investigators! We shared some scriptures with him and then asked him to give the closing prayer. And as he began his prayer, he started his prayer asking and giving thnaks for the normal things that investigators pray for, but then he paused in his prayer, asked the Lord to not leave him in this moment, and asked that Heavenly Father would be merciful enough to open the hearts of his parents and for him to be baptized in this church then he couldnt go on anymore. . . .because his voice started to crack as the tears fell down his face. He cried for about a minute which made elder Kimball and I emotional as well. As he gathered his thoughts together he finished the prayer and lunged toward me to hug me as he started to cry again. It was one of the most powerful but simplest prayers I have ever experienced. And that was becuase he was praying with ALL his heart. It was such a beautiful moment. I ask for all who are reading this that you can pray for Nicolas. A simple teenager but one that has so much faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and the poor buddy has a lot of oposition but I know he will be baptized! 

I thank you all for your prayers and examples on my behalf! I have been eternally blessed to have thee best friends and family. May the Lord be with us all! 

Love You!

Love Elder Cowan