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