Casi un Bautismo

Dear Family and Friends!

Wow! I just love you guys soo much! Seriously! It surprises me how fast the time is always flying by, but I just love you guys soo much! Way to go to Dad for having a great stake conference and Mom taking out the trash with your to do list! Ha ha! I love you guys so much!

Well, to first break the news right off the bat! Jean Paul didn't get baptized yet. We are on a little titter totter saw with him right now! I will explain everything though! 

But first of all, we were able to start off the week with a hit with doing splits with one of our district leaders! And this week we did it with ELDER KIMBALL! MI HIJO!! Woo hoo! AWWW it was amazing to be back with Elder Kimball in my sector and just takin' out the trash! It was so fun! Seriously! I love that man soo much!! We had such an awesome day and in the night Elder Kimball opened up to me of the stress that he has been having and it was awesome to give him some "father to son" advice and truly that was awesome splits! 

And an awesome thing that happened at the beginning of the week was the first lesson we had with Jean Paul he just asked us, "This gospel is so good. . . why isn't everyone a member? Can I invite others to listen to you guys?" Ha, ha, ha! YES! Of course, we responded and then the next day we left with him and we went to his friends house where he presented us to her. Her name is Lyryel! And she is awesome! Truly it was amazing to see the spirit of missionary work, work through Jean Paul. So we are super pumped about Lyryel and to see where she gets to!

Then I had divisions or splits and that time I left and went to Carlos Valdovino. That was the night Jean Paul was going to have his baptismal interview. He told my comp that he had dropped smoking to only 1 cigarette now! And he only started to try to stop smoking Sunday! That was Thursday when he said that! It was amazing to hear about his progress! But before the interview my comp and Elder Fernandez had a lesson with him where he explained that he doesn't feel ready for baptism. He wants to be more sure that he will be able to control his smoking problem and he wanted to tell his mom first. Igual, he still had the interview with the DL just as a practice, and he practically passed. 

We always have a hard time teaching him on the weekends because that's when he studies and works a lot, but he came to church again and then we had a lesson where we met his mom who just was visiting him that day. She was fine with everything but as we started to explain about baptism again he told us that he wasn't sure about tithing. But its not like a typical doubt that normal investigators have about tithing. He really wants to pay his tithing, he has already looked at his income to see in what way he can pay. But he just wants to "try it out" first before he gets baptized. It was kinda of a dumb excuse and we think there might be something else as well we told him that the church wouldn't even accept his ofrendas because he isn't even a member yet. It was a hard lesson to keep control of everything. But he still believes everything, he has told us that he wants to get baptized, but just not so fast. Really he is sooo good! And we know he is ready! Tonight we are going to have a family home evening with the 2nd counselor of the bishopric to see if we can get him baptized this Saturday! I know it's possible!

So please keep Jean Paul in your prayers for this week! This is the last week of March and we have a lot of people in our zone that can be baptized but just need the last little "push" to be able to commit to baptism. The assistants and even President have called us a few times just to make sure we are gonna get these baptisms through for this month. So there's a lot of pressure, but really I know these people are ready! I know our Heavenly Father loves these kids of His who He has trusted us to teach and bring them back to Him. Yes, it will take miracles, but who are we to put the limits upon God? We had a new investigator called Ferney who is amaizng as well! He accepted a baptism date right away and that was his response as well. He has a lot of faith and we are pumped to keep teaching him! 

Truly, the Lord is blessing us so much! I know it gonna have to take a little bit more for him to bless us with these miracles! I can't wait for this week!! Woo hoo!!

I LOVE THIS WORK! IT IS THE BEST THING EVER!!

Love Elder Cowan

Sweet Letter sent to Dad

Thanks for updating me about the news of Grandpa. Really when you read my letter this week we were able to finish the lessons off with our super amazing investigator Jean Paul by teaching last, the Plan of Salvation. This was Sunday afternoon about 4 and yes the spirit was strong in the lesson but there was a moment where it was as if the spirit just poured into my soul, and it was just when my companion was teaching and testifying of the spirit world. My whole entire mission I usually explain the purpose of the spirit world in really basic terms, but when the spirit just basically hit me so strong I knew there was a reason. . . I have been wondering and pondering why that moment of the lesson was the most powerful, and truly reading your letter and receiving the news, I know the spirit was already testifying to me and preparing me for this news. Que bonito! 

I'm so grateful for your example of Seize the Day. I'm grateful that you were able to tell me how you were doing. Did they give a exact amount of how many months or is it unpredictable? I truly am grateful as well as our whole family is for the spirit world. If I get to see him after my mission, it'll be a great blessing, but at the same time it's such an even more amazing and beautiful feeling knowing that if not, he'll be going to work in the spirit world and that the two of us will be able to work together at the same time, Grandpa and grandson! I love our Heavenly Father's plan! Everything is going to be fine! I will for sure to keep the whole family in my prayers!

Love your son,

Elder Cowan