Dear Family and Friends!
WOOO HOOO! Wow, well first off I'm so excited right now!!! And
second of all sorry for not writing yesterday! Elder Wagner had to go do some
go homer stuff and that cut our p-day a little off. But here we are writing you
guys again! Woow! There was SOOO much stuff that happened this past week!
Seriously, it was probably one of the most jammed packed weeks I have had in my
whole mission. But seriously has been one of the most beautiful experiences as
well!
Well, to start off with the week we had. We had been working
like crazy this month of March to be able to get to new limits as a mission. We
were shooting for 100 baptisms again and we were sure we were gonna do it this
time! But as the month rolled along there was a lot of opposition and
adversity. When we started last week our zone had baptized 3 people already,
which was pretty low. We were worried that our zone wouldn't be able to pull
off with our part to help the mission. As we started Monday, we saw that
we only had about 2 or 3 names of people in the zone that were probably going
to get baptized. We realized that it had to start with us with the example and
then to use our example to spread it throughout the zone. So there was a lot of
pressure on us on Monday. We knew that if there were going to be baptisms
in our zone then we would be doing interviews almost every night. And that
meant we were only going to be in our sector in the night on Monday.
So we decided to go to Jean Paul. We brought the 2nd counselor
of the bishopric with us and we read 3 Nephi 11. I was so nervous the whole
lesson because that lesson meant make it or break it for us to see if he was
going to get baptized. We finished reading and focused a lot of the role of the
Holy Ghost. We studied with him of how the spirit was preparing these people
for the coming of the savior. We did a lot of questions to Jean Paul which he
was responding fine up until Hno. Labra just went ham and just told him,
"Jean Paul, you have faith but do you know what you are doing right now?
Your hiding it! Show your faith Jean Paul, try the Lord. Dare to test Him! And
get baptized this week!" Ha ha, it was incredible! My comp and I were both
in a glaze at the Hermano who was just testifying his soul out! Finally it was
silent, and then Jean Paul turned to us, and told us, "I tested the Lord.
. . I'll get baptized!" WOOOOOOOOO it was so powerful! All thanks to that
member that we brought! So all you members reading this! You too have the power
to testify! Don't be afraid! Thanks to this one brother in our ward Jean Paul
accepted to get baptized! Really it all comes down to ones faith and the
confidence one has in our Savior Jesus Christ! That lesson was incredible!!
So from that moment we used the example of Jean Paul and
challenged the whole zone that people can still accept to get baptized and that
it's not too late for them to get baptized this weekend! We did a lot of calls,
actually we ran out of all of our minutes and then on Wednesday we
testified of the power of the faith that we can have to show our investigators
that they are ready for baptism. And truly it was amazing. One by one the
missionaries started to pull out names of investigators that they were going to
challenge to get baptized. I forgot to tell that a week ago President
personally called us and told us that he wanted our zone to baptize 10 people
this weekend. At the end of the meeting with the zone we pulled out 10 names of
people that could get baptized. And then
from Wednesday till Sunday were just filled
with miracles!!!
First off, Wednesday night I had to go to the sector
in Avenida Matta where I had to do an interview of an investigator of Elder
Kimball, his name is Pierro. He is only 10 years old. He is a really stubborn
kid and is a little rude. His mom just got baptized a few months ago and now
they wanted him to get baptized. The whole interview Pierro didn't say a word.
I had his dad present in the interview and it wasn't going anywhere. But truly
I love how the Spirit works through us through personal revelation. When I was
on the subway going to that sector there was a man with a plate selling little
cake candies. I had no idea why, but I felt I needed to buy the candies from
the man. At first, I thought it was an impression to do it to help the old man,
so I bought some of his cakes and got on the train.
Not until I was in the middle of the interview that I remembered
I had these cakes in my backpack. I told Pierro's dad that if he didn't want to
cooperate he wouldn't be able to get baptized. I then turned to the little kid,
looked him in the eye, and told him, "Hey I'm not here to waste my time,
if you cooperate with me I have some cakes to give you, but only if you help us
in this interview." He just stared at me and told me with a cocky
attitude, "I bet I don't even like the cakes you have." So I pulled
them out and right when he saw them he jumped up and started screaming,
"Those are my favorite! How did you know?!!" From that moment we were
able to break the ice and he was able to have the interview which he passed and
then I gave him the cakes. Truly, it was not just an impression I had to buy
those cakes to help that old man, but it was because the Spirit was telling me
that I would be needing them in the future! I'm so glad I followed through and
bought those cakes!
At the same time I was doing that interview, Elder Kimball was
in the room next to me doing an interview of a married couple. He was dragging
the first interview for a really long time so I decided to do the interview of
the wife. I pulled her in and interviewed her and she answered everything
perfectly. But then at the very end when I asked her if she was ready to get
baptized, she frowned and firmly told me, "No!" I was shocked! She
had passed the interview with flying colors, the Spirit was there and I knew
she was ready. I had her pray to ask if she should get baptized and afterwards
she still denied it. I honestly didn't know what to do. For the sake of time,
we had to end the interview to which I ran into Elder Kimball who told me that
her husband had passed his interview and was going to get baptized. Then I
thought to myself "Oh great! What am I supposed to do now with his
wife?!" Elder Kimball started to panic, but I calmed him down and I pulled
Jose and Edith, the couple in the room. I frankly told them that Jose was going
to get baptized but that Edith wasn't. Jose looked at his wife wtih a surprised
look and it got really serious. The rest of the elders came in and tried
convincing her to get baptized while I left and was pondering in the hallway what
to do. We had gotten permission to stay out later that night and I was tired. I
finally went back into the room--to a room full of contention and everyone
talking over each other. I kinda yelled at the elders to leave the room and the
3 of them left to where I was alone with Jose and Edith again. I told them that
we respect marriage. We respect that a husband and wife are one. I pulled out a
picture of the temple and told them that this was the reason we wanted them
both to get baptized. I told them that they could have an eternal family but
first they would both have to get baptized. I testified over and over again to
Edith about the temple to which finally I told them, "Look you guys are a
married couple, you should talk this over as a whole, as a couple. I will be
waiting outside for you to tell me if the two of you are going to get baptized
or the two of your aren't going to get baptized."
Then I left, I ran to another room and starting praying and
praying. We all waited in the hallways for a few minutes, then 5 minutes, then
10 minutes, and finally just when it was too suspenseful for us, they opened
the door, pulled me in and said, "Elder. . . .we want an eternal family. .
. . we accept to getting baptized this Saturday." Truly, I lost it, I
just started crying, they went on to tell me that they had been investigating
the church for more than 5 years and up until I started testifying about how
their family can be eternal they had never accepted baptism. Trul, it was
amazing! It was so powerful!!
After I hadn't planned on staying so late there in the church so
I had to go to the other elders pension and sleep on the ground. Then woke up
early the next day, studied and ran back to the stake center in our sector to
help another district leader do an interview in the morning. She passed as well
in the final. From there I ate lunch in my sector and then went on
divisions to Carlos Valdovino where I had to do 4 more
interviews. Thursday as a zone we had planned 6 interviews in total.
By the time of traveling and with a rough night, when I got to Carlos
Valdovino, the other sector, I was wiped. But I went to the church building
where I did the interview for William. An investigator tan bueno! I enjoyed
that interview a lot. Then the next was Francisco who I couldn't finish because
he needed to have the interview with President, but luckily my comp called us
and told us that President just arrived in our church building so I shipped him
off over there and he was able to run into President and President did his
interview and he passed. And then I had to do the interview for Diego and
Vicente. They called the elder I was with, Elder Hunter and said that he
was in a business meeting and that he wouldn't be able to get to the church
till about 10 at night. I called the assistants and they gave me permission to
stay out late again to be able to get those interviews done. So finally at
about 10 at night Diego and Vicente came and I did the two interviews and they
both passed. But at the very end of the interview of Diegos it was going
on till 11 at night and I was tired, who know that interviews suck the energy
out of you! Now I know how you feel, Dad! Aha way to go!
But as I was finishing talking with Diego, and as I heard the
results of how the rest of the interviews went, Elder Hunter told me all but
one passed. I told Diego the experience of this week and how we have been able
to see the Lord's hand over our zone. It was amazing. That's when I shared with
him Moroni 10:31-34. Truly, the grace of the Savior was being poured upon us.
We were being blessed soo much! It was amazing! I started to tear up at the end
of the interview knowing that I had done everything possible and did my part
and I know the Lord was doing His. That night we got back to the pension really
late again and was able to have a little better night than the night before.
Then Saturday came around and we had to plan 3
different baptismal services with all the 9 people that were going to get
baptized. With their jobs and everything we had to plan one at 11 in the
morning, at 4 in the afternoon, and then another one at 8 at night. So we were
in the church all day long filling up and cleaning the baptismal font before
and after each baptismal service. I had a terrible headache as well, I just wanted
to sleep and I felt so tired. But I knew I had to finish till the end. Finally
at the 8 o'clock baptismal service, which started late because Jean Paul
fell asleep ha ha, but it all worked out and I had to give the talk at the
service. Right as I started to give my small talk, I looked at Jean Paul and my
companion who were in white and my headache automatically went away! I was so
grateful because then I was able to enjoy the service even more. I was blessed
to be the testigo for Jean Paul's baptism as he went down and came back out of
the water, a new person. It was such a powerful moment for me!
From that moment, we were able to pull off 9 baptisms that one
day with a total of 12 baptisms for the month--something that hasn't been done
before. It was a miracle. The mission didn't get 100 baptisms, but I knew that
we had done our part and for that the Lord blessed us so much. His Grace truly
is sufficient, as long as we do all that we can in our part first. Those 9
baptisms that we were able to pull off weren’t thanks to our district leaders
or because of my companion or me. It was the Lord. He shed his Grace from
His Atonement upon those investigators and truly gave us the miracles. There
was so much. I have never felt so consecrated before. Yes, it was a stressful
week. Yes, I lost hours of sleep and was dead tired, but being able to rest my
head on my own pillow, Sunday night, truly, I knew I had done
everything possible for my zone. I know Jesus Christ is my Savior! I know He
loves us! I know He blesses us when we do all on our part. I am so grateful for
the miracles we saw this week. His grace is sufficient always.
Love you all!
Elder
Cowan
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