Jean Paul Blessing

Dear Family and Friends!

Wow! Well, I can't believe I'm going to have a little niece!! Woo hoo felicitaciones a Trevor y Kiersten! I'm so happy for you! And I just love each and every one of you so much! I know that I may not write a whole lot to each and everyone of you but truly I have the best family EVER!!

Well, the time is running out and there is a lot to write! Well, first off! There were a ton of things that happened this past week! Just like in the mission of Bryce's that I just read, we had a mission training meeting here we learned a ton and as well we were able to watch "Meet the Mormons!" Ha ha, I loved it! Ha ha, but it was kinda weird watching a movie again! HA ha! Woo hoo to the Church in getting that movie out!! And I was able to see Stacie's brother!! Woo hoo!! Elder PETERSON ES UN KAPO! Ha ha, truly I was shocked at how well he talked! I thought because he was new that he would just want to talk in English with me so that's how I started off talking with him! But oh no! He was set on speaking Spanish and spoke it the whole time! It was amazing! What a blessing! He is great! I love the guy!

As well! We were able to have 4 baptisms in our zone this week! All from one companionship! It was a sister of a member and a family of 3 that are from Japan! It was incredible! Ha ha, I was thinking of Elder Free the whole time during the interview! Aww, I just love doing interviews!!!

And another blessing that happened this week was with Regina! Woo she wasn't joking when she told us that she wanted to start all over again! She came to church and just loved it! She said she always wants to come! Truly, it brings joy to me seeing souls of our Heavenly Father repenting and coming unto Him! Whether it be through converts, less actives coming back to church or baptizing people! It is amazing to brings these brothers and sisters to the fold of Christ! 

Well, other than that, as well, we have been seeing a little opposition in the things that have been passing through the zone. Almost every single missionary got sick at one point in this past week and I was the one to finish it with only getting about 3 hours of sleep last night because I was in the bathroom all night long. I have no idea what happened to me, but the whole time I was going number 2 hardcore. But I woke up and this morning I had to do my visa again which I was able to do it pretty fast but struggling trying to control my bowel moments and now I'm feelings fine! But igual, throughout the zone we have been seeing a lot of things like that.

Wednesday, Elder Wagner went to the temple with his go homer group and with President so I was left in charge of the district and leadership meetings that morning. I met with our district leaders and felt impressed to read the story of Jose Smith. I told them of the opposition that he had before AND after and how either way: there's always opposition before the greater blessings. I invited a tener el VALOR and to stand up and fight against it! We knew that our mission has a lot of potencial this month and we know that Satan knows that as well. It was a great meeting! We all left the meeting pumped and ready to fight against the adversary! Thanks to that those 4 baptisms were able to come to pass!

Saturday I had the blessing to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead with a elder in our zone and with his convert because his companion was sick. And when I got there I saw Elder Smith and Elder Goates! And they brought Francisca, Loreto y Rodolfo to do baptisms! But sadly they had finished right before and they all left except Elder Smith and Elder Goates. It was a little bummer that I couldn't be there with them to do baptisms but still just seeing the pictures and knowing that my converts went to the temple is the best! I love the temple!!

Now onto the miracle of Jean Paul! Well, this past Monday we showed up at his house and he told us that he had read all of Mormon.org about the topic of our beliefs. He then went on to tell us of what he understood of each commandment. He told us that he had a problem with smoking and that we would have to help him out. But other than that he told us that he was down with keeping all the commandments. I love Jean Paul! He just accepts it how it is! That's what I love about him! He then went on to tell us the reason why he likes this church so much. He looked at us and said, "Your church practices true faith. Really I could believe all of what your saying and it would sound neat and all but it all comes down to if I accept it and trust in the feelings I have if it's true. That's what I like." Ha ha! Truly, I have never seen so much faith in one investigator! He then went on to tell us that he has already looked at his finances and his taxes and he knows perfectly how he is going to be able to pay his tithing! Ha ha, I was so shocked! 

Then we had a lesson Wednesday night with him which wasn't as great as the other lessons. We were teaching soo much and soo fast that he started to get confused on everything. We left not feeling so confident in that lesson. Then he had work for the rest of the week and we were a little worried to not be able to see him for some time. But he showed up to church decked out in a nice new suit! HA ha! He loved church again and then we were able to teach him Lesson 2 after the meetings and pull everything together. I was able to give him a priesthood blessing that way he won't have the tentaciton to smoke and truly it was a powerful lesson! His baptism date is for this next Sunday and it still looks like everything's going good for that date! It just depends if he can stop smoking! But I know he can do it!

Truly, the lord has been blessing us with Jean Paul soo much! I love how the Spirit testifies to each and every one of us! I love this work and I love this gospel! Just as we taught last to Jean Paul, I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father lives and has a plan for our families! I know everything will be fine and that His Son Jesus Christ gave His life out of love for us to be able to live together forever!

Love you all sooo much!!!!

Elder Cowan