Great Week!

Well this week was actually really good!! We saw a lot of investigators and really did not have to many dropped appointments!! So that is always a bonus! Also I did not get sick this week so also a bonus! We started teaching Dumazile this week and it was a great lesson!! She is super powerful for not even knowing anything about Jesus or the Old Testament! So it was kinda a shakey start to teaching but we found our grove which was good!! We saw her on Tuesday and then went back on Saturday night to drop off the Life of Christ DVD so she can learn more about what Christ did and what it means to her. When we stopped by we first saw a crazy fight kinda in front of her place!! We were just about to get out of our car when I felt a bit uneasy for some reason ( later to find our it was the spirit) and Elder Kealer just opened his door and I was just like wait a minute. So he closed his door and basically as soon as he did that two cars came around the corner where we were facing and one cut the other off and slammed on its brakes the other did not hit it but it was blocked. So the driver of car 1 got out and pulled the driver out of the other car and they fought and yeah so that was about 10 minutes of just fighting they both were drunk so yeah. It was a cool experience. So we went after that and saw her and Her husband was there and we finally met him! He was super enthusiastic about us and yeah!! He said he has questions for us that the other churches cannot answer!! So he said he would join us next time we come by which is tomorrow! I am super excited for that lesson as well!! We also committed a boy named Sibusiso to baptism and he said yes! he is about 18 and so his friend is a member and we just started teaching him like two weeks back! So that also was a highlight for the week!! So all in all it was a good week! I encourage all of you to participate in #lighttheworld ! It is so inspired and it will be a good way to remember Christ this holiday season! Go to Mormon.org to learn more!!! Anyways I love you all and thank you for the support this past year!! 

Elder Cowan

ONE YEAR!

It is crazy to thing that this coming Thursday will be my hump day! IT feel like yesterday I was in a plane flying here with a  bloody nose but nope that was a year and it is just so surreal that it has been that long. We will be celebrating with a Thanksgiving meal Thursday and will be having a good time hopefully. We will see if the others are down to make food and stuff!! So yeah this week was pretty normal we had some cool lessons we finally got to see Eric who just asked us questions for a hour or so and it was great! We taught him more about the Book of Mormon and he committed to read it better than he was. We also got this cool new family we will be teaching. We have only met the wife and she was nice and invited us back when her Husband is home. The husband loves English and likes to read so that will be a plus in out favor. We have been continuing in the Book of Mormon in 100 days and it is so great and such an inspired challenge. I am learning so much more than I ever thought! We have been chowing and feasting on the words of Christ amd just feeling the Spirit!! I am super excited to finish this round of reading in a month! I have grown while doing it and I know those who are doing it in the mission are growing as well. As I just reflect on the past year I have seen a growth in spirit and in ways I cannot even describe!! It is something I just have loved and will continue to love throughout my life! I look forward to what one more year will do to me and what I will experience in that year. I dont know what will happen but I know it will be for my own good. This work is true and we all have something we can contribute to it. I know the best thing we can do is to "be thou an example of the believers". I just love those here who are those examples and make it so much easier for us to do our work instead of clean up duty. I love you all and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

~Elder Cowan

Rain!

This week was full of so much rain! There were many people killed in the Gauteng province with all the rain. Elder Kealer and I saw a Taxi stuck in the water with like people on top of it. It was just insane we also had like huge hail stones about a inch big which was insane as well! It literally look like it snowed I will send pictures next week!! But we were hit hard in the middle of the lesson and we had to stop so we could move the car so it did not get stuck!! It was awesome ut bad at the same time. We stepped out literally for 40 seconds all together and we were soaked to the bone!! But yeah it was nice and also some of the worst lighting I ever have seen!! We had some awesome lessons this week with the investigators we have. We saw Tholoana and she told her mother this week she is joining our church and she said she could when she doesnt live at the house anymore but she will come around eventually! We still have a few months till baptism!! So yeah the week was really good we said good bye to Elder Weg as well and he is now gone!! Stay well!! I love you all!! 

Elder Cowan

HOT and Braai!

Man this week the weather has been heating up so much!! I am dying here hah!! But I am keeping up on my fluids mom don't worry!;) This week was a little slow but good all at the same time! We had a temple trip which is always good and we got to help in a baby blessing so it was great. We had some great lessons with some of our investigators and were able to clear some things up with them as well!! Eish it is so hard for people tog et to church around this area though! The chapel is a few Ks out and it is about a 13 rand taxi fare there and then the same back. So it is sad to see awesome investigators not be able to get to church due to money. But we are working on it for sure!! Training is going very well!! Elder Kealer is such a good missionary and awesome companion. We get along very well!! Yesterday we had a farewell Braai (barbecue) for one of the Elders at our flat complex. he leaves on Friday! Elder Weg is a awesome guy and has put in a good two years!! So that was really fun! But yeah this week was just great! I love the temple and the spirit is just soooo strong there! I love it!! Have a great week! I love yall!! 

Elder Cowan

ET, Greenie, Interviews, and getting Sick!

Well this week was utterly insane!! It was just chalked full of stuff.On Monday we found out that Elder Souza is finally going back to Randburg to finish his mission. :,( So that means I would be getting a new companion here in Katlehong. So they told me I would be getting an elder that has bee out for about 3 weeks in the field and that I would be training him! So that is exciting. So yeah his name is Elder Kealer. I will send pictures next week! But he is really cool. He is from a place called Peoria, Arizona it is kinda close to Pheonix. Anyways he is awesome and willing to work which is great to have a companion who actually wants to do that hah! Souza was good with that but the last few have been rough. So yeah on Tuesday we did not get to the Area till like 6 because there was a mix up with him cause he thought that he would be leaving on Wednesday! But then it was Tuesday so I sat around at the office for 5 hours! YAY! Not. But then Wednesday we back to the Mission Home and had interviews which are always just the best!! We had a great time as well!! So yeah! This Friday was bad due to me getting food poisoning and being sick all day! So this week was really slow!!! But it was worth it! So I will probably end up being in Katlehong for a bit longer!! Eish that will be nice cause of all that food we get!! Haha anyways I love you all!! Stay well. 

Elder Cowan

11 Months gone!

It is crazy how fast time has flown! I honestly feel as if I jsut left home yesterday!! I cannot comprehend all that has happened on mission!! It is such a great opportunity to serve the Lord! This week was pretty powerful.We got some new investigators and this one who is Named Lunghani! He is super spiritual and he is just loving the book of mormon and eating it up! We actually saw him twice this week! He is so powerful and willing to learn more about the gospel!! I am excited to keep teaching him and watch him progress! We will actually try to put him on date this week as well and see if he is willing to come to church!! We also had a good amount of investigators at church which is always a good sign!! This week in church was the primary program which was just awesome! It was all focused on scriptures as well as temples and it was just really touching to see those kids! But yeah this week was super nice also cause we went on Thursday for a Elders birthday to RocoMamas for lunch to celebrate!! So that was nice and it was really good food.But yeah this week was good!! I love you all!!

Elder Cowan

Sushi and New Investigators

Okay well this week was pretty powerful! It all started at a all you can eat Sushi shop on Monday! It was very good and I felt like I may have ate a little to much but it was definitely worth it! We had a good time there and we stayed for like 3 hours!! But yanno we had a Elder break the record in the Zone! He ate 50 pieces!! It was crazy! Also this week we had a chance to follow up on some contacts that we had as well as some referrals that we received. All those that we saw were super powerful and super prepared for the gospel! They enjoyed and there were 5 throughout the week! Each one invited us back and each one commited to read the Book of Mormon and the Pamphlet of the Restoration. We will see this next week if they are "Jokers" or not but I have a hope they are not! We also got the chance to commit Regina and her Sister Palesa to baptism. We have done our Job now the spirit has to do its job. I know it will and that they will know the Church is true! We have been struggleing with Eric. He just wants to know everything there is before he commits to baptism and a date. He struggles we have heard with the Church being the only true church, But he has not brought that up to us yet. He has only missed one day of church since I have been here and he attends a Family home evening with his Neighbors! He is basically a member but WILL NOT COMMIT! SO we are working with him and soon enough he will be there! I think my self that he is not praying or reading but I will bring it up next time we see him! Anyways this work is true and the gospel is true! I love you guys Stay well! 

Elder Cowan