Wow..... This is the Final email because we will be at the Mission Home next week for all of Monday. This is a really weird feeling. It really just feels as though I have just arrived and am still being trained. But time goes by and you end up where I am at. It has been great and I have loved every moment. This week went by really quick! I had two dentist appointments and also we had splits with the Assistants. Elder Wolfgramm came with us and Elder Wikaira went with Katlehong who got a new missionary this week from France!! He is a cool guy! But yeah on Sunday, we had an Area wide stake conference broadcast where we were instructed by general Authorities. It was really nice!But yeah that was the week. Just as a reflection I would like to share a quote that I have loved for the past Two years. It is one that we recite as a mission along with other that we have. The Quote is by President Ezra Taft Benson and it speaks of work. 

"One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!  If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy.  There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry.  Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work."

This quote has led my missionary work for those past two years. Hyrum W. Smith who was the creator of the Franklin Planner tells of a story of when he was on mission let me summarize. He was on mission in England when his mission President told those who were at this meeting that they had Thirty minutes to go and find something to relate into a lesson. They did not need companions and they could go anywhere in London. One of the Elders who was a farm boy and not really the best educated went around and in the end found one thing a Stuffed Grey Hound Dog. He thought that this dog would kill his Dog (I forgot his dog) in a race but in the end his Dog back home would destroy the Grey Hound in a working Contest. He then pointed to his Companion who had Graduated from Harvard and was a very smart man. He simply said you are the Grey Hound and I am My dog. You may be smarter then me but I will work harder than you. He basically said that you will teach me to read, write and talk good and help me become smart. He would drag his companion around and work he would knock on a door and said you speak better then me so Talk! They went on in the next 3 months to lead the mission in Everything!! I love that example of work. Simply if we work we will do miracles. God helps them that help themselves and we must do our works to show God that we have Faith. I have enjoyed working and each one of us is blessed as we do. I love you all and I wish you the best I will see you soon!

Elder Cowan

Interviews and a NEW CAR!

Well this week we had our Interviews for the Transfer. They went really well and every time I meet with president I like him more and more! He is a really great guy and is just fun to talk to! During Interviews Sister Leavitt ran training on the #lighttheworld campaign that the Church is running again this year. That was nice then we watched a 10 minute video from the 90s about cleaning Flats.... That sucked but then we each acted out how to clean certain things in the flat so that was really funny! There were some great videos made by the missionaries. But yeah I have had a headache all week due to our New Car! We received on Wednesday a brand new 2017 Toyota Corolla Quest! It had literally 60 Kilometers on it when we got it! It is really nice but the new car smell kills me!!! Oh well!! But yeah I enjoy it a lot it is a fun car to drive! Also this week we had three confirmations! They went well and we will be having the fourth in 2 weeks due to a Africa wide broadcast! But yeah I am pushing for the last 14 days!! I am excited to see everyone again and look forward to it!! I love you all!!

Elder Cowan

Homecoming Information

Baptisms

Well this week was really good and really really sucky. Let us start with the good! So yeah this week we had four baptisms. That was really great to see these people make it to those waters and finally come to the fold of God. There was a great difference between the four. One we have been teaching for less then two months and was very willing to be baptized after we came the first time. A sister and her daughter have been waiting for over a year if not longer to make it there but due to the Sister not being married could not so her daughter waited as well. The last was is a YSA aged male who has been wanting to be baptized for a long time but do to him not meeting requirements could not. But finally he made it! It was a great day and I enjoyed! The baptisms went well no one had to get redunked!! I baptized Gertrude the Girl and Also Dumisani. Elder Trammell baptized Matshediso and Tshegofatso the family. It was really great and we had a good time. Eish but the earlier part of the week sucked!!!! I got a cold which I think I mentioned last week and it got worse this week. Tuesday we didnt even go out because I felt like I was going to die. Then the rest of the week we worked but I still had a headache, cough, and a bad nose... It really sucks I still have the cough and a runny nose so yeah I am not enjoying life right now. But it should pass now now so I look forward to that. Anyways I love you all and I hope you all stay safe! See you soon!

Elder Cowan

Two Exchanges and Zone Conferance

Well this week flew by!!! We had an Exchange on Tuesday with our Zone Leaders and that was kinda fun. I went with Elder Mkhize from South Africa. He is our new Zone Leader and he is kinda cool! It was a good time though and we had some fun. Then the next day (Wednesday) we had Zone Conference. That was very interesting and emotional.... We gave our departing testimonies because it is our last one. But in general it was really great!! It was good to see a lot of the old guys again and say some final good byes even though I still have 4 weeks. IT sucked cause after I had to go and get another in grown toe nail removed so that makes like four from the same toe in two years...... But it should be better now!! Yay... I also caught a gnarly cold this week probably on Friday when we had exchanges for the second time. Our District leader came and did 4 interviews for us. So I went with Elder Warnock to Katlehong and had a great time! I really enjoyed that! So yeah we should be having 4 baptisms next week which I am excited for! We have on follow up interview for one of them tonight but it should go well! But yeah that is the report from this side. We are enjoying and finishing strong! Love you all!! See you soon.

Elder Cowan

P.S. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Temple, Transfers, and Madagascar

So on Tuesday transfers happened and I was able to talk our Zone Leaders into letting us go to them. That was really nice!! I got to see all the old guys and see whats up with them! Most of the people that are in mission I do not know. I have been out this side for so long that it just who are you?? Oh yeah so Elder Wolfgramm went AP (assistant to the President) this transfer so he is in charge of us now! That is really cool!! He is a good guy. But yeah I said goodbye to some good friends that I got close with that left this transfer. That was sad but I will see them in a few months!! One lives in Kerns he is the only one that is actually close close and the other from Idaho! We went to the temple on Friday which was really cool! I love to go to the temple and be able to just soak in the spirit! While we were there the APs came with a lot of missionaries who are from the Madagascar mission. They were taken out of the mission because a outbreak of the Plague has started and so the missionaries in the main Island have been reassigned for a unknown amount of time. We received a few of them but they were put up in the Swaziland side of the mission so that is cool as well. But yeah it is a shame that they learn a language that is really hard and then get transferred to a strait English speaking mission! But all in all we are surviving! I love you all!!

Elder Cowan

Six weeks... One and a Half months...... One Transfer......

Wow... It is crazy that I find myself in the Final transfer of my mission... It is crazy to try and comprehend how fast time can fly. I am just grateful to be here and serve the Lord. That is something I have learned and that is what keeps me going day to day. 

This week was a very nice week for a week six of transfers. We were actually able to get a really awesome referral of a family in the Alberton ward. They have such a strong desire to know God and go to church! We met with the husband this week and he was just s excted to ahve us and it helps they stay two houses down in a complex from the Chapel. We had a baptism this week which was actually really powerful! This guy has been coming to church for years now and finally he changed his life enough to make the Baptismal covenant. He is so cool. But yeah we are doing good work here and I will be finishing here for the last six weeks. My son and I will stay together as well and yeah that will be nice! In general I am excited but scared to go home as well. I will miss it here for sure. Last night we saw a member and they had a Snake and a Tarantula and both scared me so I didnt hold them but my comp did.. It was creepy but kinda cool. But yeah that was the Highlights of the week! I love you all! and I wish you the best.

Elder Cowan