Elder Latu

This week has been so full of emotion I honestly do not know where to begin. But I will start with the good I guess. So Christmas was very good and it was so great to just focus on the Savior and his birth. I felt the spirit of Christmas so much more powerfully due to circumstances that soon will be told. We also received transfer news this weekend and that was great... I am staying at least Six more weeks here in Katlehong. So that will make Seven and a Half months here... So yeah but I was called as District Leader for this transfer. That will be a pretty big change but not really at the same time. We also got to skype!! That was great!! It was so good to see the family and see them!!! These were the Highlights of the week. Well now for the rough news that is really hard to talk about. But if you have not heard Here in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission we lost a soldier in the army. His name was Elder Latu from New Zealand. He was a powerful missionary and was doing so well! But I guess his Transfer came a few days early. His calling is in a higher and a better place now. So we found all this out on Friday and then we had our Christmas devotional on that Saturday! It was a sad but so spiritually filled meeting. We had a few musical numbers as well as testimonies. It was just so great.. I honestly cannot explain all that was felt during that meeting. But again all is well and it is so great to have a knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and what is in store when we leave this mortal body. But Merry Christmas to you all!! I love you guys and I wish you the best. 

Elder Cowan

The 3 missionaries who were involved in the accident holding Elder Latu's Book of Mormon

Words from the Mission Presient:

In Memoriam: Elder Nofo-I-Lelenga Latu (1997-2016) - The outpouring of love and prayers for our dear companion and friend, Elder Latu—who died in a tragic car accident on Thursday—has been overwhelming and so appreciated. It has also been a genuine godsend to our missionaries who have been understandably devastated by this tragedy. Elder Latu was a phenomenal, consecrated missionary who inspired and lifted all he came in contact with. Every day and in every way he was all about doing the work of the Lord. He truly gave "the last full measure of devotion." And his radiance and effervescent spirit will be sorely missed. His unflinching commitment to his God and his religion can be best stated with the words of another similarly committed young person, Joan of Arc: “Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, and so they give their lives to little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it as we believe in living it…and then it’s gone. But to surrender who you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying – even more terrible than dying young.” Elder Latu certainly gave his life for what he believed in. And his stellar example will continue to inspire and lift us as we mourn together and work through this painful event. It will no doubt also help us as we collectively rise from our sadness and become even more committed to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ—which gives us the the clarity and certainty of knowing that Elder Latu's spirit indeed lives on. I will never forget the day we met Elder Latu and first saw his ever-present smile on a bright and beautiful morning this past August at the mission home in South Africa. Nor can I ever forget the stirring tribute to him yesterday morning, on Christmas Eve, where every missionary in Johannesburg gathered to reflect on Elder Latu's life, and on the 100-day reading of the Book of Mormon which culminated that same morning. As our missionaries bowed their heads in tribute, Elder Latu's companion, Elder Andrews, holds up Elder Latu's Book of Mormon,flanked by Elder Eatough (left) and Elder Droubay (right), who were all miraculously unhurt in the accident. Elder Latu's last journal entry in this study book reads, "I am so grateful for the joy I find in this work." Please join us as we continue to pray for Elder Latu's family in New Zealand, and for the missionaries who mourn our loss yet celebrate his remarkable life here in South Africa. ‘Oku ou ‘ofa ‘ia koe, Elder Latu.

Holidays and Exchanges

Well this week was not the best week! We had a lot of dropped appointments and cancellations. That word cancel is the worst word I have heard this week and probably the most used. So basically a lot of people in the Gauteng province leave to the other nicer ones and so it makes it seem like everyone we teach left. But we will were able to have some success especially on Wednesday. We had exchanges that day with the zone leaders and that was really nice!! We taught a lot of lessons and we talked to a lot of people on the road. Like 100 of them actually. So yeah that was powerful. Also this week was a biggggggg public holiday know as Reconciliation day. We as the zone were invited to the President Vettens house who is in the stake presidency! They had us over for burgers and to just have fun after district meeting. Elder Lambert ( our Zone Leader) and I played catch in their back yard which was pretty fun as well!! But yeah it was some good food!! I am excited for Christmas coming up and look forward to celebrating here in the mission field! Merry Christmas!! I love you!! 

Elder Cowan

Mission Tour

This week on Thursday was a mission tour! So we had a General Authority visit us and instruct us in a conference setting. So for us we had Elder Stanley G. Ellis from the Seventy came and gave us instruction! He is a really cool guy and really able to keep us missionaries involved and not falling asleep! He was really good though he basically talked about not just pleasing god with our work but satisfying him with the work we do! His wife also spoke and she was really funny! She went through all 9 of there children and talked about them and it was just funny! But yeah we learned a lot!! So this week we got these two new investigators Linah and her Daughter Ofentse. They are really cool and really religious and it was fun teaching them! We saw them twice and they understood what we taught and also were willing to learn more as well! We also saw Dumazile and her Husband Godswill! They are super cool as well and are still wanting to learn a grow in the gospel! This week was basically the same though as the others. It was not bad at all but it was not the best!! So yeah we are doing good and it is getting really close to Christmas! WOOOO Hahah But yeah all is well here in South Africa I love yall!! 

Elder Cowan

#LighttheWorld

This whole week has been one of gladness and sorrow. We are seeing another missionary go home who is our good friend here. He has gotten really sick and has to go home for medical examinations... He is a great guy and I am sad to see him leave. But this week has been great!! We started the #lighttheworld campaign that the church has going on and it has just been great participating and even teaching what it is and how to take part. It warms me to see people taking this by the reigns and actually doing it!! There has been so much good going on in Katlehong because of it. I am grateful to helping with it! But yeah this weeks was good we put one of our Investigators on date for the 29th of January. That will make three that will be dunked on that day! So i am super excited. But yeah this week was just a normal week other than Thursday where we helped the Germiston Elders with service at one of their investigators place. Yo that guy was crazy and funny!! He is just a bit odd but that is okay sometimes. It was very interesting to be there and to help out at his house. His name was Noody. But yeah this week was great! I am glad to be a missionary it is nice! I love you all! 

Elder Cowan

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

Conference

This week was a good as all weeks are on mission! But this was even better cause we finally watched General Conference and got to be uplifted and edified by the voice of the Prophets and the Apostles. What a great opportunity it is to have living spokesman on the earth who is in touch with the will of god for us. a scripture that has been in my head this weekend is that found in Amos 3:7 which states "Surely the Lord God will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets". How true is that and we had the opportunity to hear the Lords secrets. It is the same as the mysteries of God. Those mysteries are the things revealed through the prophets that were once hidden! Again what an opportunity that we need to take advantage of!! It was for me hard to concentrate on conference due to the pain I had in my side from falling playing Rugby! It was pretty funny as well I think yall would have laughed at me! I have some cool road rash and will have a cool couple of scars!! So Yeah that sucked really bad but it was worth it of course! I also was able to get Elder Souza this week as my companion! He is the best!! I love that guy! He is from Brazil and has the best accent ever it is Hilarious. Today we got to go to Germiston High School and participate in a assembly. So it turns out school have basically no laws on religion so a few Elders did a presentation about procrastination because they are testing and related it to the gospel. So that was cool and there were a lot of kids there! So yeah awesome weeks here in South Africa! I love you all!! 

Elder Cowan

Transfer News

Whelp really not a lot going on around here! We have been teaching in both Katlehong and Eastfield and have putting in some good work! This Saturday we received our transfer news..... DRUM ROLL......... I am getting a  new companion named Elder Souza! he was actually in Randburg right before I got there and he is a really good friend of mine.I am super stoked about it and we will have a good time! From what I have heard it will be very temporary though because my companion was having Visa troubles. So we will see what happens after a couple of weeks! But I will be staying Katlehong for at least another 6 weeks! I am stoked cause we get fed a lot!! I am pushing about 85 Kilos or around 185 pounds! So it is nice!! But yeah that is all that has really happened this week! I am sad because we wil be taking these other guys to the Area and Picking them up so we have to trade cars for one with a bike rack.. I will miss my Nissan Almera! Haha But I think everything is well here and we are having a good time. We get to watch conference next week as well which will always be a treat! I hope everyone is well!! Love ya!! 

Elder Cowan

Bubble Soccer and Good bye Elder Furgeson

Well, this week was super interesting!! Let me start with one of the fun things that happened! So we had our zone activity this week and we played bubble soccer. Well actually it turned to Bubble British bull dog. It was super fun but super hot!! I felt like I was just roasting to death! This week has been crazy hot and I have been dying!! But the whole bubble thing was fun!! The next event that happened was Elder Furgeson leaving pretty suddenly! I saw it coming but I thought it would be a little bit later on! So yeah it is crazy! I found out last Monday night and he left Tuesday at around 4. So now I am in another threesome and I am with Elder Opolot form Uganda and Elder Masiya from Malawi. It was actually a really good week though we are covering Katlehong as well as Eastfield (their area). We are just neighbors so it is not that bad! So another thing this week was that it was Heritage Day so everyone from here dressed up in the Cultural outfits and so that was fun to see! Even the next day they came to church in them!! So yeah it was a great week and a sad week! It sucks to see Furgeson go but it was for the best I believe! We will see what this next transfer has in store maybe I will stay with some one else or I will leave who knows!! Anyways I love ya all!! Stay well!

Elder Cowan

Zone Conference and Book of Mormon

This week was actually really nice!! I love Zone Conferences! This zone conference was based solely on the Book of Mormon and how it can influence us and our teaching! There were so many great insights shared and some really good challenges given! We started out with a video about the Book of Mormon and some insights about it! ( http://www.byutv.org/watch/90be2679-e6eb-4039-afa1-fee5477b0c20/a-new-day-for-the-book-of-mormon-a-new-day-for-the-book-of-mormon )this is the link to the video I recommend watching it if you have a hour! As the day continued we heard from President Dunn, Sister Dunn, The APs, and also the Dunns Friend who was visiting them for a time. All shared great information on the Book of Mormon as well as writing techniques that we can use when writing impressions we fell while reading. With the Zone Conference a new initiative was placed that we as a mission would read the Book of Mormon in 100 days and write some kind of impression or thought on every single page! The Dunns also gave us our each Book of Mormon with sleeve over it which has our name on it! So it is really cool!! I cant wait for this challenge and I know it will help the missionary work here in South Africa!! But this week was great because of that!! Other than the fact that I had to conduct the Music at the Conference! So it was really bad... But also a good time! But yeah that was this week! We had some cool lessons as well but nothing super crazy! Katlehong has sooo much potential we just need to find it!! 

Elder Cowan

Week number whatever it is now...

HELLO!!!! This is week number who knows what and basically it was the same as most weeks! Which really isnt bad at all!! But it was just LOOOOOOONG! We had some super cool lessons though with out investigators! We had this one with this girl named Tholoana and she is super cool and she has been investigating for such a long time though! She is a ETERNAL INVESTIGATOR........ But this and last week were just a bit different! We changed our approach a little bit with Elder Shava leaving so last week we gave her the rundown on how god will not answer her prayers unless she is willing to act on the answer (which she was not willing to). So we did that and committed her to baptism is she received the affirmative. And so we go this week and she has just been having trouble with if the spirit she feels is her own doing or the spirit itself. So we proceeded to tell her that all good things come from God and that if it is good then it is good but if it is bad then it will not be from God. We told her that God will stop her and give her those feelings if it is wrong for her to join the church and if the Book of Mormon is False. So she said she really does believe the book is true and the Church is true which is super great but her problem is getting over her families and others Judgements.. So that is where we are at with her! I also decided that I will become a seminary teacher!!! Haha Yeah I am serious it seems cool! But yeah a great week where I learned a lot!!! I hope you all have a great week and stay safe! Love ya!! 

Elder Cowan

Temple Trip

This week we had a temple trip which is usually the highlight of the week! So that is the case this time around as well! It is always a great experience at the temple this time around. The spirit is just so strong there and I love that!!! It is great just to continue to learn! That is what this week about actually LEARNING. I have really enjoyed this opportunity on mission to just learn! I love to listen to talks and devotionals and just be nourished by the word of God! I am still continuing to read the bible I am actually only on page 60 but that is because I am trying to learn as much as possible! So that is 60 pages in around 5 ish weeks or more? Hah Yeah I am going slow! But the bible is great I love it! This Sunday was pretty good as well! We were able to have Ernests confirmation which was nice! He is officially a member of the Church!!! He is so cool!!! We also got to see this investigator this week who is so cool! He has barely read any of the Book of Mormon but he knows it is true! But now the challenge is to get him to church! Anyways I hope everyone has a great week and stays safe! Love Ya!! 

Elder Cowan

Return to Randburg

This week was sooo cool!!! I dont know if you all remember Costa that really golden guy from Randburg? Well He was Baptized yesterday in Randburg! I was asked to baptized him and it was super cool!! It was a great service and a great baptism all together!! Sadly missionaries were just taken out of Randburg for some reason but they will return hopefully! I was able to take some pictures with some people in Randburg that I did not get to say goodbye to! So it was a awesome Sunday! So yeah it was just a great day!! Randburg is actually a really cool and welcoming area and they welcomed me back really well which was nice!! So This week we had Transfers which is really cool! So we did that on Tuesday! But this week was really cool because of that! Elder Furgeson is a great guy from Northern Utah! So he is a a big dude which is good no one will mess with us! HAha I am kidding!! But yeah this week we started teaching this new girl that is one of the members sister! So she is actually having a Kid soon so I do not know when we will see her again! So yeah that is the most eventful thing that happened this week! Hopefully as the week progresses we will have some more success! Ernest's confirmation will happen next week which will be awesome! Anyways I love you all!! Have a great week!! 

Elder Cowan

Baptism and Transfers!

Well this week was actually pretty decent! I will start with the baptism we had on Sunday! It was such a great service! Most likely the best one I have been to so far! We had some great talks by members in the ward which is always nice and then we had the baptism. Myself and a another member baptized him due to the member not being able to get him out of the water. So he was the voice and we both helped him in the water and out! So it was not the most typical baptism. Then we had the member that was friends with him for over 45 years shared a few words which was awesome because he talked about Brother Earnests wife who had passed away very recently and how it pushed him to the gospel! So it was just awesome!! So transfer news came on Saturday as well so that is the other eventful thing that happened this week! Elder Shava is leaving and I am receiving Elder Ferguson. He was actually with me in the MTC which is nice. If you remember Dad he is the big dude whos Dad was wearing a full suit as well at the airport when I left. He is the really big guy! So I am super stoked for this transfer! I think a lot of work will get done here in Katlehong! Oh yeah Elder Shava is going to a place called Tsakane. So yeah this week was pretty great! Those were just the two big events that happened this week! We also got this super powerful Investigator who just called us and wanted us to come which is just awesome!! We will see him again this week hopefully! But yeah have a great week!! Love ya all!! 

Elder Cowan

Stake Conference!

This week we had the Bedfordview Stake Conference! It was actually really good!! There were some super powerful speakers and I did not get bored like normal! Haha But yeah we had two of our investigators who came! I think they really enjoyed it! This week we also had a baptismal interview for one of those investigators and he passed! He will be baptized next week on the 21st of August! He is super cool and has been coming to church for like 7 months! So he finally decided to get dunked which is good! This week we also received this referral for this family who wanted the Book of Mormon. They were so cool! We only taught the mother and the three sons but it was still nice. They go to the Anglican church and have very strong faith in Jesus Christ. The Father is actually training to become a priest in the church so that will make teaching very interesting! We may have a few bible bashes but hopefully not! But yeah all in all it was a great week and I look forward for next week as well!! Love you all! 

Elder Cowan

Interviews!

This week was pretty good! We had exchanges with the zone leaders. I headed out to Edenvale with Elder Downs from Kansas who goes home this transfer sadly! He is actually one of my good friends here on mission! Elder Shava went with Elder Mugenyi who is form Uganda I believe. I am not quite sure about that one. So that day was awesome! We did service at a snake park that the Bishop owns. It gave me the willies but it was fun! I hate snakes but man Elder Downs was fearless to them. He even took out the Cottonmouths out of there cages and into buckets so we could clean the cage. We did have some powerful lessons through out the week but nothing that stood out enough to explain! We had Interviews on Thursday as well. It was a really good time! I always enjoy interviews with President because we just get to sit down and talk! It is crazy to think that I have about 1/3 of my mission done! The time has flown so fast and it will get a lot faster as time goes on! But yeah this week was really good! I hope you guys are well! Stay well!! Love ya all! 

Elder Cowan

Interviews at the Mission Presidents office. 

"The second group of the day added some flapjacks that Elder Cowan made and brought. They were delicious and added a nice touch to put with the stew as a savory crepe. Elders are invited to bring recipes and share and to bring the food as a sample if they can"  dunnsinjoburg.blogspot.com

Great Lessons!

This week was actually pretty decent!! We had some really solid lessons with our investigators!! Hopefully they have been touched and will be able to come to the knowledge of the truth!! One of my favorite lessons this week was Tuesday! We were with a less active member and we decided to watch a Mormon message by President Monson which is the Dare to be a Mormon. After watching that we watched a few I'm a Mormon videos and then talked about the importance of leaving as an example to everyone we meet. It was really touching as she walked away with tears to get a tissue and saying she wished her sister who is super less active was there. But I think we sparked something in her and she is going to work with her sister to get her back! Oh this week I had Tripe for the first time which is Cow intestines! It was not that bad actually! Sadly we were unable to see this new Investigator from the other week who has been taught awhile back by the missionaries. So that was a bummer but it is fine! This week I also started to read Genesis and I will be going through the whole bible! It is always so nice to read through the creation and learn of all that! But yeah that was this week nothing to special going on here in South Africa! Elections for local government are on Wednesday, so that will be really crazy! Anyways have a good week! I love you all!! 

Elder Cowan

The Week...

This week was actually a pretty average week!! Just still learning the new area which is always pretty rough! We have some really cool and powerful members that come out with us a lot. We never really have to worry about having a member present at our lessons which is cool! Another good thing here is that we get fed every single day and then twice on Friday and Sunday. It is awesome because I dont have to cook at all! This week we were able to put two of our Investigators on date for baptism. The first is Earnest who was taught by the old missionaries in Katlehong 1 and the next is Mxolisi who is a young boy that has failed to interview like twice due to forgetting everything he knows and has learned. So we are going to work with them and get them ready! My birthday this week was just a normal day in the mission field. I basically forgot it was my birthday until President called and said happy birthday! So it was weird. But yeah not to much to report here from South Africa just that it is really cold today. Have a great week and I love you guys.

Elder Cowan

Transfered to Katlehong

Well this week was transfers and I am now in Katlehong with Elder Shava!! This week was a good week though! We had a lot of dinner actually every single night! So that is the best thing that happened this week! But yeah there are not to much investigators here sadly due to laziness of the missionaries in Katlehong 1 that just closed so we absorbed them and the area as well as with Katlehong 2. So we have a huge area!! So this week was alright just trying to learn the area. Not to much to report! It has just been a long but good week! I am struggling with Elder Shava due to him always talking during lessons and me not getting to many chances to talk and if I do talk he cuts me off. But oh well we will get through it I am sure! Anyways that was the week!!! Not much sadly anyways have a great week!! I love you all and thank you for the birthday wishes! 

Love, Elder Cowan

Members from the Rustenburg Ward