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

Zone Conferance

This week was a pretty bland week!! But there were some highlights so I will emphasize them. Well we had Zone Conferance this week which is alwasys great! We were taught about grace and yeah it was nice. Presidet Leavitt brought down fire on those who are disobiedient so that was good that needed to happen. But yeah the worst part was the food and that was not even that bad. I was able to take a few pictures with the three sons so that was really good as well. Sadly Elder Palkkis son Elder Lee was not there to get in on the picture. We will be having a baptism next week which will be good! He was interviewed on Friday and passed. This week we also watched General Conferance! That was really nice!!! It is so great to be able to hear from God's servants here on Earth. I loved Elder Ellis's talk! I have met him a few times this side and he is a really good guy! Anyways that is the Update this week!! I love you all!!! See you in 7 weeks!

Elder Cowan

Baptisms

Well this week went very well!! We had the opportunity of having three baptisms and all of them went very well! It was sad though because the First lady was getting into the font and slipped and fell. She was fine and we still baptized her. I told her to hold onto the handrail but she didn't listen.... Haha Oh well. She is doing fine and was happy to be baptized. I was able to baptize the two older ladies and Elder Trammell the Younger girl. So that was really great to see. We were able to have three new investigators this week which was good as well. They are all really cool and there is some potential there for sure! On Thursday we had a really spirit filled lesson as we taught this GOLDEN investigator!! It was our second time seeing her and she had great questions about what we do and especially about the Book of Mormon! So yeah it was cool but what made it great was near the end the spirit was just strong as we bore testimony of the Godhead. The impression came to invite her to baptism as she has the spirit confirm to her our words. I being scared and let fear in ignored the prompting and I was kinda fighting it. Well as a few minutes went by Elder Trammell had the same feeling and he acted on it and gave her a soft commitment for baptism. GUESS WHAT! She accepted after we had to explain why baptism by authority is important and not just by anyone. We didn't set a date because she wants to pray and get a answer but it was great! We have literally taught her formally about the godhead in about the 2 hours we have met with her. The rest of the time is just questions! SO AWESOME! So yeah listen to the spirit!! Because I didn't but thankfully my comp did! Anyways that is the week! Nothing to crazy other than that! Love you all!!

Elder Cowan