Great Ward Family Night

 Dear Family,

Wow! This week flew by so fast! I can't believe I'm already writing again! It feels like just one or two days ago when I was sitting at a computer writing you all. Anyway, yes mother, I did receive the other two packages from you! They were greatly appreciated among the missionaries here! I don't feel like it is Christmas time at all. It's just getting hotter and more humid. That's all it feels like! Ja ja! It really doesn't bother me though; it provides an opportunity to talk to people. The people here don't have air conditioning. They see us walking around in the sun and stop us to ask why we're crazy for sweating all day! Then we bear testimony of why we are here and start teaching lots of them! For Christmas, it is the exact same here. There isn't anything different about the tradition. The holidays just involve a lot of alcohol. For that reason, I guess we're not supposed to be out proselyting after five or six on Christmas and New Year's Eve. Ja ja! And I still don't know what we can do exactly with calling home. All I know is that I will be calling and not Skyping. I have no idea the prices, times, or even where I will be calling from. We don't worry about that much into the future yet. We're more worried about the transfers coming up here in a week. Elder Vergara and I are really nervous. We want one more transfer together so badly! We have to baptize so many people still! Ja ja! But our bishop is calling our president and asking for a four missionary ward! So, if he takes that into mind, we could both stay here and get new comps but live in the same pench! That would be the best option for us! But I kind of doubt it.

Well, it sounds like you're all just about as busy as I am here in Argentina with all your holiday festivities! I have only done one thing for my Christmas and I bought two jerseys. I decided I'm not going to wear them and just gather up a bunch throughout my mission so I can have them back home! I love all the teams and designs here, but "Racing" is still my team for sure! Ja ja! I'm sure you can get everything done this month, though. The Cowan family is notorious for doing the impossible and pulling through in one way or another. In fact, I've talked about you guys to my fellow missionaries and members here and they have come to the assumption that Dad is going to serve in the Seventy some day. Ja ja! I stand by that! They say you look like one of them, Dad Ja ja! Who knows though. They said I looked like some politician here and I don't at all! But I am glad you are all enjoying the season! And I'm jealous of the cold weather. Arizona or Utah! Ni importa!

Oh, before I talk about my investigators, PLEASE HAVE THE MISSIONARIES STAY AT OUR HOME!!!! That would be such a blessing and I am so jealous of Kevin that he can have that opportunity! He could go watch them plan, or study with them or something! He would be the most prepared elder EVER!!! Plus the elders are awesome! For the most part, they are some of the coolest people on the planet! Plus you could help them out with lessons with members and try to have family nights with investigators! That would be so cool! I am utterly jealous of those elders if they get that chance! DO IT!

Well, I am going to write about this past week a little out of order. I want to talk about last night first. Since nobody ever has family night here, the ward is now starting to do a ward family night every Sunday night. We had one at the Luna family's home and almost all the attending members showed up. It was amazing though! I have never seen a group of LDS members so close. They are such a family here and the members are their best friends! They may not have the most functional ward, but it is definitely apparent that these saints have faith. We started by discussing what Jesus Christ means to us in our personal lives. Each of them took turns to describe what He means to them. When it was my turn I said that He is my hope. Through His life and sacrifice for us, we can have the chance to inherit the promised blessing in the Celestial Kingdom. Hermana Luna, who was teaching the lesson, loved that! Anyway, we compiled a list of what everyone said, even a boyfriend of a young woman who is Catholic contributed! Then one of the members, Hermana Coronel, shared her experience as the Primary president and the opportunity she's had to meet Alan's family. She shared how grateful she is for them and their sweet love for the gospel even at their age. And how she's so glad that Lara, Alan's little sister is getting baptized this weekend. Then she turned the subject into how I gave my scripture case to Alan after he was talking about wanting to make one like I did. She cried and described to the rest how the best gifts aren't the things we want the most or are the most expensive things, but are the things we willingly give to show our love in the best way possible. She said the look on Alan's face was priceless and there was such a love and shock. Then the whole ward started to share stories and advice on how they can give the best presents to others. Then the question was posed, "What's the best present we can give to Christ?" And it became a testimony meeting that was so powerful. I ended the family night with my remarks on how grateful I am for their faith and how I don't know how difficult it is to be a member here, but I have been humbled and learned to go by my faith more because of them. We really bonded with the ward that night and it would be so hard to leave them now.
About some of our investigators, well, we are dumping a ton of them. AGAIN! We are wasting time on people who are too lazy to go to church and to read. We are finding new people all over the place. We took out nine new fechas this week and are finding some really amazing people! My favorites this week were Gladis and Dante. We found them after a whole day of failed return lessons and walking around all day. It was the sweetest thing to end the day with them. Gladis is the daughter of Dante and they were so receptive of our message! She believed in everything and is excited to read the Book of Mormon. Dante is quiet but was receptive too. I was so grateful to my Father in Heaven for them that day! I see the hand of the Lord in my life every single day as a missionary. It's so true what they say, as missionaries, we have the front row seat to watch miracles take place every day.

Another lesson that was exciting was with Roxana. She didn't accept a baptismal date, but she is definitely liking to learn about our beliefs. She goes to this gathering of people to discuss the Bible on Tuesdays and we are going tomorrow. Hopefully we can turn the discussion into the lesson of the Restoration and about the Book of Mormon and they all accept it as the answer to all the missing parts of the Bible. We're really excited for that and we might have the chance to take out ten new baptismal dates with them! That would be amazing! Plus they already have the habit of reading the Bible so it would be easy for them to start reading the Book of Mormon.

Well, I have gone over my time. I need to go now. I had so much more to tell you all, but I had to do some other things before I could write today. I love you all and am so grateful for your letters. Next week I will update you all on the progress with Alejandro and Ruth, the three sisters we found this week, and with Mirta who could be baptized any day now. I love you and am excited to call in just two weeks or so!!!

Love,

Elder Cowan