I Love Training!

Dear Family,

Wo, what a week we had! We missed work time this week because of being sick and also the holidays, but we came out with some great numbers regardless! We took out six more fechas this week! :) So, first, I have to tell my slightly scary moment this week.

So, on Monday, I felt the impression that we needed to go to the Matera, the nasty villa, and look for someone to teach because our plans fell through and I didn't feel like our back up plan was going to help in the work. So, we took off for the Matera, blind, but guiado by the spirit. When we were in the heart of all the nastiness and right after I was telling Elder Porter how you can feel a physical, spiritual difference once you enter into the villa, someone grabbed me around the neck. . . I was certain that I was getting robbed again. But, I turned around to see some punk kid with a "watchituro" haircut. Google it. Then, I realized it was ALAN!!! He came back and was visiting his cousins! We went to his cousin's house right away to meet Ramona and Rici. Also, Ramona had a friend over, named Yanina. They all have fechas right now and we visit them every other day to make sure they are all going to get baptized. Also, the rest of Alan's family is visiting often over there so I have been able to see the whole family again! :) That was the best Christmas present for me. We are now also planning to do Lara's baptism with all her cousins on the 21st! I'm so excited! We also have two more fechas for that day! We could baptize so many people that day if they will come to church.

Anyway, I now have a funny story about Yanina. Wow what a change in that girl!! She might be my favorite investigator right now because I can see the changes in her life already! First, she was kind of uninterested, then really snakish, then had a ton of questions, and is now progressing really well! So, the first lesson, she started to get interested in the lessons but also in me . . . After the lesson, they all walked us to the bus stop because it was late and they were worried someone would rob us in the Matera so late. But on the way to the bus stop, Yanina kept trying to walk really close to me and kept brushing her arm against mine and was telling me how my eyes are beautiful. I kept just walking away and telling jokes with Alan. They Alan asked what the word in English is for Ramera, which means whore. Ja ja! Then he turned and called Yanina a whore in English! I laughed and then asked why he said that, then he told me that Yanina is dating some guy but also is planning on trying to kiss me at the bus stop! Ja ja! Oh goodness . . . Don't worry, I made sure it was a firm handshake. The next lesson, I brought pictures of Carly. :) Ja ja! But now she is so interested in the church and wants to go and is reading a ton in the Book of Mormon! She's a capa. I was really worried at first with her, but now she is awesome. She even asked about the Law of Chastity and wants to live it.

Well, we also found Guillermo this week. His name means William in English, but he is a difficult investigator because he has a lot of physical problems. First and most apparent, he has one leg. He lost that from an infection in a cut in his foot when it flooded here once. They cut bit by bit off until it was a mid-thigh amputation. Then, he has blood problems with this device thing build into his arm that follows under his arm pit. So, he can't use crutches. We had no idea how to baptize, or even get this guy to church! But, he is reading and trying to learn more about the church. But then we found out that there is one member with a car in our ward! Hno. Luna! Yeah! So, we're going to try to get him to bring him to church. Guillermo is such a sad story though. He told us how he loved to dance with his wife and how sad it is that he can't even stand and hug her normally now. We invited her to join our lessons, but she denied. But I think she will join because she almost cried after the last lesson we had that we are willing to come visit him and be his friend when he has nothing in his life. I would love to see them both going to the temple someday!

Another awesome lesson we had this week was with Mari and Juan! They are this really nice couple and we taught them about the Restoration and they accepted baptismal fechas. The hard part is that Mari doesn't know how to read. So, Juan will have to read for her to be able to know the book a little more. I need to ask for some cd's or something so she can listen to the Book of Mormon. But, they are a pretty awesome couple and are so nice! Mari's sister died and her mother recently. Now her niece lives with her and we are going to teach her too. But she doesn't know how to read either! Ugh. We just need someone with no problems . . . Ja ja! But they are thinking and discussing the lessons later, which is great that they are thinking about it!

Oh and Mirta will finally be baptized on the seventh! She's totally prepared and is willing to get in the water now! So, we will have a wet week! :)

Unfortunately, Luis, our awesome Bolivian cannot follow with our lessons. He knows the Book of Mormon is true and wants to learn more, but he is getting moved to another providence to work for at least six months! I told him to look for the missionaries there and also to call our number when he gets back in town here. I hope he finds his way to baptism someday.

Oh and remember Selva and Juan? Yeah, we went by again. Selva might actually go to church now. We'll see. . . Fingers crossed and praying like crazy for that one!

Ok, so I have to tell you my funny story this week! Elder Porter is amazing. I love training new elders! Ja ja! So, I never really had any moments when my Spanish was really bad as a new missionary. But Elder Porter sure does! Ja ja! So, we were having lunch with the Familia Rodriguez. They asked him if he wanted more to eat and then he said, "Aqui (pointing to his stomach and then rubbing it) . . . Yo  tengo . . . uh. . . la . . .plentitud. :)" Ja ja! Oh I was crying because of how funny that was! He said, "Here . . .I have . . . the fullness (as in fullness of the gospel)" It was so dang funny! The Rodriguez's were laughing so hard too! Hno Rodriguez sent me  text saying, "Do you have the fullness?" later on and I died! Ja ja! Oh I love my comp. . .

Other funny story, since it's getting pretty darn hot here, we decided to go to Walmart yesterday and buy some bed sheets. . . Yeah, joking around turns into reality. Elder Porter's bed sheets are white and pink with flowers and mine are zebra stripes. Now we have a pink bedroom, with girly beds. Don't worry, pictures of our super cool bedroom are coming soon! Now everyone wants to do intercambios/exchanges with us! Ja ja!

Well, I have officially run out of ideas of what to write. :) I am so glad the new year is here! It's weird to think that this whole year will be spent in another country. Weird huh?! And then the next new years will be on the last lap of this race! Crazy. Oh speaking of mission time, President responded to my plea to have an extension. Basically, he told me that I just have to find one more elder in my group that came here to want to stay too, and I could have up to thirty days!!! :) WOO!!! I'm going to pull a Trevor. :) From Elder Cowan to Élder Cowán! :)

Ok, I'll write you all next week! Love you as always, thanks for all your emails, and I can't believe how great of a family I have and all my amazing friends. Hasta luego! Chow.

Elder Blake W. Cowan