We had a better week with finding people this week. But, I have to tell you all about the crazy stories that I heard or experienced this week. It's been a fly-by week. There's been lot's of accion and running around.
So, I'll start with our investigator Daniel. He's been starting to progress a bit more. Anyway, we were discussing his experience with religion in his life. He has investigated many churches. But the most interesting experience he had was when he went to a bandista church or something like that. So, he said that they made them use big yellow cloaks kind of like the KKK but yellow. They also had to wear these masks. But they only used those in secret meeting. Anyway, he knew the church was wrong from the start, but intrigued at how odd they practiced, so he kept going for two
months. After that much time of
assisting the church, the leaders or priests took him and a few others
like him on a trip into the mountains. There, they began to strip
themselves and do animal sacrifices of chickens and rabbits. They would
smear the blood on their bodies and hair. They invited Daniel to do
likewise. He reprehended them in the name of Christ and on the Holy Bible.
He said that those animals hadn't ever done anything to him and he
wouldn't participate more. Then, the leader said that if he wasn't
willing to make the animal sacrifice, then he would have to pay the
ultimate sacrifice. . . large brutish men grabbed him and a few others
and took them back to the large house and into the basement. There, they
were thrown into a concrete-type prison were a few others already were.
Sitting in the dark, he could hear women and children screaming. Having
recently finished a year of basic training in the army and being young,
19 yrs-old, he found another young man just like him with military
experience also. They collected the belts of the people who had cloths
on and crafted a ball and chain weapon with metal spikes from the bed
frame that was in the room with them. They knocked on the door till the
big 
Next, with Virginia we had some crazy experiences too. On Saturday,
Virginia texted me and said that she was in her house and that she
wanted us to come over. We left as soon as we could and then found her
in the house of one of the neighbors near her old house. Then we went and
talked to the people in Virginia's house. They were unbelievably rude
and wouldn't leave it. They said that if they leave, Virginia has to pay
for her own house! So, then Virginia called her brother to come over with
a few buddies and 
with guns to force them out of the house. The people
got scared and said they would be out in a week or have the money to
honestly buy it. But, the ladies lied. They went and told the crazy
neighbor that wants to kill Virginia and told her where she's been living
for the past two to three months. So, last night, as we brought Virginia
and the kids back from a ward family night, Mari greeted us frantic and
scarred and made us all go back into the back house. There, she
explained to us that Ale, the crazy lady, had been walking around in
front of the house looking for Virginia with three grown men just 
an
hour before we got back. She was completely drugged and drunk clapping
her hands and screaming like a mad lady. So, now Virginia is stuck in a
house with her kids and can't leave, but she also can't stay there and
put Mari's kids in danger either. So, we're in another pickle. Elder
Porter and I are going to fast and pray that the Lord can bring to pass
a miracle so that these problems will finally stop in her life. She
honestly has had the hardest life of anyone I know since her her birth.
I don't know how she keeps going forward.
Well, some non scary, good news this week is that Ramona went to church and we should be baptizing her this coming Saturday. Also, Virginia and her three youngest kids went to the ward family night that was amazing! Everyone went! It was great and Virginia got to meet lots of the members. Hna. Luna and Hna. Campero really stepped it up and want to be her friend. I was really glad! But meanwhile, I battled with the many kids in the ward who love us and then Sheila came and talked to me for a while. She's becoming snakish . . . she was telling me how I'll be such a good father based on how I am with all the kids and she was telling me how she's sad if I'm leaving. The bishop is sad too! He asked the stake president to talk to the mission president to help me get one more transfer here. I love the bishop! He's awesome! Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Can you send a package of just M&M's and Reese's for him? He hasn't had those since his mission about seven years ago! All the members are planning parties and presents for me before I go. I really want to make a big difference in each ward or branch I go to. I don't want to be forgotten. I want to help each of them grow more united and have more desires to share the gospel with their family and friends.
Also, we found three new investigators this week. One of them doesn't understand Castillano very well so I need to learn Guarani ASAP! We found these people through our investigator Jony. He's really a great guy! I want to build a closer friendship with him and get him baptized with his family!
Thank you for all your prayers and support. I really feel the Spirit guiding me because of that. I'm so glad to be a missionary here and changing people's lives. Pray for Virginia's and Mari's families. They need a lot of help from our Heavenly Father right now. We need a miracle to happen! Anyway, I better get off. I just went over my time. I love you all! Can't believe that seven months ago I started my mission. It's so dang fast. . .
Love,
Elder Blake W. Cowan
P.S. I was going to send some pictures today, but the computer won't let me for some reason. Hopefully next week! Chow!!!
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