Dear Family,
Well, first off, Mom, Mary Christianson didn't graduate with me. She graduated a year before me. Second, no it's almost impossible to buy a memory card here. I tried to look. Third, I'm sending home a billion pictures for you! Put them up on the blog or FB please! :)
So, this was a stressful week. I was stressing about transfers so much!!! I'm finally glad it's over. Now the question is if I should tell you what is going to happen . . . Oh alright, I'll spill the news since Dad was really wanting to know. Elder Porter is staying in our area, Thomàs Flores. And I am staying too! Here goes transfer number five in my first area!!! Holy cow it's a long time. . . I'll be here for TWO general conferences!!! . . . Just to give you an idea of how long I'll be here. Crazy, yeah, I know.
With me staying here, I have been thinking about the why. Why am I supposed to stay here in this area? Well, I've come up with a few conclusions. First, there are unfinished projects here that I need to do. Second, there are children of God that I need to find here and introduce them to the light and knowledge of our Savior and the message of the Restoration. Third, God is giving me the chance I prayed for to prove myself as yet a better, more worthy missionary. I want to live up to my complete potential always! Fourth, Elder Porter still needs lots of help with obedience, the language, and having desires to be here in Argentina. And fifth, but not the least, the people that I am meant to find in another area still aren't quite prepared for the awesomeness of THE Elder Blake William Cowan and his darn handsome, good looks and charming smile and let's not even start about them blue eyes . . . Alright, maybe there are only four reasons. But I sure like the last one! That one is staying. :) JK!
Anyway, there has been a lot of things happening this past week. First off, to tell you a bit with what's happened to Virginia, she's been having a tough time. She doesn't like it in the capital and she is depressed. Also, she's angry at God because she spent the night in prison. . . Well, what do you expect when you gather up a mob with weapons to go kick the people out of your house!? I swear, sometimes people don't think. Even the people I love so dearly. Anyway, she's alright. She just needs to have patience.
Some other things happening here in the good ol´ ward is that since I have gotten here, sacrament attendance has increased from 42 (average per week) to 72 this past week! Reactivation baby and baptizing! Woo! Let's just say that the bishop was pretty darn happy. He's demanding his M&M's and Reeses now though, mother. Ha ha! He's an awesome guy! He's turning 28 I think this month.
Also, we continue to find more people! We took out two more baptism commitments this week. One with a guy named, Máquina (Machine, I think it's a nickname) and the other with Martín. Máquina is quite the pathetic man. He's drunk just about all week long and he's miserable with his life. Good thing he has desires to stop everything he's doing and change his life! Anyway, he didn't go to church because he was drunk again when we passed by for him. He cried to me as I gave this grown man a hug and told him everything would be alright. Elder Porter just laughed at the sight.
Alright, here's the best story of the week--when I almost died. I'm completely honest when I tell this story too! So, we had a service project at the house of Hna. Gloria Zamora's house. We had to fix a roof! So I climbed up, being the lightest person, with Hno. Julio Gimenez. We were preparing the rook to put a membrane thing on so that the water couldn't fall through the cracks. So, as we were cleaning, we had to step on the rafters because this plastic/tin roof was about 30 years old. I barely missed the rafter as I was scrubbing the roof and CRACK!!! Down goes Elder Cowan! I fell through a roof!!!!!! Luckily, I was somehow watched out for and my foot landed on another rafter below and instinctively, I jumped off of it and onto the main roof again. It freaked me out pretty darn good. Anyway, I ended up staying on that roof for a total of 6 hours! Let's just say I got some pretty darn burned legs. Remember that time Trevor's legs got burnt on that river rafting trip or something like that? Yeah, I look like that! My nose is ok though.
I think that's about all. Oh yeah, we also played soccer with a few chorros (gangsters) the other day. It was pretty fun! Elder Porter doesn't play too well and hates soccer or any working out right now, but I almost scored! They surprisingly want to hear our message too! So next week, we are playing with them again and teaching them afterward.
Well, I am really thankful for all of my many, many blessings! I see the hand of the Lord in my life just like Nefi from the BoM. I am ever so glad to be a missionary and to share the eternal message of God's plan for us and his infinite love. I feel my Savior's love and the love of our Heavenly Father. I know that families are eternal and that we will all be together forever if we just do a few things that the Lord asks. I gave my life, my heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord to make me an instrument in His hands. I see that happening each and every day as I continue to change. I wish everyone could see and feel like I do. The gospel isn't just a lesson or guideline, it's a lifestyle and it's happier than any other. I know that the priesthood of God works and blesses us.
I love you, my family and friends, and I am grateful for your support and love.
Till next week,
Elder Blake W. Cowan
Becca and I love the letter and the pictures so much!! Keep them coming, please! :)
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