Well, here's the news. I'm now is Guernica in the Longchamps zone! My new companion is Elder Carlson, kind of a goober. But he's got a lot of desire to work hard! His trainer, Elder Lem, prepared the area amazing! We should be baptizing 15 soon! I'm ok with that. But, I'm going to backtrack a bit and talk about last week before I talk about today more.
So, power finally came back to the pench on Monday, went out again on Tuesday during the day, and we had it until I left! Yay for technology! Anyway, it was really nice to get working again and helping with the members and investigators. So, all week I was pretty sure that I was leaving, and the fact that President called me on Tuesday to ask me some things, helped confirm that. He wanted to know if it would be better for my foot in a walking area or a biking area. And now I'm in a biking area. ha ha! Anyway, he also said he was going to put me in the office until I complained too much about it and he didn't want to kill me ha ha! I love that man.
So, we had lot's of dinners with members and investigators this past week. And I think I took over 100 pictures, no lie. SO, don't worry mom, I like taking pictures. Oh, I still don't have the package you sent. I finally just went and bought a memory card, 2G, in some little store we found. But I have been on a role taking pictures. So one of the dinners we had was right after a service project, so I got to be in normal cloths for a bit, which was odd. We cut the grass with machete and then fixed a window curtain thing. The most interesting part about that was the fact that the kid of the family, Kevin, was being really disobedient and throwing things when he shouldn't have. He wouldn't listen to me either and then he threw this giant plastic piece of the curtain and hit me in the forehead while I was cutting grass! I started to bleed everywhere and it left a pretty good mark. I was kind of upset with the kid and threw him up the stairs like seven steps so he could go back in his house. He learned his lesson though. ha ha! But now everyone calls me Harry Potter. I'm ok with that!
So, another dinner was with our dueño. Hector and Marta. They were really sad knowing that I was probably leaving soon. But, it's ok, we talked a lot about the church and they retold me their life stories, again . . . anyway, they're a sweet old couple and I'm sure that you'll meet them someday. They want us to spend the night there with them when you come to pick me up. Which I hope you really are planning on that because I've been telling people and the bishop already put it on his calendar.
Another dinner we had was with Alejandro and his family. I wish he could have been baptized. He is awesome! His family is super cool too! We had fun telling jokes and just laughing!
So, some of the mission work that went on this past week is that we were able to contact ten references from members and set up citas para the next elder, Elder White. We were also able to contact and start teaching the family of Leo's sister. Leo, my first baptism, is still awesome in the church, I'm so glad! He's changed a ton and is working hard on getting his whole family converted and now extended family. He's a stud, I'm going to miss him.
So, I'd have to say one of the highlights of my week was a phone call from the bishop last Monday night. He called about something, I don't remember, then asked how Elder Porter was. I said good and asked him if he wanted to talk to him too, he said yes and I passed the phone to Porter. Now, Porter, being a goof, says in English, "What's up man!?" Then to our surprise, the bishop responds in English, "I'm going to kick your a...!!!" We died laughing at that!!! Then Bishop said to me in English, "I said him a cuss word." It was so funny cause it was so unexpected. It seems to me that his companions in the mission taught English very effectively. . . ha ha!
Alright, yesterday was a really tough day for me. Maybe just as hard as leaving home for the mission. We started the day with stake conference and had many amazing talks about protecting the youth and the mission work. President Stapley even came and spoke. He did great and inspired the stake of Avellaneda to bring friends and families to church for the missionaries to teach. It was amazing! Then the other talks on chastity and going on missions were great. I enjoyed it a lot! On the bus ride back with all the members, they decided to throw me a party at night after a quorum activity. First off, we went to the quorom activity and had amazing success! We visited thirty people in the space of two hours! Unfortunately, two of the hermanos got robbed and only a block away from the pench too! After all that, all the hermanos of the ward gathered in the house across the street of the pench and we started a little party so I could say bye to the ward. They made me cry, though. They went one-by-one and told me the reasons they were grateful for me and what they expect me to do in my mission and life. I held back the tears until Elder Porter got up and said, "Hug me daddy!" in Spanish of course, but I will miss him a lot! We really laughed quite a bit together. I have truly enjoyed our time together. Then the hermanos kept telling me how much they love me and haven't even had a missionary like me in their ward before that has helped them and just been a joy. I think I fulfilled my goal. This ward is seriously my family here. I will miss them soo much! I wish I could bring them with me. After all that, the members all wrote me letters to thank me for what I did and gave them to me. And then people ate and I got attacked by my three snakes, ha ha! The bishop and my comp just laughed as they were coming for me. One took one of my socks, another my pencil, I gave one of them one of my watches, and I gave my tie to one of their dad's. They were stripping me down! ha ha! But, it was fine, I finally got them calmed down. But I honestly am going to miss each of these members so much. I have had serious thoughts about living in this ward here. They're seriously amazing people! Anyway, they're all excited to meet you, Mom, Dad, and Kevy. They are going to throw a big party for us in a year and three months.
So today I finished packing all my things and took off for the transfer meeting in Banfield. There, I got to see several elders from the MTC and past elders I have met. I am blown away at how fast this mission is going. It's ridiculously fast! Anyway, I'm now with Elder Carlson who likes starcraft, is studying to me an atomic engineer or something like that, he is very odd. . ., he just finished his training with Elder Lum who is amazing. Elder Carlson has a great desire to just start working and get everything ready for our set 15 baptisms supposedly. I'm excited to meet the ward and the investigators. My area is called after the city. It's out in a more country area. Guernica, Argentina, look it up! ha ha! My pench is smaller than my last one and we share it with another companionship. It's unbelievably filthy too! I will be cleaning a lot it seems like.
Well, it seems like it's time to go. I am so grateful for the
opportunity I had to serve in Thomas Flores. I will miss the people a
lot. I hope I will have a lot of opportunities to go back and visit.
Next week I'll try to send some pictures for you all! It looks like I
can carry my camera everywhere in this area without a problem. But I am
excited to help a ward get excited about missionary work! Let's see what
happens this week. I'm sure there are miracles just waiting for us! I
love you all! Thanks for all your support and love! Miss you! but not
too much!
Love,
Elder Cowan
No comments:
Post a Comment