Tornado!

Dear Family!

Felices pascuas!! Anyway, this week is definitely out of the norm. . . I'll start off by talking about that I think. Well, we got hit by a tornado. Yes, a tornado attacked our area and a lot of our mission. It's so bad that they are wanting all the elders in dangerous areas, like us, to stay in penches out of the area with a ton of elders. We somehow got lucky and sweet talked the assistants into letting us stay in our area so we can work. Anyway, the storm/tornado tore out a ton of trees! Every street is covered in leaves, branches and debris from fallen houses. It honestly looks like a war zone because of the damage. Huge factories are all broken and the metal sheets they use for roofing (I can't remember what they are called in English) are twisted and bent around everything! We've heard of a couple people who died in the storm and a lot who were hurt. We have a huge list of service to do though now. We went without water or power for a day and now we are still waiting for power to come back. The storm hit us Wednesday night and we were told that we would be without lights for 15 days! It's ridiculous here! We have a ton of new rules too. We have to be back to the pench at six thirty, we have to avoid fallen power lines (that means our whole area), and we can't teach someone after dark or if it is sunset. The robberies are getting so bad here that the army is now patrolling the area with their big guns and everything. Now the people are upset without power so they are protesting and blocking off all the major roads so the buses can't pass. They burn all the branches in the middle of the streets and cause even more chaos. At night we can here gun shots in the distance. Overall, we're having a great jolly time using candles to study at night and cook.

So, the update with my foot is just that I have gotten an x-ray. The doctor is waiting for it to get to his email and then tomorrow will tell me if he sees anything suspicious. From what I have told him, he said that I will most likely need to come in and see him and to probably expect a surgical operation of some sort to remove cartilage that has been forming. We'll see and keep our fingers crossed. But I honestly don't know what else they could do to help my foot get better.

With the work, Daniel is baptized!!! Yeah! He got baptized yesterday after church and we will have to do the confirmation next week. Also, we have found two new investigators getting baptized next Sunday!! They are Laura, a daughter of a less active member who left the church twenty-five years ago and she is 13. She came to church the past two weeks with a family in our ward because their daughter is in her class at school. The Maigua family is helping a lot! And we reactivated them just a few months ago! And then the other new investigator is Carlitos. He also is a child of a less active family that we just got to come to church yesterday. Carlitos will be baptized next week after church with Laura and then confirmed another week or even at stake conference on the 22nd. Then on the 23rd I think I'll leave this area. I think that'd be a pretty good way to leave the area!!

So, our members had a little get together last night for the Easter season and invited us over toward the end. We came by because we only had thirty minutes of the day left. Upon arriving, they were talking about me and how much they are going to miss me in two weeks when everyone thinks that I'm leaving. We still don't know. But they are planning some huge party to throw rice, feathers, ketchup, and all kinds of things on me at a ward party. They said that I am considered a ward member and a son. They said that no other elder has brought so much joy and fun to this ward like I have. And then they started to joke about me living in the ward forever and two of the hermanos offered their daughters to marry me. Ha ha! Well, I'll just say that it was nice to be appreciated, but I think I tend to not accept compliments very well because I felt super awkward! But I am kind of sad when I think about leaving this area. This is where I grew up in my mission, where I learned the language and where I have walked all the streets and memorized every part of the area. I honestly think I can walk this area blind folded and know exactly where I'm at. ha ha! It's been quite an adventure here. I wouldn't mind one more transfer if I get the chance! I just love this ward sooo much! I could see myself living here, even if it is kind of a dirt hole. Mom, my homecoming better be REALLY good, or I might just have to come straight back to Argentina in the Thomàs Flores ward. 

Well, I am kind of running out of things to say. . . I think I am forgetting the weeks more easily because I stopped writing in my journal about 4 weeks ago . . . ooops and the truth comes out. Carly will kill me. ha ha! Don't worry, I will go write in it soon. Maybe next transfer I'll start again. ha ha! Alright, tonight it is.

I love you all!

Elder Blake W. Cowan