Dear Family,
Well, I've got a lot of mixed moments
on this past week. It was kind of bitter sweet. So, to answer Kevin's
question, birthdays in the mission are just like any other day. Even so,
that I forgot my own birthday. Yup. We were in a lesson with this man
and I invited him to be baptized and although he denied, I checked my
watch for the date and was blown away that it was the 28th of June! I
couldn't believe it! But that was about eleven in the morning. ha ha!
The only thing I did for my birthday was go to a members house where
they gave me a cake and we talked for a bit with them and my comp went
with the kids and watched The Simpsons Movie. . . For my birthday, he
did let me work for the majority of the day. Thankfully, but we ended up
walking around trying to find where Pablo, the contact we did last
week, lives. Unfortunately, his "house" doesn't exist. I was looking
forward to that all week and we couldn't find him! It's alright though.
That day I had an eternal satisfaction for having worked hard and doing
my best.
Yesterday
in church I was really disappointed at first, but it turned into one of
my favorite moments of my mission! SO at the beginning, we were only
seven people. . . Nobody showed up. SO we coordinated a trip to go to
the temple open house in August. After the first hour, I decided to go
outside and just call as many people as I could so they could come to
the last hour, sacrament meeting. After call after call, finally a few
families answered me. Two said they would come. SO when the first came,
it was Paola, the awesome member we have that gave me the cake on my
birthday. She is really disheartened with the church because no one comes
and she wasn't going to come yesterday or the next week, but for my
phone call, she realized that she is needed and she has to be strong for
her kids and all her descendants to stay strong in the faith. Then, the
other family is the family of Maria Elisa. We've been visiting her a
lot lately, trying to help her come back to church, but she hadn't come.
But during our phone call, she said, "You know what? We're going to go
today. Yup, we're going. We'll see you in half an hour, Elder" and she
showed up!
In
sacrament meeting, I was really worried about 45 minutes of testimony
time with so little members. . . So after a few testimonies from the
branch pres, and my companion, etc, I went up and just couldn't help it.
I shared my experience in the MTC of how I related the Atonement with
my relationship with Kevin and how I could never give him willingly to
be the sacrifice for every person that has lived and ever will live. I
am too selfish and I know that I need him too much that I couldn't do
that for strangers, but our Heavenly Father did. He did that for us
because he loves us so much. I shared that experience and then how much
it hurts me to see so many empty chairs in our chapel. Then the tears
came. I couldn't hold them in. I told them of how so many are called but
few are chosen. I told them that they were those chosen people. They
are the elect and most strong because they can come to an empty church
and stand alone and face the world even though the world laughs at them
in the face. I urged them to stay strong and not to forget what brought
them to the truth.
After my testimony, Hna. Paola got up and bore one
of the most powerful testimonies I've ever been able to witness. She was
only baptized a little over a year ago and she has
grown unbelievable in the church. But one moment in her talk she looked
at Maria Elisa and told her how much she needs her to stay with her and
not to leave her alone. It made the perfect connection. After that,
Maria Elisa got up and shared how bad and sad she feels to have left
someone alone and how she wants to help be part of the strong generation
and to help build up this branch again. Everyone was so strengthened
that day. I was very glad I called those two women and that they will be
able to progress together.
So that was the success of this week. I'm so
grateful for that! It made all the trails worth it in the end. Por cosas
pequeñas el Señor se realizarà cosas grandes y maravillosas. I have a
testimony of that! He is watching over this work. He watches over us and
wants to bless each of us. He is only waiting for each of us to keep
His holy commandments so that he can bless us with what he has in
store.
Ok I'm going to put something in practice this week.
I've decided to do a type of study. My motivation just came from my
friend, Aubree. She just sent me a quote by Lewis Mumford, "A
certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise
against, not with, the wind." I'm going to smile more this week. I'm
going to keep my positive attitude and just rely totally on the Lord and
the tools that He has prepared for me. Let's see how the weeks results
will change. This past week we were 13 in sacrament meeting and we were
able to teach about twelve lessons. I'm going to see what happens with
just fake it till you make it! Here goes nothing! The Blake motto lives
on - Just smile!
Ok,
well, I seriously am expecting a wedding invite in the mail, REALLY
soon. ha ha! Trevor, keep working! I want to have a sister when I get
back! Kevin, you're right, I did have a girlfriend when I was 17. So,
hurry up! and Justin, the best advice sometimes is nothing. Do your best
to be an example to others! You're an amazing example to me. Thank you!
Mom, Dad, keep up the good work. ha ha!
I
love you all and thanks for all your prayers and encouragement! Thanks
Uncle Mark for your comment last week. I'm trying really hard to adapt
my eyes to see people the way the Savior sees them. For example, I love
my companion! He's really fun and I enjoy being with him. He just
frustrates me how he doesn't work.
Have a great week!
Elder Blake W. Cowan
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