6 Months

Dear Family,

I never know how to begin a letter. :) I'm glad you received my letter last week. The computers at the library have a time limit, and once the time runs out, the computer logs off and any work that is on the computer is lost. Last week I finished my email with 50 seconds left before the computer was going to log off. I hit the send button, and I watched the little bar at the bottom of the screen, and by the time the 50 seconds were up, only two of the squares were filled in. The combination of these stone age computers with myldsmail.net makes for an adventure every week while trying to email. :) Last Monday (17th) Elder Merrell and Elder Johnson (the zone leaders) came down to Anderson to blitz our area. I am so thankful for the zone leaders. They sacrifice so much to help the zone progress, not just the investigators in their own area. With our three baptisms last week, Elder Taylor and I were in need of some help finding some new investigators who will progress. Anyways, I'm just rambling, but the zone leaders came down Monday night then worked with us Tuesday. Since I worked with Elder Merrell last time, I went with Elder Johnson. We had a very good day. We picked up a lead named Darrel as an investigator and taught a very good lesson. At the end, Darrel knelt down and asked Heavenly Father if Joseph Smith was a prophet. Darrel really wants to get involved. Timing is such an important part of missionary work. Darrel told us that when we met him on the street a month ago (when we picked him up as a lead) he had no interest in hearing our message, but he decided to give us his house address anyways. When Elder Johnson and I went by, he told us that the night before he was talking to his sister and during the conversation he decided that he needed to start coming back to church. We are not in charge. Every day there is a miracle. I just love it!

Tuesday night we went on an exchange with Brother Lively, and we went and taught Kent and Holly. They are loving the gospel. Their lives are far from perfect, and they still have some major hills to overcome in the near future, but they have the faith and recognize that they can get through everything with the Lord. After teaching Kent and Holly, we went on a wild goose hunt trying to deliver a media. :) We finally found the house and the lady was nowhere interested. Wednesday we taught Carey Burriss who is a blind man and on a previous visit we delivered the first binder of Book of Mormon in Braille. When we went over on Wednesday he had read through 1 Nephi 6. He was really enjoying the story but he has not asked God if it is more scripture. :S we will have to see what happens in the future. Anyways, when we left his house we noticed that there was a car in front of Alisa's house (former investigator who wanted us to come over every day, loved everything we taught and wanted her son to be baptized with her) anyways she had just disappeared. We had lost all communication with her, and when we walked over to the house, she popped out of the car. She had gone to Columbia two months ago, but while she was down there, her car died, and she was stuck in Columbia, and then her phone ran out of minutes, anyways long story but she had just got back in this Tuesday. Alisa still has a desire to be baptized so we are going to continue where we left off. Thursday was a blur...Friday was Zone Conference. The assistants talked on improving our prayers and becoming more humble. The training lasted a little longer than planned, so when President stood up to train us the first thing he said was, "I am going to teach you everything I know about the Atonement in the next 15 minutes." We FLEW through so much information, but it was really good. Everyday I realize more and more how stunning and amazing the Atonement really is. The gospel is true. I am so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ.

I love each of you and I am so thankful for the truths that I know and have an opportunity to share with others. Transfers are coming up this next week. I'm a little scared. I love Anderson. I have come to love the members and we continue to find so many people who are ready for the gospel. Whatever happens "the Lord is in it" (Hyrum tells Joseph that in the movie Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration). I am so thankful that the Lord has once again, in love, reached out to mankind and has given us the opportunity to hold the Priesthood and receive revelation for those under our stewardship. My time is out so I must go!

Love,
Elder Cowan