Elect Find Us

Dear Family,

Life is an adventure. Monday (11th) we went to Woodruff to see the families we have been working with. Unfortunately our dinner appointment lasted longer than expected, and we were only able to see the Stewarts. I am not a fan of member meals. Most of the time they are in a different area than we are working, so they take away our miles, and it takes up our time. I know there are some benefits, but more and more, I am beginning to feel that they are a burden. Oh well! I am working on a new dinner schedule, instead of a calendar being passed around Relief Society (and consequently, only the active members feed us). I hope and pray the ward will call a ward missionary, whose responsibility will be to individually call less-active, and part members, and invite them to feed the full time missionaries. Then we will be entering the homes of families who need an extra boost, and it also presents a teaching opportunity for the missionaries. Anyways, enough about food--on to more important things.

After working Monday night, I received a phone call from Elder Bowles (the new assistant to the president) and he asked me to give a training at zone conference the following day. So I was trying to prepare for that, and on Monday nights, we also have a conference call with the District Leaders of our zone. It was crazy trying to do both things at once. :)

Zone Conference was really good. President McConkie presented a mission wide plan of action for the 2010 year. I am excited to see all of the things that will occur. We will be focusing on one chapter of PMG every month. It will be great to learn more from PMG. Tuesday night Elder Douglas and I met James, we sat down, and Elder Douglas was so excited that he had memorized the fist vision so he sat down and began to share it. :) Normally we wait until the end to share it, but you know me, I go with the flow. We had a great lesson with him, we unfortunately have not been able to see him again because he has been sick.

Later that evening, we were walking along a dark street, and we were jumped by five guys, they slapped Elder Douglas....ok not really, none of that happened, but I'm just checking to see if you're paying attention. Anyways we were walking down the street, and a lady stopped and asked if we needed help, we told we were fine, and then I began to contact her. She recognized who we were, because she had been taught by missionaries before. I love it when the elect find us, instead of us trying to find the elect. We are going to be seeing Renee later this week.

Wednesday we went to Cowpens, not much to report. Thursday Morning, Elder Redston was really sick, every 15-20 minutes he would have to use the bathroom. Elder Redston stayed in and I went out with his companion, Elder Hightower, during the day to visit his appointments, and then in the evening, I picked up Elder Douglas for our appointments. While I was with Elder Hightower, we came across some apartments, and I asked him which apartment building we should go to. Elder Hightower felt we should go to building 126. As we were walking up, I had my doubts, because there were no cars in front but we knocked on the door and we met Sheree and Antionette. We taught them a powerful first lesson, and right when I was going to commit them to be baptized, Sheree's mother came inside. I was worried what her mother would feel about us being there, but I invited them anyways. To my shock Sheree's mother made the comment, "Girl, you need to be baptized." The mother was actually a support not a hindrance. Before we left I asked if they knew of anyone else who needed to hear our message, and Antionette asked us to go visit her mother, who lives in the same apartment complex. We went and visited her, and she invited us in. She was so excited to see us. She said we had been an answer to her prayers. Sonya, Sheree and Antionette are all preparing for baptism on the 13th of February! :D
I don't mean to be a sour sport, but The Fortner family that Elder Douglas and I found in Woodruff, dropped us. Well, actually, the father dropped us. The family is still great and really cool, but the husband/father is lame and told us to never visit his family again. I feel sorry for him, because he will be accountable for damning his family's progress in the Gospel.

One last good story. Last night Elder Douglas and I were in one part of town and we thought Elder Redston and Elder Hightower would be able to pick us up at the end of the evening, but their investigator called and asked them to come and see them, so we were 5 miles away from our house, and we were supposed to be home in 30 minutes. We were walking really fast and as we were walking on the major road, a smaller street connects, and right were the street connects, I almost ran into man. I started talking to him, and before I could explain where we were from, he said "your Mormon" and we told him we were, and he told us he attended the church with his girlfriend and they both enjoyed it, but then things went down and he had to go to prison. Well he's out now, and he wants to start attending the church again. Once again Heavenly Father brought His children into our path. It's great. I love you all. Hope everything is going well.

Elder Cowan