His family and friends call him the “Famous Mormon.”
Peter Cowan served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became “famous” to many after his inspiring story was featured in a talk by his former mission president, Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, to a worldwide audience of over two million people in the Church’s October 2016 general conference.
Elder Yamashita shared Peter’s experience of overcoming the challenge of serving a mission in Japan with a prosthetic leg.
But the 21-year-old is brushing off all the attention. “I feel kind of goofy about it,” he said.
“I try and shy away from any recognition… I never thought it was a big deal, I was just doing my part.”
“Some people were sweet, they said they were so touched. It means a lot to me.”
Elder Yamashita said, “I am proud not only of Elder Cowan but also of all the missionaries throughout the world who serve willingly without murmuring or complaining.”
But Peter almost didn’t serve a mission after his bike accident resulted in him losing a leg.
While training for the IronMaori triathlon six years ago, Peter’s bike collided with an oncoming car.
“I thought I might actually die,” he said.
“Afterwards, I was told I wouldn’t be able to play sports or walk so I thought my mission dream was over. I hadn’t heard about any other amputee on a mission.
“I was trying to be ‘Mister Optimistic’ but it cut me pretty deep. I couldn’t participate or do anything.”
Cowan said the accident only boosted his desire to serve.
“I found myself praying more, to accept it and try and find peace. Never before did I have to rely more on the Lord. “
He certainly wasn’t expecting to serve in Japan, a mission where riding a bike was a requirement.
“My mission president asked me if I was okay to ride a bike and I just said, ‘should be okay’.”
But after six months and several broken prosthetic legs, he was re-assigned to the Australia Sydney South Mission where a car was available to use.
“After hanging up the phone with my mission president and hearing the news, I just wanted to crawl up in a little ball and cry.
“My heart just dropped. I wanted to stay. But as I made my way to the mission office I felt peace and contentment. I was reassured it was going to be okay.”
Proud mum, Geraldine, says she was “surprised” when she heard Peter’s name mentioned in General Conference. “We didn’t know about it before hand,” she said.
“I was (watching conference) with Peter’s younger brother and sister at my sister’s home in Australia. There was not one dry eye in the room.”
Geraldine knows all about Church missions. While Peter was in the Sydney South Mission, his twin brother Chesser was serving a mission in the Philippines and younger brother Benjamin was serving in the Sydney North Mission.
“It left a bit of loneliness as each one left,” Geraldine said.
“Every day I would wake up and know that I had three sons on a mission. And you couldn't ask for anything greater than that. “
Peter returned from his mission to his hometown of Hastings last August.
In January he finished the Waka Ama national sprints and placed second.
The aspiring teacher tutors the Kapa haka group at his former high school, Hastings Boys High School, and plans to go to university this year.
But the sports enthusiast still has one more goal on his bucket list.
“I want to give Paralympics a go,” he said.
“I got a chance to try on a running blade last November and it was cool.
“I want to give people a little bit of hope. People think hope is lost for this kind of life but it’s not. I want to inspire people along the way.”
Cowan says his motivation is simple. He puts his trial in perspective saying:
“I look back on the Saviour’s suffering and what He went through for us. That was my motivation for getting through it all. Once I thought about it, I realized, ‘This is nothing; the Saviour had it worse.’”