The one thing we can give: Our will.

(written 5/19/2014)

Dear beautiful family,

Hola!! Thank you for all of your emails. I love reading them so much. You all are incredible and doing so many wonderful things in your life. Keep it up! :)

Today we climbed the mountain to an awesome waterfall and pool of water. I wanted to swim very badly. :) It was an intense hike. I will send some pictures. It is so beautiful here. It really is the jungle. After we all went to Pizza Hut. Other than being short on time, today has been a lot of fun.

The weeks are flying by for me. It's very interesting how the days and weeks are here and then they are history. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in Sonaguera with my first companion Elder Suazo. I am trying hard to make the most out of my time here.

I'm not sure what is happening but many of our investigators are not coming to Church or still haven't come for the first time. It's been really frustrating. Another thing that has been rough is when we plan the hour we are going to visit someone and then they aren't there when we arrive. Sadly Maryvelle, Norma, Gloria, and Stephany are not going to be baptized this Saturday as we had planned. Dian and Kevin will be. The problem was only Maryvelle went to Church and we haven't been able to find them in their house even though we call and visit them everyday. Stephany doesnt want to listen anymore because "we ask so many questions". We were only really insistent with them because we were trying to get them all prepared for this Saturday. She is also going to her other Church so that may be the more real reason. The others we just need to teach a few more things and they need to go to church! Other than this things are going great here! :) I still have a lot of hope for these people and know that the true gospel of Jesus Christ will change their lives.

 Tuesday we are doing a ward activity and selling baleadas to raise money so that Renae and Marixa can get their papers so they can get married. They have been going to Church for almost a year now! It has been quite the process for us, the past missionaries, and the members. Hopefully soon they can get married!

Wednesday we have a multi zone conference. I am looking forward to it. We are studying a talk called "Be the 4th missionary" and everyone is preparing a 5 min talk. President Klein will choose a few to share their talk. This talk definetly makes it on my top 10 list of favorite talks. It is amazing. I am learning so much. It has changed my way of thinking. It is changing who I am. One of the things that I have learned is that we really only have one thing we can give to the Lord, our WILL. Everything else he can give and take from us. Our desire and willingness to do what Heavenly Father wants us to do is the greatest gift we can give to Him. Many times in my life I have lived the gospel, kept the commandments etc. because I knew that it's what I needed to do but not with a true desire to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do. This obviously is better than not living the gospel or keeping the commandments at all but I am learning that true hapiness comes when we WANT to do His will. Having charity, humbling ourselves before our Maker and DESIRING to follow Jesus Christ makes all the difference between only going through the motions. I believe it's the only way we will be able to endure to the end.

I wish that I could write to each one of you. I'm really sorry that I can't. My time is over and we need to get to work! :) Next Monday is half pday so I will be writing in the morning around 9:00 or 10:00. I love you all so much! Have the best week in the world!

Love Elder Conover