From Elder Conover

October 20, 2014

Hola familia!

Sadly I am practically out of time. This week has gone really well! We had another great turn up yesterday at Church. I was also able to give a talk during Sacrament meeting about missionary work and how the members can share the gospel more and help in this great work of salvation. Our district leader also spoke and the Stake President. They both gave super good talks. President Selaya talked about ¨be happy, be mormon¨. He has used that as a motto for many years in his life. It is so true. We truly should be the happiest people on the Earth. Sometimes we don't demostrate this happiness but if we don't we need to start! We are teaching a reference of Antony (a young single adult we are working a lot with) named Marjary. She asked us when we first asked her if we could share a lesson with her, ¨why are you guys always so happy¨ As we walk down the streets we try to smile a lot and say hi to everyone. We told her that the gospel and sharing our message with people makes us happy. It was so cool to hear her ask us that question. I know that by simply smiling and being friendly we can share the gospel. 

The Reyes family came to Church again yesterday! As well as the Martinez Family! We are still trying hard to answer all the questions the Reyes family have. They have tons!! haha I love it. They are reading the Book of Mormon and the pamphlets we leave them and are progressing tons! We are praying that Brother Reyes will by some miracle be able to make it to church on Sundays. David Aguilar came yesterday as well! He is 18 yrs old and is on fire! He is preparing to be baptised this Saturday! We are very happy about that. One day this last week we were teaching David and his little sister Miline and then their Mom Digna showed up as we were finishing up the lesson. She sat down and we talked a bit and then out of no where Sister Aguilar said: ¨I testify the Church of Jesus Christ is true¨ My companion and I sat their stunned for a second and then asked her how she recieved her testimony. She frankly said ¨I prayed, I asked, and I received an answer¨ It was definetly one of the highlights of my mission. I hope so badly she can act upon this testimony she has recieved.  

Today we went to the Beach again! It was awesome to see the ocean and walk around on the cool wooden dock they are making. So many men were throwing out fishing line and reeling in small fish. It was cool to watch. We may try it another pday. :) A family in our area gave us huge king crab legs yesterday and Sister Salgada the member who makes us lunch each day made an awesome king crab soup with it today. It was good! I wish so badly I could keep writing but it's time to go share the truth. I love you all so much! Have another supercalifragalistikexpialidocious week! :) Hasta luego!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Conover

Happy Fall Break!

10/13/2014

Dear Family,

Hey guys! I love you so much. Thank you for each of your kind emails. This last week was so good. I am very happy! The mission is a very beautiful thing. The biggest news I have to tell you is that we found a golden family. The familia Reyes! :) The husband and wife talked with the missionaries in the 1990s and were going consistently to Church. They got married and everything but for some different doubts were not baptised. On Tuesday we were walking down the street and saw Sister Reyes and her 19yr old son Ariel sitting outside so we walked over to them and started talking to them. Now we are teaching the whole family.They have already started reading the Book of Mormon. Everyone came to Church on Sunday except for Brother Reyes because he is working on Sundays. They also came to a noche de hermanamiento last night. They are progressing so fast! When we are teaching them they are on the edge of their seats listening. They are so receptive and sincere. It is truly such a huge blessing that we found this family. Another family we are teaching the familia Martinez walked from their house which is very far from the chapel to church on Sunday. They are so willing to put Heavenly Father first. It is great! This week the numbers of investigators progressing has increased dramatically. I am very happy with the people we are teaching right now and I know that many great things are coming. Please pray for these families as well as for David and his family, and that Roger and Natividad can recieve an answer to their prayers. I love you all so much! Have a great week and fall break!!! I'm sure you all are very happy to have a break! Please study the scriptures and pray everyday. It is so important. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the priesthood was restored through him. I also know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Stay strong! 

Love Elder Conover

General Conference was awesome

10/6/2014

Dear Family,

How are all of you?! Thanks for your kind emails. General Conference was awesome. I watched three of the sessions in Spanish and I could understand it! I never thought I would reach this point. With Christ everything truly is possible. Many of our investigators came so that was really happy! A great couple (married!) named Roger y Natividad came Saturday morning, One lady named Lilian came Sunday morning after telling us that she wasn't going to come. That was sweet! David who is 18 yrs old came Sunday morning then went home and came back Sunday afternoon with his mom and sister. His mom didnt want to go but he told her how awesome it was and convinced her to come. She said afterwards that she was so happy she came. Over the whole conference a total of 11 investigators came. The members in our ward were so great at befriending them also. It was so good. Oh and we watched all the sessions other than the priesthood session in our chapel because our Ward is so big. Our chapel has awesome wooden cushioned benches now! They are beautiful. 

I love you all so much. The work is going forward! I'm so happy to be here serving. Today I was studying Mosiah 24. I really like this chapter. I know that Heavenly Father if we pour out our heart to him will give us the strength to overcome the trials and temptations in our life. 

Love Elder Conover

This river is close to our house and that tall mtn in the background is called Pico Bonito

Loving our Honduras rain:)

October 1, 2014

Hey guys! Heres the news, Sadly Elder Guzman was transfered but he had 8 months here so we all knew. One of our zone leaders and our district leader were also transfered. The new companions will probably arrive here around 5 or 6. Love you all! Hope the week is going great!

Love Elder Conover

I miss playing football

Good morning!

September 29, 2014

Hello! Things are going great here! We have been teaching a lady named Julia and she was baptised on Saturday! :) She has had a great conversion. She was able to give up drinking coffee. I always admire people who give up habits they have had their whole life to follow Jesus Christ. Yesterday we were teaching a lesson to two older ladies who are sisters and their mom who is 103 yrs old. Randomly as we were finishing the lesson a man came in and started contending with us. He is the son of hermana Cruz (one of the daughters). He said that we can't have anything more than the Bible and that the Book of Mormon is just a book invented by a man. He said we are followers of Joseph Smith and that we are leading astray the people. He said a lot more things also but you get the point... We calmly testified and read passages of the Book of Mormon with him to show and explain to him that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ with the ancient inhabitantes of the Americas but he would not open his heart at all. He insulted his mom saying that people like her who aren't as smart and haven't studied as much will easily be led away by us. He said that he didn't want us ever to return to the house. His mom then started saying that everything she has seen in us and in the Mormon church in general is done in order and that we are doing the will of God. Then he said you guys aren't doing the will of God but the will of the devil and shouldn't be lying to people. We explained that we always start and end our lessons with a prayer because we believe God is our loving Heavenly Father and that he wants to hear us. He walked away and then the 103 yr old lady stood up and said pointing to us ¨you guys are in the truth, you guys are in the truth¨. We said a closing prayer and planned on from now on visiting at the house of the other sister. This was such a great experience! The contention that man brought into the lesson made it so easy for the other 3 to see the light from the darkness, the pride from the humility, the peace from the anger, and most importantly feel the truth of our message. The whole rest of the day I felt so happy and I reflected on this scripture: Matthew 5:10-12 ¨Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.¨I felt energized to keep going forth with the work. I love you all sooooooooo much!!! Thank you for always being so loving and supportive. On Wednesday I will have time to write more and respond to each one of you. Have a great day!

Love Elder Conover

Hey Family!

We each got our own little letters this week, but not much to the whole family!  He is happy, though, and who wouldn't be living by this beautiful beach:) 

September 22, 2014

Next Monday I will be writing at 10 in the morning because its transfer week! I wish that I could write more but I'm out of time. I will send more pics on Monday also. I love you all so much! Have another great week! I am seing miracles and enjoying every day here on the mission. I love it here!

Love Elder Conover