Jesus Christ Lives!

(Written 4/28/2014)

Hola!

Como estan familia? Things are going great here like normal. Yesterday we had a great Ward Conference. The Stake President spoke as well as his counselors. They are very loving and inspired leaders. The Stake President spoke of all the basic things we need to do to strengthen our conversion in our heart and mind. He said we need to focus on three things: DILIGENCE, OBEDIENCE, and HUMILTY. It was a great talk. The Ward had a record breaking attendance of 192 people. It was the first time the curtain was opened and we were running out of chairs. We had a great number of investigators who went yesterday. The most we've ever had actually. It was very happy. :) 

Today we played soccer in the morning on a big cement court in the city gym. Guess who I played with for the first time in years again with? Elder Measles. SCORPIONS! He is in the other Zone here in Progreso now. It was great to see him and awesome to play soccer on the same team again. Just like the good ole times.:) It really is cool that we are serving in the same mission.   

11-year-old Scorpions with Coach Reed Fietkau

We have talked to a few people who really do not accept the Book of Mormon. It is so interesting and saddening to me that they won't even give it a try. We explain to them that the book testifies and talks of Jesus Christ and His teachings and contains the fulness of the gospel. Gladly almost always the people at least give it a try but it is incredible those who fulfill the prophecy in the Book of Mormon almost word for word saying: "we have a Bible and we don't need another Bible" 2 Nephi 29. It has been hard for me to see these people give up inumerable blessings only for not opening their heart but it has strengthened my testimony greatly as my companion and I testify of the truth of the Book of Mormon along with hearing others respond exactly how the BOM we are explaining to them about says some will respond. 

Miriam who was baptised a few weeks ago is amazing. I remember the day we decided to contact her house and she told us we could share a message... Now she is helping to bring investigators who live close to her house to Church, she went to the Temple and did baptisms for 3 family members last week with the Ward and told us it was the greatest experience of her life, she told her son who is a nonmember that she is never going to leave the truth she has found, and is sharing the gospel. Last week we visited a lady named Gloria and her daughter Stephany with Miriam. They live close to her and Miriam has been such an incredible help with them. She bore the most powerful testimony at the end of the lesson with them. She said that she knows now why we (the missionaries) always say "Yo testifico" Ï testify" with the surety that we do. She said that she knows now too and exhorted them to pray to Heavenly Father to find the truth also. She was crying as she bore her testimony and the spirit was so strong. It was one of the most special experiences of my entire mission and my life. I can't explain the joy it is to see someone who listened to our message, did her part, and now KNOWS and is sharing her knowledge with others and is building the Kingdom of God here on the Earth. She is a very powerful instrument Heavenly Father is using for great things. Not to mention she is also washing our clothes for free and she is the closest member to our house so it helps so much. She is such a great blessing. 

I wish I could share more of the experiences I am having here in the mission with you but its time for me to go. One last thing. I have made an observation here in the mission. Every single less active member we have talked to we have asked if they are reading the Book of Mormon and every time they have said no. This may not be true in every case but from my personal experience and from every person I've talked to so far everything starts going down hill the day we don't read the BOM and on the contrary by reading the BOM everyday everything even if it's slowly;) leads us up to Eternal Life. I plead with each one of you to read the Book of Mormon everyday. I love you so much! Thank you so much for each of your emails. Sorry I couldn't respond to each of you specifically. Have a great week!:) Thanks for the Birthday wishes. I was hoping we would have a baptism this Saturday to celebrate my birthday but not until next week. Mothers day!:) It's hard I can't be with you as I turn 19 years old, with you Mom and Dad who gave me birth and raised me in righteousness and with each one of you my best friends and people I love the most of all. But I'll have a blast here too. Talk to you later! 

Love Elder Conover   

Happy Easter Family!

(Written 4/21/2014)

Happy Easter Family!

I don't have much new to say but things are going good here in Progreso, Honduras. We had a good Sacrament meeting yesterday also. The Bishop shared something in the third hour with us that really touched my heart. He talked about the testimony of President Boyd. K Packer this last general conference and how he said that he "knows Jesus Christ lives." The Quorum of the 12 and the First presidency are special witnesses of our Savior Jesus Christ and the Bishop talked about how a witness is someone that sees and then testifies. Just like the Apostles of old the Apostles today are witnesses of Jesus Christ and their duty is to testify of Him. They know He lives. I always knew they were special witnesses but until yesterday when the bishop shared this with us it never really hit me like it did yesterday. Go back and watch the testimonies of the Apostles. They are different and powerful. So far I have not seen our Savior Jesus Christ but I too know that He lives because #1 the witness of the Holy Ghost in my life and #2 one of my favorite words: Trust. I know that President Monson and the Quorum of the 12 are called of God. I trust them as well as so many leaders and heros in my life. Including you Mom and Dad. I have a hope that one day I too will see Jesus Christ but for the meantime we need to trust in the testimony of the Holy Ghost and in the testimonies of those we love and trust. I love you all so much and want the very very best for each of you. Keep pressing forward with a faith in Jesus Christ. He set the example for all of us in all that He did. His Atonement was His greatest miracle and He did it! We are all going to follow His example and be resurrected! :) There is nothing that I want more than to be resurrected unto Eternal Life with each one of you and my future family. Have a great week! Please pray that our investigators will keep their commitments. Please always keep your commitments and covenants.

Love Elder Conover 

"I'm walking on sunshine!"

(Written 4/14/2014)

Eric was happy to report that he was not transferred on Wednesday. He is still with Elder Flores and is very happy to remain in his beautiful mountain area.

The mountain:) Almost everyday even right now we are up in the mountain. Best area ever.

HOLA!!!!!! Buenas Dias!!

Hi family! Thanks a ton for each of your kind emails. Depending on the circumstance of the change I will be able to write more on Wednesday. It's so fun for me to read your emails and hear of each of your adventures. That's so fun you guys went to the Zoo! I love the pictures that you sent.

All this last week I walked around with my sandals and gauze wrapped around my toe. I'm so grateful that I brought the nike sandals that I bought with Mom. I don't even think it was on the list, maybe I don't remember but it is definitely a blessing that I have these sandals. My feet would get really dirty everyday from walking the whole day on dirt roads and trails. My feet also got really tan. haha Each night I would wash my feet and put some more creme on my toe and then go to bed. Yesterday was my last day in sandals!!:) Today I'm finally wearing shoes and socks again. It feels so good! My toe nail has also started to grow really good. It's very interesting how the toe nail grows. It grows up out of the skin, not how I always thought it grew, growing forward out of the toe. Anyways I'm so happy that my toe is finally at peace and I don't have any pain neither do I have to walk around in sandals. :) It's a trial and adventure I'm grateful that I had though. I definitely appreciate my toe nails a looooot more now.

Everyday I'm learning from my studies, and most of all from being out serving. The mission really is a school for life. Sometimes it's hard but if it's not hard it's not worth it. I'm so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for all that He did and does for me. I actually right now happen to be reading in Jesus the Christ about the last week of Jesus Christ's life which is this week. It's really cool to me how that worked out. :) Semana Santa is what this week is called here and in central America. All the kids don't have school and many don't have to go to work. I hope that I will get to talk to you again but if not Happy Easter!:) I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is the Leader of His church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The most important things that we learn in this life can be learned well by learning of Him and following His teachings.

We will find out who is being transfered tonight!! Crazy! I honestly don't want to leave this area yet but I know that whatever happens is directed by Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost. You are all in my prayers and I love you all so much.  Talk to you on Wednesday!:)

Love Elder Conover

My days walking in sandals!

I don't have a toenail!

(Written 4/7/2014)

Buenas tardes Familia! 

Thank you all for your loving, and kind words each week! hope this email finds you all happy during the start of your spring break! I hope that each one of you felt the love of our Heavenly Father and the guidance and witness of the Holy Ghost during Conference, I did. 

General Conference almost felt like a dream for me it went by so fast! Definitely the fastest Genferal Conference of my life. I could have listened to the speakers all day! We all watched it in the Stake Center. All of us "gringos" were in the Stake Council room around the big table watching it in English. We had air conditioning and everything. It was super nice! Some of my favorite talks were the talk on Gratitude by President Uchtdorf, the talk about our Savior Jesus Christ by Elder Bednar, and the other talk about Jesus Christ by Elder Christopherson, I also really enjoyed the talk refering to the Olympics and how in this life we are in our "four minute perfomance" super awesome! I was deeply touched by the Spirit and I felt a stronger love for our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. My testimony has been strengthened. The Prophets and Apostles really give us the light we need to make it back Home in this dark World. I cannot wait until I can read and study the talks again! The bummer was a ton of our investigators who said they were going to go to the conference didn't! Only two went! I wanted them so badly to come because I knew how much the conference would impact their testimonies and strengthen their faith. Everyone has agency, but it's really hard to see the progression of people slow down or stop. I can't imagine the feeling of our Heavenly Father at times seing his children come so close to the truth or even come to know the truth and then giving up. I know that He never gives up hope for His children though because his Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ WON! All people can repent and return if they have Faith in Jesus. 

Toe update: my ingrown toe nail was getting really bad again so I went to the doctor Friday morning and he took it out! It was quite fun! :) The injections hurt the most! He had to give me three huge shots right into my big toe. When he pulled the nail off I hardly felt a thing. I'm going to send a picture of how it looks now. Luckily I havnt had any passing out problems. ;) I had to rest on Friday after the operation and we drove to Conference Saturday and Sunday. I stayed in the Stake Center during all the breaks of conference. Today and until Friday I can walk but only with sandals and gauze around my toe. I also am taking antibiotics and putting this special cream on the part of my toe where I'm supposed to have a toe nail. :) It doesn't hurt to bad so I'm really grateful for that. Pray that my nail can grow quickly and normally. Another great experience here on the mission! haha

Next week we have changes which means I will probably be writing in the morning on Monday and possibly write again on Wednesday if I can. It's so crazy how fast this change has gone! I love you all so much! Have a super great spring break! I miss each and every one of you a lot! I am so grateful for you and to call you my family. We have Eternal Life to look forward to together. :) Roger Bannister the first who broke the 4 minute mile first had to have the hope and faith that he could do it. He then with focus and discipline had to pace himself perfectly using every ounce of his muscle and energy bursting through the finish line and falling into the hands of his fans. I challenge us all to run the race and finish strong! Falling into the arms of our greatest Fan, our loving older Brother Jesus Christ.Let us each give our whole heart, laying everything on the line to make it Home. TOGETHER. 

Love Elder Conover

I took this idea about Roger Bannister from a talk given to us as a hand out by Presient and Sister Klein; the talk is by Tad. R. Callister called Becoming Consecrated Missionaries. One of my all time favorite talks now.