Tuesday, December 31, 2013

December 31, 2013 emails to dad and mom

These posts are a little disjointed because Michelle and her companion have only an hour and fifteen minutes a week to do all of their email reading and writing.  As you can tell from the jist of the letters, Michelle is very concerned that the computer that her companion, Sister Peterson,  is using isn't working very well(they are at an email cafe). Michelle wants to make sure that her companion gets to write home this week, so she signs off with mom and dad so that her comp can use the computer that she has been using. 

Hi dad,
Yeah, I cried (as you hear) when I heard your voice. I was just so happy to hear you talk and it meant  a lot that we were able to.
We'll be sleeping New Year's Eve. Normal schedule here in Mission Central.
The letters are a way that I relax on P-Day. I have a really hard time not doing anything on P-Days, so it's a way I relax. Don't worry about it. I love doing it.
We're  working with our leaders. our WML [Ward Mission Leader] is the father of my last bishop (small world, huh). We're working hard and it's a little hard to find lessons in Solola (because our areas  so small) but we're finding people. We have a few people right now that could probably be baptized. We're working on working with the members to get more references and to go out with them to work. And that's sad the elder's checked out. We call that "being baggy" (like trunky), and that's sad because we only have to much time to give.
That's cool about Aunt Betty and Uncle Ted. You go, dad! Be a member missionary! You're doing a really good job at it.
Thanks for the prayers and the help. I love the Book of Mormon and I know it's true. I love the end chapters of 1 Nephi (we're reading the BoM as a mission now). I love 1 Nephi 13-15. I would read those.
Anyway, my comp's computer isn't working and I want her to write. So not much today, sorry.I love you! 
Con MUCHO amor,
Hermana Pumpkin Conover

Well, just kidding, her email's working now.

I get the letters every transfer.
And I love hearing about your time in the temple. I love the temple. I want to go there every week (at least) when I get back to the States. There is such a Spirit there that blesses our lives and can help us so much. I love going and learning something new every time. And feeling the pure Spirit that is in the Celestial room is amazing. I was so glad we went for Christmas as a mission. It was amazing.
Anyway, I love you! Have a wonderful new year!
Con MUCHO amor,
Hermana Pumpkin Conover



Hi momma!
I loved talking to you on Christmas. I wished that it could have been like the times when I would walk back from school and it wsa just you and me talking and then I could have had the time with everyone else, but alas, it wasn't so. It was hard to hang up (as you could probably tell), but I loved hearing your voice. And talking with you.
I love you, mom. Thank you for the prayers and everything. I love you.
Love, Hermana Conover


Mom,

So my comps email started to work, so here's a little bit more.

I love you, mom. I'm so grateful for everything that you have done for me in my life before my mission and during my mission. You're so strong. You are a woman of faith and I knew that before my mission, but I've realized that more now.
Two of my companions have pointed out (when I get frustrated) that I have so much faith. And I wouldn't have that faith without you, mom. You taught me to read my scriptures and to pray and even though I wasn't the best at it before my mission, I'm following your example now and praying everyday (multiple times a day) and reading my scriptures and marking them up like you do. We're reading the Book of Mormon as a mission and I'm reading it in Spanish. It's hard sometimes (like the Isaiah chapters), but I think of your persevering attitude and press forward.
I'm trying my hardest to keep up your legacy (well, legacy to me) of presevering through hard times and diligently studying the scriptures. And your spirit of service, too. Your "can do" attitude that you got from your dad. I'm going to try to do all I can to not tarnish the name of Conover in the mission and the name of Jones, as well. In Guatemala, people have two last names - their fathers and their mothers. So here's to Conover Jones and keeping the tradition up.
I love you, mom. 
Con MUCHO amor,
hermana conover

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

December 24, 2013 email to dad

hi dad!

 I love you!

Anyway, I'm not writing a lot today becuase we'll be talking tomorrow!!!
I'm sending pictures in other emails so that you and the family can get a view of guatemala and the mission.

This week has been good - we're working on finding people to teach IN Sololá and not in the Aldeas.
The temple trip was amazing. we got to see the new video. In English. we had new translators and it was awesome. And it makes more sense of why there's so much more pauses in the video when you watch it side by side with Spanish and English. It made the translations flow better. Anyway, it was amazing. This time, I realized the importance of obedience. It definitely is a law on which the foundation of the world is based off of.

We left at 1 in the morning (we got permission to not sleep because we would have had to get up at 11.30 and only one hour wouldn't have done a lot of good) and didn't really sleep in the bus. We went to the Temple and after had a devotional with President and his family and we got our packages. Thanks to you and mom and Laura, I had candy to share on the way back home. We all opened our presents on the bus and enjoyed them all together. I had some chocolate from Peru. Oh man, it was delicious.

We have food rules in the mission. We can't eat pork or anything like it (including sliced ham for sandwiches), no fish, no strawberries, no grapes, lettuce, or ice cream from the street or any food from the street. That's about it, I think. Otherwise, we have to wash it really well (like let it sit in bleach water for a few minutes and let it air dry) or make sure it has a peel (like bananas, papayas, etc). We eat pretty well. Oatmeal or cereal in the morning (with yogurt if its cereal and an apple), a really good lunch from our cocinera (cook), and something for dinner after planning (usually cereal or oatmeal). We don't go hungry we try to eat well. I feel fine - I've only gotten sick from food once here in Sololá and that's because it was really rich. Most of the time I'm fine.
To leave town we take a bus and it takes us to where we need to go. that or a flete (the truck where a bunch of people jump into the back). It's all pretty cheap. And in town, sometimes we take taxis or a tuk-tuk - it's a taxi but it's a motorcycle. I think we're the only area that gets to use tuk-tuks and fletes.

We had a Christmas miracle! We didn't have hot water for a really long time (four weeks - the whole time I've been here plus some) [ Michelle only gets water between 7 am and 1 pm, anyway] and the electricity was all funny and didn't work right, at all. So yesterday, someone came and fixed it. And we had hot showers today. It was fantastic.

Anyway, as a mission, we're reading the Book of Mormon together. We started on Saturday and we finished 1 Nephi 8 today. It's going well. Hermana Peterson and I decided that we're going to read it in Spanish and highlight every time the word Señor, Dios, Cristo, or Jesucristo appears. I love the Book of Mormon and I am so grateful that we get to read it as a mission. It's kind of cool to think that all the missionaries in our mission are reading the same things everyday and getting different revelation from it. I love this book and I know that it is scripture and the words of God.
I love you, dad! I'm so excited we get to talk tomorrow!

con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

December 17, 2013 emails to dad and mom

Hi dad!
Solola is really close to the Quetzaltenalgo mission. We´re right next to it, actually.

Yeah, the market is crazy Tuesdays and Fridays. The buses are PACKED (but we can´t contact them because we can´t walk in them) and there are TONS of people. 
 
I love it here - it´s gorgeous. It´s really hilly - think of a smaller area than San Francisco but just as hilly and that would be about right.
 
We live in the city of Solola in a house. We don´t have water before 7 and only until about 1 in the afternoon. And the water is freezing. It´s great. I love it.
 
And the trajes (or cortes) - I love them. The clothes are so beautiful. Some of the trajes (the intricate clothes) can cost about 4,000 Quetzales.
 
We usually leave Solola, actually. The people in the city Solola aren´t that receptive to our message but in the Aldeas (like suburbs of Solola, but appear like Brentwood with tons of crops and not a lot of houses) more people are receptive. Granted, some of them don´t know Spanish, but they´re more receptive. And we have to change how to teach here. We teach lesson 1 more simply and explain everything more in detail to help the people get the basics more.
 
The drive was from the place we had changes to Solola. It was about 5 hours (we stopped for 30 minutes to eat at McDonalds, but it was still a really long drive). We had a mini bus - one of the members helped us out and drove us.
 
We´re in a branch - there are about 150 people that attend each week, but there aren´t enough men in the ward to be a ward.
 
The Chapel is about in the center of Solola. It´s small-ish for a chapel, but it´s a chapel. 
The phone number is our house number. I think it´s a cell phone (land lines are really expensive here). but yeah, we´ll be home in the morning on Christmas - it´s our P-Day for the week, so we´ll be home and shop for stuff afterwards.
 
The people here know how to work and work hard. Men here carry hundreds of pounds of stuff on their shoulders and the women and children work hard in the home and businesses.
This week for Christmas, we´re going to the Temple in Guatemala City. We get to leave at 1 in the morning from our house, pick up a bunch of people in our zone and area and then drive to Guatemala. We´ll do a session, go to eat, and then have a fireside with President Brough. I´m excited. Actually, we´re all excited for this. And then we´ll drive home. We´ll get back around 7 or 8 at night, so we´ll probably not have a lot of lessons that day. People go to their houses around 7 and to bed around 8. So we´ll get back and probably just contact the few people that are on the street and go back to our house at 9.
 
Oh - it´s FREEZING here. I never thought I would say that about Guatemala, but it´s COLD. In the morning and the night. And the wind. Oh man - it´s cold here, but it´s all good. I love Solola. I´m excited to work here for a while.
 
Anyway, this week I finished the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi. I didn´t understand that much more than usual, but I loved it. I kind of laughed, though, when Nephi said "I delight in plainness". Plain and clear? Working on that still, but there were definitely some things that stuck out to me as I read and I realized that even though it´s hard to understand, it´s possible to understand. We just have to read with the Spirit of the Lord and ask for help and to ponder the things that we read.
Anyway, I love you! I´m excited to talk to you and mom next week (and I guess whoever else is in the house at the time). I love you MUCHO! And thanks for all the prayers and support. It means a lot.
 
Con MUCHO amor,
 
Hermana Pumpkin Conover


Hi mom!
I think we´re getting our packages on Thursday when we go to the Temple. And thank you so much for the gorgeous Christmas cards and the letters with them. I love the Shepherd´s hill one and the "O Come Let Us Adore Him". They´re gorgeous. Thank you.
 
It´s a cell phone - land lines are really expensive here and it´s a cell phone. I hope that it doesn´t get too expensive. We have 40 minutes to talk, so...And you´re calling me at 11:30, right? I´m not allowed to call you, you´re calling me. Just a reminder.
 
The mosquito bites on my legs are from Ribera. They´re not scars, but they´re close. I had a really bad habit of scratching them. And I do have bug spray and I use it occasionally. I know I don´t want to get sick and you don´t want me sick, either, but sometimes we´re running out the door in the morning. And they´re arent´really mosquitos here - just flies that bite you. :)
 
It took us 5 hours to get to Solola from changes. It was fun and pretty.
 
Hermana Peterson is fantastic. She´s a hard worker and helps me with my Spanish. She didn´t really understand Spanish her first few months, so she understands. She says my Spanish is really good and that "I´ll be fluent and everything" by the end of my mission. That was nice to hear. But my grammar isn´t that great, so she´s helping me with that. And we´re hoping and praying that we can work more in our area and help more people to listen and to hear the Gospel. We´re working hard and trying to improve our relationship with the members to work with them more.

We go to church in a chapel above (geographically) a school - La Justo Refino. It´s a chapel for our branch in Solola 2. The Zone Leaders are in Solola 1. Our branch has about 150 members that attend each Sunday, but there aren´t enough men in the branch to be a ward. 
 
We have a cook and someone to do our laundry, but we do our garments ourselves. And we have a shower, but we only have water from 7 in the morning to about 1 in the afternoon. And it´s freezing water. But I love it - it´s a new, fun part of the adventure called "The Mission". :)
 
Yeah, our area is comparable to San Francisco, pretty much. Hermana Peterson goes a little bit slower for me when we go up the hills. It´s fun. And I am very grateful that I played tuba for 7 years. If not, I probably wouldn´t be able to breathe during the day. The areas around, though, are quite flat. It kind of looks like Brentwood before all the stores and stuff were out there. It´s flat with a lot of corn and a few houses and tiendas (stores - like small mini-marts in gas stations).
 
The "truck-taxis" are called "fletes" and are really fun. You feel like a dog who stuck his head out of the window of a car. It´s really fun. And I haven´t seen anyone been hit by a car. It probably happens, but I haven´t seen it. And in our area (the top part of Solola), we can see the lake for most of the time.
 
Yesterday, for P-Day, we went to a members house and cooked fried chicken and funeral potatoes on a stove. It was REALLY good. And it´s also good to know that we can make funeral potatoes on a stove. We´re going to try to make chicken cordon bleu for Christmas, but we´ll see how well that goes.
 
That´s nice about catching up with the Maltesters and with the Crespos. It´s good to hear about them.
 
We contacted a gringo in a bus the other dayy - it was so hard to contact in English. He´s looking for a job here in Guatemala and he´s living in Honduras. He wants to to humanitarian stuff and he doesn´t know what he´s doing with his life. We tried to get his address, but he said, "I don´t do the whole Jesus thing". It was so hard - we knew that this message could help him so much if only he´d listen. But, we planted a seed and that´s what matters.  
 
This week I´ve been studying the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi. I just finished and I kind of laughed when Nephi said, "I delight in plainnes". I guess I´m still working on the plain and clear part of the Isaiah chapters. Some things stuck out to me this time (like how Isaiah´s writings are poetry - they´re gorgeous) and a lot about Christ and how everything points to Christ and His purpose as a Redeemer for all of us. We´re teaching a lot about the Savior at this time of year and I love it. I love that when we teach about Christ´s birth, we´re able to talk about the Atonement and His purpose in the earth and all of it. It all works and ties in together. I love this Gospel and I´m so grateful that I get to teach people about it for the next part of my life.
 
I love you, mom! I hope everything is going well! Don´t do all of the Christmas decorations yourself - ask Jen or Jenna for help! I love you!
 
Con MUCHO amor,
 
Hermana Pumpkin Conover

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

December 10, 2013 emails to dad and mom

Hi daddy!
How´s it going? Your Spanish is fantastic. :)

Chris Diep - how´s he doing? I hope he´s doing well.

Thank you for that. 10 and 11 [Preach My Gospel]- my purpose as a missionary and my success as a missionary, right? I have read that many times to learn how to trust the Lord more and that it´s not baptisms that counts. It´s how hard you work and how obedient you are. I´m doing both. President Brough said that I work hard and diligently, so I´m pretty sure I´m doing ok about that. It´s just sometimes, when you´re tired or really stressed, Satan sneaks in and starts to make you frustrated. The past week I´ve done a lot better. Every time a negative thought comes in my head, I smile and think of your comment about sharing the Gospel with the people here and how I smile while doing it. I have realized recently (again) that people do have their agency. And dragging them to the font isn´t giong to help them get a real conversion or attain salvation. It´s teaching them until they understand and loving them and helping them understand that baptism and other covenants are necessary. And I understand what happened with the Elders - we´re working on that, too. President Brough calls that the "sneak attack" method of baptismal challenges.
I firmly believe in missionary touches. One of the converts in our ward said that she had gone to church for 3 years before she got baptized (I don´t think it was continuous, but still). And how many missionaries is that? A lot. And she wasn´t baptized for a really long time. Or like Martha in our ward - she wasn´t baptized for 2 years and how many missionaries? It´s just frustrating sometimes when someone got an answer and they don´t realize it or accept it. But it´s all building up to the day when they accept the Gospel - whether it´s in this life or the next.
Oh - I´m being tansferred tomorrow. I don´t know where. We´re going to be at the transfer meeting tomorrow. Hermana Cruz and Hermana Weatherford are staying in Ribera del Rio. I´m almost done packing - I got most of it done yesterday and only have to pack the stuff that I use everyday. It´ll be good to have more experiences, meet more people, and have a new companion. It´ll be good. I´m excited to continue the work in other areas.

That´s awesome for mom´s birthday! [A trip to the San Francisco Symphony to hear Burt Bacharach] And I think she´ll like the toothbrush.  You know how much she likes to clean the grout between the tile all the time. :)   [family joke]

I´ll probably get the letters tomorrow. I´ve gotten some and mom´s birthday package, but I´ll probably get the rest tomorrow. We´ll see.

This week, we had a meeting with President Brough (about retention of the converts) and he shared a scripture - 2 Nephi 10:23-24. Basically, it says that happiness is a commandment. And I´m trying hard with that one. It´s easy most of the time, but around 8:30, after our appointments fall through and there aren´t a lot of people in the street, it´s difficult. But, like I told one of the sisters in our mission, when you don´t want to smile, that´s the time to smile. Being happy is so important with this message, because it is a message of happiness and people see that. They see our smiles - it´s one of the first impressions they get of us. I notice that when I smile while talking with people, they listen. They might not accept, but they listen.

Anyway, I love you, dad! Give mom a hug for her birthday from me!

Con MUCHO amor,
Hermana Pumpkin Conover
 
 
Hi momma!
How are you? How´s your hip? How are you feeling? I hope you´re doing well. Oh - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! HERE¨S LOVE AND KISSES AND HUGS FROM GUATEMALA!!! I love you, momma!

I´m being transferred this week - when I know where, I´ll tell you. And I should be getting to email you this week about the Christmas call information. We´ll see how that goes.
It´s weird to think that it´s so cold at home - it´s 70 and humid here and doesn´t feel like December at all. And it´s weird to think that it´s snowing in Utah. We talked about it yesterday during our P-Day, and it was weird.

The work is moving forward in Ribera. No baptisms this transfer, but a lot in the upcoming weeks. It´s all good. We touched a lot of lives these past six weeks.
I´ve had a cold this past week, but it hasn´t been that bad. I´ve still been able to work, so that´s what matters.

Ah, crying. You don´t have private moments in the mission. If one companion is down, the companionship is down. But yes, the tears were mostly in the house and sometimes in the meetings we had with the new missionaries. But they were quiet tears, if that counts for anything. It´s a work in process. Sometimes, you just get frustrated that you aren´t as good as you want to be and then humility comes in and you realize that it´s in the Lord´s time, way, and with His love, as well. We´re all working really hard. Days feel like weeks and weeks like seconds. I don´t know how that works, but it does.

My patience has grown these past 3 months. I´m still working on patience with myself  (because you and I both know that I´ve always been hard on myself), but with other people it´s decent. I can control it with other people, which is good. I need to study about grace and faith more - I know that when we try our hardest, we´ve done all we can do. But in the mission, I´m not sure what my hardest is. I try hard and I push myself, but I don´t know what my hardest is. So I keep pushing forward and doing what I can and understanding as much as I can and listen all the time to the people and the Spirit. I love this work. This is definitely a refiners fire for all the people that take part of the full-time missionary service. The blessings will come. The people will be baptized. we may not see the blessings now, but it will be there. I know it will. Heavenly Father always answers our prayers and our needs when we express them.

This week, President Brough shared two scriptures - 2 Nephi 10:23-24. Basically, it says how being happy is a commandment and how we need to never be disanimanted about things. To never give up hope. To continually push forward in the steadfast faith in Christ. I know that as we choose to be happy (because it is a choice), we´ll feel better and have more hope and faith. And there´s a really good article in the Ensign - I think its September, called "the Healing balm of hope". It´s really good. I would recommend it.

The Spanish is coming along. Sometimes, it´s hard, but most of the time I can teach and understand most of what people say.

Thanks for sharing about the ward party and the Nutcracker. And thanks for saving me an ornament. And I should get your package tomorrow as well as the letters. you should be getting two envelopes in the next week or two. They have about 8 letters or so in them.

I love you, mom! Thank you for yours prayers. I´ll have more stories next week, promise!
Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Pumpkin Conover

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

December 3, 2013 Letters to Dad and Mom

Daddy!

I cannot believe it´s December. It feels like yesterday was June or May. I cannot believe it. But it´s been a great four months in the mission.

You´ll have to send a picture of the nativity and our house with all the lights. That´d be fun to see. : )

I like the idea about the WML [Ward Mission Leader]calling every night to see how the day was. That would definitely bring more unity within you and the Elders. I like that. And it keeps you up to date on the goings on of the work in Pittsburg. That´s a good idea. We might have to try that. We´ll see.

I hope the weather is good for the parade, too. Say "hi" to the guys for me.

I really like teaching about the Restoration. We teach that one the most, but I like it. And I really like teaching about the Apostasy for some reason. I think it´s because it shows that good people were on the earth during that time and tried to reform the churches to get back to the way it was. Yes, people changed doctrines to get gain (1 Nephi 13 and 4 Nephi 1:26), but good people also looked for the truth, but it wasn´t time. But because the Lord loves us and that we´re children of God, He restored the Gospel for us. It´s central to this message and it´s true. I loved what one of the counselors of the Bishopbric said the other day. We teach teh restoration first and the first vision because it shows that God has a body of flesh and bones and that He loves us and that the true church is on the earth today. We teach it a lot (because a lot of first visits) and every time, my faith and testimony get a little bit more powerful in this message.

We have an investigator right now and he has problems with the Word of Wisdom. We taught him the word of wisdom and he committed to live it, right on the spot. No coffee, smoking, or tea. He dropped all three (or, committed that he would). And he´s really close to a set bautismal date for the 22 of December. He´s attended church one time and he reads what we give him and prays. He´s awesome and we´re excited for him.

Oh - and read moms letter this week for an experience with an Atheist. That was fun.
The language is coming along. I can comfortably teach lessons and understand almost all of what people say. Sometimes, it´s hard to understand (stories are hard), but I just take a deep breath and keep going. It´s good. I´m not fluent in any respect, but I can teach and testify, and that´s what´s important. I´m going to keep improving my Spanish and work with it, but it comes little by little. So here´s to persevering! :)
.
I love you, dad. I am very grateful for the prayers - they help me when we´re looking for appointments and people to teach. I feel your love, even though we´re thousands of miles apart. I love you, dad!

Con mucho amor,
Hermana "Pumpkin" Conover


Hi mom!
I love hearing about the crafts! And the silhouette idea sounds amazing. I´m tired for you. And yes, I´ll have to watch Airplanes and Monsters University in Spanish when I get back (that´ll probably be the only language I´ll really understand at that point). And the cookie exchange sounds delightful - eat some cookies for me. And some soup.

Our Turkey Day was really good, actually. We planed in a half an hour and RAN to make dinner. We made potatoes, warmed up turkey slices, made gravy (which actually wasn´t that bad - I thought I burned the flour at one point, but it was good), black refried beans (because we´re in Guatemala), and bread, and apple cider. In 20 minutes. I don´t know how, but it was 20 minutes. And it was pretty good. So, my first Thanksgiving in Guatemala was pretty good.
This week, we had four days where it was FREEZING. Not by Utah standards (not by a long shot), but for Guatemala,. it was cold. It was windy too (like our house windy) and it was probably around 50 Fahrenheit for most of the day. It was cold. And we didn´t really have sweaters for it, but that´s okay. We had lessons during the coldest parts of the day, so it was okay.

Spanish is coming along. I´m at a point where I can teach comfortably (most of the time) and I understand a lot of everything else. Sometimes, it´s hard to understand people (like this one lady we teach - she talks fast and she´s old and she likes to tell stories, so it´s a little hard sometimes to understand). I´m still working on my grammar and vocabulary, but that´s okay. Always learning, right?

And here´s a story for the fan club. We taught an Atheist this week and he was very adamant that God doesn´t exist and that it´s not important to him, at all. And Hermana Weatherford had said that God is her Father in Heaven and he said that those were just words that we repeat. But a little later, I bore my testimony that God is MY Heavenly Father and that He loves me. And that those aren´t just words that I repeat, but I KNOW that He loves me and that I am a child of God. After the prayer, he said that I have a lot of conviction for this message. But that wasn´t the most influential part of the lesson. when I bore my testimony, it was as if floodgates opened in my heart and the Spirit testified so strongly to me that this message is true. And that God is my Heavenly Father.
 
And, for the lady at the bank, say, "Que le va a bien" for me. (it means something like, "let everything go well for you"...more or less).

Anyway, this week has been good. We´ve been working hard and praying hard and I love it when we´re busy. It feels good to teach people about Christ and how to come unto Him through the principles of the Gospel. I love it. This Gospel is true and I know it is. I have seen the Lord´s hand in this work. And some miracles, too. I know that we are helping in a divine work for the Savior and the children of our Father in Heaven.
I love you, mom! Have a wonderful week and don´t work too hard! If you need hep with the tree, ask Jen or Seth to help. And have the kidlets put the kid friendly ornaments up. Maybe for an FHE or something. I love you!

-Hermana "Pumpkin" Conover

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

November 26, 2013 letter

Hi daddy!

Sorry about your hand. I hope it heals quickly. And yes, "asistir" is attend. Its funny when that happens.  [Michelle said that two men wanted to "assist" church last week. She's officially speaking Spanglish now.  Mom's note]

That´s great about Whitney [Nielson--Whitney is going on a mission] - I´m excited for her.

Yes, we´re still in a threesome. We have changes [transfers] in two weeks. 
We can only go to a dinner if there´s investigator present that we´re going to teach. Other than that, we eat when we get home and after planning. We haven´t done that yet, though. Maybe soon. We eat lunch at either our cook´s house (just lunch, though), the Bishop´s, or a members. Sometimes, we buy lunch, but that´s only if our cook isn´t there or it´s really late. The memebrs here that assist in our appointments are awesome. They have strong testimonies and share them with our investigators. We have anywhere from 1 to 7 appointments a day with members. It´s vacations right now, so  sometimes it´s hard to find people to go with us but other days, a lot of people can.

We do have a ward mission leader. Hermano Conde works really hard with us and helps us a lot. We have correlation each week and he usually buys us dinner after correlation (like pizza or Burger King, nothing huge). But he helps with our plans for the week - when we need to do divisions to pass for our investigators Sunday morning, helping pass for our investigators, calling people to come to appointments with us, and always asks how we´re doing and what we need help with. He also asks about our investigators and how they´re doing. He is a really good mission leader (not as good as my papa, though). We have changes in two weeks and I´m kind of scared to leave (if I leave - we don´t know who yet) because I don´t know how the next ward mission leader will be or if we´ll have one. But, I have faith everything will be alright.

We had Stake Conference, too! It was a Guatemala-wide Stake Conference and was broadcasted from Salt Lake. President Eyring presided. One of the Seventy spoke and Sister Wixom spoke, too. And Elder Scott spoke (who speaks very good Spanish, I might add. He didn´t need a translator). And then President Eyring. The whole conference was centered on families, how we´re all children of God, and the importance of women in society today. Saturday night was good - a lot about la obra misional (missionary work). It was really good and I´m glad that we got to go Saturday, as well.

We had lunch with the President yesterday (we were the "most successful" zone last month) and Hermana Brough cooked. Oh man. It was so good. She made ham with brown sugar (and we can´t have Guatemalan pig, so it was a treat), and funeral potatoes (which were delicious), salad (we can´t have lettuce, either, so that was nice), and chocolate chip cookies and "sugar bombs" (think of peanut butter, sugar, and rice krispies rolles in chocolate). It was so good. And then we played "mafia" in Spanish (it was hilarious. When someone would accuse Hermana Brough of being "mafia", President would joke, "Alright, who´s getting changed to misión sur?" It was hilarious.). Anyway, that was a really good P-Day.

I finished the Book of Mormon this past week and it really hit me this time that I read it that everything in the Book of Mormon points to Christ. Before my mission, I knew that, but I realized it this time. Everything. All the war chapters and everything. In 1 Nephi 6:5-6 says that only things of worth for the children of men are to be written on the  plates and that just indicates more that everything in the Book of Mormon is for our benefit. And then you realize that not even a hundredth part of the records are in the Book of Mormon (see the end of Mormon and Ether). So everything - every word, punctuation, sentence, paragraph - is in the Book of Mormon because God knows that it will help us the most and we just need to read adn study adn pray to find what we can apply in our lives. It takes practice and work, but it´s possible to find what we need to read and apply in our lives.

So, happy (early) turkey day! Eat some turkey and potatoes for me! (Hermana Weatherford and I are going to make instant mashed potatoes, I´m going to attempt to make gravy, and we bought turkey slices for our turkey. It´s going to be Thanksgiving mission style.)
I love you, daddy! I pray for you and I love you! It´s all good!

Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Pumpkin Conover

Sunday, November 24, 2013

December 24, 2013 email to dad

hi dad!

 I love you!

Anyway, I'm not writing a lot today becuase we'll be talking tomorrow!!!

I'm sending pictures in other emails so that you and the family can get a view of guatemala and the mission.

This week has been good - we're working on finding people to teach IN Sololá and not in the Aldeas.

The temple trip was amazing. we got to see the new video. In English. we had new translators and it was awesome. And it makes more sense of why there's so much more pauses in the video when you watch it side by side with Spanish and English. It made the translations flow better. Anyway, it was amazing. This time, I realized the importance of obedience. It definitely is a law on which the foundation of the world is based off of.

We left at 1 in the morning (we got permission to not sleep because we would have had to get up at 11.30 and only one hour wouldn't have done a lot of good) and didn't really sleep in the bus. We went to the Temple and after had a devotional with President and his family and we got our packages. Thanks to you and mom and Laura, I had candy to share on the way back home. We all opened our presents on the bus and enjoyed them all together. I had some chocolate from Peru. Oh man, it was delicious.

We have food rules in the mission. We can't eat pork or anything like it (including sliced ham for sandwiches), no fish, no strawberries, no grapes, lettuce, or ice cream from the street or any food from the street. That's about it, I think. Otherwise, we have to wash it really well (like let it sit in bleach water for a few minutes and let it air dry) or make sure it has a peel (like bananas, papayas, etc). We eat pretty well. Oatmeal or cereal in the morning (with yogurt if its cereal and an apple), a really good lunch from our cocinera (cook), and something for dinner after planning (usually cereal or oatmeal). We don't go hungry we try to eat well. I feel fine - I've only gotten sick from food once here in Sololá and that's because it was really rich. Most of the time I'm fine.
To leave town we take a bus and it takes us to where we need to go. that or a flete (the truck where a bunch of people jump into the back). It's all pretty cheap. And in town, sometimes we take taxis or a tuk-tuk - it's a taxi but it's a motorcycle. I think we're the only area that gets to use tuk-tuks and fletes.

We had a Christmas miracle! We didn't have hot water for a really long time (four weeks - the whole time I've been here plus some) [Michelle only gets water between 7 am and 1 pm, anyway!] and the electricity was all funny and didn't work right, at all. So yesterday, someone came and fixed it. And we had hot showers today. It was fantastic.

Anyway, as a mission, we're reading the Book of Mormon together. We started on Saturday and we finished 1 Nephi 8 today. It's going well. Hermana Peterson and I decided that we're going to read it in Spanish and highlight every time the word Señor, Dios, Cristo, or Jesucristo appears. I love the Book of Mormon and I am so grateful that we get to read it as a mission. It's kind of cool to think that all the missionaries in our mission are reading the same things everyday and getting different revelation from it. I love this book and I know that it is scripture and the words of God.
I love you, dad! I'm so excited we get to talk tomorrow!

con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

November 19th, 2013 letter



Hi daddy!
I love you, too! I pray for you and mom and the family everyday! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week - eat some potatoes and turkey for me.  [mom's note:  She's one week off.]
 
The weeks fly by here. Yesterday felt like October or September. When we work with diligence (which we strive to do all the time), the days fly and we look at our watches and ask, ¨Where did the last 5 hours go?¨. That happens quite a lot, actually.

It actually hasn´t rained for a few weeks. Clouds, yes. Humidity, absolutely (the past few days have been really humid. Sweating at 11 in the morning? Yep.). But, it´s vale la pena (it´s worth it).

I love that you get to work at the Temple.

We´ve had some really good lessons this week. We have a family that´s interested in our message. The first time we met with them, they weren´t receptive at all. But we visited again and they showed interest. And the other day we taught about faith and the husband said that he wanted to assist [she's shortened "asistir" which means "attend" in English] church (the wife wasn´t there). And he read the Book of Mormon. And we have another brother who is Atheist, but he´s assisted church 2 times. And he said he has a lot of questions for us. We´re meeting with him on Thursday and we´ll try to help him come unto Christ and feel the Spirit to gain a testimony that there is a God. It might take time, but I think he might be baptized.

I really thought about Ether 12, verse 27 this week. Where God will show us our weaknesses as we come unto Him. As we come more unto Christ and learn more about Him and how He is, we see our weaknesses because we´re shown them. And once we recognize our weaknesses, we work to improve them. And we use the Atonement to help us do that and it´s only through the Atonement that we can make lasting changes in our lives and behaviors. The repentance process is more like the Atonement process because the process works for making things or attributes better in our lives, too. It´s a change of heart and a change of mindset. The repentance process of recognizing we need to change, not doing that thing or changing behavior, asking for help through prayer, deciding to change or not doing it anymore, and changing your will and heart to be algined with Heavenly Father´s. And having the patience and hope to get through all of that. And that we can wait for the Lord´s time and the Lord´s way, as well.

Well, I love you, dad! There are a lot of miles between us, but I still love you and feel your love and prayers help
me out. I love you mucho!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana "Pumpkin" Conover

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

November 12, 2013 letter



Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Hi daddy!

I love you, too!

The Temple grounds are pretty small. There´s some grass, a parking lot, and that´s about it. And the Temple is small, too. But the Spirit is still definitively there. And it´s a block away from the CCM and in a quieter part of Guate or La Capital (Guatemala City).

In our area, we stay in Ribera most of the time and three other areas that are within our area (a ten minute walk, max). We take buses to shop on Preparation Day and for District Meetings and other meetings, too. And some of the members drive to church, but most walk. It´s in Ribera del Rio and not that far of a walk.
I love hearing about your work in the Temple. Our family is doing some really good things right now, for both sides of the veil. We´re all working to bring the Gospel to more and more people and to help them receive the blessings of the ordinances of the Gospel and so that they can return to our Father in Heaven.

We made no-bake cookies yesterday, for P-Day. We didn´t have chocolate powder, though, so we used the Guatemala equivalent of Nesquik (ChocoPanda) and, oh man, it was delicious. So good. So, if you don´t have Hershey´s
chocolate powder and you need cocoa powder, use Nesquik. It´s really good.  Or, at least for no-bake cookies.

I love Elder Bednar´s talk. And how forward he was. If you keep the law of tithing, great. If you don´t, consider your ways and repent. Very direct, forward, and clear. It´s important to keep the law of the tithe and fast offerings.

Both Hermana Lui and I are excited for Afton to leave fo her mission. I´m so glad that she was able to go through the Temple! I remember the first time I went through, I thought of her and how much she needed to hear what is promised. I´m very excited for her and know that she will do wonderful things in the mission field "en la obra del Señor". (in the work of the Lord)

We had a really strong lesson this past week. Quite a few, actually. There was one lesson where we bore testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Spirit was so strong and we testified with power and authority. She hermana we were teaching didn´t accept another official visit, but we planted a seed and she used her agency. The language is still hard at times, but it´s getting a little easier. In lessons, it´s better.

Other than Gospel related things, its a little tough, but it´s getting there. And I´m working on my accent. Its fun to try to talk like a Guatemalan. :)  And two times this week, someone called us "angels". Both are menos activos (Less actives) and they were saying how they needed us to come when we did. Both times it was definitely the Spirit that brought us there. Not us. And this past week was the perfect week. We had goals for everyday (contact a lot of families, teach with members, etc) and we completed all of the goals EXCEPT for a baptism. We looked, so hard, and we almost had one, but it wasn´t the Lord´s time to have one this weekend. Faith, diligence, and hope. Go hand in hand.

Jesus Christ lives. And through Him, our sins and weaknesses can become clean and become strengths, respectively. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God who translated the Book of Mormon with the power of the Priesthood. I know it´s true. The Gospel changes lives. It does.

I love you, dad! Send my love to the family!

Con mucho amor,
Hermana "Pumpkin" Conover

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

November 5, 2013 Letter

November 5, 2013


Hi daddy!
I love you! That´s first, because it´s important. :)
 
Yeah, mom said that her computer was dying. That´s nice that Seth helped out with the transition.
 
About the Temple, we went to the one in Ciudad on Friday! One of the families that Hermana Cruz baptized last year went through and received their endowments. We did the session in Spanish (which was interesting - I´m very glad that I´ve gone through multiple times in English or else I would have been very lost).
 
 We have a new companion - Hermana Weatherford. She was in the CCM [Guatemala's Missionary Training Center] with me. A lot of the people with only six weeks [out of the CCM] got shuffled around in cambios. [transfers] She ´s a sweetheart and a hard worker. She´s a trooper. And I can finally keep up with Hermana Cruz while we´re walking around. I never thought that would happen! My goal from the first day was to walk as fast as her and I didn´t think it was possible. But it is! I can´t run as fast as her, but I´m working on that.
 
Yeah, our zone is pretty awesome. We were the "most successful" in October, so we get to have lunch in the house of President Brough on the 25th. Hermana Brough is a really good cook, so we´re all excited.
 
This past week I´ve been thinking about how important prayer is in our lives. In the Bible dictionary, it says how when we understand our relationship with God and how He is our Heavenly Father, prayer makes sense and is natural and we have a literal conversation with God. Some of our investigators don´t understand that they are LITERALLY sons and daughters of God and don´t pray or don´t pray in the way Christ taught us how. Or don´t see the importance of it or don´t receive (don´t recognize) the answers of the Holy Ghost. I know that when we understand that we´re literally talking to God, our prayers become that much more sincere. When we understand and have complete faith that we will receive answers, we will feel and recognize them. When we act on those answers, we are blessed. I know that sometimes, it doesn´t feel like the Lord is going to answer or that He didn´t, but he does. Sometimes, it´s in ways that we don´t expect or realize. I know He will answer our prayers, we just have to be patient. Like it says in the scriptures (I know it in Spanish, but not in English, so here´s a rough translation), whatever thing you ask for in the name of the Father in the name of Christ, and is right, that prayer will be answered. When we pray (and repent), we´re bringing our will in line with Heavenly Father´s. not the other way around.
 
I love you! Send my love to the family! Eat some chocolate chip pumpkin cookies for me! :) And some sourdough bread, también.
 
I love you!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana "Pumpkin" Conover
 
 
November 5, 2013
 
Hi momma!

How´s life in California going? I hope that you´re feeling better.  [Mom had a spontaneous rupture of the semitendinosis on the Labor Day week end and is just now getting over the bruising, pain and swelling.]

I got my package at exchanges - I´m saving the peanut butter, though, for an area where we don´t get Peter Pan peanut butter (which actually isn´t that bad, surprisingly). 
 
I´m in a trio again. Hermana Weatherford came to our area last week at cambios (exchanges). She came into the CCM with me and she´s a sweetheart. We were in Unversity Chorale together and didn´t know it! She´s a hard worker, too
.
I love this Gospel. It´s such a message of happiness and joy. Yeah, we cry a lot when we feel the Spirit and it might not seem like we´re happy, but we are. We taught a lesson this past week where we read Ether 12:6 and 12 and verse 12 says that without us showing our faith, God cannot work miracles. I started crying. Because I have seen miracles happen in Ribera del Rio. For sure. Not many and not all the time, but they´ve been there. I know that this Gospel is true and that when we show our faith and are exactly obedient, God gives us miracles. 
 
We went to the Temple on Friday. It was so refreshing and such a good experience. We had to leave our house at 4:10 in the morning to get there in time, but it was so  worth it. The reason we went was that one of the families that Hermana Cruz taught and baptized last year is getting sealed in December and they received their endowments on Friday. It was so good. We did the session in Spanish, so it was interesting. I´m glad that we went to the Temple so many times during our stay at the CCM. That helped a lot, or else I would have been lost.
 
I love you, mom! Say hola to the family for me! I love  you! Eat some sourdough bread for me! :)

con MUCHO amor,
Hermana "Pooch" Conover

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

October 29, 2013 letters

October 29, 2013

Hi daddy!

Answer for the day: When we get that wet, I let my shoes dry for about two days and hang my clothes to dry. It´s humid, but most of the time, it feels about like San Francisco on a rainy day. And when it´s hot, it feels like Utah in the summer, with a little more humidity. I love my skirts - they´re perfect for running and the weather.

What - there´s a new chapel in Brentwood? Since when? And what did President Westover say? (mom mentioned it in her email) Have you read Unbroken? That is such a good example of trials and overcoming them.

We get to go to the Temple this week - one of Hermana Cruz´s converts is getting sealed on Saturday and we get to go with them. We´ll have to get up around 3 to get to the session (at 7 am), but, it´s "vale la pena" (it´s worth it). And we have cambios (changes) tomorrow. And we´re getting another companion! We´ll be a trio in Rivera del Rio and I´m excited. We don´t know who it is, but that´s ok. She´ll be amazing, I can feel it.

Oh - we saw fireflies last night when we taught in the colonia. It was so pretty.

Prayer is such a fundamental thing in our lives, but especially in the mission field. We pray all the time for our investigators, our recent converts, our menos activos (less actives), and pray for our lessons and the ward and everything in between. But for investigators, it´s especially important. Through prayer, investigators receive answers and feel the Spirit (but not just prayer - going to Church, reading the Book of Mormon, and keeping the commandments are fundamental, as well). Prayer is a two-way communication with God and we talk to Him and He responds in His own time and way. We have to be patient. In the Bible Dictionary, it says that when people don´t pray, it´s because they don´t understand our relationship with Heavenly Father and how He is literally our Father in Heaven and we get to talk to Him. He, the Eternal God and and Infinite God, talks to us, miniscule beings in comparison. I love the quote by President Uchtdorf where he says something to the effect of how we are nothing compared to God, but yet, we are everything to God. I know that when we understand that Heavenly Father loves us and wants to hear from us (about our successes, failures, happy moments, frustrations, our days in general), we will "instinctively" kneel and prayer to our Father.

Lately, when explaining prayer to someone who won´t pray or doesn´t understand prayer, we´ve used the example of a long-distance phone call with someone that we haven´t seen for a while that we love and want to talk to. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and when we want to show our gratitude for the things in our life or need help or need to talk, we have prayer 24-7.

I love you, dad! Say "Hola" to the rest of the family and I´m sending my love towards the States!

Con mucho amor en Guatemala,
Hermana "pumpkin" Conover
 
 
 October 29, 2013
 
Hi momma!
I´m embracing everything. I really like the food (who would have thought?) and there´s only a few things that I don´t like. And when I get the recipe, I´ll send it. [referencing a cooked banana dessert that Michelle really likes.]

We have cambios tomorrow (exchanges) and we´re "receiving" another Hermana. We´ll have three in our companionship! Excitement! And we´ll get letters and packages tomorrow. I´ll let you know next week if I get the package. [Mom sent Michelle a three pound jar of peanut butter--the jar of peanut butter cost $ 4.50, the postage was $ 38.00-- Michelle eating peanut butter--priceless!]
 
And the stamps [on some of the letters she received] were the international ones and I didn´t have to pay extra. Oh - and we found a tienda in our area that sells small bottles of JIF creamy. We indulged last night. It was good. So I´ll probably save the other for when I am in an area that doesn´t have peanut butter.

Oh, the Book of Mormon. It is so important in the conversion process of anyone. It softens the hearts of investigators and testifies again about Jesucristo to members and non-members alike. And, at the moment, I´m studying the Book of Mormon in English and when I have time, I study in Spanish. And I´ve heard both ways, too. How you learn Spanish (or another language) better and faster when you read the Book of Mormon in that language, but I might get lost. I read them side by side sometimes and when I don´t understand the Spanish, I automatically look it up in English (if we´re home - I don´t carry my English scriptures with me while we´re teaching).  And yes, it is hard to not underline everything in the Book of Mormon. I have a feeling that when I get home, everything is going to be one color or another. But, I love the Book of Mormon. There´s solace, comfort, and help in this book. I know it is true.
 
In 1 Nephi 6:6, Nephi gives a commandment to his descendants to not fill the plates with things not of importance to the children of men. Entonces ("so" - I use this word so much throughout the day), everything in the Book of Mormon is there because it is important for our day, because the Book of Mormon was written for us. Every chapter, verse, and word is there because the Lord knows that it will help us in our lives today.

There´s a recent convert in our ward and she is such an example to me and (I think) to everyone she meets. She has cancer and every 15 days has therapy (treatments), but she is so happy. All the time. Her testimony is so strong and she has a love for everyone she meets. I re-realized this week that it is a decision to be happy and when we decide to be happy and act on that decision, the days are better and the work is better. I know that. I have a testimony of that.

I love you, mom! Thanks for the football updates! [BYU's football team is playing in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T park in San Francisco on December 27th.]
 
And no, our crossing paths over the internet didn´t mess me up - I was excited, actually. [Mom happened to be checking her email on the 22nd, and noticed that Michelle had just sent her letter, so she was able to send a quick message and get a quick answer back from Hermana Conover.]
 
I love you! I hope you´re feeling better!
 
Con MUCHo amor,
Hermana Conover

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Letter October 22nd (2013)

¡Hola mi padre! ¿Cómo esta?

I love hearing about your work in the Temple - we get to go every 6 months (because our work is for the living, as I heard once) and it reminds me of how special a place it is.
This week was really good. I´m working on street contacting more and listening to the Spirit more in lessons to ask inspired questions and discern the needs of the investigators
We had Zone Conference on Friday and it was fantastic. We practiced teaching lessons (where I practiced using silence effectively after the First Visions - the Spirit was really strong) and President Brough talked about how we have angels assigned to us to comfort us and help us in life. He talked about how our angels are our ancestors and our future children. And he emphasized the importance of exact obedience and being valiant. 
After the conference, it was POURING rain. I have never been so wet from rain in my life. It was as if I had stood underneath a shower for five minutes. It was ridiculous, but we were so uplifted from the conference that it didn´t really matter. We got home, changed clothes really quickly, and went back to work.
I got your letters after the conference! Thank you so much! It meant a lot to see your and mom´s handwriting on the pages. Thank you.
This week I realized the importance (or, re-realized) of reading the Book of Mormon and how integral it is in the conversion process for members and non-members alike. In Preach My Gospel, there´s a whole chapter dedicated to the Book of Mormon and how to use it to answer questions, doubts, and in conversion. If the Book of Mormon is true, then it contains the words of God, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the Church is true, and Jesucristo is our Savior and Redeemer. President Kimball (I think) said that for investigators, the only concern is whether the Book of Mormon is true because if it´s true, it´s all true. We taught a lesson Saturday night (many lessons, but one in particular) where we testified that the evidence of the truth of the Gospel is the Book of Mormon and how any person can grow closer to God through this book and know of hte Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really good lesson and the Spirit was really strong .
There´s a quote somewhere (I don´t remember) but it´s to the effect of missionary work is home teaching for non-members and home teaching is missionary work for members. I thought you´d like that. I think Elder Packer said it, but I´m not sure.
New thing I tried this week - I don´t know what it´s called in English, but basically, it´s boiled bananas with a little bit of salt and sugar. It´s really good. I want to get the recipe, it´s that good.
I love you! Say hi to the family for me! I pray for you and mom and the family everyday!
Con MUCHO amor,
Hermana Conover


Usually Michelle's letters to her mom are answers to "housekeeping" questions about how to take care of internet things, how her clothing is working out, what she needs...you know, mom questions.  This week's letter to mom gave a little more insight to her language acquisition and the rest of her letter paralleled her letter to her dad.  "Esta todo bien!" or "Its all good!" as she is fond of saying.

Hola mi amorosa madre, ¿que tal?

I do have an accent - an American Spanish accent. No, Spanish is coming along. Really. We had Zone Conference on Friday and I talked with President Brough and he said that my Spanish is really good. And he wouldn´t just say that - he knows how much I´ve been stressing about my Spanish. So that was good to know.


I study the Book of Mormon in English for a half an hour a day, but I think I might switch over to Spanish and read the English when I´m confused. I´m grateful for my Book of Mormon classes at the Y, for sure, PERO, I´m studying for a different purpose now and for specific people and not just for my own personal knowledge. It´s a special experience how I can read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and find at least one scripture that applies to our companionship or our investigators. No matter the chapter, there´s a principal that can be applied.
I was reading in Helaman 4 and 5 today and Mormon talks about how not even a hundredth of the Book of Mormon is in the plates. It meant a lot to me today that every scripture, every word, is what we need in today´s society. The Book of Mormon was written for us and for our day and every scripture can be applied to our lives. So we need to read and reread the words of the Prophets. 
In Preach My Gospel, it talks about the Book of Mormon and how crucial it is for investigators (and members, for that matter) to read it. If the book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, this Church is true, and Jesucristo is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that. I get it. So, we´re trying to get our investigators to read the Book of Mormon with renewed vigor and intensity because the evidence that this church is true is in the Book of Mormon. I know that. And I know that this Church is true and that we can find solace and comfort and the words of God in the Book of Mormon and its´teachings.
I love you, mom! So much! I pray for you and the rest of our family everyday! 
Con MUCHO amor en Guatemala, 
Hermana Conover

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

October 15th letter 2013

Hi daddy! (and the rest of the fam)
 
I take that as a good thing that I don´t look like a pumpkin. [Michelle's dad asked her why he called her Pumpkin in his letter to her.] Although, I am getting a slight tan. I´m starting to get a watch tan and a lot of freckles. Tons of freckles on my arms and a few on my face. It´s fun.

The people here are really nice and the ward is really nice. Some of the time I don´t understand what´s being said, but people are kind and patient with my Spanish. If I ask them to repeat something, they do. Our ward mission leader is funny and nice. 

We offer service to people we teach after our lessons and ask the members if we can do any service for them (laundry, cooking, etc.) but usually, no one takes us up on that offer. We helped a recent convert move the other day. She moved two streets away from her original house, but she didn´t have a car to move her stuff. So, poco a poco, we moved the toys, the clothes, and other things. It was good to help her move.

Dad, I´m so glad that you have the opportunity to work in the Temple. That is a great experience.

Services? Our cook cooks lunch [and dinner] for us and does our laundry once a week. That´s about it.

Oh - last night, we had FHE at the Bishop´s house (the mother in law isn´t a member) and last week, the bishop´s wife asked me what I missed. I said PB&J sandwiches. The refreshment last night? PB&J. She had somehow found Planters peanut butter and Nutella. Oh man. It was heaven.

An average day in my life as a missionary:
 
5 - wake up
5-5:30 - exercise
5:30-6:30 - get ready for the day and breakfast
6:30-7:30 - personal study
7:30-9:30 - companion study (an extra hour for me because I´m being trained; hence getting up at 5:30)
9:30-10:30 - language study (English and Spanish)
10:30-1 - appointments and contacting
1-1:30 or 2 - lunch
2-9 - contacting, teaching, appointments, etc.
9-9:30 - planning
9:30-10:20 - dinner, journal, ready for bed
10:20 - prayers
10:25 - lights are usually off (or before)

Yep. It´s the life. The missionary life.

As we were running around Sunday to help our investigators get to church (yes, running), a thought popped into my head. This message - our message - that is central to Jesus Christ is a message of change and action. We invite people to repent and become more like Christ. We have to have faith and then act on that faith. In Ether 12:6, it says that only after a trial of your faith does the testimony (and blessings, as the case may be) come.  In verse 12 of that same chapter, it says that the Lord performs miracles only after we show our faith. Entonces (So), we invite people to repent because we´re all working on becoming more Christlike. We repent, we change, we act on our faith, and then we´re blessed. I know that life is hard sometimes, but that doesn´t mean that we have to be sad about it. When we look forward to the future with faith and hope, Heavenly Father blesses us and we are able to endure the trials and problems in our lives.If we continually look back on things that have happened in our lives, we cannot progress forward. So, we access the Atonement, repent and/or find solace in the Atonement, and move on and press forward with a steadfast faith in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.

I know that this Gospel is true and that this is the Lord´s work. When members and missionaries work together, miracles happen, and when we´re exactly obedient, miracles happen. And when we have faith and hope with exact obedience, more miracles happen.

I love you all! I hope all is well at home! ¡Esta todo bien!  [Michelle's signature:  "Its all good!" in Spanish.]

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Conover