Letters to Dad and Mom April 14, 2014

April 15, 2014

 HI daddy!

I love you!

Easter is HUGE here in Sololá. It`s called "Semana Santa" (holy week) and the people here order a special type of bread to be made and it`s really good. And a lot of people go to the Coast because it`s warm there. The only people that are going to be here for the week (more or less) are the people who work and can`t leave for the coast. So it will be interesting work-wise, but we`ll follow the Spirit and move forward.

And we have changes (transfers) this week. I`m leaving Sololá. I`m going to miss Sololá. I didn`t think I could come to love a people or a place as much as I love Sololá. It has been a special experience here and I`m glad I came here, I`ve grown a lot, I think, here in Sololá - in testimony and in being a missionary.

I`ve been singing a lot these past few days (in the shower, in the house, in the street) and I`ve come to realize that my voice kind of sounds like Kelly`s when I sing. Interesting thought of the day. I have no doubt that your singing with Sis. Moon and Jensen will be
amazing, like always.

And way to be a member missionary! I`m always so proud of you every time you share a missionary story. 

I love the patterns of light segments that Elder Bednar did. It explains the revelation very well and how it comes in different ways. I love Chapter 4 of Preach My Gospel - how the Spirit works with us and the different ways it talks to us in our minds and hearts (D&C 8:2-3). It`s good to remember
the basics and to be firm in them.

 Sometimes people get carried away with the "deep doctrine" of the Gospel, but it`s good to stick with the basics, sometimes. I talked with a man yesterday (a North American that`s Amish, I
think...I`m not sure) and he started going off on so many different things, like, "I`ve studied YOUR religion, of the Catholics, the Protestants," etc., and I simply asked him if he had asked specifically if Joseph Smith was a prophet. And he changed the subject to not answer. He was talking about many "deep doctrine" things but didn`t have a foundation in the basics, so it didn`t mean anything to him. I know that when we stick to the basics and have our foundations strong, the whirlwinds will come (like this man yesterday), but we will not be shaken. Our testimonies - though they may seem simple to the more learned people - will be strong and steadfast
and we will not be moved from this testimony that we have.

We use internet cafes every week to email and for mother`s day, we`re going to use the computers in the Stake Centers. Still don`t know much about it, but I`ll let you know when we know more.

I love you, dad! Have a "Hoppy" Easter! :) (that never gets old)  I pray for you and mom everyday and for our family.

Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover

April 15, 2014

Hi momma!

I love you!

I think it`s ok with the nicknames. It`s not like there`s another missionary calling me Hermana Pooch-a-rooch..

.

And the field is a soccer field in Sololá in the area of the zone leaders. The reason for the backpacks - we were leaving when the zone leaders said, "¡Necesitamos tomar un foto!" (we need to take a picture). So, we took a picture. 

AND...I have changes. I`m not going to be in Sololá anymore. We have changes [transfers] tomorrow, so we get to leave Sololá at the bright and early hour of 5 in the morning to be in the Capitol at 8. It`ll be good. We`ll sleep a little on the way there, I think.

I almost forgot how Carol joined the Church. And how crazy that summer was. And it`s true - the small and simple things is how this work gets done and how we see miracles. One of our converts - the one who was baptized a few weeks ago after listening to us for 2 and a half weeks - is an example of this. He was working with our ward mission leader two or three years ago in the ice cream business of Sololá (more or less) and he listened to the missionaries then and wasn`t interested. He went back to Quiché and in February, was without work. He felt that he needed to go back to Sololá because "something was there for me". And he was baptized almost three weeks later. Miracles happen and it`s when the missionaries and the members work together. And when the members OPEN their mouths. Heavenly Father will put the words that we need in our mouths with the Spirit (Doctrine and Covenants 100:5-8).

This week is the "Semana Santa" (holy week) and WOW. There are so many people in Panajachel and Sololá for this week. And there`s a special type of bread here, as well, that the people eat. It`s really good. And everyone is talking about "HOly Thursday", "Holy Friday", Saturday, and Sunday, as well. And Pascua - I thought it was Spanish for Easter, then Passover, only to find out that it means both. Who knew? But a lot of people are going to go to the Coast for the week and the people that are still going to be here are the people that are going to work. So misisionary work wise, it`ll be interesting.

We`re reading Preach My Gospel as a mission and this morning we read pages 12-14 - the quotes of the Prophets about Missionary Work. I love how almost all of the prophets used the word "responsibility" to describe this work (and they also used mission, as well). This isn`t just the work of members, or missionaries, but of both and of the Lord. With the Lord and when we rely on the Spirit, we`ll see miracles (Chapter 4 of Preach My Gospel).

I love you, mom! I hope you have a wonderful Easter with our family and have some ham for me (if you`re having ham). I love you! I pray for you and our family everyday!

Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover