May 27, 2014

 Hi mom and dad!

I love you!

How are you? I hope that all is well in California.

 

Thanks for mailing the letters, mom. I didn`t know their addresses and that was the only thing I could think of. 

 

That`s good that the garden is still going strong. And that`s funny about the cabbage. If you want some recipes of using cabbage in Guatemalan cooking, I can give you a few ideas. :)  

[Mom and Dad's broccoli plants were mislabeled.  Instead of broccoli sprouts, we got cabbage.]

 

I`m finishing up Alma - I finished Alma 48 today. I love Alma. Before my mission, I didn`t - I would always think, "The war chapters. Why are they here?" But then you read 1 Nephi 6:4-6 and realize that it`s there for a reason. Yes, there is a lot of blood and carnage, but there are also spiritual lessons in each chapter. you have to look for them, sometimes, but they`re there. Like today - I read Alma 47-48 and it was about Corianton (or is it with a "k"? I don`t remember) and Lehonti. And how Lehonti was "tempted" to come down the mountain 3 times (accepted teh fourth) before he only came down a little way and then, after a period of time, died because of his actions and treachery of others. But that`s how Satan works, by degrees. He lies to us, "Oh, one day without reading your scriptures will be ok" or "You don`t need to pray now before you go to bed - you prayed this morning". And then, it escalates from there and it`s easier each time to not do that thing. We need to keep all the commandments and when we mess up, we repent. As we repent and change, we become better and stronger spiritually, and then we find something else we need to fix, then we repent, and the process continues. We need to be strong in the faith and strong in our beliefs. And not let Satan in, for anything. 

 

And it`s true - Satan is running rampant and he and his angels are laughing because of the spiritually slain (3 Nephi). But, we have to keep pushing forward and teach those we can teach and serve those we can serve and help. I know it gets bleak sometimes, but we know who`s going to win in the end. We just have to choose what side we`re going to be on when that time comes. I know that living this Gospel will bring so many blessings in the lives of everyone that lives it. 

 

And, I`m starting to memorize "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" in Spanish. I have about the first two paragraphs memorized. It`ll be good, I think, so that I can quote it more readily to people here. 

 

I love you, mom and dad! I pray for you everyday and for our family! Keep strong in the faith!

 

It`s all good! :)

 

Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover

 Addendums added after Michelle's initial letter: 

Hi!

I forgot to tell you - we have changes this week (tomorrow) and I`m staying in Patulul and Hermana Johnson is leaving (I`m saying she`s going to Sololá, as well as everyone else we talk to...we`ll see).

So, I`ll let you know about my new companion the next week and I love you!

Con MUCHO amor,

Hermana Conover

 Oh, and we had four baptisms this past Sunday - a mom and three of her daughters. And we`re preparing her other daughter to be baptized this Sunday. They`re going to be really strong in the Church and I`m excited that they`re going to progress in the Gospel.

I love you!

-Hermana Conover

And it`s Amalikiah, not Korianton. I got it mized up just a bit...

Love you!

-Hermana Conover