week 9:The Lord´s Hand is With His Missionaries

Hello Everyone!

Yes its me, down here on the other side of the globe.  

This week was so challenging, but so uplifting and fulfilling as well.  

First off I just want to make sure everyone doesnt think that Im always like having a terrible time.  Most days I feel so awesome and just wanna share the gospel like no other, but there are just some moments that are really hard.  

So this week we went to the hospital, cause Elder Ribeiro has had quite a bit of pain in his back, and that took almost all day Wednesday, which was kinda difficult not doing much, but hey, sometimes you have days like that.  

We finally got to teach Abril, Milagros, and Natalie again, and they all committed to baptism on the 14th of November, and we had a member in the lesson too, and the spirit was SUPER strong, as was the gift of tongues, and it was amazing.  We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit.  It was amazing and Natalie talked about how she felt so at peace.  I loved it haha.

We also have two new investigators, Sergio y Ignes, who are amazing, so spiritual, and they just want to learn.  We have a lesson with them today and im so stinking stoked because I cant wait to get to the First Vision.  Ignes gave the closing prayer last lesson and thanked God for the priesthood, which we had just talked about.....they really do listen haha, and its awesome!

One day this week was super rough. We had lunch with a family and the food was awesome, and everything was going well, and then the mom came home.  The entire hour and a half we were there turned into make fun of Elder Conover cause he cant understand.  Theyd command me to do stuff in spanish and then laugh at me when i couldnt understand, and then she got mad at me cause i couldnt talk since i was fighting tears and she said like ¨you mad at me?! you dont want me to teach you spanish?!¨ So that was difficult for a while after, but i decided to follow the counsel in the scriptures to pray for those that hurt you, and i decided to smile at her as much as i could on sunday.  It definitely got rid of all my bad feelings, and feelings of resentment.  such a blessing from the Lord.

So anyways, yesterday (sunday) was the presidential elections down here, and i guess it gets kinda dangerous, so we only were allowed to go to church and lunch.  Church was good, and we had an investigator and an inactive family follow their committments and come!  Then, we had the best lunch ever.  My spanish was good, and one of the sons speaks super good English, plus the mom can cook like no other, and it was so uplifting, and then we got to go back to the pension, study and rest, which really recharged my batteries from the physical exhaustion.  

Funny:

They have this super nasty tea (that we are allowed to drink) down here, that basically tastes like someone took a bunch of weeds and put them in the blender and thats what they give you, and youre supposed to put some sugar in it.....the last time i had it i think i put like 5 spoons of sugar in it to hide the taste haha

During a lunch this week, a woman was talking about someone having a heart attack, and ¨heart-attack¨ in spanish is ¨farto.¨ Needless to say it was extremely difficult to not laugh at it, and I lost it as soon as we got back to the pension hahahaha.  Good old language translation potty jokes.

Overall, this week was challenging, but awesome, we got 4 new investigators, and the Lord has supported me so much.  Through prayer, scripture study, and straight hard work, the Lord has brought me so much peace in my darkest moments, and im so grateful for that.

Con Amor, 

Elder Conover

week 8: And We Went To The Font!

hola todos!

Week two in the field is done and i am still alive!  it has been the hardest week of my life, but so rewarding.

last monday we went to another chapel and had asado, argentine bbq, for the first time, and the rumors are true. it is the best steak in the world.  no joke.

We have been visiting old investigators lately, and we found a man named pablo, who was about to get baptized, but he had a girlfriend that he wasnt willing to give up, so he didnt get in the water.  then, he went to jail, so he doesnt have a girlfriend anymore, and he has really fond memories of the missionaries so we´re hoping that we can get with him since he is the coolest guy in the world.  

The other day, when we got back to the pension, it felt like the entire world crashed in.  I lost it and all i could do was get on my knees and cry out for help.  Prayer and scripture study are basically all you have, and i cant really express myself to my companion since he doesnt speak english.  However, he gave me a blessing, which really helped me instantly, and i felt much better for days after.  The priesthood power is so true and it is such a blessing in my life.  

On a lighter note, the food is SO GOOOOD. its unreal.  we have had the most awesome meals, and i dont think i could ever get sick of it.  a ton of bread and meat haha.

Anyways, WE HAD A BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!!!  His name is Facundo, he is 13 years old, and he is the sweetest kid youll ever meet.  He has such a desire to learn and everytime he sees us coming down the street he sprints up to us and gives us a big bear hug and buries his head into our chest.  needless to say i feel great after their meetings.  

The baptism was so powerful and motivating, and you could almost like grab the spirit out of the air it was so strong.  he was like glowing, and THAT is why im here, and it was so amazing.  The spirit has guided everyone of our lessons with them, and they are so humble and accepting of everything.  i love those people.

Funny Stuff

we were riding on the bus the other day and a man started screaming at the driver from the back of the bus......i didnt understand any of it but it scared the tar out of me, and i asked Elder Ribeiro what he said, and he responded ¨mal cosas¨hahaha

We also finally have a light in our bathroom, which has been so awesome.  showering in the dark every morning has been lame hahahaha

i am starting to become acustomed to everything here, and the language is developing.  there are many times where i am brought to my knees in tears, but through prayer, the lord has supported me so much.

even despite how hard it is, i love the mission and wouldnt give it up for the world 

i love you all and hope that this letter finds you in peace and joy

Elder Conover

Week 7: First Week in the Field....The Hardest, Best, Craziest, Humbling week of my life

Holá todos!  

First week in the field, and it has been absolutely crazy!

We got on the plane in Atlanta on Monday and I was convinced that they were speaking chinese or something, because it wasnt Spanish hahaha.  

After we arrived following another flight from Buenos Aires to Mendoza, we met President and Sister Goates, who are like the nicest people in the entire world, and then we went to the mission home to have dinner, and it was so stinking good.

The next day, we had a lot of training, and we went to a couple of cool places in Mendoza, one of which is a HUGE lot that the church owns that the Goates were saying they think is probably going to

be the spot of a future temple.  That was super inspiring. 

On thursday, we met our trainers.  My trainer is Elder Ribeiro, from Manaus, Brazil, where I served last year! And we know a lot of the same people! Small world when youre a member of the church!

Anyways, we went to our areas on Thursday, and settled in.  I am serving near the city of mendoza, in a city called Las Heras.  When we got to the apartment, I unpacked, and then we went to get food.  Suddenly I was overwhelmed.  It finally sunk in how different everything was, and I was fighting tears for an hour.  When we got back, I lost it.  I got on my knees, and prayed harder than I ever have.  it was so difficlt, and i felt like my entire world had just collapsed, and its hard since i have no one that i know here.....but after praying, reading, and pleading, i felt somewhat better.  We then took our clothes to a member of the ward, we dont have to wash our clothes here hahaha

The past few days have been nutty.  The buses are insane, terrfying, but stinking awesome, and all the drivers are crazy, just stay out of the way hahaha.  This place is awesome.  its totally 100% south america, nothing like europe like everyone was telling me it would be.  this is exactly what i wanted haha

Here, they have gutters called sequias, which are like 3 feet deep and they are like cannals that run on both sides of both streets, and all the trash and run off goes there, kinda gross but cool in a way haha.

Anyways, we have been working hard, and we taught a lesson on Friday with a man who was smoking during the lesson hahaha, we have another appointment with him tomorrow.  

Saturday was so awesome.  I generally understand like 50% of what is going on.  Which is better than the 5% when i got here hahaha.  Anyways, we were teaching a woman who was super not interested, and I could here them saying ¨oh he doesnt understand¨ which was super lame, haha.  Anyways, we were teaching, and asked if I wanted water, and i said sure.  The mom then started to fill up a glass in the sink, which i cant drink.  I tried to explain that i cant drink that since president goates said so, but it stopped the entire lesson, and destroyed the spirit.  i wanted to cry cause i couldnt understand anything after that either.  so hard.  anyways, we kept teaching, and she started to open up a little, and i felt like i should share some experiences ive had, which is hard, since i dont really speak.  anyways, i decidied to open my mouth, and the gift of tongues was super strong, and i was able to talk and the spirit was super strong, and the family told me how good my spanish was for only being in argentina for 4 days.  it was awesome

Church was good yesterday, and the spirit was super strong, even if i couldnt understand for a while haha

the members here are awesome, and guess what?????

We have a baptism scheduled for this Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

his name is Facundo, he is 13, and his mom is getting baptized in november, wooooo!

we also are trying to help a man quit smoking, and we have a couple of girls, Abril and Milagros, who are scheduled for baptism in a couple of weeks! so cool.

Funny stuff:

in the mission, there are the ¨5 Maldiciones,¨ or curses of the missionaries, and i got one this week haha.

we were teaching a lesson, and a woman that i didnt know walked in, and gave me the little cheek kiss thing.  LITERALLY the most awkard thing that has ever happened to me.  I almost died hahaha.

This week has been so hard at times, but also so amazing at others, I have never had to rely on the lord so much, and it is such a blessing. we are working hard and i know that through the strength of the lord we can do all things.  

Have a great week all,

Elder Conover

Week 6: It's The Final Countdown!

Hey All!

So this week was awesome.  So spiritually uplifting, and although there were some challenges, there was a ton of spiritual upliftment.

Last Saturday, there was a pretty lame thing that happened.  There was this big misunderstanding, and my teacher thought that had been doing something that I shouldn't have been, that I didnt do, and he called me out in front of the entire class, which was super humiliating, and degrading since I have been trying so hard to be exactly obedient.  Everything ended up being alright, cause I had a super awesome experience that night.  

Elder Brown, from Inkom, Idaho, is literally like my biggest role model ever.  He was 100% inactive up until last December, and now he is one of the most hardworking missionaries in the entire district.  On Saturday, he seemed down, so we went for a little walk.  It was amazing.  The words that I told him were not my words, and I KNOW that the spirit was working through me.  We cried together for a few minutes and we both walked away from it feeling SO much better  I love the spirit and the guidance and comfort that it brings into our lives.  

This week, we also watched Elder Scott's funeral, which was amazing.  The gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation bring us all so much comfort to know when, why, and how we need to approach life, and the importance of it.  

On Tuesday, Claudio Costa, from the presidency of the 70 came to speak to us which was so stinking cool.  I'm calling it....next apostle ;)  he spoke of experiences of him serving as a mission president in Manaus, sooooooo cool.

We had a couple of women come to our classroom the other day and just started talking to us.  They were from Ecuador and El Salvador, so of course it was all in spanish.  Neither of them were members, and we committed one to read the book of mormon and pray about it.  What amazes me is the ease that I can speak in when I speak about the gospel, but then it all goes more downhill when I'm not.  THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL!!

Also, chipped a tiny part of my front tooth yesterday, dont know how, and you cant even see it really, but I thought that was a little spice to my day hahaha

Next time I email you I will be in Argentina!  I am so excited and nervous to go, but I know that through the strength of the Lord, we can literally do ALL things!

Love you all,

Elder Conover