October 12, 2016
Dear Family and Friends,
I would like to start by apologizing for slacking on my weekly email
lately. I will try to write a good email this time, and really help
you understand what it is like to be here right now, doing missionary
work in the wonderful city of Sapporo. I am doing so well. My
companion is the best, and thanks to living with a Japanese person for
almost 3 months, my Japanese has improved tremendously. I have gone
through ups and downs, but I have really learned to love all aspects
of missionary work; even housing and streeting. There is such a thrill
to sharing the gospel, and really watching the Lord help you as you
take many many leaps of faith, and trust him to help you. I know that
the times where I have tried my very hardest to do my very best, and
give everything that I have to the Lord, that those are the times
where I am happier than I thought I could ever be.
I would like to share one experience that has, along with many other
experiences, helped me to learn of the importance of giving everything
to the Lord; consecrating my will to his.
The first part of this story starts with one Tuesday night, over a
month ago now. It was pretty cold, but we were doing streeting on our
bikes, so we were riding our bikes, and then stopping people, and
sharing the gospel with them. We had been doing pretty good, and our
motivation and desire to share the gospel, and follow the spirit was
very high. I stopped one guy, who didn't have any interest, and while
I was talking to him, a boy passed me on his bike. The guy I was
talking to abruptly ended the conversation, and so without really
thinking I shouted out to the boy who was already a good 12 feet past
us, riding his bike. He slammed on his brakes, and was eager to talk
to us. We talked with him about God's love, and about how he thought
that God was there. He is 15 years old, and was very interested in our
message. We exchanged numbers, and made a plan to meet on Saturday; I
was really happy, and it was a nice tender mercy that night, for going
the extra mile, and really trying to do everything I could to follow
the spirit....Flash forward to 2 and a half weeks later. We had not
been able to meet this boy. His name is takumi, and he is 16 years
old. I had talked to him on the phone a few times, so that was awesome
that he had answered, but he was pretty busy and we hadn't been able
to meet....Okay now we are on Saturday 2 and a half weeks later. On
this Saturday we had started the day at a park, and had ended up
praying to really repent for the places that we were lacking, and to
really have the strength to give everything that we have to the work.
We did done some housing, and streeting and found one awesome guy. We
tried calling some people, and then all of a sudden we got a call from
takumi kun! He said that he could meet right now! Him and his friends
were at the park playing baseball, and we should come!! We were
pumped. He came and got us, and we went to the park together. At the
park we were able to be able to meet 6 of his friends, and we just had
a really funny time, played some good sports, and I played up the
gaijin (foreigner) card big time. We were able to gather everyone at
the end, and I taught them all that they were children of God, and
that God loves them, wants them to succeed, and to be happy, In all
things, both big and small. The spirit was really strong, and it was
such a special moment on my mission, to be able to bear witness of
God's love, and reality, to 8 kids from the ages 15-16 years old, and
one 10 year old girl, who was there with her older sister. (They were
the only girls.) Before we left, I told them all that we wanted their
number's, and they all laughed, and most of them gave it to us, which
was a small miracle by itself. This will be a special moment that I
will always remember with great joy. God is so good, and I know that
he hears our prayers. To any of you who ever read this, I want to
testify to you that I know God. I know that he is my father, I know
that he loves me, and that he loves you. I know that his love is real,
and that we can return to live with him forever, because he prepared a
plan for us to be able to overcome sin. I know that miracles occur
everyday. I have seen God's hand in my life, and I know that if you
look for him in yours you will in-mistakenly see his infinite and
perfect imprint in your everyday life. I testify of the savior, and of
his ability to heal us. I know that the power of the Atonement can
change, improve, and perfect us. I know that God guides His
missionaries; when we are willing to listen. I love my God.
Fast forward to what has been happening since that Saturday. We have
been able to meet 5 different times, with a different arrangement of
those kids, Koki is the one who we have met the most with, but right
now from our meetings, ping pong tournaments, and lessons, there are 4
boys that are 16 years old, who are all praying right now to know
whether or not God is there, whether Joseph smith is a Prophet, and
whether or not God and Jesus Christ Appeared to Joseph smith. Please
pray for them. I hope to be able to see there faith grow, because they
have most definitely felt the spirit, and even now there simple faith,
has strengthened my faith so much.
But....What have I learned from this experience in particular...
I've learned that if you are going to give 98-99% of yourself to your
mission, then you might as well just take it easy and give a good 50%.
(Not really but just stick with me for a bit) The reason why this idea
has some validity to it, is that in my mission the times where I have
truly seen miracles, and truly seen things that could have only been
from Our Heavenly Father, were times when I was giving 110% of myself
to the work. When I was doing absolutely everything that I could, and
when as a companionship, we are really reaching out and pleading for
the Lord's help in doing his work; in those times I was able to really
see things that made me not be able to deny the existence of God. I
know that God wants us to become his tools, but it depends on us, and
on our state, not on him. I would like to share one experience about
when I was able to receive help from God to be able to give 110% of
myself to this special work. But going back to the percentages of the
beginning, is that to be honest going from 50%-110% would take some
serious changes in nature and would take time, so for that reason it
is very good to be at 98-99%, because then you can make the jump to
110% with not that much more difficulty. But in the end, if we always
stay at 98%, then we did a lot on our part, and worked pretty hard,
but ended up getting such little help from God, because we weren't
completely committed to him, we weren't willing to give him
everything, so in the end it made little difference whether you were
at 50%, or if you were at the 98% that you were actually at.
This email sounds like kind of strict idea, but really this concept
is in reality a message of joy. I believe that many missionaries,
(definitely including myself) have spent time in the 98-99% range, as
far as there commitment to this work, and so the beautiful thing, is
that you are so close, and you will so soon be able to bring down the
promises of heaven, and fulfill the work that God has given you to do,
because he will know that he can trust you to do it, in his way, with
his direction. God doesn't need more people, he needs more Ammon's,
Alma's, and Amulek's. He needs more consecrated missionaries, and
member's, He needs you. And when you give him the one thing that you
have to give him, then he will show you the power that he has. That
one thing that we have to give, that one thing that he can't control,
the only true present, and gift that we can give God: Our will. When
we submit our will to the father, completely 100% of our will, it is
my promise that you will have tears in your eyes, because of the
greatness, glory, and love, that God has, and you will feel it all hit
you as if you just dived into water for the first time; experiencing a
completely different world. I testify of the reality of these things,
In the name of my Redeemer, Savior, and Friend; Jesus Christ Amen.
PS: We went to the temple today which was the best thing ever! I feel
so blessed to have already been able to go twice! By the grace of God
Elder Hess, and Elder Graham from my district in the MTC, were all
able to be in the temple at the same time as me. Such a powerful
spiritual experience, and blessing.
PSS: Elder Bednar is coming to our mission, and is talking to us on
Saturday!!! I would love some special prayers, that I can be able to
learn what I need to learn from him, in this special, rare experience.
Psss: no time, but I cannot tell you how much I loved General
conference. I know that our prophets are called of God, and I know
that we do not need to worry, if we will follow their council.
All my love,
コノバー長老
Elder Conover
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