Become a Messenger of Love

June 5, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,
This week has been a really really good week. I have felt the spirit
really strong, and have felt so much joy, and peace. It has been
really fun to be in a trio companionship, because our conversations
have become so much deeper, and more thoughtful. Something about
having 3 people, but also just having elder Bailey as our additional
companion makes everything very philosophical and interesting to talk
about. We have been dissecting many of the interesting ideas and
theories behind missionary work, and have been able to have some very
inspiring and stirring conversations. Language is an amazing thing. I
love the impact that a conversation or a word can have upon me and
upon my thinking. It is so important that we use words to build and
not to destroy, because the power to destroy is equally as powerful as
to build.


Last Monday we went to President and Sister Nakastuka's FHE, which
they have had every month for the majority of while they have been
here, but last Monday was the last one for them. It was a really
special time. Only the missionaries that are in Sapporo, or that are
on the outskirts can go, but it worked out that 6 of my 9 companions
on the mission, were all there. There were so many people that I love
there. It is so sad to think of people and places that I will never
work with or work in that place in the same way ever again. I felt
some of the pain of what it must feel like to go home from the
mission. It already is breaking my heart to think that the time in my
previous areas and with previous companions is completely gone. I will
never be able to have any of that time back. The days were plenteous
then but now I would give so much just for a normal day with a
previous companion, in a previous area. The time that we have to be on
a mission is so precious, but it sometimes feels so long, that you
want it to go by faster, but now when I look back, I want time to slow
down and never end. Haha time is the most interesting thing on a
mission. I am so grateful to have the blessing of being on a mission.


On Tuesday and then on Thursday we were able to play with this big
group of kids in the park, and they were all so cute and so fun. The
park that we were at has some really cool landscaping with a fountain
at the top of a hill that has water coming down it on all four sides,
and creates rivers, and there is kind of different layers to the hill,
going up to the fountain. (Almost feels kind of roman structure.) But
we played some really intense cops and robbers, and I needed to be
more careful, but got a little carried away jumping the river, and was
SO close to slipping and slamming into the river. Haha but such good
memories. These kids are really good. They really wanted us to go to
their school basically feild day activity, but in Japan it is much
more of a show, and the kids really prepare for this day, and it is a
really big cultural event. We went to some of it, and saw some awesome
running races, and some hilarious different kinds of relay races. It
was so funny and cute. And they also did these dance/chant opening and
closing performances, which we saw a little bit of each, and it was so
fun. It was so good to see so many kids. We were able to meet a couple
parents, and I really feel that some good things are going to come
from this!


I know in a very real way that God lives. Jesus Christ is our Savior.
I have realized recently that it doesn't matter who God calls to lead.
The important thing is that we sustain our leaders, not because of
their skills, or their talents or their qualifications, but because
they are chosen by God, to lead, and for that reason we should sustain
them. In my interview with President Nakastuka, he taught me about
being a messenger of love. As a missionary we have the opportunity to
be a messenger roof love, and that is such a beautiful thing to be
able to do: share God's love.
Love,
コノバー長老
Elder Conover