God lives, and this is His Work.

August 7, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Quick rundown:
 

On Monday we went to Family home evening at the mission home, across from the temple, which we have every month for missionaries within Sapporo to bring investigators to. This was the first time with President McClure! We were able to bring the whole Yokoishi family, minus the oldest son to this, which was so awesome! We also were able to get a member family to come with them, which worked out perfectly! There ended up being over 80 missionaries/investigators/members there, which is the biggest that I've ever seen that activity during my mission! Very happy to see all of those people there. 

On Wednesday we visited Yokoishi papa, and with his baptismal interview on Saturday, we really needed to finish teaching him all of the commandments; The law of the Fast, Obey and honor the Law, Follow the Prophet, Baptism and Confirmation(review) The Ten Commandments, and then all of Lesson 5 "Laws and Ordinances." So we ended up teaching it all to him in their genkan, for a little over an hour of just straight teaching doctrine and reading scriptures. It was probably the most tired that I've ever been from just teaching. Haha it probably wasn't the best to bulldoze through those, but yokoishi papa is so awesome. He asked questions and was able to stay interested and focused the entire time. Now that we had taught him everything, we could really focus on making sure that he was completely ready for his baptismal interview! 

Friday was the big test. Yokoishi papa had a work party, which in japan usually is called a nomikai (drink meeting). This is how they usually conduct their social side of business operations. Not everyone drinks at yokoishi papa's work, but he has always drank before, and so this was the big test; the day before his baptismal interview. We worked with him and practiced and strategized how he would overcome temptation and peer pressure, and he seemed really prepared and ready. We walked with him to the train station and dropped him off, giving him a note that had instructions and support for if it became difficult. We eagerly waited for him to report to us how it went. Finally we received the text that it was over. I asked if he beat temptation, and he said that he did!! We called and rejoiced together! This was such a great demonstration of Faith! He really proved that he is prepared to be baptized by not drinking at his work drinking party. We are so happy for him. 

Saturday was Mission Leader Conference, which was another wonderful meeting where I learned so much about what it means to really be a man of God, and how to really move the work forward through planning and goal setting, and through increasing our faith, which inherently will increase our action. President McClure is definitely called of God. He is a very inspiring man, and I have already learned so much from him. 

After the meeting we went to the church and met with yokoishi papa, prepared him once again for the baptismal interview, and also were able to pull the bishop into our lesson to teach how to pay tithes and offerings, and then also to strengthen and add his testimony about the Law of Tithing. Then we let Elder Stone come in to give the interview, and I went with Fuyu chan to interview her for baptism. First time interviewing some for baptism! Such an awesome experience! Fuyu chan and I studied and learned a lot as we discussed the principles of the gospel and what it means to make covenants with God. She is 11 years old, and really has strong faith and desire to follow Jesus Christ. She will play a very important role in helping the rest of her family, her mom, and two older brothers, to gain a testimony and become converted to the gospel. Both of them passed their interviews!!! So many miracles and kinks and scary moments with this all, it is almost crazy that they finally made it to this point, but you can truly see God's hand in helping them be able to make the steps necessary in order to be baptized. It is so awesome because they have already become so much like members. Fuyu chan has been coming to church for a long time, and yokoishi papa just really has a new light and really looks very clean and has the light of Christ very strong. 

It has been a great week and I am learning many things. I am learning how to truly humbly serve God, not out of a desire for praise or recognition of men, but a humble desire to serve others and be a tool for God. Very difficult, but very important. I have really loved to learn and to change on my mission. There is something so rewarding and beautiful about it. I invite you all to learn and change, you will enjoy it. 

I love you all and am so grateful for you. 

Love,

コノバー長老
Elder Conover