July 21, 2014 We are not homelesssss

OH MY GOSH THE SECRETARIES ARE ASKING ME WHICH AIRPORT I GO HOME TO.
What do I tell them, San Diego, Hawaii, or Las Vegas? ;) this is sooo
weird.

But anyways, we found a bunch of new people to teach this week, which
is a miracle, because the people are so hard hearted here, but it's
cool, the ones we did find are really open to hear us!

Finally we have our very own house! It's so nice and peaceful.
Seriously you can feel the spirit there, and there isn't any contention
like the other one, which was awful but now we are all good to go.

So we had a head choppin district meeting... seriously this zone needs
a lot of help, and I know that's why me and my comp are here, to help
them, first to be happy, and second to work hard. When I saw what the
goals were and what they reached for the week before, I was
devestated, and they were saying some things about, "those are just
numbers they don't matter" but I let them know what I felt and thought,
how behind everyone of those "numbers" is a soul we are trying to
bring to Christ, and if those "numbers" don't matter, then obviously
your brothers and sisters don't matter to you either. because yeah
sometimes its annoying when all the elders do is talk about "numbers"
but if they are doing it the way President wants them to, they are
doing in the way the Lord wants them to. I hope there was some changes
this week, for the better ya know. Because we are here to work hard and
to baptize and retain these people in the  TRUE CHURCH. We have a
really great district leader who is always willing to help.

ohhh my goodness, so I'm gonna end with a nice miracle. There is this 16
year old girl here in this branch, named Jocelyn :) haha anyways, she
got diagnosed with cancer when she was 15 years old. She's had a
ton of operations and what not... the first week that we got here she
got admitted to the hospital and they told her that she had to get
operated on again, because a tumor that she has is on her heart valve
and its a pretty risky surgery so she might as well say goodbye to all
her loved ones. when I heard about her, I was like freak, let's go to
the hospital and say hey, get to know her and what not. But noooo the
rules here are rediculous. we couldn't see her... but me and my comp
decided to fast for her. Her boyfriend told us that she was really
calm about everything and that the patriarch and another member went
and gave her a blessing. Last Tuesday she got operated on. and they
found NOTHING. They didn't find one tumor. Not even the one that they
had to take out. THE LORD WORKS MIRACLES. she has passed through so
much, and obviously she has somethings left to do here on earth, but
its all part of Gods plan, and what we choose to do before coming
here.
God really loves us, and looks over us and will do His work in His
time. We just have to have faith and move forward with whatever
difficulty we may face.

July 14, 2014 WEEEEEEKKKKK

Oh my heck. Let's just say my Christlike attributes are being tested
the most this week. Seriously. It's been rough. We found a house, but
the mission is having difficulties with the bank, so we have no
money.. so we are living in another area, and we have to travel back
and forth everyday. Some of the other hermanas really like to test my
patience and obviously I haven't learned enough to be calm about some
things... ( I BLAME THE BOERS) but seriously, it's been a bit
stressful.

The members here are really excited for us to be here! They were
takin us everywhere, showing us the area, where the other members
live, and givin us references. It was like, oooohhhhkaayyyy sweeeeet.
and they feed us a lot. Seriously I think I gained back the weight I
lost... it's awful. But so good! and its freezing here, so I think I'm
just getting prepared to come home to cold weather and it won't affect
me like it has here, I've been walkin around with a nice runny nose
and a fever from the climate change. its HORRIBLE.

We are planning for 3 baptisms by the end of the month already which
is nice, when people just go to church with out the pressure of the
missionaries. Because they can get baptized faster now! woot woot. The
branch president told us, yeah we already have investigators for you
that have been coming to church. haha ok sweet. oh, the branch
president got sustained 2 weeks ago, but he is a fireballlllll. He's so
ready to work. He's the BEST! He has been helping us out a whole lot.

I dunno, this week has just been full of ups and downs, but we keep
seeing miracles, which is nice, and the hand of the Lord here in our
area, especially with the members. it's incredible, because the elders
that worked here before, said it was really difficult, but I don't see
that, because it's not impossible, and maybe they are actually willing
and ready to work now.

Me and my comp gave talks in sacrament meeting. haha WELCOME TO OUR
BRANCH. Cool how they welcome us right. hahaha yeah I still get
nervous infront of a ton of people, but it went really well.

The people here are really different than the ones in Guanacaste, and
I miss it, but I know I am here for a reason, and I need to learn
something before I come home. So I'm just putting all my trust in the
Lord to help me, because that's all I can do. It may be difficult, but
it's not impossible, and that's how it's been for the last 15ish months,
just doing the Lords will and not mine, is a faith builder for sure!!!
The time goes by way to fast. and I've learned to make the most of
EVERY moment. I have no doubt that this is what I was suppose to do
for 18 months of my life. I know I still have 2ish months left but
before you know it, it'll be 1 left.... just letting you know!! 

I pray for y'all everyday, and I know that y'all are watched over. Love all of
you!! Thank you for your support!!

July 8, 2014 New area=LOST

Yeah. I got changed to San Rafael de Heredia. in San Jose. Where it's
FREEZING, and we are both lost, because we are opening a new area, so
we have NO idea where anything is at. We are gonna set fire here.
I can feel it.  have a new comp she goes home in August, she's from Guatamala, she's 3
feet tall and her name is Hermana Noj. like NOCHHH. She gets my sense
of humor already, so we will work really well together I think. We are
just in San Jose right now cause we had to go to the office and get
everything figured out. Because we have NOTHING not even a house.
hahahah but no, we actually talked to the branch president today, and
he is really excited to work. he just got called as president, and
they haven't had missionaries there since December!! so crazy,. IM SO
EXCITED.

Anyways. stuff about my last area. that I miss already.... for our
zone we had 35 baptisms. the highest in the mission. woot woot!!! we
won breakfast from presidents wife :) it was delish.

David Archuleta came to our branch meeting. Bore his testimony, his
spanish is great, and his testimony is AMAZING. No I didn't get a pic
cause I was respectful enough, because it was Sunday. hahah he didn't
want them either, he got out of there before they even said AMEN for
the closing prayer! hahaha.

WELP Holland won.... it's not fun to celebrate when no body else is....
I thought the people here were gonna kill me when I was skippin
around. hahaha

Lemme tell ya, the 4th of July was awesome here. We went and
celebrated with hamburgers. and I made my comp wear red white and
blue. she wasn't happy about it.

We visited a couple that are inactive, and they have been
together for 10 years, but not married cause they didn't have money,
and they told us that they finally decided that they are going to get
married in August so that they can enter the temple with their little
girls. AND they promised to come back to chuch, cause obviously they
have to so that they can go to the temple. They said they were just
uncomfortable there cause they couldn't take the sacrament and felt
like everybody was judging them, but like we tell almost everybody,
that it's like a hospital, we go because we are sick. We need the
church cause we aren't perfect.

So we were with a member working with the branch list of people, and
we were calling them to verify their direction and what not. The member
called a lady and asked for her, but the person that answered said no
she died, he said "oh wow, it's because we haven't had contact with a
lot of people so we just wanted to make sure". and she was like, "yeah
she died 10 years ago". HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA WE WERE DYING!!!!! welp, ok
thanks. bye. hahahaha

We were visiting an area, and every house that we passed by said, HI
HERMANAS. I was baptized in the mormon church, but we don't go anymore.
hahahahah that whole neighborhood is members but only 6 people
actually go. We were like, are you serious? thank you Elders....
welp. time to get to work and find some people to teach!!!
love ya all!!

June 30, 2014 OLEE OLAAY OLAAY OLAAYYY TICOOOOSS TICOSSSS

I'm really cheering for Holland, but Seriouslly, those Ticos are
playing hard right??

Welp onto the better stuff..... MY BROTHER IS GOING TO WEST
VIRGINIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SOOOOO PROUD AND SOOO
HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! #missionary #thebest seriously, I'm so excited. So
excited that HE LEAVES AFTER I GET HOME! hahahah por dichaaaa.

This week we had to go to San Jose, so my comp could get her
residency. I was really jealous cause I'm still not Tica, but the
secretaries said that they will get my name spelled right.... after a
year. So maybe one day I'll be Tica before I leave... IN 3 MONTHS. NOO
WAYYYYY.
AND I TURN 21 IN 1 MONTH. WHATTTTT. NOOOO WAYYYYY. Better believe it.
IM GROWING UP AND IM GONNA BE LEGAL IN THE STATESSSS YAAA BABYYYYYYY.
But seriously, San Jose, is the WORST!!! its sooooo COLD, and it rains
ALL THE TIME. It's awful. I don't miss it AT ALL. I made some new
friends with the elders I was with for like 6 hours. They are really
funny. and I'm glad I understand spanish enough to get their jokes,
cause that's not easy. hahaha


Just so everybody knows, David Archuleta gets here on Friday and
Saturday. isn't that fun? he's making a music video with the church
members here. #marryme.

Ok spiritual stuff. I forgot to write it all down, so I'm just gonna
have to remember.... and that's hard for me to do... hahaha

Roger was so excited to talk about the priesthood, so we went over
there this week, and he was like, hey can I just tell you what I know
about the priesthood right now, so that we can just go over what I
don't know? ok go for it. NAILED IT. I was like, welp, you are ready to
recieve the priesthood. he was like, yeah I know. I'm so ready. It was
awesome. I love converts like that who are just READY for the true
gospel.

We saw such a miracle on sunday. AGAIN. which is amazing, but we had a
family come to church, that haven't came for a really long time, they
haven't showed up since I've been here, but we kept visiting them, and
when they were waiting for us outside the chapel, I had to hug them,
it was so sweet, and they were like, hey look I told you we were
coming for sure. That is going to strengthen their testimony, I know,
because they keep their commitments, and they are just gonna get more
and more blessings. and they know that, and they need it alot right
now....

I have SUCH A TESTIMONY of the power of prayer. Seriously, when we
pray faithfully and with real intent like it says in the scriptures, I
have NO DOUBT that the Lord with bless us. and he blessed me and my
comp immediately this week when we prayed together when there was
nothing more we could do. We had many spiritual experiences this week
with Prayer, and I know that that is the way we can communicate with
God. He loves us, and hears us. and WILL bless us in His time. I love
Him. PRAY ALWAYS. BE OPEN TO THE SPIRIT.

June 23, 2014

This week was CRAZY.... lemme tell ya... like ridiculous. sooo much
stuff going on. I'm so tired.... but whateverrrr...
Since Costa Rica won. again, which EVERYONE is suprised...
still... the streets were filled with people, but the houses
weren't.... it was an awful Friday.... but we decided to help the other
sisters out with their baptism, and we went to the church to fill the
font... it filled for like 3 minutes, and then we realized that there
was no water when we couldn't hear it anymore. Everybody was freakin
out... we had to run to the firestation to see if they could fill it.
They said no. haha they did a baptism in like 6 inches of water.. jk I
really don't know how they did it, but they did it. it was so
stressful... every baptism is stressful..
Especially when your investigator comes to his baptism doubting and
doesn't have a good attitude.. but hey at least Roger came, and was
baptized with his son. It was honestly the MOST spiritual experience
I've had.. well one of them... ok this whole year and a half has been
filled with spiritual experiences. but in his baptism, the kids in his
family sang the baptism song, and everybody was crying. And his face,
when he came out of the water, was honestly priceless. you could SEE
the change that just happened. and then his wife bore her testimony,
and didn't stop crying and saying that this is one of the biggest
blessings she's recieved in her life... IT WAS AMAZING. then we went to
their house for dinner and cake for the kids birthday. It was great.

Ok, so we had branch night, like a family home evening but with the
branch, we have been having success with this, anyways. Since EVERYONE
in the branch now knows that I'm afraid of clowns, they decided to
scare me big time...  after everything ended in the chapel, my comp
had to go to the bathroom, so I was waiting for her, and said, hey I'll
wait for you outside of the door, but it was dark in the hall so I
decided not to...  we left together with the phone light, which
didn't work, but once we left, our mission leader screamed at us down
the hall and started chasing us... my comp was the first to go, hahaha
she ran screamminggggg so obviously I was scared to and ran after her,
and she stopped in the middle of the doorway and I kept running, so we
both tripped, and I tripped until I got out the door, and fell real
hard. Hahaha my knee is still bruised. hahah honestly. it was
HILARIOUSSSSSSSSS. I don't get embarrassed...

This week we recieved a reference that lives pretty far away, which
is funny, the elders only give them to us if they live far away...
anyways, we went and visited them. They are SO ready. They were
listening to the missionaries in their moms house one day and they
were like, we need to find them in our town. They accepted to be
baptized, like that. They payed attention really well and they even
knew how to sing hymns. they are GOLDENNN.

Just thought I'd let ya know that I'm reading the story of JOB for
the first time. ever... I don't have it hard AT ALL. read it. and if
you have, do it again.

Also, I studied the priesthood session of conference, finally we got
the magazines!! ITS AMAZING. I always thank God that he made me a girl
and not a guy with the priesthood. :) thank you men for your service.
;)
CHAOOO. besossss

June 16, 2014 WORLD CUUUPPPP

Welp. The world cup started if anybody didn't know. and Costa Rica won
their game.... the whole country knows even if they didn't want to...
We had strict instruccion to work in the morning and at 1 study until
the game was over so we weren't allowed to leave. hahah the people
still haven't taken their jerseys off... everybody was surprised that
they won. But Holland won! WOOT WOOT! and the states play RIGHT NOW!!
so crazy... I was suppose to be there....
ANYWAYS. missionary work right??

Let's just say that Roger is SOOO READY for his baptism THIS SATURDAY.
We taught him about repentance and he told us that he didn't believe in
it before, like if I'm going to sin, I shouldn't be forgiven because I
know excactly what I'm doing. But then it was explained to me, and now
I know that I definitely need repentance and the atonement in my life
to really progress. And we were like YEAH YA DO! so we were happy he
understands it.

We visited an inactive family, and we shared a little scripture and
then the mom bore her testimony saying that this is the church she
needs to be in. During the week she was listening to her other church
down the road and just wanted to go and see what was happening. but
she prayed to God asking for direction, and she said that we are her
answer that she has been needing. We were chosen by God to help them
come back to church. It was really amazing. and the whole family has
such a testimony. The spirit was SO STRONG. Actually one of the
daughters isn't a member because she never wanted to be baptized, but
she didn't know what kind of an answer she should be looking for, so we
explained it to her. and she said that she will do all that she can to
recieve an answer. so we will see what happens this week :)

There was a family from Ogden on vacation and they were at church, we
took pics, and said that they will look Bryan and Andria up to share
them :) he is stake president in a stake over there, so I'm sure they'll
find them:)

We had an awesome district meeting, like always, I always learn so
much, and always want to be a better missionary after.

BUT. We had a nice fathers day activity Saturday night, and I dunno
what it is, but these latinos have something with clowns..... they
love them. well I don't. And there just happened to be 3 at this
activity.They found out that I am afraid of them, so they had a
little fun with it. My heart is still running fast, and my nerves are
still stiff. IT WAS AWFUL. but everybody else had a great time with
it.

Anyways. The Church is still true. and I'm still in Costa Rica, so it must be! :)
read 2 Nephi chapter 4. its pretty great. I've read it like 7923570
times in the last 2 weeks and I can't get enough of it. I learn so
much. And we share it with the people who need a little boost.
love yall. enjoy the world cup for me! BESOS!!!!

June 9, 2014

Welp. I'll just tell ya that we went to the temple and had a SWEET
conference with Elder Ochoa. He is SO FUNNY. And honestly AMAZING. I
loved it. We learned so much on how we can have a perfect faith and be
one with Christ. President talked about the Atonement. It's my
favorite because it keeps me thinking how far from perfect I am, but
that's what I am here for, to become like Christ, through his
Atonement.

I SAW PRESTONNNNN. The best reunion EVER. It's been a long time since
I've seen him. I talked to his comp and he was like yeah he's so great,
super strict and obedient. and I was like, GOOD. he's a good dad I'm
sure. His son will learn alot from him!

We went to the beach today. Found some members on vacation and played
some soccer and volleyball with them. They were nice.

Well not a whole lot happened this week.... we worked really hard for
not working for 2 days because we were in San Jose. It was freezing
there and rainy by the way. The whole time I was cold, and then we
got back to Guanacaste and I just wanna be in San Jose. hahaha it's
really hot here.

Thank you grandma for the package, all the missionaries really enjoyed
it on the bus ride home from San Jose :) hahaha
I am doing great. I hope yall are too.
xoxoxox MUUUUUAAAHHHHHHHHHH