"I love the people here. They are sassy but special."

hi :)

The past few weeks were really good...but this week was a huge drop. Our baptism fell, and we did everything, absolutely everything we could. Sometimes the mission is very, very stressful and Satan works hard, especially when we are trying to do our absolute best. But I'm not losing my faith. There are still tons of miracles and blessings and Im still enjoying it a lot. 

However, there are cockroaches in our house sometimes....and I am immune to ants because they are everywhere.

You want to know something cool? My testimony and strength is growing. I feel like a protection or spiritual power. Especially by reading and studying and feasting on the Book of Mormon. I feel when I am in lessons, I know where scriptures are, and things come to my mind. The promises of God are real because He helps us grow and qualifies us.

How is everything going? What funny things happened this week? Do you miss my chocolate chip cookies on Sundays? Hee hee. I already told you this on skype, but I am using my talent of baking chocolate chip cookies on family nights with investigators and less active members. They love them!! In Costa Rica people don't eat treats like that. I am getting a little tired of eating rice every day.....its a lot of carbs for my stomach to handle. Sometimes they even serve a huge plate of rice with a huge plate of spaghetti. Double Trouble. Haha. Are you doing your exercises? 

It is amazing to be a missionary. I know you understand what a true struggle it is, but the blessings that I see in others makes it all worth it. I love the people here. They are sassy but special. The ticos really need to feel love and I am happy to give it to them.

Yesterday I took a looooong nap on p day. It was so nice and a great way to get back on my feet again. Today I am so ready!! :)

"New item on the menu: COW STOMACH."

HEY Y'ALL!!

Hello. :)))))))))))))))))

I love reading your emails and guess what? Yesterday I went to the mission office and I recieved your christmas card! It was so sweet.  Thank you so much. :) Thank you for not forgetting about me around there. Heh heh. I could never forget about my family and friends at home. :) 

This week was another amazing week! I feel so happy and I feel so, so grateful that Heavenly Father is blessing us to find people who really are ready. He is also helping us become missionaries that we need to be. There are some highlights of the week that I want to share.

We met and are teaching a complete family! A dad, and mom, and their two children who are adorable. And they are married. :) This is really incredible news because many people in costa rica live together but aren't married. We were able to have a really nice lesson with the whole family and we taught about how families can be together forever and what we need to do to receive this blessing. The mom is really fun and outgoing and talks a lot, and her husband is the quietest, shyest little man. But they were really receptive and at the end of the lesson we said a kneeling prayer together and the spirit was really strong. The miracle is that on Sunday they came to church! The husband didn't come but we are continuing to work with him. He is really shy, but after we were teaching he started reading The Family: A Proclamation to the World, and kept reading it. I know the gospel truly blesses families because we can be sealed together forever in temples. We are going to continue to work with them. :)

We had an awesome service opportunity this week! One night we were walking in the street and we saw two older women painting their house. We started to walk past and then something just told me to stop. So I said, "Are you painting your house? It's so pretty!" and then they both gave me a really weird look and I got a little nervous thinking they thought I was weird. But then we asked if we could help them, and they looked at us for a second and said, "YEST! You can come tomorrow!"  So we were like....yesssssssss! And then the older lady was like, come on in and Ill show you my house! So we went inside and met all of her family, and they were so nice to us! The gave us crackers and tuna and juice and we talked for a while, and then they asked me if we wanted to try mundungo....(I dont know if thats how you spell it but its COW STOMACH) and I said bring it on. So we ate it. It doesnt taste bad, but its reaaaaaaaaaaaalllly chewy. anyway, the next day we came and were able to paint 3 rooms and it felt good to be able to help them. :) I learned an important lesson that you never know what could happen just by offering help or talking to someone.

There are some of the coolest people in the world here. We are teaching a grandma, her daughter, and her granddaughter. 3 generations. They are the sweetest, most hilarious people. I love them. They belong to a different religion and they are really strong in their religion. But we still talk and share and its really sweet. But we were able to have the coolest experience because we shared with them the Book of Mormon, that it is teachings of the prophets in America, and it doesn't take away from the bible, but that the Bible and Book of Mormon really support each other. They were shocked and so excited! They kept saying, that just makes so much sense. And we shared with them that Jesus Christ came to the Americas. And they were like "are you serious?!" and we were like yes! Do you want to read the part where Jesus came to the americas? and they said yes yes! They were so excited. And we read 3 nephi 11 and we felt the spirit so strong testifying that this really did happen. And when it talks about baptism, we invited them to pray to be baptized with this specific order and authority. And they accpeted to pray to know if they should be baptized. But after they told us, "I just feel so good. I feel so much peace. Why can't we have more meetings to talk about this?" And we said you can!! So we have a family night this wednesday. :) But this was a miracle. 

Sorry this email is soooooo long. But there are a few of the highlights this week. Yesterday we had breakfast at President Wilkinsons house with our zone and another zone, and it was the best. :())) We played the most intense game of Spoons I have ever played in my life!!! That was crazy. I almost won 3 times but lost 3 times. :( There was diving, yellling, and tears involved. :) Missionaries are like babies sometimes. Myself included. Haha.

I love you and thank you for your endless love and support! Talk to you soon! :))))

Dame Este Monte - Give Me This Mountain
Our Mission Theme

Don't let this picture deceive you. Things got CRAZY
playing this nice little game of Spoons.

New item on the menu: COW STOMACH

"Tico Time. It's real."

Hello...........................lots to say :)))

This week was a week of miracles. I am telling you right now that I feel so happy and full of joy and this energy and love I can't describe. Every week as companions we have what is called a companionship inventory. Its when you talk about the positives in the other person, and then things that we can work on. I am so grateful for these talks because they bring the spirit really strong and we continue to improve and love. This last week we looked at the things that we could tighten up and improve. So this week we did them. And WE SAW MIRACLES. :) 

We found a ton of new investigators this week. But some really good ones and two families! One of them is named J. He met the missionaries because his son that lives in a different city had the missionaries over and he was there too. He said that he felt something that he had never before felt in his life and he said that he knows that this church is true and will do anything for it. He lives in our area and we have been teaching him and he accepted a baptism date and has so much faith. Now he just needs to get married, so we are going to help him do that. :) But it always is a faith builder that there really are people prepared. And when people feel the spirit, they completely change and they are willing to do whatever it takes to feel it again. 

We are also teaching a lovely person named S. Two or three weeks ago we were walking in the street and I saw this woman and I told her her shoes were really cool because...they were. :) And then we started talking and we wrote down her phone number and that was that. Two days ago, I was going through my agenda and I saw her number so we decided to call her. She was like yeah come on over!! And we did. And after talking, she accepted a baptism date and said that she wants to be closer to Jesus Christ and have these blessings and that now is the time. I was amazed at how prepared she is. The she said the most heartfelt prayer and said thank you for sending me angels in my life to help me find you. And we all felt the spirit so strong and it was just such a special experience. :)

We are also starting to teach a family. Their names are E and M and they are from Nicaragua. They have many challenges, but they truly want to change. 

Of course everything isn't miracles like these. We have had lots of sad things happen too. Appointments cancel, people don't want to meet with us anymore, lots of challenges or rejection. But the thing that is so special about this, is that the Lord really does hear our prayers, and especially the simple, sincere prayers of our investigators. That even though nothing is perfect, the hope always shines through and there is always happiness to be found.

Now some random things:

This p day we had a p day with our zone! and we played soccer!! (Surprise suprise :))) All the latinos are sooooooo good. I just run around and its the best.......someday, someday. But it really was so fun. Sometimes its easy in the week to get stressed out, so its always nice to relax a little bit and have some fun with some of the coolest people in the world. 

I really like that there are little geckos in the house that run around on the walls. True fact.

I like agua dulce. Its cane sugar and water. SOOO good. Only Ticos drink it. 

The other day we were having a lesson with some new investigators, and after we were laughing so hard because they asked me about some things that I have noticed about the culture in Costa Rica. I said that I love how people talk so passionately!! But not just some people, EVERYBODY talks with so much personality! I remember at first, I thought that they were mad, but no. Hahaha just very passionate people. They were laughing so hard. Oh my goodness I love these people! 

Ahora, or ahorita  means right now in spanish. In costa rica, ahora could mean the next day, or in an hour. For example: they are coming ahorita. when? Tomorrow night. This is what Tico Time is. its real.

:)))) I love you all so much. Pura vida and los amo. :)

"Keep looking up ....... there's a rainbow waiting for you."

Heavenly Father's way of saying, " Don't give up."

In front of the temple today...
We had a zone meeting in a chapel
behind the temple.

Maria Paula and I and
the beautiful sunset.

Hermana Medina and I. Friends Forever. :)
I love this Loca.

Eating tarts on New Year's Eve

The little kids and me...
I love these children!!!!!

Waiting for the bus...... looking like I live on the streets.

"Worm Hairs. Lets just pop that on the list of weird random things that happen to me."

Tuesday, December 30, 2014


HIIIIIIIIIII!!!

First I just want to say that talking to you all was the best feeling in the world. It filled up my soul and now I feel extra strength and happiness to keep me going. Thank you for making me laugh so hard and I love that you all are exactly the same. I know I may have a little accent now.......hahahaha.....but I am still the same. I swear there is a part of me that is Latin. Maybe I was Tica in the premortal life :) But really, that MADE my christmas. Happy happy happy. :)))))

Love love love!

This week was a little hard. People weren't in their houses, or we couldn't get a hold of them, or amazing golden investigators told us that they didn't want anything. So it was pretty sad. But the amazing thing about the Atonement is that the Savior never leaves us and keeps His promises no matter what.

We were able to find a family this week! His name is Oracio and we met him because he was outside building a huge dollhouse for his daughters. He is super nice and we are going to have a family home evening with him and his family and another family in our branch tomorrow. We also met another person just by happenstance who had met with the missionaries 3 years ago and was reading the Book of Mormon, but the missionaries got changed, and he never saw them again. And then we found him again! The Lord really does put people in our path. 

Also on christmas day, we went to a members house to drop off the computer,  and we met his niece, Yadira. She looked right at me and said: I want you to teach me English. So I said okay!!! Lets do it. She is also a Christian and loves talking about Jesus. We now go to her house 3 days a week. First, we teach about the gospel, and then we teach English for a half an hour after. She told me she wants to learn how to pray in English. So we are starting. Miracle!

Last, worm hairs so you are not all confused. Yesterday we were doing service and I was carrying a piece of bamboo and there are these worms on the bamboo that have hairs that stick and go into your skin. And so lucky me....that happened. There were like a billion black splinter looking things on my arm. We spent an hour trying to get them out but they wouldnt come out! So finally Esmeralda scrubbed my arm super hard with a sponge and a lot came out.  Lets just pop that on the list of weird random things that happen to me. wowy. Love you all dearly and have a great week! And clark, email me the story!! 

Worm attack!

"Missing mi mamitas!!! A few pictures from my previous area, Pococi"

Mi Mamita Kim :):)

Hermanas forever

"Instead of yelling in my sleep, I now have good dreams of baptisms."

Feliz Navidad ya casi! les amoooooooooo!!

Let me just start off with a picture of the rain!

That's the street!!!

Look how cute! This is Maxy, the son of an investigator.

So HI.

How are you? I am doing so well. First and foremost, I can decide to talk through skype either 24th or 25th. We can choose. So which do you prefer? I know my companion wants to talk with her family on Christmas Eve, but it is whatever you want. I am just excited to see all of your gorgeous faces and hablar and hablar and hablar and laugh. :))) I am so excited! Just let me know, and I am fine either way.

The view from our little apartment. I love it!

This is an area where we work. It's called La Suiza which means "The Swiss"...like me!

I love my new area! We live in San Rafael and it is really cool because all the houses are really colorful, and there is a gigantic gorgeous church practically right outside our window. We live in this cute little apartment on top of an internet cafe, a video store, and a pizza place, and an ice cream shop. :) I love it. Our branch is really cute and I really like it.  And this week we have truly seen miracles. Also I really like Hermana Medina. She is very tranquila.( that means like calm or chill. haha like my spanglish? yes, i am totally completely missionary right now. :)) We work really well together. It has been interesting, the change. In my other areas, I took the more passive role, and here I am the more assertive one. It is interesting that your companions bring out different roles in your personality. But it has been good. We are working really hard and striving to be exactly obedient to feel the Spirit at all times. :) 

Eating with a wonderful lady named Dylana. She is sooooo spunky.
We ate Mexican food because of Hermana Medina.

This week was a week of miracles. First, I read a talk that Nathan sent to a lot of our friends who are serving missions. He said that this talk was helping his entire mission with their goals to baptize every week. It is called Faith in Jesus Christ. I want to encourage everyone to read it because it really is incredible! I read it and studied it and have strived to apply it.

It is all about faith and truly believing without needing evidence. Believing and applying principles from the scriptures, from leaders without doubting. Not needing evidence, just doing it. The next thing is disciplining yourself completely. Decide what you want to accomplish, and hold your word sacred to God. Make specific plans, and commit to achieve exactly what I truly desire. The next thing is to do your part. Do everything in your power, sacrifice, work, do everything. And finally pray. Pray because this is the work of the Lord and really everything is in His hands. Ask with all the strength you have, and believe that you will receive.These steps are simple, but so powerful. 

This past weekend we were going to have a baptism for an hermana whose name is Griselda and her daughter Fiorella. I'll just add a little pic of me swinging on a swing at Griselda's house.

On a swing at Griselda's house

They are two incredible people who have lived lives that I cannot even imagine. They live in one room. She and her two children share one bed to sleep. She doesn't have work right now, and her husband left her. But they are very faithful and kind. Not to mention hilarious and full of sassy Tican personalities.

But they were about to be baptized and we went to visit her my first day here, and she said that she didn't want to get baptized because she was scared and still had doubts. And she also said that she didn't want to have pressure. We were both praying so hard to know what to say. We spent an hour talking to her and we prayed with her and the Spirit was so strong, and we helped her understand that it is a leap of faith. But even after feeling this peace, something held her back and she couldnt do it. But she agreed to come and have the baptism interview and everything. (huge miracle.)

After, we tried and tried to visit her but she wouldn't answer her phone and wasn't at home and we were just praying. On sunday she came to church! And then we made a plan to have a family night with the president of the branch and his wife, and other members. Last night was so spiritual. It was amazing because Hermana Medina and I didn't hardly teach anything, the members were encouraging her and sharing testimonies, and finally her son who is a member bore his testimony and told her "Don't be scared, mom." And at first she said not yet, not yet. But they didnt stop. They kept encouraging, sharing, lifting her, and she felt the spirit and said completely and surely that she would get baptized this coming Saturday. She even said who she wanted to give the talks and everything. It was truly a miracle. 

Also through visiting members we found a family!! And a lovely young woman named Charlene. :)) 

I am so happy. I love talking to new people every day. Instead of yelling in my sleep, I have happy dreams of baptisms. Haha!  But there really is no time like this. And we meet fantastic people. I want you to meet all the amazing people I have met here. But thank you for your prayers. I am so excited to see you all sooooooooooooon! 

And now some more pictures......

Maria Paula and I. We click so well and we
laugh our man laughs all the time! I love this girl!

This is right before I left Guapiles.
MAKING TORTILLAS with Noria,
a very sweet investigator.

Hey! It's Michael from SOAR!!