Semana Siete: "What I Love about Costa Rica Day"

Buenas!!!!!!  Como estan?  Okay.  Long email today!  Get ready!

Wednesday

Last pday... hardest day yet.  I wanted to go home all day... I know I´m the worst missionary for saying it but I was having such a hard time.  During emails I had SO much more to say to yáll but I couldn´t stop crying ha.... silly. 

Then we went to Hermana Elsa´s for FHE.  It actually ended up being so fun and nice for me because the kids LOVE me.  They love trying ot say hermana cooooook and lov emy hair and my eyes and trying to teach me spanish.  It made me feel a little better.

Then FHE at Hmna Gretels.  THIS was a huge tender mercy.  They actually had a nice clean house where I felt safe eating the food and sitting on the couch!  The family was dressed like they were from Draper and it felt like a family home evening at home.  FINALLY something comfortable! 

Then at night there was a cockroach in the bathroom and in the morning I had a spoonful of ants in my cereal. 

Thursday

The Lord loves me and my family is praying for me!  They must be because I was so blessed today.

My trainers had interviews with President today so we had to leave early again.  When we were walking they were talking fast spanish and suddenly started sprinting.  So i did too of course... we almost missed the but and I coudlnt´figure out the money and the drive was mad and I was just done. 

When we got to the office there were like six American HErmanas and they all came nad asked how I was doing and I just burst into tears and started sobbing.  ... haha....  They all comforted me and for the next FIVE hours I got advice and love and comfort.  They said they ALL went through the same thing and it´ll pass.  They said it´s always hard, bu it gets better at the same time... Then president came out and said,"I read your letter.. you are working hard and are just going through the same trials everyone has to go throug.  Be patient and keep pushing!  You can do it!"

We finally got to lunch at 4 and there were bugs crawling on our food.  Yum!  Then we finally had a lesson with Pamela and her daughter Valerie.  Both are recent converts and are awesome.  They fed us Chiky´s and a banana milkshake (everyone feeds us here at every appointment)  On the way there I got a phone call from Jesus.  He was trying to speak in English to me and said he had a test and was nervous.  After chatting a while I said I had to teach a lesson but good luck and he said, "I don´t like that you feel alone because you have friends in Costa Rica.  You are never alone here!"  I just wanted to die.  And cry of course haha.  It was so sweet and just what I needed.  I am not alone because I have friends in Costa Rica!  What a blessing.  Later in the night he texted saying, "Sisters.  My test was very difficult.  I am worry.  I hope pass."  Haha.

Mutual- TWELVE nonemember boys came and one little girl.  awesome!

Then TWENTY FOUR hermanas came to stay at our house... oh ya.  We live in an actually house with like five beds to a room so all the hermanas can stay there.  It is pretty crazy here and we got to bed way late but it is fun too because there are english speakers!! And I met like four girls from the facebook group!

Okay.  I´m done being mopey.  I´m not going to learn the language in one week.  I need patience and faith.  I know it is going to be okay.  Who cares what these peopole think of me??  I just need to open my mouth and DO IT!

WEDNESDAY

Had to wait an hour for the bathroom this morning because of the 24 hmnas... and they used my nice shampoo.....

Lunch at mary janes.. man the kitchen is always gross.  But I decided I need to start loving it here.  So I instigated "What I love about Costa Rica Day"  which I celebrate every day.  I choose one thing that I can truly love about my area.  Today was the colors of all the houses.  So when I´m sitting there thinking "is this meat even safe to eat?" I chang emy thoughts to "But my wha tbright orange walls!  How I love the colors here!" I said that phrase several times today haha.  I think it is helping!

District meeting... our district leader said that a teenager in the ward said she was sad becasue she loves to hear gringas try to speak spanish, but that I´m not that bad!! That´s good right???  Then we went and interviewed 9 year old jefferson for BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!! Yay!  He is so cute, when he was done, he came out and did a punch the air fist pump thing.  He is SO excited and ready!  His little brother is Mattias and reminds me so much of Easton!  But Latino!  Then a lesson with David in a members house.  It was actually nice and clean again!  IT is crazy how one how is so nice and the next is a literal shack.  so weird.

Then we went to an appt but she wasnt there so we just started contacting the street and one turned into a lesson with three new investigators!  Twas great.

Lastly we ran to visit Marlene, the mother of Jesus, because Jesus called saying she wanted to smoke.  We taught a great lesson adn of course she fed us juice and crackers.  The house wasnt the most clean and there was a spider on the wall as big as Easton´s hand.... but my how I love the colors!! :)

THURSDAY

I fell asleep on my knees last night.  Thats a good sign right?? And in a lesson yesterday... AND a lesson today.  Okay maybe not good.

This morning there was something oging on between my latinas.  I have no idea what but I could feel the tension...

Instead of going to lunch at mary janes today we went to a different members house.  Her house was way clean and so nice.  She was so old and reminded me of Grama Manning!  It was her and her fifty three year old daughter.  The whole time, Grama stood behind me and patted my head and shoulders and face haha.  Literally for an hour!  It was cute.  Guess what we ate?!?!  Spaghetti with A&W rootbeer and finger jello!  Wow.  How nice.

Spanish was worse today

Our investigator that is thirteen and lives with her boyfriend is pregnant :(  that´s like COLLETTE!!!  It´s pretty common here.  So sad.

The kids love me everywhere we go.  I think they think I´m funny looking.  They just laugh at me. 

What I love baout Costa Rica day:  RAIN!

It was pouring all morning and afternoon and I actually love it.  When it stopped it started the nightly lightnigh show.  It is awesome!  It happens almost every night.

I also tried hard today to literally smile all day- like real smile.. with teeth.  I´m sure I looked ridiculous.  In fact I KNOW i did because I spotted myself in a window or two.  But it made such a difference!  I honestly felt better and even more confident!  I already had a goofy smile on my face.. how much worse could my spanish make it?

I can truly feel the prayers of my sweet family.  They are incredible and the greatest blessing of the gospel for me.  I love them SO much!  This is one of the great blessings I want to bring to the people here!  A strong loving family that can be together FOREVER!

Everyday I´m starting to love the work more.  I´m WAY off now but little by little...

FRIDAY

I think Hmna B is sick.  She woke up late and then I accidently walked in on her crying on the phone.  She was quiet and moody seeming and at mary janes she at SO fast then slept on the couch.  I wish I could understand what is going on!  But I´m praying for her..

I have golf ball sized mosquito bites.

We had a lesson with pamela and her friend priscilla.  When I bore my testimony Pamela cried!! I am so grateful the spirit speaks spirit to spirit and not spanish to spanish.

Then we had a lesson with the Hmna de Jesus.  She didn´t seem even like she was listening.  But I did the first vision and everything!  Then her husband came and wow he is way more prepared than she is.  I extended the Baptismal invitation!!  The more I get to participate, the more I start to liket his.

Then we had a lesson with Fernando, husband of pamela.  Last week before I got here the sisters had a fast with their family because Fernando was out of work.  This past week he got a job!  Today he told us he promised God that if he got a job he would pay tithing.  So we taught him about that and gave a slip and right there and then he got out a calculator and figured out how much he owed.  What an example!  Tomorrow we are starting a fast of gratitude.

Then we went to visit sharon, the pregnant 13 year old, but it turns out she had a miscarriage today :( poor little 13 year old baby.

Then we visited Hmna Julia.  The kids were all playing soccer in the streets and the teenagers were playing volleyball with a rope they´d tied to the gates. 

Then ther ewas a surprise party at the church for a sister that turned fifty.  So fun!  They were playing music from dad´s age and they served a pastry that tasted like a toaster strudel.  Also there is a group of sisters in the ward that look like they are from draper.  They were talking about me.. :)

I got a phone call from Jesus.  He just wanted to talk in English again.. in very broken english he said, "coooook.  I need to be with you in the night so I can learn english!  Do you have time for me??"  Yikes.  ha...

SATURDAY

FIRST BAPTISM1!!  Wahoo what a great day.  We had to be at the chapel at 7 am to clean and fill the font.  It´s a tradition to make a video of how you feel on your first time.  Of course I tried. haha will TRY to send it to you!

Then we had study time and my comps told me my spanish is so clear that I really need to start talking more to gain the trust of the investigators and the members.  Well if I could understand what they were saying...

Then Hmna Wilkinson came to talk to hmna B and had me stay out with her daughter.  Yep.  Somethings up...

Then there was a primary fiesta and we ate pizza.... right before going to mary janes for lunch.  The food wasn´t ready so we blew up balloons for an hour which felt like a waste of time then the food was so bad I just couldn´t do it so we snuck out and fed it to the dog :)

then we headed to pamela and fernando´s to start the fast.  We talked about sacrifices and when I bore my testimony, fernando asked for a specific example of when I´ve sacrifieced and seen blessings.  So I told him about how much of a sacrifice my mission has been- to leave my incredibl efamily and come to a new country where I dnt know a thing and the language is so hard for me, but that God ahs blessed me with power to accomplish things I never thought I could.  Of course, I cried haha.  When pamela prayed to start the fast she included me in the fast.  So grateful!  Later my comps said my spanish was PERFECT in my testimony.  That was truly the spirit- the gift of tongues at work!  So grateful!  Now if only it was just once a week ha.

Then we went to my FIRST BAPTISM!!  JEfferson.  He basically cheered as he was entering the font!  He was so excited.  THen we sang Come thou fount in English and Jendry, His mon, bor her testimony.  She isn´t a member yet because she isn´t married but her testimony was so pure and strong!

Then a couple more lessons and we headed home.  We did an LPE with a man that lived in LA for five years so I did the whole thing in English!  It was awesome.  He said, "Aaaah.  Growing up we always said all the most beautiful girls were from Utah.  Now I know that is true!" Haha... We were joking about it all night because all the men here yell things at me because I´m blonde.  Words I don´t understand (which is probably good).  Then some young guys on a motorcylce saw me and started following us so we had to sprint home. .. haha what an adventure!  I´m safe! It´s just because all the beautiful girls come from Utah! ;)

SUNDAY

Today we had FIFTEEN investigators at church!! Thats a record for the mission!  I still don´t understand a word... But I can feel the prayers of my family!

I feel really really bad that Im not the missionary I set out to be.  I had so many goals and this vision of how I´d be... and I´m falling short in every single area.  It feels like I´m letting down Heavenly Father and my mission president and my parents.. everyone!  I´ve never felt so incapable and truly bad at something before.  I literally can´t do it.  But the good news is the Lord can!  Right??

Many lessons and my spanish understanding was a wave.  One lesson I´d get it and the next... nothing.  Then this coupld fed us some nasty fish and shrimp and water soup thing.  Then dinner at Hmna patricias.  Her home teachers were there so they stayed for dinner too.  I was totally lost the whole time and suddenly one of the priesthood leaders said IN ENGLISH "Hermana Cooook you look like an investigator".  Ouch.  Yep, definately not reaching my goals!  The members dont trust me and I doub thte investigators do.  I´ve been praying and fasting and working for a miracle... fo the gift of tongues.  Where is it??  I know  I know... its on the Lord´s time.  But I am doing everything I am supposed to do!  I am waking up a whole hour early to study and I´m obedient.. I´m praying and fasting and studying the language and the scriptures... It´s just so frustrating feeling like I can´t do a thing.  Most the time I feel quite useless..

MONDAY

This morning I had another breakdown... I just wish I was the missionary I was planning on being!!  I truly need to work on patience and faith.  I can do this!!

Oh also, today we played soccer with all latinos.  I´ve never played a game of soccer in my life...... just picture that for a while. :)

Couple more noticings of costa Rica:

There are a few smells that are normal around here.  It always either smells like algea and dead fish, rotten milk, or poop.  Quite Lovely!

All the people here, well the men because we don´t kiss them, do the high five knuckles thing and ALL the kids do handshakes with us.

Their biggest bills I´ve had have sloths on them!!! I haven´t seen a real one though.  I guess they are just in Guanacaste. 

Instead of knocking on doors you go to the gate and yell "Hupe! Buenas"

Everyone says "Ensario??" and "Que bonita" or "Que linda" about EVERYTHING

Theres a ton of fruit stands on the sides of the road!  But they all smell rotten and the bananas are black.....

Much more to come next week!!  Cross your fingures that I can get pictures to work!! Love you all!! THanks for all you do fo rme... this is incredibly hard but I know it will all be okay!!