Cass in Costa Rica: Semana Ocho: Whoa whoa whoa earthquake!

Hola Familia!! Do you realize I have been on a mission for two whole months!!!?? Wowza. It´s going by fast!!!

Okay this week is a little funky. I´m going to say some things first that I have been meaning to tell you since day one... that hopefully have time to reply to other emails... and than MAYBE have time for the big day to day-er. Esta Bien!? The day to day ones will become much much better once I understand things... Right now... just know we have lessons every day and I have lots of ups and downs every day... :) Oh also, If I don´t reply to your email... Know that I´ve printed them all out and I´m reading them and will reply next week or write a letter!!! Love you all!

Okay. First of all they are AWFUL singers here. Terrible. But they LOVE to sing. Every single person has a hymn book and they decorate them and mark them and put pictures in them. The works. We sing before every single lesson and meeting and everything and they always have me sing it first to get the tune... though it doesn´t help haha.

I can truly feel your prayers. I am so gonna be okay. This is good. I am so grateful for you all and for your love and support and wisdom. THANK YOU.

The first thing Hermana Wilkinson said when I was assigned my companions was "Did you get rid of the lice yet???" Yikes. Apparently our house has had lice TWICE. Good thing we bought teatree shampoo!!! I guess it´s because our house is an actual house.. not a little apartment or room like the others. Ours is a big house with like 25 beds.. with five or so beds to a room and several matresses in the hall haha. Because our house is closest to the Mission Office so all the sisters stay there when they need to go to the office. And they bring lice with them. Yay. Apprently it is way messier and dirtier and buggier too because it is such an old big house that no one can take care of because we are out preaching the gospel. My friend Hmna Davidson said that they have ants... but NOTHING like our house. They are literally covering every single surface. I am not exaggerating for once in my life. They are EVERYWHERE. And My goodness there are cockroaches in every corner and under every bed and just on the walls. Bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh. But esta bien....

In the mornings for exercise we do Jillian Michaels workouts!! Sometimes she gives me great wisdom for the day like "You´ll never change if you don´t get uncomfortable!! " So then when I am out talking to strangers I repeat that haha. We also do zumba DVDS.. The workout aspect of it isn´t NEARLY as hard as Kelseys... but it is way harder for me because it is real latin dancing and I´m doing it with latinas... hahaha... theres a picture for ya.

My face is still breaking out. grr.

My bag has been PERFECT from trace!!! I absolutely love it. Buuuuuuut it kiiiillls my shoulder and bag and all of me. So I bought this bag a sister makes here that has the costa rica flag on it and it goes across your body and straps across your middle. It´s a life saver. But don´t worry trace. .. I still use yours which is much cuter on sundays and baptisms.

I got the dear elders my first week here!!! Haha so nice to read everything you meant to tell me a month ago... Sorry I didn´t know about the gluten free challenge and how you wanted me to send my letters home... that would have been nice... haha woops.

I spray my bed and my clothes and me every single night and morning with bug spray... I just want them away... I am half way out of all my spray soooo... eekers.

I hope pictures worked today!!! Let me know

Every night we pass the art studio with amazing art and the dance studio with fun latin dancing

The wardmembers talk about me and the priests looked us up on facebook. It´s weird. Also one of them said he had a dream about an Hmna Cook on my first day here... super weird.

I have a pic of Kels and Jd on my wall.. and all of you. But EVERY time a new sister comes to stay... which is several days a week... she says "HERMANA COOK!!! USTED TIENE UN NOVIO????" Hahaha and I have to explain that NO i do NOT have a boyfriend... that is my brother in law with my SISTER. Hahahaha Apparently we do look alike!

I was thinking perhaps I´d like pancake mix for christmas. But until then perhaps some easy easy recipes for breakfast?? I dont know... something that doesnt need many ingredients?? Right now I don´t eat breakfast because i cant handle the ant filled cereal. And for lunch... you know... its... you know... then we eat crackers for dinner... so I could go for something good to eat!! Any ideas are more than welcome.

I dont have a picture of the whooole fam from our lexi photo shoot. puede enviar me one???

Mom and dad I printed your emails last week and literally read them every day. Very comforting and helpful. I am doing the same today and maybe I´ll have time to reply to them- and to all other people that wrote me!! I am SO GRATEFUL you have no idea!

We finally bought a mango1!! SO YUMMY!! But will someone teach me how to cut them?? thanks.

I got four letters this week!!! Everyone was freaking out saying I had a MONTON of letters haha. Thank you for the love. Seriously. They were from Grama Baylie Kate and Lettie!! I am going to try out the mail system here and reply to yáll that way.. esta bien!??

Okay highlights of every day maybe

MONDAY

For family night we went to the Family Fallas´s house where all the children are that love me. We taught about talents and afterwards cute jeferson cried while he bore testimony that he now knows he has a talent and is so happy haha it was sooo cute!!

TUESDAY

Today we found out that one of the sisters... Hmna Beltran who I went on divisions with my first day. with hmna davidson. Has to go home because she is very sick. My comps are good friends with her and cried all morning. It was so sad.

Then Hmna Bratt came to sleepover!!!¡¡¡¡ YAY! To go get our fingerprints tomorrow. IT was SO nice to talk to her IN ENGLISH about all our problems and struggles and help each other. I truly love her.

WEDNESDAY

All the gringos had to go get fingerprints so aaaalll morning and afternoon we got to talk in english and compare areas and it was just so nice. I´m struggling a little more than them with the language I think but esta bien. I´ll learn.

Also there´s a lot of creepy men here. they LOVE blondes. They call me names I don´t understand and yell at me all the words they know in english which is usually "hiiiiiiii! I love yoooooou! I babyyyy!!!!!! How are yoooooou" Super weird. We call them geepers. I don´t know if thats how it is spelled. One of the geepers turned into a new investigator!! Haha. But eekers. I hate it.

Cockroach in Hmna B´s shoe.

THURSDAY

Happy Birthday Trace!!! And happy pioneer day!! I´m pretty sure they celebrated here. There were HUGE explosions that shook our house all day that started at seven am. And it sounded like there was a mariachi band during study time. Also... get this... MY FIRST EARTHQUAKE!!! AAAAA!!! It was just a tiny little wave but still. I felt it. Did you feel it? I felt it. Alright Janet!!! Haha... anybody? anybody? Dad??

Marlene doesn´t want to be baptized anymore :(

FRIDAY

Tried to get Marlene to go to her bap interview. Finally did. Turns out she is still drinking coffee. She wants to wait till next week to be baptized but we don´t really know if she is ready. She says things that sometimes make it seem like she jsut wants help from the church financially..

Sang let it go with the chillins. They loooove it. Seriously they go crazy.

passed a woman on the street that said she knew me.. I didn´t remember her at all. Apparently I talked to her on the bus my first week! Story from the MTC says that even if they reject you... they will ALWAYS remember your face. So true!

SATURDAY

Had a dream that there was another earthquake. WASN´T A DREAM!!! All I remember was yelling " whoa whoa WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!!! " kind of like when I get a charlie horse in the night. Haha Hmna B said I was just screaming in english and she tried to tell Hmna P that there was an earthquake and Hmna p yelled "WHERE?!?!" and Hmna B yelled "HEEERE!!!" and I yelled "WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!!" hahahahaha. Apparently it was a longer and stronger one!! Keep an eye on them!! I live in Desampa Centro and work in Gravilias all the way to Dos Cercas...

Broke down in practice today. I am SO bad at this ... but that´s okay because I truly know that the Lord will help me!!! A scripture that was really helpful for me this week was Words of Mormon 1:7. Dice, "And now, I do not know all things but the Lord knoweth all things wherefore he worketh in me to do according to his will" I´m so grateful for that. I don´t know a thing. but the lord does!!!! He will help me accomplish what he needs and in him i cannot fail!!

SUNDAY

Sick stomach... quite painful. Another geeper at church. So hungry that we snuck to the stage to eat tee hee. And Sister Davidson came to stay with us until she gets a new comp becasue Hmna Beltran left. I LOVE Hmna Davidson. She is like my best friend in the mission. She is from canada and knows a bunch of stringhams and all my friends from EFY. I love her.

You know what, every week gets better and better. I learned that I´ve been prideful in thinking that I´ll learn the language faster than everyone else. I might even learn it slower!! But that´s okay. I´m giving it all I´ve got and the Lord WILL help me. Even if I´m not recognizing my progress now... I know I´m getting better every day and eventually I´ll be able to teach with the power and authority of the sons of mosiah!!

I truly truly love you all more than I can say. I have learned that you are a great missionary tool hee hee. I love to testify about my family. The gospel has blessed my family in SO many ways. I know that the gospel brings strength to families that so desperately need it here.. and everywhere!! Families are forever. Cherish our family... we are so blssed!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!

The church is true. Go bear your testimony to someone :)