Semana Veinticuatro: A Blessed Sunday

We had a GREAT week!!! All our numbers have completely turned around and we have been truly blessed!!  Now we just need to keep working even harder to keep the fruits coming!

Wednesday

On Wednesday we got a bummer call that said that baptisms on the 29th won´t count for this month because the thirtieth no longer counts :(  No one knows why this change has been made but now the baptisms we were planning for the 29th won´t count so once again we will have a month with zero baptisms :(  It´s a bummer but also it is okay because we know we are working hard and the the month of December will be full of baptisms!

Also on Wednesday I got an EXTRA call from the Assistants to the President... they told me that the mission is starting a new retention program and I have been called to be a leader in it!  I am responsible for HALF THE MISSION and their retention efforts.  I don´t really know exactly all that means but I am excited for a new responsibility!

Today we did divisions with members in the ward... they really stepped it up after my talk in Sacrament Meeting!  We had tons of success.  I went with Emily Mora.. a young woman who wants to serve a mission and Hermana Garcia went with an older sister named Gabriella.  They found four nuevos and we found two!  We put a baptismal date with Mariana for the 13 of Dec and then we visited a former investigator named Alina that said she had been praying in the morning and our coming was an answer to her prayers.  She says she is ready to listen to us again and that she feels something is missing.  I hope that she can finally be baptized!  I was so proud of my little Hermana Garcia because this was her first time out alone and I was so happy when she told me all her stories and that she used all my teaching techniques and scriptures I always use :)  I feel like a proud mama :)  

Also we passed Andres in the street COMPLETELY drunk.. all his drunk pals started making crude comments about us and Andres yelled "HEY!  Respect!  These are MY people!" And then his buddies yelled "you´re all just busy mormoning!!!" So now we have a new verb... to mormon.  I enjoy mormoning here in the mission!  :)

THURSDAY

Another great day!! Today we had to go to the office for hoooours to get my cedula.  Now I am legal and I am tica!  

After the office we only had two hours to work before we had ward meetings.  So we met with two nuevos that Hermana Garcia found in her divisions yesterday... Lucia and Roberto.  Turns out Lucia is the mom of Sharon that I taught at the beginning of my training!  She was the thirteen year old girl that had a miscarriage.  The lesson was SO powerful and she and her son Roberto accepted baptismal dates for the 13th of December!

Then we had a lesson with Marlon... the son of the Family Fallas.  I think I wrote about him before... He is like Alma the Younger.  Except that he has done the whole change thing several times.  But I have faith that THIS is the time for reals!  He has a baptism date for the  29th of this month.  I told him about Josh Taylor and testified of the potential he has and how he can bless the lives of others and he cried and cried... I think this time is for real!

Even though we only had two hours to work... We had really spiritual experiences!  I LOVE the mission!

FRIDAY

Well today was just another great day!  We visited Hermana Julia... then Andres... he was just too drunk and we can´t teach him like that :(... then we both felt like visiting Ana Munoz who was an investigator about four months ago in my trianing.  She said tht she was about to leave and then ¨something¨told her to stay.  Then we came!  as we taught she said she felt something in her heart and accepted a baptismal date for the 20th of December.  

Then we visited Marlon.. Then Fernando and Pamela... then Marlon again with the Elders.

Then we had an appointment with Lucia but she lied and said she wasn´t home even though we saw her... Her husband wont listen to us because he says that according to the bible women don´t have authority to preach the gospel...

I really really love the mission!

SATURDAY

I just love the gospel and actually feel SO MUCH love for the mission!  I never want to leave and enter the world... I feel more focused and dedicated than ever before!! I love it!!

Today was great.  We visited lots of people and shared the gospel with loads... even just through a short testimony.

Highlights:  We visited Lucia´s husband.  He said he couldn´t even listen to us because we don´t have the authority.  So I asked if we could just pray with him and it turns out that according to the bible women can´t pray either!  I testified to him that God loves ALL his children and wants ALL of them to communicate with h im.. He asked if I had HEARD that or if I had READ that... haha oh what adventures :)

Other Highlight was with Marlon.  His family are all converts from the iglesia evangelica so they shout preached the whole lesson and it was hard to take control and even have the spirit (at one point they were shout preaching...all four at the same time... of how the spirit speaks in a still small voice and if we aren´t calm and listen we can´t hear.  haha it was a little ironic)  But they are GREAT people and truly love the gospel.  I am grateful for all the different people I get to meet here in the mission!

SUNDAY

What a blessed Sunday!! We had NINE investigators at church!  Margarita came AT LAST with her novio and daughter.  Today was the primary program and her daughter participated :)  They go all out for those... with matching scarves and boutenirs and everything.  Daniel didn´t come though :(  He said he was fatal and had to go to the doc.  So his baptismal date for the 29th fell through :(  But it´s okay he will be baptized in December.  

Today Evida talked to us!  I really think she´ll be baptized... just slower progress.

Then we went to visit Jendry... she didn´t answer either phone or the door again... we used to visit her every day... and the elders too... and now she is avoiding both of us.  Something happened!

And Lucia and her husband are avoiding us too.  It is so hard to tell when the excuses are real or when they are just excuses.

This week we have been truly blessed!! I am completely healed from my cold... we have had LOTS of opportunities to teach the gospel... have found 9 new investigators... we have 9 baptismal dates for December... and have 9 investigators progressing... and had 9 in church!! Looks like nine is our number :)  I am so grateful for the LOVE that I truly feel for the mission and for Costa Rica and for the gospel.  Thank you to all of you for your prayers and love!  I´m working hard and focusing here but am so glad that all the babies and everyone were born safely!  Love yáll!

PURA VIDA!

Hermana Antonietta y su amigo

Blurry...but Costa Rican hotdogs

Don't make them like this dad...I don't like it

Gifts from members to heal me

Exchanges with Hermana Zapata

Hermana Bratt

Divisions with a ward member...Emily

We're Ticas!!!  We have our credulas

I like this painting - I think they are Ticos

Her I go to work!!  That's me today

Semana Veintitres: A Nasty Cold

Another great week!!! This week I have really felt a lot of love for the mission.  I just really really like it and am so happy I am here.  Even with all the challenges!  I love it!

MONDAY

Today I went to get money out of the bank and the machine ate my card!!!!!!!!  So we went to teach Margarita and she wasn´t there... she said she would be back at 8 so we went to visit Hermana Julia and then back to Margarita´s but she STILL wasnt there... then the zone leaders called and said we had to go meet everyone in the park so we ended the day... it was crazy.  Also a sister was with us all night that only had one transfer more than me and she struggled with her spanish so much that they changed her mission call to MONTANA!! She is gonna have to change her whole wardrobe.  I am so grateful for the way I have experienced the gift of tongues!

TUESDAY

I am ill.  But that is okay.  We got a new ward mission leader and it is AWESOME.  He works so much better than our last one and we are really improving the situation in the ward!  

We had a lesson with Margarita today at last.  Right when we got there she started off a list of her doubts.  We listened... then identified that the real problem was that hadn´t received an answer to her prayers about the truthfulness of what we taught last time.  I knew that if she could HEAR the restoration and not just read it in the pamphlet that she would FEEL the truthfulness... so we shared Lesson 1 with her and it was my turn to recite the first vision... I´ve got that thing GLUED to my memory and NEVER forget... but today suddenly I forgot!! I paused brieful and then resumed and it turns out that pause was just what she needed.  The spirit was so strong and she said her hairs were standing up on end on her arm.  She said she could feel the presence of God and KNEW that the Restoration was true.  It was a powerful experience!! Then she said she still hasn´t received an answer so now I´m wondering what her question is...

WEDNESDAY

I am just really ill.  It´s a nasty cold and I don´t feel at all well.  Last night was awful and apparently I had a nightmare because H Garcia says I was SCREAMING in my sleep. But it´s all good Ñ= smiley

All we did today was pray and work!  We really only have like 4 investigators.  It´s a bummer.  So we have been studying and studying and studying how to find enw investigators in preach my gospel  and we put it all into practice today!!  We visited Menos Actoivos and Recent Converts to ask referrals... members to ask referrals... contacted former investigators to try to teach them again and ask referrals... offered service.. talked to EVERYONE.. and... nada.  So we prayed and started knocking doors.  In dos cercas.. nada... so in porvenir.. nada... so gravilias... nada... so we prayed again and went forth with faith... nada.. It´s a little discouraging but we know that if the Lord wants four baptisms this month he will get them!! Even if it doesn´t look like it!! 

THURSDAY

I just really like the mission.  Today we fasted again to find nuevos.. especially those that will be baptized this month.. our four!  We headed to teach Margarita.. we´ve known she has a boyfriend and drinks coffee so it is important that we teach ehr the Ley de Castiadd and the Palabra de Sabiduria right away.  When we got there her boyfriend was there and she said We live together now!!! noooooooo!Ñ= smiley.  One day too late... one day!! haha oh man.  But we put a baptismal date with him too for the 29 so now its a family!  They just have to live separately again or get married..... then she and him and her daughter Jasmin can be baptized on the 29!!!  And Evida too!! We put a date with her for the 29th too!!! There´s four!! 

Adriana and Michael... I dont´know if they really want to listen to us Ñ) frowny.  they always have excuses.  Also we visited the evangélica wife of a menos activo... I think there is potential there just slower progress.  

Today the cough started and it sounds gross.. but thats okay!

And someone entered the church with a gun and robbed some children in the chapel Ñ) frowny.  We live in a sad sad world.

FRIDAY

Today we had four lessons with new people!!!! But... they didn´t accept a second visit.  Ñ) frowny.  

My cold is even worse but Grama Nuria´s got me covered.  She gave me limes to squeeze to drink hot.

Even though we had a lot of doors shut in our faces... H Garcia and I had lots of fun together.  I really love her and am so grateful for the blessing of having her as my companion!  

SATURDAY

Oh Saturdays... the second most important day of the week... the last day to find nuevos to bring to church and the day when you have to visit ALL your investigators to get em to come!  And surely...like today... they will cancel those appointments so that you are just left PRAYING with ALL you have that they won´t bail on you when you go pick them up tomorrow.  Well thats what we were up to today!!!  Also we have been really low on lessons with members this week so our district leader sent a member from his ward to work with us.  She is really tiny and yells when she talks and gets right to preaching the gospel in every situation.. she is great.  And also she bought us coconuts to drink and told me specifically that it is good for the skin.. With her today we were in Dos Cercas and a drunk man yelled at us so of course we ignored him but she said let´s talk to him!! So off we went to talk to him and it turns out he is an alcoholic but wants to change his life and just doesn´t know where to congregate.  He said the "something" told him to shout at us.  We put a baptismal date with him...Andres for the 13 of Dec (happy birthday Kenn!)  We are gonna take him to church tomorrow!  Maybe the Lord is giving me miracles like that and I´m just ignoring them because I think they are drunk!!!!! Or maybe not... haha but we will see if he actually progresses!

SUNDAY

Oh how I LOVE sundays... we woke up early and left the house early to go pick up all our investigators.  Our spirits were cheery because we felt so confident about Evida Margarita Rodrigo and Jasmin... our four baptisms!!!  none of them came to church Ñ) frowny.  Not one!!  That means all their baptismal dates fell through and they can´t be baptized this month Ñ) frowny.  Finally it was nine and we had to go because I was giving the talk today.  Last minute we remembered a señora that we contacted in the street and said she would come to church so we went to her house and hey!  She came!! She is named Mariana and i think she has a little mental problem but the ward was great and greeted her and everything.  I gave a talk on missionary work to motivate the members and I think it worked!  There were tears in the congregation and afterwards several families came up to us to ask if they could work with us this week!  Awesome!!!  Also a member... Caroline Fallas... had a non member friend with her today named Daniel.  He is from a different area so we didn´t think anything of it.  But she invited us over to talk to him after church and of course we went.  WOW he is so prepared!!!  We taught him the restoration and he accepted a baptismal date for the 29th of this month... we are going to baptize him in our ward because of the support and friendship he already has here.  And thus we see that even with all the dates that fell... Heavenly Father is already giving us miracles. Today our leaders asked how many baptisms we are REALLY going to have... I told them that we really only have the possibility of 2... but that we received revelation from Heavenly Father that our goal should be 4 and I´m not going to change or doubt that revelation just because of some setbacks.  We are going to just keep working with the faith to see miracles!!!!!

Still way sick and could barely get sound out during my talk... the members love to take care of me though.  Hermana Patricia (the member that we eat dinner with every sunday night) gave me a long sleeved shirt a scarf and limes and honey haha.  

Also today I had my first experience teaching someone who doesn´t believe in God... it is SO different from the usual experience!! How did you do it dad?

Well yáll... that was my week!!! I know that this is the true church and I am so blessed to be serving a mission.  I KNOW we will be seeing miracles this month so stay tuned!!!  I miss you all and hope you are doing well.  So excited for all the babies ... I´m praying for you all!!! Also I got the package today!!! Thank yo SO much for the christmas music and hot chocolate... maybe finally it will feel a little more like christmas!! Love you all!!

xoxo

Hermana Cook

Semana Veintidos: Trust in the Lord and Work

My how time flies!!!! This week I completed my Fifth month in the mission!!  Rumor is that I might get jipped a month and that our group will be going home the beginning of November 2015... so I only have  a year left!!! I canNOT believe how fast the time has gone!!!

On to the week then shall we?

TUESDAY

We worked REALLY hard today and actually had some success!  We taught five lessons today which is better than the usual :)  The most important was with Adriana and her husband Michael.  They are amazing and I truly want with ALL my heart to help them get married and baptized and have an eternal family!  They are a beautiful family and say they haven't found the true church yet or the motivation to be married.  WE'VE GOT IT!  I know they'll be baptized this month... I'm a prayin!!

WEDNESDAY

Today I went to Aserri for divisions with Hermana Zapata- the Sister Training Leader.  I love divisions.  and I really like Aserri!  It's in the mountains so it's really pretty!  Hermana Zapata is great... and I learned so much from her!  She told me some of the best stuff ever.  For example... in her training she baptized TWELVE people!  Just in those three months!  THen she trained and she had NOTHING.  Nada.  She felt is was all her fault.  She said she talked to president about it and he said that there was a time in his mission when for MONTHS he didn't have a SINGLE investigator at church... the very day of Transfers there were SEVENTY investigators at church and fifty of the seventy were baptized.  So maybe we won't see the results but our work is not in vain!  The only thing we can do is work work work!  Then I told her how I feel our lack of results is my fault and at the end of the day she told me that my teaching is perfect and she wishes she could teach like me!  She said to just TRUST myself and trust in the Lord and work work work!  It was a great confidence builder... I've really been feeling that I must not be a good teacher or something because of all that's happening but now I know I've got the skills I need I just need to TRUST in the Lord and work!

THURSDAY

Today we found Margarita!  She is a single mother with two girls and is only 23.  She is GREAT and accepted a baptismal date for the 29th of November!  Then we visited Evida.  She has barely read a thing or prayed but we hope she can come to church on Sunday and really feel the spirit.  Then we went to visit Jendry.  The elders told us that she is gonna move to Aserri and that her "husband" unmarried doesn't want to get baptized.  It's sad.  She is the mom of Jeferson- my first baptism.  But she wasn't home... so we visited a million houses and no one was there.  So we went to the house and called 17 people and no one answered.  Yay!!! :)  Yesterday I fasted to know the exact number of baptisms Heavenly Father wants us to have this month.  If it is an inspired goal there is NO reason that we can't reach it!  I feel very strongly that the number is four... but it doesn't seem possible and I want to be sure that that is the number the Lord wants... so I ate lunch and then started another fast.  I love the gospel and love being a missionary!

FRIDAY

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!  

Today for halloween we were ticas!! We said all the words that only ticos say ilke pura vida and diay and tuanis etc.  And we added "tica" to all our words... like chicatica.. minutico... etc.  We bought something sweet and had a grand old time.  The ticos don't celebrate halloween... or the guatemaltecas... but we did!  

Today lots happened but most important was Jendry!  POR FIN  Ella decidió to leave her boyfriend/husband Johnny  but wont move out until JANUARY!  Which means she won't be baptized until then :(  But then I remembered a situation with Pamela and Fernando where they lived together but kept the law of chastity, and she was baptized so I told her she still could too and we set a date and we were so exctied and she was soooo happy!  Then I found out that is not actually allowed and can't be baptized until she moves out.  I'm so sad and haven't told her yet.... but we WILL find a way to get her baptized!!

SATURDAY

Last night was quite eventful... 12 earthquakes and... well some other things that happened.  BUt no worries I am safe!  I love my area.  :)  

Today wasn't the best day.  Turns out Hermana Garcia also felt our baptism number was 4!!! So we gave that number to our zone leaders and they were like "are you SUUURE!!!??? Who are they"  So we gave our six possibilities and they said "No who are the four going to be??"  I got a little nervous that we can't really reach the number four.  But I am POSITIVE that that is the number I received and Hermana Garcia too.  So we KNOW that's what Heavenly Father wants and if that's what He wants we can do it!

We had 7 lessons today which is good, but Satan is already working on our possible baptisms.  Tomorrow is SO important.  They have to go to church three times to be baptized and there are only four sundays left in the month.. I'm trying to have faith... we've done all we can... there's just so much pressrue!!

SUNDAY

No investigators came to church.  All our appts fell.  We taught a bunch of people in the street.  The Zone Leaders called and said that I could do more such as fast.  I told them that I fasted three times this week including the double fast and they waid "whoa okay don't kill yourself just keep working".  I am!!!!  Goodness it's rough out here :)  I got a little homesick today.... I miss my amazing family and also I am pretty sure that Katelin had her baby and I just wish I was home with her.  But then I repented and refocused my thoughts.  It is STILL possible to have four baptisms if that's what Heavenly Father wants!!

MONDAY

Today was chequeo de mes for my companion!  We went to the office and president asked them all these questions about obedience and then came to sternly talk to us about what we are doing incorrectly as trainers.  I had nothing to fear- that's one thing I'm good at is obedience!! It was SO fun to see all my best friends of the mission... Hermana Davidson.. Hermana Bratt... and Hermana Geis.  I love that I get to meet so many people and that I will have friends forever!!  Also I learned that President has a goal to split the mission before he leaves in June.  So that's why the mission has the goal of 200 baptisms this month.  If we reach that they will for sure split the mission!!  I hope my four can help out!  Also I learned that Kate did no have her baby this week... that's okay Katie you can do it!!!  I'm a prayin for you and Kelsey so much!! And also the rest of my family.  I just love you all and hope you are all doing well.  The mission is always hard but always great and I LOVE it and love all of you!!!!!! ADIÓS