Cass in Costa Rica: April 2015

Semana Cuarente y Seis: So easy to accept and hard to act

HOLA BUENAS MIS QUERIDOS FAMILIARES Y AMIGOS.

Great to talk to you all this week. It feels like a week where NOTHING happened but EVERYTHING happened at the same time.

LUNES

Taught Isabel briefly in the street... we started to teach and it felt like Deja vu... like we had already taught the Restoration... so we briefly reminded her with the pictures in the pamphlet.... She said she had no questions and understood it all and we left.... Buuuuuuut we had never taught her the Restoration before. Woops. Perhaps we missed an opportunity to give her a more spiritually experience... but... hey.. she accepted it all :) Then we headed to a Noche de Hogar with the familia Arias (recent converts Maria and Adrian). Marta lives with them and she invited her boyfriend to the family night.... We knew she was on defense for us to invite her to be baptized again... so we decided to focus 100% on the family in general and not on her. I think she was shocked. We made Aztec Soup which is yummy... Hermano Adrian had the camera for the WHOLE hour that we were cooking so I started doing a cooking show and posing for a homemaking magazine in all the pictures. I am a hoot. They love me. (I sent some pics of the cooking but left out the good modeling shots for when I come home)

MARTES

Today we taught Jackeline and were FINALLY able to teach the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity. She is addicted to Café but accepted that commandment immediately.... but then she said, ´´Hermanas... I can´t be baptized.... I am living with the dad of Erick and we aren´t married´´ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! How did we not know this until the week of her baptism???? our fault. How sad... But Erick will still be baptized on Saturday.

WEDNESDAY

Marta is still on the defensive and says no no no no no with all kinds of Latin attitude

JUEVES

Divisions with Hermana Contreras!!! Which was super weird because we live in the same apartment and work in the same area haha. When we started the divisions we were walk in a street and Hermana Corrales called us. She said that a woman I had contacted in the street a few weeks ago saw us and called Hermana Corrales a million times to ask if we could visit with her. So Hermana Contreras and I went to find her. She said that Satan was stopping her call from going through and trying to keep her from meeting with the Missionaries of our Heavenly Father. We barely taught anything... really just testified... and she accepted to be baptized. She needs to get married too but she and her partner want to!! We just have to sell arroz con leche or algo to raise la plata. Her name is Diana and she is so great!!!

FRIDAY

Today was good! Erick passed the interview. He recited word for word the definition of Tithing as it states in the pamphlet :) He is so great. And Jackeline is fighting to drop Café. Today her students went all the way to the store to get milk for her coffee so she would drink it.... and she still didn´t!! She gave it to some other students... but she is suffering greatly with head aches :)

SATURDAY

Erick was baptized today!!! It was so so so great. When he came out of the water he shouted ´´QUE RICO!!!!´´ haha. He is a cutie. I pray that his mom with have the chance to join him soon!!!!! Marta surprised us by coming to the baptism... and afterwards she said that she wouldn´t COMMIT to anything... but would TRY to be baptized the next saturday... we will see if she decides to act.

SUNDAY

We had MILLIONS of people that were going to come to church... Isabel... ivanna... Marianella (we found her Saturday) Diana and her family... Marta... a ton... and NONE of them came. Why can´t people figure out that the blessing won´t come until they ACT??? Why is it so easy to accept and so hard to act?? well. We will keep working with them.... The family of marvin and Maria came at night half an hour late but they came!!! Marvin found a bunch of pals that are members so that´s good!! and the kids LOVE it. I think Maria not so much... but the kids are great. Marvin and Linda.

All is well in Costa Rica. I LOVE THIS WORK!! This month I have been thinking and praying a LOT. I felt like if I finished the mission in that moment... I would not be happy with my service. I am having a blast and having great experiences... but I have been thinking too much in the future and what will happen after the mission. My heart and mind haven´t been in it. Another sister gave me two talks... ´´being purified´´ and ´´the fourth missionary´´. I think they have changed my mission and I am working to apply those principles YA and for the rest of my mission. See if you can find those talks!! They are GREAT!

I love you all. I love this gospel. It is TRUE!!!!

Love, Hermanita Cookie

In the house of Maria, Adrian and Marta making aztec soup for Family Night.

All the dogs are dying in the streets cause of the heat:(

Erick's baptism.

My white legs compared to my arms.

Much much much of our area is just white hot sand.

The old zone in Guanacaste before they divided us to Liberia and San Roque.

Semana Cuarenta y Cinco: The shining house

HELLO FAMILY! I can't believe another week has gone by. SO fast.

LUNES

Pues el Domingo los Elderes nos dijeron que Marta no quiere bautizarse pero but she is embarrassed to tell us. So we headed to Noche de Hogar con ella y Maria y adrian para ayudarla. She had a TON of questions. Instead of answering question for question... we taught her the Plan of Salvation...which really answers all the questions we could have! :) The lesson was so spiritual... but by the end she told us, ''I am not getting baptized. I haven't prayed yet but I'm not going to do it. It isn't the Lord's time'' with ALL the Latin attitude in the world. I told her that if she hasn't prayed she can't know that it isn't the Lord's time! So we invited her to pray right there and then and ask specifically if she should be baptized on the 18th. When she asked that question the spirit was SO strong... she started to cry then cried and cried.... We said, ''well hermana? What are you going to do?" ''Voy a bautizarme'' dijo ella. Ooooooh it was so beautiful!! The spirit was so strong and we KNEW that this was the fecha that the Lord had planned. She is ready to be baptized!

MARTES

Today we taught a muchacha named Isabel. She is 21 years old and I already love her and think we are going to be friends for life. She has a little six month old baby and lives with her sisters. We taught her and invited her to be baptized and she said simply, ''sí!'' It was so easy I was kind of shocked :) So I asked again... "''Hermana, we are preparing a baptismal service for the ninth of May... will you be baptized on this day?'' again ''Sí!! Voy a hacerlo.'' It was beautiful :) The Lord REALLY IS preparing people!! Then we visited Ivanna and her mom Mayela... they seem a little more duro de corazón but there is potential.

MIÉRCOLES

Today we were in divisions with the Hermanas de San Roque. I was with Hermana Guit. Our plans were AWFUL because we had plans in Pueblo Nuevo all day... then Jackeline and Marta in Daniel Oduber y Alaska... opposite sides of the area y no hay buses. But that's okay we did what we had to do. The lesson with Marta was a bummer. Turns out she doesn't want to keep the Ley de Castidad because she has a new novio :( But we worked hard to help her see the blessings and feel the spirit.... Then Jackeline wasn't home... AGAIN!! We haven't been able to teach her in almost two weeks!!!! All our baptisms are falling through and I am so sad that these people I truly love are rejecting us :( BUT we had a good miracle... at seven o'clock Noche de Rama was starting at the church... and we were about half an hour away. We started to run... but I stopped at the corner by Jackeline's house and just stared at this one house... Hermana Guit said lets go! And I said...''ok but remind me about this house... it is shining!!'' haha... it really was though I'm not kidding. She said, ''well let's just knock it and ask directions to get to el centro super rápido and then we will run'' so we did... a man answered... we said ''Buenas! Somos misioneras-'' and before we could ask directions or say anything more he said come in!!!!!! Invited us in and brought his children to listen to us... we were in charge of part of the Noche de Rama so we really couldnt stay but we shared a tiny little message of our purpose and put a cita for another día. It was such a fun little miracle!!

JUEVES

Today we visited Marjorie... she is great... she has LOTS of questions and doubts... she is letting things her mom says and other people say plant even MORE doubts in her head. But for every doubt and question there is an answer!! We just dont understand yet. So we have been helping her clear up all her doubts. Then we visited Xinia... the ex-wife of recently baptized Marco. She accepted to pray and ask if she should be baptized the 25th of this month! Then Kathya... and um... her... friend.. Wendy. There are possible some problemitas there...

VIERNES

Today we visited Ivanna again... she is actually AWESOME! She is so prepared.... she has GREAT experience receiving answers to her prayers and has great faith in that. She accepted all our message and ALMOST accepted to be baptized on the ninth of May but then her Mom came in and kinda put a damper on things. Then we visited Marta.... still doesn't want to keep the Law of Chastity... she acted like such a little girl texting her boyfriend during the whole lesson and giggling...come on Marta!!!! This is salvation!!!!! Then we visited Oldemar and his wife Kathya (from the shining house by Jackeline!) They really are GREAT!!! They are Christain Evangelicos... but they only joined that church hace 5 meses. They believe in the importance of families... are married... teach the gospel the best they know it to their children. We taught them the Plan of Salvation... and though they are still firm in ''their'' iglesia... in the prayer.. Kathya thanked Heavenly Father for sending these angels to their family.. and that even though they don't know why... she knows that He sent us. It was beautiful!!!

SÁBADO

Kathya is possibly almost surely drinking coffee again and lying to us about it... the kids say it all :) It is sad. But I know the road for new converts is really rough! She needs more friendship and support from the members. Hey- be really good friends to all new members!!! At night we visited a family that my comp found before I got here... but we almost never have visited them. Maria and Marvin and their children Marvin Linda and Anderson. They are beautiful and accepted our message and the invitation to be baptized on the ninth of May! Maria and Marvin won't be able to because they are living together and he is still married in Guatemala... but the children will be able to!! What a blessing. There are so many people here prepared to receive the gospel in their lives.

DOMINGO

Today was sad. Really sad. All these great people we taught this week were committed to come to church! But NO ONE came. No one. No Marta.. No Jackeline...No Xinia.... None of the new investigators... Ivanna... Isabel.... No one. It was so sad. During the day we called them all and Marta still doesn't want to be baptized... Jackeline Xinia and Ivanna didn't answer... Isabel said she'd come to the little one at seven at night.. and Marjorie said that she wanted to stop receiving us and wanted to return the Book of Mormon. It was so sad. No one was receiving us to teach all day... I was bummed. Then we found a sister that is the daughter of a 90 year old member that isn't baptized. We taught her and invited her to be baptized right away on the 25th! She said she would pray about it... we may have a great miracle. Then we did divisions with some ward members... Heidy and I found a coupld that received us... at the end the man said, ''My mission now is to prove to you that you are in the wrong. If what you teach is actually true... I'll join. But if not.. you've gotta face that you have been tricked.'' I said firmly, ''Está bien hermano!!'' haha. I know without a SINGLE doubt that this is TRUE! 100% true. And I know from the one source that can't lead us astray... my Heavenly Father! So don't worry yáll. :) Then.... we had the Sacrament meeting at 7 pm for those that work during the day... The whole family of Maria and Marvin came!!! IT was a great blessing.... then... the best miracle of all.... JACKELINE!! After two weeks of not hearing from her and thinking she didn't want anything... she came!! All by her self... when she walked in tears filled my eyes and SO MUCH LOVE filled my heart. I haven't felt so much love for someone in a while... it was such a miracle that she came. We talked to her afterwards... she is having lots of problems with the father of her children.... people are mocking her for coming to church... but she told us that she has prayed and she knows it is true and still wants to be baptized on the 18th (which now we dont know if she can do because she is living with the father of her children)... we FINALLY gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon because we haven't been able to visit her and she was SO grateful. We told her it was the most valuable gift we could give... and she accepted it with tears in her eyes.... it was just so glorious. Heavenly Father answers prayers. He gives us trials to strengthen our faith... but His will is ALWAYS that His children can come unto him. The sad thing is that His children have their albedrío. And often times they choose... like Marta... to reject the answers they've received... to not live the commandments they know are true. I hope we can all make an extra effort to follow más the will of God in our lives. He is our Father!! He loves us and wants the best for us. And the way to receive that is through keeping the commandments. I love this gospel. I love this work. I am happy to sacrifice these short 18 months. And I am grateful for each one of you and all you've taught me all my life...... I'll see you soon!!! Skype you in a month!!

I LOVE YOU!

Hermana Cookie (That's what they call me here... Alajuela was Hermanita Coco... now it's Hermana Cookie) :)

Semana Cuarenta y Cuatro: Semana Santa

Well Happy Easter family and friends!!!!!!! How did you enjoy it?? I am sad to say that Easter doesn't exist here. Here they call it Semana Santa... they have different activities and processions that they do on certain days... and Friday, Saturday and Sunday EVERYONE goes to the beach :) or the river. So the week was pretty slow... no one was home :) But that's okay! It was still great. Also... weird but they do NOTHING to celebrate on Sunday... which is THE day important... THE day sacred....wait... sacred day.... man I'm confused.

TUESDAY

Today we went to San Jose for Leadership Council!!! It was so fun to see Hermana Ortiz and Elder Macias as well as old friends from La Paz! Presidente gave a GREAT capacitación and I learned SO much! He asked me to share about my experiences when I was in La Paz... it was probably the most spiritual time of my mission! Then we took the bus and went home. Only ten hours in a bus today. So fun! :)

WEDNESDAY

Today the Elders gave us a reference of a mom named Marjory. She is great! She has lots and lots of questions but I think she is very interested! She has a baptismal date for the 25th of this month. We also found some nuevos... one is named Zayda. Her son died three months ago. We had a VERY spiritual lesson on the Plan of Salvation. She told us that her son came to her in a dream and told her to care for her grama who is 90 years old and very sick. Then we visited Marta who is a friend of recent converts... she ALSO has lots of questions but is progressing well for her date on the 18th! (Today was April Fools Day... Latinos don't celebrate that either.)

THURSDAY

Today we visited someone named Velkies... She is a mom that has been ´´married´´ (living with a man) since she was fourteen years old. When we asked her who God was for her... well she had no answer. She doesn't know who God is or that she is a daughter of Him!!! What a GREAT blessing the gospel is!!! What a great gift of knowledge we have!!! I hope we treasure it and realize that there are people out there... our brothers and sisters... that don't know it!! That don´t understand their great potential and their divine nature!!! Goodness I love being a missionary. Velkies can´t read so we will be visiting her briefly every day to read the Book of Mormon with her. She had a baptismal date for the 25th but she didn't come to church so it fell :(

FRIDAY

No one was home... no one was in the street... not a single shop was open... so we basically did service for members all day. And I got very burned :) Aaaaaand I've started getting headaches everyday this week so I´ve got a new goal to drink water :)

SATURDAY

CONFERENCE!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! It was just the best. There are about 6 gringos in the stake so we all watched it in English in the high council room. I am so grateful to have living prophets!!! In the Liahona... it had an interesting article that said that when Noah had to build the ark.. he didn't read the Bible for instructions... he needed modern current revelation!!! In that same way... though the scriptures are critical to our spiritual knowledge and strength... we also need LIVING CURRENT MODERN revelation and we are SO blessed to be able to receive that from living current prophets and apostles of God!

After conference... my poor companion was in too much pain to work. So she went with the senior couple and I went to work with a member. We couldn't find any of the investigators but the Lord guided us to find two senior sisters that no one has visited from the ward in a long time! We almost tripped on a little girl riding her bike... then ten minutes later we saw the same little girl! We went to chat with her and share a little message with her mom... then her mom said that HER mom is a member! We went in to meet her and she is just this little old lady that can't go to church because she is so old and sick.. but she has her family home evenings EVERY Monday night ALL by herself!!!! What a great example!! She gave us the referral of another little old lady that lived near by. Maybe we didn't find a hundred new investigators but the Lord guided us to his beloved daughters :)

SUNDAY

Conference again!!! What a blessing. Then we visited Xinia... the ex-wife of recent convert Marcos. and visited recent converts Juancito y Clarita. They gave us deer meat!!! So we went home and made fajitas. Mmmmmmmm.

Not the most productive or miraculous week. But it was a good one. I love my comp and our roommmates. Oh did I tell you? We share the apartment with the other 2 sisters of the ward so it feels a LOT like College. Its fun! But they are very messy and sometimes there is drama which I desperately try to avoid. but it is fun!) I love Liberia... OH go look up the video of David Archuleta that he made... almost every person in the video is in our branch! The first counselor our cook... a ton! And when he is walking down the streets of a little city town?? thats Liberia centro!!! chiva. And watch the one in spanish. It's awesome!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!! No doubt about it. Remember to pray and read the scriptures!! Every day every day EVERY DAY!! I just love this gospel. THank you so much for all your love and prayers..... i cant believe how fast the time is flying!!! One conference more and bam, I'm home!! Wow. Also we are skyping in like a month! Wowza. Keep becoming a little better every day. LOVE YOU ALL

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermanita Cookie (in every area the people call me something different.. my last area was Coco... here I'm Cookie!)

Multi-Zone Conference with Elders Duncan and Maynes

Mission Conference with Elder Alonso

Processions and Chanting in the streets for Easter

Semana Cuarenta y Tres: Today we went to the beach

Hello Y'all!!! One week in my new area and I feel like it's been months!!! brief update...

On Wednesday we went to COCO BEACH to do service for a member.... it took WAY too long but it was tuanis!

Thursday I did divisions with Sister Nunez in Canas... SO HOT! But I love doing divisions with the sisters!!

Friday we spent the whole day with Kathya and her two daughters Ana Laura and Carolina. They will be baptized on Saturday :) Kathya's biggest desire is to change. And I KNOW that this is only possible through the gospel and atonement of Jesus Christ!!!

Saturday. EVERY thing that could go wrong went wrong today. I can't even explain how many times those three girls said that they weren't going to get baptized any more. We helped them through their doubts but I started to feel like we were just obligating them. But I know we weren't.... when Kathya left the font... she was sobbing. We hugged and she told me, "from the minute I hit the water... I felt the change". That was her goal. And now she has opened the door for her and her daughters to be able to make this change!!!

Sunday... the girls were confirmed. Aaaaaand we got a surprise call from the nurse saying that my comp will possibly be finishing her mission this week :( I'm so sad!!!! We will see what happens and keep praying.

LOVE YOU ALL!! Thank you so much for writing me. It really means the world. I am working on sending some pics!!! I have LOTS MORE to send but I'm running late... not because of all of you... but because today we went to the beach and now I am short on time hee hee :) I am burned. pictures coming and all my love to yall for this week!!!

Love, Hermana Cook