Mission to Paradise: December 2, 2014

Hello!

How was Thanksgiving?? Back to school and work? Fun stuff! We had a great time over here in Costa Rica! My Birthday slash Thanksgiving adventure started with nursing paper work in the office, Birthday doughnuts from the secretaries, Papa Johns Pizza for lunch (My favorite!), we found two solid new investigators and a great new area to contact! We named it Mormonlandia because we are sure they will all want to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and then dinner with Monica, an awesome member in our ward! It was a great day! Thanks for all of your love and Birthday wishes! :)

This week, we were minding our own business, teaching a lesson, and I felt something tickling my arm. I ignored it and continued with the lesson. Finally I looked down and screamed! There was a giant poisonous caterpillar crawling up my arm!! The family we were teach laughed a lot, killed the caterpillar, and then we proceeded with the lesson. I am sure my screaming helped them feel the Spirit. :)

We reached our goal!!!!! 200 Baptisms in November!!!!! It was close! The Elders in our ward had a baptism before church this Sunday, but our chapel didn't have water! So after a lot of phone calls and running around, we found a pool to use! So we all ran over to the pool, had the baptism, and then ran back to church just in time for sacrament meeting! There were several stories like this, but we reached our goal just in time! I believe it was even 200 exactly! :) The Lord is definitely preparing Costa Rica for a great work! Now we will slowly work up towards our next goal of doubling our baptisms!

Well, that is it for today I think. My Spanish is finally getting better thanks to my companion! And we are finding new people to teach every day! Everything is great! I hope all is great with you as well! Love you!

Love,

Hermana Markle. :)

Items of Business:

1. Here they call Black Friday "Black Weekend". But one of my investigators asked what it means? Was this the weekend Jesus died? Wasn't that in April? Hahah I had to explain that it is just a day to go shopping, not a holiday!

2. This week I almost got sent home. (but not really;) - I broke 3 rules in less than 24 hours. First, my investigator called me and wanted to know who these new missionaries were trying to visit them. They recieved texts from some Elders, so they gave me the number and asked me to call them. So I called them. And then I remembered we aren't allowed to call missionaries who aren't our leaders. Especially not Elders..... Oops. My Zone Leaders said I had two more chances. Next, we finished teaching Neelam and she gave us some juice and cookies. My companion tasted the juice and said it tasted funny, so I asked her what kind of juice it was. She said it was just normal juice, probably apple. So I drank it. Afterwards my companion told me it was Ice Tea.... Oops. My Zone Leaders told me I had one more chance. Next, while walking between appointments, we ran into my biggest fan! He is a homeless man who is usually drunk. Once he asked me to be his girlfriend. But usually he just calls me pretty names and we walk away. But this time he kissed me! On the cheeck, no worries. But I am fairly sure that is still not allowed... Oops. My Zone Leaders said I need to go home, and they will get around to talking to President about it . . . . . one day ;)

3. Thanks for the birthday wishes Mom and Dad! I love you too! Thanks for maybe thinking about me on my birthday Madi, Katie, Kami, and Brandon! I love you too!

4. Have the best week ever!!!! :) LOVE YOU!