January 27, 2015

Hello!!!! :) 

How was your week? Anything new or exciting happen? I love to hear from all of you! :) My week was pretty good! First off, a man in the street this week said he wanted to move to my house with me in England. So I guess I look like I am from England. I was actually really surprised, not many people guess I am from the United States. Don't get me wrong, they look at my white skin and know I am not from Central America, but everyone always guesses a European country first! There is a good mix of people from around the world here in Escazú.

Good news! I think (our investigator) is coming home from vacations this week! That means we get to teach her again! Yay! :) 

Okay so I can't really think about the things that happened this week, sorry, but it was still a good week! I learned new things, we found new people to teach, and our investigators are progressing well! Life is good! :) I love the scriptures.

I love you all! Have the best weeks ever!!!! Do good things and remember who you are! :) Your Heavenly Father loves you! Chao!

Love,

Hermana Markle. :)

The Relief Society President from our Ward was moving, so we went to say goodbye.

Saying goodbye to our Relief Society President

Trying scary new fruit! (it actually tasted good, but I couldn't get past the texture!

                                      I almost threw up when they made me eat this... It looked soooo gross and it gave me the chills....It tasted good, but it wasn't worth it. Weird fruits.

January 20, 2015

Hello!!! 

 

Surprise! We had emergency transfers and now I am with Hermana Flores from Guatemala! We have only been together for a few days, so I don't know much about her, but so far, she is great! I do really miss Hermana Villanueva. We were really good friends. I am still chilling in Escazú, no worries! I LOVE Escazú and I hope I don't have to leave any time soon! There are some pretty special people here and I am loving watching their progression and I might actually cry when I get the call for transfers.

 

Hermana Flores does not speak English. Or understand English. Or understand her Gringa companion. I am the first Gringa companion she has had, she only has 4 months in the mission, so she has zero experience with Gringos. She still uses big words or slang that I have never heard of in my life (6 months of the mission), and she hasn't learned to talk slower or more simpler yet like my other companions... I am the Senior Companion and I have been teaching her the area, but I am not sure how much she actually understands. She likes to smile and nod a lot, and that is what I used to do when I was pretending that I understood... :) Hahaha well, I guess we will have lots of fun learning together! I am slowly helping her learn English, but it is a slow process! Much easier for me to learn Spanish being in this country than it is for her to learn English. Here we go!

 

Yesterday was a great day! (One of our investigators) said she wants to get married!!!!!!! This means I get to help plan her wedding! And that she will be able to take the sacrament and have a calling! She is the mom of (one of our recent baptisms)! She was introducing herself to my new companion yesterday, and said, 'I was inactive for 12 years. I was not happy. Hermana Markle came and found us, invited us to church, and started to teach my daughter the lessons. I am active again for the first time in 12 years. My husband said I am way happier now. And I feel way happier now. I feel at home at church and I want to do what it takes to be able to take the sacrament again and have a calling.' AHHHH!!! I almost cried with happiness!!! :) I love this family! By helping (her daughter) work towards baptism, we have been strengthening the whole family. I am so grateful for missionary work!!! And I am soo happy here!

 

Have an amazing week!!! I love you all! Stay happy, healthy, and safe! And feel free to participate in the happiness of missionary work as well!! :) Chao!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Markle. :)

 

Items of Business...

1. Hermana Villanueva's dad is a Vet, and he said ... The first year of a dog's life equals 21 human years. And then every year after equals 7. So that means Suki is 42! Holy cow, my puppy is an old lady now!!!!

2. I miss you!

3. I love you!

4. I bought little key chains for all of you this week! Be excited!

 

New companion - Hermana Flores, from Guatemala!!

Bunches of missionaries at Pizza Hut on P-Day!

Escazu - last day with Hermana Villanueva

January 13, 2015

Buenas Tardes! Cómo están!? :) We had a great week here in Costa Rica! :)

 

I know you were all pretty sad that my Spanish is getting better and don't have any more funny stories to tell, but don't worry! I still say funny things every day! This week I was telling my companion about the responsibility we have to take care of our future children. I said we need to teach them, and protect them, and eat them! I was trying to say feed them, but eat them is close enough. My companion died of laughter and told everyone about how I am going to eat my children one day. Poor future children... I won't eat you, I promise!

 

We haven't seen (an investigator) for a few weeks and we were starting to get really worried. Her son said she is on vacations still, but she wasn't answering our phone calls or texts either... WELL, we called her again this week and she answered! And she began to spout off what she has been reading in The Book of Mormon! She has almost finished the whole book while on vacation! She loves it and is very excited to come home and learn more and go to church with us!!!! :) It almost made us cry while we listened to her testimony over the phone, it was a miracle! :)

 

We decided to visit an old investigator of the Hermanas who were here several months ago. We weren't sure why she stopped coming to church or accepting visits, so we went to go find out. :) Turns out she is still reading from The Book of Mormon every night. And she received an answer that this is the true church and she knows what she has to do. After our lesson she said she wants to quit smoking and she wants to be baptized soon! It was awesome to hear! And I am glad the missionaries before us kept good records so we could find her again! :)

 

I hope all is well with all of you! I loved the little notes from the Young Women's! Thank you!!! :) I miss you all! Thank you for all of your love and support! Have a great week!!!!! :)

 

Love,

 

Hermana Markle. :)

 

Items of Business...

1. Good job on your 4.0 Kami!!!!! Wahoo!!!! Krispy Kream doughnuts??

2. Katie!!! I saw you!!!! I finally watched the Family History Missionary Training videos!!! And I showed everyone in the office the parts with you in them!! :)

3. We had a scary experience this week, but I am not going to tell you what it was because you already freaked out when I said I almost got hit by a bus. Maybe after my mission. But I am alive, no worries! :)

4. I got the letters you sent! The three little notes from the ward, and the notes from Madi and Katie, and the photos.... Where did half of the family go?? :( But thank you!!!!! :) :) I loved the little book things and I will use them! Very cute! :)

5. I keep getting in trouble for saying things... Like bossy things or demandy things or heartless things... My District Leader thinks I hate him... Hahaha. Oops. I don't hate him, and I am always happy! But sometimes my mouth forgets to tell people that.. :) Was I really that mean to my siblings before my mission???? Don't answer that. I know your answer already.

6. I miss you! Have a good week! LOVE YOU! :)

New Backpacks! Now we are twins!

January 6, 2015

Buenos Días! Cómo están!? Les extraño mucho! 

I heard it is pretty cold up there right now... How is that going? I dont have a thermometer, but I am pretty sure its been in the 90s all week... I have the sunburn to prove it... My companion wears a jacket still, and she said it is cold here, but I think she would die if she went to Utah right now! Sorry guys! You are all welcome to join me here in Costa Rica if youd like! :)

 

Okay gross story for the week... We had a dinner lesson the other night and we were fed some delicious Gaillo Pinto. (I will make it for you when I get home!) But she used a little too much oil.. (I will use less oil). And My stomach did not like that. Well we were walking in the park after the lesson, heading to the next, and I told my companion I felt sick. I leaned over and threw up on the grass and then kept walking like nothing happened. My companion looked over and asked, Vomitó? and I said, Sí. Maybe you had to have been there, but it was hilarious. She laughed and laughed and laughed for the next hour. And now she tells everyone the story of me throwing up and pretending like nothing happened. Good times here in Costa Rica! :)

 

The work has been slow from the holidays, everyone has been off work, at the beach, visiting family, and partying it up. But work started again yesterday, so this should be a good week! I still get along great with my companion and she says I am her favorite! Yay! :) Sorry if any of her other companions read this... but she has taught me SOOO much Spanish! I can actually say things now! Not lots of things, but things! :) Hahaha. Right now I am working on my story telling skills in Spanish so I can share personal experiences in our lessons. My companion says she is not teaching me Spanish, I am actually teaching her Spanish because every time I ask her a question, I ask why it is that way, and she has to look it up or think about it more. So it is a win win situation. :) We also do try to speak English at night to help her learn, but she doesn't ask why as much, so my English isn't much better.. The Gift of Tongues is real! :)

 

Don't freeze! Les quiero mucho! :) Oh haha that reminds me! Do you remember the TacoBell slogan Yo Quiero TacoBell? That doesn't exist here. They all think it is hilarious that we have that in the states. The slogan here is much longer, and not in English, but I can't remember it right now.. It is funny to look back on things that finally make sense because I know Spanish now! Wahoo! Well I love you all! Have a great week! Enjoy going back to school and work! :) Chao!

 

Love,

Hermana Markle. :)

 

Items of Business....

1. Congratulations Brandon!!!!! You got a GOB!!!! Wahoo! Will you have to tackle the kids when they try to sneak out at night? I was friends with the night guards at DRA, they were pretty cool. Do you get to read and watch movies while you are there?

2. Madi looks different with blonde hair! I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. You will have to send me more photos so I can get used to it...

3. How is the super fun secret sister club at your own apartment without your two awesomest sisters?

4. You had the missionaries over?? We haven't done that since California when we actually had missionaries in our ward! Weird! Im glad you fed them and gave them a ride, that means I will get fed more and maybe get a ride soon too! Thanks!

5. I got a sunburn yesterday it was sooo hot here! Jealous???

6. Kami, you are too young to drive! Stop growing up!

7. My six month mark is this week.... Weird.......

8. Good luck with the new semesters! New jobs! and starting old jobs again! I love you all!!!!! :) :) :)

Christmas Morning with our stockings

Christmas morning

Christmas Eve with a family in the ward.

Christmas Day with another family in the ward. Awesome ward members here!

View of Escazu from the member's apartment window.

Escazu

wearing my new Christmas gifts!

With Hermana Villanueva

My poor companion while I do my "Nurse Work" at the Mission Office . . .