Hola mis amigos y familia!
Como estàn?? How is the good old United
States of America? Today is Independence day for all of Central America,
so basically Happy 4th of July for me again! Costa Rica´s colors are
red, white, and blue also, so it even looks the same here! How fun!
There were parades and parties last night, so we did not get many visits
in, but we did our best!
Spanish
story for the week. After our morning workout, I tried to ask my
companion if I could shower first today, but instead I asked, "Can I
shower you first?" So close... But not quite the same... She laughed and
said no, but that I could shower first. Good ole Spanish... :)
Fun
Costa Rica story for the week. Banks here have scary guards. With
really, really big guns. And their guns are loaded and ready to go. So
we are super, super nice to the guards. There are guards at most stores
as well, but with smaller guns, so it´s all good. I never hear of much
crime though, so that is good!
Oh
yeah!!! Funny story for the week. This week we were standing at a bus
stop and a big semi truck drove past us and the ground rumbled a bit.
Then later we found out that it was really an earthquake! How fun! We
just thought it was the truck! So it must have not been that bad of an
earthquake, but that was the first one I have felt. Most of them are at
night and I definitely sleep heavy enough to skip every single one. :)
Good
story for the week. (One of our converts) begged us for more lessons! We used to
visit with him very often before his baptism, and hadn´t for a few days
after his baptism and he was super sad! He wanted to learn more and
ready for more responsibility! He got the priesthood this Sunday and they
will probably give him a calling soon too! But I just loved how he was
sad that we weren´t going to visit him as often anymore, but lucky him,
recent converts get to receive all of the lessons again after their
baptism! He is going to be a great addition to this ward!
Sad
story for the week. I don´t laugh as much anymore... Maybe I had a
laughing problem in the MTC, but I laughed A TON there... Here not as
much. Probably because I don´t understand the jokes they tell. But it is
getting better! I have laughed more this week than the last few weeks
and it feels good! Life is way more fun when you have fun! Who would
have thought!
Awesome
story for the week. We have two investigators getting baptized this
week who are really young. My companions are always worried about the
young ones because sometimes they don´t understand as much, or just do
it because someone told them to. So we only like to do it if they have a
parent who is getting baptized as well. "R" is 12 and "J" is 13.
"R" has cousins who are members so that is really good, and "J"s
grandma, will also be baptized this week, so that is good too.
But this week was great. We were walking in the street and "R" came
running up to us and said "I got an answer! I want to be baptized and I
know it is true!" and then later that same day we went to meet with "J" and her Grandma, and as soon as we walked into the house and sat down,
" J" said, "I got an answer! I know it is true and I want to be
baptized!" Both of them in the same day!!!!! It makes me so happy that
they know what they are doing and they have real testimonies for
themselves. Joseph Smith was only 14 years old when he received an
answer as well. God loves his children.
So
if you didn´t catch that, we should have 3 more baptisms this weekend!!
Wahoo! All three of them are awesome and so good! The last two baptisms
were basically ready when I got to this area because the hermanas
before us had been teaching them for a while. I still got about 10
lessons in with each of them, but these three I have seen almost the
whole process! Way cool!
This
week we went on divisions with the Hermanas in Rio Claro... Which is by
Panama... Which means one day I had to sit on a bus for 7 hours to pick
up my companion and then another 8 hours to bring her back to our
area... And then the bus tire popped and we sat some more! So after a
day of over 15 hours on a bus, I felt very car sick, my feet were super
swollen, and I needed to take a shower from all of the bus germs. But it
was an adventure! Rio Claro is beautiful and green! But way more hot
and way more humid.. So I am happy with my area. :) The bus reminded me
of the bus rides I took with my mom in Mexico though! But no English
translations this time.. Bummer.. But we got brakes to use the bathroom
and buy treats and everything! I tried to study on the bus, but it made
me sick, so mostly I talked to the cute little Costa Rican girl I was
sitting by and "slept". What a long day! Chitzen Itza was more fun.
Cool
fact for the week. We have a member in the ward who makes us lunch
almost every day, and another member in the ward who does our laundry
every week! We are pretty spoiled! But we pay them and help give them
work, so that is good!
Inspirational
thoughts for the week? This week I have been thinking about our next
life. And why we are here and what we are supposed to be doing here. And
the answer is always to learn and grow, right? So why do service? Why
help others learn when they should be learning for themselves? And this
is what I have come up with... Why are we learning? What are we learning
to become? We are learning to become Gods and Goddesses. And if you are
focused on yourself in this life, you might be a very smart God one
day, but you will probably be more of a dictator. When you are focused
on your progression only, you will be focused on your progress after
this life as well. But when you turn outwards, and focus on others, you
will learn to be a kind, loving, caring, personal, friendly, helpful,
charitable God. Our Heavenly Father is not a dictator. He does not worry
about himself, he is focused on us and our salvation and progression.
And in order for us to learn and grow and become like him, we too must
turn outwards, follow the perfect example of our Savior Jesus Christ,
and serve others. Our purpose in this life is to learn to make good
choices always and to progress into becoming a God or Goddess. What kind
of God do you want to become? What kind of God do we have now? How can
you learn more to become like Him one day? Just something I was thinking
about.
Today we had our "One Month" check up
with the President and they fed us yummy lunch! And he answered all of
our questions and gave some really great advice! We have an amazing Mission President and family! They are awesome!! Just sayin.
Well,
I hope all is well and you are all super happy all of the time!! And I
hope you are learning and growing every day! And I miss you all! Have a
fantastic week, I love you all! :)
Love,
Hermana Markle. :) :) :)
Items of Business...
1. GOOD JOB KATIE!!! Your "Chalk The Block" art was beautiful!! Were you super messy after?? Did you win a prize?? Was yours the best one there??
2.
Thank you for depositing money into my account! That is welcome at any
time! Tell them thank you for me! Or send me Marleen´s email or
something.
3.Someone
just told me that when her parents send her a package, it costs them
close to $100!!! That is ridiculous!!! Don´t send me packages if it is
going to cost that much! You can just write me really good letters for
my birthday and Christmas and stuff! I have everything I need here, and I
have extra money if I need to buy stuff here. That is way too much for a
package!!!
4. That church building in the
photo is our ward building! It is brand new and super nice! Super small
compared to Utah church buildings, but it is still nice. So yes, we have
a real font and everything! We have a HUGE ward for here, so we got a
nice new building. A whole 130 members show up every week! Wahoo!
5. Madi
just wrote me... And yes, it really is my companion's cousin! Small
world! My companion is super excited!!!
6.
Thank you for your letters! Mom and Dad! And for your funny pictures
Kami! I love you all! I hope life is good and you don´t miss your two
daughters / sisters too much! And that you aren´t doing toooo many
fun things without us - But still have fun . . . . it's a fine line to walk!
7. Have a great week!!!! BYE!
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