Mountain bike...???

August 31, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY --- ----------!

I hope you had an unbelievably remarkable, extraordinarily inconceivable..... Well, I hope you had a happy birthday yesterday. You're now 17 years old. I think that’s probably one of the best ages to be. Enjoy it and take advantage of it. Do everything you want to do (as long as it’s not bad of course). Make and accomplish goals. Try to learn a lot, in school, the scriptures, the guitar or whatever you're interested in. Anyway, how was your day of birth? Did you guys eat cake? I ate cake for you on Saturday night at a branch activity we had here. What did you get for your birthday? Send me pics. Peace. luv,

your big fat bro,

...Nothing interesting to tell. trying to find new investigators. Doesn’t look like Max will be baptized for awhile. We were supposed to go to the Temple this Wednesday but it’s closed. We have to start working earlier today because p’day was going to be Wednesday (Temple trip) so we made appointments for today and now today is p’day again so our p’day will be cut short. We’ve have been out of money all week because of some unforeseen events that took place this month. (were you robbed? ...lost your money? ...washed your pants with the money inside...???) It wasn’t hard because we’re used to not eating and sometimes members or investigators fed us. Some days we just lived off the starbursts you sent me.

This week we made the bike trip a couple times. We've shortened the trip because we take a bus out to ‘Astua’, walk for awhile, then stop and borrow one bike from a member, then my comp and I ride on the one bike until we get to another members house and pick up another bike and get to our destination. Then after the appointment we ride back, drop off one of the bikes, and ride back and drop off the other bike, walk, and then take the bus back to ‘Cariari’. When my comp and I are on the same bike one of us is riding on the bar (which is really uncomfortable and even painful on rocky hills, but everyone here does it) and the other pedaling. We take turns, and hopefully I’m going to get strong legs from this.

One time the other day while i was on bar and my comp was driving we crashed. My comp drove off the road because I guess he has a hard time seeing over my fat head. Before I could warn him we were on the ground. I got a couple scrapes, nothing serious, but my comp didn’t feel a thing cause he landed on top of me. = {

Anyway, other than that we just had a branch activity this week. It was an activity for mothers’ day, better late than never the men in the branch say to their wives. It was fun, a lot of food, and some cake. Other then that nothing new or interesting.

Yesterday, it was a good sacrament meeting; There was a talk about the priesthood…and I though about you: “The Priesthood is the power and authority of GOD. Our Heavenly Father shares his Priesthood power with worthy male members of the Church. The priesthood enables them to ACT in Gods name for the salvation of the human family, through it they can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern God’s kingdom on earth” see….You are NOT a fool! I LOVE you! M♡M

One Path, One Lord, One Faith...

August 24, 2009

Hola,

We were supposed to be having three baptisms this week (Mariline, Carmen, Baikline) but some problems have come up. Mariline isn´t married to her "husband" and they are from Nicaragua and need to get a Costa Rican cedula or ID to get married. First, they didn’t have money for it because Mariline´s husband doesn’t have a job. We helped them find a way to get money for it but when they went to take it out they said it could take 3 months to get. We still need to find out more from them but it doesn’t look like we’ll be having their baptisms this week. They are the family that lives really deep in the middle of nowhere, and we always borrow member’s bikes to get to their house. The other day I had to use one that didn’t have breaks. That was fun but I could have died because the paths are really rocky and hilly.

Maritza and Karina would be baptized by now if Maritza could find a job and another house so she could not be so stressed and focus on baptism. A lot of people here have either economic problems and almost no one is actually married. Even though you promise them blessings from God if they just put their faith in him, it’s hard for some people to understand and believe. We started teaching a lady that works at the bus terminal, who we see almost everyday. We haven’t been able to progress with Max because his wife Vanessa has had Dengue and been really sick for a couple weeks. She is better now so hopefully we can keep helping him.

Our recent convert Adan is missing church lately. He is slowly slipping away from us because the evangelical chick we were teaching who left us because she heard we were diabolical is inviting him to church and he likes her. Nooooooooooooooo!

Maria Daisy and her family don’t have enough money to make it to church every week so they haven’t been progressing, but we found out they will be moving into a new house closer to the church in the middle of September. They are excited to have a new house and we’re excited too. They’re a great family and I hope we can help them get baptized eventually.

This last week we also had divisions with ‘LaRita’. Elder Belmont came here to Cariari with me. This week we also taught a few more drunks. Most of them were pretty nice but one of them wanted to hit me in the face. We’ve been working with a lot of inactives here as well. We taught one of the families last night. They are Max´s in-laws. The Father is turning into a Jehovah´s Witness and the mother is leaning evangelical. The family has been having a lot of problems getting along. The kids feel their parents don’t love them and the parents have thought about divorce. But in talking to all of them separately they each want to save the family and stay together. Something that has been causing divisions is the unsurity of what Church to go to. So last night I told them what they need is to know the truth. If they know the truth, life as a family will have more meaning and they will be more unified. I told them if they want to know the truth they need to have faith in God, faith that he loves them and knows what’s best for them. And if they have faith in that, they will ask him to find out the truth. I said they should ask God if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth because there can only be one truth. One path, one Lord, one faith. They seemed to take it well so I hope they do it, but what do I know. I feel weird giving people advice because I’m just a young inexperienced fool, trying to help people in all the tough situations of life. (don't feel like that, you are representing Jesus Christ. You prepare each day , study the scriptures and staye close to the spirit to be able to teach... but like you said they will have to find out for themselves through prayer, Don't underestimate the power of God in you. you are bringing the hope that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers to all and WE are very proud of you! ♥ )

I haven’t been too sick to work yet. I’m eating ok. We don’t have a cocinera (cook). We just eat wherever. Hna Pacita washes our clothes. There are a lot of restaurants to eat here in Cariari Centro. A lot of tourists stay here when they are on their way to Tortuguero. ‘Tortuguero’ is a national park near here. It’s on the beach but you have to take a boat on a river to get to it. Tortuguero is one of the places where the buried baby turtles hatch and come out of the sand and go to the ocean. This is the time of year that happens, but we can’t go to Tortuguero because you have to take a boat to get to it. The bike riding we do is hilly, rocky, and muddy when it rains. We do internet at an internet cafe on our street. We don’t get to go to the city Limon, we go to Siquirres for zone conferences.

Make good choices everybody!

Goodbye.

...Thank you for the power! ; )

8:45 AM - August 17, 2009

70 °F Light Thunderstorm Rain

9:39 a.m.
This week I chopped a chick's (baby chicken (more like a pre-teen chicken i think) head off with a kitchen knife, chopped a tree down with a machete, and destroyed an ant civilization. We did this for service for a less active member named Shirley. The chicken thing was hard to do but the chicken was sick and dying and Shirley asked me to put it out of its misery by "cortando la jupa". I practiced cutting the head off another chicken that was already dead; because I wanted to make sure I could kill the live one in one clean chop. When I finally was able to bring myself to decapitate the chicken, its head came off completely in one chop. Although the head came clean off, the body kept twitching and flapping its wings, and there was some blood that squirted out. This was kind of freaky, but I’m glad its death was quick and hopefully not to painful. Anyway after the execution and burial we took on a tree ant civilization. The ants were relentless in defending their civilization and gave us some good battle scars, but in the end we were victorious in chopping down the tree they inhabited with a machete. *Ü* I don't know if I should laugh or cry!

10:39 am

How are you all doing? The power here in Cariari has been going out a lot so this is like the 5th time I’ve had to write this email. I think ill send it in parts just in case it goes out again. This will be the first part. To be continued......

11:15 AM

This week we had some interesting lessons. We had some of the most random questions and doubts, but we were able to answer them. We still always borrow members’ bikes to get to some citas (appointments) deep in the jungle.

Yesterday, the leaders of the stake came to speak to the group (I thought it was a branch, but its actually a group) here in Cariari. They were some good talks. The Cariari group is in the ‘Los Yoses’ Stake in San Jose.

Also we were FINALLY able to get Juan Carlos to come to church. He said he liked it, so that’s good. We were expecting about 8 other investigators to come as well, but they didn’t show.

12:58 AM

Finally the powers back on. This should be the 4th part of the email. Did you get them all? How is everyone doing? Are you staying busy dad? Still having fun at work? Life? Feliz Dia de Madre (happy Mothers Day!) here in Costa Rica mom (2 days ago) ...Thank Y♥u! . What are you up to? I´m praying for all of you and hope you´re all good. I better send this before the power goes out again!

D & C 138: 25- 26

"I marveled, for I understood that the Savior spent about three years in his ministry among the Jews and those of the house of Israel, endeavoring to teach them the everlasting gospel and call them unto repentance; And yet, notwithstanding his mighty works, and miracles, and proclamation of the truth, in great power and authority, there were but few who hearkened to his voice, and rejoiced in his presence, and received salvation at his hands."

They just don´t get it!

August 10, 2009

Hi,

This week we just keep working. We borrowed some member’s bikes a couple times to get to some appointments an hour into nowhere. The path is really rocky and muddy but it was faster and more fun than walking. Unfortunately the first time, we were stood up, but the second time, we had a good lesson.

Our zone was combined with the Limon Zone so our ZL’s are in Limon. The zone is still called ‘Atlántica’.

Max was not baptized this week. Its going to take at least a couple more weeks for him to be baptized. I don’t know if anyone is really close to baptism right now. Every time we think someone is getting close, something goes wrong. For example some sisters we were teaching are hesitant to listen to us anymore because some of their uncles, and stepdad, told them the Church was diabolical. Even though the sisters have been to Church many times and have said they feel good when we share with them, they believe what other people say. Also the people that are most likely to be baptized always have economic problems, or live far away, or have too many kids, this makes it difficult for them to go to Church and progress. Then the people we teach for a long time, like Jonathan and Juan Carlos, just won’t be baptized for some reason we can’t figure out. And then they won’t pray about it either. It’s really sad.

We are planning a ward mission activity since a member basically told us we are lazy because we haven’t planned one yet. We had a guy tell us that he respects our mission but thinks we just walk around passing houses without visiting people. We explained to him we usually have appointments we are walking to but when we don’t, we do stop and knock doors. Unfortunately, sometimes we (the members) tend to forget that missioneries, have been set apart as servants of the Lord, and that they teach by the spirit. Jesus Christ will guide you to the people that are ready to receive his teachings, stay close to the spirit and don't get discouraged! M♥M

The doughnuts in the package were in fine condition and good. I did also get the ties. Silk isn’t the best (beacuse of the humidity), but I like the pink tie and wore it to Church. I basically already finished the books you sent too. They are very interesting and helpful. (Catholic Roots, Mormon Harvest and Book of Mormon Evidences) I’m glad school’s going good for you girls. I know you’ll all do great. Stay confident (all of you), and be friends with everyone. Have some fun. Hola Abuelito. Hola Abuelita. Hi Grandpa and Grandma. I hope everyones doing well. Goodbye.

D&C 6:22-24

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God? And now, behold, you have received a witness; for if I have told you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness?"

Changes...???

August 03, 2009

Hi family, How’s it going? This week I went on divisions in ‘Guapiles’ and in ‘La Rita’, so I was away from my area for 2 days. Our Zone Leader, Elder Mathews was in ‘Cariari’ saying goodbye because he is going home tomorrow (Tuesday). He was here in ‘Cariari’ and ‘La Rita’, for almost half of his mission and they sent him back to this zone as ZL in ‘Guapiles’.

Max was supposed to be baptized yesterday but he didn’t show up! My companion was supposed to have changes but the plans changed at the last second so he and I are staying here in Cariari. In our zone Elder Mitton has changes. Our other zl Elder Shamo will be going home in a couple weeks (6 missionaries are leaving 3 weeks early for school) so we'll have 2 new zone leaders. 18 missionaries are going home tomorrow. Also we were going to get 20 new missionaries but only 10 are coming to our mission so 6 areas are being closed.

We played soccer again today as a zone in ‘Guapiles’. I suck now and I’m fat. It was elder Burgos’s birthday and we went to 'Pollo Campero' and ate cake again (no wonder I’m getting fat). My comp's birthday is next (at the end of august) and then Elder Welton (from Tucson) so we might get more cake soon.

I met President Galvez. He gives good hugs. He told me I needed a haircut. It’s not my fault, we just hadn’t had time. I finally got one! I received the package as well… *Ü* It had some books, an umbrella, doughnuts, starbursts, gummy bears, Kool-Aid packages, and packages of pasta and other food. Yum! Thank you! ♥

Good luck in school, work, and play everyone.