October 13, 2009
Sorry about not writing yesterday. We went to Limon for a Zone activity. We played soccer, watched "Remember the Titans" and went to the beach to finally see the ocean for the first time since I’ve come to Costa Rica. We went to the beach in ‘Cieneguita’, which is the most dangerous town in Costa Rica, so the beach obviously wasn’t the prettiest but it was the beach and we could see the ocean so it was pretty sweet. Anyway we got back home and didn’t have time for anything else because we went and gave a blessing to an investigator's (Oljer) cousin who has cancer.
Anyway this past week was more of the same. Everyone has problems. Haydeé is still progressing nicely. She really wants to go to church but has had to work these past Sundays. This last Sunday and the next she has exams for some classes she has been taking. I’ve been helping her study for her English exam. This week she was going to go to church and had even invited her brother to come from Limon to come with her to church but then she remembered she had exams. She was trying to make her two teenage sons go, but they don’t want to go without her. Haydeé is awesome. She has been reading the scriptures and asking good questions. She has been trying to leave coffee as well. She only buys aguadulce now. The problem is her co-workers always offer her coffee at work so she has to fight against that. Haydeé has also been trying to not use the Lords name in vain as well. I told her that every time she is going to use the Lords name in vain she should say, "Chimichanga!", instead. She seems to enjoy saying that. *Ü*
We found out more of why Shirley is inactive. I always kinda guessed it, but my hypothesis has been confirmed a bit more lately. The reason seems to be because of the father of her children. She has two daughters, a 3 year old named Valentina and a five year old named Ashley (They’re so cute). I guess they separated a few years ago and while this, Shirley met the missionaries and was baptized. She was an active member until about a year ago when it seems they got back together. I’ve never met him or even seen him because he works away all week long and is only home on Sundays. Shirleys mom told us that he doesn’t want Shirley to go to church and they go to the Iglesia Centro Americana Sunday nights. I don’t know if he doesn’t want her to go to church because he doesn’t like the Mormons or because he just wants her to spend the whole day with him but either way she is in a sucky position because she wants to go to church but I‘m sure she wants her daughters to have their father as well. The mother also told us that supposedly they were going to get married but it hasn’t happened. I really want to help Shirley come back to church but I really don’t know what we can do to help her especially since she doesn’t talk to us about any of this stuff. We always visit and share messages and do service but I feel helpless in this situation. Shirley gets made fun of by some of her brothers for being Mormon so she doesn’t really have anyone to support her. The good thing is today we are going to teach one of her brothers and hopefully get her some support in her family.
I feel pretty worthless right now. The branch is getting a tiny bit better but should actually be a group. I’ve been in Cariari almost 6 months and had only one baptism. Even that baptism is only semi-active. No matter what we do no one is baptized. We have had so many people that have been so close, but for some reason they don’t. I'm a failure. (..."Who among us cannot remember moments of failure? Let us shed any thought of failure. Let us discard any habit that may hinder. Let us seek; let us obtain the prize prepared for all ...keep trying and moving forward. Your family and your leaders are cheering for you" 'Never Give Up' President Thomas S. Monson)
Anyway im glad everyone seems to be doing well at home. I don’t think I need the church’s new Spanish bible. My comp bought it a couple weeks ago at the Temple but it got wet when our house flooded last week. My comp has 16 months on the mission. He has had 7 areas and 16 comps. Crazy. Tell everyone in the family 'Hi'. Thanks for the info on life. Goodbye.
