Same ol' Same ol'...

July 27,2009

Hi,

This week nothing new. Same ol' Same ol'. We had a lot of appointments fall through this week. We also got stranded out in the middle of nowhere and got home late because the buses aren't very reliable. There are drunk hobos everywhere here in Cariari centro because there are a lot of bars. The other night we hung out with a bunch of the drunk hobos, trying to get them to turn their lives around.

On Tuesday we went to help Jonathan and Karen work in their Finca (Ranch) out in Palmitas. Its really pretty out there and we worked, chased cows, and swung on vines. We hit a lot of trees while swinging on the vines, but it was fun.*Ü* We also had to knock some coconuts down from the trees. We finally knocked one down from a tall tree with a long stick, but it almost fell on my head. I don´t like coconut juice. Coconuts should be filled with lemonade or something that actually tastes good. Anyway we worked all day fixing fences and picking fruit.

Max and Maria, Daisy's family didnt make it to Church yesterday so we might be postponing the baptisms. We have to wait and see.

Today we played soccer with our zone in Guapiles and we ate Pizza and cake.

No, I havent met the new mission pres yet. I meet him tomorrow. No, I haven't gotten the package yet.

Good luck everyone in school, work, and life. goodbye.

♫...I'm singing in the rain! ♪

July 20, 2009

Gutentag,

It’s been raining all week long. Some days it rains for a long time nonstop. Other days it rains hard for a few minutes, and then stops for a few minutes, and then rains, and then stops and the sun comes out for a few minutes, and then it rains again. We have been completely soaking wet some days. It’s refreshing at first but uncomfortable being wet all day long.

We've been walking a lot this week! (Déjà vu? *Ü*). We've recieved a lot of references and they always live far away, deep in the middle of nowhere. But they´ve been pretty good references. We still have lots and lots of investigators. There are some that seem pretty good and are progressing. We put 3 baptismal fechas this week for the beginning of August. The fechas are for Max, and two of Maria Daisy´s daughters (who have taken the half hour bus ride to Church by themselves these last two weeks). Other good investigators include Juan Carlos, Diego and fam., Maria, Roberto, Jonathan, Carla, Eduardo, and Katherine. Katherine is a reference from our recent convert Adan. We are also teaching her grandpa and her two younger sisters (who have been to church twice).

Yesterday only 28 people showed up to church. Five of them were investigators. I had to, pass the sacrament, and direct the music, and give a talk at the last minute again. I think a lot of people didn’t show, because it was raining.

Today we are going to La Rita to play soccer with our district and some jovenes. I haven’t played soccer in about 3 weeks. I need a haircut. I hope everyone’s doing good. Good luck in school everyone. Get good grades. Work hard. Be happy. Be confident. Be brave. Have no fear. Good luck in work dad. Good luck at home at work mom. Goodbye.

♪ And walk, and walk and walk, and walk ♫

July 13, 2009

Hi,

I didn’t write last week because I didn’t have time! = * {

This week has being more of the same. We are giving a lot of lessons. Found new people. Some of our investigators are progressing. Max has a baptismal date set for August 6. The family of 10 is progressing as well but the parents are not married yet. There is also a family that asks a lot of questions, but I think we have been able to answer them well and they are becoming more interested. We have a lot more, some are ready to be baptized but for some reason we can’t figure out why they don’t want to take that step yet!

We have received a lot of references lately. One reference lives out in ‘Ciudadella’. He wants us to start a new branch out there so that they can meet in his car painting shop. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do that as easily and as quickly as he is expecting, but he came to Church yesterday, and we are teaching him so that’s good. He has stopped drinking for 2 years and he hasn’t smoked in 22 days. He eats confitis (candy) instead.

We found out yesterday that our ZL Elder Manning is now AP. The old AP is going home a week or two early, for school, so they had emergency changes. Our new ZL is Elder Mathews. I haven’t met the new president yet. Not until end of the month.

We found the mouse that has been living with us, lying in the middle of the floor dead this morning. Don’t know how it died but… thank goodness. (be careful...don't eat what killed the mouse *Ü* , actually after thinking about it...maybe the mouse died of starvation!)

I Don’t know what else to write. Still walking a lot while everyone else around here has bicycles. Everyone always tells us we are "buenos para caminar". (good for walking!) It’s been raining hard lately. The good thing is that when your soaking wet people feel sorry for you and let you in the door.

I hope everyone’s okay and that there is peace and happiness at home. ♥

"Capitan Ánimo"

June 29, 2009

Hi,

How goes it? Cariari is fine. This week found more investigators. Some seem pretty good, but you never know. We usually only eat lunch here, unless someone feeds us, because there is just not enough time. Its fine though, because you get used to it. It rained a lot this week, but I don’t have an umbrella. I lost it in a field of tall grass a couple weeks ago. My comp doesn’t have one either so its fine.

This week was changes. Mostly everyone was invited because President Arbizu is leaving. It was fun. Changes are always pretty wild and full of ánimo. (Enthusiasm!) Pres. dressed up like our missions super hero, ‘Capitan Animo’. Our mission has some videos of ‘Capitan Animo’ that you can probably see on YouTube. I found one! ; ) At changes we also got a new DL, Elder Buckner from Salt Lake. I think our new mission pres, President Galvez is coming tomorrow.

I hear that the US soccer team beat Spain (ranked #1 in the world) 2-0 the other day. Yesterday I heard they lost to Brazil (ranked #2) 3-2 in the final of the Confederations Cup. I mention soccer because how well the US team does, seems to affect the work. Anyway, because the US beat Spain and Spain was #1, and because Costa Rica beat the US, the 'ticos' now claim that Costa Rica is the best in the world.

Oh, and I also hear Michael Jackson died. They are playing his songs everywhere.

I noticed on the blog you made for me you can get Google translate to translate the whole blog into Spanish. Even though the translation can be way off, sometimes you can understand it a little bit.

Well out of time goodbye.

Happy Fathers Day Dad!

June 22, 2009

How was your day? What did you do? Quit being so hard on yourself, you're a great dad! We had a Fathers’ day activity here a couple weeks ago and we were going to sing and play guitar for the song "Mi Viejo" with the young men but we didn’t have time to prepare. Anyway I hope you had a good Fathers Day and sorry for being a lame son. Quit being so hard on yourself! *Ü*

This week was fine. Adan was confirmed and we got six investigators to church (not including some of their little kids). A few are progressing but most don't keep commitments. Some have had almost all the lessons and then tell us baptism isn’t in their plans or that they will be baptized "cuando Dios quiere" (When God wants to) or when the time is right. Even when you explain it to them, people don't get it. But we do have some investigators that seem more interested, and seem good.

Yesterday we were able to get some of our investigators to church. We went to El Rotulo where we were supposed to meet a member with a truck to take some of our investigators. The member didn't show up so we found some random guy with a truck and offered to pay him if he gave us and our investigators to Cariari. He agreed and we then went to pick up our investigators who lived close by there. Four of them couldn’t come, but the rest of them could. We took a family of 10 (Maria Daisy, Francisco, and their 8 kids). Most of us rode in the back bed of the truck and the kids had fun.

After getting to church we introduced them to some members and went to pick up more investigators. We ended up getting one more to church, a woman named Maria. Adan showed up a little late (he rides his bike from El Rotulo (half an hour away in a bus, hour and a little more on bike, walking a couple hours)) but he was able to be confirmed and received the holy ghost. It was a good day at church.

We haven’t met the new mission president yet. Changes are this week, but my companion and I don’t have changes. There are 10 Elders and 2 Hermanas in my zone (Zona Atlantica). We are the only ones in Cariari. There are two in La Rita (my district, La Rita and us, four elders), two in Puerto Viejo, two in Guacimo, and two elders and two hermanas in Guapiles. Our whole zone meets in Guapiles every Tuesday morning for district meetings. Our zone conferences are usually in Siquirres.

Sounds like girls camp was fun. I want to go to girl’s camp. *Ü* I hear the US soccer team barely made it to the second round in the cup they are having in South Africa right now. They play Spain next. Do you even know what is happening? My zone played soccer against some ticos again today and we killed them again. We have to destroy them to redeem the US soccer teams loss against Costa Rica a few weeks ago.

I lost my brand new, sweet umbrella in a field of tall grass. Ill tell you about it in the future. That doesn’t mean I want you to send me an umbrella in the package. Just surprise me with the package, or send some little doughnuts. I got the graduation invitation last week.

I’m really tired, so I’m going to go take a nap, after we buy some food and print out some pics and buy eye drops (my eyes hurt, and yes I’ve been taking out my contacts every night on my mission, but my eyes have been hurting and red every once in awhile this change). Hopefully have time to rest. Talk to you later everyone.