Hi Everyone!
A little more about the New Years Celebration and holidays!
People are pretty open during the holidays - but also, it is tough to get with people because they are all at the beach and not in their homes. But, during the holidays - when we do teach - we teach families together. Every day, we can usually find people to teach and we always have a huge schedule. Most days, we teach 6 or 7 lessons. We bumped up our goals for this week and have worked so hard to accomplish them. We had 13 lessons with inactives, 10 other lessons and 3 investigators at church. We are really working hard and I am exhausted at the end of every day. My companion - if anything has taught me obedience and how to WORK!
New Years in Costa Rica - most people go to the beach and dance and swim with their families. At midnight, we watched the fireworks behind our house. They were so close and there were three or four different groups putting them on. Crazy! We would look in one direction and - WOW - and then another and WOW - and then in front and WOW. haha! So needless to say, we saw the fireworks. They also eat a ton. The tradition is lots of tamales. I don't really care for them - but it is the tradition. haha. For our New Years, our cook made us a really yummy dinner and we visited another member family and set goals with them for the New Year. Then went to our place and I worked on some things. Then I counted down - and we watched the fireworks.
Yesterday, in a lesson with our family investigators, the wife had her dad over and we prayed with them. We forgot to explain how we pray and while my companion was praying, her dad started shouting (on all fours like a dog, hands in the air with bowed head) hallelujah God. I'll praise you forever, oh God, oh yes, oh....It took everything within me to not laugh. I wanted to bust up laughing so hard. After we left, we did. It was so funny! Such an uncomfortable situation.
We had a lot of inactives that came back to church on Sunday, which was awesome. One blessed the sacrament (only a month not attending or two months) - and another bore his testimony about coming back to the church. It was amazing.
We leave this Thursday to go to San Jose for interviews with the President on Friday. Elder Christofferson - one of our Apostles is coming to visit and speak and then bus back to Rio Claro before Sunday. Then, we find out about changes next Monday or Tuesday and if so, we head back up to San Jose on Tuesday for changes on Wednesday (the 16th) So, I won't really know about transfers until then.
Oh - about our branch - they have all the programs of primary and young women's - just no one to teach them. We teach two classes and give talks. They need to stop relying on us missionaries so much. We do not have a mission leader in the branch or anything of the sort. Piano is fine just no one has come for lessons for the last few weeks. It is difficult to teach piano in four weeks, but we are trying and pushing forward. They also want to start an English class every week after piano. Some of the people get offended quickly, like if the branch president doesn't come to their house when he drives by - they won't come to church. Silly stuff like that. We have started handing out pamphlets to members to give to people like their neighbors or friends and family.
Today, we went to Panama again and met up with the other sister missionaries. I love being with them. We really get along well. We ate at McDonalds. Actually, pretty good or just really hungry. I still have a lot of hives. After a lesson the other night, I got really big bad hives due to the heat and had to hurry home so I could shower. I don't want to be transferred from this area, but I'm tired of itching during lessons and feeling super uncomfortable. We also have tons of mosquitos - and I use reppelant like crazy. Doesn't help!haha
Happy Birthday Mr. Cameron Jones and Kennedy Jones!!!!and Grandma Jones!!!haha and Matt Harris!!!!haha Hope you all get some fun presents. Tell Kennedy that I am so extremely happy she named her baby doll after me. Tell her when she hugs her baby, she's hugging me. I just love the little kids so much. I have realized how obedient all your kids are and how smart they are in comparison with some of the kids here....but the kids here are super cute too! Ty - be careful skiing and remember the goal is to help your children enjoy skiing and want to go more. haha - Don't be too hard on them. Let them learn and have fun in the snow. Super jealous you get to go. Saw some sunglasses that screamed Landon and Kimi at me. haha. So tempted to buy them, but figure we can get them later.
Oh - planning a wedding for the family couple (investigator) in February - super fun and then after is their baptism. It's a big family - 8 investigators in one day! Bah - too bad I might not be here to see it. - If I get transferred!!!So happy for the family - but will be really sad if I can't be here for their baptisms.
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