HI!
I know now that I am with 2 Gringa's you might think that I will forget my Spanish. Well... we talk a lot in Spanglish
in our apt. Sometimes it's just easier to say something in Spanish. Ha-ha. So
not losing my Spanish and I'm actually learning more words from Hna. Cardenaz. Her
Spanish is EXCELLENT. Granted she knew it before she came here.
Ok....first and
foremost....family, I do have my date for when I come home. It is Jan 23rd...That
Thursday. I will probably get in there like evening time. So...you can plan
accordingly. We can work out all the kinks when we chat for Christmas. And
no...I am not trunky but just wanted to explain some things to you guys so you
can understand. I talk about my family ALL THE TIME. It was weird because last
night in a lesson, a couple asked what my brother’s names were and it was kind
of weird to say their names out loud. They like your names by the way. Ha-ha. Any way. Ok...hope
all is well with you guys. I'll read your letters and respond. Oh and haven't
gotten the package yet from the lady but I'm sure I will. Thank you for sending
it.
Ok...me....well...I did
divisions with Hna. Cartagena for the last time. You might remember that she was my first companion.
She goes home this Thursday. She told me to tell you she says hi and that she
hopes to come to conference sometime and see Utah. She's excited. We had some
fun together our last time teaching and all. It was crazy. I got my residence
card for Costa Rica. Can’t believe it has taken over a year. Yep...it took a
lot of time. But now I can be a resident for a year. Ha-ha. Pretty cool I
guess. We had 3 days of going to immigration to get it all worked out. But in
the process, I was able to see some of the elders from my MTC District. They are doing great. We reminisced and thought about how long it's been and how time has flown by. It's crazy when you look back and think about all that has happened. But that was fun. We have had TONS of water and rain. It rains every day. In the morning, it's super-hot but that's how you know it's going to rain. And we have had some big storms. One day, we forgot our umbrellas and got completely soaked. Forgot to take pictures sorry. Hna. Cardenaz had a white shirt on so it got see through. We were laughing the whole time and freezing! We walked to an investigator's home to visit them. She opened the door and just said...Hermanas come in. She gave us a towel to wipe off and made us some hot chocolate and cookies. She’s super nice. We talked with her for a little bit. Her husband is the one we are teaching who doesn't believe in God. So anyway...talked with her and then she drove us to our apartment so we could change and head back out. It was funny. Oh and we had been walking over a bridge but had to wait for a second because water was crossing over it. Practically overflowing but such an adventure. We had fun. And don't worry...there were guards there guiding the people across. It was safe. :)
Gringa trio! Woot woot. We have the other sister...Hna. Porter with us until she gets her companion. She’s been working with a little mini missionary. I'll make sure and take more pics with the people. But we are having fun in our gringa-ness. Ha-ha.
Saw this church on the way to San Carlos in northern Costa Rica. The bushes in the front are shaped like Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland. Thought it was funny.
Another one!
September 2012 - My 1st Companion - Hna. Cartagena. : )
Last day with Hna. Cartagena! September 2013 : (
TEMPLE day!!! Ush Ush.
Temple day once again.
Spiritual
experiences......Familia Centeno. They are less actives and we have been
teaching them for a month or so now. The wife has FINALLY agreed to come back
to church and her children want to come back. It has been quite the process.
And once she gets coming back, her husband will follow and they'll be a sealed
family! Woo hoo. They made us dinner and have started using the tu form of you
in Spanish that is more informal. You only use it on people you trust or who
are your friends. So we have gone from formal acquaintances to FRIENDS! It’s
great. Naun our recent convert passed the sacrament for the first time
yesterday. He was so cute trying to figure out where to go and what to do.
Another recent convert from the other sisters helped him out. He did a great
job and afterwards came up to us to shake our hands. I am so happy for him. We
have an FHE with his family tonight so we hope to teach all in his family.
Roger came to church yesterday so that was a good step for him. Keep praying
that he can overcome his addiction. Yamilet is a new woman we are teaching. She
is great! Hna. Marquez and I had taught her a couple times but she never came
to church so we stopped seeing her. When Hna. Portillo came, we visited her
once but it didn't seem promising. Well...last night we felt the need to go and
visit her. When we stopped by she said...where have you been? Why haven't you
been visiting me? She let us in and broke down crying explaining that she
hadn't had light for 15 days or water. She's been working every day all day, she
hasn’t been able to receive a better job So...she couldn't pay for anything and
had to send her children back to Nicaragua to live with her mother. Her ex-husband
hasn’t given her any support.... So anyway...we shared a scripture of putting
our weight on to Christ and accepting help from others. We told her that if she
does what we tell her to do then she will be blessed. We left her with the
chapter in Mosiah 24. She can't read very well but we told her to do her best
and that we'll stop by to read with her. It was so sad. We asked her to finish
with the prayer and she said she couldn't because all she does is yell at God
for not helping her. I put my arm on her shoulder and we just told her to tell
Heavenly Father thank you for the things she does have. She said the prayer
crying through the whole thing but said thank you to us for stopping by. She
said she has a new kind of light in her home. I started crying of course as we
walked out. She's just an excellent woman trying to work hard and make it through
this life. It's amazing how the gospel really is the only answer and hope that
we have. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father continues to guide us.
Other
experience...JOSHUA! do you remember the kid I told you guys about who had the
earrings and necklaces of the cross who has been inactive for 10
years....well....HE IS ACTIVE! He is allowed to now pass the sacrament. He has
gotten rid of his earrings and necklaces!! AND.....HE'S GOING TO SERVE A
MISSION. Before...I had just been bugging him about it for 4 months and he
would always say...not yet. Well...now he's saying yep and asking how to do it.
I cry every time we teach or talk with him. I know he's not a convert but he is
the best transformation I have seen on my mission. I have never worked so hard
to get someone reactivated. All rescue efforts matter. Through Joshua, we are
helping to reactivate his brother who came to church. Pretty awesome huh? So I
am loving Belen. It is great!
We were able to go to
the temple on Saturday with our zone. We don't have the new video but hopefully
they will someday. As we were watching...I thought of you guys. I felt really
close to you guys. Thank you for all that you do. I love you all so much! Please
be safe and keep at it. 4 months! Until next week...BE HAPPY! don't
worry...about a thing...cuz every little thing...is gonna be alright! :)
Hna. Jones
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