Only a Stonecutter

Okay so this week-- we were trying real hard to get really great numbers because we have to work to win a trip to the temple. its like working and winning a trip to the Bahamas. we will do whatever we can. hah. But no really its because we are finding so many new people and we want everyone to have the truth. and there's so many neighborhoods and parts of the area that we haven't taught yet. We decided to change up the work a little bit.

First off we started teaching teaching someone named Juan Carlos. He works at a pizza shop. He's a great guy. He really makes us laugh and he understands the gospel really well. His mom is super catholic. and his dad is super Jehovah witness. so needless to say he knows the bible really well. He's really educated in  religion and he has a lot of our basic doctrine as his background. But he's lost a lot of faith in our Heavenly Father because he is attracted to men. and has a boyfriend and feels happy. He knows its wrong and knows he will be tried for his sins. Its incredible because we have taught him twice before this week and he has always just talked about this point and we don't really get anywhere because he doesn't trust God because he feels Heavenly Father made him this way and that Heavenly Father should accept him like that. BUT this week we decided to take control and we decided to start and teach him like anyone else who has trials and problems in there life and who doesn't completely feel the love of our merciful Heavenly Father. This lesson was so incredible that he told us he would pray (which he's never done before). He said that all that we teach makes sense and has reason and so we have been able to help him realize the importance of ONE true church. I am so happy for him because I know that as he reads the book of Mormon and prays and goes to church he will see a difference in his relationship with our Heavenly Father and will gain a testimony and gain the faith needed to luchar contra cualquier desafio que tendrá en el futuro. 

Okay So Antoni. He's reading and he's really understanding when we teach. He's been able to make progress really fast. One of the things that is exciting is that he made the hard decision and closed his negocio so that he could go to church yesterday. It was a really hard decision for him to make but then he went to church and felt the spirit so strongly that is was incredible. He is going to be closing his store on Sundays until after 12 so that he can go to church.. And soon i know that he'll close it the whole day to really keep the Sabbath day holy. He's going to be a baptism soon.

Okay Marielos!! I'm so excited for her! She went to church yesterday with Fabrizio and we had a lesson with her on Saturday. It was a great lesson. She now understands the importance of the book of Mormon and as i've been able to teach her about it, I have been able to find my testimony growing and growing. I know the book of mormon is true. Also Marielos is one of the only people that really makes me happy eating her food. Its like normal people food. We had mexican soup on Saturday and it was really good. i loved it. and i'll def be making it in our house.

Okay so on Friday I did Insanity. and then on Saturday we did Insanity. okay so my body is like jello right because i've run and all but not done stuff that has killed me so much like insanity did. So me and my comp are dead. We are at the end of the month and don't have that much money either and there are no buses on Sunday to an area where we had to go. So on Sunday this is what happened... we had to go to this area at 8 to wake people up and help them ride a taxi to church. its about 7 miles or so away from the house. and so we are dead.. and so we left at 6:50 and start our trek. We literally were blessed by the lord and i could only think of the movie from the doctrine & covenants- Only a Stonecutter, Because he didn't have a leg and he still did the work of the lord. So as we come to a hill that's steeper than steep we start praying (because we literally had no strength) and i don't know how, but we got up the hill in record time and we walked all the way there and made it there by 8 o'clock. Needless to say I am so grateful that the Lord gives us strength because then after church we had to walk all the way about 4 miles away to a visit and then walk back to make it to another appointment. The lord strengthens the weary. hah.

Okay so we are in a house reading the book of Mormon when a BAT enters and starts to attack us! it was so crazy flying all around with us screaming and the dad trying to hit it with the book of Mormon. it was a moment in my life that i will never forget.

We started teaching a jew on Friday. Its so fun. I love the work because he's started to see how his religion is like ours but that ours answers all of his questions. 

We have been really blessed by the Lord this week and I know that he is with us. This is his will and this is his Work. and I know that the work here is progressing only because He has prepared the people and sent those missionaries before us to prepare these people too. This Sunday we got to see the baptism of the little sister of Catalina. Her name is Jennifer. She is so cute and so dedicated to the gospel. Her baptism was linda and her sister got confirmed and it was just a super special day for all of them.

Another thing is that at church with three of our investigators and there was also a lady and her daughter that came and we were so shocked because normally people don't just show up.. so we went and talked to her and she said that she was baptized 10 yrs ago. and that she saw that we've been visiting her neighbors and so she decided to come and she wants to become active again and so that her children can be baptized too. It was a miracle because we've never even seen her before and she just felt the spirit enough to come to church and return and that's something that is hard for all of us. 

I love you all!! 

Have a greattttt weeeeeeeeek!!! 

Cambios

The Lord loves to spoil me and my comp. We love it here in San Carlos and more than that we love working together. we are twins in every aspect. hah. So our prayers were answered and I got to stay for this next transfer!! 

Easter was great. people told us it'd be hard to find people to teach because here Easter is a week vacation and is a time to party (its like spring break. hah) but its been a week full of success. 

1. Catalina was baptized! im so proud of her because she knows and is understanding so much of the book of mormon and really she is learning. Her little sister and her mom are preparing to be baptized.. I think Cesar (who was baptized last week) will be baptizing her little sister this coming week!!

2. We have these things called LPEs. right. well i like to be the best and i talk big.. so i might've accidentally started a competition with the assistants (who are the best elders in the mission). Humbly i'm here to say that i have lots and lots to learn from them because at the end of the week when we got 130. i thought wow!! We have to have won! The mission standard is 70. But as we asked the first pair of assistants they said... 145 and then the second pair of assistants said 251... i don't know how but we are working really hard this week to get 300.... i want to be the very best. like no one ever saw... yes this is part of the pokemon theme song but its the only way to express the feelings of my heart. 

3. One story super awesome with that LPE.. we were walking and talking to everyone and we pass a guy on his cell phone.. we were like okay lets go talk. So we walk up and start with a stupid question (because its the easiest way to break the ice). So i'm like where is the cemetary?... he's like oh look you can see it from my porch. So we go and we talk and it's just awesome because he starts telling how he walked out of his house because he wasn't feeling well. He was feeling really sad and alone and then we show up and testify of Christ, giving him a Book of Mormon. He held that book like it was worth more than gold (which it is.) and just kept saying with tears in his eyes "thank you".  I know that he will be baptized in three weeks time. because he is really prepared for the gospel at this time.

4.Otra LPE. okay so Antoni's story- We love smoothies. They are just so yummy. so we go and we always pass by this same smoothie place and once in a while we love to treat ourselves and buy a smoothie. This day we go and we buy a smoothie and start talking to the cashier and well my first joy was that he said my accent sounds like his friend from Brazil and he wanted to know if i was Brazilian. hahaha. I was like why thank you i try. hah Then we start talking for real and a light appeared in his eyes as he gives us our smoothie and we gave him a Book of Mormon. and invited him to church. Okay well this morning at 8 am we went a gave him a lesson because it was the only time that he could have us over. So we teach him and it is just incredible the spirit in this lesson. He wants to learn more before accepting a date for baptism. but i have no doubt because he's already reading so much of the Book of Mormon that he will be wanting to be baptized so soon. 

5. Luis Gerardo, a friend of one of our members,  just showed up started reading the book of mormon. told us he's ready and wants to be baptized. He came to church and loved it. He is deciding to move here because he lives 4 hrs from here and wants us to teach and baptize him as soon as possible. I love working with the members!! 

6. Mama de fabrizio. okay so she is the funniest person alive. I love her. We are like best friends even though she's older. So we teach her a lesson and the interaction between her and Fabrizio is the funniest thing in the world. She acts like the teenager and he acts like the parent. He tells her she will be damned because she's not baptized and she sticks her tongue out and says "that's fine i'm not holy enough to make it to heaven anyways". But their bond is so strong because she's divorced and he's the oldest child. It was just a really spiritual lesson. In the end we challenged her to baptism and at first jokingly she said.. i LOVE to swim, I love the beach, I love the water. I would love to go into your font right now and be baptized by Fabrizio. haha, But then she got serious and said "if Heavenly Father tells me i should do it, i know that its the right path and i know that i should do and i will do it and I know that i will feel something i've never felt before". it was amazing. i'm excited for her and her son because he gets to help his mom receive the truth. 

7. Hna Zapata and I had 130 lps with 47 lesson and we really were just blessed by the lord. One night walking and talking in a desolate highway we were praying that we could make it to next appointment on time and ... magically a taxi appeared and gave us a free ride. i know that the faith and prayers of two people with the same purpose and firmeza are always answered. i love working with her and i couldnt be happier here. The work is moving forward and nothing can stop it. 

 This is the true Church of our Lord and Savior. He organized a church when he was here. And this church and organization is PERFECT. there is not one thing that isn't how it should be so that we can progress and become perfected. I know that my Savior and My father love me so much. That this love that they have for me is power because I know that through faith and obedience to them I can do anything. I have no doubts. and I have no fears about what is to come because I know that the test ahead of me is nothing in comparison to the power behind me.  I know that the savior heals the broken hearts that sometimes we have. I know that through his power i can better my weaknesses and make them strengths. I know that I am a Daughter of a King and with that I am endowed with Power from on high. I know that the book of Mormon is the word of God and that as we read this book we also receive more power. I have never been more sure of the book of Mormon than I am everyday as I read from its pages and apply what I learn. That is the way we should study the scriptures. applying what we learn. I love this gospel. I am so happy here in the mission even if I have to walk miles and miles everyday with a super heavy backpack full of book of Mormons because I want everyone to receive the happiness and joy that i have and I will do what it takes to help them receive it. 

Love you all!! 

Keep the Faith.

Never Give up. He is with us. 

Hna Coburn

Last week

okay so lets start with Cesar- this whole week we were preparing him for baptism. We were calling every night to see how he was doing with his drinking and smoking and mujeres.. haa. and he's great. He really has changed a TON. and it was just an amazing week going to visit him with a new member from a different part of Costa Rica, his name is Luis Diago and boy is he an amazing member. He was baptized about 8 months ago and came and did so many visits with us and helped us out so much because he explained how he used to do drugs and how he changed so much and has been able to withstand all the temptations through Jesus Christ and his atonement. I really was grateful for his testimony and it helped Cesar be less nervous to be baptized. But the funniest is that Luis is a little bit like Stefan.. like skinny and well he's like a little bit taller than me. and Cesar is a BIG guy.. and well Cesar had so much confidence in Luis that he chose this little guy to baptize him. It was an amazing baptism and it was so great to see someone so converted to the gospel to give up everything that they have known their whole life. It'll be great to have a big tattooed ex-alcoholic in our ward because he's helping us teach his druggy friends from his neighborhood. i think we might be able to create zion with his help in that area. hahahah. but seriously could happen. 

Monday we had a party with Ana and Cristian. They were suppose to propose and get married but it just turned into a 10 yr anniversary party of being together (but not together) and then Ana was uncomfortable the whole time and they decided not to get married. Its been rough but I know they will get baptized soon they just have to let the atonement into their lives a little bit more so that he can heal their "marriage". The party made me feel weird because they had a serenade come and we just listened to worldly spanish love songs for a good bit... not sure what to do....haha. but, it was fun. 

Wednesday we got a nice good chastening talk from Pres. Wilkinson and in the most loving way too. He also only did it by teaching us doctrine. It was the most impressive thing I've ever heard. He is an amazing teacher and even though we got chastened and I got my interview after I was able to take all the feedback and use it for good. From that moment on me and Hna Zapata put our efforts to the max and had 45 lessons and had 89 lpes (which means like street contact medio lessons) and we got new investigators and really worked with the members and just had one of the most successful 4 days of my mission with some days having 10 or 12 lessons. hah. it was really cool to see how teaching doctrine brings the spirit and then helps us change so much. It was a great reminder to not get satisfied with doing well.. but always looking to do the best and progress and be better.

We get to teach 2 young jovenes and they are awesome. Their families are really devoted to their churches but they are doing all the can to know if this is the real church of Jesus Christ. They are reading and praying and coming to church. One of them, Daniel, is really special. He has a really sincere heart. I am really impressed with these people that are looking for the truth and will do whatever they can to find it. 

it has started raining like crazy here... but it was only two days straight of rain and rain.. hah. its supposedly nothing because they have tormentos aqui. but i was impressed it was lots of rain but no thunder or lightening. 

my trainer goes home this Thursday.. its so crazy to me. and we won't find out about changes until maybe tonight or tomorrow. but i asked and begged president for one more change with hna zapata. i love working as hard as we can together. its a blessing. 

fabrizio is sharing the gospel with his mom. its amazing. he may have a few problems with his doctrine and stuff but his testimony is so strong. he was like. mom you have to be baptized again and in this church or we won't be living together and you won't be happy.. sorry-. but that's just how it is. haha. it was really funny how direct he was.

Everyone is trying to make me eat fish.. i tell them no and they still give me a fish entero. like whole. like with the bones and skin and head.. its the worst. but anyways. what can  i say i'm in costa rica. 

yeah thats all i love you all lots and lots and i hope you have a fantastic week and a great Easter Sunday!!!! 

One Year

Well first off this past thursday marked my one year in the mission!! I cant even fathom this information.. i only have 4 changes. 6 fast sundays. 259,200 minutes left of my mission. I am just freaking out a little bit because i love the mission. alot. hah. its the bomb.

Okay so this week we were able to have 47 lessons.

We had a lesson with a member on monday.. she tried to throw eggs at us to get us back for giving her a fake cake... 

Saturday morning for conference we made breakfast and ate with the other sisters. Then the gringos brought snacks for us during conference. can anyone say pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!?! ha. It was like if i had been at home. 

Ana and Cristian! Okay so Monday we had a lesson at the house of a member... (the one from the story above). And it was amazing. Ana was able to hear more stories that are helping her have less fear of marriage. And Cristian was able to pay attention and meet a friend that is as goofy as him. Then let me just tell you we gave Ana the goal to marry before the 13th so that she could be baptized that day.. and we told her to pray about it. Well Ana had a really special experience and really different than anything i've ever heard. So on Saturday we were watching conference with her and then after taking notes and listening with all her heart she went and asked to talk to the bishop. My companion and I went outside and were just meditating and pondering  the messages from the morning session. I was just praying and started praying that i didn't care if i was here when Ana and Cristian get baptized, just that it happens and that they don't get lost. I hope that they are well and that they just have the happy life that the Lord and this gospel brings. Well as Ana walked out an hour lady she came up and said "well. the bishop is going to baptize us on the thirteenth. and so were going to need two witnesses for our wedding.." and we were just speechless. 

Andres! HE GOT BAPTIZED. This little 11 year old is more converted and understands more about repentance than any other person. He expressed some things from his past and then when he prayed, he pleaded and begged for forgiveness from our Heavenly Father. I haven't felt anything as strong as the spirit in that moment. Ater his baptism he was just glowing.Funny side note: His pants were too big so we used a tie as a belt. it was ´pretty funny. you do what you gotta do.

Cesar. He gave up drinking. When he won a partido and the premio was beer he asked for a soda and when all his friends made fun of him he just went home. He's changing so much and this big old drug dealer is going to be baptized this coming Sunday! I am so excited for him and excited to see him lead this church in amaainzg ways! 

Conference!!! OH MY GOSH! every single talk impacted me in a different way. It was aamazing watching and listening and I am so grateful that we have a Prophet and apostles and leaders in the church. I loved the talk by Bednar and by Corbridge and i loved the talk by President Monson. and the talk by Neil L. Anderson and Holland and Richard G. Scott and the sisters that spoke. It was just an amazing amazing conference weekend. One of the most direct and spiritual conferences that I've heard in a long time! 

I love this work I love the lord. He spoils me so much. I have seen so many miracles! 

love you all! 

HAPPPPY BIRTHDAYYY MOMM!!