December 17, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for the emails! I pay for every minute of internet that I use here, so my fingers are speeding along. I have tears in my eyes because I don’t think all of you realize how much I need these letters of motivation. Thank you.

Okay first off. Mom, your right about that bus. I actually laughed while I was on it because it reminded me of “Romancing the Stone”. I was the lady in a white dress and heels trudging through the jungle. My comp was...the dude - I can’t remember actors names... but esta bien! I left from San José where it is nice and cool. I was even wearing a jacket. Then I entered Jurassic Park and have not stopped sweating since. ha-ha Trying to carry three very heavy suitcases on pebble streets and dirt was a huge joke. Seriously laugh and laugh. My comp and I just laughed. Eventually I lost a wheel. I hope you weren’t too attached. It’s of no use to me now. The other three feel off shortly after. Any who it sure made me laugh and yeah. Romancing the Stone scenery here too, picture that. It’s so beautiful here. The most beautiful sun sets I have ever seen. It’s HOT, but beautiful! I feel like I am always camping because there’s always smoke in the air from someone’s cooking, etc. EVERYONE here has a motorcycle and drives like they’re at the sand dunes. It’s hot. (Did I mention that?) When we do personal, language, and companion study in our house, I feel like I’m sitting in a trailer with no air conditioning. ha-ha I promise I’m not complaining, I’m getting used to it.

Friday, everyone is going to San Jose which is six and a half hours away from me. I’m in an area called Nicoya. It’s the furthest place in the country. It is always 95 degrees with 89 percent humidity. Picture St. George, in the dead of summer, on crack! hahaha its so so so so hot. But I’m getting used to it. So, Friday, I’ll be with all of my MTC friends!!!!!!!!! I’m super excited! We’re going to have a Christmas dinner. But that means I don´t get a preparation day today. Bummer. I live for these things, but I do get to email home. ahh I love it! The Ticos speak one million miles an hour.

The people here can tell I love them, I hope. I am grateful for the kiddos - you don’t need language to communicate with them.

Connor, I’ve met many people your age and it tugs my heart a little. I feel like you are always around me. But, I miss you.

Ryley! I walked into the bathroom and my heart stopped. Right above me was a gecko, who I think I shall call Wanda. I was really scared at first, but then I thought of you and all the fun you’d have trying to catch her. Man I miss you. I too have not really felt the Christmas spirit. I have a hunch that it’s because I’m surrounded by palm trees and sunscreen, ha ha. hehehe. They have some different Christmas music here with children singing and tambourines and flutes. Plus I’m not with my family. That’s weird. But I’m representing our lord Jesus Christ. I wear his name right above my heart. My dedication is to completely being his servant, His hands, His tool.

Bren, man I miss you. Your day with Chad sounds awesome. Snow sounds awesome. A movie sounds awesome, you sound awesome. I’ve been reading a gen conf magazine from years past,

Daddio, your letter was so touching. I love and miss you so much.

It is REALLY hard. And there are seriously times when I think, “I want my mom! I want to snuggle! I need her shoulder” but no. I have to stay committed. A mission isn´t meant to be a selfish thing. It’s a small sacrifice for the Lord. Honestly, I, like Nephi, (many times) my pillow has been wet with tears this week. Nephi’s cause was slightly more noble, but mine has gotta be close behind. It´s difficult here. Really hard. everyone around me is speaking SUPER fast a foreign tongue all the time. I can´t even really communicate with my companion. BUT there are so many tender mercies. This opportunity has caused me to beg to my heavenly father for charity. (Read Moroni 7...46? 45?) Because I keep finding myself thinking, oh I wish my mom were here. If my brothers were here, I could be happy or I wish I had A/C. I don’t like this food. It’s hot. I wish, I wish etc. But that is not good. I need to "think no evil." and "suffereth long." Two sayings mom always said to me have kept me going this week: 1. When life becomes a roller coaster, climb in the front seat and throw your arms up and enjoy the ride with a smile.  I absolutely am in that roller coaster. What the heck is going on? I never know. But enjoy the ride, right? 2. You can eat an entire elephant. One bite at a time or as my comp tells me, poco a poca. Step by step. And it’s true. I go to church and have no idea what’s being said. But I can tell that I’m pronouncing better. Or that I can remember one phrase. I know that I will master this language one day. A Christ-like characteristic that I’ve been working on this week is HOPE. I realized I was feeling hopeless. Like I could never ever learn and that is what Satan would have me believe. That is not what my Heavenly Father would want me to feel. So I’ve been begging for more hope. That’s weird because I never thought I’d be lacking hope - that seems like the easy one. But I’m grateful for the struggle. How boring life would be if we remained stagnant. 

Weird to see Char as a mom! Love the puppies!! Oh my!! So cute… wish they’d stay like that for a couple years!!

Oh! After we wrote last week, I saw two people signing with SSL. I don’t know what compelled me, wait, yes I do, to walk over and say ‘hi’. Spanish Sign Language (SSL) and American Sign Language (ASL) are different. But the dude knew ASL and SSL!! His girlfriend only knew SSL. They gave me their contact info and were going to teach them! So we tried to meet up with the girl, but she wasn’t home. Her mom said, she doesn´t know ASL. I clearly don’t know Spanish let alone SSL, but my comp said: “it’s no coincidence that they were put in your path. You possess the ability to talk to her. You and you alone.” So I’m excited for the challenge!! We´ll see how it goes ñ= (That would’ve made a smiley face.)

I MISS MY GRANDPARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! soooo much! We taught an old lady the other day and she started cooking something with onions. It’s there that I realized one of my favorite smells in the world is fried potatoes and onions. I miss my grandparents so much!

We had a Christmas party here too. I really miss our ward. But I will say something about the Costa Rican ward, they sure know how to dance! All of the youth coordinated a dance, the 7 of them, ha-ha and it was awesome! 

I got to go. Frown! This time goes by way too fast! 

I LOVE YOU FAMILY SO MUCH! Please stay happy and golden and know that I love you so much!