April 15, 2013 

“Here you go... a little slice of my heaven. Megan’s refinement process; President Uchdorf tells us to love the middle. (I don’t love the middle) my favorite part is looking back and saying, hey I´m learning. I’m growing. I’m becoming The Megan my Heavenly Father wants me to be. “

Love my family of investigators!  H, his wife, V and their two lil boys N and I. They´re so great. They love the church and the many message about families. They love to sing Families can be Together Forever. They´re cute! 

Journal Entry: “So eventually we ran out of things to do. I had read previously that day in the white handbook that Sundays and festivals are the best days for proselyting, so we decided to take the Lord up on that promise, it being a Sunday and the last day of the festival. Our original goal was 1 young man and 2 families, close to our mission goal. And with proselyting / contacting, I’ve found that you usually have 100 no’s and 1 yes. (Thank you Lighthouse for the practice on rejection and talking to complete strangers.) We had some good success, I hope. We hit our goal and then some. We worked hard. I hope they´ll let us invite them to receive the restored gospel.”

Okay so you´ve been having nice rain lately huh? I’m assuming you don’t even know what real rain is. (Photos to follow) It´s been SO pretty. Like sunny in the morning, rain in the afternoon. And when I say rain in the afternoon I mean a monsoon. It´s nuts. I have to take off my socks, put them in a plastic bag with my scrips and just run usually to a tree to stand under.  Yeah, so how was my week this week. It was good. Spanish really only has one adjective, and it happens to be bueno. So...I don´t remember real adjectives. 

I was feeling a little low the other morning and I know Satan was working extra hard. He made me believe that I couldn’t take this any longer… that I was living the definition of insanity, doing the same thing and expecting different results each time. Every morning I exercise. Study. Walk. Return. Wash, rinse, repeat. Maybe you could call it slightly stir crazy. I finished my personal study and walked into the bedroom and knelt in prayer. I didn´t say anything for a while, trying to listen. I told my Heavenly Father the things that He already knew: about me missing my family, wanting to be His instrument, my physical pains, things from my heart. I cried for a while. I really do miss the comforts of my old life. I really do miss my family. ...But I know that our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask, He just waits patiently with open arms, allowing us to use the agency we fought so hard for. I asked for a miracle. Finished up my sobs, wiped away the salty water leaking from my eyes and headed to start comp study. I decided to follow the courage of Esther, to do the difficult things. And out we went. We decided just to walk and knock on every fence we could… We walked up hill and downhill. We walked on pavement and pebbles. Then we walked some more. I saw beautiful mansions and humble homes of wood slabs strapped together by safety pins. We knocked on about 50 fences or more and contacted people at the festival. I think sometimes the miracle we expect or look for is some grand bang. A firework type of miracle. But the miracle can be that we walked and talked with power and authority, God with us every step of the way. I don´t know if I changed lives today, but I know I opened my mouth and cried repentance, what I´ve been set apart to do. The miracle is that I get to know my Heavenly Father better and that He can cure me from my pains, when I trust Him. The miracle is His love for me, Megan, personally. He knows all of us so well. He loves us, and I know this. 
"And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this." Esther 4:14 

Want to hear about a miracle? While walking down the street, someone in their car called out HI SISTERS! Where are you from, I answered: “Utah!” And that was it. But later, while walking through the festival, a young man walked over and without saying a word, handed me money. Porque? I asked. He only touched my plaque. I then asked in English, where are you from? “Utah. Highland.” I asked if we could come over and meet his family. They told us that we never have enough money and gave us their spare change. They wished us well and were off. It was a small dollar amount, but huge in kindness.  I´m so grateful! Angels are all around me mommy. Your prayers are answered, and don´t worry. 

My hospital trip...

THINKING IN NUMBERS, FUN FACTS AND SONG:

• Investigators here are astronomical. Everyone here loves God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They all say yes to a conversation about religion. The tricky part is getting them to “DO”. If I was to put a number on the people I’ve seen… one million and then some… Specifically in San Jose on a Friday night.  200 people I’ve said “Hi” to daily.  And if I forget, they say “hi” to me. Helped baptize? 100… everyone I invite to church, give a pamphlet to; share a piece of my testimony. “But as to my own strength, I am nothing…” It’s all The Lord
• 500 25,000 600 miles I’ve walked. (Sing it with me)
• Never seen an apple here. However, mangos and cantaloupe are the crowd’s favorite. Young and old alike. Seriously, have you ever seen a baby gnawing on a juicy mango with the skin still on it?
• Shells at Playa Concha (seashell beach) It’s so beautiful here. It’s like God gathered up all of the seashells in the world and dumped them here. There is no sand… just shells. Billions, Trillions… a gazillion!!
• “Tico” the language in Costa Rica. For example; libro = book. However, in Costa Rica, you say librito!
• Here, in CR, people GIVE! In our culture, we’re always worried about what we have, or don’t have. I’ve been on the receiving end of so much generosity. My heart is full of gratitude. They are so willing because they want to give! It’s amazing to me! (Everyone give something today!!)
• No rules here for navigation. Even Siri would be lost! Just go visual! That’s the trick to getting around. If you live a block from the pulperia (store). That is your address.  If your house is pink… like my old one… use that too.
• Here, we just tap fences. No door knocking. We use rocks and tap the fences and yell: ”Lupey” Which means knock knock. Or “Buenas” (if someone is home their door will be open) If they stroll out, which they usually do, we share a message about God.  When they are enthusiastic about it…we get invited beyond the fence.
• Soccer match between USA and Costa Rica was in Colorado. Crazy for soccer here. It’s on all the televisions. I miss the snow.
• WE WORK. We don’t stop. We’re on the Lord’s time. I’m on your dime. Never stop working.

Favorite quote of the week comes from Hermana Q. “Want to know why I want to learn English so desperately? Not because everyone in the world speaks it or because if I know English I’ll get paid more money. But, because I want to hear the prophet speak.”  We are all so blessed! Not just because we’ve been born to goodly parents or parents who love the Lord. We have so much. It’s no coincidence that we were born where or when we were. Take a moment to really think about that.

PHOTOS:  traditional dish here. Arroz con Pollo and Ensalada Rosa. It´s like potato salad, but with beets in it. haha Go Beetdiggers, right? It´s actually delicious. BEAUTIFUL CITY! Green and street art. My heart loves it here!  Me and my babies (yes they´re generally called babies when you train them, but I didn´t call my trainee a baby. She was my equal and really great. I call them my babies because I love them like a mother loves her child. My hospital trip - Hermana F pointing to my butt, because I was about to get an injection in my nalga. “Drop your skivvy’s toots.” And       all of the pillows were to keep my head elevated because when the blood rushed to my jaw it was killer. But don´t worry. All is well now. 

Love to you all!

Hermana Meg Workman