July 2013

My Miracles…  Week of miracles! Did all this really happen?! First of all, let me tell you that I know my Heavenly Father loves me-so much.

I didn´t have a lot of ganas to get out and work today-it happens. But we did. There was so much sun. But I was content. Living in Guanacaste changes you. I don´t think I´ve ever been so hot in my life-I think even the devil had compassion on me.

My companion and I were waiting at a bus stop and one thing led to another-my companion ticked me off. I could feel the spirit leaving and I knew we couldn´t go to out next cita with this energy. My natural woman thought-humph. “Well, I’ll just let her think for a moment and realize what she did.” But in reality, I needed to think for a moment… to ponder and reflect on my actions. I remembered something I read and felt in 1 Nephi today. I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions. (1n18:16)

This scripture made me stop and think. Nephi´s been shipwrecked, humiliated in front of his wife and children, publically mocked, beaten and tied to a pole for 4 days. I imagine they were tight because we´re told that he was a big man (please keep your eyes out for my Nephi, haha) Anyways finally they release Nephi and what does he do? Does he yell at his brothers? Hit them? Give them a nasty look? Anything? No. He falls to the ground and prays. All day long for his many blessings. What?! Wow. What did I learn from Nephi today? When the trials and tribulations come-when life truly sucks, pray. Be grateful and offer up that gratitude for all the good that you do have.

So today when I got annoyed, I remembered Nephi and closed my eyes and said a little prayer. I listed all the good I was grateful for. Then I thought of my companion´s strong points. (Do you think Alma ever got a little fed up with Amulek?) Finished the prayer and swallowed some pride. I told my companion I was grateful for her. After that, all was well again.  I love her and I’m so very grateful for her. I´ve never had a Gringa companion. The Latina’s don’t share my culture or my language but, I am learning a lot. And my bacon is saved more than 1zillion times in a day because this language is natural for her.

Afterwards, we headed to the church. We had our “Stop the boys (in my case, sisters) on the Bike Moment” (refer to the talk by Elder Russell Nelson) This man was exercising just outside the church house. Now, as a female missionary, one has to be on high-alert; bum? alcoholic? Hijo de Dios? He pointed to the church and asked us what we do in there?  The two of us were stunned and it was like jumping into auto-missionary - I wasn´t myself. I know now everything I said was the spirit-exactly what this man needed at this moment. He told us that he always sees us walking around and has recently wanted to come to church with us. He said he smokes and drinks a lot but wants to quit and I promised him we could help him. I told him that he could be clean of all this and have the peace he was looking for. Again, not me, the spirit. We exchanged numbers and with tears in his eyes, we shook hands, and he left. I´m still in shock at the miracle that happened.

Other miracles this week happened when Mop brought C, an atheist to play ball. (Ry, Ima be so good at soccer when I get back!) He prayed with us. Wow! S brought his non-member friend (he, his wife, and son now all have baptism dates for the 24 of august) to do family history. Wow! R cooked us dinner. (we´re out of money-yet I honestly knew we wouldn´t go hungry this week. The Lord would and is providing.) There are miracles all around and I´m so grateful to be a part of them.

As Hermana Hernandez and I walked up the stairs to our apartment, I paused to enjoy this moment. In front of me was the city with all its twinkling lights (cue Journey) AND all I could think was: “Am I really in Costa Rica right now? Was it really one year ago that I held in my hands a letter from President Monson saying that I´d be serving a mission in Costa Rica?” As I looked up at the brilliant and radiant glowing moon (mom, thought of you) I felt so much love from my Heavenly Father. I love this country. I love this gospel.

After an amazing, fun activity at the church this week focusing on temples and family history, (that made me miss my grandparents and family) we decided to wait for R and S (investigator and lifelong member) who were talking with Bishop. Suddenly bishop called us in his office where he told us R was ready for a baptismal date. August 24th. He accepted finally. FINALLY! I pray I´ll be allowed to stay and see!

Friday, my comp was talking about how messy and gross our house is, but we don´t have money to buy things to clean. We were eating lunch with the Z family and Hermano Z said if you don´t accept this I´ll be offended. And whipped out his wallet and gave us 20 American Dollars. They have an RM. Their children are all studying. I know they don´t have extra money. I know this money could’ve gone a long way for them. I´ll never forget their kindness or sacrifices. (Today for Pday we SHINED our apt. it´s so beautiful! finally!)

 I´m going on divisions today because my comp and I have too many appointment. MIRACLES. THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS. One FHE with 3 people who have a baptismal date. My comps off to R’s house to have a FHE with H AND V! That´s right. Finally they accepted our invitation to listen to us, mas o menos again. Word on the street the house I’m headed to is cooking BBQ!. I want to cry. Haha. (with joy.)

R has a mother named Y who is 87 and will be baptized, only if we head up the font. I can´t tell you how hard that´s going to be. August 10th pray for me to be here. What fun! haha.

At the end of the day Friday, we wanted to visit K, but were a little hesitant because she told her member friend that she didn´t want to keep listening to us. We didn´t know how she´d react. But Alma and Amulek worked with just a ¨might¨ of hope that some good would come. We brought her a letter and a scripture, Ruth 3:11 and she started to cry. She´d had a rough day. We comforted her. And got her to laugh. At the end, she gave us 2 pounds of cheese that her mom made herself. (Once again, we were given food although we had none. miracle.) I was able to see 2 things from this experience.

1. God loves all his children and answers their needs through other people.

2. Each of us can be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and in turn an answer to someone´s prayer.

The Lord only asks of us a willing heart. We´re all so far away from perfect. But imperfect is all he´s got after Jesus Christ. How frustrating that must be for him. But ¨He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name.¨(Uchtdorf.) I know that is true. I know He loves EACH of us. I know he wants to hear from us. I love this gospel because I know that it is the same gospel Jesus Christ established when on this earth restored once again for our time. I love my Bible. I love my Book of Mormon. I love my family. I know that we can be together forever. I know the Lord blesses us with extra miracles when we put all our faith in Him and walk with a happy attitude.

Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for your prayers. Your sacrifices. I promise there are SO many angels protecting me. I want you all to know that I love this work. I LOVE being a missionary. It´s weird and difficult and uncomfortable but I LOVE it. (luff it.)

I love you all so much, it hurts!

TAKE CARE!

Love,

Hermana Meg Workman

P.S.

Transfers are next week. Please pray for me to stay. I want to see these people get baptized.

Love you daddy, You have no idea what I would do just to have a day with daddy right now. If I could choose, we´d go to a movie together. Then he´d try and teach me how to drive a stupid old stick shift. We´d laugh. Then I´d end up crying and going to my room. Then he´d come in and teach me one of life´s greatest lessons that I´ll never forget and share constantly here in the mish. Never EVER give up. Even when life truly sucks. (Seriously every time I show our family photo with the truck I tell that story.) I love you dad. You make me laugh. And don´t worry. PURA VIDA!

Brayden… don’t worry about it. 3 ½ years is nothing… we´ve got eternity together.

Read the poem. I´ll paste it in a journal. Thank you mom!

Read as in past. Why is English so weird! We have the same word that means read present and past and also the color red. Que Loco! Love my mommy!

PHOTOS:  A reenactment of a crappy umbrella I was gifted. It finally gave out and I was a little flustered. I beat it, then saw a family pass by, and we needed depends from laughter. Ha ha.

By the way…We’re able to watch THE DISTRICT. I strongly dislike those “district missionaries” from KBYU for the following reasons:

They have an oven, a fridge, a car, cell phone, a companion who speaks their language, and a ward… (supportive none the less) to name just a few. Not cool, not cool. I love something one of the missionaries says that´s like; “It can be really hard after a long day to write in the area book.” I just think to myself, Oh. I´m sorry. Was it difficult driving home?

I´m just waiting for them to make the District 3: Foreign Exchange. Where they go outside the states. And the missionaries are sweating from every joint. Cockroaches threaten them at every turn. Every appointment cancels. It’s the norm to put mayonnaise on pizza and ketchup on your salad. (think about that for a sec…)  And let´s not forget a bathroom with no toilet paper or hot water… sometimes just no water in general. This is my life now. But I love it.  Honestly, I do also feel the spirit and learn stuff. They do inspire me to be better.