Monday, December 16, 2013

Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas to all of our loved ones and friends! Thank you for loving and supporting our daughter/missionary. It is such a blessing.  We finally found out that she will be “Skype”ing for Christmas. She was surprised that Christmas is next week. She thought we still had a few more weeks. I guess she is really engrossed in the work!  She sent a lot of photos this week; scenery, parrots flying above them, snakes crossing their path, bus rides, sleeping and beautiful children that she loves.  The irony of the poisonous snake is that it crossed their path on Saturday – which happened to be the day that I was expressing my deep dislike for snakes.  I will post them on her blog. XOXO and HO HO HO!! 

Hi FAMILY! 
Did you know that December is my favorite month in Costa Rica? Yep. I love it! It rains here a lot. Like I imagine it´s snowing there. Awesome!! 
Today my comp and I went to celebrate P-Day at McDonalds. Oh did I not tell you about the most exciting thing to happen to San Carlos in years?! We got a McDonalds! A Christmas miracle. Haha and now here I am. Writing the BEST family in the world!!! 
This week has been one of the best weeks of my mission. I think the previous was one of the toughest. Something I’ve truly truly learned is that God really is aware of us every single moment. It´s a miracle really. I was able to look back and realize he truly was right there with me every step of the way. I know He loves me. And you! But more on this later:  (highlights from the week)
12-10-13 (last Monday)
For P-day we celebrated P-noche (p-night) so that we could go to the circus! We had to work all afternoon though. The circus was awesome! It felt strange to step out of missionary Megan and allow myself to be 5 year old Megan: taken away by bright lights, magic tricks, flying motorcycles, trained Clydesdales, flips by costumed woman, etc. It was fun. 
December Friday the 13th: 
(dunnn dunn dunnn!) 
I think I´m supposed to be learning something-something that will help me on later in life. So what do you do when life not only hands you lemons, but then squeezes that lemon juice into your open wound and then pushes you down? The only words I´ve got running through my mind are CARRY ON, CARRY ON, CARRY ON! So I will. I will just keep doing those small and simple things. I´m grateful for prayer. I´ve had to rely a lot on it these past couple of days. 
I’ve been trying to be better at opening my mouth and talking to everyone; especially in busses on the way to or from our new area. I thought of Ashling yesterday. (One of her best friends serving a mission in Russia) She told me that it´s so hard for her to get people to listen. Meanwhile I´m here just having a ton of conversations about God. Usually I don´t really have to do anything. These people just love talking about God. I´m grateful I live amongst truly God-fearing people. In my culture, it´s uncomfortable to talk about God. It´s best to avoid religion. But here, God is all around. The trick is to help people repent-to change and to act. 
I’ve been meditating a lot on what made the Sons of Mosiah so successful. One of the things I thought of is that they truly had no fear for they knew that the Lord was with them. How were they going to enter into a kingdom full of bloodthirsty racists? Doesn´t matter, the Lord will provide. What would they say? No importa. How would they get out of prison, how long would they be tied up and hungry? etc. These obstacles weren´t given power to control these missionaries. Instead, these missionaries drew their power from the Lord and He protected and blessed them in return. I feel like these blessings aren´t just for Aaron, Ammon, Omni, Himni, but for Hermana Workman too. 
Thankfully, I didn’t get struck by the Friday the 13th curse...but I saw it attack someone else.
We were invited to do service with la china feliz. Angie was cooking food for 530 handicapped people. So there were about 15 chicken lasagnas, tubs of ¨chimichuri¨ or salsa, lettuce, fresco, etc. etc. The car was loaded up with everything when Angie called to see what time she´d need to be there with the food...They told her it was next Wednesday, not today. Oh. Awkward. 
I´ll spare you the very mundane details-just know it was not her day. I liked what she said though through it all: “I will remember this day for the rest of my life.” And she laughed. Sometimes that´s truly all we can do. 
Yesterday I know that God carried me. I had a good day for the first time in a long time. I feel like I came 1 percent closer to being like the sons of Mosiah. We had nothing to do, so we decided to go to the park. (San Carlos´s most popular attraction.) We sat down and didn´t want to disturb anyone. (Natural woman.) But we set a goal of 10 contacts. Ultimately our message is way more important than any of their conversations. We left feeling so good. I feel like when we all return to heaven, I won´t have that awkward conversation that could go like, I was right there! Why didn´t you say anything!? 
I want to finish my mission strong like that. I want to be a daughter of Mosiah. 
12-14-13
I met M  in the bus and we shared a really cool moment. She got teary eyed when she told me her husband died. I looked her in the eyes and said, “our church teaches that families can live together beyond the grave.” She got this look on her face like-hope. “Really?” She asked. “Yes. This life is not the end.” And I just wanted to help her. We had a cita with her, but she wasn´t there. Bummer. I don´t know why my comp and I studied so much for her-but I have the faith that it was for someone at sometime. 
We worked hard all day. I noticed how the Lord is working in us-how we´re truly becoming more converted to this gospel. We´re studying harder and testifying with more authority and boldness. It´s truly a blessing to be humbled. Because it means God truly loves us. (To read my favorite scripture this week, please turn with me to Alma 26:37) Now my brethren, we see that God is amindful of everybpeople, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen.
I know this is true. I love my Heavenly Father. I love my mission. I am so grateful to be here. 
I love you all so much!  eso! Tu español es maravilloso!!! Te quiero muchísimo momita! Te quido mucho!

Te amo!
Tu Hijita,   Walmart
Love,

Meg

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