Christmas Photos

At the Circus

A little siesta after cooking for 560 people

She really wanted to give me a makeover. 

On the bus

With our new hair do's

Rainy Days... Streets of Costa Rica

Service Project

Yep... I got glasses!!!

a poisonous snake....YIKES!! 

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 every^bpeople, 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

More Photos...

JOY

December 2, 2013

Papa Gerogio!  Howdy handsome! Today I flipped my calendar to the last month possible: December. I bought it way back in December 2012. I never thought Id make it to this month. Not because I thought I’d go home, but because I thought I’d die by now, haha. I’m only half kidding. 

I do feel like I’ve changed. I think that’s the point. Naturally I left thinking I’m going to come back the same person, just with the ability to speak Spanish. ha. How naive. I’ve changed in almost everyway. 

I’m learning how to communicate with other people. 

I’m learning how to love people who think so much differently than I do. 

I’m learning how to suck it up and keep moving forward. Sometimes truly all you can do is throw your hair in a ponytail and say, bring it on!

I’m learning how to preserve money.  - How to make a dollar stretchhhhhhh. 

How to pray. 

How to study.

How to put aside my wants and accept HFs plan for me. 

How to be humble. 

How to feel reverence for the atonement. 

How to smile even when your heart is breaking. (so hard!) 

How to LIVE. By giving all of myself to the Lord. 

I love you all so much.

I don´t have the bug. 

I think we´re going to the circus today.  We wont be able to see anything really because it starts at night, but we´ll see something...I think. 

HahaHAPPY THANKSGIVING! 11-28-13

This year what I´m most grateful for truly is the restored gospel in my life. I realized this as I sat in the MOST    INCREDIBLE    LESSON of my life. I would be truly lost and frankly sad without it.

First, I need to start with some random thoughts.

A. This year I especially miss Turkey Day. I think because it’s my second one away from my family. Is it about stuffing our faces with food-though yes. Grandma´s home made pumpkin or banana cream pie does sound amazing right about now. But what I love about this holiday tradition is gathering together and being together. 

B. This week Ashling (Sister Peterson in Russia) wrote me saying she´d pray specifically for us to find someone GOLDEN and you know what? PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED! But as I was thinking about the miracle of a good friend praying for successful missionary work, I realized that not only one prayer was sent out on our behalf. But my ward, my family, the prophet, mission president, companion, and me all prayed with the same faith that allowed Moses to part the red sea. I´m grateful for all the help God sends me daily. 

 Okay. My day yesterday. 

After our fun district meeting we went to visit a less active, but we weren´t sure why. She´s so kind and a truly good God-fearing woman. I realize now that I just need more courage to be bold. My companion was like-why did you leave the church? And what we discerned is that she got married (just because the missionaries were going to pay) and then felt obligated to also get baptized. Unfortunately that’s not how it works. She made a commitment to God and we need to help her remember. Turns out she´s really confused about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. According to her, the BOM only talks about Joe Smith. I looked her square in the eyes and told her with more authority I´ve ever felt in my life and frankly told her that I know the Book of Mormon is true. That I’ve traveled all these miles to defend it. And I realized that I just simply loved her. Like Christ would. It didn´t matter if she was attending another feel-goodery church. It didn´t matter how much she had or didn´t have. I just loved her even though I barely know her. I know that if she listens, she´ll feel the spirit testifying to her the things she needs to do to receive exaltation. She taught me an important lesson about the importance of prayer: God doesn´t give us all that we ask for right away so that we can remember Him. 

Okay "M" He´s such an amazing example that God´s hand is in the middle of everything. Majenga (futbol, soccer) Tuesday. My comp and I were trying so hard to find somebody (a youth) who God had prepared. We wrote down all 16 names of non-members. We had to leave to go help Sandra do family history. All night I’d noticed a kid standing far away. As we were walking in the church, my legs moved toward him. We got to talking. It was so easy and natural. He´s 16 (LIKE MY BABY BRO RYLEY!!!! GUY GUY!) And super tall. Taller than me. It´s weird! We set up an appointment.  We got to know him more. I sincerely wish I could´ve taped it all. The spirit is working in him. I can´t wait to get up to heaven and watch the Youtube of my life and revisit this awesome moment. Some of his questions:

When are you going to invite me to your church? (The first thing he said to us!)

What do you believe?

Why did Jesus go to John the Baptist to be baptized? Shouldn´t it have been the other way around? 

I thought only Moses could see God...? 

If you were me, what would you think? (And Ry, special shout out. It´s like being with you. So I´m studying for him as if I were studying for you. And talking with you. I love you!)   Matt 3:17 “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” When we finished reading this, M said “wow. Heavenly Father was really proud of His son, right? I want to hear these words.” He told us some of his doubts about prayer. He told us that He didn´t believe that God would answer him. And the spirit helped me know that he´d done some stuff in his past that made him feel far away from Him (consequence of sin.) 

I looked him strait in the eyes and told him that I know God loves him and wants him to have light. We once again read a part in James 1:5, and I think for the first time, I understood what it means “liberally and without reproach.” Even if we´ve done stupid things, God wants us to always talk to Him. He agreed to be baptized!!! I´m praying harder for him that anyone else.  Did I mention that his mom´s a pastor? Ha wish us luck! Having one amazing lesson changes everything! I love this gospel! 

Thanksgiving feast: Sonya and Mariano cooked us a typical Tico meal: arroz con pollo, frijoles, ensalada Rusa. I was surrounded by my San Carlos family. We went around the table, like my momma taught me, and mentioned the 3 things we´re grateful for. Mine are: 

1. Mariano and Sonya-or angels really. People who love me unconditionally and take care of me. 

2. The things I´m learning here. To be able to think and learn in a way totally different from my own. 

3. The authority that has been restored to the Earth. 

I felt the spirit-the true Spirit of Thanksgiving. 

(My family is an obvious thing I´m grateful for. I love you all soooo much!) 

Love,

Meg