Week 37- Spiritually (and Physically) Fed

Hello everyone!

Well this past week was good! Visiting lots of people and learning lots. Hermana chatwin and i (theres your proper grammar dad ;) ) are really realizing our purpose as missionaries more. We have realized how we should feel about the work and the people and how we shouldnt feel - we shouldnt feel stressed, pressured, or rushed - we should feel at peace with everything. God doesnt want us to feel stressed, and a lot of missionaries forget about that! We have been focusing on our priorities and what the Lord really wants us to do. Last night we had the option of visiting a bunch of different people close by, or just going to the house of the investigator Griselda who lives far away but we are preparing for baptism. We felt like we should go with Griselda, even though that meant only having one lesson, etc etc. But wow it was so inspired that we went there. We had such a spiritual lesson - probably the best ive ever had on my mission. We were completely focused on her and we really followed the spirit, and we really helped her understand how she is going to recieve her answer. She has her baptismal date for this weekend, but she says that she doesnt feel ready. So we are praying a lot for her so that we can help her feel what God wants her to do.

A cool experience happened last week - we were walking to an appointment and i saw a lady on the side of the road with a little girl. For some reason, the thought came into my mind, That woman is a daughter of God. And God wants us to talk to all of his children to help them come unto him. That thought came really strongly into my mind, but i didnt stop to talk to her because we were hurrying to another house. But i was feeling bad that i didnt talk to her, and then like an hour later we were talking with someone outside of their house and she passed by me! So i excused myself from who we were talking with and ran after her! Haha i knew that God wanted me to talk to her if he gave me two chances. She was then with two of her sons, and they said we could pass by her house any time. So then i told my comp what happened and we both felt like we should go right then. Luckily her house was really close and we saw where she went, and we went and had a really really good lesson with her and her family. So that was a good lesson - if we feel we should talk to someone we really need to. Because heavenly Father isnt always going to give us that second chance.

So on sunday i was the fullest i have ever been in my life....we ate a really yummy lunch of arroz con pollo and frijoles, with arroz con leche for dessert, and we were breaking our fast so we ate a lot and left feeling extremely full. Then we went to recent converts house who are an older couple, and they had invited us earlier to come and eat soup, but when we got there we were like, We just wanted to pass by and say hi! And she said, Oh you dont want any soup...okay.... so we had to say, No of course we want some! So she gave us a bunch of soup and it was delicious but so painful to eat. Oh my i dont think ive ever been so full.

So weve been working with Ginia and Yuleiki, a mom and her daughter who i wrote about them coming to church and Ginia getting a blessing. Well ginia is so ready to be baptized and wants to do it as soon as possible, and last week we moved up the date for this sunday, the 8th, and of course the day before church they all got violently ill! Throwing up and all these crazy things. Satan will do anything to push back baptisms! But we know that they will still get baptized and that everything will be alright. They are so prepared and excited to take this step. Ginia just loves the church and the book of mormon and everything, and whenever we talk about it she is just so happy.

Hermana Chatwin and I have realized that we are here to help people prepare to meet God. Everything we do is centered on the plan of salvation. That is why we are here on the earth, to prepare to return to live with God. Thats the only important thing - becoming more like Jesus Christ and growing closer to our heavenly father.

Well thank you all for everything and i love you lots! Have a great week!

Ice cream to celebrate 9 months!

At the catholic Basilica in Cartago

The catholic Basilica in Cartago 

Our apartemento

Our kitchen

Our bedroom and my bed on the bottom - haha

Week 36- Halfway Mark

Hello everybody!

This week was reaalllyy good. We worked super hard and visited a ton of people and felt really good about what we did. We are continuing to see miracles everyday. Dissappointments everyday as well, but the miracles outweigh everything else. Everytime a person rejects the gospel or decides they dont want any more, we find someone else who is prepared. We just have to declare the gospel clearly to everyone so that we are not held accountable for their decision, and so that they can understand the choice they are making. 

This week i complete 9 months! The halfway mark. Honestly thats so weird. Some might think, only halfway? 9 more months? but no. The second half just flies by even more than the first, and it kind of scares me! Haha but it is exciting to have made it this far! ;) 

How you know youve been in the mission for 9 months:

-You can honestly say your favorite movie is Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration

-You have no idea about current music, movies, politics, or anything at all (which is a blessing really!)

-Youve forgotten how to speak correctly in your native language

(we were visiting a blind guy a few weeks ago and when he heard my spanish he thought i was from guatamala...woohoo!)

-You feel weird when you dont eat rice and beans

-You forgot what its like to wear pants

-You know without a doubt that this is Christs true church and are so happy to be partaking of the blessings that we are able to recieve because of the gospel! :)

Theres lots more, but those are the basics ;)
Me and hermana chatwin have a lot of people that we are preparing to be baptized in march. One hermana, Ginia and her daughter yuleki, are on date for my birthday :) They came to church on sunday and Ginia loved it, and afterwards she was talking to some people about her son and just broke down crying, because her son is involved in a lot of bad things and he treats her really badly. So we ended up having an hermano give her a priesthood blessing. It was so amazing to feel the spirit that was there. And it was also amazing to feel the support of the members - that guy had never met her in his life, and gave a blessing so specific and personal for her. She said that she cant wait to be baptized :)

Yesterday was a fun pday! We ordered subway (yes, ordered - they have people on motorcycles that bring the food how awesome is that) and watched The Testaments, another mission classic. Then we went with a member and made skirts with the fabric that we picked out! So fun. Shes gonna make us like three each. Yay for more skirts!

I have found out some great news from nicoya: Gustavo is now the Ward Mission Leader! Like what?!?! I am so shocked and unbelievably happy for them. Jakeline is a counselor in the primary and is loving it. (this family got baptized my first weekend in the mission and i fought the whole 8 months i was in nicoya to keep them active!) They are going to be interviewed this week to go to the temple! And i will be here to go with them! :) So happy!!

Well everyone, thanks for you support! I love you all and this gospel is true! Thank you for everything!

Con mucho amor, Hermana Geis 

Elder's baptism

With Graciela and one of the skirts she made!

Me and Hermana Chatwin wearing our new skirst!