Week 48- Meet the Mormons

Hello everyone!

So this week was crazy as always but good!

Its been super interesting having a mini missionary, because she hasnt been to the MTC or anything so everything is really new to her. But she is so awesome! Seriously im way impressed by all that she does. 

On tuesday we had a zone conference, and those are always really great but also sometimes stressful, because you realize all the things you arent doing right haha. So i was feeling a little overwhelmed afterwards, and asked the elders to give me a blessing. So they did and it was amazing. They blessed me with exactly what i needed, and literally right afterwards i felt an immense relief. I had never felt such a big difference from a blessing so fast. Words started going through my head like ¨Everything is going to be okay¨ and i could just feel so much comfort. So i was extremely greatful for the priesthood power that we have in the church and the love of heavenly father that we can always feel.

This week it started to rain! And its a lot different from the rain in nicoya. Here its suuuper windy and suuuper cold. So as it was downpouring we were walking up a huge hill to a recent converts house and we were just completely drenched. So she dried our clothes for us haha and gave us hot chocolate.

Yesterday we were blessed with a very special experience. Last week hermana chatwin did a contact in the bus with a man named Carlos. He started telling her his life story about his sick wife and how he really needed help and comfort. So she invited him to church, and guess what, he totally came to church! And he lives super far away. So he came to church last sunday and he just loved it, and everyone was super nice to him and he said he felt very ¨gozoso¨ or joyful. Me and hermana soto went and visited him on wednesday, and he lives in a beautiful place called Pacayas. Its completely green mountains and its so beautiful. His wife has MS, and she is in extreme pain. She has been in bed for 12 years and they are both affected a lot mentally and emotionally. They were saying how sometimes they wish she can just pass on so she wont be in pain anymore. We went and taught them a lesson and they loved it, and both accepted to be baptized. Carlos had originally said that his wife wouldnt accept anything, but she told us, ¨Its like our eyes are closed, and when you come its like they are opening little by little.¨ 

So last night we went with some members who live close by. And it was an extremely spiritual experience. The members talked about how even though this is an extremely hard trial, it can bring their family together and they can have an even stronger love for each other. Carlos was saying how he wanted to be able to share experiences with his wife and take her out and all these things, but they cant do that. The member promised Carlos, through tears, that when they both pass on to the next life, he will be able to look back and see that it was all worth it, and say that he would do it 100 times over again to be with her forever. He then gave them both a blessing of comfort, and it was extremely spiritual. Its moments like those where i realize what an important mission we have here, and that we can change peoples lives and give them a hope that they have never felt before.

Last night, as we were totaling up our numbers for the week i was feeling really bad, and feeling that we could have done so much better. So as we were praying i asked Heavenly Father to forgive us for what we hadnt done. And as i said that, i felt such a strong feeling of warmth and peace. It was soo strong. And i felt like i didnt deserve that feeling! Because i really felt so bad for our efforts. Because even though i tried, i felt like i really fell so short. But i realized that Heavenly Father wasnt mad about what we hadnt done. And of course He is never going to angry with us, but sometimes we feel that way you know? The only explanation for why i felt that is because he loves me. Even when we dont deserve it, He loves us. So that was an extremely special experience for me, and i know that even when we make mistakes and arent perfect, He will be there with loving arms, ready to embrace us when we ask Him.

Today for Pday we got to go to the mission office and watch Meet the Mormons! Oh my gosh i love that movie so much! There are so many amazing people in this world. If you havent seen the movie, please go watch it! It tells amazing stories of different people from all around the world. And it made me miss america! hahaha watching the part about the football coach made me miss football so much... so then after the movie i got to hang out with hermana chatwin again! We always think we arent gonna see each other for a long time but then we always see each other! Haha its great.

So anways things are good :) learning lots as always. Learning a lot of priceless things that i will never forget. Thank you all for everything and i really love you all a lot!

Con muchisimo amor,

Hermana Geis

Zona de Cartago (Cartago Zone)

With Hermana Soto

In foggy Pacayas!

Week 47- Companionless!

Hello everyone!

So this week was without a doubt the craziest week of my entire mission. Why?

Because my companion went home :( 

She was just really sick, and had to go home. It was really really hard, but i know that everything happens for a reason.

So thankfully i was able to go with hermana chatwin and her companion in their area! It was soo fun to be back with hermana chatwin. The office was trying to find a mini missionary (a member from the country who could go on a mission for a short amount of time) and they found one, but then they cancelled, and they had no idea what they were going to do with me! So hermana chatwin ended up being able to come with me to cartago for a few days! While her companion stayed with other missionaries in their area. It was seriously the weirdest thing ever, to be back in cartago together again. So crazy. But i was SO grateful because we had a lot of spiritual experiences and saw some miracles. I was so grateful to have a friend through all this. We had no idea what was going on or how long we would have to wait to get me a comp or anything. But finally they found someone willing to come out for a month! So we went to the office today to pick her up :) And she is seriously the cutest thing ever! She is SO excited to be here, and i am so lucky to have her as a companion for this short time. She just got her mission call a week ago, to New York New York! That is extreemely rare for someone from central america to get called even out of central america, so we know she must be very special! So she is super excited to learn english, and really wants me to help her with that haha. She already understands and speaks a little bit so she will be great. She dropped a lot of things to come out here for just a month, so i am very happy she made the decision to come.

All that has happened has made me feel a little bit of stress, and if theres one thing i have learned you cannot be stressed and happy at the same time! So i am trying to just trust the Lord completely and do my part. Something that hermana Chatwin and I realized is that even though we may make a lot of mistakes and even if we are not the perfect missionary, we have learned how to be good members of the Church. I have learned that literally nothing matters, except for what Heavenly Father wants us to do. I have seen a lot of people that we have taught let fear of the world or selfishness get the best of them. I just know without a doubt that if we put God first in our life, he will bless us. It doesnt matter what we think or want...it only matters what He wants. We should never justify breaking a commandment or putting the things of the world over that of the things of God. 

So anyways i hope you all put God as the first thing in your life. You will see the blessings of it, i promise you.

I love you all sooo much and thank you for everything :)

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Geis

With Hermana Chatwin again!

Talking with the fam on Mother's Day

With my new comp, Hermana Soto!