The Sisterhood of the Missionary Pants, Yes They Have Arrived!

I HAVE A YEAR IN THE MISSION!!!! 12 months as a Missionary!!! I CANT BELIEVE IT!!

...So here are 10 things that I have learned:

1. No one can say the name ZERILLI correctly in Spanish!

2. It is possible to eat rice everyday for 365 days

3. It is impossible to teach the gospel without the Spirit!

4. The sun dyes hair for free in Costa Rica

5. If you don't know a Spanish word...you can kinda just make one up and the people will go along with it!

6. It takes more than a year to read The Book of Mormon in Spanish (I just got out of 1st Nephi, uush!!)

7. I love teaching The Great Apostacy (is that what its called?)

8. Time flies when you're having fun!!

9. The mission is NOT about numbers

10. God loves and is aware of all of his children, even those here in this little country of Costa Rica. I can feel his love and I see his hand every day!

I seriously LOVE being a missionary!!! It's amazing and I wouldn't have traded this last year for anything...not even Disneyland! 

So this week started out a little rough. Tuesday, we went to the hospital for Hermana Pacay. Her knees were so inflamed that we had to go. The doctor ended up injecting steroids into both knees and put her on medication and a 15 day rest. SOOOO Hermana Zerilli was a little out of work all this week. We tried really hard to work with members. Hermana Pacay would stay at a members house and I would work with someone else. I am so grateful for loving members who wanted to help us out and are going to continue helping us this week!! It was tough though, not to work all the time. Not gonna lie, the stress is getting to me but I know that the lord knows my desire to work and I just need to be patient. 

Friday I celebrated my one year in the mission, and we had the opportunity to do 2 service projects! In the first, we helped members build a house!! We nailed and painted! It was really fun. My poor companion had to sit there and watch :( Then in the second...we sanded down walls so that they could paint. Yeah it sounds like real labor haha but we turned it into a fake Color Festival and threw dust on each other...that's how you make things fun!! haha After, my companion bought me a pizza for dinner. I was happy haha!

The Sisterhood of the Missionary Pants, yes, our pants are in! Don't hold back the cheers! They are definitely different, LOL! I will be proud to say that I was here in Costa Rica when the church laid out a historical plan for Sister Missionaries to wear pants to help protect them against deadly diseases! Also thankful to the Elders who don't mock the fact that they may be a little short...

Sunday was amazing! We ate lunch with Carol and BF...2 gringos!!!! I love them!! BF actually used to live down the street from VINCE GILLS FAMILY IN LOUISIANA!!! I about died!! We talked country music and ate Sloppy Joes and hot dogs!! I love their accents!! They dont speak very much Spanish and just came here to retire. They live right near waterfalls! We took advantage and I was just like Jane from Tarzan...umbrella and all:) It was slippery and I ALMOST died. Almost, haha. 

Ready for the surprise...so I got a phone call while we were at their house from Pamela and Alan. THEY WERE IN PARAISO!!! THEY CAME TO VISIT ME!!! We ran back (on a bus haha) and they were in the park waiting to see me. I was so surprised and happy!! Pamela was wearing the dress that I left for her and everything!! I love them so much! They told me all about the ward and Hermana Velez and her new companion. Steven is going to seminary. They are so active and I was so happy to hear about all that they are involved in. I can't explain the love I felt and have for them. This is the mission! What a way to end the week!

Last Monday, we were blessed to have Family Home Evening with a sweet gringo family visiting Costa Rica on vacation! These are their beautiful children...it's always great to practice my English, LOL:)

So that was this week's summary. Sorry it's not a lot. This next week will be better I promise :)

Love you all. Look for miracles this week...and write them down! 
PEACE LOVE AND PURA VIDA♥

Think of me on JULY 22nd!! In a year...I've learned, I've grown, I blessed lives and I've been equally blessed by those I serve♥

Whoo, that week went by really fast! Seriously, I don't exactly know what happened! I think I've come to the conclusion that this has been the fastest transfer of my life!! This week is week 5...of 6!! I'm freaking out about that! Oh well. 

So here's what happened!! 

Last Monday, you already have the run down- Pants, Walmart and in the night we had the goodbye party for a missionary from the ward. He will be going to the Dominican Republic... but actually his date got pushed back the day of his farewell. He will be leaving in August. Ooh awkward! Also, I don't know if I included in the details about our new pants, how it's really happening. The Hermana whom President has hired to make our pants looked at us and handed us a pair of pants to try on. I actually felt really good in the pants that I tried on. I was shocked! However the Hermana said. "Wow they look really great! So we are going to make one size larger!" I asked all the other Hermanas and their experiences were the same. So in conclusion, we are looking at really big pants coming in soon, LOL! So is the church gonna buy us belts too? hahaha :)

Tuesday was crazy!!!! We woke up normal. I exercised (30 minutes, 30 sit-ups), showered and sat down for personal study. During study time, we got a phone call from the Zone Leaders. My companion answered and heard, "Hermana Pacay where is your companion?!" "Right here Elder" "Hermana Zerilli where are you, what are you doing?" "I'm home studying...it's personal study time." "You need to come to San Jose, the office. NOW" Sooo...long story short, I was panicked! I threw on shoes and ran out the door without knowing what was going on. The Zone Leaders called every 5 seconds telling us to get in taxis and that my companion was going to have divisions with the Hermanas from Cartago. In the end, I finally asked what was going on. It was a leadership meeting...and they had forgotten to tell me! I was so embarrassed that I was going to have to arrive late. I ended up taking a 30 minute taxi ride to the office....alone! Woah! Talk about weird. I got out of the taxi and felt so vulnerable to danger it was awful! I now understand why Parker wanted to drag Trev everywhere when he first got home. Companion separation anxiety is real!! Well, I got to the office and walked in to find my seat right next to Hermana Arrodando (our substitute Mission President's wife). The meeting was really great! It was different but I felt like I learned a lot. President Arrodando is definitely different than President Hayes in every aspect, but he definitely knows what he is doing. He was a little hard on us but I felt really motivated to work harder. Also, in the middle of the meeting, President Arrodando received a phone call. He came back to tell us that President Hayes is recovering and that he will be coming back in 3-5 weeks!!!! We were all so happy to hear that! We all worry a lot and still pray for his health! 

So I need to tell you all about Fabian. He's great! He's 21 and is the boyfriend of a recent convert. He is an ex Jehovah's Witness (whoo #2 for Hermana Zerilli) but is really interested in learning about the gospel. He hasn't missed a Sunday since I've gotten here. Something that is really great about Fabian is that he asks questions. He really wants to know. This last week we taught him about the Book of Mormon. The Spirit in that lesson was incredible! It strengthened my testimony. He listened and at the end he told us that he had been praying about our message. He told us that he was going to read and pray about The Book of Mormon. He wants it to be true. I can't explain the peace that I have always felt when I have taught The Book of Mormon. It's the truth. That book makes me so happy and has brought me so much peace in my life as I have studied it. I feel my Savior's love more as I study the words that it contains. I testify to you all and to the people of Costa Rica that God has restored His church again to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. That Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God and that it contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel. I love the scriptures, the Bible and The Book of Mormon. If you don't believe me...good. I dont want you to. I want you to read it yourself and pray.:)

Yesterday, Hermana Pacay and I taught Relief Society!! Whoot! I have never done that! Something that I've noticed is that the members here don't teach by experience. It's ok...it's just different. Normally they just read the manual. Seriously, they read EVERY SINGLE PAGE. AMEN! Hermana Pacay and I prayed so much to know what we should say. Our theme was Family History and the temple. Hmm family history...We were a little worried but I have to say that it was the best Relief Society lesson of my entire mission! Haha Hermana Zerilli, It's because you taught it right? NO! It was the best for what I learned from the spirit and from the other Hermanas. We read 1 page in total from the manual and after used pictures, videos and experiences to teach! At the end, we went wayyy over in time as every Hermana wanted to speak! We were all bawling! I have to say, I have never been that into family history. I know, I need to repent and be better. But, after that lesson I feel a strong desire to do it. We all have loved ones waiting on the other side of the veil for us to help them. We are the only ones that can! 

Honestly, this week we had a little bit of trouble in paradise...hahahha, I've been waiting for the right moment to use that one! My sweet companion has had knee problems for a long time and this week she hit rock bottom. Her knees have been inflamed since Wednesday and we couldn't work as much as we would have liked to. Honestly, I felt awful! I felt like I couldn't do anything to help her as she cried about the pain and also I felt like I was failing as a missionary. The awful natural man was telling me that our numbers weren't good enough. However, my companions health is more important! Our area is hills, It's steep and with every step I told her to be careful. She's gonna need her knees in the future!! We went to the pharmacy for injections but they didn't help her. I'm praying that she will get better with a little bit of rest. 

Also, our house is so pretty but everything is wet!! Remember how I was worried about the heat with humidity....no it's the cold and wetness? Like everything gets wet and it doesn't dry! My clothes are molding and I have to wash them all the time! Half of my clothes look black. My bed is even wet at times! I have used my hairdryer at times to attempt to dry things out, and I even purchased a dehumidifier; but nothing seems to help.

Anyway...overall, It was a good week. I'm blown away every day at the miracles in this work! Remember the family...and the screaming grandma? We found the parents in front of the grocery store the other day! They want us to try to teach them again!! They were like "and this is how the Lord works". Exactly! I have no doubt that there are people here yearning to hear about the gospel. There are not enough hours in the day! 

Think of me on JULY 22nd!! A year ago, I entered the PROVO MTC...scared and alone (despite being surrounded by tons of people); yet humbled and determined to serve my Heavenly Father with all my Mind, Might, and Strength! In a year...I've learned, I've grown, I blessed lives and I've been equally blessed by those I serve♥ I now have extended family here in Costa Rica, people whom will forever be a part of my life! I am thankful beyond words, for all of your prayers and words of encouragement! I love you all and pray for you always! 

Read your scriptures, be a friend and...IF YOU SEE A POKEMON IN THE STREET LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE GETTING IT! (yes, that's a thing here too...weirdos haha!)

Love you all!!

Hermana Zerilli♥

I tried this for you Dad...and I failed! I couldn't eat it all! I felt like Louis from Even Stevens...remember that episode? hahahah!

Just another day in Paraiso!

This week was one of those weeks that just seemed to fly by! Monday was really fun! My adopted parents, Rocio and Alejandro, bought us fireworks! We had a family home evening and then did them after. I made chocolate rice krispy treats which really is a foreign concept here and It felt a little like home. I cannot explain to you how happy I was with the fireworks!! People started watching from their houses and screaming "Happy 4th of July!" I went to bed smiling, haha!

Our 4th Of July Rice Krispy Treat Cake!

Rocio and Alejandro trying the chocolate rice crispy treats I made! 

Celebrating 4th of July in Costa Rica with Gringos, I was so happy!

This week was what Moroni likes to call the "Trial of faith." Hahaha! I have learned in the mission that after every stellar week...The Lord shows us challenges so that we can be humble and grow. He obviously does that because He loves us, nonetheless, it's still tough. This week, we knocked doors for days... We showed up for appointments just for them to not be home. Then, we had one the WORST experiences of my mission. 

So, last Friday we were in the park at night. I felt like I needed to talk to a dad and his 2 boys that were going to pass by us. Luckily, they talked to me first. In English they said "Hey how are you!" That's about as far as our English conversation went. However, they were really interested in learning about the church. It was a sincere desire and I felt it. We took down their name and direction and went home. This week, Wednesday, I called to see if we could go visit them. The dad said that he was working but that Thursday, the next day, we could. We were happy with that and kept working. We visited a new area to look for new investigators and stopped to take a picture. We received a phone call in that exact moment from one of the sons from this family. He said that we were right in front of their house! We had no clue! Inspiration? I think so! So we went over to see this family working in front of the house. They were building a gate...that's why we couldn't visit them. We met the mom and other members of the family. 12 family members live at that house! I WAS IN MISSION AWE. (Parker remember how you told me that I just needed to find a family of 12 christians? hahahaha) Well, we met them and then left planing to go back Thursday. And we did! WE got there and the little boys came running in because they were so excited to learn. We had the whole family there gathered around perfectly. I felt really good and excited about the lesson. The man's mom came out to meet us because she hadn't and she told us to go on teaching and that she was going to be cleaning in the kitchen. We started to sing "Families can be together forever"--Mid chorus, while everyone was signing and the spirit was so strong, BOOM SATAN! The mom came back out screaming "WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO BE HERE PREACHING IN MY HOUSE. I OWN THIS HOUSE....." The man stood up and said "OK leave" and he went on working with his electric saw immediately. She continued to scream at us about how she's a minister and blah blah blah, while all we heard was the saw in the background. He did not want to hear his mom that's for sure! After, they apologized and said that they had our number. I'm not going to lie, we left with tears:( IT was rough being so excited and feeling the spirit so strong and then having to leave like that. It's ok though, one day they will know!

Thursday, my companion and I had to go to the office for her cedula (license to be here legally). We were a group of about 10 missionaries, and about 10 from the other mission (Costa Rica San Jose West) came too! OK funny story... Practically all of the other missionaries were gringos so I went to go talk to them. I was speaking English and they were responding in Spanish. I finally got to the point where i just asked them why they weren't speaking English. They told me that they can't! The minute that they step foot out of their apartment everyday, they can't speak English. Hahaha good luck to every single one of them when they go home. also, they can't drink coke! So everyone from our mission went and bought Coke...its a little cruel but was really funny in the moment. One table of Coke and the other of apple juice. HAHA! 

Saturday we had a ward mission activity! There were 2 sessions, 9am and 2pm. We were put in companionship and went out looking for the less actives of the ward. Each companionship needed to contact the people, invite them to church, and then ask references for us. It was awesome! The first time I was with Hermana Sabrina! Her step son is serving in Riverside California!! Her family is so cute! Her husband is Filipino and was born in the States, so her whole family speaks English. She asked me a lot about BYU and we talked about how much we love the States WOOT. The second round I was with my comp hahaha. We recieved a direction for a bar...yeah that was weird. Haha, I think the people moved. Overall, the activity was amazing. It was great seeing the members come together to reach out to the less actives♥ 

Today was P-day and all of the hermanas needed to go to Cartago to meet with a hermana from Heredia who is going to make all of our pants!!!!! She had us try a size on and then said..."ok its perfect! So we are going to make a size bigger for you!" Hahahaha no seriously! They are so worried that these pants are going to be tight that they are making them big. But hey things are happening, LOL. 

Hermana Pacay, Hermana Freeze, Hermana Mendoza and I went exploring Cartago today since we were there. We went to the famous ruins! They were pretty but are closed on Monday...OH NARDS!

The Ruins of Cartago!

Praying to a Saint...haha, with respect:)

When they don't let you into the kingdom...

We ate at KFC...dad I think of you every time, Then guess what....WE WENT TO WALLY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH! THERE ARE ONLY 2 WALMARTS IN ALL OF COSTA RICA AND ONE OF THEM IS IN CARTAGO!!!!!!! To say that Herman freeze and I were happy is an understatement. I bought everything that I needed to and that I haven't been able to buy for almost a year. Can we say fruit snacks? Yeah, they don't exist here...sad childhood these kids are having. The Walmart workers laughed as we ran through the parking lot and even went as far to take pictures. Cartago really is a Holy town. It's true what they say hahah:) 

We found Walmart!! It was a great day!! The employees at Walmart were laughing as we ran through the parking lot and took photos in front of Walmart

Anyway...I'm looking forward to this week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! You are the best in the world. 

I love you all. Be good and read your scriptures!

Umm...I just wanted a jelly candy...GOOD THING I LOOKED!

My home away from home... It's actually very nice!