Even In The Midst Of Worry, My Heart Was Full Of Thanks-

Hey everyone,

Honestly, I don’t even know where to start. I think first off, I just want to thank every single person that prayed and fasted that those who live in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama could be protected from Hurricane Otto! This week was a mix of emotions but mainly I’m just grateful, and with it being the week of Thanksgiving, I think that it is fitting!

This week we had a lot of firsts…

Starting off, we had our district meeting in Turrialba for the first time which is another area here in Cartago. Remember the volcano that was exploding? Yeah, that is in Turrialba! To get there, we had to take a bus up in the mountains on a REALLY WINDY ROAD! The trip is a little more than an hour and we did it standing up! Oh my gosh, Hemana Martinez and I were going to throw up! Haha, But we got there safely and felt better. The district meeting was great but after we had to return home and it was really late. We got back with only enough time to visit one person. So, we were able to go visit Lidieth, Yudiet, Junior and Dayana. That was when we saw Otto for the first time! We got to their house and they were watching the news. We were really shocked to see a hurricane on its way to Costa Rica! I’ve never been in a hurricane so to be completely honest, I don’t think I processed exactly what was happening. Ahhhh! Yeah, I was totally calm...for the moment:)

Wednesday, we visited people as normal and we were able to serve in a lot of ways. I cooked cannelloni!!! Whoo for being Italian! They actually eat cannelloni a lot here but they put different things in them. We put tuna in these ones! I had never eaten tuna cannelloni before but it was good!! Then, when we were with Rocio and Alejandro we saw that the Hurricane had gotten a lot worse. They were saying that the hurricane was going to hit Costa Rica at 11 in the morning on Thanksgiving Day. We were able to share a message with them which was Helaman 5:12. Honestly, we were really worried at this point. Not because we live in an area close to where the hurricane was going to hit but because it was going to do a lot of destruction to the country and we worried for the people. We went to the store immediately after and bought candles and made sure that we had water. We wanted to make sure that we were prepared for any emergency. 

Thursday (Thanksgiving) came and we were totally okay!! We had a moment where we were a little nervous. The wind was really strong in the morning and the tree in front of our house, the branches started breaking. However, after about 30 minutes, everything was okay. No wind, rain or fog. It was all clear! However, we kept receiving messages from the news channels saying that we needed to be careful all day. We were mostly worried about the other missionaries in dangerous areas and our converts. I was so worried about Pococi, my last area. That’s when I received a phone call from a special person. Milenna called me!!! I recognized her voice from the minute I heard it! She told me that my Mom was worried and that she had been talking with her. I was SO grateful for that! Then she told me that so many at home who had missionaries in the field had been fasting their Thanksgiving for the protection of their children. I started bawling! No joke my heart broke! I couldn’t believe what was happening. I partially felt selfish that I was okay and others were suffering. We continued praying all day that things would be ok. Especially when we heard of the earthquake that took place in El Salvador, my companion’s home. It was so strong that many in Costa Rica felt it, and the coast was put on tsunami warning.

We ate lunch with the Wilkinson family which was awesome. We were able to speak English for a while and eat good yummy stuffing, potatoes, and hamburgers!! Then at night, Sabrina invited us over for a yummy dinner! I was so happy to be eating ham!! Hahaha, I am so beyond grateful for my “family” here that looks out for us. Emotionally, physically, spiritually...I felt so loved all day! Even in the midst of worry, my heart was full of thanks-

Well, Friday we woke up with mixed emotions. We saw the destruction that caused the death of 9 people and the loss of possessions, and we felt awful. This is my second home! I couldn’t believe what had happened. However, immediately my Ward started collecting food that they could send to the people who were affected. I love the church’s focus on helping and serving! We also had a baptism this day!!

Junior, Dayana and Yudiet were baptised Friday night. President, Hermana Hayes and their daughter Haley were able to attend it. Random fact, the only other time that President and Hermana Hayes have attended one of my baptisms was EXACTLY A YEAR AGO, in Aserri! Haley was here also to celebrate thanksgiving, that’s when I met her. When they came to this baptism, I felt that everything was right. Haha, The service was so spiritual! Priests that are going to be serving missions this next year were able to baptize them. (One of them named Daniel opened his mission call yesterday and will be heading to Spain in April!)  Dayana, Junior and Yudiet were nervous but excited. I am so proud of them and for their desires to follow Christ and keep learning about His gospel. I am very happy with the opportunity that we had to watch them enter the waters of baptism. 

Sunday morning, I found out about the loss of a member in Pococi whom I had truly come to love. I loved her and her family!  We visited them often. She lost her battle to cancer and this news hurt me so badly and still does. However, I am beyond happy to know that she was able to enter the Temple to be sealed with her family for time and all eternity on November 9th. That was her only desire, to go to the Tempe! I KNOW that she will be with her husband and their 4 children again. I know that is what calms my heart about everything that happened this week. Bad things may happen. We may have trials and challenges. We may lose a loved one. But the gospel still stands! God loves His children and He will live up to His promises. For that, we can always be happy in the end. 

This scripture sums it all up perfectly…

Helaman 5:12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I love you all and I am thankful for this past week. I am thankful for a specific day to be thankful! I am thankful for my knowledge that our Heavenly Father is in charge of everything! That we all can remember, that is my prayer♥  Let’s have a good week and start December right! 

With Love, Hermana Zerilli

The baptisms of Dayana, Junior and Yudiet, with President and Hermana Hayes...

We celebrated with caldosas!!! Caldosa = ceviche + picaritas (I like the shrimp and octopus ceviche the best)

My area, Cartago, Thanksgiving morning before Hurricane Otto hit Costa Rica.

The weather outside of our house the day after the hurricane

My 2 Thanksgiving meals. With the 2 combined, we had the entire thanksgiving feast going!

Us with Haley... I love all of the Hayes daughters!

Letter home from President Ron Sparks of the Costa Rica Temple

Good evening Sister Zerilli, 

I am Ron Sparks. I am a counselor in the Costa Rica Temple and my assignment takes me to different wards and stake conferences every week.  As you can see last Sunday my wife and I were in the Cartago Stake conference and we met your lovely daughter.  One of my pleasures in life is observing the young missionaries as they serve and it was a great pleasure for me to observe your daughter in action.  Her smile in the picture is not put on just for the picture, that is how she looked as she worked with the members and investigators in the conference.  I don't think I have ever seen more excitement and enthusiasm for the work than your daughter had.  She was everywhere talking with everyone, it was easy to see the love she has for the costa rican people and I assure you that they return that Iove to your daughter.  Her Spanish impressed me, she understood what they were saying and she freely expressed herself to them in a beautiful way.  Her command of the language is very good.

  
I know you love your daughter and are very proud of her and if you could have witnessed what I did Sunday your love and admiration for your daughter would multiply.
I know you are excited about her coming home in 2 months (she has mixed feelings) but she is not letting anything slow her down.  I believe she will work hard right up to the end.

Thanks for helping your daughter serve in the Costa Rica Mission.
President Ron Sparks,  Costa Rica Temple

"Missionaries are the Angels who begged The Lord to send them to Earth to share the Gospel"

Hey everyone!! 

Another great week!!! 

Hermana Martinez and I have overcome the cold that was holding us down!! So thankful for blessings!! I'm really happy about it because IT'S FREEZING!!! It's been raining every day!! I love sleeping to the sound of rain but walking every day out in the rain is a downer:( If I'm dying from the cold here I don't know what's going to happen when I get home!!

So, we had divisions with the hermanas this week!! I was able to work with Hermana Cook!! She's from Sacramento too!! She lives close to Stockton!! It was really fun. It was my second time working with another gringa and it's definitely an interesting experience. The people look at us like we are different and they always scream "hello!" but it's fun haha! 

So we received actually quite a few references this week which is AMAZING!! References rock. Seriously. One of them was particularly interesting and it came from the Elders. A lady named Paula texted them asking for our number. The Elders had given her a pass-along card with their number A YEAR AGO. This past week she texted them asking for our number because she now wants to receive the lessons and her brother too. What a miracle!! 

Sometimes we find pass-along cards thrown in the street. It's incredible that this hermana still has one that she received a year ago!!! So, Hermana Cook and I were in contact with Paula Friday and after a lot of bad communication, we made a plan to meet up in front of a taco restaurant so that she could show us where she lived at 7 pm. We went and waited...and waited..and waited. We were stood up!! Hahaha she didn't come and she didn't answer her phone!! We laughed and figured something happened. It was hilarious. We had looked at every lady that walked buy thinking, "Paula?" hahaha!  She ended up messaging us at 9 saying that she was held up in work and her phone died! It was a pretty funny experience though. We are still looking forward to meeting Paula. 

We ended the night eating ice cream for Hermana Cook's year in the mission!! I can't believe it! I remember when she got here!! That's when I trained Hermana Tejeda!! Time flies!!

Yesterday we had Stake Conference. It was the most spiritual Stake Conference of my mission!!! We were able to hear from the Stake Presidency, Elder and Hermana Sparks (Temple President and his wife), President and Hermana Hayes, the Patriarch, and our Bishop. Every single one of them exhorted us to change. We are to keep the Sabbath Day Holy, go to the temple, study the scriptures and do missionary work! It was the perfect setting. Even while singing the hymns, I felt the Spirit so strong. 

President Hayes left a huge impression on everyone. Once again he bore strong testimony about the Prophet, the scriptures and about our responsibility as missionaries. Just as he did 6 months ago, he had us all stand up where we were and he bore fervent testimony of the work that we are here to do. I just love the mission. What more can I say? I felt the Spirit so strong as he spoke for all of us and shared our love for the Savior and for his restored gospel...and I feel it now as I am thinking of what happened and as I'm typing these words. I want everyone in this area, the members, my investigators, everyone to know how much I love my Savior and that I am willing to do whatever it takes to bring this gospel to my Heavenly Father's children. The Patriarch, who helps all of us missionaries regularly, also testified and encouraged others to see us differently. He said that missionaries are the angels who begged The Lord to send them to the Earth to share the gospel. I'm honored and humbled to even hear him say that! The mission is a beautiful thing and a huge blessing in my life. We as missionaries are here to help the members receive the blessings of missionary work! I have seen amazing progress in my area in these past few weeks. I am excited for what more is to come! 

    

I hope everyone enjoys this week and has a very Happy Thanksgiving!! Along with a HUGE list of everything I'm thankful for all of you, and for your love and support!! 

Love,

Hermana Zerilli

Our Christmas tree!!! when it's all lit it's beautiful!!! We have our 2 little stockings on the tree.

The coolest thing ever is when you get to Stake Conference IN COSTA RICA and someone from from your actual home ward is there. It's always great to see cha(se)...uhh, Elder Abel. :)

Divisions this week, ice cream and celebrating Hermana Cook! 

Our Christmas Wonderland Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

IT'S BEEN RAINING EVERY DAY!!! Honestly, dry doesn't exist mom...it's freezinggg!!!!!

I want to feel that my Heavenly Father is pleased with me and I know that if I give everything that I've got up until the end, I will.

Happy Monday!!! 

This week Hermana Martinez and I passed with a little bit of cough, stuffy nose, plugged ears and fever. Whoo!! Finally!! I have been blessed with good health the majority of my mission. It was about time. 'Im just happy that we are both feeling better. There is no kind of sorrow like when you enter someone's house to teach them about the gospel and you are sneezing and coughing the entire time. We are here to share messages, not germs! 

This past Tuesday we had our Zone Conference in the Mission Office. Honestly, it was such an inspiring experience. We were taught by our leaders and by Hermana and President Hayes. Hermana Martinez and I even had the opportunity to teach! We prayed a lot about our topic and we decided to teach about humility (yes I'm obsessed haha!) and unity within our companionships. When it was time to get up and teach preside'nt said "Hermanas please teach us and everyone is going to listen...even if you are sick." Haha we had to laugh! Im grateful for the chance that we had to teach about these topics and that this time, I taught with my companion. She is SO great! We were able to share many experiences from our own companionship because we wanted the zone to know that are testimonies are based off of our experiences. We hope that we were able to help the missionaries here in Cartago.

Now more than ever, I am determined to be even more obedient and consecrated to the work. President Hayes has been teaching us in these past few months about the blessings that we can receive if we are worthy and I know that he wants every missionary in the mission to receive these blessing. He made that point in the Zone Conference. At the end of the Zone Conference he looked at all of us and one by one called out a few of us telling us to stand up. He called my name and I was caught off guard. He told us that this was our LAST zone conference that we were ever going to have! Then as he looked us each in the eyes and challenged each of us to work as hard as we possibly can until our very last day. As I stood there, I felt a little bit everything. Desire to cry, throw up and the Spìrit that told me that that is exactly what I need to do with my last 6 weeks in the mission. Work as hard as I possibly can. I want to feel that my Heavenly Father is pleased with me and I know that if I give everything that I've got up until the end, I will.

I have been feeling extremely blessed in these past few weeks. My companion and I have been seeing miracles. Every week we have been having investigators in church with us and they truly are progressing to baptism. This past week we had another lesson with Antonio. We taught about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the Restoration of the Priesthood. After listening to us he said "Everything that you have shared with me has truth to it. I have been studying the Bible deeper since you have been teaching me, looking for answers and I have seen connections. The Priesthood is like in the times of  Aaron and Melkezidik. This church is doing everything right. It seems to me like it is the true church." I can't tell you the sense of peace and true joy that a missionary feels when they hear their investigator testifying with them. This man knows so incredibly much about the scriptures. He's studied them for years. He looked at the Book of Mormon, read 2 verses in Chapter 12 of 3 Nephi and accepted it. He's going to read it. I've had a good number of people reject the Book of Mormon during my mission. Who refuse to read it saying that it doesn't talk about Christ or that it contradicts the Bible. To them I say, you can't know that if you don't read it and if you read it you'll know that what you are saying isn't true! Miracles are happening everywhere in Paraiso!! I'm very happy! 

Oh and I never explained this photo!

So, I was studying in Preach My Gospel last week about how to find new investigators. One of the ideas is to go about doing good!! This means service! So, what happened is that we were coming back from a part of our area that is about an hour away by bus. We had had an amazing family home evening with members, they invited their friends and everything. We came back to Paraiso and got off the bus, 2 seconds later in front of our eyes we saw a huge accident! A tank truck went scraping a car at a stop sign as it went driving down the street. Basically, the car went out a little too far to see if someone was coming so that he could pass and this truck came strolling down. It was a loud sound as the truck tried to avoid the car, unsuccessfully, and metal went flying everywhere! It was an awful sight! When the truck stopped and everyone got out ok, we saw that the accident had caused a huge problem. The cars at this street could not see oncoming cars from the other side. The space on the street was incredibly small and we predicted more accidents as cars tried to pass. That's when I thought "This is my chance to serve" For a good 30 minutes I stood there directing traffic. Telling cars to wait as others passed and trying to make everything ok until the police showed up. Cars drove by screaming "gracias" and calling me the traffic director. It was fun and actually quite rewarding. I was scared to leave for safety of the other people but in the end everything was alright. I felt like I made my Dad proud, haha, and I mean how often do you see a Mormon Missionary directing traffic at the site of an accident? haha:)

I love you all so much and pray for you every day! Lets have another good and healthy week!!

♥Hermana Zerilli

Cartago Zone Conference...

It's incredible how EVERYTHING happens in the Lord's time!

I am glad that everyone is safely back to land (Dad, Mom & Anthony). I was praying a lot for your safety this week. Someone had told me that an airplane in Chicago had an accident or something and it scared me so bad. I'm glad that everyone made it back!!

This week was another great one! 

Tuesday, we were able to have an awesome family home evening with Lidieth and Junior. The rest of the family couldn't come but that's ok. Hermana Sabrina offered to have it at her house. She even was willing to drive 15 minutes to pick them up and drive us all home after. The lesson was about The Word of Wisdom. We had planned on teaching but when we got started, Sabrina had planned the entire lesson! What a blessing! We were in awe! She taught the lesson so well asking for participation from her little 4 year old daughter. It was great. We could tell that Lidieth was comfortable in the family home evening. Hermana Sabrina has helped us so much with this family. Yesterday, she helped us bring the kids, Judieth, Dayana and Junior to church! The 3 of them could attend, we were so excited! Young Women's and primary received them really well and they are all asking about their baptisms! We feel really good about where we are with them right now.

Another miracle this week. A Hermana in our ward sent us a text last Monday at night, after we had gone home. Honestly, we were both feeling a little sucky. We had just had a lesson with a less active where she got angry and told us not to come back. She basically is not ready to accept the gospel back in her life yet. Tha'ts ok but it was awful! I cried:( I'm not used to experiences like that. I know that with time, the Lord will soften her heart. 

I was kinda feeling like a bad missionary after that when this Hermana texted us. Her family is from El Salvador and recently her Uncle, Antonio, has come to live with them. This is a family of 11. They are all members but he's not. He has been attending church for about a month now but the family has not wanted to put any type of pressure on him. They even told the bishop to not send anyone, including missionaries to the house. So the Hermana texted us saying to call Tuesday about when we could go teach him. Turns out, Antonio said that he wanted us to teach him!! 

My companion and I said a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for the miracle that we had earlier been praying for. We had peace of mind after a rough situation. We have taught him 2 times and he went to church again yesterday. He is awesome!!! He has attended faithfully, the Pentecostal church up until this point, but through prayer and the examples of his sister and his family; he has felt that its time to investigate the church. He is so spiritual, always sharing his testimony and experiences, and knows SO much about the scriptures! He's read almost the entire Gospel Principles Book! The spirit is so strong in the lessons. It's incredible how EVERYTHING happens in the Lord's time!

I was grateful for the opportunity that I had to fast this week. I really felt that the Lord was hearing my prayers the entire time and I know that we will continue to see miracles. 

I have been fighting with a nasty cold all week and the cough hasn't gone away. Everyone here LOVES natural remedies and I've tried everything. Recently I've drank a lot of hot lemon, ginger and honey. I haven't really been sick-sick all of my mission so it's finally hit me. I'll be okay though! Feels more like winter at home! LOL!

Oh! Hermana Martinez and I are SO stoked for Christmas that we decorated our house! Pictures will be included this next week. 

Also, when I get home I just want chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pie and Paula's cheesecake. They dont even know what Philadelphia Cream Cheese is in this country!

I love you all and I'm thankful for every single one of you! 

Since I've been sick, Hermana Yamilet gave me a scarf to keep warm...and the Santa hats just fit. We taught the lesson like that I'm still really hurting. My throat is the problem. I had a problem with my ear and fever and everything but that went away Wednesday. Now I'm still living with a NASTY cough. It makes me exhausted! 

This week directing traffic

"Humility is not thinking LESS of yourself but thinking of yourself LESS."

We handed out Halloween treats to everyone we meet in the street, whether they say Trick or treat OR NOT!
#mormonmafia (yeah, I heard about that)

Hey everyone!!! 

Mom, Dad and Anthony, I hope that you are enjoying your cruise!!! Be safe! 

This week was really a great one. After big changes in the mission sometimes we have to adjust and go with the flow. That’s how it has been for us! Not too much happened during this week but we saw some great miracles!! We received references from our investigators that we visited and it turns out, they are golden! That made us happy to find new investigators. We also were able to do acts of service many times throughout the week. I think in general, this week made me grateful for a new start, week 1 of the change, new goals, and prayer! My companion and I have been praying and will continue to pray for the guidance we need for this next 6 weeks and for NOVEMBER!

I love how the mission has given me a better understanding of prayer. I had a district leader that emphasized that prayer is a communion with God. That’s so real! If we don’t feel like He is on the other side listening, we need to change something! I know that Heavenly Father HEARS and ANSWERS our prayers. I don’t know how he does it all, but he does. It’s funny how many of my friends emailed me this week mentioning prayer too! It’s so so soooo important that we are praying. Especially in the mission, when I’m stuck or I don’t know what to do, I know that I can get on my knees and pray and that Heavenly Father will help me.

Also, Friday I had an amazing personal study. I felt prompted to study humility. It’s an attribute of Christ. I remember last year (woah) when I Skyped home. My family asked what I had learned in my first 5 months. I said that I had learned humility and my Mom laughed and was like "whattt?" Yeah, I never thought that I was very prideful either haha! I mentioned that I needed to have humility to learn Spanish because I needed the help of the Lord and others. Well, I still do haha (Spanish isn’t easy). Before, I was never the person who liked to accept help with things that I felt that I could do on my own. I felt that it was me being weak, and I don’t like to think that I’m very weak, haha. However, my studies helped me so much to understand what humility is. Humility IS NOT WEAKNESS! It’s actually a strength. Humility is submitting to the will of the Lord, depending on him and understanding that we are nothing without him. Humility is not competitive, that’s pride. Humility is accepting correction when we are wrong and not making excuses. It’s being grateful for what we have. Is it easy? No. Haha it’s not. But I know that it’s something worth striving to have.

I have felt the Spirit so strong as I read my scriptures and looked for ways that I can be more humble. A huge example to me of prideful people in The Book of Mormon is Laman and Lemuel.

1st Nephi 16: 1-3 reads  “And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me:  Thou hast hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear. And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. And now my brethren if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Though speakest hard things against us.”

Laman and Lemuel were not able to accept the things that Nephi was telling them because they were prideful. They said that they were "hard things" putting the blame on him rather than themselves. In the mission, more than ever in my life, I have felt so imperfect. I know that it’s important to be open to correction and to change. Who doesn’t want to be better? With humility we can be.  …And then there’s one of my favorite scriptures of all time.

Ether12:27 reads  “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

If we are humble, the Lord will lift us up! He will bring us to our potential. I know that God loves us and that if we depend on Him for our strength, He will make our burdens light and guide us. I am trying to be more humble. I want to see the Lord’s hand more in my life and I want him to know that I need him. In a world that encourages the "me me me" attitude, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in it all.

Like C.S Lewis said "Humility is not thinking LESS of yourself but thinking of yourself LESS."

I encourage you to study humility! It has changed me in these past few days :)

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!! I can’t believe that it’s already November!!! Where is the time going?!?!

Send me your Halloween pictures please!! 

Have a great week!! Love you all!!

Love you all,

Hermana Zerilli♥

Today we were able to go with Rocio, Alejandro and Edward to see more of our area! It was so fun! We went to Ujarras and Tapanti!! Ruins, dams, beautiful look out sites, and bridges. We did it all! I’m grateful for that family. They are the best!! 

 Mirador de Ujarras and The Ruins

 So I would be the only one to go play in the water #worth it

 We found the DAM ROAD!!!!

 I bought maiz asado on the street... 

Costa Rica is doing something right

This vegetable tastes exactly like cucumber

In the hospital this week with Hermanas Gonzalez and Bolaños

yeah never thought you'd see the day when everyone bought chocolate and I went for lemon...did it for you dad!

 Meet junior!

The mask celebration October 28th