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| ROSEVILLE CA. REPRESENTED IN COSTA RICA- Hermana Taylor Zerilli with Elder Chase Abel at Zone Conferece |
So remember last week when I kept you all hanging on the 10 things that I've learned?? I mean 12 months...and 10 things? What? I meant to say 12 things in the past 12 months!! One of the things should be that I should take a breath and slow down when I'm, typing right hahaha. well here are the other 2....
1. Coca Cola tastes better in Costa Rica (but not as good as Mexico)
2. the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to achieve true happiness, that which money cannot buy!
TODAY WE HAD CAMBIOS!!(TRANSFERS) I'm still here in Paraiso (thank The Lord) but I have a new companion, Hermana Martinez! She is super cute and is from El Salvador. She has 9 months in the mission and has only had one area. I'm so excited to work with her! I've had a little bit of a break with the injury of my companion and all, so I'm psyched to get out and go!
I also want you wish you all a HAPPY ROMERIA! I told you that Cartago is the area most Catholic of all of Costa Rica right? Well, in Cartago, they have the giant cathedral and every year on the 1st and 2nd of August, everyone from everywhere in Costa Rica walks to this cathedral to pray to the Virgin of Los Angeles and ask for miracles. People walk barefoot and some even CRAWL!! These past few days we have seen thousands of people walking. It's incredible!! They even have police out there, the streets look like a marathon run is taking place. Haha there is free food and stand ups of Jesus to take pictures with. It kinda scares me, but it's actually really interesting and different. I give the Catholics so much credit for their faith! Faith is action! I dont know about the virgin but I know that the Lord will bless them. :)
So this week I had a few really great lessons! However, I have now decided that I am soooo against the pants. Aside from singing "Ye Elders of Israel" at every meeting because the Elders think it's hilarious, I have had a few concerning comments from other people! For example, I was teaching a lesson with a member and it was going so well! We were teaching about God and his love for us. Everyone was listening until, BOOM!! "Wait you're a missionary?" "Yes, look at my name tag" "Oh, I had no clue! I thought you were a member...why are you wearing pants?!" I ALMOST DIED!! Over half way through the lesson and this guy had no clue that I was a missionary. I wore a skirt every day following that hahaha!!
So this week we had our Zone Conference. I had to give a capacitation....um I don't know what that is in English..maybe a training?? But anyway, my theme was how we can find happiness in the mission. OK LOVEEE THAT THEME! I was so stoked about it but also really unsettled and nervous. I kept on going back and forth between ideas. Honestly, there is no section of Preach My Gospel that talks about this. I was on my own! I though about how a lot of missionaries base their success on numbers and baptisms, but I mean if our numbers are bad...does that mean that we aren't happy? So, Just like you'd imagine (mom)...I based my training on my friend Kaityln Dias' (personal friend & Voice of Riley) Disney movie, "Inside Out" I talked about everything in the mission that makes us mad, sad, jealous, and scared; and everything that the Gospel gives us to fight those bad emotions and to be happy. All of those bad emotions come from Satan. We are missionaries of the Lord Jesus Christ, we should be HAPPY! The capacitation was really different but in the end I felt like I was myself and that the zone understood my point. They weren't bored that's for sure hahaha :) I wish Kaitlyn could have heard me, as Riley I know she would understand, LOL. I was also glad that I got to listen to President and Hermana Arredondo again before they left. They are so wise and gave me a very different perspective on the mission. That's what I love, every one is different and there is always something different to learn.
Saturday we had our leadership counsel....PRESIDENT IS BACK!!!!!! I REPEAT PRESIDENT AND HERMANA HAYES ARE BACK!!! And they brought their daughter Lizzie who I missed so much!!!!!!!!!!! They walked in and Hermana Hayes and Lizzie ran straight up to me! I bawled!!!! President was standing there waiting to shake my hand laughing hahaha. I am soooooo happy that they are back! They were so happy too and looked great! I had an interview with President Hayes and he told me that he is much better. I'm so grateful to everyone who prayed for him and that God heard out prayer! They told us about how they were able to see many missionaries at home and how they missed us so much. They worry about us even when they aren't here in Costa Rica. That's the difference between Elder Arredondo and President Hayes. They are both really great but they have different focuses. Arredondo wants success in numbers which is awesome but Hayes wants success in missionaries. He wants us to grow into good human beings! He wants us to go home and continue to have the Spirit with us. I loved what he said when he spoke to us. I know that is part of why I was called to this mission is for President and Hermana Hayes.
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| LIZZIE IS BACK!!! |
I really cant believe that it's already August! I have exactly 5 months left...that's scary!!!! I am super excited for what this month holds. Thank you for your love and support. You all are the best. Always remember that I love you and that God loves you!
Pura Vida,
Hermana Zerilli♥
Meet Hermana Martinez from El Salvador...and the worlds most random first companionship picture....LOVE NUTELLA♥
SHOUT OUT TO MY LAGUNA FAMILY...I MADE IT!! ITS MY LATINA NAME TAG! HERE THEY USE 2 LAST NAMES SO I WANTED TO DO IT IN HONOR OF MY LATINA FAMILIA♥
Cartago banner and armor (Zone Conference)
Our cook made us tres leches! YUMMY!!!
I washed my Dora the Explorer Pillow Pet...It's so damp here in Cartago, everything is molding, INCLUDING POOR DORA!! She's clean now, hoping she is able to fully dry and make it through the next 5 months with me...come on Dora!!
I actually had tears when I saw Hermana Moon again at Zone Conference...
the Assistants drove us home the other day...
Hermana Pacays last day! President Hayes arrived Saturday and she had cambios to the area closest to the Mission Office. Today she's going to have another exam while he's here and he will have the final call...I think she will probably go home, she is hurting so badly:(
Hermana Pacay and Fabiola
My favorite baby Tiago
On our way to have cambios (transfers)
Hermana Freeze and Hermana Mendze bought us these "mae" hats! MAE!! hahaha Pronounced "my" and it means "bro" or "dude", it's a slang that is used a lot here in Costa Rica!
Hermana Stevens and Elder Nunez
Elder Nuñez
We ate with the family Cy yesterday. They speak English. Actually Julius (the dad) was born in the US. He speaks Tagalog (which is what Filipinos speak I think?), English and Spanish. I loveee this family! Their oldest son is currently serving a mission in riverside, California!!
Saying goodbye Elder Lohberg! I am so sad...we will miss him but he has valiantly served his 2 years! Have a great time at BYU Elder Lohberg, I will see you there in January!
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