"People will learn when they are ready to learn and not when we are ready to teach them"

Hello everyone!!

First off...THANK YOU FOR THE HALLOWEEN PACKAGE!! Everyone is going to love me with all of the yummy American candy that I have to give them!

I'm writing today because yesterday my companion had a dentist appointment, she's been having some pain. The hermana that takes care of all of the missionaries has her office in an area called Pavas, in the other mission (Costa Rica San Jose West Mission)!! Let me just tell you that I felt the difference, it was probably mental but I felt it! Hahaha, On the way we saw the US embassy which was way fun!! I was like "I'm sure they speak English there!!" and my companion just looked at me like I couldn't have said anything more obvious hahaha! We got to the dentist office and I got to talk with missionaries from the other mission while we waited. It was really cool! One of the hermanas is from Los Angeles and is going home the same day as me!! We were with the dentist for a long time actually, and got back to our area really late. The only thing that I noted as we ran through the streets of San Jose were the millions of Christmas decorations! Seriously, the holiday spirit is here and I'm still trying to celebrate Halloween!! 

WE FOUND THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY, I FELT A LITTLE AT HOME HERE♥

This week was another great one!! Tuesday was particularly fun for me!! We were able to do divisions with the hermanas from Turrialba. I was able to work with Hermana Reinoso in an area called Birisito. Personally, I love Birisito because it is so high up, you feel like you are in the clouds. 

We had two lessons there that made big impacts on me. The first was with Teresa and Herrardo. Their daughter Vanessa was there in the beginning but had to run, telling us to visit her in her house. (will do!) This lesson, we taught prophets. Hermana Herrardo is great because he asks a lot of questions, he sincerely wants to know. He grew up Catholic and says that he believes it just because he doesn't know anything else. Teresa is so sweet and supportive. They both are doing everything that they can to learn, even in the midst of a bad illness that the family has been passing through, and working Sundays. They want to progress! I feel very happy with them. I feel that they are ready to receive the gospel in their lives and that they take our visits seriously. 

The second lesson was with a lady that we contacted at the bus stop last week, Lidiet. We went to her house and she was happy to see us! Her 8 year old son Junior too! They both sang I am a child of god loudly and weren't nervous to pray. We talked and they listened happily. We asked about 15 minutes into the lesson for questions and Lidiet looked at me and said "Are you 2 just coming this one time or are you going to return to teach us more?" I hesitantly explained that our purpose as missionaries is to help other people augment their faith. It's a process, and we will be returning to teach more each week. She was so happy!! She was like "okay! Good! I want to know more!" We ended teaching them and we put a baptism date. It was the easiest baptism date that I have ever put my entire mission. I asked if they would prepare to be baptized in November and quickly they both said yes! I had to ask them if they understood my question, ahhaha, and they did! We ended the night and the divisions and I was so thankful for the miracles that we had seen that day. It's incredible how the Lord shows us who is ready. 

This week we visited many less actives with many doubts, each one of them. It made me sad:( Their doubts were not anything usual, they were questions about doctrine and sacred things of the gospel. We tried our best to answer questions and comfort the less actives in their uneasiness but it was hard. It reminded me of 2 things. 

1. First, the talk from Conference by Elder Bradly D. Foster that says that people will learn when they are ready to learn and not when we are ready to teach them. I think no other sentence explains the pain of missionary work better than that!! If the people are not ready to listen to us and really ponder what we are teaching, they will not learn. Maybe it's not their time. 
2. The second, one of my personal favorite scriptures. Mosiah 4:9 "Believe in God; believe that He is, and that He created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that He has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend."

I know that the church is true, The Lord himself established it! It's perfect! Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in questions and doubts that as the ticos say "nada que ver"...or that aren't important. God knows everything, and if we believe and trust in Him and in His Holy Spirit that testifies of the truth of all things, we will be okay. 

“We should not assume … that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable." Elder Neal A. Maxwell

I've been praying for the people who have been affected by the hurricane. We've also been greatly effected by Hurricane Matthew, we have received A WHOLE LOT of rain. Friday we did nothing but knock doors in pouring rain for 5 hours. It's also been colder. It's been crazy here in Paraiso! 

Saturday, I received the dreaded phone call...Elder Winders called and asked me which air port I want to go home to because he was buying my plane ticket! Now that  my Mom has forwarded me that plane ticket, it's a little more real. I'm praying that time passes slow. The 29th of December is still far off and I have way too much to learn still. I'm grateful for this experience and I don't want to take it for granted even with the usual "You're dying (what people say when you are ending your mission)" comments! I am more alive than ever, LOL♥

Lets have an awesome week!! 

Love you all,

Hermana Zerilli

Here it is! It's official!!