Disfrutalo!

Hello everyone!

Guess what day it is? Okay I'll tell you...

IT'S JUNE 3

Do you know what that means?

It means I have been on my mission for exactly 2 months today! Funny,
because it feel like 2 years doesnt it? But still, this is exciting stuff,
16 months to go!

So for any of you wondering, this is what life is like for me on a daily
basis, here is my schedule:

6:15 Wake up and remember, oh yeahhh, im in Costa Rica. What the, when did
that happen?

6:30 Run around this beautiful place and wave to the horses and lizards

7:00 One of us makes breakfast while the other gets ready. Then the other
gets ready while the other cleans up. We eat lots of eggs and fruit, it's
the best.

8:00 Personal study time

9:00 Companionship study

10:00 New missionary study

11:00 Language study

12:00 Lunch! Made by Hermana Dora (our cocinera lady that also washes our
clothes. Bless her heart)

1:00 Start teachin and preachin the good word!

9:00 Return to our apartment and plan the next day

10:00 Wash my feet and write in my journal

10:30 I am OUT like a light

This week was a little different though because we had Divisions. So I took
a two hour bus ride to a town called Baranca and switched areas and
companions for the day. Lots of exciting things happened there:

We had a lesson with a deaf lady. So now the people can't understand me OR
hear me

I caught a glimpse of the beach and it was beautiful

I got a nice sister mish tan...ow ow!

Got some new blisters, and new bug bites. The bugs just LOVE me here.
Seriously, I am pretty sure that I could set a Guinness World Record for
all the bites I have. Seriously, I am the winner, hands down! At night I
use a butter knife to itch them all. Yep, this is my life now.

I made a new friend this week, his name is Freddy. He is a frog. He lives
in the corner of our house and he is always waiting for us when we return
at night. This is also my life now.

For any of you out there trying to loose weight, I have found the solution.
Its called go on the Costa Rican diet. And here's how it works:

Become friends with a girl who loves to run every morning because she used
to run track at BYU

Next, eat 10 peices of fruit daily. No exceptions

You must learn to love rice and beans and eat it daily for breakfast and
lunch. But that's not all, you have to eat it for dinner too!

Most importantly, you have to schedule an appointment at one end of
Orotina, and then schedule the next at the other end. This is a great way
to help you walk over 10 miles daily.

Lastly, sweat. Just sweat. All the time. When you sleep, when you eat, when
you read, when you walk. Just sweat off all those pounds extra!

I'm Hermana Starke, and I'm here to tell you that the Costa Rican diet WORKS!
Through it I've lost 10 pounds. And you can TOO!

Not going to lie though...I could really go for a chick-mal at the Red
Baron right about now! Shout out to my Baron babes! Have a chocolate shake
for all those who can't.

So far, there has been American tourists in our branch every single Sunday!
This Sunday a couple from Seattle was visiting. They came up to me after
sacrament and IN ENGLISH thanked me for my testimony. The sweet lady gave
me a hug and looked into my eyes and said,

"I want my daughters to grow up and be just like you!" Then with tears in
her eyes she said how are you doing? This must be so hard. But you are
doing so great!"

Obviously I started crying with her and I told her it was but it was worth
it.

Tender mercy. I am so grateful for that hug. It was like a hug from my Mom
that I needed at that exact moment.

Then comes the fun part, I had to teach the lesson. Umm. The Elders and
some of the investigators had to cover their faces with their manuals to
hide their laughter. Oh, it was so embarrassing. And scary. I had to talk
in Spanish for a whole hour! I wanted to die.

After church we had a meeting with some of the branch members. There was
yelling and crying but my companion and I had no idea what was going on. So
we just smile at each other and talk in English about them or about what is
for lunch because guess what...they don't know what we are saying! Oh, how
the tables have turned now. Luckily, after the meeting there was sandwiches.
So no, I didn't learn about the problems in the branch, but I do know that sandwhichs
had way too much mayo. You know, the important things in life.

I read a quote this week that changed my life. And I want to share it with
you guys.

"If our lives and our faith are centered in Christ and His restored gospel,
nothing can ever permanately go wrong."

Its sooo true. Lots of things go wrong here everyday. For example, saying
"si" to some weird meat for dinner when asked a question I didn't understand.

But here's the thing, nothing will ever go *permanately* wrong because I am
a missionary. And my faith is in Jesus Christ.

This week one of our investigators asked us the question of why bad things
happen? When we asked what her thoughts were she said because of Satan. It
was really interesting because we know the real meaning behind adversities
in this life because we have of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Hermana Anderson and I had some really great companionship studies
searching to find the answers to our investigators questions.

Through scriptures, preach my gospel, and personal revelation we were able
to answer her questions and I strengthened my testimony on the meaning
behind adversity.

We adopted a new saying... Venga que lo venga, disfrútalo!
Which in English is...Come what may and love it!

As hard as missionary work can be, I am grateful for the hardships because
I know that is Lord shaping me into a better person. I feel His help
everyday and I am learning to LOVE whatever comes my way.

I am reminded of the lyrics to one of my favorite EFY songs, "I can't count
all the blessings that are waiting in the end, so I forget myself and give
it all to Him."

I miss you all. I feel your prayers. See you in 16 months!

Hermana Starke :)

Just to clear things up here is my address to the mission home:

Hermana Starke
De la pops de curridabat
500 mts sur, oficina isquienera
Edificio trebol, local 6, San Jose, San Jose
COSTA RICA

I will recieve packages/letters/and dear elders at this address every 3-6
weeks. However, send me emails too because I can print them out and read
them through out the week! Graciassss!

New Member Family

Papya and French Toast (yippeeee it's not beans and rice)

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