Extra Blessed!

Hiiiiiiiiiiii,

It's been a week already? Oh my. I always show pictures of my family to my
friends, investigators, and members here. They point to each of your faces
and this is what they say about each of you:

Dad- "Oooohhh, su Papa es SEXY"
Mom- Ella es su hermana?
Megan- YOU HAVE A TWIN SISTER???
Sam- Su hermano es Chino?
Ryan- Que liiiiiiinnndddoooo :)

Seriously every time. Hahaha it's great. I have the greatest family.

Speaking of which, I am currently teaching 3 Roy Starkes. So if any of you
know my grandpa, I'm sure you are laughing at this point. These men LOVE to
talk. They are stubborn. They are the hardest workers. And most of all,
they are so giving.

For example, Miguel (he asked us to call him Miguelito. Haha ok little
Michael) so graciously gave us an enormous cup of fresca. Everyone knows
grape is the worst flavor, so of course, what flavor was the fresca? Grape.
He put about 14 spoonfullls of sugar in it, just because we are soooo sweet
right? And then we had to drink it all. In 3 minutes. Because we were late
for a meeting. Gotta love Miguelito. And gotta love my talented stomach for
keeping it all down.

So for my training we watch these DVDs, called "The district". Just imagine
it, a reality tv show for missionaries filmed in San Diego that teaches us
how to be better missionaries. I try hard not to laugh through the whole
thing. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome, and inspiring too, but
honestly, the work is just so different here. SO different...

We don't teach our lessons on nice, comfy, large, clean couches like they do
in the DVDs. They are best friends with the people there. Well I can't really understand
the people here. My best friend is Fanny, my fan. She is always there for
me. She keeps me cool.

They have clean, dry clothes in San Diego. Perfectly pressed and ironed.
When I wash something "by hand" at home, I put it in the washer and
pressed the "hand wash" button with my finger. Little different here, they use their real
hands to wash ALL their clothes.

"Oh no, we are late for a dinner appointment. They are having hamburgers.
Wonderful companion of mine driving our nice American car with air
conditioning, drive faster!" Oh wait..............

Its dark, let me whip out my flash light on my iPhone. Oh nevermind, I only
had one of those in my other life.

But I have a theory. No, we don't have those extra things. But I think the
Lord sends us *extra* blessings. So really we are the winners. Beat that
missionaries in San Diego!

Seriously, we are super blessed. And here are 3 reasons why:

1. We haven't gotten eaten yet. One night we had to go on an adventure to
get to someones house and that adventure included walking in pitch black
dark, listening to growls, barks, and snarls from 7 dogs ready for their
dinner. We asked a man on his bike if the dogs were going to eat us. He
says yes, he laughs, and then just rides away on his little bicycle. Ummm Byee
buddy. Thanks for all your help. My companion and I linked arms and held
our umbrellas out in front of us as weapons. And then, somehow, we safely
made it to the house. So then we had to get back right? Well that's a story
for another time. But don't worry. I'm still alive to tell the tale!

2. We always make our buses in the nick of time. Always! It's a miracle.

3. Speaking of miracles, for those of you who have seen the movie 17
miracles just picture this: Walking along minding your own business when
you look down and see a snake...on the ground...in mid air as I am stepping...realize there
is snake RIGHT where you are about to step. Yep, this happened. To the
pioneers, and to me!

This Sunday my companion and I fasted for a family that we really want to
progress. They are reading, praying and have a baptismal date but they have
not made it to church yet. But yesterday, once again, they were unable to
come to church.

With a sad heart and thinking my fast had gone unnoticed, we walked to
church alone finding out that none of our other investigators had come
either.

Just as church was about to start in walked a man named Mario. I met him on
the bus 3 weeks earlier coming home from San Jose and found out he was a
less active member for over 20 years! I have been calling him every
Saturday night just to invite him to church...and this week he actually
came! He really enjoyed church and wants to learn more about the covenants
he made with God so long ago. I was so grateful for that experience. I am
looking forward to hopefully reactivating him.

The Lord blesses me in so many ways it's overwhelming. Sometimes through
little things like making the last bus of the night, and sometimes through
big things like walking over a snake and not getting bitten!

Here are some of my favorite quotes of the week:

Me: Where do you think you where before this life Daniella?
Daniella: Oh! I know! I was a turtle.
Hahaha what?

After meeting a man with an extreamly odd and weird looking belly button
(no one wears shirts here, it's too hot)
Hna Anderson: Sometimes, I am just so grateful for my belly button.
Me: Me too sista, me too

I read a quote by Elder Uchtdorf this week that says something along the
lines of; "There is something powerful in having a prayer be answered, but when you
are the answer to someones prayer, that'

s when you really make a difference."

Really, I have such a desire to find those who are ready for the gospel and
to answer their prayers. I hope that through my obedience that the Lord
will bring me to those people.

Con amor,

Hermana Starke

Breaking our fast with oreo cookies








Fanny..... My best friend that keeps me cool






Beautiful Orotina, Costa Rica
Isn't it just beautiful



I made this card for one of Zillah and Oscar.  She loved it so  much she hung it up on her door















P-Day! Poor Elder Gonzalas, now he's the one that doesn't understand now with Three Gringos in Costa Rica.