Fun, Felicidad and Faith

Hey fam!

My week was filled with 3 things. Fun, felicidad (happiness), and faith!

1. FUN

Is it still so crazy that I am in Costa Rica to you guys? Cause it is to
me! And there's so many crazy things about this place.

FUN facts about CR:

*The toilet paper smells like baby powder. I kind of like it.
*You dont flush toilet paper. Its kind of disgusting.
*Eggs here arent refridgerated.
*Dish soap is in a tub. Like butter. And you dip your sponge in it to get
 some. Its kind of awesome
 They use dish soap for everything. Clothes, cleaning the house, washing
 hands. Doesnt matter. "Put some dish soap on it" (my big fat greek wedding
 anyone?)
*It's so humid here, no one uses lotion. You dont need to!
*Things dont get stale here. Isnt that great?
*You kiss everyone you meet on the cheek.
*When you go into any type of store you put all your stuff in a locker.
*They start to break out the beanies when the temperature reaches a low of
 70 degrees.
*Everyone wakes up at 5 and drinks coffee and eats bread. EVERYONE
*Everyone is sick here with either dengue (some mosquito sickness )
  Or dengue (I think the American equivelant for a cold)

And sure enough, every Sunday all of our investigators have one or the
other. Iyiyi

I am also forgetting lots of things here too. For example:
*What it feels like to be cold. I really just cant even remember
*What it is like to not eat rice and beans at least once a day
*Hot showers. I think I liked them a lot though
*How to drive. Walking all day, erry day is the life now
*My name. First and last. Since no one can pronounce it!
*Not to have a bug bite on my body
*What its like to wear jeans! Ahh weird
*What its like to speak English on the phone.

Everyday at noon we make calls to confirm our appoinments and it's the
worst. We both hate it so much, so we take turns. It's hilarious and
hopeless all at the same time.

I called Rhonald and he told me he had Dengue. Hermana Anderson (in the
backround) yells "LIES" in spanish and I start to repeat her since I am so
used to doing that. Half way through the word, I luckily  caught myself as
I relized what I was ABOUT to say. Tricky tricky Hermana!

Then I called Leidy and thanked her for the delicious rice she had given us
the night before and also to get her sisters phone number. I asked her for
it twice and then told her I was ready. Hermana Anderson was also ready
with a pen in her hand to write it down. Then all of a sudden I say Adios
and hang up the phone. Yeah...

That is how our phone calls go! It's truly lots and lots of fun.

2. FELICIDAD

It was Hermana Anderson´s birthday this week so you better believe we
celebrated! Feliz cumpleanos to you my awesome companion. We are thinking
that our time together is coming to an end, and it makes me so so sad.

The day started out with breakfast, a pop tart cake, and a card I made her
full of the 21 things I love about her. But really, there are many more! We
really just have the best time out here together. Forever grateful for her.

We then went to have 3 month interviews with the President. We took a 45
min bus to a place called Puntarenes and I sat next to Eladio. Eladio was
so ready to hear the gospel. I was able to have a great conversation with
him for the entire time and basically taught him the first 3 lessons. I am
so excited to continue teaching him. I love when the Lord places people in
my path.

We went to lunch at a cute little place and ordered tacos. They turned out
to be taquitos or something. I was still happy, happy.

It rained the rest of the day and we had some crazy thunder and lightening.
But the Elders surprised us with a cake!

3. FAITH

We have decided that in order to activate the people here and get them to
STAY activated, we first need to strengthen our branch.

This week, our numbers were low, but we really tried our best. And we are
focusing more on building what we have before bringing in others. It's not
exactly what I want to do, but it is what needs to be done. And I feel as
though it's what the Lord wants us to do as well.

Lots of FHE with the members
Lots of American cookies and brownies. They love that stuff!
Lots of activities and group nights

During these we shared with them the importance of having a firm foundation
of faith In the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Dean M. Davies said,

"Like the designers and builders of our time, our loving and kind Father in
Heaven and His Son have prepared plans, tools, and other resources for our
use so that we can build and frame our lives to be sure and unshaken. The
plan is the plan of salvation, the great plan of happiness. The plan lays
out for us a clear picture and understanding of the beginning and the end
and the essential steps, including ordinances, which are necessary for each
of Father’s children to be able to return to His presence and dwell with
Him forever.

Helaman 5:12 tells us, “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is 

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”

Let us accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him. Let us build our
lives upon a safe and a sure foundation. And let us be happy and have joy
and laugh while in the process. That's what its all about right?

Sometimes I dont know why I am here. Sometimes I doubt my abilities.
Sometimes I am discouraged by my lack of baptisms and success. When all I
want to do is bring others to Christ.

But I have faith. I have faith the Lord will help me and all that is
happening is for a reason.

Without faith, nothing is possible. But with faith, nothing is IMPOSSIBLE!

I hope with my faith I will be able to make some miracles happen out here
in Orotina. Wish me luck!

Love and miss you guys
Xoxo,
Hermana Starke

Happy Birthday to Hermana Anderson Pop Tart Cake






Getting Relief from the freezer.....aaaaaahhh 


Lunch...French Fries
























This is for you Jordan and Troy... Happy Wedding day!






What we eat erre day.....