Hermana Starke: Dia de Culturas!

Hi everyone!

This week went by super fast. I think the fastest week ever in the mission!

But at the same time I feel like I have been a missionary since forever.
Did life even exist before? I just don't know haha. The mission plays weird
mind tricks with your brain. And so many things are different about the
mission than I had anticipated as well.

For example there are a LOT of common misconceptions about the mission:

"Oh Spanish must just come so easily because you are surrounded by it and
immersed in the culture..."

Let me tell you, learning another language is hard work! But after 6 rough,
bumpy months I am happy to say that I feel confident with my Spanish. This
Sunday I was able to bear my testimony without having to think really hard
about the langage and grammer and word placement. The words just naturally
came to me and let me tell you, there is no greater feeling. I also left a
lesson this last week and realized I understood *every* single word the
investigator said. What a blessing. All I have to say is that when you pray
everyday for 6 straight months for the gift of tongues, it will eventually
come :)

"I bet the food is sooo good down there. Everyone loves to feed the
missionaries, you are going to gain so much weight..."

False, false, and false. Like I have said, the fruit is to die for but a
girl can only eat rice and beans for so long before she needs a little
cooking from her mommy, aunt Raelene and grandma Starke! Just so you know
fam, we are hitting up In-N-out, Titos Tacos, AND a little chicky fil-A
first thing after the airport when I return to America. Land of the
greatest fast food in all the world :)

And sad but true, the people here do NOT love to feed the
missionaries...little different than having 3 dinner appointments in the
states! Ha

And as far as gaining weight goes. Lets just say I could probably win a
weigh in challenge on the biggest looser! I just keep sweating off pounds
weekly.

"All those central and south america countries are the highest baptizing
missions!"

Well not Costa Rica, It's actually one of the lowest. It may be called the
"Rich Coast" but we are not too rich in baptisms. But hey, I'm up for a
challenge! President is working really hard to split the mission and I am
here ready and willing to do all I can to help him.

"How do you live in all that humidity? You must just get used to it..."

Mmmm, no. Haha. I still sweat and sweat my little heart out every single
day. What month is it? October? I wouldn't know because it still feels like
MID JULY. Hot, hot, hot with a side of humidity. And for dessert, a rain
storm.

"Oh but the rain must be nice and cool you down!"

Wrong again. It actually makes it even HOTTER, if you can imagine that. The
rain bounces off the hot pavement and makes everything hotter. Its just hot
all the time.

"The beaches and the surf are sooo awesome! You are going to love it..."

Yes I will........when I return after my mission and get to enjoy it :) ha!

"Those crazy ticans, they party hard. They celebrate everything!"

Ok, this is actually TRUE! They do. Every day is always some random
holiday, but hey! I'm down!

Saturday, October 12th was Culture day and we celebrated with an activity
in the rama! My companion and I have been planning it for the past month
and organized the entire thing ourselves. The food, entertainment,
decorations and invitations...all us! We invited everyone. Members, less
actives, investigators, dogs...it was one giant party.

Luckily all our hard work paid off and we had about 70 people show up!
(church attendance is about 30ish lately) sooo I would say it was a
success! We had food from different cultures. I made brownies and they were
a huge hit. We also had a talent show and It was awesome. I made music with
a cup and sang in English. I wasn't nervous one bit. One, because no one
could understand me. And two, a mission has removed every shy, nervous or
embarrassed bone in my body.

So that was my week! Working super hard to make this activity happen. I
hope it will help strengthen the members. They all said they had a good
time. I was a little stressed and frustrated that since I wanted something
great to happen it all had to fall on MY shoulders, but the Lord trusts me
to do it, and I know that's why he sent me here. So at the end of the day,
at the end of the week, and at the end of 6 months, I'm just happy to be
here. In the service of the Lord. So, "Let us all press on in the work of
the Lord! That when the fight is over, we may gain our reward!"

There is a story in the Book of Mormon that I just love. After years of
being in the wilderness Lamen and Lemuel are complaining to their brother
Nephi...

*Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we
might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea,
and we might have been happy.* (1 Nephi 17:21)

They say, "we MIGHT have been happy". Well, that's truly a shame. We cannot
live in the past. We cannot change our circumstances, but we can change out
attitude and we can always make the choice to be happy. I hope that through
my mission, despite whatever good or bad days I have that I will never look
back and say that, "I might have been happy". Because we must life for
today and choose to be happy NOW!

Have a happy week,
Xoxo
Hermana Starke