HOLA!

Dear fam,

Sooo much has happened this week! First let's start off with muh birthday...

I woke up at 6:30 to a camera flashing in my face. That was fun. First
picture as a 22 year old.... guess it's a latina tradition. Then my cute
little comp decorated my desk with goodies and made me breakfast. She's so
sweet.

We then had a district meeting so we took a bus to San Jose. We always try
to chat it up with everyone in the bus and this time Hermana Contreras was
on a roll. So much that when it was time to get off, she didn't notice. So I
pushed the red button, got off the bus, and waited for her to get off as
well. Then all of the sudden the bus doors close and the bus begins to
leave.

PANICK. So I start sprinting after the bus, waving my hands in the air and
screaming HERMANA!!!!!!!!

Hahaha everyone inside the bus and on the street saw and started laughing.
Thanks guys. But luckily the bus stopped a few blocks down the street and
let out my hija! Hahaha what a great mother I am, right?

So then we have a great disctrict meeting with our awesome new district
leader, Elder Alvarez, who is just my favorite. He just baptized a family
of 7 last month and is on FIA. I'm excited to learn from him. We then
celebrated with a cake and pinata, how much better can a Costa Rican
birthday get? But no... wait... sister starke, you have to take the first
bite of the cake with your mouth (yet again another lation tradition). So I
blow out the candles and all the elders did the honors of making sure my
entire face got shoved in the cake as I took the first bite! Happy birthday
to me!

So we make it home and then visit our new investigator named Acilde camt to
church Sunday and that lives in the MIDDLE OF NO WHERE! So finally after we
find her house we give her a baptism date and make it to chapel just in
time for family history night. Everyone in the ward game me hugs and kisses
and sang to me. And we celebrated with tres leches. It was a pretty good
day :)

We are teaching a family of 6 that I love so much and we helped them paint
their house this week. Trying to gain the confidence of the mom, she is
suuuupppeeerrr catholic. I'm talkin this girl goes to misa 4 times a week! 3
of the kids have accepted baptism dates but it's all gonna depend on the
mama. Pray lots for this family. They literally live 3 minutes away from
the church. They are married, and just such good people. I don't know when
this family will be baptized but I know one day they will be!

We are also soo happy this week because all of the less actives we have
been working with were at church yesterday! Yeahhhh! After all our true
purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. Men, women, children,
members, less actives, and investigators.

I love the scripture in 3rd Nephi that says,

* 13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they,
will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted,
that I may heal you?*

* 14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have
eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever
will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.*

Love you all :)) have a happy and blessed week!!

Hermana Starke