The LIFE is always PURER on the other side!

Hello hello,
So last week I told you all how I was sick with a fever and well that fever
just wouldn't go away. So I got blessing from my zone leader like Mom told
me to and well, I am here to say that the priesthood is real and it works
because after that, I felt all better and was ready to get back to work!
And I really needed to feel better because this week we got to go on
divisions with the sisters in... drum roll please...
QUEPOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's quepos one might ask? Just google it. And you will discover that it's
one of the worlds top destination vacation spots. And we got to go teach
the gospel there! How lucky am I???
So lets begin...
Wednesday was our PDAY because we got to go to the 7am session at the
temple with our zone. It was so amazing and I got to see lots of my
favorite missionary friends. Then we grabbed our backpacks and headed to
San Jose. Took a taxi to the buses that go to Quepos. Bought a $10 ticket
for the 3 hour bus ride. So we hop on the bus and I am just loving the ride
because we passed through Ciudad Colon and Orotina and WOW! I do NOT MISS
the heat. It just kept getting hotter and hotter...

So we pass through jungles, trees, waterfalls, green hills and the
prettiest sights you ever did see. I see animals, kids playing soccer, lots
of fruit and the green, green Costa Rica. So we arrive to Quepos around 4
and were so excited because we had 2 hours until 6 to play and enjoy the
rest of our PDAY. Attached are all the fun pictures we took at the beach
and I was just dying of happiness because it's just so beautiful and
Heavenly Father blessed me with a little tender mercy and mini vacation in
the mission. Hehe
So Thursday I had the funnest day with the sisters in Quepos they are so
awesome. We woke up at 6 and went and played soccer in the rain. Again, I
do NOT miss that beach heat. But, I was painfully reminded of my days in
Orotina when the rain, sweat, and humidity just all combine together and
you are just wet all the time. Your clothes stick to you and you drink
gallons of water so that you don't pass out. We had lots of amazing lessons
and visits and found a new investigator. She's a single mom with 4
quadrouplets and so prepared to hear the gospel. We also found a lady who
was preparing to be baptized but moved to Quepos and didn't know where the
church was, so we obviously made an appointment to go back! And they, in
return, gave us mangos. My companion for the day was Hermana Tordecilla and
she is a rockstar from Colombia and just a doll so we had a blast.
Friday we woke up at 6 again and went running on the BEACH! I love the
salty think air and the smell of pure paradise. We took a ferry to get to
the Island where they have most of their investigators. That's right... AN
ISLAND! It's sooo awesome. The people are so nice and humble and I kind of
felt like I was Koli Poki (Elder Groberg from "The Other Side of Heaven") visiting people in their huts and shacks and getting ATTACKED by bugs. But I loved every minute of it!

We got home alive and exhausted and the Lord really blessed us because we
had 10 investigators come to church despite the fact that we were gone from
our area half the week in Quepos! Such a tender mercy. And the
ward attendance was the most it has ever been!

But the tender mercies don't stop there! Sunday after church the missionary
couple serving here in the temple decided to make me HOME MADE CAFE RIO for
lunch and it was the best thing I have eaten in my entire life and all I
have to say is that I love love love this lady with all my heart. Sister
Haws is the best! Oh and for dessert, home made apple pie!

Life as a missionary doesn't get any better than this...
Love you all. Have a happy week. GOOGLE QUEPOS!
Hermana Starke

We love Mangos, just picking them up on our way to a lesson, because why not? There's only 10 million lying on the ground.....

The most beautiful sunset Evaaaaaaa

Temple Day

Say what?  Four generations right here!  Great Grandma, Grandma (me), mom and daughter.  Oh How I love these girls.  

Went to Cemetery with Emilio to visit his wife who passed away and taught him the plan of Salvation.
Pretty  crazy lookin' cemetery.

Reading Scriptures one the beach

Our Beach Day!

Family Week!!

Holaaaa,

This week was the semana de la familia, or family week, in all of Cenral
America! It was an idea of the area authorities to help hasten the work and
we had one of the best weeks ever.

Monday
This awesome family in our ward with SEVEN children had their family home
evening in the chapel and all were invited to come see how to have family
night. We ran around all day inviting people and the Lord blessed us
because we were able to have 9 investigators show up! And they all loved
it. Yay!

Tuesday
I just love talking with every single person I see because you never know
who is prepared. So Tuesday afternoon I started talking to these 3 ladies
sitting outside their house and they invited us to come in and share our
message with them. So far so good right? But then I quickly realized that
every single one of these old ladies must have had schizophrenia because
they all started asking me a million questions like,

Where are you from?
Are you a model?
Why are you so beautiful?
Where are you from?
Why are you here?
Are you a model?
What does your family look like?
Why are you the cutest thing I have ever seen?
Whats California like?
Are you married to Jesus?

And before I even had time to answer any of their crazy questions we "had
to go!" It was just the weirdest, funniest experience ever. The blessings
and experiences of talking with everyone!

The activity Tuesday was on how to get prepared and we all learned what to
do when theres an earthquake, when someone is dying, and when you have a
bug bite. The mission is just teaching me oh so many things!

Wednesday
Well wednesday was just the happiest day because I got to go to the temple,
finally! You have no idea what torture it is seeing it everyday and not
being able to go when you please. But we are doing work for the living, not
the dead.

Anyway, a less active member from Ciudad Colon went through the temple and
I got permission to go with her. It was such a special day AND it was the
14th of may which officially means I have lived an entire year of my life
in COSTA RICA. Say whhhaaat.

The family night was for all the jovenes and we tried to bring all the
youth we could! They all played soccer and we made empanadas. It was a
great success.

Thursday
We went on divisions and, well, I learned that not everyone you work with
is willing to learn. So that was not the funnest experience Ive ever had,
but hey life goes on. Its amazing how much patience and love the Lord wants
me to learn to have and I am forever grateful for my mission which is
giving me the opportunity to obtain it.

Oh and I missed out on family night in my ward but we had a bunch of
investigators show up and my companion taught someone who is Hindu.
Awesome! He has started reading the BOM but doesnt understand why he should
be baptized... A little more reading and we will get him in the water! Im
sure of it!

Friday
Stress, stress, stress finding and inviting all the couples we could to the
family night on how to improve your marriage. We had 3 families come so it
was greaaat. My companion and I sat in the back looking at all the couples
all happy and lovey and then there was us........hahaha. We love being
missionaries!

Saturday
The activity was a talent show but sadly we didnt get permission to go. But
its fine because
we realized we barely had any lessons with recent converts or less actives
for the week so we went to work and ran around inviting everyone to come
back to church!

Sunday
I woke up with a fever and did not wanna get out of bed, but the work must
go on! After church we were about to walk into the house when I saw this
guy sitting on the curb across the street. He looked really sad, and even
though all I wanted to do was get into the house and rest, I knew we had to
talk to him. So we did. And we invited him to the devotional at 5pm, ending
the semana de la familia. He said he maybe wanted to come so we told him we
would pass by for him at 5.

So they day goes on, we eat lunch, make visits and get to the chapel at
5ish to watch the broadcast. But there are no investigators. 20 minutes
later, still no investigators. So we decided to leave. Then all of a sudden
i remembered, THE GUY ON THE CURB! So we run to his house, and he had been
waiting for us. Poor thing! So he comes to the fireside and Elder Amado is
talking with so much power and authority and at the end we were able to
teach him and he accepted a baptism date. Good stuff.

Well, thats a wrap of the semana de la familia. Love you all! Until next
week,
Hermana Starke

Endure to the End!

Dear friends,

It was so fun to skype! Happy Mother's Day mommy and all mother's out there.
You're all awesome. I can't wait to be a mom one day.

Like Megan, I also was asked to speak this Sunday in church and it's just a
tender mercy from heaven because God always loves, blesses and connects us
in little ways like that.

So today I thought I would share my talk with all of you at home :)

In the book of mormon, the prophet Nephi asks each and every one of us a
question...

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and
narrow path, I would ask if all is done?"

So after you have been baptized... is all done?

After you have served a full time mission... is all done?

After you have entered the holy temple... is all done?

And Nephi gives us the answer, "Behold, I say unto you, Nay. Wherefore, ye
must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect
brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye
shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the
end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

Nephi tells us that we must ENDURE TO THE END! And I just want to start off
by saying that a year ago, when I started my mission, I couldn't even say
the word "endure" in Spanish. During my time as a missionary I have learned
a lot about what it means to endure and the importance of perserverance. I
have learned to trust in the Lord, and trust that he will help me make it
through. And he always does.

Being Mother's Day, I have been thinking about my mom today and how much I
love her. About a year and a half ago, we decided to run a half marathon
together. We ran and ran, preparing months. We had to eat well and drink
lots of water. Our bodies had to be prepared mentally and physically for
the race.

There were days when I didn't want to get up and run... days when I just
wanted to eat a hamburger and french fries... but we had a goal and we helped each other
reach it.

The day of the race finally came and we started out fast, energized, and
excited. At about 5 miles, the sun came out and then things started to get
tough. At 10 miles my legs started hurting. There were hills and windy
roads but I saw my mom at my side and she motived me to move along.

Finally we finished the race and I will never forget that moment. We
endured to the finish line!

In each of our lives, we are all running our own race and must prepare well
so that we can endure to the end and return to the presence of our Heavenly
Father. And there are 3 ways to be able to fo it!

1. Feast upon the words of Christ!

Just how we had to nourish our bodies properly, we must feed our spirits.
We can only do that through reading from the scriptures every single day.
We are weak. We need the scriptures. We must feast upon the words of
Christ. I feel comfort, peace and direction every time I read the them. I
know that the prophets who wrote them saw us in these days and wrote the
words that we need. I love the book of mormon with all my heart. It's
perfect, for imperfect people like you and me. I cant imagine going a
single day without reading from it.

2. Dont forget that you are never alone!

Just like I had my mom by my side, we have all been given help and support
from those here in this earth that we love. Parents, friends, family
members, bishops. The Lord is so good. We also have a loving heavenly
father in heaven who is ever willing to help. I know that he never leaves
us alone. He doesnt just run beside us, but he runs with us and pulls us
along when we dont have the strength to go on.

3. We must use the atonement of Christ every day.

The atonement of Jesus Christ is the eternal sacrifice he offered for us.
Just like mountains and hills we all must individually climb in our own
lives, the atonement gives us the power we need to do it. To change,
repent, be better, and do better. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. It
works. And we all must use it, study it, and apply it in our lives.

I know that if we feast upon the words of Christ, remember that we are
never alone, and use the atonement of Christ daily we will have the
strength and the courage to be able to endure to the end. I know God loves
us. I know He lives.

Hermana Starke

Happy Mother's Day

This is the gifts we made for the Hermanas teaching

My Breakfast everymorning

Rainy season... We are wet everyday

"Challenges Bring Opportunities"

Dear all,

It sure has been a week. A week I would like to forget, but know that I
will always remember. Walking the streets in the burning sun. Huddling
under umbrellas only to end up drenched in the pouring rain. Worn out
shoe. And worn out hearts, tired of rejection. Door after door. Day after
day. Facing discrimination. Facing enemies. Giving it our all. Getting
yelled at in return.

But they don't understand what we do. And they need what we have. So we keep
pressing on.

Elder Hollland put so perfectly, "You may wonder if it is worth it to take
a courageous moral stand in high school or to go on a mission only to have
your most cherished beliefs reviled or to strive against much in society
that sometimes ridicules a life of religious devotion". Yes, it is worth
it!"

I will never give up hope. And I will never stop. Because it IS worth it. I
know it's worth it. I know our message is true. And I know that Jesus Christ
lives. I know I represent Him.

Just as I know that I will one day see these people again at the judgement
bar. Face to face. One day every person that has rejected Christ will know
that I was His representative. And that I had the fulness of truth.

Andrea... She has been hiding from us. I call her everyday and bear my
testimony on her answering machine. She never answers. I knew something was
wrong. We stopped by her house and were greeted with church material thrown
in our face. Every pamphlet we had ever given her and the book of mormon.
All seen as trash in her eyes. I asked her if we could talk. I wanted an
explanation. We deserved an explanation! Seeing that I was not going to
leave without one, she ran out of her house hoping to get away from us.

We had to run to keep up with her, and the last thing she wanted to do was
hear sincere and strong testimonies of the restoration of the true gospel
on the earth. We promised her consequences for recieving an answer and
completely rejecting it. We tried, and ran, and testified, and defended our
faith. But she wouldn't hear any of it. She wouldn't even look us in the
face. In the end we went our sperate ways, and as she walked away we
promised her one day she would see us again.

My companion and I just stood there in silence. In the dark. Not knowing
whether to break down and cry or to keep chasing her. So we decieded to
find someone who wanted to hear us.

But most of Belen has already seen Hermana Starke and knows that she talks
to every person that she sees and invites them to come unto Christ. And
when we come their way, they cross the street, walk faster, or ignore us.

But guess what. We keep inviting.

Maria... told me that her Pastor recieved the authority on the day of
pentecost. I kindly invited her to read the book of Acts and she would
learn that they were only given the gift of the Holy Ghost. She then
started to tell me that she has read the bible a lot more times then I have
and that she is in the true church. So how does she know? Because she has
the gift of tongues. She speaks hebrews and can understand and interpret
other languanges. Funny how she didn't even know how to say hola in hebrew
when I asked her.

Maylene... when I asked her if we could share our message with her she
responded ever so harshly, saying NO! I am very busy working for my own
church.

Ohh... and what do you do for your church? Are you a
teacher...leader...missionary?

She got real close up in my face, and said NO, I AM A PROPHET.

Bible verses and testimonies got no where with this lady and she walked
away telling us where we would be going after this life. And it wasn't
pretty.

But the words of Elder Holland, a true and living prophet, called by God
couldn't be more comforting and more direct, "Be strong. Live the gospel
faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your
beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them"

Emilio, a recent convert has stopped coming to church because he is bored.
And says he can find better things to do with his Sunday.

Then there's the common taxi driver that tells us he goes to the "third door
to heaven church" and likes it because he doesn't have to do anything but
show up, sit down, and enjoy. He has Jesus Christ in his heart and that's
all that matters.

Because according to Esmeralda, God loves her and Jesus has aready paid for
her sins. So why should she have to do anything? She's heard all the
lessons, believes that it's all true. But doesn't feel like living the
commandments. And has decided that she's not going to.

Again, Elder Holland says so clearly, "Sadly enough, my young friends, it
is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they
want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods
who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on
the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds. Talk
about man creating God in his own image!"

I do not share these stories to hate on others. I do not mean to critizice
or disrespect. But I want everyone to know that like Elder Holland has
invited us to do, I am here in Costa Rica defending my faith. I will never
stop defending it.

Everyone in Belen asks us why we have an angel with a trumpet on the top of
our temple and I proudly tell them all that the gospel must be proclamied
so that every ear will hear and have the opportunity to accept the truth.
Sadly, that promise does not mention that everyone will "accept" it.

But I know that Jesus Christ lives, he himself was rejected.

Indeed, of Jesus Himself, Jacob’s brother Nephi wrote: “And the world,
because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught;
wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he
suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his
loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.”

We must endure hardships, rejection, and hate to truly represent him. I
love Him. And He gives me the strenth I need to go on. I know that He will
come again. He IS coming again. The day is drawing nearer and nearer. I can
feel it. President Wilkinson taught in our leadership meeting this week
that challenges give us opportunities. Welcome every burden with a hug! And
I know that to be true. So I say bring it on! Because I love these
experiences, they strengthen my testimony and deepen my love for the
Savior. Every baptism, every convert, every miracle, every spiritual
experience requires effort, work and patience. So we work and sweat and
walk and study so that others can choose to accept or reject this great
message.

I know that this work cannot be stopped. President has plans to open 4 new
stakes in Costa Rica and another mission in the next year. Through faith,
all things are possible. More sisters are being sent out than ever, our
mission will have almost 100 in this next change. Being a missionary is
brutal, but it is also beautiful and I wouldnt trade it for anything.

The church is true. Of that I testify. I love this gospel. I love you all,
Hermana Starke

You Never Know

Dear all,

Thanks for writing me I get so happy every Monday when I check my email and
see all your lovin. It really is the best! I spent lots of time sending
photos so forgive the shorter email this week...

Well the rain has officially begun to pour and my umbrella has been put
back into use. There's just 2 seasons here. Wet and dry. And it is now rainy
season. Woohoo!

This week has been full of lots of miracles, blessings and hard work.

1. We taught a lesson outside the temple. Just some of the advatages in
working in Belen! So great. And so peaceful! It's impossible for the spirit
NOT to be present.

2. I went on divisions for the first time to a place called Ojo de agua. I
ate mangos, taught lessons, and loved every bit of it.

3. Here in Belen we always try to talk with everyone and the Lord always
blessed us for our efforts with a new investigator everyday! We are praying
lots to know who we need to drop, who we need to focus on, and are planning
on having 4 baptisms in May. I know if we are obedient and do our part that
the Lord will do his. D&C 82:10

This Saturday Carlos and Johanna got married and baptized! Remember them
from Ciudad Colon!? It all started about a month ago when I told Johanna
that I liked her perfume in the street one day. She was walking a little
ahead of us and her perfume was super strong. We began a conversation and
she gave us her info. We invited her and her family to church and they
came! It was a crazy adventure with them but they were so prepared from the
beginning. I loved teaching them and am so happy for them even though I
couldnt be there. They called me Saturday crying. But dont worry, they were
tears of joy! Just goes to show that by small and simple things... GREAT
things are brought to pass. Who would of that that Carlos could give us
smoking and that Joahanna could stop drinking coffee. OR that they would
actually tie the knot! But they did it and now are one step closer to an
eternal family.

Reina is also on fire reading all of doctrine and covenants and preparing
to go to the temple for baptisms! Ahhh I miss my friends in Ciudad Colon.
But love all my new friends in Belen.

One of them is Manuel. Please pray from him. Everyday! One day I will tell
you all why. Just pray pray pray. I believe in prayer. And prayer is going
to change Manuel because I was sent on my mission to find him.

Love and hugs,
Hermana Starke