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