On the way Home!

Dear all,

MY LAST LETTER EVER! I can't even believe it. It's difficult to put into
words what I'm thinking, feeling, and experiencing. But the truth is... I'm
so happy! I've never been happier. I have worked hard, made mistakes,
learned a ton, strengthened my faith, and the Lord has strengthened me.

All the hard work and tears will be looked back upon the the best thing I've
ever done. Not because I enjoyed it, not because I baptized everyone but
because I gave it *everything* I had. Even when I didn't think I could, and
especially when I didn't want to. And my mission has been the greatest
blessing, privilege and joy I have ever experienced. The Lord has blessed
me so much more than I deserve. I've lived my mission to the fullest, worked
harder than I ever have and can truly say that it's been the best 18 months
FOR my life.

This weekend was the grand finale for me. Belen ended the month with 8
baptisms and the scripture is true... how great shall be your joy! We ran
around like crazies planning the wedding and the baptisms but had a blast.
I'm sure going to miss it. So wanna know what the last week on the mission
is like? Here it goes!

Monday
I spent my entire PDAY making centerpieces for the wedding. So here's what
we did... we chopped branches off trees, painted them, and stuck butterflies
on them. It was our little beautiful Costa Rican creation and we were proud
of it! Haha

Tuesday
We taught Laura, Johan, Alejandro and Luciana about repentance this week.
It was probably my favorite lesson of all time because when I asked cute
Luciana in her own words what repentance was she said that it meant we
shouldn't kill butterflies and when we do we have to say sorry and promise
not to do it again. She's the cutest thing EVER!

Wednesday
I had my final interview with President and I think the best part was when
we closed with a prayer. But not just any prayer... President offered it
and spent the entire time praying for me. Begging God to bless me and to
strengthen me and thanking  Heavenly Father for sending me to him. We
both couldn't hold back the tears and I just love that man.

Thursday
Ok so I may have done something really crazy. But it's fine! I loved it and
i don't regret it! I'm outta this country in a few days right? So Thursday we
spent hours walking in the rain. HOURS! And to make things worse my
umbrella broke... like I was huddled under a tiny piece of thread and a
wire or two. For some reason everyone was busy sleeping. That's what happens
when it rains like crazy here. Anyways, all of a sudden I saw a ton of
people dressed in black walking in the same direction..... a funeral. So in
my mind I'm like PERFECT. Plan of Salvation comin' right up! So I tell my
companion the game plan and she's like what no way. You're on your own. So I
was like whatevs lets do this! So I walked in and started talking to
everyone to try to find out who was in charge. Finally I talked to a family
member, told her who I was and started teaching. Everyone started looking
at us and we handed out all the pamphlets we had. I told them all I knew
about
where their loved one was and if they wanted to live with him forever they
should call us so we can tell them more. It was awesome. Some of the old
ladies were like why are they here they're not catholic, but i saw the look
of hope the eyes of others which made it all worth it.

Friday
We had family night with my favorite family and played monoply Costa Rica
style. All the boardwalks are places and beaches and volcanos from Costa
Rica. How great is that?!

Saturday
So remember the missionary youth conference that we had forever ago that
made me want to go on a mission? Well our stake here had one too! And it
was incredible to be a part of it. I got to have a companion for the day
and it was a sweet mercy the Lord gave me to remind me where it all
started. We then had the biggiest fiesta Costa Rica has ever seen... a
wedding and a baptism all in one. It was amazing! Then right after we all
watched the the woman's conference which was the greatest thing ever. I love
the gospel!

*Timothy 4: 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work
of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.  *

*6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at
hand.*

*7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith:*
*8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing.*

I'm not just on the way home to California... but we are all on on the way
home to heaven. Isn't it great? The journey is the best. And it's so worth
taking. 

I love you all. See you soon!

Hermana Starke

A...wedding...a..birthday....and..a...baptism!

Dear all,

I think Heavenly Father must really really really love me because every day
the miracles just get bigger and better. The mission is the best. And the
Lord is just pouring out the blessings on me down here in Costa Rica. Do I
really have to come home...?

So obviously I have to go outta here with a bang and I just love to have
fun. And its been a full week of fiestas! So like i told you all last
Monday, we had a giant ward party and it was a huge hit. We had over 150
people come and got some great new investigators also! We got rained on
(surprise, surprise) but we had a blast. We played traditional CR games,
and had CR food and a bunch of CR dances. Tica pride. I LOVE BEING TICA!

So have a told you about Yaders brother Jose David?? If not, you should
just all know that hes getting baptized on Saturday! Seeing these 2
brothers change so much and embrace the gospel has been the biggest
blessing ever and they both want to serve missions. We had the opportunity
to teach Jose David in the temple and the spirit was so strong. We started
out with a prayer and before we began teaching the lesson he lifted up his
head from the prayer and began to cry. He told us with watery eyes he felt
ready for the 27th! He gave up coffee, loves the book or mormon and is even
trying to finish it all before Saturday. He helped us out all day long
Monday making tortillas and is basically already a member. He said he feels
so loved here and feels like hes finally found a place where he belongs.


In my last interview with President, I asked him what I could do to end my
mission well and he said he found and baptized a family his very last week
in the mission. Well, since then I have been praying every day to be able
to enjoy such an experience and work hard for it and Heavenly Father has
been so good to me because we have an entire family getting married and
baptized this Saturday... Laura, Johan, Alejandro and Luciana! We are so
happy. We are so blessed!


Let me just tell you how much I love this family...


We taught them the word of wisdom and I stole all the coffee out of their
house haha. So the next day I made my companion wake up at 4:30 am to go
running with me and be at their house at 5 before the left for work and
school just to make sure they were not going to drink any coffee! We
brought them mango juice and all had breakfast together. It was way fun.
And reminded them about their baptismal goal that they still werent
completely sure of. Everyone was down except for Laura, the mom.

We then got to go to the temple together as a zone at the 7am session and
it was my last time in the CR temple. Talk about sadness... but its all
good. I will be back!

Anyway I just had so much faith this family was prepared and well I just
went ahead and started planning the wedding with invitations and all.
Because they gotta get married first. And they gotta do it before I go
home! Lauras had a rough past with men so shes been nervous about marriage
but has been praying lots. And wants to get baptized more than anything.
But Johan is so awesome and they are the greatest couple so I just knew
they had to get married to each other!


So then one afternoon she told us she had prayed and recieved and answer
and was willing to do it! Her kids started jumping up and down they were so
excited! Then Johan came home from work and Alejandro said tell him mommy,
tell him! Laura broke the news to him and he started crying because he was
so happy and loves her so much. They all started hugging and crying and its
all just too good to be true. The gospel blesses families? You bet!

Ok and just to make things even better, Hermana Vicki, the lady that makes
our lunch every day, had a birthday and turned 64 and so we threw her a
surprise birthday. Yayy! She shared her testimony and Laura and Johan
announced their happy news. And Jose David brought all the plates and forks
for the cake. Haha ahhh I just love these people so much and along with the
gospel I love teaching them how to enjoy life and make the best of it.

We also had 2 baptisms of two 8 years olds that are from less active
families we have rescued and that was also a sweet experience to be a part
of.

I have more happy news too like Juan is now an Elder and Natalia called me
saying that her son is learning how to read because they study the book of
mormon together every night as a family. I am so excited and just feeling
so grateful. Literally I cant stop smiling. I love the work! I love being a
missionary. I love working hard. I love you all.


Hermana Starke


P.s. TEN DAYS!!!!!!!!

P-day...lunch

I don't know how it gets better than this!

Hello fam,

First of all, HAPPY FIFTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's so special about the 15th of september? Well today is Independance
day so we are going all out and throwing a giant ward activity for all of
Belen to come celebrate and we are hoping to find lots of new
investigators.

 RED WHITE AND BLUE......Happy Independence Day

Wow!  Even Google Celebrated with Costa Rica... Pura Vida!!!

You don't even know how much it hurts me to know that I will never see the
new people we find be baptized... but that's ok because this Saturday was
the greatest day ever because I got to see Oscar and Natalia be baptized!
The goldenest family I ever did meet.

They are my favorite people in the whole entire world and I just feel like
the luckiest to have been able to meet them, teach them and help them enter
the waters of baptism. I thank God every day that small and simple things
like talking to Natalia one day as she was chasing around her two boys
outside riding bikes could lead to all this... One of the happiest and most
rewarding mission in my mission.

Oscar and Natalia 

The baptism was beautiful but let me just start from the beginning. Because
Saturday for reals is just about as good as it gets!

We woke up super early and then walked on over to the pretty temple right
next door t us. We then went through the 9am session with Marcela and
Alfonso Sibaja for their first time! It was so awessome to be a part of
their day and be able to be there with them. But the best part of all is
knowing that their family is now forever. It was impossible to keep the
tears back when they brought in Brandon all dressed in white and to see
them look into the mirrors of eternity. It was such a sacred experience
that I really can't put in to words... But it truly was a special moment
that I will never ever forget.

Sibaja Family  Together Forever!

As I was walking out of the temple I caught a glimpse of a familiar green
dress... my green dress... then I heard my name, HERMANA STARKE!

Then I see my sweet Martha running towards me and she gave me a long hug
and just cried in my arms because she was so happy to see me. Which of
course made me cry and so we stood there hugging and crying and it was a
joyful reunion... she is getting sealed in January! Yay!

 Martha

We then got soaked in a crazy rain storm but that didn't stop us or anyone
from coming to the baptism! The entire ward was soo excited to have a new
family get baptized and so loving and willing to help put everything
together and make it a special day. The water was way cold, but the baptism
was beautiful and they are just rocking the whole member thing. They
already have callings, 6 generations of family history done and are just
now counting dwn the days until they can enter the temple.

I love my mission. I love representing Jesus Christ. Because truly it is
ONLY through him that all these miracles and mercies are possible. I now
know and recognize that every tear, slammed door and worn out pair of shoes
has all been completely worth it because its all lead to me to this. Im so
blessed and I love my Heavenly Father. I know He lives. I feel his presence
in my life. I dont know how it gets better than this!

XO,
Hermana Starke

Puuuuuuraaa Vidaaa!! This is my nino Benito <3

It keeps gettin' better!

Buenas tardes familia!
I feel like every day of my mission just keeps getting better and better. I
learn more and more, and the miracles just get sweeter and sweeter!

Monday
We had the best family home evening with a less active family and their
daughter named Yendry. She suffers from a disease that makes it hard for
her to walk and communicate but just has a really special spirit and spent
all day making us muffins :)

Tuesday
We had our lidership meeting with president which is always great. I
always learn so much and get reminded how much that I am nothing and need
to repent and do better and be better. It's great!

Wednesday
I went on divisions with a newer hermana and it was probably the best
division I've had yet because this sister was so excited and willing to
learn. The rain was pouring down all day long and every single appointment
fell through. I was just praying so hard that I could help find them some
new people to teach because at the moment they only had 2
progressing investigators. Well we were walking along and I had a feeling
we needed to stop. So we did and i decided to knock on the door of closest
house we saw. I told them we had a message to share with them that was
going to change their lives and they let us is. Not sure if it was
only because they felt bad we were standing in the pouring rain but it
doesn't matter because we ended up finding this awesome prepared family and
the all accepted baptismal dates! We ended the day with 7 lessons, 4 new
investigators and chinese for dinner that made me sooo sick. Yep, that's
what happens when  you decide to eat chinese food in Costa Rica...

Thursday
THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Okay, the best day of the week at least! So I was
still so emferma from this sick chinese food and my companion told me to
lay down but I was like heck no. We got work to do! My time is running out
as a missionary and nothing is going to stop me. So then we are walking up
this giant hill after lunch that we have to conquer every day and I was
like ok I just need to stop for a second. So we did, and my companion
started talking to these kids outside of their house playing. They said
hola hermanas! Almost as if they had already known us....

She asked them if we could come in and share a message with them and their
families and they bolted inside to ask their parents. They came out with
sad faces and said no... But I still wasn't ready to move so we stood there
for a few more minutes and then the mom came out.

We introduced ourselves and then asked her again if we could share our
message with her. She looked at her kids and then at us and said we could
come in.

YES!!!!!!!

So then the miracle happens. Ready? Turns out Laura and her kids have
already heard all the lessons, she's read the enitre book of mormon, and has
even been to church a few times. About a year ago the missionaries had her
all ready for baptism but there was just one problem. Her boyfriend. He
didn't want anything to do with the church, and wouldn't let Laura get
baptized or marry her.

But this time is different! She is dating someone else now who is awesome
and they want to get married. A week ago Laura had a dream that she was
with all her family at church and broke down crying saying that we were an
answer to her prayers and that it defintely wasn't by chance that we found
her. Ahhhhhhhhhhh. She already believes the church is true and that was
obvious when they all came to church and Sunday. They walked an hour by
foot to get there and let me just say I am going to do everything I can so
that they can get married and bapitzed before I leave!!!!!! I love them.
They are so prepared and so wonderful. And her son just barely turned 8.
Coincidence? No way!

Friday
We made a PURA VIDA cake with Oscar and Natalia and their kids for dinner.
It was sooo delicious. I will make it for you guys some day! And for
dessert i taught them how to make smores. They were amazed and just couldnt
stop eating them and it was so funny hahaha. It was the first time they had
ever seen or tasted smores. Crazy right?!

Saturday
We watched 17 miracles with a less active family and the spirit was so
strong. And, since my companion is a convert it was the first time she had
seen it too! We were all in tears and i just love that movie so much. Yay
for the faith of pioneers!

Sunday
A less active sister named Salvadora came to church with her entire family
for the first time in years and her 16 year old active son was so happy he
hugged my companion! HAHAHAHA she about died but he was just so happy that
we had helped her mom come back. And we were so happy too. Happy happy
happy.

Until next week,
HERMANA STARKE!!!!!!!