August 24, 2015 - Well... hair grows, right?

Hello incredible family!! It's so fun to read all your emails about the wedding and everything. I love love!!! and our family so so much. 

Her zone at the conference with Elder Duncan

So something cool this week, we had a big conference with President Russell M. Nelson!! He is so so great. When I am 93 I want to be just like him. We actually just watched it over broadcast because it was in Honduras, but it was just for Central America, and it was so cool to hear the words of a prophet and to feel the Spirit testify that he really is called by God to be a mouthpiece! He spoke a lot about getting less actives to the temple. He said that there are more males who are inactives here, who don't have the Priesthood, than who do, and that the Lord isn't pleased about that. He said honestly we should focus a lot on these people, getting these families to the temple...they don't care how many converts or baptisms we have, but on getting these families to the temple! And, it's really so true. The temple covenants are so so important--we shouldn't just be satisfied with getting people to baptism, but to endure to the end, to make it to the temple, so they can be with their families forever! 

Also, President Duncan, the area president spoke, and his wife. And I absolutely LOVED what she said in her cute Spanish. She said that everyday we should Elige Tener Gozo....Choose to have joy!! Because not every day is easy, and a lot of times it's easy to be discouraged--but we need to remember, it's not just the mission that's like this--there's hard parts in every stage of life, but we can always choose to have joy, in all the hard times of life. So yeah,that was super good to hear, and something that I need to work on! And it's not always easy to have joy, when rough things come, when we don't understand sometimes...it takes a lot of effort! But it's so worth it. And as a missionary, I'm always inviting...so I'd like to invite you all, to every day, through the hard times,to choose to have joy. :) 

before

after

Oh, yeah, in other news...haha, wellp, last Monday we were getting a hair cut and Hermana Geis said, You should cut it super short! So I did....haha. Well...hair grows, right? ;)

I love you all so much, and hope you all have an incredible week!! 

Love, Hermana Moon 

August 17, 2015 - And it's REAL!

Interesting fruits

2nd Mother's Day of year -- too bad she couldn't call !

Hi everyone!!!

So something from this week...we did divisions, and I went to a place called Turrialba! It was so warm and incredible there, I didn't even need to use my jacket once, when I have to wear it like all day here in Cartago..but haha, Cartago really is the coldest place in Costa Rica! But it´s okay, the cold is worth it because Cartago is the best. But anyway, so on divisions we were just walking in the street, and we ran into like a girl who was like 17 and she was wearing a Gryffindor shirt!!! And this was like the first time I'd seen any signs of Harry Potter since coming on the mission and I almost died haha.....all I wanted to do was ask her which book was her favorite, her favorite character, everything!! But then, I was thinking about it, and really, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is even more exciting and beautiful than Harry Potter!! And it´s REAL, and it blesses the lives of every single person who has lived and lives and will live! Sometimes I just start thinking about it, and my heart gets so full and happy--we have the knowledge that we can be with our families FOREVER, that we can return to live with Heavenly Father, which is the most beautiful message of all!

And something so great!! Andrea is so excited for her baptism. She keeps on talking about August 29, and asking who she can invite, what else she needs to learn, which chapters she should read in the Book of Mormon...she´s incredible!! She went to church again yesterday, and she loved it. We´re super excited for that day, and still so grateful for her friend in Utah who decided to start talking to her about the church and then call the reference office. We never know what one little conversation about the church can do!

And...I can´t really remember what else happened this week! Haha, time is so weird here--sometimes it just flies by and I don't really know what happened! But I love you all a whole whole lot, and hope everything is going great!!

SO MUCH LOVE, Hermana Moon. :)

Pic 1: Happy Tico Day of the Mothers!! You definitely deserve at least two days of the year, mom. :) It was so cute watching everyone celebrating it here...they go all out. There were a million vendors just walking through the streets selling flowers, like walking in between cars and stuff, and everyone had the whole weekend set aside for the day!

Pic 2: So much cool fruit here!!!

August 10, 2015 - Deja que el Espiritu te ensene

Sisters

There were so many cool miracles this week! It's really cool how the Lord has people prepared always, and leads us to the people who are ready to receive Him!! 

So, one amazing story happened with Andrea, the miracle reference that we had! So she went to church last week...and she really, really didn't like it. She had such a testimony before, and was so excited to go...but she just felt a little uncomfortable because it was different than her Evangelical church, and she was sick, and everything. We didn't get to visit with her for awhile, and then she texted us Wednesday saying thanks for everything, but I'm going to stay with my old church. And she wouldn't answer our calls or texts, so we went to her house that night and like sat on her porch for like a half hour, but she wasn't home. So we came back the next night, and it was so incredible. We had a member with us, and it was just a crazy experience...she totally has a testimony, and is completely willing to try going to church again! One thing I love that Elder Holland said in a video that we have that "Salvation is not a cheap experience." Something I've really learned is that really, salvation isn't easy, conversion isn't easy! It's something that takes sacrifice, daily effort, lots of praying, lots of reading the scriptures.  We thought that Andrea would get baptized really fast, be so ready to be a member, because she was a reference from Utah! But really, that's not how we should think of things, in terms of baptisms--these are children of Heavenly Father, and yes, He wants them in His church, but He wants people to be truly converted. 

Another cool experience was with Andrea's neighbor! The night that we sat on her porch forever but she wasn't home, after we walked down the road and there was a lady sitting on the side, and we just said Hello to her, but that was it. And then yesterday, we were trying to get a hold of Andrea, but she wasn't answering, so we were leaving, walking down the road. But then we felt like we should really turn back, and we knocked on her neighbor's door, asking if she knew when Andrea would be back! And she said she didn't really know Andrea, but we asked if we could share a message with her, and she said yes, and said that she was that lady we said hi to earlier in the week, and that she'd been thinking about us ever since!! And they were incredible, and super super willing to learn about the gospel! 

And then one final experience...like two months ago, on a Sunday night, we were super low on LPEs so I just did one fast one because we had to run catch a bus. His name was Ricardo, and his name had just been on my old agenda for these last two months, but I kept seeing his name, but we never called him to see if we could put an appointment. Finally yesterday afternoon we called, and he wanted to meet right then, and even though it'd been forever he still remembered who we were! And he said he's been looking for a church for like 2 years, and he and his two children were INCREDIBLE--also super willing to learn!! and he said, It's so good you were persistent in calling, because I've been in Nicaragua for the last two months and haven't had my phone with me!" The Spirit really guided us to just not call him for that time, because if we had called him and he didn't answer, we really would have just have given up, checked him off the Future Investigators list! 

The Spirit is super incredible, and really, missionaries could do nothing without it--and it's amazing that little things that I wouldn't have thought of are all really part of God's great plan--we were supposed to go sit on Andrea's porch that night so we could just say Hi to that one woman, we were supposed to not call Ricardo for months--because He has such love and a plan for all His children!! He really has people prepared everywhere, all the time, and we just have to follow the promptings of the Spirit to be able to find them! I love this gospel and this work so so much. :) 

Also, I LOVE my companion a whole whole lot. haha, people ask us at least like four times a week if we're sisters, and like once a week if we're twins! ha, I don't really see it, it's probably just because we're Gringas...but I'm totally fine with being twins with her! :) I'm trying really hard to pretend that transfers aren't coming up in two weeks. 

Sisters

August 3, 2015 - The Romeria

Graciela, Hna Geis, Hna Moon

It's been another great week here! :) These past couple days have been super sunny and warm and it has been so so nice!!! it's also a big blessing, it rains a lot here...but lately it has been in the hours when we're studying in the morning, and then when we go out to work it's a beautiful sunny day!! So that's been a tender mercy! Hermana Geis gets so happy because she's from San Diego, and it's a lot like that! 

So this weekend, the 1 and 2 of August, are kind of crazy here in Cartago! Costa Rica is super super Catolic, and Cartago is ike the center of all of the Catholics in Costa Rica! This weekend was like the big weekend to celebrate the Virgin, and so THOUSANDS and thousands of Catholics walk from wherever they are in Costa Rica to the giant Basilica here in Cartago that's like a half mile from our house!! So all week we've just seen so many people wearing super cute exercise clothes, walking from wherever they are--hours and hours and hours--here to Cartago! And really thousands of people. It's called the Romeria, and it didn't affect us too much except......the buses. So Saturday night, which is like the biggest night of it, we were at an investigator's house, and the buses weren't running, and our investigators were leaving to go walk with the Romeria (...even people who aren't Catholic just do it because it's like the coolest thing to do here). And soo...the only way we could get home was by walking with them too!! haha...so we felt a little sacriligeous walking to the Basilica because that was the way we had to go to get home.....but we had to! it was super funny, we laughed so hard. haha. I promise I'm still an LDS missionary. 

This week there was a cool miracle!! We try to do 140 LPEs (lessons to encounter new investigators) every week, and last Sunday we were super behind, so we just went to the park by our house to try to talk to families! And we talked to this one family, but a date to visit them for last Monday night, and they are incredible!!! Like ten years ago the missionaries met with them a bunch, they went to church for like a year in Lima, which is on the west coast here, but then they stopped going, and moved here!! And then it's incredible, the Lord's timing. The next night, Tuesday, the dad left the family. And the mom, Lorena, was just like, I know that you guys were supposed to find us right before this happened, I know this is part of the Lord's plan!! So we're really hopeful for them, because they loved church when they went in Lima, and still are in contact with the Elders from like ten years ago!! And everytying is super super sad with the Dad, but really God has a plan for them, and the Spirit really guided us to talk to them that night, and for them to accept to meet with us, because if we had met them later they probably would have said no! 

This gospel is incredible, the Book of Mormon is so true, and I know that God loves all His children so much, and really has a plan for everyone to be happy in this life!!! I love you all, hope you have an amazing week!! 

Love, Hermana Moon 

Staying hydrated

July 27, 2015 - La Luz de la Verdad

She got mail!

So so much incredible stuff happened this week!!!!! 

So last Monday we got a call from the office that we had a reference from the General Offices in Salt Lake!! Which is like, super exciting because that hardly ever happens here!! And the office Elder said that the guy who referred her said that we needed to visit the reference like, that night. So we changed our plans, and called Andrea....and holy cow. So so incredible!! She said that she's in a course to get baptized in her other religion. But, she has a friend who is Tico, but lives in Utah who is Mormon, and she just texted him asking him a question about Polygamy that her friend had asked her! And he said, no no no,we only have one wife now, hey how about I teach you about my religion, you teach me about yours? So he started explaining the LDS church and she said she wanted to read the Book of Mormon, and he said I'll send you a surprise! And so he called the reference office! and then,like immediately after getting the reference, the AP called her, and she took that as an answer that she like really needed to consider this religion! So we met with her in McDonald's Monday night because she has a 5 year old son who wanted to play in the playplace, and it was just so amazing--she just said, Ï don't think it's coincidence that right before I was going to get baptized in a different church my friend who I have known for 30 years finally started talking to me about his church. I want to be in this church, raise my son in this, and maybe have him go on a mission. What do I need to do to get baptized in this religion?" Me and Hermana Geis like couldn't talk...this just doesn't happen!  seriously the most spiritual experience I think that has ever happened in a McDonald's playplace.  Anyway, we met with her again on Wednesday,and she said that she spent all of Tuesday night praying and crying...and she said, that she made the decision, that she needs to be a part of this church, and leave her other one. She's so amazing!!!!And she rode the bus four hours to come to the baptism we had this Saturday, because she was visiting her mom! It's all really a miracle...we just get giddy thinking about her! God's timeline is incredible--had the AP not called her immediately after receiving the reference, shemight not have taken this as much as an answer that she needed to really consider this church! Listening to spiritual promptings is so important. Haha, sorry I don't even know if this story makes sense, there's just so much to say about it, it's just so cool!

The ruins near their apartment.

But yeah, Maria Jesus, who is 13, got baptized!!! It was so beautiful. Her dad, Carlos, who got baptized like two months ago got to baptize her, and her mom who has MS and hasn't left the house like since her baptism two months ago felt well enough to come watch!! Such a miracle. It's been so cool seeing the light growing in Maria Jesus's eyes.:)

Maria Jesus and parents

The ward had an anniversary activity for 50 years of the mission in Costa Rica!! They had people who have been members for a long long time talk about the growth of the church here, talking about all the first missionaries and when the chapel was built here, and everything! So fun. Dad, you would have totally loved it. 

And then Sunday, we had a conference because they are making a new Stake here in Cartago!! Before it was with La Paz, but now there is one of its own!! Now I think there are eight stakes in Costa Rica, which is amazing! The Lord's kingdom is spreading so much on the earth...crazy that 50 years ago there wasn't even a mission here!

Views of the area

Anyway, it was a exciting week,full of miracles and gaining a better understanding how the Lord is in charge of His work, and the light of the gospel is getting shared with so many of God's children!! I love this gospel and this work so much. 

Love you all!!!!! Hope summer is going so great for everyone.:)

July 20, 2015 - ¡Oh está todo bien!

Pacasys is so stunning!

Pancakes and Pday

Hello everyone!! 

I can't really remember what happened this week...haha it flew by! But it was good! I love it here, and the culture, and the people, and I'm getting more used to it every day! It's crazy, this week is the first transfers since I've been here! There were so many changes in the district and zone and everything...we think we have the Assistants to the Presidents and the Zone Leaders in our district now, so that'll be exciting! We're ready to work super hard and echar fuego. 

A super spiritual experience this week happened with Gleny. Ahh we just love her and her family so much. It really was such a miracle she got baptized when she did, when she wanted to move up her baptismal date up two weeks, because she hasn't been able to come to church since--she went to the beach in Guanacaste on the other side of the country with her family because it's vacations for all the school kids the past two weeks, and then her daughter was really sick the next! So yeah. We're realizing more and more how much of a miracle it really was! So we went to visit her this week, and she's having such a hard time---just a lot of rough things happening. But she loves the gospel SO much. While they were in Guanacaste she called us to learn the tune for new hymns to sing with her girls, it was so cute. But yeah, so we were at her house the other day and she was just crying. We shared the story in the Book of Mormon when the people are basically slaves under Amulon in Mosiah 24.

 I really really love this chapter, when it says, " Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."

Sometimes we will go through really hard trials in this life, times when we feel like we're in bondage! But God will always deliver us out of our afflictions, and ease the burdens that we carry--not always take them away completely, but He will always help us through these times, and they really make us stronger and help us become more like God, which is the purpose of coming on this earth. Then we sang Come Come Ye Saints, and it was such a cool experience, the Spirit was so strong. 

And, I just realized, it was fitting for Pioneer Day this week!! I'm so grateful for the Pioneers and all the sacrifices they made, the afflictions they endured. 

Happy Pioneer Day this week, Love you all!!! 

July 13, 2015 - meeting new president, focus on families

Hermanas in district with Sis. Laura Hayes and her daughter Elizabeth

This week was super great!! 

We met the new mission president this week, President Hayes. Oh my goodness, he is just so incredible. He's just such a humble, sweet man, and super approachable. I'm so grateful that we'll have him here. He wants us to focus on teaching families--families who will be able to strengthen the wards here in Costa Rica. Because the church is growing so fast here, they need a lot of strong families! And yeah, the church really is growing, it's super super exciting--we're getting a Cartago Stake in two weeks!! Before it was with La Paz, but now we'll have our own!! All the members are so so excited, it's been really fun to see. 

American food!

President Randy Hayes cooking

Something cool from this week..I've gained such a bigger testimony of family history work here!! We've teach a lot to new members about baptisms for the dead, and give them a "mi Familia" booklet to start their family history. And they love it. I love seeing the light in their eyes when they realize that they can do this work for their ancestors who have gone on before! We taught this to a recent convert, Carlos, yesterday and it was so incredible--he wanted to fill out the whole booklet right then and there, and if we could have gone to the temple at 8:00 at night last night we would have! Honestly, family history work is one of the most beautiful parts of the gospel--that we can do this work to help our ancestors, those who are stuck in spirit prison and are really just waiting for us to do this, and then do the ordinances to be sealed as a family forever!!! 

And then as we were leaving another miracle happened! We were in Pacayas, which is like a 30 minute bus ride away from our house, and when we got on the bus, there was a guy who is American there in the front of the bus, who I've actually already talked to on teh way to Pacays! He's in the Peace Core so he's been here for two years, and the last time we talked we didn't really get to talk about the gospel, but this time he like asked what we'd just been teaching to the family, and it was super cool getting to teach the gospel in English! haha, it was like in the Best Two Years. And he says that he really wants to settle on one religion, but he doesn't know what, but he has a lot of the same beliefs as us... so yeah! Hermana Geis says that I was explaining temples and baptisms to the dead to him she just felt the Spirit say to her so much that he needs to get baptized. So yeah! We'll see! :) He says we can't teach him for like a month, but we're going to try to earlier...Haha, Hermana Geis says she's so excited to practice the lessons in English! So that will be fun! 

I love you all so so much, and hope you all have an incredible week!!! 

Graciela and Kiana